diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 28c6d40..64ab42b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # act-e2e CHANGE LOG
 
 1.1.0
+* `ClassCastException` on verifying list elements #53
+* Simplify RequestSpec declaration in scenario yaml file #51
 * Extends constants pool from depending scenario #50
 * Func enhancements #49
 * Simplify function declaration #47
diff --git a/src/main/java/act/e2e/RequestSpec.java b/src/main/java/act/e2e/RequestSpec.java
index e633a7e..ce9790a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/act/e2e/RequestSpec.java
+++ b/src/main/java/act/e2e/RequestSpec.java
@@ -27,8 +27,7 @@
 import com.alibaba.fastjson.JSON;
 import org.osgl.exception.UnexpectedException;
 import org.osgl.http.H;
-import org.osgl.util.C;
-import org.osgl.util.E;
+import org.osgl.util.*;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
@@ -42,6 +41,14 @@ public class RequestSpec implements InteractionPart {
     public String parent;
     public H.Method method;
     public String url;
+    // shortcut for (GET, url) pair
+    public String get;
+    // shortcut for (POST, url) pair
+    public String post;
+    // shortcut for (PUT, url) pair
+    public String put;
+    // shortcut for (DELETE, url) pair
+    public String delete;
     public String accept;
     public Boolean ajax;
     public List<RequestModifier> modifiers = new ArrayList<>();
@@ -78,6 +85,19 @@ public void resolveParent(RequestTemplateManager manager) {
 
     @Override
     public void validate(Interaction interaction) throws UnexpectedException {
+        if (S.notBlank(get)) {
+            method = H.Method.GET;
+            url = get;
+        } else if (S.notBlank(post)) {
+            method = H.Method.POST;
+            url = post;
+        } else if (S.notBlank(put)) {
+            method = H.Method.PUT;
+            url = put;
+        } else if (S.notBlank(delete)) {
+            method = H.Method.DELETE;
+            url = delete;
+        }
         E.unexpectedIf(null == method, "method not specified in request spec of interaction[%s]", interaction);
         E.unexpectedIf(null == url, "url not specified in the request spec of interaction[%s]", interaction);
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/act/e2e/Scenario.java b/src/main/java/act/e2e/Scenario.java
index c7546ad..ff9ffd6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/act/e2e/Scenario.java
+++ b/src/main/java/act/e2e/Scenario.java
@@ -542,16 +542,18 @@ void verifyBody(String bodyString, ResponseSpec spec) {
         }
     }
 
-    void verifyList(String name, List array, Map<String, Object> spec) {
-        for (Map.Entry<String, Object> entry : spec.entrySet()) {
-            String key = entry.getKey();
+    void verifyList(String name, List array, Map spec) {
+        for (Object obj : spec.entrySet()) {
+            Map.Entry entry = $.cast(obj);
+            Object key = entry.getKey();
+            String sKey = S.string(key);
             Object test = entry.getValue();
             Object value = null;
             if ("size".equals(key) || "len".equals(key) || "length".equals(key)) {
                 value = array.size();
             } else if ("toString".equals(key) || "string".equals(key) || "str".equals(key)) {
                 value = JSON.toJSONString(array);
-            } else if ("?".equals(key) || "<any>".equalsIgnoreCase(key)) {
+            } else if ("?".equals(key) || "<any>".equalsIgnoreCase(sKey)) {
                 for (Object arrayElement : array) {
                     try {
                         verifyValue(name, arrayElement, test);
@@ -560,11 +562,11 @@ void verifyList(String name, List array, Map<String, Object> spec) {
                         // try next one
                     }
                 }
-            } else if (S.isInt(key)) {
-                int id = Integer.parseInt(key);
+            } else if (S.isInt(sKey)) {
+                int id = Integer.parseInt(sKey);
                 value = array.get(id);
             } else {
-                if (key.contains(".")) {
+                if (sKey.contains(".")) {
                     String id = S.cut(key).beforeFirst(".");
                     String prop = S.cut(key).afterFirst(".");
                     if ("?".equals(id) || "<any>".equalsIgnoreCase(id)) {