Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: One evening last summer, when I asked my 14-year-old son, Ray, for help with dinner, his response shocked me. "What's a colander ? " he asked. I could only blame myself. In the family, nobody else's hands went in the sauce except my own. But that night, as I explained with a touch of panic that a colander is the thing with holes in it, I wondered what else I hadn't prepared Ray for. As parents, while we focus on our sons' confidence and character, we perhaps don't always consider that we are also raising someone's future roommates, boyfriends, husbands, or fathers. I wanted to know that I'd raised a boy who would never ask the woman in his life, "What's for dinner?" So I came up with a plan: I would offer Ray a private home economics course. I was delighted to find that he didn't say no. For two hours, three days a week, Ray was all mine. One day, as his tomato sauce reduced on the stove, he washed and seasoned a chicken for roasting. Then he rolled out the piecrust and filled it with apples, all while listening to my explanation on the importance of preheating an oven. I knew that he would rather have been shooting hoops in the driveway than learning to mend socks with his mother--he tried to beg off sewing lessons, even though I insisted that one day, someone would find the sight of him fixing his own shirt very attractive-- but it couldn't be denied that he was learning, and more than just housekeeping. "I appreciate what you do as a mom," he told me one day. Ray now understands the finer points of cooking, and more importantly, he realizes there's nothing masculine about being helpless. Now, not only can he make his own dinner, but also he can make a big meal for his family. That's what I call a man. I'm glad that I prepared so great a present for my future daughter-in-law. Question: Why was the author shocked at her son's response? - Because he was not well behaved. - Because he refused to help with dinner. - Because he didn't know the common kitchen utensils . - Because he was very curious about kitchen utensils.
Because he didn't know the common kitchen utensils .

Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Think back to this time last year. What was on your mind? Most likely, you were thinking about finals or the holidays, although in this city I've noticed that thinking about the holiday is a fancy way of saying how much stuff will I get. Now reflect on your thoughts for this holiday season. Most people are still thinking about the holidays, but I say that with a grain of salt. Everybody with a functioning brain and the ability to communicate knows that this holioday season comes with a pretty large price tag: the debt of all the hardships, both domestic and foreign, that we've faced over the past 12months. Let's face it: some of us will get everything we want over the holidays. But there are others whose parents have lost their jobs or who have lost jobs themselves because of the current economic situation. As much as we try to ignore it, there is still economic unrest in the blue and gold suburb. In this situation, we have three options. One: We ignore the situation, like we seem to do for every bad thing that happens around us, because by God, it's the American Way! Two: We recognize that our economy is shot, feel bad about it and spend our time wishing for the good old days. Three: We recognize that our economy is shot, but instead of moping, reflect on every good thing that we have going for us. Now, which option sounds best to you? I spent a week this summer working in and around New York City with the city's homeless population. Or so I thought. Although a lot of the people I served were in fact homeless, a significant number of them had a job or a home or both. The truth of the importance of this situation is that they and thousands of others across the country can't afford even the most basic things of life, even while working two jobs. Yet no one that I met complained about their hardships. Instead, they took whatever I happened to give them(which was, more often than enough, not enough) and were genuinely grateful for what they had. Wrap your heads around that statement for a second. These people... Question: 66. The author wrote the article mainly to advise people _ . - to be thankful in time of hardship. - to spend their holidays in a wise way - to think little about their holidays - to help the country to sail through the crisis
to be thankful in time of hardship.

Q: Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Jessica Alba rebelled from her "strict" parents when she was just five. The 29-year-old actress admits her Catholic education made her want to "break away" from her mother Catherine and father Mark. She explained: "It's always been weird because I grew up in a very traditional, Catholic household. My parents were very strict but I broke away from that at an early age. I was a feminist when I was five. These days, I am much more independent but I still respect their beliefs." As Jessica has grown older she has learnt to accept her parents' views, but still considers herself an independent woman. In her latest film 'Machete' Jessica gets to stab a love rival in the eye with her stiletto heels , something she thoroughly enjoyed. She said: "Walking in 3in heels wasn't as much fun as putting one in someone's eye. It was 104 degrees where we were shooting in Texas and they were not comfortable." Jessica - who has a two-year-old daughter Honor with husband Cash Warren - is regularly referred to as one of the world's most beautiful women, but she doesn't think of herself as "sexy". She added in an interview with the Metro newspaper: "I don't really pay attention to that sexy image. It just goes with the character in the movie. At the end of the day, it's all a part of selling a product." Question: Which of the following statements is not true according to the passage? - Although she is a rebellious woman, she still respects her parents' beliefs - She likes her characters in the movie - She cares more about her sexy image because she is very proud of her beauty - She got married and has a daughter.
A: She cares more about her sexy image because she is very proud of her beauty