More English with Jenny 

No. 49
Reading Comprehension
How a man uses money – makes it, saves it, and spends it – is perhaps one of the best tests of practical
wisdom. Although money ought by no means to be regarded as a chief end of man’s life, neither is it a trifling
matter, to be held in philosophic contempt, representing as it does to so large an extent, the means of physical
comfort and social well-being. Indeed, some of the finest qualities of human nature are intimately related to the
right use of money; such as generosity, honesty, justice, and self-sacrifices; as well as the practical virtues of
economy and providence. On the other hand, there are their counterparts of avarice, fraud, injustice, and
selfishness, as displayed by the inordinate lovers of gain; and abuse the means entrusted to them. “So that”, as
it wisely observed by Henry Taylor in his thoughtful “Notes from Life”, “a right measure and manner in getting,
saving, spending, giving, taking, lending, borrowing, and bequeathing, would almost argue a perfect man”.
Comfort in worldly circumstances is a condition which every man is justified in striving to attain by all
worthy means. It secures that physical satisfaction, which is necessary for the culture of the better
part of his nature; and enables him provide for those of his own household. Nor ought the duty to be any the
less indifferent to us, that the respect which our fellow men entertain for us in no slight degree depends upon
the manner in which we exercise the opportunities which present themselves for our honorable advancement in
life. The very effort required to be made to succeed in life with this object, is of itself an education;
stimulating a man’s sense of self-respect, bringing out his practical qualities, and disciplining him in the exercise
of patience, perseverance, and such like virtues. The provident and careful man must necessarily be a
thoughtful man, for he lives most merely for the present, but with provident forecast makes arrangements for
the future. He must also be temperate man, and exercise the virtues of self-denial, than which nothing is so
much calculated to give strength to the character. John Sterling says truly, that “the worst education which
teaches self-denial is better than the best which teaches everything else, and not that.” The Romans rightly
employed the same word (virtus) to designate courage, which is in a physical sense what the other is in moral;
the highest virtue of all being victory over ourselves.
1/ What is the main idea of his passage?
A/ Wealthy people and poor people can both be virtuous.
B/ Money is insignificant.
C/ Money is the most important thing in the world.
D/ The way a person handles money indicates his or her general character.
2/ The author’s purpose in writing this essay _____.
A/ to teach people how to earn a great deal of money
B/ to warn readers about the dangers of greed
C/ to describe the life of a wealthy person
D/ to convince the reader that proper money management is a sign of good character
3/ Which is the best synonym for the word “providence”?
A/ prudence B/ fate C/ sustenance D/ doom
4/ What would be the author’s response to those who say that poverty is noble?
A/ The author would agree with this statement.
B/ In order to cultivate other virtues a person must have money.
C/ Once a person gets rich, they can start worrying about self-discipline.
D/ The Romans believed that poor people are evil.
5/ Which word best describes the author’s attitude to Henry Taylor?
A/ admiring B/ condescending C/ skeptical D/ disgusted
6/ What does the author imply by saying that money provides “physical satisfaction, which is necessary
for the cultivation of the better part of his nature”?
A/ People are friendlier after thy have had a hot bath.
B/ In order to improve oneself in more lofty ways, one must attain the basic necessities.
C/ The most important thing in life is physical pleasure.
D/ Money can only provide physical pleasure.
7/ What does the author mean by the comment “The very effort required to be made to succeed in life
with this object, is of itself an education”?
A/ In order to earn money a person needs to go to college.
B/ Money makes people seem smarter than they are.
C/ That learning to manage money effectively entails learning a number of other valuable skills.
D/ Only intelligent people can earn money.
8/ Why must the “provident and careful man” be a thoughtful man?
A/ Because he has earned a great deal of money
B/ Because he is familiar with the works of Henry Taylor
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C/ Because he gives most of his money to charity
D/ Because he must always be planning for the future.
9/ The author brings up the Roman word for courage to illustrate ____
A/ his knowledge of the classics
B/ that people throughout history have valued money
C/ that self-discipline is less important than physical bravery
D/ that self-discipline is similar to physical bravery
10/ What is the definition of the word temperate as it is used in this essay?
A/ moderate B/ irritated C/ self-denying D/ warm

Cloze Test
The Dolly family gift is the largest philanthropic (1) _________ ever made to UK science, and will support
the Cavendish Laboratory, the world-leading center for physics (2) _________ where Ray Dolby received his
PhD in 1961. Thanks to this exceptional gift, the University has now surpassed the £1 billion milestone in its
current £2 billion fundraising campaign. This is the second generous gift to Cambridge (3) _________ the Dolby
family, who donated £35 million to Pembroke College, Cambridge in 2015. The Dolby family is now the largest
donor to the fundraising campaign, and the (4) _________-largest donor to the University in its 808-year history.
Ray Dolly, who died in 2013 at the age of 80, came to Cambridge as a Marshall Scholar in 1957. He
received his PhD from the Cavendish in 1961, and was a student and later a Fellow of Pembroke College. In
1865, he founded Dolby Laboratories in London and invented the Dolby System, an analogue audio encoding
system that forever improved the (5) _________ of recorded sound. He moved the company in 1976 to San
Francisco, where it has been (6) ___________ ever since.
The new Cavendish Laboratory will be its third home since its founding in 1874, and was first announced
by the government in its 2015 Spending Review. It (7) __________ a £75 million investment in the Cavendish,
which has been confirmed today, (8) ________ maintain Britain’s position at the (9) _________ of physical
science research. The funding will be delivered by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
(EPSRC). Work (10) ___________ the new facility is expected to begin in 2019.

