READING UNIT 2

READING I.Read the following passage and mark letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to
each of the questions that follow.
Living in the country is something that people from the city often dream about. However, in reality, it has both
advantages and disadvantages.
There are certainly many advantages to living in the country. First, you can enjoy peace and quietness.
Moreover, people tend to be friendlier. A further advantage is that there is less traffic, so it is safer for young
children.
However, there are certain disadvantages or drawbacks to life outside the city. First, because there are fewer
people, you are likely to have few friends. In addition, entertainment is difficult to find, particularly in the evening.
Furthermore, the fact that there are fewer shops and services means that it is hard to find jobs.
In short, it can be seen that the country is more suitable for some people than others. On the whole, it is often the
best for those who are retired or who have young children. In contrast, young people who have a career are
better provided in the city.
17. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Advantages of living in the country B. Good points of living in the country
C. Good and bad points of living in the country D. Disadvantages of living in the country
18. The word “certainly" in bold is closest in meaning to ______
A. definitely B. frequently C. slowly D. exactly
19. How many advantages does living in the country have?
A. two B. four C. no D. three
20. Why is living in the country safer for young children?
A. Because there is less traffic.
B. Because there are few shops.
C. Because there are fewer people.
D. Because there are few services.
21. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A. It’s hard to find entertainment in the country.
B. The country is only suitable for retired people.
C. There are fewer shops and services in the country.
D. People in the country tend to be friendlier than people in the city.
READING 2 .Read the following passage and mark letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to
each of the questions that follow.

