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<extra_id_5>For readers interested in contributing to help victims of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan and the Pacific region on March 11, 2011, here is a list of contact information and links for some agencies that plan to provide relief. Locating Loved Ones If you are looking for information on people in the quake zone, Google has opened a Person Finder page. Ushahidi, a crowd sourcing mapping tool, has set up a local platform for Japan that allows people in the area affected by the earthquake to _ the location of people who may be trapped in damaged buildings. Inquiries concerning U.S citizens living or traveling in Japan should be referred to the U.S Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services at 1 - 888 - 407 - 4747 or 202 647 -5225. Aid and Charitable Organizations Each of the following groups has set up fundraising sites specifically for the victims of Friday' s earthquake and tsunami. AMERICAN RED CROSS Red Cross officials say donors can text REDCROSS to 90999 and a $ 10 donation will automatically be charged to donor's phone bill, or donations can be made directly on its Web site GLOBALGIVING.ORG. Global Giving is working with International Medical Corps, Save the Children, and other organizations on the ground to disburse funds to organizations providing relief and emergency services to victims of the earthquake and tsunami.Donors can text JAPAN to 50555 to give $ 10, and larger increases can be submitted on Global Giving' s Web site. THE SALVATION ARMY The Salvation Army has been providing food and shelter to Tokyo commuters who were stranded when public transportation was interrupted by the earthquake.They are to send a team to Sendai, a city about 250 miles from Tokyo, to assess the situation there.Text JAPAN or QUAKE to 80888 to make a $ 10 donation.(Make sure to respond "YES" to the Thank You message you receive.) Donations can also be made on the organization' s Web site or by calling 1 - 800 - SAL - ARMY. SAVE THE CHILDREN To make a donation, visit Save the Children's Web site, call 1 - 800 - 728 - 3843 , or text JAPAN to 20222 to donate $ 10. SHELTERBOX.ORG Shelterbox. org is a disaster-relief organization that focuses on providing survival materials such as tents and cooking equipment to families displaced by disasters. UJA-FEDERATION OF NEW YORK Information is available on the organization's Web site or by calling (212) 836-1486. What's the best title for the passage above? <extra_id_0>Japan Earthquake and Tsunami <extra_id_1>International Organizations <extra_id_2>How to Help <extra_id_3>How to Donate Money <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>I want to tell you the story of one of my old friends called Bob. His teachers called him A Troublemaker. They also said that he had no future and no hope. But now he owns a small second-hand bookstore store which makes him enough money to live on and also to support his mother. He told me that after he finished grade nine, he went to study at a technical college. He was a pretty bad student so he became one of the gang leaders there. Many of them got caught many times for fighting. It looked like nothing could change his life. That was until one sad day when his father died. That changed everything. After his father died, his mother had to work very hard to make enough money to support the family. He told me that he really pitied his mum after his dad died. He felt that he needed to earn some money rather than let his mum work alone. He loved reading cartoon books and had been collecting them for years. As his family was short of money, he decided that he should sell them. He did this by the side of the road where his mother was selling food. Soon he realized that his books were very popular. So he decided to set up his own business. He started his business by going around buying cartoon books from other people. He bought them for 25% and then sold them for half price. He could make enough money to help support the family. He was a troublemaker to his teachers but he is a hero to me. If you are judged as a bad student or as someone being stupid, I suggest you pay no attention to what they say. Just do your best in everything. Don't give up so easily. Believe in yourself. If you think that you can do it, then you can. Believe me, one day you could be more successful than those persons who looked down upon you. Bob decided to start his own business when he _ . <extra_id_0>sold all his cartoon books <extra_id_1>found others liked cartoon books <extra_id_2>could write his own cartoon books <extra_id_3>could buy cartoon books from others <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Fred Michel is one of 7.2 million Americans who moonlight. Once a week, after his day job as medical director of a mental health center, the 40-year-old psychiatrist heads to a part-time job at a treatment center for young people. Twice a month, he travels three hours to another teenage treatment center. Last year, 5.4 percent of the American workforce held second jobs, according to the US Labor Department, and that looks set to increase this year. Many workers like the safety that moonlighting provides, says Carl Hausamn, the writer of "Moonlighting: 148 Great Ways to Make Money to the Side". The information from the US Labor Department shows that 40 percent of US moonlighters in 1997 took a second job to meet household expenses or pay off debts. Others save money or buy some special things. People also take second jobs with an eye to the future--wanting to try out a new field or gain experience. Michel started moonlighting when medical systems were unstable . He wanted to make sure he wasn't tied to one system that ended up failing. Just as the purposes for moonlighting are different, the moonlighters cross all age and racial groups. And they work in a variety of industries---no longer just service,office and sales jobs. As its name means, moonlighting still occurs mostly at night. And that results in some pressures. Chief among them is time. Full-time employers could misunderstand, too. Some companies do not allow after-hour work because they fear it will affect their employees' 9-to-5 performance. "The primary employer is saying, 'Wait, I'm paying you for the sharp, fresh, energetic you,'" says Tom Gimbel, president and founder of LaSalle Staffing in Chicago. "If you're burning yourself at both ends, it's going to show." Still, the good done to the moonlighters can be great. Besides extra income, moonlighters enjoy variety , freedom and chance to do something new. They also may find their part-time jobs strengthen what they do full time. Besides, "it's fun," Michel says. Not only do his part-time jobs offer a chance to network, stretch his professional skills and make more money, but they also give him the variety he wouldn't find just in a full-time job. " _ ," he says, "and offering a little variety throughout the day." What is the closest definition of "moonlight"? <extra_id_0>Go out at night. <extra_id_1>Do some secret things at night. <extra_id_2>Go out for a walk at night. <extra_id_3>Take some part-time jobs at night. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Pollution means adding dirty or harmful things to land, air, water and so on. As a result, they are no longer pleasant or safe to use. Pollution is bad for animals and plants, and it even makes people's health in danger. In our daily life, we can see different kinds of pollution in many places. There are three main forms of pollution: land pollution, air pollution and water pollution. Land pollution is caused by solid waste, such as cans, bottles and some plastic things which aren't broken down quickly. It makes the environment look very bad. However, air pollution is more serious than land pollution. It is much worse in cities and towns because of the fumes from traffic and the waste from human activities. When people drive their cars, fumes which are most made up of CO2, NO2 and SO2 are given off. After the gases get into the air, they may mix with clouds. Then they will become some harmful chemicals falling on the ground with rain. It is one of the reasons for soil erosion which is one example of water pollution. Various kinds of pollution will cause many health problems. People have realized they must change this serious situation. There are many ways to control pollution. To develop alternative energy is very popular in many countries. China, for example, has made up its mind to be a leader in this field. It is trying hard to make full use of energy from the sun and wind. It has paid plenty of money to make electric cars and trains instead of traditional traffic. We should also take action to make our environment cleaner every day. Take cloth bags while going shopping and drive cars less. We have only one earth. We must take steps now to help protect our environment for the future wherever we are. The main idea of this passage is _ . <extra_id_0>to introduce different forms of pollution and ways to control it <extra_id_1>to introduce the harmful chemicals and the solid waste <extra_id_2>to introduce the alternative energy and the ways to use it <extra_id_3>to introduce the electric cars and traditional traffic <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Which object would be best at heating up in the sunlight? <extra_id_0>a clear solar panel <extra_id_1>a black solar panel <extra_id_2>a white solar panel <extra_id_3>an invisible solar panel <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Dear Sir, Just over six months ago, I saw an advertisement in the Morning Mail for a set of the complete works of William Shakespeare.Your company, Cosmo books Ltd , offered this set ( eight books of plays and two books of poetry) at a "remarkable" price: fifteen pounds and fifty pence, including postage and packing. I had wanted a set of Shakespeare's plays and poems for some time, and these books looked particularly attractive, so I sent for them. Two weeks later, the books arrived, together with a set of works of Charles Dickens which I had not ordered.So I returned the Dickens books to you, with a cheque for fifteen pounds and fifty pence for the works of Shakespeare.Two more weeks passed.Then there arrived on my door step a second set of the works of Shakespeare, the same set of novels by Dickens and a six book set of the plays of Moliere, in French.Since I do not read French, these were of no use to me at all.However, I could not afford to post all these books back to you, so I wrote to you right away instructing you to come and collect all the books that I did not want, and asking you not to send any other books until further notice. You did not reply to that letter. Instead you sent me a bill for forty two pounds, and a set of the plays of Schiller, in German.Since then, a new set of books has arrived every two weeks, the works of Goethe, the poems of Milton, the plays of Strindberg; I hardly know what I have.The books are still all in their boxes, in the garage, and my car has to stand in the rain outside. Please send no more books, send no more bills, send no more angry letters demanding payment.Just send one large lorry and take all the books away, leaving me only with the one set of the complete works of Shakespeare for which I have paid. Yours faithfully, SIMON WALKER Simon Walker's main purpose of writing the letter is to_. <extra_id_0>show his anger to Cosmo Books Ltd. <extra_id_1>argue about sending him books he had not ordered <extra_id_2>advise readers not to order books from Cosmo Books Ltd. <extra_id_3>urge Cosmo Books Ltd. to take away the books he had not ordered <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>When Mr. Jones went to a restaurant one day, he left his coat near the door. There was nothing in the pockets of the coat when he left it, so he was very surprised when he took his coat after his meal and found the pockets full of jewelry .There was a waiter near the door, so Mr. Jones said to him, "Somebody has made a mistake. He has put some jewelry in my coat. Take it, and when he comes back, give it to him." The waiter took it and went away. Suddenly another man came in with a coat just like Mr. Jones's. "I'm sorry ",said this man. "but I made a mistake. I mistook your coat and you have got mine. Please give me my coat and jewelry ."Mr. Jones answered, "I gave the jewelry to the waiter. He will give it to you." Mr. Jones called the manager of the restaurant at once, but the manager said, "We have no waiter here. We only have waitresses." "You gave the jewelry to a thief !" Shouted the other man. "I shall call the police!" Mr. Jones was frightened and paid the man a lot of money for the jewelry. Which of the following statements is right? <extra_id_0>Mr. Jones had put some jewelry in his pocket. <extra_id_1>Mr. Jones was an honest man. <extra_id_2>The man who came later was the thief. <extra_id_3>Mr. Jones was punished by the police. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>The iPhone, the iPad, each of Apple's products sounds cool and has become a fad . Apple has cleverly taken advantage of the power of the letter "i" - and many other brands are following suit. The BBC's iPlayer - which allows Web users to watch TV programs on the Internet -adopted the title in 2008. A lovely bear - popular in the US and UK - that plays music and video is called "iTeddy". A slimmed-down version of London's Independent newspaper was launched last week under the name "i". In general, single-letter prefixes have been popular since the 1990s, when terms such as e-mail and e-commerce first came into use. Most "i" products are targeted at young people and considering the major readers of Independent's "i", it's no surprise that they've selected this fashionable name. But it's hard to see what's so special about the letter "i". Why not use "a", "b", or "c" instead? According to Tony Thorne, head of the Language Center at King's College, London, "i" works because its meaning has become ambiguous. When Apple uses "i", no one knows whether it means Internet, information, individual or interactive, Thorne told BBC Magazines. "Even when Apple created the iPod, it seems it didn't have one clear definition," he says. "However, thanks to Apple, the term is now associated with portability." adds Thorne. Clearly the letter "i" also agrees with the idea that the Western World is centered on the individual. Each person believes they have their own needs, and we love personalized products for this reason. Along with "Google" and "blog", readers of BBC Magazines voted "i" as one of the top 20 words that have come to define the last decade. But as history shows, people grow tired of fads. From the 1900s to 1990s, products with "2000" in their names became fashionable as the year was associated with all things advanced and modern. However, as we entered the new century, the trend inevitably disappeared. People use iPlayer to _ . <extra_id_0>watch TV programs online <extra_id_1>make a call <extra_id_2>listen to music <extra_id_3>read newspapers <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Welcome to the Little Rock Zoo! The little Rock Zoo is open every day of the week, all year round, EXCEPT Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year`s Day. Opening Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, and the last admission is at 4:00 pm. Admission price: Adults: $10 Children( 12 and under) : $8 ( only children 12 months of age are admitted free.) Cafe: Currently open every day from 9:30 am -4:00 pm Opening hours may change according to the weather and special hours. Zoo Train: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday :9:00 am--4:00 pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday , : 9:30 am--4:00 pm Run every half an hour Which of the following is TRUE according to the material? <extra_id_0>Children under 3 years old can enter the zoo free <extra_id_1>The zoo cafe is only open in the afternoon. <extra_id_2>The little Rock Zoo closes at 6: 00 pm <extra_id_3>The zoo train runs every 30 minutes <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>This year some twenty-three hundred teenagers (young people aged from 13-19) from all over the world will spend about ten months in U. S. homes. They will attend U.S. schools, meet U.S. teenagers, and form impressions of the real America. At the same time, about thirteen hundred American teenagers will go to other countries to learn new languages and gain a new understanding of the rest of the world. Here is a two-way student exchange in action. Fred, nineteen, spent last year in Germany with George's family. In turn, George's son Mike spent a year in Fred's home in America. Fred, a lively young man, knew little German when he arrived, but after two months' study, the language began to come to him. School was completely different from what he had expected-much harder. Students rose respectfully when the teacher entered the room. They took fourteen subjects instead of the six that are usual in the United States. There were almost no outside activities. Family life, too, was different. The father's word was law, and all activities were around the family rather than the individual . Fred found the food too simple at first. Also, he missed having a car. "Back home, you pick up some friends in a car and go out and have a good time. In Germany, you walk, but you soon learn to like it." At the same time, in America, Mike, a friendly German boy, was also forming his idea. "I suppose I should criticize American schools", he says. "It is far too easy by our level. But I have to say that I like it very much. In Germany we do nothing but study. Here we take part in many outside activities. I think that maybe you schools are better in training for citizens. There ought to be some middle ground between the two." This year _ teenagers will take part in the exchange programme between America and other countries. <extra_id_0>over three thousand <extra_id_1>thirteen hundred <extra_id_2>twenty three hundred <extra_id_3>less than two thousand <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Ruth Mckenney was born in 1911 in prefix = st1 /Mishawak,Indiana. She grew up inCleveand,Ohio, and at the age of fourteen she got her first job working nights in a printer's shop. She also worked as a waitress, but after dropping two fruits salads on the floor, she was fired. While Miss Mckenney was studying in a OhioStateUniversity, she found an outside job as a reporter for the Columbus Dispatch. In fact, she left college before she got her degree in order to devote all her time to newspaper work. She later worked on papers in Akron, Ohio, andNew York City. In New York, Miss Mckenney began to write stories about the amusing experiences she shared with her sisiter. These were published in theNew Yorkmagazine, and later in a book called "My Sister Eileen". This book was an immediate bestseller, and soon became a hit play. Miss Mckenney has also written a guide toEnglandand a number of serious books on American labor. Miss Mckenney married Richard Bransten in 1937. They had one daughter, and it came as no surprise when the author named her Eileen. Ruch Mckenney died in 1972. Why do you suppose it came as no surprise when the author name her daughter "Eileen"? <extra_id_0>Because the best-selling book made her famous and its heroine's name was "Eileen". <extra_id_1>Because this name could help her to remember her sister forever. <extra_id_2>Because she had only one daughter and she loved her so much. <extra_id_3>Because she wished her daughter would be as successful as she had been. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Women who own cats are more likely to have mental health problems and kill themselves because they can be infected by a common parasite that can be caught from cat litter, a study has found. Researchers found women infected with the Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) parasite , which is spread through contact with cat waste or eating undercooked meat or unwashed vegetables, are at increased risk of attempting suicide. The study involved more than 45,000 women in Denmark. About a third of the world's population is infected with the parasite, which hides in cells in the brain and muscles, often without producing symptoms. The infection, which is called toxoplasmosis , has been linked to mental illness, such as schizophrenia , and changes in behavior. The study's senior author Doctor Teodor Postolache, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in the United States, said, "We can't say with certainty that T. gondii caused the women to try to kill themselves, but we did find a predictive association between the infection and suicide attempts later in life that deserves additional studies." Doctor Albert Reece, vice president of medical affairs at the University of Maryland, said, "T. gondii infection is a major public health problem around the world, and many people don't realize they're infected. "Dr Postolache is a leading expert on suicide neuroimmunology . Suicide is a critically important mental health issue. About one million people commit suicide and another 10 million attempt suicide worldwide each year. We hope that this type of research will one day help us find ways to save many lives that now end too early in suicide." Dr. Postolache's research team at the University of Maryland was the first to report a connection between T. gondii and suicidal behavior in 2009. He is cooperating with researchers in Denmark, Germany and Sweden to confirm and investigate the way leading to this association. The T. gondii parasite thrives in the intestines of cats, and it is spread through their waste. All warm-blooded animals can become infected through contact with it. Humans can become infected by changing their infected cats' litter boxes, eating unwashed vegetables, drinking water from a polluted source, or by eating undercooked or raw meat. Not washing kitchen knives after preparing raw meat before handling another food item also can lead to infection. Pregnant women can pass the parasite directly to their unborn babies and are advised not to change cat litter boxes to avoid possible infection. Babies don't produce antibodies to T. gondii for three months after they are born, so the antibodies present in their blood represented infection in the mothers. The scientists studied Danish health patients to determine if any of these women later attempted suicide, including cases of violent suicide attempts which may have involved guns, sharp instruments and jumping from high places. The study found that women infected with T. gondii were one and a half times more likely to attempt suicide compared to those who were not infected, and the risk seemed to rise with increasing levels of the T. gondii antibodies. Dr Postolache noted limitations to the study, such as the inability to determine the cause of the suicidal behavior. The findings were published online in the Archives of General Psychiatry. The common way which is more likely to be infected with the disease is _ . <extra_id_0>to eat unwashed vegetables or undercooked meat <extra_id_1>to clean a place where a cat once lived for a time <extra_id_2>to pass the infection to her unborn baby during a woman's pregnancy <extra_id_3>to reuse kitchen tools which have been used to cut raw meat <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Jack is an 11-year-old boy. One day he was playing with a ball. The ball went into the street, and Jack ran for the ball. A car hit him. Jack's parents took him to the hospital. The doctors told them, "Jack's head is hurt. Maybe he will wake up very soon. Maybe he will never wake up." Every day Jack's parents went to see him and talked to him. But Jack never talked to them. He just slept. One day Jack's father said, "Wake up, Jack. Let's go home and play with Cody." Cody is Jack's dog. When Jack's father said "Cody", Jack moved his arm. Then Jack's parents had an idea. They told the nurse, "We want to bring Jack's dog to the hospital. Is it OK?" "A dog in the hospital?" the nurse said. "That's very unusual. But. yes, it's OK." The next day, Jack's parents brought Cody to the hospital. When they put the dog on Jack's bed, Jack opened his eyes. Jack's parents brought Cody to the hospital every day. Cody jumped on Jack's bed and touched Jack's arm. Jack said his first words, "Bad dog!" After seven weeks Jack was well. He left the hospital and went home with Cody. Who woke up Jack at last? <extra_id_0>His father. <extra_id_1>The doctor. <extra_id_2>His dog. <extra_id_3>No one <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>ABC News anchor Peter Jennings died on Aug.7, 2005 at home in New York after a brief battle with lung cancer. ABC News anchors said they hope if anything good can be taken from Jennings' death, it is a great awareness of the dangers of smoking. "I want to give a message," Barbara Walters said. "If you have kids who are smoking, tell them that we lost Peter." Lung cancer is the worst killer in America, taking more lives each year than any other cancer, according to the America Cancer Society. About 160,440 Americans die each year of cancer, making up 28 percent of all cancer deaths. More than 87 percent of lung cancers are smoking related. Dr. Derek Raghavan, director of the Cleveland Clinic' s Taussing Cancer Center , said that once a person stops smoking, he starts getting better. Three to five years after quitting, the possibility of getting lung cancer is reduced by half. Warning signs of lung cancer can also be mixed with symptoms connected with long-term smoking. The three main warning signs are an increase of coughing that doesn't clear up, coughing up blood and sharp chest pains. People with those symptoms should see a doctor. Raghavan said there have been promising developments in the treatment of lung cancer, including uses of radiation and surgery and drugs. "But the fact is that stopping smoking is the most important thing we can do," Raghavan said. "There is no treatment that even comes close." Anchor Peter Jennings died of lung cancer which was