Mini-Reading-Texts.pdf

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PASSAGE 1 THE BRITISH MENTALITY

Although I had stayed in England for over a year, it was difficult for me to

understand the British mentality. Traveling to the office everyday by train, I

watched people concealing their faces behind newspaper. They rarely

conversed with each other, occasionally lifting their eyebrows to look at

their fellow passengers. But when I started a conversation under the

pretext of the weather I found many had a natural gift for gossip.

VOCABULARY

DEFINITIONS

Mentality: Mind To conceal: To hide To converse: To talk Occasionally:

Seldom, rarely To lift: To raise Pretext: Excuse/ false reason Gift: Talent,

skill Gossip: Friendly chat

> EXERCISES

Complete the sentences with a suitable form of the words defined above

1. Maggie crossed the room,..................the lid of the pot and sniffed

at the contents.

2. Under the...................of wanting to return a pen which she had

left behind, I visited her.

3. It turned out that Jane had inherited a natural...................for music.

4. They were..................intimately, opening up their private problems to

each other with a freedom well beyond the usual.

5. Paul confesses his doubts such as he would have....................from

anyone he did not trust absolutely.

READING COMPREHENSION

1. The writer was quite surprised............

A) as he could understand the British mind B) because almost noone on the

train was talking to each other

C) since most people were reading newspaper D) after he saw people

traveling by train

E) when he saw the British way of life.

2. Using the excuse of the weather

A) doesn't work all the time B) is how one can get the British to talk

C) is good for gossiping about nature D) requires natural gift for gossip E)

makes it easy to change the subject.

3. It can be inferred from the passage that

A) people in England cover their faces with a newspaper B) .the British do

not look at anybody in the train C) the British are in fact have a tendency to

talking D) Englishmen always read something E) the writer wanted to stay

for another year.

READING COMPREHENSION

1. Unlike young people.

A) old people are not reasonable in their fear of death B) most old people

are not afraid of death C) old people are always sad D) old people are

cheated of best things E) human joys are not experienced by old. people

2. Young people are right.........................

A) because they didn't have, best things B). to trouble the old people

C) as they are always J" ~L.": D) for not having a reason for their fear E)

for their fear of death

3. Although they have experienced almost everything life will

offer...................

A) all the old people fear death

B) most young people are not ready to die in battle

C) some old people are still affected by the idea of death

D) young people feel sad because they will be old someday

E) old people get sad when they think of those happy days .

PASSAGE 3

DOOLE'S LIFE

Doole was in business, in fireplaces. But he would often go for a stroll in the

afternoon between two and three. "Nobody comes back from lunch till

three, you might as well not have a telephone", so he often said to himself.

Doole took out his watch and checked the time. Nearly half an hour before

he need think of the office. "What a wholly delightful day!" he

contemplated. Indeed, the varied colorful flowers in the park shone very

brightly in that September light.

VOCABULARY

To go for a stroll: To go for a walk To check: To confirm Wholly: Completely,

entirely To contemplate: To think Varied: Various, mixed

EXERCISES

Complete the sentences with a suitable form of the words defined above

1. After breakfast I take a .... around the base checking that

all the daily tasks have been completed. 2 ..... for signs of damage and

only store those in perfect

condition in paper sacks in a cool, dark place.

3. In alternate weeks the auction is .... devoted to domestic buyers or to

foreign buyers.

4. He .... balloon-travel and a journey to the North Pole. 5. Team sizes can

be .... but they are always made up of an

odd number of competitors.

READING COMPREHENSION

1. We understand from the passage that.

A) employees in the office always go to the park B) people return to the

office at about three o'clock C) nobody telephones the office D) Doole

prefers to be near the fireplace E) Doole does not like to eat out

2. It's obvious in the passage that Doole.

A) only goes out if it is fine B) has his lunch at three o'clock C) does not call

at the office D) works alone in the office E) enjoys walking in the park

3. We can infer from the passage that-----

A) it was a fine autumn day

B) the weather was very cold

C) it was a beautiful summer day D) Doole preferred to be in a different

place.

E) nobody goes to that park

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