You know you have to read "between the lines" to get the most out of anything. I want to persuade you to do something equally important in the course of your reading. You have to "mark between the lines". By marking you can make the most efficient kind of reading. There are two ways in which one can own a book. The first is the property right you have by paying for it, just as you pay for clothes and furniture. While full ownership comes only when you have made it a part of yourself and the best way to make yourself a part of it is by writing marks on it. Why is marking up a book _ to reading? First, it keeps you awake. Second, active reading is thinking, and thinking tends to express itself in words. Finally, marking helps you remember the thoughts you had, or the thoughts the author expressed. Reading a book should be like making a conversation, a conversation between you and the author. Although he knows more about the subject than you do, don't let anybody tell you that a reader is only on the receiving end. Understanding is a two-way operation. Reading doesn't mean being a passive empty receiver, the reader has to question himself and question the author. And marking a book can show his own judgment on author's opinion: agreement or difference. The author thinks "marking between the lines" is _ . A) the most important of all B) more important than "reading between the lines" C) as important as "reading between the lines" D) not so important as "reading between the lines"
C
In December 2008, Caroline Kennedy -- daughter of the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy--sat down, as a frontrunner for the Senate seat in New York, for a televised interview that helped decide the future of her campaign. The result was a disaster. Her performance wasn't well received, in part because her speech was full of filler words--"ums," "ahs" and "you knows." One listener counted 27 "ums" and 38 "you knows" in the space of five minutes. A few weeks after the interview, Kennedy ended her Senate campaign. Filler words may seem natural in everyday speech, but they can be deadly in formal presentations. "Using excessive fillers is the most annoying speech habit," said Susan Ward, a speech specialist. "They take your listener's attention away often to the point that he doesn't hear anything you say. Your message is entirely lost." Many speakers are afraid of pause. They believe their audience will think they are inarticulate if they pause to think of what to say next, so they use filler words to avoid the silence. However, a pause is actually more impressive than a filler word. Listeners know that the speaker is thinking, trying to find the right word. Sometimes a pause can actually improve a speech, as when an actor uses a dramatic pause to hold the attention of his audience. A speaker shouldn't be afraid to pause occasionally during a speech; it shows self-confidence. It takes some work to cut out filler words. You can begin by taking a few seconds to think about what you want to say the next time you are asked a question. This pause will help you begin powerfully, and it will help you avoid using a filler word. The same public speaking technique applies when you are shifting from one idea to another. While you may be tempted to fill the silence between ideas with a filler word, remember to allow yourself to pause and think about what you want to say next. If you need help overcoming your "um" problem, consider asking a family member or a friend to point out when you use filler words. You also could... The reason why filler words are considered annoying by speech specialist is that _ . A) they prevent the listener from focusing on what the speaker is saying. B) they convey the speaker's superiority to the listener. C) they mean the speaker is not articulate at all. D) they make the speaker appear self-confident.
A
Q: As Paige watched the other kids playing football in her local park she longed to join in. But at nearly nine stone (1stone equals 6.35 kilograms), the 11-year-old was too big to enjoy her favorite sport, she was well on her way to being another overweight member of her family. Mandy, her mum was 17th 10 lb and Anne, her grandma 15th 10 lb. Mandy, 39, and Anne, 67, both have a sweet tooth and share a love of all things stodgy. Recent figures show that two-thirds of kids will be dangerously fat by 2050, and overweight kids often become obese adults and live shorter lives as they are at higher risk of everything from heart disease to cancer and type-2 diabetes. Mandy says she knew things had to change for her and her family. Mandy's mum Anne had an even greater motivation for wanting to slim down. Last autumn Paige went along to the Slimming World to keep her mum and grand ma company. In the first week on the Slimming World eating plan, Mandy lost a whopping 9.5lb. Mandy asked Paige to join in. They believed the Free2Go plan is balanced and nutritious and doesn't deprive Paige of anything. Supporting and encouraging each other the whole time, Anne, Mandy and Paige all whittled away their waistlines. Mandy says: "My back problems have cleared up." Anne has also noticed a real difference in her health. She says: "I feel like I've got my old energy back." Paige is almost as delighted with her new wardrobe as she is about her foot balling skills. Mandy adds: "I'm just so proud of Paige. I felt awful because I knew her weight problems were a result of my bad eating habits. But when I see her now it's like she's a different person." How much did Paige weigh when she was only eleven years old? A) About 57 kilograms. B) About 67 kilograms. C) About 77 kilograms. D) About 87 kilograms.
A: A
Q: Annual holidays have become a luxury and are no longer a staple of family life, according to government research. A getaway of a week or more is no longer considered essential by many families and is often beyond their reach, said the analysis of what parents and children say they really need. Fashionable clothes for the children, expensive birthday parties and lots of toys are also on the list of luxuries families don't have to have. Instead, recession -hit parents are thinking of the future, and the things they want for their children centre around learning to behave properly, good education and good health. Their picture of what a family ought to have includes a space to eat together away from the television, plenty of fruit and vegetables, and bicycles so children can get exercise. The breakdown of necessities and luxuries was prepared by researchers from the Department for Work and Pensions(DWP) who were trying to establish an up-to-date picture of what parents say they really need. Their findings show how families have scaled down their expectations in the face of economic difficulties -- how parents are now concentrating their attention and money firmly on the long-term interests of their children. Many believe that while it is vital for a family to do things together, day trips or weekend breaks are enough. Spending on furniture or decorating the house was also considered luxurious, unless the state of the home was so bad it became difficult to invite visitors in. Instead, researchers said: A family home should have an area where the family can eat together, not on their laps in front of a television. Families should be able to go on outings, overnight trips and possibly short holiday: the fact of being able to share these experiences is more important than the precise activity and its cost. In the opinion of most parents, _ . A) families can watch TV together in order to keep up their relationship B) day trips or weekend breaks are enough for families to share experiences C) their expectations should be increased in the face of economic difficulties D) a week's holiday is an essential minimum during the financial crisis
A: B