Reading Comprehension Test 3 (Outdated Content)

Which of the following is possibly the most appropriate title for the passage?

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

The price of gold has gone up from $256 an ounce in 2001 to $1,424. Meanwhile, price levels have struggled or crashed with respect to almost all other asset classes. Central banks have slashed interest rates. Yet, gold prices, it has been predicted, may go up and up. The many reasons for this renewed love are convincing. Interestingly, not long ago, pundits had predicted the end of gold as the world's default asset class and were clubbing it with commodities. It appears that the yellow metal is making a comeback to reassert the pre-eminence it has enjoyed for 5,000 years of history.
Its supply is falling. No new mines have been discovered. The existing ones are getting exhausted, and miners are digging as deep as 5 km. Gold content in ore has come down from almost 12 gm a tonne to 2 gm. And it costs more and more to take that out. Environmental concerns have also contributed to mine owners' problems. The wages of miners are going up; so is the cost of providing them safety and security.
Emerging economies such as China and India are accumulating gold: China has 1,054 tonnes and India 565 tonnes. No wonder, as emerging economic superpowers, China and India want to add to their reserves. Industrial use of gold is on the rise the world over. With the US economy still drifting with the threat of the dollar losing its undisputed position of reserve currency, the rush to gold is increasing.
Added to all this is the rekindled investor preference for gold. Money is moving away from mutual funds and equities and the once fashionable and often discredited hedge funds are also getting into gold. Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are channelling ever more funds to gold. Some pension funds are increasing the proportion of gold in their basket of assets. Given all this, gold can go nowhere but up. That is the consensus.
Everyone seems to be joining the new gold rush. But is everything well with gold? Or is it a bubble building up?
Consider the conventional wisdom. Money generally gets distributed, though not in any fixed proportion, among assets stocks, cash, government securities, gold, investments in factories and equilibrium in a global economy, across geographical boundaries.  As long as the flow and the increase in returns are consistent, everyone rushes to the same destination. Excess demand, though often artificial, creates excess supply, as in the case of real estate.
Excess supply leads to price crashes. Is something similar happening in gold? The general consensus is 'no'. Gold is different. It has never let anyone down in 5,000 years. It is indestructible. Its supply is limited. The argument in the case of gold is that excess demand cannot create excess supply as the total world supply is limited. But this time it is different. Is it really so? Gold has also gone up and down in the past. It was $424 an ounce in 1990 before crashing to $255 in 2001. Still, it moves only within a range and huge fluctuations are not possible in gold, argue some people. Actually, gold gave much better returns in the 1980s, only to stagnate and lose those gains in the 1990s.
A crash of gold prices could be the ultimate crash, nothing like we have seen. No one has managed to discredit the yellow metal in 5,000 years. But it appears that for the first time in history the ETFs, the hedge funds and the governments are about to do the undoable. The fact that it has not already happened is no guarantee that it will not happen. Look at all the easy money coming into gold. All those who have shifted money from real estate, mutual funds, pension funds, hedge funds and stocks are pouring it into gold. Gold ETFs are the fastest growing investment vehicles today. This is all real quick money, but can evaporate at the click of a key. Of course, governments such as China and India are also betting on gold and increasing their reserves. But then whoever said governments can make no mistakes?
The intrinsic value of gold has not gone up from $255 to $1,424 in 10 years. Gold is not consumed heavily like oil or grain. Industrial use of gold is limited. Gold is the most recycled commodity. Of the annual production of 2,500 tonnes, about 50 per cent goes to make jewellery and it is almost entirely recycled. The rest goes to industrial and other uses, and even here the recycling rate is high. In other words, all that demand is artificial and can be deflated in no time. There is no need to have excess supply to lead to a price crash, unlike other products. The sheer fact that gold is only a hedge instrument and does not serve any practical use by itself will negate the 'there-is-new-supply' theory. Someone somewhere is watching for the perfect moment to disgorge the hoard, to create sudden panic and buy up following a crash.
There is no sign that a crash is going to come tomorrow, or for that matter next year or the year after. It may still go up for two or five or even 10 years. But crash it will, if we are to go by the economic history of boom and bust. Also, the higher it goes and the longer it stays there, the more painful the crash is going to be, especially for India. Indians sit on an estimated 18,000 tonnes. India has always had the largest gold reserve with individuals. Imagine what will happen to millions of Indians if gold were to crash. A crash of gold will be the crash of the Indian economy.
That should make us more responsible. That makes it imperative for our economists to track gold movement. That makes it important for our financial wizards to prevent a bubble in gold. That should force us to act before it happens. Never in history have we had so much idle money chasing so little gold. Gold is losing its respect as the default and fail-safe asset class and becoming a speculative instrument. This shift of gold from being an item of passive wealth to an instrument of speculation is dangerous. Gold is being talked up by crafty speculators and unsuspecting governments. And these predictions are being made by those sitting on gold worth billions of dollars bought at yesterday's prices.

Directions: Choose the word, which is most similar in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.

Limited

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

The price of gold has gone up from $256 an ounce in 2001 to $1,424. Meanwhile, price levels have struggled or crashed with respect to almost all other asset classes. Central banks have slashed interest rates. Yet, gold prices, it has been predicted, may go up and up. The many reasons for this renewed love are convincing. Interestingly, not long ago, pundits had predicted the end of gold as the world's default asset class and were clubbing it with commodities. It appears that the yellow metal is making a comeback to reassert the pre-eminence it has enjoyed for 5,000 years of history.
Its supply is falling. No new mines have been discovered. The existing ones are getting exhausted, and miners are digging as deep as 5 km. Gold content in ore has come down from almost 12 gm a tonne to 2 gm. And it costs more and more to take that out. Environmental concerns have also contributed to mine owners' problems. The wages of miners are going up; so is the cost of providing them safety and security.
Emerging economies such as China and India are accumulating gold: China has 1,054 tonnes and India 565 tonnes. No wonder, as emerging economic superpowers, China and India want to add to their reserves. Industrial use of gold is on the rise the world over. With the US economy still drifting with the threat of the dollar losing its undisputed position of reserve currency, the rush to gold is increasing.
Added to all this is the rekindled investor preference for gold. Money is moving away from mutual funds and equities and the once fashionable and often discredited hedge funds are also getting into gold. Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are channelling ever more funds to gold. Some pension funds are increasing the proportion of gold in their basket of assets. Given all this, gold can go nowhere but up. That is the consensus.
Everyone seems to be joining the new gold rush. But is everything well with gold? Or is it a bubble building up?
Consider the conventional wisdom. Money generally gets distributed, though not in any fixed proportion, among assets stocks, cash, government securities, gold, investments in factories and equilibrium in a global economy, across geographical boundaries.  As long as the flow and the increase in returns are consistent, everyone rushes to the same destination. Excess demand, though often artificial, creates excess supply, as in the case of real estate.
Excess supply leads to price crashes. Is something similar happening in gold? The general consensus is 'no'. Gold is different. It has never let anyone down in 5,000 years. It is indestructible. Its supply is limited. The argument in the case of gold is that excess demand cannot create excess supply as the total world supply is limited. But this time it is different. Is it really so? Gold has also gone up and down in the past. It was $424 an ounce in 1990 before crashing to $255 in 2001. Still, it moves only within a range and huge fluctuations are not possible in gold, argue some people. Actually, gold gave much better returns in the 1980s, only to stagnate and lose those gains in the 1990s.
A crash of gold prices could be the ultimate crash, nothing like we have seen. No one has managed to discredit the yellow metal in 5,000 years. But it appears that for the first time in history the ETFs, the hedge funds and the governments are about to do the undoable. The fact that it has not already happened is no guarantee that it will not happen. Look at all the easy money coming into gold. All those who have shifted money from real estate, mutual funds, pension funds, hedge funds and stocks are pouring it into gold. Gold ETFs are the fastest growing investment vehicles today. This is all real quick money, but can evaporate at the click of a key. Of course, governments such as China and India are also betting on gold and increasing their reserves. But then whoever said governments can make no mistakes?
The intrinsic value of gold has not gone up from $255 to $1,424 in 10 years. Gold is not consumed heavily like oil or grain. Industrial use of gold is limited. Gold is the most recycled commodity. Of the annual production of 2,500 tonnes, about 50 per cent goes to make jewellery and it is almost entirely recycled. The rest goes to industrial and other uses, and even here the recycling rate is high. In other words, all that demand is artificial and can be deflated in no time. There is no need to have excess supply to lead to a price crash, unlike other products. The sheer fact that gold is only a hedge instrument and does not serve any practical use by itself will negate the 'there-is-new-supply' theory. Someone somewhere is watching for the perfect moment to disgorge the hoard, to create sudden panic and buy up following a crash.
There is no sign that a crash is going to come tomorrow, or for that matter next year or the year after. It may still go up for two or five or even 10 years. But crash it will, if we are to go by the economic history of boom and bust. Also, the higher it goes and the longer it stays there, the more painful the crash is going to be, especially for India. Indians sit on an estimated 18,000 tonnes. India has always had the largest gold reserve with individuals. Imagine what will happen to millions of Indians if gold were to crash. A crash of gold will be the crash of the Indian economy.
That should make us more responsible. That makes it imperative for our economists to track gold movement. That makes it important for our financial wizards to prevent a bubble in gold. That should force us to act before it happens. Never in history have we had so much idle money chasing so little gold. Gold is losing its respect as the default and fail-safe asset class and becoming a speculative instrument. This shift of gold from being an item of passive wealth to an instrument of speculation is dangerous. Gold is being talked up by crafty speculators and unsuspecting governments. And these predictions are being made by those sitting on gold worth billions of dollars bought at yesterday's prices.

