Many presidents have exhibited senses of humor throughout our nation's history. None, however, is any better known for his humour than Lincoln. No matter the situation, it always reminded him of a story, and more often than not, the story was amusing. It seemed that his passion for humor appeared early in life and his humor never seemed to fade, even under the most difficult situations. Following are some favorite Lincoln stories. All are fun to read. Abe Needs His Hair Combed President Lincoln had the ability to laugh at himself and he greatly enjoyed telling stories in which he was the object of the joke. He especially liked this one: when I was nominated at Chicago, I had never before sat for a photograph. One fellow thought that many people might like to see what I looked like, so he immediately bought the camera and began selling photographs of me all over the country. I happened to be in Springfield when I heard a boy selling them on the streets. "Here's your likeness of "Abe" Lincoln!",he shouted to Lincoln. "Only two shillifigs!He'll look a lot better once he gets his hair combed!" Nobody Ever Died in Here! A man was complaining to the President that a friend of his had been driven away from New Orleans because he was a Union supporter. When the man asked to see the paper by which he was driven away, he was simply told that the Confederate Government would do nothing illegal, and so they had issued no papers. They were simply hoping to make him go on his own free will. Naturally, that reminded Lincoln of a story, and he remarked that he had known of a hotel keeper in St. Louis who boasted that nobody ever died in his hotel. "Of course," Lincoln said with a twinkle in his eye, "anytime a guest appeared to be in danger of dying he was carried out to die outside." Let the Elephant Run Assistant Secretary of War Charles A. Dana had learned that a man named Jacob Thompson, who had been causing the government many problems, was about to escape to Liverpool. Dana approached Lincoln with the... What was the idea of Lincoln about the man named Jacob Thompson? A) He should be arrested. B) .His elephant should be let run. C) .He should be allowed to go away. D) He should not cause so many problems.
C
Richard Branson, an English business magnate, has had great, global success. He is best known as the founder of Virgin Group, which consists of more than 400 companies. So what, I asked, is his most important secret to success? His answer was simple: look for the best in other people. Throughout his life he's never thought ill of other people. He looks for the best and praises them. Branson at times seems almost not human. He's too good at what he does. No, great. Nearly perfect. When he starts something, he is very likely to succeed. He has fallen out with others though, like anyone else. He is human. He told me:"Life is short and the world is much smaller than one realizes. You are going to come across people time and time again in the most surprising places ... As a leader it's even more important to be out there praising and encouraging people. If you do fall out with somebody in life, even if you think it was their mistake, give them a call. Befriend them. Go out to lunch with them." The greatest leaders in the world have taught forgiveness. Perhaps the most extreme example is Nelson Mandela who invited his former prison guard to his inauguration and even had lunch with a man who in the past wanted him to be sentenced to death. Life is too short. We are humans and sometimes we make mistakes and anger people. What defines us is not those who are able to avoid confrontation , but those who are able to deal with it. The human body is able to self-heal when we are cut. In that same manner, we must heal our past relationships. Branson wins respect from those around him. A natural-born leader, he is always deep in thought and hungry for more; always one step ahead. And it was Richard Branson who taught me about forgiveness. What would be the best title for the text? A) Invite your enemies to lunch B) Richard Branson's success story C) What is forgiveness? D) The key to success
A
*Question*
When I was about twelve, I headed to a restaurant for dinner with my family. It was winter, and on that particular night, the wind was really blowing. As my mom and I headed towards the restaurant from our car, a girl about my age and her mother came up to us. They asked if we had any spare change. My mom immediately asked where they kept their things. They pointed to an old car in a parking across the street. The girl said there were six of them living in that car, which was the same size as my own family. My mom said she had something to do after handing the people a few dollars. She sent me inside the restaurant with my dad and my three siblings. But she didn't come. Later, I found out she had gone home and practically emptied our cupboards into a few bags. Then, she brought that food over to the car and handed the bags to the family. I wasn't there when that part happened, but I can only imagine the joy it brought to their faces. A few days later, when I actually found out about what she had done, I asked her why she helped those people. She told me that they were not lucky. I remember the face of that girl who had asked us for change, she was the same age as me, yet we looked so different. Here I stood, dressed in almost new clothes, headed to dine in a restaurant and then back home to the bedroom I shared with my younger sister. I remember thinking that the other girl didn't have any food to eat. and she was heading back to a cold car shared with five other people. After painting this picture in my mind, I understood why my mom had done what she did. I will never forget what she did that night, and how she taught me one of the best lessons I ever learned. Which of the following best describes the author's mother? A) Reliable and determined. B) Considerate and enthusiastic. C) Cautious and friendly. D) Unusual and optimistic.
**Answer**
B