A group of graduates, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain,plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite -- telling them to help themselves to the coffee. When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best foryourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups. And then you began eyeing each other's cups. Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position insociety are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us." God brews the coffee, not the cups. Enjoy your coffee! "The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything." Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God. What is the function of the more expensive cup from the passage? A) It makes the coffee taste better. B) In some cases it hides what we drink. C) It shows people's wealth. D) It shows people's status.
B
When Gretchen Baxter gets home from work as a New York City book editor, she checks her Blackberry at the door. 'I think we are attached to these devices in a way that is not always positive,' says Baxter,who'd rather focus at home on her husband and 12-year-old daughter. 'It's there and it beckons . That's human nature (but)...we kind of get crazy sometimes and we don't know where it should stop.' Americans are connected at unprecedented levels93% now use cell phones or wireless devices;one third of those are 'smart phones' that allow users to browse the Web and check e-mail,among other things. The benefits are obvious: checking messages on the road,staying in touch with friends and family,efficiently using time once spent waiting around. The downside:often,we're effectively disconnecting from those in the same room. That's why,despite all the technology that makes communicating easier than ever,2010 was the Year We Stopped Talking to One Another. From texting at dinner to posting on Facebook from work or checking e-mail while on a date,the connectivity revolution is creating a lot of divided attention,not to mention social anxiety. Many analysts say it's time to step back and reassess. 'What we're going to see in the future is new opportunities for people to be plugged in and connected like never before,' says Scott Campbell. 'It can be a good thing,but I also see new ways the traditional social fabric is getting somewhat torn apart.' Our days are filled with beeps and pings*----many of which pull us away from tasks at hand or face-to-face conversations. We may feel that the distractions are too much,but we can't seem to stop posting,texting or surfing. 'We're going through a period of adjustment and rebalancing,' says Sherry Turkle and she wants to remind people that technology can be turned off. 'Our human purposes are to really have connections with people,' she says. 'We have to reclaim it. It's not going to take place by itself.' Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A) The wide use of mobile devices has nothing to do with the 'traditional social fabric'. B) Mobile devices play a less important part in American life. C) Mobile devices create a lot of divided attention and social anxiety. D) Many analysts speak highly of the wide popularity of mobile devices.
C
(Question)
We start forming impressions of people we meet from the moment we set eyes on them. A large part of the first impression that you create comes from your body language. Your body language speaks louder than the words you say. Face The face is the most expressive part of the body. If you are feeling anxious then your facial expression may lead you to appear cold, or unhappy. You can break this _ by trying to smile. Your smile is one of the strongest tools you have in meeting new people. It will help you appear warm, friendly and confident. Eyes Our eyes give clues to our emotions. Making very little eye contact can either show shyness or fear. Looking at others says that you are interested, friendly, and at ease. Hands Your hands are also very expressive. Open gestures tend to make you appear open and honest. By pointing your finger, or moving your hands closer together, you can draw attention to what you are saying. Used properly, hand gestures can make you seem friendly. Making too many gestures can make you appear uncontrolled. Touching your sleeves, face, etc. can make you appear tense, nervous, and sometimes dishonest. Posture Your posture makes a big contribution to your body language and shows your level of self-confidence. By falling away from them or leaning back, you show a lack of interest. When we are feeling low in confidence and want to hide away, keep our heads down. Your posture gives not only signals about your interest in something but also clues showing your status within a group. In summary, our face, eyes, hands and posture express what is going on inside of us. Using good body language can bring up our level of self-confidence. Which of the following is the good effect for you to use your body language? A) Giving clues showing your status within a group. B) Expressing what you are really feeling inside. C) Bringing up your level of self-confidence. D) Giving signals about your interest in something.
(Answer)
C