I have come across some really excellent examples of British humour in the form of jokes. Here is a very funny joke about how the English and the Scottish save on train fare. Five Englishmen boarded a train just behind five Scots, who as a group had only bought one ticket. Just before the conductor came, all the Scots went into the toilet. As the conductor passed the toilet, he knocked and called, "Tickets, please!' One of the Scots slid a ticket out under the door. It was punched and pushed back. When it was safe, all the Scots came out and took their seats. The Englishmen were quite impressed by what the Scots had done. On the trip back, the five Englishmen decided to try this themselves and bought only one ticket. They noticed that the Scots had not bought any tickets this time. Anyway again, just before the conductor came, the Scots went into one of the toilets, the Englishmen into the other. Then one of the Scots leaned out, knocked on the Englishmen's toilet and called, "Tickets, please!" When the ticket was slid out under the door, he picked it up and quickly closed the door. English humor shows the ups and downs of life in Britain. Humour helps us to look at the lighter side of things. So, if you want a good laugh, and want to change your attitude to what would otherwise be a difficult situation, turn to a good English situation comedy and have a good time. Which of the following words can best describe the five Scots? A) Confident B) Careful C) Mean D) Clever
D
There was once a man called Mr. Flowers, and flowers were his only joy in life. He spent all his free time in one of his four glass-houses and grew flowers of every color, with long and difficult names, for competitions. He tried to grow a rose of a new color to win the silver cup for the Rose of the Year. Mr. Flowers' glass-houses were very near to a middle school. Boys of around thirteen of age were often tempted to throw a stone or two at one of Mr. Flowers' glass-houses. So Mr. Flowers did his best to be in or near his glass-houses at the beginning and end of the school day. But it was not always possible to be on watch at those times. Mr. Flowers had tried in many ways to protect his glass, but nothing that he had done had been useful. He had been to school to report to the headmaster; but this had not done any good. He had tried to drive away the boys that threw stones into his garden; but the boys could run faster than he could, and they laughed at him from far away. He had even picked up all the stones that he could find around his garden, so that the boys would have nothing to throw; but they soon found others. At last Mr. Flowers had a good idea. He put up a large notice made of good, strong wood, some meters away from the glass-houses. On it he had written the words: DO NOT THROW STONES AT THIS NOTICE. After this, Mr. Flowers had no further trouble; the boys were much more tempted to throw stones at the notice than at the glass-houses. Mr. Flowers had tried to _ to protect his glass. A) be on watch in his free time B) ask the headmaster for help C) pick up all the stones around his garden D) do all the above
D
Q: I have always known my kids use digital communications equipment a lot. But my cellphone bill last month really grabbed my attention. My son had come up to nearly 2,000 incoming text messages, and had sent nearly as many. Of course, he was out of school for the summer and communicating more with friends from a distance. Nevertheless, he found time to keep a summer job and complete a college course in between all that typing with thumb. I was even more surprised to learn that my son is normal. "Teenagers with cellphones each send and receive 2,272 text messages a month on average, " Nielsen Mobile said. Some experts regret that all that keyboard jabber is making our kids stupid, unable to read non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, gestures, posture and other silent signals of mood and attitude. Unlike phones, text messaging doesn't even allow transmission of tone of voice or pauses, says Mark Bauerlein, author called The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future. Beyond that, though, I'm not sure I see as much harm as critics of this trend. I' ve posted before on how I initially tried to control my kids' texting. But over time, I have seen my son suffer no apparent ill effects, and he gains a big benefit, continuing contact with others. I don't think texting make kids stupid. It may make them annoying, when they try to text and talk to you at the same time. And it may make them _ when buzzing text message interrupt efforts to noodle out a math problem or finish reading for school. But I don't see texting harming teens' ability to communicate. My son is as accustomed to nonverbal cues as any older members of our family. I have found him more engaged and easier to communicate with from a great distance. because he is constantly available by means of text message and responds with faithfulness and speed. According to the passage, which of the statements is NOT true? A) It is normal for a teen to send or receive 60 text messages per day. B) Texting is a very popular way of communication among teens. C) The writer limited his son to send or receive messages at first. D) When texting, teens don't mind talking with you.
A: D
Q: Interviews can be quite frightening but our tips can help you. Don't worry--relax! Remember these things and you'll be fine. Be on time. Find out exactly where the interview is and how to get there. Remember that buses and trains can often be late so allow plenty of time. It's better to be early than late. Be prepared. Think about what the interviewer will ask you. He or she will probably ask about your qualifications and your experience but they'll also ask you why you want the job. Think of some possible questions and prepare your answers before you go. Wear comfortable clothes. If you wear something new it will make you feel uncomfortable. It's best to wear something smart but something you like and feel happy in. Make eye contact . In the interview, don't sit looking at your feet. Make sure you sit up and look the interviewer in the eye. This makes you look honest and more confident . Ask a question. It's a good idea to ask questions at the interview. Ask about the company or the job. Prepare some questions before the interview. It makes you look more interested if you do this. According to this passage, the interviewer will probably ask you about _ . A) your family members B) your health condition C) your demand of payment D) your working experience
A: D