Dear Guys, I'd like to talk to you about the shame you subjected me to last night. Let me first refresh your memory: You, a group of fit, young men, were playing soccer on the field across from my apartment building. I, a better-than-average looking young woman, was walking along the sidewalk with my groceries. That's when your ball came flying over the fence and landed in front of me. One of you approached and asked politely if I would throw the ball back to you. Fighting the urge to drop my bags and run screaming down the street, I reluctantly agreed. Before I continue, let me explain something that I didn't have a chance to mention last night: I hate sports. More specifically, I hate sports involving balls. This results from my lack of natural ability when it comes to throwing, catching and hitting. I'm bad at aiming too. So you can understand why I'd be nervous at what I'm sure seemed to you like a laughably simple request. However, wanting to appear agreeable, I put my bags down, picked up the ball and, eyes half-shut, and threw it as hard as I could. It hit the middle of the fence and bounced back to me. Trying to act casually, I said something about being out of practice, and then picked up the ball again. If you'll remember, at your command, I agreed to try throwing underhand. While outwardly I was smiling, in my head, I was praying, oh God, oh please oh please oh please. I threw the ball upward with all my strength, terrified by what happened next. The ball hit slightly higher up on the fence and bounced back to me. This is the point where I start to take issue with you. Wouldn't it have been a better use of your time, and mine, if you had just walked around the fence and took the ball then? I was clearly struggling; my smiles were more and more forced. And yet, you all just stood there, motionless. Seeing that you weren't going to let me out of the trouble, I became desperate. Memories of middle school softball came flooding back. I tried hard to throw the ball but it only went about eight feet,... What the boys said before the writer's third attempt actually made the writer _ . A) inspired B) encouraged C) awkward D) depressed
C
(Question)
A little stream flowed down from a high mountain far, far away through many villages and forests, until it reached a desert. The stream then thought, "I've been through countless obstacles. I should have no problem crossing this desert!" But when she decided to start her journey, she found herself gradually disappearing into the mud and sand. After numerous tries, she found it was all in vain and was very upset. "Maybe it's my destiny ! I'm not destined to reach the vast ocean in the legend, " she murmured sadly to herself. At this time, a deep voice came, saying, "If a breeze can cross the desert, so can a river." It was the voice of the desert. Unconvinced, the little stream replied, "That's because a breeze can fly, but I can't." "That's because you stick to what you are. If you're willing to give it up, and let yourself evaporate into the breeze, it can take you across, and you can reach your destination," said the desert in its deep voice. The little stream had never heard of such a thing. "Give up what I am now and disappear into the breeze? No! No!" She could not accept this idea. After all, she had never experienced anything like it before. Wouldn't it be self-destruction to give up what she was now? "How do I know if this is true?" asked the little stream. "The breeze can carry the vapor across the desert and release it as rain at an appropriate site. The rain will form a river again to continue its course," answered the desert very patiently. "Will I still be what I am now?" asked the little stream. "Yes, and no. Whether you're a river or invisible vapor, your inner nature never changes. You stick to the fact that you're a river because you don't know your inner nature," answered the desert. Deep down, the stream vaguely remembered that before she became a river, it was perhaps also the breeze that carried her halfway up a high mountain, where she turned into rain and fell onto the ground and became what she was now. Finally the little stream gathered her courage and rushed into the open arms of... Finally the stream successfully crossed the desert with the help of _ . A) the rain B) the desert C) the breeze D) the mountain
(Answer)
C
Americans who volunteer for the Peace Corps get a chance to help improve lives in developing countries. They also get a chance to learn more about the world, and about themselves. This week this program is celebrating its 50th anniversary. President John Kennedy established the Peace Corps soon after he took office in 1961. It was the time of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. The new program gave Americans a chance to answer the call to service that the president made in his inaugural speech. "Ask not what your country can do for you," he said. "Ask what you can do for your country." Kennedy told Peace Corps volunteers that America's image in the countries where they were going would depend largely on them. On August 30th, 1961, the first group of 51 Peace Corps volunteers arrived in Accra, Ghana, to serve as teachers. They had agreed to work for almost no pay. They would spend two years in Ghana helping its people and learning the reality of life in a developing country. Most of the volunteers had just completed college. About half of them taught English or health care. In the 50 years since then, more than 200,000 Americans have served as Peace Corps volunteers. They have worked in 139 countries. The Peace Corps is a government agency that was created to promote world peace and friendship. There are three goals: First, to help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women. Second, to help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the people served. And, third. to help promote a better understanding of other people on the part of Americans. Today, the Peace Corps has more than 8,000 volunteers and trainees in 77 countries. They work in agriculture, economic development, education, the environment and health care. Some work in programs related to youth development. Sixty percent of current Peace Corps volunteers are women. The average age of a volunteer is 28. But the ages of Peace Corps volunteers range from 18 to 86. Some... Which of the following is TRUE according to the text? A) Volunteers served as teachers to work for no pay in Accra, Ghana. B) Kennedy established the Peace Corps before he took office in 1961. C) Most of the volunteers of the first group had just graduated from college. D) America's image in the foreign countries depends completely on volunteers.
C