The phone rings. It’s a friend who wants to tell you his or her latest health problems. You hate to be impolite and cut your friend off, but what can you do? Stephanie Winston, author of Stephanie Winston’s Best Organizing Tips, offers his advice:

Don’t ask questions like “What’s new?” They give the information that you have time to talk. After “hello”, get right to the heart of the matter.

Time your calls wisely. If you make a call right before lunch or dinner, or at the end of the workday, people chat less.

Set a time limit. Start with, “Hi, I’ve only got a few minutes, but I wanted to talk to you about….” Or, “Gee, I’d love to talk more, but I only have a couple of minutes before I have to leave.”

Jump on a pause（间歇）. Even the most talkative caller has to pause now and then. Quickly say, “It has been great talking with you.” Then end the conversation.

Forget niceties. Some people just don’t take a hint. Cut your caller off and say, “I’d like to talk to you longer, but I’m afraid I have no enough time. Good bye.” Then hang up.

Find “a partner in crime”. If nothing else works, ask someone in your home to help you. For example, one woman gives a sign to her husband, who shouts, “Jane, I think the roast chicken is burning.”

Avoid the phone completely. Use an answering machine to screen calls. If you have an important message for a chatterbox（唠叨的人）, leave the message when he or she isn’t in.

50. What’s the good time to make a call so that people can chat less?

A. After lunch or dinner.　　　　　　　　　　　 B. In the middle of the workday.

C. Before lunch or dinner.　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. At the beginning of the workday.

51. “Finding a partner in crime” means ______.

A. finding someone to answer the call

B. getting right to the heart of the matter

C. telling the caller you are just cooking

D. asking someone to help you end the call

52. What’s Winston’s advice about?

A. How to talk on the phone.　　　　　

B. How to make calls wisely.

C. How to make a phone call.

D. How to keep phone calls short.

Three soldiers were on their way home from the war．They arrived at a small village, they were very tired and （1）,but they had no food or money．The only thing they did have was a cooking pot（锅）．

The soldiers built a small cooking fire,（2） their pot on it, and poured in some water． When a few villagers asked what they were doing, one of the soldiers answered that he was making stone soup． A few more villagers walking by stopped to （3）what was going on when they heard about it．

“Any soup needs salt and pepper,”the first soldier said,（4） some children ran to fetch salt and pepper．“Stones can be used to prepare good soup, but tomatoes would （5） it so much better,” the second soldier added．One woman said“Why, I think I have a tomato or two! ”She ran to get the tomatoes．

“Some cabbage would be a proper choice for a good stone soup! ”said the third soldier．Another woman said,“I think I can probably find some cabbage,”and （6）she ran．

“If only we had a bit of beef and some potatoes, this soup would be fit for a rich man's （7）．”The villagers thought it over, then ran to fetch what they had in their homes．A rich man's soup, and all from a few stones! It seemed like （8）!

The soldiers said“, If only we had a little milk, this soup would be fit for a king! ”And so other villagers （9） to get some milk．

“The soup is ready,”said the cooks,“and all will （10）it, but first we need to set the tables．”Some of the villagers said,“Such a great soup would be better （11）some bread and cakes,”so they brought the （12） two things and the meal was （13） by all．Never had there been such a （14） meal．Never had the villagers had such delicious soup, and all made from stones! They ate and drank and danced well into the night．

In the morning, the villagers gathered to say goodbye．“Many thanks to you,”they said,“for we shall （15）go hungry now that we have learned how to make soup from stones．”

1．A．hungry          B．bored          C．sleepy         D．sick

2．A．drew            B．threw          C．left           D．placed

3．A．see                     B．tell             C．imagine        D．notice

4．A．but              B．so             C．or             D．while

5．A．cook            B．do            C．invent         D．make

6．A．about            B．in             C．off           D．out

7．A．health            B．money         C．dream         D．table

8．A．art              B．magic          C．interest        D．supper

9．A．tried             B．returned       C．managed       D．came

10．A．want           B．buy             C．use            D．taste

11．A．over           B．besides         C．with          D．like

12．A．first           B．last            C．other          D．only

13．A．enjoyed        B．given          C．needed          D．brought

14．A．cheap         B．proper         C．special        D．public

15．A．later           B．ever           C．sometimes     D．never