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On April 1, Owner and Buyer signed a writing in which Owner, "in consideration of $100 to be paid to Owner by Buyer," offered Buyer the right to purchase Greenacre for $100,000 within 30 days. The writing further provided, "This offer will become effective as an option only if and when the $100 consideration is in fact paid." On April 20, Owner, having received no payment or other communication from Buyer, sold and conveyed Greenacre to Citizen for $120,000. On April 21, Owner received a letter from Buyer enclosing a cashier's check for $100 payable to Owner and stating, "I am hereby exercising my option to purchase Greenacre and am prepared to close whenever you're ready." Which of the following, if proved, best supports Buyer's suit against Owner for breach of contract?
Buyer was unaware of the sale to Citizen when Owner received the letter and check from Buyer on April 21.
Every pet owner loves his pet .There is no argument here. But when we asked our readers whether they would clone their beloved animals , the responses were split almost down the middle . Of the 228 readers who answered it ,108 would clone, 111 would not and nine weighed each side without offering an opinion . Clearly, from readers' response, this is an issue that reaches deeply into both the joy and eventual sadness of owning a pet. It speaks, as well, to people's widely differing expectations over the developing scientific procedure Most of the readers who favored the idea strongly believed it would produce at least a close copy of the original; many felt the process would actually return an exact copy. Those on the other side, however, held little hope that clone could truly recreate a pet; many simply did not wish to go against the natural law of life and death. Both sides expressed equal love for their animals. More of them owned "the best dog/cat in the world". They thought of their pets as their "best friend" or "a member of the family". They told moving stories of pets' heroism, intelligence and selfless devotion. No wonder the loss is so disturbing---and the cloning so attractive. "People become very close to their animals, and the loss can be just as hard to bear as when a friend or family member dies," says Gary Kowalski, author of goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost a Pet. "For me, cloning feels like an attempt to turn death away...It's understandable. Death is always painful. It's difficult to deal with. It's hard to accept." But would cloning reduce the blow? This question seems to be at the heart of this problem. In spite of their differences on the problem of cloning, it seems that _ .
all pet owners love their pets very much
Do you want to love what you do for a living? Follow your passion. This piece of advice provides the foundation for modern thinking on career satisfaction. But this can be a problem. I've spent the past several years researching and writing about the different strategies we use to seek happiness in our work. It became clear early in the process that the suggestion to "follow your passion" was flawed , for it lacks scientific evidence. However, it doesn't mean you should abandon the goal of feeling passionate about your work. The reality emphasizes that things are quite complicated. Passion is earned. Different people are looking for different things in their work, but generally, people with satisfying careers enjoy some combination of the following features: autonomy,respect, competence, creativity, and a sense of impact. In other words,if you want to feel passionate about your livelihood,don't seek the perfect job,but seek to get more of these features in the job you already have. Passion is elusive . Many people develop the rare and valuable skills leading to passion, but still end up unhappy in their work. The problem is that the features leading you to love your work are more likely to be useful to you than your organization. As you become increasingly "valuable",for example, your boss might push you toward traditional promotions that come with more pay and more responsibility, as this is what is most useful to your company. However, you might find more passion by applying your value to gain autonomy in your schedule or project selection. Passion is dangerous. I've watched too many of my peers fall into anxiety and chronic job-hopping due to the "follow your passion" advice. The issue is expectations. _ Work is hard. Not every day is fun. If you're seeking a dream job, you'll end up frustrated, again and again. Don't set out to discover passion. Instead, set out to develop it. This path might be longer and more complicated than what most cheerful career guides might advocate, but it's a path much more likely to lead you somewhere worth going. What's the author's attitude towards the advice of "following your passion"?
Disapproving.
Albert Einstein died long ago. However, a group of researchers have created a robot which looks like the great scientist. The robotic Einstein is very special because the researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have taught their realistic robot to smile, frown and make other complex facial expressions. Scientists believe that babies learn to control their bodies through movements, including learning to speak. "We use the same idea to work out the problem of how a robot could learn to make realistic facial expressions," said Javier Movellan, director of UCSD's machine Feeling Lab. ks5u The San Diego researchers directed the Einstein robot's head to turn in all directions. The robot could see its expressions in a mirror and then use the software to provide data for machine-learning to match facial expressions to the movements of its small motors. Once the robot learned the relationship between facial expressions and the muscle movements, it learned to make facial expressions. Its head has about 30 facial feelings, and each is moved by a tiny motor connected to ht e skin by s sting. Although we've never met Albert Einstein, we have a feeling that the new robot isn't exactly a fair representation of now of the best minds of the 20th century. The figure does not have the grace of the great man, but it can recognize human expressions and react to them in the right way. In fact, if you smile at it, it will smile right back to you. "As far as we know, no other research group has used a robot to make realistic facial expressions," said computer scientist Tingfan Wu, a computer science PhD student who worked on a more exact facial expression robot. This robot is special mainly because it _ .
can make various complex facial expressions
A sick little girl is being kept alive thanks to her best friend -- a dog who carries her oxygen tank on his back. Alida's faithful dog companion Mr Gibbs has been specially trained to shepherd the three-year-old, who breathes through a tube most of the time. He follows her closely as she plays in her family's ten-acre land in Louisville, uses the slide or even rides her bike.[:Z*xx*k.Com] Alida was diagnosed with neuroendocrine hyperplasia of infancy(NEHI)when she was just eight months old. Her rare condition has just eight hundred documented sufferers throughout the world, and causes diseased pieces of the lungs to filter oxygen through extra layers of cells, making it hard or almost impossible to breathe. For Alida and her parents, it meant that even a walk in the park was very difficult because oxygen equipment was too heavy for the youngster to be able to carry herself. As parents, they wanted to do something to help their daughter survive despite having a tube following her all the time. _ found out about "service dogs" from a TV program and realized an animal trained to help the blind could be trained to help Alida. They finally found help in the shape of golden doodle--a retriever crossed with a poodle-dog Mr Gibbs. Now thanks to trainer Ashleigh Kinsley--Alida and Mr Gibbs love nothing more than playing and running around together with the dog acting as Alida's life saver. What is Mr Gibbs?
A pet dog.
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I'm going to have a great weekend. I'll go across Canada with my parents by car. We'll drive seven or eight hours a day. In Toronto, we'll stay in a big hotel. The food is very delicious. There's a big swimming pool and a lot of game rooms. I think I'll play there happily. But there'll be lots of people in the hotel, so I think we'll sleep in one room. And it's expensive. Then we are going to stay in a small cabin in the mountains. I really love it. The cabin is clean and quiet. We'll have two rooms, so I can get up late in the morning. But we have to get up early because we want to go swimming. There is a beautiful lake near the cabin. We also can go fishing and cook food outside. Where're they going to stay in Toronto?
Answer:
In a big hotel.
Parents have widely different views on the problem of pocket money . Four new fathers were asked this question and this is how they answered . Ashish Khanna :Although many argue that pocket money helps develop children's sense of value , I don't agree . I wouldn't give my child any pocket money . First of all , I never got pocket money and I seem to have a good value for money . If my child ever needed something and I felt it was areasonable request , I would buy it for him . Sharad Sanghi : No , I wouldn't give my child pocket money because I don't want to create theperception of " her " money and " my " money . Besides , if I refuse to buy her something that I think is bad for her , she may buy it with her pocket money _ . In this way , I would lose control over my child's requests . I feel it also encourages children to care more about money than anything else . I don't want my child to start judging other children by the amount of money or pocket money they have . Rakesh Shah : Yes , I would give my child pocket money . I feel that children should learn to spend money intelligently and not go overboard spending . They will learn what theirlimitations are and feel the difficulty when they have to pay for something that is over in their own pockets . Rajiv Patel : Yes , I would give my child pocket money because it is important that she learns to manage money . I will give her a fixed amount every month and if she spends the money before the month is over , then she will learn a lesson and not spend money so freely . Vikram Desai : Yes , I would certainly give my child pocket money . But I would not give it to him on a weekly or monthly basis . He would have to earn it . If he helped me finish some of my jobs or helped his mother with housework , I would reward him . This helps him realize that " money does not grow on trees " and it requires hard work to earn money . According to Vikram Desai , children's earning money by themselves makes them know that _ .
Answer:
money is not easy to get
Du Kun,a Chinese boy is called"the youngest writer in the world."He has written three books till now.Du Kun was born in Jiangsu in 1994.When he was 7 months old.his parents started working in over 30 different cities,such as xi'an and Shenzhen.This kind of life gave him things to think and write about.When he was 9 months old,he could speak and at the age of one,he could say five to six hundred words.At three,he could look up words in the dictionary.At four,his father taught him how to learn by himself.His parents like reading very much.So does he.At the age of 5,he began writing fairy tales.At the age of 6.he wrote a novel about his life in different cities with his parents.His fairy tales are all from his life.One day,he found many mice in the house.They not only ate their food but also hurt his mother's hand.So he thought,"If we give mice the stomach of cows,they will eat grass and they will be helpful to people."This was his first fairy tales Change Stomach for Mice.Now he studies well in a middle school. He has written his third book.The novel called Eyes of Children.He says," _ ,I just wrote several books." Du Kun began to use a dictionary, _ .
Answer:
before his father taught him how to learn something
We live in an amazing world, reading the following news and you will find it yourself. News 1: Bao Xishun is the tallest man in the world. He is 2.36 metres tall. He Pingping is the shortest man in the world. He is only 0.73 metres tall. They are Chinese. On July 13th, Bao Xishun married a girl and He Pingping took part in their wedding ceremony . News 2: In the USA, a seventh-grader, Aidan Murray Medley went fishing in the sea one morning. The 12-year-old boy caught a 250-kilogram shark! It took Aidan 28 minutes to catch the shark. It was so hard that his body lost all feeling. Aidan now has the Florida record . He beat a 232-kilogram catch from 1981. News 3: A young sheep climbs a tree to feed on leaves in a park in the southern Swedish town of Lund. The sheep climbed to a height of seven metres and spent an hour and a half in the tree before returning to the ground. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
Answer:
The sheep climbed very high and spent a long time in the tree.
We all know that Taiwan is considered as Treasure Island 0f China. The scenery there is very beautiful. Recently we have been connected closely each other. Several months ago, a group of 19 Taiwanese children flew to Chengdu in order to begin a tour to study pandas. The middle school children were from Chiayi Country in southwest Taiwan and were chosen because of their excellent performance at school. During the visit, the children saw pandas up close. They were excited to see so many pandas at the same time. The children also traveled to the Mount E'mei scenic area and met local schoolchildren. At last, they said, "The pandas are very cute, and they are all happy." They also said the children in Chengdu are very friendly to them, and they all like there. They hope to visit Sichuan again. Why did the group of 19 Taiwanese children come to Chengdu?
Answer:
Because they flew there for a tour to study pandas.
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Thirdgeneration mobile phones, known as 3G, are the next big step for the telecom industry. Data speed in 3G networks is much quicker than present technology. This means users can have highspeed Internet access and enjoy video and CDquality music on their phones. "Mobile data is not a dream; it's not an option but a requirement." said Len Lauer, head of a US communications company,Sprint PCS,at a 3G conference in Bangkok earlier this month. With 3G, you can forget about text messages telling you yesterday's news; a 3G phone can receive video news programs, updated four times a day. Internet access will also be much quicker, making it easier to surf the Web on your phone than on your computer at home. Facetoface video calls And don't worry about getting lost. 3G phones offer map services so you can find a new restaurant just by pressing a few keys on your handset. However, the most impressive part of 3G technology is video calling. With live twoday video communication, you can have facetoface talks with friends and family on your mobile phone. Many European countries have already launched the service. In May 2000 the US Government issued five licenses to run 3G wireless services, while the first 3G phones arrived in Italy in March this year. International telecom companies can't wait to sell 3G in China, the world's largest mobile telecommunications market. But they will have to be patient. At the moment, China is busy testing its 3Gbased technologies, networks and services. This will be followed by a trial period before the phones can finally hit the shops. "We need to create a pool of 3G customers before the largescale commercial launch of the service." said Fan Yunjun, marketing manager for Beijing Mobile. "We expect that the 3G licenses will be issued late next year. " Which of the following is true according to the passage?
Recently I was asked,"Are we anywhere near the day when you can climb into a car on Long Island, program it to take you to your niece's house in Chicago, hit enter, and after the first hundred yards, once you hit a main road, the car takes over automatically and you just sit back and enjoy the ride?" It is a question I worry. But I had to answer truthfully:"Absolutely. We are without a doubt near that day."Look, we're already doing it with airplanes. Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk takes off at an air base in the U.S., climbs to 50,000 feet, flies to Australia, and lands at an Australian air base, where there is a grandstand filled with military officials=with no human pilot. The necessary technology is already here. We have radar technology that can be tied to cruise control and brakes, which automatically adjusts your speed based on following distance and preprogrammed settings. It's still a little bit raw, but it does work great. The technology can allow cars and trucks to follow each other in very closely spaced roads. GPS can also change speed with location. Let's say you're in a state with a 75-mph limit and you cross into a state with a 65-mph limit. GPS knows that and adjust your speed accordingly. It's not out of the question to imagine that someday soon you'll be able to start the car, make proper settings, then turn the front seats around and play cards and eat lunch as if you're riding on a train. All in perfect comfort and safety, all the way to that niece's place inprefix = st1 /Chicago. If asked to estimate just how far time is, I'd say a working system is ten years out, practice maybe 20 years. The purpose of the question asked in the first passage probably is_.
As an old Chinese saying goes, food is what matters most to people. A Bite of China Season Two, all about the history and culture of eating and cooking in China, broadcast on CCTV-1 from April 18 to June 6. Food plays an important role in our daily life. It is also one of the most important parts of Chinese culture. Besides the rich food culture in China, A Bite of China Season Two also wants to show the joys and sadnesses of ordinary Chinese in changing times through food. The documentary makes viewers long for home and the tastes of childhood. One Weibo user wrote, "A Bite of China Season Two makes me have so many words to say. It makes me think of my parents and grandmother. I remember my father taught me how to fish when I was a kid. I haven't been home for a long time, so I've decided to go back in a few days." The documentary uses food as a window to introduce China to the world. Viewers can see how Chinese people love life by loving food. The new season is not just an introduction to food. It also explores the relationship between Chinese people and their food. Anyone who wants to know more about Chinese food culture and Chinese society should have a bite of the programme. What's the main idea of the programme?
According to Hunan Daily, in Yongxing County of Hunan Province, retired teacher Chen and his wife are living in a natural cave , and they quite enjoy such life. [:Zxxk.Com] Chen's cave is 20 meters wide and 8 meters deep. Lichens can be seen everywhere in it. Chen says that the place is free of pollution. Because of being poor, they moved into the cave, Chen said. In 1975, the houses of his families and his neighbors were all burned to the ground in the fire. Chen was then already married and badly needed a house to live in. But he had no money to build a house, so he had to live in his relatives' houses as long as 5 years. In 1980, he happened to discover this cave, immediately he and his family members decided to live in there. Chen thought the cave could be a temporary living place, but it never occurred to him that it could be his home in the next 28 years. Chen recalled that the first couple of days were the most difficult period, "I put up some wooden boards for a gate, but they were all blown away by wind that same night." Chen has two sons and a daughter, and they all left the cave after they got married. Now Chen's old friends once in a while visit him in his cave drinking and playing Chinese chess. For Chen, the most enjoyable thing is to raise bees and grow kinds of plants. What had happened to his house before he moved into the cave?
Have you ever tried to understand something new on your own but found it a bit too difficult in books or on the Internet? Don't be worriedyou can get help at Khan Academy . Khan Academy is an online learning website created in 2007 by Salman Khan, an American teacher. In order to provide "a free world-class education to anyone anywhere",Khan offers more than 4,200 free micro lectures atkhanacademy.org. The classes cover fields like mathematics, biology, chemistry and finance. They usually last for just 10 to 15 minutes. Unlike traditional classes, Khan mainly offers courses for students below college level. The classes can also help those who are planning to take the SAT, an exam often required for students who wish to enter a college or university in the US. So how can you start your learning journey at Khan Academy? First of all,enter the website with a personal e-mail account .Your personal homepage at Khan Academy is designed to help you learn math. You can take a pre-test first to see your level. The academy then suggests exercises at the right level for you. It also allows you to watch videos and improve yourself until you reach level 5the highest level. If you are interested in other subjects, click "LEARN" to see all topics on offer. Try "Art History",for example. This will take you to all the things in that area like text articles, videos and questions. You can also put key words into the search box to see related topics. Don't worry if you find it difficult to follow the courses in English. The courses have been translated into other languages, such as Chinese. Hundreds of Khan's courses in Chinese can be found on Netease (www. 163. com),which offers translations of courses from Harvard, Yafe, Oxford,Cambridge and other top universities. Khan Academy is a learning website that _
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Picture this scene, a 6-year-old girl is alone on a raft, with no lifejacket, 200 yards from the shore with the winds whipping up the water. She is pointing at her cousins, and yelling out, "They are drowning!" Your eyes scan left only to see a three-year-old above the surface of the water and you realize two hands are holding her up, the hands of 14-year-old Mallory, who is struggling below the surface of the water. Three seventeen-year-olds from Salt Lake City, Tiana Skeen, Caitlin Caldwell and Jessica Osterloh, were on the lake for fun in the sun at Bear Lake when they heard the cry for help and saw this terrifying scene. The teens witnessed the three young girls in this very dangerous situation. The teens reacted quickly and swam out to save the girls while crying out toward jet skiers and people on the beach for help. Fourteen-year-old Mallory was struggling to hold her little cousin Rylee above water. The teens rescued Rylee just in time but couldn't find Mallory. Meanwhile, 6-year-old Sydney was floating away on the raft with no lifejacket. The girls flagged down a jet ski to get her and bring her back to the beach. The three teen heroines saved the 3-year-old and the 6-year-old, but they feel Mallory is the real heroine, as she held her 3-year-old cousin above the water until the teens were able to rescue Rylee. Mallory was finally found, but she died on the way to the hospital. Now, the teen heroines strongly remind everyone to wear a life jacket when on the water. It is implied in the passage that _ .
Answer:
Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston, America. He is best known as a scientist and politician today. One of his most famous inventions is the lightning rod .And he is also regarded as "the Founder of the United States" because of his success in politics. However, he is not just an inventor and politician. Franklin is a great chess player. He started playing chess in 1733 and this made him the first chess player in the American history. He wrote a book about his story of playing chess in December,1786. In this book, he hoped to find connections between chess and life. He and his friend even used chess to learn Italian. It was a very interesting experience in his early life. Not only a great chess player, Franklin is also known to play the violin ,the harp , and the guitar. He used some glasses to produce a clear and sweet sound just like birds' singing. Benjamin Franklin died at his home in the USA at the age of 84. There were about 20,000 people who were present at his funeral . People respect him, love him and believe he is one of the four greatest men in the world. According to the passage, Franklin died in _ .
Answer:
Our risk of cancer rises dramatically as we age. So it makes sense that the elderly should be routinely screened for new tumors -- or doesn't it? While such vigilant tracking of cancer is a good thing in general, researchers are increasingly questioning whether all of this testing is necessary for the elderly. With the percentage of people over age 65 expected to nearly double by 2050, it's important to weigh the health benefits of screening against the risks and costs of routine testing. In many cases, screening can lead to additional biopsies and surgeries to remove cancer, which can cause side effects, while the cancers themselves may be slow-growing and may not pose serious health problems in patients' remaining years. But the message that everyone must screen for cancer has become so ingrained that when health care experts recommended that women under 50 and over 74 stop screening for breast cancer, it caused a riotous reaction among doctors, patients and advocacy groups. It's hard to uproot deeply held beliefs about cancer screening with scientific data. Certainly, there are people over age 75 who have had cancers detected by routine screening, and gained several extra years of life because of treatment. And clearly, people over age 75 who have other risk factors for cancer, such as a family history or prior personal experience with the disease, should continue to get screened regularly. But for the remainder, the risk of cancer, while increased at the end of life, must be balanced with other factors like remaining life expectancy . A recent study suggests that doctors start to make more objective decisions about who will truly benefit from screening- especially considering the explosion of the elderly that will soon swell our population. It's not an easy calculation to make, but one that make sense for the whole patient. Dr. Otis Brawley said, "Many doctors are ordering these tests purely to cover themselves. We need to think about the rational use of health care and stop talking about the rationing of health care." That means making some difficult decisions with elderly patients, and going against the misguided belief that when it comes to health care, more is always better. Why do doctors recommend routine cancer screening for elderly people?
Answer:
London used to be "foggy" for the same reason that cities like Beijing or Chongqing are "foggy" today. The "fog" was in fact smog, a mixture of smoke and fog. In other words, it was made by air pollution. In London, some of this pollution came from factories, but much of it came from the coal that people burnt in their houses to keep warm during the winter. By the 1950s, London's smog problem had become so bad that the government decided to do something to clean the air. A new law was made and nobody could burn coal in any British city. Within a few years, the air became much cleaner. There were no more " _ ". Many Chinese cities now face the same sort of problem with air pollution that London faced 40 or 50 years ago. However, this problem is more difficult for Chinese cities to solve. One reason is that more of the pollution comes from the factories, rather than from coal burnt in people's houses. If these factories were closed, this would harm the economy and lots of people would lose their jobs. Another reason is that changing from coal to cleaner fuel , like gas, is quite expensive. However, the air in many Chinese cities is becoming cleaner and cleaner, as the government and people pay more and more attention to cutting down pollution. As a result, there are fewer "pea-soupers" in Beijing than there used to be. How did the air in London become much cleaner?
Answer:
1 Day Fly-Fly Aboriginal Rock Tour Tour Details Operator: Adventure North Australia Destination: Cooktown Departs From: Cairns Tour Description Voted as one of Australia's Must-Do-Experiences. Treat yourself to an amazing day out with Aboriginal Elder Willie Gordon. Depart Cairns Domestic Airport for the Skytrans Flight to Cooktown. Flight departs Cairns at 6:45 a.m. Enjoy a 45-minute flight with wonderful views from Cairns to Cooktown as you fly along the coast between the World Heritage rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. On arrival in Cooktown you will be met by Willie Gordon, the traditional storyteller of the Nugal-warra clan . Willie Gordon takes guests to his ancestral rock art sites, set high in the hills above Hope Vale, outside Cooktown. Here he shares the stories behind the art, and explains how the paintings speak of the most basic and important quality of life and the knowledge of his people. The tour takes you through an impressive view of six rock art sites, including an ancestral Birth Cave and the Reconciliation Cave. This includes a 30-minute bush walk on generally easy terrian . (Covered closed-on shoes must be worn.) Return to Cooktown at 1:15 p.m. where Willie will take you to the Nature Power House Museum, Cooktown's Visitor Information Centre. Lunch is included at the Verhandah Cafe. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore historical Cooktown before your transfer to Cooktown airport and return flight to Cairns. Flight arrives at Cairns Domestic Airport at 6:40 p.m. Own arrangements on arrival in Cairns. Prices Adults: $ 549.00 Children: $ 390.00 Families(2 adults and 2 children): $ 1,869.00 From the passage, the tour is designed to let the tourists _ .
Answer:
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We have proof that you become what you eat. When you know the effects of different types of food, you can use your knowledge well and eat what you want to become. Food has an impact on our physical and mental health. Have you ever heard any of the following advice? Lettuce or milk can make you sleepy. To stop feeling sleepy you should eat peanuts or dried fish. Everyone has their own advice to give, which they have read about or have been told by older relatives. Some of these pieces of advice seem to _ each other. Eating chocolate makes you fat and gives you spots. Chocolate contains the essential minerals: iron and magnesium . What we need to figure out is what type of chocolate to eat to get the benefits and how much of it to eat. We can do this by reading the list of ingredients on the chocolate bar package. Exactly how much real chocolate is in there? And how much of that do we need to eat to get the benefits of the minerals it contains? Future restaurants might be named after the physical or mental state they hope to create. Their menus will list the benefits of each dish and drink. Some restaurants have already started this concept, and list the nutritional content of their dishes on the menus. Let's take the restaurant "Winners" as an example. Their menu would list dishes specifically designed to help you win sports competitions. Or you could choose the Go-faster salad, which is a large bowl of mixed raw vegetables in a light salad dressing, giving you energy without making you gain weight. And what kind of dishes do you think would be on the menu at the "Clever Cafe"? So what's going to happen to hamburgers and biscuits? Will the concept of eating food, because it's tasty, go out of fashion? Of course not! Junk food is also changing. If ice-cream is not good for children, can't we give them fat-free, sugar-free tofu ice-cream? Unhealthy food is going out of fashion, so brands are changing. We are told not to drink cola because of the sugar and caffeine content so cola companies are making sugar-free and caffeine-free drinks. We are told dried fruit is a healthier snack than biscuits so some biscuit companies are making biscuits with added vitamins. By saying "you become what you eat", the writer means that _ .
Answer: food has an effect on your health
In humans, a trait can be determined by one pair or many pairs of
Answer: genes
A student tosses a ball into the air. Which force causes the ball to fall back to the ground?
Answer: gravity
Compared to high heels , they don't look dangerous, but flip-flop wearers should think twice before slipping on a pair. The National Health Service spends PS40 million a year treating injuries caused by wearing the casual footwear. More than 200,000 people end up in hospital every year after suffering falls or developing long-term problems. Once worn only at the beach, flip-flops have become the regular summer footwear of choice for women, with two in five women owning at least one pair. But experts are warning the public of the dangers of wearing flip-flops, such as the risk of joint pains. They say flip-flops force people to change the way they walk so that when taking a walk with long steps they put pressure on the outside of their foot, rather than their heel, causing long-term damage. And there is also the risk of serious injury. Frequent complaints include twisted ankles, but some have broken their arms or wrists after falling because their flip-flops caught on uneven ground. Many also suffer aching toes as they constantly wear them. Mike, a spokesman, warned wearers of the damage done by flip-flops. He said, "They land on the outside and then roll the foot inwards putting all the pressure on the big toe." This constant rolling puts pressure on the ankle joint, causing it to weaken. The lack of support of the flip-flop also causes pain on the inside of the foot and lower leg. And if you're not used to wearing them, they can cause blisters , he added. Doctors say flip-flops cause far more damage as they are worn for longer periods of time. Emma Supple, consultant podiatrist , said, "Flip-flops are universally popular. They are easy to put on and easy to wear but women do need to be mindful that wearing on hard flat surfaces can cause considerable foot and leg problems." She encouraged women to wear suitable shoes to help recover from summertime injuries. What can we infer from the text?
Answer: A number of women like to wear flip-flops regularly in summer.
Driving to a friend's house on a recent evening, I was attracted by the sight of the full moon rising just above my friend's rooftops. I stopped to watch it for a few moments, thinking about what a pity it was that most city people, myself included, usually miss sights like this because we spend most of our lives indoors. My friend had also seen it. He grew up living in a forest in Europe, and the moon meant a lot to him then. It had touched much of his life. I know the feeling. Last December I took my seven-year-old daughter to the mountainous jungle of northern India with some friends. We stayed in a forest rest-house with no electricity or running hot water. Our group had campfires outside every night, and indoors when it was too cold outside. The moon grew to its fullest during our trip. Between me and the high mountains lay three or four valleys. Not a light shone in them and not a sound could be heard. It was one of the quietest places I have ever known, a bottomless well of silence. And above me was the full moon, which struck me deeply. Today our lives are filled with glass, metal, plastic and fibre-glass. We have televisions, cell phones, pagers, electricity, heaters and ovens and air-conditioners, cars, computers. Struggling through traffic that evening at the end of a tiring day, most of it spent indoors, I thought: before long, I would like to live in a small cottage. There I will grow vegetables and read books and walk in the mountains And perhaps write, but not in anger. I may become an old man there, and wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled and measure out my life in coffee spoons. But I will be able to walk outside on a cold silent night and touch the moon. The author wrote the passage to _ .
Answer: express the feeling of returning to nature
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Question: Tigers are strong and dangerous animals. But now they are in danger. In the past, there were eight kinds of tigers in the world. But during the 20th century, only five were left. The number of Siberian tigers was about 300, but now it is less than 22. They're in danger of dying out. If the government does nothing, we won't be able to see them in ten to twenty years. In order to stop people from hunting and killing wild tigers, and in order to make wild tigers more, the World Wildlife Fund has started a program recently . China and twelve other countries joined it. However, it's not enough. Remember that nature is a food chain . If we hurt and kill too many wild deer and pigs, wild tigers will die out because of hunger . So the most important thing is to save the animals that tigers eat. In order to protect the wild tigers, we need call on more people to stop eating, hunting and killing wild animals. ,. The number of the wild Siberian tigers reduced about _ .
A. 5%
B. 22
C. 93%
D. 30%
Answer:
C
Question: The number of big-production movies shot in San Francisco has _ with the rise of digital technology. Instead of going on location, producers can recreate the city's look in studios with the help of computers at lower cost. But San Francisco still attracts moviemakers, as its long history of film offers plenty of iconic spots to visit. Here are just a few: Alcatraz: The Enforcer (1976), Escape From Alcatraz(1979), Murder in the First (1995), The Rock (1996) A federal prison from 1934 to 1963, Alcatraz housed notorious criminals. Now a national park, Alcatraz offers visitors a chance to tour the prison, including a look at one of the cells portrayed in Clint Eastwood's Escape from Alcatraz, with the concrete chipped away behind the vent . Fort Point, Golden Gate Bridge: High Anxiety (1977), Foul Play (1978), The Presidio(1988), Dopamine(2003) Built to protect the San Francisco Bay area from attacks during the Civil War, Fort Point is where James Stewart saved Kim Novak in Vertigo, right at the base. The bridge has also been blown up countless times on films, including inX-Men:The last Stand (2006) andMonsters vs. Aliens(2009). The best view is from the north side, looking back to the city. Coit Tower: The Enforcer, Inner Space(1987), The Presidio, Sister Act 2(1993), The Rock, Dr. Dolittle (1998), Boys and Girls(2003) The narrow white concrete column at the top of Telegraph Hill has been a part of San Francisco's skyline since 1933, and offers amazing views of the bay and the city. Coit Tower has been in the backdrop of numerous movies filmed in San Francisco. City Hall: A view to a Kill(1985),Class Action(1991),Final Analysis(1992),Bedazzled(2000),The Wedding Planner(2001), Milk(2008) City Hall has one of the largest domes in the world and it replaced a structure destroyed in the 1906 earthquake. It was used at the end of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and Metro City Hall in the 2010 animated movie,Megamind, was an homage to San Francisco's City Hall. What can we conclude from the passage?
A. San Francisco is cherished site for moviemakers.
B. Fort Point is related to some notorious criminals in history.
C. City Hall is the most famous landmark in San Francisco.
D. More and more big-production movies are being shot in San Francisco with the development of digital technology.
Answer:
A
Question: We've considered several ways of paying to cut in line: hiring line standers, buying tickets from scalpers , or purchasing line-cutting privileges directly from, say, an airline or an amusement park. Each of these deals replaces the morals of the queue (waiting your turn) with the morals of the market (paying a price for faster service). Markets and queues--paying and waiting--are two different ways of allocating things, and each is appropriate to different activities. The morals of the queue, "First come, first served, have an egalitarian appeal. They tell us to ignore privilege, power, and deep pockets. The principle seems right on playgrounds and at bus stops. But the morals of the queue do not govern all occasions. If I put my house up for sale, I have no duty to accept the first offer that comes along, simply because it's the first. Selling my house and waiting for a bus are different activities, properly governed by different standards. Sometimes standards change, and it is unclear which principle should apply. Think of the recorded message you hear, played over and over, as you wait on hold when calling your bank: "Your call will be answered in the order in which it was received." This is essential for the morals of the queue. It's as if the company is trying to ease our impatience with fairness. But don't take the recorded message too seriously. Today, some people's calls are answered faster than others. Call center technology enables companies to "score" incoming calls and to give faster service to those that come from rich places. You might call this telephonic queue jumping. Of course, markets and queues are not the only ways of allocating things. Some goods we distribute by merit, others by need, still others by chance. However, the tendency of markets to replace queues, and other non-market ways of allocating goods is so common in modern life that we scarcely notice it anymore. It is striking that most of the paid queue-jumping schemes we've considered--at airports and amusement parks, in call centers, doctors' offices, and national parks--are recent developments, scarcely imaginable three decades ago. The disappearance of the queues in these places may seem an unusual concern, but these are not the only places that markets have entered. The passage is meant to _ .
A. justify paying for faster services
B. discuss the morals of allocating things
C. analyze the reason for standing in line
D. criticize the behavior of queue jumping
Answer:
B
Question: Lots of folks don't think about what they eat over the holiday season until January, when they stare sadly at the number on the scale and then hurry off to hit the gym, join Weight Watchers or pick up the latest diet book. It doesn't have to be that way. Health experts say you can still enjoy the holidays. "It's OK to indulge , but it doesn't mean you have to gain weight," said Karen Ansel, a New York-based registered dietitian and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association (ADA). Jessica Crandall, a registered dietitian from Denver who's also an ADA spokeswoman, added that gaining weight during the holidays and then working hard to lose it again is not good for a person's body. For starters, people interested in maintaining their weight during the holidays should keep eating on a regular schedule, the two dietitians said. Research has shown that people who skip meals -- particularly breakfast -- end up eating more throughout the day. "Try and stick to consistent meal times so you can avoid being overly hungry," Crandall said. "When you're overly hungry, you can make some bad decisions regarding what you eat. Don't starve yourself during the day waiting for that party at night -- because you'll eat too much or overeat." Ansel suggests that you think now about the foods you really enjoy and plan to focus on those while eating less of more common fare. Be careful, too, about alcohol intake, for a couple of reasons. Alcoholic drinks, particularly the fancy ones handed out at holiday time, tend to come loaded with calories. "It's usually what you're adding to a drink that contains the calories," Crandall said. Also, if you're drunk, you might forget to watch what you're eating. "It totally lowers your inhibitions ," Ansel said. Other holiday eating tips, suggested by Crandall and Ansel, include: *Eat lots of vegetables, and eat them first before moving on to the other items on your plate. *Recognize that many holiday extras, like cheese or cranberry sauce, come loaded with calories. "If those aren't your favorite foods, don't put them on your plate," Crandall said. *If your favorite food has a lot of calories, be sure to minimize your portion. "Two bites cure the craving," Crandall said. "After that, you're just really feeding your old habits. *After a big holiday meal, don't sink into a chair or couch. Go for a walk outdoors or participate in some other activities that help burn off some of the calories you've just eaten. Ansel asks people wishing to keep slim not to skip meals because _ .
A. it will do harm to their stomachs.
B. being overly hungry will make them feel not well
C. it may make them eat more
D. it might let them make bad decisions on important occasion
Answer:
C
Question: Electricity is able to flow through a circuit after it is...?
A. Steady
B. fully complete
C. Turned on
D. Charged
Answer:
B
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Question: What will you do if you get five million ? Different people give different answers. Sally If I get five million, I want to do business. I will do a lot of things for my family. For me nothing is more important than my family. I will buy a new house for them and travel around the world. Joe If I have five million, I will use the money to do everything I like. First, I will use two million to open my own shop. And I will use another two million to buy some new houses. In the future, the houses which I buy will become more expensive, and I will sell them to other people. Finally, I will use one million to buy some presents for my family and my best friends. Anna If I have five million, I will put three million in the bank and spend two million. I will visit Paris, London and New York. I will eat delicious food, play games, and build a house with a swimming pool. Jack I will buy an island if I have five million. Then I will be the king of the island. I will invite my friends to my island. ,. Where will Anna visit if she gets five million?
A. China and Japan.
B. London, Paris and New York.
C. London, Paris and Belgium.
D. Angola, Cuba and India.
Answer:
B
Question: A person owns thousands of acres of land and would like to do something great for the environment, so he
A. limits human access
B. limits animal access
C. builds a mall
D. starts a riot
Answer:
A
Question: Growing up the daughter of an outstanding educator,Andrea Peterson knew at a young age that she wanted to serve others.It was with this mindset that she started to pursue a degree in medicine.However,while visiting her brothers who were away at college studying music education,she realized that she was drawn to teach music,too. In her ten years at Granite Falls,she has revitalized the music programs at both the elementary and high school levels,to the extent that an additional music faculty member was hired by the district to assist with the workload.The growth of the music program in Granite Falls School District has encouraged students to participate in country,state and national music competitions,and won numerous prizes for the district. Teaching music is only a part of Peterson's instruction-it serves as a vehicle to other areas."Music is an amazing tool to unlock students' potential.The most visible benefit from their success in music is their increased confidence and selfesteem," Peterson said."However,I don't believe it is the only benefit,nor the most powerful.It is truly exciting to see how my music teaching can transfer to other classrooms." With this philosophy,Peterson introduced a crosscurriculum program,wherein she takes lessons taught in other classes,such as English and math,and expands upon them in an eightweek unit. One of the most popular projects in Peterson's classes is the creation and performance of a musical,and whereby students create a play from one of the books they have read in another class.Students work together to choose the music that best fits with the overall feel of the play and then perform it for the greater community."Through Andrea's efforts these kids have helped to put Granite Falls,Washington,on the map for musical talents.Parents,staff and community members continue to be in awe of what she is able to bring forth from the children,"said Debra Rose Howell,a colleague of Peterson's at Monte Crisco Elementary School. What is most special about the way Andrea Peterson teaches?
A. She has a special way of teaching music.
B. She makes her classes lively and interesting.
C. She combines her music class with other subjects.
D. She comes from a family of professional educators.
Answer:
C
Question: Zoology is the part of science that deals with the study of the animals' growth, home and behavior. It has nothing to do with people, so many students are left wondering why they have to learn it. Our nature includes not just humans but plants and animals as well. Everything in our environment is connected in a complex cycle. If you have a better understanding of how animals would behave and work with us, then you would value nature better. Some animals are actually misunderstood by people like sharks and snakes. These creatures are thought of as human killers, and this is mainly because we don't understand why they behave that way. In zoology you would be able to learn natural behavior as well as their homes so you would completely understand why they would behave in a defensive manner when they seem to be threatened. Studying zoology would help people achieve clearness over the common myths we have on different wild animals. Studying zoology would help people know the real facts about animals. One of the negative facts is the decreasing numbers of some species of animals. It makes people realize that there is a need for nature to be always balanced. We need animals to keep the balance in our environment and for humans to survive as well. It would help us learn the needs that animals lack and we can respond by thinking of solutions we can give to the endangered species of animals. Modern progress is needed for a country to grow in terms of its economy; however, it should not force us to destroy our rainforests and oceans. People should realize that our modern lives should include the lives of the animals that live with us. They should not be contained in zoos but in their natural homes as well. We will learn that every living creature on the earth has the right to own a home and we need to fight for them to have permanent homes. The best title for the passage may be " _ ".
A. The Ways of Protecting Animals
B. The Importance of Studying Zoology
C. The Introduction to Zoology
D. The Advantages of Learning Zoology
Answer:
B
Question: This is Yoga! Experience this for yourself. How do you feel when you leave a yoga class? Do you feel relaxed, full of energy, prepared and ready to face anything and everything? Do you feel better than when you walked in? If you have answered "No"' to these questions then you are NOT doing yoga. After walking out of the class, do you feel that you have been pushed through, that theclass was hard,that you have less energy at the end of the class, that you have not got any energy, or that you are still tight and full of stress? If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions, you are NOT doing yoga. Are you forced into positions beyond what you can? Do you know why you are doing the actions in the "yoga" class you attend? Satyananda Yoga Center teaches YOGA. We know and understand yoga and YOU. We teach yoga with this knowledge and understanding. You are not forced into positions not suitable for you, or too early for you. You will leave Satyananda Yoga Center yoga classes feeing relaxed, free from stress, energized, and ready for whatever life brings to you. With regular attendance and practice, the quality of your life improves with betterhealth, and stress-free mind.Your family and friends will notice the difference. You will feel the difference forbetter. This is because you are doing yoga. Yoga for Everyone! Yoga is a science. You are the scientist, and you are the one in the science of yoga. New Saturday morning class from September -- 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Asian American Cultural Center, 11713 Jollyville Road, Austin, Texas. To sign up, call:2669862, or email: keepfitwithyoga@yahoo.com Which is NOT true if people follow the right ways to do yoga?
A. In the class you will practise some positions.
B. You will feel very different after practising once.
C. You will feel new and fresh after practising yoga.
D. You will feel great if you keep on practising it for a few months.
Answer:
B
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Scientists have written a report on the future of trade and industry. They talk about the role robots will play in industry. What is a robot?Basically ,it is a machine which is designed to do the work of a human being. It is usually controlled by a computer. Once it has been given a set of things to do,it will do the job on its own. Nowadays,Britain has 120 robots at work in industry. This compares badly with other industrial countries. In Japan,there are 4,000 robots in use. In the USA there are 2,000 and in Germany there are 500. According to the report,the government must help people understand how robot technology can be used. Also,people must be educated to know how important this new technology is. The designing of new robots will be very important in the future. The report says that special robot centres should be set up where people who design robots and people who will use them work together. The assembly work of the future will be complex . So firms must develop robots to do it. A robot is a kind of _ .
Answer:
Maria sat by the glass door that faced the side yard. The door hadn't been opened as long as she had lived there. The dirty yard outside was overgrown with weeds . Maria liked to look at the weeds. Small flowers would grow, followed by seed balls. And the seed carriers would fly away. The late afternoon sunlight died into night. Turning on the light, Maria picked up her color1ed pencils and notepaper. She worked on a picture of a clearing in a forest. "Maria!" called her father, who knew where to find her. "I'm back!" He had been working at the apartments next door. "Did you fix their broken blender, Papa?" She asked, and he said, "Yes." He pushed his daughter's wheelchair into the kitchen so that she could help him prepare dinner. Maria cut up the vegetables that Papa had grown in the small yard behind the house. She loved their bright color1s, their strange shapes, and their fresh, crispy taste before being cooked. She would have loved to garden herself, but it was hard for her to sit on the ground and work. As they ate and talked about their day, Papa told Maria that his brother, Ramon, would be coming over the next day to help him with a special project. Papa had asked Mr. Yamato, the bus driver, to take her to Aunt Gabriela' s house after school. Then Papa would pick her up when the project was finished. Maria wondered why she had to be away while he worked. There was something in Papa's eyes and in his voice, perhaps -that told her not to ask. When Papa brought her home the next evening, he asked her to close her eyes while he took her to the glass door. She heard him open the curtain. Then he said, "Open your eyes." Surely she was dreaming! The tall crowd of weeds was gone. In its place was a beautiful garden. There were young trees, flowery bushes, and color1ful little flowers. Papa opened the glass door. He wheeled Maria to a path that placed her at the heart of the little garden. Then she saw the best part. Along the house were raised wooden beds of soil, just waiting to be planted - by her! They were exactly the right height for her to reach from her wheelchair. "First I'll draw a plan," she said excitedly. "And then we'll go to the garden center," said Papa. "You're a gardener now, Maria!" Maria could not help Papa in the garden because _ .
Answer:
The fossils that are found in the oldest layers of sedimentary rock were formed which types of organisms?
Answer:
In jokes, the chicken only crosses the road. In Australia,cane toads use roads to travel. A new study finds that Cane toads are using roads to spread across the continent. They take shelter overnight close to the opencorridors , and then hit the road each evening in their damaging way. Cane toads were brought into Australia from Hawaii in 1935 to control the spread ofbeetles that were destroying Australia's sugar cane crop. _ are now moving into new places at the speed of 30 miles a year. Toads can grow as large as dinner plates and can weigh up to 4.5 pounds. Their heads and backsides are covered with rows ofwarts . They are known to kill snakes, lizards and other animals, including pet dogs. They have no natural enemy in Australia. According to a research, toads make slower progress through thick plants than along open spaces and they hop alongside roads and fences whenever possible. Toads use long corridors that are well-suited for them to travel long distances. Another study recently found that toads haveevolved longer legs in recent years and that this is also helping them in their spread. Efforts to kill toads have been largely unsuccessful, although scientists tried their best. Another new finding suggests ways to slow down its population. For example, roadside borders can be changed to make them less attractive to toads, or allowing thick plants to grow along the sides of highways, thus forcing toads onto the road of themselves. According to the passage, the ways to slow down the population of toads are based on the fact that cane toads _ .
Answer:
Before you hit 'Enter' on MSN, read this It is often said that the language we use online is less formal than that we use in a letter, or in direct speech sometimes. This is true, but it can also make us in trouble sometimes. The thing about online communication is that you have no idea what the person who is reading your messages is feeling. For this reason, it is always a good idea to be polite and cautious when writing e-mails or messages to your friends. Chinese can be a direct language, but in English, people often talk about a subject in another way. So instead of saying "Please meet me here" or "Do this for me now", English speakers usually go for indirect phrases like "Would it be possible", "if you have time" or "It would mean a lot to me if..." If you have a close friend, you may still run into trouble because of your jokes. If you have asked someone to do something and they need a bit more time, you might joke with him: "What? You still haven't done it yet? What's wrong with you?" While this seems funny to you, your friend may feel unhappy. If you have foreign friends in different countries, the time difference can also be a factor. While you are waking up for class on Friday morning, they may be having a party on Friday night. You will be serious and they will, probably, be excited. So don't be angry if they seem not to care about you. Just try to message them at the proper time. Why should we be polite and cautious while chatting online?
Answer:
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Without flowers, many plants would not be able to reproduce and many insects would not be able to get enough food to live. Here are some interesting facts about flowers plants. * Most plants grow flowers each year, but some take much longer. The century plant grows only one flower and then it dies! Even more amazing is a plant from South America called Puya raimondii. It doesn't grow a flower until it is 150 years old, and after that it dies, too. * The smallest flowering plant in the world is thought to be the common watermeal . Its leaves are only 1mm across! * Bamboo has amazing flowering habits. There are many different kinds of bamboo in the world. And they have different flowering habits. A few flower each year, but most wait much longer. What is amazing is that all bamboo of the same kind will flower almost at the same time, where it is 6 growing! Nobody knows why. * The white flower of the Amazon water lily is the size of a football, and the flower turns purple after it has been pollinated . * The Caucasian lime can grow in Britain. Its flowers are _ to bees. If they touch the flowers, they will die. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
During the day, you spend a lot of time running, jumping, laughing, eating, and talking. You use up a lot of energy , and by the end of the day you're tired. Sleep gives your body a chance to rest. But your brain and body are not completely at rest during sleep. While you sleep, your mind may think of the things that happened during the day. It keeps the important things in mind as memories . It also thinks about things you were worrying about, and you may wake up with answers to some of your problems. You also grow while you sleep. The thing called "human growth hormone " in the body helps you grow during sleep. This growth hormone also helps the body to repair itself. Sleep helps your body to conserve energy too. You use up a lot of energy during your daily activities. But when you sleep, your body temperature falls, and your "metabolism" slows down. You are still using some energy, but much less than when you are awake and active. Have you ever stayed up past your bedtime? Did you have difficulty getting up the next morning? Maybe you had problems seeing clearly or you cannot think clearly. That was your body's way of saying, "I need sleep!" A lack ( ) of sleep can stop your body and mind from working correctly. According to the passage, which of the following tells you need sleep?
A long time ago, my grandma and grandpa lived in a house with a big front yard. They planted lots of vegetables and flowers in the yard. They worked hard to keep the garden growing. All summer long, the family ate food from the garden and enjoyed the flowers. Years passed. It became harder for them to keep up the garden. So they made it a little smaller. Then one summer Grandpa died. It was a lonely winter for Grandma. It was hard for her to care for the garden alone. When spring came, she planted just a few vegetables and flowers. One day in the early summer, Grandma heard big noises in the yard. She looked out of the window and saw thousands of bees. What could she do? Should she _ someone to get rid of the bees? But that would cost more than she could afford. She decided to wait. Over the next few days, the bees were busy with their own business. Grandma decided the bees wouldn't bother anyone, so she didn't give them another thought. That summer, Grandma's little garden grew and grew. The neighbors would stop to admire the big crop of vegetables and the lovely flowers. One day, Grandma's brother visited. As Grandma made him delicious squash pan cakes , she told him about the bees. Frank said, "Farmers often hire beekeepers to set up beehives . The bees, pollinate the crops and help them to grow." "So that's why my garden is doing so well!" Grandma exclaimed . After that, she believed that Grandpa had sent the bees to take his place and make Grandma's little garden grow and grow... Why did the garden grow well that Summer?
China is a nation with a rich culture in handwriting. "Even though the computer is widely used today, Chinese people should not forget the skill of writing with hands," said a Chinese government official . Nowadays, the computer has become a very useful tool to help people to write. As people use computers more often than before, many people have forgotten how to write Chinese characters . People often make a lot of mistakes in writing. At present, China is trying to help pupils and teachers to improve their writing with the help of information technology. With the technology, it is hoped that teachers can write their teaching contents on the blackboard and students can _ by writing, too. The Chinese character test shows that nowadays, many college students' handwriting has become worse. Many college students do not know how to compose words or sentences in Chinese character in the right way. Not only kids, many adults also have met the same problem. They might be able to tell the general form of a certain character. However, if you ask them to spell out the character in detail , they can't. On the other hand, they can easily type out the character on a computer. In the national language teaching course, we can solve this problem with the use of certain technologies. Actually, apart from technology, there is a lot that we can do. For example, we may ask students to finish their homework by writing with hands instead of typing. What's the main idea of this passage?
It is April 10. It is Tuesday. Cindy gets up at 6:30 in the morning. She is in her blue skirt. She really likes that skirt. Then she goes into the kitchen. She loves eggs and apples in the morning. Cindy's mother is a teacher at her school. Cindy is in the second grade , and her mother teaches the fourth grade. Cindy is excited about going to school today because her class has a test . Cindy loves school and she likes to get good grades . Cindy eats her breakfast and then she and her mother go to school. Cindy goes to her classroom and her history teacher, Ms. Brown is there. It is fun to be in Ms. Brown's class. She is a great teacher. Now Cindy's classmates are all in the classroom, and they start the test. Cindy remembers everything, so she can do everything right. After the test, Cindy and her classmates play for a long time. Then they eat lunch. After lunch, they watch a funny movie . Then they draw pictures. It is really a great day! What grade is Cindy in?
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Big Ben, one of London's best-known landmarks, which is famous for its accuracy and chimes ,stopped ticking for 90 minutes, an engineer said Saturday. Officials do not know why the 147-year-old clock on the banks of the River Thames stopped at 10:07 p.m. Friday. It continued keeping time, but stopped again at 10:20 p.m. and remained still for about 90 minutes before starting up again, a spokeswoman for the House of Commons said. A recent period of hot weather may have been to blame. Temperatures in London reached 90 Saturday, and forecasters called it England's hottest day in May in the past fifty three years, since 1953. Big Ben, which is operated by the Palace of Westminster, survived attack by German Luftwaffe bombers during World WarII,continued to mark the time within11/2 seconds of Greenwich Mean Time. However, the clock has experienced occasional problems. In 1962, snow caused the clock to ring in the New Year 10 minutes late. In 1976, the clock stopped when a piece of its machinery broke. Big Ben also stopped on April 30, 1997, and once more three weeks later. Big Ben is actually the clock's 13-ton bell, which was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the British commissioner of works at the time the clock was built. The official name for the Gothic tower holding Big Ben is St. Stephen's Tower. Standing 315 feet tall, it was completed in 1859 after an 1834 fire destroyed most of the Palace of Westminster. Which of the following may be the beat title of the passage?
"Mind over matter" is an English saying meaning that we can control our bodies with our minds. Now scientists are finding increasing evidence that our mind can have a great effect on our physical health. Since our mind influences how we feel, it's not true to say if someone is ill just because he feels ill. The influence of the mind on how well we feel is the basis of what is known as the placebo effect. A placebo (which is Latin for "I shall please") is a harmless, inactive substance. Patients are sometimes given placebo pills and begin to feel better because they believe that they have been given real drugs and expect to respond to them. The placebo effect is very strong: research on pain suggests that up to 30% of the effect of most painkillers is a placebo effect. So if it is so powerful, why don't doctors use it today? According to Dr Persaud, they really do. "All these things like seeing a doctor, going to a hospital, and being scanned have a very strong placebo effect," he says. According to the passage, placebos .
Have you ever noticed that people have thinner arms and legs as they get older? As we age it becomes harder to keep our muscles healthy. They get smaller, which reduces strength and increases the possibility of falls and fractures . New research is showing how this happens and what to do about it. A team of Nottingham researchers has already shown that when older people eat, they cannot make muscle as fast as the young. Now they've found that the ability to prevent muscle breakdown is reduced with age. When older people eat, they don't build enough muscle with the protein in food; also, the insulin fails to shut down the muscle breakdown that rises between meals and overnight. Normally, in young people, insulin acts to slow muscle breakdown. The research just published compared one group of people in their late 60s to a group of 25-year-olds, with equal numbers of men and women. "We studied our subjects first -- before breakfast -- and then after giving them a small amount of insulin to raise the hormone to what they would be if they had eaten breakfast," Professor Rennie said. " The results were clear. The younger people's muscles were able to use insulin we gave to stop the muscle breakdown, which had increased during the night. The muscles in the older people could not. In the course of our tests, we also noticed that the blood flow in the leg was greater in the younger people than the older ones," added Professor Rennie. However, scientists think that weight training may reactivate muscle blood flow and help retain muscles for older people. "In fact, doing exercise three times a week over 20 weeks reactivates the leg blood flow responses of older people. They became identical to those in the young," said Professor Rennie. The researchers seemed to believe that _ .
Chinese food in Britain has over 100 years of history. Since then, they've been springing up around the country. Today, Chinese food is one of the top choices for hungry Englishmen. But since coming to China, I've found some differences. Much of the Chinese food in Britain is influenced by western tastes. For example, dishes are not hot and had fewer kinds. It's difficult to find the hot food of Yunnan food in Britain. The most popular Chinese dishes in Britain are chou mein, egg-fried rice and spring rolls. Also, meat dishes are always sweet and sour. The Chinese food in Britain not only gives a different taste. In most Chinese restaurants, food is served as a buffet . And once you sit down in a Chinese restaurant, don't hope to rotate the dishes around a big round table to share. This kind of table in English is called a Lazy Susan because it's convenient to move dishes around. But in Britain they are very uncommon. At the end of the meal, don't forget your lucky cookie! In most Chinese restaurants, you'll be given a cake that you break a half. Inside is a small piece of paper with your lucky words written on it. Although you can hardly find lucky cakes in China, no Chinese meal in Britain is complete without reading these letters of good luck. What's the title of the passage?
Thai authorities have been urged to see to it that condominiums , apartment houses and other lodgings available to tourists throughout the country will be of higher quality than today, a leading tourism businesswoman has said. Piyaman Techapaibul, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, called on the Ministry of Tourism & Sports as well as other government agencies concerned to have those places and accommodations for tourists improved and upgraded to meet international standards because, she said, today's tourists from around the world have more money to spend and prefer quality lodgings as well as quality services and accommodations at those places. "Added by condos and apartment houses currently opening for daily rent, the number of lodgings for tourists throughout the country has increased over the years, but not the qualities. Many of today's tourists are so _ and selective that they'd prefer quality places where personnel should be very responsible and experienced in taking care of them while security should be constantly and effectually maintained," she said. Employees and staff in charge of providing accommodations to tourists should be expert in communicating with the foreigners, service-minded and speak fluent English, according to the council leader. Thailand is seen to receive up to 23.1 million tourists from other countries around the world next year, compared to about 21.7 million, who have reportedly visited the country throughout this year, about 2.6 million of whom from China, while as much as two trillion baht (US$66.6 billion) is expected to be earned from tourist industry by 2015, compared to about one trillion baht (US$33.3 billion) this year. Thailand's most favorite destinations for tourists include the world-famous beach resorts of Pattaya and Phuket, the Andaman Sea archipelagos of Krabi and Surat Thani and the capital city of Bangkok. The council leader made her comments in response to news reports that the government might deregulate businesses of running condominiums and apartment houses to the extent that they might not only serve as a place which collects monthly rent from the tenants but as a hotel where guests pay the room rates on a daily basis. No parking lots or hotel-operating licenses might be legally required at such places nationwide only if they were practically turned into daily hotels or guesthouses. According to the passage, which of the following statements is not true?
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Do you like playing soccer? If you do, you may want to join the school soccer team. Read on and see how to join the school soccer team. The first step is to know the information about the team. You can find more information by asking these questions. How many students are there in the soccer team? How many new players do they need? How often do they play soccer? The second step is to practice. Practice soccer with your friends or your family. Only good players can join the school soccer team. So you need to practice your "skill." The third step is to study hard. If you always get bad grades in the exam, your teachers and parents won't let you join the soccer team. The last step is to relax. Don't be too nervous . You can take a deep breath and keep smiling. Believe in yourself and you can be the best player. What's the main idea of the passage?
A. It's about how to join the school soccer team.
B. It's about how to be a good soccer player.
C. It's about how to get good grades in the exam.
D. It's about how to make more friends at school.
Answer: A. It's about how to join the school soccer team.
People often say that an Englishman's home is his castle. They mean that the home is very important and personal. Most people in Britain live in houses rather than in flats, and many people own their homes. They can paint and change them in any way they like. In a crowded city everyone knows that he or she has _ space that is only for himself or herself and for invited friends. People usually like to mark their space. Are you sitting on a beach or a train or in a library? If you are on the beach you may have spread your sands around you; on the train you may have put your coat or a small bag on the seat beside you; in a library you may have one corner or chair which is your own. Once I was traveling on a train to London. I was in a section for four people and there was a table between us. The man sitting opposite me had his bag on the table. There was no space on my side of the table at all. I was made rather angry. Maybe he thought that he owned the whole table! I took some newspapers out of my bag and put them on his. When I did this he sat up straight at once, opening his eyes wide. I had invaded his space! A few minutes later, I took my newspapers off his bag in order to read them. He at once moved his bag to his side of the table. Why did the writer get angry ? Because _
A. the man's bag fell on the writer's foot.
B. the man's bag was on the writer's seat.
C. the man didn't leave space for the writer on the table.
D. the man's bag prevented the writer looking out of the window.
Answer: C. the man didn't leave space for the writer on the table.
The united States has about 475,000 school buses -- all painted yellow. Each day they carry more than 25,000,000 children, half of all schoolchildren in the country. But these buses, on average, use four liters of diesel fuel to travel less than sixteen kilometers. When the school year began last fall, diesel averaged 55 cents a liter nationally. The price nearly doubled, to a dollar and 8 cents, by the end of school in June. Bob Riley speaks for the American School Bus Council. He says fuel prices for schools are not much lower than others have to pay. As a result, schools are looking for ways to reduce transportation costs. Bus routes are being redrawn or, in some cases, canceled. Some areas are buying buses that use natural gas or other alternative fuels. Other steps include fewer field trips and less travel by sports teams. And some school districts may end any bus service not required by law. Studies show that school buses are the safest form of transportation to and from school. The American School Bus Council says cuts in bus service are bad for children and possibly the environment. It says removing buses from the road will mean an increase in other vehicles transporting students. Spokesman Bob Riley says another concern is that reducing bus services might reduce attendance. But it could also get more children to walk or bicycle to school. And that would surely make people happy at the National Center for Safe Routes to School. More kids walking or biking safely to school is the aim of a three-year-old federal program, part of an international movement. The goal is to increase physical activity and reduce air pollution. The United States will celebrate Walk to School Day on October eighth this year. But for some students, high fuel prices could make every day a walk-to-school day. In order to cut down transportation cost, many schools take the following measures EXCEPT _ .
A. changing some bus routes
B. stopping some bus routes
C. asking parents to drive children to and from school
D. using other types of fuels
Answer: C. asking parents to drive children to and from school
The Sun appears larger than other stars because of its
A. yellow color
B. high temperature
C. distance from Earth
D. chemical composition
Answer: C. distance from Earth
Ladybirds didn't have black spots on their backs at first. Then a storm broke out, and their famous guide, Caius Insectus, disappeared into the flood , and the few ladybirds who survived had to choose a new leader to guide them out of trouble. They decided that their new leader would be the first ladybird to successfully travel south to the Great Lake and return to describe it. Many young ladybirds moved off immediately into this adventure. One by one they returned and told of how beautiful the southern lake was at that time of year, with its clear waters and flowers. However, the last of the ladybirds was late in getting back. He hadn't managed to reach the lake. Everyone criticized him, and they prepared to continue their journey the next day. Following their new guide, they spent a morning walking northwards until they reached some tall thick grassland, where they stopped. There were no clear waters or flowers in front of them. The heavy rain had turned the place into a huge green puddle . Everyone understood what had happened. When the ladybirds had gone out looking for the lake, they had gone in the wrong direction. Now they could see that, except that one late ladybird, they had lied in order to get what they wanted. And so, the late little ladybird was made the Great Guide. They also decided that every time one of them was discovered lying they would paint a black spot on that ladybird's back. From then on, when a ladybird looks at another's back, it can tell whether that ladybird can be trusted. How did the ladybirds probably feel when they stopped at the tall thick grassland?
A. Nervous.
B. Afraid.
C. Excited.
D. Angry.
Answer: D. Angry.
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I was reading a recent post on a bog I really like, and it got me thinking about my younger, more impressive high school self. So I decided to write a letter to my younger self. Dear Kate-of-senior-year-in-high-school I'm writing this letter from the future. Hey, stop laughing! A lot has happened. Some of it was sad, but most of it has been lovely. What I really want to talk about is where you're going. You've gotten a lot of advice from adults this past year. And I'd like to help you sort it all out. Enjoy these last few months before graduation, because high school is the best time of your life. Enjoy them, for sure. But that thing about high school being the best part? When I look back, I can't find a better memory than my high school days. Stop being so idealistic; you can't change the world. Okay...it's true that you're not going to change it all at once, so sweep away what you're imagining. But you can do your part, and you will do it best in a thousand little ways through the years. They add up, so keep believing, even when it doesn't work out right away. Words are powerful. This was from your English teacher Mr. Smythe, who said a lot of true things, as it turns out. All that stuff about the power of language and the potential for literature to bring people together, helping us understand ourselves and the world around us, so we can make a difference? All true. You should keep writing. You're good at it. You are. You won't always think so. As a matter of fact, there will be a lot of days when you decide you are perhaps the world's worst writer and deserve to have your laptop thrown down from a mountain. But that's part of being a writer, and you'll get over it. You'll go a long time only writing term papers and other things for school, and then only news stories for a few years. But one day, you'll come back home to poetry and fiction. You will keep writing, because you're good at it But more than that, because it makes you whole! Yes...keep writing. It will be a wonderful experience. Yours, Kate Why does Kate advise her younger self to keep on writing?
Answer:
If you want to walk in the footsteps of some of the world's greatest figures, then go to Oxford. Many of Oxford's 38 colleges are open to the public year-round. Here are a few of the colleges worth visiting and some famous people who have studied there. Christ Church College Long before it became known as a location for the Harry Potter films, Christ Church was the college where Albert Einstein, author Charles Dodgson who wrote Alice in Wonderland, and 13 British prime ministers studied. In this large and popular college, you can see the paintings in the 16th-century Great Hall. Magdalen College Many consider Magdalen to be one of the most beautiful Oxford's colleges. This is where author Oscar Wilde read his classics course. You can enjoy the medieval church with its 15th-century tower. Opposite the college is the beautiful Botanic Garden founded in 1621. Merton College Founded in 1264, Merton has the oldest medieval library in use. J. R. R. Tolkien is said to have spent many hours here writing The Lord of the Rings. One of the college's treasures is an astrolabe ,thought to have belonged to Chaucer. The college has the most amazing collection of medieval colored glass in Oxford. Bodleian Library The Bodleian Library, the main research library of the University of Oxford, is the largest university library in the UK. It is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library. It holds more than 9 million printed items on 189 km of shelving and seats up to 2,500 readers. The users of the library here include five kings, 40 Nobel Prize winners, 25 British prime minister and countless famous writers. If a Harry Potter fan travels to Oxford, he'll probably visit _ .
Answer:
A mother's ad calling for her son to come home for Chinese New Year ran on the front page of the Chinese Melbourne Daily newspaper on January 14. It placed a full page ad, saying "Dear Peng, I've called you many times but you don't pick up, maybe you will see this. Dad and mom won't ever force you to get married anymore, come home for Chinese New Year! From your mom who loves you." The ad, which appeared on the front page of the Chinese Melbourne Daily on Tuesday, would cost $2,796.80 Australian dollars ($2465). The newspaper serves the city's Chinese community. The mother, who lives in Guangzhou had placed the ad after losing contact with her son. Every year around this time, many Chinese prepare to head home for China's most important festival. But many of the younger generation are afraid of facing family confrontations about their love life. On the online Chinese forum Tianya. cn, a single man asked for advice on facing his family. "It's almost that time of the year. How should I explain to my family and relatives that I am single?" a user in Guangzhou "1979xiaozhu" posted. Many of the replies were telling him not to go home instead. User "qianlidaiwanwoduxing" wrote: "Going home means they will either arrange blind dates for you or you get scolded." "This year my mom gave me an ultimatum. One, bring 50,000 yuan; second, bring a wife home. If I don't have both then she said I don't need to come home. What a tragedy!" said user "fghjkh84". Those girls who can't handle the pressure of parents can rent a boyfriend for the day through China's online shopping giant, Taobao.com. Rental boyfriends come with services such as meeting the parents, shopping and watching movies. What leads many Chinese young people not to go home for New Year?
Answer:
Air travel is such an everyday experience these days that we are not surprised when we read about a politician having talks with the Japanese Prime Minister one day, attending a meeting in Australia the following morning and having to be off at midday to sign a trade agreement in Hong Kong. But frequent long-distance flying can be so tiring that the traveler begins to feel his brain is in one country, his digestion in another and his powers of concentration nowhere---in short, he hardly knows where he is. Air travel is so quick nowadays that we can leave London after breakfast and be in New York in eight hours, yet what really disturbs us most is that when we arrive it is lunch time while we have already had lunch on the plane and are expecting dinner. Doctors say that air travelers are in no condition to work after crossing a number of time zones. Airline pilots, however, often live by their own watches. After a traveler arrives in New York from London, he _ .
Answer:
Some years ago I was offered a writing assignment that would require three months of travel through Europe. I had been abroad a couple of times,but I could hardly claim to know my way around the continent. Moreover, my knowledge of foreign languages was limited to a little college French. I hesitated. How would I, unable to speak the language, totally unfamiliar with local geography or transportation systems, set up interviews and do research? It seemed impossible, and with considerable regret. I sat down to write a letter begging off. Halfway through, a thought ran through my mind: you can't learn if you don't try. So I accepted the assignment. There were some bad moments. But by the time I had finished the trip I was an experienced traveler. And ever since,I have never hesitated to head for even the most remote of places,without guides or even advanced bookings, confident that somehow I will manage. The point is that the new, the different, is almost scary by definition. But each time you try something, you learn, and as the learning piles up, the world opens to you. I've learned to ski at 40, and flown up the Rhine River in a balloon. And I know I'll go on doing such things. It's not because I'm braver or more daring than others. I'm not. But I'll accept anxiety as another name for challenge and I believe I can accomplish wonders. The author accepted the assignment because _
Answer:
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I was walking down the street the other day when I suddenly saw a small wallet lying on the ground. I picked it up and opened to see if I could find the owner's name. There was nothing inside it except some money and an old photo of a woman and a young girl about twelve years old. The girl looked like the woman's daughter. I put the photo back and took the wallet to the police station. There I gave it to a policeman. Before I left, the policeman took down my name and address so that the owner could write and thank me if they found it. That evening I went for dinner with my aunt and uncle. They also asked a young woman, so there were four people at table. Her face seemed familiar . I was quite sure that we had met before, but I could not remember where I had seen her. During the talking, the young woman said that she had lost her wallet that afternoon. At once I knew where I had seen her. She was just the young girl in the photo though she was now much older. She was very surprised, of course, when I was able to tell her what her wallet was like. My uncle said that we should go to the police station at once to get the wallet. As that policeman handed it over, he said it was an interesting coincidence ----I not only found the wallet, but also made friends with the person who had lost it. _ gave the wallet to the young woman at last.
Answer:
The policeman
The American political class has long held that higher education is vital to individual and national success. The Obama administration has labeled college as "the ticket to the middle class", and political leaders all have praised higher education as the best way to improve economic opportunity. Yet despite such advice, total college enrollment has fallen by 1.5% since 2012. What's causing the decline? While a shortage of birth in the mid-1990s accounts for some of the shift, big foreign enrollment makes up for that lack. The answer is simple: The benefits of a degree are declining while costs rise. A key measure of the benefits of a degree is the college graduate's earning potential and on this score, their advantage over high-school graduates is fading. Since 2006, the gap between what the median college graduate earned, compared with the median high-school graduate, has narrowed by $1,387 for men over 25 working full time, a 5% fall, women in the same category worse, losing 7% of their income advantage. A college degree's declining value is even more noticeable for younger Americans. According to data collected by the College Board, for those in the 25-34 age range the difference between college graduate and high school graduate earnings fell 11% for men, to $18,303 from $20,623. The decline for women was an extraordinary 19.7%. Meanwhile, the cost of college has increased 16.5% in 2012 since 2006, according to the Office of Labor Statistics' higher education tuition-fee index. Tuition discount from universities has slowed down the rise, but not enough to balance the clear increase adjusted to the inflation . Underemployment has arisen with this situation. The 2013 College Affordability and Productivity Report showed explosive growth in the number of college graduates taking ly unskilled jobs. In 1970 less than 1% of taxi drivers had college degrees. Four decades later, more than 15% do. This is only partly the result of the economic depression and public policies that have failed to produce employment growth. It's also the result of an academic arms race in which universities have spent large sums on elegant dormitories and campus expansion. More significantly, it's the result of sending more high-school graduates to college than professional fields can accommodate. In 1970, when 11% of adult Americans had bachelor's degrees or more, degree holders were viewed as the nation's best and brightest. Today, with over 30% with degrees, a significant part of college graduates are similar to the average American --- not apparently smarter or more well-organized. Declining academic standards and grade inflation add to employers' opinions that college degrees say little about job readiness. Which would be the best title for the passage?
Answer:
Colleges Are Losing Their Glory
Some people think that they will get ill if they use their brains too much. It is not true. Through many researches, scientists show us that the more you use your brains, the better they will be, and the wiser you will become. Of course, if you want to keep your mind clear and be energetic , you must take a proper rest and study properly. To the teenagers, using their brains in the morning is good for their health. There are many ways to rest. One is a peaceful rest. Sleep is a peaceful rest. Another is an active rest. For example, take a walk outdoors, do morning exercises every day. To change the way of the brains'activities is also a good way to rest. In everyday life, to eat some eggs, meat, fresh vegetable and fruit is also good for the brains. Wish you a wise man and a happy life. Which of the following can be used as the best title of the passage?