Directions: Choose the word, which is most similar in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.

Consumed

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

The price of gold has gone up from $256 an ounce in 2001 to $1,424. Meanwhile, price levels have struggled or crashed with respect to almost all other asset classes. Central banks have slashed interest rates. Yet, gold prices, it has been predicted, may go up and up. The many reasons for this renewed love are convincing. Interestingly, not long ago, pundits had predicted the end of gold as the world's default asset class and were clubbing it with commodities. It appears that the yellow metal is making a comeback to reassert the pre-eminence it has enjoyed for 5,000 years of history.
Its supply is falling. No new mines have been discovered. The existing ones are getting exhausted, and miners are digging as deep as 5 km. Gold content in ore has come down from almost 12 gm a tonne to 2 gm. And it costs more and more to take that out. Environmental concerns have also contributed to mine owners' problems. The wages of miners are going up; so is the cost of providing them safety and security.
Emerging economies such as China and India are accumulating gold: China has 1,054 tonnes and India 565 tonnes. No wonder, as emerging economic superpowers, China and India want to add to their reserves. Industrial use of gold is on the rise the world over. With the US economy still drifting with the threat of the dollar losing its undisputed position of reserve currency, the rush to gold is increasing.
Added to all this is the rekindled investor preference for gold. Money is moving away from mutual funds and equities and the once fashionable and often discredited hedge funds are also getting into gold. Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are channelling ever more funds to gold. Some pension funds are increasing the proportion of gold in their basket of assets. Given all this, gold can go nowhere but up. That is the consensus.
Everyone seems to be joining the new gold rush. But is everything well with gold? Or is it a bubble building up?
Consider the conventional wisdom. Money generally gets distributed, though not in any fixed proportion, among assets stocks, cash, government securities, gold, investments in factories and equilibrium in a global economy, across geographical boundaries.  As long as the flow and the increase in returns are consistent, everyone rushes to the same destination. Excess demand, though often artificial, creates excess supply, as in the case of real estate.
Excess supply leads to price crashes. Is something similar happening in gold? The general consensus is 'no'. Gold is different. It has never let anyone down in 5,000 years. It is indestructible. Its supply is limited. The argument in the case of gold is that excess demand cannot create excess supply as the total world supply is limited. But this time it is different. Is it really so? Gold has also gone up and down in the past. It was $424 an ounce in 1990 before crashing to $255 in 2001. Still, it moves only within a range and huge fluctuations are not possible in gold, argue some people. Actually, gold gave much better returns in the 1980s, only to stagnate and lose those gains in the 1990s.
A crash of gold prices could be the ultimate crash, nothing like we have seen. No one has managed to discredit the yellow metal in 5,000 years. But it appears that for the first time in history the ETFs, the hedge funds and the governments are about to do the undoable. The fact that it has not already happened is no guarantee that it will not happen. Look at all the easy money coming into gold. All those who have shifted money from real estate, mutual funds, pension funds, hedge funds and stocks are pouring it into gold. Gold ETFs are the fastest growing investment vehicles today. This is all real quick money, but can evaporate at the click of a key. Of course, governments such as China and India are also betting on gold and increasing their reserves. But then whoever said governments can make no mistakes?
The intrinsic value of gold has not gone up from $255 to $1,424 in 10 years. Gold is not consumed heavily like oil or grain. Industrial use of gold is limited. Gold is the most recycled commodity. Of the annual production of 2,500 tonnes, about 50 per cent goes to make jewellery and it is almost entirely recycled. The rest goes to industrial and other uses, and even here the recycling rate is high. In other words, all that demand is artificial and can be deflated in no time. There is no need to have excess supply to lead to a price crash, unlike other products. The sheer fact that gold is only a hedge instrument and does not serve any practical use by itself will negate the 'there-is-new-supply' theory. Someone somewhere is watching for the perfect moment to disgorge the hoard, to create sudden panic and buy up following a crash.
There is no sign that a crash is going to come tomorrow, or for that matter next year or the year after. It may still go up for two or five or even 10 years. But crash it will, if we are to go by the economic history of boom and bust. Also, the higher it goes and the longer it stays there, the more painful the crash is going to be, especially for India. Indians sit on an estimated 18,000 tonnes. India has always had the largest gold reserve with individuals. Imagine what will happen to millions of Indians if gold were to crash. A crash of gold will be the crash of the Indian economy.
That should make us more responsible. That makes it imperative for our economists to track gold movement. That makes it important for our financial wizards to prevent a bubble in gold. That should force us to act before it happens. Never in history have we had so much idle money chasing so little gold. Gold is losing its respect as the default and fail-safe asset class and becoming a speculative instrument. This shift of gold from being an item of passive wealth to an instrument of speculation is dangerous. Gold is being talked up by crafty speculators and unsuspecting governments. And these predictions are being made by those sitting on gold worth billions of dollars bought at yesterday's prices.

Which of the following is/are the general opinions about gold?
A. Its supply, although limited, will be able to meet its demand.
B. The price of gold will keep on increasing.
C. It is the best investment at present.

