Toefl Reading

Reading Passage

Ever since they were discovered by early settlers, kangaroos have fascinated biologists. They are unique animals, considered both comical and exotic. They are found only in Australia, New Zealand and a few surrounding islands.

There are more than fifty species of kangaroos in existence today. The best known and largest species is the red and gray kangaroos, which can stand up to six feet and can weigh nearly 200 pounds. But there are kangaroo breeds that are much smaller, such as the musky rat kangaroo, which is only one foot tall. Kangaroos are very adaptable and can live in almost any climate. They can be found in mountainous regions, deserts, grasslands, even remote islands off the coast of southwestern Australia.

Kangaroos are very well suited to their environment. They have adapted over millions of years to fit into their ecological niche. They have large ears, and relatively small heads. Their front limbs are very small, but their paws are very nimble. Their hind legs are very large and powerful. When they are moving slowly, kangaroos walk on all four limbs, with the front limbs barely touching the ground. But when they feel the need to move quickly, they stand nearly upright, and start hopping on their hind legs. When they begin to hop, kangaroos use their muscular, agile tails to balance themselves, and to help them change direction.

Like all marsupials, kangaroos carry their offspring in a pouch. The mother kangaroo may nurse her young, called a joey, for up to a year. Because the joeys stay in a pouch for so long, kangaroos almost never have more than one baby at a time. They typically raise one litter per year, though environmental conditions sometimes make this impossible. If they survive childhood, kangaroos can live as long as eighteen years in the wild, even longer in captivity.

Except for the smallest species like the musky rat kangaroo, which eats insects and small animals, kangaroos are herbivores, subsisting upon grass and other forest vegetation. Like many other grazing animals, kangaroos have developed multi-chambered stomachs to aid in the breakdown of otherwise indigestible plant material.

Questions
1. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true about kangaroos?

 kangaroos carry their offspring in a pouch
 kangaroos have multi-chambered stomachs
 kangaroos use their tails for balance
 kangaroos can weigh nearly 300 pounds

2. When do kangaroos switch from walking on four legs to walking on two legs?

 when they are frightened
 when they need to move fast
 when their front limbs are holding something
 when their front limbs are tired

3. The follow sentence can be added to the first paragraph. Where would it best fit in the paragraph? Click on the square to add the sentence to the paragraph.

Passage

1 Ever since they were discovered by early settlers, kangaroos have fascinated biologists. 2 They are unique animals, considered both comical and exotic. 3 They are found only in Australia, New Zealand and a few surrounding islands.

Insert this sentence

Perhaps because of their existence in such remote locations, kangaroos are regarded with fascination by schoolchildren all the world over.




4. Look at the word species in paragraph 2. Click on the word that is closest in meaning to species.

There are more than fifty species of kangaroos in existence today. The best known and largest species is the red and gray kangaroos, which can stand up to six feet and can weigh nearly 200 pounds. But there are kangaroo breeds that are much smaller, such as the musky rat kangaroo, which is only one foot tall. Kangaroos are very adaptable and can live in almost any climate. They can be found in mountainous regions, deserts, grasslands, even remote islands off the coast of southwestern Australia.

5. Look at the first sentence of the passage. What does the pronoun they refer to?

Ever since they were discovered by early settlers, kangaroos have fascinated biologists.

 settlers
 kangaroos
 biologists
 natives

6. Look at the word nimble in paragraph 3. Click on the word that is closest in meaning to nimble.

Kangaroos are very well suited to their environment. They have adapted over millions of years to fit into their ecological niche. They have large ears, and relatively small heads. Their front limbs are very small, but their paws are very nimble. Their hind legs are very large and powerful. When they are moving slowly, kangaroos walk on all four limbs, with the front limbs barely touching the ground. But when they feel the need to move quickly, they stand nearly upright, and start hopping on their hind legs. When they begin to hop, kangaroos use their muscular, agile tails to balance themselves, and to help them change direction.

7. Look at the word them in paragraph 3. Click on the word that them is referring to.

Kangaroos are very well suited to their environment. They have adapted over millions of years to fit into their ecological niche. They have large ears, and relatively small heads. Their front limbs are very small, but their paws are very nimble. Their hind legs are very large and powerful. When they are moving slowly, kangaroos walk on all four limbs, with the front limbs barely touching the ground. But when they feel the need to move quickly, they stand nearly upright, and start hopping on their hind legs. When they begin to hop, kangaroos use their muscular, agile tails to balance themselves, and to help them change direction.

8. Look at the word their in paragraph 4. Click on the word that their refers to.

Like all marsupials, kangaroos carry their offspring in a pouch. The mother kangaroo may nurse her young, called a joey, for up to a year. Because the joeys stay in a pouch for so long, kangaroos almost never have more than one baby at a time. They typically raise one litter per year, though environmental conditions sometimes make this impossible. If they survive childhood, kangaroos can live as long as eighteen years in the wild, even longer in captivity.

To see the answers click here: http://www.testmagic.com/Knowledge_Base/TOEFL/Reading/tests/02_kangaroos_answers.htm

The Greater Miracle

“Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each others eyes for an instant?” - Henry David Thoreau

It’s a difficult moment, that time when you realize that you completely misread another’s words or actions. We’re taken aback, uncertain of our next move and somehow unwilling to admit to the world that our senses betrayed us.

Oh, to be able to cross that gap that separates man from man and woman from woman. Oh, to know what you are thinking and what you expect of me. Oh, to be able to have walked down your streets, lived with your clans, and drank and supped and felt as you have felt. Oh, to have done those things. What a wondrous gift that would be, and what a mystery that consciousness, that gift of human kind, is so boxed in and confounded. Is it some kind of test that God instilled in our being, or is it something we must work to correct? Can we in any way train ourselves to be able to see through another's eyes?

The only solution to our self-only knowledge is to go to those lands we have never mentally considered before. We can read Thoreau, or the Bible, or Joseph Campbell or Rumi, or the Sufi Prophets and gain new dimension to our thoughts. We can flesh out one idea with another and another and another – a fountain of different thoughts flowing out from a central theme. We will never understand all that the Other believes and carries in that wondrous mind of theirs, but we can begin to see the breadth of all thought, and through the process, our ethical, moral, and social senses will expand and grow.

“It is when we try to grapple with another man’s intimate need that we perceive how incomprehensive, wavering, and misty are the beings that share with us the sight of the stars and the warmth of the sun.” - Joseph Conrad, Lord Jim

Sound unity

There is not a single Iranian who is not familiar with the beautiful musical instrument called The Nei or more poetically Nai. To some degree, every Iranin loves the soft, soothing sound that this mystical intrument produces. In its close, intimate relation to a vast majority of common people, I believe that the Nei is for an Iranian what a harmonica is for an American. I still remember how lovingly John Steinbeck praised the Harmonica in his novel 'The Grapes of Wrath.'