Answer:
How to Use your Brain
Probably you have seen photographs of the Grand Canyon , the great valley in the desert country of Arizona. But you must go there yourself to feel its true size and beauty. Tie Grand Canyon is one of the greatest natural wonders of the world. The Colorado River formed the Grand Canyon over mil lions of years. Slowly, the river cut down through hard rock. At the same time. the land was rising. Today. the canyon is one and a half kilometres deep and 445 kilometres long. The el dest rocks at the bottom of the canyon are more than 1 billion years old. The width varies from about 200 metres to 29 kilo metres across. The rim or top of the canyon is about 2, 300 metres above sea level tin the South Rim, and about 3,000 metres on the other side, the North Rink As a result, there are different kinds of plants and animals on opposite sides of the canyon. The South Run is dry desert country. The North Rim has tall forests. The canyon looks different at different times of day. and in different seasons and weather. At sunrise anti sunset the red. gold, brown, and orange colours of the rocks are especially dear and bright. In winter, the canyon is partly covered with snow. The view from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is the best. Most visitors come to the South Rim and stay in camp- grounds or hotels. Every point along the canyon' s edge offers a different view. The North Rim of the Canyon is quieter, h takes all day to drive there from the South Rim because there is only one bridge across the Colorado River. On the way, you go through Navado Indian lands, and a colourful pink desert called "The Painted Desert". You can walk clown into the Grand Canyon, or you can go down oil the back of a mule . You can also lake a boat trip down the Colorado River, and camp on the bea ches at night. But whether you see the Grand Canyon from the top or the honom, it will be an experience that you will never forget. From the passage we can know that the _ of the can yon is different at different time.
Answer:
scene
A few years ago, when I was still in high school, I met a wonderful and warm teacher. At that time in my life, there were many changes to adjust to, apart from the usual teenage troubles. My parents had divorced, so my elder brother and I had chosen to stay with my dad. Due to the fact that he was keeping the house, we didn't have to move. During this time, my teacher took a special interest in me. Being my English teacher, she encouraged my mind to travel to creativity I had long given up. She brought me out of the shell I built. She became my mother, my older sister, my friend and my teacher. The one thing she couldn't do though was to make me more girly as growing up with only my dad and brother made me a real tomboy. Sometimes, I would be really immature , especially if she was scoring me less than others on purpose. She knew I could do better than what I was handing in and so pushed me to extend further than limits. When I finished school and then after college I was about to leave my hometowns she gifted me a watch that every second, with my pulse, should remind me of the one person who will forever wait and love me without reservation. Time has passed and our friendship is distant, but in my heart, soul and mind, she is the closest I ever got. The writer and her elder brother chose to live with their father simply because _ .
Answer:
they didn't have to move out of their house
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A couple from Miami, Bill and Simone Butler, spent sixty-six days in a life-raft in the seas of Central America after their boat sank. Twenty-one days after they left Panama in their boat, Simony, they met some whales. "They started to hit the side of the boat," said Bill, "and then suddenly we heard water." Two minutes later, the boat was sinking. They jumped into the life-raft and watched the boat go under the water. For twenty days they had tins of food, biscuits, and bottles of water. They also had a fishing-line and a machine to make salt water into drinking water -- two things which saved their lives. They caught eight to ten fish a day and ate them raw . Then the line broke. "So we had no more fish until something very strange happened. Some sharks came to feed, and the fish under the raft were afraid and came to the surface. I caught them with my hands." About twenty ships passed them, but no one saw them. After fifty days at sea their life-raft was beginning to break up. Then suddenly it was all over. A fishing boat saw them and picked them up. They couldn't stand up. So the captain carried them onto his boat and took them to Costa Rica. Their two months at sea was over. When they saw the fishing boat which later picked them up, _ .
A they were too happy to stand up
B they couldn't wait to climb onto the boat
C their life-raft was beginning to break up
D they knew their two months at sea would be over
Answer: D
Dolphins live in a dark underwater world. It's often impossible to see each other or anything else around them, so sound plays an important role in their survival. To communicate with each other, dolphins produce all kinds of sounds. Only other dolphins understand what the sounds mean. Scientists haven't uncovered their secret communication, except for one kind of whistle. It might last less than a second, but this whistle is a big deal. Why? Because these whistles are actually names of dolphins - and every dolphin has one. Scientists call these sounds a "signature whistle." When other dolphins hear the whistle, they know which dolphin is calling. Dolphins often hunt by themselves but still need to stay connected to the group. Since they can't always see each other, dolphins use their signature whistles to check in with other dolphins hundreds of yards away. "In coastal areas, dolphins exchange whistles even when they're a third of a mile apart," says Greg Campbell, who studies animals. That means dolphins shout out to group members that might be nearly five football fields away. What's amazing is who names the baby dolphin. Not the mother. Not an auntie dolphin or another group member. Scientists believe the baby dolphin itself comes up with the signature whistle. Like human babies, a baby dolphin plays with sounds throughout its first year. While testing its sound skills, a baby dolphin is doing something amazing. It's creating or figuring out its signature whistle. How or why it chooses its signature whistle is not clear. Studies show that most of the time the signature whistle is nothing like its mother's or group members' whistles. When the baby dolphin is about a year old, its signature whistle is set. It repeats it often so the other dolphins learn to recognize it. Deciphering dolphin names is just the beginning of figuring out what dolphins communicate about. Do they chat about sharks? Discuss the tides? Maybe they even have a name for people. Someday scientists are to decipher the rest of dolphins' communication. The dolphin's signature whistle _ .
A lasts along time
B can travel long distances
C is especially helpful in hunting
D can be recognized by other animals
Answer: B
If the pressure alters from a high pressure system, the most likely thing to occur next will be
A sunshine
B picnics
C sprinkling
D beaches opening
Answer: C
Two kittens were playing. They had come in from outside. Now they were in the living room in the house. One kitten was named Snowball and one kitten was named Fuzzy. Suddenly, Snowball saw something interesting. "Look at that!" said Snowball. "What is it?" asked Fuzzy. "It's a ball of yarn. On the top shelf!" said Snowball. She had seen the yarn that was kept in a basket up there! "That looks like it's fun to play with!" said Fuzzy. "But how could we get to it? It's so high up," he wondered. "I have an idea," said Snowball. "Watch this!" Suddenly, Snowball jumped up on to the couch. "What are you doing?" asked Fuzzy. "Just watch!" said Snowball. Snowball then jumped to the table next to the couch. Then, she jumped to the middle shelf. "That's dangerous!" said Fuzzy. Snowball and Fuzzy were still small kittens. They weren't used to jumping very high yet. "Don't worry, I'll be careful. I think we're allowed to be up here." said Snowball. Then, she jumped all the way to the top shelf, where the yarn was. "Look out below!" she yelled, and pushed the ball of yarn off the shelf and on to the floor. "Whoa!" said Fuzzy. "Thanks!" Snowball then jumped down to the middle shelf, and down to the table, and down to the couch, and back to the floor. There, she and her brother played with the ball of yarn until they got tired and took a nap. What did the kittens do after they finished playing with each other?
A Went outside.
B Took a nap.
C Played with their humans.
D Ate their food.
Answer: B
Our environment isn't as green and beautiful as it should be. There are steel monsters blocking out the sun, blowing out dangerous smoke, and letting out poisonous chemicals into rivers, cars producing harmful waste gas, people throwing out waste in a wrong way and all other kinds of sources that ruin the planet. Facing current environmental problems, people need to do their best to save the Earth. You can see many big garbage dustbins in the streets. They're not there for a show, but for you to drop your waste. We should realize that what a little we do does count. So next time you get that urge to throw gum or a chocolate package out of the car window, or " accidentally" drop as you walk down the street, ask yourself how much waste you've been contributing to the environment with that bad habit going on for years. At home, the first thing we can do to protect the environment is avoid letting water run continuously and make sure that taps are not leaky ,which would help greatly in _ Another is to use energy-saving lights, and turn them off before you leave the rooms. It's not only energy-saving, but also cuts down electricity costs. Recycling is a method to make items reusable. Many things you want to throw out can be made into new products through the reproducing process. Use your imagination to come up with ways on things that you can use again. Pass the message of simple ways to save the environment on to kids. Starting with kids is a good way of teaching the message early in their lives, in the hope that they can carry it forward as they grow older. With environmental protection awareness in mind, we can do what we can, for the results are to have a big effect on the planet. As long as we do our part, the world is one small step closer to being saved. Which of the following isn't true?
A The more people do their part, the greener the environment will be.
B Selling what you don't want any more is a kind of recycling.
C To protect the environment may help you save some money.
D Your bad habits for the environment are a valuable contribution.
Answer: D
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Question: The audience nodded in agreement when the speaker, a teacher from a community college, said, "High school English teachers are not doing their jobs." He described the shortcomings of his students, all high school graduates who can use language only at Grade 9 level. I was unable to determine from his answers to my questions ho. w this grade 9 level had been raised. My topic is neither standards nor its decline . What the speaker was really saying is that he is no longer young; he has been teaching for sixteen years, and is able to think and speak like an adult. My point is that the frequent complaint of one generation about the next is unavoidable. It is also human nature to look for the reason for our dissatisfaction. Before English became a school subject in the late nineteenth century, it was difficult to find the target of the blame for language limitation. But since then, English teachers have been under constant attack. The complainers think they have hit upon an original idea. As their own command of the language improves, they notice that young people do not have this same ability. Unaware that their own ability has developed through the years, they take as true the new generation of young people must be hopeless in this respect. To the eyes and ears of adults the language of the young never seems enough. Since this concern about the fall of the English language is not taken as a generation phenomenon but rather as something new to today's young people, it naturally follows that today's English teachers cannot be doing their jobs. Otherwise, young people would not make mistakes of the language. The author's attitude towards the speaker's remarks is
A. general
B. positive
C. disapproving.
D. passive
Answer:
C
Question: In the countries of South and Southeast Asia, the elephant has been an important part of the culture, economy and religion for centuries. And nowhere more so than in Thailand. Unlike its African cousin, the Asian elephant is easily domesticated . The rare so-called white elephants have actually lent the power of royalty to its rulers,and until the 1920s the national flag was a white elephant on a red background. To the early Western visitors, the country's romantic name was" Land of the White Elephant". Today, however, the story is very different. Out of work and out of land, the Thai elephant struggles for survival in a nation that no longer needs it. The elephant has found itself more or less deserted by previous owners who have moved on to a different economic world and a society in the western part. And while the elephant's problems began many years ago, now it has a very low national advantage. How does the national symbol turn into ignored animals? It is a story of worse environment and the changing lives of the Thais themselves. According to Richard Lair, Thailand's expert on the Asian elephant and author of the report Gone Astray, at the turn of the last century, there may well have been as many as 100,000 national elephants in the country. In the north of Thailand alone, it was estimated that more than 20,000 elephants were employed in transport, 1,000 of them alone on the road between the cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Saen. This was at a time when 90 percent of Thailand was still forest---a habitat that not only supported the animals but also made them necessary to carry goods and people. Nothing ploughs through thick forest better than lots of sure-footed elephants. By 1950 the elephant population had dropped, but still to the number of 13, 397. However, today there are probably no more than 3,800, with another l,350 wandering free in the national parks. But now, Thailand's forest covers only 20 percent of the land. This deforestation is the central point of the elephant's difficult situation, for it has effectively put the animals out of work. This century, as the road network grew, the elephant's role as a beast of burden decreased. What can we know about African elephants from the passage?
A. It is of little value to domesticate them.
B. It is hard to domesticate them.
C. They are living a better life than Asian elephants.
D. Their fate is quite similar to that of Asian elephants.
Answer:
B
Question: Have you ever been bitten? Of course you have. You are surrounded by living things which might, or do, bite. Even when you rest your head on your pillow, bedbugs are probably nibbling away at you. They live happily inside most pillows. Take a walk outside and you are a target for "man's best friend. " Hundreds of dog-bite victims visit US emergency rooms daily. Many bites are terrible. To avoid the dogs in your neighborhood, you might want to hike into the desert or the woods. There, you run the risk of bites from rattlesnakes, scorpions, and blood-sucking ticks. Not to mention bears, wolves, coyotes, and mountain lions. Speaking of housing, watch out when you touch the corner of your house or garage. Shy but deadly, the black widow spider and the brown recluse spider make themselves comfortable in quiet areas of your closets or garage. One bite from either of them can make you very sick; occasionally, people die from such bites. Unfortunately, many people fear all spiders, not just the few dangerous ones. They squash them or run from them at first sight, not realizing that most spiders are actually beneficial to man. If you're concerned about bites, don't forget about rabid animal bites. Any warm-blooded animal can get infected with rabies. Although humans in the US rarely get attacked by rabid animals, the disease is painful and dangerous. You will most likely die if you are not treated properly within 48 hours of being bitten. How does the author introduce the topic of this passage?
A. By asking questions.
B. By giving examples.
C. By offering suggestions.
D. By doing experiments.
Answer:
A
Question: Which would a strawberry most rely on to ensure it gets planted?
A. a fish
B. a canary
C. a penguin
D. a tiger
Answer:
B
Question: Mary is from the U.S.A. She has two brothers. Now her family are in China. Her father, Mr. Peterson teaches English in Xihu Middle School. And her mother works in the same school. She teaches English, too. Mary likes red clothes very much. Her mother likes red clothes a lot, too. Mary is a nice girl student. She is in Xihu Middle School .She can speak Chinese. She has many Chinese friends. She teaches them English, and they teach her Chinese. Her two brothers are twins. One is Bob, the other is Bill. They look the same. They are only three. So their grandparents look after them at home. Mrs. Peterson has many toys for the twins. Bob likes toy cars, but Bill likes toy bears. They are happy every day. Which one is NOT right?
A. Mary's family is from America.
B. Mary's parents are both teachers.
C. Mary has two twin sisters.
D. Mary's grandparents are in China.
Answer:
C
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The fast development of modern technology has not only provided people with more income, but also enable them to enjoy long weekends and holidays. Never before have so many people traveled to so many different parts of the world and, with the help of fast, comfortable forms of modern transport, more and more people are tempted to leave their homes to see more of the world. It seems as if there are travelers everywhere. People travel because traveling benefits them in a number of ways. First, it enables them to get much pleasure from sight-seeing and photo-taking. Second, traveling makes them fully relaxed and ready to get back to work happily. Third, it offers them an opportunity to visit old friends and make new friends as well. Finally, it allows them to see different customs, learn new things, gain new experience and enables them to come back with a broader mind. With so many advantages to traveling, I think people should be encouraged to travel from time to time, especially on holidays, if their pocket and health permit. What's the best title of this passage?
Why people travel
I was sleeping in my room when my bed started shaking and a loud noise was heard. I woke up and my mom was screaming my name. Next moment I was running along with my younger sister, mom and dad. Before I ran out of the door, I realized my elder sister hadn't come out yet. So I screamed her name at the top of my voice. My mom said she had gone to her class. Then the four of us, along with many others, were running on the staircase. We lived on the seventh floor, so I thought we would not be able to make it and the building would fall before we managed to reach even the fourth floor. My dad's head was injured by something falling down. I did try to put my hand over his head. When we reached the sixth floor, the building split into two. We had no way to get down. The next thing I remember is silence. There were around 30 people on the staircase and none could react. Five minutes later, someone opened the door of the sixth-floor flat. We all went in. we were wondering how we would get down. From the balcony of the sixth-floor flat, I saw people standing on the ground floor. All eyes were stuck on us. I could see my elder sister crying. Our first hope of surviving came when a worker climbed a rope to where we were. That was ,the first time we thought maybe we could get down. Half an hour passed and we were still trapped. Finally RSS people arrived with ropes. They got people down one by one. My biggest worry was how my dad would get down. Finally after two and a half hours, we all got down. That day we saw the power of nature. It has taken more than two years to build the flats and it took just one and a half minutes to destroy the structure. The first time the writer thought they would probably survive was when _ .
a worker climbed up on a rope
We may be very pleased with the rapid progress we have made in every field of study. But the way to test a student's knowledge and ability still remains as poor as it was. We have almost done nothing to improve our examination system. It is well known that the examination system we are now using may be a good way of testing a student's memory, but it can tell you nothing about a student's ability. It does no good to students and teachers. As soon as a child begins school, he enters a world of examination that will decide his future of job. In fact a good examination system should train a student to think for himself. But it now does nothing about that. So students are encouraged to member what is taught. It does not enable them to gain more and note knowledge. The students who come out first in the examination often may not be the best in their studies. Besides, the examinations often force teachers to train students what to do with the coming examination from time to time. There must be some simpler and better way to test a student' s ability besides knowledge. And that is what we should do at once. Now little has been done to _ .
test a student's ability
I stayed in bed for a few minutes. I was reluctant to leave its warmth and comfort, and reluctant to face the problem that I'd let myself forget for the past six months. Finally, I dragged myself out of bed. I finished getting ready and tried to settle down. It didn't work, so I decided that my mum and I should go. We had a little time, so I thought we could practice parking. I failed, with the wheel hitting the pavement. After that, the little bit of confidence I'd had was gone. I tried two more times, but didn't improve much. Then we headed to the test site. I went into a room for some paperwork. And I waited for 20 minutes--just enough time to make myself believe that I was going to fail. Then, finally, it was my turn. I just wanted to get it over and make sure that I had to come back next Thursday. I stepped outside and the sky was the light blue I love. It offered me some comfort and I realized something: sometime between when I pulled myself off the seat and when I got outside, I had become calmer. The first thing I had to do was parking, which I did quite well. The confidence that came with it hit me like a wave. The rest of the test went well and I passed it all. As I drove back, the instructor told me I would not be coming back for a second test next Thursday. Back in the building I didn't have to say a word. My mum knew just by looking at me. Her smile made her face softer. And I'm sure it was at least as big as mine. But, her eyes looked kind of teary, so, I knew she was happy for me. Which is TRUE according to the passage?
As he did well at the beginning of the text, his confidence grew.
Albert Szent-Gyorgyi was born in Budapest on September 16, 1893. In 1911 he entered his uncle's laboratory where he studied until the outbreak of World War One, when he joined the army. He served on the Italian and Russian fronts, and he was permitted to leave the army in 1917 after being wounded in action. He completed his studies in Budapest before he went to Hamburg for a two-year course in physical chemistry. In 1920 he became an assistant at a university in Leiden, the Netherlands and from 1922 to 1926 he worked with H. J. Hamburger at the Physiology Institute, Groningen, the Netherlands. In 1926, Szent-Gyorgyi was ready to end his own life after an embarrassing problem in his career. The scientist, thirty-two, had written a paper and handed it to his boss for approval to publish. His boss threw it in the dustbin. Concluding his life was a failure, the young researcher quit. Unable to support his wife and child, he sent them home to her parents. His final wish was to attend one last scientific meeting, to be among scientists, to have one last good time. So he went to the 1926 International Physiological Society Congress in Sweden. Sitting in the audience, lost in self-pity, Szent-Gyorgyi listened to the president of the society, Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins, refer to the fine work of a researcher: Szent-Gyorgyi! After the speech, collecting his courage, he introduced himself to Hopkins. The great man invited the young scientist to Cambridge to do further work. Szent-Gyorgyi's life changed. He discovered the oxidation-preventing action of vitamin C. He won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1937. He accounted for his success by saying that discovery is seeing what everyone else has seen but thinking what nobody else has thought. The passage is organized in the pattern of _ .
time and events
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When writing with an instrument one sharpens, the leftovers when pressed to paper is
Answer:
a mineral
Lately, Bolivia has outlawed (......) the use of animals in circus performances, and officials in the South American nation aren't doing it in a silly way! They say all Bolivian circuses must stop using animals. Some people welcome the law. They say animals should not be forced to work and that circus creatures are caged in tight spaces when they travel. However, other people say that many of the four legged performers are cared for by animal experts. Plus, they point out, circus animals entertain millions of fans. Should animals perform in circuses? Student reporters Michael and Emily have done some work on the issue. Yes, I think animals should be allowed in circus acts. Most circus trainers love and respect the animals they work with and treat them well. Certain rules and regulations also help to ensure that the animals are treated humanely, or with kindness. Millions of people love circus animals. They look forward to seeing elephants and tigers perform. Many of the animals are exotic , so people might not get the chance to see them anywhere else. "Circus animals shouldn't be banned," says Parker, a sixth grader from Oregon City, "One of the main reasons people go to the circus is to see animals they don't see every day and to see them do cool tricks." Animals should not perform in circuses. When animals are in circuses, they are forced to learn new behaviors in order to entertain humans. Those behaviors may go against their natural instincts . For example, bears _ in the winter, but bears in a circus have to perform and can't hibernate as their bodies tell them to. Also, circus animals have to travel all the time in cages. All that traveling may cause them to become confused or upset because their environment keeps changing. "When animals are removed from their habitat and held in cages ... it changes their behaviors," points out Anne Northam, a teacher from Friendswood, Texas. "They are no longer selfsufficient ." What's Anne's attitude towards the new law?
Answer:
She welcomes it.
Mike found a job in a bookstore after he finished middle school. He wouldn't do anything but wanted to get rich. It was a cold morning. It snowed and there was thin ice on the streets. Few people went to buy books and the young man had nothing to do. He hated to read, so he watched the traffic. Suddenly he saw a bag fall off a truck and it landed by the other side of the street. "It is full of expensive things." Mike said to himself. "I have to get it right now, or others will take it away." He went out of the bookstore and ran across the street. A driver saw him and began to whistle , but he didn't hear it and went on running. The man drove to the side, hit a big tree and hurt himself in the accident. Two weeks later, Mike was taken to the court . A judge asked if he heard the whistle when he was running across the street. He said that something was wrong with his ears and he could hear nothing. "But you heard me this time," said the judge. "Oh, I'm sorry. Now I can hear with one ear." "Cover the ear with your hand and listen to me with your deaf one. Well, can you hear me?" "No, I can't , sir." "You told a lie. There is nothing wrong with either of your ears," the judge said. The traffic accident happened because _ .
Answer:
Mike was running to the street
Today's amazing newspaper headline! First family of four to walk to the South Pole wearing Mickey Mouse ears and clown's shoes. No, not really. It isn't true. I invented it. But I wouldn't be surprised to see it one day soon. It seems that every week someone becomes 'the first' or 'the youngest' or 'the oldest' or even 'the first married couple' to do something that doesn't seem to be very useful to the rest of humanity. This year I've seen headlines saying 'The youngest person to sail the Atlantic alone', 'The youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest', and 'The first people to fly around the world in a hot air balloon'. Why do they do it? Don't they have better things to do with their time and money? And why should I be interested anyway? Human beings have already climbed the highest mountains, sailed across the oceans and flown around the world. People have already reached the most remote parts of our planet. Many of these things were done a long, long time ago. There just isn't anything left to explore nowadays. I suppose there's still a lot of the universe left, and the bottom of the oceans is still a bit of a mystery, but you need a lot of technology to explore areas like that. So, those people who feel the need for adventure can only do things that have been done before. So they have to try and do it in a new way, or be 'the fastest' or 'the youngest' or 'the oldest' to do something that isn't really new at all. What is so great about climbing Mount Everest these days anyway? It's become a popular tourist trip. People pay thousands of dollars to be taken up the mountain by the local Sherpas, who lead the way and carry the bags. At any one time there are about a thousand people either climbing up or on their way back down. As a result, Everest is covered with rubbish and the Sherpas have to make special trips up the mountain to pick it up. The climbers are often inexperienced and when they get into trouble other people have to risk their lives to bring them down to safety. Helicopter crews have been killed trying to reach people who were stuck on the mountain. In January 2003 a helicopter carrying two British men crashed into the sea near Antarctica. I'm not quite sure what they were trying to be 'the first' or 'the youngest' to do. The Chilean navy picked them up after a nine-hour rescue mission that cost tens of thousands of pounds, all paid for by the Chilean and British taxpayers. Talking of taxpayers, many Australians are getting a bit fed up with record breakers. A lot of people trying to break sailing or rowing records get into trouble in the seas around Australia, so the Australian navy has to send ships to save them. There have been a lot of difficult, time-consuming rescue missions in recent years costing the Australian government millions of dollars. I suppose we can't just leave them to drown, but personally, I think we should give the bill to the people who are rescued. Perhaps they would think twice about doing it if they had to pay for expensive insurance premiums . Then I wouldn't have to read about them in the newspapers either. Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
Answer:
It's All Been Done Before
The one-child policy in our country has made most families much smaller than before. That is to say, there are fewer children in a family. But the population of China is still growing faster. Why? In fact, it's a serious problem not only in China, but also in the whole world. It's reported that the world population is _ to reach 9,200,000,000 by 2050. There are two important reasons. First, there are still more and more babies born every year. Next, people in the world can live much longer than before. The earth is too tired, but it has to burden more in the future. Who can save her? ,. The passage tells us that the whole world is suffering from(......) the _ .
Answer:
population
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I was 20 years old when my mother passed away. It was the first real blow that life had dealt me, and I thought I would never recover. Then, by the time the following spring came, the pain was almost bearable and again I could find pleasure in the miraculous reward of nature. At first, I went to the cemetery with trepidation. But then, amazingly, by tending her grave and decorating it with flowers, I was ridding myself of the painful memories. The years passed. I moved from Kaposvar, Hungary, the town where I had been born and had spent my youth. So did my siblings. We only came together on feast days, especially on All Souls' Day in the cemetery. Father lived with me for many years, to a ripe old age. Now that he, too, rests beneath the white marble stone, I go even more eagerly to the cemetery. While I tend my parents' grave site, again I am with them in thought. One day I noticed a modest grave site behind my parents' plot. It lay among the magnificent granite and marble markers of the other graves, its very simplicity _ . Ivy had covered the site and its only decoration was a simple wooden cross on which was written in copper letters a name, and that she lived 22 years. Whenever I went by, the plot and its surroundings looked cared for and neat, and each time I felt curious about this mysterious woman who had lived all of 22 years. Once I saw an elderly man leaving from there. I concluded that perhaps he had come to visit his wife. In 1996 I was preparing for All Souls' Day in the cemetery when again I caught sight of him, tending the grave. Tall, somewhat bent, he was well passed middle age. We nodded to each other and continued our work. Occasionally I stole a glance at my neighbor. When I noticed that he hadn't got the tools for a proper cleanup, I offered him mine, which he gratefully accepted. After this, it seemed only natural to engage him in conversation. I asked him whose grave it was. This was his answer: "My mother's. She died young, in 1912 when I was only a year-and-a half old. I really never knew her. I made her that cross and the copper letters." Then he went on:"No one comes to visit this grave but me because I was her only child. She died of pneumonia. My father remarried and my stepmother only cared for her own children. So then I always came here to my mother, whether in sadness or in joy. Later, life took me far afield, but I never forgot this grave. For me it was the same as the family home is for others. I always came home here." "With the years passing, it is getting more difficult for me to come, but as long as my legs will carry me, at least twice a year I visit my mother. I'm in my 80s. so who knows how long I can still make it." In stunned silence I listened. Tears clouded my eyes as I realized that I had never seen such boundless love. How much easier is my lot, I thought, for at any moment I can reach into my storehouse of memories and draw out the joyful or sad vignettes that bind me to my parents with a thousand threads. What memories might this kindly old gentleman harbor? Perhaps a face from an ancient faded photograph of his mother. What a great attachment throughout his long life must have led him back again and again to the resting place of that young woman whose motherly love he could never truly savor , only forever feels its enormous lack. We said good-bye. I was deeply moved because I knew that I had been given a great gift. I had been allowed a glimpse of the royal and long-lasting affection that bound a simple and noble-hearted man to his mother. I decided I would tend the grave together with that of my parents, where, finally, the aged child will have met his youthful mother. From the passage, we know _ .
Answer:
The art of reading fiction is largely a matter of inferring meanings. To infer means to understand facts which are not directly stated---only suggested. Inference is one of the commonest ways of knowing things: a child holds his knee and cries; this action implies his feeling; an observer infers that the child is hurt. To infer accurately in everyday life requires caution in observing; to infer skillfully in fiction requires caution in reading; both require disciplined imagination. The short-story reader can expect to find certain basic elements in any story. For example, all stories involve a person or persons, in a particular setting, faced with a demand for a response. The response called for may be a physical action, such as defeating an adversary or escaping from a danger; or it may be a mental action, such as adjusting to others or within oneself. In either case, the short story is a description in two ways: first, it shows the motives for a given human action; second, it makes a point about the general human situation. Such descriptions, however, rather than being stated directly, usually are implied by the elements of the story. When the reader of a story understands all the facts and their interrelationships, he is ready to infer the significance of the story as a whole---its comment on the human situation. This comment, or theme, is the seed from which the story grew. It is also the idea by which all the separate elements of the story are governed, while these in turn further shape and modify the theme. In addition to action, character, and setting, these elements include structure, mood, tone, and point of view. Fiction reading requires an awareness of all the ways in which a story communicates. It also requires attention to detail. What the author provides is a network of points which serve as clues to his meaning. He invites the reader to develop the meaning by inference, actually to create much of the story himself and so make it part of his own experience. What is the main idea of this passage?
Answer:
An electric car will have difficulty receiving energy at
Answer:
"I honestly have no idea how that cat got up there.It's a hundred--foot--metal pole.There's no way he climbed that thing,"Jim said to the worried woman.It wasn't even her cat,but she was passing by and saw it.immediately calling the fire--station to come to save it.Jim saw a lot of strange things as a fireman,often sad or upsetting things,but this was new. "I suppose we could get the blanket and see if we can convince the poor cat to jump down* But he doesn't really look too scared..."Jim said to the woman. "Dave,get over here!" Jim called over his shoulder to the fire truck driver.Dave walked over and looked where Jim was pointing. "How'd he get up there?" Jim shrugged,similarly puzzled."Do you suppose we could get the blanket and convince him to jump?" Dave shrugged in response."I don't see why not." Jim looked up at the black mass on the top of the flagpole,the American nag waving proudly beneath _ .It was definitely a cat,and he regarded the people gathered below as if they were his subjects and he their king,his yellow eyes scanning his surroundings with apparent disinterest. When the blanket was spread out below the cat,Jim and Dave began striking the flagpole.The cat looked down,and then gazed into the sky as if it were looking for something.Jim and Dave followed his gaze.Suddenly,out of the clear sky,appeared a dark figure.The figure swooped low toward the flagpole.It was an eagle! As it got closer,the cat leaped down the pole swiftly onto the ground,and then got lost in the bushes. Jim,Dave,and the old woman were left with their mouths open.They all agreed it was the best way to get it down. Why did the woman call the fire station ?
Answer:
Saturday was my husband's birthday, but we spent most of the time in the car. We were driving to Phoenix for the weekend to celebrate his birthday and see the Warriors play the Suns. My husband is a lucky man. Not only has he lived to see another birthday, but he doesn't mind driving 200 miles to see an NBA basketball game. In the car, his cellphone kept ringing with birthday greetings from family and friends. He put them all on the speakerphone so he could drive with both hands and I could listen in even though it wasn't my birthday. Meanwhile, on the CD player, the Reverend AL Green began to singLove and Happiness. A little good music makes a bad road better. Four hours later, we checked into hotel, got dinner and sat out a rooftop feeling glad to be alive. We had a great weekend--we ate too much, slept too little and the Warriors, well, they lost. But still, it was worth the drive. On the way home, I started thinking about birthdays. In our family, we celebrate four in January, four in February, and all the others throughout the year. Mine is next week. I felt lucky, like my husband, I will get cards and calls and maybe a few videos. I don't need presents any more. When you've seen as many birthdays as I have seen, the only gift you truly want is to see one more. Birthdays are the mile markers on the road of life. They tell us how far we have come, but not how far we have gone. Life is a journey more than a destination. What matters is whom we choose as traveling companions, and how often we get to sit back and enjoy the ride. What is the major lesson that the author took from the journey?
Answer:
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It is well-known that it will take travelers only 48 hours by train to go from Beijing to Lhasa, the capital of west China's Tibet on July 1 this year. Travelers can enjoy the beautiful views during the 48 hour train ride. The new railway line will be controlled by the Beijing' s West Railway Station from July 1, 2006. The most important part of the line, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, has been completed. The Qinghai-Tibet part of the railway is the world's highest railway. About 960 kilometers of the train tracks are 4,000 meters above sea level. The highest parts reach 5,072 meters. The railway is the world' s longest plateau railroad which is 1,956 kilometers long, from Qinghai's capital Xining to Lhasa in Tibet. The Golmud-Lhasa part is 1,142 kilometers long and goes across the Kunlun and Tanggula mountain ranges. The trains running on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway have very good conditions. If the passengers feel hard to breathe, they will be provided with oxygen masks, because all of the trains have oxygen supplying equipments. The best title of the passage is _ .
Liu Yingying is a student at No. 17 Middle School in Shanghai. She is 14 years old. She likes English and she often reads English books at home. She can speak English well and write many English words. She likes speaking English with her classmates and teachers at school. Her teachers like her. Liu Yingying likes music and she can play the piano. She often practises it at home in the morning. Liu Yingying has a happy family. Her father is a worker in a car factory and her mother is a hotel manager. Her father likes sports . His favourite sport is table tennis. Her mother likes sports, too. But she likes swimming. What about Liu Yingying? She likes playing tennis. What sport does Liu Yingying's mother like?
Recycling happens
A dung beetle is an insect that gathers waste from animals, rolls it into a compact ball, lays eggs in it, and buries it in the soil. This gives the eggs a warm, safe place to hatch and provides a food source for the developing larvae. Which impact does the dung beetle most likely have on its ecosystem?
if a cloud deposits its contents to the earth, which of these may be true?
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It is important to know another language and how to communicate without words when you are in another country. Before saying anything, people communicate with each other by using gestures . However, many gestures have different meanings, or no meaning at all, in different parts of the world. In the United States, nodding your head up and down means "yes", while in some pats of Greece and Turkey, it means "no". In the southeast of Asia, it is a polite way of saying "I heard you". Today in the USA, when someone puts his thumb up, it means "Everything is all right." However, in Greece it is bad. Also putting your clasped hands up above your head means "I am the winner." It is the sign which players often make. In Russia it is the sign of friendship. In the USA, holding your hand up with the thumb and index finger , and the other three straight means "Everything is OK." In France, it means "You are worth nothing." It is also important to make eye communication. If you look down when talking to an American, he or she may feel that you are shy, or you are trying to hide something. Besides these, you should also know there are some topics that can not be talked about, such as age, weight and marriage. You can talk about the weather, work, sports, food, where one lives and news of the day. Which of the following is true?
An ordinance of City makes it unlawful to park a motor vehicle on a City street within 10 feet of a fire hydrant. At 1:55 p.m., Parker, realizing that he must be in Bank before it closed at 2:00 p.m., and finding no other space available, parked his automobile in front of a fire hydrant on a City street. Parker then hurried into the bank, leaving his aged neighbor, Ned, as a passenger in the rear seat of the car. About five minutes later, and while Parker was still in Bank, Driver was driving down the street. Driver swerved to avoid what he mistakenly thought was a hole in the street and sideswiped Parker's car. Parker's car was turned over on top of the hydrant, breaking the hydrant and causing a small flood of water. Parker's car was severely damaged and Ned was badly injured. There is no applicable guest statute.". If Parker asserts a claim against Driver for damage to Parker's automobile, the most likely result is that Parker will
In prison you spend the majority of your time in an 8*10 cell. At work you spend most of your time in a 6*8 cubicle . In prison you get three meals a day. At work you only get a break for one meal and you have to pay for it. In prison you get time off for good behavior. At work you get rewarded for good behavior with more work. In prison a guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you. At work you carry around a security card and unlock and open all doors yourself. In prison you can watch TV and play games. At work you get fired for watching TV and playing games (or being on the Internet). In prison you get your own toilet. At work you have to share. In prison they allow your family and friends to visit. At work you cannot even speak to your family and friends. In prison all expenses are paid by taxpayers with no work required. At work you get to pay all the expenses to go to work and then they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for prisoners. In prison you spend most of your life looking through bars , waiting to get out. At work you spend most of your time waiting to get out and inside bars. In prison there are wardens who are often sadistic . At work they are called managers. According to the passage, if an employee has performed well in the company, he will probably _ .
Money is all surrounding us.Every day, we see it, use it, and it is on the tip of our tongue.Did you ever stop to take into consideration where the money that you carry around every day comes from? Making new money is a very unique job and no easy task.It has up to 65 steps When the money in circulation gets dirty and worn out, it is replaced with new money The old money is taken from banks and brought to places where it is destroyed Usually, the old money is burned.The burned money is replaced by new paper money If old money is being replaced, then new money is printed in a place called a mint .Large sheets 01 paper are printed with many pictures of some currency .These large sheets are cut into individual bills.The individual bills are then put together in big stacks and then sent to banks. Sometimes the mint will make a new bill with a new picture (portraits of statesman and places of interest are favoured) or a new colour. It is not easy for the government to make a new bill. It takes a long time, and there are many steps to go through before a new bill can be sent to banks, first, people m the government decide that a new kind of bill is needed Then, they ask and artist to design the new bill.A different artist cuts the new picture into a soft piece of metal called a die.The dies are made and put onto large printing machines.Then, very special paper is used, which no one but the mint can have.Along with this special paper, the mint also prints currency using special colours.After the dies print the new currency onto the paper, the bills are cut, stacked, and sent off to the banks. We can infer from the passage that a die is _
Amos owned Greenfield, a tract of land. His friend Bert wanted to buy Greenfield and offered $20,000 for it. Amos knew that Bert was insolvent, but replied, "As a favor to you as an old friend, I will sell Greenfield to you for $20,000, even though it is worth much more, if you can raise the money within one month." Bert wrote the following words, and no more, on a piece of paper: "I agree to sell Greenfield for $20,000." Amos then signed the piece of paper and gave it to Bert. Three days later, Amos received an offer of $40,000 for Greenfield. He asked Bert if he had raised the $20,000. When Bert answered, "Not yet," Amos told him that their deal was off and that he was going to accept the $40,000 offer. The next week, Bert secured a bank commitment to enable him to purchase Greenfield. Bert immediately brought an appropriate action against Amos to compel Amos to convey Greenfield to him. The following points will be raised during the course of the trial. I. The parol evidence rule. II. Construction of the contract as to time of performance. III. Bert's ability to perform. Which will be relevant to a decision in favor of Bert?
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Which results in a chemical change?
Answer:
When Dawn Bonfield, the former chief executive of the Women's Engineering Society, ran a stand recently at a big military air show, she was in for a shock. There were around 900 _ among the crowd and Ms Bonfield says, "I'm saying to all these girls, 'Do you know about engineering, would you like to be an engineer, have you thought about engineering?' And in the whole day... probably five or six of them said yes. Every other one said no, just straight out no." What surprised her most, she says, is that it wasn't that these eight and nine-year-old girls didn't know what engineering was. Simply that they had already switched off. They had lost interest in engineering. "So how much work does it take to change that?" asks Ms Bonfield. "I mean it's huge." There's no shortage of data to back up her estimation of the scale of work required. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that women make up around just 8% of engineers in the UK. And this is at a time when the UK needs to produce thousands more engineers, so much so that the inventor, Sir James Dyson, is planning to open his own instituteto address the skills shortage. Not enough female role models is well documented as a reason why girls don't choose engineering. The attitude of parents was also an important factor in career choices. For girls, perhaps unsurprisingly, mothers were particularly influential. "My mum was a bit iffy about it at first because she was more like, 'Girls should do this and that and the other,' more like 'keep your posture up and be ladylike'," says middle school student Hannah. "But my dad used to build a lot of stuff and he got me into that. So after my mum saw how me and my dad interacted she said, 'Yeah, go for it' and she's kind of the one who supported me with this." What shocked Dawn Bonfield most?
Answer:
Have you heard of the term "tweenager" ? It's a new word being used in the UK to describe children at about 10-12 years old.Why are the media suddenly referring to kids in this way? Well , more and more companies are beginning to create products and services for tweenagers.The Disney company sells the Hannah Montana television show,music,films and products to tweenagers and their parents.You can get everything from branded lunchboxes and cellphones,to fan magazines and clothing.The High School Musical series of films is also intended for a tweenage audience.So,it's all about sales,which tells us tweenagers must have more money,freedom and influence upon their parents than _ have ever had before. Most children in the UK today get more pocket money than kids did a decade ago.In spite of the credit trouble, parents have more money to give than previously, since parents are having fewer children on average than in the past. addition, divorce rate in the UK is continually rising and In the parents spend less time with their children than they used to.So,many parents are under constant pressure from commercial marketers and the requests of their children. You may wonder how tweenagers have more freedom than previous generations.Well,UK children today are very good at using media and computers.A lot of them have a television,if not a computer,in their bedrooms.They have access to much more information about life and the world.They may have experienced a lot in life as well,since 25% of UK children live in single -parent families.People now say that"kids are getting older younger" .With such sophistication at such a young age,it's no wonder that tweenagers are able to influence their parents. UK tweenagers never used to be worried about spending money on fashionable clothes. That's changed.Now,they are concerned about the fashions and their images.In a world of television programs that promise overnight success and fame at a young age,some people think it' s very important to look fashionable. Such ideas are also promoted by both Hannah Montana story, in which a tweenage girl suddenly becomes a world-famous pop star,and the High School Musical story,in which tweenagers go through various auditions for musicals and talent shows. We can make a conclusion that _ .
Answer:
Some children cannot wait to grow up. Because once you become an adult, you are free to make your own decisions. More importantly, you can do all those things that you cannot do now because you are too young. So, the question is, 'At what age do you really become an adult?' Well, people become adults at different ages in different places. In Australia, the 18th birthday is a very important event for young Australians because it means they can do almost anything they want. They can vote, learn to drive a car, get married, join the army and even buy their own houses. However, even if they can do all these things, most Australians have to wait until their 21st birthday to really celebrate becoming an adult. This is the traditional adult age not only in Australia, but also in the USA and the UK. It is their first year of true independence .Traditionally, people were given a key to their houses by their parents when they turned 21, meaning they could come and go as they like. Even though 21 is the traditional adult age in many English-speaking countries, the law nowadays is different in each country. In the UK, you can join the army at 16 and even get married at 16 if your parents allow. Young people in the UK can learn to drive a car at 17 as in Australia, although they have to wait until they are 18 to vote. In China, there is a different age for each of the stages of becoming an adult. You can vote and learn to drive a car when you are 18, but if you want to get married, women have to wait until they are 20 and men until they are 22. Chinese people celebrate important birthdays every 10 years--so when young people turn 20, they can expect a big party! No matter what age you are, becoming an adult is really about learning how to be independent and responsible . Once you are finally able to take care of yourself and make your own decisions, then you can say that you are truly all grown-ups. At what age do Australians really become adults?
Answer:
The other day I was watching Sportscenter when one of those "human interest " stories came on and really caught my attention. The hero was about a 27-year-old professional Bass Fisherman named Clay Dyer. At first, they played it off as another guy trying to make the cut on the Bassmaster tour until they showed a picture of him. No legs, no arms, or rather, he was only1/3 of his right arm. That's all that he has. It was such an amazing story that I was wondering what this guy could do. Growing up, he learned to play baseball and basketball, but found that fishing was his true calling. And he does it all on his own. He holds the fishing pole under his chin and uses that and his stub arm to cast and reel in the fish. He uses his teeth to help him unhook fish. He ties his own hooks on with his mouth, never really asking anyone else to help. Clay Dyer even knows how to swim. Since his body can't produce enough sweat on its own, he has to take a dip in the lake every few hours to keep cool. He dives in just like anyone else, then somehow treads water with his stub arm, then, with a little help, pulls himself back up into the boat and goes on fishing. Clay Dyer has never looked for others' pity, nor has he allowed his physical disabilities to prevent him from becoming a professional fisherman. His motto for life is "If I can, you can."He refuses to use special equipment, saying, "I want to do it with one hand the way they do it with two. Why did the author become interested in Clay Dyer?
Answer:
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When we talk about intelligence, we do not mean the ability to get good scores in certain kinds of tests or even the ability to do well in school. By intelligence we mean a way of living and behaving, especially in a new or anxious situation. If we want to test intelligence, we need to find out how a person acts instead of how much he knows what to do. For example, when in a new situation, an intelligent person thinks about the situation, not about himself or what might happen to him. He tries to find out all he can, and then he acts immediately and tries to do something about it. He probably isn't sure how it will all work out, but at least he tries. And, if he can't make things work out right, he doesn't feel ashamed that he fails; he just tries to learn from his mistakes. An intelligent person, even if he is very young, has a special outlook on life, special feeling about life, and knows how he fits into it. If you look at children, you'll see great difference between what we call "bright" children and "not bright" children. They are actually two different kinds of people, not just the same kind with different amounts of intelligence. For example, the bright child really wants to find out more about life --- he tries to get in touch with everything around him. But the unintelligent child keeps more to himself and his own dream-world; he seems to have a wall between him and life in general. What might the author continue to talk about in the passage that follows?
A how to determine what intelligence is
B How an unintelligent person should be taught
C how to judge whether a person is intelligent
D how education should be changed
Answer: B. How an unintelligent person should be taught
Andy the lion lived in Africa. He was a happy lion, and he liked to lay in the sun all day. One day when Andy got hungry, he thought about strawberries. He had never had a strawberry before. "Oh," he thought, "strawberries must be very tasty." He thought about how red they were, and how sweet they must taste. "I have to have a strawberry," said Andy. So Andy went to talk to his friends, to find out if they had any strawberries. He walked to a big field where he saw his friend Billy the Bison. Andy asked Billy if he had any strawberries. "No, I don't," said Billy, "All I have is a banana." Andy was sad, because he really wanted a strawberry, but he wouldn't stop there. Andy walked to the river to find his friend Charlie, the duck. It was a long way to walk, but Andy really wanted a strawberry. When he finally got there, he asked, "Do you have any strawberries?" "No," said Charlie, "I only have is an apple." This made Andy really sad, but he wouldn't stop there. Andy knew that he only knew one other friend who might have a strawberry, and that was David the Elephant. So he walked and walked and walked until he was finally at his friend David's house. Andy was tired, but wouldn't give up. Andy asked, "Do you have any strawberries?" David said, "Yes! Help yourself." Andy was excited, and finally tasted his first strawberry. Andy thought it was tasty. What did Andy think of the strawberry?
A It was fruity.
B It was tasty.
C It was sweet.
D It was gross.
Answer: B. It was tasty.
Elizabeth and I are 18 now, and about to graduate. I think about our elementary school friendship, but some memories have blurred . What happened that day in the fifth grade when Beth suddenly stopped speaking to me? Does she know that I've been thinking about her for seven years? If only we could go back, and discover what ended our relationship. I have to speak with Beth. I see her sometimes, and find out school is "fine". It's not the same. It nvever will be. Someone says that she's Liz now. what happened to Beth? I can't call her. Should I write? What if she doesn't answer me? How will I know what she's thinking? Yes, I'll write her a letter. These things are easier to express in writing. "Dear Be-," no, "Dear Li-" no, "Dear Elizabeth," I begin. The words flow freely, as seven-year-old memories are reborn. I ask her all the questions that have been left unanswered in my mind, and pray she will answer. I seal my thoughts in the perfect white envelope, and imagine Beth looking into the mailbox. Will she know why I'm writing? Maybe she once thought of writing the same letter. As the mailman takes my envelope from me forever, I wonder if I've made the right decision. Do I have the right to force myself into Beth's life again? Am I simply part of the past? I have taken the first stop. _ One day has passed. Are my words lying on the bottom of the post office floor. Two days are gone. I'm lost in thought and don't even hear the phone ring. "Hello? It's Elizabeth" Why does the author decide to write a letter instead of calling?
A She is sure that Beth will not answer
B She's afraid that they'll quarrel on the phone
C She doesn't know Beth's telephone number
D It is easier to express her feelings in writing
Answer: D. It is easier to express her feelings in writing
A very strict officer was talking to some new soldiers whom he had to train. He had never seen them before, so began, "My name is Stone, and I'm even harder than stone, so do what I tell you or there'll be trouble. Don't try any tricks with me, and then we'll get on well together." Then he went to each soldier one after the other and asked him his name, "Speak loudly so that everyone can hear you clearly," he said, "and don't forget to call me 'sir'." Each soldier told him name, until he came to the last one. This man remained silent, and so Captain Stone shouted at him, " when I ask you a question, answer it! I'll ask you again: What's your name, soldier?" The soldier was very unhappy, but at last he replied, "My name's Stonebreaker, sir," he said nervously . 53. The last soldier remained silent because _ .
A he didn't like the way the officer spoke to them.
B he wanted to see what would happen if he disobeyed his order.
C the question was difficult for him to answer.
D he was afraid the officer would be angry when he heard his name.
Answer: D. he was afraid the officer would be angry when he heard his name.
The Earth's energy creates
A Happiness
B Love
C Anger
D a magnetic creation
Answer: D. a magnetic creation
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Which part of a pine tree makes food?
needle
When I was nine years old, I wrote my first poem. My mother read the little poem and cried. "Buddy, it's a beautiful, beautiful poem!" My mother poured out her praise. "What time will Father be home?" I asked. I could hardly wait to show him my poem. My father had begun his movie career as a writer. He would be able to appreciate my poem even more than my mother. I confidently put the poem right on my father's plate on the dining table. My mother said he would be home around 7. But My father got home an hour later than expected. He sat down at the table and noticed his plate. "What is this?" I heard him say. "Ben, Buddy has written his first poem. And it's beautiful, so amazing!" Mother said. "If you don't mind, I'd like to decide that for myself," Father said. I kept my face lowered to my plate. It was only 10 lines long. But it seemed to take hours. "I think it's bad," my father said. I couldn't look up. My eyes were getting wet. "Ben, sometimes I don't understand you," my mother was saying. "This is just a little boy. He needs encouragement." "I don't know why," _ "Isn't there enough bad poetry in the world already? No law says Buddy has to become a poet." I ran from the dining room, threw myself on the bed and cried. A few months later, I read that first poem. It was a bad poem. I worked up the courage to show him a short story. My father thought it was not good but hopeful. I was learning to rewrite. As I worked my way into other books and plays and films, I realized how lucky I was to have a mother who said, "Buddy, it's wonderful!" and a father who shook his head "I think it's bad." Both are love that forces me to improve. In fact, all of us in life need both loving force. From the passage, we can infer that Father is _ .
loving and strict
The National Park Service in the United States will mark its one hundredth anniversary in 2016. As it nears its second century, the Park Service plans to increase its educational programs for students and teachers. The plans include transportation support for one hundred thousand students each year to visit national parks to learn about nature and history. Yellowstone is believed to have been the world's first national park when it was established in 1872. Other students will get a chance to see parks in faraway places through Skype and other online programs. The National Park Service also works with partners to provide education. One of its partners is a nonprofit organization called NatureBridge. NatureBridge is celebrating its fortieth anniversary and says one million young people have taken part in its programs. The organization works with students from kindergarten through twelfth grade and uses national parks as its classrooms. It provides field science programs at Yosemite National Park and four other locations in California and the northwestern state of Washington. Now, NatureBridge is launching an East Coast center with a four-million-dollar grant from Google. The program will begin in April at the Prince William Forest Park in Virginia. Students stay for three to five days in NatureBridge programs. The activities are aimed at developing their science skills. For example, they learn about different soils and study water quality under a microscope. Jason Morris, executive vice president of NatureBridge says when they are not sleeping, eating or in a laboratory, the students spend their time outdoors. Julia Washburn is associate director of education and interpretation for the National Park Service. She says in a time of budget cuts, the agency has to find ways to still meet its goals. And one of the most important services that the Park Service provides every day is nature interpretation. According to the text, NatureBridge_.
has benefited quite a lot of students
In the past, man did not have to think about protection of the environment. There were very few people on the earth, and natural resources seemed to be unlimited. Today things are different. The world has become too crowded. We are using up our natural resources too quickly, and at the same time we are polluting our environment with dangerous chemicals. If we continue to do this, human life on the earth will not survive. Everyone realizes today that if too many fish are taken from the sea, there will soon be none left. Yet, with modern fishing methods, more and more fish are caught. We know that if too many trees are cut down, forests will disappear and nothing will grow on land. Yet, we continue to use more powerful machines to cut down more and more trees. We realize that if rivers are polluted with waste products from factories, we will die. However, in most countries waste is still put into rivers, but there are few laws to stop this. We also know that if the population of the countries in the world is to rise at the present rate in a few years, there will not be enough food. What can we do to solve these problems? If we eat more vegetables and less meat, there will be more food available for everyone. Land that is used to grow crops can feed five times more people than land where animals are kept. Our natural resources will last longer if we learn to recycle them. The world population will not rise so quickly if people use modern methods of birth control. Finally, if all of us think about the problem, we will have a better and cleaner planet in the future. From the passage we can see that the world's natural resources _ .
are being used up very quickly
English is spoken as a first language by most people in the USA, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Canada. However, English is spoken all over the world. It is the main language in over 60 countries, such as India, Singapore and in many of the Caribbean and Pacific islands. In those places English is often a second language. English is also as an important international language in many other countries, like China and Japan. People in these countries use it for business, and travelers to these countries use English when they get there. Other people may learn English because they enjoy reading books in English, listening to British or American music or watching American films. English has changed a lot these years and still goes on changing. It is no longer right to talk about British English or American English if the speaker doesn't come from those countries. People in Japan or Korea, for example, may use the American spelling but may not sound like Americans. English will be the most widely used language in the world in the 21stcentury. This language no longer belongs to British, American or Australian speakers. It belongs to anyone who can use this language. After you leave school, you will almost certainly need it. If people in Japan or Korea use the American spelling, they _ .
may not sound like Americans
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Thousands of puffins live in Maine and on islands in the Gulf of Maine. But the puffins may be in danger. Last summer, the percentage of laid eggs that successfully produced baby puffins took a dive. Scientists also found a decline in the average body weight of the adult and baby puffins on Machias Seal Island, home to the area's largest colony. Over the winter, dozens of the seabirds from the region were found dead, likely from starvation. What's causing the puffin trouble? Scientists think it may be a shortage of food. With ocean temperatures rising, fish populations have moved around. Normally, puffins' primary food source is herring, a type of fish. A lack of herring in the area could be causing the problem. Butterfish from the south have become more abundant in the Gulf of Maine and could be a new food source for birds. But Steve Kress says butterfish may be too big and round for baby puffins to swallow. Puffins spend most of their lives at sea. They come ashore to breed each spring and return to the ocean in August. The chicks swim to sea about 40 days after hatching. Puffin populations stretch across the North Atlantic, from Maine to northern Russia. Maine's puffin population has been at risk in the past. In the 1800s, they were hunted for their food, eggs and feathers. By 1901, only one pair of puffins remained in the state. Thanks to the help of local lighthouse keepers and seabird restoration programs, the state's puffin population has been restored to more than 2,000 birds. Scientists aren't sure what will happen to the Gulf of Maine's puffins. The birds may move further north. Kress says he hopes the Gulf population will sustain itself and then he continued. "You never know what climate change will bring," Kress said. "Historically fish could move out and more southerly fish could move in, and puffins may adapt to the new fish. Only they will know how the story will unfold." In the scientists' opinion, _ is contributing to the puffin trouble.
A a lack of herring
B environmental pollution
C the increase of birds
D the huge size of butterfish
Answer: A
The Mayan Indians lived in Mexico for thousands of years before the Spanish arrived in the 1500s. The Mayan achievements were many. They had farms, beautiful palaces, and cities with many buildings. The Mayan people knew a lot about nature and the world around them. This knowledge helped them to live a better life than most people of that time, because they could use it to make their lives more comfortable and rewarding . Knowledge about tools and farming, for example, made their work easier and more productive. The Maya believed in many gods, including rain gods, sun gods, and corn gods. The people built large temples to honor the Mayan gods. Skillful workers built cities around these temples. It was difficult for them to build these cities, because they had no horses to carry the heavy stone they used to build with. Workers had to carry all of the building materials themselves. Today, many of these ancient Mayan cities and temples are still standing. Although the cities that the Maya built were beautiful, and the people worked hard to build them, very few of the people lived in them. Usually, only the priests lived in the cities. The other people lived in small villages in the forests. Their houses were much simpler than the _ buildings in the cities. They lived in small huts with no windows. The walls were made of poles covered with dried mud, and the roof was made of grass or leaves. Most Maya lived a simple life close to nature. The Mayan priests studied the Sun, the Moon, stars, and planets. They made a calendar from what they learned. The year was divided into 18 months of 20 days each with five days left over. The Mayan calendar was far more exact than the European calendars of the time. Around the year 800, the Maya left their villages and beautiful cities, never to return. No one knows why this happened. They may have died from some disease. They may have left because the soil could no longer grow crops. Archaeologists are still trying to find the lost secrets of the Maya. Why it is said that the Mayan people lived a better life than most people of that time?
A They had better building skills and housing conditions.
B They believed in many gods, and honored the Mayan gods.
C They had knowledge about tools and faming.
D They studied about nature and the world around them.
Answer: D
If you are like millions of other people in the world, you probably want to live a healthy lifestyle. While many people are able to achieve this lifestyle, there are even more that are looking for ways to improve their health. Here are 5 tips to help you. 1.Healthy diet The food you eat plays a huge role in what type of lifestyle you live. If you eat fast food every day, you clearly don't have the best diet. You should eat vegetables, fruits, bread as well as meat and fish, and even some snack foods once in a while. 2.Water Drink plenty of water every day and it is good for your health. Usually you need to drink 8~10 glasses of water a day. 3.Exercise Take some exercise every day. You can take a walk, play ball games with your friends, or ride a bike. Exercise is a necessary part of a healthy lifestyle. 4.Have fun Getting out and having fun is _ because it helps let out the stresses. Go out for a movie with your friends once in a while. Go to the park and enjoy a nice sunny day. Or just lie down and read a book. 5.Sleep Without enough sleep, our immune system will be weak and it will be difficult to get through the day. Getting a good night's sleep can make the world of a difference in how you feel and how much you can do the next day. A healthy diet includes all of the following EXCEPT _ .
A vegetables and fruit
B bread and fish
C snack foods sometimes
D fast food very often
Answer: D
It can be as simple or as complex as you want. Anybody who enjoys the cinema knows that when the final credits roll they include everyone who has contributed -- Director, Performers, Best Boy, Make Up, etc. It usually takes over a hundred people working a year to make a feature film, ten people to produce a pop promo and around twenty to film a documentary. The reason so many people are involved is because films need to be made quickly and on budget. Many famous directors started by making films completely on their own -- Orson Welles, George Lucas, Robert Rodrigues. You may not have the special effects and big budgets of Hollywood but you do have time on your side. Use it to experiment and make a few mistakes. It's the way to learn. And that's where the fun begins. Go on; make a film. Now, let's talk about how to prepare for the shoot . If you're making the film with other people, organize your cast and crew effectively. Make sure everybody knows their role and what day and time they're needed. Give people specific jobs so they can become experts in their field. For example, a sound recordist listens to the sound through headphones as it's being recorded, and holds an extra microphone if needed. A camera operator frames the picture, sets focus, checks the light and records the action. The editor "cuts" the picture together after it's shot. A producer is the contact point for the film. He or she makes sure crew and cast are there on time, talks to the press and organizes the budget. A director has to make sure their vision is communicated. To do this everyone needs to be clear about what the director expects from each scene and each shot. You may also need a make-up-artist, a choreographer, a driver, etc. However, you can quite easily make your first film on your own. Make a schedule that says which shots are to be taken where and when (this is called a shooting schedule) and when you've completed a take, cross it off the list. Remember that you may want to shoot "out of sequence", e.g. shoot the last scene first, and the first last. Similarly if the film begins and ends by a tree in the park, it may make sense to film both scenes while you're there. Continuity is particularly important in drama. Take a Polaroid camera and take photos to capture details. You may need to come back to a scene days later. When you decide your locations, consider whether you need permission to use the space, how noisy it will be and what the light will be like at the time of day you will need to use it. Is there power available? Are you likely to be interrupted? If you're making animation or any computer generated stuff, have a space that you can control. You may need extra lights and you may need to leave work in progress. Make sure people living with you are aware what's happening. Animation needs a lot of undisturbed concentration and patience. Keep at it and it'll pay off. Aardmann and Disney both started off at home experimenting with clay , pens and a camera. To shoot a film, a shooting schedule must be fixed first _ .
A but it may be crossed off if unnecessary
B but you needn't work exactly on it
C and each step must be carried out by it
D and no one can change it once settled
Answer: B
Sunscreens can offer protection from two types of ultraviolet (UV) rays : UVB, which according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, are the chief cause of sunburn and play a key role in the development of skin cancer, and UVA, which get through the skin more deeply and are largely responsible for skin aging and wrinkling, as well as skin cancer risk. The SPF measurement on sunscreens refers to the UVB protection level -- and the number may not mean what you think it does. SPF 15 doesn't protect you from 15% of UVB rays, just as SPF 100 doesn't protect you from 100% of the rays. In fact, as you get into the higher numbered SPF sunscreens (think: 50 and above), the difference in UVB protection is actually pretty small. Theoretically, though the increase in UVB protection with a super-high SPF sunscreen may be not worth considering, it may help, and certainly can't hurt, to use it -- that is, as long as you do so correctly. "The only _ is whether you're giving yourself a sense of false security," Dr. Gohara says. Indeed, as Dr. Wang also pointed out, when people choose increased SPFs, they may actually feel so protected by the product that they finally ignore proper sun protection. "When people use really high SPF products, they tend not to reuse, they tend to stay out in the sun much longer, and they don't use other protective measures such as clothing and hats," he says. Regardless of any increase in protection that a high SPF may or may not offer, one thing is certain: It doesn't give your body a free pass from sunburns, aging, or cancers, and it doesn't protect you from those things for any greater length of time than the lower SPF options. Both Dr. Wang and Dr. Gohara emphasized that, no matter what the SPF is, it's important to reapply your sunscreen every two hours. What rays can cause skin cancer according to the text?
A UV
B UVA
C UVB
D UVA&UVB
Answer: D
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James lives in Hawaii and his mother lives in Korea. James speaks English (he never learned Korean), and his mom only speaks Korean. They communicate perfectly. Eric is from Honduras, but he lives in the U.S. Eric just started learning English and speaks very little. But, everyday Eric reads the latest local US news on the Web, with no problem. What these people (and close to 60 million others around the world) share is a remarkable, free software program called Babylon. Babylon may well be the most advanced translation software in the world, and it's a must-have for anyone whose life goes beyond the borders of their own language or those who want it to. Once you download it, you can simply highlight the part in practically any format, and it's instantly translated into the language of your choice. You can use it to translate a website, email, word doc, pdf, and actually any document in any format you can think of. You can write a document in your native language, and Babylon will instantly translate it into another before you send it. The program translates 75 languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Indian, and Russian. It also includes up-to-date encyclopedias , dictionaries, and spell checkers. Babylon is a long way from early translation software that would, more often than not, make an unreadable text with grammar errors that was better suited for making laughs than comprehension. Babylon's ability to understand and translate is perfect. In fact, businesses are adopting Babylon as the standard when it comes to translating commercial communications and other important documents. Babylon is also a great tool for people who are learning another language. Use it anytime you come across a word or passage you don't understand. What users enjoy most is the program's ability to open up a different world to them. Whether it's surfing a news site in a different country, or being able to properly communicate with a family member or friend overseas, Babylon can make it happen. Best of all, Babylon is free! To get your free copy, visit Babylon.com. Why does the writer mention James and Eric at the beginning of the passage?
A To tell us how to communicate with family.
B To introduce the topic of this passage.
C To inform us that people often ignore cultural diversity.
D To show us how important it is to learn English.
Answer: B. To introduce the topic of this passage.
Students are investigating which type of fruit attracts the most fruit flies. Equally sized pieces of ripe apple, peach, and banana are placed in separate containers. The containers allow fruit flies to enter, but the fruit flies are unable to escape. The containers are placed outside on a picnic table for two days. The most reliable method for collecting data is to count the number of fruit flies
A on all three types of fruit every two hours
B on all three types of fruit after each fruit spoils
C on the banana on Day 1, the apple on Day 2, and the peach on Day 3
D on the banana after Hour 1, the apple after Hour 2, and the peach after Hour 3
Answer: A. on all three types of fruit every two hours
Zoo elephants don't live as long as those in the wild, according to a study sure to cause debate about keeping the giant animals on display. Researchers compared the life spans of elephants in European zoos with those living in Amboseli National Park in Kenya and others working on a timber enterprise in Buma. Animals in the wild or in natural working conditions had life expectancies twice than or more of their relatives in zoos. Animal care activists have urged in recent years to discourage keeping elephants in zoos, largely because of the lack of space and small numbers of animals that can be kept in a group. The researchers found that the _ life span for African elephants in European zoos was 16.9 years, compared with 56 years for elephants who died of natural causes in Kenya's Amboseli Park. Adding in those elephants killed by people in Africa lowered the median life expectancy there to 35.9 years. For the more endangered Asian elephants, the median life span in European zoos was 18.9 years, compared with 41.7 years for those working in the Burma Timber Enterprise. Median means half died younger than that age and half lived longer. There is some good news, though. The life expectancies of zoo elephants have improved in recent years, suggesting an improvement in their care and raising, but "Protecting elephants in Africa and Asia is far more successful than protecting them in Western zoos." There are about 1,200 elephants in zoos, half in Europe, researchers concentrated on female elephants, which make up 80 percent of the zoo population. One amazing thing was that Asian elephants born in zoos had shorter life spans that those brought to the zoos from the wild. Zoos usually lack large areas that elephants are used to in the wild, and that zoo animals often are alone or with one or two other unrelated animals, while in the wild they tend to live in related groups of 8 to 12 animals. In Asian elephants, baby death rates are two to three times higher in zoos than in the Burmese logging camps, and then, in adulthood, zoo-born animals die young. People are not sure why. What is argued about in this passage?
A Zoo elephants don't live as long as those in the wild.
B Elephants should not be on display.
C Asian elephants are in danger.
D Asia is far more successful in protecting elephants in zoos.
Answer: B. Elephants should not be on display.
Jack London was a famous American writer. He was born on January 12, 1876, in America.His family was very poor, and Jack had to leave school to make a living when he was twelve. He worked very hard. Later Jack returned to school. He was strict with himself and worked hard at every subject, especially literature . In 1897, he went to Alaska to look for gold . Instead of getting gold, he found material for his books and stories. He returned home and started to write. His writings were so successful that he became rich and famous in his twenties. But Jack London was not a happy man. He took his own life in 1916 when he was only 40 years old. In Alaska, he _ .
A found gold
B found books and stories
C became rich
D learned a lot
Answer: D. learned a lot
When doing experiments
A eat food around the chemicals
B forego using safety protocols
C leave writing down data until everything is done
D guard against spilling hydrogen chloride
Answer: D. guard against spilling hydrogen chloride
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Cara and Ben are twins . They are ten. This is their room. It's a nice room. Two beds are in the room. The yellow bed is Cara's and that green one is Ben's. The twins have one desk and two chairs . Cara's English book is on his bed. Ben's CD is on his chair. Their clock and pencil boxes are on the desk . Their schoolbags are on the chairs. What are on the desk?
Answer:
Aclockandpencilboxes
Some time ago I received a gift from both of my children. It had nothing to do with Father's Day. Yet, at the same time it had everything to do with Father's Day. My son was studying in a high school in Colorado. He lived in the school. While we were talking on the phone he shared some wonderful news with me. He said, "You know Dad, I am really happy with my life. I can't think of a thing that I would change about the way that I grew up, or the way that my life is now. " My daughter was living with her mother in Northern California at that time. She said almost the same thing to me just a few days later. Of course, I was delighted to hear this from both of them. And I told them both how happy I was, not only that they were happy ,but that they expressed it to me. And that was the gift that they were giving me ---with the heart to communicate. Certainly I hope for good news when I hear from them. But mostly I love that they will share their real feelings with me. Happy or sad, I love to be touched by their real thoughts and feelings. For a child, Father's Day isn't really about giving Dad a gift. It is about understanding the love that fathers express when they help put food on the table, teach their child to ride a bike, cheer at a soccer game, etc. For a father, Father's Day isn't so much about receiving gifts for a job well done. Remember, the greatest gift that we give our children is the real expression of our love. It isn't enough for them to feel love inside ourselves: we need to express that love. The writer's son said _ on the phone.
Answer:
he was really happy with his life
Do you know the famous pop singer, Han Geng ? He was born on Feb. 9, 1984.In fact, he is really a handsome boy. He is 181cm high. He can dance, sing , and do a little Kungfu He is in the famous group of Super Junior. I think he sings best .He is my favorite singer. He not only loves singing and dancing very much but also can dance 56 kinds of dances. And he can also play in the movie very well. He loves the stage very much and he loves his fans very much ,too. Everyone who knows him says he is really a kind boy. His best friend is Kim Heechul, who also belongs to the Super Junior. They are best friends in the group. What does Han Geng look like?
Answer:
He is handsome.
,A,B,C,D,. Luisa is from the USA. She lives in New York. She is twenty-one years old. She likes her teaching job. Now she is a teacher in Beijing. From Monday to Friday, she is very busy and gives classes every day. She likes her students a lot and often plays games with them in the afternoon. Her favorite sport is tennis. Sometimes she reads in the reading room in the afternoon. On weekends, she often goes to see Beijing Opera . She thinks it is very interesting and fun. She collects many pictures of Beijing Opera. Sometimes she goes to see her friends. She like singing, dancing and drawing. She has a pen pal in China. The pen pal is a boy, he is from Shanghai. He likes sports and Beijing Opera. They talk about Beijing Opera in the letters. Luisa wants to go to Shanghai to see the pen pal one day. Luisa is a _ .
Answer:
teacher
In 1826, a Frenchman named Niepce needed pictures for his business. But he was not a good artist. So he invented a very simple camera. He put it in a window of his house and took a picture of his garden. That was the first photo. The next important date in the history of photography was in 1837.That year, Daguerre, another Frenchman, took a picture of his reading-room. He used a new kind of camera in a different way. In his picture you could see everything very clearly, even the smallest thing. The kind of photo was called a Daguerreotype. Soon, other people began to use Daguerre's way. Travellers brought back wonderful photos from all round the world. People took pictures of famous buildings, cities and mountains. In about 1840, photography was developed . Then photographers could take pictures of people and moving things. That was not simple. The photographers had to carry a lot of film and other machines. But this did not stop them, for example, some in the United States worked so hard.Mathew Brady was a famous American photographer. He took many pictures of great people. The pictures were unusual because they were very lifelike . Photographers also became one kind of art by the end of the 19th century. Some photos were not just taken of the real world, they showed ideas and feelings, like other kinds of art. If a photographer wanted to take pictures of moving things in the year of 1840, he had to _ .
