One of the Queen's closest relatives and oldest friends was allowed to give a deep description into the family life of the Royals. Although there have been hundreds of other books declaring to offer a quick look behind the Palace doors, this is the first written by someone who is closely related to the Royal Family and has shared their lives--not only throughout the Queen's reign   but also through that of her father, King George VI. The Final Curtsey was written by her Majesty's cousin and childhood playmate the Honorable Margaret Rhodes. It tells in details the story of Mrs. Rhodes's relationship with the Royal family over eight decades. The book, with delightfully informal and never-before-seen pictures, has been written with the full knowledge of the Queen, who has read and approved parts of it. Born in 1925, the Honorable Margaret Rhodes has led an extraordinary life. She was the childhood playmate of her cousin, the Queen; a wartime M16 spy; and she was a lady-in- waiting   to her aunt, the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, from 1991 until the latter's death in 2002. At the Queen's 80thbirthday in April 2006, Margaret gave an interview to the BBC which she proved that, in her own opinion and despite several false reports, the Queen would not abdicate . In this charming autobiography  ,she told how she was offered a house to live in the Royal farm in Windsor Great Park unexpectedly. One day when she and the Queen were out riding outside, she suddenly returned and said, "Could you bear to live in the suburb?" "I think it should be OK." Therefore Mrs. Rhodes is now still living there. When Mrs. Rhodes was offered to live in the Royal farm, she was   _  . A) unhappy B) surprised C) sad D) disappointed
B


(Question)
Phaethon stood impatiently at the heavy golden doors. He ordered the guards, Month and Year, to let him approach his father's throne. As the doors opened slowly, the sun's rays almost blinded him. Phaethon protected his eyes and felt his way toward Apollo's throne. "Come here, my son. Follow my voice," Apollo's voice echoed. "What is so urgent that you have my guards hurrying to do your bidding?"            "Father, I have a problem. All of my friends have been teasing me. They don't believe that you're my father or that you make the sun rise and set," complained Phaethon.      Apollo replied, "Oh? That problem again? Well, just to prove it to your friends once and for all, I will satisfy any wish you desire."            "Really? Then I have only one wish," answered Phaethon. "I'd like to drive your chariot and make the sun rise tomorrow morning!"       Apollo was horrified. "No, not that! No one but me can drive the chariot. The horses are too powerful!"      "You said I could have anything," murmured Phaethon.      Bound by his promise, Apollo had to agree. His heart was sick with worry as he ordered Dawn to prepare the horses, Hour and Day, to the Golden Chariot. Phaethon could hardly wait to jump in the driver's seat and take the reins . He hoped all his friends were watching the sky and waiting for him through the stars.      "Wait, my son! There are things you need to know!" cried Apollo.  "Oh, Father! You worry too much. I've often seen you drive. I know what to do," Phaethon answered.           Apollo hurried to give directions. "You have never driven my chariot before. You must make the horses stay on the path. If you are too low, you will  _ the earth and large land on it could be thrown into a world of fire."           "I know, Father. Now watch me take off!" shouted Phaethon.       Dawn stepped back and released the horses go. The horses were filled with excitement. The sky begged for Dawn's light, so she ran toward the horizon to make the darkness fade. As Phaethon was about to get on, Apollo... What caused Apollo to allow Phaethon to drive the chariot? A) Apollo wanted to protect Phaethon from teasing. B) Phaethon dared to approach Apollo's throne. C) Apollo was bound by his promise to Phaethon. D) Apollo asked Phaethon to do it as a favour.
(Answer)
C


Ques: Once there was a large ,fat woman who had a small, thin husband .He had a job in a big company and was given his weekly pay every Friday evening. As soon as he got home on Fridays ,his wife used to make him give her all his money, and then she used to give him back only enough to buy his lunch in the office every day. One day the small man came home very excited. He hurried into the living-room. His wife was listening to the radio and eating chocolates there. "You will never guess what happened to me today, dear." he said. He waited for a few seconds and then added, "I won ten thousand pounds on the lottery!" "That's wonderful!" said his wife happily. But then she thought for a few seconds and added angrily, "But wait a moment! How could you afford to buy the lottery ticket?" Which of the following is implied in the passage? A) The man had put some money aside for himself. B) The woman never believed her husband C) the couple were not rich. D) The man had to give almost all his money to his wife every  week.
Ans: A


Left unfettered  , Anthony Konieczka, 9 years old, would happily play his Game Boy Advance or PlayStation 2 from the minute he gets up to the moment he goes to bed, 14 bleary-eyed   hours later. Anthony's box is stocked with traditional toys--board games, puzzles, art supplies--and as far as he is concerned, they are relics of Christmases past. His sister Michaely, 6 years old, still likes dressing her Barbies. But once she starts playing Game Boy, it's hard to get her away. Play patterns like this could take up another Christmas for the toy department. Through September, toy sales were down 5% compared with the first nine months of last year, according to the NDP Group. Meanwhile, the video-game industry is heading for another record year. Thanks to hot new games like Halo 2 for the Xbox, the industry is light-years ahead of the toy business when it comes out. While some new toys emerge every holiday season, toymakers are heading into this one without a monster hit  . Indeed, there has not been a Furby-style frenzy   in years. Of 10 toy segments only two, arts and crafts and dolls, have generated sales growth over a recent 12-month period. Some of the weakest categories like construction sets and action figures are the ones aimed at boys, who suffer the most from the video games. Analysts expect one of the top stocking stuffers this season to be not a traditional toy but the new generation of Nintendo's Game Boy, the DS, which hit stores last week. The deeper issue is that shifts in play patterns are forcing toymakers to fight for shelf space in a tightening market. Boys in particular seem to be abandoning traditional toys at earlier ages in favor of consumer electronics, video games, PC software and the Internet. The fact that kids are growing more tech-savvy  , a trend called "age compression  ", has troubled toy companies for at least a decade. Action figures, for instance, used to be considered healthy for boys up to age 12. Now the items are mainly marketed to boys 4 to 6. A recent study found that... We learn from the passage that in this holiday season     . A) it is hard to find traditional toys in the market B) toymakers are planning to design monster toys C) no hit toys will come onto the market D) Furby will become popular among children

C