Question:
Read the text and answer the questions.
A group of senior high school students are playing outside on a basketball court. They are shouting with excitement. And they all have the same dream. They wish to play in the NBA, just like Huston Rocket's Yao Ming. "Someday, there will be more Chinese players like Yao in the NBA," said 15-year-old Xie Tao, a senior 1 boy at Shanghai No. 2 Middle School. Xie always watches Yao playing on TV. "He is a great player. He makes me proud to be Chinese," he said.

Like Xie, 17-year-old Liu Yan at Beijing No. 22 Middle School is also a big NBA fan. "Since early May, I've not missed one game in the NBA," said the senior 3 student.

Basketball is becoming popular in middle schools across the country. And more young players are starting to like the sport. More students are playing the game.

Jiang Hui, a basketball teacher at Beijing No. 2 Middle School, said that 85 percent of the students at this school like the sport. "Students are full of passion for the game," Jiang's team won the regional first prize in the 2004 National High School Boy's Basketball League in march. The league is the first national basketball competition for high school students.

Playing basketball is a good way to exercise. But students also enjoy it for other reasons. For Li Yan, a Senior 2 at Shanghai No. 12 Middle School, basketball teaches him lessons in life. "When I am in a game, I feel more confident about my studies, " he said. " It also teaches me to have a good team spirit and to enjoy friendship."
1. what does the game teach them?
2. what does it teach Li?
3. how old is Xie?
4. how old is Liu?
5. who is Xie proud to be?
6. who's his favorite player?
7. Has Liu missed any games?
8. what is the name of the teacher?
9. what does he say about his players?
10. How many students enjoy it?
11. have they ever won?
12. when?
13. what?
14. is the game well liked?
15. by who?
16. what was the name of the tournament?
17. what was special about it?
18. does it help with their studies?
19. where does Jiang coach?
20. who does Yao Ming play for?

Numbered answers:
1. lessons in life
2. to have a good team spirit and to enjoy friendship
3. 17
4. 17
5. Chinese
6. Yao Ming
7. Not since early May
8. Jiang Hui
9. Students are full of passion for the game
10. 85 percent
11. yes
12. March 2004
13. regional first prize
14. yes
15. high school & middle school students
16. 2004 National High School Boy's Basketball League
17. first national basketball competition for high school students
18. yes
19. Beijing No. 2 Middle School
20. Houston Rockets

Question:
Read the text and answer the questions.
CHAPTER XLI

THE COLONEL SPEAKS

Wrayson glanced at the clock for the twentieth time.

"I am afraid," he said gravely, "that Mr. Sydney Barnes has been one too many for us."

"Do you think," Louise asked, "that he has persuaded the girl to give him the packet?"

"It looks like it," Wrayson confessed.

Louise frowned.

"Of course," she said, "I think that you were mad to let her go before. She had the letters here in the room. You would have been perfectly justified in taking them from her."

"I suppose so," Wrayson assented, doubtfully. "Somehow she seemed to get the upper hand of us towards the end. I think she suspected that some of us knew more than we cared to tell her about--her husband's death."

Louise shivered a little and remained silent. Wrayson walked to the window and back.

"To tell you the truth," he said, "I expected some one else here to-night who has failed to turn up."

"Who is that?" the Baroness asked.

Wrayson hesitated for a moment and glanced towards Louise.

"Colonel Fitzmaurice," he said.

Louise seemed to turn suddenly rigid. She looked at him steadfastly for a moment without speaking.

"My father," she murmured at last.

Wrayson nodded.

"Yes!" he said.

"But--what has he to do with this?" Louise asked, with her eyes fixed anxiously, almost fearfully, upon his.

"I went to him for advice," Wrayson said quietly. "He has been always very kind, and I thought it possible that he might be able to help us. He promised to be here at the same hour as the others. Listen! There is the bell at last."
1. Who is checking the time?
2. Who is he with?
3. Who is he waiting for?
4. Is that person related to Louisa?
5. How?
6. Who else is mentioned?
7. What do they think he has done?
8. To do what?
9. What was in it?
10. Where had they been kept?
11. What did the girl think?
12. About what?
13. Why was there visitor invited?
14. When was he supposed to come?

Numbered answers:
1. Wrayson
2. Louise
3. Colonel Fitzmaurice
4. yes
5. her father
6. Mr. Sydney Barnes
7. persuaded the girl
8. to give him the packet
9. letters
10. in the room
11. they knew more
12. her husband's death.
13. for advice
14. at the same hour as the others

Question:
Read the text and answer the questions.
On Mother's Day Sunday I went to breakfast with my mom, sister and wife. The day before that, I bought my mom a lovely bunch of flowers. My mom had eggs, my sister had pancakes, and my wife had toast. I had a muffin. The restaurant was called Maggie's. It was not my favorite breakfast restaurant. I like Denny's or a diner. Breakfast was not good. The pancakes were soggy, the toast was burned and the eggs were cold. Even worse, my breakfast made me sick. But after breakfast we went back to my house and I gave my mom the present I bought. It was a sunny day, and we all had a nice afternoon.
1. what did you buy before sunday?
2. for who?
3. did you visit her on sunday?
4. who else was there?
5. anyone else?
6. did you share a meal with them?
7. what meal?
8. where?
9. what did you mom have?
10. who had toast?
11. what did your sister have?
12. did you like the place?
13. what would you have prefered?
14. was it good?
15. how many things were bad?
16. did you get sick?
17. where did you go after breakfast?
18. was it a nice day outside?
19. was it raining?
20. did you give your mom anything?
Numbered answers:
1. flowers
2. mom
3. yes
4. sister
5. my wife
6. yes
7. Breakfast
8. Maggie's
9. eggs
10. my wife
11. pancakes
12. no
13. Denny's or a diner.
14. no
15. Everything.
16. Yes.
17. home.
18. nice afternoon
19. a sunny day
20. A present.