She Says/He Says(U1B1) reading she says: Boys are so different from girls! They never show their emotions
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| participant who was moving very slowly. Immediately, I knew she would be our last runner. Both her feet were turned in, but her left knee was turned out. Her legs were so bent that it looked like it was difficult for her to walk. It would be even more difficult for her to run a marathon in this hot weather.
The driver and I watched in silence and in amazement as she struggled forward little by little. We moved slowly behind her. Every time she stopped, we would just stop and wait for her to continue. Before long, she was the very last runner within sight. We kept staying behind her, and the strong determination that she showed had already moved me to tears. In the last miles of the marathon, she still stopped once in a while and went on moving slowly, but in a determined way. Several hours later, we finally reached the finish line. Most of the crowd had already gone away, and there was trash all over the ground. However, there, at the finish line stood a man who looked very proud. In his hand was one end of a paper ribbon; the other end was fastened to a post. Very slowly, the woman crossed the finish line and broke the ribbon into two pieces like a winning runner. I never knew this woman's name, but since then she has changed my attitude toward challenges in life. For her, the marathon wasn't about coming in first in the race. It was about finishing something that she had started, no matter how difficult it was. Now, when I feel things are too difficult or time-consuming, I think of that amazing woman, the "last runner." Then, I realize how small my own problems really are. POST-READING ACTIVITIES I. Reading for the Main Idea Choose the best answer to the question.
II. Reading for Details Choose the best answer to each of the following questions or statements.
A LOHAS Life(U6B2) READING A student is preparing for school in the morning. She washes her face with a natural cleanser and wipes her face with an organic cotton towel. For breakfast, she eats an organic egg and some fresh fruit. This breakfast will give her the energy she needs to ride her bike to school. After finishing her breakfast, she puts the chopsticks and spoon that she will need at lunch into her school bag. Then, she makes sure all the lights in her home are off, and she starts her ride to school. What the student does is an example of LOHAS. The term LOHAS stands for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability. In the beginning, it simply meant the marketplace for goods that focused on the environment, people's health, and sustainable living. Gradually, it has become a term describing a healthy and earth-friendly lifestyle. LOHAS protects the environment; meanwhile, it makes people healthier. We try to take care of our earth by thinking carefully about the food we eat, the things we buy, the energy we use, and so on. For instance, we eat organic vegetables because they do not have agricultural chemicals that may pollute the water and soil. We take the stairs rather than elevators so we can save more electricity. Because of this "green" way of living, more and more companies are now offering LOHAS goods. Moreover, people leading this lifestyle are now considered cool. Living a LOHAS lifestyle is not difficult, and we can all become earth-friendly people by acting on the following suggestions. We can walk or take a bus instead of riding a scooter. We can reuse and recycle plastic bottles. Using both sides of paper for printing or copying is also a good idea. In addition, we can use fewer tissues by carrying a handkerchief with us. When shopping, we can use our own shopping bags instead of using the paper or plastic bags from the stores. Small changes in our habits can make our earth better. So, what are you waiting for? Become a LOHAS follower—this will benefit not only ourselves, but also the planet that we live on.
II. Reading for Details Choose the best answer to each of the following questions or statements.
It's Well Made in Taiwan(U7B2) READING In the years that followed World War II, many people believed that Taiwan was nothing more than a small island in the Pacific Ocean. Many people also believed that Taiwan had no real influence on the rest of the world. In the past, when people thought of Taiwan, the first thing that came to mind was cheap products. The words "Made in Taiwan" on products, for instance, usually gave the impression that these goods would be of poor quality. Now, however, things are very different. Today, Taiwan produces many high-quality products, including some of the finest saxophones and bicycles in the world. Believe it or not, many of the world's saxophones are actually made in Houli, a small town in central Taiwan. It all began after World War II, when a young Houli resident, Zhang Lian-chang, received a damaged saxophone and repaired it. While repairing the saxophone, he had an idea—he wanted to make his own saxophone. Though he failed to do this for many times, he was finally able to manufacture this instrument and opened a saxophone factory. Zhang shared his knowledge with other Houli residents, who then opened their own saxophone factories. Shortly after this, Houli became famous for producing the best saxophones in the world. Today, more than 30,000 saxophones are produced in Houli every year. Each factory there makes about 300 saxophones every month. Taiwan also makes some of the most popular bicycles in the world. Giant was founded in 1972 by King Liu. At first, Giant mostly manufactured products for overseas companies. In 1986, however, it lost its biggest customer. As a result, Liu decided to make his own brand of bicycle. Thanks to great design work and careful attention to detail, Giant became a success. In 2001, Giant, which is based in Taichung, was named as one of the best companies in the world by Forbes. In the following years, some of its products were even named "Bike of the Year." Then, it is not surprising that in Shanghai, China, Giant is said to be the most stolen brand of bicycle. Even though Taiwan is a small island, it is making a big impact on the world with its innovative manufacturers and high-quality products.
