PART II   READING COMPREHENSION (30 MIN)

In this section there are several reading passage followed by a total of twenty multiple-choice questions. Read the passage and then mark your answers on your answer sheet.

TEXT A

Manners nowadays in metropolitan cities like London are practically non-existent. It is nothing for a big, strong schoolboy to elbow an elderly woman aside in the dash for the last remaining seat on the tube or bus, much less stand up and offer his seat to her, as he ought to. In fact, it is saddening to note that if a man does offer his seat to an older woman, it is nearly a Continental man or one from the older generation.

This question of giving up seats in public transport is much argued about by young men, who say that, since women have claimed equality, they no longer deserve to be treated with courtesy and that those who go out to work should take their turn in the rat race like anyone else. Women have never claimed to be physically as strong as men. Even if it is not agreed, however, that young men should stand up for younger women, the fact remains that courtesy should be shown to the old, the sick and the burdened. Are we really so lost to all ideals of unselfishness that we can sit there indifferently reading the paper or a book, saying to ourselves “First come, first served,” while a gray-haired woman, a mother with a young child or a cripple stands? Yet this is all too often seen.

Conditions in travel are really very hard on everyone, we know, but hardship is surely no excuse. Sometimes one wonders what would have been the behavior of these stout young men in a packed refugee train on its way to a prison-camp during the War. Would they have considered it only right and their proper due to keep the best places for themselves then?

Older people, tired and irritable from a day’s work, are not angle, either — far from it. Many a brisk argument or an insulting quarrel breaks out as the weary queues push and shove each other to get on buses and tubes. One cannot commend this, of course, but one does feel there is just a little more excuse.

If cities are to remain pleasant places to live in, however, it seems imperative, not only that communications in transport should be improved, but also that communication between human beings should be kept smooth and polite. All over cities, it seems that people are too tired and too rushed to be polite. Shop assistant won’t bother to assist, taxi-drivers growl at each other as they dash dangerously round corners, bus conductors pull the bell before their desperate passengers have had time to get on or off the bus, and so on and so on. It seems to us that it is up to the young and strong to do their small part to stop such deterioration.

11. From what you have read, would you expect manners to improve among people ____?

A. who are physically weak or crippled

B. who once lived in a prison-camp during the War

C. who live in big modern cities

D. who live only in metropolitan cities

12. What is the writer’s opinion concerning courteous manners towards women?

A. Now that women have claimed equality, they no longer need to be treated differently from men.

B. It is generally considered old-fashioned for young men to give up their seats to young women .

C. “Ladies first” should be universally practiced.

D. Special consideration ought to be shown to them.

13. What does the author try to convey by giving the example of stout young men in a packed refugee train during the War?

A. Young men do not need to consider their behaviour during War time.

B. Young men need to care more about themselves during War time.

C. Conditions in travel are really very hard during War time.

D. Young men should not use hardship as an excuse for their bad behaviour.

14. According to the author, communication between human beings would be smoother if ____.

A. people were more considerate towards each other

B. people were not so tired and irritable

C. women were treated with more courtesy

D. public transport could be improved

15. What is the possible meaning of the word “deterioration” in the last paragraph?

A. worsening of general situation

B. lowering of moral standards

C. declining of physical constitution

D. spreading of evil conduct