Aside from the ease of carrying this instrument around and its soothing sound, Rumi has had a fundamental role in its fame and popularity. He has started the first line of the greatest masterpiece in mystical literature, Masnavi, with the sound of Nei: Listen to the Nei as it explains / Stories of seperation and pains.

Today I was thinking that although this is the pain of separations that brings Nei to sing, the soothing sound itself brings our hearts together in a common joy. Through Rumi and the joy we all experience in his poetry and music we all reach a mystical unity with each other. This is true of all the great artists and their works.

Ali

A Lot of, Lots of, a Lot

The above phrases sound almost alike, don't they? However there are some differences in how to use them. Think NOUNs (name words.) One would say "I need a lot of apples." or one could say "I need lots of apples." Lots of, and a lot of describe nouns. However if you use it with a VERB (generally an action word) one would say, "He ran a lot." You would not say he ran lots of, or he ran a lot of.

Remember, these phrases are mainly used in informal English . "Lots of" is probably the most informal of the three expressions. As a writer, I might use a lot, or a lot of, but I would seldom use lots of, particularly in an academic paper. It is better English to use "many" or "a great deal" in my opinion, but in some cases "a lot of" flows better and sounds less formal. To say I need a great deal of bread may seem too grand. I need a lot of bread rolls more easily off the tongue. In English it all depends to whom one is speaking. Sometimes we are more formal than others. Sue…

Business letters: Making adjustments

Replying Positively to Requests for Adjustment

Guidelines and Alternate Phrases:

Focus on the positive resolution of the problem.

Disarm the reader by admitting a cause for complaint, rather than glossing over the problem.

Explain briefly and positively how the mistake occurred:

Although we take great pride in our thorough methods for safe packing, someone apparently let this package slip by without the usual precaution.

Computers and people do make mistakes–both goofed this time.

I simply did not relay all the details to that department. Please accept my apology for that oversight.

Sound eager, not begrudging, to make the adjustment and regain the customer's goodwill.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

You are right about our error. We are happy to...

We are very embarrassed. You must think we have to work really hard to mess up things so badly! We are doubly chagrined because you are a special customer, and we highly value your business. Please bear with us; we will get the order right this time and will do our best to improve our service to you.

When any company serves as many customers as we do, there will inevitably be errors from time to time. Nevertheless, even one is distressing, particularly when that customer is as good as you have been.

Thank you for pointing out the error before it caused us even more problems.

Thank you for giving us an opportunity to correct the situation to your satisfaction.

Make an adjustment appropriate to the error. That is, don't apologize profusely for a minor problem. Such effusiveness sounds insincere. Likewise, don't gloss over serious errors; show appropriate concern and make amends.

Mention any safeguards you've taken to prevent a recurrence of the problem.

Reestablish rapport with the customer. Assume all is well again.

Sample Letter 1:


Dear Ms. Smith:

We are pleased to tell you that we have rescinded our proposed changes to the mileage requirements for travel awards valid for use to and from Singapore. We have listened to our customers and are not too big to admit we have made a mistake. As a result, we can still offer the four first-class tickets you wanted to claim for your frequent-flyer mileage.

At the time you were denied those tickets, we had just recently made the decision to change our policy and had not received any feedback from customers. Consequently, we are happy you wrote again and gave us an opportunity to provide the extra tickets due you under the old terms.

I know the delay in getting your tickets must have created some anxiety on your part about your planned family vacation, and we are sorry for the misunderstanding.

Please do have a nice, enjoyable vacation with these tickets. Thank you for choosing our airline for all your travel needs.

Cordially,
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Sample Letter 2:

Dear Ms. White:

We are pleased to inform you that the proper credits have been made to your corporate telephone account. Due to a clerical error, you were billed for services rendered to a similar number. Your next bill will reflect a credit of $412.50.

We regret the inconvenience and thank you for promptly bringing the matter to our attention. If you have any additional billing questions, please call our accounts receivable office at (800) 555-5555.

Sincerely,
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Sample Letter 3:

Dear Dr. Jones:

Thank you for telling us about the inferior service you received from our employee, Jeanie Wilson. We regret she does not meet the high standards of Kleaning Wizards, Inc.

You are a valued customer. As such, we are going to credit your account next month for $212.00 which equals eight hours cleaning.

Please call our customer service department if you have any other problems. Thank you for your continued patronage.

Sincerely,
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Sample Letter 4:

Dear Mrs. Johnson:

We appreciate the letter concerning your February account. The confusion is due to the recent changes in our rates and billing policy.

Our new policy became effective last January; however, due to an error on our part, you did not receive notice of these changes. We apologize for this error and are enclosing a pamphlet explaining the new policy. These changes affect delivery services to rural areas, for packages under one pound, and monthly rates for daily pick-ups.

Since we failed to let you know about these changes, we will adjust your bill to reflect our original policy. The new rates will become effective for your company beginning next month.

Sincerely,
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Sample Letter 5:

Dear Mr. Brock:

Thank you for sending us the list of discounted books offered by our competitor, TNT Book Distributors. As we have promised our customers, we will not be undersold; therefore, a refund check for $54. 87 from your last purchase is enclosed.

Thank you for allowing us to continue to give our customers quality books at discount prices.

Sincerely,
------------------------------------
Sample Letter 6:

Dear Ms. Murphy:

Thank you for your recent purchase of Deluxe office chairs. We regret you had to return two of the chairs.

There is a defect in the adjustment rods of the model you purchased. As a result, all chairs with this feature are being recalled.

Two new chairs are being shipped to you, and a twenty-five dollar store certificate towards your next purchase is also on its way to you. We appreciate your letting us know about the problem.

Sincerely,
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Sample Letter 7:
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Wendel:

As you have requested, Golden Star Insurance will cancel your policy, effective March 3, 1997. We regret we can no longer serve you and your family.

The coverage premium has been pro-rated for this billing period. You will receive a refund of $142. 76.

We have enjoyed doing business with you. Please let us know if we can assist you in the future.

Sincerely,

Dear Sue

Dear Sue,

I am so sorry because I haven’t written until now. I am in exams. I had 1 exam (NDT none … test) in 2 last Tuesday and I had 3 exams last week so I am very busy in these weeks. I promise to write letters. It’s time we had many letters.

I enjoyed your post about Black English when we read it in our class.

In all of world people have many dialects. I feel the difference dialects when I see a film in which there are blacks. Blacks speak very fast and usually I cannot understand what they say but, I saw a news reader that was a black woman. She spoke very very well and I could understand some of what she read.

Faranak's writing

Dear Sue,
Thank you very much for good story about computer and I agree with you, world can't be divided to 0 and 1 because nothings aren't absolute and it's good.

