Every English learner hopes to find a patient native speaker who will politely correct mistakes and teach him some useful new vocabulary. But native speakers can be hard to find. If you're having trouble communicating in English, American situation comedies are one good way to help. They can not only give you a lot of information about American culture, but also offer some useful daily expressions. Watching them will help you enlarge your vocabulary and teach you correct language usage in different situations. Best of all, situation comedies are a fun way to learn. The Apprentice The American reality   TV show is hosted by the famous businessman Donald Trump. It's based on the idea of the final job interview for the final job. The show picks 16 people to compete for a job with Trump's business. Those who fail their weekly tasks have to meet with Trump. They have to explain why they should not be fired  . The Apprentice is useful for English students who want to learn how to make up a persuasive   argument. For example, rather than say "I think I did a good job", one may also learn to throw off the possibility of uncertainty by saying, "I did a good job." Desperate Housewives (DH) Desperate Housewives is set in an invented American town, Wisteria Lane. It follows a group of middle-aged women as they go through their daily family lives. But in fact, those women live a life of lies, secrets, criminal   acts, and mystery. This program is good at expressing the funny life of American neighbors. And, it's the perfect comedy series for foreign learners wanting to see how to hold a relaxed daily conversation. Another reason for watching DH is to learn some expressions American families use that are not in your English language textbooks. For example, the mothers often use words such as "sport" and "you guys" to speak about their kids. In the author's opinion, learning English through TV series is   _  . A) common B) difficult C) enjoyable D) possible
C


The advantages of using flashcards to build up a vocabulary are well known. You can buy sets of cards, or make your own, and carry them with you wherever you go. There's no question this is useful and because you can use them in short bursts, it's not too much for you. It can be fun. I don't recommend drilling for hours at a time with flashcards. If you want to use flashcard software, things get even better. There are many packages out there for maintaining and drilling flashcards. I recommend VTrain though there are many others. One stands out, however: SuperMemo. Similar to Pimsleur, SuperMemo is engineered according to a carefully researched methodology   in order to test you on a card the very minimum number of times you need to see it for it to stick. When you look at a card, you give some feedback to the software on whether you got it right and how easy you found it. It uses this information, and that of your previous attempts, to decide when you will be shown the card next. It's smart and it really works. If you're like me, the news is even better! I have a version of SuperMemo that runs on my PalmOS phone. Wherever I am, if I have my phone handy, I have thousands of flashcards with me too. Honestly, it would be worth purchasing a cheap Palm device only for this. You can pick one up for $20 or even less on eBay or elsewhere. Consider it, at least. With SuperMemo, whether the next card will be shown depends on   _  . A) the time you look at the card B) the information in the computer C) the feedback one gives to the software D) the times one attempts to do with a card
C


Q: (Natural News)Many parents have tried to gave their children a head start on education with get-smart videos and enrichment activities as early as infancy, but free play is often sacrificed, so the American Academy of Pediatrics says that the best medicine for busy children is an increase in traditional "playtime".  A number of studies suggest that unstructured play can help children become creative, discover their own interests, develop problem-solving abilities, and relate to others socially, according to a report prepared by two academy committees for release Monday at the group's annual meting. On the contrary, a lack of such playtime can create stress for both children and parents, and it can also cause obesity when children spend too much time sitting in front of educational videos. The report notes lack of playtime could even lead to depression in many children.  The report thinks the lack of playtime lies in the fact that parents want to have super-smart children and safe places for children to play is decreasing. A balance between free playtime and educational activities should be struck, the report states.  "In the current environment, where so many parents feel pressure to be super parents, I believe this message is an important one," said Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, the report's lead author and a pediatrician at The Children's prefix = st1 /HospitalofPhiladelphia. Noted pediatrician, author, and presenter of cable TV's "What Every Baby Knows," Dr. T. Betty Brazelton agreed. "Children with structured activities" are missing the chance to dream, to make their own world work the way they want it. That to me is a very important part of childhood. Which of the following is a proper word to describe today's children? A) Dull. B) Busy. C) Happy. D) Free.
A: B


Q: Everybody cheats. Whether it's the taxi driver who tricks a visitor and takes them the long way round, or the shop assistant who doesn't give the correct change, or the police officer who accepts a bribe   - everybody's at it. Cheats in the nest include the scientist whose research was based on fake data, the game show competitors who worked with a friend in the audience or win a million pounds, and the doctor who made up his qualifications and wasn't really a doctor at all. Everybody cheats; nobody's playing the game. Is cheating acceptable, a natural way of surviving and being successful? Or is it something that should _ , and young people discouraged from doing? If it's the latter how can we explain to children why so many bend the rules? Take sport for example. The Word Cup was filled with cheating. Whether diving, pretending to be hurt or denying a handball, footballers will do anything for a free - kick or a penalty shot. France striker Henry denied cheating to win the free - kick which led to his side's second goal in their 3 - 1 victory over Spain. Many footballers, however, are often putting it on. Whatever the nationality there's one common ploy: the player rolls over holding their leg, ankle or head seeming to be in great pain. As a result a yellow card and / or free - kick is given for the foul and then, a few seconds later, the player is up and about as if nothing had happened ! The ref   may be taken in by it but youngsters watching the game aren't. they also see their heroes getting away with it. Of course it's not just football. In 1998 the Tour de France, the world's greatest cycling event, was hit by a drug - taking scandal  . The 40 bottles of forbidden drugs found with the Fustian team caused a massive investigation that almost caused the Tour to be abandoned. One rider, Veronique, was banned for 9 months. He claimed: "You have cheats in sport, just as you do in business - there will always be people trying to take a short cut. At least we're not turning a blind eye to the problem, which... According to the passage, in which way can a game show player cheat? A) By taking an indirect way. B) By gaining aid from a friend. C) By taking forbidden drugs. D) By selling fake products.

A: B