Variant 1 You could have come first and won the race if you … faster

23. One can guess from the passage that Samuel Clemens ...
A) was very careful of getting to learn every peculiarity of the river.
B) was too ambitious to become a steamboat pilot.
C) was a nickname of Mark Twain.
D) after 18 months, apprenticeship changed his name for Mark Twain.
24. We learnt from the passage that Twain's most famous book ...
A) was written in 1857 to realize his old ambition.
B) reflects the actual author's knowledge of the river geography.
C) had no direct relation to Samuel Clemens's own life.
D) is about efforts to learn languages during the next four years after apprenticeship.
25. According to the text, Mark Twain, ...
A) learnt all possible languages while wandering round the world.
B) spent all his life as an author and printer studying the western part of the US.
C) after a number of years, finally succeeded in implementation of the desire he had in the days of old.
D) had no desire to wander around the world but had to.
26. The phrase SUPPORTING HIMSELF in the passage means ...
A) aiding other people. B) making a living. C) helping himself. D) aiding the writers and printers.


It was 5 days ago. Eveline sat at the window watching the evening invade the avenue. Her head was leaned against the window curtains. She was tired. She had consented to go away, to leave her home. Was that wise? She tried to weigh each side of the question. In her home anyway she had shelter and food; she had those whom she had known all her life. However, she had to work hard, both in the house and at business. What would they say of her in the shop when they found out that she had run away with a man? They would say she was a fool, perhaps; and her place would be filled up by an advertisement.
27. According to the passage. Eveline …
A) had already given up her job at the shop.
B) was waiting excitedly by the window for her boyfriend.
C) was looking forward to making a complete break with her past even though she had a very happy childhood.
D) hesitated over her decision to run away her boyfriend.