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

The price of gold has gone up from $256 an ounce in 2001 to $1,424. Meanwhile, price levels have struggled or crashed with respect to almost all other asset classes. Central banks have slashed interest rates. Yet, gold prices, it has been predicted, may go up and up. The many reasons for this renewed love are convincing. Interestingly, not long ago, pundits had predicted the end of gold as the world's default asset class and were clubbing it with commodities. It appears that the yellow metal is making a comeback to reassert the pre-eminence it has enjoyed for 5,000 years of history.
Its supply is falling. No new mines have been discovered. The existing ones are getting exhausted, and miners are digging as deep as 5 km. Gold content in ore has come down from almost 12 gm a tonne to 2 gm. And it costs more and more to take that out. Environmental concerns have also contributed to mine owners' problems. The wages of miners are going up; so is the cost of providing them safety and security.
Emerging economies such as China and India are accumulating gold: China has 1,054 tonnes and India 565 tonnes. No wonder, as emerging economic superpowers, China and India want to add to their reserves. Industrial use of gold is on the rise the world over. With the US economy still drifting with the threat of the dollar losing its undisputed position of reserve currency, the rush to gold is increasing.
Added to all this is the rekindled investor preference for gold. Money is moving away from mutual funds and equities and the once fashionable and often discredited hedge funds are also getting into gold. Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are channelling ever more funds to gold. Some pension funds are increasing the proportion of gold in their basket of assets. Given all this, gold can go nowhere but up. That is the consensus.
Everyone seems to be joining the new gold rush. But is everything well with gold? Or is it a bubble building up?
Consider the conventional wisdom. Money generally gets distributed, though not in any fixed proportion, among assets stocks, cash, government securities, gold, investments in factories and equilibrium in a global economy, across geographical boundaries.  As long as the flow and the increase in returns are consistent, everyone rushes to the same destination. Excess demand, though often artificial, creates excess supply, as in the case of real estate.
Excess supply leads to price crashes. Is something similar happening in gold? The general consensus is 'no'. Gold is different. It has never let anyone down in 5,000 years. It is indestructible. Its supply is limited. The argument in the case of gold is that excess demand cannot create excess supply as the total world supply is limited. But this time it is different. Is it really so? Gold has also gone up and down in the past. It was $424 an ounce in 1990 before crashing to $255 in 2001. Still, it moves only within a range and huge fluctuations are not possible in gold, argue some people. Actually, gold gave much better returns in the 1980s, only to stagnate and lose those gains in the 1990s.
A crash of gold prices could be the ultimate crash, nothing like we have seen. No one has managed to discredit the yellow metal in 5,000 years. But it appears that for the first time in history the ETFs, the hedge funds and the governments are about to do the undoable. The fact that it has not already happened is no guarantee that it will not happen. Look at all the easy money coming into gold. All those who have shifted money from real estate, mutual funds, pension funds, hedge funds and stocks are pouring it into gold. Gold ETFs are the fastest growing investment vehicles today. This is all real quick money, but can evaporate at the click of a key. Of course, governments such as China and India are also betting on gold and increasing their reserves. But then whoever said governments can make no mistakes?
The intrinsic value of gold has not gone up from $255 to $1,424 in 10 years. Gold is not consumed heavily like oil or grain. Industrial use of gold is limited. Gold is the most recycled commodity. Of the annual production of 2,500 tonnes, about 50 per cent goes to make jewellery and it is almost entirely recycled. The rest goes to industrial and other uses, and even here the recycling rate is high. In other words, all that demand is artificial and can be deflated in no time. There is no need to have excess supply to lead to a price crash, unlike other products. The sheer fact that gold is only a hedge instrument and does not serve any practical use by itself will negate the 'there-is-new-supply' theory. Someone somewhere is watching for the perfect moment to disgorge the hoard, to create sudden panic and buy up following a crash.
There is no sign that a crash is going to come tomorrow, or for that matter next year or the year after. It may still go up for two or five or even 10 years. But crash it will, if we are to go by the economic history of boom and bust. Also, the higher it goes and the longer it stays there, the more painful the crash is going to be, especially for India. Indians sit on an estimated 18,000 tonnes. India has always had the largest gold reserve with individuals. Imagine what will happen to millions of Indians if gold were to crash. A crash of gold will be the crash of the Indian economy.
That should make us more responsible. That makes it imperative for our economists to track gold movement. That makes it important for our financial wizards to prevent a bubble in gold. That should force us to act before it happens. Never in history have we had so much idle money chasing so little gold. Gold is losing its respect as the default and fail-safe asset class and becoming a speculative instrument. This shift of gold from being an item of passive wealth to an instrument of speculation is dangerous. Gold is being talked up by crafty speculators and unsuspecting governments. And these predictions are being made by those sitting on gold worth billions of dollars bought at yesterday's prices.

Directions: Choose the word/group of words which is most opposite in meaning of the word/group of words printed in bold as used in the passage.

Distributed

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

The price of gold has gone up from $256 an ounce in 2001 to $1,424. Meanwhile, price levels have struggled or crashed with respect to almost all other asset classes. Central banks have slashed interest rates. Yet, gold prices, it has been predicted, may go up and up. The many reasons for this renewed love are convincing. Interestingly, not long ago, pundits had predicted the end of gold as the world's default asset class and were clubbing it with commodities. It appears that the yellow metal is making a comeback to reassert the pre-eminence it has enjoyed for 5,000 years of history.
Its supply is falling. No new mines have been discovered. The existing ones are getting exhausted, and miners are digging as deep as 5 km. Gold content in ore has come down from almost 12 gm a tonne to 2 gm. And it costs more and more to take that out. Environmental concerns have also contributed to mine owners' problems. The wages of miners are going up; so is the cost of providing them safety and security.
Emerging economies such as China and India are accumulating gold: China has 1,054 tonnes and India 565 tonnes. No wonder, as emerging economic superpowers, China and India want to add to their reserves. Industrial use of gold is on the rise the world over. With the US economy still drifting with the threat of the dollar losing its undisputed position of reserve currency, the rush to gold is increasing.
Added to all this is the rekindled investor preference for gold. Money is moving away from mutual funds and equities and the once fashionable and often discredited hedge funds are also getting into gold. Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are channelling ever more funds to gold. Some pension funds are increasing the proportion of gold in their basket of assets. Given all this, gold can go nowhere but up. That is the consensus.
Everyone seems to be joining the new gold rush. But is everything well with gold? Or is it a bubble building up?
Consider the conventional wisdom. Money generally gets distributed, though not in any fixed proportion, among assets stocks, cash, government securities, gold, investments in factories and equilibrium in a global economy, across geographical boundaries.  As long as the flow and the increase in returns are consistent, everyone rushes to the same destination. Excess demand, though often artificial, creates excess supply, as in the case of real estate.
Excess supply leads to price crashes. Is something similar happening in gold? The general consensus is 'no'. Gold is different. It has never let anyone down in 5,000 years. It is indestructible. Its supply is limited. The argument in the case of gold is that excess demand cannot create excess supply as the total world supply is limited. But this time it is different. Is it really so? Gold has also gone up and down in the past. It was $424 an ounce in 1990 before crashing to $255 in 2001. Still, it moves only within a range and huge fluctuations are not possible in gold, argue some people. Actually, gold gave much better returns in the 1980s, only to stagnate and lose those gains in the 1990s.
A crash of gold prices could be the ultimate crash, nothing like we have seen. No one has managed to discredit the yellow metal in 5,000 years. But it appears that for the first time in history the ETFs, the hedge funds and the governments are about to do the undoable. The fact that it has not already happened is no guarantee that it will not happen. Look at all the easy money coming into gold. All those who have shifted money from real estate, mutual funds, pension funds, hedge funds and stocks are pouring it into gold. Gold ETFs are the fastest growing investment vehicles today. This is all real quick money, but can evaporate at the click of a key. Of course, governments such as China and India are also betting on gold and increasing their reserves. But then whoever said governments can make no mistakes?
The intrinsic value of gold has not gone up from $255 to $1,424 in 10 years. Gold is not consumed heavily like oil or grain. Industrial use of gold is limited. Gold is the most recycled commodity. Of the annual production of 2,500 tonnes, about 50 per cent goes to make jewellery and it is almost entirely recycled. The rest goes to industrial and other uses, and even here the recycling rate is high. In other words, all that demand is artificial and can be deflated in no time. There is no need to have excess supply to lead to a price crash, unlike other products. The sheer fact that gold is only a hedge instrument and does not serve any practical use by itself will negate the 'there-is-new-supply' theory. Someone somewhere is watching for the perfect moment to disgorge the hoard, to create sudden panic and buy up following a crash.
There is no sign that a crash is going to come tomorrow, or for that matter next year or the year after. It may still go up for two or five or even 10 years. But crash it will, if we are to go by the economic history of boom and bust. Also, the higher it goes and the longer it stays there, the more painful the crash is going to be, especially for India. Indians sit on an estimated 18,000 tonnes. India has always had the largest gold reserve with individuals. Imagine what will happen to millions of Indians if gold were to crash. A crash of gold will be the crash of the Indian economy.
That should make us more responsible. That makes it imperative for our economists to track gold movement. That makes it important for our financial wizards to prevent a bubble in gold. That should force us to act before it happens. Never in history have we had so much idle money chasing so little gold. Gold is losing its respect as the default and fail-safe asset class and becoming a speculative instrument. This shift of gold from being an item of passive wealth to an instrument of speculation is dangerous. Gold is being talked up by crafty speculators and unsuspecting governments. And these predictions are being made by those sitting on gold worth billions of dollars bought at yesterday's prices.