Answer:
take a lot of film and something else with him
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The crawling pace of limestone removal from an area produces
A giant slugs
B new crops
C homes for bats
D land mines
Answer: C. homes for bats
Golden sunlight danced in the treetops, and children's laughter filled the park. The smell of popcorn played on the breeze, and life seemed good. It was one of the happiest Saturday mornings I had spent with my little daughter, Gigi. That is, until two strangers threw her into their car and sped away. It seemed like a bad dream. I could barely whisper when the police questioned me. For hours we waited,but there was no word on the whereabouts of the car. Tears would start to come. Then nothing. I was numb with fear. "Go home, Ma'am," the police officer said. "I'll have someone drive you. We'll also want to monitor your telephone. The kidnappers might call, and we'll want to keep track. Trust me, these guys can't get far. " After what had just happened, it was hard for me to trust anything. My friend Gloria came over that afternoon. "I heard about Gigi on the radio," she said. "Everyone is looking for the car. The interstates are all blocked." She took my hand. "Look here," Gloria said. " I want you to have this picture, and I want you to pray with me." It was a picture of a little girl sound asleep in her bed. Standing by the bed was a tall, blond angel. His hand was touching the girl's shoulder as he smiled down at her. My nerves were frazzled. "You know I don't believe in that kind of thing!" I snapped. "I'm too exhausted for any hocus-pocus right now, Gloria!I want my daughter home!" I started to shake, and then I began sobbing. Gloria placed the photo on our mantle and knelt down beside me. "Just pray with me," she said, holding my hand. I had no strength left, so we prayed and waited what seemed an eternity. Together, we waited by the phone until sunset. The phone never rang. Suddenly, the front door swung open. I looked up and screamed. There stood Gigi. "Gigi! Thank God!" I cried, throwing my arms around her, "Where did those men take you? How did you get home? Did the police find you?" "No Mommy!" said Gigi. "I was really scared because those men said they were taking me far away. We were going really fast on an old rock road never seen before. But then a tall man walked out in front of the car, and they ran off the road and hit a tree." Then the tall man ran up and opened the car door and pulled me out. He was really nice, and said I would be okay now, and that those men couldn't hurt me. I must have gone to sleep, because then I woke up here in front of our house. He must have brought me home," "But who... how did he know... where to bring you?" My voice broke and trailed to a whisper. "I don't know, Mommy," Gigi said. "But he was really friendly, and I wasn't scared of him at all." Just then Gigi noticed Gloria's picture on the mantle. "That's him!" She gave a loud cry, pointing at the picture. "Mommy, the tail blond man dressed like an angel. That's the man that pulled me out of the car!" I felt chill-bumps across my neck and arms. Gloria turned pale. "Are you sure that's the man?" Gloria asked. "Yeah, that's him. Except he didn't have wings, and he was wearing blue jeans and a tee shirt. But that's him exactly. I'd remember him anywhere!" Later that night, the police found the injured kidnappers in their damaged car fifty miles from our home. When questioned-the driver remembered making a sharp turn to avoid hitting a tall blond man and the backseat door that Gigi sat by had been completely torn off its hinges. Twenty years have gone by. We have never heard from anyone claiming to have rescued Gigi and there have been no logical explanations for Gigi's miraculous escape and return home from a wreck so far away. There have always been things that people can't explain. But, from that day forward, I believe that all experiences, positive and negative, are given to us for our strengthening and learning. Gigi now takes her little girl to the park on Saturdays. They enjoy the sunlight as it dances in the treetops, the smell of popcorn, and the laughter of children. She keeps Gloria's picture on her mantle, and she remembers her angelic friend. And, like my daughter, I have a faith that has carried me through many trials since that day many years ago. The main reason why the kidnappers could be arrested was that _ .
A the police followed and caught them
B Gloria's best friend helped the police to find them
C an angel spotted them and took them to the police station
D they had an accident when a tall man tried to stop their car
Answer: D. they had an accident when a tall man tried to stop their car
Good training plays an essential role in the development of an efficient workplace. Ensuring that employees receive the appropriate skills training for their job is the type of preparation that future success in business is predicated on. Seeking out experienced guidance better enables businesses to compete and succeed. Gainful employment is made even more worthwhile with help from Train to Gain. Funded by the Government, Train to Gain is a service that's managed by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Its purpose is to help businesses throughout England to choose the best and most suitable training to meet the needs of their particular environment and a competitive global marketplace. Train to Gain is responsible for introducing employers to independent and experienced Skills Brokers who identify and form a range of services vital to a productive working atmosphere. These Skills Brokers offer advice, match any training needs identified with training providers and will ensure that training is delivered to meet business needs. Train to Gain Skills Brokers review and analyze the employer's business needs to assess what skills are needed both now and in the future. The next step is the selection of the right training providers and the choice of how and when the training is delivered. A Train to Gain Skills Broker will recommend the best funding options available to the business and Train to Gain may even provide some funding itself to organizations. Over 43,000 companies have already engaged with the Train to Gain service. As a result, more than 175,000 employees have begun their training with over 77,000 first full Level 2 achievements over the past 12 months. By the end of 2013 it is expected that over 500,000 learners will have achieved a first full Level 2 qualification through Train to Gain. The service will increase the opportunity for employees from a low skills base to reach Level 2 and beyond. For more information about Train to Gain, visit traintogain.gov.uk, call 0800 015 55 45 or visit a Skills Broker in your area. The passage most probably is a _ .
A business report
B news story
C business advertisement
D research report
Answer: C. business advertisement
A scientist studies the remains of two extinct animals to learn more about how they lived. She determines that one animal was a carnivore and the other was an herbivore. Which of the following did the scientist most likely compare to make this conclusion?
A the number of bones in the animals
B the size of the animals
C the body covering of the animals
D the skull of the animals
Answer: D. the skull of the animals
The Earth has warmed by about half a degree(0.50degC)over the last 100 years. It could be getting warmer on its own, but many scientists think that people are making the Earth warmer by making a greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is important. Without it, the Earth would not be warm enough for us to live on. But just a little warmer than it is now could cause problems for humans, plants and animals. Many of the things we do every day can change the Earth's temperature by sending greenhouse gases into the air. We send greenhouse gases into the air when we watch TV, turn on lights, dry hair, play video games, wash or dry our clothes or drive cars. The rubbish from factories and homes also produces greenhouse gases. Even a small change in temperature can affect our weather. This can cause changes in the sea levels, the air, flooding, and our fresh water. The change in the temperature can also cause changes in the living places for animals and plants, endangering many animals. Global warming is a big problem, and every little bit we do can help. We can save electricity. We can save energy in other ways such as by taking buses or walking rather than driving cars. We can recycle to reduce the rubbish and save natural resources such as trees, oil and metals. We can buy products that don't do bad to the environment and we can turn to solar energy. Remember the little bit that you do will bring a better world. In this passage, the scientists are mainly trying to make the readers realize _ .
A the greenhouse effect is important
B humans are making the earth warmer
C the earth is getting warmer in 100 years
D the earth could be getting warmer by itself
Answer: B. humans are making the earth warmer
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A jobless man applied for the position of "office boy" at Microsoft.The HR manager interviewed him and then watched him cleaning the floor as a test."You are employed," he said."Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you the application to fill in, as well as the date when you may start." The man replied, "But I don't have a computer, neither an e-mail." "I'm sorry," said the HR manager."If you don't have an email, that means you do not exist. And who doesn't exist cannot have the job." The man left with no hope at all.He didn't know what to do, with only ten dollars in his pocket.He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy 10 kg tomatoes.He then sold the tomatoes from door to door.In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his capital . He repeated the operation three times, and returned home happily with 60 dollars. The man realized that he could survive in this way, and started to go every day earlier, and return later.Thus, his money doubled or _ every day.Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles.Five years later, the man was one of the biggest food retailers in the US. He started to plan his family's future and decided to have a life insurance.He called an insurance broker and chose a protection plan.When the conversation was concluded, the broker asked him his e-mail.The man replied, "I don't have an e-mail."The broker said curiously, "You don't have an e-mail, and yet have succeeded to build an empire.Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e-mail?" The man thought for a while and replied, "Yes, I'd be an office boy at Microsoft !" The man can be described as _ .
A helpful and considerate
B positive and generous
C smart and hardworking
D nervous and unselfish
Answer: C. smart and hardworking
I have six baskets. Three are big . Three are small . I have some pears and some oranges . I put three pears in each big basket and four oranges in each small basket . The number of oranges is my age . I have _ oranges.
A six
B eight
C twelve
D nine
Answer: C. twelve
Earth's rotation (turning on its axis) causes
A the seasons to change.
B the Moon to appear as different shapes.
C day and night.
D solar eclipses.
Answer: C. day and night.
"We're going to move," Jimmy said to Mr. James,her teacher, with tears in her eyes. "Dad lost his job and now we don't have enough money to live in our house." Pam was walking by and just heard Jimmy's talk with Mr.James. In the lunchroom Pam met Carol and said, "I've got something to tell you about Jimmy." As she started to tell Carol about Jimmy's dad, several other classmates stopped to listen. Pam felt bad telling what she had heard but she went on anyway. After school, Pam saw some of her classmates talking to Jimmy. "Where does your dad work?" one of the boys asked. Jimmy's face turned red. She left without answering. Pam felt terrible, because she didn't mean to hurt Jimmy. And she hadn't thought that some of the classmates would make jokes and laugh at Jimmy about her father's losing the job. Pam didn't know what she could do to help Jimmy. Jimmy's face turning red show that she didn't _ .
A feel well enough
B know the answer
C want to talk about her father
D want to leave others
Answer: C. want to talk about her father
I have known Ting for a long time. She was a friend of mine in high school. Ting used to see me as her best friend in my class because, as she said , it was easy to be friends with me . Therefore ,when we had time in school,she often came to me and we would talk about many things. Though I didn't have special feelings about this friend, _ because I didn't see the reason why I should say "no" to a friend I didn't hate. But there was a while when she came to me, and usually said nothing meaningful. I started to feel tired and then tried not to meet her. After that she never came to me. Though guilty, I started to feel free about my life and never thought of anything about her feeling. After a month or two, I heard from other friends that Ting's father had passed away six months before. I was so shocked! Then I suddenly realized why Ting had often come to me but said nothing special. She needed my company . I felt so bad about myself that I went to find her the next day. But I only found that she had moved away to another place. At that time, I found myself so selfish that I only thought of myself but didn't even try to ask a friend what happened in her life. What did the writer think of Ting in the beginning?
A The writer didn't like Ting.
B The writer felt bored with Ting.
C Ting was considered the best friend.
D The writer had no special feelings about Ting.
Answer: D. The writer had no special feelings about Ting.
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Learn to relax. Overwork is the main reason why so many students feel tired and stressed . Cut down some of the jobs you need to do each day so that you can only focus on the most important things. Leave time for activities that are relaxing and fun. This might mean reading a good book, listening to the music, going for a walk or taking a relaxing bath. Get a good night's sleep. Getting enough sleep will help you keep your body and mind in the best form. If you stay up late and need to get up early for school the next day, you may not be able to concentrate on the things you need to do. Exercise regularly and eat well. Don't rush through your meals. Eat less junk food or fast food. Eat healthy food instead. Get to know pleasant people. Some people are _ , while others not. Choose optimistic people as your friends and spend more time with them and you'll be as happy as them. Learn to be calm when you face any problem. Find out the best option from those that are in your mind. Knowing that you are able to solve problems is a good way to build up your self-confidence . Have a happy attitude . Your attitude decides the way you see things. Is your cup half full or half empty? Learn to think more positively about the difficulties you face. Which statement is right?
Last year The Voice of China, the most popular TV talent show became a popular topic in people's chatting and media information from both home and abroad. It began on July 13, 2012 and ended on September 30, 2012. Liang Bo, a handsome boy from Changchun, Jilin was the champion of The Voice of China in 2012. Before the competition Liang Bo was just an ordinary college student studying music. He captured the hearts of audience with his passionate rock'n'roll performance at the show. Fans described Liang's voice as "natural, clear and touching''. Although he seemed cool on stage, he could quickly turn on the power once he started singing. "His performances make you imagine things. When I listen to his singing, I see pictures and think of stories." said Na Ying, one of the four judges on the show. She was also Liang's tutor for the competition. Liang Bo, like many young Chinese, he fell in love with music through playing the guitar. Liang got his first guitar as a birthday gift when he was in middle school. He would spend days and nights practicing. " I can't live without my guitar." he said. " I don't like talking much but I carry great passion inside me," Liang said. " There is no better way to let it out than through music like rock'n'roll. Many people compare Liang to famous Chinese rockers including Xu Wei, Wang Feng and Zheng Jun. But the young man doesn't want to stand in others' shadow. " I respect those rockers, but I'm not going to copy them. I will be who I am," he said. Which was the most popular TV show last summer?
Zero gravity looks cool. But what about the thing no one likes to talk about? Yes, that is right: going to bathroom. Zero gravity makes this everyday task quite a challenge. Astronauts have to be toilet-trained all over again. The Apollo astronauts raised themselves off the seat of their chairs and stuck a clear plastic bag to their back sides with sticky strips. A second astronaut watched closely to be sure no waste matter escaped the seal. (You would not want that stuff floating around the cabin!) When the deed was done, the astronaut cleaned up with a piece of plastic attached to the inside of the bag, removed the bag, dropped a disinfectant pill in with the waste matter, and put the whole thing, sealed, into a special container. Donald W. Rethke, an engineer for Hamilton Standard Space Systems, developed a more private way to answer nature's call: the space toilet. It is somewhat like the kind of toilet one would find on commercial airplanes --- with unique adaptations for zero gravity, of course. For instance, it has thigh bars that keep the astronaut from floating off the seat. The astronaut (male or female) defecates in a bag and urinates in a hose. Solid and liquid wastes are kept separated because at least 85% of the urine is recycled and, yes, after careful filtration, used for drinking and other purposes. (Water is always in demand in space.) A vacuum sucks the waste materials into the toilet, where the waste is compacted into hamburger-like patties for easy storage. Although not exactly like an earthbound visit to the toilet, it is at the very least much more private than in the early days of space travel. How did astronauts use toilet systems in the Apollo days?
Recently I had a conversation in Beijing with an adult Chinese friend who was complaining how difficult it was to study English. No surprises there. It is a difficult language to master, just like Chinese. I made a few suggestions based on my experience. One involved a very valuable fact which I learned from my high school Latin and Greek teacher, Dr. Smith.He is a gifted linguist ,and has an amazing ability to remember things, like poetry, essays, speeches, etc.His advice to us students is that for memorization purposes, there is forty minutes each day in which our memory is more acceptable than it is during the other 23 hours and 20 minutes. This 40-minute "super memory" period is divided into two parts: the 20 minutes before we sleep, and the 20 minutes after we first awake. The theory supporting this is pretty simple. First, the last information we input into our brain before bed has a better chance of taking root than information gained during the noisy daytime; and second, our mind is free of disturbance when we first awake in the morningso more receptive to inputs, like a blank slate . I took the advice to heart and it served me well in my school years. In my university days, our Chinese teacher would assign us 200 new vocabulary words each day, on which we would be quizzed the following day. Without the "magic" 40-minute technique, there's no way I would have passed those daily quizzes. As far as language study goes, it's not only useful for memorizing vocabulary. It's also a very useful window of time to listen to the language we're studying even with background noise, and even if it's at a level we find difficult to understand. It might be audio language study, aids, or just radio, TV or whatever. Beyond our years of formal education, memory skills are hugely important in any career. How many times have we heard a speaker read their speech from a prepared text, or read the word-by-word content of a PowerPoint presentation as they present each slide ? These are annoying, boring, and less effective ways of communicating. They are almost guaranteed to lose the audience's close attention and interest, let alone persuade or inspire anyone to do anything. And yet lots of people still make this mistake. If we use the 40-minute technique, we may not succeed in memorizing our presentation content on a 100% word-by-word basis, but we'll be familiar enough so that we can spend much more time making eye contact with our audience. We will get them in the process, while looking at our text instead of staring at it. This will also free up our hands and arms to convey some extra messages through gesture. As you see, the technique really works, but like many things, it takes practice to perfect it. Therefore, we'd better find ways to use the language outside of the classroom, as regularly and frequently as possible. One basic rule of language learning is, "Use it, or lose it*" Seize the forty-minute learning window and we'll bring in a rich harvest of language learning. The author's teacher suggested the 40-minute"super memory" period partly because _ .
PALO ALTO, California----"Switching off the television may help prevent children from getting fatter---- even if they do not change their diet or increase the amount they exercise," US researchers said last week. A study of 192 third and fourth graders, generally aged eight and nine, found that children who cut the number of hours spent watching television gained nearly two pounds(0.9kg) less over a one-year period than those who did not change their television diet. "The findings are important because they show that weight loss can only be the result of a reduction in television viewing and not any other activity," said Thomas Robinson, a pediatrician at Stanford University. "American children spend an average of more than four hours per day watching television and videos or playing video games, and rates of childhood being very fat have doubled over the past 20 years," Robinson said. In the study, presented this week to the Pediatric Academic Societies' annual meeting in San Francisco, the researchers persuaded about 100 of the students to reduce their television viewing by one-quarter to one-third. Children watching fewer hours of television showed a significantly smaller increase in waist size and had less body fat than other students who continued their normal television viewing, even though neither group ate a special diet or took part in any extra exercise. "One explanation for the weight loss could be the children unstuck to the television may simply have been moving around more and burning off calories," Robinson said. "Another reason might be due to eating fewer meals in front of the television. Some studies have suggested that eating in front of the TV encourages people to eat more," Robinson said. The time children spend on TV viewing every day is suggested to be about
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Question: Mrs. Hunt comes back from work. She tells Mr. Hunt about a nice dress. "I see it in the shop every day," she says "and..." "And you want to buy it?" says Mr. Hunt. "How much is it?" "Two hundred and sixty dollars." "Wow, two hundred and sixty dollars for a dress? That's too much!" But every evening when he comes back, Mrs. Hunt only speaks about the dress, so at last he says, "Oh, buy the dress! Here is the money!" She is very happy. But the next evening, when Mr. Hunt wants to have a look at the nice dress, Mrs. Hunt says "I don't want to buy it." "Why not?" he asks. "Well, it's still in the window of the shop after a week. So I think no one wants this dress. And I don't want it, either." Mrs. Hunt tells Mr. Hunt about the dress and she wants him to _ .
A. have a look
B. buy it for her
C. make one like that
D. borrow it from the shop
Answer:
B. buy it for her
Question: There are many places around the city and online to buy Las Vegas show tickets. With dozens of websites you can find at home, ticket box offices, Tix 4 Tonight (one of the two half-price ticket sellers) locations, and ticket sellers along the Las Vegas trip, you might wonder where you could find your best deal. Major Shows If you want to see one of the top shows in Las Vegas, you could buy your tickets online before your trip. Many of these shows sell out months ahead of time, so make sure you do your research. Best Place to Buy Discounted Tickets If you want discounted tickets for Las Vegas shows, you should go to one of the four Tix 4 Tonight locations. These locations get tickets early in the morning or throughout the day if shows are not sold out. Do not expect to find discounted tickets here for the hottest shows in town such as one-night concerts or shows like Celine Dion's. These seldom make their way to Tix 4 Tonight. Coupon books As you walk along the Las Vegas Strip, you are going to come across people handing out the Vegas Values coupon books or other coupons. These may help you find discounted coupons for various shows around town. Tickets bought with coupons have to be bought at the box office for the show. These are usually located near the theater used for the show. On-Strip Sellers If you see people standing on the Strip selling show tickets, make sure you avoid them. While a few of these sellers might be legitimate ,they often cheat people by selling counterfeit tickets. Catching a show in Las Vegas is one of the various activities people take part in every single day. While there is not one set place to be the best to buy tickets, make sure you get to see the show you want. If you want to see Celine Dion's performance, you should buy the tickets _ .
A. from the tickets sellers along the Strip
B. through online shopping
C. at the Tix 4 Tonight locations
D. on the day of the performance
Answer:
B. through online shopping
Question: Maybe you've just invented something better than the iPhone or a solar-powered car. You don't want anyone to steal your design. What should you do? Patent it! Patents are the best way to get credit for your work and help others continue advancing in that field. Here's what you need to know. A patent gives you the right to an invention. The patent protects its owner, which means the invention can't be copied or sold without their agreement. In exchange, the owner must reveal information about the invention. This contributes knowledge that helps other inventors improve on their own research. A patent usually lasts about 20 years. The first step to getting a patent is the application. The person applying must name the invention, explain its use and describe it clearly. The invention must be practical and contain some new characteristic -- something that hasn't been seen or used before. But not everything "new" can be patented. Many countries don't allow patents on things like new concepts, scientific theories, medical procedures or substances already found in nature. You may not be able to see patents, but they're connected to nearly everything. There are patents on things you use every day, like plastic, medicine and your computer. There are patents on things that are unavailable on the market, too. Apple is well-known for its patents on potential products, such as the "iBike" or the "iKey". Of course there are also patents on inventions like this. Take the anti-eating face mask for example. This _ locks around your head with a metal cage covering your mouth. You can breathe and speak, but you can't eat! Although many patented inventions can be failures, there's plenty of room for success. So if you have a cool invention, try to patent it. Which of the following is NOT true according to the text?
A. A patent can last for around 20 years.
B. Everything new can be patented.
C. Your invention is protected after you have applied for a patent.
D. Some patents are on the things that we use every day.
Answer:
B. Everything new can be patented.
Question: I am a Ph. D. student in a communication program at a large university in the Midwestern US. I teach one course in communication. My class has seventy students. I gave students a syllabus . It explained the purpose, content, schedule, textbook, evaluation, and class rules. I read it and explained every part carefully, because this was a contract between the students and me. American textbooks are well organized. Each chapter has a statement of its purpose, a summary, a list of key ideas, headings and subheadings for sections and exercises. The teacher's manual has suggestions on how to teach, and there are handouts, activities and information on how to use the textbook. There are videotapes for some chapters. Some textbooks even have PowerPoint lectures or a website to support them. Students read the class assignment before they come to class. The class is designed to explain key concepts of the textbook. The teacher's main role is to provide good examples of the concepts and activities to help the students understand the concepts better. One nice thing is that I can use student assistants. They are undergraduate students who get credits for assisting a teacher. I have to supervise them, but they do most of the routine work and listen to students' problems. It is very tough to teach American students because they are so demanding. However, most of them study hard, and most of them get fairly good grades. Very few students get bad grades, and almost no students fail the class. From the passage we can know that _ .
A. the teacher listens to students' problems and gives them advice
B. the author is a student and teacher at the same time
C. the books for teachers have suggestions on how to get along with the students
D. students read the class assignment after having the class
Answer:
B. the author is a student and teacher at the same time
Question: A bully is a person who enjoys hurting other people. A bully can hurt people with words or by hitting them. 85% of children in the UK have been bullied at least once. How can I tell if a person is a bully? He or she will... * try to find your weak point--perhaps you are shy, nervous or easily made worried. * make fun of you in front of your friends. * borrow money then won't pay you back. What can I do if a bully bothers me? * Tell the bully to leave you alone. * Do not be afraid to ask other people for help, even though the bully tells you not to. * Do not feel ashamed because you have been bullied. You have done nothing wrong! The bully should feel ashamed. * Do not believe the bad things a bully says about you. What should I do if I see a bully bothering someone? * Help people who are being bullied, even though you don' t know them. * Be a friend to people who are bullied. * Tell a teacher if you see bullying. * Tell bullies to stop, Sometimes bullies are afraid, too. Why do some people become bullies? Some bullies... * have never learnt to think about other people' s feelings. * don' t like themselves, so they are sad. They think they will be happy if they make another person sad. * have been bullied themselves by other bullies. Can bullies change? . Yes! Bullies can change when they learn to think about other people' s feelings. Sometimes bullies must be punished before they understand. Sometimes, bullies just need friends. If you see a bully bothering your friends, you should _ .
A. leave them alone
B. help them stop the bully
C. make them ashamed
D. tell them they are wrong
Answer:
B. help them stop the bully
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Question: Nature's Bug Zappers Bats Just the word makes some people cringe. However, bats are probably the most misunderstood animals. Despite what movies, television and literature would have you believe, bats don't terrorize the night. Bats are incredibly important not only to our natural world but to our economy. As primary predators of night-flying insects, bats help to control many of our most annoying pests. A single little brown bat can catch 1,200 mosquito-sized insects in an hour. Big brown bats consume costly crop pests including cucumber beetles, June beetles, leafhoppers, cutworm moths and corn ear worm moths. Bats are not blind. Those that do hunt in the dark have developed a system to help detect objects. These bats produce sounds at high frequencies. By listening to the echoes of these sounds, bats are able to discern objects. This is known as echolocation. Using the reflected sounds, they form pictures in their brains just like we do by interpreting reflected light with our eyes. What's Happening to Bats? Disturbance by people is a major cause of decline in many bat populations. They are also threatened by loss of feeding or roosting habitat, usually wooded areas near water sources. Disturbing a maternity colony can cause mothers to drop their young or move them to a less suitable site. Disturbance during hibernation wakes bats, causing them to burn the precious fat reserves they have stored for the winter. Even responsible cave explorers can inadvertently disturb bats at critical times of the year. As traditional roosts in trees and caves have been destroyed, many bats seek shelter in man-made structures. Scientists have studied the roosting requirements of bats in order to provide artificial homes. Some bats use these bat houses quite successfully. Which type of organism would most likely compete with bats for food?
A. birds that consume seeds
B. insects that consume leaves
C. mosquitoes that consume blood
D. amphibians that consume insects
Answer:
D. amphibians that consume insects
Question: We have fun with our school life every day. Our school often holds different after-school activities. There was a football match on the school playground yesterday afternoon. Our class played against Class Two. Every player tried their best as soon as the match began at 4:00 o'clock. The players from the two teams played very hard and well. At the beginning of the match, a big and strong player from Class Two got the ball and passed several of our players. He kicked the ball hard to the goal."Oh, dear!"my classmates shouted surprisedly. Luckily, our goalkeeper Steve caught the ball. At the end of the first half of the match, there was no score. After resting for ten minutes, the match began again. Our headteacher Mr. Zhang cheered us on all the time."Teamwork! Teamwork!"he kept shouting. At this time, Kangkang got the ball. He kicked the ball to Jack and Jack kicked the ball to our captain Li Lei. He passed four players with the ball and then kicked the ball into the goal. The crowd jumped cheerfully. My classmates felt excited. Finally, we won 1 to 0. My school life is colorful. I love my school life. ,. The players have a _ rest during the match.
A. one-minute
B. two-minute
C. four-minute
D. ten-minute
Answer:
D. ten-minute
Question: Walking in the Regional Parks and Forests of Greater WellingtonFrom a walk to an adventure A walk in one of the regional parks and forests is a great way to explore the diverse landscape of greater Wellington. From coastal sands to historic paths,farmland to green native forest,the parks and forests offer a variety of countryside and scenery to suit all ages and levels of fitness. Most of the walks offer the chance to take a break and enjoy picnicking or swimming. What to take Many of the walks go through areas exposed to winds and changeable weather.Please take with you some water and sun hat especially on walks marked with hiking symbol.Always take some warm clothing and a rain jacket. All times stated are estimates for the return trip. Where indicated,mountain bikes and horses riders may use tracks. Opening hours The parks and forests are open daily from 8am till dusk.Parks or walks marked with a farm animal symbol may be closed for lambing Aug-Nov.Please check with the ranger or on our website www.gw.govt.nz. Caring for your pack *Pack in and pack out.Take your rubbish home and recycle it when possible. *Keep dogs under control and remove droppings. *Do not remove,disturb or damage native plants or animals. *Light no fires. *Poison may be laid in the parks and forests to control the field mouse.Do not remove notice or disturb baits,lures,trapping lines or the mousetraps. Which of the following is true according to the text?
A. No exact time is set for visitors to take the return trip.
B. Nowhere can visitors ride a mountain bike or horse.
C. At all time you are allowed to visit a farm or parks to see animals.
D. No pets are allowed to be taken into the parks and forests.
Answer:
A. No exact time is set for visitors to take the return trip.
Question: Summerfest Arts Faire 2010 Summerfest Arts Faire is an arts festival in Logan, Utah, celebrating local, regional and national artists. Visitors can expect to see high quality artworks from nationally recognized artists. Summerfest also features live entertainment and a variety of delicious food. Place: 50 North Main Street, Logan, UT 84321 Dates: June 17-June 19, 2010 Time: Thursday-Saturday 1:00 pm-10:00 pm Venture Outdoors Festival The 5th Annual Venture Outdoors Festival is a celebration of outdoor recreation . This unique festival is designed to increase knowledge and understanding of and participation in the many recreational activities available in Utah. This family-friendly event features live music, guest speakers, giveaways, creative children's activities, and great food all day long. Place: 3100 South 2900 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84109 Date: June 19, 2010 Time: Saturday 3:00 pm -10:00 pm The Days of '47 KSL 5 Parade The parade is one of the largest and oldest parades in the United States. Colorful floats, bands, horses and clowns thrill tens of thousands of people each year. Many parade-goers camp out on the streets the night before just to make sure of a great position to catch it all. Place: 900 South 700 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84105 Date: July 24, 2010 Time: Saturday 9:00 am Taylorsville Dayzz 2010 Experience Taylorsville Dayzz 2010, a celebration of the city's birthday. Enjoy a 5K Family Run, Carnival, Food and Exhibit Booths and Fireworks. Listen to a live concert by Taylorsville Symphony and Utah Symphony, and a live performance of Jayson Hewlett (an American entertainer). Place: 5100 South 2700 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84118 Dates: June 25-June 28, 2010 Time: Monday 8:00 pm, Friday 7:00 pm, Saturday 7:00 pm-10:00 pm Which of the following time is proper for one to enjoy a live concert?
A. Monday 8:00 am.
B. Friday 6:00 pm.
C. Saturday 9:00 pm.
D. Sunday 10:00 pm.
Answer:
C. Saturday 9:00 pm.
Question: I'm a boy. My name is Tom White. I am ten years old. I am in Class 2, Grade 1. I'm in No. 1 Middle School. My teacher is Mr. Wu. I have a good friend at school He is Jim Green. Jim is his first name and Green is his last name. He is ten, too. But he is in Class 1, Grade 1. His teacher is Miss Wang. , . Tom is in _ .
A. Class 1, Grade 1
B. Class 1, Grade 2
C. Class 2, Grade 1
D. Class 2, Grade 2
Answer:
C. Class 2, Grade 1
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Years ago, I lived in a building in a town. There was another building across form mine, and it was only a few meters away. There lived a woman whom I had never met. I could see her sit by the window each afternoon, drinking or reading. Several months later, I noticed her window was very dirty. Everything was not clear through the window. I wondered why the woman didn't wash her window. One sunny morning, I decided to clean up my apartment, including washing my windows. Late in the afternoon when I finished the cleaning, I sat down for a rest by the window. What a surprise! The woman sitting by her window was clearly seen! Her window was clean! Suddenly, I realized I had made a mistake. I was watching her through my dirty window all the time! That was quite an important lesson for me. Since then, whenever I wanted to judge someone, I asked myself first, " Am I looking at him through the dirty window of my heart?" Then I try to clean the window of my own world so that I may see the world clearly. The woman often drank and read by the window_.
Sometimes we feel good, such as when we get good grades or when something good happens. Sometimes we feel bad, such as when we argue with our classmates or when the teachers criticize us. Both kinds of feelings are common. Of course, we all enjoy good feelings, but when we feel unhappy, sometimes we don't know what to do about it. Here is a plan that will help you when your feelings are bothering you. 1. ACCEPT your feelings. Say to yourself, "I am sad. " "I am scared. " "I am angry. " "I am embarrassed. " It's all right to have these feelings. 2. RELAX and have a rest before you act. Take slow deep breaths and relax your body. Imagine that you are in a safe place. You can listen to some music or sing a beautiful song ! 3. THINK about ways to help yourself. Thinking helps you do something smart instead of hurting yourself or making things worse. 4. DO something to help yourself. Maybe you can talk to someone, or do something you enjoy. _ , go back to Step 3. The passage tells us _
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Pop giant Michael Jackson, who took to the stage as a child star, died on Thursday, TMZ website reported. He was 50. There was no official confirmation of the reported death and spokespersons for Jackson could not be reached for comment. "We've just learned Michael Jackson has died," TMZ said. "Michael suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon at his Holmby Hills home and _ were unable to revive him. We're told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back," the entertainment site said. It added, "A source tells us Jackson was dead when paramedics arrived." Earlier, the Los Angeles Times said _ had been rushed to a Los Angeles-area hospital by fire department paramedics who found him not breathing when they arrived at the singer's home.The newspaper said paramedics performed perfectly at the scene before taking him to the UCLA Medical Center hospital. Jackson had been due to start a series of comeback concerts in London on July 13 running until March 2010. The singer, whose hits included "Thriller" and "Billie Jean," had been rehearsing in the Los Angeles area for the past two months. The shows for the 50 London concerts sold out within minutes of going on sale in March. His lifetime record sales tally is believed to be around 750 million, which, added to the 13 Grammy Awards he received, makes him one of the most successful entertainers of all time. There were concerns about Jackson's health in recent years but the promoters of the London shows, AEG Live, said in March that Jackson had passed a 4-1/2 hour physical examination with independent doctors. If Jackson had not died, he _ .
Columbus College , 241 Queen Elizabeth Drive ,Kowloon City Memo To: All Staff From: Jakie Mok, Secretary; Sports Development Committee Date: May 20, 2010 A week ago, "Sports for Life" programme was sent to the parents, requiring them to select a sport they wanted their child to play. Since then, our staff have received lots of calls from parents asking for more information about it. Here is a memo for your reference when you answer the phones. Sports 1: Basketball. We expect that this will be the most popular of the four sports. Therefore, students should be advised to sign up as soon as possible. Students will take a private bus to and from Kwun Tong Sports Park .To cover the cost of hiring a bus , each student will have to pay $10 each time. There will be four basketball courts available for our use with one teacher watching over each game. Sports 2: Gym We will be using St. Peter's Memorial Park. There are two reasons for choosing this park. First, it is not very busy and crowded before 6:00 pm. Second, it has lot of trees with plenty of shade. Students must bring along two bottles of water to prevent thirst. Three activities, skipping , jogging , outdoor aerobics ,all of which are free of charge, will be arranged. And there will be a teacher on duty for each of the activities. Sports 3: Hiking Hiking will take place at Kowloon Peak. The activity will start at 2:30 pm and finish 90 minutes later. Three teachers will accompany the students, and a hiking instructor will accompany each group of 15 hikers . Each instructor will cost $75/hr. Students are advised to bring plenty of water and sunscreen. Sports 4: Swimming The Kowloon City Aquatic Centre is a 10-minute walk from our school. Four teachers will go to the pool and conduct the goings-on from the poolside. We will only be able to reserve the pool for one hour (i.e. 2:45pm to 3:45pm).Only students skilful at swimming can take up this activity. The pool will have two lifeguards present. Girls must wear a swimming suit. The cost is $10 per visit. It can be inferred from the passage that _
Below is a selection from a popular science book. If blood is red, why are veins blue? Actually, veins are not blue at all. They are more of a clear, yellowish colour. Although blood looks red when it's outside the body, when it's sitting in a vein near the surface of the skin, it's more of a dark reddish purple colour. At the right depth, these blood-filled veins reflect less red light than the surrounding skin, making them look blue by comparison. Which works harder, your heart or your brain? This question depends on whether you're busy thinking or busy exercising. Your heart works up to three times harder during exercise, and shifts enough blood over a lifetime to fill a supertanker. But, in the long run, your brain probably tips it, because even when you're sitting still your brain is using twice as much energy as your heart, and it takes four to five times as much blood to feed it. Do old people shrink as they age? Yes and no. Many people do get shorter as they age. But, when they do, it isn't because they're shrinking all over. They simply lose height as their spine becomes shorter and more curved due to disuse and the effects of gravity . Many (but not all) men and women do lose height as they get older. Men lose an average of 3-4 cm in height as they age, while women may lose 5 cm or more. If you live to be 200 years old, would you keep shrinking till you were, like 60 cm tall, like a little boy again?No, because old people don't really shrink!It is not that they are growing backwards--their legs, arms and backbones getting shorter. When they do get shorter, it's because the spine has shortened a little. Or, more often, become more bent and curved. Why does spinning make you dizzy ? Because your brain gets confused between what you're seeing and what you're feeling. The brain senses that you're spinning using special gravity and motion sensing organs in your inner ear, which work together with your eyes to keep your vision and balance stable. But when you suddenly stop spinning , the system goes out of control, and your brain thinks you're moving while you're not! Where do feelings and emotions come from? Mostly from an ancient part of the brain called the limbic system. All mammals have this brain area--from mice to dogs, cats, and humans. So all mammals feel basic emotions like fear, pain and pleasure. But since human feelings also involve other newer bits of the brain, we feel more complex emotions than any other animal on the planet. What is the colour of blood in a vein near the surface of the skin?
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Question: One of the strangest races in history is about to begin. The judge raises the starting gun and says,"On your marks, get set...'' BANG! Who will win this 40-yard race? Will it be the ostrich with its long legs? Or will it be the highly trained football player? Could the squirrel rush past them all? Don't worry. It's not a real race. Last week, Scientific American magazine asked professor Peter Weyand who would win an imaginary race between an ostrich, a football player, a pig, a squirrel, and an elephant. Weyand teaches physiology. He studies the way animals move. According to his knowledge of how animals _ , here's how the race might go: The ostrich runs out of the starting gate neck and neck with the football player in second, the gray squirrel running third, and the pretty pink pig in fourth. Forty yards later, at the finish line, the heavily feathered bird beats the speeding human! The competition isn't terribly close between the ostrich and the football player, but in a surprise move, the pig moves fast and manages to beat the squirrel by a nose. Pigs don't look like they're built for speed, so its third-place finish is a bit of a shock. How does Weyand explain the Animal Kingdom's speedy match? "The easiest way to explain why the ostrich is fast is that it has long legs,'' he says. Most of the ostrich's leg muscles are high up on its short thighbones. Its long, light legs allow the bird to go faster and keep speed easily. When running, an ostrich's highest speed is about 35 mph. Elephants and squirrels actually run at the same pace. But because squirrels can accelerate quickly, the huge elephant would lose. Pigs can't speed up as fast as squirrels, but they can run faster. Pigs that live in the wild can run close to 16 mph, and squirrels can run at about 14 mph. The author shows his research by describing a scene of _ .
A. an animal game
B. a physiology class
C. an imaginary race
D. a school sports meeting
Answer:
C
Question: Even kids know that we should wait for the traffic light to turn green before crossing a road, but not everybody follows this basic rule. "Chinese style road crossing" has become a hot expression recently. Chinese people "cross roads without thinking about traffic lights, so long as they are part of a crowd", said a post on Sina Weibo. A CCTV news program showed that in only an hour, more than 600 people ran red lights when crossing a road in Shijiazhuang, Hebei. Many people say that they jaywalk because the red light lasts too long. Such an opinion is supported by a research team at Tongji University. The team did research on people's waiting times at different road crossings from 2008 to 2010. They found that Chinese people would wait for 70 to 90 seconds before they lost their patience. "People are likely to run the red light when the waiting time is longer than they can bear ,"said Ni Ying, a member of the research team. However, a survey on Sina Weibo shows that nearly half of respondents believe that people jaywalk mainly because they disregard rules. "I always obey traffic rules. Time is important but safety should come first,"wrote "Qixiaoe"on Weibo. Many countries give out punishments to jaywalkers. In Singapore, the maximum can be three months in prison. Some Chinese cities have started taking some actions, too. For example, the first three people in a jaywalking group will be fined 50 yuan in Shijiazhuang. But calling on people to respect rules is more important. "To completely solve the problem, everyone should realize the importance of obeying the traffic rules,"Wang Jianping, a professor at Sichuan University, said to Huaxi Metropolis Daily. In the sentence"People are likely to run the red light, we can use _ to take the place of "be likely to.
A. may
B. love to
C. be able to
D. be going to
Answer:
A
Question: People in the United States love baseball. The best baseball players are stars. Great players are heroes. They are given a place in the baseball Hall of Fame. Roberto Clemente is in the Baseball Hall of Farm. He belongs there. For eight years in a row his batting average was over 300. He was batting champion four times. He was named most valuable player in 1966. He won the 1971 World Series for his team. His average in that series was 414. But to many people Roberto was a hero not just for his baseball playing, but for his life. He spent it helping others and he died helping others. He was born in Puerto Rico in 1934. His family was large. His parents worked hard to give their children the things they needed. He began to play baseball when he was young. He was so good that he was a star at the age of seventeen. At nineteen he joined a team in the United States. The next year he went to the Pittsburgh Pirates, and played in that team for eighteen years. Roberto took pride in his career. He was not easy to give up. He went on with the game and played his best even when he was hurt and was in pain. He was proud of his game. He used to say: "For me, I am the best baseball player in the world." He meant that he believed in himself. Roberto loved to help others. He found many ways to help people, both in the United States and in Puerto Rico. Later in 1972 there was an earthquake in Nicaragua. Many people were killed and a lot more were hurt. Many were homeless and hungry. Food and clothing were badly needed. Of course Roberto was one of the first to help. He formed a group to get the things that were needed. He was on the plane that was going to deliver them. The plane crashed in the sea near Puerto Rico. Roberto was killed, but his life still shines like a light in people's hearts. What kind of person can Roberto Clemente be described as?
A. A man with a strong will.
B. A great man with a simple heart.
C. A proud and kind man.
D. A successful man with a kind heart.
Answer:
D
Question: Cambridge University Botanic Garden We run a lively programme of family events, life-long learning courses and much more throughout the year. Improve your Digital Photography This course led by award-winning photographer, Pete Murray, will show you how to take control of your camera. Using a proven "step by step approach" you will gain confidence in using your camera. Date:29/09 Time:10 am--4 pm Price:PS60 Event Category: Garden Photography 'Handbag' Baskets New to the Botanic Garden, this course will give you the opportunity to make your very own beautiful 'handbag basket'from a design that local basketry maker, Debbie Hall, developed herself. They have proved very popular since she started teaching the technique. Date: 07/10 Time: 10 am --4:30 pm Price: PS120 Event Category: Weaving & Basketry Trees and Shrubs for Autumn Color Join Mark Crouch, a specialist in the care of trees, for this course on choosing trees and shrubs to create beautiful autumn displays for your garden. The day will include a talk in our classroom and a tour of the Botanic Garden to look at autumn color and interest across our tree and shrub collection. Date: 17/10 Time: 10 am --4 pm Price: PS50 Event Category: Gardens and Plants Introduction to Botanical Subjects in Colored Pencil If you are interested in beginning to use colored pencils to draw botanical subjects, then this is the course for you. Janie Pirie is one of the country's leading pencil artists and on this one-day course she will show you the basic techniques used when working with colored pencils. Date: 16/10 Time: 10 am --4 pm Price: PS40 Event Category: Botanical Art Who is good at making baskets?
A. Janie Pirie.
B. Debbie Hall.
C. Pete Murray.
D. Mark Crouch.
Answer:
B
Question: High school students are some of the busiest people in the world. To get the most from all you do, you must be in control of your time. Otherwise decision that affect how well you play the game, what position you play and when you get to play will be decided for you. Your success in high school depends on your use of time. Here are some important things to remember. *Begin each term by filling in a master plan. First fill in things you must do (classes, work, practice, etc. that you can't change.) Then find the most effective use for these times. *Set a regular time and place for study. This will save your time in the long run. If you have a study hall in your school, use it! *Use daylight hours to study whenever possible. For most people for every hour of study done in daylight hours, it will take them one and a half hours to do the same task at night. *Take breaks. Don't plan marathon study time. Have a short rest before you study again. *By using flash cards or summary sheets, you can use odd times to study while you're waiting for class to start or for a friend to pick you up. *If possible, plan study time with a partner. Choose your partner wisely however. Make sure you study, not socialize. *Do the most difficult tasks for times when you are active. (For example, when you're energetic, it will become easier to solve maths questions; when you're tired, it will be impossible!) *Make a daily checklist. Do the most important tasks first. We should use daylight hours to study whenever possible because _ .
A. school study halls are open to students only in the daytime
B. most people can spare more time to study in the daytime
C. it's more difficult to study effectively at night
D. we have more important things to do than study at night
Answer:
C
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Former Irish President Mary Robinson was just making a polite conversation with an Ethiopian teenager about her wedding day. The 16yearold had already been married for a year. "She looked at me with the saddest eyes and said, 'I had to drop out of school'," Robinson said in a telephone interview. "That conveyed to me the reality," said Robinson, the first woman to serve as Ireland's president and former U.N. high commissioner for human fights. "Her life, as far as she is concerned, had more or less ended." Robinson said keeping girls in school was one of the most important things policymakers could do to address the coming challenges of an ever-increasing population, predicted by the United Nations to reach 7 billion soon. "European countries are concerned about aging populations as is Japan, but this is much less of an issue than the huge number of people which we are going to see over the next 40 years when the population goes from 7 billion to 9 billion," she said. "Almost all of that increase will be in poor developing countries, so that we have a very big challenge." Family planning experts worry in particular about the future population explosion in subSaharan Africa. In May, the United Nations projected the world population would reach 9.3billion in 2050 and 10.1 billion by 2100. Much of that growth will come from Africa, where the population is growing at 2.3 percent a year--more than double Asia's 1 percent growth rate. If that rate stays consistent, which is not certain, Africa's population will reach 3.6 billion by 2100 from the present 1 billion. Joel Cohen, a professor of population studies at Rockefeller University and Columbia University in New York, said universal secondary education offered a way to reduce population in high birthrate regions. In addition to providing information about birth control, a secondary education teaches women to reduce their own fertility , improve the health of their children and allows them to move from a mindset of having many children, in the hopes that some will survive to improving the quality of each child's life, Cohen wrote in the journal Nature. What is Joel Cohen's view about secondary education?
It can change people's parenting ideas.
Owning pet birds is not just feeding them when necessary. You have to be very responsible if you have decided to keep birds as pets. If you really want to acquire a companion, think in advance whether you are able to handle it. Depending on what pet bird you are going to have and how big it is, the cost is different. For example, the cost of a comfortable cage, the cost for nutritional food and the money for some additional things should be taken into consideration. There are also some unexpected cost. For example, when your pet bird gets sick, you have to send for a vet . You may think that you do not have free time to have a dog so you'd better have a pet bird because it doesn't require a lot of attention. You are wrong! Some people even do not have time for a short sleep. They will not have enough time for pets, either. For good bird health it is very important to handle them and play with them as much as you can. Also there are a lot of people who think that birds do not require a lot of space and they are wrong again. They also need to fly so if you do not have space for it, you'd better reconsider the things. But do not forget the great advantage of having a pet bird. In the animal kingdom, birds rank near the top when it comes to smarts. You can have a friend for life if you take good care of it. It's a real character and can bring joy and colour in your home. What is the text mainly about?
Things to consider if you want to keep a pet bird.
In schools all over the world boys and girls are learning foreign languages. Everyone knows his own language , but knowing another one is very useful. If we go to England or the USA, we must be able to speak English. And in Japan people will expect us to understand Japanese. How many languages are there in the world? There are thousands of languages, but most of them are not very important, English is one of the most important languages because so many people use it, not only in England and the USA, but also in other parts of the world. About 300 million people speak it as their own language and another 200 million use it as a second language. It's difficult to say how many people are learning it. Million upon million of school children are trying to learn it. About 200 million people use English as _ .
a second language
My name is Li Jing. Today let me show you around my community. In front of my apartment , there is a very small garden with a table, four chairs and some flowers. I love taking a walk in the garden in summer. After getting out of the garden, I can get to a big market soon. I walk past the market when I go to work every day. There are fresh vegetables, fruit and meat there. I often buy some fresh fruit there with my friends. After passing the market, I will be near the main road . There are a lot of shops on both sides of the road, like shoe shops, clothes shops ... After walking straight along the main road for fifteen minutes, I can see a bus stop. I only need to pay 0.5 yuan, and then I can go almost anywhere. That's very cheap. I feel very happy to live in a community like this. Which of the following is TRUE?
Li Jing enjoys her community a lot.
Chinese officials yesterday urged employers to take more measures to protect workers against workplace diseases and injuries. Experts estimate that about 200 million workers face a potential danger of occupational diseases and work-related injuries. The majority of them are farmers-turned-workers who are working in small or medium-sized firms. One of the most serious workplace diseases on the Chinese mainland is pneumoconiosis, a lung disease that is caused by breathing in too much dust of coal, silicon, and cerement. It causes serious breathing difficulties and can be fatal . The disease killed 966 people in the country last year, according to an official report released by the Ministry of Health yesterday. From the early 1950s until the end of last year, 607,570 people were diagnosed with pneumoconiosis. Among the number, 137,481 people died from the disease. Chen Xiaohong, vice minister of health, said the general level of prevention and control of workplace diseases is still quite low in China. "Health authorities at various levels will do more education work in the future to raise employers` awareness that they are the first person responsible for any workplace diseases or accidents," Chen said. He made the remark at a ceremony held by his ministry and other relevant departments under the State Council to award prizes to 56 companies which have done well in protecting workers` health. On the Chinese mainland, more than 16 million companies are engaged in potentially dangerous sectors, such as coal mining, construction, and those that use chemicals, according to the Ministry of Health. Although many companies, especially large foreign-invested and State-owned ones, have done well in protecting workers` health, many employees are still working in dangerous places with poor protection and without any insurance support. At least 90 per cent of Chinese companies are small or medium-sized organizations. Many of these companies, especially private ones based in towns and villages, do not want to spend their money strengthening workplace protection against various diseases and injuries, or buying insurance policies for their employees. According to statistics from Chinese labour and social welfare authorities, there are about 120 million farmers-turned-workers working in Chinese cities. Less than 10 per cent of them have medical or injury insurance and many have no contracts with employers. According to Chinese law on preventing occupational diseases, employers should establish qualified working conditions before opening factories, buy insurance policies for their workers, and provide regular health examinations for labourers. However, according to a survey last year of 74,946 companies that use chemicals or are based in "dangerous sectors," only about 50 per cent offered health tests for workers. In order to protect the workers` health, _ .
All of the above.
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Queen Elizabeth II is not only the queen of the United Kingdom, but she is also the queen of other 16 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Jamaica. Her face is seen on stamps and coins all around the world. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in London on April 21st1926. Her parents were George, the Duke of York, and Elizabeth, the daughter of the Earl and Count-ness of Strathmore. As a child, Princess Elizabeth lived with her parents and younger sister in London and Windsor. Every summer, she traveled to Scotland to visit her mother's parents. She was interested in all sorts of sports, but her favorites were horse riding and swimming. She was also fond of acting, art and music. As princess Elizabeth grew older, she started to play a part in British public life. When she was 14, she broadcast a radio message to all the children of Britain and the Common-wealth . Two years later, she carried out her first public engagement, and started to go on official tours shortly after that. After a tour to South Africa in 1946, she married Philip Mountbatten. The couple had four children: Prince Charles, born in 1948, Princess Anne, born in 1950, Prince Andrew, born in 1960 and Prince Edward, born in 1964. After her father died, Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II in a ceremony held in London in 1953. As a queen, she has many duties, and leads a very busy life. She travels throughout the world, meeting the leaders of other countries, and attends a large number of official functions. She also holds a meeting every week with the British Prime Minister. Every year, on Christmas Day, she broadcast a message to the people of British and the Commonwealth, talking about her hopes for the future. Queen Elizabeth has been on the throne for more than 40 years and has become one of the most famous women in the world. Lots of people in British believe that she tries hard to understand her people and be a good queen. More than her title, this quality has earned her much love and respect. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
Answer:
She has been on the throne for more than forty years.
John works in a market. It's near a secondary school. Every day, students come to buy things there. In the morning , John gets up at six and then has breakfast. He goes to work by bike. He gets to the shop at about six thirty. The market opens at seven. They sell things like food and drinks. They have school things, too. So there are often many people in their market from morning to evening. John has supper there. At seven in the evening the market is closed. John works in a _ .
Answer:
market
When we are unable to look up and see the sun during the day it is blocked by
Answer:
water
Plankton can be the food as well as the creator of
Answer:
nourishment
One is never too old to learn. Life learning (sometimes called un-schooling or self-directed learning) is one of those concepts that are almost easier to explain by saying what it isn't than what it is. And that's probably because our own schooled backgrounds have convinced us that learning happens only in a fine building on certain days, between certain hours, and managed by a specially trained professional. Within that schooling framestudy, no matter how hard teachers try and no matter how good their textbooks, many bright students get bored, many slower students struggle and give up or lose their self-respect, and most of them reach the end of the process unprepared to enter into society. They have memorized a certain body of knowledge long enough to rush back the information on tests, but they haven't really learnt much, at least of the official curriculum. Life learners, on the other hand, know that learning is not difficult, that people learn things quite easily if they're not compelled and forced, if they see a need to learn something, and if they are trusted and respected enough to learn it on their own timetable, at their own speed, in their own way--no matter what age and no matter whether we're at school or at home. Life learning is independent of time, location or the presence of teacher. It does not require mom or dad to teach, or kids to work in workbooks at the table from 9 to noon. Life learning is learner-driven. It involves living and learning--in and from the real world. It is about exploring, questioning, experimenting, making messes, taking risks without fear of making mistakes, being laughed at and trying again. Furthermore, life learning is about trusting kids to learn what they need to know and about helping them to learn and grow in their own ways. It is about providing positive experiences that enable children to understand the world and their culture and to interact with it. Through life learning, children _ .
Answer:
will learn to communicate with the real society
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Our children feel stressed out by an educational system that actually uses stress as an educational technique. It's a constant pressure of homework deadlines,essays and exams. And our children are told at a young age that failing a test means that they are failures in life. They'll end up nowhere if they don't pass this or that exam. Our educational system is based on a very Western idea that life is a struggle and you'd better measure up. It's survival of the fittest. While there is some truth to this,not as much as people think. Our ancestors didn't develop a constant stress environment. Back then,stress came quickly and was over quickly,it wasn't like the stress of modern education. Stress was originally just a shortterm biological response to danger;however,the constant stress of modern education rarely stops. It's long term,at least ten years and usually more. Recent research has shown that the neurological response to stress is the same response that is found in depression. So,what's the solution? A number have been proposed,including but not limited to the following. _ .Exercise consumes energy that would otherwise build up in the stress response and could cause physical and mental problems. Teach relaxation exercises. Allowing the mind and body to relax cuts off the stress response and reduces the neurological fatigue ,enabling the individual to recover at least somewhat. Pay attention to thinking. Training the stressed student to pay attention to his or her own mind to a point where he or she is sufficiently aware to shut off the stress response when necessary. Of course,there's a logical answer to the problem. Just rearrange our teaching methods to encourage,rather than prevent,the natural curiosity and joy in learning that we are all born with. This would remove the stress and probably cut learning time in half. If you are a teacher in a high school, _ .
A you should leave students in a good mood
B you should ignore the stressed student
C you should relax yourself as far as possible
D you should stick to your teaching methods
Answer: A. you should leave students in a good mood
Some plants get so hungry they eat flies, and even small frogs. What's more amazing is that these plants occur naturally (in special environments) in every state. In fact, they're found on every continent except Antarctica. You've probably seen a Venus' flytrap -- a small plant, which grows 6 to 8 inches tall in a container. At the end of its stalks are leaves that act like traps . Inside each trap is a lining of tiny hairs. When an insect lands on them, the traps suddenly shut. Over the course of a week or so, the plant feeds on its catch. The Venus' flytrap is just one of more than 500 species of meat-eating plants, says Barry Meyers-Rice, the editor of the International Carnivorous Plant Society's Newsletter. He states although you might have read some science-fiction stories, no meat-eating plant does any danger to humans. Barry says a plant is meat-eating, only if it does all four of the following: "attract, kill, digest, and absorb" some form of insects. Meat-eating plants look and act like other green plants -- well, most of the time. All green plants make sugar to produce food. What makes meat-eating plants different is their special leaves, which need insects for one reason: nitrogen . Nitrogen is a nutrient that they can't obtain any other way. Why? Almost all green plants on our planet get nitrogen from the soil. Meat-eating plants can't. They live in places where nutrients are hard to get from the soil because of its acidity. So they've come to rely on getting nitrogen from insects and small animals. In fact, nutrient-rich soft is poisonous to meat-eating plants. Never fertilize them! But don't worry, either, if they never seem to catch any insects. They can survive, but they'll grow very slowly. According to the passage, a Venus' flytrap _ .
A is a small plant which grows in a container
B is a kind of plant which gets hungry easily
C can trap and feed on some form of insects
D can only grow 6-8 inches tall
Answer: C. can trap and feed on some form of insects
A metaphor is a poetic device that deals with comparison. It compares similar qualities of two dissimilar objects. With a simple metaphor, one object becomes the other: Love is a rose. Although this does not sound like a particularly rich image, a metaphor can communicate so much about a particular image that poets use them more than any other type of figurative language. The reason for this is that poets compose their poetry to express what they are experiencing emotionally at that moment. Consequently, what the poet imagines love to be may or may not be our understanding of love. Therefore, the poet's job is to enable us to experience it, to feel it the same way as the poet does. Let's analyze this remarkably simple metaphor concerning love and the rose to see what it offers. Because the poet uses a comparison with a rose, first we must examine the characteristics of that flower. A rose is impressive in its beauty, its petals are nicely soft, and its smell is pleasing. It's possible to say that a rose is actually a feast to the senses of sight, touch, and smell. The rose's appearance seems to border on perfection, each petal seemingly equal in form. Isn't this the way one's love should be?A loved one should be a delight to one's senses and seem perfect. However, there is another dimension added to the comparison by using a rose. Roses have thorns. The poet wants to convey the idea that roses can be tricky. So can love, the metaphor tells us. When one reaches out with absolute trust to touch the object of his or her affection, ouch, a thorn can cause great harm! "Be careful," the metaphor warns, "Love is a feast to the senses, but it can overwhelm us, and it can also hurt us and cause acute suffering." This is the poet's understanding of love--an admonition . What is the point?Just this: It took almost 14 sentences to clarify what a simple metaphor communicates in only four words! That is the artistry and the joy of the simple metaphor. According to the passage, a metaphor is a _ .
A description of two similar objects in a poetic way
B literary device specially employed in poetry writing
C contrast between two different things to create a vivid image
D comparison between two different objects with similar features
Answer: D. comparison between two different objects with similar features
School leaders from around the country gathered at the White House on November 19 for"Connected to the Future," a conference about digital technology in education.Connected is the Obama Government's five-year plan to support the growth of digital learning in schools.This growth includes equipping America's schools with high-speed broadband Internet . At the conference,President Barack Obama said the U.S.Department of Education is taking steps to help educators and school districts as they change to digital learning.The department created new guidelines to help schools work to improve their technological infrastructure .The guidelines are also designed to help schools choose the right digital devices and set up policies for their proper use. "We have to do more to offer our children a world-class education,"Obama told the crowd of school leaders."We have to improve our education level if we are going to make sure that every child in America can go as far as their dreams and talents will take them." According to Cecilia Muoz,director of the Domestic Policy Council,less than 40% of public schools in America have high-speed Internet access in their classrooms.She believes that Connected will make America a leader in using technology to educate students. Muoz mentioned the Mooresville school district as a success story.Mooresville provides each student in grades 3 through 12 with a device,and uses a mostly digital subject.Muoz said Mooresville now ranks third in test scores and second in graduation rates in the state. At the end of the president's speech,1,200 school leaders attending the event signed the Future Ready District Pledge on their iPads.It promises the education leaders to help develop a culture of learning through technology at their schools,and to support teachers and students in using technology. "Every child deserves a chance at a world-class education,"Obama added."That's what makes our nation great." Which of the following statements is true?
A All students in Mooresville have digital devices.
B Mooresville has carried out Connected for years.
C Teaching quality in Mooresville was the worst in the past.
D Digital learning helps Mooresville's test scores and graduation rates go up.
Answer: D. Digital learning helps Mooresville's test scores and graduation rates go up.
When I walked into the house after school, the first thing I noticed was a box with items I recognized from my dad's office. "What are you doing home already?" I asked casually. "Andrew, I was laid off today," he answered, quietly. I was sure he was joking. "No, you weren't. Why are you really home?" Then I noticed his seriousness and realized he was telling the truth. My father has always been a hard worker and prided himself on his career. Providing for our family has been his joy, and I guess I had taken his work for granted. My father's unemployment created many changes in our lives. For starters, he was home all the time, which meant my bed had to be made, my room cleaned up, and my homework done right after school. I would come home every day to find him at the computer searching for jobs. I began to notice how down he seemed, and how losing his job had affected his self-esteem, though he tried to be optimistic. For the first time, I saw my dad as vulnerable. He asked my brother and me to spend less. I gave up my allowance, which even though it wasn't much, felt like the right thing to do. I also found a part-time job. After several difficult months of searching, my dad decided to go in a totally different direction. He explained that he never wanted to be laid off again, so he was going to start his own business. Day by day, I watched him build it, and I admired how much time and energy he expended. One evening I asked if he needed help. "Only if it doesn't interfere with school," he said. k*s5*u I showed up at his office the next afternoon, and most afternoons after that for two months. I always knew he was a hard worker, but watching him in action really impacted me. Although this was one of the worst experiences for our family, it taught me a lot about dealing with adversity. Now I know that through creative problem-solving, I can always find Plan B, ask for help, and take risks. What I have learned from my dad's understanding of business and his work ethic are two of the most important lessons I will ever learn, and will be my foundations for success. What made the author know the truth?
A The box from his dad's office.
B His father's words.
C His father's expression.
D Being informed by his family.
Answer: C. His father's expression.
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Louis Pasteur discovered a process that allows milk to be stored in sealed containers for long periods of time without spoiling. The process, called pasteurization, involves heating the milk before placing it in the sealed containers.Which is the best explanation of how pasteurization works?
A. Heat strengthens molecules that prevent spoiling.
B. The chemical structure of the food changes with the heat.
C. Heat killed microorganisms that could cause spoiling.
D. The food particles are better mixed after heating.
Answer: C. Heat killed microorganisms that could cause spoiling.
Tony has always loved going to the beach. He spends as much time there as he can. It was a bright, sunny day. The beach was full by the time Tony and his mum got there. It seemed that everyone had the same idea today. When they found a spot , Tony sat down and began to relax. Soon Tony noticed something strange. There was an empty water bottle in the sand. Then, a paper bag was blowing down by the water. People had littered all over the beach! Tony was mad. His mum explained that a lot of people littered instead of using garbage cans . If Tony wanted to stop it, he would have to work to save the beach. He worked hard. Tony got a group to help clean up. He put up signs saying" _ " and got his town to add more garbage cans in the area. Most of all, he let people know how bad littering is for the environment. Tony worked hard to make a difference! What problem did Tony notice on the beath?
A. It started to rain.
B. People littered on the beach.
C. He lost his beach ball.
D. The water was too cold.
Answer: B. People littered on the beach.
A science fiction flying car looks like a normal car, but it is an aircraft that anybody can fly directly from any place to another without using roads or runways. Science fiction writers have written about flying cars for a long time. But now flying cars will soon fly out of the world of science fiction into our real world. And the dream of the science fiction writers will soon come true. The first-known sky car is the FSC-1. The FSC-1 looks like an expensive sports car. You can drive the FSC-1 on the road like a normal car. If you touch a button, its wings and propeller fold out and then it can take off, fly and land as an airplane. The owners of the FSC-1 can choose if they want to drive or fly. Another flying car or sky car is the Moller Skycar M400. Although you can't drive it on the roads, it is small and easy to fly and can take off and land like a helicopter . Urban Aeronautics' X-Hawk is another type of sky car. It is expected to be available for about $3 million. Just like any new technology, flying cars have taken a long time to be developed. But some experts think the technology is far from what people imagine when they are sitting in traffic. It still needs to be improved. The FSC-1 can _ .
A. change itself into a robot
B. move on water like a ship
C. be flown only like an airplane
D. be driven like a car and flown like an airplane
Answer: D. be driven like a car and flown like an airplane
These days a green building means more than just the color of the paint. Green building can also refer to environmentally friendly houses, factories, and offices. Green building means "reducing the impact of _ on the land"Taryn Holowka of the U.S Green Building Council in Washington, D. C. said. According to Holowka, buildings account for 65 percent of total U.S. electricity use. But green buildings can reduce energy and water use. Also, the buildings are often located near public transportation such as buses and subways, so that people can drive their cars less. That could be good for the environment, because cars use lots of gas and give off pollution. Green buildings are often built on developed land, so that the buildings don't destroy forests. Marty Dettling is the project manager for a building that put these ideas into action. The Solaire has been called the country's first green high-rise building. According to Dettling, "We've reduced our energy use by one-third and our water by 50 percent." The Solaire cuts energy in part by using solar power. "On the lace of the building we have solar panels which change the sun's energy into electricity," Dettling explained. The Solaire also has lights that automatically turn off when people leave the room. In addition, the building has lots of windows, allowing people to use the sun for light during the day. The Solaire cuts water by reusing it. Not everyone is eager to move into a green building, however. Some people think that things like solar panels cost more money than more traditional energy sources. Anyhow, Holowka said, "It's going to be big." Which of the following statements is WRONG?
A. The Solaire can reduce the impact of the building on the land.
B. Everyone is not eager to move into a green building.
C. Marty Dettling has come up with the idea of green buildings.
D. In the U.S, buildings consume more than half of the total electricity.
Answer: C. Marty Dettling has come up with the idea of green buildings.
Solomon Shereshevski was a man with an amazing memory. He was one of the world's most famous me-monists . Born in Russia in about 1900, he spent much of his life performing memory skills that people found difficult to believe. He could memorize long lists of numbers after reading them through once, and he could then recite them forwards or back-wards. He could also remember the same numbers months later. He could easily remember lists of names, dozens of playing cards or hundreds of cities. Although he had a wonderful memory, he found some normal skills very difficult. For example, he found it difficult to learn to read. He also found it difficult to recognize patterns in words or numbers. When presented with a long list of numbers like this: 1234 4231 5678 8765 6789 9876 he could not see that there was a pattern. If he could see or hear a collection of numbers, he could remember it. However, this did not mean that he could understand what he was looking at. He could remember long complex mathematical formulas, but could not understand what the numbers meant. Solomon suffered from a condition known as Synaesthesia. This meant that all of his senses were connected in a special way. In other words, when he heard a particular word he also experienced a unique taste, or saw a unique color1. Each word that he heard brought a particular description into his mind. Each word for him was unique, because he remembered it as a taste, a smell, a color1 or a sound, or all of them together. He was not a clever man except this ability and people found him rather stupid. He found it difficult to become friends with other people because his mind was so different. In a way, his memory was a curse . He remembered everything, and that made it difficult for him to understand anything. The author wants to express an idea that .
A. one cannot be good at both memorizing and understanding things
B. some people are actually quite stupid though they seem clever
C. having a good memory does not mean having good intelligence
D. the more you can memorize, the more stupid you will certainly be
Answer: C. having a good memory does not mean having good intelligence
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Now people who are in different parts of the world communicate easier than before. But it is a little hard to understand each other well. Some of them may not understand others' words, so it's easy to make a few mistakes. For example, an important question about eating out, is who pays for the meal. If a friend of yours suggests you have lunch with him, you might simply say something like this, "I'm afraid it will have to be some place inexpensive, as I have very little money." The other person might say, "OK. I will meet you at McDonald's." This means it is agreed that the two will go Dutch, that is, each person pays for himself. He might also say, "Oh, no. I want to take you to lunch at Johnson's", or " I want you to try the steak there. It is great." This means that the person intends to pay the bill for both of you. If you feel friendly towards this person, there is no reason why you shouldn't accept this invitation. You might simply say, "Thank you. That would be very nice." ,. If you accept your friend's invitation , you should _ .
Answer: say " thank you" simply
which of these would you most likely find in a log with a hole in it?
Answer: a small sized raccoon
Many people watched the lift-off of the space shuttle Columbia on March 21, 1982. But none watched more closely than eighteen-year-old Ted, as Ted's insects were on board the shuttle. The Shuttle Student Involvement Program invited students to make a science experiment. The experiment would be done by astronauts on the space shuttle. Ted had always been interested in space and flight. Insect flight especially interested him. Ted noticed that insects need gravity to take off and land. They need gravity to fly in a straight line. But in space, there is no gravity. Could insects fly in zero gravity? That is what Ted wanted to find out. Ted made an experiment called "Insect in Flight Motion Study". He entered his experiment and soon news came that _ . A large team of scientists and engineers helped Ted get his experiment ready to fly. There were many questions to be answered first. What kind of insects would Ted use in his experiment? The insects would have to be strong enough to live on the shuttle for nine days without much food. What kind of container would hold the insects? Would the insects die during the shuttle flight? After months of hard work, the "insectronauts" were chosen. A group of moths, flies, and honeybees were put into a special box and put onto the space shuttle. When Columbia flew into space, it was carrying insect passengers. On March 24, astronauts Gordon Fullerton and Jack Lousma took out the box that held the insects. They began filming the insects with a special video camera. When the space shuttle landed Ted was able to watch the video film of insects. Just as he thought, most of the insects did have trouble flying in zero gravity. The flies did well. But the moths' flight seemed "uncontrolled". They would often just hang in the air. The bees had the most trouble. They couldn't fly at all! The film showed bees spinning around in all directions. Others were just floating about in the box. Ted learned the answer to his question about insects' flight in zero gravity. But he also learned a lot more. He learned about the hard work needed in making a successful experiment. Who did the experiment?
Answer: Two astronauts on the space shuttle.
