Women in Britain are better off today than they used to be. At the beginning of the 19th century, women seem to have almost no rights at all. They could not vote, or even sign a contract. Their marriages were arranged by their parents. They were once kept at home and if they were allowed to work, they were never given responsible jobs. It is strange to think that, as far as we know, most women were happy with that situation.
Today the position is quite different. Women now can vote and choose their own husbands. In 1970, a law was passed to give them an equal share of property in the case of divorce, and in the same year the Equal Pay Act gave them the right to get equal payment with men for work of equal value.
Despite these changes, there is no doubt that there are still great differences in status between men and women. Many employers seem to ignore the Equal Pay Act. It is also more difficult for a woman to get promotion than a man does.
There is sex distinction in England although it has not been so serious as it was. More and more women go out to work, earn more money, get high positions in the society, and live independently. However, there are two great problems to solve. The first problem is men’s attitude. They always think that women are lower in rank and are the weaker sex. We do not know exactly how long it will take them to change their mind. And the other problem which is much more difficult is women’s attitude. They should be ready to struggle to change their fate.
1. What is men’s attitude?
A. They consider women to be equal to them.
B. They always look up women.
C. They consider women the stronger sex.
D. They consider women the weaker sex.
2. What should women do to eliminate sex distinction?
A. They should suffer with pleasure.
B. They should struggle to change their fate.
C. They should earn more money.
D. All are correct
3. At the beginning of the 19th century, ________.
A. British women were better off than today.
B. Women seemed to have almost no rights at all.
C. British women had the right to vote.
D. British women had the right to choose their husbands.
4. The Equal Pay Act was passed in ________.
A. 1960
B. 1962
C. 1970
D. 1971
5. Which of these following sentences is NOT TRUE?
A. All the employers in Britain obey the Equal Pay Act.
B. In 1970, a law was passed to give British women the right to share property equally in the case of divorce.
C. The Equal Pay Act gave British women the right to get equal payment with men for work of equal value.
D. Women cannot get promotion as equal as men.
Ho Chi Minh City is a metropolis where life is very busy and in a hurry. The best way to enjoy the balance in your mind in such a busy city is to sit on the balcony of one of the numerous coffee houses scattered throughout the city. In this way you will be out of the crowd but able to look down on the street below. You will also be drinking the beverage that must be at least partly responsible for the kinetic energy that has transformed this city into one of the busiest commercial centres of Southeast Asia in just 20 years - it is coffee.
The classic Vietnamese coffee served in this city comprises strong coffee, dripped from a small metal filter into a cup containing a quarter as much sweetened condensed milk, then stirred and poured over ice in a glass.
Coffee was introduced to Vietnam by the French in the late 19th century, but the country quickly became a big exporter.
At Trung Nguyen Coffee - the Vietnamese equivalent of Starbucks, with a chain of cafés across the city - the coffee menu stretches to five pages. The varieties of Vietnamese coffee drinks produced by Trung Nguyen deserve exploration. They come with different bean combinations and recipes, and nice names such as “Success”, “Creation”, “Discover” and “Thought”. The “Passiona”, another brand of Trung Nguyen, has been promoted for women with the promise that drinking this type of coffee would maintain perfect skin and a life of “passion and success”.
1. Coffee is considered ____________.
A. the symbol of the busy and hurried life
B. part of the French culture
C. the biggest part of Vietnam’s exports
D. part of the kinetic energy of Ho Chi Minh City
2. All of the following are true about Trung Nguyen Coffee EXCEPT that__________
A. its recipes stretches to five pages
B. it is considered equivalent to Starbucks in Vietnam
C. It offers several types of coffee for customers to enjoy
D. some types have impressive names
3. When you sit on the balcony of a coffee shop enjoying a cup of coffee, you can _______.
A. drink Starbucks coffee
B. taste all types of the classic Vietnamese coffee
C. relax for a while
D. watch the busiest commercial centres of Southeast Asia
4. We can inferred from paragraph 2 that the classic Vietnamese coffee served in Ho Chi Minh City may be ____________.
A. colourless
B. often hot
C. sweet
D. light
5. The “Passiona” for women promises that by drinking this type of coffee women may have all of the following EXCEPT that ____________.
A. they will have perfect skin
B. they will keep their skin lively
C. they will become more interested in the life
D. they will be more successful in their life
Orbis is an organisation which helps blind people of everywhere. It has built an eye hospital inside an acroplane and flown in all over the world with an international medical team. Samantha Graham, a fourteen-year-old schoolgirl from England went with the plane to Mongolia. Samantha tells the story of the Eukhtuul) a young Mongolian girl.
“Last year, when Eukhtuul was walking home school, she was attacked by boys with sticks and her eyes were badly damaged. Dr. Duffey, an Orbis doctor, said that without an operation she would never see again. I thought about all the things I do that she couldn’t, things like reading schoolbooks, watching television, seeing friends, and I realised how lucky I am.”