What do we do in our deathbed?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

There was a rich merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4^th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best. 

He also loved the 3^rd wife very much. He's very proud of her and always wanted to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.
He too, loved his 2^nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2^nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times. 

Now, the merchant's 1^st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her. 

One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone. How lonely I'll be!"
Thus, he asked the 4^th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?". "No way!" replied the 4^th wife and she walked away without another word. 

The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's heart. The sad merchant then asked the 3^rd wife, "I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?". "No!" replied the 3^rd wife. "Life is so good over here! I'm going to remarry when you die!" The merchant's heart sank and turned cold. 

He then asked the 2^nd wife, "I always turned to you for help and you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?". "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2^nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated. 

Then a voice called out : "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much better care of you while I could have !"
Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives
a. The 4^th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die. 

b. Our 3^rd wife? Our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others. 

c. The 2^nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave. 

d. The 1^st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure.

What is the meaning of barracks?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

“Piffle and poffle!” cried Mandarin. “You are not a dragon! Everyone can see that you are only a dusty old wanderer. We have no time to give you free meals or to talk politely. Get out of the way.”
And he ran home to the palace and crawled under the bed where he lay shivering.
“ My gallant army,” command the Captain, “follow me!”
He turned and ran to the barracks and all his soldiers followed him. They all hid under their beds and lay there shaking.
The Merchant, The Wise Man, and the Chief of the Workmen fled to their own houses and all the people hurried after them. In a few minutes, the streets were empty except for Han and the little fat old man.
“Well,” said Han, “I don’t think we have much time. The enemy will be here soon. I don’t know whether you are a dragon or not, but if you are hungry and thirsty, please do me the honour of coming into my humble house.”
With a low bow, he showed the old man the way into his tiny hut.There, he gave him the bowl of rice and the cup of wine, which were all he had.
The old man ate and drank. Then he stood up.
“I don’t think much of the people of Wu,” he said, “but for your sake I will save the city.”
He went out to the gate. The Wild Horsemen were very close. There wore fur caps and the skins of tigers. They shot arrows at the city as they rode hard on their shaggy horses.
The little fat man puffed out his checks.He blew a long breath. The sky grew dark and lightning sizzled from the clouds to the earth. A great wind arose. It caught the Wild Horsemen and blew them far and wide. Those who escaped turned and galloped madly away through the storm.
The sky cleared. The sun shone again. The plain was empty.
The little fat man said, “Now I will show you what a dragon looks like.”
He sprang up into the air and his form changed. He grew taller than the tallest tree, taller than the tallest tower. He was the colour of sunset shining through rain. Scales covered him, scattering light. His claws and teeth glittered like diamonds. His eyes were noble like those of a proud horse. He was more beautiful and more frightening than anything Han had ever seen.
He flew high, roaring, and vanished into the deep sky. Han gave a long sigh and went to tell the Mandarin what had happened.
The people of the city crowded around to hear the tale. They could see for themselves that the enemy had vanished. They cheered Han, pinned medals on him, gave him many gold pieces, and from that day on called him “The Honourable Defender of the city.”

What is the meaning of humble in context to the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

“Piffle and poffle!” cried Mandarin. “You are not a dragon! Everyone can see that you are only a dusty old wanderer. We have no time to give you free meals or to talk politely. Get out of the way.”
And he ran home to the palace and crawled under the bed where he lay shivering.
“ My gallant army,” command the Captain, “follow me!”
He turned and ran to the barracks and all his soldiers followed him. They all hid under their beds and lay there shaking.
The Merchant, The Wise Man, and the Chief of the Workmen fled to their own houses and all the people hurried after them. In a few minutes, the streets were empty except for Han and the little fat old man.
“Well,” said Han, “I don’t think we have much time. The enemy will be here soon. I don’t know whether you are a dragon or not, but if you are hungry and thirsty, please do me the honour of coming into my humble house.”
With a low bow, he showed the old man the way into his tiny hut.There, he gave him the bowl of rice and the cup of wine, which were all he had.
The old man ate and drank. Then he stood up.
“I don’t think much of the people of Wu,” he said, “but for your sake I will save the city.”
He went out to the gate. The Wild Horsemen were very close. There wore fur caps and the skins of tigers. They shot arrows at the city as they rode hard on their shaggy horses.
The little fat man puffed out his checks.He blew a long breath. The sky grew dark and lightning sizzled from the clouds to the earth. A great wind arose. It caught the Wild Horsemen and blew them far and wide. Those who escaped turned and galloped madly away through the storm.
The sky cleared. The sun shone again. The plain was empty.
The little fat man said, “Now I will show you what a dragon looks like.”
He sprang up into the air and his form changed. He grew taller than the tallest tree, taller than the tallest tower. He was the colour of sunset shining through rain. Scales covered him, scattering light. His claws and teeth glittered like diamonds. His eyes were noble like those of a proud horse. He was more beautiful and more frightening than anything Han had ever seen.
He flew high, roaring, and vanished into the deep sky. Han gave a long sigh and went to tell the Mandarin what had happened.
The people of the city crowded around to hear the tale. They could see for themselves that the enemy had vanished. They cheered Han, pinned medals on him, gave him many gold pieces, and from that day on called him “The Honourable Defender of the city.”