The Lego Group had a very low beginning in the workshop of Ole Kirk Christiansen,a carpenter from Denmark.Christiansen began creating wooden toys in 1932.Two years later, he came upon the Lego name by putting together the first two letters of the Danish words Leg and Godt,which mean "play well."The name could be interpreted as "I put together" in Latin;it is also similar to the Greek verb meaning "gather" or "pick up". In 1947,the company enlarged to making plastic toys.At first,the use of plastic for toy production was not highly regarded by salesmen and consumers of the time.Many of the Lego Group's shipments were returned,following poor sales.However, Christiansen's son,Godtfred Kirk Christiansen,saw the great potential in Lego bricks to become a system for creative play-As the junior managing director of the Lego Group,he spent years trying to improve the "locking" ability of the bricks and made the bricks more versatile .In 1958, the modem interlocking brick design was finally developed and patented . Today Lego is sold in more than 1 30 countries.Every minute 33,824 Lego bricks are made,and kids around the world spend 5 billion hours a year playing with Lego.There will be more than 400 million people playing with Lego bricks this year.On average,every person in the world owns 62 Lego bricks,and about seven Lego sets are sold every second. This year Lego fans all over the world are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the tiny building blocks.Though already 50 years old,Lego is still the same product it was in the 1950s. Bricks bought then are still compatible with present bricks and that is probably the reason the toy has never fallen out of favor. Which of the following is true about the name Lego?
Answer: It came from Danish words meaning "play" and "well."
Most parents and teachers would get angry when they hear that teenagers listen to their iPods while preparing for exams. But pupils who listen to music when doing their homework may be, in fact, working hard. Thirty three schools have downloaded specially written pop and rock songs for their 10,000 pupils who are studying for GCSE . The professionally recorded music, based on texts in English literature, teaches teenagers about themes in the GCSE curriculum . Two young men set up "Revise", the company that produced the songs, and worked with teachers to make sure the lyrics reflected the curriculum. Some of the songs were written by Geraint Brown, a director, and they are performed by professional singers and musicians. Songs for the GCSE science and maths lessons are also being developed in 36 schools. They have also started using the program, called, "LearnThruMusic". Dave Matthews, the head of Hawthorn High School in the South Wales valleys, said the program aimed at helping teenagers who are unwilling to study. He said, "There are lots of pupils who don't have a high level of home support. It's almost cool to say you have no need to find a support and we have got to change that. With this, they don't have to be sitting at their desk at home. They can be outside, walking around or even listening to it on the bus, which is very convenient for them." Everyone has a phone, MP3 or CD player, and they're more likely to listen to these than pick up a book. "I think everyone would agree that music had an important influence on us when growing up. Both boys and girls are very good at remembering the words and dancing to the music in the charts. There's no one thing that will successfully engage (...) every child, and some of them will make little or no use of this. But the fact that they don't have to do any extra work makes this a very good deal for a kid," Dave Matthews added. The pop and rock songs used in 36 schools _ .
Answer: were closely related to the curriculum
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One day, five blind men were walking along, when suddenly they bumped into something very big in front of them. Each one put out his hand and _ it. The first man thought it was a tree ---it was tall and round. The second man felt something tall and wide and rough and said, "Aha! This must be a wall !" The third man touched a very long smooth thing. He guessed this was a spear .Then the fourth man said, "I feel cool. There must be a fan up there. Oh, yes! Here it is!" He touched something big and round that was moving. What did the fifth man find? Well, he started shouting that he was being chased by a snake. Each man was sure he knew what he had touched, but they were wrong. They finally understood the mystery when the big thing attempted to move, and they felt silly because everything they had touched belonged to an elephant. The fourth man touched the elephant's _ .
A. trunk
B. tail
C. main body
D. ear
Answer: D. ear
Squirrels can often be seen storing acorns during the
A. summer
B. spring
C. fall
D. winter
Answer: C. fall
Greenhouses are structures used to house plants during
A. nothing
B. freezing conditions
C. cold beverages
D. space
Answer: B. freezing conditions
A middle-aged man with a long beard was caught by the police for bad behavior and property damage. The man, Bill Wild, checked into a hotel last night, telling the clerk he would pay cash in advance and would be staying for four nights. He then asked her where the nearest store was and she told him it was John-Johns. Wild went to the store and bought three gallons of honey and four gallons of chocolate syrup . The cashier asked him why he wanted these things and he replied, "I'm trying to become a sweeter person." The cashier smiled at the joke. Wild drove back to the hotel. He opened all bottles and poured them into the bathtub . He added warm water to the mix. He tuned the radio to an opera music station, took off his clothes, jumped into the tub, and started singing loudly with the music. Fifteen minutes later, the neighbor phoned the clerk complaining about the noise. The clerk knocked on Wild's door, but he just kept singing. She phoned his room, but he didn't answer. Then she called the police, who arrived quickly. They broke into the room. The floor was covered in water and the bathtub was full of chocolate and honey. "He seemed so nice and friendly. Who'd have thought he was a bathtub-singing nut?" said the clerk. The police said this was the third time that Wild had been arrested for this kind of behavior. The man bought lots of honey and chocolate syrup to _ .
A. have a bath to make himself sweet
B. do some interesting tests
C. give people a surprise
D. make a sweet cake
Answer: A. have a bath to make himself sweet
People are busy working every day, so they do not have enough time to do exercise. As a result, many people become too fat or too thin. To keep our bodies healthy, we have to do exercise every day. There are many kinds of exercises. Bending and stretching helps us move easily. Before we play ball games or swim, it is better for us to do bending and stretching exercises first. This kind of exercise is something called warm-up exercise. Running is also a good exercise. If we cannot run fast, we can jog. Jogging means running slowly Again, before we run or jog, we must do warm-up exercise. Also, we should not run or jog in busy streets. The air there is often dirty. Some people like weight lifting because it can make their bodies strong. Also, we need to do warm-up exercise before weight lifting. From the passage, we know _ .
A. jogging means running quickly
B. weight lifting can help us move easily
C. busy streets are not good places for running
D. three kinds of exercises are mentioned
Answer: C. busy streets are not good places for running
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A study found most people use their smart phones for an hour and 52 minutes a day. Most of this time is taken up with texting, emails and surfing the web, but only around 20 minutes is spent making three calls. The survey of 2,000 people found that social media apps, calculators , calendars and cameras were also seen as particularly important functions. Navigation apps such as Google Maps were popular too - with one in six people admitting they would feel unable to travel around an unfamiliar city without _ . The study also found checking Facebook and taking pictures of others are carried out more frequently than making calls. Also on the list were the calendar to remember appointments and birthdays, mobile banking and the news are apps that make day-to-day life a little easier. Tom Barr said: 'The functions on a mobile phone have developed and improved drastically over the past 10 years. With so many ways to keep in touch nowadays, people are using the functions that are convenient for them. As we get less and less time to ourselves, we need more convenience in our lives and less difficulty. While calling can be more personal, it doesn't always save your time.' Scientists at Rice University wanted to see if the latest mobile technology would be used by the students to improve their learning. But a year later, the researchers concluded that it's not enough to give students the right technology, but said they need guidance about how to use it. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
Answer: Most people spend about 20 minutes making three calls a day.
Which of these is the best definition of heredity?
Answer: the passage of genetic information from one generation to the next
"Homestay is a form of study abroad program. It allows the visitor to rent a room from a local family to better understand the local lifestyle. It also helps to improve the visitor's language ability," said a teacher during a school meeting last term. "Students who wish to learn more about foreign cultures or to get foreign experience should join this kind of holiday. I am sure you won't be disappointed." After this special meeting, I always thought about this kind of holiday. Last month, I had a chance at last to go on such a holiday with some of my schoolmates and we went to London, a place where I had wanted to go since years ago. As we were still young, we had a group leader who planned things for us and looked after us. After we got to London, we went to stay with different families. I was lucky that my host family was a white couple who had a daughter about my age. They treated me as a daughter of their family during my stay there. They were interested in me and I learnt a lot of things from them, too. The holiday was filled with activities every day. After breakfast, a local teacher would come to take us in his car. Then we would have classes or go on a sight-seeing trip to different places of interest like the Big Ben, the London Bridge, and the Buckingham Palace. We would go back to our own homes after the activities. The holiday was a valuable experience for me. I enjoyed every minute of it. Yet, time really flew fast. Three weeks later, we had to leave "home" for Hong Kong. The writer's host family _ .
Answer: was very kind to her
the gravitational pull between two objects increases as they are
Answer: brought together
The children in the village wear dirty, cheap clothes. They sleep beside cows and sheep in small houses. They have no school. But they can write 26 English letters, and some know a few English words. How did it happen? It was because a U.S. group called One Computer Every Child offered them 20 computers. Can children teach themselves to read when they have no schools or teachers but have the help of today's new technology ? The goal of the group is to find out the answer. And the results are exciting. "The children are learning more than they would in one year of school," said Matt Keller, who organized the programme. The fastest learner was an eight-year-old boy called Kelbesa Negusse. He said that he himself was like a lion. Keller said, "Seven months ago he didn't know any English. But now he has known many words. I think if you give them food and water they will never leave the computer room. They will spend day and night there." Kelbesa said, "I like the computer because I can learn things with it." He added, "I know many English words, like dog, monkey, horse, sheep, cow, pig and cat." Keller said that One Computer Every Child was planning a programme for children who couldn't go to school. What is the goal of One Computer Every Child?
Answer: To help children teach themselves to read through new technology.
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"Get out of the plane!" Justin shouted. Teddy and he dropped to the ground,.... When Kathy and Victor reached the edge of the grassland, flames were shooting more than five meters into the air. Kathy couldn't believe what she was seeing. One glance told her they needed medical attention immediately. She questioned Justin, " Is there anyone in the plane?" "No," he said. "Where are you able to radio for help?" "There was no time." " I'm a distance runner." Kathy said, "I'll go for help." Looking at the seriously injured men, she said, "It may take me several hours to get out." She started out. When she was 23, Kathy set a women's-course record in a Marathon. She had run 42 kilometers. But now she was running the race of her life. She had nearly 30 kilometers of hard wilderness to cover to get help. Kathy had been running for two hours. This was far back into the wilderness. The trail grew unclear. She stopped to take a quick compass reading. She had run for more than 20 kilometers. Her heart fell, her muscle aching. Finally she saw her car in the distance. She jumped into the car and sped away. She reached a holiday house and called the police. During the wait she walked around, relaxing her legs and drinking water. It took almost two hours for a helicopter to reach her. They needed her for one more task. Why did she walk around, relax her legs and drink water? Because _ .
Answer:
she wanted to regain lost energy
When people ask your children to "get an education", they tell you only half the truth. What they really mean is to get just enough education to give manpower for your society. Get a high school diploma, at least. Without that, you are occupationally dead, unless your name happens to be George Washington or Thomas Edison and you can successfully stop study in primary schools. Get a college degree, if possible. With a BA, you should start to find a job. You have to _ now. If you do go for a master's degree, make sure it is an MBA and only from a first - class university. Otherwise, the famous law of diminishing begins to work. Do you know, for example, that long - distance truck drivers make more money a year than full professors? Yes, each driver was paid $28,000 in 1997 while a full professor managed to get $27,930. A PhD is the highest degree you can get, but except in a few specialized fields such as physics or chemistry, where the degree can quickly be turned to industrial or commercial aim, you are facing a not very bright future. There are more PhDs unemployed in this country than in any other part of the world by far. If you became a PhD in English or history or political science or languages or - worst of all - in philosophy , you take the risk of becoming over - educated for our national demands. Thousands of PhDs are selling shoes, driving taxis, waiting on tables and filling out applications month after month, and then may be taking a job in some high school or college with the pay much less than a door-keeper makes. What can we know from the passage?
Answer:
There are more PhDs than the society demands.
For better eyesight, doctors advise limiting the hours of screen time and encourage having enough eye resting time. However, another study shows that sitting in front of computer or TV screens for long hours is not the only reason formyopia . An Australian research team studied young children in Sydney and Singapore to find the reasons for myopia. The research team found that theprevalence of myopia among children in Sydney was lower than children in Singapore, even though they spent more time in front of computer and TV screens. The major finding is that children in Sydney spend longer hours on outdoor activities than those in Singapore. Indoor and outdoor sports activities both make the eyes focus on more distant objects, which prevents the eyes from changing shape. But outdoor activities may better help avoid myopia than indoor sports activities. Jane Gwiazda, who does research in sight problems, says: "Natural light is good for eye growth. And extra vitamin D from the sun might contribute to eye growth." Many doctors suggest that every child get its first eye test done when he/she is about two and half years old, and even if his/her sight seems perfect. It is necessary for myopic children to wear glasses to prevent headaches, trouble reading or injuries. It is also important that schools invite doctors to test their students' eyes. If that is not possible, school teachers should at least encourage parents and children to have regular eye examinations and wear glasses. And parents should remember not only to limit the total screen time for their children, but also to encourage them to spend time outdoors. What conclusion can we draw from the passage ?
Answer:
Outdoor activities do more good to eyes.
The Internet joins millions of computers all over the world, and it's used by people all over the world. It was invented in the 1960s in the USA. The American government needed a network of computers for its army. Then in the 1970s scientists and businesspeople also wanted to use the Internet to send and receive messages. For some years, they weren't allowed to use US network, and when they were allowed to, the messages were in very simple text without photos. The World Wide Web was invented by a British scientist named Tim Berners-Lee in 1989. He wanted to send documents to other scientists. So he developed the World Wide Web. This allowed him to send and receive scientific documents with text, drawings and photos. In the 1990s, more and more people began to use the Internet and the World Wide Web. So, what's the difference between Internet and the World Wide Web? The Internet is the hardware .It allows us to communicate with other people. The World Wide Web is the software. It allows us to create , see, and read multimedia documents. The web is made up of millions of documents called web pages. These pages are held in computers all over the world. Many people have a favourite website with a number of web pages on the same subject. Email is a way of using your computer to send and receive messages. It's cheaper and quicker to use email than send normal mail. New users call normal mail "snail mail" because it's so slow. It took 50 years for 100 million people to listen to the radio. It took 15 years for 100 million people to watch television. By the year 2000, it had taken only about three years for 100 million people to use the Internet. What will happen next on the Internet? When was the Internet invented?
Answer:
In the 1960s
When Gretchen Baxter gets home from work as a New York City book editor, she checks her Blackberry at the door. 'I think we are attached to these devices in a way that is not always positive,' says Baxter,who'd rather focus at home on her husband and 12-year-old daughter. 'It's there and it beckons . That's human nature (but)...we kind of get crazy sometimes and we don't know where it should stop.' Americans are connected at unprecedented levels93% now use cell phones or wireless devices;one third of those are 'smart phones' that allow users to browse the Web and check e-mail,among other things. The benefits are obvious: checking messages on the road,staying in touch with friends and family,efficiently using time once spent waiting around. The downside:often,we're effectively disconnecting from those in the same room. That's why,despite all the technology that makes communicating easier than ever,2010 was the Year We Stopped Talking to One Another. From texting at dinner to posting on Facebook from work or checking e-mail while on a date,the connectivity revolution is creating a lot of divided attention,not to mention social anxiety. Many analysts say it's time to step back and reassess. 'What we're going to see in the future is new opportunities for people to be plugged in and connected like never before,' says Scott Campbell. 'It can be a good thing,but I also see new ways the traditional social fabric is getting somewhat torn apart.' Our days are filled with beeps and pings*----many of which pull us away from tasks at hand or face-to-face conversations. We may feel that the distractions are too much,but we can't seem to stop posting,texting or surfing. 'We're going through a period of adjustment and rebalancing,' says Sherry Turkle and she wants to remind people that technology can be turned off. 'Our human purposes are to really have connections with people,' she says. 'We have to reclaim it. It's not going to take place by itself.' What can be the best title for the passage?
Answer:
2010: The year technology replaced talking.
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British men are encouraged to cry There are certain things British men like to believe about themselves. The first is that one day they will again win the World Cup. They also believe they do not cry. Over the centuries, Britons are believed to have a "stiff upper lip". But is this true? Yes, it is. A recent study arranged by Kleenex on how the British express their emotions shows that 95 percent of them still contain their emotions. Moreover, while 72 percent think this is unhealthy, 19 percent can't remember the last time they "let it out". As a result, Kleenex is carrying out the "Let It Out" campaign that encourages the British to grab a tissue and have a good cry. These days, however, the male Briton's attitude toward crying is changing. Though the majority still struggles to open up emotionally, a 2004 study by Oxford's Social Issues Research Center found that 77 percent of British men considered crying in public increasingly acceptable. Half of London males admitted crying in front of their mothers. Scotsmen are the least emotional, although they are the most likely to cry at weddings. Peter Marsh, director of the center, said: "Crying can now indicate sensitivity rather than weakness. Like with David Beckham, crying because you're dropping off your boy at nursery isn't seen as weak." Winston Churchill was said to be a frequent crier, shedding tears at seeing a survivor in an air raid shelter, and when he saw his wife after a long absence. Psychologists say that while society has accepted that men can cry, there are limits. Ronald Bracey, a consulting psychologist, said: "If a man began to cry when he was having stitches in hospital, he would be considered as a wimp . Men still need to be seen as strong when it comes to physical pain." Which of the following concerning the British men is NOT true according to the passage?
A They are supposed to easily control emotions over the centuries.
B They are confident that they will again get successful in the World Cup.
C About 50% of British men admitted crying before their mothers.
D Nowadays, the male Briton's attitude toward crying is changing.
Answer: C
Humans have launched themselves into the outer space. They've landed on the moon. They've built habitable space stations that orbit the Earth. The next giant leap for mankind is to reach another planet - specifically, Mars. The problem is that it's no easy task. The planet is 586 times further away from the Earth than the moon, and it'll take around 180 to 220 days to reach Mars, depending on where each planet is in its orbit. Such long periods in space have suggested many potential health problems, including hormonal changes, skin conditions, and muscle and bone deterioration . Here's where some furry friends come in. A wide range of animals have been in space, from fruit flies and spiders to cats, and dogs. Such experiments began as far back as the late 1940s in first tests to see if living things could _ the extreme g-force of a rocket launch. Mice continue to play a very important part in space experiments, mainly because the animals make excellent test subjects. They're small, which makes them inexpensive and easy to care for. In addition, their size and short life span make it possible to do the equivalent of several human years of tests in a much shorter time. Finally, because mice are mammals, they share many common characteristics with humans in terms of genetics, biology and behavior. Astromice have hit the headlines recently, as a team of scientists led by Betty Nusgens, professor of biology at the University of Liege in Belgium, found that the mice suffered a 15 percent thinning of their skin after 91 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS). This experiment was part of a wider NASA mission called the Mice Drawer System (MDS). The Italian Space Agency developed the facility, which allows six mice to be housed, monitored, and automatically fed and watered aboard the ISS, among which three survived during the mission. The mice have participated in 20 separate experiments, to study such effects as osteoporosis , anemia and heart health. Results for the 20 experiments are coming in gradually. But it's clear that mice continue to play an important role in the ongoing quest to conquer the final frontier. According to Betty Nusgens and her team, the mice aboard the ISS _ .
A suffered the loss of part of their skin
B all survived for the duration of the mission
C were fed and watered by the astronauts
D participated in 20 experiments that made great breakthroughs
Answer: A
In March 2004, Joe Ryan got a collection notice from a billing agency for Littleton Adventist Hospital near prefix = st1 /Denver,Colorado. The hospital wanted payment for surgery totaling $41,188. Ryan had never set foot in that hospital. Obviously there was some mistake. "I thought it was a joke," says Ryan. But when he called the billing agency, nobody laughed. Someone named Joe Ryan, using Ryan's Social Security number, had indeed been admitted for surgery. He figured clearing this up would take just a few phone calls. Two years later, Ryan continues to suffer from the damage to his credit rating and still doesn't know if his medical record has been cleared of wrong information. Joe Ryan was the victim of a little-known but frightening type of consumer fraud that is on the rise: medical identity theft, which involves using your name to get drugs, expensive medical treatment and even cheating insurance payments. As Ryan discovered, money isn't the half of it. When someone steals your name to receive health care, his medical history becomes part of your record -- and setting the record straight can be extremely difficult. That's because, in part, the information is distributed among dozens of caregivers, from doctors to medicine stores to insurance companies and labs. "I wanted to help straighten this out," says Ryan, "so I went to the hospital, and they had a three-inch-thick record for me, but they wouldn't let me see it. I showed them my ID, and they said that's not Joe Ryan's signature. Well, of course not! They had this other guy's signature." Ryan had fallen into a victim's Catch-22: If your record doesn't appear to be yours, you may not have the right to see it, much less change it. Ryan's next step was a visit to the Police Department. But the cops concluded there was not much they could do; local law enforcement has little experience with medical ID theft, and cases can end up being considered a civil matter. At first Joe Ryan thought his problem was _ .
A easy to settle
B difficult to settle
C impossible to solve
D unnecessary to solve
Answer: A
Recently we've observed an increasing request from disadvantaged and regional schools for attending one of our zoo areas at no cost or partly paid some organizations. Zoos Victoria believes that all children should have the opportunity to have an early memory of visiting the zoo, and gain an understanding of the wild and natural world that humans share with animals. Zoos Victoria wins the support of the Ian Potter Foundation to help achieve this goal. Funding available for schools to enter an educational program at Zoos Victoria in 2012 Applications are open from November 23, 2011 to February 12, 2012. Children from disadvantaged and originally isolated schools are provided with the opportunity to visit the zoo and attend an interactive education experience at no charge. The program objectives are: *To start developing "environmentalists" within low social and economic groups. *To support the youth from disadvantaged backgrounds to have greater awareness of wildlife and have ongoing opportunities to get relevant information about animals and the environment through the zoos' website. What is covered under the program? *Travel to the zoo -- transport costs will be partly or fully paid back to the school on the basis of the number of children applying for the program. *Student entry to one area of Zoos Victoria and an educational experience. Which schools are able to take part in the program? *Open to schools in Victoria. *Consideration will be given to schools that have not previously been able to enter one of our zoo areas, list as "disadvantaged" ones or come from regionally isolated areas. *Able to visit an area of Zoos Victoria within the 2012 school year. *Applications must be supported by the school principal . *Able to complete a short evaluation of the program. How to apply for the program? *Download the application forms. *Complete all the details, including a signature from your principal and attaching a quote for transport costs. *Return the application forms to Margaret Harwood at Zoos Victoria by email to mharwood@zoo.org.au or by post to PO Box 74, Parkville, VIC 3052. *Please contact Margaret Harwood at 03 9285 9462, if there are any further questions. Whether your transport costs are free or partly charged depends on _ .
A if you have a deep ecological understanding
B what connections you build with nature
C how many applications there are for the program
D which area of Zoos Victoria you will visit
Answer: C
In the age of reality television,success isn't the only way to the public eye. Failure can also create fame,just like William Hung,21,a native of Hong Kong. Hung recently has made an agreement with USbased entertainment firms Koch Records and Fuse Music Network. They'll publish a record,titled TheTrueIdolon April 6. The idol is a civil engineering student at the University of California at Berkeley. He did a version of Ricky Martin's SheBangson the television showAmericanIdol3,on January 27.The Fox TV singing contest searches for pop stars among ordinary people. In the case of Hung,however,his act was so bad that the judges cut him off in midact. Hung's response?"I already did my best,so I have no regrets at all." That's good,because any common person would have found plenty to regret:the offkey singing,the blue Hawaiian shirt worn with pants pulled up too high,the terrible dancing and the hips jerking to a beat that did not belong to the song,maybe not even to this planet. It was,by all accounts,bad. However,it was this very bad act that sold well. Mare Juris,president of Fuse,explained it this way:"Every one of us is happily guilty of singing our favorite song at the top of our lungs with complete freedom,completely offkey and completely unworried. That's what William did and immediately won the hearts of America." Whatever _ is,for the moment it's big.Three websites devoted to Hung have gone up on the Internet in the past few weeks. Versions of his performance have been remixed with hip hop and technomusic and have made it to the top 10 request list at a Chicago radio station. So,what does Hung think of this? "There were all these people saying things about me. A lot were saying I was very courageous and that I was great on the show,but some didn't have much respect for me and some were kind of mean." Now he says he's not so sure whether to distance himself from the glamour or to accept it.Returning to normal hasn't been easy. Why was Hung able to win the hearts of America?
A He was goodlooking though he didn't sing well.
B His character was completely different from other idols'
C His success was based on his own hard work.
D He attracted people's attention in the contest.
Answer: A
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The Entropia Universe The Entropia Universe is a virtual world on the Internet, which seems very like our real life.It is set in a distant future and based on a planet called Calypso.Entropia was the brainchild of a group of Swedish computer lovers who decided to see if they could create a three dimensional virtual world that could be placed on the Internet.They did manage after they received the financial backing they needed. The game can be played for free, but nearly all in-game activities require personal resources that you have available to use.Although there are various activities to keep you busy on Calypso, what most people do first is to find themselves a profession, such as hunting the fierce animals on Calypso, mining the precious minerals and making tools.Then they can think about buying their virtual house or paying a visit to a virtual nightclub or doing any of the other activities that make life bearable. Entropia has its very own economy and its own currency, the PED (Project Entropia Dollars).Players move real world money into PED which they then use to pay for their life on Calypso.However, the virtual things inside Entropia do have a real value in the outside world, and careful business deals mean that players can actually make real money there.PED can be changed into dollars any time at a rate of 10PED to 1US$. What's so impressive about The Entropia Universe is the number of players; currently more than 600,000 representing over 220 countries from planet Earth.A number of players insist that it's a good way to make money.However, the reality of Entropia's economic system is that most people end up paying more than they earn and it's not uncommon to find players who are paying up to $200 a month into their PED account.This might not be the most economical way of spending one's free time.However, some people say that for them the fact that they can escape the realities of the earthbound life and become a different person with a completely different life for a few hours every week is worth the use of money, even if they don't get any interest rates on it. What can be inferred about The Entropia Universe?
Answer: It is satisfying.
Surfing--the art of riding a wave on a pointed board--is the wildest, fastest natural water sport known to man. In recent years, it has developed into a major sport around the world, from Australia to South Africa. Australians brave men--eating sharks to ride the green waves Down Under, Hawaiian experts risk(...) their lives on huge, thirty foot swells against the wind of Oahu; Californians of all ages go out the year-round. In the winter, surf-riders put on life-suits to ride grave waves so cold that their flesh turns blue. Surfing is no sport for weak persons. Swimming a quarter of a mile or more, and pushing a surfboard out to where the swells are just right for riding, can be real work. Then, at exactly the right moment, you climb up the wave and go fast across the face of a powerful swell with the white water jumping at your feet. The huge wave bites at your shoulder, threatening at any moment to smash your flat. In the next several seconds, a cool head and lightning--quick action back to the pressure of the attacking wave will bring your board under control for that great ride down the back of the great, green mountain of water. Once on the beach, you know why surfing is growing in popularity as an international sport, and you're glad to be a member of this new water world. The author believes that surfing _ .
Answer: is not an easy sport
Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents. Every day they don't act in the romantic ways that I read in books or I see on TV. In their opinion, "I love you" is too luxurious for them to say. Sending flowers on Valentine's Day is even more out of the question. One day, my mother was sewing a quilt . "Mom, I have a question to ask you." "What?" she replied, still doing her work. "Is there love between you and Dad?" My mother stopped her work and raised her head with surprise in her eyes. Then she said, "Susan, look at this thread. Sometimes it appears, but most of it disappears in the quilt. The _ really makes the quilt strong and durable. If life is a quilt, then love should be a thread. Love is inside." I listened carefully but I couldn't understand until the next spring. At that time, my father suddenly got sick seriously. After they were back from the hospital, my mother helped him walk slowly on the beautiful country road every morning. My father had never been so gentle. But after two months he still couldn't walk by himself. All of us were worried about him. "Dad, how are you feeling now?" I asked him one day. "Susan, don't worry about me, "he said gently. "To tell you the truth, I just like walking with your mom. "Reading his eyes, I know he loves my mother deeply. Once I thought love meant flowers, gifts and sweet kisses. But from this experience, I understand that love is just a thread in the quilt of our life. Love is inside, making life strong and warm. ,. When did the writer understand her mother's answer?
Answer: After her father got sick seriously.
Sydney is one of the world's biggest cities and has something for everyone when he comes to shopping.You will find excellent Australian products alongside the best that the world has to offer.At the bottom of Sydney Tower, you can shop in 160 of Sydney's favorite stores including 16 jewellery stores and many gift and fashion shops.They're all at Westfield Centrepoint. Tel:9231 9300 SOVEREIGN HILL This prizewinning living museum is where Australia's history comes alive!Visit daily or stay for the night and experience life of the Gold Rush days.A wonderful nightly sound and light show,"Blood on the Southern Cross"tells the story of the famous Eureka Uprising.Enjoy shopping along with real life character and entertainment,4star hotel and breakfast. Tel:5331 1944 ANCHORAGE RESTAURANT Come and enjoy our delicious Cantonese seafood right on the water's edge in the historic fishing port of Williamstown with views of the city centre across Port Phillip Bay. Open 7 days a week Lunch:Sunday to Friday 11:00 a.m.2:00 p.m. Dinner:Monday to Saturday 5:00 p.m.10:00 p.m. Tel:9397 6270 or 9397 7799 COOK'S COTTAGE Built by James and Grace Cook,parents of Captain James Cook,Cook's Cottage stands proudly in the Fitzroy Gardens as a reminder of life in the eighteenth century,and as a celebration and commemoration of the life and travels of Captain James Cook. Open 9:00 a.m.5:00 p.m. daily, and until 5:30 pm during the summer. Tel:9419 4677 What is the time that Cook's Cottage is open on Saturday in the summer?
Answer: 9:00 a.m.5:30 p.m.
Looking for a new way to raise money for charity ? Has your school run out of clever and fun ideas? Don't give up. There are several ways to support your favorite charity. How about organizing a car wash? Everybody who has a car sooner or later washes it or has it washed. So why don't you and your classmates do the job? The money the car owners pay for having their cars washed will go towards your charity. When we did it, we had an amazing time! At first, some of us were worried about getting wet or dirty and it's true. But we also had fun, and at the end of the day it was really worth it! On the other hand, if you don't feel like getting wet or messy, but have some musical talent, how about organizing a street concert? Street musicians can make a lot of money, and so can you if you've got the talent and courage it takes to play in front of _ . You just need to find a suitable place, practice for a few hours with your friends first, and give it a try! I hope the above ideas have helped you a bit, and if you've got any other great suggestions, we would love to hear them and practice them, too. Good luck! What does the writer think of car wash?
Answer: It's dirty but fun.
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Dominic placed a caterpillar in a container with different kinds of leaves. Which information should he record to find out what food this caterpillar eats?
A. the type of leaves the caterpillar has eaten
B. the amount of time for all the leaves to be eaten
C. the number of leaves that were put in the container
D. the number of minutes the caterpillar spends eating
Answer: A
Americans are thinking about national education standards recently developed by teachers and other education experts. The National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) led the effort. The United States, unlike other nations, has never had the same school standards across the country. What is the reason? Education is not discussed in the Constitution. That document limits the responsibilities of the federal government. Other responsibilities, like education, fall to each state. Local control of education probably was a good idea two hundred years ago. People stayed in the same place and schools knew what students needed to learn. But today, people move to different cities. And some people work at jobs that did not exist even twenty years ago. Many American educators say that getting a good education should not depend on where you live. They say that some states have lowered their standards in order to increase student scores on tests required by the No Child Left behind Act. Kara Schlosser is communications director for the CCSSO. She says the new standards clearly state what a student should be able to do to be successful in college and work. Forty--eight states have already shown approval for the standards. Two states refuse to accept the idea. Critics say that working toward the same standards in every state will not guarantee excellence for all. Some educators in Massachusetts say adopting the national standards will hurt their students because the state standards are even higher. Others say the change will be too costly, requiring new textbooks and different kinds of training for teachers. Still others fear federal control. Supporters say the standards are goals and do not tell states or teachers how to teach. They also say the federal government is not forcing acceptance. However, approving the standards will help states qualify for some federal grant money. Some people are against the nationa1 education standards because _
A. the standards are higher than those of each state
B. they are not yet prepared for the new standards
C. the standards may prevent some students gaining excellence
D. they don't want the federal government to train their teachers
Answer: C
When you have good friends you really feel special and want to share in the spirit of friendship. You try to do pleasing and exciting things for each other. You could go on a friendship holiday, which would be very joyous. There are many places that you can go for a friendship holiday. First, let us look at some of the things that you will enjoy when you go on holiday with your friends. You will get a chance to relax and forget your _ life. You can relax and forget about dealing with lots of different things every day. Also, such a holiday is an opportunity to have fun with your friends as you explore different places. Moreover, there is no better way to get a true friendship; you have to spend time with people so that you can fully understand each other. I cannot insist enough on the importance of looking for enough time to share, and you can do this through a friendship holiday. You will have to look for a place that you all enjoy and feel comfortable in. Taking a friendship holiday does not have to be expensive. You can look for a good place where you can spend the weekend. The idea is to go away for some time so that you can be alone together. Besides knowing which place to go to, you need to know the activities that you are going to take part in while you are on holiday. If you are using a travel agency, let it guide you to some of the things that you will really like. Go for the activities that you will enjoy. It is pretty exciting how you can enjoy yourself with friends. You won't want to go back home. According to the author, to make real friends, you should _ .
A. spend time together to fully understand each other
B. go on many holidays to meet new people
C. not stay at home, but go on holiday with your family
D. spend time alone and away from your friends
Answer: A
Do as the Romans Do The customs in different countries are rather different. If I have dinner with a Chinese host, he always puts more food onto my plates as soon as I have emptied it. That often discomforts me greatly. I have to eat the food even if I don't want to, because it is considered bad manners in the West to leave one's food on the plate. I have already noticed that when a Chinese sits at an American's dinner party, he very often refuses the offer of food or drink though he is in fact still hungry or thirsty. This might be good manners in China, but it is not in the West at all. In the United States, it is impolite to keep asking someone again and again or insist on his accepting something. Americans have a direct way of speaking. If they want something, they will ask for it. If not, they will say, "No, thanks." When an American is fed with beer by the host, for example, he might say, "No, thanks. I'll take some diet, Pepsi-Cola if you have it. "That is what an American will do. So when you go to the United States, you had better remember the famous saying: When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Rome, do as the Romans do means " _ ".
A. When you got to Rome, you should act as the Romans do
B. When you stay in Rome, you should do as the Romans do
C. When you are in a new country, you should do as the locals do
D. Romans can be an example for you
Answer: C
A worker needs to load a heavy box onto a truck. The worker uses a ramp to move the box because the ramp
A. increases the weight of the box.
B. reduces the gravitational force on the box.
C. increases the amount of friction on the box.
D. reduces the amount of force applied to the box.
Answer: D
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Janet learns that Earth is tilted. Due to its tilt, some areas on the surface of Earth experience darkness for an entire day. Which plant process is affected most during this darkness?
Answer:
photosynthesis
As every computer owner knows, when their machines run a complex program they get pretty hot. In fact, cooling the processors can be expensive, especially when you're dealing with huge banks of computer servers. But what if that energy could heat private homes? A Dutch energy firm aims to do just that. Data centers of large Internet firms, such as Google, Apple, Microsoft and others, contain thousands of computer servers. As they process information they generate enormous amounts of heat requiring cooling towers that dissipate it into the atmosphere. A Dutch firm thinks paying for electricity to run the servers and then paying again to cool them is a waste of energy. Boaz Leupe, CEO of the start-up Nerdalize, says it's actually quite simple."We don't actually have to build the data center, which saves a lot of costs in infrastructure and we don't have the cooling overhead, plus that you have the environmental benefit, that the kilowatt hour you are using is used twice, once to heat the home and once to compute the clients task without the cooling overhead," says Leupe. The company developed what it calls an e-Radiator, a computer server that also works as an alternative heating source. Leupe says that five Dutch homeowners are experimentally using them in their homes. "We reimburse the electricity the server uses, and that we can do because of the computer clients on the other side, and, in that way, home owners actually get heating for free, and computer users don't have to pay for the overhead of the data center," says Leupe. One of the participants in the year-long experiment, Jan Visser, says the amount of heat produced by e-Radiator depends on the work being done by the server's processors so it cannot be used as the primary source. But he is ready to try it. "If it gives good enough warmth, you can use less of your existing central heating, and there is the chance for a home owner to pay less bills." Nerdalize says e-Radiators generate temperature of up to 55 degrees Celsius and could save up to $440 in annual heating costs. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage ?
Answer:
Data Servers Could Heat Private Homes
There was once a land named Catatonia where cats ran things. Cats walked and talked much as you do except they walked on four legs. There were cat policemen, cat firemen, cat teachers, and even a cat bus driver. Most of the cats were very busy. The King of Catatonia was a small cat named Diggs. He had two brothers named Pouncer and Flash who helped him rule in Catatonia. Pouncer was head of the Milk, Cheese and Cream center and Flash's job was to blow things up. Together the three of them made sure all the cats were happy, had plenty to drink and got to enjoy bright fireworks shows in the distance. One day Pouncer's wife brought the kittens to see Pouncer at his office. There were white kittens and lots of black and white spotted kittens walking around in the Milk, Cheese and Cream center. Well that is all the time we have for now. I hope this short story of the Cats of Catatonia made at least one person in the room smile. What type of kittens did NOT come to visit Pouncer?
Answer:
Cheese colored
In China, more and more middle school students are getting shorter sleeping time than before. Most students sleep less than nine hours every night, because they have much homework to do. Some homework is given by their teachers, and some by their parents. Also, some students don't know how to save time. They are not careful enough while they do their homework, so it takes them a lot of time. Some students spend too much time watching TV or playing computer games. They stay up very late. Some students have to get up early every morning on weekdays to go to school in time by bus or by bike. It may be a long way from home to school. Schools and parents should cut down some of the homework so that our children can enjoy more than nine hours of sleep every night for their health. For children, we should make best use of our time. When we have enough time for sleeping, we will find it much better for both our study and health. What would happen to a student if he goes to bed late and gets up early?
Answer:
He would sleep in class.
Many people have never heard of Mesothelioma and are unaware of its symptoms. Although considered a rare form of cancer, each year the number of cases grows. With the prevalence of this disease on the rise, it is critical to understand why and how Mesothelioma develops and what courses of action can be taken in the event of diagnosis. The following is a list of frequently asked questions and answers that will provide you with some information on Mesothelioma, and the legal issues surrounding it. What is Mesothelioma? Mesothelioma is the term used to describe a cancerous tumor found in the mesothelial cells of an organ. The organs where this form of cancer is most commonly found are the lungs, heart and abdominal organs. Pleural Mesothelioma is cancer of the lung lining(,)and is the most common form of Mesothelioma. What causes Mesothelioma? Mesothelioma is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos . Asbestos is often found in building materials used before the mid 1970's. In addition, materials such as pipes, boiler insulation, floor, ceiling and roof tiles may contain asbestos. How much asbestos exposure will cause Mesothelioma? Generally, the probability of developing this form of cancer is in accordance with the length of time you are exposed to asbestos. Also, your health is at risk if your exposure to asbestos is intense. It should be noted that Mesothelioma has a latency period of 20 to 50 years. This means that you may develop the disease long after your exposure to asbestos. On average, people tend to develop Mesothelioma somewhere between 35 and 40 years after exposure. How quickly does Mesothelioma progress? The onset of Mesothelioma is quite slow. Patients will begin to experience symptoms such as lower back pain and chest pain. These symptoms may also be accompanied by weight loss, fever and difficulty breathing. Unfortunately, once Mesothelioma develops, it quickly becomes aggressive and treatment must be sought immediately. Can Mesothelioma be treated? Doctors are able to use several traditional methods of cancer treatment for Mesothelioma, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Like all forms of cancer, detecting the disease at the earliest stage possible greatly increases the patient's chances for survival. If you have worked in an industry such as construction or suspect that you may have been exposed to asbestos, be alert for symptoms and contact your doctor immediately. What legal courses of action can be taken? Anyone suffering from Mesothelioma is entitled to compensation from asbestos manufacturers. Additionally, if you are the spouse or child of someone who has died from Mesothelioma, you are entitled to file a claim and seek compensation. The following are the symptoms of Mesothelioma EXCEPT _ .
Answer:
frequent headache
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John bought a new puppy. He named the new puppy Spike. Spike was a good dog and minded John. John took Spike to the pond behind his house. Spike loved playing in the water. John would throw the frisbee to Spike. He would also throw a bone to Spike. Spike loved running. Jessica came to the pond to visit John. Jessica and Tom always played with John. Jessica was John's best friend. They both loved Spike and Spike loved them. Jessica brought lunch to the pond. She also brought colas to the pond. They ate and Spike sat by them being a good dog. When they were done eating they packed their lunch up. They put Spike on his leash and they went home. What is John's puppy's name?
Answer:
Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and one of the largest free-standing mountains in the world, and some say, the most beautiful place on the earth! The mountain towers 15,000 feet above the plains. Mount Kilimanjaro is in Tanzania and it covers an area of 60 miles long and 40 miles wide. Kilimanjaro is an extinct volcano , with 3 peaks. Kibo is the highest one in the center. Because of Kilimanjaro's great height, the mountain influences its own weather. Winds incoming from the Indian Ocean are stopped upward by the mountain and drop their moisture as rain and snow. People have planted coffee, corn, and other crops on the lower slopes . Mount Kilimanjaro now attracts many thousands of walkers each year. Because of a temperature rise in recent years, the beautiful snow cap of Kilimanjaro is retreating fast. A research said that the white snow on the mountain might be gone in 15 years. What a pity! Mount Kilimanjaro is _
Answer:
Filmmaker Jennifer Nelson had to pay $1,500 to have "Happy Birthday to You" sung in the movie she's making. The money went to Warner Music Group, a company that claims to own the copyright on the song. A copyright is the legal right to use or sell a creative product such as a song, a TV show, a book, or a work of art. Warner has claimed the copyright for "Happy Birthday to You" since 1988. "I never thought the song was owned by anyone," Nelson said in an e-mail to The New York Times. "I thought it belonged to everyone." Nelson's movie is a documentary -- a film that uses pictures and/or interviews with people to create a factual report of real-life events -- and is actually about the history of the "Happy Birthday" song itself. Two sisters named Mildred and Patty Hill wrote a song called "Good Morning to All" in 1893. Over a short period of time, people began to sing the words "happy birthday to you" in place of the original lyrics to the tune of the Hill sisters' song. A number of history experts say that there is no record of who actually wrote the "Happy Birthday to You" lyrics . Historians also say there is no way to know when the general public began singing the "Happy Birthday" song, but they believe it was being sung by the public long before it was printed and owned by a company. Nelson's lawyers say this piece of music's history proves that "Happy Birthday to You" belongs to everyone in the general public. That would mean Warner Music Group has no right to charge anyone a fee to sing the song in any setting. Experts estimate that Warner/ Chappell, the publishing division of the Warner Music Group, has made about $2 million a year from licensing fees for "Happy Birthday to You." Nelson's lawyers are asking a court in New York City to order Warner/Chappell to return fees they have collected over the past four years for use of the "Happy Birthday" song. If the court supports Nelson's lawyers' claim, _ .
Answer:
One way to encourage seeds to grow might be
Answer:
One silly question I simply can't understand is "How do you feel?" Usually the question is asked of a man's action-- a man on the go, walking along the street or busily working at his desk. So what do you expect him to say? He'll probably say," Fine, I'm all right.", but you've put a bug in his ear. ---Maybe now he's not sure. If you have a good friend, you may have seen something in his face, or his walk, that he overlooked that morning. It starts him worrying a little. First thing you know, he looks in a mirror to see if everything is all right, while you go merrily on your way asking someone else. "How do you feel?" Every question has its time and place. It's perfectly acceptable, for example, to ask "How do you feel?" if you're visiting a close friend in hospital. But if the fellow is walking on both legs, hurrying take a train, or sitting at his desk working, it's no time to ask him that silly question. [:Z _ xx _ k.Com] When George Bernard Shaw, the famous writer of plays, was in his eighties, someone asked him, "How do you feel?" Shaw put him in his place. "When you reach my age," he said, "either you feel all right or you're dead." The question "How do you feel" seems to be correct and suitable when asked of _ .
Answer:
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Picture the scene: the battery on your mobile phone has run out. You can't make any calls for help and no one can contact you. You are all alone - well, not quite. Just reach into your pocket and take out a piece of sugar.Put it into the battery, wait a minute, and you're back on the phone. Thanks to a couple of American scientists, this situation could become real.Swadesh Chaudhuri and Derek Lovely have invented the "bacteria battery" - powered by bacteria that eats sugar and turns it into electricity. "This is a special organism," Lovely said."You ean harvest enough electricity to power a cell phone battery for about four days from a spoonful of sugar." In the past, bacteria batteries have been expensive and not long-lasting. But this battery uses more efficient bacteria that can turn 80 percent of sugar into electrical energy. This is 30 percent more than similar batteries can manage. The bacteria battery could become as small as a household battery. It's also cheap and stable, as sugar can be taken from waste and crops. But the sugar to electricity process is slow: it could take weeks for the bacteria to digest a cup of sugar.And it produces "greenhouse" gases which pollute the environment. The scientists understand there is a lot more work to be done. "It is still young," said Lovely."Where we are now is where solar power was 20 0r 30 years ago." But he believes the battery could be used in scientific equipment at the bottom of the ocean.Other ideas include using sugar in the blood to run medical devices in the human body, and taking sugar from animal waste to provide energy to power homes in rural areas. This passage is mainly about _ .
Answer:
a scientific invention of a new kind of bacteria battery
Spanish explorers called them Las Encantadas, the Enchanted Isles, and Charles Darwin used his studies of the islands as the foundation for his theory of natural selection. The Galapagos are among the world's most important scientific treasures, a group of volcanic islands surrounded by deserted beaches and inhabited by unique varieties of giant tortoise, lizards, and birds. Yet life on this United Nations world heritage site has turned sour. Battles have broken out between fishermen and conservationists. Ecuador, which owns the islands, has sent a naval patrol to put down disturbances. The controversial director of the Galapagos National Park--which controls 97 percent of Galapagos land and the reserve extending to 40 miles offshore--has been fired, while an air of uneasy tension hangs over the islands, as the islanders prepare for election when they pick their representatives in Ecuador's national assembly. "It's a very tense situation," said Leonor Stjepic, director of the London-based Galapagos Conservation Trust, which raises money to help projects on the islands. "We are watching it with concern." The violence has been triggered by an alarming growth in the islands' population. Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz island, housed just 45 inhabitants in the 50s. Today there are more than 10,000, while the islands' total population is more than 19,000 and growing by 6 percent a year, despite recently introduced a law to limit waves of immigrants fleeing the poor areas of Ecuador for a life "in paradise ". On top of _ , more than 100,000 tourists visit the islands every year. Such numbers have put the islands, special ecology under intense pressure. Conservationists backed by the Ecuador government, have replied by exercising strict controls to protect the islands* iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and giant tortoises. These moves have angered many local people, however. They want to exploit the islands' waters and catch its protected species of sharks, lobsters and sea cucumbers, which can fetch high prices in Japan and South Korea. Angry fishermen surrounded the Charles Darwin research station on Santa Cruz last February, threatened to kill Lonesome George--the last surviving member of the Pinta Island species of the Galapagos giant tortoise. The situation got improved after the Ecuador government made concessions by increasing fishing quotas , which angered conservationists. "It is tragic, the short-term gain of a few fishermen versus the long-term survival of the Galapagos," said John McCosker of the California Academy of Sciences. "They are killing the golden goose." Then, the Ecuador government appointed Fausto Cepeda as the national park's new director, a post that has become a political football for the mainland government. There have been nine directors in the past 18 months. This appointment was particularly controversial, however. Cepeda was known to have close ties with the fishing industry, and the rangers ,who run the national park and reserve, rebelled. More than 300 staged a sit-in at the park's headquarters and prevented Cepeda from taking up his post. A battle broke out, and at least two people suffered serious injuries. Eventually, Cepeda--with the fishermen's help- entered the park. "I am in office, i am in control. And I am trying to lower the tension," he announced. The Ecuador government _ , and sent a patrol boat to maintain the peace. A few days later, Ecuador Environment Minister Fabian Valdivicso met representatives of rangers. After discussions, he told newspapers that he had decided to remove Cepeda from the post. However, as the population continues to rise, the long-term pressures on the islands are serious and will not disappear that easily. "We have to balance its special environment with the needs of local people. In that sense, it is a microcosm for all the other threatened parts of the world. So getting it right here is going to be a very, very important trick to pull off," said Stjepic. We can learn from the passage that _ .
Answer:
the government is trying to ease the tension
Which is bad for the environment?
Answer:
using a generator
Which of these is a way the people of Virginia can help restore a natural ecosystem?
Answer:
Plant native plants
Sweetest Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in October as a day to make someone happy. It is an occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember not only the sick, the aged, and children who have lost their parents, but also friends, workmates, s and neighbors whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed. Over 60 years ago, when a Cleveland man noticed that some people, such as children who lost their parents and patients who lay in bed, too often felt forgotten and _ , he developed in his mind the idea of showing them that they were remembered. He did this by giving them small gifts. With the help of his friends and neighbors, he gave those people small gifts on a Saturday in October. During the years that followed, other Clevelanders began to take part in the celebration, which came to be called "Sweetest Day". Over time, the Sweetest Day idea of spreading cheer to the poor, the sick and children who had lost their parents was broadened to include everyone, and became an occasion for remembering others with a kind act or a small gift. Soon the idea spread to other cities all over the USA. Sweetest Day is not based on any single group's religious beliefs or on a family relationship. It is a reminder that a thoughtful word or deed enriches life and gives it meaning. Because for many people remembering takes the form of gift giving, Sweetest Day offers us the opportunity to show others that we care, in a positive way. What is Cleveland?
Answer:
A city in America.
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UK education is all about giving you inspiration to develop your knowledge and skills, freedom to be creative, and support to help you achieve your best. On a UK course you will benefit from excellent teaching and facilities. In order to accept students, UK education centres must meet strict quality standards set by the UK government and education bodies. With such a good reputation for research and education, universities and colleges in the UK attract some of the world's leading academics and professionals. You will be encouraged to express your own ideas and think for yourself. The attention to quality is reflected in the UK's excellent results: Four of the top six universities in the world are in the UK. The UK is a world-leading research nation. 54% of the research conducted by UK universities and colleges is classed as either "world-leading" or "internationally excellent". At the most recent inspection, 97% of further education colleges were judged satisfactory or better, for their overall effectiveness. In the recent BIS Tracking International Graduate Outcomes survey, more than 88% of international higher education graduates said they were satisfied with their UK learning experience. Likewise, in the Higher Education Academy Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey of UK postgraduate students, 93% rated the quality of teaching positively. For English language students, you'll find the UK has long been at the forefront of language teaching, and pioneered many of the techniques now used around the world. The emphasis is on learning the language through fun and participation: Instead of just listening to your teacher, your classes will involve games, problem-solving and discussions. You might also listen to songs, watch television or read magazines to practise your comprehension skills. The UK's boarding schools also offer excellent teaching, facilities and support. At UK independent schools (most boarding schools are independent), a teacher has just 9.4 pupils on average, so teachers have more time to give you individual support. This is reflected in the results: 91% of students from UK independent schools go on to higher education. What do the education centres do to accept students?
Answer: To meet strict quality standards.
She is widely seen as proof that good looks can last forever. But, at nearly 500 years of age, _ The health of the famous picture, painted by Leonardo da Vinci in 1505, is getting worse by the year, according to the Louvre museum where it is housed. "The thin, wooden panel on which the Mona Lisa is painted in oil has changed shape since experts checked it two years ago," the museum said. Visitors have noticed the changes but repairing the world's most famous painting is not easy. Experts are not sure about the materials the Italian artist used and their current chemical state. Nearly 6 million people go to see the Mona Lisa every year, many attracted by the mystery of her smile. "It is very interesting that when you're not looking at her, she seems to be smiling, and then you look at her and she stops," said Professor Margaret Livingstone of Harvard University. "It's because direct vision is excellent at picking up detail, but less suited to looking at shadows. Da Vinci painted the smile in shadows." However, the actual history of the Mona Lisa is just as mysterious as the smile. Da Vinci himself loved it so much that he always carried it with him, until it was eventually sold to France's King Francis I in 1519. In 1911, the painting was stolen from the Louvre by a former employee, who took it out of the museum hidden under his coat. He said he planned to return it to Italy. The painting was sent back to France two years later. During World War II, French hid the painting in small towns to keep it out of the hands of German forces. Like many old ladies, the Mona Lisa has some interesting stories to tell. Experts haven't any repairs on the Mona Lisa because _ .
Answer: they are afraid it will be done further damage.
by J. Courtney Sullivan, fiction, $26 The Kellehers are a big, disorderly family who sometimes seem to have only one thing in common: love for their beach house in Maine. Lie there with this novel and listen to a summer's worth of secrets, quarrels, and misunderstandings. WHAT I LEARNED WHEN I ALMOST DIED by Chris Licht, nonfiction, $23 The energetic co-creator of MSNBC's "Morning Joe" was unprepared for the pain, fear, and helplessness he felt after suffering a brain bleed. But as he detailed in this outspoken, thoughtful book, the lessons he took from the event surprised him the most. FIRE AND RAIN by David Browne, nonfiction, $26 This book transports you back to a year -- the 1970 of Apollo 13, the first Earth Day -- and the turning point of albums by the Beatles, James Taylor, and Crosby, Stills and Nash that provided the sound for a new decade. Rolling Stone contributing editor Browne artfully describes the creation of these classic songs. LONG DRIVE HOME by Will Allison, fiction, $22 A moment of anger has life-and-death consequences in this beautifully written novel. Being angry with a speeding teenage driver, Dad Glen Bauer makes a turn of his car in response, causing an accident in which the other driver dies. It's a story about guilt, responsibility, and how mistrust can tear a loving family apart. JESSICA LOST by Bunny Crumpacker and J.S. Picariello, memoir ,$25 Two authors -- a woman who gave up a baby for adoption and the child herself -- write alternating chapters in this memoir, which takes readers on a 50-year journey through their separate lives, their meeting, and their following relationship. Its account is both original and heartbreaking. . Which of the following may be favored by music lovers?
Answer: FIRE AND RAIN.
Surgical teams accidentally leave clamps, sponges and other tools inside about 1,500 patients nationwide each year. The mistakes largely result not from surgeon tiredness, but from the stress arising from emergencies or complications discovered on the operating table, the researchers reported. The study found that emergency operations are nine times more likely to lead to such mistakes, and operating-room complications requiring a change in procedure are four times more likely. It also happens more often to fat patients, simply because there is more room inside them to lose equipment, according to the study. Two-thirds of the mistakes happened even though the equipment was counted before and after the procedure, in keeping with the standard practice. Most lost objects were sponges, but also included were metal clamps and electrodes . In two cases, 11-inch retractors metal strips were forgotten inside patients. In another operation, four sponges were left inside someone. When there is significant bleeding and a sponge is placed in a patient, it can sometimes look indistinguishable from the tissue around it. The lost objects usually lay around the abdomen or hips but sometimes in the chest. They often caused tears or infections. Most patients needed additional surgery to remove the object. In other cases, patients even sensed nothing about the object, and it turned up in later surgery for other problems. To prevent such mistakes from happening, Loyola University Medical Center is becoming one of the first hospitals in the country to use sponges outfitted with bar codes. The new system was brought to Loyola through the efforts of the hospital's operating room nurses. Another effective way is to X-ray patients after surgery to reduce the likelihood of objects being left inside patients. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
Answer: 1,500 patients suffer from the mistake all over the world every year.
Many people catch a cold in the spring time and / or fall. It makes us wonder .if scientists can send a man to the moon, why they can't find a cure for the common cold. The answer is easy. There are exactly hundreds of kinds of cold viruses there. You never know which one you will get, so there isn't a cure for each one. When a virus attacks your body, the body works hard to get rid of it. Blood rushes to your nose and brings congestion with it .You feel terrible because you can't breathe well, but your body is actually "eating" the virus. Your temperature rises and you get a fever, but the heat of your body is killing the virus. You also have a running nose to stop the virus from getting to your cells. You may feel miserable, but actually your wonderful body is doing everything it can to kill the cold. Different people have different remedies for colds. In the United States and sane other countries, for example, people might eat chicken soup to feel better. Some people take hot baths and drink warm liquids. Other people take medicine to stop the fever, congestion, and running nose. There is one interesting thing to note - some scientists say taking medicines when you have a cold is actually bad for you. The virus stays in you longer because your body doesn't have a way to fight it and kill it .Bodies can do an amazing job on their own. There is a joke, however, on taking medicine when you have a cold. It goes like this: The scientists think _ .when someone catches a cold.
Answer: it's difficult to find a good way to cure the patients
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Predators which rely on small rodents for food will do what when rodents all die off?
Answer:
Certain species of which type of animal gives live birth?
Answer:
I hated dinner parties. But I decided to give them another shot because I'm in London. And my friend Mallery invited me. And because dinner parties in London are very different from those back in New York. There, 'I'm having a dinner party' means: 'I'm booking a table for 12 at a restaurant you can't afford and we'll be sharing the checque evenly, no matter what you eat.' Worse, in Manhattan there is always someone who leaves before the bill arrives. They'll throw down cash, half of what they owe, and then people like me, who don't drink, end up paying even more. But if I try to use the same trick, the hostess will shout: "Where are you going?" And it's not like I can say I have somewhere to go: everyone knows I have nowhere to go. But in London, dinner parties are in people's homes. Not only that, the guests are an interesting mix. The last time I went to one, the guests were from France, India, Denmark and Nigeria; it was like a gathering at the United Nations in New York. The mix is less striking. It's like a gathering at Bloomingdale's, a well-known department store. For New Yorkers, talking about other parts of the world means Brooklyn and Queens in New York. But at Mallery's, when I said that I had been to Myanmar recently, people knew where it was. In New York people would think it was a usual new club What is the author's opinion of some New Yorkers from her experience?
Answer:
Roger, a young man from China, has taught Chinese in a primary school in England for 3 years. Many children like his class and he enjoys teaching them very much. All the pupils are quite interested in what Roger teaches them. They learn quickly and do everything carefully. One day he said to the children, "People in a lot of Asian countries wear white clothes at funerals, but the people in America wear white in the weddings because white means purity and happiness. What colour does an English woman wear when she gets married ?" Mary said, "White, sir. Because she is happy." "That is good, Mary." Roger said, "You are quite right. She wears white because she is happy." But then one boy in the class put up his hand. "Yes, Dick?" Roger said, "Do you have a question?" "Yes." Dick said, "Why do men wear black in our country when they get married, sir?" Which of the following is true?
Answer:
Imagine having an idea, drawing it on paper, bringing it to a store and seeing it turned into a physical object.This is now possible with the help of 3D printers.Such machines were once used just by universities and big companies.But now, stores with 3D printing services are appearing around the United States. Bryan Jaycox and his wife opened The Build Shop LLC in Los Angeles two years ago.The store is filled with tools like a laser cutter, an industrial sewing machine and 3D printers.Bryan Jaycox requires $ 15 an hour to print an object.He also charges a fee depending on the size of the object and up to $ 50 an hour for design and labor services. The Jaycoxs also offer 3D printing classes for anyone who is interested.One of the students in a recent class was Ki Chong Tran.He plans to open a 3D printing business in Cambodia."The demand has been amazing.It's been much more than I would have imagined," said Ki Chong Tran. "I think 3D printing is going to be huge. It's going to make a huge impact on society as a whole," he added. Mr Jaycox predicts that within five years, 3D printing technology could become more consumer friendly. But Ki Chong Tran says even current technology can make a difference in a developing country like Cambodia."With 3D printing you can give them tools, and you put it in their hands so they are responsible more for their own development. They learn skills beyond just learning English and becoming a tour guide or something like that or working at a bank.You can actually create things that give value to the world," said Ki Chong Tran. He says it's not just Cambodia but anywhere where there is a 3D printer, it can turn a good idea into reality. Bryan Jaycox opened The Build Shop LLC to _ .
Answer:
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Introduction Blenheim Palace is one of the Europe's largest and greatest palaces. It was built between 1705 and 1722 as a reward of the British government to John Churchill, 1stDuke of Marlborough, for defeating King Louis XIV's army at Blenheim, a small Bavarian village on the Danube River. The palace was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh, which displayed strength and arm glory. It is the largest non-royal building in England and is now listed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Winston Churchill In 1874, the palace was the birthplace of the duke's most famous _ . Winston Churchill, who was to become the UK's Prime Minister (some would say Britain's greatest 20th-century politician ) and Nobel prize winner for literature. It is also in Blenheim that Winston got married to Clementine Hozier in 1908. A lasting exhibition is devoted to the man's life, work and writings. Winston and his wife are buried in Bladon Church within the palace. Opening Hours & Admission Blenheim is still the home of the 11th Duke of Marlborough and is therefore not open all year round (although the park is). The palace opens its doors to visitors from 12 February to 11 December. Entry to the palace, park and gardens cost PS11.50 during the low season and PS13 during the peak season (Easter weekend and from 28 May to 11 September), or PS6/PS8 for the park and gardens only. The park is open all-year round from 9am to 4:45pm (last entry). Admission is PS2.50 for adults and PS1.50 for children. Note that numerous discounts exist for seniors, students, children and groups. Please refer to the official website for more details. If a couple and their five-year-old daughter visits the park, how much need they they pay ?
Answer:
PS6.5
Our tours leave directly from the Las Vegas Strip, no terminals, saving up to 2 hours' time! Our prices include all fees -- including fuel and anything else you can think of; we also beat any competitor's price by 5%. *South Rim -- Grand Canyon Luxury Coach Tour $79 Per Person Our Grand Canyon Tour is the only luxury Motor Coach Tour that stops at Bright Angel Lodge for a full three hours, at which point you can take the free shuttle to multiple viewpoints including Mather Point, Yavapai Point ... click above for more details. *West Rim -- Grand Canyon Tour $125 Per Person This tour stops at Haulapai Indian Reservation of the Grand Canyon. These stops include Eagle and Guano Point. There're also extra stops along the way for shopping and smoking. This package not only includes the Grand Canyon, but a short photo stop at the Hoover Dam as well ... click above for more details. *Airplane Tours & Helicopter Tours These breath-taking tours take you into the skies above the Grand Canyon for a once-in-a-life-time adventure that can be shared by the whole family or by yourself. Airplane Tours starting at $164 per person, and Helicopter Tours starting at $304 per person ... click above for more details. *Hoover Dam -- AM / PM Mini Tour $37.5 Per Person Hoover Dam Mini Tour starts your morning or afternoon with a short drive to Lake Mead -- created by the Dam in 1935, and continues along to include the Power Plant Tour, guided by a Hoover Dam expert. A delicious lunch is included ... click above for more details. *Las Vegas to Hollywood 1 Day Tour $185 Per Person This tour takes you sightseeing down and around Hollywood Blvd/Beverly Hills, home of the world-famous Walk of Fame as well as Grauman's Chinese Theatre. It ends at beautiful Santa Monica Beach & Pier ... click above for more details. The passage is most probably chosen from _ .
Answer:
a website
While Errenzhuan has gained in popularity over the past few years, not least as a result of comedians such as Xiao Shenyang, so has the Western equivalent of the ancient art form - stand-up comedy. Stand-up comedy differs from Errenzhuan. It normally features a single person on stage, as opposed to a duet. Although music is sometimes included, other features such as dance are a lot rarer. Instead, stand-up comedy is usually just one person, a microphone and the audience. Whether the comedian _ or has people in fits of laughter is all down to his or her skill. I never used to like the idea of stand-up comedy. It seemed too forced for me. "I'll laugh when I feel like it," I thought. I don't want to have someone stand in front of me, pressuring me to chuckle. Stand-ups also have a reputation for picking on their audience. If you sit close to the front of the stage, you'd better be careful. One cough or wrong move, and the comedian will pounce. Before long, you are the focus of all the jokes. But a couple of years ago, I went to see a comedian who changed my opinion - British stand-up Stewart Lee. He is not hugely famous, but instead of jokes, he told very funny, often long stories about his life. His delivery was dry, and he had a very quick wit. I soon began to appreciate just how hard it is to make people laugh on demand. The great thing about stand-ups is that you hardly ever see two that are the same. There are so many different approaches, and people from all sorts of backgrounds can make people laugh in different ways. For example, one of the most popular stand-up comedians in the world is Chris Rock. Rock is African-American, and uses his race, and the problems he faces because of it, as material for his routines. He turns a topic that is normally serious into something funny. "A black C student can't be a manager at Burger King, meanwhile a white C student just happens to be the President of the United States," he once joked about racism in the United States during George Bush's presidency. That is the beauty of stand-up comedy. Just about anything can be turned into a joke. One feature of stand-up comedy should be _ .
Answer:
dance isn't common during the performance
A sixth of undergraduates in Beijing this year have registered at driving school. The students, mostly from majors such as business management or international trade, will finish their driving courses within 20 days or so. Training costs have dropped to 2, 600 yuan for students, according to the Haidian Driving School in Beijing. The price is not really low, but students will accept it, seeing it as an investment in their future. Familiarity with the operation of computers and fluent English are the basic skills graduating students need to find a job. But a driver's permit has become another factor . "In the job market, owning a driver's permit sometimes strengthens a graduating student's competitiveness for a good position, "says Zhou Yang, an undergraduate at the China University of Political Science and Law. Cars will become a necessary part of many people's lives in the coming years, and it is difficult to get a permit of campus because of the pressures on working people's time. "Having a fulltime job after graduation offers limited time to learn to drive. We senior students have plenty of spare time, plenty of opportunity to learn. "Zhou says. Xu Jian, an official at the driving school, said undergraduates were very able and serious, and could grasp in an hour what ordinary people took four hours to learn. In this driving school, middle -aged people, young women and college students are the main customers. To get a driver's permit, a beginner is now required to have at least 86 hours'practice before the final road test. Which of the following is likely to be Xu Jian's opinion of students learning to drive?
Answer:
He agreed that they could learn to drive.
It's a sunny and warm Sunday morning. My parents, my sister and I are all at home. My parents don't have to go to work, and my sister and I don't have to go to school. We are all in the yard . Look! My father is cleaning his bike. He often goes to work by bike. The bike ride takes him about ten minutes. My mother is watering the flowers. The flowers make our yard very beautiful. We all like the flowers. My sister is playing with a dog. It's her pet dog. The dog is very smart. My mother often takes the dog out for a walk after dinner. What am I doing? I'm drawing. I like drawing very much. I want to join the art club at school. It's a nice day and we're busy in the yard. We are very happy today! . How many people are there in the family?
Answer:
Four.
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Question: I used to be afraid of butterflies! It is true! Once, my mom took me to Seattle. There, we went to a special place. We went to the zoo! I saw lots of animals at the zoo. I saw bears. I saw tigers. I saw apes. I saw monkeys. I saw snakes. I loved seeing all these animals. They made me happy. We even saw one place where there were giant bugs and they didn't even scare me. In fact, I like bugs. But there was one place where you walked inside a big room where there were lots of plants and butterflies flying all over the place. You could buy sugar water to feed them and they could land on you. My mom and brother were so excited to go in, but I was scared. I wasn't sure that I wanted to be in the room with butterflies flying everywhere. My mom said I would be okay. My brother said I would be okay. They said butterflies were nice and beautiful. They said they would not hurt me. So I went in the room. Guess what? I was so scared when one landed on me that I went screaming for the door! The man watching the door to make sure butterflies did not escape or get hurt yelled at me to stop. He was mad at me for running out and not caring about the butterflies. I said I was sorry, but I was scared. He checked me for butterflies and then let me get out of there! I stayed outside and my mom and my brother enjoyed the butterflies. Since then, they would tease me about being afraid. They would try and get me to not be afraid. Last year for my birthday, mom bought me a butterfly book. She bought one for my brother, too. I tried really hard to not be afraid and to go out into the yard and find butterflies with my brother. It became really fun to do. Once, a butterfly landed on me and I laughed. I liked it. It tickled me. It did not hurt me. Now, I like butterflies! What is the child afraid of?
A. tigers
B. brother
C. butterflies
D. bears
Answer:
C. butterflies
Question: Today Mike is playing near a river. Suddenly, his knife goes into the water. He likes the knife very much. Now it's lost. So he is very _ . Then an old woman comes up and asks Mike what is wrong."I lost my knife." He says. The old woman gives him a gold knife and asks "Is it your knife?" "No," says the boy. The old woman gives him a silver knife and asks again " And this one?" "No," says the boy. Then she gives him an iron knife."Yes, that's mine." Calls out the happy boy. The old woman says, "No, take the gold and silver knife. You are a good boy." The story is about _ .
A. three kinds of knives
B. an old kind woman
C. a good boy and a kind woman
D. playing near the water
Answer:
C. a good boy and a kind woman
Question: Money is the root of all evil and new study claims there may be some truth behind the saying.Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, US,announced on February 27 that rich people are more likely to do unethical things, such as lie or cheat, than poorer people. The scientists did a series of eight experiments. They published their findings online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS,<<>> ). They carried out the first two experiments from the sidewalk near Berkeley. They noted that drivers of newer and more expensive cars were more likely to cut in on other cars and pedestrians at crosswalks. Nearly 45 percent of people driving expensive cars ignored a pedestrian compared with only 30 percent of people driving more modest cars. In another experiment, a group of college students was asked if they would do unethical things in various everyday situations. Examples included taking printer paper from work and not telling a salesperson when he or she gave back more change. Students from higher-class families were more likely to act dishonestly. According to the scientists, rich people often think money can get them out of trouble. This makes them less afraid to take risks. It also means they care less about other people's feelings. Finally,it simply makes them greedier."Higher wealth status seems to make you want even more,and that increased want leads you to bend the rules or break the rules to serve your self-interest," said Paul Piff, leading scientist of the study. Piff pointed out that the findings don't mean that all rich people are untrustworthy or that all poor people are honest. He said the experiments were to show how people living in different social situations express their instincts and values in different ways. Why did the scientists do the experiments?
A. To show how social status affects people's ethics.
B. To show people's instincts and values in different ways.
C. To test whether the saying "money is the root of all evil" is true.
D. To show the difference between higher-class people and lower-class people.
Answer:
A. To show how social status affects people's ethics.
Question: "Children who eat less salt and drink fewer sugar-sweetened soft drinks may significantly lower their risks of obesity," researchers recently reported in the journal Hypertension. "Sugar-sweetened soft drinks are a significant source of calorie intake in children," said Feng J. He, a researcher at St George's University of London, England. "It has been shown that sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption is related to obesity in young people." They wanted to know whether there is a link between salt intake and sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption. Dr He and colleagues analyzed data from a 1997 national survey of more than 2,000 people between 4 and 18 in Britain. "We found that children eating a lower-salt diet drank less fluid," said He. "From our research, we estimated that 1 gram of salt cut from their daily diet would reduce fluid intake by 100 grams per day." The researchers also found that children eating a lower-salt diet drank fewer sugar-sweetened soft drinks. From their research, they predicted that reducing salt intake by 1 gram each day would reduce sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption by 27 grams per day, after. "If children aged 4 to 18 cut their salt intake by half, there would be a decrease of about two sugar-sweetened soft drinks per week per child, so each child would decrease calorie intake by almost 250 kilocalories per week," Dr He said. In previous studies, researchers found that a low-salt diet lowers blood pressure in children, and prevents the development of high blood pressure later in life. "Both high blood pressure and obesity increase the risk of having strokes and heart attacks," Dr He said. Dr He recommends that parents check labels and choose low-salt food products. "Small reductions in the salt content of 10 to 20 percent cannot be detected by the human salt taste receptors and do not cause any technological or safety problems," Dr He said. According to the passage, obesity is directly linked to _ .