We read your writing in our class a lot. They are very useful and we learn a lot of things from them.
This week we read your article about different dialects. It was very interesting and thank you for your good writings.
We have different dialects in Iran,too. My mother is originally from Semnan(A city in the East of Iran), I think Semnanis people have a very difficult dialect. I hear it a lot but, I can't understand it and my mother just understands, She can't speak.

We started a new book to read. It's name is Interchange. I want to know your idea about it.
Thanks, take care, Faranak.

The Great Gatsby

Sue mentioned a number of books in her beautiful post Genuine Piece. Here's a summary of the Great Gatsby:

Nick Carraway, a young man from Minnesota, moves to New York in the summer of 1922 to learn about the bond business. He rents a house in the West Egg district of Long Island, a wealthy but unfashionable area populated by the new rich, a group who have made their fortunes too recently to have established social connections and who are prone to garish displays of wealth. Nick’s next-door neighbor in West Egg is a mysterious man named Jay Gatsby, who lives in a gigantic Gothic mansion and throws extravagant parties every Saturday night.

Nick is unlike the other inhabitants of West Egg—he was educated at Yale and has social connections in East Egg, a fashionable area of Long Island home to the established upper class. Nick drives out to East Egg one evening for dinner with his cousin, Daisy Buchanan, and her husband, Tom, an erstwhile classmate of Nick’s at Yale. Daisy and Tom introduce Nick to Jordan Baker, a beautiful, cynical young woman with whom Nick begins a romantic relationship. Nick also learns a bit about Daisy and Tom’s marriage: Jordan tells him that Tom has a lover, Myrtle Wilson, who lives in the valley of ashes, a gray industrial dumping ground between West Egg and New York City. Not long after this revelation, Nick travels to New York City with Tom and Myrtle. At a vulgar, gaudy party in the apartment that Tom keeps for the affair, Myrtle begins to taunt Tom about Daisy, and Tom responds by breaking her nose.

As the summer progresses, Nick eventually garners an invitation to one of Gatsby’s legendary parties. He encounters Jordan Baker at the party, and they meet Gatsby himself, a surprisingly young man who affects an English accent, has a remarkable smile, and calls everyone “old sport.” Gatsby asks to speak to Jordan alone, and, through Jordan, Nick later learns more about his mysterious neighbor. Gatsby tells Jordan that he knew Daisy in Louisville in 1917 and is deeply in love with her. He spends many nights staring at the green light at the end of her dock, across the bay from his mansion. Gatsby’s extravagant lifestyle and wild parties are simply an attempt to impress Daisy. Gatsby now wants Nick to arrange a reunion between himself and Daisy, but he is afraid that Daisy will refuse to see him if she knows that he still loves her. Nick invites Daisy to have tea at his house, without telling her that Gatsby will also be there. After an initially awkward reunion, Gatsby and Daisy reestablish their connection. Their love rekindled, they begin an affair.

After a short time, Tom grows increasingly suspicious of his wife’s relationship with Gatsby. At a luncheon at the Buchanans’ house, Gatsby stares at Daisy with such undisguised passion that Tom realizes Gatsby is in love with her. Though Tom is himself involved in an extramarital affair, he is deeply outraged by the thought that his wife could be unfaithful to him. He forces the group to drive into New York City, where he confronts Gatsby in a suite at the Plaza Hotel. Tom asserts that he and Daisy have a history that Gatsby could never understand, and he announces to his wife that Gatsby is a criminal—his fortune comes from bootlegging alcohol and other illegal activities. Daisy realizes that her allegiance is to Tom, and Tom contemptuously sends her back to East Egg with Gatsby, attempting to prove that Gatsby cannot hurt him.

When Nick, Jordan, and Tom drive through the valley of ashes, however, they discover that Gatsby’s car has struck and killed Myrtle, Tom’s lover. They rush back to Long Island, where Nick learns from Gatsby that Daisy was driving the car when it struck Myrtle, but that Gatsby intends to take the blame. The next day, Tom tells Myrtle’s husband, George, that Gatsby was the driver of the car. George, who has leapt to the conclusion that the driver of the car that killed Myrtle must have been her lover, finds Gatsby in the pool at his mansion and shoots him dead. He then fatally shoots himself.

Nick stages a small funeral for Gatsby, ends his relationship with Jordan, and moves back to the Midwest to escape the disgust he feels for the people surrounding Gatsby’s life and for the emptiness and moral decay of life among the wealthy on the East Coast. Nick reflects that just as Gatsby’s dream of Daisy was corrupted by money and dishonesty, the American dream of happiness and individualism has disintegrated into the mere pursuit of wealth. Though Gatsby’s power to transform his dreams into reality is what makes him “great,” Nick reflects that the era of dreaming—both Gatsby’s dream and the American dream—is over.

A Genuine Piece

"The hand-writing of your letter is so miserable, that I am not sure I have made it out. If I have it seems to me you are the same old sixpence you used to be, rather rusty,but a genuine piece."

Snip from a letter Ellery wrote Henry Thoreau, March 5, 1845.

Past, present or future, would you wish to be other than “A genuine piece?” Could we have a higher wish for the world than to wish for a world full of souls who are what they appear to be? The American Soul, if it is left to its honest ability to be valid, is the soul of a simple, hard scrabble, realistic sort who is mistrustful of smooth talk, flowery speeches and fantasy tales. This, of course, is an ideal.

America’s youthful literature prior to The Wizard of Oz, showed little inclination to dwell on the fantastic. Our history displays a pretty hard scrabble people. England is the land of Arthur, Nadia and Lord of the Rings. America is Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer, the Bobbsey Twins and, most revealing of all, the Horatio Alger stories of a poor boy who makes good.

Main Street, The Old Man and the Sea, and the Great Gatsby are fantastic only in their desire to find men better than we might think they are and are coupled with the dream that if one does one's duty and lives a clean life, nothing is impossible. All are written as a desire to show men at their peak moments, which might end as a success or failure, but rather what counts is the effort put into the achievement.

Man, as in Ahab and his Whale (Moby Dick), is not always perfect in American literature, but he is dedicated, he is focused and he is a realist. He knows that going after the whale may kill him, and the task itself might make no sense to others, but sail he does, search he does and go to his final task ready and willing – he does.

Yes, we are a gristly sort, even though in past years we have somewhat covered our crusty attitudes with a veneer of continental charm. But let us admit, that when the fleet comes in, it’s all for one and one for all – with the understanding that it is important in that "all", a goodly number must remain "rusty, but genuine pieces." The only question is, can America remain 'rusty, but genuine' in a contemporary world steeped in nuance, deception and self-interest? Or, another question: Is there any other way for us to approach a modern world?

