Idioms are phrases and sentences that do not mean exactly what they say. Even if you know the meaning of each word you see or hear, you may not understand the idiom because you don't understand the culture behind it. For example, if an American boy asks his mother what's for dinner tomorrow, she may say "I'll play it by ear", that means she doesn't have plans for dinner and she will decide later. "Play by ear" used to mean playing music using the sheet music, but now people often use it when they're not talking about music. There're many idioms in English. If you learn to use them, your English will be more vivid and colorful. English idioms are more common in spoken English. They can be difficult to remember sometimes. Next time when you hear somebody saying to you, "Give me a hand", you don't necessarily stretch out your hand to him/her, but you do need to be helpful. And when the situation is out of hand, you usually can do very little to manage all that. What about a green hand? It's not about the color of your hand! You're a green hand when you are very new at your work and don't have much experience. If you and your partner always work together hand in glove, you two definitely work together very well. Can you guess the meanings of some common English idioms to do with parts of your body? If a mother says "I'll play it by ear" to talk about the dinner, she means   _  . A) she will cook dinner while listening to music at the same time B) she doesn't hear what others are talking about. C) she will play music using the sheet music instead of cooking dinner D) She doesn't have plans for dinner and will decide later
D


Our risk of cancer rises dramatically as we age. So it makes sense that the elderly should be routinely screened for new tumors -- or doesn't it? While such vigilant tracking of cancer is a good thing in general, researchers are increasingly questioning whether all of this testing is necessary for the elderly. With the percentage of people over age 65 expected to nearly double by 2050, it's important to weigh the health benefits of screening against the risks and costs of routine testing. In many cases, screening can lead to additional biopsies and surgeries to remove cancer, which can cause side effects, while the cancers themselves may be slow-growing and may not pose serious health problems in patients' remaining years. But the message that everyone must screen for cancer has become so ingrained that when health care experts recommended that women under 50 and over 74 stop screening for breast cancer, it caused a riotous reaction among doctors, patients and advocacy groups. It's hard to uproot deeply held beliefs about cancer screening with scientific data. Certainly, there are people over age 75 who have had cancers detected by routine screening, and gained several extra years of life because of treatment. And clearly, people over age 75 who have other risk factors for cancer, such as a family history or prior personal experience with the disease, should continue to get screened regularly. But for the remainder, the risk of cancer, while increased at the end of life, must be balanced with other factors like remaining life expectancy . A recent study suggests that doctors start to make more objective decisions about who will truly benefit from screening- especially considering the explosion of the elderly that will soon swell our population. It's not an easy calculation to make, but one that make sense for the whole patient. Dr. Otis Brawley said, "Many doctors are ordering these tests purely to cover themselves. We need to think about the rational use of health care and stop talking about the rationing of... Why do many doctors prescribe routine screening for cancer? A) They want to protect themselves against medical disputes. B) They want to take advantage of the medical care system. C) They want data for medical research. D) They want their patients to suffer less.
A


Q: The first time I saw Carlos I would never have believed he was going to change my life. I had my arms full of books and I was walking into the classroom when I ran into something solid. It was Carlos. "My God, you're tall" he said. Of course, the class began to laugh. Angry, I walked to my seat without a word. I glanced back to see if Reed Harrington was laughing with the rest. That would be the last straw. But Reed as studying chemistry and did not seem to be aware of anything else. I didn't know why I considered Reed my friend. Maybe just because he was a good two inches taller than I. Anyway, every time I blew out my birthday candles and make a wish, it was for a date with Reed Harrington. "Take that seat." Mr. McCarthy told the cocky newcomer Carlos, pointing to the only empty one, in the back of the room. Carlos laughed widely. "But I need a couple of dictionaries." Again the class laughed, but now they were laughing with Carlos, not at him. He had been here only 10 minutes and already he had them on his side."  The bell rang for classes. As I stood up to go, I saw Carlos coming toward me. " I'm sorry I embarrassed you," he said. I looked straight head over the top of his black hair. "That's all right." "I ought to know better." He was still blocking my way." What's your name?" "Karen Forbes." "You probably heard me say I'm Carlos Herrera." He held out his hand. Unwillingly, I shook hands with him. He looked up at me seriously with his brown eyes." "I don't see why you're so touchy." I brushed by him and said sharply, "You wouldn't understand." He followed me a few steps. "I'm just the one who should, Karen," he said. "You and I have a lot in common." It was the school elections that made me think of Carlos again. Reed Harrington was voted president and Carlos vice-president. "How come?" I kept asking myself," How come this shrimp who's only been in town for a little over a month gets to be so popular?" So that morning, I stopped Carlos and said, " It doesn't seem to bother you ---being short." He looked... According to the text, which is the most likely ending? A) The author changed her attitude towards Carlos. B) Carlos and the author argued with each other. C) Carlos and Reed became very good friends. D) Carlos was elected president of the student committee.
A: A


*Question*
What are some of the steps a person can take to prevent his house from being broken in while he or she is away? One step is to make sure that the house has a _ look. Living room shades could be pulled down only half-away. Bedrooms that usually have the shades pulled down at night should be left down. Another is to make sure that all outside looks are the dead-belt  type. Still another is to leave several low-watt  lights burning and make sure that one is in the kitchen. Lights that turn on and off automatically  are the best. Then, too, it is a good idea to leave a radio turned into a talking station. Any type of conversation makes a burglar  think twice before trying to enter. Finally, while away on vacation, make sure that nothing collected in the front or back of the house. Make certain that the newspaper is stopped and that a trusted neighbor has been asked to pick up the posts. What is the meaning of "live-in" in this passage? A) Worn out. B) Lively and cheerful. C) Fed on. D) Presently taken by people.
**Answer**

D