The West is full of fast food and large amounts of food which contribute to many women's being fat. While many are fat, thin women are admired and seen as healthier. This has led to a culture of gym-going, strange dieting methods and, frequently, eating disorders. In the East, women tend to be smaller and many women take pills to keep their slim figures as they get older. However, you're mistaken if you think thinness is the beauty standard all over the world. The BBC reports that in Mauritania, Africa, the opposite is true. In Mauritania, mothers force their daughters to eat a lot of food so that they get as fat as possible. The fatter they are, the more likely they are to marry well. Fat is also considered healthy, because in a country where HIV/AIDS is a very real problem, thin people are often sick and dying. However, "healthy" fat women are suffering from some problems of their own and many are dying in their 40s of weight-related diseases. The Mauritanian government is trying to warn its people of the dangers of being overweight but it's not easy to change cultural views. Many women worry that if they lose weight, their husbands will leave them for fatter, more attractive women. It seems that while education about the dangers of being too thin and too fat is very important, what the world really needs is to become less pre-occupied with the size, shape and weight of women's bodies. The promotion of healthy practices is easy but changing cultural beauty standards takes more time, imagination and effort. Does the writer think it's important to educate people about the dangers of eating too much or too little? A) Yes, the writer thinks it should be taught in schools. B) No, the writer thinks that people should learn for themselves. C) Yes, but the writer thinks that other changes are also necessary. D) No, the writer thinks it's more important to change cultural beauty standards.
C
I discovered the power of fear when I became stuck to my driveway, as if my feet were crazy--glued to the cement .As much as I tried, I could not move them. The realization that my daughters were playing in Nancy's house, just one-half block away, paralyzed my legs, making me unable to move when I neared the end of our driveway. Dense, black smoke was rising from behind the Sycamore Maple trees on the other side of the street and was enveloping three houses, making them barely visible. Nancy's house was one of them. I tried to call out for my daughters hoping to see them run safely to my arms, but my voice was also stuck - stuck in my throat with no intention of coming out. There I stood, helpless, paralyzed and silenced by fear, unable to protect the two little girls I loved more than even I had realized. Although trapped in a body that couldn't move or speak, I could still hear. I could hear other mothers anxiously calling their children. I could hear a frightening silence that covered the neighborhood instead of the usual happy voices of children. And, finally, I could hear the alarm of the fire engine. As the alarm announced, "We're on our way," it instantly dissolved the crazy glue that had held my feet to the cement and it unlocked the soundproof box that had silenced my voice. I was free to make sure my daughters were safe. As I continued down the driveway, two little girls, my two little girls, ran toward me from across the street. They had come home to tell me about the fire in the garage next to Nancy's house. Not only did my feet and voice work now, but my eyes were also in good working order and had no trouble producing tears. What is the best title for the text? A) Love in Fire B) Stopped in Silence C) A Narrow Escape D) The Price of Fear
B
Q: Many years ago I lived in a western country. My very first job was in the city and I was excited to go to work by public transport! I had never been employed before and my chances of travelling on a bus by myself had always been very slim. So, I was very happy with my new lifestyle! I left home each morning in time to catch the 8.05 bus from the main road. One autumn morning I could see the bus approaching. I could also see an elderly lady walking with a lovely dog beside her. There were some youngsters behind her. The bus arrived and we got on. Only eight passengers were permitted to travel standing. I was inside the bus when the conductor called, "Only eight standing passengers! Could the last one to get on please get off?" I saw those youngsters inside, right in front of me, and it occurred that they had jumped the queue! I turned and saw the elderly lady with her dog about to get off. I moved quickly to get in front of her. I encouraged her to stay, knowing very well I would be late that morning, but it didn't bother me. It was only as I moved past her to get off the bus that I realized -- she was blind! Her dog was her guide dog! Well, I eventually got to the office. After the day's work I went to the bus stand in front of my office to make the return journey. What a pleasant surprise! The lady and her dog were there! I was really pleased because I would get a better chance to speak with her. I started the conversation and she recognized my Asian accent! She asked if I was the same person who helped her that morning. Amazing! From there onwards it was one long happy conversation. These beautiful memories are still fresh in my mind. By helping others, I feel content! Which of the following statements best shows the theme of the passage? A) There is no place like home. B) There is kindness to be found everywhere C) The early bird catches the worm D) Nothing is difficult to the man who will try.
A: B
(Q).
Though she is already one of the most famous pop stars of the 21st century, you've probably never heard of a 25-year-old singer, song writer named Stefani Germanotta --- but that's only because almost everyone knows her by her stage name, Lady Gaga. Born in New York City in 1986, Lady Gaga enjoyed music, singing and dancing from an early age: she started playing the piano when only four years old and loved performing in musicals at high school. At 17, she went to a special school for the arts but later left because she wanted to become a professional singer as soon as possible. She became a global star with her first album The Fame in 2008 and followed it in 2009 with The Fame Monster. Earlier this year she released a single, "Born this Way," which broke the record for quickest sales for a piece of music on iTunes, with one million downloads in only five days. Her third album, also called Born this Way, went on sale in May this year. www.ks5u.com Because of how much money she earns, how much she is written and talked about in the media, and how many internet searches are made with her name, Forbes magazine recently put her at number one in its list of the "world's most powerful celebrities ." Most music critics say that what makes Lady Gaga's music stand out are her strong voice and also the strong electronic rhythm of most of her songs, which makes them popular in nightclubs. They also say her music often sounds like the work of other artists, and she herself is quite open about the fact that groups such as Queen and female singers such as Madonna have been a big influence on her. More original than her music, perhaps, is the way she looks. A big part of her image is her outlandish clothes, with her strangest piece of clothing probably having been a dress made partly out of meat, which she wore once in 2010. Part of what has made Lady Gaga so famous so quickly is the way she has used social media. She has over 30 million Facebook friends, for example, and almost 10 million followers on Twitter. Which of the following is true according to the text? A) She released the single "Born this Way" in 2008. B) She writes something on Twitter every day. C) She says no other singer has been an influence on her. D) She once came out first in the list of the Forbes magazine.
(A).
D