A silly question

Sue,

To what region in the US did Humphrey Bogart's accent belong? He has a nasal accent. Is this type of accent common in many areas in America?

Ali

The question of preference and class

Sue,

Thank you so much for your lesson on accents in British and American English. I am sure that all the other students are as curious as me to know which accent is more acceptable or considered best in the US. In Iran, Persian, the way people from Tehran speak, is considered standard and high class. Tehranies are notorious for their making fun of all the other accents that are spoken in other Iranian cities. People who seek higher positions in the society and their jobs usually try to ease their accents. The situation is much better today, but I believe it still exists.

Does a similar situation exist in America? We rarely hear a radio or TV announcer speak with a Texan accent. Does Washington as your capital city impose any pressure because it is politically important or New York because it is the capital of the US economy? Is it true that English in the northern parts of the US is cosidered standard? Noam Chomsky says that if someone from Mars looked at us he would say, "They all speak the same language -- only with a lot of accents." That's the way English appears to us: All the huge diversity that exists in all the English speaking countries in the world boils down to just one thing: you just speak English -- except that unlike Chomsky's little green man from Mars, we are not able to distinguish a single accent.

Ali

The Devil's in the Dialect

Dialect is “the use of vocabulary that is characteristic of a particular group.” In England High English is spoken by the queen and aristocrats, and Cockney is spoken by the majority of low to middle class urban English. If you’ve seen the movie, “My Fair Lady” you will see Professor Higgins trying to teach Eliza, a flower girl, to speak “proper” English. However, go to Scotland, Ireland or Wales and you will wonder if you are speaking English or some other language.

America is no different. People from the South speak with a decided slow, mellow accent. They might say, “Yall (you all) come right on over he-ar (here), you hear?” Someone from New York would probably say, “Com’un over.” Short and to the point.

Black English is in a class by itself and it has a long and varied history. African slaves came from many different tribes in Africa and, as a consequence, had many different languages when they were brought to America. A dialect developed for this reason and also for another very important reason: Blacks could talk among themselves and whites might not know what they were saying. Many of the black spirituals (religious songs) were actually in code telling other blacks where to go to escape. They even developed a special dance called The Cake Walk which white slave owners loved to watch, not knowing it was the blacks way of making fun of white manners.

Even today, many well educated blacks speak perfect American English while at work, but with their own people they will go back to the Black Dialect. In some cases the difference is in the use of the word “Be”. In regular English one would say, I am coming or I came, or I will come. In Black English it becomes I be comin’, or I comed, or I be comin’. Present, past and future all get lumped together! This is true for those of you learning English, too. The way you use English verbs is important to learn for business English.

In America, some of us recognize a difference in dialect as only that – a difference, and yet dialect has been used to make fun of people and to teach prejudice and hatred in our country. It took me a long while to get over the prejudice in my family. For example, this song was sung to me, a white child, when I was very little:


Honeychile, stay in yo own backyard,
Don mind what dem white childs do,
What do you tink they’s gwina give
A black little coon like you.

Translation:

Honeychild, stay in your own backyard,
Don’t mind what those white children do,
What do you think they’re going to give
A black little coon (bad name for a black) like you.


Most Americans have grown up on the racial issue, but there is still some prejudice against blacks among some groups. People don’t like to admit it now, but it is there under the surface for a certain percentage of Americans. Obama is often criticized for no other reason but that it really upsets some people that the President of the United States is black. Honeychile’ get over it! We be multicultural!!

May Day

Mr. T. In answer to your question about Flower Day. I don't recall exactly what I wrote about this, but May lst is called May Day and it goes back many many years at a time when, in England and America, Spring was welcomed and celebrated. Some customs from this day include the ritual of leaving flowers or plants on the doorstep of your friends. Often this is done anonymously and the receiver has no idea who left the gift. Another tradition is the Maypole. It isn't done very often now, but ribbons were tied to the top of a pole and girls would dance around it, weaving the ribbons in and out to make a pattern on the pole. Garlands of flowers were often used as crowns for their hair. I remember making small cornocopias to hold a few flowers and giving them to a friend and tying clover blossoms together to make a necklace to wear on May Day.

Also, the last Monday in May is our Memorial Day. It is a day when we remember those who have died, in battle and in our families. We take flowers to their graves and ceremonies are held to remember those who have gone before us. So, May is a Flower month. I remember my great grandmother taking flowers to the grave of her husband on Memorial Day.

Flower's day

Hi, Sue. You mentioned the other day that it was the flower's day. What kind of a day is this flower day? Are there any customs or traditions associated with it? It seems a very wonderful day. This is the first time I have ever heard that such a day exists anywhere in the world and I am very curious to know about it.

Thanks, Ali

Nothing Ages Here

The wrinkled hand and that stranger face.
They haunt me. I begrudge that
Fleeting look at the unkind mirror of time.

More real are memories.
That do not age.
Doris Jean, long red curls
the first day at school.
Miss Kayland, long, long gone,
But she lives for me.
Crippled but beautiful to my memory’s eyes.
My first kiss – Gordon,
O so handsome Escort.
Red corsage on white knit –
Dark hair
And dancing feet.
Youth and the newness of
One’s breath.
Nothing ages here.
Nothing has wrinkles here.
Juliet, with gold crocheted capulet
And brocade gown – charade of gauze and lace
A drama that lives on and on.
I was she and Romeo wore blue –
Ah me!
Long gone are the way they were;
Nothing has wrinkles here.
Miss Bowers in Latin Class,
Jean Ann and I playing in her
Upstairs room.
Tom and his chartreuse Ford convertible
Ronnie with his flare for debate,
Barbara with her long blonde hair.
Mrs. Walton – big and broad and kind.
Irma whose man was in the Pacific
Eddie – the gorgeous neighbor boy
And the Millards – neighbors, friends, and family.
All are there – living on in memory
As they were then.

Goodbye Mirror – Memories
Never fading – never aging.
If memories do not fade
Do we?

I have trained myself to look beneath the eyelids of those I pass. The physical presence is more than the sum of the life. I resent my blindness when I see someone only as they now appear: old, fragile, crippled, alone --ah! yes, I have learned so much of life from those who appear all used up. Watch! They have the most to tell!

Sue Petrovski

KET Reading 6

KET Reading 6

Read the article about crocodiles.

Choose the best word (A, B or C) for each space.

For questions 28-35, mark A, B or C on your answer sheet.

CROCODILES

We can find crocodiles in tropical parts of (0) …………………….. world, for example Africa and Northern Australia.

They spend most of the time (28) …………………….. slow-moving water but they (29) …………………….. move fast through the water and on land.

You often see crocodiles together in large groups. They (30) …………………….. everything they catch, (31) …………………….. fish, birds and small animals. And sometimes they make a meal of large animals or even people.