Guided Cloze
Carnivorous Plants
All plants rely on nutrients taken from the soil in order to survive. However, in areas where the soil does
not contain enough vital nutrients, some plants have adapted to (1) ____ their diets from another source: living
organisms. Though they are few in number, carnivorous plants are nonetheless fascinating beings that eat
anything from one-celled organisms to insects in order to survive. They are commonly found in marshlands.
Carnivorous plants feature one of several types of traps to ensnare prey, which they consume to (2) ____
nutrients that may be missing from the oil. While there are over 400 species of carnivorous plants in the world
today, some are more (3) _____ than others.
The most well-known of these plants are the snap traps, which include the Venus flytrap. Snap traps are
easily identified by their leaves, which are separated into two lobes that have the ability to fold together. Inside
the lobes, the surface is covered with tiny hairs that are (4) _____ to movement. When they plant’s prey brushes
against the hairs, it triggers a closing mechanism that rapidly brings the two lobes together, trapping the prey
(5) _____ inside. The response of the traps is phenomenal (6) _____ speed: the time between triggering the
hairs and snapping shut is less than a second. As the prey struggles inside the trap, it only triggers more hairs,
causing the leaves to tighten their (7) _____.
The plant then secrets liquid chemicals from special glands into the trap to dissolve the prey and absorb
all of its nutrients. Besides the Venus flytrap, only one other type of snap trap exists today, (8) _____ to as the
waterwheel plant. The two share a common ancestor and differ only in a few ways. (9) _____, the waterwheel
is an aquatic plant, while the flytrap is exclusively terrestrial. In addition, the flytrap feeds primarily on arthropods
like spiders, while the waterwheel lives (10) _____ simple invertebrates, like certain types of plankton.
1/ A/ feed B/ enlarge C/ supplement D/ modify
2/ A/ break in on B/ make up for C/ get through with D/ drop out of
3/ A/ dominant B/ prevalent C/ recessive D/ popular
4/ A/ prone B/ liable C/ vulnerable D/ sensitive
5/ A/ closely B/ furiously C/ steadily D/ securely
6/ A/ in accordance with B/ in regard to C/ in preference to D/ on merits of
7/ A/ grip B/ snail C/ fist D/ seizure
8/ A/ implicated B/ indicated C/ referred D/ denoted
9/ A/ For instance B/ As a result C/ In contrast D/ Otherwise
10/ A/ onto B/ with C/ for D/ off
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Word choice & Structures
1/ Not getting the promotion felt like a real kick in the _____ as I’d put in so much hard work for the
company.
A/ head B/ teeth C/ leg D/ back
2/ Could somebody please help me as I am at the end of my _____ over next door’s barking dog.
A/ tether B/ leash C/ lead D/ rope
3/ I hope readers have enjoyed this article and that it has offered some _____ for thought.
A/ bread B/ dough C/ food D/ grains
4/ I went ____ on a limb for you, and this is how you thank me!
A/ off B/ out C/ away D/ back
5/ He ran up three flights of stairs and wasn’t the slightest bit out of breath even though he’s no ____ chicken.
A/ spring B/ young C/ fresh D/ baby
6/ Dave is not a good boss because he’s always palm the worst jobs _____ his assistant.
A/ out with B/ up for C/ off on D/ into
7/ Steve Harry brought the house down again. He ____ the show ____ a lot of jokes.
A/ peppered/ with B/ salted/ down C/ seasoned/ with D/ sugared/X
8/ When the book was made into screenplay, we decided to ____ some of the comical anecdotes.
A/ miss out B/ amount to C/ cut out D/ tot up
9/ It’s hard to find accommodation during the high season, so the whole family were ____ up in a small room.
A/ penciled B/ penned C/ papered D/ booked
10/ My teacher advises me to juice ____ my presentation with more colorful illustrations.
A/ down B/ up C/ over D/ off
11/ We are fed up with him. He keeps ____ his new girlfriend.
A/ snaking away into B/ horsing around with
C/ rabbiting on about D/ ducking out of
12/ In her writing, Elimor Wylie often dealt with her own personality as it was, rather than ____.
A/ as was defines by others B/ as others defined it
C/ other’s definition D/ its definitions by others
13/ It would be difficult for a man of his political affiliation, _____, to become a senator from the south.
A/ though charming and capable is he B/ even with charm and so capable
C/ charming and having capability D/ however charming and capable
14/ ____ left before the deadline, it doesn’t seem likely that John will accomplish the job.
A/ Although such a short time B/ It is such a short time
C/ With so short time D/ With such a short time
15/ ____ came _____ as the injured cat was so weak.
A/ Afterwards/ dying B/ Death/ X C/ Soon/ death D/ Then/ to die
16/ you can’t bury your head ____ and hope that this problem goes away, you know.
A/ in the mud B/ in the pool C/ in the sand D/ in the water
17/ I wasn’t clear to me what they were ____ by those sentences.
A/ driving at B/ getting on C/ stabbing at D/ opting out
18/ It was her ____ powers at the keyboard rather than her age which eventually forced her retirement.
A/ meteoric B/ waning C/ slippery D/ negative
19/ ___, we can take another road.
A/ Come what must B/ When it may C/ We might as well D/ If need be
20/ My mother always told me that I shouldn’t judge people ____. The way they look says nothing about their
character.
A/ by their appearance B/ win their outlook C/ by their face D/ through appearance

