This is my world now; it's all I have left. You see, I'm old. And, I'm not as healthy as I used to be. I'm not necessarily happy with it, but I accept it. Occasionally, a member of my family will stop in to see me. He or she will bring me some flowers or a little present, maybe a set of slippers--I've got eight pairs. And then they will return to the outside world and I'll be alone again. Oh, there are other people here in the nursing home. Residents, we're called. The majority are about my age. I'm 84. Many are in wheelchairs. The lucky ones are passing through--a broken hip, a diseased heart, something has brought them here for rehabilitation . When they're well they'll be going home. The help here is basically pretty good, although there's a large turnover of staff. Just when I get comfortable with someone he or she moves on to another job. I understand that. This is not the best job to have. I don't much like some of the physical things that happen to us. I don't care much for a diaper . I seem to have lost the control acquired so diligently as a child. The difference is that I'm aware and embarrassed, but I can't do anything about it. I've had three children, and I know it isn't pleasant to clean another's diaper. My husband used to wear a gas mask when he changed the kids. I wish I had one now. Why do you think the staff insists on talking baby talk when speaking to me? I understand English. I have a degree in music and am a certified teacher. Now I hear a lot of words that end in "y". There is little need for anyone to position their face directly in front of mine and raise their voice with those "y" words. Sometimes it takes longer for a meaning to sink in; sometimes my mind wanders when I am bored. But there's no need to shout. I'd love to go out for a meal or travel again. I'd love to go to my own church, sing with my own choir. I'd love to visit my friends. Most of them are gone now or else they are in different "homes" of their children's choosing. I'd love to play a good game of bridge, but no... How will the author's son most probably feel after he reads this essay? A) Sympathetic. B) Regretful. C) Angry. D) Relieved.
B
Meat and vegetables are measured in grams and kilograms. Milk and other liquid foods are measured in liters or milliliters. These units only measure quantity: they do not measure the value of the food to the body. The unit which measures the quality or value of food is the calorie the amount of heat given off by food when it brurns. This measurement tells how much energy a certain food has when it is completely used by the body. Our bodies use varying amount of calories. The more exercise we take, the more calories we burn. If we eat food which contains more calories than we use up, then it is possible that we would increase in weight. In order to avoid becoming overweight, it is advisable to eat a balanced diet and not eat too many foods that have a high calorie rating. The table below gives you some idea of the number of calories in food. Which is the best title of passage? A) How to Measure the Quality of Food B) Calories in Foods C) The Units of Measurement D) How to Keep Fit
A
Q: Goldie's Secret She turned up at the doorstep of my house in Cornwall. No way could I have sent her away. No way, not me anyway. Maybe someone had kicked her out of their car the night before. "We're moving house."; "No space for her any more with the baby coming." "We never really wanted her, but what could we have done? She was a present." People find all sorts of excuses for abandoning an animal. And she was one of the most beautiful dogs I had ever seen. I called her Goldie. If I had known what was going to happen I would have given her a more creative name. She was so unsettled during those first few days. She hardly ate anything and had such an air of sadness about her. There was nothing I could do to make her happy, it seemed. Heaven knows what had happened to her at her previous owner's. But eventually at the end of the first week she calmed down. Always by my side, whether we were out on one of our long walks or sitting by the fire. That's why it was such a shock when she pulled away from me one day when we were out for a walk. We were a long way from home, when she started barking and getting very restless. Eventually I couldn't hold her any longer and she raced off down the road towards a farmhouse in the distance as fast as she could. By the time I reached the farm I was very tired and upset with Goldie. But when I saw her licking the four puppies I started to feel sympathy towards them. "We didn't know what had happened to her," said the woman at the door. "I took her for a walk one day, soon after the puppies were born, and she just disappeared." "She must have tried to come back to them and got lost," added a boy from behind her. I must admit I do miss Goldie, but I've got Nugget now, and she looks just like her mother. And I've learnt a good lesson: not to judge people. Goldie rushed off to a farmhouse one day because she _ . A) saw her puppies B) heard familiar barking C) wanted to leave the author D) found her way to her old home
A: D
(Question)
Almost every child is scared of something, from monsters in the cupboard to dogs in the park. But the fact that such fears are common and normal doesn't mean they can be taken lightly. Kids experience fears and phobias much more strongly than adults. And the influence of the fear can be physical as well as psychological . It can build up so they almost seem scared of everything--a kind of childhood anxiety. Dr. Creswell says: "Your child may always seem to expect the worst to happen and lack confidence in his or her ability to deal with any challenge." So don't make the same old mistake of treating them as if they're silly for being a"scaredy cat". Handling the fears is essential. Children can be born nervous and, if you have such a baby, you'll tend to prevent them from getting worried. So if they fear dogs, you'll keep them away from dogs, but in fact that can just confirm to the child that dogs are scary. What is worse, keeping your child away from what they fear can turn that feeling into a phobia. Instead, you should encourage them to get in touch with the thing they fear, in a safe and supportive environment. Dr. Andy Field, a researcher of childhood fears, says: "You shouldn't force, for example, a dog anxious child to go up to a dog. But you can approach it yourself, show them there is nothing to be afraid of, stroke( ) it, and talk about the dog being friendly. Once your child dares to stroke a dog-one that's good with children, of course---then you should encourage them to carry on until they feel calmer, and reward them for'being brave'." According to Dr. Andy Field, if a child is afraid of a cat, parents should _ . A) tell the child not to be afraid of it B) show the child how to approach it C) keep the child away from it D) ask the child to stroke it
(Answer)
B