Ques: A Mountain of Green Beans   Another envelope in the mail. There's my name, Alexander Spencer, typed on the front. I throw it under the bed. The piles of envelopes are growing. The envelopes were applications to all the colleges I was supposed to attend. I did open the first envelope. Then I saw the application, all those blank spaces I was supposed to fill with my own writing, spaces for my name and birth date and grade average and ... statement of purpose. I looked at them for a long time. I could write for hours and not fill all those spaces. So I put the application back in the envelope. I would fill it out the next day, when I had time. But another envelope arrived. And then the pile began. The pile scares me -- it is really like a monster. All the while, I feel the weight of a million envelopes raining down on my head until my grandmother calls me and wants to know how I am. "I am overcome by too many tasks," I say. "Honey, you just take it bit by bit," she says, and she reminds me about the green beans. When I was a little kid I hated green beans. But my mom said I couldn't leave the table until I ate ten green beans. All alone at the table, I stared at the green beans for what seemed like hours. It was a mountain of green beans. I couldn't do it. My grandma came to me and asked if I could eat one green bean. "But Grandma, I have to eat ten!" She said all I had to do was to eat one green bean. One tiny little green bean. So I ate one. It was bad, but not as bad as I'd thought it would be. Then she asked me again if I could eat one. So I ate one green bean nine more times. My grandma doesn't know about the envelopes, but she tells me anyone can do one thing every day. Back in my room, I lay down on the bed. Just like I used to do when I was a little kid, I hang my head down to look at the pile of envelopes. There it is. But instead of a monster, I see a pile of green beans. Who's afraid of green beans? What does the author learn from the story of the green beans? A) A good start is half done. B) Actions speak louder than words. C) A long journey begins with a single step. D) All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
Ans: C

Ques: Dear editor, I am writing to ask what has happened to our young people.They are not as polite or hard-working as my generation(I will give you two examples. Last Friday, I got on the underground at 9:15 a.m. It was very crowded so there was no free seat.There were some boys sitting on the seats near me.I didn't know why they were not at school.They were talking and laughing loudly. It was difficult for me to read my newspaper with all the noise.At the next stop, a pregnant woman and her daughter got on with lots of shopping bags.I expected the boys to let them sit down.They saw the woman but they did nothing.I had to ask them to give the woman and her daughter seats.   They did so but gave me a rude look. Last Saturday, I had dinner with my friend's family.I was glad to see his children, who I hadn't seen for ten years.During the dinner, I started talking about world politics with the children.It soon became clear that they didn't know much about it.They couldn't tell me the name of the King of Spain or President of Italy.All they knew about was the Internet or which singers were the most beautiful.In my days, students knew the kings, the queens and the presidents of every country in Europe. I worry about the future of Germany.How could these young people become good workers and parents? They sit around McDonald's after school instead of going to the library like I did at their age.Maybe they have too much money.Perhaps some readers can give us some ideas about what to do with this "lost generation". Yours sincerely, Frantz Vogts. By saying "lost generation", Mr Vogts refers to   _  . A) the fact that he is angry with young people today B) the people at his age C) his worry about these young people D) today's young people
Ans: D

Ques: A very strict officer was talking to some new soldiers whom he had to train. He had never seen them before, so began, "My name is Stone, and I'm even harder than stone, so do what I tell you or there'll be trouble. Don't try any tricks   with me, and then we'll get on well together." Then he went to each soldier one after the other and asked him his name, "Speak loudly so that everyone can hear you clearly," he said, "and don't forget to call me 'sir'." Each soldier told him name, until he came to the last one. This man remained silent, and so Captain Stone shouted at him, " when I ask you a question, answer it! I'll ask you again: What's your name, soldier?" The soldier was very unhappy, but at last he replied, "My name's Stonebreaker, sir," he said nervously  . 53. The last soldier remained silent because    _   . A) he didn't like the way the officer spoke to them. B) he wanted to see what would happen if he disobeyed his order. C) the question was difficult for him to answer. D) he was afraid the officer would be angry when he heard his name.
Ans: D

Ques: How can you help kids cope with  stress? Proper rest and good nutrition can improve coping skills, so can good parenting. Make time for your kids each day. Whether they need to talk with you or just be in the same room with you, make yourself available. Even as kids get older, quality time is important. It's really hard for some people to come home after a tiring day of work, get down on the floor, and play with their kids or just talk to them about their day -- especially if they've had a stressful day themselves. But expressing interest in your kids shows that they' re important to you. Help your child deal with stress by talking about what may be causing it. Together, you can come up with a few solutions.  For example, he should cut back on after-school activities, spending more time talking with his parents or teachers, developing an exercise plan or keeping a journal. You can also help by predicting potentially stressful situations and preparing kids for them. For example, let a child know ahead of time, but not too far ahead of time, that a doctor's appointment is coming up and talk about what will happen there. Keep in mind, though, that younger kids probably won't need too much advance preparation. Too much information can cause more stress. Remember that some level of stress is normal, Let kids know that it's OK to feel angry, scared, lonely, or anxious and that other people share those feelings, too. When kids can't or won't discuss these problems, try talking about your own concerns. This shows that you're willing to handle tough topics and are available to talk with when they're ready. If a child shows symptoms that concern you and is unwilling to talk, consult a counselor  or other mental health experts. Most parents have the skills to cope with their children's stress. The time to seek professional attention is when any change in behavior continues to exist, when stress is causing serious anxiety, or when the behavior is causing significant problems in functioning at school or at home. Why do some parents feel it difficult to spare quality time for their kids? A) Their kids are growing so fast. B) They have too much housework. C) Their kids are losing interest in them. D) They are tired out after work.
Ans:
D