Read the following passage and then choose the best answer.

When people plan to marry, they expect to find in their partner not only a lover but a friend also. They find a person with whom they can share their opinions, their emotions, thoughts and fears. In marriage we are looking for a partner who will be able to understand our values, our likes and dislikes.

If a man and a woman are born and raised in the same country, most likely they are familiar with the same songs, movies, jokes, books and life in general. They basically have the same roots. In the case of a western man and foreign woman family everything is more complicated and requires much more patience and understanding from both spouses. On one hand each of the partners has an opportunity to learn a great deal about the other's country, culture, traditions and life styles which can be very interesting. On the other hand it can be very disappointing if there is the inability to understand your partner's excitements and frustrations. For example, you are watching the television and suddenly you see a famous actor or singer, or other type of an artist whose name you have grown up with. Maybe this artist was an idol for your parents and the music of this artist was often played in your house when you were a child. Unfortunately you realize that your wife is unable to understand your feelings because she has no idea who this artist is. Her eyes are absolutely empty because she has never even heard the song before. You feel rather disappointed! Remember that your wife has the same situation with you. You do not know her country's songs, her country's famous actors, her books. She has her own memories and in actuality, for her, everything is much more difficult than it is for you. At least, you live in your own country where everybody can understand you. She lives in completely strange surroundings, where she has nobody to share her feelings with, except you.

Do some research and learn about your wife's country, culture and lifestyles. Talk with her, ask her questions, get to know what songs she likes, what movies and books are of interest to her. The Internet will give you a great opportunity to find anything! Tell her about your country's culture, let her listen to the music that you like, rent a movie for her that left you with great impression. Let her understand you better through the things that you like. Patience and time will help you to fight cultural differences.

A spouse should …………

Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer.

In the past, both men and women were expected to be married at quite young ages. Marriages were generally arranged by parents and family, with their children having little chance to say no in the matter. In the past it was not surprising to find that a bride and groom had only just met on the day of their engagement or marriage.

In modern Vietnam, this has changed completely as people choose their own marriage-partners based on love, and in consideration primarily to their own needs and wants. Moreover early marriage is quite illegal.

The traditional Vietnamese wedding is one of the most important of traditional Vietnamese occasions. Regardless of westernization, many of the age-old customs practiced in a traditional Vietnamese wedding continue to be celebrated by both Vietnamese in Vietnam and overseas, often combining both western and eastern elements. Besides the wedding ceremony, there is also an engagement ceremony which takes place usually half a year or so before the wedding. Due to the spiritual nature of the occasion, the date and time of the marriage ceremony are decided in advance by a fortune teller. The traditional Vietnamese wedding consists of an extensive array of ceremonies: the first is the ceremony to ask permission to receive the bride, the second is the procession to receive the bride (along with the ancestor ceremony at her house), the third is to bring the bride to the groom's house for another ancestor ceremony and to welcome her into the family, then the last is a wedding banquet. The number of guests in attendance at these banquets is huge, usually in the hundreds. Several special dishes are served. Guests are expected to bring gifts, often money, which the groom and bride at one point in the banquet will go from table to table collecting.

In former days, the fact that a bride and groom had only first met just on the day of their engagement or marriage was _________.

Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer.

In the past, both men and women were expected to be married at quite young ages. Marriages were generally arranged by parents and family, with their children having little chance to say no in the matter. In the past it was not surprising to find that a bride and groom had only just met on the day of their engagement or marriage.

In modern Vietnam, this has changed completely as people choose their own marriage-partners based on love, and in consideration primarily to their own needs and wants. Moreover early marriage is quite illegal.

