Question: One early morning, I went into the living room to find my mother reading a thick book called Best Loved Poems to Read Again and Again. My interest was aroused only by the fact that the word "Poems" appeared in big, hot pink letters. "Is it good?" I asked her. "Yeah," she answered. "There's one I really like and you'll like it, too." I leaned forward. "'Patty Poem,'" she read the title. Who is Patty? I wondered. The poem began: She never puts her toys away, Just leaves them scattered1where they lay,...1 The poem was just three short sections. The final one came quickly: When she grows and gathers poise2,2 I'll miss her harum-scarum3noise,3 And look in vain4for scattered toys.4 And I'll be sad. A terrible sorrow washed over me. Whoever Patty was, she was a mean girl. Then, the shock. "It's you, honey," My mother said sadly. To my mother, the poem revealed a parent's affection when her child grows up and leaves. To me, the "she" in the poem was horror. It was my mama who would be sad. It was so terrible I burst out crying. "What's wrong?" my mother asked. "Oh Mama," I cried. "I don't want to grow up ever!" She smiled. "Honey, it's okay. You're not growing up anytime soon. And when you do, I'll still love you, okay?" "Okay," I was still weeping. My panic has gone. But I could not help thinking about that silly poem. After what seemed like a safe amount of time, I read the poem again and was confused. It all fit so well together, like a puzzle. The language was simple, so simple I could plainly understand its meaning, yet it was still beautiful. I was now fascinated by the idea of poetry, words that had the power to make or break a person's world. I have since fallen in love with other poems, but "Patty Poem" remains my poem. After all, "Patty Poem" gave me my love for poetry not because it was the poem that lifted my spirits, but because it was the one that hurt me the most. After her mother read the poem to her, the writer felt   _   at first. A) sad B) excited C) horrified D) confused
Answer: A

Question: One night my wife and I were going to dinner at a friend ' s.As we went towards the house, I noticed a car pulling out from the sidewalk.Just ahead, another car was waiting to back into the parking space.But before he could do so a yellow car came up from behind and sneaked into the space. While my wife went ahead into our friend' s house, I stepped into the street.  "Hey," I said, "this parking space belongs to that guy." I gestured towards the man ahead, who was looking back angrily.At that moment I was feeling pretty manly.  " Mind your own business!" the driver told me.  "No," I said."You don' t understand.That fellow was waiting to back into this space."  Things quickly heated up, until finally he jumped out of the car.My God, he was extremely large.He grabbed me and shook his rock of a fist at me.I tasted blood.I was terrified. Almost in a panic, I ran to my friend ' s front door.As a former Marine   , as a man, I felt  ly embarrassed as my wife and friends asked me what had happened.All I could say was that I had had an argument about a parking space.They were sensitive and let it go at that. Perhaps half an hour later, the doorbell rang.For some reason I was sure that the huge man had returned for me.My blood ran cold.My hostess got up to answer it, but I stopped her.I knew I had to face up to my fear. I opened the door.There he stood."I came back to apologize," he said in a low voice."I am ashamed of myself.The Brooklyn Navy Yard where I've worked for ten years is closing.Today I got laid off.I' m not myself.I hope you' ll accept my apology."  I remembered that after I closed the door, I stood there for a few minutes alone with tears in my eyes. What do we know about the yellow car' s driver? A) He was rude and liked fighting. B) He was famous for his bad temper. C) He lost his job and felt terrible that day. D) He tried to get the author' s parking space.
Answer: C

Question: Going whitewater rafting in North Carolina (N.C.), you are cutting bonds to the every-day troubles and for a short time you are back in the natural world with your co-travelers. Rafting in N.C. has the added benefit of a long, warm rafting season, beautiful scenery, and amazing history. Only twenty minutes from Asheville, N.C., whitewater rafting on French Broad River in N.C. still has the flavor wilderness and adventure. Half Day Trip: This N.C. whitewater rafting trip begins at Barnard and finishes at Stackhouse. Typical time on the river is 1.5 to 2 hours. A couple of factors that affect the time on the river are the size of the trip and the level of the river. A small trip at high water will move faster downstream than a larger trip at lower levels. $44.00 per person. Half Day with Lunch: This rafting trip travels the same section of the French Broad River as above. The lunch is served riverside. The time frame for this trip is the same as the half day trip. Add about an hour for lunch and a more leisurely pace. $51.00 per person. Full Day Trip: This rafting starts at Barnard and finishes 8 miles downstream in Hot Springs. This is one of the best whitewater rafting trips in N.C. and gives you a chance to spend a big part of your day on the French Broad River. There is a stop for lunch, served riverside. Time on the river for the full day trip can range from 3-5 hours depending on the size of the trip and the river level. Please be aware that summer-time river levels may make it necessary to alter this trip and make it a half-day with lunch trip. Surely you will be refunded the price difference. $62.00 per person. Float Trip: Rafting in N.C. does not necessarily mean only whitewater rafting. Some of North Carolina's best rafting is just the classic, lazy float trip. This trip floats through a beautiful section of the French Broad River valley. There are plenty of places to swim. It's good for those who are too young or too old. $44.00 per person. Trip Times: Typical morning trip time is 9:00 and afternoon... If you choose Half Day Trip, how much time should you spend totally? A) 1.5-2 hours. B) 2.5-3 hours. C) 3.5-4 hours. D) 4.5-5 hours.
Answer: