The host poured the tea into the cup and placed it on the small table in front of his guests, who were a father and daughter, and the cover on the cup. Apparently thinking of something, he hurried into the inner room, leaving the thermos on the table. His two guests heard a cupboard opening. They remained sitting in the sitting room, the ten-year-old daughter looking at the flowers outside the window, the father just about to take his cup, when the crash came, right there in the sitting room. Something was hopelessly broken. It was the thermos, which had fallen to the floor. The girl looked over her shoulder, shocked, staring. It was mysterious. Neither of them touched it, not even a bit. True, it hadn't stood steadily when their host placed in on the table, but it hadn't fallen then. The explosion caused the host to rush back. _ the steaming floor, the host said, "It doesn't matter! It doesn't matter!" The father started to say something. Then he said softly, "Sorry, I touched it and it fell." "It doesn't matter," said the host. When they left the house, the daughter said, "Daddy, did you touch it?" "No, but it stood so close to me." "But you did not touch it. I saw your reflection in the window glass." The father laughed. "What would you give as the cause of its fall?" "The thermos fell by itself. The floor is not smooth. Daddy, why did you say that you..." "That won't do, girl. It sounds more acceptable when I say I knocked it down. There are things which people accept less the more you defend. The truer the story you tell, the less true it sounds." The daughter was lost in silence for a while. Then she said, "Can you explain it only in this way?" "Only in this way," her father said. From the story we know that the daughter _ . A) thought her father should tell the truth B) didn't know why the thermos fell C) glancing at hopelessly D) looking at in a dull way
A
(Question)
Color is very important in our daily life. It can influence our choice of purchase when we go shopping and can also affect the way we look and feel. A person can be naturally attracted to one particular color1 while finding another color1 repulsive. The influence of color1 on human emotions and feelings is very powerful and designers, advertisers, artists and even doctors use _ in their professions for different purposes. Every day, without even thinking about it, we use color1 to communicate our feelings. For example, the color1 we choose to wear is one way of expressing ourselves. It says something about the person, how he or she feels, and how he or she wants others to feel about the wearer. In other words, color1 talks. A person who wants to appear stylish and mature will usually wear dark color1s or black. A person who wishes to appear youngish, pure and innocent dresses in white, like the choice of a bride's wedding gown. Also clothed in white are doctors, dentists, nurses and hospital in-patients as the color1 expresses comfort, cleanliness and professionalism. Brown, blue or grey clothes are the usual color1s worn by office workers so as not to draw unnecessary attention to them. They are, in a way, conveying the message that they want to be noticed for their work, not their appearance. People who wear bright, strong color1s like to be attractive and these color1s are particularly popular with actresses, singers and party goers. In the past, common people were not allowed to wear certain color1s. In Thailand, for example, only kings, queens and members of the royal family could wear purple while in ancient China, yellow was the color1 reserved for the emperor and the empress. Nowadays, people can wear whatever color1 they like or as they think appropriate. How does color1 affect a product? A) It describes the product. B) It helps the product designer to express himself. C) It may put the purchaser in a spending mood. D) It is able to influence the consumers' choice of purchase.
(Answer)
D
Ques: London Underground The world's first subway was built in London in 1863. At the time,the government was looking for a way to reduce traffic problems in the city of London. The poor areas of the city were so crowded with people that it was almost impossible for horse carriages to get through. The city officials were interested in trying to make it possible for workers to live outside of London and travel easily to work each day. If people had a cheap and convenient way that they could depend on to go to and from work, they would relocate their homes outside of the city. This would help ease the pressure of too many people living in the poor parts of London. From these problems,the idea of the London Underground,the first subway system,was born. The plans for building the Underground met with several problems and delays,but the fast track was finally opened in January 1863. A steam train pulled the cars along the fast underground track which was 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) long. About 30,000 people got on the subway the first day. Riders were treated to comfortable seats (standing up while the train was moving was not allowed), and pleasant decorations inside each of the cars. However, the smoke from the engine soon filled the air in the tunnels with ash and soot , as well as chemical gases. Fans had to be put in the tunnels later to keep the air clean enough for people to breathe. Even with its problems,riding in the Underground did . It carried 9 million riders in its first year. Which of the following is TRUE? A) To relocate the workers' homes outside London,the government built the subway. B) There were so many problems and delays that in 18th century the first subway opened. C) The subway greatly eased the pressure of traffic. D) There were not enough seats for the passengers the first day the subway opened.
Ans: C
The majority of Indian women wear a red dot between their eyebrows. While it is generally taken as an indicator of their marital status, the practice is primarily related to the Hindu religion. The dot goes by different names in different Hindi dialects, and "bindi" is the one that is most commonly known. Traditionally, the dot carries no gender restriction: Men as well as women wear it. However, the tradition of men wearing it has faded in recent times, so nowadays we see a lot more women than men wearing one. The position of the bindi is standard: center of the forehead, close to the eyebrows. It represents a third, or inner eye. Hindu tradition holds that all people have three eyes: The two outer ones are used for seeing the outside world, and the third one is there to focus inward toward God. As such, the dot serves as a constant reminder to keep God in the front of a believer's thoughts. Red is the traditional color of the dot. It is said that in ancient times a man would place a drop of blood between his wife's eyes to seal their marriage. According to Hindu beliefs, the color red is believed to bring good fortune to the married couple. Today, people go with different colors depending upon their preferences. Women often wear dots that match the color of their clothes. Decorative or sticker bindis come in all sizes, colors and variations, and can be worn by young and old, married and unmarried people alike. Wearing a bindi has become more of a fashion statement than a religious custom. Why was red chosen as the original color of the bindi? A) The red dot represented the blood of God. B) Red stood for a wife's love for her husband. C) The word "bindi" means "red" in some Hindi dialects. D) Red was supposed to bring good luck to a married couple.
D