There are (32) …………………….. than ten types of crocodiles. They all have very sharp teeth. They often lose (33) teeth, but soon get new ones.

Crocodiles are usually about 3.5 metres long, but some are much (34) …………………….. . crocodiles live (35) …………………….. a long time. The oldest one kept in a zoo was 66 years old.

28. A. in B. on C. at
29. A. are B. can C. have
30. A. eats B. eat C. ate
31. A. by B. like C. to
32. A. more B. most C. many
33. A. this B. that C. these
34. A. bigger B. big C. biggest
35. A. for B. since C. during

KET Reading 5

Read the article about Bill Bryson, a writer.

Are sentences 21-27 ‘right’ (A) or “Wrong’ (B)? If there is not enough information to answer ‘Right” (A) or ‘Wrong’ (B), choose ‘Doesn’t say’ (C).

For questions 21-27, mark A, B or C on your answer sheet.

Bill Bryson

I was born in the United States but I have written several travel books about England. I lived there with my wife and four children for 20 years, but for the last three years we have lived in the United States. Our children are now learning about life in the United States. I’m sure they will be happier because they have lived in two countries. I like Britain and I want to return, but my daughter, Felicity, is going to start college here soon, so it won’t be for another four years.

I have just been to England for six weeks to work on a radio programme about the English language and also to talk about the book I’ve just written. Most writers don’t like doing this; they don’t like traveling around the country, selling their book. I don’t mind it. I like visiting new places and meeting lots of people. It’s very different from the life I have in the United States when I’m writing. In England, people drove me around in big cars and I stayed in expensive hotels. It was good because I didn’t have to pay any bills. Everyone was kind to me and it was fun.

Example:

0. Bill has written about a country he has visited.

A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say. The answer is: A

21. Bill returned to the United States after living in England for a long time.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say.

22. Bill thinks it will be good for his children to live in more than one country.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say.

23 Bill’s daughter didn’t want to go to college in England.
A. Right. B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say.

24. Bill has just visited England to finish writing his new book.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say

25. Bill is happy with the things he has to do te sell his books.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say

26. Bill has traveled to many different places in the United States.
A. Right B. wrong C. doesn’t say

27. It cost Bill a lot of money to travel around England for six weeks.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say

KET Reading 4

KET Reading:

Receptionist: I’m afraid all our single rooms are full. How long do you want to stay?

Tom: 16. …………………………………………………..

Receptionist: I have a double room for 60 pounds.

Tom: 17. …………………………………………………..

Receptionist: I’m sure they’re full too. There are a lot of tourists in town at the moment.

Tom: 18. …………………………………………………..

Receptionist: I’m afraid the restaurant is closed. Breakfast starts at 7 tomorrow.

Tom: 19. …………………………………………………..

Receptionist: Your room must be empty by 12 o’clock. But you can put your luggage in reception.

Tom: 20. …………………………………………………..

Receptionist: Would you write your name in the book, please?

a. I see. Can I get something to eat in this hotel?
b. Would you show me the room?
c. I’m looking for a single room.
d. What time does it finish?
e. If I stay here, can I leave my suitcase in my room tomorrow afternoon?
f. That’s rather expensive. Are there any other hotels near here?
g. Just for one night.
h. OK. I’ll take the room.

Hi,

It's a good blog and its name is very beautiful.
This blog is very useful for me, specially KET readings. I want to solve them and read other readings in this.

These days, my lessons become very hard because in my course(computer hardware), we must imagine what happen in a computer and in computer-base world every thing is 0 and 1, and we must convert to 0 and 1 anything that we want to tell it.
I'm in the third year of university, next year I will finish university and I must give a project to my professor, if he accepts it I will get BA.

I hope that I can improve my english in this year because I need it a lot.
Thank you for interesting and useful blog. I thank Sue too because of her helps.

Faranak

KET Reading 3

complete the five conversations.
For questions 11-15, mark A, B or C on your answer sheet.

11. Are you sure the match starts at two?

a. It started well.
b. It’s all right.
c. I think so.

12. I saw the new Spielberg film last night.

a. Did I go?
b. Has he come?
c. Was it good?

13. How did the accident happen?

a. I can’t go there.
b. I didn’t see it.
c. I don’t know how to.

14. Hello, I’d like to speak to Mr. Green, - please.

a. Sorry, can you say that again?
b. I’m sorry, I’ll call again later.
c. I’m afraid I don’t know.

15. May I leave now?

a. When we’ve finished.
b. Until tomorrow.
c. I don’t agree.

KET Reading 2

Read the sentences about cooking a meal.
Choose the best word (A, B or C) for each space.
For questions 6-10, mark A, B or C on your answer sheet.

Example:

0. Last week, Louise ............... some friends at her new school.
a. made b. started c. played. The correct answer is: a

6. She ............... all of them to dinner at her house on Saturday evening.
a. phoned b. invited c. said

7. Loise wrote the things she needed to buy for the meal on a ............... of paper.
a. piece b. slice c. part

8. She was ............... on Saturday morning so she went shopping in the afternoon.
a. full b. busy c. difficult

9. Loise ............... two hours cooking the meal.
a. waited b. spent c. passed

10. When the meal was ............... , everyone sat down to eat.
a. right b. sure c. ready

KET Reading 1

Reading
Part 1

Which notice (A-H) says this (1-5)?

1. These cost less than usual.
2. This is a bad time to be ill.
3. Be careful where you put this.
4. You will need to take a heavy sweater or jacket with you.
5. You willnot be able to wash yourself here for a few days.

a. Keep this medicine away from children.
b. Check your holiday insurance now – before you go away.
c. Sorry! No shower in the sports center this week.
d. Dr. Jenkins is on holiday until Friday.
e. Today: Day trip to the mountains wear something warm!
f. Car Wash – 4 pounds: We’ll make it look like new.
g. All our winter holidays – 25% cheaper
h. We buy and sell second-hand clothes.

Learning through poetry

For me the the most wonderful part of learning English has always been the delightful journey I have taken through the English and American literatures. Poets, in my view, have written the best books for learning any new language. The following poem is from the great American poet Rober Frost. Do we have to know a lot of English to immerse our hearts in the immense beauty of the following poem and learn from it?


Judge for yourself:

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

CPE Listening, Page 28, Part 2

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CPE Listening, CPE 5, Test 2, part 2

Ancient trees were once believed to possess ----- (9) and played an important role in folk tales. Ancient trees were often used as a venue for both religious and ----- (10) events in past times. The oldest tree, known as the creosote bush, has a distinctive ----(11) Researchers did not expect to find ancient trees in areas classified as -----(12) In recent research, a technique known as -----(13) was used to calculate the age of trees. Recently it has become possible to cellect information about -----(14) by analysing ancient trees. Derek explains that it is a mistake to regard -----(15) trees as being unhealthy in any way. The technique known as coppicing was designed to produce a long-term -----(16) supply. Many species of wildlife rely on the process of -----(17) in old tree trunks.

