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Reading Passage 1
Although I had stayed in England for over a year, it was difficult for me
to understand the British mentality. Traveling 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.
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
Reading Passage 3
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.
To go for a stroll: To go for a walk
To check: To confirm
Wholly: Completely, entirely
To contemplate: To think
Varied: Various, mixed
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Reading Passage 4
The world is undergoing a rapid change. That is, views, opinions, fashion,
and even traditions are changing rapidly. The old cannot adapt themselves to these
changes easily. They always talk about good old days, and grumble about the
young, which leads to a generation gap. Parents always mention the problems of
the young. If there is one, then, we can say that it is the old who create it. Everyone is
of the opinion that the young are, after all, human beings-people just like their
parents. There is only one difference between an old man and a young man: the
young man has got a bright future before, him and the old one has got a lot of
experience behind him.
To undergo: To go through, to
experience
Rapid: Quick, fast .
To adapt: To make suitable for
To grumble: To complain
Generation gap: Failure of the younger and
older generations to understand each other
To mention: To talk about
To be of the opinion: To agree
After all: In spite of everything
Reading Passage 5
There is no simple answer to the question, "How can I enhance my
memory?" But there are some general points one can make. Firstly, you have to
practice. Practice remembering things. Secondly, use your memory. Preferring to
make notes all the time rather than rely on one's memory is a terrible mistake.
It's certain that you actually risk making your memory worse that way. In order
to utilize your memory, you have to be keen to remember-eager to remember.
If you really mean to remember things, you can. And thirdly, always make
associations when you want to remember anything.
To enhance: To develop
To rely on: To trust
To risk: To take the risk of
To utilize: To use
Keen: Willing, enthusiastic, eager
Eager: Ready/ willing, keen
Associations: Links, relations
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Reading Passage 6
Christmas is only a few days away and the two children in the Robinson
family feel very excited and are impatient for it. Their mother has baked them a
very large and delicious Christmas cake. She has shown them how to make
colorful ornaments for their Christmas tree. Tomorrow she will take them out
shopping in the High Street as she is planning to purchase new clothes for
them to wear on Christmas Day. Mr. Robinson gave Tommy and Irena some
money last week so that they could buy themselves lots of balloons and
streamers to decorate their house.
To be impatient for: To long for, to look
forward to
To bake: To cook in the oven
Ornament: Decoration
To purchase: To buy
Streamer: Flag, ribbon
To decorate: To ornament
Reading Passage 7
By five o'clock Graceland was crammed with mourners: ex-employees, old
friends, relatives, and special fans. Of course everyone is sadden by death, but
the thing about Elvis’ death was that no one could believe it. Elvis Presley
dead? As more people crowded in and the reality began to fully sink in, I felt I
couldn't breathe. I stepped out on the porch, and the sight beyond the gates was
incredible; tens of thousands of people gathered there.
To cram: To fill
Mourner: Person who attends a funeral
as a relative or friend of the dead person
Ex: Past, previous
To sadden: To upset
To crowd: To gather
To sink: To fall
To step out: To walk out
Porch: Veranda, covered entrance
Sight: View, spectacle
Gate: Entrance, door
Incredible: Unbelievable
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Reading Passage 8
Because words can break silence, and thus remove tension, we often draw on
them for this reason and not mainly for what they mean. When two people are
introduced, one says,
