I hated dinner parties. But I decided to give them another shot because I'm in London. And my friend Mallery invited me. And because dinner parties in London are very different from those back in New York. There, 'I'm having a dinner party' means: 'I'm booking a table for 12 at a restaurant you can't afford and we'll be sharing the checque evenly, no matter what you eat.' Worse, in Manhattan there is always someone who leaves before the bill arrives. They'll throw down cash, half of what they owe, and then people like me, who don't drink, end up paying even more. But if I try to use the same trick, the hostess will shout: "Where are you going?" And it's not like I can say I have somewhere to go: everyone knows I have nowhere to go. But in London, dinner parties are in people's homes. Not only that, the guests are an interesting mix. The last time I went to one, the guests were from France, India, Denmark and Nigeria; it was like a gathering at the United Nations in New York. The mix is less striking. It's like a gathering at Bloomingdale's, a well-known department store. For New Yorkers, talking about other parts of the world means Brooklyn and Queens in New York. But at Mallery's, when I said that I had been to Myanmar recently, people knew where it was. In New York people would think it was a usual new club What does the author think of the parties in London? A) A bit unusual B) Full of tricks. C) Less costly. D) More interesting.
D
There are a number of special days of the year that are celebrated in different countries. The origins of most of the days are unknown. They were certainly not created by individual people. Other days, however, especially those celebrated in western countries, often owe their origins to a particular person. One of the most popular of these, even though it is fairly recent, is Mother's Day. Mothers have always been highly regarded in all cultures. The ancient Romans had a festival known as Hilaria, during which children took presents to the temple of the "Mother of the Gods". The Christian Church adopted this idea and called it Mothering Sunday. However, over the years this custom was gradually forgotten and almost disappeared by the end of the 19th century. Born in 1864 in Virginia, USA, Anna Jarvis was a school teacher and believed children should show gratitude to their mothers for all their love and care. Encouraged by a friend, she wrote to thousands of important people--politicians, churchmen, doctors, city officials--and asked them to support her idea: a special day of the year for thanking mothers. In 1910 the Governor of West Virginia introduced Mother's Day into the state. The date chosen was May 10--the second Sunday in May, which is still observed in America today. This date was chosen because May 10 was the date on which in 1908 Anna Jarvis's mother had died. In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson made May 10 the official date for Mother's Day throughout the United States. Soon there was a Mother's Day International Association and the custom began to be adopted in many countries of the world. Anna Jarvis, a sad and disillusioned woman, died in 1948. The custom she had worked so hard to establish and which had become almost universal had lost its original purpose. It had been taken over by business. Like Christmas, the giving of presents and the sending of cards had become a multi-million-dollar industry. The story is about _ . A) Mothering Sunday for Christmas B) the origin of a special day for mothers C) President Wilson and Anna Jarvis D) how people celebrate Mothers Day
B
Q: There was once a rich old _ ) in England who lived a very rich life. When King John, who was the worst king that England ever had, heard of the way in which the abbot lived, he decided to stop it. So he sent for the old man and said, "Your fault is clear, and unless you can answer me three questions within two weeks, your head shall be cut off, and all your money shall be mine. Firstly, you must tell me just how long I shall live. Secondly, you must tell me how long I shall ride round the whole world, and lastly, you shall tell me what I think." The abbot went to Oxford and Cambridge for help but not one of the teachers in the great schools could. At last, sad and sorrowful, he rode towards home. Then he met his shepherd and told him all that had happened. "Cheer up, good master. I think I can help you out of your trouble." The shepherd dressed himself up with great care and looked just like the abbot. Then he went to the king. "How long shall I live?" "You will live until the day that you die, and not one day longer." "How long shall I ride round the world?" "You must rise with the sun, and you must ride with the sun until it rises again the next morning. As soon as you do that, you will find that you have ridden round the world in twenty-four hours." "What do I think?" "You think that I am the abbot. But, to tell you the truth, I am only his poor shepherd, and I come to beg your pardon for him and for me." The king laughed long. "Very well then, you have won the old abbot a free pardon from King John for this joke." Which of the following can be used to describe the shepherd? A) Loyal. B) Wise. C) Honest. D) Hard-working.
A: B
(Question)
Show Biz Summer 2014 Location: Rosewood Center for Family arts Important Information: * Tuition paid on the first day of class. No tuition refunds . * DCT reserves the right to cancel any class; refunds made for cancelation . * Please accompany student to the first day of class. * Registration begins one-half hour before class time. How To Register: * Mail : fill out the form in this brochure. * Be sure to list the class and group that you want & the dates. Drama Days! --$ 175 Entering Grades : Group A : lst -- 2nd Group B : 3rd -- 5th . Time: June 2--June 6 * create the situations and scenes * SHOWTLME-invite family and friends to your Friday Showcase ! * Bring a sack lunch and drink each day! Laugh Out Loud --$ 175 Entering Grade : 5 th Time: June 23--June 27 * Tell a joke! Learn why old jokes can be the best! * Work with your class to put on a Comedy Show for family and friends! Acting --Just Acting--$225 Entering Grades : Group A: lst --2nd Group B: 3rd -- 4th Time: August 4 -- August 8 * Start with the characters: Who are you ? Be the Star of your Dreams. * Work with your class to create the plot. Summer Scenes --$ 225 Entering Grades: 5th -- 6th Time: August 11-- August 15 * Do you want to be an actor? * Improve your skills with instruction from professional actors & directors. What is the purpose of the text ? A) To earn money from the text.. B) To attract readers to attend Summer Scene . C) To persuade readers to attend Show Biz Summer 2014 D) To teach readers how to register for Show Biz Summer 2014
(Answer)
C