CPE Listening, CPE 5, Test 2, part 1

Extract One:

You hear the beginning of a radio programme about anger.

1. What does the speaker say about losing your temper?

a. It’s easier for adults to restrain themselves.
b. It’s made worse by the pressures of modern living.
c. It’s difficult for some people to acknowledge.

2. How does the speaker suggest we feel after we have regained our temper?

a. ashamed at our loss of control
b. determined to avoid repeating the incident.

Unaware of how foolish we appeared.

Extract Two:

You hear part of a discussion in which a writer, Michael Holmes, is talking about the difference between biographies and autobiographies.

1. What does the speaker say about losing your temper?

a. It’s easier for adults to restrain themselves.
b. It’s made worse by the pressures of modern living.
c. It’s difficult for some people to acknowledge.

2. How does the speaker suggest we feel after we have regained our temper?

a. ashamed at our loss of control
b. determined to avoid repeating the incident.

Unaware of how foolish we appeared.

3. According to Michael Homes, the writers of autobiographies tend to

a. reveal information about themselves unintentionally.
b. Provide a fuller picture of their lives than a biographer can.
c. Get the facts right about the details of their careers.

4. What is Michael Holmes’ attitude to the rock star, Frank Silver?

a. He finds Frank overprotective of his family.
b. He criticizes Frank’s obsession with his image.
c. He is surprised by Frank’s desire to get the facts right.

Extract Three

You hear an environmentalist talking about alien plant species.

5. The speaker is concerned about alien plant species because their presence

a. reduces the overall number of different plants.
b. Encourages the introduction of harmful diseases.
c. Changes the climatic conditions in certain areas.

6. According to the speaker, why were alien plant species introduced?

a. to eliminate certain insect pests
b. to make an area visually attractive
c. to improve native plant stocks.

Extract Four

You hear part of a talk about science and public opinion.

7. The speaker uses the wxample of genetics to underline people’s

a. vulnerability in the face of false claims.
b. Willingness to believe a good story.
c. Inability to understand deep concepts.

8. What is the speaker doing in this part of the talk?

a. complaining about our lack of imagination.
b. Encouraging us to take science more seriously
c. Questioning our faith in scientific findings

CPE Listening, CPE 5, Test 1, part 3

18. According to Richard, comments on a chlient’s personality traits should only be made if the graphologist

a. is sure that the sample of handwriting is genuine.
b. Is sure his results are suppoeted by the rest of his team.
c. Can back up his initial findings with further evidence.
d. Can confirm his findings in different handwriting samples.

19. what is Maria’s view of the conclusions which graphologists arrive at?

a. the rules of interpretation are not clear.
b. The connections have not been proved.
c. More detailed interpretation is needed.
d. Research is needed into the way writing is taught.

20. What, in Richard’s view, is the key to an understanding of a client’s personality?

a. the way in which the client learnt to write
b. the variations in the client’s individual letters
c. the way the client’s handwriting has developed
d. the influence of current trends on the client’s handwriting

21. According to Richard, some businesses with North American links

a. use graphology reluctantly in recruitment.
b. Are unwilling to disclose that they use graphology.
c. Are skeptical about the value of graphology.
d. Are trading more successfully because of graphology.

22. What does Maria conclude about the use of graphology?

a. It has become a source of discontent.
b. It is used by few serious psychologists.
c. Its educational value has not been proved.
d. It is not appropriate for use as a recruitment tool.

CPE Listening: CPE 5, Test 1, part 2

Andrew Dalford's recently published book about the history of species is entitled

---------------- (9) The colour of the pepper is related to when the

-------------------- (10) takes place. In the past, dishonest dealers would add chpeaper plant materials such as --------------- and ---------------- (11) to sacks of pepper. Andrew uses the term -------------------- (12) to describe the social importance of pepper throughout history. Peppercorns could be used in financial transactions, like paying -------------------------------------- (13) and clearing debts. Together with ivory and --------------------------- (14), pepper was regarded as a luxury item in the Roman Empire. In medicine, both pepper and -------------------------------- (15) was used to treat certain conditions. Made into an ointment, pepper was used to treat irritated --------------------------------- (16) and to relieve pain. Pepper in solution or as to powder was used to keep -------------------------- (17) away.

Poetry

Let us remember...that in the end we go to poetry for one reason, so that we might more fully inhabit our lives and the world in which we live them, and that if we more fully inhabit these things, we might be less apt to destroy both. --Christian Wiman, Editor
of "Poetry Magazine."

It is difficult to get the news from poems yet men die miserably every day for lack of what is found there --From Asphodel, that Greeny Flower

Wouldn't it be interesting for each of us
to write something in English in a poetry form

Let's try Haiku. Haiku is Japanese poetry and is noted for its short lines and limited number of syllables. The number of syllables can vary, but the object is to say something meaningful with a limited number of words. This is good practice for writing in English since modern readers and writers like to chop and chip their writing down as far as possible. The goal seems to be to say the most in the fewest words.he
tern
Let's say for our Haiku we will write three lines, of a 5 -7-5 syllable pattern or 3-5-3 pattern. For example:

The beauty
of things imperfect
divine nature.

or

All around no flowers in bloom
Nor maple trees to shade us.
loneliness surrounds.

Try it --It's fun!

Sue

CPE Reading: Singing with Cindi-Lu

I liked Cindi-Lu, the two times I met her. That might sound strange since I was one of the three backing singers in her band, but she didn’t travel with the rest of us and never used the shared dressing rooms or back-stage hospitality areas. I don’t know what it’s like in other country superstars’ road bands, but in ours there wasn’t much fraternizing with the help.

During the show, Cindi-Lu treated us like girlfriends, as though we’d known one another since grade-school jump-rope games, and it just happened to be her turn that night to be lead singer. The way she teased and played with us, you really would think we were the best of friends. In fact, much was made in the press of our on-stage chemistry, an ironic testament to the acting abilities of our star. She was a dynamic performer, adored by her fans. Her set was tightly arranged and rehearsed, down to the apparently spontaneous moment when she tried to play the pedal steel guitar and broke a fingernail. For me, a bar-band veteran coming off years of gigs during which literally anything could happen, this took a little getting used to.

The other two girls and I lived for that hour every night when we entered ‘the zone’ – a kind of magical altered state we’d slip into when our performance was on, where we felt totally connected to one another and to the audience, not to mention the deep mysteries of the universe.

1. The phrase 'ironic testament' (line 8) refers to the fact that Cindi-Lu

A. was good at exploiting the medial.
B. teased her band members.
C. had not known the girls long.
D. was not really friends with the girls.