possibly caused by _ . <extra_id_0>his bad eating habit <extra_id_1>overmuch work <extra_id_2>long-term smoking <extra_id_3>the old age <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>When can I get a cell phone?" The answer is when your parents think you need one, though many kids seem to be getting them around age 12 or 13. Some younger kids may have them because their parents see it as a matter of safety and convenience. For example, a kid can call mom and dad when sports practice is over. And a cell phone can give kids almost instant access to their parents if something goes wrong or they need help. It can give parents quick access to their kids so they can check on them and make sure they're OK. If you do get a cell phone, make some rules with your parents, such as how many minutes you're allowed to spend on the phone, when you can use your phone, when the phone must be turned off, and what you will do if someone calls you too often, and so on. You'll also have to learn to take care of the phone in your life. Keep it charged and store it in the safe place so it doesn't get lost. And whatever you do, don't use it in the bathroom. I know someone who dropped her phone in the toilet! The author of the passage _ . <extra_id_0>wants to describe how children use cell phones <extra_id_1>knows nothing about when children can have a cell phone <extra_id_2>may have done a survey on kids using cell phones <extra_id_3>has been a teacher for many years <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Have you ever noticed that the more you have the more you want? Let's face it. Thinking our life is good enough doesn't come naturally to many people. When we have high expectations of everything in life we will run into disappointment. Only when we are aware that needs are different from desires can we live with satisfaction. Here are a few ideas to help you be happier with what you have and who you are. Focus on what you are thankful for. Most people want things to be better than they are, or when things are going well, we forget to appreciate what we have. Learn to reflect on how much better things are than they could be. Focus on what you are thankful for. Write down 5 things you are grateful for right now. When we hold onto regrets from decisions we have made, it can really poison our well-being. Many people regret something they can no longer change, which ends up holding them back from moving forward in a more positive manner. What happened in the past is done and gone, so work to stay present and be mindful of the current moment to find more joy and fulfillment. When we use other people as the measuring stick for our personal success and quality of life we are likely to be less satisfied. Social comparisons can provide useful information when we try to learn from others, but they also hold our perspective in a discontented position. Compare yourself less with others so you can be satisfied more. When you are focused on your big ambitions and future goals you might _ the daily pleasures that surround you. Learn to slow down and absorb the wonder and beauty around you. Stay present and focus on the task you're undertaking at the moment. Don't let the life pass you by because you're always on the go and distracted by ambition. Practice looking at life through the lens of contentment and it will become more natural. What should you do to put yourself in a good mood? <extra_id_0>Make time for simple pleasures. <extra_id_1>Learn from successful people. <extra_id_2>Focus on your future goals. <extra_id_3>Create chance to learn more. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>I've loved my mother's desk since I was just tall enough to sit above the top of it when mother sat writing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens, and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be the most wonderful thing in the world. Years later, during her final illness, mother kept different things for my sister and brother. "But the desk," she said again " is for Elizabeth."[:Zxxk.Com] I never saw her angry, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me; she showed it action. But as a young girl. I wanted to have heart-to heart talks between mother and daughter. They never happened. And a _ opened between us. I was " too emotional ". But she lived "on the surface". As years passed and I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me. My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and, finally, peace-it seemed that nothing happened. I couldn't be sure that the letter had even got to mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not. But the present of her desk told me, as she'd never been able to, that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside-a photo of my father and a one-page letter, folded and refolded many times. It was my letter. " In any way you choose, mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words" What did Mother do with her daughter's letter asking for forgiveness? <extra_id_0>She read the letter again and again till she died. <extra_id_1>For years, she often talked about the letter. <extra_id_2>She didn't forgive her daughter at all in all her life. <extra_id_3>She had never received the letter. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Unlike many surfers who sought the perfect wave, my interests always lay beneath the sea' s surface in a world I could only imagine and dream of.When I was twelve, I made my first adventures in the deep.Later I would learn how to dive, expanding my world of exploration many times over. Perhaps the greatest turning point in my life came when I was in high school and I wrote a letter to the famous Scripps Oceanographic Institution, asking how I might learn more about the sea.A kind scientist answered my letter and told me how to apply to Scripps for a summer scholarship, which I received.During one of their courses that summer, I met Dr.Robert Norris, a marine geologist.He loved the sea almost as much as I did.Soon he suggested I consider his school, the University of California, for my study.One year later I became a member of the freshman class. Now my love affair with the sea became a serious endeavor .If I wanted to be an undersea explorer, I needed to learn as much as I could about the laws of the physical world that controlled the environment I wanted to enter.The undersea world is not our natural world.It is unforgiving to those who make mistakes.At its greatest depths the water temperature is near freezing, the pressure is eight tons per square inch, and it is totally dark.It is easy to get lost in such a world.I needed to learn a lot about geography, navigation, geology, biology, and many other things. I decided another important thing for me to do was to join the U.S.Navy.If I was going to be an undersea explorer, I would have to lead men and women on dangerous adventures where they might get hurt, and I didn't want that to happen. In the Navy I learned discipline, organization, and how to motivate and lead people on adventures so that we could explore the wonders of the deep. Finally, the time came to put all that I had learned to use, to go forth with a team of men and women and explore an adventure I am still on and hope to be on for many years to come. The author joined the Navy to _ . <extra_id_0>develop his leadership skills <extra_id_1>get along with people under stress <extra_id_2>learn about the dangers of the ocean <extra_id_3>gather specific information about ocean life <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Smoking, which may be a pleasure for some people, is a series of discomfort for their fellows. Medical scientists have expressed their concern about effect of smoking on the health not only of those who smoke but also those who do not smoke. In fact, non-smokers who take in the air polluted by tobacco smoke suffer more than the smokers themselves. A great number of students are trying to persuade the university to forbid smoking in classrooms. Believe they are completely right in their aim. However, I think it more important to achieve this by calling on the smokers to use good judgment and to show concern for others. Smoking is not allowed in theaters, cinemas and in other public places. Therefore, smoking must be forbidden in our classroom. Although many people have _ for having smoked a lot and we call on people to give up smoking, yet many more that are following will turn down what we say every day, above all, the young people smoke a lot more. According to the selection, which of the following is true? <extra_id_0>Smokers suffer from the polluted air more than the non-smokers. <extra_id_1>Non-smokers suffer from the polluted air more than the smokers. <extra_id_2>Non-smokers suffer as much from the polluted air as the smokers. <extra_id_3>Non-smokers don't suffer so much from the polluted air as the smokers. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>In Florida,one McDonald's customer started a pay-it-forward chain that inspired other 249 customers to be generous and do the same. ABC News reports the spirit of giving is in the air as 250 drive-thru customer at a local McDonald's paid for the meals of the people next to the them.Lakeland customer Torie Keene was paying for her food on Wednesday morning when she decided to pay for the meal of the car next to her. Keene then purposely told McDonald's cashier Marisabel Figueroa to greet the other customer "Merry Christmas" and not "Happy Holidays."The next customer was moved when Figueroa said her food was already paid by the previous car.That's when she thought that she would love to do the same and the domino effect followed. Figueroa,who worked from 9 a.m.to 3 p.m.on Wednesday,said that the chain reaction almost lasted for her entire shift."I just kept giving everyone the same message,and they were all so stunned and so happy,"she continued."One lady even paid for the meals of the next three cars behind her." While people were amazed by how generous they could get,Figueroa said she had "never experienced something like that before" in her 12 years of working for McDonald's."I feel very blessed to have been a part of a11 that,"the cashier said. Keene contacted Figueroa on Facebook when the pay-it-forward chain came out in the local news.She revealed that she was the "mystery customer" that started the long chain of kindness. Keene added that she was surprised by the number of people who continued her good deed when she was only trying to brighten someone's day. What're the drivers' reactions towards the generous behavior? <extra_id_0>Lucky and unbelievable. <extra_id_1>Funny and surprised. <extra_id_2>Amazed and moved. <extra_id_3>Ridiculous and happy. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Except for the sun, the moon looks like the biggest object in the sky. Actually it is one of the smallest, and only looks big because it is so near to us. Its diameter is only 2,160 miles (3,389 km), or a little more than a quarter of the diameter of the earth. Once a month, or more exactly, once every 29.5 days, at the time we call "full moon," its whole _ looks bright. At other times only part of it appears bright, and we always find that this is the part which faces towards the sun, while the part racing away from the sun appears dark. People could make their pictures better if they kept this in mind -- only those parts of the moon which are lighted up by the sun are bright. This shows that the moon gives no light of its own. It only throws back the light of the sun, like a huge mirror hung in the sky. Yet the dark part of the moon's surface is not ly black; generally it is just light enough for us to be able to see its outline, so that we speak of seeing "the old moon in the new moon's arms." The light by which we see the old moon does not come from the sun, but from the earth. We know well how the surface of the sea or of snow, or even of a wet road, may throw back uncomfortably much of the sun's light onto our faces. In the same way the surface of the whole earth throws back enough of the sun's light on to the face of the moon for us to be able to see the parts of it which would otherwise be dark. By "saying the old moon in the new moon's arms", we mean a time when_. <extra_id_0>the two moon's are closely linked <extra_id_1>the new moon is at its brightest <extra_id_2>the moon is partly bright and partly dark <extra_id_3>the new moon is hugging the old moon <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>When I was younger, bedtime was always my favourite part of the day. Wearing soft pajamas and with Lan, my stuffed monkey, in my arms, I felt no pressure at all. I named Lan after my uncle when I compared Lan's long arms and legs to his. One night I ran up to Uncle Lan at a family party and told him I had named my monkey after him. His eyebrows wrinkled in confusion, then a chuckle escaped his lips. I guess he didn't understand how important it was to me. Even if Uncle Lan didn't think my monkey was special, I certainly did. I dressed him in a white baby nightgown. My mother