The traditional Vietnamese wedding is one of the most important of traditional Vietnamese occasions. Regardless of westernization, many of the age-old customs practiced in a traditional Vietnamese wedding continue to be celebrated by both Vietnamese in Vietnam and overseas, often combining both western and eastern elements. Besides the wedding ceremony, there is also an engagement ceremony which takes place usually half a year or so before the wedding. Due to the spiritual nature of the occasion, the date and time of the marriage ceremony are decided in advance by a fortune teller. The traditional Vietnamese wedding consists of an extensive array of ceremonies: the first is the ceremony to ask permission to receive the bride, the second is the procession to receive the bride (along with the ancestor ceremony at her house), the third is to bring the bride to the groom's house for another ancestor ceremony and to welcome her into the family, then the last is a wedding banquet. The number of guests in attendance at these banquets is huge, usually in the hundreds. Several special dishes are served. Guests are expected to bring gifts, often money, which the groom and bride at one point in the banquet will go from table to table collecting.

In the past, _________.

Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer.

In the past, both men and women were expected to be married at quite young ages. Marriages were generally arranged by parents and family, with their children having little chance to say no in the matter. In the past it was not surprising to find that a bride and groom had only just met on the day of their engagement or marriage.

In modern Vietnam, this has changed completely as people choose their own marriage-partners based on love, and in consideration primarily to their own needs and wants. Moreover early marriage is quite illegal.

The traditional Vietnamese wedding is one of the most important of traditional Vietnamese occasions. Regardless of westernization, many of the age-old customs practiced in a traditional Vietnamese wedding continue to be celebrated by both Vietnamese in Vietnam and overseas, often combining both western and eastern elements. Besides the wedding ceremony, there is also an engagement ceremony which takes place usually half a year or so before the wedding. Due to the spiritual nature of the occasion, the date and time of the marriage ceremony are decided in advance by a fortune teller. The traditional Vietnamese wedding consists of an extensive array of ceremonies: the first is the ceremony to ask permission to receive the bride, the second is the procession to receive the bride (along with the ancestor ceremony at her house), the third is to bring the bride to the groom's house for another ancestor ceremony and to welcome her into the family, then the last is a wedding banquet. The number of guests in attendance at these banquets is huge, usually in the hundreds. Several special dishes are served. Guests are expected to bring gifts, often money, which the groom and bride at one point in the banquet will go from table to table collecting.

According to the passage, __________.

Choose the option (A, B, C or D) that best completes each of the following sentences.

My aunt is one of those people who can talk to anyone about anything. If she goes to a party where she doesn't know any of the people, she just walks up to the first person that she sees and introduces herself. And yet she doesn't seem to talk about deeply important things like politics or religion. She always starts off on something very obvious like the other person's job. Very soon she's talking as if she's known the other person for years. I asked her once what her secret was. She said that the most important thing in a conversation was listening. People love to talk about themselves, so if you allow them to do so, it's very easy to keep a conversation going. You have to listen very carefully and ask questions. And you have to look interested, too. So don't keep looking at other things in the room while you're talking to someone.

Another thing that I've noticed is that she only pays people compliments. She says: “I like your hair. Which hairdresser do you go to?” or “You look very well. Have you been on holiday?” Friendly messages like this seem to provide an easy way into a conversation.

According to my aunt, the most important thing in a conversation was …….

Choose the option (A, B, C or D) that best completes each of the following sentences.

My aunt is one of those people who can talk to anyone about anything. If she goes to a party where she doesn't know any of the people, she just walks up to the first person that she sees and introduces herself. And yet she doesn't seem to talk about deeply important things like politics or religion. She always starts off on something very obvious like the other person's job. Very soon she's talking as if she's known the other person for years. I asked her once what her secret was. She said that the most important thing in a conversation was listening. People love to talk about themselves, so if you allow them to do so, it's very easy to keep a conversation going. You have to listen very carefully and ask questions. And you have to look interested, too. So don't keep looking at other things in the room while you're talking to someone.

Another thing that I've noticed is that she only pays people compliments. She says: “I like your hair. Which hairdresser do you go to?” or “You look very well. Have you been on holiday?” Friendly messages like this seem to provide an easy way into a conversation.

According to my aunt, the most important thing in a conversation was …….