Ask a question! Email it to Letters@Highlights.com. Gift Giving I'm going to China and everyone in my class is asking me to buy them something. What should I do? Reply from the Highlights Editor: Your classmates are probably just excited about your trip. Most likely they don't expect you to buy gifts for everyone. Sending a few postcards to the entire class during your trip would be a wonderful way to share your experiences. The pictures on the cards and your words of description will be the best gift of all. Dog Begging My dog always begs for food at the dinner table. I really want to feed him, but my mom says I can't. I'm afraid he won't like me anymore. What should I do? Reply from the Highlights Editor: Your dog loves you for many more reasons than just for what you feed him. You can show him that you care about him by playing with him, by petting him and speaking kindly to him and by making sure he has fresh water. It might be best if your dog is not near the dinner table while you are eating. You could teach him to stay in another room. Being Bilingual My aunt insists that we speak our language(Tagalog) at home and English outside the house. Do you think she is right? Reply from the Highlights Editor: It is a great gift to have someone in your family who is willing to take the time to teach you another language. It's a good way to keep family traditions alive, and it helps develop your language skills. Your ability to use both English and Tagalog will help you learn a third and fourth language later in life. So it sounds like a great idea! The Highlights editors give the replies to _ . A) show their readers how to send girls B) tell their readers about their interesting work C) help their readers to solve school problems D) offer their readers advice on personal problems
D
(Question)
The United States is trying to improve an education system that produces millions of citizens who cannot read, write, or add--let alone finding their country on a map. In his first State of Union message since taking office a year ago, President George Bush promised to wipe out illiteracy in the next decade and declared that "by the year 2008, U.S students must be first in the world in math and science achievements. " They have a long way to go. American students were placed 14th in a recent general science test conducted in 16 countries. In a separate survey of chemistry students, the United States came 12 out of 14. In a mathematics test, they were last. According to Bush, there are 17 million illiterates in this country of 245 million people. Other estimates put the number as high as 23 million. In percentage terms, that ranks the United States alongside Nicaragua and below C], 'uba. "This nation," Bush said in his State of the Union address, "will not accept anything but excellent in education." Bush, who has declared himself "Education president", and senior officials of his administration are warning that the United States will be unable to compete in the world without an educated workforce. How to increase educational standards is a matter of debate in a country whose schools have no uniform national curriculum and are subject to a confusing variety of state and local controls. Most experts think that the problem lies at the elementary and high school' levels rather than with universities-but even their graduates show huge gaps in general knowledge. Among the root causes most frequently mentioned in education debates is the low respect in which U.S. society holds teachers-in contrast to Japan and Germany. In Japan teaching is a profession of high prestige and high pay. In the United States teachers are near the bottom of the society. The cause of low educational level in America include the following EXCEPT that A) some problems exist in primary and secondary education B) society keeps teachers in low respect C) America pays more attention to economy instead of education D) America has no uniform national courses
(Answer)
C
Ques: "Congratulations, Mr. Jones, it's a girl." Fatherhood is going to have a different meaning and bring forth a different answer from every man who hears these words. Some feel proud when they receive the news, while others worry, wondering whether they will be good fathers. Although there are some men who like children and may have had considerable experience with them, others do not particularly care for children and spend little time with them. Many fathers and mothers have been planning and looking forward to children for some time. For other couples, pregnancy was an accident that both husband and wife have accepted willingly or unwillingly. Whatever the reaction to the birth of a child, it is obvious that the change from the role of husband to that of father is a difficult task. Yet, unfortunately, few attempts have been made to educate fathers in this re-socialization process. Although many good books have been written about American mothers, only recently have some books discussed the role of a father. It is argued by some writers that the transition to the father's role, although difficult, is not nearly as great as the transition the wife must make to the mother's role. The mother's role seems to require a complete transformation of daily routine and adaptation to a new life, on the other hand, the father's role is less demanding and immediate. However, even though we have mentioned the fact that growing numbers of women are working outside the home, the father is still thought by many as the breadwinner in the household. According to the author, being a father _ . A) brings a feeling of excitement to some men B) has a different meaning for those who have daughters C) makes some men feel proud and others uneasy D) means nothing but more responsibilities.
Ans: C
Ques: I loved my aunt Suzy. She was such a kind old lady. I loved going to her house on holiday. She had been sick for the last few years and, though my job had taken me away across the town, I tried to visit her as much as possible. I helped with the shopping, the cooking and the cleaning and taking her pet cat Mazy to the vet. Sad as her passing away was, what happened to Mazy was even more worrying. Because aunt Suzy had no children, there wasn't anyone who seemed to care for her beloved cat friend. I would have taken her in a short time, but my apartment doesn't allow pets. First, we talked with her neighbors. Mr. Jenkins, who was alone and lived across the street, wasn't interested. Joe and Sally who lived next door had a small child with serious skin allergies . My aunt's best friend Molly who had lived just down the road was unable to take care of herself as she had serious health problems. Second, we thought about our family members. My brother Bobby and his wife Jill were _ at once as they aren't cat people. My cousin in California was a bit interested, but we weren't sure about the trip as Mazy was nearly as old as my aunt (in cat years!). Finally, we came to the local humane society to see whether they would be able to help her find a new home. The problem was that most people and families only welcomed a smart little cat into their home, not a dull old one. In the end, we had to put Mazy to sleep. I had spoken with the vet and realized it was possible for the best. It was so hard to lose aunt Suzy and then have nowhere for Mazy to live. A few months went by and I had gone to my aunt's house to clear out some of her belongings. I happened to see her mailman. Jerry and we started to talk about my aunt when he asked about Mazy. I told him that we had to put Mazy to sleep because we couldn't find a home for her. Jerry got really quiet. "I promised Suzy that if anything ever happened to her, I'd take care of Mazy", he said sadly. "Suzy always said she'd told her lawyer the arrangement." Hearing this, my... To care for her aunt's cat the writer first thought of _ . A) her aunt's neighbors B) her own neighbors C) her own relatives D) her family members
Ans:
A