What did the Merchant, the Wise Man and the Chief of the Workmen do?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

“Piffle and poffle!” cried Mandarin. “You are not a dragon! Everyone can see that you are only a dusty old wanderer. We have no time to give you free meals or to talk politely. Get out of the way.”
And he ran home to the palace and crawled under the bed where he lay shivering.
“ My gallant army,” command the Captain, “follow me!”
He turned and ran to the barracks and all his soldiers followed him. They all hid under their beds and lay there shaking.
The Merchant, The Wise Man, and the Chief of the Workmen fled to their own houses and all the people hurried after them. In a few minutes, the streets were empty except for Han and the little fat old man.
“Well,” said Han, “I don’t think we have much time. The enemy will be here soon. I don’t know whether you are a dragon or not, but if you are hungry and thirsty, please do me the honour of coming into my humble house.”
With a low bow, he showed the old man the way into his tiny hut.There, he gave him the bowl of rice and the cup of wine, which were all he had.
The old man ate and drank. Then he stood up.
“I don’t think much of the people of Wu,” he said, “but for your sake I will save the city.”
He went out to the gate. The Wild Horsemen were very close. There wore fur caps and the skins of tigers. They shot arrows at the city as they rode hard on their shaggy horses.
The little fat man puffed out his checks.He blew a long breath. The sky grew dark and lightning sizzled from the clouds to the earth. A great wind arose. It caught the Wild Horsemen and blew them far and wide. Those who escaped turned and galloped madly away through the storm.
The sky cleared. The sun shone again. The plain was empty.
The little fat man said, “Now I will show you what a dragon looks like.”
He sprang up into the air and his form changed. He grew taller than the tallest tree, taller than the tallest tower. He was the colour of sunset shining through rain. Scales covered him, scattering light. His claws and teeth glittered like diamonds. His eyes were noble like those of a proud horse. He was more beautiful and more frightening than anything Han had ever seen.
He flew high, roaring, and vanished into the deep sky. Han gave a long sigh and went to tell the Mandarin what had happened.
The people of the city crowded around to hear the tale. They could see for themselves that the enemy had vanished. They cheered Han, pinned medals on him, gave him many gold pieces, and from that day on called him “The Honourable Defender of the city.”

What is the meaning of galloped?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

“Piffle and poffle!” cried Mandarin. “You are not a dragon! Everyone can see that you are only a dusty old wanderer. We have no time to give you free meals or to talk politely. Get out of the way.”
And he ran home to the palace and crawled under the bed where he lay shivering.
“ My gallant army,” command the Captain, “follow me!”
He turned and ran to the barracks and all his soldiers followed him. They all hid under their beds and lay there shaking.
The Merchant, The Wise Man, and the Chief of the Workmen fled to their own houses and all the people hurried after them. In a few minutes, the streets were empty except for Han and the little fat old man.
“Well,” said Han, “I don’t think we have much time. The enemy will be here soon. I don’t know whether you are a dragon or not, but if you are hungry and thirsty, please do me the honour of coming into my humble house.”
With a low bow, he showed the old man the way into his tiny hut.There, he gave him the bowl of rice and the cup of wine, which were all he had.
The old man ate and drank. Then he stood up.
“I don’t think much of the people of Wu,” he said, “but for your sake I will save the city.”
He went out to the gate. The Wild Horsemen were very close. There wore fur caps and the skins of tigers. They shot arrows at the city as they rode hard on their shaggy horses.
The little fat man puffed out his checks.He blew a long breath. The sky grew dark and lightning sizzled from the clouds to the earth. A great wind arose. It caught the Wild Horsemen and blew them far and wide. Those who escaped turned and galloped madly away through the storm.
The sky cleared. The sun shone again. The plain was empty.
The little fat man said, “Now I will show you what a dragon looks like.”
He sprang up into the air and his form changed. He grew taller than the tallest tree, taller than the tallest tower. He was the colour of sunset shining through rain. Scales covered him, scattering light. His claws and teeth glittered like diamonds. His eyes were noble like those of a proud horse. He was more beautiful and more frightening than anything Han had ever seen.
He flew high, roaring, and vanished into the deep sky. Han gave a long sigh and went to tell the Mandarin what had happened.
The people of the city crowded around to hear the tale. They could see for themselves that the enemy had vanished. They cheered Han, pinned medals on him, gave him many gold pieces, and from that day on called him “The Honourable Defender of the city.”

How did the wild horsemen come?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

“Piffle and poffle!” cried Mandarin. “You are not a dragon! Everyone can see that you are only a dusty old wanderer. We have no time to give you free meals or to talk politely. Get out of the way.”
And he ran home to the palace and crawled under the bed where he lay shivering.
“ My gallant army,” command the Captain, “follow me!”
He turned and ran to the barracks and all his soldiers followed him. They all hid under their beds and lay there shaking.
The Merchant, The Wise Man, and the Chief of the Workmen fled to their own houses and all the people hurried after them. In a few minutes, the streets were empty except for Han and the little fat old man.
“Well,” said Han, “I don’t think we have much time. The enemy will be here soon. I don’t know whether you are a dragon or not, but if you are hungry and thirsty, please do me the honour of coming into my humble house.”
With a low bow, he showed the old man the way into his tiny hut.There, he gave him the bowl of rice and the cup of wine, which were all he had.
The old man ate and drank. Then he stood up.
“I don’t think much of the people of Wu,” he said, “but for your sake I will save the city.”
He went out to the gate. The Wild Horsemen were very close. There wore fur caps and the skins of tigers. They shot arrows at the city as they rode hard on their shaggy horses.
The little fat man puffed out his checks.He blew a long breath. The sky grew dark and lightning sizzled from the clouds to the earth. A great wind arose. It caught the Wild Horsemen and blew them far and wide. Those who escaped turned and galloped madly away through the storm.
The sky cleared. The sun shone again. The plain was empty.
The little fat man said, “Now I will show you what a dragon looks like.”
He sprang up into the air and his form changed. He grew taller than the tallest tree, taller than the tallest tower. He was the colour of sunset shining through rain. Scales covered him, scattering light. His claws and teeth glittered like diamonds. His eyes were noble like those of a proud horse. He was more beautiful and more frightening than anything Han had ever seen.
He flew high, roaring, and vanished into the deep sky. Han gave a long sigh and went to tell the Mandarin what had happened.
The people of the city crowded around to hear the tale. They could see for themselves that the enemy had vanished. They cheered Han, pinned medals on him, gave him many gold pieces, and from that day on called him “The Honourable Defender of the city.”

What is the meaning of wanderer in context to the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

“Piffle and poffle!” cried Mandarin. “You are not a dragon! Everyone can see that you are only a dusty old wanderer. We have no time to give you free meals or to talk politely. Get out of the way.”
And he ran home to the palace and crawled under the bed where he lay shivering.
“ My gallant army,” command the Captain, “follow me!”
He turned and ran to the barracks and all his soldiers followed him. They all hid under their beds and lay there shaking.
The Merchant, The Wise Man, and the Chief of the Workmen fled to their own houses and all the people hurried after them. In a few minutes, the streets were empty except for Han and the little fat old man.
“Well,” said Han, “I don’t think we have much time. The enemy will be here soon. I don’t know whether you are a dragon or not, but if you are hungry and thirsty, please do me the honour of coming into my humble house.”
With a low bow, he showed the old man the way into his tiny hut.There, he gave him the bowl of rice and the cup of wine, which were all he had.
The old man ate and drank. Then he stood up.
“I don’t think much of the people of Wu,” he said, “but for your sake I will save the city.”
He went out to the gate. The Wild Horsemen were very close. There wore fur caps and the skins of tigers. They shot arrows at the city as they rode hard on their shaggy horses.
The little fat man puffed out his checks.He blew a long breath. The sky grew dark and lightning sizzled from the clouds to the earth. A great wind arose. It caught the Wild Horsemen and blew them far and wide. Those who escaped turned and galloped madly away through the storm.
The sky cleared. The sun shone again. The plain was empty.
The little fat man said, “Now I will show you what a dragon looks like.”
He sprang up into the air and his form changed. He grew taller than the tallest tree, taller than the tallest tower. He was the colour of sunset shining through rain. Scales covered him, scattering light. His claws and teeth glittered like diamonds. His eyes were noble like those of a proud horse. He was more beautiful and more frightening than anything Han had ever seen.
He flew high, roaring, and vanished into the deep sky. Han gave a long sigh and went to tell the Mandarin what had happened.
The people of the city crowded around to hear the tale. They could see for themselves that the enemy had vanished. They cheered Han, pinned medals on him, gave him many gold pieces, and from that day on called him “The Honourable Defender of the city.”