In the earliest times, children got their education directly from parents and other adults. They learned mainly
skills for survival. Adults passed down this knowledge through spoken language. Eventually cultures around the
world began inventing writing. As societies developed, they set up schools to teach reading, writing, maths and
other subjects. The first schools were usually just for boys. Most of the students came from rich and powerful
families. Often the purpose of their education was religious training. In many cultures the religious leaders
formed the highest level of society. Some schools had other purposes as well. Many schools focused on military
training. Sometimes youths attended special schools to learn the art of public speaking. These skills were meant
to help them become future leaders. Most girls received their education at home. They learned cooking, sewing
and other useful skills. Over time education became available to more people, not just the rich and powerful. The
governments of some countries set up public systems of education in the 1800s. More schools opened to girls.
During the 1900s marks, or grades, became a new measure of learning. Testing became a regular part of formal
education. As education became more important to people, teachers’ colleges opened. The requirements for
becoming a teacher became stricter. Teaching became a highly respected profession.
17. In the earliest times, children learned mainly skills so that they could________.A. continue to exist B.
pass this knowledge down
C. invent writing D. make societies develop
18. The word “they” in the passage refers to________.
A. cultures B. societies C. schools D. subjects
19. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. The first schools were usually just for boys from rich and powerful families.
B. Art of public speaking was one of the skills that help youths become future leaders.
C. During the 1900s, testing became a regular part of formal education.
D. In the earliest times, knowledge was passed down through written records.
20. The phrase “set up” in the passage could be best replaced by________.
A. made B. based C. founded D. built
21. The best title for the passage could be .
A. Education in the Earliest Times B. The Development of Education
C. Education in Modern Times D. Testing - a Regular Part of Education
READING 3
People commonly complain that they never have enough time to accomplish tasks. The hours and
minutes seem to slip away before many planned chores get done. According to time management experts, the
main reason for this is that most people fail to set priorities about what to do first. They get tied down by trivial,
time-consuming matters and never complete the important ones.
One simple solution often used by those at the top is to keep lists of tasks to be accomplished daily.
These lists order jobs from most essential to least essential and are checked regularly through the day to access
progress. Not only is this an effective way to manage time, but it also serves to give individuals a much-deserved
sense of satisfaction over their achievements. People who do not keep lists often face the end of the work day
with uncertainty over the significance of their accomplishments, which over time can contribute to serious
problems in mental and physical health.
18. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. Common Complaints About Work C. Achieving Job Satisfaction
B. Accomplishing Trivial Matters D. Learning to Manage Time
19. Why do many people never seem to have enough time to accomplish things?
A. They do not prioritise tasks. B. They get tied down by one difficult problem.
C. They fail to deal with trivial matters. D. They do not seek the advice of time management experts.
20. In paragraph 2, the word those refers to _____.
A. daily lists B. trivial matters C. priorities D. people
21. The passage states that one solution to time management problems is to _____.
A. consult a time management expert B. accomplish time-consuming matters first
C. spend only a short time on each task D. keep daily lists of priorities and check them regularly
22. The paragraph following the passage most probably discusses _____.
A. mental and physical health problems B. another solution to time management problems
C. ways to achieve a sense of fulfilment D. different types of lists
READING 4
Some people learn a second language easily. Other people have trouble learning a new language. How
can you help yourself learn a new language, such as English? There are several ways to make learning English a
little easy and more interesting.
The first step is to feel positive about learning English. If you believe that you can learn, you will learn.
Be patient. You don’t to have to understand everything all at once. It’s natural to make mistakes when you learn
something new. We can learn from our mistakes.
The second step is to practice your English. For example, write in the journal, or diary, everyday. You will
get used to writing in English and you will feel more comfortable expressing your ideas in English. After several
weeks, you will see that your writing is improving. In addition, you must speak English every day. You can
practice with your classmates outside class.
The third step is to keep a record of your language learning. You can write this in your journal. After each
class, think about what you did. Did you answer a question correctly? Did you understand something the teacher
explained? Perhaps the lesson was difficult, but you tried to understand it.
It is important to practice every day and make a record of your achievements.
17. What is the main idea of the paragraph?
A. Learning a second language. C. Learning something new.
B. Learning from mistakes. D. Learning new words.
18. Which is NOT true about learning English?
A. Practicing it every day. B. Feeling positive about learning it.
C. Writing it in other language. D. Keeping a record of it.
19. How many steps are there to make learning English a little easy and more interesting?
A. Three B. Four C. Five D. Six
20. What does the word positive in line 5 refer to?
A. difficult B. confident C. shy D. important
21. What is the most important to learn a second language?
A. Keeping a record of it. B. Feeling positive about learning it.
C. Practicing it every day. D. Practicing every day and making a record of your achievements.
READING 5
Many people now think that teachers give pupils too much homework. They say that it is unnecessary for children
to work at home in their free time. Moreover, they argue that most teachers do not properly plan the homework
tasks they give to pupils. The result is that pupils have to repeat tasks which they have already done at school.
Recently in Greece many parents complained about the difficult homework which teachers gave to their children.
The parents said that most of the homework was a waste of time, and they wanted to stop it. Spain and Turkey
are two countries which stopped homework recently. In Denmark, West Germany and several other countries in
Europe, teachers cannot set homework at weekends. In Holland, teachers allow pupils to stay at school to do
their homework. The children are free to help one another. Similar arrangements also exist in some British
schools.
Most people agree that homework is unfair. A pupil who can do his homework in a quiet and comfortable room is
in a much better position than a pupil who does his homework in a small, noisy room with the television on. Some
parents help their children with their homework. Other parents take no interest at all in their children’s homework.
It is important, however, that teachers talk to parents about homework. A teacher should suggest suitable tasks
for parents to do with their children. Parents are often better at teaching their own children.
1. This passage mainly discusses ______.
A. the way people see and deal with students’ homeworkB. parents’ role in assisting their children with homework
C. doing too difficult homework D. the importance of homework in students’ life
2. The word ‘properly’ can best be replaced with _____.
A. suitably B. accurately C. beautifully D. successfully
3. Greek parents thought ______.
A. their children’s homework was too hard. B. their children’s homework was too easy.
C. their children’s homework was too useful. D. more time should be allowed for homework.
4. In some countries in Europe, ______.
A. teachers cannot have their pupils do homework at weekends
B. few people think homework is unfair
C. teachers are allowed to give homework to children only at weekends
D. most people agree that it is fair to have children do homework at home
5. The following statements are true EXCEPT ______
A. All parents show great interest in their children’s homework.
B. Children can do their homework at school and help one another in some schools in Britain.
C. Only a small number of people think homework is fair.
D. Teachers should advise parents about how to work together with their children at home.
READING 6
You can do a few things to make homework less stressful. First, be sure you understand the assignment and its
requirement. Write it down in your notebook or day planner if you need to. It is much easier to take a minute to
ask the teacher during or after class than to struggle to remember later that night!
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.
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 for 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 may be you need some help. The first place to turn for help is
your teacher. But if you don't feel comfortable with your teacher, 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. In order to make homework less stressful, the first thing to do is _______.

A. to understand what you have to do in your assignment B. to remember the deadline
C. to know who can do it for you D. to go the school library as soon as possible
2. If you have any extra time at school, you should _______.
A. study or get your homework done B. spend time with your friends
C. use it to make your day planner D. use it to understand the assignment
3. What can the word “devote” in the third paragraph be best replaced by?
A. spend B. reduce C. develop D. waste
4. When a student needs some help, the first person to ask for help is _______.
A. his teacher B. the best student at school
C. a member in his family D. his friend
5. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Students can follow some advice to avoid worrying about homework.
B. Students should ask their teacher for help when they need it.
C. Students might get some help from their friends.
D. Students can do homework in school libraries.