Passage One

　　People are not so honest as they once were.

　　The temptation to steal is greater than ever before-especially in large shop.

　　A detective recently watched a well-dressed woman who always went into a large store on Monday morning.

　　One Monday,there were fewer people in the shop than usual when the woman came in.

　　so it was easier for the detective to watch her.

　　The woman first bought a few small article.

　　After a little time.

　　she chose one of the most expensive dresses in the shop

　　and handed it to an assistant who wrapped it up for her as quickly as possible.

　　Then the woman simply took the parcel and walked out of the shop without paying.

　　When she was arrested

　　the detective found out that the shop-assistant was her daughter.

　　The girl "gave" her mother a free dress once a week!

　　1. Why was it easier for the detective to watch to woman one Monday?

　　2. Who was the shop-assistant?

　　3. What's the author's opinion about "honesty"?

　　Passage Two

　　When you visit London,one of the first things you will see is Big Ben

　　the famous clock which can be heard all over the world on the B.B.C..

　　If the Houses of Parliament had not been burned down in 1834

　　the great clock would never have been erecter.

　　Big Ben takes its name from Sir Benjamin Hall who was responsible for the making of the clock

　　when the new Houses of Parliament were being build.

　　It is not only of immense size

　　but of extremely accurate as well

　　Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day

　　On the B.B.C.

　　you can hear the clock when it is actually striking

　　because microphones are connected to the clock tower.

　　Big Ben has really gone wrong

　　Once,however,it failed to give the correct time.

　　A painter who had been working on the tower hung a pot of paint on one of the hands and slowed it down!

　　4. What does the author think of Big Ben?

　　5. Why can you hear the clock on the B.B.C.?

　　6. What is Big Ben?

　　Passage Three

　　On the occasion of the old lady's eightieth birthday

　　she waited eagerly to see what kind of present her daughter

　　Myra,would send to he

　　Since her first daughter,Enid,had died two years before

　　the old lady had endured the loneliness of living by herself.

　　It was rare for Myra to visit her mother

　　but still the old lady was proud of her .

　　She felt sure that her daughter would celebrate her birthday with something special.

　　As she waited for the postman

　　the old lady trembled with excitement because she was quite sure she would receive a lovely present.

　　After all,she thought

　　even if Myra paid little attention to her mother at other times.

　　today was a very special day.

　　However,when the postman came

　　the old lady found to her disappointment that

　　rather than choosing a special gift.

　　Myra had simply sent her a cheque folded in a card.

　　7. What's the relationship between Myra and the old lady?

　　8. Why was the old lady sure she would receive a lovely present?

　　9. What was the old lady's present?

　　10. How did the old lady feel when she found her present?