7/30/2019 Reading Comprehension (RC) / Leseverstehen (LV) - "Honking Horns, Car Exhaust And Still, She Reads Out Loud"

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Read the text below, then decide whether the statements (18-23) are true(T), false (F) or not given (NG) in the text. Put a in the correct box. Thefirst one (0) has been done for you.

Honking Horns, Car ExhaustAnd Still, She Reads Out Loud by Jim Yardley

Ouyang Junying, 29, has been anobject of stares and speculation foryears on the Third Ring Roadbeltway in Beijing.

BEIJING On most weekdaymornings, as a honking swarm of

suburban commuters merges onto theclotted beltway here known as theThird Ring Road, Ouyang Junyingstands beside the rush hour traffic,opens a book and reads. Out loud.

It is one of the worst trafficsnarls in the city, with exhaust andnoise ringing into the air, but Ms.Ouyang has been going there foralmost five years. She is studyingEnglish and believes the distractions

help her concentrate.It is also the reason she has

become an unlikely sort of celebrity, amysterious siren of the morning rushhour. For tens of thousands ofmotorists arriving daily from thenortheastern suburbs, she is The GirlWho Reads Out Loud.

She reads, Beijing stares. Andwonders: Who is this young woman?Why is she reading in such a terriblespot? Is reading her only reason forbeing there? It is like a stage, saidYin Yan, who drives past while takingher daughter to school. Drivers likeme have nothing to do but look at thisgirl. They, of course, will judge her.

Beijing has long tolerated, evencelebrated, certain types ofexhibitionists, with the citys manyparks filled with people practicing tai

chi or ballroom dancing. With 15 millionpeople living in cramped quarters, theparks serve as the citys collective

backyard. But Ms. Ouyang does notlike them.

If I study in a park, peoplealways watch me, she said. They areso curious. I dont feel comfortable. Butif cars pass me, I dont care.

The daughter of a farmer in ruralHebei Province, Ms. Ouyang, 29, cameto Beijing in 1995. Without connectionsor wealth, she turned to English for thesame reason that many otherambitious young Chinese do thepossibility of a job at a multinational

corporation and a chance to makemore money and to travel, or even live,abroad.

Like many others, she has takenan English name, Joy. Her first job inBeijing was as a hotel receptionist,where she studied English with otheryoung workers or alone.

She comes to the Third RingRoad because it is so close to herapartment. She stares at her book,rarely looking up, with her back to thepeople peering at her. Word about herspread so widely that a Beijingtelevision station last year featured heras a model of hard work.

But many people in heraudience question the motives ofsomeone who puts herself on suchpublic display. Some people will say,This girl must have some purpose to

study here because so manyforeigners come down this road, shesaid. But I dont care what they think. Iknow what Im doing.

7/30/2019 Reading Comprehension (RC) / Leseverstehen (LV) - "Honking Horns, Car Exhaust And Still, She Reads Out Loud"

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She recently quit another hoteljob and seems no closer to working foran international company. But she didfind a temporary job:

A Chinese architect asked her to

help him improve a skill he hopes willimprove his professional chances. Sheis teaching him English.

Statements T F NG

0 Ouyang reads out loud next to a busy street. X

Q18 She thinks the heavy traffic around helps her to focus moreclearly.

Q19 Ouyang does not like reading in parks because she feelsobserved.

Q20 A Beijing television presenter said Ouyang worked too hard.

Q21 Ouyang is worried about other peoples attitude towardsher.

Q22 Ouyang is still waiting for a position with a foreign business.

Q23 Ouyang very much enjoys teaching English.