A. high-salt foods
B. sugar-sweetened soft drinks
C. high blood pressure
D. strokes and heart attacks
Answer:
B. sugar-sweetened soft drinks
Question: Helping your child to read and write at home will improve your child's skills and confidence---it will also better equip them for learning in the classroom environment. Reading and writing skills are needed by every child in every subject in every year of their school life and outside school. As parents, you can play an important role in improving your children's literacy by practicing reading, writing, spelling and speaking with them outside school. This kit includes a number of tips on how to help. By listening, asking questions, giving information, and reading with your child outside school hours---you can make a difference. Students who improve their reading and writing will increase their vocabulary and their ability to use English correctly. This kit includes tips on how to help your child to read, write and spell, such as: reading aloud each night including children in everyday conversations listening to your child reading your child's writing using a dictionary encouraging your child to talk about events that don't involve the parents trying not to ask questions that require a "yes" or "no" answer practicing reading and writing by filling in forms, writing letters, sending cards, or e-mails. The Premier's Reading Challenge is also a wonderful way to encourage your child to read. You can help your child by encouraging him or her to join the Challenge and discuss the books they are reading. Which is the best title for the passage?
A. Helping Your Child Read and Write
B. How to Read and Write
C. Practice Reading and Writing
D. How to Teach Your Child
Answer:
A. Helping Your Child Read and Write
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Learning to play a musical instrument can change your brain, with a US review finding musical training can lead to improved speech and foreign language skills. Although it was suggested in the past that listening to Mozart's music or other classical music could make you smarter, there has been little evidence to show that music can boost brain power. But a data-driven review by Northwestern University has pulled reaserch together that links musical training to learning that spills over into skills including language, speech, memory, attention and even vocal emotion. Researcher Nina Kraus said the data strongly suggested that the nervous connections made during musical training also prepared the brain for other aspects of human communication. " The effect of musical training suggests that, like physical exercise and its effect on body fitness, music is a resource that tones the brain for _ fitness and thus requires society to re-examine the role of music in shaping individual development, " the researchers said in their study. Kraus said learning musical sounds could improve the brain's ability to adapt and change and also enable the nervous system to provide constructing patterns that are important to learning. The study, published in Nature Review Neuroscience , looked at the explosion of research in recent years focusing on the effect of musical training on the nervous system which could have impacts for education. The study found that playing an instrument prepares the brain to choose what is related in a complex process that may involve reading or remembering a score, timing issues and coordination with other musicians. According to Kraus, musical training contributes to the following EXCEPT _ .
Answer:
Hi! We are Lucy and Lily. We are sisters. We are studying in a high school. We are always wanting the weekends to come. Because on weekends there are different kinds of outdoor activities, such as going to the park, going shopping, playing ball games and so on. We usually go to the park on Saturdays. We often take some bread, meat, water and milk with us. It's Saturday today. We are in the park again. Father is fishing in a boat on the lake . Mother is sitting and reading under the tree. Now we are drinking some water. Do you think we are happy? Lucy and Lily are _ .
Answer:
A well-known manufacturer of weighing machines produced a new model. The machine had a computer inside it, and this computer could do wonderful things: it could weigh people very accurately; it could tell them their weight in their own language; and it could tell them what they should eat to reduce their weight. The manufacturer decided to try out his machine before he sold it to the shops. He looked around for a good place to put it and finally decided on an airport. There were always people at an airport from many different countries. The first person to use the machine was an Italian woman. She stood on the machine, put a coin in and waited to hear her weight. The machine took only a second or two to weigh her, decide on her nationality and the language she spoke, and figure out what kind of food she should eat. "Good morning, madam," it said in perfect Italian. "Your weight is 72 kilos, three more than it should be for a woman of your height, age and nationality. This is because you have been eating too much spaghetti. I suggest you eat more fruit and vegetables. Please have a nice day". The second person to use the machine was a Chinese girl. She stood on the machine, put a coin in and waited to hear her weight. "Good morning, Miss," the machine said in perfect Chinese. "Your weight is 38 kilos, exactly the correct weight for your height, age and nationality. Continue to eat what you are eating. Please have a nice day." The third person to use the machine was a huge Australian woman. She walked up to the machine and looked at it for a long time. At last she found the courage to stand on the machine and put a coin in. The machine spoke immediately. "Good morning. Will one of you ladies please get off?" What did the machine say to the Italian woman?
Answer:
Jones, a marijuana farmer, had been missing for several months. The sheriff's department received an anonymous tip that Miller, a rival marijuana farmer, had buried Jones in a hillside about 200 yards from Miller's farmhouse. Sheriff's deputies went to Miller's farm. They cut the barbed wire that surrounded the hillside and entered, looking for the grave. They also searched the adjacent fields on Miller's farm that were within the area enclosed by the barbed wire and discovered clothing that belonged to Jones hanging on a scarecrow. Miller observed their discovery and began shooting. The deputies returned the fire. Miller dashed to his pickup truck to escape. Unable to start the truck, he fled across a field toward the barn. A deputy tackled him just as he entered the barn. As Miller attempted to get up, the deputy pinned his arms behind his back. Another deputy threatened, "Tell us what you did with Jones or we will shut you down and see your family on relief." Miller responded that he had killed Jones in a fight but did not report the incident because he did not want authorities to enter his land and discover his marijuana crop. Instead, he buried him behind the barn. Miller was thereafter charged with murder. If Miller moves to suppress his admission about killing his neighbor, the court should
Answer:
This year's lunar New Year holiday season is likely to see the fierce competitions at the country's box office among three movies that come from reality TV programs instead of legends, novels and original stories. The Chinese movies Running Man, Where are We Going, Dad? II and Emperor's Holidays are all based on South Korean TV shows. Where are We Going, Dad? hit an amazing box-office run of 700 million yuan in 2014, and it was one of the most popular Chinese-language movies last year. And this year's Where are We Going, Dad? II shows four famous fathers trying to "survive" with their children on an island of the Republic of Fiji . Running Man was also one of the most well-known shows from last October to this January. It has got 227 million yuan at the box office in the first three days after it was on in the cinema. It's reported that people laughed 86 times while watching the 88-minute movie. Emperor's Holidays is directed by Wang Yuelun, who was a celebrity father in the fatherhood series' first season. The movie was screened in Chinese theaters on Feb 19, the same day as Dad II and also the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year. For these kinds of movies, different people have different opinions. Some may think it is not worth spending money watching them, because the producers just want to make money. However, others may think whatever the producers' aim is, these movies can inspire people to live more healthily and make them keep laughing and happy. So they choose to enjoy them in the cinema. _ has got 227 million yuan at the box office in the first three days.
Answer:
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Question: I told my friend Graham that I often cycle two miles from my house to the town centre but unfortunately there is a big hill on the route. He replied, "You mean fortunately." He explained that I should be glad of the extra exercise that the hill provided. My attitude to the hill has now changed. I used to _ as I approached it but now I tell myself the following. This hill will exercise my heart and lungs. It will help me to lose weight and get fit. It will mean that I live longer. This hill is my friend. Finally I comfort myself with the thought of all those silly people who pay money to go to a gym and sit on stationery exercise bicycles when I can get the same value for free. I have a smile of satisfaction as I reach the top of the hill. Problems are there to be faced and overcome. We cannot achieve anything with an easy life. Helen Keller was the first deaf and blind person to gain a university degree. Her activism and writing proved inspirational. She wrote, "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can vision be cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved." One of the key factors of success in life is our attitude towards adversity . From time to time we all face hardships, problems, accidents, afflictions and difficulties. Some are of our making but many confront us through no fault of our own. While we cannot choose the adversity we can choose our attitude towards it. Douglas Bader was 21 when in 1931 he had both legs cut off following a flying accident. He was determined to fly again and went on to become one of the leading flying aces in the Battle of Britain with 22 aerial victories over the Germans. He was an inspiration to others during the war. He said, "Don't listen to anyone who tells you that you can't do this or that. That's nonsense. Make up your mind, and you'll never use crutches or a stick, and then have a go at evening. Go to school, and join in all the games you can. Go anywhere you want to. But never, never let them persuade you that things are too difficult or impossible." The biographies of great people are full of examples of how they took steps to overcome the difficulties they faced. The common thread is that they did not become depressed. They chose their attitude. They chose to be positive. They took on the challenge. They won. Nevertheless, there is still the problem of how you change your attitude towards adversity. Following this passage, the author will further talk about _ .
A. how his friend helped him to change his attitude towards the adversity he faced
B. what steps to take to change your attitude towards the adversity you face
C. what great people have in common
D. why it is important to keep optimistic in face of adversity
Answer:
B
Question: Former President Jimmy Carter believes U.S central intelligence agency is spying on him -- so much so, he gives up email to avoid government spies. "You know, I have felt that my own communications are probably monitored," Carter told NBC's Andrea Mitchell in an interview broadcast Sunday. "And when I want to communicate with a foreign leader privately, I type or write a letter myself, put it in the post office and mail it. "I believe if I send an email, it will be monitored," Carter continued. The 89-year-old said the National Security Agency and others have abused the argument that gathering intelligence is important to homeland security. "That has been extremely liberalized and, I think, abused by our own intelligence agencies," Carter said. The 39th president, however, stopped short of criticizing No. 44 over the handling of the N.S.A. scandal , the crisis in Ukraine or anything else. "I don't have any criticism of him," Carter said of Obama. He was asked if the president ever asks him for advice. "Unfortunately, the answer is no," Carter said. "President Obama doesn't. But previous presidents have called on me and the Carter Center to take action." Why not Obama? "That's a hard question for me to answer, you know, with complete directness," he said. "I think the problem was that in dealing with the issue of peace between Israel and Egypt, the Carter Center took a very strong and public position of equal treatment between the Palestinians and the Israelis. And I think this was a sensitive area in which the president didn't want to be involved." Which can be concluded from the whole passage?
A. Carter has to turn to letters instead of emails for communications for the sake of domestic security
B. Emails are easily monitored because computers have easy access to the internet
C. Carter is not the only president alone who is being spied by the government
D. Carter is the thirty-ninth president and Obama is the forty-fourth
Answer:
D
Question: As computers become more popular in China, Chinese people are increasingly relying on computer keyboards to input Chinese characters. But if they use the computer too much, they may end up forgetting the exact strokes of each Chinese character when writing on paper. Experts suggest people, especially students, write by hand more. Do you write by hand more or type more? In Beijing, students start using a computer as early as primary school. And computer dependence is more wide-spread among university students. Almost all their assignments and essays are typed on a computer. All the students interviewed say they usually use a computer. It's faster and easier to correct if using a computer. And that's why computers are being applied more and more often to modern education. But when people are _ computers increasingly, problems appear. "When I'm writing with a pen, I find I often can't remember how to write a character, though I feel I'm familiar with it." "I'm not in the mood to write when faced with a pen and paper." Many students don't feel this is something to worry about. Now that it's more convenient and efficient to write on a computer, why bother to handwrite? Many educators think differently. Shi Liwei, the headmaster of a famous primary school in the capital said, "Chinese characters enjoy both practical and aesthetic value. But those characters typed with computer keyboards only maintain their practical value. All the artistic beauty of the characters is lost. And handwriting contains the writer's emotion. Through one's handwriting, people can get to know one's thinking and personality. Beautiful writing will give people a better first impression of them." To encourage students to handwrite more, many primary schools in Beijing have made writing classes compulsory and in universities, some professors are asking students to turn in their homework and essays written by hand. We can draw the conclusion from the passage that _ .
A. more and more students will give up writing on a computer
B. writing by hand will give way to typing by computer one day
C. more and more students will pay attention to handwriting
D. the typing article better expresses one's emotion and quality
Answer:
C
Question: BEIJING , March 9 --- The central government will require an additional three years of use for official vehicles for ministers and governors to reduce the costs of purchasing new cars, media have reported. The new rule has been applied among all Party and government departments nationwide, theBeijing Newsreported on Tuesday. The new rule has not yet been made public, said Li, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee. Under the old rules, the cars used by minister-level officials could be replaced as often as every five years, Li said. These officials will also keep the same cars when they assume new posts, he added. The new rule also reiterated that officials ranking below minister-or-governor-levels should not be allocated cars. The cars possessed by their departments should be used on demand. "It violates the rules for lower-ranking --- even county-level-officials to be allocated cars," Li said. Purchases of vehicles for official use have been heavily investigated, as they account for a large expenditure of public funds every year. A survey on the Web news www.ifeng.com found 64 percent of respondents believed the new rule will be difficult to carry out because it is related to officials' interests. "Local government departments had halted approvals for requests for such vehicles and had started to work on new quotas under the new rules," Li said. "The future reform of official vehicle use will introduce market mechanisms and monetization." Premier Wen Jiabao said in the annual government work report on Saturday that expenditures on such vehicles will not increase in 2011 compared with a year ago. Beijing's standing deputy mayor Ji Lin last week said the municipal government will release the number of vehicles for official use in the capital as early as at the end of this month. Earlier this month, the Minister of Finance had published a rule regulating the budgets for such vehicles. What is the purpose of the new rule allocating vehicles among officials?
A. To promote a low-carbon lifestyle.
B. To cut down the present huge expenditures of purchasing cars.
C. To make good use of budgets for official cars.
D. To solve the problem of severe traffic jam.
Answer:
B
Question: A ban on smoking in public places has come into effect on May 1,2011 in China--home to one third of the world's smokers. The ban is aimed at controlling the number of deaths from smoking-related diseases, running at a million deaths a year.That figure is predicted to double by 2020.The new smoking ban is an attempt to prevent that prediction coming true. The new rules forbid people from smoking in places like hotels, railway stations or theatres, but not including the office.Employers can warn their staff of the dangers of smoking but cannot forbid them from smoking at their desks. But the new rules have been criticized because they do not describe in detail the punishments for businesses or individuals who _ them.Quite many smokers do not seem to take much notice of them.Often you find people smoking at next table while you are eating your meal or having a drink in a bar.In bus stops as well as in railway stations smoking can also be seen here and there.Business owners are also angry at the efforts to force them to ban smoking on their premises , because many customers refuse to go to restaurants or places of entertainment where smoking is forbidden. It appears that many Chinese people are unaware of the dangers of smoking.Research suggests that only one in four knows the harm cigarettes can cause.Officials say they have to try to persuade people not to smoke to try to reduce the numbers dying from smoking-related diseases.At the same time, however, the local governments make a lot of money from the sales of cigarettes by the state-owned firm that makes and sells tobacco products throughout the country. The number of deaths caused by smoking by 2020 will probably be _ .
A. one million a year
B. two million a year
C. three million a year
D. four million a year
Answer:
B
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Playing with toy blocks may lead to improved language development in young children, a new study reported. Early childhood is an important period in the development of young minds. The newborn brain grows three times in size between birth and age 2. Scientists have said that certain activities during this important period may promote healthy development while others may hold it back, and development of memory and language may especially be helped by imaginative play. After six months, language scores among half of the 175 children aged 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 who were sent plastic blocks were 15 percent higher than a matched group that did not receive the free blocks, according to the study by researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle. Parents were given ideas about how to help their children play with the blocks, then were told to keep diaries of their children's activities over four days. Finally, all the parents filled out questionnaires that judged their children's vocabulary, grammar, and other language abilities. Study author Dimitri Christakis said unstructured play with blocks motivated children's thinking, memory and physical skills at a time when a child's brain is growing rapidly. "They are the foundation of thought and language," he wrote of the skills learned from building blocks. "Older children begin to make up stories for these objects ." Such play may also take the place of less helpful activities such as watching TV, he said, adding parents ought to have doubts about some toy-makers' words. "An increasing number of media-based products are making ungrounded claims that they can make children smarter, more literate, and more musical," Christakis said. According to the study, about _ children's language scores were 15 percent higher than those of children who didn't play with blocks.
A 87
B 55
C 23
D 157
Answer: A
Joe Brown had a shop. He sold meat in his shop. One Thursday a woman came into his shop at five to one. "I'm sorry I'm late," she said. "I need some more meat for my dinner tonight." Joe had only one piece of meat in his shop. He took it out of the fridge and said, "This is$6.50." "That piece is too small." the woman said, "haven't you for anything bigger?" Joe went into the room behind his shop, put the piece of meat into the fridge, took it out of again and closed the door with lots of noise. Then he brought the piece of meat to the woman and said, "This piece of meat is bigger and more expensive. It's $8.75." "Good," the woman said with a smile, "give me both of them." When did the woman come to Joe's shop?
A Early in the morning.
B Early in the afternoon.
C Late in the morning.
D At about one o'clock at night.
Answer: B
Rae Armantrout, who has been a poetry professor at the University of California San Diego(UCSD) for two decades, has won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize in the poetry category for her most recent book, "Versed". "I'm delighted and amazed at how much media recognition that the Pulitzer brings, as compared to even the National Book Critics Award, which I was also surprised and delighted to win," said Armantrout. "For a long time, my writing has been just below the media radar, and to have this kind of attention, suddenly, with my 10th book, is really surprising." Armantrout, a native Californian, received her bachelor's degree at UC Berkeley, where she studied with noted poet Denise Levertov, and her master's in creative writing from San Francisco State University. She is a founding member of Language Poets, a group in American poetry that analyzes the way language is used and raises questions to make the reader think. In March, she won the National Book Critics Circle Award for "Versed." "This book has gotten more attention," Armantrout said, "but I don't feel as if it's better." The first half of "Versed" focuses on the dark forces taking hold of the United States as it fought the war against Iraq. The second half looks at the dark forces casting a shadow over her own life after Armantrout was diagnosed with cancer in 2006. Armantrout was shocked to learn she had won the Pulitzer but many of her colleagues were not. "Rae Armantrout is a unique voice in American poetry," said Seth Lerer, head of Arts and Humanities at UCSD. "Versed", published by the Wesleyan University Press, did appear in a larger printing than her earlier works, which is about 2,700 copies. The new edition is scheduled to appear in May. Which of the following is true of Rae Armantrout?
A She published a poetry textbook.
B She used to teach Denise Levertov.
C She started a poets' group with others.
D She taught creative writing at UC Berkeley.
Answer: C
How much pocket money do you get from your parents every month--200 yuan? Some may need more to buy birthday presents, fast food lunches, ice cream or cartoon books. But for Zhou Li, 30 yuan a month is enough. The only thing she buys is lunch--1.5 yuan each day. "My favorite is fried potato slices and rice," said Zhou, "meat is too expensive for me." Zhou, 14, is a Junior 1 student at Hongzhi Experimental School in Beijing. Her parents are migrant workers . They came to Beijing from a village in Luohe of Henan two years ago. Her father now works as a cleaner and earns 500 yuan every month. Her mother has no job. Every day, Zhou gets up at 5: 30 a.m. and rides 20 minutes to school. She studies hard, and even reads books during breaktime. Her favorite subject is computer."I'm learning typing now. I hope to be the fastest in my class."said Zhou. Like many teens, Zhou has a lot of homework. It usually takes her at least one hour to do it every day. But that is not all her work. She helps her mom cook. On weekends, she helps wash clothes."I could cook when I was eight. Father said sometimes I cooked better than mom!" Zhou said she wanted to be a doctor when she grew up."I watched TV and found that there were many people with AIDS in Henan. Some are kids. They need help."said Zhou. But she is afraid of having to leave school."I hope I will always be in school," said Zhou. "Dad works hard to make money. I promise him I will study hard to be a good student at present and a good doctor in the future." Which of the following is TRUE?
A The girl's parents are both cleaners.
B Her parents gave her 30 yuan to buy books.
C She goes to school by bike.
D Now she types fastest in her class.
Answer: C
Which likely would win in a race?
A a slug
B a sardine
C an Olympic swimmer
D an orca
Answer: D
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Mary can't understand such sentences as "She is blue today." "You are yellow." "He has a green thumb ." "He tells a white lie." and so on. And she goes to her teacher for help. Mary: Mrs. Smith, there is a colour in each of these sentence. What do they mean? Mrs. Smith: In everyday English, blue sometimes means sad. Yellow, afraid. A person with a green thumb grows plants well. And a white lie is not a bad one. Mary: Would you please give me an example of a white lie? Mrs. Smith: Certainly. Now I give you some cake. In fact, you don't like it. But you won't say it. Instead, you say, " No, thanks. I'm not hungry." That's a white lie. Mary: Oh, I see. Thank you very much. Blue sometimes means sad in _ English.
spoken
It's rare that you see the words "shyness" and "leader" in the same sentence. After all, the common viewpoint is that those outgoing and sociable guys make great public speakers and excellent networkers and that those shy people are not. A survey conducted by USA Today referred to 65 percent of executives who believed shyness to be a barrier to leadership. Interestingly, the same article stresses that roughly 40 percent of leaders actually are quite shy--they're just better at adapting themselves to situational demands. Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and Charles Schwab are just a few "innies". Unlike their outgoing counterparts who are more sensitive to rewards and risk-taking, shy people take a cautious approach to chance. Rather than the flashy chit-chat that defines social gathering, shy people listen attentively to what others say and absorb it before they speak. They're not thinking about what to say while the other person is still talking, but rather listening so they can learn what to say. Along the same lines, shy people share a common love of learning. They are intrinsically motivated and therefore seek content regardless of achieving an outside standard. Being shy can also bring other benefits. Remember being in school and hearing the same kids contribute, until shy little Johnny, who almost never said a word, cut in? Then what happened? Everyone turned around to look with great respect at little Johnny actually talking. This is how shy people made good use of their power of presence:they "own" the moment by speaking calmly and purposefully, which translate to a positive image. Shyness is often related to modesty. Not to say that limelight-seekers aren't modest, but shy people tend to have an accurate sense of their abilities and achievements. As a result, they are able to acknowledge mistakes, imperfections, knowledge gaps and limitations. Since shy people have a lower sensitivity to outside rewards than outgoing ones, they're more comfortable working with little information and sticking to their inner desires. Shy people are also more likely to insist on finding solutions that aren't primarily apparent. Don't believe me? Maybe you'll believe Albert Einstein, who once said, " _ " Obviously, finding certainty where uncertainty is typically popular is a huge plus for any successful person. The myth that shy people are less effective leaders than their outgoing fellows is just a misunderstanding. Make wise use of your personality strengths to lead your business no matter what side of the range you fall on. The author supports his ideas mainly by _ .
making contrasts and gibing examples
Be Thankful Be thankful when you don't already have everything you want. If you did, what would there be to look forward to? Be thankful when you don't know something, for it gives you the chance to learn. Be thankful for the difficult times During those times you grow. Be thankful for each new challenge , because it will build your strength and character . Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you important lessons Be thankful when you're tired, because it means you've made a difference. It's easy to be thankful for the good things A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks . Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your . The writer thinks that we should learn to be _ .
thankful
On October 10, 2014, Malala, 17, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for struggling for the right of children to education. Malala is the youngest Nobel winner in history. Malala Yousafzai has never been ordinary. When she was just 11, she started blogging about the Taliban takeover of her hometown of Mingora, Pakistan. Taliban members follow an extreme belief of Islam and forbid girls to go to school. Classrooms were closed for several months. Malala spoke out about her desire to go back to school. "All I want is an education," she told one television broadcaster. Malala was later able to return to class. But she continued to blog and speak out about girls' right to education. On October 9, 2012, the Taliban tried to silence her. A gunman boarded her school bus and shot her in the head. Malala survived and showed great courage and optimism during her long recovery. At that time she became a symbol of the struggle for girls' rights all over the world. Nine months after she was shot, she gave a now-famous speech at the United Nations. "They thought that the bullets would silence us. But they failed," she said. "And then, out of that silence came thousands of voices. ... Weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power, and courage were born." Malala has also become an international symbol for peace. In 2011, she won Pakistan's National Youth Peace Prize, which is now renamed the National Malala Peace Prize. Malala said the 2014 Nobel Prize was an "encouragement" to go forward to help kids. "I want to tell children all around the world that they should stand up for their rights," she said. "This award is for all those children whose voices need to be heard." When did Malala become a symbol for girls' rights?
During her long recovery after the shot.
Ever feel like there aren't enough hours in the day? A group of timechallenged Canadian women are wishing for a 25hour clock. Jessie Behan, president of the 25th Hour Coalition which is a group of Canadian women who have changed to a longer day, said the struggle for women to maintain worklife balance motivated her to research the body's natural clock."Many of my girlfriends are having kids,getting married, and I see the sufferings of dealing all that when you're a working woman,"she said."Women like myself are sick of living their lives by a 24hour clock." A 2007 study by Charles Czeisler found a switch to longer days could be beneficial, especially for frequent travelers, shift workers, astronauts and those who experience trouble sleeping or waking. In a similar study, Czeisler showed the body's natural clock averages 24 hours and 11 minutes in both young and older people.The current 360degree clock has 720 minutes, giving each minute 0.5 degree.With the new 25hour day, 30 minutes is added to each 12hour period making each minute 0.48 degree. While still a relatively small movement-the 25th Hour Coalition has 160 Facebook members, Behan is hoping for large changes."The goal is to get as many women on board; there's no harm in just trying it out and seeing.If it gets big, maybe the government will decide to standardize it." A recent online survey by Reader's Digest, which included 150 people in each of the 13 countries, suggests it's not just Canadians looking for longer days.Readers were asked"what would you do with an extra hour"if given a choice between sleep, work, exercise and family time.In Spain, half of respondents said they'd like an extra hour in the day to devote to family time.The same was found for respondents in Brazil, the US and Britain, who chose family time over sleep, which came in at a close second.Only in India did work top the list with 50 percent of respondents claiming they could use an extra hour at the office. Why does Jessie Behan want more women to join the 25th Hour Coalition?
Because she thinks more women may allow the dream to come true.
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Students are leaving the junior high school . What are they taking with them ? A lot of things for sure , but the most important thing is friends . We asked some teachers to give us one last lesson . The lesson is proverbs(, ) about friends . Proverbs teach people about life . Older people often teach proverbs to younger people . Every culture has proverbs . They are short and easy to remember . Mrs Minelli says , " It is important to remember this Sicilian proverb , ' Only your real friends will tell you when your face is dirty .' It means that only good friends tell you when you are making a mistake ." Mr Tulga says , " I have a favorite proverb about friends , ' Friendship is a plant we must water .' It is German . It means that everyone needs to take care of friendship like we take care of a garden ." Mr Tulga says , "My grandfather in Turkey told me , 'Nobody is so rich that he can throw away a friend .' It means that everyone needs friends . Be good to them ." The good news is :there is no test for this lesson ,. The bad news is :We will miss you . Goodbye , friends ! Don't forget us ! As the proverb says , _ will tell you when you are making mistakes .
Answer: real friends
Jeff Green has a bad habit. He can not look after his things well. Look, this is his room. His things are _ . Look at his desk. Some things are on it. They are notebook, CDs, video tapes, rulers and erasers. He doesn't put his rulers and erasers in his pencil box. Look, some of his sports collections are on the desk and chair. It's eight in the morning, and Jeff is in bed. It's Sunday. He doesn't go to school. Oh, what's under the bed? A soccer ball. He likes playing soccer. He can not play volleyball well. His schoolbag is under the bed. Why is his bag under the bed? We don't know. What's that under the sofa? It is one of his socks. Where is the other one? We can't see it. Jeff needs to ask his parents to find it, I think. Where are Jeff's rulers and erasers?
Answer: On the desk
Better think twice before choosing a _ for email, online bank or shopping. Simple passwords are easy to be stolen. A password is like a key to your home. If someone steals it, he'll get chances to steal something else. We use passwords everywhere in our life. We are so used to passwords that we don't pay any attention to them until we lose or forget one. A study of 28,000 passwords recently stolen from a popular website showed that people often do the easy thing. It found that 16% took a first name as a password. Another 14% used the easiest keyboard combinations such as "12345678"or "QWERTY". 5% of the stolen passwords were names of television shows or stars popular with young people. 3% of the passwords expressed feelings like "I don't care", "Whatever", "I love you" or their opposite, "I hate you". Robert Graham, who did the study, advises people to choose a password that is longer than eight characters with one capital letter and one symbol. Of course, safe passwords don't mean those hard to remember. Forgetting your password is sometimes a big headache for you. Maybe, the perfect password is easy for you and hard for others. ,,. Which of the following passwords is considered the safest?
Answer: wy64#OMv
After her husband had gone to work, Mrs Richards send her children to school and went upstairs to her bedroom. She was too excited to do any housework that morning. In the evening she would go to a fancy dress party with her husband. She wanted to dress up as a ghost and as she had made her costume the night before, she was impatient to try it on. Though the costume consisted only of a sheet, it was really splendid. After putting it on, She went downstairs to find out whether it would be comfortable to wear. Just as Mrs Richards was entering the dining-room, there was a knock on the front door. She knew it must be the baker. She had told him to come straight in if ever she failed to open the door and to leave the bread on the table. Not wanting to frighten the poor man, she quickly hid in the small store-room under the stair. She heard the front door opened and heavy footsteps in the hall. Suddenly the door of the store-room was opened and in came a man. Mrs Richards realized it must be the man from the Electricity Board who had come to read the meter. She tried to explain the situation, saying "It's only me. "but it was too late, the man let out a cry and jumped back several paces. When Mrs Richards walked towards him, he fled, losing the door heavily behind him. The man who was knocking at the door was _ .
Answer: an electricity man
Hello, dear friends! I'm Jenny. Please look at this photo. The girl in red is me. I'm 13. I have a sister and two brothers. My sister, Linda, is 15. She likes red and green. She has two red rulers and a green pencil case. She also likes sports and she has a great sports collection. She has five baseballs, three basketballs and two volleyballs. The baseballs and basketballs are under her bed. The volleyballs are under her chair. . And she is in the baseball club. My brothers are Alan and Tom. Alan is 14 and Tom is 8.Alan likes English very much, and he is in the English club. He has many English books and English tapes. But Tom only likes watching TV. He watches it every evening. Tom has _ .
Answer: two sisters and a brother
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Smart Exercise Doctors are starting to find more and more information that suggests a connection between exercise and brain development. Judy Cameron, a scientist at Oregon Health and prefix = st1 /ScienceUniversity, studies brain development. According to her research, it seems that exercise can make blood vessels, including those in the brain, stronger and more fully developed. Dr. Cameron claims this allows people who exercise to concentrate better. As she says: "While we already know that exercise is good for the heart, exercise can literally cause physical changes in the brain." The effects of exercise on brain development can even be seen in babies. Babies who do activities that require a lot of movement and physical activity show greater brain development than babies who are less physically active. With babies, even a little movement can show big results. Margaret Barnes, a pediatrician , believes in the importance of exercise. She thinks that many learning disabilities that children have in elementary school or high school can be traced back to a lack of movement as babies. "Babies need movement that stimulates their five senses. They need to establish a connection between motion and memory. In this way, as they get older, children will begin to associate physical activity with higher learning," says Margaret. Older people can beef uptheir brains as well.CornellUniversitystudied a group of seniors ranging in age from seventy to seventy-nine. Their study showed a short-term memory increase of up to 40 percent after exercising just three hours a week. The exercise does not have to be very difficult, but it does have to increase the heart rate. Also, just like the motion for infants, exercise for older people should involve some complexity. Learning some new skills or motions helps to open up memory paths in the brain that may not have been used for a long time. For most people, any type of physical activity that increases the heart rate is helpful. The main goal is to increase the brain's flow of blood. And your brain can benefit from as little as two to three hours of exercise a week. To be beneficial, exercise for older people should
Answer:
increase the heart rate.
A father sat at his desk and looked at his bills when his young son rushed in and announced: "Dad, because today is your birthday and you're 40 years old, I'm going to give you 40 kisses, one for each year!" When the boy started making good on his word ( ) , the father shouted: "Andrew, don't do it now. I'm too busy! " The boy soon fell silent as tears fell from his big blue eyes. Feeling sorry, the father said: "You can finish later. The boy said nothing but quietly walked away." That evening the father said: "Come and finish the kisses now, Andrew!" But the boy didn't. Unfortunately, a few days later after the father's birthday, the boy had an accident and died. His sad father wrote: "If only(...,)I could tell him how sorry I am for my thoughtless words, and how much my heart is hurting." Love is a two-way street. We must warmly accept any loving act, or others will take it as a "NO" and it can leave a scar . If we don't receive love, our life will lose its true meaning. Nothing is more important than accepting love from those who are near and dear to us . ,. We can know from the story that
Answer:
the father is busy with his work
On Saturday, millions of people around the world will celebrate Saint Patrick's Day, which honors Patron Saint(a main religious figure)of Ireland. Communities across the United States will host parades , parties, and other festivities to mark the occasion. This year, cities like Boston, New York, and Chicago have organized big events celebrating Saint Patrick's Day. In New York City, hundreds of thousands of people will gather to watch the Saint Patrick's Day parade-the nation's largest. It is one of the most watched parades in the world. Last year, almost 2 million watched it , more than 150,000 took part in it and they filled the streets. The parade, first held in 1776, is also one of the oldest. Chicago also throws a big celebration. Every year, the Chicago River, which crosses the city, shines green as event organizers pour about 40 pounds of fluorescence, a powerful dye , into the water. Boston keeps its parade rolling for three hours or more. It is the nation's second-largest parade. The city will also show respect to one of its most famous former residents, President John F. Kennedy, by opening the exhibit "A Journey Home:John F. Kennedy and Ireland", at his official library. Patron Saint lived in Britain in the early fifth century, when it was still part of the Roman Empire. He was caught and sold into slavery in Ireland when he was only 16. He finally escaped slavery and turned to a life of religious devotion. He trained to become a minister and set out to spread Christianity throughout Ireland. After 30 years as a religious leader, Patrick died on March 17, 1461. Saint Patrick's Day is always celebrated on March 17. In Ireland, it is an official holiday. What do you think is the official color1 of St. Patrick's Day?
Answer:
Green.
The feathers of male goldfinches become brightly colored each spring. Which best describes why the color of the feathers changes each year?
Answer:
a physical adaptation
"Sesame Street" has been called "the longest street in the world". That is because the television program by that name can now be seen in so many parts of the world. That program became one of American's exports soon after it went on the air in New York in 1969. In the United States more than six million children watch the program regularly. The viewers include more than half the nation's pre-school children, from every kind of economic , racial , and geographical group. Although some educators object to certain elements in the program, parents praise it highly. Many teachers also consider it a great help, though some teachers find that problems arise when first graders who have learned from "Sesame Street" are in the same class with children who have not watched the program. Tests have shown that children from all racial, geographical, and economic backgrounds have benefited from watching it. Those who watch it five times a week learn more than occasional viewers. In the US the program is shown at different hours during the week in order to increase the number of children who can watch it regularly. The programs all use songs, stories, jokes, and pictures to give children a basic understanding of numbers, letters and human relationships. But there are some differences. For example, the Spanish program, produced in Mexico City, devotes more time to teaching whole words than to teaching separate letters. Why has "Sesame Street" been so much more successful than other children's shows? Many reasons have been suggested. People mention the educational theories of its creators, the support by the government and private businesses, and the skillful use of a variety of TV tricks. Perhaps an equally important reason is that mothers watch it along with their children. This is partly because famous adult stars often appear on it. But the best reason for the success of the program may be that it makes every child watching feel able to learn. The child finds himself learning, and he wants to learn more. What is special about the program?
Answer:
Children learn and enjoy themselves while watching.
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Question: Jean-Michael Lourdis was a promising young pianist. But when the young man played, it seemed to him, as if his hands were iron. He worried so much about his playing that he became oversensitive to the comments of his playing. Unfortunately, in those days, a critic was not considered a critic, unless he found something wrong. This attitude of the critics would often leave the young man ready to give up his dream and return home. He was invited to play in Helsinki. The rich, the famous, the leaders of State were all there. Jean-Michael had one of those days when everything went wrong. That night as he played, he felt as if it were the worst concert of his young life. The next day, in the newspapers, some of the comments were so unkind. The young musician was painful. That day, as he sat in his hotel room in total despair , there came a knocking at his door. He had a visitor.The famous Finnish composer Jean Sibelius had come by to congratulate the young pianist on his performance. Jean-Michael asked how he thought of that and began to quote some of the newspaper critics. " Hands of iron. No imagination. Little skill. No joy. Don't you hear what they say?" he asked. Jean Sibelius looked at young Jean-Michael and said, "Remember, son, there is no city in the world where they have erected a statue for a critic." A critic in those days usually _ .
A. found fault with musicians' performances
B. said kind and encouraging words to musicians
C. helped musicians become famous
D. asked more people to go to concerts
Answer:
A. found fault with musicians' performances
Question: Betty is an American school girl. She is very happy because her parents will take her to China for a visit. They are going to fly from New York on June 30 and get to Beijing on July 1. They will stay at Lido Holiday Inn. Their Chinese friends will show them around Beijing. They are going to visit the Palace Museum, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall. They will also visit some Chinese homes and try some Chinese food. They will spend a week in Beijing and then go to Xi'an, Guilin and some other places for sightseeing. The whole trip will take three weeks and she is sure she will have a great time in China. Betty is very happy because she will _ with her parents.
A. visit New York
B. go home
C. watch TV
D. visit China
Answer:
D. visit China
Question: The next time your face turns red after tripping over your own feet in public, don't try to hide it--a new study finds that showing your embarrassment actually makes other people view you as more reliable. Researchers at the University of California have carried out the study and found that embarrassment is a good signature of a person to whom you can entrust valuable resources. Not only are the findings useful for people seeking cooperative and reliable team members and business partners, but they also make for helpful dating advice."Moderate levels of embarrassment are signs of virtue. Our data suggests embarrassment is a good thing, not something you should fight."said Matthew Feinberg, who led the study. While the most typical gesture of embarrassment is a downward gaze to one side while partly covering the face, a person who feels shame, as distinguished from embarrassment, will typically cover the whole face, Feinberg said. The results were got from a series of experiments. In the first experiment, 60 college students were videotaped describing embarrassing moments, such as making incorrect assumptions based on appearances. The college students also participated in the "Dictator Game" which is used in economics research to measure altruism . For example, each was given 10 raffle tickets and asked to keep a share of the tickets and give the reminder to a partner. The findings, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, showed that those who showed greater levels of embarrassment tended to give away more of their raffle tickets, indicating(=showing) greater generosity. The "Dictator Game " is used to _ .
A. measure the students' economic status
B. test whether a student is generous or not
C. determine the different levels of embarrassment
D. record how each student reacts during embarrassing moments
Answer:
B. test whether a student is generous or not
Question: Come and see the Indian elephants and the new tigers from America. The bears are waiting to meet you, and the monkeys from China are waiting to throw things at you. The lovely dogs from Australia are waiting to laugh at you, and the giraffes from Zambia are waiting to look down on you. Tickets Grown-ups:$2.00 Children:Over 12 $ 1.00 Under 12 Free Opening time 9:00 a.m.-- 4:00 p.m. Except Friday 10:00 a.m. -- 3 :00 p.m. ! Now Mr. Smith is in the zoo with his two sons, one aged 14 and the other 10, how much are the tickets together?
A. $4.00
B. $2.00
C. $3.00
D. $1.00
Answer:
C. $3.00
Question: After seeing her give birth, the zookeepers discovered that Harry the ____ was actually a girl.
A. hen
B. hotcake
C. healfish
D. hare
Answer:
D. hare
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Green Eyes is a book. It's about a lovely cat called Green Eyes. He is one year old. He is interested in everything around him. He lives in his big red box and greets spring, summer, autumn and winter--each with their special colours and feelings .The pictures of the book are beautiful, and the words are easy to read. Many people have different ideas about it. Here're some _ of the readers . Hello Kitty: It is a great book about how a cat sees the seasons. I'm a teacher and I read it to my students every year when we study the seasons. A Sweet Girl: I'm a little girl from America. I've got the book on my 12thbirthday this year. My parents buy it for me. I love it so much. I often read it before going to bed. Warm Wind: I'm Jenny. I'm in the school reading club .We share our favourite book every Sunday. I share this book with other students in the club. They all like it. How much do you know about " A Sweet Girl"?
Answer:
My family lives in London. In the morning, my father goes to work and we go to school. My father takes us to school every day. My mother stays at home. She does the housework. She always has lunch at home, and visits her friends in the afternoon. In the afternoon, we go home from school by bus. My father gets home from work late. At night my two brothers and I always do our homework. We go to bed at about ten. My father and my mother usually read newspapers. We can watch TV at the weekend. _ home late.
Answer:
I have seven bags. Three bags are big, and the other four bags are small. I have some basketballs and volleyballs. I put two volleyballs in each small bag. And I put two basketballs and two volleyballs in each big bag. The number of the volleyballs is my age. Where are the basketballs?
Answer:
My friend, Victor, is a zoo keeper in the National Zoo. His work is very interesting but it is hard. Sometimes it is dangerous, too. Every morning the zoo keepers have to get up at five to prepare the food for the animals. Each kind of animal is given special food. For example, the lions must be given meat; the deer must be given grass and leaves; and the parrots must be given fruit and nuts. Sometimes some animals won't let the others eat their food. If this happens, each of them must be fed separately . Every morning each cage must be washed by the zoo keepers. This can be dangerous, especially with lions and tigers. To make the work easier, the animals are locked in the sleeping compartments while the cages are being washed. When the animals are sick, the zoo keepers must look after them. Each sick animal is kept in a separate cage and given medicine. Sometimes they must be given injections. It is not easy to inject a sick lion! All the keepers live near the zoo. Each of them has a small house. There he lives with his family. They do not have holidays on Sundays and public holidays. Instead, each of them has a day off during the week. Each keeper has a holiday on a different day from that of the other keepers. The most important job of the keepers is to look after the safety of the visitors. People must be prevented from doing dangerous things. Many people have been injured because they did careless things, like putting their hands into the lion's cage. ,. What kind of food must be given to the animals like tigers, lions and bears?
Answer:
"I don't like my parents. They always tell me I should do this, and should not do that. It sometimes makes me angry," said Li Ping, a middle school student in Hunan. Do you have the same problem? Perhaps your parents had the same problem when they were your age long ago. Why does it seem that some parents are not so friendly in their children's eyes? One of the biggest things is when someone becomes a parent, he / she likes worrying things. They worry about everything about you, from the time you were born. They do a lot for you, though something would make you angry, because they care about you and worry about you. They worry about your choice of friends, the food you eat, your work at school, how much sleep you get, etc. All these things are part of your life. They want you to grow up healthily and happily. So how can you make things easier on yourself? It's easier than you think. Just make sure your parents know what you're doing. Get them to know your friends. Phone if you stay somewhere else so that your parents don't call every hospital in the phone book looking for your body. Say sorry to them when you make mistakes. Take responsibility for what you have done. Talk about your ideas with them. They may talk about theirs with you. Most of all, try to think about why your parents do this or do that. They are still practicing being parents and need help you can give them. Someday, when you become a parent, they may be able to help you know how to get on with your children. What does the writer think we should do if we go back home later than usual? We should _ .
Answer:
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Aggressive pedestrians are in fact as dangerous as careless drivers. They cause traffic accidents, injury and death. These dangerous walkers can be seen in any big city over the world. About 69% of last year's pedestrian deaths in the US occurred in urban areas. They cross streets ignoring "DON'T WALK" signals, suddenly appear without warning from behind parked vehicles, walk slowly at crossroads with cell phones attached to heads, blocking traffic. These pedestrians and drivers share a common disregard for the rules of the road, both for selfish reasons. The drivers believe in the power of their machines. If their machines can go faster, they believe they have the right to go faster. If their machines are bigger, they believe they have the right to push smaller vehicles aside. Aggressive pedestrians, on the other hand, believe in the primacy of the individual, the idea that they are first in any environment, under any circumstances, even when they are on foot in a roaring tide of steel and rubber. Last year, an estimated 5,220 pedestrians died in traffic accidents. Some 69,000 pedestrians were injured. On average, that worked out to one pedestrian killed in a traffic crash every 101 minutes, and one injured every eight minutes. The good news is that the accident rate is dropping. For example, the number of pedestrians killed last year was 24 percent less than the number killed in traffic accidents a decade earlier. The bad news is that the basic causes of pedestrian deaths remain pretty much the same----disregard for traffic signals, inattention and crossing roads under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Alcohol, in fact, was involved in 46 percent of the traffic accidents that resulted in pedestrian deaths. Of those, 31 percent of the pedestrians were found to be drunk. The bottom line is that the pedestrians must do more to protect their lives as well as the lives of other road users. They can start by obeying traffic signals, using marked cross-walks and calling a cab when they've had too much to drink. As one of all the road users, what should we students do on busy roads?
Answer:
All of the following are examples of erosion EXCEPT:
Answer:
Making your stay a complete success is our goal. Just let our manager on duty of front-desk staff know if any part of your stay isn't satisfactory. We promise to make it right or you won't pay for that part of your stay. FORGET SOMETHING? If you forget to pack any standard toiletry item(tooth brush, toothpaste, shaving cream, razor or comb), just call the front-desk and we'll get you a free replacement right away. PLEASE REUSE THE TOWELS We invite you to join us to save water by using your towels more than once. In addition to decreasing water and energy waste, you can help us reduce the amount of waste water that must be recycled within our community. Please hang the towels up if you wish to join in the program--if not, simply leave them on the floor. We appreciate your help! PLEASE CHANGE THE SHEETS TODAY The Project Planet Program is in an effort of this hotel to protect the environment by saving water and decreasing waste water. If you are staying with us more than one night, as part of the Project Planet Program, we will wash your sheets every three days. If you would prefer not to join in this program, simply hang this card on the outside of your door and sheets will be changed right away. As always sheets are automatically changed after every guest checks out. We appreciate your help! Leaving the towels on the floor means that _ .
Answer:
Bruno was a boy of eight. His father worked in a cinema and his mother worked in a shop. He lived not far from his school. He always walked there and walked home. On his way to school he had to pass a playground. It was very wet after it rained. One day, when he got home, his clothes were all wet. His mother became angry and said, "Don't play in the water on your way home from school!" On the next day Bruno came home with wet and dirty clothes. His mother became even angrier. "I 'll tell your father if you come back wet again." said his mother. "He will punish you, you know." The third day the little boy was dry when he came home. "You 're a good boy today." His mother said happily. "You didn't play in the water." "No, "the boy said unhappily. "There were too many older boys in the water when i got there this afternoon. There wasn't any room for me at all." The little boy liked to play on the playground _ .
Answer:
The public commonly associates steroid use with big-time athletics. But the drugs may be even more of a menace to teenagers. The synthetic hormones can stunt a young person's growth by prematurely closing the ends of the long bones in the skeleton. That means a 1.7 metre, 15-year-old high school student who uses steroids "might get bigger but won't get any taller", according to a US doctor. Nearly seven percent of boys in the US try steroids before the end of high school, according to a 1988 study by professors Charles Yesalis and William Buckley, of Penn State University. The estimate comes from a poll of 3,400 seniors in 46 public and private schools across the US. "Abusers of Steroids did it to improve their appearance and to excel at sports," Professor Yesalis said. "Parents, teachers and coaches make boys believe that to be an ideal male you need to have these. Then they say: 'you can't play games to have fun; you play games to win.'" "Such attitudes put many high school athletes at high risk of becoming abusers of steroids," said Mike Gimbel, director of Baltimore County Office of substance Abuse. "For these athletes, the pressure to perform is incredible," he said. "It was inevitable that it would seep down to high school level." Why are steroids even more of a threat to teenagers?
Answer:
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If you are visiting England, you will notice that English have many customs and traditions that are different from those in China. This guide provides help for anyone visiting England for the first time. Standing in the queue English people like to form queue.They think it is the fair way to behave.People wait in a queue in shops and at bus stops.People will think you are very rude if you don't join the queue. Please, Thank You, Excuse Me and Sorry It is good manners to say "please" and "thank you".If someone is in your way and you would like them to move, say "excuse me" and they will move.If you bump into someone or you are in their way say "sorry".They will probably say "sorry", too, even if it was your mistake.Saying "sorry" does not always mean you think you were wrong.Someone it is just a polite thing to say. Meeting a new person When people meet for the first time, the usual custom is to shake hands.The next time you meet that person, you can just say hello.English people don't usually hug or kiss unless they know each other really well. Talking to people English people find it difficult to start conversations with strangers.They like to be private so if they are on buses or trains, they usually sit as far away from other people as possible.If you want to start a conversation, the topic that English people are always happy to talk about is the weather.So you need to be able to say "Isn't it warm (sunny/windy/wet/foggy) today?" or "Do you think it's going to rain/clear up?" This is much better than asking about politics, religion or how much people earn! What will you do if you meet people for the first time?
A. To shake hands with them.
B. To kiss them.
C. To say hello to them.
D. To hug them.
Answer: A. To shake hands with them.
Zhang Wenchi is a 19-year-old student of Hubei Xiangyang No.1 High School. He is very brave and always helps others in need. On March 26, 2012, Zhang donated bone marrow at the Navy General Hospital of Beijing. He is the youngest and the first high school student to do it. Last April, Zhang became a blood donor on his 18th birthday. He also joined the China Marrow Donor Program that day. Six months later, his bone marrow was chosen as a match for a 4-year-old leukemia patient from Fujian. Zhang was studying for the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE) when the call from the Chinese Bone Marrow Donors came. He found out that the patient could not wait, or things might get worse. With the support of his family and school, Zhang arrived at the hospital in Beijing the very next day. "Saving a life is more important than taking an exam, and having the chance to help cure a patient does not allow for more thought," Zhang said. The transplant operation was a success. After that, Zhang Wenchi was in good health and he came back to school soon. Zhang said then the most important task for him was the exam. He hoped that his dream of becoming a pilot could come true. Now the NCEE has been over for more than a month, and what about Zhang Wenchi's marks? To our great relief, it's known that he has earned 540 points, which means he can be admitted into Beihang University (formerly Beijing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics). Therefore he can realize his dream of flying in the sky. Zhang's deed has earned him nationwide respect, and some have given him the nickname, "the most beautiful post-90s student". Which of the following about Zhang Wenchi is right?
A. He was born on March 26, 1993.
B. He donated bone marrow at a hospital in Xiangyang.
C. He is the first university student to donate bone marrow.
D. His bone marrow was chosen as a match for a patient from Fujian.
Answer: D. His bone marrow was chosen as a match for a patient from Fujian.
Do you like Sun Wukong? He is one of the most popular novel characters in Chinese history. Both young children and adults love him so much. In our mind, he is a great hero in the Chinese novel Journey to the West(<<>> ). In the novel, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng beat demons and protect Tang Seng when they travel to the Western Paradise . Sun Wukong was born from a stone. He can change himself into a tree, a bird, or and animal. With one somersault , he can travel 108,000li. Sun Wukong is clever, brave and always makes fun magic tricks. Chinese people love him very much. Sun Wukong is also popular in other countries. Many western children love him and learn kung fu because of him. To them, he is a super hero, just like Superman and Spiderman. Which is TRUE from the passage?
A. Only young children love Sun Wukong.
B. Both young children and adults love Sun Wukong.
C. Sun Wukong is popular only in China.
D. In western countries, children don't know Sun Wukong.
Answer: B. Both young children and adults love Sun Wukong.
Michael wanted to make some money to buy a new computer game, but he did not know how. So he went to ask his brother Greg for help. "I think you could help to wash Mom's and Dad's cars," Greg said, "Some of the neighbors could pay you to wash theirs, too. It's getting colder and no one wants to wash the cars themselves." Michael agreed, but he shivered at the thought of washing cars and getting wet in cold weather."Maybe this isn't a good idea." "Don't worry," Greg said. "I have some golf gloves .You can use them to wash cars. and I will even help you to wash the cars.""Thank you!"Michael said. After spending the day washing cars, Michael got enough money and went to the store with Greg. He found the game he wanted quickly, but as he took it off the shelf he saw a golf video game next to it. He knew Greg loved golf and wouldn't play golf in winter, so he put his game back and decided to buy the golf video game. "What are you doing?" Greg asked. "I thought this game would be more fun." said Michael. "We can play it together." What's the passage mainly about?
A. Michael's childhood.
B. Michael and his neighbors.
C. How Michael made money
D. How Michael and Greg helped each other.
Answer: D. How Michael and Greg helped each other.
Some Chinese shops have stopped selling Japanese goods in protest against Tokyo's approval of a school history book they say _ Japan's militaristic past. It was not clear how many Chinese stores had stopped selling Japanese products, but one association official told Renters that the boycott had begun in Shanghai, the country's business center, and the northeast city of Shenyang. Chinese protests against Japan's bid for a permanent seat in the U.N. Security Council. Millions of Chinese have already signed an online demand against giving Japan a permanent seat. South Korea also has criticized the Japanese text book decision. The Korean English-language newspaper Korea Times ran an article on Monday criticizing that action. It said: "A civic education text even has a picture of Tokto( ) as Japanese district on its cover. We cannot help but wonder how many countries in the world would be teaching their children in such wrong words." It went on to say: "The country is already a global power and should show regional leadership, not by force but by moral superiority. Tokyo doesn't appear to be reaching forward in this direction." Which of the following statement is TRUE?
A. The Chinese led a boycott because Japan's bid for a permanent seat in the U.N. Security Council.
B. Shenyang is the business center of China.
C. Japan nowadays shows its regional leadership by moral superiority.
D. There has been much argument over an island between Japan and South Korea.
Answer: D. There has been much argument over an island between Japan and South Korea.
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Jessie felt her life so boring one summer day.She was tired of watching TV.She read all her books,and her friends were on vacation.She wanted something different to do.Suddenly,she saw the lawn mower sitting in the yard. "Mom,"she shouted,"I think I will mow the lawn."Her mom ran into the yard and said,"Oh no,you don't.You're too young to mow the law." "I'm fourteen years old and know how to do it,"Jessie said."Besides,it would help Dad out,and he won't have to worry about it over the weekend." Mom thought for a while and then decided to let Jessie have a try.After all ,she was home and would _ her.Jessie already knew how to start the lawn mower from watching her dad.Jessie checked the gas to make sure it was full,and put on her gardening gloves to protect her hands.Mom watched from the kitchen window.Jessie really does know how to mow the lawn.She was very careful around the flowers and trees.When she finished,she felt so good,but she was so hot.Mom brought her some ice tea and said,"You did a great job.Dad will be very surprised." Later that day,Dad came home and said to Jessie's mom,"You didn't have to mow the lawn.I was going to do it on Saturday.It looks great.Thanks." "I didn't mow it.Jessie did.""Wow,our little girt is growing up!"Dad told Jessie what a great job she had done."It was fun,and I will do it again next week,"said Jessie. The neighbor next door came by and asked Jessie if she wanted to mow his lawn and make some money."Sure!"said Jessie.Jessie began mowing his lawn.Two other neighbors asked so,then another three.Jessie was now mowing lawns for them all and making some money.She was no longer bored!"I won't have time to spend my money,"she laughed to herself. What does the text mainly tell us?
Doing something helpful can make people happy.
There is a story of a country where the rate of inflation is so high that clever people pay for a taxi ride before, instead of after the trip. The story may or may not be true. But inflation was up so fast that by the end of 1923, they were 50 billion percent higher-- a rise of almost 2500% a month. There was so much paper money, and it had so little value that people carried bags full of money around to pay for things. One woman tells the story of standing outside a shop with a basket full of 500, 000 mark notes . She wanted to buy just one piece of meat, and she hoped she had enough money. But when she was looking, a thief robbed her. He didn't take her money; however, he threw it away and took the basket instead. At first workers demanded to be paid every day. But as the situation became worse, they had to be paid twice a day. but they had to run out and spend the money at once, or it would lose its value. People bought anything that was for sale but food was almost impossible to find. Farm workers refused to take money. They wanted to be paid in potatoes instead. New policies ended the inflation in 1923 when the government introduced a new money. But about half of the German people lost everything in those three and a half years. According to the passage, in Germany the prices in 1920 were _ .
lower than those in 1923
Tech-Camp prefix = st1 /6 Devon Road, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong a technology day camp for students 12--17 About Tech-Camp: Tech-Camp is a day camp with a focus on computers and electronics technology. We offer 2-week summer programs for students of 12 to 17 years of age. We have a computer lab with the latest and fastest equipment, an electronics lab, and a video production studio. Our staff is special, too. Our program leaders are experts in computers and electronics, of course, but they are also people who care about children and enjoy working with them. The benefits of Tech-Camp: In all of our programs, we show students how to work in teams and how to solve problems by themselves. We encourage them to think creatively. What students will do at Tech-Camp? Each day at Tech-Camp is filled with useful, interesting and challenging activities. For example, in the Computer Program, students learn basic computer programming, and how to use the Internet. In the High-tech Program, they make radio-controlled model cars and produce their own short videos. Program Session 1 Computer Program 15June-26June High-tech Program 29June-10July 27July-7August Fee: HK $ 2,000 per student (10% discount available for groups of l0 or more students) For more information about Tech-Camp, please contact Director of Summer Program, Ms Julia Brown, by phone, fax or e-mail. Telephone :26548898 Fax: 26948850 e-mail: juliab@ techcamp. com. HK How special is the staff of the Tech-Camp?
They can offer some help to the children with their life in the Tech-camp.
Sports shoes that work out whether their owner has done enough exercise to promise time in front of the television have been devised in the UK. The shoes- named Square Eyes- contain an electronic pressure sensor and a tiny computer chip to record how many steps the wearer has taken in a day. A wireless transmitter passes the information to a receiver connected to a television, and this decides how much evening viewing time the wearer deserves , based on the day's efforts. The design was inspired by a desire to fight against the rapidly ballooning waistlines among British teenagers, says Gillian Swan, who developed Square Eyes as a final year design project at Brunel University in London, UK. "We looked at current issues and childhood overweight really stood out," she says. "And I wanted to tackle that with my design." Once a child has used up their daily allowance gained through exercise, the television automatically switches off. And further time in front of the TV can only be earned through more steps. Swan calculated how exercise should translate to television time using the recommended daily amounts of both. Health experts suggest that a child take 12,000 steps each day and watch no more than two hours of television. So, every 100 steps recorded by the Square Eyes shoes equals exactly one minute of TV time. Existing pedometers normally clip onto a belt or slip into a pocket and keep count of steps by measuring sudden movement. Swan says these can be easily tricked into recording steps through shaking. But her shoe has been built to be harder for lazy teenagers to cheat. "It is possible, but it would be a lot of effort," she says. "That was one of my main design considerations." Compared with other similar products, the new design _ .
make it difficult for lazy teenagers to cheat
I IMCKKD up the phone. Without so much as a hello ,a voice said: "What's new? We have an eagle in the backyard. It look me three second* lo recognize my nephew's a voice. He was excited. "He's sitting on top of a dead tree in the backyard .He's been there a long lime. We're tilling in the sunroom watching him." But actually, my nephew is blind. Ketinitis pigmentosa brgan stealing his sight when he was 12. He' s in his 20s now. "It's a big thing. Dad said it must have a wingspan of 6 feet (1.88 meters). We've got an eagle out hack!" I could believe they had the rare pleasure of spotting an eagle. What I couldn't believe was that my nephew, without sight, was giving the comment. It shouldn't have been that surprising,really? His sight might be gone, but he sees plenty. From memory, mostly; from conventions around him; from listening to television and radio. He has an amazing memory. We took him into town with us when we were visiting his parents once. Our GPS wasn' t working, so he gave us directions turn by turn, complete with landmarks, approximate distances and cautions on curves in the road. He knew exactly where we were and got us to where wanted to go. Second to his family, there are two things that have been important in this young man's life: a guide dog and a job. The guide dog gave him the confidence he didn't know he had. The job, "well" as his dad said: "Having a job makes him like everybody else. Now, he has something to come home and complain about at the end of the day." I never have a conversation with my nephew without asking about his job in case lie wants to complain. But I know-and I know that he knows work is a gift. We were created to work. We were made to produce goods and services, to invent and solve problems. Work is what drags us out of bed in the morning. Work gives us something to do and somewhere to go. If that doesn't I sound like a big deal, talk to someone who' s unemployed. It is working hard that enhances the lime that you don't work, from kicking back and reading a book to watching an eagle in your backyard. According lo the article, a job is very important lo the author's nephew mainly because .
a job enables him lo feel normal
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Shenzhen is a city in South China.It is not very big, but it has attracted people of the whole country and the whole world as well. Just about twenty years ago, it was only a small fishing village.There were not many people there. Most of them lived on fishing.Things have greatly changed since the 1980s.It became the first special economic zone in China. Because of the opening policy , economic changes between China and the outside world have increased greatly.People can come and go easily between Shenzhen and Hong Kong.Both foreigners and Chinese have built a lot of factories, companies and tourists' attractions there.People all over the country have come to find jobs.Many of them have settled down in this new booming city. Shenzhen is developing so fast that it has become a well-known metropolis in China. Many of them have settled down in this new booming city."settled down" means _ .
Answer: stayed there
Very far away from the city lived a poor farmer and his wife. In front of their house was a small dirt road. Very few cars drove on this road because it was so far from the city. On the dirt road, there was a big hole filled with water. The hole was very deep, but drivers on the road didn't know just how deep. Drivers always drove into the hole, but they never drove out. One day, a man in a new car was driving down the road. He saw the hole with the water, but he didn't think it was very deep. He drove into the hole, but he couldn't drive out. The man saw the farmer on his tractor working in the field, and he signaled to the farmer. The farmer drove over to the man in the new car. "Is there a problem?"asked the farmer. "Yes,"said the man."My car is stuck in this hole. Can you help me?" "Maybe,"said the farmer."But I'm very busy." "lf you help me, I'll pay you," said the man. "OK,"said the farmer. The farmer pulled the car out of the hole with his tractor, and the man paid him a lot of money. The man looked at the farmer and said,"You must. make a lot of money pulling cars out of this hole day and night." "Actually, no,"said the farmer. "Why not?"asked the man. "The hole is very deep, and a lot of people get stuck and ask for help. But I don't make money day and night because I don't pull cars out at night." "At night I'm busy filling the hole with water," answered the farmer. What did the farmer usually do at night?
Answer: He filled water to the hole
Whether it is "women and children first" or "every man for himself" in a shipwreck may depend on how long it takes the ship to sink, researchers said recently. When the Lusitania was torpedoed by a German ship in 1915, it sank in 18 minutes and the majority of the survivors were young men and women who responded immediately to their powerful survival instincts . But when the Titanic struck an iceberg in 1912, it took "three hours to go down, allowing time for more civilize behavior to take control--and the majority of the survivors were women, children and people with young children. Economist Benno Torgler of the Queensland University of Technology in Australia and his colleagues studied the two sinkings in order to explore the economic theory that people generally behave in a "rational" and selfish manner. The two tragedies provided a "natural experiment" for testing the idea, because the passengers on the two ships were quite similar in terms of gender and wealth. The major difference was how long it took the ships to sink. They suggested that when people have little time to react, instincts may rule. When more time is available, social influences play a bigger role. But psychologists noted that many factors other than following social norms could come into play in a disaster, including an evolutionary urge to save the species, attachments that are formed between individuals during the event and the leadership of authority figures. The extent of altruism and how it occurs "is a very controversial issue," said Anthony R. Mawson, a professor of preventive medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.He thinks the dominant response was attachment behavior. Psychologist Daniel Kruger of the University of Michigan, US thinks that the answer lies less in social norms and more in our evolutionary heritage. Human beings have a deep instinct to preserve our kind, he said, and that means "people are more likely to save those who have higher reproductive value, namely the young and women in child-bearing years". Kruger also stressed the importance of leadership during a disaster, noting that the Titanic's captain appeared to have greater control than the Lusitania's. What is the main idea of the passage?
Answer: The passage gives us various possible analyses about the disaster behaviors.
When it's five o'clock, people leave their office. The length of the workday, for many workers, is defined by time. They leave when the clock tells them they're done. These days, the time is everywhere: not just on clocks or watches, but on cell-phones and computers. That may be a bad thing, particularly at work. New research shows that clock-based work schedules hinder morale and creativity. Clock-timers organize their day by blocks of minutes and hours. For example: a meeting from 9 am to 10 a.m., research from 10 a.m. to noon, etc. On the other hand, task-timers have a list of things they want to accomplish. They work down the list, each task starts when the previous task is completed. It is said that all of us employ a mix of both these types of planning. What, then, are the effects of thinking about time in these different ways? Does one make us more productive? Better at the tasks at hand? Happier? In experiments conducted by Tamar Avnet and Anne-Laure Sellier, they had participants organize different activities--from project planning, holiday shopping, to yoga--by time or to-do list to measure how they performed under "clock time" vs "task time." They found clock timers to be more efficient but less happy because they felt little control over their lives. Task timers are happier and more creative, but less productive. They tend to enjoy the moment when something good is happening, and seize opportunities that come up. The researchers argue that task-based organizing tends to be undervalued and under-supported in the business culture. Smart companies, they believe, will try to bake more task-based planning into their strategies. This might be a small change to the way we view work and the office, but the researchers argue that it challenges a widespread characteristic of the economy: work organized by clock time. While most people will still probably need,and be, to some extent, clock-timers, task-based timing should be used when performing a job that requires more creativity. It'll make those tasks easier, and the task-doers will be happier. What do the researchers say about today's business culture?
Answer: It does not attach enough importance to task-based practice.
WASHINGTON----Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping arrived at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington,February 13,2012.Vice-President Xi Jinping said he would explore important problems in an active and practical manner with his America hosts on Monday during his five-day official trip here after arriving at Andrews Air Force Base in the afternoon. In a written statement given upon his arrival,Xi said as the international situation experiences complex and complete changes,China and the United States have more extensive common interests and shoulder more important common responsibilities on the present world stage. The purpose of the current visit is to "carry out the important _ reached by President Hu with President Obama during his visit to the United States in January last year and to advance the building of the China--US cooperative partnership based on mutual respect and mutual benefit",said Xi. According to Xi,bilateral relations have moved forward in spite of some twists and turns during the past several decades. "This has brought enormous benefits to our two countries and two peoples,and has had a positive, far-reaching impact on peace,stability and the prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large". Xi said that"whether we can seize opportunities,tackle challenges and build a cooperative partnership at the new historical starting point matters to the future of our two countries and the world as a whole." Xi said he looks forward to engaging in extensive dialogue and exchanges with Americans from various sectors to enhance cooperation and strengthen friendship. Xi is scheduled to meet US senior government officials,including Henry Kissinger,Brent Scowcroft,Zbigniew Brzezinski,Madeleine Albright and Henry Paulson this evening to listen to their advice on China-US ties. Meetings between Xi and US Vice-President Biden and President Obama are scheduled on Tuesday. The passage mainly tells us _ .
Answer: Xi is set to discuss important bilateral problems
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The Ministry of Construction has released the names of the first group of 20 national parks, including 9 Suzhou classical gardens: Zhuozheng Garden, Liu Garden, Wangshi Garden, Huanxiu Villa, Lion Grove, Yipu Garden, Ou Garden, Tuisi Garden and Canglang Pavilion. National parks refer to the famous city parks and gardens. Suzhou classical gardens are parts of China's precious cultural heritage (all the 9 gardens are on the list of World Cultural Heritage) as well as a necessary part of the life of Suzhou citizens, not to mention they are also world-famous tourism resorts . In fact, their unique historical and cultural background serves to contribute to their ranking among national parks. The earliest classical gardens in Suzhou can date back to the Song Dynasty. However, the gardens impress their visitors not only with their age-old history but also with their _ scenes, particularly Canglang Pavilion, Zhuozheng Garden, Lion Grove and Liu Garden, the most famous four that represent different styles of dynasties of Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing. In 1978, an imitation of a Suzhou classical garden was set up by Chen Congzhou (the author of the book Suzhou Classical Gardens) in the City Museum of Art in New York, US, which was the first time ever to directly introduce Chinese ancient architecture to Westerners. Which of the following statements about Suzhou classical gardens is NOT true?
Answer: They came into being at the same time.
In June 2013 a five-year-old boy, Toby, was walking home from school thinking about the long summer ahead. Money was tight that year and Toby's parents had told him they would not be able to afford a holiday. Instead of dreaming about foreign travel, he had been reading a book, Letter to New Zealand, where the author explains what happens in an envelope's journey from England to the other side of the world. As they neared their house, Toby asked his mum, Sabine, if he could write a letter to New Zealand. After a few more steps he was struck by an even better idea. "Can I write a letter to every country in the world?" Sabine says she often wonders what would have happened if she had replied differently that day. "It was just one of those typical questions that five-year-olds have," she says. " If he had asked me in the evening when I was tired, I might have refused. But as parents you realize there's a lot of power in just allowing kids to have a go. Also, it seemed a nice way to do some armchair exploration. So I told him" Let's see how far you get." The answer was very far indeed. Toby has since written and posted letters to all 193 UN mumber states, as well as numerous other bad-conditioned areas with comforting ones. To date he has written 681 letters- the best of which have been selected to appear in a new book called Dear World, How Are You?- although so productive is Toby' pen that the number will have risen by the time you read this. "Writing these letters has made me realize that the world isn't actually all that big," he says with a grin. In the future, part of him would like to be a musical director to turn his beloved Star Wars into a ballet. Of course, he also hopes to travel the globe in person to see some of the countries where his letters have ended up. "We're so lucky to have this wonderful world, and I hope we can live on planet Earth in peace." Why did Toby want to write letters to other countries?
Answer: He got inspired by a book.