2. What is suggested about being in 'the zone' (line 13)?

A. It was the main attraction of the job.
B. It was something the girls had to work hard at.
C. Its nature varied from performance to performance.
D. Its effects were readily apparent to the audience.

CPE Reading, Article with missing paragraphs: Sled-Time Story

(For better concentration and result we recommend you print the article on paper before doing this test.)

You are going to read a magazine article. Seven paragraphs have been removed from the article. Choose from the paragraphs! A – H the one which fits each gap (27 - 33). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use.

SLED-TIME STORY

Jenny Diski thought she’d be a mere observer when she traveled to the far north of Sweden to spend time with the remote Sami people. Instead she found herself tangling with reindeer and experiencing the coldest night of her life.

I had said I wanted to spend a few days in the dark, brooding under the midday moon in Sweden’s far north, above the Arctic Circle. ‘Oh, its never dark up here,’ Per-Nils Paivio insisted when I and Mark, the photographer, arrived in the cabin in Ovre Soppero where Per-Nils’s wife, Britt-Marie, was preparing reindeer stew with lingonberry sauce.

It was our first night in Swedish Lapland as a guest of the Sami, the indigenous people who were here long before the Swedes, Norwegians, Finns and Russians arrived. ‘Snow, Northern Lights, you can go out into the forest in the middle of December and you hardly need a torch,’ Per-Nils said proudly.

27 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The first two days and nights in the warmth of the cabin were cosy enough. Informative, too, as Britt-Marie gave me – along with a breakfast of pancakes – a thorough education in the ancient and barely altered life of the reindeer-herding Sami people of northern Sweden.

28 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

They positively clanged when after trotting over a forest path in a nicely-tied up convoy, he turned and said he would untie the reindeer and I’d take the reins of mine. Left for faster, right for stop. Actually, my reindeer knew immediately who was boss and sauntered, insolently nibbling moss, when I jerked the left rein, then, when I pulled the right, raced his best mate over heart-stopping humps on a frozen lake or hurtled between frozen winter birch trees in the pale morning sunshine. I renounced any pretence to authority and just clung on, fearing for my life.

29 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Later on Hakan Enoksson took over. We were incredibly lucky, he told us. The Sami had brought together the 7,000 reindeer of the whole district, and we would be able to participate in the great annual separation of the herds into family groups for the winter grazing, according to the signs cut into the ears of each yearling calf. Every Sami – man, woman and child – has their own animals bearing their own sign and the whole mustering process takes several days.

30 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

But all of that lay ahead of me after an hour’s journey by snowmobile. We crashed through the forest (me riding pillion, Mark hunkered down in the trailer with all the equipment) as fast as swerving along the narrow, bumpy track would allow. There hadn’t been enough snow yet for a smooth ride. My bones cracked and rattled.

31 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

While I was on the flight back to southern ease, I was wondering why the Sami people are battling to continue to live their incredibly hard life. Then I remembered that journey when I felt that I was being whisked off to the world’s end by the snow Queen and fell into an enchantment at the magic of the frozen wilderness.

32 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Yet somehow I survived, stiff and red-eyed. Then the round-up began. Everyone revved up their snowmobiles and spread out in a mysterious pattern, surrounding the reindeer. Dogs barked, people shouted and 7,000 reindeer ran in the desired direction into the large corral. There they were shooed by a snaking line of people on foot, pressing them towards the narrow passage where there was a small circular corral with gates to family paddocks radiating off it.

33 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After the round-up we traveled by snowmobile and then car Kiruna, the town that contains the Sami parliament. It also had the Hotel Ralleran, an old, wooden building, devotedly restored and a shrine to simplicity and comfort with the most beautiful bed I have ever slept in. now I’m back in the warm, I am very grateful to have had such an extraordinary experience.

A. By contrast, the down-to-earth of the Arctic winter was without doubt my experience of attempting to sleep in a Sami lavvu at 28 below zero. Our lavvu had a layer of reindeer skins over the bare, snow-covered ungiving earth. The six-inch gap around the bottom of the tent was ‘to let the fresh air in’. I noted every second of the seven unimaginably cold, inconceivably long hours I had to live through until morning.

B. Fortunately, however, all I lost was the respect of my human guides, but they were kind about it and provided lunch – reindeer soup and flat bread – around a blazing log fire. I thawed and relaxed until it was time to get going again.

C. All the young people had plans for their lives beyond reindeer herding but they also wanted to keep their Sami heritage, not as a museum exhibit but an actual existence. One reason they are inviting visitors to to share something of that existence is so that they can sustain their reindeer-herding way of life.

D. The sun did not rise the next morning until 11 a.m. Just visible above the horizon, it sidled west for an hour or so and had disappeared by 2 p.m. By then the moon was high. It shone huge and brilliand, the snow gleamed, the stars blazed. Snowlight. It was too eerie to be a a disappointment, even for someone who had been dreaming of spending days in blanketing obscurity.

E. It was when we were handed over to Nils-Torbjorn Nutti in the village of Jukkasjarvi thaty I realized some misunderstanding had occurred. ‘would you like to take your reindeer and lead him out to the sled?’ he asked in the corral. ‘No, thank you,’ I replied. ‘You have to,’ Nils-Torbjorn said, handing me a halter with a huge-antlered animal attached to the other end. Alarm bells began to ring.

F. They told me my job was to head off the stragglers and escapees from the herd. This is done by flapping the arms and down and hooting. I found that even the most desultory of flaps would persuade a wayward reindeer to fall back into line.

G. None of this mattered however, once the headlight revealed a fairyland labyrinth. Every twig was a glistening white, starkly frosted finger urgently pointing in every direction, a latticeword which sparkled, twinkled, actually dazzled as if it had been sprinkled with a thick layer of diamond dust.

H. For this reason the Sami have built some huts by the network of corrals where the lengthy round-up takes place. But we were going to spend the night in a lavvu, guarding the reindeer. I had searched for lavvu on the internet and discovered it meant a tent. I had initially imagined a nice, warm tourist tent. Now it began to dawn on me that it might be rather more of an endurance.

CPE Reading: Short extract 1: Best Jazz Artist

If Ella Fitzgeral sounds more like an excellent interpreter of popular songs and less like a jazz singer, it’s a tribute to her ability to disguise the artifice that lies behind the art.

While jazz vocalists such as Sarah Vaughan and Betty Carter made you aware of their technique, of the wheels in motion required to bring complex melodic and rhythmic effects into being, Fitzgerald revealed only a perfect voice and – despite all the heartache, real and imaginary – an essentially sunny disposition. Billie Hiliday (two years her senior) seemed to sing for herself, the address to the notional listener tuned increasingly inwards, but Fitzgerald appeared to sing especially for you. Her purity of tone, immaculate timing and unique sensitivity to the meaning of a lyric combined to produce the most marvelous of understatements.