What did the city crowd call Han?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

“Piffle and poffle!” cried Mandarin. “You are not a dragon! Everyone can see that you are only a dusty old wanderer. We have no time to give you free meals or to talk politely. Get out of the way.”
And he ran home to the palace and crawled under the bed where he lay shivering.
“ My gallant army,” command the Captain, “follow me!”
He turned and ran to the barracks and all his soldiers followed him. They all hid under their beds and lay there shaking.
The Merchant, The Wise Man, and the Chief of the Workmen fled to their own houses and all the people hurried after them. In a few minutes, the streets were empty except for Han and the little fat old man.
“Well,” said Han, “I don’t think we have much time. The enemy will be here soon. I don’t know whether you are a dragon or not, but if you are hungry and thirsty, please do me the honour of coming into my humble house.”
With a low bow, he showed the old man the way into his tiny hut.There, he gave him the bowl of rice and the cup of wine, which were all he had.
The old man ate and drank. Then he stood up.
“I don’t think much of the people of Wu,” he said, “but for your sake I will save the city.”
He went out to the gate. The Wild Horsemen were very close. There wore fur caps and the skins of tigers. They shot arrows at the city as they rode hard on their shaggy horses.
The little fat man puffed out his checks.He blew a long breath. The sky grew dark and lightning sizzled from the clouds to the earth. A great wind arose. It caught the Wild Horsemen and blew them far and wide. Those who escaped turned and galloped madly away through the storm.
The sky cleared. The sun shone again. The plain was empty.
The little fat man said, “Now I will show you what a dragon looks like.”
He sprang up into the air and his form changed. He grew taller than the tallest tree, taller than the tallest tower. He was the colour of sunset shining through rain. Scales covered him, scattering light. His claws and teeth glittered like diamonds. His eyes were noble like those of a proud horse. He was more beautiful and more frightening than anything Han had ever seen.
He flew high, roaring, and vanished into the deep sky. Han gave a long sigh and went to tell the Mandarin what had happened.
The people of the city crowded around to hear the tale. They could see for themselves that the enemy had vanished. They cheered Han, pinned medals on him, gave him many gold pieces, and from that day on called him “The Honourable Defender of the city.”

What is the moral of this story?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

There was a rich merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4^th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best. 

He also loved the 3^rd wife very much. He's very proud of her and always wanted to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.
He too, loved his 2^nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2^nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times. 

Now, the merchant's 1^st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her. 

One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone. How lonely I'll be!"
Thus, he asked the 4^th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?". "No way!" replied the 4^th wife and she walked away without another word. 

The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's heart. The sad merchant then asked the 3^rd wife, "I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?". "No!" replied the 3^rd wife. "Life is so good over here! I'm going to remarry when you die!" The merchant's heart sank and turned cold. 

He then asked the 2^nd wife, "I always turned to you for help and you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?". "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2^nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated. 

Then a voice called out : "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much better care of you while I could have !"
Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives
a. The 4^th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die. 

b. Our 3^rd wife? Our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others. 

c. The 2^nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave. 

d. The 1^st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure.

What is the meaning of piffle?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

“Piffle and poffle!” cried Mandarin. “You are not a dragon! Everyone can see that you are only a dusty old wanderer. We have no time to give you free meals or to talk politely. Get out of the way.”
And he ran home to the palace and crawled under the bed where he lay shivering.
“ My gallant army,” command the Captain, “follow me!”
He turned and ran to the barracks and all his soldiers followed him. They all hid under their beds and lay there shaking.
The Merchant, The Wise Man, and the Chief of the Workmen fled to their own houses and all the people hurried after them. In a few minutes, the streets were empty except for Han and the little fat old man.
“Well,” said Han, “I don’t think we have much time. The enemy will be here soon. I don’t know whether you are a dragon or not, but if you are hungry and thirsty, please do me the honour of coming into my humble house.”
With a low bow, he showed the old man the way into his tiny hut.There, he gave him the bowl of rice and the cup of wine, which were all he had.
The old man ate and drank. Then he stood up.
“I don’t think much of the people of Wu,” he said, “but for your sake I will save the city.”
He went out to the gate. The Wild Horsemen were very close. There wore fur caps and the skins of tigers. They shot arrows at the city as they rode hard on their shaggy horses.
The little fat man puffed out his checks.He blew a long breath. The sky grew dark and lightning sizzled from the clouds to the earth. A great wind arose. It caught the Wild Horsemen and blew them far and wide. Those who escaped turned and galloped madly away through the storm.
The sky cleared. The sun shone again. The plain was empty.
The little fat man said, “Now I will show you what a dragon looks like.”
He sprang up into the air and his form changed. He grew taller than the tallest tree, taller than the tallest tower. He was the colour of sunset shining through rain. Scales covered him, scattering light. His claws and teeth glittered like diamonds. His eyes were noble like those of a proud horse. He was more beautiful and more frightening than anything Han had ever seen.
He flew high, roaring, and vanished into the deep sky. Han gave a long sigh and went to tell the Mandarin what had happened.
The people of the city crowded around to hear the tale. They could see for themselves that the enemy had vanished. They cheered Han, pinned medals on him, gave him many gold pieces, and from that day on called him “The Honourable Defender of the city.”

What should one do to the soul?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

There was a rich merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4^th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best. 

He also loved the 3^rd wife very much. He's very proud of her and always wanted to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.
He too, loved his 2^nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2^nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times. 

Now, the merchant's 1^st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her. 

One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone. How lonely I'll be!"
Thus, he asked the 4^th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?". "No way!" replied the 4^th wife and she walked away without another word. 

The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's heart. The sad merchant then asked the 3^rd wife, "I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?". "No!" replied the 3^rd wife. "Life is so good over here! I'm going to remarry when you die!" The merchant's heart sank and turned cold. 

He then asked the 2^nd wife, "I always turned to you for help and you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?". "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2^nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated. 

Then a voice called out : "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much better care of you while I could have !"
Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives
a. The 4^th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die. 

b. Our 3^rd wife? Our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others. 

c. The 2^nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave. 

d. The 1^st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure.