Everyone wants to know the secrets of a long and healthy life. Here are some discoveries from health experts. Many studies looking into the lives of centenarians look at what they eat. Many people who live into their hundreds live in the Mediterranean , so their diet, which is high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and healthy fats like olive oil, gets a lot of attention. The diet has been linked to a healthier older age, lower risk for heart disease, and even protection against memory loss. Education is related to a longer life. A 2012 report from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics found that people with a bachelor's degree or higher live about nine years longer than people who don't graduate high school. James Smith, a health economist at the RAND Corporation, is also a supporter of the argument for staying in school for better life expectancy. His findings show education should be an even bigger factor than race and income. Educated people are more likely to land better jobs, plan for their future, and make healthier lifestyle choices. Being a hard worker doesn't necessarily mean job-stress will harm you. The Longevity Study found that plenty of hard workers lived long lives. "Skeptics may wonder if hard workers really are enjoying life." the authors write, "We found that productive, hardworking people (even in old age) are not stressed or miserable, but tend to be happier, healthier, and more socially connected than their less productive peers." Having a strong social group is associated with a longer life. We often turn to friends and family for support, and taking care of the people that matter to us may help us take better care of ourselves, some evidence shows. Some research even suggests that immune function is improved when we are around our friends, and that they help with stress management. Research shows that sitting for long period of time put people at risk for shorter lifespans and other health risks. A 2011 study found that each hour people spent sitting down and watching TV after age 25 was linked to 22 minutes from their overall life expectancy. According to the passage, in order to live a long life, we should _ .
Answer: be social and make more friends
American boys and girls love watching television. Some children spend six hours a day in school and four to six hours a day in front of the television set. Some even watch television for eight hours or more on the weekend. Televisions are like books or films. A child can learn both bad things and good things from them. Some programs help children to understand the news, and others show people and places from other countries or other time in history. With television, a child does not have to go to the zoo to see animals or to the ocean to see a ship. Boys and girls can see a play, a concert or a game at home. Television brings many places and events into our homes. Some programs show crime and other things that are bad for children, so parents sometimes help them find other interesting things to do. On television children can see _ .
Answer: almost everything
Everybody has a home. People have homes. Animals have homes, too. People live in different kinds of homes. Animals also have different kinds of homes. Some animals live in holes under the ground. The woodchuck lives under the ground. Its home has two doors. If any enemy comes through one door, the woodchuck goes out of the other. Some animals live in holes in trees. Some squirrels build nests high in trees. Some birds live in holes in trees. Most of the birds live in nests . Crows build their nests high in trees. But hawks build their nests high in the mountains. Some animals even carry their homes on their backs . Which animal carries its home on its back?
Answer: snail.
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Worlds of Fun Location: Worlds of Fun is located off Highway 435 in Kansas City, Missouri. History: Worlds of Fun was opened on May 26, 1973, at a cost of 25 million dollars. Loosely themed around the Jules Verne book, Around the World in Eighty Days, the park was founded by Hunt Midwest Company. In 1982, Hunt Midwest bought a nearby waterpark, Oceans of Fun. In 2013, Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun were combined to a one ticket admission, providing all guests with access to 235 acres of amusement and water rides. Hours: Worlds of Fun is open from April through Halloween. Tickets: Buy and print online. Always try to buy your tickets in advance, to save time when you get to the park. Reservations: Worlds of Fun sells "Fast Lane" cards that save riders' time by allowing them to bypass the majority of wait for most of rides and attractions including Mamba, Prowler, and Patriot. Ride as many times as you want all day long. Strategy : Most visitors tend to begin the day with Prowler, the hottest attraction in the park. Use that tendency to your advantage and head to the Patriot first. After that, try the Dragons. Then work your way back to the Prowler. After riding the Prowler, there is only one coaster left, Mamba. Hit it next. If the park is not very crowded, you can ride Boomerang on the way to Mamba. After riding Mamba, head back for a ride on the Wolf. By then you will have tried most of the popular rides and attractions in the shortest possible time. News: In 2014, Worlds of Fun is adding Steel Hawk, a ride that will take guests up 301 feet in the air and spin them at a 45-degree angle for a 60-second flight. Wait to have a try! With a "Fast Lane" card, the visitor can _ .
Answer:
One of the best things you can do for your health is to drop a few pounds. Or maybe morethan a few pounds. Being overweight increases your danger of heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer,,the list seems almost endless. You'd better find several simple things you can do on a daily basis such as making rules of eating more vegetables and less fat and getting more physical activities. After breakfast, make water your primary drink. At breakfast, go ahead and drink orange juice. But throughout the rest of the day, focus on water instead of juice or soda. The average American consumes an extra 245 calories a day from soft drinks. That's nearly 90,000 calories a year -- or 25 pounds! And research shows that neither the calories nor sugary drinks give you a sense of fullness the way that food does. People take only 2,000 to 3, 000 steps a day. Adding 2,000 steps will help you keep your present weight and stop gaining weight. Adding more than that will help you lose weight. Eat five or six small meals or snacks a day instead of three large meals. A 1999 South African study found that when men ate parts of their morning meal at intervals over five hours, they consumed almost 20 percent fewer calories at lunch than when they ate a single breakfast. Which of the following should be avoided if you want to lose weight?
Answer:
Anthony and Zach want to know how the temperature of the air affects the temperature of lake water. Which type of tool should they use to measure the temperatures?
Answer:
Linda Evans was my best friend--like the sister I never had. We did everything together: piano lessons, movies, swimming, horseback riding. When I was 13, my family moved away. Linda and I kept in touch through letters, and we saw each other on special time--like my wedding and Linda's. Soon we were busy with children and moving to new homes, and we wrote less often. One day a card that I sent came back, stamped "Address Unknown. " I had no idea how to find Linda. Over the years, I missed Linda very much. I wanted to share happiness of my children and then grandchildren. And I needed to share my sadness when my brother and then mother died. There was an empty place in my heart that only a friend like Linda could fill. One day I was reading a newspaper when I noticed a photo of a young woman who looked very much like Linda and whose last name was Wagman -- Linda's married name. "There must be thousands of Wagmans," I thought, but J still wrote to her. She called as soon as she got my letter. "Mrs Tobin!" she said excitedly, "Linda Evans Wagman is my mother. " Minutes later I heard a voice that I knew very much, even after 40 years, laughed and cried and caught up on each other's lives. Now the empty place in my heart is filled. And there's one thing that Linda and I know for sure: We won't lose each other again! ,. The writer was happy when she _ .
Answer:
Traveler My fifteen-year-old son has just returned from abroad with rolls of exposed film and a hundred dollars in uncashed traveler's checks, and is asleep at the moment.His blue duffel bag lies on the floor where he dropped it.Obviously, he postponed as much sleep as he could: when he walked in and we hugged, his electrical system suddenly switched off, and he headed directly for the bed, where I imagine he beat his old record of sixteen hours. It was his first trip overseas, so weeks before it, I pressed travel books on him, and a tape cassette of useful French phrases; drew up a list of people to visit; advised him on clothing and other things.At the luggage store where we went to buy him a suitcase, he headed for the duffels, saying that suitcases were more for old people. During the trip, he called home three times: from London, Paris, and a village named Ullapool.Near Ullapool, he climbed a mountain in a rainstorm that almost blew him off.In the village, a man spoke to him in Gaelic, and, too polite to interrupt, my son listened to him for ten or fifteen minutes, trying to nod in the right places.The French he learned from the cassette didn't hold water in Paris.The French he talked to shrugged and walked on. When my son called, I sat down at the kitchen table and leaned forward and hung on every word. His voice came through clearly, though two of the calls were like ship-to-shore communication.When I interrupted him with a "Great!" or a "Really?", I knocked a little hole in his communication.So I just sat and listened. I have never listened to a telephone so attentively and with so much pleasure.It was wonderful to hear news from him that was so new to me.In my book, he was the first man to land on the moon, and I knew that I had no advice to give him and that what I had already given was probably not much help. The unused checks are certainly evidence of that.Youth travels light.No suitcase, not much luggage and a slim expense account, and yet he went to the scene, and came back safely.I sit here amazed. The night when your child returns with dust on his shoes from a country you've never seen is a night you would gladly turn into a week. According to the passage, which of the following could best describe the author's son?
Answer:
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A primary school teacher asked her students to write a composition about what they would like God to do for them. At the end of the day, while marking the compositions, she read one that impressed her deeply. Her husband, who had just walked in, saw her crying and asked her, "What happened?" She answered, "Read this. It is one of my students' compositions." "Dear God, tonight I ask you for something very special: Make me into a television. I want to take its place and live like the TV in my house. Have my own special place, and have my family around me. To be taken seriously when I talk. I want to be the centre of attention and be heard without interruption or questions. I want to receive the same special care that the TV receives even when it is not working. Have the company of my dad when he arrives home from work, even when he is tired. And I want my mom to want me close when she is sad and upset, instead of ignoring me. And ...I want my brothers to fight to be with me...I want to feel that my family just put everything aside, every now and then, just to spend some time with me. And last but not least, make sure that I can make them all happy and entertain them. God, I don't ask you for much. I just want to live like our TV. " At that moment the husband said, "My God, poor kid, what horrible parents!" .The teacher looked up at him and said, "That composition is our son's!" Which is not right according to the passages?
A TV can entertain them
B TV can catch the attention of his family.
C TV can give you answers when you ask question.
D TV can receive special care from his family.
Answer: C
A new study suggests that early exposure to germs strengthens the immune system. That means letting children get a little dirty might be good for their health later in life. The study involved laboratory mice. It found that adult mice raised in a germ-free environment were more likely to develop allergies, asthma and other autoimmune disorders. There are more than eighty disorders where cells that normally defend the body instead attack tissues and organs. Richard Blumberg,who led the study,is a professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston,Massachusetts. He says,in 1989,medical researchers who sought to explain these diseases, first discovered that the increasing use of antibacterial soaps and other products, especially early in life, could weaken immune systems. Now, Dr. Blumberg and his team have what is the first biological evidence to link early exposure to germs to stronger adult immune systems. They say this exposure could prevent the development of some autoimmune diseases. In the adult germ-free mice, they found that inflammation in the lungs and colon was caused by so-called killer T cells. These normally fight infection. But they became overactive and targeted healthy tissue--an autoimmune condition seen in asthma and a disease called ulcerative colitis . Dr. Blumberg says the mice raised in a normal environment did not have the same reaction. He says their immune systems had been "educated" by early exposure to germs. Rates of autoimmune disorders are rising worldwide, but mostly in wealthier, industrialized countries. According to Dr. Blumberg, it might be high time that people were warned to be more careful with the early use of antibiotics and the prescription from their doctors. Rob Dunn is a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. He says the new study does not mean people should stop washing. "Wash your hands , but don't do it with antibacterial soap. Let your kids play in a reasonable amount of dirt and get outside and get exposed to a diversity of things", says Rob Dunn. To keep healthy in the future, children had better _ .
A play in a dirty environment once in a while
B live in a germ-free environment
C use plenty of antibacterial soaps
D stay in under developed countries
Answer: A
A young man worked very hard at his lessons. He was too busy to have a rest. At last, he became ill, so he couldn't go to sleep. Every night, when he went to bed, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep. But he always stayed awake and couldn't fall asleep. After some days, he decided to see a doctor. "I just can't go to sleep at night. What should I do? Could you please help me?" "I have a suggestion ,"said the doctor. "Try counting numbers. By the time you reach one thousand, you'll be asleep. I'm sure of it." The next day the man returned to the doctor's office. "Well," said the doctor, how are you today? Did you try my suggestion?" The man still looked tired. "Yes," he said, "I tried counting one, two, and three-- up to one thousand. But when I reached five hundred and sixty-nine, I began to feel sleepy. I had to get up and drink some tea so that I could go on counting up to one thousand. But then I still couldn't fall asleep." The young man _ in fact.
A didn't understand the doctor's suggestion
B wasn't ill at all
C was not able to count numbers
D didn't try the doctor's suggestion
Answer: A
In classes, your teachers will talk about topics that you are studying. The information they provide will be important for you to know when you take tests. You must be able to take good written notes from what your teachers say. Taking good notes has three stages. There are certain things you should do before class, during class, and after class. Here are the three stages of note-taking and what you should do during each class. 1. Get Ready to Take Notes Review your notes from the previous class before you come to class. This will help you remember what was covered and get you ready to understand the new information your teacher will provide. Complete all assigned readings before you come to class. Your teacher will expect that you have done this and will use and build upon this information. Bring all note-taking materials with you to class - several pens and pencils as well as your notebook. 2. Take Notes Keep your attention on what your teacher is saying. Paying attention to "signal statements". Examples of signal statements are "The most important point ..." and "Remember that ..," Be sure to include in your notes information that your teacher repeats or written on the blackboard. Write quickly so that you can include all the important information in your notes. Do this by writing abbreviated words such as med for medicine, using symbols such as % for percent, and writing short sentences. Place a "?" next to information about whose meaning you are not sure. What will most probably be talked about next?
A How to prepare for exams.
B An easy way to take notes.
C Note-taking after class.
D The importance of taking notes.
Answer: C
Homeowner owns a house on a lake. Neighbor owns a house across a driveway from Homeowner's property. Neighbor's house sits on a hill and Neighbor can see the lake from his living room window. Homeowner and Neighbor got into an argument and Homeowner erected a large spotlight on his property that automatically comes on at dusk and goes off at sunrise. The only reason Homeowner installed the light was to annoy Neighbor. The glare from the light severely detracts from Neighbor's view of the lake. In a suit by Neighbor against Homeowner, will Neighbor prevail?
A Yes, because Homeowner installed the light solely to annoy Neighbor.
B Yes, if, and only if, Neighbor's property value is adversely affected.
C No, because Neighbor's view of the lake is not always obstructed.
D No, if the spotlight provides added security to Homeowner's property.
Answer: A
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Ortega owned Blackacre in fee simple and by his will specifically devised Blackacre as follows: "To my daughter, Eugenia, her heirs and assigns, but if Eugenia dies survived by a husband and a child or children, then to Eugenia's husband during his lifetime with remainder to Eugenia's children, their heirs and assigns. Specifically provided, however, that if Eugenia dies survived by a husband and no child, Blackacre is specifically devised to my nephew, Luis, his heirs and assigns." While Ortega's will was in probate, Luis quitclaimed all interest in Blackacre to Eugenia's husband, José. Three years later, Eugenia died, survived by José but no children. Eugenia left a will devising her interest in Blackacre to José. The only applicable statute provides that any interest in land is freely alienable. Luis instituted an appropriate action against José to establish title to Blackacre. Judgment should be for
Answer:
"Can I see my baby?" the happy new mother asked. When she saw the baby, she was surprised. The baby was born without ears. As time went by, the baby grew up. There was nothing wrong with his hearing. But some kids laughed at him because he didn't have ears. The baby was very sad, but his parents did nothing but felt sorry for him. The boy's father talked with a doctor. "Could nothing be done?" the father asked. " I believe I could give him a pair of outer ears, if they could be got." The doctor answered. So they began to look for a person who would like to give his or her ears. Two years went by. Then the father said, "You are going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have found someone and it will give the ears you need. But it's a secret, "said the father. The operation was very successful. Several years later, he got a good job. One day, he told his father " But I must know who gave so much to me. I want to do something for him or her." "I am sorry, but I can't tell you." Said the father. The secret was kept for years, but the day did come. For the boy it was one of the darkest days. He stood with his father over his mother's coffin. Slowly, the father raised her thick brown hair to show that his mother had no outer ears. "Your mother said she was glad that she never let her hair be cut," he said, "and nobody ever thought she was less beautiful, did they?" Who gave the ears to the boy?
Answer:
A hoarder is someone who is unable or unwilling to throw items away, and the disposal of items causes them considerable pain. When people hoard a massive amount of objects, it takes over the inhabitable spaces of their home. As the collection grows, they are unable to do simple , _ activities such as cooking a meal or watch TV. Sometimes the hoarding is so severe that parts of their homes become inaccessible. But among the many problems that such behavior brings about, the most significant are the health risks. Once hallways and windows are blocked, hoarders are at the risk of dying in a fire, since they no longer have a clear path of evacuation . Things that are piled up high can fall on top of the homeowner, or a person trying to climb over a pile of objects can experience a fall. There is also the problem of sanitation . Areas where food can't be properly cleaned begin to attract insects, and bathrooms that are full of many possessions can no longer be washed. Unfortunately, the serious effect of the problem can become worse for two reasons. One is that since the behavior progress behind closed doors, people can accumulate collections of objects for years before friends or family members become aware of the problem. A second reason is that hoarders often don't recognize that they have a problem, and will continue to live in denial until they get professional help. When attempting to make a diagnosis, psychologists don't regard hoarding as a disorder in itself. Instead, it's often seen as a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder , depression, or anxiety. The mental health community has only recently begun an intensive study of boarding, and more research is needed in order to understand its causes and find effective treatment. We can infer from the passage that _ .
Answer:
Well-known companies are powered by their names and reputations. When people walk into a Pizza Hut in Tokyo, Rome, or Miami, they know exactly what they are getting. Through franchising, an investor can make use of this brand power by opening a Pizza Hut of his or her own. The risk is low, and the rewards can be big. No wonder franchising is such a successful business model. Franchising had been around for more than 100 years, but its popularity took off in the 1950s. Leading the trend were fast food restaurant like McDonald's. These days, there are franchises in more than eighty-five industries, including dry cleaning, hotels and supermarkets. It's a very big business. In the US, there are some 760,000 franchises, totaling more than $1.5 trillion in yearly revenues (income). There are two sides in a franchise: the franchisor--the owner of the business system and the franchisee--the person who licenses the system. After signing a "franchise agreement", the franchisee pays a fee. He or she also pays for equipment, supplies, and, if necessary, building costs. The total investment usually ranges from $10,000 to $1,000,000. After the business opens, the franchisee also pays a percentage of sales revenues--called a royalty--to the franchisor. Marking fees must also be paid. In return, the franchisee receives many benefits. Training is among the most common ones. It includes everything from dealing with customers to understanding the company's standards. The franchisor also handles advertising. On top of that, there's the benefit of the brand reputation that the company has built up. All of these benefits make the risk of opening a franchise much smaller than that of starting a business from scratch. However, a franchise can also have drawbacks. If a customer at a single restaurant gets sick, it may hurt every franchise in the system. Running a franchise also means closely following the company's standards. So, one has to give up a degree of independence. You have to do things their way and trust that the system will work. If you want to earn a lot of money from the business, you have to work hard. Also, remember that the monthly royalty must be paid, even if you are losing money. However, there are thousands of opportunities in franchising. They will surely grow as brand recognition becomes more important in the global economy . What does the word "franchise" mean in the passage?
Answer:
Amy is short-sighted, so she wears glasses. But she doesn't wears glasses when she is with her fried, Jack. When Jack comes to her house to take her out, she takes her glasses off. When she gets bake ,she puts on the glasses. One day, Amy's mother asks her ,"Why don't you wear your glasses when you are with Jack? He takes you to see many ;lovely places in his car, but you can't see anything clearly."Amy says, "He thinks I look more lovely when I'm not wearing my glasses and I think he looks better, too." Amy thinks Jack looks better when _ .
Answer:
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This is a page from a college information handbook. It tells you where you can find several different college services and facilities . Where To Find Help In The College Here are the places of some important college services and facilities. Rooms numbered 100-130 are on the first floor and those numbered 200-230 are on the second floor of the main college buildings. Students Services Center Careers 113 The officers can offer you some advice on career choice and applications for higher education. Accommodation Office 114 Mrs. J Mardle is here each afternoon from 1:30 to 4:30 to help students with housing problems. Medical Room 115 Mrs. J Wright, the college nurse, helps you each morning from 9:30 to12:00 am. The college doctor is on duty at the room on Wednesday mornings. Sports office 207 Mrs. B Murie can provide information about sporting and keep-fit activities. Student Union Office 222 A range of services and advice (travel etc.) is provided. Food service 127 Mr G Nunn is the manager and will do his best to help if you ask for a special diet. Library 215 Besides books this also has photocopying, video, audio-visual and computing facilities. Self Access Language Learning Center 203 Students can attend on a drop-in basis from 9:00 am to 4:15 pm. As a foreign student, you may go to Room 127 to _ .
A apply for a scholarship
B ask for supply of some special food
C inquire about educational fees
D obtain a copy of a certificate
Answer: B
Driving down a dark road, Defendant accidentally ran over a man. Defendant stopped and found that the victim was dead. Defendant, fearing that he might be held responsible, took the victim's wallet, which contained a substantial amount of money. He removed the identification papers and put the wallet and money back into the victim's pocket. Defendant is not guilty of
A larceny, because he took the papers only to prevent identification and not for his own use.
B larceny, because he did not take anything from a living victim.
C robbery, because he did not take the papers by means of force or putting in fear.
D robbery, because he did not take anything of monetary valu
Answer: C
The Internet has become part of teenagers' life. There's a report on 3 375 students aged from 10 to 18 in seven Chinese cities. It says that 38 percent of them believe they use the Internet often. While most of them get useful information and use the Internet to help in their studies, some are not using _ in a good way. Many are playing online games too much. A few even visit Web sites they should not look at. Bad things can happen if young people spend too much time on the Internet. In order to help young people use the Internet in a good way, a textbook on good Internet behavior has started to be used in some Shanghai middle schools this term. It uses real examples to teach students all about good ways of using the Internet. It gives useful advice such as it's good to read news or find helpful information to study. Some students also make online friends. But if you are meeting a friend offline, let your parents know. Teachers and parents all think the book is a very good idea. It will teach students how to be a good person in the online world. It will be a guide for teens to use the Internet and keep students away from bad sites. Why do teachers and parents think the book is a good idea?
A Because it helps with the students' studies.
B Because it gives useful information for studying.
C Because it is used in Shanghai middle schools.
D Because it teaches students how to be a good person in the online world.
Answer: D
As a young child, I was quiet and shy. I was also sick for a long time. My parents worked, and I spent a lot of time at my grandparent's home. While my grandmother cleaned the house and cooked, my grandfather played with me. I was six when my grandfather died. A few months before he died, he gave me a beautiful blue and white blanket . I loved the blanket very much because it made me think of my grandfather. But after a few years, the blanket didn't look very good. It had holes and was dirty. I didn't want to throw the blanket away, so my mother made the blanket into a book bag. I was proud of the book bag, and I used it to carry my books to school every day for a few years. Then the book bag was broken. I begged my mother to make something out of it. She made it into a pencil-box. After a few months, the pencil-box was broken, too. By then I could sew , and I made the pencil-box into a small wallet. I used it for three years, but one day I lost it. I felt sad. My friends and family said, "Forget about it, Paul. You can't make something out of nothing." I thought about it for a while. I decided my friends and family were wrong. There was a way to make something out of nothing. I wrote down the story of my grandfather's blanket. Paul wrote down the story to _ .
A pass the time
B find the blanket
C tell his grandfather
D remember his grandfather
Answer: D
It is often assumed that people with parents who lived to be very old are more likely to live to a grand old age themselves. "But that's just not true - our study shows that hereditary factors don't play a major role and that lifestyle has the biggest impact." says professor Lars Wilhelmsen, referring to the 1913 Men Study that formed the basis of the current research. Those who did not smoke, consumed mild amounts of coffee and had a good socio-economic status at the age of 50 (measured in terms of housing costs), as well as good physical working ability at the age of 54 and low cholesterol at 50 had the greatest chance of celebrating their 90th birthday. "We're breaking new ground here." says Wilhelmsen. "Many of these factors have previously been identified as playing a role in cardiovascular( )disease, but here we are showing for the first time that they are important for survival in general," He believes that it is significant that the research illustrates so clearly that it is the sum of our own habits that has the biggest impact. "The study clearly shows that we can influence several of the factors that decide how old we get," says Wilhelmsen. "This is positive not only for the individual, but also for society as it doesn't need any major drug costs," The study has been published in the Journal of Internal Medicine. The 1913 Men study started up in 1963. A third of all male 50-year-olds in Gothenburg were called for a check-up that focused on cardiovascular health. Every ten years since, a new group of 50-year-olds has been called in and those who were already taking part in the study have been given another check-up. This has enabled researchers to follow the development of illnesses in a specific age group, and to compare the health of 50-year-olds in 2003 with that of 50-year-olds in 1963, for example. Women have also been included in the study since 2003. Data have been studied over the years. including BMI , smoking habits, cholesterol, exercise habits and blood pressure, The men born in l913 were examined when they were 50, 54,60, 67, 75 and 80. Of the 855 men who took part in the study from the start, lll (13%) were still alive at the age of 90. Over the years the material has brought out many research articles. An interesting result came in 2008 when researchers were able to show that the drop in the number of smokers, combined with lower cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure, between 1963 and 2003 could offer an explanation for the marked downturn in the number of heart attacks during this 40-year period. The earlier men involved in the 1913 Men Study were examined in _ for the second time.
A 1917
B 1967
C 1923
D 1973
Answer: B
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One day after school, I went to the teacher's office to see my teacher, but nobody was there. As I was about to leave, I noticed a piece of paper on the floor. I picked it up and saw the words "FINAL-TERM EXAMINATION" at the top. I put the paper into my school bag secretly and ran out of the room. After I came back home, I took out the paper quickly. It was the exam paper of my worst subject, History. I felt excited. My heart beat fast. I took out my History book and started working on the answer. I had never answered any questions so seriously. On the day of the History exam, I went into the exam hall confidently. When the paper was sent to me, I dreamt of getting the highest mark in the whole grade and could not help smiling. "My History teacher always encouraged me to work hard and get better grades, but I let him down time and time again. This time I will give him a big surprise," I thought. When the teacher said we could start, I turned the paper over. To my surprise, all the questions were different. Later I felt nervous. In the end, I almost left the paper undone. After the exam. I ran to the toilet, took out the paper and carefully read it from the top. Oh! It was last year's exam paper. I read all the questions but I hadn't read the date. This is a lesson in which I know I have to put my feet on the ground. I regretted doing such a silly thing. After that, I told my teacher the truth and I promised to be honest. From then on, I worked harder than ever before. What might the writer write in his diary?
Answer: I'm truly sorry for what I did. Everyone should be honest. I'll ...
All over the world, people enjoy sports. Sports are good for people's health. Many people like to watch others play games. They buy tickets or turn on their TV sets or may be online to watch. Sports change with the seasons. People play different games in different seasons. Sometimes they play inside the room. Sometimes they play outside. We can find sports here and there. Some sports are interesting and people everywhere like them. Football, for example, is very popular in the world. People from different countries can not understand each other, but after a game they often become very friendly to each other. ,. Sports are good for _
Answer: people's health
We are going to talk again this week about higher education for disabled students who want to study in the United States.As we noted last time,there are no special colleges or universities for blind students.But there are for deaf students.One of them is Gallaudet University in Washington,D.C. Gallaudet is said to be the world's only liberal arts university where everything is designed for deaf or hard-of-hearing students.About 2,000 students attend Gallaudet.The cost for international students is about 33,000 dollars a year. Financial aid is available in the form of scholarships,but only after the first year of studies. Most scholarship aid goes to students in financial need who do well in their first year.One scholarship for international students is for deaf students from developing countries.Another is just for students from China.The university also offers an English Language Institute.But Gallaudet says this program does not guarantee acceptance to the university. In the past year,students at Gallaudet protested against the administration's choice of a new president for the university.The protests led to the choice of a different president who is more popular with the students,Robert Davila.He is a former officer of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf.This technical college is in Rochester, New York. It is one of the eight colleges in the Rochester Institute of Technology. More than one thousand students attend the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. About one hundred of them are international students.They come from Africa, Asia,Europe and South America. The cost is about 28,000 dollars a year for an international Technical Institute student.Foreign graduate students pay about 20,000 dollars. Both undergraduate and graduate student can receive limited financial aid. They can also take part in the student employment program.This program makes it possible for students to work at the school. Robert Davila is the president who _ .
Answer: is well received there
A boy might have brown hair due to
Answer: inheritance
Books, Films and Plays The novelist's medium is the written word, one might almost say the printed word. Typically the novel is consumed by a silent, individual reader, who may be anywhere at the time. The paperback novel is still the cheapest, most portable and adaptable form of narrative entertainment. It is limited to a single channel of information---writing. The narrative can go, effortlessly, anywhere: into space, people's head, palaces, prisons and pyramids, without any consideration of cost or practical possibility. In determining the shape and content of his narrative, the writer is restricted by nothing except purely artistic criteria. The novelist keeps absolute control over his text until it is published and received by the audience. He may be advised by his editor to revise his text, but if the writer refused to meet this condition no one would be surprised. It is not unknown for a well-established novelist to deliver his or her manuscript and expect the publisher to print it exactly as written. However, not even the most well-established playwright or screenplay writer would submit a script and expect it to be performed without any rewriting. This is because plays and motion pictures are cooperative forms of narrative, using more than one channel of communication. The production of a stage play involves, as well as the words of the author, the physical presence of the actors, their voices and gestures, the "set" and possibly music. Although the script is the essential basis of both stage play and film, it is a basis for subsequent revision negotiated between the writer and the other creative people involved. They are given "approval" of the choice of director and actors and have the right to attend rehearsals , during which period they may undertake more rewriting work. In the case of the screenplay, the writer may have little or no control over the final form of his work. Contracts for the production of plays protect the rights of authors in this respect. In film or television work, on the other hand, the screenplay writer has no contractual right to this degree of consultation. While the script is going through its various drafts, the writer is in the driver's seat, although sometimes receiving criticism from the producer and the director. But once the production is under way, artistic control over the project tends to pass to the director. _ What can be implied from the last sentence of the passage?
Answer: TV critics often blame the wrong people for the failure of a program.
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In Mexico, girls mark their fifteenth birthday with a celebration called Quinceanera. In the morning, the birthday girl goes to the church with her family and her best friends. She wears a beautiful dress. Later in the day, there is a huge party, with a big cake that matches the girl's dress, and a night filled with music and dancing. Becoming an adult is a very important life change, and Japan has a special holiday to celebrate this. The second Sunday in January is Coming-of-Age Day. On that day, everyone who had their twentieth birthday in the last year goes to their Town Hall for a special activity. Everyone dresses up, and many women wear beautiful dresses. The mayor makes a speech and gives presents to all the new adults. Some kids are afraid to start school, but six-year-olds in Germany can't wait. For them, Schulanfang is a big holiday. To celebrate a child's first day of school, parents or friends give the child a Zuckertuete, a big color box filled with candy and little presents. People take pictures of the kids holding their Zuckertuete, and there is a school party later for the parents with cake and coffee. What happens at Quinceanera?
Eating a diet high in processed food increases the risk of depression , research suggests. What's more, people who ate plenty of vegetables, fruit and fish actually had a lower risk of depression, the University College London team found. Data on diet among 3,500 middle-aged civil servants were compared with their emotional state five years later, a British journal reported. They split the participants into two types of diet--those who ate a diet largely based on whole food,which includes lots of fruit, vegetables and fish,and those who ate a mainly processed food diet, such as sweetened desserts, fried food, processed meat,refined grains and high fat dairy products After accounting for factors such as gender, age, education, physical activity, smoking habits and chronic diseases, they found a significant difference in the future depression risk with the different diets. Those who ate the most wholefood had a 26% lower risk of future depression than those who ate the least wholefood. By contrast, people with a diet high in processed food had a 58% higher risk of depression than those who ate a diet low in processed foods. Study author Dr. Archana Singh Manoux pointed out there was a chance that the finding could be explained by lifestyle factor they had not accounted for. He also pointed in a paper that a Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower risk of depression, but the problem with that is if you live in Britain, the likelihood of you eating a Mediterranean diet is not very high. Dr.Andrew McCulloeh, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, said, this study adds to an existing body of solid research that shows the strong links between what we eat and our mental health. He added people's diets were becoming increasingly unhealthy. The UK population is consuming less nutritious, fresh produce and more saturated fats and sugars. The text is mainly about _ .
You're finishing up your history homework when your cell phone rings. You've got 30 minutes to reach head-quarters, get your equipment packed and receive your task. There's a lost hiker in the mountains near the edge of town. Your task: find the missing person; provide emergency medical treatment, if necessary; and be prepared to operate 48 hours on your own with only the supplies you carry. Sounds like some kind of film's plot? Not if you're a member of the Arapahoe teen rescue patrol in the suburbs of Denver. About 25 teen guys and girls are active members of this search, rescue and emergency organization, and they know firsthand that you don't have to be an adult to save lives. These 9th-through-12th graders are the real deal when it comes to emergency services. In fact, they're the only teen-commanded patrol in the nation. Sure they have adult advisers to turn to if necessary, but in the field it's a teen patrol officer calling the shots -- sometimes even giving direction to adults. Members are trained in rock-high-angle,swift-water and avalanche rescue , winter and alpine operation , wilderness life support and emergency care, among other skills. They also regularly ride along with the local fire and police departments, providing support such as security details and evidence searching. When asked what qualities make a good patrol member, founder and president Stan Bush named good physical conditioning and an interest in helping people. "We put in lots and lots of hours helping people in trouble," he says. "So if a person is not really interested in doing that kind of thing, he won't last as a member." What would be the best title for the passage?
Do you usually go Dutch(AA) when you take someone out to dinner? Do you expect your date to pay for the whole meal? Many people say that as long as there's love, money doesn't matter much. But this might change when the relationship gets serious and it is related to the money borrowed from the bank, the family present accounts and debt. A survey among 8 million couples in the UK suggested that 44% of married couples don't know exactly what their partner earns. An astonishing 23% actively try to keep their finances secret from their partners. About 38% of them are open to each other. Another 12% refuses to tell the truth. British relationship expert Russell says: "It's very difficult to talk about money. Often there's guilt, there's shame. To start those conversations is difficult. Money can be about how we value ourselves, how we feel valued. It's not just a simple case of talking about hard cash." So if you are in a couple, it might be a good idea to check if you both are on the same page about money before bills pile up on the kitchen table and love flies out of the window. When moving in together, couples should not only talk about their personal habits but also about their financial ones. Russell has a word of advice: "Accept the fact that in your relationship you might do money differently - there might be a spender or a saver. It's very attractive if your partner does things differently to say they're wrong. Do it differently but plan it well." And now, back to that date. Would you be bored with someone who was attractive but expected you to pay the bill by yourself? There's food for thought. When they have to tell their partner they don't earn much money, some people might feel _ .
Thanks to science, industry and moral philosophy, mankind's steps were at last guided up the right path in the past century. The 19th century of steam was about to give way to the 20th century of oil and electricity. Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, only 41 years old in 1900, provided a scientific basis for the idea that progress was not to be stopped, determined by natural law. And almost everybody thought that the development would continue to be as slow as that in the 19th century. Inventions like the railroad or the telegraph or the typewriter enabled people to live their everyday lives a little more conveniently. No one could have guessed that new ideas would storm the world with a force and frequency at an amazing pace. This high-speed attack of new ideas and technologies seemed to make people believe in the old dreams of a perfect life on earth, of a safe world in which natural disasters would be controlled. But the fast progress was accompanied by something against mankind's will. Murders in Sarajevo in 1914 led to the Great War, which did more than destroy a generation of Europeans. The Great War was most commonly called so until the beginning of World War II when it was renamed World War I. Hitler rose to power in the 1930's. It was this very man who ordered the attack of prefix = st1 /Poland, only to meet with his failure whenGreat BritainandFrancemade war onGermany. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese bombed the American naval base at Pearl harbor. Americans decided to enter the war, and World War II was now truly a world war. But civilization was not crushed by the two great wars, and from the ruins people built a way of life again. The citizens of the 20th century felt free to reinvent themselves. In that task they were aided by two far-reaching developments-Psychoanalysis and the Bomb. Because of the inventions like the railroad, telegraph and type writer, people could _ .
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Question: Now QQ coins are popular among Chinese teenagers. People use real money to buy Web money. Then they buy clothes for their online characters or services for their online pets with it. And these fancy things will cost QQ fans more in the future. The government will put a tax of 3% on online sales. For example, if QQ users pay 100 yuan for 110 QQ coins, they will have to spend 103 yuan in the future. The extra three yuan is tax. Beijing was the first city to carry out the policy. Online games have to pay the tax, too. A number of players make money by spending a lot of time on the games to gain powers , and then selling them. Experts said that online trade grow fast. There is more than 10 billion yuan of real money in online trade a year in China. However, the government's new move has become a hot topic among Internet users around the country. In a survey by sina.com more than 70% of about 3,000 surveyed were against it. They said that the tax is too much. But supporters said the government's better management of the Internet would help it become healthier. They believe the new move would help stop online identity theft . The new move can help Internet become healthier and _ .
A. stop online shopping
B. stop online trade
C. stop online identity theft
D. stop online spending money
Answer:
C
Question: One evening, a young man at a certain college who was known to be something of a poet read one of his poems to a small group of his friends in a room.The poem was greatly admired.But afterwards, one of them, who was called Crick, said, "I was very interested in Hand's poem, but it was stolen from a book." His words were reported to Hand, who was very angry and required an apology."Well," said Crick, "I don't often take back what I said, but this time I admit I was mistaken.When I got to my room, I looked in the book which I thought the poem was stolen from, and I saw it was still here!" According to the passage, we can infer that Hand _ .
A. was a young poet
B. liked poems very much
C. would be a poet
D. was regarded as a poet
Answer:
B
Question: Do you know Marc Yu . He is very famous . He is only nine years old. He is a Chinese American. His mother is from Macao. He likes music very much and he has great musical talent . He can play forty pieces of classical music now. After hearing Mary Had a little Lamb one time at the age of three, he began playing it on the piano. Before that, he didn't learn the piano at all. He started to take the piano lessons at the age of three. His first public performance was at the age of three , too. Now he can play great music for people on the stage. He wants to be a famous musician like Lang Lang in the future. He likes LangLang very much. Lang Lang is his idol. When did he begin to learn the piano?
A. At the age of 9
B. At the age of 5
C. At the age of 3
D. At the age of 10
Answer:
C
Question: One Monday morning, Paul and his classmates were in science laboratory for their practical chemistry lesson. The students were going to work in pairs to do an experiment. Before they began, the teacher gave them this description of the different stages of the experiment. Stage 1: Prepare the equipment: a test tube, a crucible, a Bunsen burner and tongs. Stage 2: Weigh 5 grams of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and put it in a crucible. Stage 3: Heat 10 ml of hydrochloric acid in a test tube. Stage 4: Pour the warm acid onto the baking soda and continue to heat the mixture. Result: The acid reacts with the bicarbonate to form water, carbon dioxide gas and salt. The hotter the mixture, the quicker the reaction. Continue to heat the mixture until the water evaporates, leaving the salt in the crucible. Paul and his partner followed the instructions and set up their equipment. Paul went to the cupboard to get a bottle of hydrochloric acid. He found that there was only one bottle in the cupboard so he took that. There was no label on the bottle and Paul didn't check with the teacher if it was the right solution. He measured the liquid and poured it into a test tube. Using tongs to hold the test tube, he heated it over the Bunsen burner. That's when things started to go wrong. The liquid in the test tube was not hydrochloric acid. When it was heated, it formed a thick cloud of white gas. Soon the room was full of this strong smelling white gas. All the students started coughing and their eyes hurt. The teacher immediately opened the windows and ordered the students to leave the laboratory at once. She realized that the liquid was a crylamide and that it is poisonous. Fortunately, nobody was injured in the incident. However, it taught the students and the teacher a good lesson. What substance were the students making in the experiment?
A. Water
B. Carbon dioxide gas
C. Salt
D. Poisonous gas
Answer:
C
Question: Time: July 16-20 Location: Norman Park Conference Center Price: 500 Students who have completed the 5th, 6th or 7th grade and meet our requirements can take part in this exciting project. Children will spend 5 days in the Center joining in various activities. Our theme for this camp is "Teamwork". The title speaks to our goal: We want this trip to help our students improve their sense of cooperation. What to do: Step one: Form work *Click on the link to print out the necessary forms: Propel Missions Camp Forms *Complete the forms, printing clearly. *Turn in your forms along with a copy of your insurance card to the office during business hours. Member form * This form must be signed and notarized . * Your form may be notarized at the office during normal office hours, at the Children's reception desk before and after service times, or by a lawyer of your choosing. Special needs form (If needed) Special needs form should be filled out only if there is a particular need (as described in the form) of which we and the camp should know. Roommate form This form will help us place your child in a room with the partners he or she prefers. We will provide a list of students attending at your request to help your child make his or her choices. Step two: Read Click on the link and read carefully the Parent Information Packet provided by the camp: Propel Missions Camp Forms (Parents) How to get in touch If interested, get in touch with Pastor Scott at scott. Morrison@fbcvidalia.org or call the office at (912)537-4169. What do you know about the camp?
A. It will begin on July 16 and last for five days.
B. Students in any grade can take part in the camp.
C. Parents are allowed to come along with their children.
D. Students can join in the camp for free.
Answer:
A
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A subject which seems to have been insufficiently studied by doctors and psychologists is the influence of geography and climate on the psychological and physical health of mankind. There seems no doubt that the general character of the landscape, the relative length of day and night, and the climate must all play a big part in determining what kind of people we are. It is true that a few studies have been made. Where all the inhabitants of a particular area enjoy exceptionally good or bad health, scientists have identified contributory factors such as the presence or absence of substances like iodine, fluoride, calcium, or iron in the water supply, or perhaps types of land that provide breeding places for pests like mosquitoes or rats. Moreover, we can all generalize about types of people we have met. Those living in countries with long dark winters are apt to be less talkative and less vivacious than inhabitants of countries where the climate is more equable. And where the olive and the orange grow, there the inhabitants are cheerful, talkative, and spontaneous. But these commonplace generalizations are inadequate: the influence of climate and geography should be studied in depth. Do all mountain dwellers live to a ripe old age? Does the drinking of wine, rather than beer, result in a sunny and open temperament? Is the strength and height of one of the Kenyan tribes due to their habitual drinking of the blood of cows? We are not yet sure of the answers to such questions, but let us hope that something of benefit to mankind may eventually result from such studies. According to the author, research into the influence of geography and climate should _ .
go much deeper
When I was a child, I was shocked at the idea that my sisters could be my best friends. Now, I wouldn't have it any other way. At the time, the idea of my two sisters being my closest friends seemed strange to me. We fought all the time over toys, food, attention, what to watch on television--you name it, and we quarreled about it at some point. How could my sisters be my best friends? They weren't the same age as I. We all had our own friends in school. My mother never let the three of us forget that sisters are lifelong friends. Her wish like most parents' was to give us something that she never had. Growing up as an only child, she longed for siblings. When she gave birth to three daughters, the fulfillment of her dream had only just begun. She had given each of us a gift and she wanted to make sure we did not take that gift for granted. She would frequently tell us how lucky we were. But there were other, more subtle ways that she encouraged us to grow closer. She never showed favoritism to one daughter over the other, as not to cause jealousy or bitterness between sisters. She constantly took us places together--skating, shopping and swimming, so that we developed common interests. And when we were teenagers, Mom always punished us equally, giving us yet another bonding experience. We didn't always get along beautifully and fought just like any other _ . But somewhere in between Mom's lectures, the family vacations and the shared memories, we realized that our mother was right. Today I share things with my sisters that I do with no one else. My sister Cindy and I ran the New York City Marathon together, side by side, even holding hands when we crossed the finish line. When my sister Karen got married, I was her maid of honor . Cindy and I traveled through Europe together and even shared an apartment for two years. The three of us trust each other with our greatest secrets. It was twenty-three years ago that my mother first asked me who my two best friends were. Today she doesn't have to. She already knows. The best title of the passage could be _ .
The Greatest Gift
The world is filled with smart, talented, educated and gifted people. We meet them every day. A few days ago, my car was not running well. I pulled it into a garage and the young mechanic had it fixed in just a few minutes. He knew what was wrong by simply listening to the engine. I was amazed. The sad truth is, great talent is not enough. I am constantly shocked at how little talented people earn. I heard the other day that less than 5 percent of Americans earn more than $100, 000 a year. A business consultant who specializes in the medical trade was telling me how many doctors and dentists struggle financially. It was this business consultant who gave me the phrase, "They are one skill away from great wealth." There is an old saying that goes, "Job means' just over broke ' ". And unfortunately, I would say that the saying applies to millions of people. Because school does not think financial intelligence is intelligence, most workers" _ ". They work and they pay the bills. Instead I recommend to young people to seek work for what they will learn, more than what they will earn. When I ask the classes I teach, "How many of you can cook a better hamburger than McDonald's?" almost all the students raise their hands. I then ask, "So if most of you can cook a better hamburger, how come McDonald's makes more money than you?" The answer is obvious: McDonald's is excellent at business systems. The reason so many talented people are poor is because they focus on bui1ding a better hamburger and know little or nothing about business systems. The world is filled with talented poor people. They focus on perfecting their skills at building a better hamburger rather than the skills of selling and delivering the hamburger. The main purpose of the author is to tell us _ .
why so many talented people are poor
Every time an election rolls around, people want to know what each candidate's stance is on the issues that are important to them. In deciding which candidateIwant to vote for, there are two main issues for me:the economy and education. These issues are important to me because they affect me the most right now. The economy affects everyone,and education is important because I am about to enter college. When I looked at how each candidate views these issues, one man stood out to me,and that is Democratic candidate Barack Obama. I like a11 of Senator Obama's ideas for improving the economy. He wants to bring the troops home from Iraq,thereby saving the $12 billion we spend there every month. Another point that Obama makes is that the United States' current energy policy is hurting the economy. He believes that if new energy bills are passed, it will help the U. S. get out of its current economic slump,and I agree. With these ideas and strategies, I strongly believe that Obama can improve the current state of the economy. Obama also has a plan to improve education. He believes that we need to start educating children at a young age. He also hopes to close the gap of achievement between students, which means improving schools that need help. He wants to pay teachers more and treat them like professionals,but in exchange he calls for higher responsibility. Obama also has a plan to make college more affordable. He wants public colleges to be free for students who maintain a "B" average during high school. And he plans to give a $4,000 tax credit for college and university students who complete 100 hours of community service each year. I believe these ideas to improve education are good enough and will help many students. Therefore, there is no longer any doubt in my mind who will be receiving my vote: Barack Obama. According to the passage, if a candidate wants to win the election he must _ .
issue plans trying to satisfy everyone
Researchers are placing robotic dogs in the homes of lonely old people to determine whether they can improve the quality of life for humans. Alan Beck, an expert in human-animal relationship, and Nancy Edwards, a professor of nursing, are leading the animal-assisted study concerning the influence of robotic dogs on old people's depression, physical activity, and life satisfaction. "No one will argue that an older person is better off being more active, challenged, or stimulated ," Edwards points out. "The problem is how we promote that, especially for those without friends or help. A robotic dog could be a solution." In the study, the robot, called AIBO, is placed for six weeks in the houses of some old people who live alone. Before placing AIBO in the home, researchers will collect baseline data for six weeks. These old people will keep a diary to note their feelings and activities before and after AIBO. Then, the researchers will review the data to determine if it has inspired any changes in the life of its owner. "I talk to him all the time, and he responds to my voice," says a seventy-year-old lady. "When I'm watching TV, he'll stay in my arms until he wants down. He has a mind of his own." The AIBOs respond to certain orders. The researchers say they have some advantages over live dogs, especially for old people. Often the elderly are disabled and cannot care for an animal by walking it or playing with it. A robotic dog removes exercise and feeding concerns. "At the beginning, it was believed that no one would relate to the robotic dog because it was metal and not furry," Beck says. "But it's amazing how quickly we have given up that belief." "Hopefully, down the road, these robotic pets could become a more valuable health helper. They will record their masters' blood pressure, oxygen levels, or heart rhythms. AIBOs may even one day have games that can help stimulate older people's minds." The purpose of Beck and Edwards' study is to _ .
make lonely old people's life better
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Dear Deidre, I am 17. Further education is not for me. I want to be out seeing the world in the army. My mum and dad say they will cut me off and have nothing to do with me if I go into the military. They have other plans for me. My friends all laugh at me and say I won't ever get on. I know I am not the fittest guy in the world but I thought that would come with the training. I am now asking myself if I should just give up my lifelong ambitions and get the sort of job my parents approve of. I don't want to look back with regrets but sometimes I think maybe they are right and know more than me. Samson Dear Samson, It's your life and your future. Your parents mean well, and may be fearful of what could happen to you if you are posted to a danger zone, but you must decide this by yourself. At least talk to an army recruitment office about what is involved and about how fit you need to be. Do your research. Find out everything you can about what choices you will have. Then go for it. Start a sensible eating and exercise plan right away. If you are motivated you can get reasonably fit in a few weeks. Tell your parents and friends you want to give it a try. If you still feel it's right for you, then apply. If it isn't for you, at least you won't regret for the rest of your life. Parents and friends may say, "I told you so", but you will know that you've followed your dream and made up your own mind about the sort of career for you. Talk to At East which is an independent and confidential organization providing advice and support for those who are in the military and those who would like to be. They can explain when you are allowed to leave and how much attention you have to give. Deidre If the two letters are taken from a newspaper, which part may they appear?
Answer:
As we know, there are differences between western culture and Chinese culture. We can see differences when we pay attention to the way words are used. Let's look at the words about animals and plants. Most expressions in Chinese about the dog, for example, "a homeless dog", "a mad dog", "a running dog" and "a dog catching a mouse", have negative meanings. But in western countries, dogs are thought to be honest and good friends of humans. In English, people use the dog to describe positive actions. For example, "you are a lucky dog" means you are a lucky person. And "every dog has its day" means each person has good luck sometimes. To describe a person's serious illness, they say "sick as a dog". The word "dog-tired" means very tired. However, Chinese love cats very much. But in western culture, "cat" is often used to describe a woman who is cruel. There are many other examples of how "cat" is used differently as well. The rose is regarded as a symbol of love in both China and some western countries. People think the rose stands for love, peace, courage and friendship. And the rose is the national flower of England, America and many other countries. The words about plants and animals are used in positive or negative ways in different cultures. We can learn about many differences in cultures by comparing how some words are used. Western people usually use "cat" to refer to " _ ".
Answer:
Is it possible to persuade mankind to live without war? War is an ancient practice which has existed for at least six thousand years. It was always bad and usually foolish, but in the past, the human race managed to live with it. Modern cleverness has changed this. Either man will end the existence of war, or war will end the existence of man. For the present, it is nuclear weapons that cause the most serious danger, but bacteriological or chemical weapons may, before long, offer an even greater threat. If we succeeded in ending the existence of nuclear weapons, our work will not be done. It will never be done until we have succeeded in ending war. To do this, we need to persuade mankind to look up on international problems in a new way not as contests of force, in which the victory goes to the side which is most skillful in killing people, but by settling in accordance with(, , , ) agreed rules of law. It is not easy to change very old mental habits, but this is what must be attempted. There are those who say that the acceptance of this or that ideology would prevent war. I believe this to be a big mistake. All ideologies are based upon dogmatic statements ,which are, at best, doubtful, and at worst, totally false. Their supporters believe in them so deeply that they are willing to go to war in support of them. The movement of world opinion during the past few years has been very largely such as we can welcome. It has become a common place that nuclear war must be avoided. Of course very difficult problems remain in the world, but the spirit in which they are coming nearer to is a better one than it was some years ago. It has begun to be thought, even by the powerful men who decide whether we shall live or die, that negotiations should reach agreements even if both sides do not find these agreements wholly satisfactory. It has begun to be understood that the important struggle nowadays is not between different countries but between man and the atom bomb . According to the writer, _ .
Answer:
Computer programmer David Jones earns $35.000 a year designing new computer games. yet he cannot find a bank ready to let him have a credit card Instead he has been told to wait another two years until he is 18. The 16-year-old works for a small firm in Liverpool where the problem of most young people of his age is finding a job David's firm releases two new games for the fast growing computer market each month But David's biggest headache is what to do with his money. Even though he earns a lot he cannot drive a car take out a mortgage ,or get credit cards David got his job with the Liverpool-based company four months ago ,a year after leaving school with six O-levels and working for a time in a computer shop. "I got the job because the people who run the firm knew I had already written some programs" he said David spends some of his money on records and clothes and gives his mother 50 pounds a week But most of his spare time is spent working. "Unfortunately, computing was not part of our studies at school " he said "But I had been studying it in books and magazines for four years in my spare time I knew what I wanted to do and never considered staying on at school Most people in this business are fairly young, anyway" David added :"I would like to earn a million and I suppose early retirement is a possibility You never know when the market might disappear." Why did David decide to leave school and start working?
Answer:
"Grandma, Grandma, tell us a story ! "Four darling children sat by my feet, looking up at me expectantly. Suddenly, we were interrupted clapping."Terrific, " the director said, stepping up the stage from the aisle ."Except, could you kids face the audience a bit more? " The kids shifted to face the empty seats, which would be filled in a few days for the church play."Perfect," the director said. "Now, Grandma, read to your grandchildren." hit me. If' only I could read to my real grandchild! I had a granddaughter, but I'd never met her. Sixteen years earlier my son was involved in a relationship that ended badly. But out of' it came a blessing: a baby girl named Lena. I hoped to be a grandmother to her-but shortly after the birth, the mother moved without any address left. Over the years, I asked around town to try and find my son's ex-wife ,but it seemed that she didn't want to be found. I'd just joined this new church a week earlier and was at once offered the part of Grandma in the play. At least now I could pretend to be a grandma. The rehearsals went well, and finally the day of' the show arrived. The performance was great. "You all looked so natural up there, "one of' my friends said. Afterward, we went to the church basement for refreshments .I walked over to one of the girls in the play. Rehearsals had been such a whirlwind that we never really got to talk. "How's my granddaughter? " I joked. "Fine !" she answered. Just then, someone else walked up and asked the girl her name. I wasn't sure I heard the girl's answer correctly. But it made me ask her another question."What's your mother's name? " She told me, I was still in shock."And what's your father's name? "I asked. She told me.It was my son. She'd only started going to that church a week before I did. Since that day of 'the play, we've stayed close. Not long ago, she even made me a great grandma. What happened in the church basement after the play'?
Answer:
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It can't be truer that when in Rome do as the Romans do. So it's necessary for you to know what you can talk with the local people in France, Australia and Switzerland, and different customs of these countries. In France You'll find that conversations often turn into heated debates. Give opinions only on subjects that you are knowledgeable about. There is rarely a moment of silence, except when the topic under discussion has been exhausted, and nothing new has been introduced. Food, art, music and current events or history are welcome topics. French believe in freedom, and you can criticize anyone, but not Napoleon, who is a symbol of French spirit and never use the standard. U.S. conversation opener "What do you do". In Australia Australians tend to be enthusiastic debaters. A wide range of topics may be open to discussion, including religion and politics. The best policy, however, is to wait for Australian companions to bring up these two subjects; be prepared to hear their arguments. Sport is a common topic of conversation in Australia and Australians tend to use sporting comparisons. Australians like to criticize themselves, but they can't stand criticism from others. Don't talk big;instead Australians prefer to judge your competence and abilities through your actions. People who show off their education in conversation may be subject to teasing. In Switzerland The Swiss may seem cold. Once you get close to them, however, you'll find that they are honest, responsible people, who will be loyal to your interests. They are good listeners and will remember practically everything you say to them. Sometimes they will even go so far as to take notes while you speak. The Swiss are a very private people, so you should avoid asking personal questions. They can be rather serious, so it is advisable to avoid making jokes on them. Which of the following statements is TURE according to the passage?
A There is no moment of silence when you talk with French.
B French don't like others asking their careers.
C The Swiss may seem cold but humorous sometimes.
D Australians tend to judge you by your words.
Answer: B. French don't like others asking their careers.
More than a hundred years ago, an American produced a game. He called it indoor tennis. The Americans were not interested in it at first so he sent it to his London friends and it became very popular in Britain. The game was then played across the dining-room table or on the floor with the net hung between two chairs. In the early days ,the balls were made of cork or rubber. The bats were made of wood. A few years later a hollow ball like the one we use today was invented. The game then quickly spread all over the world. An Englishman once made a bat covered with rubber. He first played the game in England and called it "ping - pong". "Ping" was the sound of the bat when it hit the ball, and "pong" was the sound of the ball when it hit the table. The game was first called _ by its producer .
A ping- pong tennis
B table tennis
C our-door tennis
D indoor tennis
Answer: D. indoor tennis
Watching television makes it easier for toddlers to kick and scream, according to a US study.Children under two should not watch any TV.The longer they sit in front of TV,the worse their behavior becomes. Just having the TV on in the background, even if the child wasn't watching it,was also connected to troublemaking behavior although the relationship wasn't as strong, said the researchers. "Parents should be smart about TV use,"researcher Jennifer Manganello from the University at Albany, New York, said. "They should limit the time that children use TV, pay attention to the content of TV programs,and consider how TV is used throughout the home." The study looked at 3,128 women from 20 US cities who had a child between 2005 and 2008. While there was some diversity of education among the women,onethird hadn't graduated from high school. Twothirds of the mothers said their threeyearold children watched more than two hours of TV a day,and the average viewing time for children was around three hours.On average,the TV was on for about five additional hours on a common day. After accounting for factors such as living in a violent neighborhood,scientists also found watching TV was strongly connected to behavior such as hitting others,having angry moods,being disobedient ,and screaming a lot. The researchers thought that children may see violence on TV,and spend less time on positive development tasks such as reading or playing. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests no TV at all for children at two and younger,and two hours a day or less for older kids. What is the main idea of the passage?
A Children should choose positive programs.
B Watching TV can make children violent.
C Children should keep away from TV.
D Parents should watch less TV.
Answer: B. Watching TV can make children violent.
Ice cream in a bowl changed from solid to liquid in a few minutes. Which of the following most likely caused this change?
A Bacteria grew in the ice cream.
B Heat was added to the ice cream.
C Water evaporated from the ice cream.
D Frozen berries were sprinkled on the ice cream.
Answer: B. Heat was added to the ice cream.
Hong Kong, major commercial center for Asia, and with a population which has grown at an alarming rate to over 5 million, is a city highly dependent on mass (, ) transit of all sorts, both local and long distance. An ordinary Hong Kong worker or businessman, going about his daily activities, simply must use transportation at one time or another. Because Hong Kong is in two parts, Kowloon, on the mainland side, and Hong Kong, the island, with Hong Kong's harbor in between Hong Kong's mass transit systems, in addition to going over land they must also cross water. Going from home to work, or going shopping from one side of the harbor to the other, the Hong Kong resident has three choices. One way is to take a bus which will cross the harbor through an under water traffic tunnel moving slowly through bumper- to-bumper traffic.Another way is by ferry boat , a pleasant ride which crosses the harbor in from seven to fifteen minutes. But by far the fastest way of crossing the harbor is the newly built underground electric railway, the Hong Kong Metro . If one gets on the train in the Central District,the commercial area of Hong Kong on the island side, he can speed across the harbor in an astonishing three minutes. On the other side of the harbor the railway continues, snaking back and forth through the outlying districts of Kowloon, allowing one to get off a short distance from his destination. The story of the Metro is an encouraging one for supporters of mass transit. Although building the system was certainly a challenging task, the Japanese firm hired to construct it did so in record time. Construction got underway in 1979 and it was completed in 1980. For the average commuter the system has only one disadvantage; it is more expensive than by bus or ferry. One can ride the bus across the harbor for half as much or he can ride the ferry across for less than one-fifth as much. Crossing the harbor by train is _ .
A by far the most economical methods
B the most pleasant method
C the least pleasant method
D the fastest method
Answer: D. the fastest method
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In China, many people are leaving the countryside to find jobs in the cities, because the countryside is much poorer than the city, and often there isn't much work there. Services such as hospital and transport are usually much better in the city than in the countryside. They hope that their lives will improve when they move to the city. But in the big cities of Europe like London or Pads, people are moving out of the city. These rich families want to live a quieter life. They are tired of the noise and the dirt of the city, and they are tired of the crowded streets, crowded trains and buses. They don't want to live in the cities any more. They want a house with a garden in the countryside, and breathe the fresh air there. So they move out of the cities. Some don't go very far, just a little way out of the city, to the towns near the cities, other people move to the real countryside with sheep, cows and green fields. There, they start new lives and try to make new friends. Not all those who move from the city to the countryside are happy. After two or three years, many people who have done this feel that it was a big mistake. They don't make so much money and there isn't much work to do. People in the countryside are very different and aren't always very friendly. As a result, quite a lot of people who have moved to the countryside move back to the city. " _ ." they say. Tile best title of this passage may be " _ ".
Moving out or moving back
Many people have to work on the weekend. Some people do not mind. Others think it is terrible. One man thinks that working on the weekend can be dangerous. He is Graham Coates. Mr Coates works in an office in Brighton, England. On Saturday, May 24, 1986, he went to the office to do some work. When he got on the lift , it stopped between floors. Mr Coates could not get out of the lift. He started to shout, but no one heard him. Then Mr. Coats remembered that it was a holiday in England. No one was going to come to work until Tuesday. There was nothing for him to do. He had to wait until one of his workmates came to work and found him. With nothing to eat or drink, Mr Coats ended up sleeping for most of the day. Now Mr. Coates says, "I only use lifts if they have telephones in them." Mr. Coates thinks working on the weekend is _ .
terrible
A small piece of fish each day may keep the heart doctor away. That's the finding of a study of Dutch men in which deaths from heart disease were more than 50 percent lower among those who consumed at least an ounce of salt water fish per day compared to those who never ate fish. The Dutch research is one of three human studies that give strong scientific support to the long held belief that eating fish can provide health benefits, particularly to the heart. Heart disease is the number-one killer in the United States, with more than 550,000deaths occurring from heart attacks each year. But previous research has shown that the level of heart disease is lower in cultures that consume more fish than Americans do. There are fewer heart disease deaths, for example, among the Eskimos of Greenland, who consume about 14 ounces of fish a day, and among the Japanese, whose daily fish consumption averages more than 3 ounces. For 20 years, the Dutch study followed 852 middle-aged men, 20 percent of whom ate no fish. At the start of the study, average fish consumption was about two-thirds of an ounce each day, with more men eating lean fish than fatty fish. During the next two decades, 78of the men died from heart disease , The fewest deaths were among the group who regularly ate fish, even at levels far lower than those of the Japanese of Eskimos, This _ was true regardless of other factors such as age, high blood pressure, or blood cholesterol levels. We can infer from the passage that there are fewer heart disease deaths _ .
in countries with high consumption of fish
Welcome to Banff, Canada's first, most famous and arguably most fascinating national park. If you've come to ski or snowboard, we'll see you on the slopes. Skiing is a local favourite too. While you're here, try other recreational activities available in our mountains. Popular choices include a Banff Gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain, bathe in the natural mineral waters at the Upper Hot Spring, horse-drawn sleigh ride, drive-your-own-team dog sled excursion, and snowmobile tour to the highland(but not in the national park). We also recommend you make time to enjoy simple pleasures. After looking around Banff Ave shops, walk a couple of blocks west or south to the scenic Bow River. True ice skating on frozen Lake Louise where Ice Magic International Ice Sculpture Competition Works are displayed after Jan 25. You can rent skates in Banff or at the sport shop in the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise hotel. Banff's backcountry paths access a wilderness world of silence and matchless beauty--cross country skis and snowshoes provide the means. Banff sport shops rent equipment and clothes, or join an organized tour. Although we've been many times, we still find the cliffs and icefalls of our frozen canyons worth visiting. Wildlife watching also creates satisfying memories. We have seen hundreds of the elk and bighorn sheep that attract visitors, yet they still arouse a sense of wonder. And the rare spotting of a cougar, wolf or woodland caribou takes our breath away. See if simple pleasure work for your Fight in the snow with your kids, walk beside a stream or climb to a high place and admire the view. --Banff Resort Guide Editors The purpose of the writing is to _ .
introduce tourist activities in Banff
They are the sort of friends who are so close they trust each other with their lives. If one falls, the other is there to catch him. They are Wellman, whose legs were permanently injured nine years ago in a rock-climbing accident, and Corbett, an experienced rock climber. Together, they climbed up Half Dome, the famous 2,000-foot rock in the Yosemite National Park, through one of the most difficult routes . During the climb, Corbett took the lead, hit in the metal spikes that guided the ropes and climbed up. Then, after Wellman pulled himself up the rope, Corbett went down to remove the spikes and climbed up again. This process was repeated time and again, inch by inch, for 13 days. Wellman's job was not easy either. He got himself up the rope through upper body strength alone. In all, Wellman figured that he had done 5,000 pull-ups up the rope on the climb. However, when the two men first met, they never talked about climbing. "He knew that was how I got injured." Wellman said. Until one day Wellman decided that he wanted to climb again and they started training. Their climb of Half Dome was not all smooth. At one point, pieces of rock gave way, and Corbett dropped down quickly. Wellman locked their rope in place, stopping the fall at 20 feet. His quick action probably saved his friend's life. "Your partner can save your life -- you can save your partner's life," Wellman said as the pair received congratulations from friends. "There are real close ties." What do we know about Wellman?
He stopped rock-climbing for some time.
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I started learning English when I was 6 years old. For 8 years I have learned English in the way everybody else did--by going to English classes. It was useless. I did everything that the teachers told me to do. But I didn't get any results. I mean, I was always one of the best students in class. However, it took me a long time to read English texts. I made lots of mistakes when writing, and my pronunciation was bad, and I could only speak English very slowly. After my eight years of studying hard, these were the results. In 2003, I went to the best high school in Wroclaw. It was a special school with a lot of English classes. I owe a lot to the people I met there, both students and teachers. My first two years in high school were very important for my English. My English teacher, Mr Janusz Laskosz, gave me a lot of good advice, especially on pronunciation and vocabulary. My talented friends, Wojtek and Michael Ryszard, who are my partners now, were both fantastic English learners. What's more, every time I heard them speak, they seemed to have a bigger vocabulary . I wanted to be as good as them, so I studied harder. And my English improved. Wojtek and Michael also introduced me to SuperMemo, which has been very important in my life. And, of course, I could discuss the English language with them, which was a great thing. The writer made great progress in learning English _ .
A. after he read many English texts
B. because he spoke English very slowly
C. even before he went to the high school in Wroclaw
D. because of his English teacher, his friends Wojtek and Michael
Answer: D
If you do not use your arms or your legs for some time, they become weak; when you start using them again, they slowly become strong again. Everybody knows that. Yet many people do not seem to know that memory works in the same way. When someone says that he has a good memory, he really means that he keeps his memory in practice by using it. When someone else says that his memory is poor, he really means that he does not give it enough chance to become strong. If a friend says that his arms and legs are weak, we know that it is his fault. But if he tells us that he has a poor memory, many of us think that his parents are to blame, and few of us know that it is just his own fault. Have you ever found that some people can't read or write but they have better memories? This is because they cannot read or write and they have to remember things; they cannot write them down in a little notebook. They have to remember days, names, songs and stories; so their memory is the whole time being exercised. So if you want to have a good memory, learn from the people: practise remembering. The main reason for one's poor memory is that _
A. he does not use his arms or legs for some time
B. he can't read or write
C. his father or mother may have a poor memory
D. his memory is not often used
Answer: D
When the US started the war in Iraq a year ago, Spain was a firm supporter. But on April 18, the Spanish government started to remove its troops, becoming the first country in the US-led coalition to bring its soldiers home. The person behind this surprise move is the new Spanish prime minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. A few months ago, he was hardly known outside his small hometown in northern Spain. Even a week before last month's general election, Zapatero was still considered an outsider for the top job. But just three days before the vote, a series of bomb attacks on three train stations in Madrid killed 191 people and injured some 1,900. It was Spain's worst ever terrorist attack and it changed everything -- even making Zapatero prime minister. From the beginning, the 43-year-old former lawyer, knew the weaknesses of Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and his hand-picked successor, Mariano Rajoy. About 90 per cent of the Spanish people were against the war in Iraq and were unhappy that Aznar had taken them into it. So Zapatero promised: "If this party wins the election and the UN still can't take charge in Iraq, the new government will pull its 1,400 troops out of Iraq." Despite focusing on this and other Aznar mistakes, Zapatero's chances of victory were still thin until the Madrid bombings. At first, the government blamed ETA, a separatist terror group from the Basque region of northern Spain. But later evidence suggested the attack was carried out by al-Qaida members angry at Spain's presence in Iraq. The people were upset, and they showed this by voting for Zapatero. Many accused the government of covering up information about the bombings and only blaming ETA so it wouldn't lose to an anti-war vote. In a move that was as shocking to the world as his election victory, Zapatero chose to carry out his promise the day after he took office. And its effect could be long-lasting. As the situation in Iraq worsens, several countries are considering their positions. The US is worried that other coalition members might follow Spain's lead and also bring their soldiers home. What do you think would probably happen after Sapin's move out of Iraq.
A. There would be more terrorist attacks in Spain.
B. Some more countries would bring their troops home.
C. The US would also follow Spain's lead and pull their armies out of Iraq.
D. The situation in Iraq would become better after Spain's move.
Answer: B
John moved into a new house. He was very happy. He had an old cat and a young cat. He liked them very much, He thought, "I must let my cat go in and out of my house when I'm not at home." He had an idea. One day, a friend came to see him and saw two holes in his door. One is big, the other is small. "My dear friend," he said, "It's a very nice house, but why are two holes in your door of the new house?" "To let the cat in and out, of course." John said. "But why are there two holes? Is one hole all right?" "How can a big cat go through the little hole?" said John. "That's right. But can't a little cat go through a big hole?" The friend laughed. What idea did John have? _ for his cats.
A. To make a hole in the door
B. To keep the door closed
C. To keep the door open
D. To make two holes in the door
Answer: D
I was an only child up until the age of eight.Every time I saw other girls playing or sharing their secrets with their sisters or brothers,I would feel sad for myself .At Christmas I found out that I was soon to be a big sister.I had no idea how I would deal with a baby in our house.The little experience I had with kids taught me that I didn't really like them.They were always making trouble. My parents set off to the hospital one evening and planned to have the rest of my family and I come to the hospital later .To this day, I don't think I have gone through a more nerve-wracking experience than sitting in the hospital's waiting room.I was sleepless all night .When I was finally allowed to see my new baby sister , I was so scared.I reached out and when I got a hold of her,I fell in love with her. For the first time,holding my sister had an effect on whom I want to be and because of her,rather than my parents' frequent requests.I have set out goals to improve my future.I want to be her role model,someone she can respect.The past two years has seemed to go by very fast.I've watched her grow older;I have seen her learn to walk and learn to talk.The fear that she held over me seems so small now. Now you can see that the family is such an important part of my life:it has influenced who I am and who I want to be in my future. What played the biggest part in the changes of the writer according to the passage?
