It is a wonderful morning,as I write this:hot,but without being too hot. Outside my window,I can see the sunniest sky of the year reflected in a huge natural expand of water. It is the kind of sun that makes you well aware of summer's temporary nature --a reminder that if I am ever to go around to book this year's holiday,time is running out . It is now close to four years since I last took a holiday. This is because I have come to the conclusion, over the course of my adult life, that I am not very good at it. _ What could possibly be difficult about the natural act of putting your working life on hold for a couple of weeks and going somewhere to do nothing? So what is my problem? On the surface, I'm probably a bit of homebody. And I just find the pressure of being on holidy too severe: it always feels like having a gun held to my head and being forced to have fun. Somehow, packing a carefully itemized list of possessions and meeting a scheduled flight has none of the excitement of suddenly deciding to take a day off and driving somewhere for the fun of it. Thankfully, I am not alone. This summer, most of my friends have decided not to have a break. And a recent survey highlighted the downside of holidays, with the results shoeing that nearly two thirds of people found that the calming effects of a holiday wore off within 24 hours, as stress levels returned to normal. And this year's the Idler magazine published its book of awful holidays .Here you will find a list of the five most ecologically--damaging vacations it's possible to take, along with 50 horrible holidays experiences voted for on the idler website. Over the last decade, The Idler has become well known for promoting the idea of an easy, lazy life. The leisure industry might seem an unlikely target of its criticism, but Dan Kienan, the book's editor, says that he was flooded with entries from readers for his list of awful holidays. The writer takes the book of Awful Holidays as an example to _ . A) damage the reputation of the magazine B) prove his idea to be more popular than expected C) indicate that his dislike of holidays is widely shared D) foucs entirely on bad personal experiences of holidays
C
Bring the Family? Port Regis School is well situated for exploring the beautiful South and West of England Wales. Sibford School is located in Oxfordshire with easy access to London, Oxford and Stratfordupon-Avon. Each school has excellent hotels and guest houses nearby for parents who are dropping off or collecting children from school. Please note: *All students attending English Country Schools must live residentially on site. *We do not recommend that parents live locally while their child is in school:experience suggests that this often upsets the child and disrupts progress. Howard's House Country Hotel & Restaurant About 15 minutes from Port Regis School, Howard's House is set in large gardens hidden away in the quietness of the lovely Nadder valley. Plumber Manor Plumber Manor is a comfortable Jacobean manor house built of local stone, situated about 20 minutes from Port Regis School. The 17th-century house is surrounded by lawns and is set in the tranquil Dorset countryside. Woodville Farm Bed & Breakfast+Self-catering Woodville Farm is family-run arable & livestock farm set in the Dorset countryside about 5 minutes from Port Regis School. Bed and Breakfast accommodation:one double bedroom & one twin bedroom both with bathrooms, tea & coffee making facilities, color1 television & hairdryer. There is also a self-catering 2-bedroom house nearby. Stock Hill Country House Hotel and Restaurant Stock Hill Country House Hotel and Restaurant is a late Victorian mansion set in eleven acres of mature and beautiful wooden grounds on the borders of Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire. About 10 minutes from Port Regis School. If you stay at Plumber Manor, how long does it take you to reach Port Regis School? A) About 5 minutes. B) About 10 minutes. C) About 15 minutes. D) About 20 minutes.
D
Q: On April 22, 2012, I jumped from an airplane 13, 000 feet up. What was the purpose? It was just to overcome my fear of heights. Seven years ago, when I went to France, I couldn't go up the Eiffel Tower because I was afraid. It seemed so high. I wanted to overcome my fear, so I could dare to go skydiving . At first, I didn't think I could, but I finally made it. I don't think that I could have jumped out of that plane without the encouragement of my wonderful friends and classmates--Yodel and Tatiana! It was a pity that we couldn't jump together. However, as we prepared to jump, there was something special among us-- a special bond. I made a reservation to go skydiving one week before the day of my jump. I felt nervous during the whole week, kind of blue; but mysteriously. When it was the moment to jump from the airplane, I didn't feel any fear... I just jumped! That was wonderful! Wonderful! There was a whole new world and the beautiful sky. I had never seen such a beautiful world! First, I felt an awful acceleration and then I felt like I was lying in the air...like a bird! I think it was an illusion, but it was wonderful! The oncoming wind blew me strongly. It was amazing! After about 50 seconds free fall, the parachute opened. When I landed on the ground, I felt a lack of oxygen. It was difficult to breathe in during the freefall. I was so glad that I survived and was able to overcome my fear! Everything went well! If possible, I want to jump again. My first jump is an outstanding memory for me. The author felt it a pity that _ . A) he couldn't encourage his friends B) he couldn't jump with his friends C) he didn't climb the Eiffel Tower D) he had made the reservation earlier
A: B
*Question*
Most parents and teachers would get angry when they hear that teenagers listen to their iPods while preparing for exams. But pupils who listen to music when doing their homework may be, in fact, working hard. Thirty three schools have downloaded specially written pop and rock songs for their 10,000 pupils who are studying for GCSE . The professionally recorded music, based on texts in English literature, teaches teenagers about themes in the GCSE curriculum . Two young men set up "Revise", the company that produced the songs, and worked with teachers to make sure the lyrics reflected the curriculum. Some of the songs were written by Geraint Brown, a director, and they are performed by professional singers and musicians. Songs for the GCSE science and maths lessons are also being developed in 36 schools. They have also started using the program, called, "LearnThruMusic". Dave Matthews, the head of Hawthorn High School in the South Wales valleys, said the program aimed at helping teenagers who are unwilling to study. He said, "There are lots of pupils who don't have a high level of home support. It's almost cool to say you have no need to find a support and we have got to change that. With this, they don't have to be sitting at their desk at home. They can be outside, walking around or even listening to it on the bus, which is very convenient for them." Everyone has a phone, MP3 or CD player, and they're more likely to listen to these than pick up a book. "I think everyone would agree that music had an important influence on us when growing up. Both boys and girls are very good at remembering the words and dancing to the music in the charts. There's no one thing that will successfully engage (...) every child, and some of them will make little or no use of this. But the fact that they don't have to do any extra work makes this a very good deal for a kid," Dave Matthews added. The pop and rock songs used in 36 schools _ . A) were written for the students to relax themselves B) made most parents and teachers angry C) were specially written for hardworking students D) were closely related to the curriculum
**Answer**
D