*Question*
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Nowadays more and more people are trapped in too busy work to relax themselves. We have no time to tell a bed-time story to our children, or enjoy a nice dinner with our family, or take a break to think about how we live the precious life, or even meet friends. All we notice is that the distinctions that used to guide and steady us --between Sunday and Monday, public and private, here and there--are gone. We have more ways to communicate, but less and less to say. Partly because we're so busy communicating. Maybe that's why more and more people I know, even if they have no religious belief, seem to be turning to yoga, or meditation, or tai chi. Some friends of mine try to go on long walks every Sunday, or to "forget" their cell phones at home. A series of tests in recent years has shown that their brains become both calmer and sharper after spending time in quiet rural settings. In my own case, I often turn to extreme measures to try to keep my sanity and ensure that I have time to do nothing at all. I've not yet used a cell phone and I've never Tweeted or entered Face book. I try not to go online till my day's writing is finished, and I moved from Manhattan to rural Japan. None of this is a matter of principle or asceticism : it's just pure selfishness. Nothing makes me feel better-----calmer, clearer and happier----than being in one place, absorbed in a book, a conversation, a piece of music. It's actually something deeper than mere happiness: it's joy, which David Steindl-Rast describes as "that kind of happiness that doesn't depend on what happens." That is the highest of the highest we have been longing for--The Joy of Quiet. Question: Which of the following is right? Options: A: The writer is unwilling to help others since he is selfish. B: Slowing down to find deep-down joy is necessary. C: It is better to go back to the ancient times since we are so busy now. D: We have more to say because we have more ways to communicate.
**Answer**
B

*Question*
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: When we give our kids holiday gifts, many of us can't wait to hear their appreciative cries of"thank you!"once the wrapping gets ripped off. But here's a tip: You'd be wise not to expect much gratitude from them for what they receive. Gratitude can make us happier, healthier, and even fitter. But do the kids show their gratitude for the stuff we buy them? All the research I've done has convinced me that it won't happen. One mom told me that when she asked her 16-year-old son to thank her for buying him a cellphone, he said, "But that's what moms should do." From a teenager's angle, it's a parent's responsibility to take care of the family. According to Dunham, Yale's assistant professor of psychology, "When teenagers code it that way, a gift is no longer something given freely and voluntarily"--it's just mom and dad living up to their obligation. Parents do have the right to demand good manners and children should thank sincerely whoever gives them something. But kids can't know how blessed they are unless they have a basis for comparison. And they don't learn that by a parent complaining that they're ungrateful. We need to give our children the gift of a wider world view. Show by example that gratitude isn't aboutstuff--which ultimately can't make any of us happy anyway.It's about realizing how lucky you are and paying your good fortune forward. You can collect all the charitable appeals and sit down together with the kids to go through them. You set the budget for giving and the kids decide how it's distributed. Once the conversation about gratitude gets started, it's much easier to continue all year. Also you can set up a family routine at bedtime where kids describe three things that have made them grateful. When kids go off to college, you can text them a picture each week of something that inspires your appreciation. Teaching children to focus on the positive and appreciate the good in their lives is perhaps the greatest gift we can give them. And we can all learn together that the things that really... Question: To make children grateful for what they have, parents should _ . Options: A: live up to their obligation B: ask their children to have good manners C: teach their children by setting an example D: complain their children are ungrateful
**Answer**
C

*Question*
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Are you a high school student who loves to be outdoors and is eager to experience new challenges, learn new skills and meet new people? Learn all about the world of building and maintaining hiking trails, and experience it in a safe, teamwork-oriented environment in various locations across the state. WTA offers first-time participants country trips and returning students have the option to go on trips in the back country . Front Country Trips Our front country trips provide opportunities for people to experience projects near the ocean, in the scenic Cascade Mountains and in northeast Washington. All our trips provide you with experienced crew leaders, a great project, some camping tents, sleeping bags and all your meals for the week. Advanced Back Country Trips On these trips you will be backpacking to the work site and will have a chance to advance your trail and leadership skills under the supervision of a WTA crew leader. Approval from a previous crew leader is necessary. Trip Details In 2014, trip fees for WTA members will be $195 for the first trip and $145 for each additional trip. Non-members will pay an additional $40 for their first trip and can be qualified to be members in the second trip. There will be a $30 cancellation fee for cancellations more than 30 days prior to the trip, and no refund for cancellations less than 30 days prior to the trip. Due to the popularity of our trips, please submit your payment and application within two weeks of signing up for a trip. If a trip is full and you would like to be added to the waiting list, please call us at 206/625-1367 or email trail _ teams@wta.org. Scholarships We believe no student should have to stay at home this summer because he or she can't afford to go outside. Thanks to donations from members and supporters, WTA is proud to announce that we are able to offer a limited number of scholarships. Application deadline: March 1, 2014. 2014 Youth Volunteer Vacation You must be 14 to 18 years old to go on one of our Youth Volunteer Vacations. We... Question: After choosing a trip, you _ . Options: A: will naturally become a WTA member B: can cancel your trip and get all your money back C: will be added to the waiting list D: must submit your payment and application within two weeks
**Answer**
D