For years, children in the industrial areas of Europe and America seldom left their smoky cities to see the
beauties of the countryside. This was not because the woods and fields were always far away, but because they
were too far away from the city to permit people to make a day trip between morning and nightfall.
        In 1907, a young German schoolmaster had an idea which changed this state of affairs. He decided to turn
his little schoolhouse into a dormitory for the summer holidays. Anyone who brought his sleeping bag and
cooking equipment along could stay there for a very small quantity of money. The idea was a success. A few
years later, the schoolhouse was much too small to hold the many young people who wanted to stay there. As
a result, a dormitory was set up in an old castle nearby. This was the first Young Hostel.
         Today, young students and workers of every country can meet in the hostels and get to know each other.
When young people arrive at a hostel, they have only to show their card of membership in a hostel organization
in their own country. This card will permit them to use the facilities of hostels all over the world for a very low
price.
         Often, at the evening meal, a group of boys and girls from various parts of the country or the world will
happen to meet at the same hostel. They may put their food together and prepare a dinner with many kinds of
dishes. Sometimes a program will be organized after the meal, with dances, songs, or short talks followed by a
question period. One can learn a lot of things about other places, just by meeting people who come from those
places. For this reason, a few weeks spent"hostelling"can just be as useful a part of one's education as classes
in school.

A. arrive early enough to book a room
B. are free to use equipment in the hostels
C. have a card of membership from all over the world
D. have a card of membership in the hostels of their country

2. From the passage we may see that hostels are important mainly because they ________.

A. do not cost very much in their travel
B. are nice places to spend the night
C. get people from different places to meet each other
D. offer good service and put their food together

3. The best title for the passage may be ____________.

A. Youth Organization
B. Education Out of School
C. International Travel
D. Summer Holidays