Read the text and the correct answer:

THE BRITISH MENTALITY
Although I had stayed in England for over a year, it was difficult for me to understand the British mentality. Travelling to the office everyday by train, I watched people concealing their faces behind newspaper. They rarely conversed with each other, occasionally lifting their eyebrows to look at their fellow passengers. But when I started a conversation under the pretext of the weather I found many had a natural gift for gossip.

1. The writer was quite surprised............
A) as he could understand the British mind
B) because almost no one on the train was talking to each other
C) since most people were reading newspaper
D) after he saw people travelling by train
E) when he saw the British way of life.
2. Using the excuse of the weather
A) doesn't work all the time
B) is how one can get the British to talk
C) is good for gossiping about nature
D) requires natural gift for gossip
E) makes it easy to change the subject.
3. It can be inferred from the passage that
A) people in England cover their faces with a newspaper
B) the British do not look at anybody in the train
C) the British are in fact have a tendency to talking
D) Englishmen always read something
E) the writer wanted to stay for another year.