Though it was the incomparable string of ‘songbook’ albums from 1955 to 1964 on which her fame deservedly rests, almost everything she recorded is worth hearing.

1. What does the writer say about Ella Fitzgerald's talents as a jazz singer?

A. Her technique was superior to other female jazz vocalists.
B. She was more suited to singing popular songs than jazz.
C. She was able to hide the skill of her technique while singing.
D. Her temperament was ideally suited to jazz.

2. The writer compares Ella Fitzgerald to Billie Holiday with regard to

A. their experience of life.
B. their attitude when singing.
C. their vocal quality.
D. their interpretation of songs.

Listening practice: CPE 5, Test 1, Part 4

Please click on the title of this post,CPE 5, Test 1, Part 4, download the file and then answer the following questions while listening to the file:

You will hear two friends, Dominic and Sue, talking about formality in the workplace. For questions 23-28, decide whether the opinions are expressed by only one of the speakers, or whetehr the speakers agree.

Write

S for Sue.
D for Dominic,
B for Both, where they agree.


23. Today's technology removes the need for open-plan offices.

24. Company policy determines the level of formality required when dealing with others.

25. Dressing casually for work is not always appropriate.

26. There are similarities in attitude towards dress between school and the workplace.

27. Some people need guidance as to what to wear.

28. Clothes can create artificial differences between work colleagues.

Listening: CPE 5, Test 1, Part 1

Click on the title above, Listening: CPE 5, Test 1, Part 1, to download the audio file to your computer.

You will hear four different extracts. For questions 1-8 choose the answer (A, B or C) which fits best according or what you hear. There are two questions for each extract.


Extract One

You hear part of a radio programme about science fiction film.

1. The speaker compares science fiction films with myths to make the point that they

A. have a universal appeal.
B. show people in a heroic light.
C. create an imaginary univers.

2. According to the speaker, why did science fiction films begin to go out of fashion?

A. The films became more factual.
B. There was over-use of special effects.
C. Audiences were increasingly critical.


Extract Two

You hear part of an interview with an expert on animal behaviour.

3. According to Dr Peters, in the past scientists were doubtful about the use of the term 'superorganism' because they felt

A. it did not reflect the complexity of the structure.
B. there was a limited need for such a term.
C. it was inherently misleading.

4. Ant colonies are a good example of a superorganism because

A. they benefit from the social nature of ants.
B. they rely on indivifual ants doing different jobs.
C. they have a flexible structure.


Extract Three

You hear part of a talk on the radio in which a novelist describes how she writes.

5. What is the novelist's opinion of writing thrillers?

A. She finds the task of creating the plot complicated.
B. She considers the actual process of writing them rather dull.
C. She thinks the language she can use in a thriller is too limited.

6. How does the novelist feel when she is writing the end of a book?

A. surprised that everything has fallen into place
B. excited at the thought of readers discovering her novel
C. proud of having created another original work


Extract four

7. What aspect of clothing is being discussed?

A. the importance of decoration
B. the practicalities of fastening
C. the social implications of fashion

8. What is the speaker doing when she speaks?

A. putting forward a possible explanation
B. emphasising a historical detail
C. illustrating the significance of fashion

The Lids of Time

Sa'di wrote:
The children of Adam are limbs of one body
Having been created of one essence.
When the calamity of time afflicts one limb
The other limbs cannot remain at rest.
If you have no sympathy for the troubles of others
You are not worthy to be called by the name of "man."

Sa’di, was a favorite of Ralph Waldo Emerson, American philosopher and writer, and like Emerson, this American writer is deeply affected by the profound thought of Sa’di, Rumi, Hafiz and other Persian thinkers. From my first look at the works of Rumi, I have been aware of the clarity of insight available to us through these ancient scholars, and then, my mind skips a beat when I read:

The snow falls on no two trees alike, but the forms it assumes are as various as those of the twigs and leaves which receives it. They are, as it were, predetermined by the genius of the tree. So one divine spirit descends alike on all, but bears a peculiar fruit in each…I look under the lids of time.

–Henry David Thoreau, Journal, February 1841.

But, let me change the mood here a little bit. Years ago, my son would crawl into our bed early in the morning, and I, wishing a few minutes more of delicious rest, would pretend to be asleep. He, child of practicality, would lift up my eyelid and ask, “Are you in there, Mommy?” In just such a way, like small children, let us lift the lids of time, and witness to the truth of nature and God that is within.
--Sue Petrovski

Love on a Potato Patch

By Sue Petrovsky

Found in corners of our personal field where we least expect to find it, love sneaks up on us or arrives full bore and is not recognized until later--sometimes much later; t'is a mark of personal wisdom to be looking for love and to be able to give it some sort of definition. There is this thing about love—it is hard to define.

Digging potatoes. Not the sort of background where one is likely to find love. My memories of these moments stretch back to the time when I was about two or three years old. Holding my grandmother’s hand and totally bare assed, I accompanied her to the potato field more than once. Grandma and Grandpa lived at that time in a summer house on stilts on the banks of the Wabash River in southern Indiana. These are bottom lands, flat and rich and they seemed to my young eyes to stretch on forever and ever.

Grandma would spread her legs wide apart, straddling the potato hill, reach over with a hand spade and gently but firmly pry the hearty food from the dirt around her. This was the story of her life – finding goodness in a poverty stricken life. Her printed dress and rough muslin apron spelled warmth and comfort to me. They billowed out, making folds and edges for my small hands to grab--places for me to hold to and deep folds for a small child to snuggle into. Even in her work, if I would run to her I remember her reaching out with a hand to surround me and the gentle tenor of her Indiana dialect would draw me into a world of safety and love. I have never known more peace in my life than in that humid, hot potato patch with my beloved grandmother.

Watching her was sheer delight and magic. She taught me to dig a bit with my big silver spoon and urge a large, lovely, golden potato to pop from the muggy earth. I can remember her softly saying, “Mar Sue’, come here. Just look at this,” and she would open up some other wonder of her natural world to me. Two of us – alone in nowhere –alive in everywhere. Ah the richness of this simple love.
By Sue Petrovsky

In our photo album there is a picture of this small child with brown ringlets, stark naked except for shoes and a large grape leave shielding important places. No one saw and no one judged. At Grandma’s, as free as the breeze that cooled a sweaty little brow, I knew love... There is no secret of love. It is affection given freely in the rich fields of our lives.

I learned so much from my grandmother:

Dig carefully so as not to hurt,
Glory in the magic that life unfolds,
Live patiently, in order to accept what is,
Love completely, with concern
for the giving more than the receiving,
and trust that there is more to life
than what we see.