346

Nowadays, in England, tea is quite the most popular, and also the

cheapest, of all drinks. People drink their tea in different ways. Some like it
with sugar, some without. Some drink it with milk, some with lemon; yet,
one way or another just about everyone drinks tea. This, however, has not
always been the case. During the last century, when tea was very expensive,
it was kept locked up, and the lady of the house had the key. Tea drinking
then was quite a ceremony, reserved for the evenings. At breakfast everyone
drank beer!

37. Compared with the past, in England today _____.

A)

more and more people prefer tea to beer.

B)

tea is regarded as a luxury.

C)

tea is very cheap and commonly available.

D)

sugar is becoming less and less popular.

E)

people don’t care about the quality of tea.

38. It is obvious from the passage that _____.

A)

English people have always regarded tea as better than beer.

B)

over the years the popularity of tea in England has increased
tremendously.

C)

drinking tea with lemon is only a recent habit in England.

D)

like tea, beer also is an extremely popular drink.

E)

English people are no longer fond of ceremonies.

39. In the passage it is explained that _____.

A)

in England today people have different habits of tea drinking.

B)

in the past in England only the wealthy were able to drink beer.

C)

at breakfast English people also like to drink beer.

D)

English people mostly prefer to have their tea in the evening.

E)

in England usually a ceremony is held in the family before tea is
served.

Elizabeth parked the car and then went into the busy station to

meet Jane who was going to spend the weekend with her. Elizabeth’s
friends often came for the weekend, but there was something a little
different about Jane’s visit. She and Jane hadn’t seen each other for 15
years. While at the university, they had shared a flat together for 2
years but then each had married and Jane and her husband had lived
abroad a great deal. Elizabeth began to ask herself. ‘Will we even be
able to recognize each other after all these years?” Right then she saw
Jane walking towards her and smiling straight at her with the old
unforgettable smile quite unchanged.

40. The first thing Elizabeth noticed about Jane when they met at the

station was _____.

A)

that she had become quite old.

B)

how well she was looking.

C)

that she had not forgotten how to smile.

D)

her smile which had not changed.

E)

that she had already been married.

41. Elizabeth’s friendship with Jane _____.

A)

went back to their university years.

B)

lasted only for two years when they were at the university.

C)

ended soon after they had each married.

D)

has always been envied by all their friends.

E)

found its best expression in their weekend visits to each other.

42. Elizabeth is worried _____.

A)

because Jane’s husband may have changed a great deal after all
these years.

B)

in case she won’t be able to find a place to park the car.

C)

about Jane and her husband who are going to live abroad.

D)

in case Jane will change her mind about coming for the weekend.

E)

in case after a separation of so many years they may both fail to
recognize each other.

There was silence. Neither Mr. Mayne nor Mr. Bridge spoke. Mr.

Mayne looked across at Mr. Bridge and waited. Both wanted the other
to speak. Neither spoke. It was as if each felt that whoever spoke first
would lose. Presently they rose together and together said: “Well I must
be going.” Then they nodded slightly to each other and did indeed go.
So they agreed to separate, but on both sides there was regret, for each
was deeply convinced that they could have formed a business partnership
that would have given them fame and wealth.

43. Mr. Mayne and Mr. Bridge scarcely spoke to each other because

_____.

A)

they hated each other.

B)

they didn’t think it was necessary.

C)

there was nothing to say.

D)

each wanted the other to start.

E)

they didn’t want to work together.

44. When Mr. Mayne and Mr. Bridge met, they _____.

A)

were anxious to talk about their wealth.

B)

hoped to solve their financial problems.

C)

were both sure that they could have been successful partners in
business.

D)

found they had nothing to say.

E)

disliked each other immediately.

45. When Mr. Mayne and Mr. Bridge separated _____.

A)

each was confident that the partnership would flourish (grow).

B)

they both seemed relieved (relaxed).

C)

they agreed to meet again soon.

D)

both were feeling disappointed

E)

they were equally pleased with themselves.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s world was a world of music from

the moment he was born. His father, who was a fine musician, was
teaching his daughter to play the piano. Little Wolfgang used to listen
to his sister as she practiced. He quickly learned the pieces she played.
One day he said he wanted to play too. But he was only three years
old then, and his father thought that his hands were too small.
However, that evening, alone and in the dark, he played the pieces
his sister had been practicing and he played them much better than
her.

46. While his sister was practicing, Mozart _____.

A)

usually made a lot of noise.

B)

used to play by himself.

C)

used to feel very bored.

D)

and his father talked about music.

E)

learned how to play the piano.

47. Mozart’s father didn’t believe that _____.

A)

his daughter practiced often enough.

B)

a child of three could possibly play the piano.

C)

his children would ever learn to play well.

D)

music could be regarded as a profession.

E)

children could understand music well.

48. As a child, Mozart _____.

A)

was hated by his father.

B)

was taught by his sister to play the piano.

C)

rarely listened to any music.

D)

had a great talent for music.

E)

used to play for his sister.

Book 3

Reading Comprehension