II. Reading for Details Choose the best answer to each of the following questions or statements.
Harvest Time(U8B2) READING Lucy, a college student, made a journey to several places around the world in order to learn about different cultures. Her first stop was Boston in the U.S. Her next stop was New Delhi in India. Then, she flew to Scotland before returning home. Lucy arrived in Boston on the fourth Thursday of November. There, she spent this particular day at a friend's home. It was Thanksgiving. She watched her friend preparing traditional dishes, such as turkey and pumpkin pie. Later, Lucy learned that Thanksgiving celebrates the Pilgrim Fathers' first harvest in 1621. They were some of the first Europeans that decided to settle in North America. After arriving, they needed a good harvest to provide them with enough food for the winter. Luckily, they got the Native Americans' help, and the harvest was good. Therefore, they had a celebration, and this is still remembered in the U.S. today. In March, Lucy arrived in New Delhi. The streets there were filled with crowds of people. They were throwing colored powder or water into the air or to one another. Lucy got in a taxi, asking the driver what was happening. He explained to Lucy that this was Holi. It was held to celebrate the coming of spring and for a good harvest. The driver offered Lucy some candy, which is also a tradition during Holi. Then, Lucy went to St. Andrews in Scotland on August 1st. There, a Lammas Day celebration was being held. It's an ancient festival that celebrates the harvest. According to a special custom, local residents would go to church on the day with a loaf of bread. It represents the first wheat harvest of the year. Finally, Lucy completed her journey, returning to Taiwan in late August for the harvest festival of the Amis tribe. This festival was held not only to express thanks to the spirits of the Amis ancestors and to the Amis gods for a rich harvest, but also to celebrate the rites of passage for young Amis men. During the festival, Lucy was invited to take part in the celebrations where the Amis sang and danced. As Lucy was enjoying the Amis festival, she also looked back on her journey. She had experienced the traditions and customs of different cultures, and she noticed that one thing seemed to be the same worldwide. Many people around the world shared the same cultural values—appreciation of the given harvest.
II. Reading for Details Choose the best answer to each of the following questions or statements.
Same Neighborhood, but a Different World(U1B3) READING Yuka Aoki has traveled a lot. This art-loving Japanese writer has visited more than 45 countries. However, seldom did it occur to Aoki to visit Taiwan. To her, Taiwan seemed very close to Japan. So, Aoki always thought that she could visit Taiwan later. In 2001, Aoki had a chance to visit Taiwan because of an invitation from her friend. First, she was amazed by this "strange" place, but she gradually learned to appreciate the differences between Taiwan and Japan. She then began to write about her life in Taiwan. Cultural differences often lead to humorous situations, and Aoki's observations about life as a Japanese woman in Taiwan make up the subject of most of her books. In her books, she gives a foreign visitor's view of Taiwanese society through her writings and drawings. Aoki notes that when it comes to expressing themselves, the Taiwanese are much freer than the Japanese. For instance, at a Taiwanese KTV, one is free to talk while someone else is singing. In Japan, however, one must listen respectfully and even praise the worst singers after they have finished. What's more, to the Japanese, it is considered rude to sing the same song right after it has been sung. In Taiwan, however, this wouldn't be a problem. According to Aoki, most people in Taiwan do not worry about personal space. She observes that most Taiwanese people don't mind being close to each other. Sometimes, girls may even hold hands while walking. How strange this would be to Japanese people! In Japan, people always stand far apart from each other when they are walking. While some Taiwanese customs are funny to Aoki, she is not afraid to mention the things that bother her. One example is the habit of using the bathroom. Aoki points out that putting dirty toilet paper into a trash can is a disgusting habit. In Japan, people always flush used toilet paper down the toilet. Even now, Aoki is trying her best to adjust to this Taiwanese habit. Now, Aoki has lived in Taiwan for more than 7 years. What made her adopt this island as her second home is the warmth of Taiwanese people. She considers Taiwanese people to be the country's greatest resource, and she often writes about the interesting people that she meets. In addition to her books, Aoki writes for Japanese magazines and introduces Taiwan to other Japanese people. To people in Taiwan, listening to an outsider like Aoki talk about their culture can also offer them a fresh perspective on their country and be a welcome eye-opener for them.
Exercise: Skim the reading and choose the best answer to the question.
II. Reading Strategy: Scanning Scanning is a reading strategy that can be used to help you pay closer attention to the information that you are looking for by skipping unimportant words or information. When scanning, you should first have a question in mind and then scan the text for the answer. Exercise: Choose the best answer to each of the following questions or statements.
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