Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: A few years ago,my friend Al won the lottery. It changed his life. He did not have a rich family. He was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Instead,my friend was always hard up for cash. He did not have much money. And the money he did earn was chicken feed -- very little. Sometimes Al even had to accept handouts,gifts from his family and friends. But do not get me wrong. My friend was not a deadbeat. He was not the kind of person who never paid the money he owed. He simply _ pennies. He was always very careful with the money he spent. In fact,he was often a cheapskate. He did not like to spend money. The worst times were when he was flat broke and had no money at all. One day,Al scraped together a few dollars for a lottery ticket. He thought he would never strike it rich or gain lots of money unexpectedly. But his combination of numbers was chosen and he won the lottery. He hit the jackpot. He won a great deal of money. Al was so excited. The first thing he did was buy a costly new ear. He splurged on the one thing that he normally would not buy. Then he started spending money on unnecessary things. He started to waste it. It was like he had money to burn. He had more money than he needed and it was burning a hole in his pocket so he spent it quickly. When we got together for a meal at a restaurant,Al paid every time. He would always foot the bill,and pick up the tab. He told me the money made him feel like a million dollars. He was very happy. But,Al spent too much money. Soon my friend was down and out again. He had no money left. He was back to being strapped for cash. He had spent his bottom dollar, his very last amount. He did not even build up a nest egg. He had not saved any of the money. I admit I do feel sorry for my friend. He had enough money to live like a king. Instead,he is back to living on a shoestring--a very low budget. Some might say he is penny wise and pound foolish. He is wise about small things,but not about important things. Question: What can we learn from the story of Al? - Keep on and you will succeed one day. - Do not pick up the sesame seeds but overlook the watermelons. - It is no use crying over spilt milk. - No pains, no gains.
Do not pick up the sesame seeds but overlook the watermelons.

(Question)
Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Balzac was good at buying things at its lowest price. One day he wanted to buy a vase in a shop window that was much more expensive than he could offer. Not being able to make the shopkeeper cut down its price very much, he left without further talking. Collecting a half dozen of his friends, he explained his wish to them and they worked a plan. The first would enter the shop and make an offer, lower than the marked price. Not getting the vase at his price, he would walk out. Shortly after another would enter and ask for a price lower than the first. In this way, each of the others would offer a price lower than the one before, and the last of his friends made a great effort to attempt to get it at the lowest price. Before long Balzac himself would return, offer more than the last two or three persons made and trust to luck. The plan worked--- Balzac got the vase at his price! Question: How many friends did Balzac gather? - Six - Twelve - Ten - Five
(Answer)
Six

Question: Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: On a cold winter Sunday, the little man came up to me as I was about to enter the telephone box and asked me whether I had a match. "I'm sorry,"I said."I don't smoke, so I haven't any. You'd better ask someone else." He looked rather disappointed, hesitated, and then turned away. I watched him walk slowly down the street before I picked up the telephone directory to look up the number I meant to dial. I'm not used to a public call box, so, at my first attempt to get through, the warning pips( ) had stopped before I realized I had to insert a coin. When I was at last able to speak, I was told that the person whom I urgently wanted to give a message to had just gone out. Swearing slightly under my breath, I got out of the box and came face to face with the little man. As he raised his hat again, I could see he was quite bald, and a thin line, resembling a dueling( ) scar, crossed one cheek. "Excuse my troubling you again." he said nervously."May I walk along with you a little way? I must tell you the truth. I need help desperately. " He had an unusually deep voice which suggested a strange combination of shyness and self-confidence. I was conscious of a fairly strong foreign accent and I wondered what country he had actually come from. I said that I had to catch a train in twenty minutes' time, but that he might accompany me to the station. "I'm going to shock you,"he said suddenly, after a moment's silence."Can you lend me five pounds? I have no money at all."I have come across many strange characters during my life and plenty of people have tried to borrow money from me. I have generally managed to avoid lending them any. But, perhaps because of the very directness of his appeal, I somehow had the impression that his need might be desperately urgent. "I'm sorry," I replied,"I'm afraid I can't lend you anything, as I'm not in the habit of carrying much money about with me. Don't you think the police might be the best people to ask for help?" He hesitated,"I dare not go to the police," he said quietly. "If I do... Question: The author failed to get through in the phone box at his first attempt because _ . - he didn't have any change with him - he didn't realize it was a pay phone - the number he had dialed was wrong - the person he wanted to speak to was out
Answer:
he didn't realize it was a pay phone