A Book Review--The Snake-Stoneby Berlie Doherty The setting: Urban England (the cities), but also rural England (the countryside) including remote English villages. The theme: The main theme is a teenage search of self-discovery, in this case the search for a mother from whom the hero was separated at an early age. Its other concerns are love, getting on with others, being persistent and courageous and trying to deal with doubts, troubles and worries. As the book moves to a close, James' swimming coach says to him: "You are not like a kid obeying instructions any more. You are diving like a young man who knows where he is going." The characters: James is the hero of the story. He is a championship diver, and has a comfortable life with his foster parents . Yet he also has the qualities to take him on a long journey to find his birth mother. The other characters inThe Snake-Stone, James' parents, his diving instructor, best friend, the villagers, people he meets on his journey, are pictured realistically. The turning point: The turning point in the story comes while James' foster parents are away in London, and he wonders about the identity of his birth mother. The only clue he has is a fossil, "the snake stone" which she left behind along with a note on which she had written: "Take good care of Sammie. It was written on a torn envelope with parts of an address still there. The journey: Instead of going to London, James decides to find his birth mother. With help from his geography teacher, James sets out for the remote country village where his mother might be found. James has painful, challenging, but also humorous and happy travels. The mother he finally meets, Anne, has a minor yet powerful voice in the novel. He comes to understand why she left him at a stranger's door fifteen years before. Although the meeting is not long, it leaves him with a feeling of completeness. As a journey of self-discoveryThe Snake-Stonealso provides its readers with a happy ending. Its hero says, on returning to his foster... Which of the following is true about the novel? A) The story has a sad ending. B) The story takes place in the city of London. C) The characters are vividly described. D) The turning point comes after the hero meets his birth mother.
C
(Question)
The Red Cross is an international organization which cares for people who are in need of help. A man in a Paris hospital who needs blood, a woman in Mexico who was injured in an earthquake, and a family in India that lost their home in a storm may all be aided by the Red Cross. The Red Cross exists in almost every country around the world. The world Red Cross organizations are sometimes called the Red Crescent, the Red Mogen Daid, the Sun, and the Red Lion. All of these agencies share a common goal of trying to help people in need. The idea of forming an organization to help the sick and wounded during a war started with Jean Henri Dunant. In 1859, he observed how people were suffering on a battlefield in Italy. He wanted to help all the wounded people regardless of which side they were fighting for. The most important result of his work was an international treaty called the Geneva Convention . It protects prisoners of war, the sick and wounded, and other citizens during a war. The American Red Cross was set up by Clara Barton in 1881. Today the Red Cross in the United States provides a number of services for the public, such as helping people in need, teaching first aid and providing blood. A good title for this passage is _ . A) People in Need of Help B) Safety and Protection C) The International Red Cross D) Forming an Organization to Help People
(Answer)
C
Ques: My day started just like all the other days for the past 15 years where I get up, make some coffee, shower, get dressed and leave for the train station at exactly 7:35 A.M. to arrive at work by 8:30. While on the train I would always choose a seat away from the crowd so I can read the newspaper in peace and quiet. At work I am always being flooded with questions from coworkers, suppliers, telephone and then those dread meetings, so the last thing I need is some stranger to sit beside me and make small talk. I don't know why but for some reason when I got on the train today it was unusually full, something I don't recall ever happening in the past. With hesitation I sat down in the only seat available beside a middle-aged man that had his head down and seemed to be lost in his thoughts. I was glad that he didn't notice when I sat next to him as he just continued to look down towards the floor. Shortly after the train left for my 30-minute ride downtown I found myself wondering what this man was thinking about. What could be so important that he didn't even see me sit next to him? I tried to forget about it and started to read my paper. However, for some strange reason this "inner voice" kept urging me to talk to this man. I tried to ignore the "voice" as there was no way I was starting a conversation with a complete stranger. www.ks5u.com As you probably guessed I eventually broke down and came up with an excuse to ask him a question. When he raised his head and turned his eyes towards me I could see that he must have been really upset as he had red eyes and still had some tears rolling down the side of his face despite his weak attempt to wipe them away. I can't describe the sadness I felt seeing someone in so much pain. We talked for about 20 minutes and in the end he seemed to be doing better. As we were leaving the train he thanked me again and again for being an angel by taking the time to talk. I never did find out what was making his heart... Why does the writer say "I was glad that he didn't notice when I sat next to him as he just continued to look down towards the floor."? A) The stranger was lost in thoughts. B) The writer preferred a peaceful trip circumstance. C) The stranger seemed a bit abnormal that day. D) The writer was anxious to arrive at work by 8:30.
Ans: B
Ques: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - People who drink two or more sweetened soft drinks a week have a much higher risk of pancreatic cancer , an unusual but deadly cancer, researchers reported on Monday. People who drank mostly fruit juice instead of sodas did not have the same risk, the study of 60,000 people in Singapore found. Sugar may be to blame but people who drink sweetened sodas regularly often have other poor health habits, said Mark Pereira of the University of Minnesota, who led the study. "The high levels of sugar in soft drinks may be increasing the level of insulin in the body, which we think contributes to pancreatic cancer cell growth," Pereira said in a statement. Writing in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, Pereira and colleagues said they followed 60,524 men and women in the Singapore Chinese Health Study for 14 years. Over that time, 140 of the volunteers developed pancreatic cancer. Those who drank two or more soft drinks a week had an 87 percent higher risk of being among those who got pancreatic cancer. Pereira said he believed the findings would apply elsewhere. "Singapore is a wealthy country with excellent healthcare. Favorite pastimes are eating and shopping, so the findings should apply to other western countries," he said. But Susan Mayne of the Yale Cancer Center at Yale University in Connecticut was cautious. "Although this study found a risk, the finding was based on a ly small number of cases and it remains unclear whether it is a causal connection or not," said Mayne, who serves on the board of the journal, which is published by the American Association for Cancer Research. Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, with 230,000 cases globally. In the United States, 37,680 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in a year and 34,290 die of it. The best title of the text might be _ . A) The Deadliest Forms of Cancer B) Sugary Soft Drinks Lead to Cancer C) A Study in University of Minnesota D) Drink Fruit Juice Instead of Sodas
Ans:
D