I've been writing for most of my life. The book Writing Without Teachers introduced me to one distinction and one practice that has helped my writing processes tremendously. The distinction is between the creative mind and the critical mind. While you need to employ both to get to a finished result, they cannot work in parallel no matter how much we might like to think so. Trying to criticize writing on the fly is possibly the single greatest barrier to writing that most of us encounter. If you are listening to that 5th grade English teacher correct your grammar while you are trying to capture a fleeting thought, the thought will die. If you capture the fleeting thought and simply share it with the world in raw form, no one is likely to understand. You must learn to create first and then criticize if you want to make writing the tool for thinking that it is. The practice that can help you past your learned bad habits of trying to edit as you write is what Elbow calls "free writing." In free writing, the objective is to get words down on paper non-stop, usually for 15-20 minutes. No stopping, no going back, no criticizing. The goal is to get the words flowing. As the words begin to flow, the ideas will come from the shadows and let themselves be captured on your notepad or your screen. Now you have raw materials that you can begin to work with using the critical mind that you've persuaded to sit on the side and watch quietly. Most likely, you will believe that this will take more time than you actually have and you will end up staring blankly at the pages as the deadline draws near. Instead of staring at a blank start filling it with words no matter how bad. Halfway through your available time, stop and rework your raw writing into something closer to finished product. Move back and forth until you run out of time and the final result will most likely be far better than your current practices. When the author says the creative mind and the critical mind "cannot work in parallel" in the writing process, he means _ . A) one cannot use them at the same time B) they cannot be regarded as equally important C) they are in constant conflict with each other D) no one can be both creative and critical
A
(Question)
Nicky Haywood, from Nottingham, was found guilty of travelling on an East Midlands train from Nottingham to Newstead without a ticket. The 27-year-old, who did not appear for his hearing at Nottingham Magistrates Court , is now being made to pay the price --- which is almost 200 times the original price ---- for the 20 minute journey. According to the Nottingham Post, Magistrates have ordered Haywood to pay a $ 220 fine, $ 302 in costs, a $ 22 government surcharge and the $ 2.80 fare. Senior conductor, Yvonne Clay was working on the day of the incident, according to the Nottingham Post. The newspaper reported that she said Haywood had got on the train without a ticket, though he had the chance to buy one from both vending machines and booking offices on the platform. She said:"He offered a Solo Electron card but we could not take that on the train. I informed him with a notice to pay. He gave his name and address and had 21 days to pay the fare." Even though he was given three weeks to pay the $ 2.80, a payment from Haywood was not received. Which of the following sentences is TRUE according to the passage? A) Nicky Haywood was heading to Nottingham in this incident. B) The conductor didn't inform him to pay the ticket. C) Nicky Haywood offered a card but it couldn't be used on that train. D) If Nicky Haywood had been given some days after the incident, he would have paid the ticket.
(Answer)
C
Ques: Heather Jack and her family, including her two children, usually spend the Christmas holidays preparing a feast--for others to eat. Last Christmas Eve, they went to a house in the neighborhood and prepared a dinner for an elderly woman and her son, who has muscular dystrophy . They stayed for an hour and chatted before heading home to prepare for a visit from Santa . "I think it is that kind of direct experience that many find so meaningful," says Heather, president and founder of The Volunteer Family, a Boston-based organization dedicated to matching families with volunteer opportunities, both during the holidays and year-round. "It's a great way for parents to involve the kids." In a holiday season that stretches from before Thanksgiving to just after the New Year, it's nice to hear stories about people with their children giving instead of receiving. Last December Gary and Debra Danoff and their two teenage sons drove to the Washington, D. C. Jewish Community Center(JCC) and spent Christmas morning in the Center's kitchen preparing a feast for homeless shelters. By choosing to prepare meals for the homeless, the Danoffs bring together a belief in community service with their love of cooking, "It feels good to prepare food with our kids for other people at Christmas," says Gary. "We want them to know that many people don't have the ability to go to the supermarket and pick the foods they want to eat and pay for them." The Danoffs were in good company. Across the city, at least 1000 volunteers with their children went across the region to provide food to the poor people as part of the D. C. JCC's annual "December 25th Day of Service", now in its 22nd year. Why do the Danoffs want their children to join in the volunteer work? A) To let them learn to prepare meals by themselves. B) To let them know that many people are in need of help. C) To let them know that they have the ability to cook. D) To let them have a meaningful Christmas with the homeless shelters.
Ans: B
Driving on up to Yosemite with my family was exciting but nerve-racking . I had never been to such an amazing national park before, yet I wasn't the most athletic person so I knew that I couldn't stick through all the hiking up and down. It actually ended up being a fun and adventurous experience. The ride there was definitely long but worth it. As I woke up from my nap, I saw the beautiful scenery of the tall mountains and beautiful streams. The trails were made nicely for visitors. The waterfalls were breathtaking. Climbing up rocks was one of my favorite parts. Even though I fell a couple of times, I still have a lot of fun. The fact that my family and I spent so much time together all trying to find out which route to take and what views to watch really brought us closer together. The great thing about nature is that, it's just you, the views, and the people around you. There's nothing there to bother you and it's the best way to relax and enjoy yourself. Yosemite has 5 of the world's highest waterfalls, and about 300 lakes. The structure of each mountain is incredible; it's formed in ways that almost take your breath away. Some of them are of a deep dark color1 with waterfalls forming; some are formed with spots of green peeking out. It's definitely something you wouldn't want to miss. Yosemite isn't the only great National Park but based on my experience I highly recommend going out and enjoying nature with family and friends. It's a great time to bond, laugh, and take in what Mother Nature offers. The author suggests us _ . A) keeping a good bond with other people B) visiting Yosemite now and then C) trying to protect the environment D) going out to enjoy the beauty of nature
D