Q: CHAPTER XX

A MOMENT OF PERIL

"This is the life!"

"That's right, Tom. This kind of touring suits me to death," returned Sam Rover.

"Tom, how many miles an hour are you making?" broke in his wife. "Remember what you promised me--that you would keep within the limit of the law."

"And that is just what I am doing, Nellie," he answered. "But it's mighty hard to do it, believe me, when you are at the wheel of such a fine auto as this. Why, I could send her ahead twice as fast if I wanted to!"

"Don't you dare!" burst out Grace, who sat in the tonneau beside her sister. "If you do I'll make you let Sam drive."

"He's got to let me drive anyway after dinner," said the youngest Rover boy. "That's the arrangement."

It was the second day of the tour, and Valley Brook Farm, and in fact the whole central portion of New York State, had been left far behind. The weather had turned out perfect, and so far they had encountered very little in the way of bad roads. Once they had had to make a detour of two miles on account of a new bridge being built, but otherwise they had forged straight ahead.

Tom and his wife, with Grace and Sam, occupied the first automobile, the remaining space in the roomy tonneau being taken up by various suitcases and other baggage. Behind this car came the one driven by Dick Rover. Beside him was his wife, with Mrs. Stanhope and Mrs. Laning behind them. Some distance to the rear was the third machine, a brand-new runabout, containing Chester Waltham and his sister Ada. Waltham had at first wished to take the lead, but had then dropped behind, stating he did not wish to get the others to follow him on any wrong road.

1. Sam Rover
2. Three
3. yes
4. keep within the limit of the law.
5. his wife
6. yes
7. yes
8. when you are at the wheel of such a fine auto as this
9. perfect
10. no
11. yes
12. Waltham
13. yes
14. he did not wish to get the others to follow him on any wrong road.
15. yes
16. two miles
17. various suitcases and other baggage

Numbered questions:
1. Who was driving?
2. How many people was he with?
3. Did he make any promises?
4. What was it?
5. Who did he promise that to?
6. Did he keep it?
7. Was it hard?
8. Why?
9. How was the weather?
10. Any problems on the trip?
11. Were they travelling with any other cars?
12. Who took the front position initially?
13. Did he change his mind?
14. Why?
15. Did the construction cause a delay?
16. For how long?
17. What else was in the car?

Q: Wang Jiaming from Beijing Chenjinglun High School says he is a lucky boy. He's happy that he's sitting the senior high school entrance exam in 2014 instead of 2016. On Oct 22, Beijing Municipal Commission of Education announced that, from 2016, the English scores in the senior high school entrance exam will be reduced from 120 to 100. Of the 100 points, the listening ability scores will increase to 50. Meanwhile, the points for Chinese will increase from 120 to 150. "The change won't affect me. I feel so lucky because English is my strongest subject," said Wang. Why such a change? It places the importance on Chinese in our study, and reduces students' stress, said Li Yi, spokesman of the commission. "The change will also push us to pay attention to the practical usage of English," said Li. "Students will be encouraged to learn to understand English menus and read English news on mobile phones." There isn't news that other cities will have the same change. But several places are making changes to English tests in the college entrance exams. For example, Shandong is considering taking out the listening part of the English exam in its college entrance exams. But, "being tested for less points doesn't mean the subject _ ," Bai Ping wrote in China Daily. English has long been the world's most commonly used language. Former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji once said: "In a globalizing economy , if you cannot communicate with foreigners, how can one be part of the world economy?" Wang Jiaming said he understood the change. "Chinese, not English, is our mother tongue ," he said. "But still, I think English is both interesting and useful."

1. Wang Jiaming
2. Beijing Chenjinglun
3. 2016.
4. 2016
5. senior high school entrance exam
6. 100
7. to 50
8. points for Chinese
9. won't affect him
10. English is his strongest subject
11. unknown
12. Li Yi
13. unknown
14. to learn to understand English menus and read English news on mobile phones
15. no, There isn't news that other cities will have the same change
16. several places are making changes to English tests in the college entrance exams
17. Shandong is considering

Numbered questions:
1. Who is happy he's taking the exam in 2014?
2. Where does he go to school?
3. When did the Commission of Education announce changes to the exam?
4. When do the changes start?
5. Which section of the test scores will be reduced?
6. From 120 to what?
7. Will the listening ability scores increase?
8. Which section will increase from 120 to 150?
9. Will the change affect him?
10. Why?
11. How does that make him feel?
12. Who is the spokesperson for the commission?
13. Man or woman?
14. What will the changes encourage the students to learn?
15. Are other cities making the change?
16. What about college entrance exams?
17. Which city is taking out the listening part?

Q: Hi, I'm Li Ping. I am 15 years old. I am pretty healthy. I like doing all kinds of sports, such as football, basketball, running and swimming. Every morning, I get up early and do exercise. I play basketball on Wednesdays and Saturdays with my friends every week. I do my homework every day. I like watching TV, but I can't watch it every day on school nights. I only watch it on Saturday evening. I am neither fat nor thin. My eating habits are very good. I try to eat a little meat and lots of vegetables and fruit. And I never eat junk food. Do you know me? I'm Zhao Hui, a 14-year-old student. I am a little fat. I like eating meat. I eat meat three or four times a week. I especially like eating junk food. I want to eat it every day, but my parents don't allow me to eat it every day. I only eat it once or twice a week. I don't like exercise at all. Sometimes, I swim with my friends because I like it. I know exercise is good for my health. From now on, I have to exercise every day.

1. Li Ping.
2. 15
3. no
4. football, basketball, running and swimming.
5. Wednesdays and Saturdays
6. no
7. I exercise
8. Yes
9. Saturday evening
10. no
11. no
12. very good
13. junk food
14. 14
15. yes
16. every day
17. no
18. his parents don't let him
19. once or twice a week.

Numbered questions:
1. What's my name?
2. What is my age?
3. Am I sick?
4. What activities do I favor?
5. When do I play basketball?
6. Do I sleep in?
7. Why not?
8. Am I diligent in my schoolwork?
9. When do I watch television?
10. Am I fat?
11. What about thin?
12. How well do I eat?
13. What don't I eat?
14. How old is Zhao?
15. Does Zhou have snacks?
16. How often does Zhou want it?
17. Does Zhou get to eat it daily?
18. Why not?
19. How often does he eat it?