Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Steve and Yaser first met in their chemistry class at an American university. Yaser was an international student from Jordan. He wanted to learn more about American culture and hoped that he and Steve would become good friends. At first, Steve seemed very friendly. He always greeted Yaser warmly before class. Sometimes he offered to study with Yaser. He even invited Yaser to have lunch with him. But after the term was over, Steve seemed distant. The two former classmates didn't see each other very often at school. One day Yaser decided to call Steve. Steve didn't seem very interested in talking to him. Yaser was hurt by Steve's change of attitude. "Steve said we were friends," Yaser complained, "and I thought friends were friends forever." Yaser was a little confused. As a foreigner, he doesn't understand the way Americans view friendship. Americans use the word "friend" in a very general way. They may call both casual acquaintances(;) and close companions "friends". These friendships are based on common interests. When the shared activity ends, the friendship may fade . Now as Steve and Yaser are no longer classmates, their "friendship" has changed. In some cultures friendship means a strong lifelong bond between two people. In these cultures friendships develop slowly, since they are built to last. American society is one of rapid change. Studies show that one out five American families moves every year. American friendships develop quickly, and _ may change just quickly as well. People from the United States may at first seem friendly. Americans often chat easily with strangers. But American friendliness is not always an offer of true friendship. After an experience like Yaser's , people who've been in this country for only a few months may consider Americans to be fickle . Learning how Americans view friendship can help non-Americans avoid misunderstandings. It can also help them make friends in the American way. Question: We can learn from the passage that _ . - Americans use the word "friend" in a very special way and like to develop a close friendship - American friendliness is always an offer of true friendship and is of great value - Americans think the friendship will last for ever, even though the shared activity ends - Americans always base their friendships with others on common interests
Americans always base their friendships with others on common interests
------
Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: "It hurts me more than you", and "This is for your own good" --these are the statements my mother used to make years ago when I had to learn Latin, clean my room, stay home and do homework. That was before we entered the permissive period in education in which we decided it was all right not to push our children to achieve their best in school. The schools and the educators made it easy for us. They taught that it was all right to be parents who take a let-alone policy. We stopped making our children do homework. We gave them calculators, turned on the television, left the teaching to the teachers and went on vacation. Now teachers, faced with children who have been developing at their own pace for the past 15 years, are realizing we've made a terrible mistake. One such teacher is Sharon Clomps who says of her students--"so passive" --and wonders what has happened. Nothing is demanded of them, she believes. Television, says Clomps, contributes to children's passivity. "We're talking about a generation of kids who' vet never been hurt or hungry. They have learned somebody will always do it for them, instead of saying 'go and look it up', you tell them the answer. It takes greater energy to say no to a kid." Yes, it does. It takes energy and it takes work. It's time for parents to end their vacation and come back to work. It' s time to take the car away, to turn the TV off, to tell them it hurts you more than them but it' s for their own good. It's s time to start telling them no again. Question: By "permissive period in education" (L.1, Para.2) the author means a time _ . - when children are allowed to do what they wish to - when everything can be taught at school - when every child can be educated - when children are permitted to receive education
when children are allowed to do what they wish to
------
Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: A scientist turns out to be able to see the future by offering each of some four-year-olds a piece of candy and watching how he or she deals with it. Some children reach eagerly for the treat they see. Some last a few minutes before they give in. But others are determined to wait until the last moment. By the time the children reach high school, something remarkable has happened. A survey found that those who as four-year-olds had enough self-control to hold out generally grew up to be more popular, adventurous, confident and dependable. The children who gave in to temptation early were more likely to be lonely, easily frustrated and inflexible . Actually, the ability to delay reward is a sign of emotional intelligence which doesn't show up on an IQ test. The hardware of the brain and the software of the mind have long been scientists' concerns. But brain theory can't explain what we wonder about most, like the question why some people remain _ in the face of troubles that would sink a less resistant soul. Here comes the theory of Daniel Goleman, writer of Emotional Intelligence: when it comes to predicting people's success, brain ability measured by IQ may actually matter less than the qualities of mind once thought of as "character". EQ is not the opposite of IQ. What researchers have been trying to understand is how they work together; how one's ability to handle stress, for instance, affects the ability to concentrate and put intelligence to use. Among the ingredients for success, researchers now generally agree that IQ counts for about 20%; the rest depends on everything from social class to luck. While many researchers in this relatively new field are glad to see emotional issues finally taken seriously, some few fear EQ invites misuse. Question: The experiment with the four-year-olds makes it clear that _ . - the age of 4 is a proper time for scientific experiment - emotional intelligence won't show up until adolescence - the ability of self-control plays a role in personal success - candy can be used to measure a person's emotional intelligence
the ability of self-control plays a role in personal success
------
Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: When we talk about stars ,especially women stars ,it seems that they are always young, pretty and own charming body shapes. But recently a Britain's Got Talent star Susan Boyle has changed our views absolutely. Simon Cowell ,one of the judges of the talent show spoke of his shock over Ms Boyle's voice. "This lady camp up ,and I'm thinking, 'This will take five seconds and I can go to have a cup of tea'. That changed when she began to sing I Dreamed to Dream from Les Miserables. She knew we were going to have that reaction and just to see that look of satisfaction on her face through -it was one of my favorite moments," Cowell said. The performance was posted on line and before long, the 47-year-old Scottish woman has been famous all over the world. Speaking from her home in Scotland, Ms Boyle said that she hasn't thought of changing her appearance. She said that her friend helped her with make-up. "I mean, that's hardly a makeover," she added.Ms Boyle also spoke of the reason she first began to explore her vocal talents, "I was kind of slow at school, so getting like singing was a good way of hiding behind that and thus it built my confidence." Question: Susan Boyle had a look of satisfaction on her face when she was singing because _ . - she was confident of her singing - she was satisfied with the judges - she was pretty and in good shape - she sang the song I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables
she was confident of her singing
------