Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the guest room. Instead the angels were given a space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, "Things aren't always what they seem. " The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had, the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning, the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their only income, lay dead in the field. The younger angel was very angry and asked the older angel, "How could this happen? Why did you not watch out for the cow? The first man had everything, yet you watched over his house," she accused. "The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you did not help. " "Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so greedy and unwilling to share his good fortune, I asked God if I could seal the wall so he couldn't find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmer's bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I ask God if the angel could take the cow instead. Things aren't always what they seem. " The story tries to tell the reader that _ . A) angels are always ready to help the poor B) sometimes things are not what they seem C) angels are always ready to help the rich D) the young should always learn from the old
B
Doha, the capital of Qatar,is a city of contrasts . In a few decades it has beentransformed from a small port to an international city. Today, its skyline is shaped by rising skyscrapers, but Old Doha---though fast disappearing---can still be found. Time seems to stand still in the old quarter of the city. On the dusty streets, Indian and Pakistani men sit cross-legged outside tea shops and restaurants. At one end of the road, men queue by the doorways of crowded supermarkets to buy necessities: boxes of teabags, milk, sugar, bread and soap. The shops are dark and poorly stocked. However, only five miles away, on the other side of the city, Doha shows a completely different image. It shines brilliantly with skyscrapers, five-star hotels and noble apartment buildings. The area looks like any other modem district in the world. Qatar, a tiny gulf nation, is a country of vast local and international ambitions. At home, it has owned several international universities. Abroad, it tries to speak louder on gulf affairs. These ambitions are urged by the country's unbelievably rich reserves of fossil fuels.In December 2012, Daba was the site of Copl8 UN Climate Change Conference and in 2022,Qatar will host the World Cup. Mohammed Salim, 55, runs a hair salon in the old part of the city where he works as a hair dresser.When he came to Doha 22 years ago from Pakistan,he recalls,Doha was a quiet town with few modern buildings."At that time,Doha seemed rather small.There were no big roads or malls at all." He has noticed a drop in customers to his salon in recent years."People now tend to go to more fashionable hair salons in shopping malls.Some day this old area will be gone, and my business will probably be gone, too.I'll be sad. I love here, but things are changing.We can't ignore it." The author takes the hair salon as an example to show that _ . A) people in Doha are fashionable B) the economy in Doha becomes bad C) changes are happening to Old Doha D) Doha used to be an undeveloped town
C
Q: Even at school there had been an unhealthy competition between George and Richard. "I'll be the first millionaire in Coleford!" Richard used to boast. "And you'll be sorry that you knew me," George would reply "because I'll surely be the best lawyer in our town!" After graduation, George never became a lawyer and Richard was anybody but a millionaire .... Instead, it happened that both men opened bookshops on opposite sides of Coleford High Street, while it was hard to make much money from books then, which made the competition between them worse. Eventually, Richard closed down his, dreaming of making a fortune elsewhere. Now, with only one bookshop in the town, business was better for George. But sometimes he sat in his narrow old kitchen and gazed out of the dirty window, thinking about his former rival . Perhaps he missed him? George was very interested in old dictionaries, and he had recently found a collector in Australia who was selling a rare first edition. When the parcel arrived, the book was in perfect condition and George was quite delighted. But while he was having lunch, George glanced at the photo in the newspaper that the book had been wrapped in. He was astonished -- the smiling face was older than he remembered but unmistakable! Trembling, George started reading: "Bookends Company has bought ten bookstores from its competitors. The company, owned by multi-millionaire Richard Pike, is now the largest bookseller in this country." How did George feel about Richard after his disappearance? A) He envied Richard's good fortune very much. B) He thought about Richard from time to time. C) He felt unlucky with no more rival in the town. D) He was unhappy of Richard's disappearance.
A: B
*Question*
Vacation is a time for refreshment. In work, we are often called to think. Sometimes, it's good to give our brains a rest. Without a break, we may not be able to perform up to our potential. This can be a problem, not only for the employee, but for the employer as well. "The main benefit of vacation is for the worker to come back energized," says Weaver. "If they haven't had a break, then they're not coming back with new energy. They haven't had a chance to step back and get perspective , and come back with renewed enthusiasm." Long working hours without a break, insecurity about one's job, and other work-related worries can lead to burnout and stress. Humans can usually adapt to pressure, but not for a limitless amount of time. "It is a problem of relating good workers and having them loyal to the firm while they're _ ," says David Maume, PhD, professor of sociology at the University of Cincinnati. He says burnout can also affect employees' productivity, creativity, and effectiveness. In addition, high levels of stress are likely to be precursors to depression, which can hit both the employer and employee's pocketbook. Even people who manage to remain productive at work can have problems. If they're always at work, then they're not with their family and friends. If they're working while on vacation, for the time that they're on the job, they're not really present. An unbalanced emphasis on work can strain family and social life. When you come up for air, you may see that you're alone, or that your relationships have gone on without you. Which of the following is the best title for the passage? A) Why Workers Need Vacation B) Why Workers Need New Energy C) How to Deal with Daily Pressure D) How to Spend Vacation Effectively
**Answer**
A