Error Correction
Confucianism
Confucianism was a way of life for ancient Chinese people, and it continues to influence Chinese culture
today. The founder of Confucianism, name Confucius, lived from 551 to 479 B.C.E. He was a philosopher and
political figure who lived during a time when traditional Chinese principles began to deteriorate under competing
political states. He took older religious precepts and translated them to guidelines for social mores. His teachings
gave guiding on all levels of ancient Chinese life, from interactions between family members and in the public
sphere, to educational standards and how states should be governed. Confucius saw every aspect of life as being
made from obligations between people and entities, and rituals to convey the mutual dependence between
them. His teachings focused on humanism, including treating others the way you would want to be treated. He
taught that if everyone fulfills their roles and obligations with respect and kindness towards others, it would build
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a stronger state. While religious rituals were mentioned alongside all of the other rituals a person was expected
to perform, Confucius did not focus on spiritual concerns like the afterlife, gods and goddesses, or mysticism.
This is why Confucianism is considered a philosophy rather than a religion, and it is often lumped in with other
major religions.
Confucianism became the dominant political philosophy during Han Dynasty from 206 B.C.E. to 220 C.E.
Because Confucian teachings were conservative and told people to maintain their role by social order, the
philosophy was used by the state to keep the status quo from that time forward. The structure of Chinese society
and its focus on rituals, familial respect and obligation, worship of ancestors, and self-discipline, remains greatly
influenced by Confucius and his teachings.

Word form
bias low day tolerate impress
conversation delicious fool significance company
Here are some of the main benefits of traveling, in case you need convincing. And I'm sure that once
you get started, you'll find some more yourself!
Traveling Improves Your Health
From cutting down on stress, to (1) _________ your chances of developing a heart disease, the health
benefits of traveling are huge. You may stay sitting on a chair all day long at the workplace: including some
walking to your trip is sure to make your body feel better. For some people, wandering abroad is even a cure
for depression and anxiety. Of course, it's not a (2) _________ cure, but it might help you feel better, both
physically and psychologically.
Traveling more is likely to have a tremendous impact on your mental well-being, especially if you're no
used to going out of your comfort zone. Travel more and your doctor will be happy. Be sure to get in touch with
your physician, they might recommend some medication to (3) __________ you in your travels, especially if
you're heading to regions of the globe with potentially dangerous diseases.
Traveling Improves Your Understanding of Other Cultures
Why we travel may differ from one person to another, but people travelling always develop empathy and
a deeper understanding of other cultures.
Being more understanding and (4) ___________ about a culture different than ours is part of being
smarter, but I consider it as a benefits of traveling in itself. There is a quote by Saint Augustine, which goes
“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page”. You could think of it this way: if you
read what's in the news or watch the news on TV and don't question it, you're missing on a ton of information.
You might think that it makes you smarter and more aware of the world, but it's the exact opposite: it narrows
your mind to a unique and (5) _________ perspective.
Traveling Makes You More Interesting
I have no doubt that you're quite the (6) __________. That being said, including a few stories from
abroad is likely to grant you even more attention. Mentioning something that most people aren't familiar with or
bring a new perspective is always a good way to shine in a social situation. No need to write a whole travel
essay, just discuss what you've seen and where you've been: people who are accustomed to their (7) _________
life will travel with your words.
During my trip to Egypt, my Airbnb host and I went out for dinner. He had been to some many different
places, the conversation lasted all night long, and I wasn't bored for one minute.
Who do you think people want to listen to: the guy who spent his vacations at home doing some
gardening and reading the newspaper, or the one who spent a week in Cuba, driving an old American car,
swimming with dolphins and tasting (8) ___________ spicy food? I know which story I want to hear about...

Traveling Let You Create Lifetime Memories

My grandfather was an amazing story-teller and he used to tell me stories of the trips he made when he
was younger. One of my favorites is how he tried eating with chopsticks in China for the first time. He regretted
not traveling more as a young man. Years later, he still remembered everything in details: because traveling
made a real (9) ___________ on him. And it probably will on you too.
No matter how (10) __________ it may seem, the fact that you've had an experience abroad, something
that was out of the ordinary, creates a memory that you will remember for a long time.
I think that creating those memories is why many people keep traveling.

THE END

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