What is the meaning of puffed in context to the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

“Piffle and poffle!” cried Mandarin. “You are not a dragon! Everyone can see that you are only a dusty old wanderer. We have no time to give you free meals or to talk politely. Get out of the way.”
And he ran home to the palace and crawled under the bed where he lay shivering.
“ My gallant army,” command the Captain, “follow me!”
He turned and ran to the barracks and all his soldiers followed him. They all hid under their beds and lay there shaking.
The Merchant, The Wise Man, and the Chief of the Workmen fled to their own houses and all the people hurried after them. In a few minutes, the streets were empty except for Han and the little fat old man.
“Well,” said Han, “I don’t think we have much time. The enemy will be here soon. I don’t know whether you are a dragon or not, but if you are hungry and thirsty, please do me the honour of coming into my humble house.”
With a low bow, he showed the old man the way into his tiny hut.There, he gave him the bowl of rice and the cup of wine, which were all he had.
The old man ate and drank. Then he stood up.
“I don’t think much of the people of Wu,” he said, “but for your sake I will save the city.”
He went out to the gate. The Wild Horsemen were very close. There wore fur caps and the skins of tigers. They shot arrows at the city as they rode hard on their shaggy horses.
The little fat man puffed out his checks.He blew a long breath. The sky grew dark and lightning sizzled from the clouds to the earth. A great wind arose. It caught the Wild Horsemen and blew them far and wide. Those who escaped turned and galloped madly away through the storm.
The sky cleared. The sun shone again. The plain was empty.
The little fat man said, “Now I will show you what a dragon looks like.”
He sprang up into the air and his form changed. He grew taller than the tallest tree, taller than the tallest tower. He was the colour of sunset shining through rain. Scales covered him, scattering light. His claws and teeth glittered like diamonds. His eyes were noble like those of a proud horse. He was more beautiful and more frightening than anything Han had ever seen.
He flew high, roaring, and vanished into the deep sky. Han gave a long sigh and went to tell the Mandarin what had happened.
The people of the city crowded around to hear the tale. They could see for themselves that the enemy had vanished. They cheered Han, pinned medals on him, gave him many gold pieces, and from that day on called him “The Honourable Defender of the city.”

What did the captain and his soldiers do?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

“Piffle and poffle!” cried Mandarin. “You are not a dragon! Everyone can see that you are only a dusty old wanderer. We have no time to give you free meals or to talk politely. Get out of the way.”
And he ran home to the palace and crawled under the bed where he lay shivering.
“ My gallant army,” command the Captain, “follow me!”
He turned and ran to the barracks and all his soldiers followed him. They all hid under their beds and lay there shaking.
The Merchant, The Wise Man, and the Chief of the Workmen fled to their own houses and all the people hurried after them. In a few minutes, the streets were empty except for Han and the little fat old man.
“Well,” said Han, “I don’t think we have much time. The enemy will be here soon. I don’t know whether you are a dragon or not, but if you are hungry and thirsty, please do me the honour of coming into my humble house.”
With a low bow, he showed the old man the way into his tiny hut.There, he gave him the bowl of rice and the cup of wine, which were all he had.
The old man ate and drank. Then he stood up.
“I don’t think much of the people of Wu,” he said, “but for your sake I will save the city.”
He went out to the gate. The Wild Horsemen were very close. There wore fur caps and the skins of tigers. They shot arrows at the city as they rode hard on their shaggy horses.
The little fat man puffed out his checks.He blew a long breath. The sky grew dark and lightning sizzled from the clouds to the earth. A great wind arose. It caught the Wild Horsemen and blew them far and wide. Those who escaped turned and galloped madly away through the storm.
The sky cleared. The sun shone again. The plain was empty.
The little fat man said, “Now I will show you what a dragon looks like.”
He sprang up into the air and his form changed. He grew taller than the tallest tree, taller than the tallest tower. He was the colour of sunset shining through rain. Scales covered him, scattering light. His claws and teeth glittered like diamonds. His eyes were noble like those of a proud horse. He was more beautiful and more frightening than anything Han had ever seen.
He flew high, roaring, and vanished into the deep sky. Han gave a long sigh and went to tell the Mandarin what had happened.
The people of the city crowded around to hear the tale. They could see for themselves that the enemy had vanished. They cheered Han, pinned medals on him, gave him many gold pieces, and from that day on called him “The Honourable Defender of the city.”

What is the meaning of shot in context to the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

“Piffle and poffle!” cried Mandarin. “You are not a dragon! Everyone can see that you are only a dusty old wanderer. We have no time to give you free meals or to talk politely. Get out of the way.”
And he ran home to the palace and crawled under the bed where he lay shivering.
“ My gallant army,” command the Captain, “follow me!”
He turned and ran to the barracks and all his soldiers followed him. They all hid under their beds and lay there shaking.
The Merchant, The Wise Man, and the Chief of the Workmen fled to their own houses and all the people hurried after them. In a few minutes, the streets were empty except for Han and the little fat old man.
“Well,” said Han, “I don’t think we have much time. The enemy will be here soon. I don’t know whether you are a dragon or not, but if you are hungry and thirsty, please do me the honour of coming into my humble house.”
With a low bow, he showed the old man the way into his tiny hut.There, he gave him the bowl of rice and the cup of wine, which were all he had.
The old man ate and drank. Then he stood up.
“I don’t think much of the people of Wu,” he said, “but for your sake I will save the city.”
He went out to the gate. The Wild Horsemen were very close. There wore fur caps and the skins of tigers. They shot arrows at the city as they rode hard on their shaggy horses.
The little fat man puffed out his checks.He blew a long breath. The sky grew dark and lightning sizzled from the clouds to the earth. A great wind arose. It caught the Wild Horsemen and blew them far and wide. Those who escaped turned and galloped madly away through the storm.
The sky cleared. The sun shone again. The plain was empty.
The little fat man said, “Now I will show you what a dragon looks like.”
He sprang up into the air and his form changed. He grew taller than the tallest tree, taller than the tallest tower. He was the colour of sunset shining through rain. Scales covered him, scattering light. His claws and teeth glittered like diamonds. His eyes were noble like those of a proud horse. He was more beautiful and more frightening than anything Han had ever seen.
He flew high, roaring, and vanished into the deep sky. Han gave a long sigh and went to tell the Mandarin what had happened.
The people of the city crowded around to hear the tale. They could see for themselves that the enemy had vanished. They cheered Han, pinned medals on him, gave him many gold pieces, and from that day on called him “The Honourable Defender of the city.”

To what form did the old man change himself?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

“Piffle and poffle!” cried Mandarin. “You are not a dragon! Everyone can see that you are only a dusty old wanderer. We have no time to give you free meals or to talk politely. Get out of the way.”
And he ran home to the palace and crawled under the bed where he lay shivering.
“ My gallant army,” command the Captain, “follow me!”
He turned and ran to the barracks and all his soldiers followed him. They all hid under their beds and lay there shaking.
The Merchant, The Wise Man, and the Chief of the Workmen fled to their own houses and all the people hurried after them. In a few minutes, the streets were empty except for Han and the little fat old man.
“Well,” said Han, “I don’t think we have much time. The enemy will be here soon. I don’t know whether you are a dragon or not, but if you are hungry and thirsty, please do me the honour of coming into my humble house.”
With a low bow, he showed the old man the way into his tiny hut.There, he gave him the bowl of rice and the cup of wine, which were all he had.
The old man ate and drank. Then he stood up.
“I don’t think much of the people of Wu,” he said, “but for your sake I will save the city.”
He went out to the gate. The Wild Horsemen were very close. There wore fur caps and the skins of tigers. They shot arrows at the city as they rode hard on their shaggy horses.
The little fat man puffed out his checks.He blew a long breath. The sky grew dark and lightning sizzled from the clouds to the earth. A great wind arose. It caught the Wild Horsemen and blew them far and wide. Those who escaped turned and galloped madly away through the storm.
The sky cleared. The sun shone again. The plain was empty.
The little fat man said, “Now I will show you what a dragon looks like.”
He sprang up into the air and his form changed. He grew taller than the tallest tree, taller than the tallest tower. He was the colour of sunset shining through rain. Scales covered him, scattering light. His claws and teeth glittered like diamonds. His eyes were noble like those of a proud horse. He was more beautiful and more frightening than anything Han had ever seen.
He flew high, roaring, and vanished into the deep sky. Han gave a long sigh and went to tell the Mandarin what had happened.
The people of the city crowded around to hear the tale. They could see for themselves that the enemy had vanished. They cheered Han, pinned medals on him, gave him many gold pieces, and from that day on called him “The Honourable Defender of the city.”