“The Orbis team agreed to operate on Eukhtuul and I was allowed to watch, together with some Mongolian medical student, I prayed the operation would be successful. The next day I waited nervously with Eukhtuul while Dr. Duffey removed her bandagers. “In six months your sight will be back to normal,” he said. Eukhtuul smiled, her mother cried, and I had to wipe away some tears, too!”
“Now Eukhtuul wants to study hard to become a doctor. Her whole future has changed, thanks to a simple operation. We should all think more about how much our sight means to us.”
1. What information can be learned from this passage?
A. the best way of studying medicine
B. the international work of some eye doctors
C. the difficulties for blind travellers
D. the life of schoolchildren in Mongolia
2. The word “she” in the passage refers to _________.
A. the writer
B. the nurse
C. Eukhtuul
D. the medical student
3. After meeting Eukhtuul, Samantha felt _________.
A. angry about Eukhtuul’s experience
B. grateful for her own sight
C. proud of the doctor’s skill
D. surprised by Eukhtuul’s ability
4. What the result of Eukhtuul’s operation ?
A. After some time she will see an well as before
B. Before she recovers, she needs another operation
C. She can see better but can never have normal eyes
D. She can’t see perfectly again
5. What is the writer’s main purpose in writing this passage?
A. To describe a dangerous trip
B. To explain how sight can be lost
C. To report a patient’s cure
D. To warn against playing with sticks
Every year, students in many countries learn English. Some of these students are young children. Others are teenagers. Many are adults. Some learn at school, others study by themselves. A few learn English just by hearing the language in films, on television, in the office or among their friends. But not many are lucky enough to do that. Most people must work hard to learn another language.
Many boys and girls learn English at school because it is one of their subjects. They study their own language, and mathematics... and English. In England, America, or Australia, many boys and girls study their own language, which is English, and mathematics... and another language, perhaps French, or German or Spanish.
Many adults learn English, because it is useful for their work. Teenagers often learn English for their higher studies, because some of their books are in English at the college or university. Other people learn English because they want to read newspapers or magazines in English.
1. According to the writer, _________.
A. English is popular in most of the world
B. no children like to learn English.
C. English is useful only for teenagers
D. only adults learn English.
2. Most people learn English by _________.
A. watching videos only
B. hearing the language in the office.
C. talking with foreigners
D. working hard on their lessons.
3. Many boys and girls learn English because _________.
A. English can give them a job.
B. it is included in their study courses
C. their parents make them.
D. They have to study their own language.
4. In America or Australia many school children study _________.
A. English as a foreign language.
B. English and mathematics only.
C. Such foreign languages as French, German, and Spanish.
D. Their own language and no foreign language.
5. Many adults learn English because _________.
A. it helps them in their work
B. they want to go aboard.
C. most of their books are in English.
D. English is spoken in their office.
You can do a few things to make homework less stressful. First, be sure you understand the assignment. Write it down in your notebook or day planner if you need to, and don’t be afraid to ask questions about what is expected. It is much easier to take a minute to ask the teacher during or after class than to struggle to remember later that night! If you want, you can also ask how long the particular homework assignment should take to complete so you can plan your time.
Second, use any extra time you have in school to work on your homework. Many schools have libraries that are specifically designed to allow students to study or get homework done. The more work you can get done in school, the less you will have to do that night.
Third, pace yourself. If you don’t finish your homework during school, think about how much you have left and what else is going on that day, and then plan your time. Most middle students should have between 1 and 3 hours of homework a night. If it is a heavy homework day, you will need to devote more time to homework.
No one is expected to understand everything, and maybe you need some help. The first place to turn for help is your teacher. But what if you don’t feel comfortable with your teacher? If you are in a big enough school, there may be other teachers who teach the same subject. Speak to other teachers directly and you may be in luck. Sometimes it just helps to have someone explain something in a different way. Moreover, you might also be able to get some help from another student. If there is someone you like who is a good student, think about asking that person if you can study together.
1. The most important thing that you should do when you get your assignment may be ________.
A. to know when you hand it in
B. to understand it and its requirements
C. to know how long it takes to complete it
D. to remember it in order to plan the time
2. If you have any free time left at school, you should ________.
A. use it to do your homework in the library
B. spend time with your friends
C. use it to understand the assignment
D. use it to make your day planner
3. When students need some help, they should ________.
A. never ask other teachers for help
B. always turn to their own teachers for help
C. ask any good students at the subject in your school
D. go to their teachers or other teachers teaching the same subject
4. The main idea of the first three paragraphs is ________.
A. to get help when you need it
B. to do homework immediately
C. to create a homework plan
D. to ask your teachers for more explanation
5. According to the passage, all of the following are correct EXCEPT that ________.
A. it takes a student more than three hours a night if there is much homework
B. it is good to have the explanation in a different way
C. you only do your homework at home between 1 and 3 hours a night
D. it is very useful to take a minute to ask the teacher during or after class