Question: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: The saying "a penny for your thoughts" is an English idiom simply asking people to volunteer their opinions on an issue being discussed. In modern usage, it is often stated as an indirect way of asking what someone is thinking about. This phrase is basically a proposal , and the speaker is offering to pay to hear the listener's thoughts. It is an idiom, of course, and not meant literally so no real payment generally takes place. When the saying originated, a penny was worth a lot more than it is in the 21st century. Therefore, "a penny for your thoughts" likely indicated the thoughts were more valuable to those asking the listener for them than they are by today's standards. This loss of value can be used ironically , however, through tone of voice; it can be used to indicate that someone's idea is bad or worth a penny in modern value. The phrase is generally credited to a man by the name of John Heywood, who was born sometime just before the 16th century. During his life, he was a writer who penned many plays and a book in 1546, later known as The Proverbs of John Heywood. It is likely Heywood did not actually come up with the phrase "a penny for your thoughts". Rather, he was simply the first person to have set the phrase down in written form. The actual origins of the term are unknown, and since his book was simply a collection of common idioms and expressions, it was probably familiar to people in the mid 1500s. Another phrase similar to "a penny for your thoughts" is offering "your two cents" after making a statement. Someone might give his or her opinion and then say, "that's my two cents," to indicate the value of his or her idea. While, much like a penny, "two cents" is relatively low in value now, it would have been more valuable at one time and the expression is used in much the same way. Question: The modern meaning of "a penny for your thoughts" _ . Options: A: is more closely connected to the value of the penny B: can differ greatly according to a speaker's manner C: can confuse the listener easily D: is more popularly accepted
Answer: B

Question: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Seven tips to good table manners Whether it's a dinner at a friend's house or a business meeting over lunch, we judge people based on their table manners. But what can you do if your kids do not behave themselves at the dinner tables? The following are seven tips to set your children on the road to good table manners: *Look for the good. Instead of pointing out all the things your children do wrong, point out what they do right. Please say, for example, "I am so proud of you. It was wonderful the way you served yourself." *Don't turn dinner into an unpleasant "lecture time". That will turn kids off not only manners, but dinner, and you, too. *Check your own example. Don't show up for dinner in just your underwear unless you want your kids to do the same. *Don't always consider your kids lazy and dirty ones. Instead, point out the behavior in a tender way. For example: " It' s a good idea to unfold your napkin, so if food falls you won't dirty your clothes." *Teach your kids good manners in the form of a game. One night a week, try to have a formal dinner. Try dressing up, serve a special meal, and expect more formal manners. That will help improve their sense of manners. *Make kids understand part of the tradition. Invite guests over and let kids help serve them. This helps them indirectly learn about table manners. *Try dining out once in a while. Fast food restaurants aren't counted. Try a nice restaurant and let kids order their own food, pay the bill and give the tip. Question: Which of the following should parents do to help their kids learn good table manners? Options: A: Try dining out in fast food restaurants once in a while. B: Point out what's wrong with the kids' behavior at dinner. C: Keep telling the kids how to behave themselves at dinner. D: Improve kids' sense of manners by having a formal dinner at times.
Answer: D

Question: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: "TODAY is a dream comes true. I have always wanted to be a Grand Slam champion." These are the words of Chinese tennis player Li Na after she became the first Asian woman to win a Grand Slam final in the French Open on June 4. "People were saying I'm getting old. So this is a great success for such an old woman," the 29-year-old joked. This is the way that Li usually fights doubts- by being humorous and sharp. "China's number one sister" is never a pushover . She has a tattoo . She has dyed her hair many different colors. And, at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she told her fans to "shut up" when they got too noisy in their support. Li started to play tennis at the age of 6. She once recalled: "As a child, I felt sad because every day I had to wake up early to practice. After school I had to practice more. I didn't have time to play." Luckily, the tough girl didn't give up, thus making history for Chinese tennis time after time. Now the new champion is already thinking about winning another Grand Slam title. Her next stop is Wimbledon - the European grass court championship that starts later this month. "When you have one title, naturally you will think about another," she says, not hiding her ambition. "Chinese people are so lacking in confidence on the tennis court. If there is a person like me who can prove we can do it, the other young players in China will feel the same," she said. Question: Li Na is _ . Options: A: a basketball player B: a table tennis player C: a tennis player D: a soccer player
Answer:
C