Who's in control of your life? Who's pulling your strings ? For the majority of us, it's other people--society, colleagues, friends, family or our religious community. We learned this way of operating when we were very young, of course. We were brainwashed. We discovered that feeling important and feeling accepted was a nice experience and so we learned to do everything we could to make other people like us. As Oscar Wilde puts it, "Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry , their passions a quotation." So when people tell us how wonderful we are, it makes us feel good. We long for this good feeling like a drug--we are addicted to it and seek it out wherever we can. Therefore, we are so eager for the approval of others that we live unhappy and limited lives, failing to do the things we really want to. Just as drug addicts and alcoholics live worsened lives to keep getting their fix , we worsen our own existence to get our own constant fix of approval. But, just as with any drug, there is a price to pay. The price of the approval drug is freedom--the freedom to be ourselves. The truth is that we cannot control what other people think. People have their own agenda , and they come with their own baggage and, in the end, they're more interested in themselves than in you. Furthermore, if we try to live by the opinions of others, we will build our life on sinking sand. Everyone has a different way of thinking, and people change their opinions all the time. The person who tries to please everyone will only end up getting exhausted and probably pleasing no one in the process. So how can we take back control? I think there's only one way--make a conscious decision to stop caring what other people think. We should guide ourselves by means of a set of values--not values imposed from the outside by others, but innate values which come from within. If we are driven by these values and not by the changing opinions and value systems of others, we will live a more... The author tries to persuade the readers to accept his arguments mainly by _ . A) discussing questions B) making suggestions C) analyzing causes and effects D) providing examples and facts
B
(Question)
DCU*LS is the English Language Training Center of Dublin City University. Our courses are designed for adults (18+). We offer a lot of English language courses throughout the year in addition to special programmes in summer. Our school proudly has the same high standards which have gained Dublin City University a national and international reputation for the excellence of its courses. Recognized by Department of Education as an English language school for the teaching of English as a foreign language. DCU*LS offers you a friendly atmosphere in which you can improve your English skills. Because we are a university based company, we also offer our students ways to university facilities . For more information please contact : DCU Language Services, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland Tel: +353 1 705552 Fax: +353 1 70511 Email: Is.elt @ dcu.ie Web: www.dculs.dcu.ie Who can take part in the courses offered by DCU*LS ? A) Teenagers. B) Adults over 18. C) College students. D) English teachers.
(Answer)
B
Ques: Germs are everywhere. You can't see them, but they are on your desk, on your computer, and even in the air! Like people, germs move around the world. They fly with us on planes. When food, clothes, and other things travel around the world, germs travel, too. Some germs are safe, but some are dangerous. Germs cause illnesses like colds and the flu. Warmer Weather Brings Germs The world's weather is changing. Cooler countries are getting warmer, so insects from hot countries can move _ . Some of these insects, like mosquitoes, carry dangerous germs. These germs cause headaches, fever, and can even kill people. Under Your Skin Your skin protects you from germs. It stops some germs, but not all. They can enter your body when you eat, or when you have a cut. Germs are on your hands, too. They enter your body when you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. Fighting Germs Your immune system protects you, too. When germs get inside your body, your immune system finds and kills them. Special cells move around your body and fight germs. They help you stay healthy. Other cells make antibodies. Antibodies help your body find and stop germs. What can you do to fight germs? You should wash your hands with soap and water. Soap kills many germs, and water washes them away. Which can be the best title for this text? A) Germs Are Everywhere B) Weather Is Changing C) Skin Stops Germs D) Germs Are Developed
Ans: A
Ques: Eco City Farms are becoming more popular in cities and towns around the Unites States. Eco City Farms in Edmonton, Maryland, is located near shopping centers, car repair shops and homes. The neighborhood is a working-class community . People do not have very much money. And they have limited access to fresh food in markets. Over the past two years, the farm has attracted volunteers from the community like Marcy Clark. She schools her four children at home. On a recent day she brought them to Eco City Farms for a lesson. Her son Alston Clark thinks his experience is very valuable."I like coming out here,"he says,"You know, you connect with the earth, where your food comes from. You appreciate the food a little bit more." Margaret Morgan started Eco City Farms. She thinks of it as a place where people can learn to live healthier lives. "Growing food in a community brings people together,"she continues,"Every piece of what we do here is a demonstration to show people everything about how to have an eco-friendly community."she says. From the Eco City Farms people come to know that they are not only growing food and raising chickens and bees, but improving the soil with compost made from food waste. Eco City Farms is an experimental operation. The farm gets its power not from the local electricity networks, but from the sun with solar panels. In winter, the green house use a geothermal system. Vegetables can be grown all year. So once a week, all winter long, neighbors like Chris Moss and her three children bike to the farm to pick up a share of the harvest. "I like eating the vegetables "say five-year-old Owen Moss. What is the author's attitude toward Eco City Farms? A) Enthusiastic . B) Disappointed. C) Surprised. D) Doubtful.
Ans:
A