When I was a kid, my siblings and I used to have ice cream for dessert.Every day, we would choose which ice cream flavor to have, whether to eat it in a cone or a bowl. Then we would happily wolf down our treat as fast as we could. Once, though, when I was probably about 10 0r 11, our grandpa came to visit. Grandpa always had a unique view on things. On this particular occasion, my sister and I were making bets as to who could finish their ice cream first. With a smile, Grandpa said, "Why would you want to finish first? If you eat slowly, it will last longer. You should have acompetition to see who can finish last." Even now, I always try to taste my ice cream, but of course this is about more than just dessert. Too often, kids want to scramble for more, whether it's more ice cream, more toys, or more friends. This habit persists into our adult years, and we end up constantly scrambling for more. We never develop the skill of appreciating what we have. If we learn to recognize this pattern and change it, we can raise our kids a little differently, giving them the tool of tasting their proverbial dessert, which could lead to a happier life for them. What my grandpa taught me that day was really that if you take the opportunity to enjoy what's in front of you, the pleasure will last longer and be more rewarding than if you rush through life always trying to get the next treat. It's a lesson that, I think, has made my adult life happier, as well. These days, when I want something, I wait as long as I can before I allow myself to have it. Then, when I finally get it, I make sure to treasure it as long as possible, because I know that, no matter what it is, it will be gone all too soon. Which of the following best describes the author's grandfather? A) Wise. B) Humorous. C) Strict. D) Careful.
A
Children are missing an important part of their education because parents cannot afford their after-school activities. Half of parents in Wales are saying"no"to after-school activities because they cannot afford them according to a poll for Save the Children. The government said providing free or subsidized leisure activities for children from poorer background is essential to reducing child poverty in the UK. Of those who pay for activities, Save the Children said almost half of parents had to pay more than PS10 per child per week. Many parents were paying more than $20 per week, the survey found. "What happens after the school gates close at 3:30 pm is just as _ as what goes on in the school day,"said Sally Copley at Save the Children. "Children who do after-school activities have more confidence, see the world in different ways and have a stronger sense of identity . All this finally translates into doing better in exams and getting a better career." Half of parents in Wales of 4-to-18-year-olds said their child did some form of sporting activity, the most popular pastime . Other popular choices included drama/dance (26%), Brownies/Scouts (18%)and music lessons(13%). Almost a third of parents said activities they would like their child to take part in were located more than six miles from where they lived. Save the Children said its research highlighted that children from poorer backgrounds did not have the same chances as their better-off friends. Many local governments have offered a wide range of after-young people in their area. The Welsh Assembly Government's community-focused schools programme supports local education authorities to develop a range of out-of-school-hours learning opportunities and childcare for children and young people. According to Sally Copley, we can learn the after-school activities _ . A) may help children make money for their families. B) can help children learn better and find better jobs. C) get children adapt to the society and start their own business. D) make children lack confidence and a sense of identity.
B
Q: King Midas used to love gold. One day he met a fairy who allowed him to make a wish for something. The king replied at once , ''I love gold . I want everything I touch to change into gold". ''Very well , tomorrow morning, everything you touch will turn into gold ."Saying this, the fairy disappeared. The king waited excitedly till the next morning. To his joy, everything he touched changed immediately into gold. ''I'm the richest man in the world now." He shouted. Soon Midas became hungry. He sat down at his table. All the foods and drinks turned into gold in his hand. ''I'm dying of hunger." He cried. Just then his daughter came running in . ''Why are you so sad, dad?" she asked, putting her arms around him. There and then she became a golden statue. The king loved his daughter very much .Seeing this, he began to cry. He looked up and suddenly saw the fairy before him. ''Don't you like the golden touch?" asked the fairy. ''Please take it away," begged the king, ''give me back my daughter." ''Well, you have learned your lesson. Go and wash in the river. Then the golden touch will be gone." The king ran quickly to the nearby river. The king's daughter became a golden statue when _ . A) she saw her father B) the king went to meet her C) she put her arms around her father D) the king loved her very much
A: C
Q: Keeping a busy social life among lots of friends may keep people thinner than spending hours doing some exercises, according to scientists. They say that socialising and meeting with friends help increase levels of brown fat in the body which burns calories to produce heat. Living in an exciting social environment was found to reduce fat in mice's belly by half over four weeks, even if they ate more. US researchers say that social excitement aids weight loss by turning white fat into brown. White fat stores calories and makes us fatter, while brown burns energy to produce heat. Turning white fat into brown is extremely difficult,normally requiring long- term stay in cold conditions or exciting part of the body's nervous system. However, scientists from Ohio State University now think that having a busy social life is an even more effective way of changing white fat into brown. The team came up with their theory by studying the effects of various living environments on mice. Those, who lived alongside a greater number of mice, had more space and toys to excite themselves and then lost far more weight over the course of the study than their "couch potato" fellows. Study author, Dr Matthew During, whose team's findings appear in the journal Cell Metabolism, said, "I'm still amazed at the degree of fat loss that occurs." Explaining how new technology had threatened face-to-face socialising, he added, "It's not just a sedentary( )lifestyle and high calorie foods, but an increasing lack of social activities." Co-author Dr Lei Cao said,"Loneliness is a potential factor for cancer and death; it's equal to cigarette smoking to a certain extent. Social activities are very vital.,, What's the main idea of the text? A) Brown fat is beneficial to people's health. B) Socialising is unnecessarily important in people's daily life. C) White fat can be changed into brown fat. D) Socialising contributes to people's losing weight.
A: D