II. READING COMPREHENSION
2.1. Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.
Why are there so many grandmothers and so few grandfathers? In other words, why do men die
younger than women? Is this because men are afraid of getting old and helpless and so they prefer to die
before that happens? Perhaps they fear to be left alone by their women and so decide to do the leaving first.
Many explanations are given for the fact that men die earlier than women. Men are stronger
physically, yet women can hang on longer to life. Both men and women are emotional creatures but women
are not afraid or ashamed to cry while men refuse to do so. They are afraid of being thought "soft". Some
men, when they are upset, play loud music or dig in the garden to relieve their feelings. Many men like an
orderly life so that they bury themselves in their work or want a wife with some children or long to take part
in wars where there is a definite chain of command. There is a leader to give orders and a known enemy to
fight against and defeat. All these make men feel they live in a rational world.
So the majority of men like a rational world. Rationality is fine but it does not include everything that
makes life joyful and fun or even messy and frustrating. When a man refuses to cry, he is refusing to accept
that his emotions are part of him. Of course, some men do not follow this pattern. Bob Hawke is capable of
crying in public whereas Margaret Thatcher is probably incapable of crying at any time.
We need to cry because that shows our ability to suffer. If we do not suffer, we are not really alive at
all. Suffering can be creative or destructive. If we can all learn to cry and laugh and shout and dance openly,
we are living creatively and adding something to the human race. We often say men suffer more from stress
and therefore they die earlier. Are we not saying in another way that they do not know how to suffer in the
right way - with tears and laughter instead of silence - and so they are miserable and just give up? That is just
my theory of course. Have you a better one?
1. What does the word “that” in the passage refer to?
A. The fact that men get old and helpless.
B. The fact that they fear to be left alone.
C. The fact that men die younger than women.
D. The fact that they decide to do the leaving first.
2. What's the main question the article is intended to discuss?
A. Why women are more emotional than men.
B. Why suffering is different in men and women.
C. Why men die earlier than women.
D. Why men like a rational world.
3. What is found the same for both men and women?
A. They like to cry. B. They are physically strong.
C. They are emotional creatures. D. They want to play loud music.
4. The phrase “to do the leaving” is closest in meaning to.............
A. set off B. go down C. pass away D. depart
5. What's the writer's opinion toward crying?
A. It is a good thing for people to cry.
B. It is all right for women to cry but shameful for men.
C. Tears are not real signs of suffering.
D. To be silent is better than to cry.