What is the meaning of gongs in context to the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

“What is the fourth thing?” asked the Mandarin.
The Wise men shrugged. “We can pray to the Great Cloud Dragon to help us.”
“That seems most practical,” said the Mandarin
So the gongs were beaten, and the smoke of sweet incense rose up while everyone in the city prayed.
The next morning, as Han was sweeping the road under the gate, a small, fat man came walking up the hill. He had a long white beard and a shiny baldhead, and he leaned on a long staff
“Goodmorning,”he said
Han bowed.” I hope your honourable stomach is happy sir,” he replied, politely
“Will you take me to the ruler of the city?” said the little fat man.
“I’ll take you to him,” said Han, “but he is very busy this morning. We are expecting the enemy, and the Mandarin is praying to the Great Cloud Dragon for help.”
“I know,” said the little man. “I am the dragon.”
Han opened his eyes very wide. “You don’t look like one,” he said
“How do you know?” asked the little man. “Have you ever seen one?”
“No,” said Han.
“Now that you mention it, I haven’t,”
“Well, then?”
“Well then,” said Han, “please come this way, Honourable Dragon.”
He led the little fat man to the palace. There sat the Mandarin with his councilors. They had just finished a huge bowl of rice and six dozen duck eggs for breakfast and they were drinking their tea.
The Mandarin looked at the little fat man with a frown.
“Who is this person and why have you brought him here?” he asked Han.
“Sir,” said Han, “he is a dragon.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” said the Mandarin. “He’s a fat man who is tracking dirt on my fine carpets. What do you want here, old man?”

What is the meaning of shivering in context to the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

“Piffle and poffle!” cried Mandarin. “You are not a dragon! Everyone can see that you are only a dusty old wanderer. We have no time to give you free meals or to talk politely. Get out of the way.”
And he ran home to the palace and crawled under the bed where he lay shivering.
“ My gallant army,” command the Captain, “follow me!”
He turned and ran to the barracks and all his soldiers followed him. They all hid under their beds and lay there shaking.
The Merchant, The Wise Man, and the Chief of the Workmen fled to their own houses and all the people hurried after them. In a few minutes, the streets were empty except for Han and the little fat old man.
“Well,” said Han, “I don’t think we have much time. The enemy will be here soon. I don’t know whether you are a dragon or not, but if you are hungry and thirsty, please do me the honour of coming into my humble house.”
With a low bow, he showed the old man the way into his tiny hut.There, he gave him the bowl of rice and the cup of wine, which were all he had.
The old man ate and drank. Then he stood up.
“I don’t think much of the people of Wu,” he said, “but for your sake I will save the city.”
He went out to the gate. The Wild Horsemen were very close. There wore fur caps and the skins of tigers. They shot arrows at the city as they rode hard on their shaggy horses.
The little fat man puffed out his checks.He blew a long breath. The sky grew dark and lightning sizzled from the clouds to the earth. A great wind arose. It caught the Wild Horsemen and blew them far and wide. Those who escaped turned and galloped madly away through the storm.
The sky cleared. The sun shone again. The plain was empty.
The little fat man said, “Now I will show you what a dragon looks like.”
He sprang up into the air and his form changed. He grew taller than the tallest tree, taller than the tallest tower. He was the colour of sunset shining through rain. Scales covered him, scattering light. His claws and teeth glittered like diamonds. His eyes were noble like those of a proud horse. He was more beautiful and more frightening than anything Han had ever seen.
He flew high, roaring, and vanished into the deep sky. Han gave a long sigh and went to tell the Mandarin what had happened.
The people of the city crowded around to hear the tale. They could see for themselves that the enemy had vanished. They cheered Han, pinned medals on him, gave him many gold pieces, and from that day on called him “The Honourable Defender of the city.”

According to the passage, India has ______.

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the given question.

Each of the forms of intellectual property has its place within an organization. Copyrights protect the form of expression of ideas, trademarks protect the identification of the source of ideas, and patents and trade secrets protect the application of ideas. Because a trade secret may be a patentable invention, tension may exist between the options of keeping an invention a trade secret or filing a patent application. Using a trade secret may eliminate the possibility of patenting an invention. On the other hand, the publication of a patent destroys any trade secrets which it discloses.

Foreign Trade Barriers 218

India implemented a strengthened copyright law in May 1995, creating one of the most modern systems for copyright protection in the developing world. In the year 2000, certain amendments to the Indian Copyright Act substantially weakened the Act’s once–strong software protection. These exceptions allow decompilation of a computer program, permit reproduction of a computer program so as to observe its functionality, and allow multiple copies of a computer program for personal, non–commercial use. The United States believes that the exceptions provided in the amendments are too broad and will lead to increased piracy. Article 13 of the TRIPS Agreement allows WTO Members to limit intellectual property protection as long as the exceptions or limitations do not unreasonably prejudice the right holder’s interests or conflict with the normal exploitation of the work. Other amendments in 2000, designed to meet TRIPs obligations, increased the period of protection of performers' rights from 25 years to 50 years, and extended the provisions of the Act to broadcasts and performances made in other countries only on a reciprocal basis.

Scientists, artists, authors, inventors and many others create new and unique ideas which result in products of different kinds – from complex machinery to household gadgets, novels and films for entertainment and mathematical or social concepts that changes the way people think and understand events and situations. These are products of people’s minds and imaginations. Human progress depends on such developments. Without them life would not be as interesting and comfortable.

The inventor, in turn, must have a proportional right on such products of his mind, as much as he has such rights in physical property that he owns. At the same time human progress requires that such inventions and discoveries are disseminated and used widely. Inevitably these inventions are far more common in rich nations than in poor ones. The market for such things is larger, the rewards are greater and the facilities for developments of this nature are incomparably better.

In order to progress, poor countries must have access to these inventions. In this century many countries have got access by imitation and usually without reward to the inventor. There is always a conflict between the need to provide incentives for discovery and invention and the need to limit this incentive both to a time period and on cost. In this way, the rights to intellectual property are looked at in a different way from physical property by society.

Copyrights relate to the right of the author or producer to have proprietary rights on his writings, films or other expressions. Trademarks are proprietary names given by manufacturers to their wares which identify their offering as their own and not any other similar offering; patents relate to the ownership right in a process of manufacture and also to the end product.

India has very strong laws relating to copyright. In the case of trademarks, the law is strong but there have been some restrictions, especially relating to the use of foreign brand names, and more so when royalty has to be paid for their use. These restrictions have been lifted.

The enforcement system through the police and judiciary is weak, and the penalties imposed on offenders are not severe. Violators do not stop their theft of other people's trademarks or copyright even after they have been convicted. Convictions are difficult to achieve even if the offender has been identified. However, many owners in India have developed their own policing systems and have often been able to successfully follow through cases.