A. Her parents' requests.
B. Her school education.
C. Her hope to have a bright future
D. Her parents and sister.
Answer: D
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Like many new graduates, I left university full of hope for the future but with no real idea of what I wanted to do. My degree, with honors, in English literature had not really prepared me for anything practical. I knew I wanted to make a difference in the world somehow, but I had no idea how to do that. That's when I learned about the Lighthouse Project. I started my journey as a Lighthouse Project volunteer by reading as much as I could about the experiences of previous volunteers. I knew it would be a lot of hard work, and that I would be away from my family and friends for a very long time. In short, I did not take my decision to apply for the Lighthouse Project lightly. Neither did my family. Eventually, however, I won the support of my family, and I sent in all the paperwork needed for the application. After countless interviews and presentations, I managed to stand out among the candidates and survive the test alone. Several months later, I finally received a call asking me to report for the duty. I would be going to a small village near Abuja, Nigeria. Where? What? Nigeria? I had no idea. But I was about to find out. After completing my training, I was sent to the village that was small and desperately in need of proper accommodation. Though the local villagers were poor, they offered their homes, hearts, and food as if I were their own family. I was asked to lead a small team of local people in building a new schoolhouse. For the next year or so, I taught in that same schoolhouse. But I sometimes think I learned more from my students than they did from me. Sometime during that period, I realized that all those things that had seemed so strange or unusual to me no longer did, though I did not get anywhere with the local language, and returned to the United States a different man. The Lighthouse Project had changed my life forever. In his application for the volunteer job, the author _
A. participated in many discussions
B. went through challenging survival tests
C. wrote quite a few paper on voluntary work
D. faced strong competition from other candidates
Answer: D
Something's not quite right with the climate.While global CO2emissions have continued to swell, the global temperature rise has leveled off.Meanwhile, satellites and other observational tools indicate that the net heat retained by the planet has continued to increase, and that excess energy should be pushing up surface temperatures.But it's not. In fact, up to half the heat energy that was expected to fuel global wanning since 2003 has gone " missing.M Kevin Trenberth and John Fasullo of the National Center for Atmospheric Research ( NCAR) wonder where that heat may have gone--and what it could mean for the future of the climate. One possibility is that some of our measurements could be off.Although scientists have a lot of confidence in their ability to measure CO2buildup and the energy balance in the atmosphere--the data used in the measurements comes from multiple sources, all of which, Fasullo says, "tell the same story"--our data on ocean temperatures isn't as good."Keeping track of temperature over the whole oceans isn't that easy," says Fasullo. So, it is likely that the missing heat is being trapped deep in the ocean, well below the 900m to 1,500m range of our surface sensors.But despite their vastness, the deep oceans have a limit, says Fasullo, who thinks they won't behave as a heat sink over the long term."That's not what we've seen over long time scales in the past," he says."We clearly know the ocean can't absorb the heat indefinitely. Overall, the missing heat doesn't change expectations for future climate change, because the heat won't stay missing forever.Eventually it will resurface and impact the climate system, and the recent and deceptive reprieve from rapid warming we've enjoyed will come to an expected end.When that will happen is unknown, but better science can give us a clearer idea."At the end of the day, the system will come back to balance, and that suggests temperature will end up increasing," says Fasullo.So it's still up to us to do something about it. Where is the missing heat likely to hide, as Fasullo expects?
A. It may hide in our natural environment.
B. It has sunk into ocean over the long term.
C. It may be absorbed by large number of forests.
D. It may be absorbed by deep ocean temporarily.
Answer: D
Our "Mommy and Me" time began two years ago. My next-door neighbor and fellow mother, Christie, and I were our in our front yards, watching seven children of age six and under ride their bikes up and down. "I wish I could take one of my children out alone," said Christie. Then we worked out a plan. When Christie takes one of her children out alone, I'll watch her other three. And when she watched two of mine, I will take someone out. The children were extremely quick to accept the idea of "Mommy and Me" time. Christie's daughter, McKenzie, went first. When she returned, the other children showered her with tons of questions. McKenzie was smiling broadly. Christie looked refreshed and happy. "She is like a different kid when there's no one else around," Christie shared with me quietly. With her mother all to herself, McKenzie didn't have to make any effort to gain attention. Just as Christie had noticed changes in McKenzie, I also discovered something different in each of my children during our alone times. For example, I'm always surprised when my daughter, who is seldom close to me, holds my hand frequently. My stuttering son, Tom, doesn't stutter once during our activities since he doesn't have to struggle for a chance to speak. And the other son, Sam, who is always a follower when around other children, shines a leader during our times together. The "Mommy and Me" time allows us to be simply alone and away with each child--talking, sharing and laughing, which has been the biggest gain. Every child deserves an only child at least once in a while. The author seems to believe that _ .
A. Having brothers and sisters is fun
B. it's tiring to look after three children
C. every kid needs parents' full attention
D. parents should watch others' kids
Answer: C
A new Barbie doll was presented at a toy fair in Germany.It has been modelled after the German Chief Minister Angela Merkel as part of 50th birthday celebrations for the popular toy.It wears a hairstyle and a dark coat like Merkel wears. Lim Ding Wen, a nine-year-old pupil in Singapore, wrote some programs for Apple's popular iPhone.His painting program named "Doodle Kids" has been downloaded over 40,000 times in two weeks. Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama answered questions from some pupils in Washington.During his surprise visit, Obama told the children, "We are just tired of being in the White House" On February 5, China declared a top level emergency in the drought-hit provinces.The drought, which has rarely been seen in prefix = st1 /China's history, has left many people without proper drinking water and is affecting large amounts of crops. Big flames burned entire towns in southeastern Australia and some locals in their cars, making it the country's deadliest fire disaster.Officials believed arson, which means criminal act of setting fire to possessions in order to cause destruction, may be behind some of the fires. At the beginning of February, snow storms paralyzed(...) parts of London, costing businesses millions of pounds.The snow storms are the worst Britainhas seen in 18 years. We can infer from the passage that _ .
A. Lim Ding Wen is a talent in designing softwares
B. drought is a natural disaster that is rare in China
C. US President paid an official visit to Washington
D. there have been no snow storms in Britainin the last 18 years
Answer: A
Which of these is the most responsible for the changes of the seasons on Earth?
A. Position of the Moon
B. Tilt of Earth on its axis
C. Temperature of the Sun
D. Distance to Mars
Answer: B
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There was once a captain who loved money so much that he cheated his sailors at the end of every voyage and took their wages. On the last day of one voyage, the ship was in a small port. It was winter time, and the sea was very cold, so the captain said to his sailors, "If one of you stays in the water during the whole night, I will give him my ship. But if he comes out before the sun appears, I shall get his wages." The sailors had heard about the captain's cheating, so they didn't trust him. But then one of them, who thought that he was cleverer than the captain, said that he would do it. He got into the water, and, though it was very cold, he stayed in it. When it was nearly morning, some fishermen lit a fire on the shore about half a mile away. "You are cheating," the captain said to the sailor. "The fire's warming you." "But it's half a mile away!" said the sailor. "A fire's fire," answered the captain. "I have won." The sailor came out of the water, and said, "Perhaps you think that you are clever because you have won my wages, but you can't cook a chicken." "I can," answered the captain. "If you cook this chicken," said the sailor, "I shall work for you without wages for seven years, but if you can't, you will give me your ship." The captain agreed, took the chicken and said, "Where's the fire?" "There it is," answered the sailor. "On the shore." "But it's half a mile away," said the captain angrily. "A fire's fire,' you said," answered the sailor. "If it is enough to warm me in the water, it is enough to cook your chicken." The captain got the sailors' wages _ .
Answer:
Getting enough sleep on a regular basis is one important way to protect the health of your heart. Poor sleep is associated with a range of cardiovascular problems, including high blood pressure, heart attack, and heart failure. Both men and women are at increased risk for these conditions. But we continue to learn that when it comes to health problems associated with sleep, the particular risks to men and women are not always the same. A new study suggests that for women who already have heart disease, poor sleep may be particularly dangerous to their heart health. Research indicates that poor-quality sleep--and waking too early in particular--is associated with increased inflammation among women with heart disease. There was no similar association found for men, suggesting that women with heart disease and sleep problems may be at particular risk for inflammation that can be damaging to the heart. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco investigated the relationship between sleep quality and inflammation linked to coronary heart disease. They also sought information about how an association between sleep and inflammation might differ between men and women. Their investigation included 980 men and women at first, and 626 completed the 5-year study. All of those included were suffering for coronary heart disease. The average age of men in the study was 66. Women were slightly younger, with an average age of 64. Researchers measured sleep quality by asking participants to rate their sleep over the previous month. They also asked for reports of some of the most common sleep problems, including difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, waking frequently throughout the night, and waking too early in the morning. After 5 years, researchers repeated tests for inflammation and once again sought reports on sleep quality and sleep problems. When they analyzed data for both men and women together, researchers found no links between inflammations and sleep quality. However, when they analyzed data taking gender into account, researchers found a relationship between inflammation and sleep existed for women, but not for men. When a person suffers from sleep disorder _ .
Answer:
More perhaps than any other European nation, the Swiss are accustomed to looking after foreign travelers. As early as the 18th century, wealthy French, Germans and Italians were treating the country as a amusement center while, in the 19th century, it became the major holiday playground for the British nobles. Today, it attracts visitors from all over the world. The Swiss are clear about the importance of tourism to their economy, which contributes about eight percent of Gross National Product, and helps the industry greatly. Managers of hotels the world over go to Switzerland to learn how to do the job, and a generally high standard can be expected from the great majority of the country's hotels, most of which are small and pride themselves on a personalized service. Public transport is the best in Europe. Both the Swiss Federal railways and the private railways are fully electrified, and the total network is made up of about 5000 kilometers of track. Under the Fly Baggage system passengers can check luggage in at 116 railway stations and have it automatically carried to their flight. The national highway system is equally well planned, and the mountain roads offer views of some of the country's most breathtaking scenery. Also serving the mountains is an effective system of railways and cable ways, while more than 160 passenger cars cross the lakes and rivers to and fro. Hiking in the mountains is equally popular with Swiss nationals and foreign visitors. For those who want to view the country from a height without having to climb the mountain themselves, it is always possible to take in the view from a balloon. The best title for this passage is _ .
Answer:
A turkey named Courage gave thanks to President Obama for saving his life on the day before Thanksgiving. Honouring a 62-year-old tradition, the President pardoned the bird on Thanksgiving eve. The tradition of a turkey pardon at Thanksgiving began with President Truman in 1947. Courage comes from Ellsworth, Iowa. The name Courage was chosen by voters who took part in a survey posted on the White House website. The lucky turkey walked on the lawn of the Rose Garden and posed for the cameras at the presidential podium . The dinner that has become known as the First Thanksgiving was actually a harvest festival celebrated in December of 1621. That's when English settlers in Plymouth, Massachusetts, gave thanks for the progress they had made after a hard winter in their new country. As America grew, Thanksgiving customs also spread and got bigger. George Washington declared that the first national Thanksgiving would be on November 26, 1789. In the decades to follow, however, people celebrated Thanksgiving locally, with no official date. President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November 1863 a national day of Thanksgiving. It stayed that way until 1939, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved it one week earlier. He wanted to lengthen the shopping period before Christmas to encourage gift-buyers and to help businesses. So Congress ruled that, after 1941, Thanksgiving would be an official federal holiday falling on the fourth Thursday of November. This year we celebrated Thanksgiving on Thursday, November. Millions of Americans got together to give thanks with friends and family. The lucky turkey, Courage, was one of them. After his pardon, Courage would be sent to Disneyland Resort in California, where he would be the grand assemble of Disney's Thanksgiving Day Parade. We can infer from the passage that _ .
Answer:
I get off the bus and walk a few blocks. I stop when I get to a garage-like place and walk to the metal door with brown paint. I turn the knob and walk in. A thousand eyes look at me as I take my place at the end of the long line. When I finally get up to the window, I hand the officer my ID. "I'm here to visit Mr C. Yes, I'm his daughter." I learn that line by heart. The officer hands me a piece of paper with my name as the visitor and my father's as the prisoner. It tells me which floor to go to. As I get on the elevator, a rush of excitement runs through me. Then I go to the eighth floor, look around and see the faces I see here every Sunday and Thursday. There he is. I stand on tiptoe to get a better view since I can hardly see him. He doesn't look like my father. He's got a beard now and he looks a lot weaker. He's the dad that I see through a window. My dad who is separated from the world. The only place he now knows is his room in the prison. When I look deep into his eyes, I see emptiness and pain. It's difficult to hear him through the thick glass and over everyone else who is trying to talk. We try to carry on a normal conversation about simple things including my day and what I'm doing in school, but we mostly talk about how we can't wait until he gets out. After an hour my time is up. We say our good-byes and love-yous. I get on the bus to go home. My favorite place is where my father is--prison. I know, how can prison be anyone's favorite place? But it is because my father is there. It'll no longer be my favorite place once he gets out, though--home will be. The author goes to the prison _ .
Answer:
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Question: talent, but his contributions includes many of today's social insurance programs. During the middle German Prime Minister Otto Von Bismarck may be most famous for his military and diplomatic of the 19th century, Germany, along with other European nations, experienced an unprecedented rash of workplace deaths and accidents as a result of growing industrialization. Motivated in part by Christian sympathy for the helpless as well as a practical political impulse to get the support of the socialist labor movement, Chancellor Bismarck created the world's first workers' compensation law in 1884. By 1908, the United States was the only industrial nation in the world that lacked workers' compensation insurance. America's injured workers could sue for damages in a court of law, but they still faced a number of tough legal barriers. For example, employees had to prove that their injuries directly resulted from employer negligence and that they themselves were ignorant about potential hazards in the workplace. The first state workers' compensation law in this country passed in 1911, and the program soon spread throughout the nation. After World War II, benefit payments to American workers did not keep up with the cost of living. In fact, real benefit levels were lower in the 1970s than they were in the 1940s, and in most states the maximum benefit was below the poverty level for a family of four. In 1970, President Richard Nixon set up a national commission to study the problems of workers' compensation. Two years later, the commission issued 19 key recommendations, including one that called for increasing compensation benefit levels to 100 percent of the states' average weekly wages. In fact, the average compensation benefit in America has climbed from 55 percent of the states' average weekly wages in 1972 to 97 percent today. But, as most studies show, every 10 percent increase in compensation benefits results in a 5 per cent increase in the numbers of workers who file for claims. And with so much more money floating in the workers' compensation system, it's not surprising that doctors and lawyers have helped themselves to a large slice of the growing pie. It is implied at the end of this passage that _ .
A. . compensation benefits in America are rising rapidly to new heights.
B. the workers are not the only ones to benefit from the compensation system.
C. people from all walks of life can benefit from the compensation system .
D. money floating in the compensation system is a huge drain on the U.S. Economy.
Answer:
B
Question: Vanuatu is an island nation in the South Pacific. It is one of the smallest countries in the world. But for those who are interested in adventure and sport, there is a lot to do. Vanuatu's islands offer visitors two of the most exciting and dangerous activities in the world: volcano surfing and land diving. Volcano Surfing On Tanna Island, Mount Yasur rises 300 meters into the sky. Yasur is an active volcano, and it erupts almost every day, sometimes several times a day. For centuries, people have climbed this mountain to visit the top. Recently, people have also started climbing Yasur to surf the volcano. In some ways, volcano surfing is like surfing in the sea, but in other ways it's very different. Volcano surfers try to escape the erupting volcano--without getting hit by flying rocks! It's fast, fun and dangerous--the perfect extreme sport . Land Diving Most people are familiar with bungee jumping, but do you know bungee jumping started on Pentecost Island in Vanuatu and is almost fifteen centuries old? The activity, first called land diving, is part of a religious ceremony . A man ties tree vines to his legs. He then jumps head-first from a high tower to touch the earth with the top of his head--without breaking the vine. Every spring, island natives (men only) still take part in this amazing activity. In Line 2, what does the word "those" mean?
A. People.
B. Animals.
C. Activities.
D. Islands.
Answer:
A
Question: I am Tom. My good friends are John and Ann. John's house is next to my house, and we are in the same class. He's thirteen years old and he's tall. He has blond hair and blue eyes. He is very polite . His English is very good and he often helps me. He likes white. He likes wearing a T-shirt, but in the photo he is in a blue shirt. My friend Ann doesn't go to school. She is young. She is only seven. She has long brown hair and brown eyes. She likes yellow, and she likes bananas very much. She often buys bananas for her mother. Her mother likes her very much. John likes _ and Ann likes _ .
A. brown; blue
B. blue; brown
C. white; yellow
D. shirts; bananas
Answer:
C
Question: About how much of Earth's surface is covered by oceans?
A. less than 20%
B. about 50%
C. about 70%
D. more than 90%
Answer:
C
Question: as dryness increases in an environment, biodiversity
A. increases
B. decreases
C. stays the same
D. begins
Answer:
B
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It was four o'clock when we left Micatlan,and we traveled quickly until it became almost completely dark.It was our intention to return to our general quarters in Atlacomulco that night.We had a long journey ahead of us,especially because it had been decided there was no way we would try to cross the ravines again at night,since they were considered far too dangerous.Futhermore,an eclipse of the moon was expected,and,in fact,while we were crossing an open field,the moon appeared on the horizon,half in shadow,a rare and beautiful sight. After a few hours of riding,we suddenly realized that we had lost our way,and worse still,had no way of finding it again.Night had fallen and there was not a single hut in sight,only great plains and mountains and the lowing of distant bulls all around us.We continued on ahead,trusting in luck,though it was difficult to say where she had brought us.By good fortune,our advance riders ran into two Indians,a man and a boy,who agreed to guide us their village and no further. After an interminable and exhausting road,which we traveled at a brisk trot,the barking of several dogs announced an Indian village.In the dying light,we could just make out cane huts,firmly situated between the banana trees,with fenced gardens in front of each one.Our convoy stopped in front of one particular hut,a kind of inn or shop for alcohol,where a naked goblin-like figure,the ideal husband for a witch,was serving cheap brandy to the Indians,most of whom were already drunk. We dismounted and threw ourselves to the ground,too tired to even think.Someone found us,God knows how,a cup of dreadful hot chocolate.We began to realize that we were completely lost,and so it was agreed to give up our attempt to reach Atlacomulco that night.Instead,we should head for the village of "E1 Puente",where our guides know a Spanish family,made up of several unmarried brothers,who,without any doubt,would be delighted to offer us a safe refuge for the rest of the night.We remounted and began our journey,a little restored after the pause in our journey and the dreadful hot chocolate. When we lost our way we believed that _ .
A. we should stay where we were for rescue
B. we should go on to seek after our fortune
C. we should go back where we started
D. we should ask the Indians for help
Answer: B
I am Wei Fang. I am a Chinese girl. I have a good friend. Her name is Miaomiao. Do you think Miaomiao is a nice girl ? That's wrong . She isn't a girl but a cat. She's a little lovely cat. Miaomiao is black and brown. She is only fourteen days old. She _ e her mother Mimi. Miaomiao is Wei Fang's _ .
A. student
B. sister
C. brother
D. cat
Answer: D
A young American doctor is asleep when his doorbell rings. It is late at night, but he has to put on his coat to answer it. It is a man! He is standing with a hat in his hand. "How do you do?" says the man. "Can you go with me now to a place out of the town? It is quite far from here, but I know you have a car and I can show you the way." "Certainly," says the doctor, "I can go with you now." The car is at the front door. The man gets into the doctor's car and they drive off. They drive for a long time, and finally the man says, "Here we are. This is my home. Now I give you money and you may go back." "But I must see the patient ," the doctor says. "How can I go back without seeing the patient?" "There's no patient," says the man, "nobody is ill. I live here. There is no taxi at this time, but a doctor often goes out for night calls . So, excuse me. Here is your money. Thank you, doctor. Good night!" The doctor is _ when the doorbell rings.
A. reading
B. watching TV
C. having supper
D. sleeping
Answer: D
Have you ever noticed that some people am able to effortlessly remember even the most boring details, and quickly understand new things, and wished that you too could be like that? To unlock the full potential of you brain. you need m keep it active and acute. But how? Check out these tips: .Exercise&get your body moving Exercising doesn't just exercise the body; it also helps to exercise your brain. Without regular exercise your blood vessels<<)begin m lose the ability to effectively pump blood and it also mduws the amount of oxygen and nutrients thatyour blood carries to your brain. When the nutrients don't make it them, the brains ability to function is compromised. To prevent this from happening, make sure you get moving every day. Walking, swimming and dancing arc all excellent activities. Get rid of stressorsbnd seek help for depression Among the most brain-damaging stressars is severe depression, which is actually often mistaken for a memory problem since one of its primary symptoms is the inability to concentrate. If you can't concentrate, yon might feel like you am conrtantly forgetting things. Depression increases the levels of codisol in your brain, which affects your memory. Seek professional help to get rid of your depressionyour brain will thank you. .Feed you brain 50 to 60 percent of the brain's overall weight is pure fat, which is used to insulam its billions of nerve cells. The better insulated a cell is, the quicker you will be thinking. This is exactly why paints are advised.feed their young children whole milk. Thus. eating foods chat contain a healthy mix of fats is vital for long-term memory. Some excellent food choices include fish end dark leafy green vegetables. The real cause of the inability to focus is _ .
A. poor memory
B. liule exercise
C. seious deprrssioa
D. uhualthy eating
Answer: C
There are trains to carry people,trains to carry animals or carry things.There are fast trains and slow ones.Some trains go through hills.In big cities,the streets are usually very busy.So you can find trains under the ground.they carry people quickly in and out of the big cities.Can a train run over the water?Yes,it can.There are many bridges over the rivers.The trains can easily run over the water.But it is not easy to build the bridges.Today's trains have dining rooms for people.You may eat something in them on the way if you are hungry.Trains are useful to men,women and children.Many children have model trains.With the model trains they can build their own rails and enjoy the wonderful world of trains. Which of the following is WRONG?
A. There are dining rooms in trains.
B. There are fast trains and slow trains.
C. The trains can only carry people.
D. We can see trains under the ground.
Answer: C
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A town in Oxfordshire has become the first in the UK to have biomethane gas from human waste piped to their homes for gas central heating and cooking. Up to 200 families in Didcot now receive the gas via the national gas power system. Head of energy and technology at British Gas, Martin Orrill, said customers wouldn't notice any difference as the gas is purified to the highest standard and has no smell. The gas is produced at a sewage treatment works plant in Didcot. The entire process takes only less than three weeks, with the sewage being collected and sent first to settlement tanks. The solid waste material is then fed into digesters, where anaerobic bacteria digest the sewage, with the aid of enzymes to speed up the process. The digestion process produces methane, which can be burned to drive machines to produce electricity, or can be purified and fed into the gas network and piped to homes and businesses. British Gas says supplying the gas rather than electricity is far more efficient since around two-thirds of the energy is lost in producing electricity. Partners in the Didcot project, British Gas, Scotia Gas Networks, and Thames Water, all hope to expand the process to other towns, and other companies such as Ecotricity and United Utilities have also announced biomethane projects being planned. One of these projects, in Manchester, could be supplying 500 homes with biomethane by mid next year. Another British Gas project in Suffolk will provide gas from digestion of brewery wastes to around 235 families. The Didcot project cost PS2.5m and was influenced by promises of government aids aimed at encouraging companies to develop renewable technologies. An EU directive means the UK must ensure at least 15 percent of its energy is from renewable sources by 2020. The UK produces about 1.73 million tons of sewage annually. If all sewage treatment works in the UK were fitted with the technology, they could supply gas for up to 350,000 families. What should the text belong to?
Answer:
Now that newsrooms are becoming less popular in the US,young people have begun to tell their own stories. GlobalGirl Media,a nonprofit organization that teaches teenage girls digital storytelling skills,was started by award-winning filmmakers Amie Williams and Meena Nanji in Los Angeles in 2010. "By giving girls a voice,you introduce a different story,and change the existing one,"said Danny Glover,a member of the GlobalGirl Media advisory board. "When the camera's in my hands,I feel like I can't lose,"Said Cheyenne Grisez,14."It makes me happy and I feel like I can do anything." On the final day of the summer academy in California,Williams worked with Grisez and Camila Prado,15,on a short film about Prado's fight against an eating disorder.In the film,Prado bravely interviewed her parents and sister about how she was able to beat her depression and eating disorder.This film and others the girls had made were shown to parents and friends on the last day of the academy,celebrating their hard work. "It's their story,and nobody knows how to tell it better than they do,"Williams said. "These girls are from really difficult backgrounds.They feel trapped sometimes.They feel alone."Williams said."The camera gives them a way to look at their world in a different way and get out of that feeling.'' Girls in the program practice their skills and build confidence by going out in the community and interviewing people for the short films.Many of them had no experience,but found they had good storytelling skills. "I work with these girls.Every day I leave inspired and completely grateful,because I know that.due to the work we're doing with them,things will be better,"said GlobalGirl Media summer academy project director Heather Faison. Why do many American girls like to tell stories using the camera?
Answer:
Native to America, the cane toad was introduced to northern Queensland 70 years ago to control sugarcane beetles . The toads failed in that duty but spread across prefix = st1 /Queenslandand into neighboring northern area. Now it calmly invades the states of Western Australia and New South Wales (NSW). NSW wildlife experts fear _ --which have poisonous backs that kill hungry predators, --will have a terrible effect on native animals. Those fears may be about to be realized. Australia's leading government research body, the Commonwealth Science and Industry Research organization (CSIRO), forecasts a rise in average temperatures that will make NSW ideal living place for the cane toad. Tony Robinson, head of CSIRO's Wildlife,Pests,and Diseases Program, said climate change is increasing the amount of suitable living place for the toad. "With climate change, the cane toads might go down as far as Sydney and some areas of Western Australia," Robinson said. Recent estimates put the pace of the toad's westward march at nearly 17 miles(27 kilometers)a year and slightly slower from north to south. More southerly cities, such as Melbourne and Adelaide, would likely remain too cold and dry to ever suit the toads, Robinson noted, but Perthcould expect cane toads in five years' time. Sydney could see their arrival in the next 20 years. Robinson said there is no 0ne method that will keep the toads under control. The cane toads already cover at least half of Queenslandand most of the northern country the toads are believed to number in the billions. A Venezuelan virus was tried in the 1990s but had to be given up after it was found to also kill native frog species. Scientists and governmental bodies believe a national approach is needed. The main threat the toads cause to species such as dingos, quolls, goannas, and crocodiles is the poison contained in glands on each of the frogs' shoulders. The poison sprays out when the toads are threatened or handled roughly. The poison is made up of 14 different chemicals. Together they cause rapid heartbeats, excessive salivation, convulsions, and paralysis. Cane toads also compete, and usually win, the hunt for food and living space. "If the government and other states combine resources, I believe we can achieve a very practical biological -control research program, "Burns said. It can be inferred from the passage that_.
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A beautiful and very successful actress was the star for a new musical show. Her home was in the countryside, but she did not want to go back there every night, so she bought an expensive house in the centre of the city, got some beautiful furniture and got a man to paint the rooms in new colours. It was very difficult to get tickets for her show, because everybody wanted to see it. So she decided to give the painter two of the best seats. She hoped that this would make him work better for her. He took the tickets without saying anything, and she heard no more about them until the end of the month, when she got the painter's bill . At the bottom of it were these words: " Four hours watching Miss Hall sing and dance : 3 pounds," with this note: " After 5 p.m. I get 15 shillings an hour instead of 10 shillings." . The actress got the painter's bill _ .
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Children brought up on healthy diets are more intelligent compared with their junk food eating partners, a new research suggests. Kids fed a diet packed high in fats, sugars, and processed foods had lower IQs than those fed pasta , salads and fruit, it was found. The effect is so great that researchers from the University of Bristol said those children with a "healthier" diet may get an IQ improvement. Scientists stressed good diet was essential in a child's early life as the brain grows at its fastest rate during the first three years of life. This indicated head growth at this time is linked to intellectual ability and "it is possible that good nutrition during this period may encourage excellent brain growth" . Scientists tracked the long term health and happiness of around 14,000 children born in 1991 and 1992 as part of the West Country's Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children ( ALSPAC) . Parents were questioned about the types and frequency of the food and drink their children consumed when they were three, four, seven and eight and a half years old. According to their different changing form, these children were marked and given grades which ranged from minus two for the most healthy to10 for the most unhealthy. In the research, IQ was measured of 4,000 children when they were eight and half years old, using a validated test-the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. The results found after taking account of some influential factors, a leading processed food diet at the age of three was associated with a lower IQ at the age of eight and a half , whether the diet was improved after that age. Every l point increase in dietary pattern score was associated with a l.67 fall in IQ. Scientists stressed good diet was essential in a child's early life because _ .
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Mr. White works in an office. He liked reading in bed when he was at school. It was bad for his eyes and now he is near-sighted. But he wouldn't want anybody else to know about it and he never wears a pair of glasses. It often brings him some trouble. One winter morning he was sent to a village school on business. He got off a bus at a stop in a small town. Then he had to walk there. The road to the village wasn't smooth. There were stones here and there. He fell over several times and it made his clothes very duty. At last he got to the village. Suddenly it began to blow strongly and it got much colder. His hat was blown off while he was looking for the school. He had to run after it but he couldn't catch it. He was wondering why his hat ran into a house as if it had legs. And then he ran into the house, too. A big woman appeared and stopped him by shouting angrily, " What are you running after my hen for?" According to the passage, which of the following is true?
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A superstar is someone who is usually famous in sports, or films, or popular music, someone like the singer Michael Jackson. In the nineteen eighties, Michael Jackson made a record album called "Thriller". It quickly became the most popular recording in the history of music and it made Michael Jackson a superstar. The word "super" means more than usual or very wonderful. And of course, a star is a person who is very famous. So people who are famous and skilful in sports, films or music are called superstars, such as Li Ning. One of the most famous sports superstars in the United States is the boxer Muhammad Ali. After he won a gold medal in the Olympics and became the heavyweight boxing champion, he was known as one of the greatest and most famous boxers in the sports history. At that time Muhammad Ali was even better known than the president of the United States. He was a true superstar. nearly everyone knew his name. But like the stars in the sky, a superstar may fade away as the years go by. These days people know little about Muhammad Ali. Superstars, loved by millions of people today, may be forgotten tomorrow. According to the author which of the person is NOT a superstar?
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Tommy:Hello, Tina. Tina: Hello, Tommy. Tommy: I can't find my cat . Tina, do you see it? Tina: No, I don't. Is it under the chair? Tommy: No. Tina: Is it behind(......)the door? Tommy: Let me see. My schoolbag is here. Where is my cat? Tina: Hey, Tommy. Look,it's on your bed. Tommy: Yes. Thank you,Tina. Mimi,come here. Where is the cat?
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The only stage of the water cycle process that is nonexistent is
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Why do plants grow in some places and not in others? Why does some land have so much growing on it, while other land has almost no plants growing on it at all? To grow, plants need several things. One is warmth. In very cold places almost nothing grows. Plants also need water. In very dry parts of the Earth only a few unusual plants can grow. That's why dry deserts everywhere are almost not covered by trees or grass. Plants must also have a place in which to put down their roots and grow. They find it difficult to grow on hard land. The town is built on hard land. The plants here have only the soil found between the _ cracks of the stones to grow in. Another thing plants must have before they can grow is food. What will happen if we try to make things grow on the sandy beach? A few plants, such as beach grass, will grow in sand, but most plants won't. Even if the weather is warm enough and we water the plants each day, many of them will die because the sand on this beach has almost no food for plants. From the passage, we can know it is _ for plants to grow in dry places.
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Nowadays, the food that you buy comes from many different countries. Have a look in your fridge, cupboard, and fruit bowl and check the origins of the food. Perhaps there are apples from California, lamb from New Zealand, or potatoes from Egypt? You will probably be surprised how far food travels to get to your plate. This journey, from "field to plate", is called "food miles". A food mile is the distance that food travels from the farmer's field to the person who buys the food. Nowadays, food often travels thousands of miles to get to the consumer . Why is this, and what are the effects of these long distances? Traditionally, farmers sold their food in the local market, so the food didn't have to travel very far. The consumers also did not travel very far because they want to their local market to buy the food. This was a good system for farmers and consumers. However, there were some disadvantages. For example, consumers could only buy food that farmers produced locally. In addition, they could only get food that was in season. Now, because of modern technology, food comes from all over the world. We do not have to wait for spring or summer to buy strawberries or tomatoes. They are _ in winter if we want. Some countries have to import most of their food. This is because they have difficult climates. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), for example, gets 85% of its food from other countries. Even food made in the UAE often uses imported materials. What's wrong with "food miles"? Is this not a good way of increasing international trade? I believe these miles are worrying for a number of reasons. First of all, because food travels such long distances, we need more planes, lorries, and ships to move the food. This means we use more oil or petrol, so there is more pollution and more global warming. In addition, foo that travels a long way is not fresh and usually not very tasty. Tomatoes, for example, are picked early and stored for their long journeys. For this reason, they are usually tasteless when they get to the consumer. Local food has a better taste, and it also reduces the amount of global pollution. We need to buy more local food. This passage is mainly about _ .
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New rules and behaviour standards for middle school students have come out. The middle school is going to use a new way to decide who the top students are. The best students won't only have high marks. They will also be kids who don't smoke, drink or dye their hair. The following are some of the new rules. Tell the truth. Have you ever copied someone else's work on an exam? Don't do it again! That's not something that an honest student should do. If you have played computer games for two hours in your room, don't tell your parents you have done homework. Do more at school. Good students love animals and care for other people. April is Bird Loving Month in China. Is your school doing anything to celebrate it? You should join! That way, you can learn more about animals and how to protect them. When more people work together, it is more fun for everyone. Have you fought with your teammates when your basketball team lost? Only working together can make your team stronger. Be friendly to the people you are with. Try to think of others, not only yourself. Be open to new ideas. Have you ever thought that people could live on the moon? Maybe you'll discover Earth II someday. Don't look down on new ideas. Everyone's ideas are important. You should welcome them because new ideas make life better for everyone. Protect yourself. Has someone ever taken money from one of your classmates? Don't let it happen to you. If you have to go home late, you should let your parents know. Use the Internet carefully. The Internet can be very useful for your studies. But some things on the Internet aren't good for kids, do try to look at _ pages that aren't good for you. You can use the Web for fun or homework. Can't you find any good Web sites for children? Here are some: http://kinds.eastday.com / http://www.chinakids.net.com / http://www.cyenct.com When you have to go home late, you need to tell _ .
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Do you know Australia ? Australia is the largest island in the world . It is a little smaller than China . It is in the south of the earth .Australia is big , but its population is not large . The population of Australia is nearly as large as that of Shanghai . The government has made enough laws to fight pollution . The cities in Australia have got little air or water pollution .The sky is blue and the water is clean . You can clearly see fish swimming in the rivers . Plants grow very well . Last month we visited Perth , the biggest city in Western Australia , and went to a wild flowers' exhibition . There we saw a large number of wild flowers we had never seen before . We had a wonderful time .Perth is famous for its beautiful wild flowers .In spring every year Perth has the wild flowers' exhibition .After visiting Perth, we spent the day in the countryside . We sat down and had a rest near a path at the foot of a hill .It was quiet and we enjoyed ourselves . Suddenly we heard bells ringing at the top of the hill .What we saw made us pick up all our things and run back to the car as quickly as we could .There were about three hundred sheep coming towards us down the path . Australia is famous for its sheep and kangaroos . After a short drive from any town , you will find yourself in the middle of white sheep . Sheep , sheep , everywhere are sheep . The government had made _ .
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Wind is the great maker of waves. There are exceptions , such as the tidal waves sometimes caused by earthquakes under the sea. But the waves most of us know are caused by winds blowing over the sea . Now let's learn some physical things about it. A wave has height, from low point to high point . It has length --the distance from this high point to that of the following wave. The period of the wave means the time it takes for succeeding high points to pass a fixed point. None of these things stays the same--for all depend upon the wind, upon the depth of the water and many other matters. The water that makes up a wave does not advance with it across the sea. Each drop of water turns around in a little circle with the passing of the wave, but returns very nearly to its original position . And it is lucky that this is so. For if the huge groups of water that make up a wave really moved across the sea, sailing would be impossible. If we want to find the speed of a wave, we may use the following way : Speed =" wavelength" x frequency . Here, wavelength is the distance between two high points , frequency means the number of cycles per second What causes waves?
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If you're not a fan of KFC's famous Double Down hot dog, don't worry! KFC in the UK is developing a new treat: an edible coffee cup. The product is still in the trial stage and not yet available for purchase, but according to a KFC news report, the treat is made from a unique biscuit, wrapped in sugar paper, and lined with a layer of heat-resistant white chocolate, which helps keep the coffee hot. As you drink the coffee in the cup, the white chocolate lining will begin to melt slowly, and the biscuit begins to soften. But it doesn't end there --- the cups are not only edible, they also have a pleasant smell. KFC partnered with The Robin Collective, an experimental food company, to make the cups with coconut sun cream, freshly cut grass and wild flowers scents. According to the news report, that's because the scents arouse the positive memories we associate with warm weather, sunshine and summer holidays. Sounds ... delicious? A manager at KFC said, "We have been experimenting with the edible packaging in limited quantities to see if it could be a popular product in the market. We believe if our customers occasionally like to have their cake and eat it, why wouldn't they want to have their cup and eat it instead! " The edible cups will only be available in the UK when it comes out. According to a spokesperson for KFC, there are at present no plans to bring it to the U.S. yet. What does KFC do with the new product in its trial stage?
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Darek Fidyka, a 38-year-old Bulgarian, had been paralyzed from the chest down for four years after a knife attack. Scientists from Britain and Poland took cells from his nose, transplanted them into his back and re-grew his spinal cord . Now he can walk and even drive a car. The doctors were delighted but said it was the first step in a long journey. The breakthrough came after 40 years of research by Professor Geoff Raisman, who found that cells had the possibility to repair damage to nasal nerves, the only part of the nervous system that constantly re-grows. "The idea was to take something from an area where the nervous system can repair itself and put it into an area that doesn't repair itself," Professor Raisman said. Polish doctors injected the nasal cells into Mr Fidyka's spinal cord above the injury and used some nerves from his ankle to form a bridge across the damaged tissue. The nasal cells appear to have caused the spinal nerves to repair themselves. Professor Raisman achieved this with rats in the late 1990's, but this is his greatest success. "I think the moment of discovery for me was Christmas in 1997 when I first saw a rat, which couldn't control its hand, put its hand out to me. That was an exciting moment, because I realized then that my belief that the nervous system could be repaired was true." Doctors chose the easiest case for their first attempt--it might not work for others. But there is a real sense of hope that an idea once thought impossible has been realized. David Nicholls, who helped provide money for the breakthrough, said information about the breakthrough would be made available to researchers across the globe. "What you've got to understand is that for three million paralyzed people in the world today, the world looks a totally brighter place than it did yesterday," he said. Why did Professor Geoff Raisman choose cells from the nose?
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Susan, the US My best friend is Fanny. She is clever and interesting. We always look after each other. The first week we met, I got sick and she looked after me every day. Betty, England My best friend's Ana. She is honest and serious. We were born in the same city in England. Then I moved to America with my family. I thought I would never see Ana again. When I went to college in New York,, Ana and I shared the same room! Ken, Japan I love to spend time with Daisuke because he is funny and smart. We enjoy talking about the funny things we did when we were children , and tell the same stupid jokes over and over again. Lily , Australia Linda is very confident girl and she is really kind. Some people may wonder why Linda and I are best friends because we are totally different, but I think this is why we are such good friends. Where is Ken from
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If a thing is going to be relocated with a shove, then
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Let us say there is something you don't know how to do. In the past if you were determined to learn, you might have called friends or s, taken a night class or walked down to the local library for a research term. But now a host of websites are springing up to provide free practical advice on these subjects and actually anything else you can think of. In one sense, these" how - to" sites represent a part of the growing world of online learning. These FAQs(Frequent Answers and Questions), many of which still circulate(go round continuously), took a special subject and explained it to complete _ . But, "how - to" sites take the FAQ idea in a somewhat different direction by addressing subjects that aren't necessarily associated with discussion forums .These sites take the style of a written tutorial and a tone of friendly advice. Possibly the biggest and best known of these sites is learn 2.com(www. learn2. com)It offers nearly 1, 000 free tutorials and adds new ones frequently for a job interview. At ehow. com(www. ehow.)you can learn how to train for your first marathon, how to buy a vacation home, or how to make a movie in eight steps. From the passage we may guess that _ .
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STEVE EMBER: And I'm Steve Ember with People In America in VOA Special English. Today we remember the singer and actress Lena Horne. During her sixty-year career performing, Lena Horne entertained people with her beauty and rich, emotional voice. She used her fame to fight social injustices toward African-Americans. Lena Horne was born in New York. At sixteen, Lena became a dancer at the famous club in New York City in 1933. After taking voice lessons, she soon became a singer. In 1940, Lena Horne became the first African-American to perform with an all-white jazz hand. After performing at a club in Hollywood, California, she caught the attention of filmmakers. She soon began making movies. Her films became very popular. In the 1940s, Lena Horne was the first African-American in Hollywood to sing a long -term contract with a major movie studio. Her deal with MGM stated that she would never play the role of a servant. She refused to play roles that represented African-Americans disrespectfully. Lena Horne once said that World War II helped make her a star. She was popular with both black and white soldiers. She sang on army radio programs and traveled to perform for the troops. These experiences led to Lena Horne's work in the civil rights movement. Lena Horne sang at rights gatherings. She took part in the march on Washington protest in 1963. It was during this event that Martin Luther King gave his "I have a dream" speech. She protested racial separation at the hotels where she performed. She took action so that she and her musicians would be allowed to stay in those hotels. B1ack musicians at the time generally stayed in black neighborhoods. At the age of eighty, she said she did not have to act like a white woman that Hollywood hoped she would become. She said: "I'm me, and I'm like nobody else." Lena Horne died in New York in 2010. How old was Lena Horne when she died?
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The US government has started a website, Admongo, to help children think critically about the advertising aimed at them. It claims to provide visitors with an "education" through games and other amusement. A cartoon man dressed in old time pilot clothing greets visitors to Admongo. "Call me Haiz", he says upon arrival in a rocket ship that opens up with a crazy world inside it. Spacey dance music plays in the background as Haiz tells visitors that they need to learn about advertising. Its inventors say eight to twelve years old is the age kids develop their critical thinking abilities. Kids that age are also a big market for advertisers. The idea behind Admongo is to teach children three things: To _ the advertiser. To know what the advertiser is really saying. And to know what the advertisement is trying to get the child to do. Children learn these things through a video game. They create their own game character. They can choose different skin colors, hair styles, eye and mouth shapes. Then they begin a trip through ad-land, where there are ads on buses and billboards. The players have to find all the marketing in the neighborhood before they can move on to the next level. The Admongo game takes players inside a home, to the advertising studio and everywhere else ads can be found. It is a complete exploration of the world of marketing. One such area is food marketing. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says it is a big business. The FTC estimates that food, drink and fast-food restaurants spent more than one and a half billion dollars on advertising to young people in 2010. The FTC says children are important for three reasons. They buy products. They influence parents and caregivers to buy. And they are the future adult buyers of the products. A recent study says most advertising aimed at children is for foods of the lowest nutritional value. First Lady Michelle Obama has said she would like to see advertisers marketing healthy foods for children. Children are important for advertising because they are _ .
A. important for the society
B. the most potential buyers
C. easily influenced by ads
D. easily affected by poor products
Answer: B
Chinese International School Application Form Before an applicant can be invited to take part in an assessment, an application form should be returned to the Admissions Office, and the application fee of HK$1,000 cannot be returned. For overseas applicants wishing to pay in currencies other than HK dollars, the fee is US$145. Checks are also good for payment to "Chinese International School". The application should include: * Applicant' academic report from the last school year. * A recent passport-sized photo (attached to the application form). [:,,] * A copy of the applicant's Hong Kong ID card or a passport showing a valid Hong Kong visa. * Only for applicants applying under a Corporate Nomination Right: A company letter confirming the nomination. Please note that the application fee is non-refundable. Applicants who would like to re-apply for another academic year are asked to submit a new application and application fee. Acceptance Applicants will be informed of their acceptance status in writing by postal mail. Initial offers for Reception will be sent out from late March once all assessments have been completed. Some applicants who have been assessed may be held on a reserve list. Acceptances may also be made on a conditional basis among the applicants on the reserve list. Applicants who have been assessed but who have not been admitted are welcome to reapply for the next academic year. Please note that such applicants will be asked to submit a new application and application fee. Confirmation of Acceptance and Enrollment Once an applicant has been admitted, the applicant family will be asked to confirm acceptance and hold the student's place with immediate payment of the required fees for the Nomination Right (HK$ 500), plus the sum of HK$ 7,500 as the first tuition payment.[:] In addition, enrollment will not be considered complete until the following have been received, normally one month before the start of the new school year: Physical examination results Tuition (first month) Which of the following is true?
A. Once applicants are refused, they can't apply for it again.
B. Applicants held on a reserve list will not be admitted.
C. The applicants should show either a Hong Kong visa or a Hong Kong ID card.
D. Applicants don't have to get a company letter to confirm their application.
Answer: C
If You Make a Mistake, Don't Worry! Yeah, you'll want to forget about them, but mistakes can be useful. Making a mistake doesn't mean it's the end of the world. In real life you have to grow and mature, and with that comes some growing pains. You know you should have studied hard but you went out with some friends instead. You know you should have put the money into the bank for a rainy day instead of spending it on all kinds of things you didn't need. It's the growing pains called mistakes that most people make when they are growing up. Face them. You are going to make them. Learn from them. All of the people you wish to copy, such as all the experts in your business field, have made mistakes. They'll continue to make mistakes for all their successes. One of the major differences between people like them and the vast majority of others is that they don't let their mistakes stop them. Instead, they use their mistakes as learning tools. At the very least, when you make a mistake, you'll know what not to do. And you can help others by warning them of the mistakes you've made. Don't let mistakes stop you from doing anything. Learn from them, don't hide in a closet. Facing up to your mistakes now and later will mature. What mistakes are you making right now? Take a look at anything you might be doing wrong. Take a step back and evaluate your situation, then fix whatever needs to be corrected. Then move forward. Always remember your mistakes to remind yourself of what not to do for the future. From the text, we can infer that _ .
A. facing mistakes, some people lose heart
B. mistakes can be useful
C. mistakes can be called growing pains
D. Put away money when it is rainy
Answer: A
Hi, I'm Tom.I have a pencil box.It's big and it's purple.It's my good friend.It's from my mom.What's in the pencil box? My ruler is in it.It's blue and red.That is a pencil.It is black and white.It's not my pencil.It's Cindy.She likes black and white.You can see a green pen and an eraser in it, too.The pen isn't mine.I find it in the classroom this morning.It's Tim's.His name is on it.He isn't at school now.Tim's telephone number is 8069--4725.I can call him.The nice eraser is my sister ,Linda's. What's Tim's telephone number?.
A. It's 8609--4725.
B. It's 8609--4275
C. It's 8069--4725.
D. It's 8069--7425.
Answer: C
"Mum,what does it mean when someone tells you that they have a skeleton in the closet ?"Jessica asked. "A skeleton in the closet?"her mother paused thoughtfully. "Well, it' s something that you would rather not have anyone else know about. For example,if in the past,someone in Dad' s family had been arrested for stealing a horse,it would be 'a skeleton in his family' s closet'.He really wouldn' t want any neighbor to know about it." "Why pick on my family?" Jessica' s father said with anger. "Your family history isn' t so good,you know. Wasn' t your great-great-grandfather a prisoner who was transported to Australia for his crimes?" "Yes,but people these days say that you are not a real Australian unless your ancestors arrived as prisoners." "Gosh,sorry I asked. I think I understand now," Jessica cut in before things grew worse. After dinner,the house was very quiet. Jessica' s parents were still quite angry with each other. Her mother was ironing clothes and every now and then she glared at her husband,who hid behind his newspaper pretending to read. When she finished, she gathered the freshly pressed clothes in her arms and walked to Jessica' s closet. Just as she opened the door and reached in to hang a skirt,a bony arm stuck out from the dark depths and a bundle of white bones fell to the floor. Jessica' s mother sank into a faint ,waking only when Jessica put a cold, wet cloth on her forehead. She looked up to see the worried faces of her husband and daughter. "What happened?Where am I?" she asked. "You just destroyed the school' s skeleton,Mum," explained Jessica. "I brought it home to help me with my health project. I meant to tell you,but it seemed that as soon as I mentioned skeletons and closets,it caused a problem between you and Dad." Jessica looked in amazement as her parents began to laugh madly. "They' re both crazy," she thought. Jessica' s mother fell down into a faint b ecause she was _ .
A. knocked
B. frightened
C. injured
D. surprised
Answer: B
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When a big exam is coming up, you probably feel anxious about any wasted time and want to begin school as soon as you probably can. But tens of thousands of British high school students will soon be getting up later. They're taking part in a new experiment by Oxford University to see if later classes can improve their exam results. Grades 10 students in the UK have to take the nationwide General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exams. They have to pass these exams in order to study more advanced courses, and later apply for universities. The Oxford University project means that GCSE students from more than 100 schools across England will start school at 10 am, more than one hour later than the current start time (8:50 am). The project is based on scientific evidence that teenagers are "out of sync " with traditional school hours, the Telegraph reported. And what they need is more sleep in the morning. "We know that something funny happens when you're a teenager, in that you seem to be out of sync with the world," said professor Colin Epsie, who is leading the study. "Your parents think it's because you are lazy and opinionated and everything will be OK if you could get to sleep earlier. But science is telling us that teenagers need to sleep more in the mornings." Everyone follows a natural cycle of sleep and wakefulne ss. Biology has decided that teenagers go to sleep around midnight and don't feel fully awake until 9-10 am, according to scientists. That's two hours later than adults. And their body clocks stay like this until the age of around 21 for males, and 19 for females. "Society provides school for learning, but the brain provides sleep. So we are exploring the possibility that if you delay the schools start time until 10 am, that will improve learning performance," said Epsie. The results could be positive, based on previous studies. An early study at the UK's Monkseaton High School in 2009 found that starting an hour later improved grades in core subjects by 19 percent. The Oxford project is expecting to publish the results in 2018. It's time to wait and see whether scientists will give us an excuse to get up late. According to the article, students who take part in the Oxford University project _ .
Answer:
Saturday, June 16th In the morning, we went camping along a path in Green Natural Park. We were happy because it was a sunny day. We were expecting an enjoyable two-day holiday. On the way, we kept singing and making jokes. However, in the afternoon, when we finished our picnic at one o'clock, it was dark and windy. Soon, there was a shower. Unluckily, none of us brought an umbrella. We ran about but we could find no place to hide. Twenty minutes passed and it was still raining, There were hours to go before we reached the campsite . It was even worse that our small compass showed that we went to the wrong way. We had lost our way! We had to make a quick decision as it was raining heavily. Chris said we could set up a tent to hide in, so Mary and Tom helped to set up the tent. Chris and I tried to make a fire to keep us warm. But we were unable to light the fire, as everything was wet. We dried ourselves, chatted and waited inside the tent. At about five o'clock, it stopped raining. We decided to give up the camping trip because all of us had been very tired. This camping trip may not be very successful but we know each other better. And the most important thing I've learned from this trip is the importance of team spirit. The writer went camping in Green Natural Park _ .
Answer:
Dick often goes traveling when the summer holiday begins. But he was out of luck this summer. He went to an old temple on a high mountain by himself. On his way there it suddenly began to rain heavily and he hurried to go down the mountain. When he got to the foot of the mountain, he found the wooden bridge was under the water, so he had to spend the rainy night in a broken farmhouse. He was so hungry that he hardly fell asleep. The next morning the rain stopped and he found the bridge was damaged. He saw the river was not too deep and tried to swim across it. In the middle of the river the water nearly washed him away. Luckily , two farmers saved him, but he lost his bag. They gave him some food and dry clothes. He thanked them and went to the nearest town to call up his parents. At the end of the street, Dick found a small hotel and went in. He asked the price for a room. "A room on the first floor is twenty dollars, on the second floor, fifteen dollars and on the third, ten dollars," answered the owner. The young man had only eight dollars in all his pockets. He said thanks and was leaving. The owner asked, "Don't you like our hotel?" "Yes, it's good," said Dick, "but it's not tall enough!" Why couldn't Dick go to sleep that rainy night?
Answer:
On this vivid planet, it appears color1ful with many world famous buildings. Among these largest artificial articles in the world, many were designed by the same architect--Ieoh Ming Pei. Pei, the 1983 Laureate of the Pritzker, Architecture Prize, is a founding partner of I. M. Pei & Partners based in New York City. He was born in China in 1917, the son of a banker. He came to the United States in 1935 to study architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Harvard Graduate School of Design (M. Arch. 1946). From 1945 to 1948, Pei taught at Harvard. In 1948 he accepted the newly created post of director of Architecture at Webb & Knapp, Inc., and this association resulted in major architectural and planning projects in big cities. In 1958, he formed the partnership of I. M. Pei & Associates, which became I. M. Pei & Partners in 1966. The partnership received the 1968 Architectural Firm Award of The American Institute of Architects. Pei has designed over forty projects in the world, twenty of which have been award winners. His outstanding projects have included the East Building of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library near Boston; the Fragrant Hill Hotel near Beijing, China. Pei is now a member of the National Council on the Arts, and before served on the National Council on the Humanities. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, and an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He is a member of the Corporation of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. As a student, he was awarded the MIT Traveling Fellowship, at Harvard. He later won a lot of honors. In 1982, the deans of the architectural schools of America chose I. M. Pei as the best designer of significant non-residential structures. _ of Pei's structures have won awards.
Answer:
The English language started about 1500 years ago in England.Three groups of people came to the country.They were the Angles,the Saxons,and the Jutes.These three groups brought their languages with them to England.After some time,the three languages became one new languageEnglish.The name "English" comes from the Angles.They lived in most of England."England" means "Angle Land" or "Country of the Angles". The language that we speak todayModern Englishis not the same as the English that people used 1500 years ago,including Old English(before 1150)and Middle English(up till 1500).That languageOld Englishsounds different,and it has some different rules of grammar. There were only a few thousand words in Old English.But Modern English does come from Old English,and it is still like it in many important ways. Which of the following is TRUE?
Answer:
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Hello, everyone! I am Zhang Xin. Do you know what I see in America? Well, it is really an interesting trip. Now, 1et me tell you what I find in this trip. In China, I have five English classes every week. When I study English,my teacher teaches me to say "I am fine" when people ask me "How are you?" But in the US., I find people say "I am good," or "I' m not so good." One day, someone says to me with "What's up?" But I don't know what to say. All the girls want to be nice. US girls like to get at a _ in the sun. But in China, girls only want to get white. In China, study comes first, so we study hard and that's it. But in the US, a "good" student also does much for others , and they play sports or music after school. After I come back from the US, I think for a long time. I can't forget this trip! Which is the best title ?
Answer: My Trip in the US
Elephants are the only species on the earth known to have death ritual besides man. They show a strong interest in the bones of their own kind.They are often seen gently touching the bones with their trunks and feet while remaining very quiet.Sometimes elephants completely unrelated to the dead will still visit their graves. Elephant researcher Meredith recalls something in his book about a typical elephant death ritual.The entire family of a dead elephant,including her young baby,were all gently touching her body with their trunks,trying to lift her. The elephant herd were all rumbling :The baby elephant was even observed to be weeping and made sounds that sounded like a scream,but then the entire herd fell incredibly silent.Then they began to throw leaves and dirt over the body and broke off tree branches to cover her.They spent the next two days quietly standing over her body.They sometimes had to leave to get water or food,but they would always return. Events of elephants behaving this way around human beings are common throughout Africa. On many occasions,they have buried dead or sleeping humans or helped them when they are hurt. An old woman fell asleep under a tree.When she woke up,there was an elephant standing over her,gently touching her.She kept very still because she was frightened.As other elephants arrived,they began to scream loudly and buried her under branches.She was found the next morning by the local people,unharmed. George Adamson also recalls when he shot all elephant from a herd that kept breaking into the farmers'gardens.George gave the:elephant's meat to 1ocal men and then dragged the rest of the body miles away.That night,the other elephants found the body,took the leg bones,returned them to the exact spot the elephant was killed,and made the death ritual. What is the best title for the passage?
Answer: The death rituals of elephants
Last Sunday it was snowy. Maria stayed at home. Her cousin Cara came to visit her. She came back from Beijing. She told Maria something about her vacation. "It was pretty good," she said. Cara visited the Palace Museum and the Great Wall. She took a lot of photos. It was lunchtime. Maria's parents were not at home. Maria decided to cook by herself . She cooked noodles with some pepperoni ,tomatoes and peppers . After Cara had the noodles, she said slowly, "I think it is delicious!" But Maria thought the food was too awful. She said, "Cana, thank you, but I put too many peppers!" There are some _ in the noodles.
Answer: peppers, tomatoes and pepperoni
Which of the following would you use to most efficiently transport heat?
Answer: empty soda can
Here are two places that you may want to pay a visit to. Sark, Channel Islands This is one of the few places in the world where tradition still stands and the traditional ways are fully respected. The roads here remain not cemented , and are not even paved, and they are completely dark at night as there are no street lights. The residents of Sark are not allowed to drive cars, and if they do, they have to keep them outside Sark. The transportation you can use in Sark includes your legs, bicycles or a horse-drawn carriage. There are no motor vehicles here. There are many activities you can enjoy here during the day, but when the night comes, the only thing you can do outside is look at the sky, which is really great. Because of the lack of artificial lights, the stars are very clearly visible. Hyderabad, India This southeastern city of India was the city where one of the wealthiest people in the world lived, Mir Osman Ali Khan. Now this city is the place where many global IT brands hold their head offices. But it hasn't lost its historic looks, as it remains surrounded by ancient boulders , and the modern houses recently built are surrounded by traditional gardens and lakes. From the great hotel Taj Falaknuma Palace you can see the Old City where the old Indian tradition is well preserved. The best time to travel to Hyderabad depends on whether you are going for the city itself, or you wish to go to some of the festivals that take place here. The Hyderabad Literary Festival takes place from the 23rdto the 26thof January, while a festival celebrating various cultures, the Deccan Festival, happens from February 25 to March I. Why hasn't Hyderabad lost its historic looks ?
Answer: Because traditional boulders, gardens and lakes remain there.
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In today's throwaway society,dealing with the city's growing mountain of waste is an increasing challenge for the city council . Recently,Edinburgh is faced with the problem of disposing of about 250,000 million tons of waste a year.Despite different ways to dispose of much of it in a green manner--largely through encouraging recycling--its aging facilities such as the Powderhall landfill do not have the ability to deal with it. The European Union (EU) has issued a new policy,regulating how such mountains of waste are to be disposed of.The five councils (Edinburgh,East Lothian,West Lothian,Midlothian and Borders) face fines around PS18 million a year from 2013 if they don't increase recycling levels and rely less on landfill.With this in mind,the councils got together with the idea of building a large incinerator plant to burn half of the waste produced in their districts.But this plan fell apart after the change of target levels by a new UK government waste policy which required that no more than 25% of the city's waste should be disposed of in this way by 2025. After the plan was abandoned,a private company which already transported millions of tons of the city's waste by train to a landfill site near Dunbar,offered an alternative solution when it suggested opening a huge waste site near Portobello. Since Powderhall is supposed to close in 2015,it seemed necessary for the members of the Edinburgh Council to accept the suggestion.But soon they turned it down--after 700 local objections reached them--because it would have meant hundreds of lorries a day making loud noise through heavily populated areas. That still leaves the council with a problem.By 2013,only 50% of 1995 levels of waste will be allowed to be sent to landfill.Even if recycling targets are met,there will still be a large amount of rubbish to be burnt up.Due to this,Edinburgh and Midlothian councils have now decided to work together to build an incinerator plant as time to find a solution is fast running out.(2011*,C) The five councils worked out a plan to build an incinerator plant to _ .
A. reduce the cost of burying waste
B. meet the EU requirements
C. speed up waste recycling
D. replace landfill sites
Answer: B
What if you arrived home to find a delicious hot meal waiting for you, prepared by your own kitchen robot? It might sound like science fiction, but professors at the University of Tokyo have taken the first steps toward making that a reality. The team recently introduced a human-shaped kitchen robot that can pour tea and other drinks into cups and serve them to guests. When teatime is over, the robot can also wash the dishes and put them away. In California, another interesting kitchen robot has been developed, called Readybot. It can pick up objects and either store them in cabinets or put them in the trash. It also carries a separate floor-cleaning robot that can operate by itself. Unlike the Japanese robot, Readybot just looks more like a large box with arms and wheels. Readybot was created by engineers and designers who established a club called the Readybot Challenge. They believe that in the future millions of robots will be needed in homes to perform ordinary household tasks. Readybot is just the first step in their plan to create a robot that can do jobs not only in kitchens but in other rooms of homes and in offices as well. Clearly there are technological difficulties to solve before robots can cook a complete dinner, and there are also many safety concerns . Not everyone (especially parents) would be comfortable with the idea of robots in their house, _ hot pans and sharp knives. The European Commission recently funded a project to study these concerns. According to lead researcher Professor Chris Melhuish, "Enabling robots to work safely with humans is a key need for the future development of robotics." Compared with Readybot, the Japanese robot _ .
A. is more popular
B. performs more jobs
C. moves more quickly
D. looks more like a person
Answer: D
Martha Kostyra was born in Jersey City ,New Jersey on August3, 1941(she became Martha Stewart when she married Andy Stewart in 1961). Martha's dad was a pharmaceutical salesman and her wife was a housewife and a teacher. Her were fairly strict and required their children to do plenty of housework and help around the house . Martha learned how to cook and sew from her mother .She also learned about gardening by helping her father out in the yard. When Martha was in high school , she made extra money by babysitting and organizing children' parties . She was a bright student and attended Barnard College in New York city. She helped pay for her schooling through modeling jobs. In 1962, she graduated from Barnard with degrees in History and Architectural History. Before graduating from college, Martha married Andy Stewart. After college she and Andy traveled and Martha continued to model. Martha had her only child, a daughter named Alexis, in 1965. Two years later, Martha wanted to go to work. She got a job as a stockbroker in New York City and worked for six years. In 1971,Martha and Andy purchased a farmhouse they called Turkey Hill in Westport, connecticut. After quitting her job, Martha spent her time completely restoring the old farmhouse. She also studied how to cook and became an excellent gourmet chef. One day Martha decided to put her cooking skills to the test by opening up her own catering business. She cooked food and hosted large dinner parties and quickly became a success. Through her books and television appearances, Martha soon became famous . In the 1990s, she began to expand her business . She started a magazine called Martha Stewart Living, a popular newspaper column, and her own television show. The name Martha Stewart became a brand that was worth millions of dollars . In 1997, she formed a company called Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. She was president and CEO. She took the company public in 1999, selling shares in the company. At one point her estimated wealth was nearly $1 billion. She also had her own band of products at stores like Home Depot, K-Mart, Macy's and Sears. She also worked with home builders to design Martha Stewart inspired homes. What started Martha ' s success in business?
A. Her modeling jobs
B. Her graduation from college
C. Her catering business.
D. Her effort into the farmhouse
Answer: C
Recent weeks have seen a wave of new books, stamps, movies, television programmes, newspaper articles, songs and performances, all celebrating the 100thanniversary of the birth of Deng Xiaoping, on August 22. To Chinese people, he was no doubt one ofprefix = st1 /China's greatest leaders. Many Westerners remember Deng as "a little man with great ideas". He was famous for his practical and direct manner, shown in famous slogans such as "No matter if it is a white cat or a black cat; a cat that can catch rats is a good cat" and "Poverty is not socialism". In 1979, as the first top Chinese communist leader to set foot in theUnited States, he was regarded as a symbol of friendship when he wore a cowboy hat inHouston,Texas, and rode around in a stage coach. "His straightforward manner earned the trust of the American people. He changed the American people's traditional view of Chinese leaders andChina," said David Lampton, a well-known American expert onChina. "He succeeded in strengthening Chinese diplomatic relations." Lampton said that Deng openedChinaup to the rest of the world and helped develop more friendly relations with the West. "Deng's reform increased the world's understanding of Chinaand today Americans are no longer afraid ofChina," said Mike Wallace, an American journalist who interviewed Deng in 1986. At that time, he said,Chinawas still mysterious in the eyes of Westerners. Talking of his impression of Deng, Wallace said he was very honest and clever. He recalled a conversation at the beginning of the interview. "I started the interview by saying 'reporters don't normally get to meet you'. Deng answered, 'Because I am an ordinary person'. Then I asked, 'Why did you decide to have the interview with us at this time?' He replied, 'Because I want to know American people and that they can know Chinabetter; by American people I also mean American leaders'." Though he interviewed many international leaders, Wallace thought Deng was very different form them all. Maybe the fact that Deng was selected twice as "Person of the Year" by the world-famous American Time magazine tells it all. The passage mainly talks about _ .
A. how Deng was regarded by Chinese people
B. how Deng was viewed amongst foreigners
C. what Deng was famous for
D. how Deng strengthened the relations between Chinaand theUS
Answer: B
A person named Leonardo da Vinci studied many things including animals, geology, clouds, and flight. His study of birds helped him design the first parachute. Everything he saw made him ask how and why. Which human quality most likely made this person want to study many different things?
A. duty
B. wisdom
C. kindness
D. curiosity
Answer: D
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Although the New Year is already here, the great moments of the past year are still in the memory. Let's look back at some of them. United States One of the world's largest New Year's Eve parties was held in Times Square, New York. The festival attracted hundreds of thousands of people to watch a brightly-lit ball drop on a landmark building at the stroke (, ) of midnight. A great amount of confetti was released from the sky at zero o'clock. Britain Painted in shinning colors, blowing whistles, 50,000 party-goers arrived in London's Millennium Dome to dance in the New Year. The Millennium Dome came to life at midnight as 50 DJs started up, competing on five separate dance floors to warm the crowd into the party mood. Russia New Year is the biggest holiday in Russia. It is traditional to put up a tree for celebrations with family and friends. On the very last day of last year, Russians with a taste for a very cold swim braved freezing temperatures to plant traditional, festival trees on the bed of the Northern Ocean and at the bottom of Lake Baikal, the world's deepest lake. Malaysia Brave skydivers threw themselves off the world's tallest building near midnight and floated towards the New Year. The jump from the 452-metre Petronas Twin Tower was called a real leap from one year to the next since the group took off in the last second of the old year and landed a minute later in the New Year. "That was really cool," said Roland Simpson, "over crowds of onlookers to the landing spot." People jumping from the tallest buildings _ .
Answer:
spent two different years in the air.
If you are in a crowd, a first and most important thing is to make yourself familiar with your surroundings and mentally notice alternate exits. No matter where you are, make sure you always know how to get out. Make sure you know the type of ground you are standing on. For example, in a crowd of moving people wet ground can be dangerous, causing you to fall. You should know the general atmosphere of the event, as panic situations can often be predicted. When in danger, a few seconds can make all the difference, giving you the possibility of taking advantage of your escape route. Always stay closer to the escape route If you find yourself in the middle of a moving crowd, do not fight against the pressure, do not stand still or sit down, because you could easily get injured or even be killed by being stepped on by other people. Instead, move in the same direction of the crowd; take advantage of any space that may open up to move sideways to the crowd movement where the flow is weaker. Keep your hands up by your chest, which will protect your chest during the movement. If you fall, get up quickly. If you can't get up because you are injured, get someone to pull you back up. If you fall and can not get up, keep moving by crawling in the same direction of the crowd. Do not lie on your stomach or back, as this is dangerous for your body. The worst situation is to be pushed by the crowd against an immovable object. Try to shun High walls, as the crowd pressure can build up rapidly. After you're pushed forward, the way you move is on a diagonal . There's always space between people. You work your way out that way till you get out of the crowd. When you are in a crowd the first thing you do is _ .
Answer:
be familiar with the surroundings
Grandpa's hobby was making birdhouses. He always said, "A man has to keep busy to stay out of trouble." Leigh wasn't sure how much trouble Grandpa could get into anyway, since he was such a nice man, but Leigh tried to listen to his advice. Besides, she liked to help on his birdhouses. Grandpa's shop was full of well-oiled and carefully-kept tools. Whenever he used something, he put it back in exactly the right place. He had rules about how he treated his tools, because he hated buying something new if the old one still worked. He also made sure to clean up each time he worked on something. It wasn't too fun cleaning up, but it was nice to watch him cut boards to exact lengths. It was nice to see the drill put in holes for screws to go in cleanly. It was like being a doctor, but with wood. The best part of building was seeing all the pieces come together in the final form. The last steps always included lacquer or paint, to help protect Grandpa's hard work from the weather. His birdhouses lasted for years. If he didn't coat them properly, the sun and rain would turn the wood gray and weak in a short period of time. No, he always made sure to do things right. Even if he put rocks or other cute decorations on them, it was done right and made to last. Grandpa was a hard worker, but he was also smart and generous. He let Leigh keep the birdhouses sometimes, but only if he got to help hang it up or set the post for it. It had to be done just right, after all. The birdhouses were a great way to learn about woodworking, hard work, taking care of what you have, and about birds. The best thing about building birdhouses was that Leigh spent some time with Grandpa. What did Leigh value most?
Answer:
Spending some time with Grandpa.
Cambodians are continuing to mourn the death of King-Father Norodom Sihanouk, who died in Beijing this week. In an exclusive interview with CCTV, China's ambassador to Cambodia, Pan Guangxue, says Sihanouk made indelible contributions to Sino-Cambodian relations and his death will not affect the friendship between the two countries. Since its founding, the People's Republic of China has maintained close contact with Cambodia. Bilateral trade volume has increased rapidly in recent years, from 200 million US dollars in 2002 to nearly 2.5 billion US dollars in 2011. China is now not only Cambodia's third largest trading partner, but for many years has been Cambodia's number one investor. Norodom Sihanouk, Cambodia's "King-Father" pioneered the relationship. Pan Guangxue said, "If we look back at previous decades, I think Sihanouk made the right choice, a choice good to Cambodian national development. It was because of his commitment to the development of Sino-Cambodia friendship that we've achieved what we have today." In 2010, the two countries established a comprehensive strategic partnership, during its Prime Minister Hun Sen's visit to China. And 2013 is set to be China-Cambodia Friendship Year. Pan Guangxue said, "Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on many occasions that China does not tell Cambodia what to do or what not to do. China does not point fingers at Cambodia. I think this is a true evaluation of Sino-Cambodian relations. China pursues an independent peaceful foreign policy of non-alignment and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries." The ambassador says Sihanouk's death is a huge loss to both China and Cambodia, but that bilateral relations will not be affected. Pan Guangxue said, "I believe the bilateral relationship will be sustained and grow even stronger." With both countries enjoying the benefits of the fruitful relationship, the governments of China and Cambodia have promised that Sihanouk's legacy will continue to be the foundation of even stronger ties. The following facts can prove the good Sino-Cambodian relations EXCEPT that _ .
