Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: When I was a high school student , mathematics looked like a big hurdle for me and several of my classmates.When we reached the ninth class, we got Mr. Iyer, a strict maths teacher who was also our class teacher.He always stuck to his discipline.We had to arrive on time, pay undivided attention to his lectures, and dared not neglect any of h is homework. Even so, as our class teacher, we got to know him better.Noticing some of us fidgeting one day as the mid -term exams approached, he stopped solving a mathematical problem to ask us why." There' s too much to do," we sighed."We're afraid we'll never manage to finish our revision before the exams." "Nothing is impossible," Mr. Iyer told us. "This classroom is on the second floor. Do you have a problem reaching here ?" We reacted with blank stares. "No, you don' t !"he said , answering his own question."You have a staircase to help you climb up to this level.No one expects you to make it in two giant leaps.You simply take one step at a time.Any task can be solved if you focus on the immediate action to be taken.The rest w ill take care of itself, if you keep at it.One step at a time.That' s the secret." Then he wrote down an o ld motto on the blackboard --the longest journey starts with a single step.Having heard his staircase analogy , w e understood why he asked us the question and we saw him in a new light. Most of my classmates scored distinctions in maths.And I went on to become an English teacher.To this day , whenever I pass on Mr.Iyer's invaluable advice to my own students , they brighten up at the prospect of a lighter academic burden. Question: Why did the author and his classmates react with blank stares ? - Because they were too tired to understand what Mr.Iyer said. - Because they felt surprised at such an unbelievable problem. - Because they had no interest in any subjects that were no good for their exam s. - Because they first thought reaching the second floor had no connection with the worry.
Because they first thought reaching the second floor had no connection with the worry.

Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Listening test is one of the most important parts of the English exam. Here are some tips for you. Before you start to listen, you need to relax. Don't be stressed out. And try to read the questions. These questions usually help you understand the conversation or the passage. Then listen carefully to the first sentence. It usually tells you the main idea of the passage. When you're listening, try to do some thinking and take some notes, such as: What happened? When, where, and how? What does the speaker want to tell us? In this way, you may understand the passage better. Please remember not to think about one or two words for a long time. When you hear some words you don't know, don't spend too much time on them. Very often, you'll find out what they mean later when you go on with the listening. Question: We should listen to the first sentence carefully, because it usually tells us _ . - the answers to the questions - where to write the answers - the main idea of the passage - how much time left for the listening test
the main idea of the passage

Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Dinner, for the English people, is the richest meal of a day and is, different from Chinese dinner, a very formal meal. Many people even wear special clothes for dinner. So if you are asked out to dinner, you must find out whether you are expected to wear a formal suit. You would feel upset if, when you got there, you were the only person in ordinary clothes. Dinner is generally served at about half past seven. All the members of the family sit down together and are on their best behavior. The guest of honor will sit on the right of the lady of the house. There are two schools of thought as to the seating of the hostess. One is that she sits at the foot of the table but this may mess up the man-woman-man setting order. The other way is for the guest of honor to sit at the foot and the hostess to sit on his right. The wife of the guest of honor will sit on the right of the host. This is subject to change according to the wishes of your employer. During the meal when conversation is carried on, you should try to get into conversation with the person on your right or left, but you should not try to talk to someone who is a long way from you. Don't forget to drop your hosts a thank-you note or make a brief phone call. Question: If you and your parents go out to dinner, _ . - you will sit on the right of the housewife - your father will sit on the right of the housewife - your mother will sit on the left of the housewife - all of you will sit on the left of the housewife
your father will sit on the right of the housewife