Answer:
Sihanouk was committed to Cambodian national development
Still wonder where to stay? We have a lot to offer. GUEST ROOMS Spacious, stylish guest rooms include all the necessities for an unforgettable stay. All guest rooms feature workstations with Internet access, two telephones with voice mail, and in-room safes . SUITES Hilton Toronto offers a variety of one-bedroom and Junior Suites. Spoil yourself in the ultimate elegance, and capture the spirit of Canada in one of our four Signature suites. EXECUTIVE ROOMS You can enjoy Wi-Fi and access to the private Executive Lounge for breakfast, all-day coffee service and so on. The modern executive rooms offer views of downtown Toronto and come with robes, slippers, 47-inch flat-screen plasma TVs, over-sized chairs, large work desks and coffeemakers. The Executive Lounge is open 6:30am to 10:00pm Monday through Thursday, 6:30am to 11:00am Friday, and closed on Saturday and Sunday. ACCESSIBLE ROOMS Our accessible rooms have features designed for our disabled Guests. Partially accessible rooms have safety bars, raised vanities and toilets. Transfer benches are available upon request. BEST PRICE GUARANTEE Get the best price when you book directly with us. If you find a lower publicly available price anywhere else, we will match that price and give you an additional US $50 back. REACH US 145 RICHMOND STREET WEST, TORONTO, ONTARIO, M5H 212, CANADA TEL: +1- 416-869-3456 FAX: +1-416-869-3187 Which is not got in the private Executive Lounge?
Answer:
Coffee service on Sunday.
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I was eleven years old, waiting for my exam at Saraswati Vidyalaya, my school in Nagpur. "No. 12, please come forward." Kirti, a very fat girl from my class, stepped ahead. I heard my classmates laughing and so I tried to stop them with my eyes. But my good intentions were mistaken. The next morning, my teacher, Mrs. Kamble, told me, "Ashwini, I've received a complaint about you." I was shocked. The girl I was protecting thought I'd been laughing at her. I tried to explain but the teacher refused to hear me out. She punished me by making me stand by the door. I knew I was right. Such punishment to a class topper was simply unheard of. But, slowly, my pride disappeared. Instead of being angry, I understood the other students who have been punished at times. For the first time, I felt humbled . Three years later, I was in the math class. Mr. Prabhuraman, wrote an equation -- one he'd taught us the day before -- on the blackboard. "Anyone who doesn't know how to solve this," he said, "please leave the class at once." I knew I could solve only the first two steps. But my pride made me stay there. Unfortunately, the one who was asked to solve it was me. I just stood there, chalk in hand, trying not to look foolish. I prepared myself for a good talking-to , but Mr. Prabhuraman told me kindly, "Go back to your seat." Today, two decades later, those incidents have made me think. One teacher punished me for something I didn't do; the other forgave me for something I did wrong. Both experiences had an effect on me. They remind me that no matter what you accomplish , you must always be humble. After receiving a complaint, Mrs. Kamble _ .
A. said nothing about it
B. was disappointed
C. felt very angry
D. tried to find out the truth
Answer: C. felt very angry
One afternoon, in Paris, I took a trip to an art museum while waiting for my husband to finish a business meeting. I was looking forward to a quiet view of some great paintings of excellent artists. A young couple looking at the paintings in front of me were talking non-stop. I watched them a moment and decided she was doing all the talking. In fact, I was surprised at this man for putting up with her everlasting speech. Bored by their noise, I moved on. I met them several times as I moved through those rooms of art. Each time I heard her voice, I moved away at once. I was standing at the museum gift shop buying some cards when the couple walked to the exit . "He's a brave man," said the shop assistant. "Most of us would give up if we were blinded at such a young age. But he and his wife come in whenever there's a new art show." It explained the non-stop talk! A sudden sense of shame came to my heart for what I was thinking just now. "But what does he get out of the art?" I asked. "His wife describes each painting so he can see it in his head." At that moment I realized what is patience, courage and love. I saw the patience of a young wife describing paintings to a person who can't see and courage of a husband who would not allow blindness change his love towards art. And I felt the love shared by the two as I watched them walking away holding each other's hands. The woman kept talking while she and her husband were enjoying the art show because _ .
A. she was too excited to keep silent
B. she preferred talking to listening
C. she had to explain everything to her blind husband
D. she liked to show off in front of others
Answer: C. she had to explain everything to her blind husband
Believe it or not, in the near future people won't just wear a chicken feather suit at Halloween or for fancy dress. Chickens, which have long provided food for dinner, will also be used to make our clothes as well. Last Monday, a report by the University of Nebraska in the US said in the future it should be possible to use chicken feathers and rice straw to make clothes. "All those wasted agriculture products don't have to be wasted anymore," researcher Yiqi Yang said. New technology will change these by-products into something similar to wool, linen, or cotton. Because producing synthetic fabrics causes pollution, scientists wanted to find a cheaper and environmentally friendly replacement. They turned their eyes to the millions of tons of rice straw and chicken feathers that are widely and cheaply available worldwide. Moreover they don't cause pollution like petroleum-based fibers . Chicken feathers are mostly made up of the same kind of protein found in wool. A sweater made from chicken feathers would feel just like a wool sweater. It would be lighter in weight and warmer, too. According to Yang and his team, rice straw, on the other hand, can produce a fabric that looks and feels similar to cotton or linen. The process is also environmentally friendly. The total production cost of rice fiber is about 50 cents per pound, while cotton now sells for about 60 cents a pound. Maybe some day in the future you will wear _ clothes like these. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. In the past, chicken feathers and rice straw were not very cheaply available.
B. At present, chicken feathers and rice straw are useless for producing synthetic fabrics.
C. The environmentally friendly products will take the place of the non-environmentally friendly ones.
D. Scientists have not made any progress in the environmentally friendly products.
Answer: C. The environmentally friendly products will take the place of the non-environmentally friendly ones.
The Yale Peabody Museum is open: Monday through Saturday 10:00 a. m. to 5:00 p. M. Sunday Noon to 5:00 p. m. The Museum is closed on New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Admission Fees: $9.00 Adults $8.00 Senior citizens 65 years and over $5.00 Children ages 3 through 18, and college students with ID $4.00 Group admission To receive this reduced admission, groups must make a reservation at least 2 weekdays in advance. Group admission is only available with a written confirmation brought to the Museum at the time of the visit. More attention: Some halls may be closed to the public on weekday mornings during the academic year for school group programs, so we recommend visiting after 1 p.m. on weekdays or at any time on the weekends. There is no cafeteria or lunchroom at the Peabody. Information on local eating places is available through our Restaurant Guide or at the Admission Desk in the lobby. Visitors are welcome to picnic on the lawns around the Museum. Photography with handheld cameras is permitted in exhibition halls for personal use only; photography of The Age of Mammals is prohibited at all times. All other uses require the advance written permission of the Yale Peabody Museum. Highlights Tours of the Museum are offered at no extra charge every Saturday and Sunday at 12: 30 and 1: 30 p.m. These 45minute tours of the Yale Peabody Museum's exhibition halls are led by one of our specially trained volunteer guides. The Museum offers free individual admission on Thursday afternoons from 2: 00 to 5: 00 p.m. during the months of September to June. Admission is free to any individual with a valid Yale ID. Check out a Peabody Museum pass at your local library. A Museum pass will give you $5 off each admission for up to 4 people. Ask for it at your local library. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Admission for Yale students to visit the Museum is free.
B. Extra money is supposed to be paid for guides while visiting the Museum.
C. Some exhibition halls are not open Monday through Friday.
D. Photography is not allowed in exhibition halls for commercial use.
Answer: D. Photography is not allowed in exhibition halls for commercial use.
Like distance runners on a measured course,all of us will move through time in a roughly predictable pattern. In the first stage of our lives,we develop and grow, reaching toward the top of physical vitality . After we grow up,however, the body begins a process of gradually wearing out. A new awareness of physical fitness may help lengthen our years of health and vitality,yet nothing we do will work to stop the unavoidable force of aging. Most of the changes of aging take place deep inside the body.The lungs become less able to take in oxygen.Powerful muscles gradually lose their strength.The heart loses power and pumps less blood.Bones grow easier to break. Finally, we meet a stress,a stress that is greater than our physical resistance.Often,it is only a minor accident or chance infection(a disease caused by virus),but this time, _ brings life to an end. In 1932,a classic experiment nearly doubled the lifetime of rats,simply by cutting back the calories in their diet The reason for the effect was then unknown. Today, at the University of California at Berkley, Dr.Paul Seagle has also greatly lengthened the normal lifetime of rats.The result was achieved through a special protein limited diet,which had a great effect on the chemistry of the brain.Seagle showed that within the brain,specific chemicals control many of the signals that influence aging.By changing that chemical balance,the clock of aging can be reset. For the first time, the mystery of why we age is being seriously challenged.Scientists in many fields are now making striking and far-reaching discoveries. An average lifetime lasts 75 years,yet in each of us lies a potential for a longer life.If we could keep the vitality and resistance to disease that we have at age twenty, we would live for 800 years. The author believes the following except that _ .
A. human's life pattern is predictable
B. physical fitness can't stop the force of aging
C. human's lifetime will last longer than 75 years
D. all of the changes of aging take place deep inside the body
Answer: D. all of the changes of aging take place deep inside the body
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Question: I sat with my friend in a well-known coffee shop in a neighboring town of Venice. As we enjoyed our coffee, a man called the waiter and placed his order, "Two cups of coffee, one on the wall." We got interested and observed that he was served with one cup of coffee but he paid for two. As soon as he left, the waiter attached a piece of paper to the wall saying "A Cup of Coffee." Similar occasions took place twice while we were there. It seemed that this gesture was quite normal at this place. However, it was something unique and confusing for us. After a few days, when we again enjoyed coffee there, a man entered. The way this man was dressed did not match the standard or the atmosphere of this coffee shop. Poverty was evident from his looks. As he seated himself, he looked at the wall and said, "One cup of coffee from the wall." The waiter served coffee to this man with respect and dignity. The man had his coffee and left without paying. We were amazed to watch all this when the waiter took off a piece of paper from the wall and threw it in the dustbin. Now it was no surprise for us; the matter was very clear. The great respect for the needy shown by people in this town moved us to tears. Coffee is not a necessity. However, the point is that when we take pleasure in any blessing, maybe we also need to think about those people who also appreciate that specific blessing but cannot afford. Note the waiter, who gets the communication going between the affording and the needy with a smile on his face. Think about the man in need: he enters the coffee shop without having to lower his self-dignity; he has a free cup of coffee without asking or knowing about who has given this cup of coffee to him; he only looked at the wall, placed an order for himself, enjoyed his coffee and left. Besides, we need to remember the role played by the wall that reflects the generosity and care of people in this town. The passage is mainly concerned about _ .
A. learning from the waiter
B. buying coffee for others
C. caring more about the people in need
D. analyzing the characters in the coffee shop
Answer:
C
Question: When her five daughters were young, Helene An always told them that there was strength in unity . To show this, she held up one chopstick, representing oneperson. Then she easily broke it into two pieces. Next, she tied several chopsticks together, representing a family. She showed the girls it was hard to break the tied chopsticks. This lesson about family unity stayed with the daughters as they grew up. Helene An and her family own a large restaurant business in California. However, when Helene and her husband Danny left their home in Vietnam in 1975, they didn't have much money. They moved their family to San Francisco. There they joined Danny's mother, Diana, who owned a small Italian sandwich shop. Soon afterwards, Helene and Diana changed the sandwich shop into a small Vietnamese restaurant. The five daughters helped in the restaurant when they were young. However, Helene did not want her daughters to always work in the family business because she thought it was too hard. Eventually the girls all graduated from college and went away to work for themselves, but one by one, the daughters returned to work in the family business. They opened new restaurants in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Even though family members sometimes disagreed with each other, they worked together to make the business successful. Daughter Elisabeth explains, "Our mother taught us that to succeed we must have unity, and to have unity we must have peace. Without the strength of the family, there is no business." Their expanding business became a large corporation in 1996, with three generations of Ans working together. Now the Ans' corporation makes more than $20 million each year. Although they began with a small restaurant, they had big dreams, and they worked together. Now they are a big success. What can we infer about the An daughters?
A. They did not finish their college education.
B. They could not bear to work in the family business.
C. They were influenced by what Helene taught them.
D. They were troubled by disagreement among family members.
Answer:
C
Question: It is now February 7, 2035. The search engine TalkTalk will be open to the public next week and this service will soon be something beyond your imagination. For the first time you can not only talk to the search engine, but you can discuss with it what you are looking for. For example, if you want to know more about the oil price, TalkTalk asks if you want to know the current oil price, the development of the oil price, or news related to the oil price. You say that you want to read news about it and TalkTalk then directs you to your source, or lets you have the latest news related to the oil price in order from the most respectable sources. Compared with other search services that use a certain algorithm to provide data from a search, the artificial intelligence behind TalkTalk is said to easily spot if a certain source is aiming to cheat the searcher. TalkTalk also judges and stores every given reply and discussion, to learn how to give correct answers. TalkTalk is also set to answer questions directly where there is a definite answer. How well this will work in the long run is yet to be seen, but thousands of people have tested TalkTalk and the quality is really good. The first talking search engine saw the light of day more than 30 years ago and was called Speegle. It could read the results from a written search on the Internet, and was mostly for blind people. So far, TalkTalk cannot read the information from a certain source to you by phone, if it is not freely available. There are currently talks to find an arrangement for this, but it would most likely be difficult because of copyright . TalkTalk is available over the Internet and also by phone, even though it only speaks English. There are no plans to add other languages in the near future, most likely because it will cost a lot of money. When you are tired of asking TalkTalk all your questions, just ask, "Where is TalkTalk?" and you will get an answer that will make you leave it with a smile on your lips. The advantage of TalkTalk is that it can _ .
A. be available wherever you go
B. tell if a certain source is reliable
C. read the search results for you
D. offer different kinds of search results
Answer:
B
Question: People have strange ideas about food. For example, tomato is a kind of very delicious vegetable. It is one of useful plants that can be prepared in many ways. It has rich nutrition and vitamin in it. But in the 18th century, Americans never ate tomatoes. They grew them in their gardens because tomato plants are so pretty. But they thought the vegetable was poisonous . They called tomatoes "poison apples". President Thomas Jefferson, however, knew that tomatoes were good to eat. He was a learned man. He had been to Paris, where he learned to love the taste of tomatoes. He grew many kinds of tomatoes in his garden. The President taught his cook a way for a cream of tomato soup. This beautiful pink soup was served at the President party. The guests thought the soup tasted really good. They never thought their president would serve his honored guests poison apples. Jefferson never spoke to his honored guests about the fact. Jefferson learned that tomatoes were good to eat _ .
A. while he was in Paris
B. when he was a little boy
C. because his parents told him so
D. from books
Answer:
A
Question: Mary and Her Friends Mary has some friends. They are Betty, Peter, Alice and Mike. Mary is the oldest of the five. Betty is thirteen years old. She is younger than Mary and older than Peter. Alice is nine and Mike is seven. Betty and Peter are good runners . But Peter runs faster. Mary and Betty like to play basketball. Mary plays better than Betty. Alice sings best of them. Mary and Betty study in a middle school. Peter, Alice and Mike study in a primary school. They all work hard at school. But Betty works hardest. Her handwriting is good, too. Mike is _ than Alice.
A. youngest
B. oldest
C. younger
D. older
Answer:
C
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Question: I'm Adam Gun from Istanbul, Turkey. I'm in a good school. And at the age of 15, in my first year of high school. I'm a great fan of tennis and cycling. I play tennis twice a week for two hours each time. Sometimes I want to play more, but I just keep playing for hours on end, never getting tired of doing it. This is one of the rare things I love in my life, in addition to cycling. Like tennis, I find that I'm able to ride for ever and ever. Since Istanbul is made up of large and small hills, it's a nice challenge to ride my bike every day. Although there aren't many cycling places in Istanbul, I'm lucky enough to live near the biggest park. It's downhill from my house to the park and I enjoy cycling up as much as floating down, because it's challenging. Now I have been thinking about being a lawyer and following my father's footsteps, but I just don't think I'm _ it. I have heard people tell me over and over again: If you want to be happy with your life, you need to like and enjoy your job. Well, I'm not sure about the fact that I will enjoy being a lawyer when I grow up. I'm just not the type of person who sits down and studies for hours. So I just need opinions on whether to become a tennis player(hopefully), to become a cyclist(hopefully) or to become a lawyer. We can know that Adam Gun is satisfied with _ .
A. his friends
B. his choice to be a lawyer
C. his school
D. his favorite tennis star
Answer:
C. his school
Question: Two men from different worlds -- a BuzzFeed editor from New York and a man in southern China known as "Orange Brother" -- have been friends after social media helped them know each other over a stolen iPhone. The story of a guy named Matt in New York City who had his iPhone stolen last year has become famous on Chinese social media. Matt said his phone was stolen from a bar in the East Village last February. He bought a new phone and carried on with his life. It wasn't until this January, however, that he was going through his photo stream and noticed tons of photos that weren't his, including several pictures of an unknown man posing next to an orange tree. More photos of food menus, fireworks and something strange kept appearing in his photo stream in the following days. Matt later learned that his phone, stolen almost a year ago, had ended up in China and that the new owner was still logged into his iCloud account . After Matt wrote about the cross-seas connection on BuzzFeed, a web user translated it and posted it to Weibo. He started getting tons of attention from people in China about the story. They thought it was romantic like a fairy tale and perfect for the spirit of the Spring Festival. In typical Chinese netizen -fashion, they were able to track down the information of "Orange Brother". He lived in Meizhou, Guangdong province. Web users loved this, and urged Matt to come to China and connect with his "long-lost brother". Orange brother made the first move. "Matt, I welcome you to come to Meizhou and try some local food," he said on Weibo, China's micro blogging platform. That post was "liked" over 12,000 times. Matt quickly accepted. Matt began learning Chinese, while Brother Orange posted videos of himself learning English. But when they finally met, the smiles and hugs said it all. The article probably comes from _ .
A. A music magazine
B. a guide book
C. website news
D. a history textbook
Answer:
C. website news
Question: Money matters, no matter who or where you are. So when China's currency the yuan was devalued against the US dollar for three straight days in mid-August, the world felt the effects. As CNN put it: "If China sneezes, the world catches a cold." Why does it matter so much? The exchange rate is the term for the comparison of two currencies. It says how much one currency is worth in terms of the other. "Exchange rates play an important role in a country's level of trade. It is one of the most important determinants of a country's relative level of economic health," wrote Jason Van Bergen of Forbes.com. A higher currency makes a country's exports more expensive and imports cheaper, and vice versa . Devaluation means the same amount of RMB can be exchanged for fewer USD. For example, on Aug 11, the exchange rate of RMB to USD was 6.23, which meant $1 was worth the same as 6.23 yuan. Two days later, the rate changed to 6.4, meaning the value of RMB had dropped by 2.7 percent. So what does a weaker currency mean for our lives? It first affects those who want to travel to, or study in, the US. If your former classmate is leaving for a preparatory school in the US at the end of August, it now costs about 1,800 yuan more to exchange currency for 10,000 US dollars than it did earlier this month. However, since many currencies have decreased in value, the value of yuan is still relatively high despite the recent devaluation. This means it costs 1,200 yuan less to get 10,000 Canadian dollars now than it did in March. Even if we don't have plans to travel abroad, though, we could still be affected. For example, your mother will have to pay more if she buys directly from overseas websites with US dollars. And chances are that imported chocolate and potato chips will soon be a bit more expensive in your local supermarket. However, the weaker yuan is good news for Chinese exporters. It makes Chinese exports less expensive and it could boost the overseas sales that have been among the main reasons for China's economic growth during its rise over the past 30 years. Just as Erik Britton of Fathom, a London-based economic consulting firm, told The Guardian: "We're all going to feel it: we'll feel it through commodities , not just from China but from everywhere that has to compete with it; and we'll feel it through wages." "The devalued yuan will force China's Asian rivals , such as Indonesia and South Korea, to compete even harder," wrote Heather Stewart, economics editor of The Guardian. "The result may be cheaper Christmas presents." The passage implies that _ .
A. The yuan's devaluation contributes a lot to China's economic growth .
B. Exchange rates are the most important factor determining a country's relative level of economic health
C. The yuan's devaluation has a great impact on all the countries in the world.
D. Chinese exports sell well overseas because of their high quality
Answer:
A. The yuan's devaluation contributes a lot to China's economic growth .
Question: Dear Fang, How are you these days? I have been in England for two months. It's not a long time for a newcomer, and there are still a lot of things to do. Sorry for not being able to write to you soon. London is an old but beautiful city. There are lots of places of interest to visit. Last weekend I went along Thames River with some friends from Japan, Korea and some other countries. The modern skyscrapers among the old buildings impressed(...) us deeply. The classes started two weeks after I arrived here alone. Besides the language, I'm trying to learn about the culture as well. British people are quite different from the Chinese. Do you know the people here do not shake hands as much as we do in China? And it's never a good habit to make noise when you eat. They think it's impolite. There is so much to say, but I have to stop. I will write to you soon again. Love, Harry English people _ .
A. do not often shake hands with their friends when they meet
B. often shake hands when they meet their friends
C. talk aloud when they have dinner
D. usually make noise when they eat
Answer:
A. do not often shake hands with their friends when they meet
Question: When you increase the viability of food, you increase the ability to
A. waste it
B. modify it
C. disperse it
D. displace it
Answer:
C. disperse it
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Question: Doctors have a new weapon in the battle against obesity -- a talking plate that tells people not to eat too quickly. The Mandometer monitors the amount of food leaving the plate, and tells users, "Please eat more slowly." The PS1,500 Swedish device is to be used in a National Health Service plan to help hundreds of obese families lose weight. It comes in two parts -- a scale placed under the plate and a small computer screen showing a graphic of the food gradually disappearing as the user eats. A red line on the screen shows the user's eating speed, while a blue line shows a healthy rate. If the user eats too fast, the red line angles away from the blue one, warning him or her to _ . If the lines deviate too much, the computer voice comes on, and the screen flashes the message "Are you feeling full yet?" to remind users to think about whether they have had enough. Britain has an increasingly serious obesity problem, with one in four adults and one in seven children classed as obese. After a recent trial using the device, experts believe teaching obese people to eat more slowly will help them know when they are full. Around 600 families with at least one obese parent and child (aged five or older) were targeted in the project by Bristol University, along with GPs and nurses. Professor Julian Hamilton-Shield, who is leading the plan, says obese children and adolescents using the Mandometer ate from 12 to 15 percent less per meal at the end of the 12-month trial. Six months after they stopped using the device they still ate less, and continued to lose weight. "It will be a powerful tool to help families retrain their eating habits," he says. Which of the following is TRUE, according to the text?
A. 25% of children are obese in Britain.
B. One in seven adults is obese in Britain.
C. Children using the Mandometer ate less after the trial.
D. Six months after the trial, obese people are still eating a lot.
Answer:
C. Children using the Mandometer ate less after the trial.
Question: President Abraham Lincoln often visited hospitals to talk with wounded soldiers during the Civil War.Once,Lincoln went over to the bedside of a young dying soldier. "Is there anything I can do for you?"asked the President. The soldier obviously didn't recognize Lincoln, and with some effort he was able to whisper, "Would you please write a letter to my mother?" So the President carefully began writing down the soldier's words,"My dearest mother, I was badly hurt while doing my duty. I'm afraid I'm not going to recover. Don't _ too much for me, please. Kiss my sister Mary for me.May God bless you and Father." The soldier was too weak to continue, so Lincoln signed the letter for him and added, "Written for your son by Abraham Lincoln."The young man asked to see the note and was astonished when he discovered who had written it."Are you really the President?"he asked. "Yes, I am,"replied Lincoln quietly.Then he asked if there was anything else he could do."Would you please hold my hand?"asked the soldier."It will help to see me through to the end." In the quiet room, the tall gaunt President took the soldier's hand and spoke warm words of encouragement until death came. In writing the passage,the author intends to _ .
A. tell us war is cruel
B. make us laugh
C. draw our attention
D. tell us Lincoln was great
Answer:
D. tell us Lincoln was great
Question: 2008 sadly saw the worst earthquake in China in over 30 years. The Great Sichuan Earthquake was 8 on the Richter scale and killed around 70,000 people in May, not to mention the tens of thousands who were injured or went missing. On 26thJanuary, 2009, the biggest earthquake in India took the lives of 25,000 people. In the morning, when everybody was enjoying holiday, the earthquake began, It was about 7.5 on the Richter scale. "There is nothing left between the sky and the earth any more. Everything has been pulled down. " said one of the villagers alive. " There is no water, no food and no one has come to help." Nobody died in Pakistan, a country next to India. The City of Lahore was lucky. In Lahore American School, where I was studying, all of the students were safe. They were in the field, so most children didn't feel anything. The earthquake was felt by the teachers that were on the second floor. However, though Mrs Young was also on the second floor, she didn't feel anything. She didn't know what happened until a teacher told her about it. Those teachers who were on the other floors had different feelings. Mr Emond, the maths teacher from Australia, said that when the earthquake started he thought there was something wrong with him, but then another teacher said that it was an earthquake. After those words Mr Emond felt better. Mrs Davis and Mr Frost didn't feel anything either. My mother didn't feel anything. She didn't even know that it was an earthquake till she saw a shaking light. My dad saw the computer shaking and then he looked out of the window and saw many people going out. According to the passage, the City of Lahore is in _ .
A. India
B. Pakistan
C. America
D. China
Answer:
B. Pakistan
Question: Bill Gates and the president of General Motors have met for lunch, and Bill is going on and on about computer technology. "If automotive technology had kept pace with computer technology over the past few decades, you would now be driving a V-32 instead of a V-8, and it would have a top speed of 10,000 miles per hour," says Gates. "Or you could have an economy car that weighs 30 pounds and gets a thousand miles to a gallon of gas. In either case, the sticker price of a new car would be less than $ 50. Why haven't you guys kept up?" The president of GM smiles and says, "Because the federal government won't let us build cars that crash four times a day." Why is that funny (or not funny, as the ease may be)? Human beings love to laugh, and the average adult laughs 17 times a day. Humans love to laugh so much that there are actually industries built around laughter. Jokes, siteoms and comedies are all designed to get us laughing, because laughing feels good. For us it seems so natural, but the funny thing is that humans are the only species that laughs. Laughter is actually a complex response that involves many of the same skills used in solving problems. Laughter is a great thing--that's why we've all heard the saying, "Laughter is the best medicine." There is strong evidence that laughter can actually improve health and help fight disease. When we look at laughter--what it is, what happens in our brains when we laugh, what makes us laugh and how it can make us healthier and happier, there's a huge amount about it that no one understands yet. The best title of the passage is _ .
A. Joke
B. Laughter
C. Fun
D. Humor
Answer:
B. Laughter
Question: The drug store was closing for the night and Alfred Higgins was about to go home when his new boss approached him. "Empty your pockets please, Alfred," Sam Carr demanded in a firm voice. Alfred pretended to be shocked but he knew he had been caught. From his coat he withdrew a make-up kit, a lipstick and two tubes of toothpaste. "I'm disappointed in you, Alfred!" said the little gray-haired man. "Sorry, sir. Please forgive me. It's the first time I've ever done such a thing," Alfred lied, hoping to gain the old man's sympathy. Mr Carr's brow furrowed as he reached for the telephone, "Do you take me for a fool? Let's see what the police have to say. But first I'll call your mother and let her know her son is heading to jail." "Do whatever you want," Alfred shot back, trying to sound big. But deep down he felt like a child. He imagined his mother rushing in, eyes burning with anger, maybe in tears. Yet he wanted to come quickly before Mr. Carr called the police. Mr. Carr was surprised when Mrs. Higgins finally arrived . She was very calm, quiet and friendly. "Is Alfred in trouble?" she asked. "He's been stealing from the store," the old man coolly replied. Mrs. Higgins pulled out her hand and touched Mr. Carr's arm with great gentleness as if she knew just how he felt. She spoke as if she did not want to cause him any more trouble. "What do you want to do, Mr.Carr?" The woman's calm and gentle manner _ the once-angry store-owner, "I was going to get a cop. But I don't want to be cruel. Tell your son not to come back here again and I will let it go." Then he warmly shook Mrs. Higgins' hand. Mrs. Higgins thanked the old ma for his kindness, then mother and son left. They walked along the street in silence. When they arrived home his mother simply said, "Go to bed, you fool." In his bedroom, Alfred heard his mother in the kitchen. He felt no shame, only pride in his mother's actions. "She was smooth!" he thought. He went to the kitchen to tell her how great she was, but was shocked by what he saw. His mother's face looked frightened, broken. Not the cool, bright face he saw earlier. Her lips moved nervously. She looked very old. There were tears in her eyes. This picture of his mother made him want to cry. He felt his youth ending. He saw all the troubles he brought her and the deep lines of worry in her grey face. It seemed to him that this was the first time he had ever really seen his mother. What impressed Alfred most about his mother at the drugstore was _ .
A. how angry she was
B. how effective she handled Mr. Carr.
C. that she was able to save him
D. that she didn't cry
Answer:
B. how effective she handled Mr. Carr.
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Question: Most people have heard of shakespeare and probably know something of the plays that he wrote. However, not everybody knows much about the life of this remarkable man. Except perhaps that he was born in the market town of stratforduponAvon and that he married a woman called Anne Hathaway,We know nothing of his school life.We do not know,for example,how long it lasted,but we presume that he attended the local grammar school,where the principal subject taught was Latin. Nothing certain is known of what he did between the time he left school and his departure for London.According to a local legend,he was beaten and even put in prison for stealing rabbits and deer from the estate of neighbouring landowner, Sir Thomas Lucy, It is said that because of this he was forced to run away from his native place.A different legend says that he was apprenticed to a Strstford butcher, but did not like the life and for this reason decided to leave Strstford. Whatever caused him to leave the town of his birth, the world could be grateful that he did so.What is certain is that he set his foot on the road to fame when he arrived in London, It is said that at first he was without money or friends there, but that he earned a little by taking care of the horses of the gentleman who attended the plays at the theatre.They stopped and spoke to him.They found his conversations so brilliant that finally he was invited to join their compeny. The best title is_.
A. The Early life of Shakespeare
B. Shakespeare's Life in London
C. Shakespeare's Role in Performance
D. Shakespeare's Later Life
Answer:
A. The Early life of Shakespeare
Question: When we think of money, we think of coins and paper bills. That is what money is today. But in the past people used many things in place of money. Some countries used cows. Other countries used salt, tobacco, tea or stones. Today there are stills some places in the world that do not use paper money. One place is the island of Yap in the Pacific Ocean. On the island of Yap, people use the heavist money in the world --Yap stones. These are round, white stones with a hole in the middle. The Yap stones do not originate from the island. The Yap men have to go to the islands four hundred miles away to fetch them. Big stones can be twelve feet high -- as big as two tall men. Small stones are as big as a dinner plate. Rich people do not carry the Yap stones. Servants follow the rich. Each servant carries a stone on a pole over his shoulder. Today the people on the island use paper money for everyday shopping. But for other things they still prefer Yap stones. ,. Which of the following is TRUE?
A. The Yap stones originate from the island of Yap.
B. The Yap stones are all twelve feet high.
C. The Yap stones have a hole in the middle.
D. People on Yap Island use small stones as dinner plates.
Answer:
C. The Yap stones have a hole in the middle.
Question: "We are good mothers," I said to my friend, as we sat on our comfortable beach chairs under our beach umbrella and watched our children playing in the waves. Out of nowhere, the children took off running. About fifty yards from us, a man--maybe in his fifties--was fishing. The children stood next to him and watched with their little mouths hanging open as he cast the fishing lines. He smiled at them. They ran back to us--all except my three-year-old daughter, Drew. My heart beat fast with horror. "Drew! Come here! Play with your friends!" I shouted, very aware that my speeches about not talking to strangers weren't working. It seemed that many parents heard of horrible stories about children being taken away by strangers. Responsible mothers should teach their children that the world is a dangerous place. So I felt relieved when Drew ran towards me and took hold of a shovel . Then she looked me in the eye: "I want to be with the person." Again, she approached the middle-aged man, and started digging next to him. Several seconds later, she returned, waving something shiny. "Look, Mommy! A toy fish!" It was, indeed, a toy fish--yellow and rubber. This must have been what he was using to attract the fish. And he'd given it to Drew. The three other children were deeply impressed, and they didn't try to hide how jealous they were--clearly, they all wanted the fish. "My friend gave me that fish!" Drew shouted loudly. The sand in front of the umbrella turned into a preschool cage match with a yellow rubber fish flying through the air. I felt like I might cry myself. Unexpectedly, there he was: the man, standing right next to us with three more rubber fish in hand. He handed them to each of the children. By their faces, you would have thought he was actually the really kind big brother. "Thank you," I said, realizing that there is good and kindness in strangers. What would be the best title for the text?
A. Give a kid a fish
B. We are good mothers
C. The world is dangerous
D. Teach kids to be kind
Answer:
A. Give a kid a fish
Question: Researchers in London and Bristol have found that men are particularly likely to yield to depression if their partners are also depressed. The finding highlights the importance of paying attention to the partners of depressed mothers, as young children themselves are vulnerable to social problems if both parents are depressed. Researchers in London and at the University of Bristol launched their study to investigate whether family structure affects the likelihood of depression in men around the time their child is born. They looked at men from traditional families, men with children from a previous relationship, men whose partners had children by a former partner, and men who were not living with their partners. All 7,108 participants filled out a questionnaire on depression, and answered questions about their age, education level and employment status. Details about the quality of their relationships with their partners, networks of friends and previous life events were also recorded. About 3.5 percent of the men and 13 percent of their partners suffered depression around the time their child was born. While men in stepfamilies or who were not living with their partners were twice as likely to get depressed as those in traditional families, this could be explained by other factors that are more common in nontraditional families, such as poor education and relationship conflicts. Even allowing for all these factors, however, the partners of women who were suffering from prenatal depression were significantly more likely to become depressed themselves, the researchers report in an American journal. Ten percent of women who were depressed had depressed partners. For the healthy women, the figure was only 2.6 percent. Previous research suggests that families with two depressed parents may need special attention. A researcher in Atlanta has found that primary school children with two troubled parents have difficulty relating to their peers. "It's extremely important to look at the whole family." she says. Why did researchers in London and Bristol carry out such an investigation?
A. To see what kind of family environment is ideal for children to grow up in.
B. To study whether family structure affects depression in men when their child is born.
C. To investigate why so many men get depressed when a child is born.
D. To see whether it is true that behind every depressed man there is a depressed woman.
Answer:
B. To study whether family structure affects depression in men when their child is born.
Question: It would be hard for a family to live on 300 yuan a month, wouldn't it? That's how much Li Hua's family have to live on for a whole year. The world is now trying to help people like Li Hua to live better. From Tuesday until today, about 2,000 government leaders , scientists met in Shanghai to talk about stopping poverty around the world. According to the United Nations, the poorest people in the world live on less than 8.5 yuan a day. Most of those people live in African countries like Sierra Leone and Somalia. These countries often have wars and lots of diseases. Now, more than 1 billion people in the world live in poverty. The UN said that by 2015, that number should be cut in half. To help China's poor people, the World Bank has given more than 37 billion yuan to help China build railways and schools and stop river pollution and deserts. Many places in China's countryside, like Li Hua's home in Chongqing, are very poor. Li Hua, 13, lives with her mother, two grandparents and a 16-year-old brother in Chongqing. Her father is dead. The family make their living by planting crops. They have no TV, no electric fan and no telephone. The meeting in Shanghai is to talk about stopping poverty _ .
A. in China
B. in Sierra Leone
C. in the world
D. in Somalia
Answer:
C. in the world
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Hybrid cars are cars that run on petrol and electricity. They have a small standard petrol engine and a battery electric motor to provide electric power. There are some differences between different models of hybrid cars, but the general principle is that the car runs on petrol, and the electric motor kicks in when additional power is required, for example, when going uphill or accelerating. In some hybrid cars the petrol engine turns itself off when not needed, for example when the car has stopped at traffic light, keeping only the electric engine running. Conventional cars have large engines to deal with driving uphill and accelerating. Hybrid cars have much smaller petrol engines, improved by electric motors when needed, so they use less petrol. Another way that fuel consumption is cut is by a system of "regenerative braking". The electric motor is used to slow down the car, rather than conventional brakes. The energy produced by slowing the car is changed into electrical power, which is automatically stored in the battery. In effect, the battery recharges when you brake. In conventional cars the energy produced when braking is wasted. In 1928 Ferdinand Porsche built an experimental hybrid car. The first mass-produced hybrid car, the Toyota Prius, came out in Japan at the end of 1997. However, hybrid cars became available in the USA only in 1999. As they use less fuel, hybrid cars are cheaper to run. There are also many voices in place to encourage people to buy them. In some countries, hybrid car owners pay a lower rate of tax, and don't have to pay on certain roads. In some cities, hybrid cars are allowed to park for free. In regenerative braking, _ .
Answer:
Which unit can be used to describe an object's length?
Answer:
Fuzhou Road is famous for its book stores. Shanghai's City of Books (Nandong) Address: No. 345, Nanjing Road. E. near Shandong Road N. Tel: 6322-1557 Opening Hour: 9:30--21:30 It is a branch of Shanghai's City of Books. It doesn't sell any foreign language books, but you can buy CDs of computer games and software. Traffic: Metro Line No. 2 (Nanjing Road E. Station) Shanghai's City of Books Address: No. 465, Fuzhou Road Tel: 6391-4848 Opening Hour: 9:30--20:30 This is the biggest book store in Shanghai with six floors. Each floor has different kinds of books, but most English books are for Chinese students preparing for exams. Foreign Language Bookstore Address: No. 390, Fuzhou Road Tel: 6322-3200 Opening Hour: 9:00--18:00 You can find many English novels on the ground floor, as well as dictionaries. There is a corner on the ground floor for foreigners who want to learn Chinese. On the higher floors, you can find some professional books in English. Of course, many of the books are for Chinese students. Shanghai Culture Commercial Building Address: No. 355, Fuzhou Road Opening Hour: 9:00--17:30 This store has a variety of stationery and painting materials. If you major in painting or art, this is a good place to find professional materials. From the introduction of the four book shops, Li Hua can buy a drawing-board as a birthday gift for her sister between _ .
Answer:
The sun was rising when Daryl's delivery truck reached the highway. This was the best time of day to drive, when the roads were wide open and empty. He felt sure he was going to make it to Los Angeles before midnight. It looked like it was going to be a good day. Then he saw it, a large lump in the middle of the road. Daryl often passed dead animals on the roadside but he knew than this was something different. He slammed on his brakes and the truck screeched to a halt. The lump was a girl. He tried shaking her awake but she wouldn't move, so he picked her up and carried her to the side of the road. At least she wouldn't be run over there. Now she was someone else's problem. He had to make it to Los Angeles by midnight and didn't have time to be a here. He climbed back into his truck but as he looked in his mirror and saw the girl lying still by the side of the road, he knew he couldn't leave her. Daryl put her into his truck and drove to the next town. An hour later he pulled up at the police station. After explaining what had happened, he prepared to leave, only for the policeman to say that he needed to make a report. Daryl knew this would take several hours, but he had no choice. There was no way he'd get to Los Angeles on time now. Three hours later the report was done and the girl had recovered somewhat. She explained that she had fallen on the highway, weak from hunger, but could remember nothing else. She also thanked Daryl for saving her life. Daryl told her that he had been happy to help, but as he got back into his truck he knew his boss wouldn't be. Just as he was about to pull back onto the road, his mother called. "Have you seen?" she said, "A bridge collapsed two hours ago, the one that you drive over on the way to Los Angeles." Daryl's blood run cold. If he had been on time, he would have been on that fallen bridge about two hours ago. Daryl realized how lucky he was. How did Daryl feel after he left the police station?
Answer:
Today anyone will accept money in exchange for goods and services. People use money to buy food, furniture, books, bicycles and hundreds of other things we need or want. When they work, they usually get paid in money. Lots of the money today is made of paper. But people used to use all kinds of things as money. One of the first kinds of money was shells. Shells were not the only things used as money. In China, cloth and knives were used. In the Philippine Islands, rice was used as money for a long time. Some Africans once used elephant tusks, monkey tails, and salt as money. The first metal coins were made in China. They were round and had a square hole in the center. Different countries have used different metals and designs for their money. Later, countries began to make coins of gold and silver. But even gold and silver were inconvenient if you had to buy something expensive. Again the Chinese thought of a way to improve money. They began to use paper money. The first paper money looked more like a note from one person to another than the paper money used today. Money has had an interesting history, from the days of shell money until today. We can infer from the passage that _ .
Answer:
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Question: The hormone insulin is secreted by the pancreas. Which activity is most likely to trigger an increase in the levels of insulin circulating in the blood?
A. driving
B. eating
C. jogging
D. sleeping
Answer:
B. eating
Question: With the development of society and economy, animals and their habitats are getting pushed aside as households decrease in size and increase in number. Small numbers of people per household on average use more energy and goods per person. Greater numbers of households require more natural resources for construction. The possible result of this problem may be _ natural resources to meet consumer demand without endangering habitats important to biodiversity. Personal freedom and social choice may come at huge environmental cost. Direct costs include visible damage to animal habitats and plant life. Indirect costs include the release of more greenhouse gases. The effects of such "personal freedom and social choice" have already surfaced in south-west China's Wolong Nature Reserve. In Wolong, they found that a reduced average household size was directly tied to an increase in homes, and thus an increase in the amount of firewood consumed for cooking and heating. The rise in wood fuel use has contributed to disappearance of forests and to the loss of habitats for giant pandas. Curious about whether other parts of the world were experiencing similar phenomena, they got the support of a team of researchers including Stanford's Paul Ehrlich, well-known for his population studies, to find out the household dynamics in 141 countries between 1985 and 2000. Their study proved that the difficult choice of Wolong is part of a global trend. In the 76 countries considered biodiversity "hotspots", such as the United States, Brazil, Australia, and Kenya, the number of households grew by 3.1% every year, while the population increased just 1.8%. Meanwhile, the number of people per home dropped from 4.7 to 4.0. The decline in household size has resulted in 155 million additional households in hotspot countries, almost always limiting biodiversity. In the 10 non-hotspot countries -- those without high-density areas of animal and plant species -- similar results were found, though on a lesser scale. Even in countries experiencing population decline, such as New Zealand, the number of households still increased because of a reduction in household size. It can be learned from the passage that China's Wolong Nature Reserve _
A. is facing the same threat as many other parts of the world
B. sets a good example in protecting animals
C. is a place where giant pandas and their habitats are not affected
D. is a place where animals and their habitats are seriously damaged
Answer:
A. is facing the same threat as many other parts of the world
Question: Pairs, Jan. 11--- An armored car robbery last night ended in a wild gunbattle that two men dead and a hostage seriously wounded. The drama began when an armored car carrying the contents of safety boxes to a bank was struck by a large truck, police said. The bank guards were helpless when the robbers jumped out of the truck and tied them. The robbers used heavy tools and explosives to break the armored car. A passing police car turned to look into the accident as the men were removing the contents of the armored car. Police said the three robbers fled on foot across a nearby highway. Stopping a private car driven by a teenaged girl, the three escaped for central Pairs with the police car in hot pursuit . A plain clothes policeman saw the car as it drove through the street of Lat in Quarter. The policeman tried to stop the car, but the thieves started shooting at him, witness said. The girl hostage tried to slip away. Just as she was crawling away from the car, she was hit by a bullet. Police said she was out of danger at Central Hospital. The gunmen gave up the car and got into a shop, pouring fire on more than 50 policemen that surrounded the building. After a wild gunbattle, police broke into the room. They only found two of the gunmen, both seriously wounded. The third thief was believed to have escaped with over $1.3 million in cash and jewellery. The three robbers escaped on foot across a nearby highway because _ .
A. a passing police car found them .
B. the explosives were too strong .
C. the contents of the armored car were too heavy .
D. the truck broke down .
Answer:
A. a passing police car found them .
Question: Which number is likely an inherited characteristic of a human?
A. 5 favorite shirts
B. 5'10
C. 10 dogs
D. 15 friends
Answer:
B. 5'10
Question: If plants are going to grow, their seeds need to
A. travel elsewhere
B. be eaten
C. pass a test
D. be washed
Answer:
A. travel elsewhere
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Many Americans are turning to Japan, they think, a country of high academic achievement and economic success, for possible answers. However, the answers provided by Japanese preschools are not the ones Americans expected to find. In most Japanese preschools, surprisingly little emphasis is put on academic instruction. In one survey, 300 Japanese and 210 American preschool teachers, child development specialists, and parents were asked about various aspects of early childhood education. Only 2 percent of the Japanese respondents listed "to give children a good start academically" as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. In contrast, over half the American respondents chose this as one of their top three choices. To prepare children for successful careers in first grade and beyond, Japanese preschools do not teach reading, writing, and mathematics, but rather skills such as determination, concentration, and the ability to work as a member of a group. The huge majority of young Japanese children are taught to read at home by their parents. Like in America, there is diversity in Japanese early childhood education. Some Japanese kindergartens have specific aims, such as early musical training or potential development. In large cities, some kindergartens are attached to universities that have elementary and secondary schools. Some Japanese parents believe that if their young children attend a university-based program, it will increase the children's chances of eventually being admitted to top-rated schools and universities. Several more progressive programs have introduced free play as a way out for the heavy intellectualizing in some Japanese kindergartens. In Japan's preschool education, the focus is on _ .
A. preparing children academically
B. developing children's artistic interests
C. developing children's potential
D. shaping children's character
Answer: D
Paper is one of the most important products ever invented by man. The invention of paper meant that more people could be educated because more books could be printed. Paper provided an important way to communicate with knowledge. Paper was first made in China about 2,000 years ago. In Egypt and the West, paper was not very commonly used before the year 1400. Paper was not made in southern Europe until about the year 1100. After that, the forest countries of Canada, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and the United States became the most important in paper-making. Today Finland makes the best paper in the world. When we think of paper, we think of newspapers, books, letters, envelopes, and writing paper. So paper plays an important role in our lives. Paper is very good for keeping you warm. Houses are often with paper. You have perhaps seen homeless men sleep on a large number of newspapers. They are insulating themselves from the cold. In Finland, in winter it is sometimes 40 degrees below zero. The farmers wear paper boots in the snow. Nothing could be warmer. What did the invention of paper mean? It meant _ .
A. more people could be educated
B. more books could be printed
C. paper is one of the most important products
D. paper was invented by man
Answer: A
Gone with the Wind is a novel written by Margaret Mitchell, first published in 1936. It was popular with American readers from the onset and was the top American fiction bestseller in the year it was published and in 1937 on the row. As of 2014, a Harris poll found it to be the second favorite book of American readers, just behind the Bible. More than 30 million copies have been printed worldwide. The sales of Margaret Mitchell's novel in the summer of 1936, at the virtually unprecedented price of three dollars, reached about one million by the end of December. Because it was released in the era of the Great Depression and Mitchell worried the high $3.00 price would ruin its chance for success. Actually the book was a bestseller by the time reviews began to appear in national magazines. Herschel Brickell, a critic for the New York Evening Post, praised Mitchell for the way she "tosses out the window all the thousands of technical tricks our novelists have been playing with for the past twenty years." One criticism by literary scholar Patricia Yaeger, leveled at Gone with the Wind, is for its portrayal of African Americans in the 19th century South. Former field hands during the early days of Reconstruction are described behaving "as creatures of small intelligence might naturally be expected to do. Like monkeys or small children turned loose among treasured objects whose value is beyond their comprehension, they ran wild~either from wrong pleasure in destruction or simply because of their ignorance." In Gone with the Wind Mitchell is blind to racial oppression and 'the inseparability of race and gender" that defines the southern belle character of Scarlett, according to Patricia Yaeger. Yet there are complexities in the way that Mitchell dealt with racial issues. Scarlett was asked by a Yankee woman for advice on who to appoint as a nurse for her children; Scarlett suggested a "darky", much to the disgust of the Yankee woman who was seeking an Irish maid, a "Bridget". African Americans and Irish Americans are treated "in precisely the same way" in Gone with the Wind, writes David O'Connell in his 1996 book, The Irish Roots of Margaret Mitchells Gone with the Wind. Ethnic slurs on the Irish and Irish stereotypes spread in every part of the novel, O'Connell claims, and Scarlett is not an exception to the insults. And apparently in the novel, the Irish American O'Haras were slaveholders whereas African Americans were held as slaves. Speaking on the subject of whether Gone with the Wind should be taught in schools, James Loewen, author of Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong, says the novel should be taught in schools. Students should be told that Gone with the Wind presents the wrong view of slavery, Loewen states. Besides, the main complaint was that the racial slur "nigger" appears repeatedly in the novel. In the same complaint were several other books: The Nigger of the 'Narcissus', Uncle Tom's Cabin, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Another criticism of the novel is that it promotes plantation values. Mitchell biographer Marianne Walker, author of Margaret Mitchell & John Marsh: The Love Story Behind Gone with the Wind, is of the opinion that those who believe Gone with the Wind promotes plantation values have not read the book. Walker states it is the popular 1939 film that "promotes a false notion of the Old South". She goes on to add that Mitchell had no involvement in the production of the film. Perhaps the most enduring legacy of Gone with the Wind is that people worldwide would incorrectly think it was the true story of the Old South and how it was changed by the American Civil War and Reconstruction. The film version of the novel "amplified this effect". Scholars of the period have written in recent years about the negative effects the novel has had on race relations. David O'Connell's view is different from Patricia Yaeger's in _
A. Mitchell's Ethnic slurs in the novel
B. Mitchell's description of slave laborers
C. Mitchell's attitude towards the Irish people
D. Mitchell's ways of dealing with racial problems
Answer: D
There are millions of people throughout the world who are either born blind or have become blind over the course of their lifetimes. It is unfair to take away the visual beauty of the world from these people. Doctor Humayun has created the world's first bionic eye that could change the life of every blind people in the world. Doctor Mark Humayun is a well respected professor at the Doheny Eye Institute in California. He has been working for years on creating a bionic eye that would allow blind people to see images just like a normal person does. His idea of the bionic eye is actually an eye that has been built in a small video camera. The test results show the bionic eye has given blind patients the amazing ability to see the scientists doing the tests. But the images are still blurry and we need much work before the eye actually becomes a regular implant into blind people. Humayun believes that he can go into production with the bionic eye over the next three to five years. A closer look at the bionic eye is amazing. The patient wears a special set of eyeglasses. All the signals are passed to the implanted eye. It's done by wireless technology. Humayun has created an invention that could change the lives of millions of people. Imagine a world in which someone would no longer fear about being blind. This could be considered a technological achievement. Why is Doctor Mark Humayun well respected?
A. Because he has been working on a small video camera.
B. Because he is a professor of a famous university.
C. Because he invented a video camera for the blind.
D. Because he devoted himself to making the blind see again.
Answer: D
The English language started about 1500 years ago in England.Three groups of people came to the country.They were the Angles,the Saxons,and the Jutes.These three groups brought their languages with them to England.After some time,the three languages became one new languageEnglish.The name "English" comes from the Angles.They lived in most of England."England" means "Angle Land" or "Country of the Angles". The language that we speak todayModern Englishis not the same as the English that people used 1500 years ago,including Old English(before 1150)and Middle English(up till 1500).That languageOld Englishsounds different,and it has some different rules of grammar. There were only a few thousand words in Old English.But Modern English does come from Old English,and it is still like it in many important ways. According to the passage,Modern English differs from Old English in _ .
A. grammar
B. pronunciation
C. words
D. all of the above
Answer: D
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Question: While many modern forms of communication like phone calls, e-mail, and letters, are extremely convenient. In my opinion, nothing beats speaking to another person face to face. The first and most obvious advantage that a face communication has over a letter and e-mail is that there is the ability to interactively converse. If the sender of a letter or an email does not write clearly, then much time must be spent to clear up the misunderstanding. In a face-to-face conversation, misunderstandings are easily dealt with because of the interactive nature of it. I would still argue that the face-to-face conversation is better because you can see the other person. Not all communication is verbal ; the meaning of much of what we say depends on our body language and the tone of voice. Joking and irony are particularly difficult to express and enjoy without seeing the expression on someone's face, or watching the movements of their body. Finally, if the goal of communication is to maintain or deepen the relationship with someone, the face-to-face communication offers the choice of communication by touch even if we could communicate by the video. Trust and respect between business partners can be established with a firm handshake. No amount of body language can convey the excitement of a high five between friends, and no number of words can communicate the comforting embrace of a loved one. Touch is the first basic method of our human relationships, before spoken language, and it is only available when people communicate face to face. The author's attitude towards forms of communication is_.
A. Modern forms of communication like phone calls and e-mail are extremely convenient.
B. Traditional ways of communication are out of date and should fall into disuse.
C. Face-to-face communication can only be used among strangers.
D. Face-to-face communication has advantages over the other ways of communication.
Answer:
D. Face-to-face communication has advantages over the other ways of communication.
Question: Visiting Jiaixng Zoo Come and see big elephants from Yunnan and tigers from the northeast. The Africa giraffe are waiting for you. Clever monkeys are going to make you laugh. A lot of other animals you have never seen are waiting to meet you. Tickets: Grown-ups : Y=5.00 Children: Y=2.00 Under six: Free Opening time: From Monday to Friday: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 am - 5:30 pm Keep the zoo clean. Do not give food to or go near the animals. Which is the visiting time?
A. 8:30 am on Monday
B. 5:00 pm on Thursday
C. 8:30 am on Saturday
D. 6:00 pm on Sunday
Answer:
C. 8:30 am on Saturday
Question: China was to reform school curriculum to ease the burden put on children by pushy teachers and parents eager to see them succeed in an increasingly competitive society. Chinese pupils were suffering from poor eyesight in increasing numbers and at a younger age. Tiring homework and increasing exam pressure were to blame. The primary reason is the traditional East Asian culture in which all parents want their kids to become dragons or and phoenixes. Too much emphasis is placed on "diplomas" and exam scores. That was _ by the fact thatprefix = st1 /Chinais a developing nation with 1.3 billion people and its one-child policy. Yuan, a government staff, said, "The competition in employment is fierce and that pressure has been cascaded back to schools. Every parent expects his child to outperform peers. " The Education Ministry would cut the difficulty of the textbooks, reduce homework, make classes more interesting and limit the number of tests. Another problem the government had to deal with was the education of 13 million rural children who swarmed into the cities with their parents working as migrant workers. More than 100 million peasants across the country migrate to the booming cities every year for manual labor and small-time businesses. But policy hurdles for them to settle in the cities abound, including those that prevent their children from receiving a good education. An estimated 23 million "left-behind children" of migrant workers stay in the countryside "The government has ordered urban public schools to open up to the 7. 88 million migrant children of school age," Yuan said, adding private schools are also allowed to accommodate some of them. What makes Chinese pupils become nearsighted at a younger age?
A. Exam scores are not regarded to be valuable
B. Parents expect their children to become dragons and phoenixes
C. Dragons and phoenixes are part of traditional Chinese culture.
D. Pupils are asked to do homework more and more.
Answer:
B. Parents expect their children to become dragons and phoenixes
Question: Convenience Foods Instead of buying only fresh foods, Americans nowadays buy many more convenience foods. These are foods which are ready partly or completely prepared. Many of them are frozen, such as frozen dinner, heat-and-serve French fries, and frozen pizzas. There are also many canned convenience foods, such as ready-made spaghetti, soups, stews and vegetables Convenience foods save time and trouble. They are popular with people who are busy or who don't like to cook or wash dishes. But they often cost more than fresh, unprepared foods and many contain man-made additives. Also, many people feel they don't taste as good as home-cooked foods. Health Food and Co-ops In the 1960s, a "back-to-the-earth" movement was started by young people in the United States. The movement was a reaction against the harmful effects of technology. From the movement came a new understanding of food and health. Many people now prefer natural and organic foods to the prepared foods sold in health foods stores and in food co-ops, which are small stores where customers help manage the store. In co-ops, food is usually not packaged. Customers bring their own bags and jars and scoop their food out of boxes or baskets. The Diet Craze These days Americans are more and more concerned with their weight. Perhaps as many as 70 million Americans are on weight-dollar business. American supermarkets sell a variety of diet food such as soft drinks, diet candy, and diet salad dressings. Dieters also spend money on diet pills, exercise machines, and jogging suits . Each year dozens of new diets are popularized. They have such names as the Miracle Diet, the Nine-day Wonder Diet, and the East 24-hour Diet. There is even one called the Ice Cream Diet, which advises the dieters to eat only ice cream for lunch and dinner! For dieters who cannot lose weight on their own, there are many well-organized diet groups, which offer help and encouragement. What would be the best title for this text?
A. Eating American Food
B. A Look at American Food
C. Making American Food
D. Cooking American Food
Answer:
B. A Look at American Food
Question: HK's Family Affair The 39thHong Kong Art Festival, to be held early next year, will be based on the topic of "family" The art festival, considered to be Asia's best, began in 1973. "We hope that people from Beijing and from all over the world will go to Hong Kong to enjoy the different performances in our art festival,"Douglas Gautier, the festival's management director, said in a press conference in the capital. In the 29 days of the festival, which runs from March 8 to April 7,2012, the audience can choose from 111 performances of 51 programmes given by 700 foreign performers, 450 local artists and 160 actors from the mainland. Programmes vary from classical music, jazz, world music, Western and Peking opera, drama and dance to outdoor shows. The programmes include Beethoven's only opera Fidelio, Shakespeare's drama Romeo and Juliet, the ballet Mozartina and African dances, to name just a few. The lineup includes the English Touring Theatre, Prague Chamber Orchestra, Zurich Ballet, The Spanish National Dance Troupe, as well as Europe Galante the Petersen Quartet, pianists Angela Hewitt and Lang Lang, and saxophonist Jan Garbarek. In order to increase attendance, hotels and airlines are offering _ along with art festival ticket sales, most of which are at 20% and 30% cheaper. For more information, please check: _ The press conference was held _ .
A. in Hong Kong
B. in Europe
C. in Beijing
D. in England
Answer:
C. in Beijing
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When was the last time you saw three men running down a forest trail in the rain wearing flip-flops ?That's what my friend Brandon, Josh and I were doing last autumn. We were looking for a waterfall .We didn't have much time to get to the waterfall and back, so we were running. We were wearing flip-flops to prevent our shoes getting dirty. It was raining, but lightly. It kept us cool as we climbed over giant stones and through a shallow stream. We followed red arrows and crossed that stream several times, walking on toward the promised waterfall. Time was not on our side, however, and we were forced to turn around. As we started back, we looked at the shallow stream we had just crossed. Where did this rushing river come from? That was when we realized a flash flood was around! In the few minutes the water rose at a fast speed. Now there were no big stones to be seen-only what looked like lumps covered with rushing water. We had no choice but to move our way back carefully in the rushing water -in flip-flops. We had crossed the stream not once or twice, but six times in search of a waterfall that we never even reached! With most of the crossings, we needed each other's help if we didn't want to be washed away by water. Wet all over, we felt relaxed after we made the last crossing. "My dad always told me to keep off a river when travelling in the rain." Josh said as we hurried back down the path. "Why didn't you tell us that earlier?" I laughed. "Would it have made a difference?" came the reply. He had a point. Why were there no big stones to be seen in the stream when they came back?
Answer:
Walking along a lake in the cold winter, Birbal and the king made a bet that a man would do anything for money. The king said, "I don't think a man would spend an entire night in the cold water of this lake for money." Birbal replied, " I'm sure I can find such a person." The king asked Birbal to find such a person and said that he would reward the person with a thousand gold coins. Birbal searched far and wide and finally found a poor man. When he entered the lake, the king had guards around him to make sure that he really did as promised. The poor man made it. He told the king that there had been a street lamp nearby and that he had kept his attention on the lamp and managed to avoid the cold. The king then said that there would be no reward as he relied on the warmth of the street lamp. The poor man went to Birbal for help. The next day, Birbal did not go to court . The king went to Birbal's house and see what he was up to. He found Birbal sitting on the floor near some burning branches and a bowl filled with rice hanging five feet above the fire. The king and his followers couldn't help but laugh. The king then said to Birbal, "How can the rice be cooked if it is so far away from the fire?" Birbal answered, "The same way the poor man received heat from a street lamp that was more than two thousand meters away." Finally, the king gave the poor man his reward. What can we infer from the passage?
Answer:
Want to save money when travelling by train? Here are some ways. Day Returns This ticket can save you up to 45% on the standard fare . You have to travel after the rush hour period Mon.-Fri., but can travel at any time on Sat. or Sun. Big city Saves These are special low-priced tickets on certain trains. Yon have to book in advance----- at the latest by 16:00 the day before you travel. It's first come, first served. Weekend Returns Weekend Returns are available for most journeys over 60 miles. Go on Fri. Sat. or Sun, and return the same weekend on Sat. or Sun, and save up to 35% the standard fare. Monthly Returns There are available for most journeys over 65 miles. Go any day and return within a month. Monthly returns save you up to 25% on the standard fare. Family Returns For PS20 this railcard allows you to take a second adult and up to 4 children for only PS3 each when you buy single or return tickets. You can travel as often as you like until the card becomes out of date. (200 words.3min.) Which is the best ticket to buy if you live in London and want to go to a small town 80miles away for four days?
Answer:
What will man be like in the future -- in 5,000 or even 50,000 years from now? We can only make guesses, of course, but we can be sure that he will be different from what he is today, for man is slowly changing all the time. Let us take an obvious example. Man, even five hundred years ago, was shorter than he is today. Now, on average, men are about three inches taller. Five hundred years is relatively a short period of time, so we may suppose that man will continue to grow taller. Again, in the modern world we use our brains a great deal. Even so, we still make use of only about 20% of the brain's capacity . As time goes on, however, we shall have to use our brains more and more, and finally we shall need our brains more and more, and finally we shall need larger ones! This is likely to bring a physical change too: the head, in particular the forehead, will grow larger. Nowadays our eyes are in constant use. In fact, we use them so much that very often they become weaker and we have to wear glasses. But over long period of time it is likely that man's eyes will grow stronger. On the other hand, we tend to make less use of our arms and legs. These, as a result, are likely to grow weaker. At the same time, however, our fingers will grow more sensitive because they are used a great deal in modern life. But what about hair? This will probably disappear from the body altogether in course of time because it does not serve a useful purpose any longer. In the future, then, both sexes are likely to be bald. Perhaps all this gives the impression that future man will not be a very attractive creature to look at! This may well be true. All the same, in spite of all these changes, future man will still have a lot in common with us. He will still be a human being, with thoughts and motions similar to our own. Which of the following is TRUE about a human being in the future?
Answer:
Nikkli was brought up from a vey early age by her father while her sister was raised by her mother. Nikki spent a very small amount of time with her mum and sister when she was about 6 years old, but soon after contact stopped when communication broke down between her parents. She never felt she wanted to find her family while she was growing up. But now with a husband and a son, she decided it was the right time. Nikki didn't know where to start, but her husband's mum had used 192. com for finding people before and recommended it to her. With the help of her son, she started by searching for her sister's full name on the electoral roll without a location, because she had no idea where she lived, even her date of birth. From that one search, the site returned two results listed in the area they used to live. Nikki decided to call the first number. To her surprise, it was her long lost sister! So after 20 years, it was one phone call that helped her contact her sister! Her sister then passed her number on to her mother, who called Nikki straight away, and it was like they had never been apart. Her mum was so glad to find out Nikki was well that they arranged to meet everyone that Saturday (3 days after the phone call) where she was reunited with her sister and met her two nephews for the first time. Nikki also found out she had a half sister and brother. When talking about the reunion, Nikki said, "192.com made finding my long lost family very easy. I was not on any social networking sites before and surprisingly neither was my sister or mum, so we would never have found each other that way." Nikki will be spending her first Christmas tighter with the other side of her family this year. What did Nikki know about her sister before her searching?
Answer:
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Question: Michelle Obama made a daring decision to return to the same designer who created her Inaugural Ball dress four years ago --- and the risk paid off. The First Lady looked extremely attractive in a thin, sweeping, and ruby-colored dress by designer Jason Wu. She teamed the dramatic dress with heels by Jimmy Choo and a diamond ring by Kimberly McDonald. She surprised the fashion establishment by returning to a Wu design which had been the custom made for her. Four years ago at her first Inauguration Ball, Michelle shimmered in an off-white, one-shouldered floor-length dress by the designer. Wu, who was 26 at the time and had only been working in fashion for three years, saw his career take off after the First Lady's surprise decision to wear one of his dresses. He said at the time that he was unaware she had chosen the dress and had been watching at home on his couch and eating pizza when she appeared. After her 2013 decision, Wu told Women's Wear Daily: "Mrs Obama likes to keep her secrets. She fooled me again." Wu released a women's clothing and accessories collection at Target last year and continues to be popular with the First Lady for official engagements. The sleeveless, cross-halter neck dress with low-cut back flattered 49-year-old Michelle's arms and neat waist. It had been created especially for her by Wu and was a departure from the dark and plain colour tone she stuck to at earlier inauguration events. Mrs Obama's new hairstyle -- she had bangs cut on her birthday last week had been loosely tousled for the special night. Vice-President Joe Biden's wife Jill also looked attractive in a blue silk dress by Vera Wang at the Inauguration Ball. What does the passage mainly talk about?
A. Michelle Obama's inaugural ball dress.
B. Wu, a great designer.
C. The First Lady's secrets.
D. Mrs Obama's 2013 decision.
Answer:
A
Question: What is the hottest English word of 2013? It's "selfie", according to Oxford dictionaries. Selfie is a photo that one takes of oneself, according to the Oxford online dictionary. People usually take selfies with a smartphone and send them to a social media website. The word was first used in 2002. In the past 12 months, its frequency in the English language has increased by 17,000 percent, said Oxford dictionaries. Now, almost everybody knows it. "Almost every day, I take a photo of myself at school, and save it in my Qzone (QQ)," said Huang Xu, 13, from Hunan. These photos record her happy and sad moments. Pop stars also take a lot of selfies. Li Chunping, 14, from Harbin, is a big fan of Yang Mi. "She has used many selfies to tell us what's going on in her personal life," said Li. What makes people love selfies? Some people say it's narcissism . "The rise of the selfie is a perfect symbol for our narcissistic culture. We're crying out: Look at me!" said US psychiatrist Carole Lieberman. Young people are using selfies to make friends online, Jonathan Freedland wrote in The Guardian. "The usual purpose of taking a selfie is to share online. They express a human need to connect with others," wrote Freedland. Huang Xu agrees with that. "During summer vacation, my classmates and I shared many selfies online. Hair or clothes were not our interests. Through these photos, we got to know each other's holidays and feelings," said Huang Xu. What is the best title of this passage ?
A. Selfies and narcissism
B. Selfies and sharing
C. Selfies and smartphones
D. Selfies, the hottest word in 2013
Answer:
D
Question: Alice was twenty-three years old, and she was a nurse at a big hospital . She was very kind and all of her patients likes her very much . One day she was out shopping. She saw an old woman. The woman was waiting to cross a busy street . Alice wanted to cross the street, too. So she went over to help the woman cross the street. When Alice was near her, she suddenly laughed and said, " Mrs Green ! You were my patient in the hospital last year." Mrs Green was very happy to see her. "I will help you cross the street, Mrs Green," Alice said. "Oh, thank you very much , Alice , " Mrs Green said and stepped forward . "No, no, Mrs Green," Alice said quickly . "Wait! The light is still red." "Oh," Mrs Green answered when she stepped back. "I can easily cross the street by myself when the light is green ." When did Mrs Green want to cross the street?
A. When the light was green.
B. When the light was on.
C. When the light was off.
D. When the light was red.
Answer:
D
Question: In the face of rising gas costs, many consumers are beginning to consider the choice of a hybrid vehicle--one which operates on both gas and electricity. All of the models of hybrid car will save money, but are they really effective when all of the costs of maintenance and other considerations are included in? First of all, consider the cost of buying a hybrid vehicle. Depending on the model, hybrid vehicles can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 more than the traditional models. However, some say that as the hybrid cars become increasingly more available as a reflection of demand, the prices can be expected to drop, making them more cost effective when it comes to the initial investment. Also important to keep in mind is the fact that the hybrid cars have a much more specialized system than the standard vehicle, and will therefore require more specialized workers to repair them when they break down. It seems as though, at least for the time being, the purchase of a hybrid vehicle for the average consumer may not be the best choice when it comes to saving money. It is important to keep several things in mind, however, when considering purchasing a hybrid model. Many consumers are choosing to purchase these cars because they represent a significant development in terms of environmental concerns over standard models. They also mean that as a whole, Western nations will become less dependent on oil as the only means of power. Finally, it is necessary to remember that the hybrid car is a very new technology. Developed only within the last few years, the technology is still in the starting stage, where costs will continue to be high. As time passes, the development of the hybrid technology will begin to push prices down to the point where hybrids are more competitive with the traditionally fueled models of the past. What do we know from the passage?
A. The hybrid technology is very new and mature as well.
B. It's not easy to repair a hybrid car due to its special system.
C. Many average consumers can not afford to buy hybrid cars.
D. The traditional vehicles are much safer to drive than hybrid cars.
Answer:
B
Question: Chinese Jump Rope is a challenging game played by anyone anywhere. The simple rules test the skill and coordination of all players. RULES A jumper jumps until a jumping mistake is made. * A mistake can be made if a jumper jumps "out" instead of "in". * A mistake is also made if a jumper touches the rope incorrectly in the game. * After making a mistake, the jumper trades positions with an ender. The jumper starts from the very beginning of the game on the next turn. Every Chinese Jump Rope game begins with the rope held in basic position. ENDERS * Face each other and step inside the rope. * Place the rope around the ankles. * Step back until the rope is _ * Two parallel jumping lines, about 12 inches (30 cm) apart, are stretched between the enders. * The jumper stands outside the rope, ready to play. "IN" * Jump both feet inside the rope. "ON" Jump both feet on top of the rope. The left foot lands on the left rope;, the right foot lands on the right rope. "OUT" *Jump both feet from the middle to the outside of the rope. Feet land together on one side. "SIDE OUT" *Jump over both ropes from one side. Both feet land together on the other side of the rope. "SIDE-TO-SIDE" Jump quickly side-to-side. Both feet start "out" from one side of the ropes. *Jump side: The left foot lands outside the left rope. The right foot lands inside the rope. *Jump side again quickly: The left foot lands inside the rope. The right foot lands outside the right rope. Jumpers call the steps out loud while jumping. Calling helps the jumpers remember the "pattern" of the jumps! Practice "jumping steps" with these simple jumping games! The main purpose of the passage is to _ .
A. make advertisements
B. provide facts
C. give some advice
D. compare opinions
Answer:
B
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