thought that Lan was the best-dressed stuffed animal in the world. Yes, he was certainly a fashionable creature. The strong cologne I used on him years ago makes him still smell "pretty". For a long time, Lan went everywhere with me. He was my best friend, and I told him everything. But when I turned twelve, I realized I was too old for stuffed animals. I thought people would think I was babyish, so I put him in the cupboard with the rest of my teddy bears and dolls. I begged him to understand why I was doing this, but at the same time I longed to talk to him again. It took me several years to realize that it was OK to miss Lan. I know now that maturity doesn't only mean growing up and taking on more responsibility. It also means holding on to your childhood and acting young sometimes. Lan has been with me since I was six years old. Holding him in my arms connects me to my past and my present as I continue to grow and understand myself. The writer loved Monkey Lan deeply because _ . <extra_id_0>he could understand her <extra_id_1>he was a fashionable monkey <extra_id_2>he could talk with her <extra_id_3>he was her most honest listener <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>At the age of 95, Olga Kotelko attracted great attention at the World Masters Athletics Championships. This 5ft-tall Canadian became the oldest recorded woman indoor runner, high jumper and long jumper at the competition. Olga now has more than 30 world records to her name and has won more than 750 gold medals. But she sees herself as nothing special, describing herself as just a plain Jane. As one of 11 children brought up on a farm, she has always been active, milking cows and doing other housework. She has now outlived all her brothers and sisters and most of her friends but when asked what her secret is, she says there isn't one. "I think your age is just a number. It's not your birthday; it's how you age that makes the difference. It's your attitude to all the things that happen in your life that plays the biggest part." So can we all turn ourselves into nonagenarian superheroes? Research from Newcastle University suggests that as every 24 hours pass, we add an extra five hours to our lives -- that's over 2 months each year--partly because of improving living conditions and medical development. And in the UK the number of people who are living into their 100th year has nearly increased by four times since the 1980s. So ageing is not a terrible thing. While Olga's genes might help her, we're not all prisoners to our own. After all, 75% of our later lives could be down to the lifestyle we choose to lead. A good diet and regular exercise are key. Besides, developing friendships in mid-life also works. Dr Holland, director of Aston University's research centre for healthy ageing, says: "The more friends you have when you're 50-60 years old, the less likely you're to be lonely in later life; the less lonely you are, the less likely you're to be ill as the years go by." What did Olga Kotelko mean by describing herself as a plain Jane? <extra_id_0>She was hard-working. <extra_id_1>She was once named Jane. <extra_id_2>She was very active. <extra_id_3>She was very common. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>A crow is sitting in a big tree. She has a big piece of meat in her mouth, "My babies will have a nice breakfast," she thinks. An old fox is looking for his breakfast. He sees the crow and the meat, " How can I get that piece of meat? " he thinks. "Good morning, Mrs. Crow," says the fox. " How are you? " But the crow doesn't say a word. "You have very nice babies, Mrs. Crow," says the fox. " How are they? May I see them? " Still the crow doesn't say a word. "You are very beautiful, Mrs. Crow. And you have a beautiful voice, too," says the fox. " Would you like to sing a song for me? " Mrs. Crow thinks, "How nice Mr. Fox is! I must sing a song for him. " So she opens her mouth, at that time, Mrs. Crow drops the meat into the fox's mouth. There's _ in the crow's mouth. <extra_id_0>a piece of bread <extra_id_1>a cup of tea <extra_id_2>a big piece of meat <extra_id_3>a small piece of meat <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>A student has a ball of clay that sinks when placed in a pan of water. Which property should he change to make the clay float? <extra_id_0>color <extra_id_1>texture <extra_id_2>mass <extra_id_3>shape <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Zheng He made seven heroic voyages to Asia and Africa between 1405 and 1433, which predated the Westerners' Voyages of Discovery by almost a century . Despite Zheng He's remarkable maritime feats , with larger and matchless fleets until World War I , he is ly unknown worldwide compared with his Western counterparts like Columbus and Vasco da Gama . Why ? Sadly , much of the official Chinese records of these voyages were destroyed after his death , by order of his powerful enemies at Court . They were opposed to his expeditions , both on economic and other grounds . Further , the Ming History made only little mention of his exploits . Most surprisingly , not even his date of death and burial place were recorded . Therefore , his final resting place is still a matter of _ .So he became only a legend and folk hero in his life time . However , hardly any Chinese works on him have been translated into foreign languages . Ironically , it was due to a handful of famous Western researchers like prefix = st1 /Needham, Zlevathes and , most recently , Menzies that the world is now more familiar with his greatness . Zhen He's rightful place in Chinese history has been confirmed by none other than Deng Xiaoping in 1984 , when he addressed the nation's People's Congress in Beijing : "...The Ming dynasty , under Yongle Emperor , did wisely pursue an open-door policy resulting in Zheng He's famous maritime expeditions overseas . However , after Yongle's death, Chinadeserted this policy resulting in foreign intervention andChina's final humiliation during the 19th century . The open-door policy is therefore the way forward forChina." Following a more realistic overall appraise by scholars East and West of Zheng He's achievements , his standing as one of the greatest maritime explorers of all time has at last been firmly recognized worldwide . From the passage , we can suppose_. <extra_id_0>Zheng He had been to Africa for seven times from 1405 to 1433 . <extra_id_1>Columbus and Vasco da Gama were ly unknown in Chinacompared with Zheng He . <extra_id_2>the Ming government didn't know about Zheng He, so they made only little mention of Zheng He's exploits . <extra_id_3>some government officials in the Ming dynasty were strongly against Zheng He's voyages to Asia and Africa . <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>When I was quite young, I discovered that somewhere inside the telephone lived an amazingperson - "Information Please" and there was nothing she did not know. One day while my mother was out, I hit my finger with a hammer. The pain was terrible, but there was no one home to give me any sympathy. I walked around the house, finally arriving at the telephone! Quickly, I called "Information Please" and told her what happened. She told me to open the icebox and hold a little piece of ice to my finger. After that, I called "Information Please" for everything. When my pet bird died, I told "Information Please" the sad story. She tried to comfort me, she said quietly, "Paul, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in." Somehow I felt better. Another day I was on the telephone, "How do you spell 'grateful'? ". All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. When I was 9, we moved to Boston. A few years later, on my way to college, my plane put down in Seattle. I had about half an hour or so between planes. Without thinking, I dialed my hometown operator and said, "Information, please." Surprisingly, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well, "Information." I hadn't planned on this but I heard myself saying, "Could you please tell me how to spell 'grateful'?" There was a long pause. Then came the soft-spoken answer, "I guess your finger must have healed by now." I laughed. "So it's really still you," I said, "I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time." I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and asked if I could call her again. "Please do," she said, "Just ask for Sally." Three months later I was back in Seattle. A different voice answered me. I was told that Sally passed away five weeks before. Before I could hang up she told me that Sally left a message for me--"Tell him I still say there are other worlds to sing in. He'll know what I mean." I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant. Never underestimate the impression you may make on others. Whose life have you touched today? What happened to the little boy one day when he was at home alone? <extra_id_0>He was amused by the telephone. <extra_id_1>He hurt his finger with a hammer. <extra_id_2>He found an amazing telephone. <extra_id_3>He got a piece of ice from an icebox. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>"I don't speak English"-these are the first words I learned when I came to America. Soon I was able to pronounce the four words clearly, and said them whenever an American tried to talk to me. This answer was very effective at ending our conversation and saving me from another uncomfortable situation, or I would have to communicate in a language that I was not familiar with. Before coming to the States, I thought I knew English pretty well. But the truth is that the grammar and vocabulary-based English that is taught in schools overseas is not the English people speak in America. But fear not! Once you are in America, you can immediately begin to bridge the gap between the learned English that you already know, and the spoken English that is all around you. To do this, first of all, it is important not to fear when you realize that you may not be as prepared for daily communication as you thought. For me, as soon as I stopped worrying about my accent and started speaking, I made rapid progress. Often the people didn't notice my mistakes because they were so glad to finally be able to communicate with me. Another good idea is to listen carefully and pay attention to the way in which ideas are expressed. For example, if you are working hard and you want to stop working and rest for a little while, you can either say "I would like to stop working and rest for a while" or "I want to take a quick break from work." The first sentence, I quickly learned, sounds dry and too formal for any kind of communication, while the second is an idiom that is widely used in American English conversation. Finally, use what you already know---the vocabulary, the grammar and the spelling. Try to use these into the spoken language for more impressive and accurate speaking results. What's the problem with the English taught outside the English-speaking countries? <extra_id_0>It is quite different from what the natives speak. <extra_id_1>It is taught in boring and wrong grammar. <extra_id_2>It has nothing to do with English. <extra_id_3>It has too small a vocabulary. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>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 _ . It speaks, as well, to people's widely differing expectations over the developing scientific procedure. Most of the respondents 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 a clone could never truly recreate a pet, many simply didn't wish to go against the natural law of life and death. Both sides expressed equal love for their animals. More than a few respondents owned "the best dog/cat in the world". They thought of their pets as their "best friend", "a member of the family,""the light of my life." They told moving stories of pets' heroism, intelligence and selfless devotion. Then 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 seemed to be at the heart of this problem. So far as the cloning of pets is concerned, a recent survey shows that, of all pet owners, _ . <extra_id_0>a lot more of them are for it <extra_id_1>a lot more of them are against it <extra_id_2>very few of them are willing to tell their opinions <extra_id_3>about half of them are for it and the other half against it <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>It's hard to believe how times have changed since the first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, on 6th April 1896. Over one hundred years ago, there was very little reliance(dependence)on modern technology. There were no landing mats , no stopwatches and no photo finishes. In fact, cameras and stopwatches were not used until the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the USA. Today technology has completely revolutionized(changed) sports. Take sports equipment for example. Starting blocks are now equipped with electronic pressure sensors , which provide exactly correct race time and also help to catch runners who "jump the gun". As athletes cross the finishing line, special digital cameras can also easily decide the winner. The clays of " _ " are gone. Athletes have also benefited from technological developments. Body-hug-ging suits, which reduce wind drag, can help cut up to one-tenth of a second from runners' race times. Top athletes are even provided with tailor-made sports shoes. These shoes are made to fit the athlete exactly--and there are even air compartments in the shoes that can be filled to meet each runner's individual needs. Technology has also changed the way that many sports are performed. Take one example--the pole vault . The inclusion of a landing mat obviously made a big difference to the vaulting style as athletes no longer needed to worry about hurting themselves as they fell. Without these worries, athletes could obviously jump higher. These days, polevaulters do not even need to worry about the crossbar as the uprights are now fitted with light-emitting diodes(LEDs) that measure how high the athlete vaulted. Technology has even been to the advantage of swimmers. New pools have been designed to reduce wave interference and sports scientists have even developed a new style of swimming that increases buoyancy and reduces drag in the water. The increasing importance of these technological developments has led many sportsmen to suggest that the "Olympic spirit" is being lost in a rush to break records and win medals. Many developing countries say that technology has become too important in sport and that athletes from developing countries that cannot afford such technology are disadvantaged. There are no easy answers but one thing is sure--we cannot turn back time. Technology cannot go backwards. The purpose of the writer in writing this article is _ . <extra_id_0>to suggest we should keep up with the times <extra_id_1>to show us the future of modern Olympics <extra_id_2>to prove that the athletes have done better <extra_id_3>to introduce high-tech sports equipment <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>No matter where you travel in Asia, you'll find yourself faced with a new culture, amazing food and special and friendly people. Here are some of these wonderful cities. Beijing, China Beijing serves as the capital of China. The city is old. In fact, almost all buildings have some cultural or historical significance --no matter how small they are. Throughout the city you can find temples, palaces, and works of art that can make you breathless. Siem Reap, Cambodia The wonderful town of Siem Reap is actually a good place to visit, though most people regard it only as a base point for further trips to Angkor and other nearby attractions. Visitors will be amazed by the beautiful temples and artworks that still exist today. Kathmandu, Nepal Located in the heart of the Himalayas, Kathmandu, the largest city and the capital of Nepal, is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in existence today. It is well-known for its beautiful views of the Himalayas. The shopping districts are world-famous and the hotels in Kathmandu are among the best in the world. Kyoto, Japan The city of Kyoto served as the capital of Japan from 794 to 1868. No longer the capital, it is known as the seventh largest city in Japan instead. Kyoto was destroyed many times throughout history by fires and wars. Now the city is home to more than 1.4 million people and presents a modern look to the world. Kathmandu is famous for _ . <extra_id_0>the old buildings, history and scenery <extra_id_1>the convenient transport and scenery <extra_id_2>the scenery, shopping malls and hotels <extra_id_3>the large population, beautiful scenery and modern buildings <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>A cell phone in a vehicle can be a life-saving communication tool in case of emergency. However, actually using a cell phone while driving can be life-threatening. Studies have shown that new drivers are especially prone to have an accident when they use a cell phone while driving. The reason for this is that new drivers have less experience in concentrating on driving during distractions . Also, several studies done on teen drivers found that many teens often send text messages while driving. Since text messaging involves both the hands and the eyes, this is thought to be more distracting and dangerous than when drivers use a cell phone only for speaking and listening while driving. All drivers who use a cell phone while driving are reported to be at least four times more likely to have an accident than drivers who don't use a cell phone while driving. Such studies have inspired many countries, including the United States, to have at least some bans on hand-held cell phone use while driving. However, many people feel that these restrictions are far from enough. Hand-free cell phones were still found in many studies to distract the drivers' attention even though the drivers had both hands on the wheel . In some studies, drivers themselves admitted that they sometimes become distracted when they use any type of the cell phones while driving. Some studies have shown that using a cell phone while driving is actually just as dangerous as driving drunk! Both cases can impair the drivers' concentration as well as their reaction time to other vehicles or problems on the road. If a cell phone is used in crawling traffic such as a traffic jam, it is not as likely to cause danger as when a driver uses a cell phone at even moderate speeds on twisting and turning roads. Why are new drivers who use a cell phone while driving more likely to have an accident? <extra_id_0>Because they will pay all attention to the cell phone. <extra_id_1>Because their hands will leave the wheel. <extra_id_2>Because their eyes will not look at the road. <extra_id_3>Because they are more likely to be distracted. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>A dentist's office may not be everyone's idea of a perfect holiday destination.But a growing number of Europeans are travelling abroad for medical treatment to save money,or maybe to combine a visit to the doctor with some sightseeing,creating a potential but fastgrowing market for traditional tour operators. "It was simply cheaper for me to go to a dentist in Hungary," said a 42yearold physical therapist from Berlin.He chose the clinic near Budapest from an Internet advertisement,attracted by hundreds of euros in savings compared with the same treatment in Germany.He was happy to find when he got there that the clinic was clean,the staff qualified and the work thorough. People travel abroad for medical treatment for various reasons:it's cheaper,they face a long wait at home,or the treatment they want is not available in their own country.The Britishbased Medical Tourist Company refers about 100 patients a year to hospitals in India for treatments.And Chief Executive Premhar Shah reports rapid growth in demand from customers in Africa,where it can be harder to find wellequipped medical facilities for complex surgeries. Some patients who have immigrated may prefer to return to be close to their families when they undergo surgery."People will want to take the opportunity to seek treatment in places where they have relatives who might be able to look after them.I'm seeing that especially with younger people from eastern Europe," said a professor at the University of Oxford. For some,there is the attraction of free treatment abroad.British lawmakers have called for tighter checks on patients arriving for treatment,out of concerns that foreign citizens are travelling to Britain to take advantage of the free service. The global medical tourism market is believed to be worth $40 billion to $60 billion and growing at about 20 percent per year. How many reasons are mentioned to explain why people go abroad for medical treatment? <extra_id_0>Four. <extra_id_1>Five. <extra_id_2>Six. <extra_id_3>Seven. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>I shall never forget the night, a few years ago, when Marion J. Douglas was a student in one of my calsses. (I have not used his real name for personal reasons. As he requested.) But here is his real story as he told it before one of our adult - education classes. He told us how tragedy had struck at his home, not once, but twice. The first time he had lost his five-old daughter, a child he adored. He and his wife thought they couldn't bear that first loss; but, as he said:"Ten months later, God gave us another little girl and she died in five days." This double was almost too much to bear. "I couldn't take it," this father told us. "I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat, I couldn't rest or relax. My nerves were entirely shaken and my confidence gone." At last he went to doctors; one recommended sleeping pills and another recommended a trip. He tried both, but neither helped. He said:"My body felt as if it was surrounded in a vice , and the jaws of the vice were being drawn tighter and tighter." The tension of grief ----if you have ever been paralyzed by sorrow, you know what he meant. But thank God, I had one child left ----a four --year-- old son. He gave me the solution to my problem. One afternoon as I sat around feeling sorry for myself, he asked; 'Daddy, will you build a boat for me?' I was in no mood to build a boat; in fact, I was in no mood to do anything. But my son is a persistent little fellow! I had to give in. Building that toy boat took me about three hours. By the time it was finished, I realized that those three hours spent building that boat were first hours of mental relaxation and peace that I had had in months! I realized that it is difficult to worry while you are busy doing something that requires planning and thinking. In my case, building the boat had knocked worry out of the ring. So I determined to keep busy. The following night, I went from room to room in the house, making a list of jobs that ought to be done. Scores of items needed to be repaired: bookcase, stair steps, storm windows, window-shades, locks, leaky taps. Amazing as it seems, in the course of two weeks I had made a list of 242 items that needed attention. "During the last two years I have completed most of them. I am busy now that I have no time for worry." No time for worry! That is exactly what Winston Churchill said when he was working eighteen hours a day at the height of the war. When he was asked if he worried about his huge responsibilities, he said :"I am too busy. I have no time for worry." At the end of the passage, the author wrote about Winston Churchill in order to _ . <extra_id_0>prove that he followed Churchill's example <extra_id_1>support his student's solution to his problem <extra_id_2>show that he was successful in his career <extra_id_3>clarify how his conclusion was reached <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>One day,Jack's parents told him that his grandpa would retire after working for forty years.Jack said in surprise, "I'm only seven, so it means Grandpa has been... er ... A really long time!" His parents said, "Yes. That's why we are going to have a surprising party for him. " Jack loved his grandpa and wanted to do something special for him. He remembered the business card his grandpa had given him two years before. He knew that his grandpa would no longer have the position on that card, so he decided to build a new one for his grandpa. When the big day came, Jack was ready. But he didn't want to put his gift together with others'. He carried it around with him the whole evening. When all the other people left, he took his grandpa's hand and brought him over to a chair and gave him the gift. His grandpa smiled, "Well, it must be a beautiful gift. May I open it now?" "Sure!" Jack said excitedly. As Grandpa opened the gift, tears came into his eyes. Jack gave him the greatest gift he had ever got! They were business cards with new position: FULL-TIME GRANDPA! Jack said, "Now your full-time job is my grandpa!" Well, how much do I get paid?" his grandpa asked, smiling. "As many hugs as you want!" With these words, Jack gave Grandpa a hug. " Well, I guess that means I'm the richest man in the world! " said Grandpa. Who was going to retire? <extra_id_0>Jack's grandma. <extra_id_1>Jack's grandpa. <extra_id_2>Jack's mother. <extra_id_3>Jack's father. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Many scientists today are convinced that life exists elsewhere in the universe---life probably much like that on our own planet. They reason in the following way. As far as astronomers can determine, the entire universe is built of the same matter. They have no reason to doubt that matter obeys the same laws in every part of the universe. Therefore, it is reasonable to guess that other stars, with their own planets, were born in the same way as our own solar system. What we know of life on earth suggests that life will arise wherever the proper conditions exist. Life requires the right amount and kind of atmosphere. This eliminates all those planets in the universe that are not about the same size and weight as the earth. A smaller planet would lose its atmosphere; a larger one would hold too much of it. Life also requires a steady supply of heat and light. This eliminates double stars, or stars that flare up suddenly. Only single stars that are steady sources of heat and light like our sun would qualify. Finally, life could evolve only if the planet is just the right distance from its sun. With a weaker sun than our own, the planet would have to be closer to it. With a stronger sun, it would have to be farther away. If we suppose that every star in the universe has a family of planets, then how many planets might support life? First, eliminate those stars that are not like our sun. Next eliminate most of their planets; they are either too far from or too close to their suns. Then eliminate all those planets which are not the same size and weight as the earth. Finally, remember that the proper conditions do not necessarily mean that life actually does exist on a planet. It may not have begun yet, or it may have already died out. This process of elimination seems to leave very few planets on which earthlike life might be found. However, even if life could exist on only one planet in a million, there are so many billions of planets that this would still leave a vast number on which life could exist. What kind of planet might NOT support life? <extra_id_0>Most of the planets of the stars. <extra_id_1>Stars similar to our sun. <extra_id_2>Planets similar to the earth. <extra_id_3>Planets with proper conditions. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>What do some animals do to adjust to hot temperatures? <extra_id_0>they run <extra_id_1>they hunt <extra_id_2>they perspire <extra_id_3>they fly <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Body language is the quietest, most secret and most powerful language of all. It is said that our body movements communicate about 50% of what we really mean while words themselves only do 7%. So while your mouth is closed, just it is your body language that is saying. When it comes to body language at the office, you may be making some big mistakes that could cause you trouble. The following are some tips on what you should not do when using body language at your office. Don't touch your co-workers, even if it's on the back of the arm or shoulder. Many of your co-workers are not comfortable with any body contact with others. Be careful not to touch everyone at your office. Don't avoid eye contact. Eyes can speak. Lack of eye contact means cheat, and it can also point to no safety or lack of confidence. Trust and confidence are things you will communicate to the other person if you hold eye contact 50% of the time. Don't have a bad handshake. You're going to show your kindness at once with a firm palm to palm handshake. Showing the palms of your hands is an _ gesture as it shows that you have a peaceful purpose. It means acceptance, and that you're open to new ideas. Be careful of the dead fish handshake. Don't lean your head while listening to others. When listening to others, you should listen to him or her carefully with your head straight. For women especially, you think you are expressing interest by leaning your head when you are listening to others, but you actually come across as if you don't understand what's going on. It can be known from the passage that _ . <extra_id_0>The stronger you shake hands with others the better. <extra_id_1>Leaning your head when listening expresses interest. <extra_id_2>Leaning back and forward shows you are thoughtful. <extra_id_3>Eye contact is very important in communications. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Good health is the most valuable thing in the world. When you've got it, you never think about it. When you haven't got it, you think about it all the time. Our biggest enemies are not terrible diseases and so on. We are our own biggest enemies because we sometimes destroy our own good health. Some of us eat too much, drink too much and smoke too much. And though our reason tells us we should control ourselves, we find it difficult. The fact is that most human beings need stimulation . Who doesn't enjoy a drink after a busy day? Only a smoker knows the pleasure of a cigarette with a cup of coffee. The danger is when these innocent pleasures run our lives and so destroy our health. When you find yourself eating between meals or eating too much rich food, when you can only keep yourself going by taking frequent drinks or by smoking one cigarette after another, then it's time to stop and think what you might be doing to yourself. The funny thing is that when we don't control ourselves, simple pleasures are no longer simple pleasures. All right, I know what you're thinking. You're probably saying, "It's easy to say, but I can't help myself. I need that extra bit of food, that extra drink, that extra cigarette. Life has so many pleasures that I can't do without them." But I'm saying you can help yourself. Not only that, you must help yourself. Because if you don't help yourself, no one else can. So be your own best friend. I can't help myself means _ . <extra_id_0>I can't do it myself <extra_id_1>I must ask someone to help <extra_id_2>I can't control myself <extra_id_3>Do help me, please <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Zoe Chambers was a successful PR(Public Relations) consultant and life was going well--she had a great job, a beautiful life in London. Then one evening in June last year, she received a text message telling her she was out of work. "The first two weeks were the most difficult to live through," she said. "After everything I'd done for the company, they dismiss me by text! I was so angry and I just didn't feel like looking for another job. I hated everything about the city and my life." Then, Zoe received an invitation from an old school friend, Kathy, to come and stay. Kathy and her husband, Huw, had just bought a farm in north west Wales. Zoe jumped at the chance to spend a weekend away from London, and now, then months later, she is still on the farm. "The moment I arrived at Kathy's farm, I loved it and I knew I wanted to stay." said Zoe. "Everything about my past life suddenly seemed meaningless." Zoe has been working on the farm since October of last year and says she has no regrets. "It's a hard life, physically very tiring." she says. "In London I was stressed and often mentally exhausted. But this is a good, healthy tiredness. Here, all I need to put me in a good mood is a hot bath and on of Kathy's wonderful dinners." Zoe says she has never bored on the farm. Every day brings a new experience. Kathy has been teaching her how to ride a horse and she has learnt to drive a tractor. Since Christmas, she has been helping with the lambing-watching a lamb being born is unbelievable. She says, "It's one of the most moving experiences I've ever had. I could never go back to city life now " According to the author, Zoe lived a _ life as a PE consultant in London. <extra_id_0>boring <extra_id_1>meaningless <extra_id_2>tough <extra_id_3>satisfying <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>When I was in the third grade, I was picked to be the princess in the school play. For weeks my mother had helped me practice my lines. But once on stage, every word disappeared from my head. Then my teacher told me she had written a narrator's part for the play, and asked me to change roles. Though I didn't tell my mother what had happened that day, she sensed my unhappiness and asked if I wanted to take a walk in the yard. It was a lovely spring day. We could see dandelions popping through the grass in bunches, as if a painter had touched our landscape with bits of gold. I watched my mother carelessly bend down by one of the bunches. "I think I am going to dig up all these weeds," she said. "From now on, we'll have only roses in this garden." "But I like dandelions," I protested. "All flowers are beautiful-even dandelions!" My mother looked at me seriously. "Yes, every flower gives pleasure in its own way, doesn't it?" she asked thoughtfully. I nodded. "And that is true of people, too," she added. When I realized that she had guessed my pain, I started to cry and told her the fact. "But you will be a beautiful narrator," she said, reminding me of how much I loved to read stories aloud to her. Over the next few weeks, with her continuous encouragement, I learned to take pride in the role. The big day finally came. A few minutes before the play, my teacher came over to me. "Your mother asked me to give this to you," she said, handing me a dandelion. After the play, I took home the flower, laughing that I was perhaps the only person who would keep such a weed. Why did the mother suggest a walk in the garden? <extra_id_0>To remove the dandelions <extra_id_1>To enjoy the garden scene <extra_id_2>to help her daughter with the play. <extra_id_3>to have a talk with her daughter. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>It has taken 90 years since she was born in a poor house in County Limerick for a woman considered America's oldest illegal immigrant to get her Irish passport.It will be a few more months before Josephine Stout will finally be declared a US citizen, entitling(...) her to a pension and other benefits. Despite having lived in America for most of her life since she arrived in 1923, the great-grandmother was declared an undocumented alien in 1999, when she tried to claim state aid to help raise her seven grandchildren, who were left orphaned when her daughter was killed by a robber over$20. Even though she has never considered herself Irish, noting "I don't even have an accent," she didn't officially exist as an American when officials in Chicago insisted that she prove her citizenship in order to qualify for benefits. But she had no birth certificate or passport when she arrived on an immigrant ship from Ireland from Ireland with her parents, who had 12 other children. She never gave the matter much thought until 1999, when she was in her late 70s and needed assistance to raise her grandchildren. For 12 years, Mrs. Stout managed to support the family by doing various jobs. But her life was hard and marked by tragedy. Her husband died in 1996, and her son Thomas died in a car accident with his girlfriend in 1985. Her only surviving child, Rosemary, died of cancer in 2009. A Catholic charity referred her case to Chicago Irish Immigrant Support(CIIS), which alerted the Irish Consulate . Through them, they tracked down her birth certificate, the website irishcentral.com reported. The document, in turn, allowed her to receive her Irish passport, and eventually her American green card in September 2011, which was dated back to November 1, 1923. Josephine couldn't be a legal immigrant because _ . <extra_id_0>she was named an undocumented alien <extra_id_1>she arrived in American in a secret way <extra_id_2>She couldn't find her proper certificates <extra_id_3>She has too many brothers and sisters <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Many a young person tells me he wants to be a writer. I always encourage such people,but I also explain that there's a big difference between "being a writer" and writing.In most cases these people are dreaming of wealth and fame, not the long hours alone at a typewriter. "You've got to want to write, "I say to them, "not want to be a writer". The reality is that writing is a lonely, private and poor-paying affair. For every writer kissed by fortune there are thousands more whose longing is never rewarded. When I left a 20-year career in the U.S. Coat Guard to become a freelance writer, I had no hope at all.What I did have was a friend who found me a room in a New York apartment building.It didn't even matter that it was cold and had no bathroom.I immediately bought a used typewriter and felt like a real writer. After a year or so.However, I still hadn't gotten a break and began to doubt myself.It was so hard to sell a story that I hardly made enough to eat.But I knew I wanted to write,l had dreamed about it for years.I wasn't going to be one _ I would keep putting my dream to the test--even though it meant living with uncertainty and fear of failure.This is the _ of hope,and anyone with a dream must learn to live there. What can be concluded from the passage? <extra_id_0>Real writers often find their work interesting and rewarding. <extra_id_1>A writer's success depends on luck rather than on effort. <extra_id_2>Famous writers usually live in poverty. <extra_id_3>The chances for a writer to become successful are little. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Many television programmes are very realistic. One who watches TV often feels that whatever happened in the film could well happen to him. With only a little imagination, every man in the street becomes a thief, a spy or a murderer. Jane had been watching a spy film at her friend's house. In it, a young girl had been followed and murdered. She felt a little frightened, walking to the station. She took a train back to the centre of the city. There were a lot of people traveling with her, so she felt much safer. A man sitting opposite her, reading a newspaper, glanced at her. She thought nothing of it until she saw him staring at her. Remember the film and feeling very uncomfortable, she got off the train and went to the bus stop. When he got on the same bus as she did, she found that he was following her. As long as she had been with other people she wasn't frightened. But when she got off the bus, the streets were almost empty. She walked as quickly as she could. She could hear footsteps following her but she didn't dare to look around. After what seemed to have been hours, she was unable to find them, because she was so frightened. The footsteps stopped behind her. She felt a hand on her shoulder. Instead of feeling hands round her neck, however, she heard a pleasant voice. "I apologize if I frightened you. I'm your new neighbour. I thought I recognized you in the train, but I wasn't sure." Jane was really frightened because _ . <extra_id_0>the man who followed her was her new neighbour <extra_id_1>the man apologized <extra_id_2>the street was empty <extra_id_3>she thought she met a murderer <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Robert Todd Duncan was born in 1903 in the southern city of Danville,Kentucky. His mother was his first music teacher. As a young man,he continued his music study in Indianapolis,Indiana. In 1930,he completed more musical education at Columbia University in New York City. Then he moved to Washington. For fifteen years, he taught music at Howard University in Washington. At that time, not many black musicians were known for writing or performing classical music. Teaching at Howard gave Duncan the chance to share his knowledge of classical European music with a mainly black student population. He taught special ways to present the music.These special ways became known as the Duncan Technique. Besides teaching,Duncan sang in several operas with performers who were all black. But it seemed that he always would be known mainly as a concert artist. However,his life took a different turn in the middle 1930s. At that time, the famous American music writer George Gershwin was looking for someone to play a leading part in his new work Porgy and Bess. The music critic of the New York Times newspaper suggested Todd Duncan. Duncan had almost decided not to try for the part as he knew it would not be easy to get it. But he changed his mind. He sang a piece from an Italian opera for Gershwin. He had sung only a few minutes when Gershwin offered him the part. He became famous because of the part in Porgy and Bess. Todd Duncan gained fame as an opera singer and concert artist. But his greatest love in music was teaching. When he stopped teaching at Howard,he continued giving singing lessons in his Washington home until the week before his death. Based on the passage,what did Robert Todd Duncan love most? <extra_id_0>Singing in concerts. <extra_id_1>Writing music. <extra_id_2>Singing opera. <extra_id_3>Teaching music. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Long before the scientific world became concerned about the impacts of introducing nonnative species,a total of l00 starlings were released in New York City's Central Park.Eugene Schieffelin was a Shakespeare lover who wanted to bring to America as manv birds as possible mentioned by the Bard in his poems.He imported 60 starlings and released them on a March day in Central Park.A year later,he introduced an additional 40 birds. Within 50 years,they had spread to every state,and today they number an estimated 200 million.In San Diego County,the starling seems at home in both urban and agricultural environments,frequently feeding on the ground,where it probes lawns and fields for insects,worms and snails. Nesting begins in March and peaks in May when the young birds join large flocks in places like Lake Henshaw,dairy farms or Ramona Grasslands.They frequently take over the nest of other birds,and they don't seem particular,having been observed nesting in many kinds of trees. In addition to competing with native species for food and nesting locations,there have been estimates that starlings cause at least MYM800 million in crop damage annually.Much of the damage they cause is the result of their concentrations.Massive flocks of birds are, though beautiful,can be destructive,even dangerous to aircraft,with more than 800 incidents reported by the Federal Aviation Administration. Despite their bad press,the starling is popular with bird--watchers and also the Shakespeare lovers,who often refer to the starling probably because the bird is quite an imitator.It can imitate the calls of up to 20 other species,including hawks,robins and flickers. Love him or hate him,Schieffelin's release of 100 European starlings had a lasting impact in the United States.He had no idea that he also proved the famous words of Shakespeare."What's done cannot be undone.'' As for the local eco--system,the gathering of a large number of birds in a location can be _ . <extra_id_0>amazing <extra_id_1>disastrous <extra_id_2>impressive <extra_id_3>disgusting <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Why do earthquakes happen? Scientists explain that the outside of the earth is made of a number of different plates . For example, at San Francisco the Pacific Plate which is moving towards the northwest meets the North American Plate. The Pacific Plate is moving very slowly-at 5. 3 centimetres a year. Sometimes these two plates stop and do not move for years. Then suddenly, they jump and an earthquake is felt. As the movement of these plates, West America near the sea has always been a bad place for earthquakes. When the 1906 earthquake happened, the Pacific Plate jumped 5-6 metres to the north. We cannot stop earthquakes, but we can do things to make sure they don't destroy the whole of cities. First ,it is not a good idea to build houses along the lines, where two of the earth's plates join together. Second, if you think there may be an earthquake, it is better to build houses on rock not on sand. Third, you must make the houses as strong as possible. Weak buildings will fall down in an earthquake, but strong ones may stay up. An earthquake shook San Francisco in the past because _ . <extra_id_0>San Francisco stands along between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate <extra_id_1>San Francisco stands near the Pacific <extra_id_2>San Francisco is near the sea <extra_id_3>the city of San Francisco wasn't built very well <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Stephen Hawking, one of the world's smartest physicists, once said: "I'm obsessed by time."Many of us are, and the popularity of time travel TV series has just proved that. After Palace and Startling by Each Step <<>> achieved startling ratings last year, Palace 2 aired on January 20, attracting time travel fans back to TV."It's fun to watch characters travel back in time and deal with the conflicts between modernity and ancient times," Xia Xiaoyan, who works for a foreign-owned enterprise in Shanghai, told China Daily. "Time travel series connect both today and the past, thus offering room for imagination," said Cai Yinong, the producer of Startling by Each Step. "I'm _ by the shows because they are characterized by dramatic and poetic love and have eye-pleasing actors," Xia explained her love for time travel TV series.Her comment echoes a 2011 survey by Great Marketing Research Co Ltd in China. When asked about what's so appealing about time travel TV series, 21 percent of respondents answered: "Those attractive characters." A bigger reason behind the popularity of time travel stories, however, is the relaxation they offer, according to the survey.Cai Yinong agrees. "Many people are facing tremendous pressures in their fast-paced lives, so this genre is more relaxing than other shows as it provides people with a terrific outlet to escape reality," Cai told China Daily. The love for time traveling is universal.Woody Allen's latest movie Midnight in Paris, which has been nominated for Best Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay and Art Direction for the 2012 Academy Awards, features modernity versus cultural nostalgia. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . <extra_id_0>Stephen Hawking likes time travel TV series. <extra_id_1>A bigger reason behind the popularity of time travel stories, however, is the relaxation they offer. <extra_id_2>Not only Chinese audience but also foreigners like watching time travel stories. <extra_id_3>Startling by Each Step has been nominated for Best Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay and Art Direction for the 2012 Academy Awards. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>As people slowly learn to cure diseases, control floods, prevent hunger, and stop wars, fewer people die every year. As a result, the population of the world is becoming larger. In 1925 there were about 2 billion people in the world; today there are over 6 billion. When the number rises, extra mouths must be fed. New lands must be brought under development, or land already farmed must be made to produce more crops. In some areas the land is so over-developed that it will be difficult to make it provide more crops. In some areas the population is so large that the land is divided into too tiny units to make improvement possible with farming methods. If a large part of this farming population went into industrial work, the land might be farmed much more productively with modern methods. There is now a race for science, technology, and industry to keep the output of food rising faster than the number of people to be fed. New types of crops, which will grow well in bad weather, are being developed, so there are now farms beyond the Arctic Circle in Siberia and North America. Irrigation and dry-farming methods bring poor lands under the plough. Dams hold back the waters of great rivers, which can provide water for the fields in all seasons and provide electric power for new industries. Industrial chemistry provides fertilizer to suit different soils. Every year, some new methods are made to increase or to protect the food of the world. The author says that in areas with large populations, land might be more productively farmed if _ . <extra_id_0>the land was divided into smaller pieces <extra_id_1>people moved into the countryside <extra_id_2>industrial methods were used in farming <extra_id_3>the units of land were much larger <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>One day a great general asks his soldiers , "What is the strongest power in the world?" Four of his soldiers put up their hands. They want to answer the question. The general asks the first man to speak. The first man is youngerst, and he is not strong. He says, "My gun is the strongest . It can kill anyone." "Thank you. Next, please." The second man is very strong. He says, "I don't think so. Soldiers use guns. So the soldier is the strongest." The third man says, "Soldiers use guns, but our general gives orders . So I think our general is the strongest." The fourth man is the oldest. He says, "Love is the strongest. For love, people don't use guns." The general says noting. He takes out a medal and gives it to him. _ soldiers answer the general's question. <extra_id_0>All <extra_id_1>Many of the <extra_id_2>One of the <extra_id_3>Four of the <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Anyone who has worn a cast knows that rebuilding muscle strength once the cast is removed can be difficult. Now researchers at the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI) at Ohio University have found that the mind is _ in maintaining muscle strength following a long period of not moving and that mental imagination may be key in reducing the associated muscle loss. Strength is controlled by a number of factors----the most studied by far is skeletal muscle. However, the nervous system is also an important, though not fully understood, determining factor of strength and weakness. Brian C. Clark and colleagues set out to test how the system functions in strength development. They designed an experiment to measure changes in wrist muscle strength in three groups of healthy adults. Twenty-nine subjects wore a hard cast that extended from just below the elbow past the fingers, effectively preventing the hand and wrist from moving, for four weeks. Fifteen subjects who did not wear casts served as the control group. Of the 29 people wearing a hard cast, half were asked to regularly perform an exercise, imagining they were strongly contracting their wrist for five seconds and then resting for five seconds. This was repeated four times in a row followed by a one-minute break for a total of 13 rounds per session and five sessions per week. The other half performed no imagination exercises. At the end of the four-week experiment, both groups who wore casts had lost strength in their unmoving limbs when compared to the control group. But the group that performed imagination exercises lost 50% less strength than the non-imagination group. The nervous system's ability to fully make the muscle recover also returned more quickly in the imagination group compared to the non-imagination group. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? <extra_id_0>Scientists have partly understood the nervous system. <extra_id_1>Whoever has worn a cast for long may have difficulty in muscle recovery. <extra_id_2>Scientists have already spent a lot of time in studying skeletal muscle. <extra_id_3>The number of the subjects in the experiment was 29 in all. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>It was nearly dark, the sun was dropping down the mountains far away. Little Tom came back home, with tears in his eyes. "What's the matter, Tom? How's your trip?" his mother asked with a big smile. "I failed. The mountain is so high and full of big or small stones on the way, I still go ahead. But I was tired and it was so late that I had to come back." Tom cried. "It doesn't matter, you are only 14 years old after all. You will have another chance." his mother said. "But, standing at the top of the mountain is my dream!" Tom said. His father came over and asked, "Did you see the green trees on your way to the mountain?" "Sure, and there are a lot of beautiful flowers by the side of the road." Tom replied. "Did you hear the birds singing?" his father asked. "There were many kinds of birds singing in the trees, and the sound was very sweet." Tom said. "Did you feel the beauty of nature?" his father asked. "Yes, the blue sky, the white clouds, the green trees and the colorful flowers made a nice picture." Tom answered. "That's enough!" his father smiled and said, "Please remember, son. For often, achieving what you expect is not the most important thing. Although you didn't reach the top of the mountain, you got a lot on the way." It is true that not every goal will be achieved, not every job will end up with a success, and not every dream will come true. The most beautiful scenery is on the way. ,A, B, C, D,,. (5;2,10) What's the main reason that Tom didn't reach the top of the mountain? <extra_id_0>The mountain was so high. <extra_id_1>The way was full of big or small stones. <extra_id_2>He was tired and it was so late. <extra_id_3>He was only 14 years old. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>He Made It! One Sunday, Gavin, a teenager, went skiing at Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine. In the early afternoon, when he was planning to go home, a fierce snowstorm swept into the area. Unable to see far, he accidentally turned off the path. Before he knew it, Gavin was lost, all alone! He didn't have food, water, a phone, or other supplies. He was getting colder by the minute. Gavin had no idea where he was. He tried not to panic. He thought about all of the survival shows he had watched on TV. It was time to put the tips he had learned to use. He decided to stop skiing. There was a better chance of someone finding him if he stayed put. The first thing he did was to find shelter from the freezing wind and snow. If he didn't, his body temperature would get very low, which could quickly kill him. Using his skis, Gavin built a snow cave. He gathered a huge mass of snow and dug out a hole in the middle. Then he piled branches on top of himself, like a blanket, to stay as warm as he could. By that evening, Gavin was really hungry. He ate snow and drank water from a nearby stream so that his body wouldn't lose too much water. Not knowing how much longer he could last, Gavin did the only thing he could -- he huddled in his cave and slept. The next day, Gavin went out to look for help, but he couldn't find anyone. He followed his tracks and returned to the snow cave, because without shelter, he could die that night. On Tuesday, Gavin went out again to find help. He had walked for about a mile when a volunteer searcher found him. After two days stuck in the snow, Gavin was saved. Gavin might not have survived this snowstorm had it not been for TV. He had often watched Grylls' survival show Man vs. Wild. That's where he learned the tips that saved his life. In each episode of Man vs. Wild, Grylls is abandoned in a wild area and has to find his way out. When Grylls heard about Gavin's amazing deeds, he was super impressed that Gavin had made it since he knew better than anyone how hard Gavin had to work to stay alive. What happened to Gavin one Sunday afternoon? <extra_id_0>He hurt his eyes <extra_id_1>He caught a cold. <extra_id_2>He got lost. <extra_id_3>He broke his skis. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Many American women are earning money outside their homes today. Among women who are eighteen to sixty-four years old, more than fifty per cent have jobs. In general, working women have had more education then those who stay at home. Of those who work, thirty-two per cent have attended college, compared with twenty per cent of those who do not have jobs. Among women with jobs, eight out of ten drive a car to work, and eight per cent took a vacation a way from home during the past year. Much of their traveling was by air. These figures come from a report which was written for advertisers. The report gives advertisers a new picture of women today. For instance, it tells advertisers that fifty-one per cent of all American women have traveled by air--along with fifty-nine per cent of all American men. The lesson for American business is that many women now have other interests in addition to their homes. They like advertisements which show women in office, planes, and cars. All the statements are true except _ . <extra_id_0>More than 50% of women ages 18 to 64 have jobs. <extra_id_1>18% of working women took a vacation away from home last year. <extra_id_2>32% of working women have college education. <extra_id_3>80% of working women drive a car to work. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Though chopsticks are used in many Asian countries, they have their beginning in China. Chinese history says that the Chinese had chopsticks as far as the Xia Dynasty (about 4, 00 years ago). In the Spring and Autumn Period copper and iron chopsticks appeared. With the Han Dynasty lacquered chopsticks came, followed by gold and silver chopsticks still later. Today we have chopsticks made of plastics. The most expensive are made of part of tusks of elephants and hard green stone. Chopsticks tell Chinese tradition in their way. In ancient times the rich used hard green stone or gold chop-sticks to show their wealth . In history many kings used silver chopsticks to take their food to see if it was poisonous . It was said that if it was, the silver chopsticks would turn colour. Chopsticks are traditionally given to a daughter when she marries to show that they should have a son very soon, for "Chopsticks" in Chinese is pronounced like "quick a son"! Tianzhu chopsticks from Hangzhou, wooden chopsticks from Shanyang of Shanxi Province, and Beijing's chopsticks are well-known. Many westerners, businessmen, tourists put aside their knives and forks in favour of chopsticks in China. Chopsticks appeared in the old Chinese story: an old man teaches his sons a lesson by showing how he could easily break a single chopstick but not a number of them. In China, chopsticks are connected with good luck. So on the country's New Year's Eve many families will lay out new chopsticks at dinners as a way of making requests for luck. Many Westerners in China like to use _ . <extra_id_0>chopsticks <extra_id_1>their knives <extra_id_2>their forks <extra_id_3>chopsticks and knives and forks at the same time <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>In our deep mind, we all talk to ourselves -- an inner monologue that might seem rather pointless. But as a study shows, the act of giving ourselves mental messages can help us learn and perform at our best. Researchers have identified the most effective forms of self-talk, collected here -- so that the next time you talk to yourself, you know exactly what you should say. Self-talk isn't just motivational messages like "You can do it!" or "Almost there," although this inside cheering section can give us confidence. A review of more than two dozen studies, published last year in the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science,found that there's another kind of mental message that is even more useful, called "instructional self-talk." This is the kind of running description we engage in when we're carrying out a difficult task, especially one that's unfamiliar to us. Think about when you were first learning to drive. Your self-talk might have gone something like this: "Foot on the gas pedal , hands on the wheel, slow down for the bend here, now put your blinker on..." Over time, of course, giving yourself instructions becomes unnecessary -- but while you're learning, it does three important things. First, it promotes our attention, focusing us on the important part of the task and keeping out distractions. Second, it helps us manage our effort and make decisions about what to do, how to do it, and when. And third, self-talk allows us to control our cognitive and reactions, making us stay on tasks. In a recent study of students learning to throw darts in a gym class, Athanasios Kolovelonis and his colleagues at the University of Thessaly in Greece found that self-talk is most effective when involved in a cycle of thought and action. First comes forethought, when you set a goal for yourself and make a plan for how to get there. That's followed by performance, when you enact the plan to the best of your ability. Last comes self-reflection, when you carefully evaluate what you've done and adjust your plan for the next time. Self-talk can play a key part in this cycle. During the forethought stage, consider carefully what you'll say to yourself. You can even write them down. Repeat these self-instructions during the performance stage. With practice, you may find that your self-instructions become shorter; research has found that these words can become powerful signals. After the action is over, consider how you might change your self-talk to improve your performance next time -- so that at the moment it matters, the right words are ringing in your ears. The author explains the self-talk by _ . <extra_id_0>setting down general theories only <extra_id_1>presenting research findings <extra_id_2>using examples <extra_id_3>Both B and C <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Which statement is describing climate? <extra_id_0>It snowed 12 centimeters last night. <extra_id_1>Last winter was colder than normal. <extra_id_2>There is a thunderstorm watch for the local area. <extra_id_3>The temperature will be between 32°C and 37°C all week. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Paws the cat lives with the Jones family. Before Paws lived with the Jones family he lived with the Smith family and before he lived with the Smith family he lived with the Peters family. The Jones family used to live in a cabin in the woods. Then they moved to an apartment in the city. Now they live in a house outside of the city. Paws liked all of the families that he had lived with but likes the Jones family the best. Paws likes living with the Jones family so much because they are nice to him and always play with him but also because they have lived in such great places. Paws liked living in the cabin in the woods and in the apartment in the city but neither of these were his were his favorite place to live. Paws favorite place to live is in the new house the Jones family bought outside of the city. The home is very large and Paws has a lot of room to run and play. Where does the Jones family live now? <extra_id_0>In a cabin in the woods <extra_id_1>Outside the City <extra_id_2>In a house in the woods <extra_id_3>In the City <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Do you often play with your pet dog or cat? Do you like touching animals like rabbits? They are cute. But someimes they may bite you. Then you could get a terrible disease--rabies. In China, 2,245 people got rabies in the first nine months of 2007. In September, 318 people died of rabies. Dogs, cats, rabbits and bats may have rabies. If they bite or scratch someone, the virus of rabies could go into the person's body. The person could even die. It's important to get the right _ very soon. Every year, more than 50,000 people aound the world die of rabies. Most of them are from poor countries. India has the most death . China is the second. ,. Which of the following animals may NOT have rabies? <extra_id_0>Rabbits. <extra_id_1>Ducks. <extra_id_2>Cats. <extra_id_3>Bats. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Hundreds of years ago, news was carried from place to place by people on foot or by horse. It took days, weeks and sometimes months for people to receive news. Now it is possible to send words and pictures around the world in seconds. Billions of people learn about news stories of their own country and all over the world every day either by watching TV or reading newspapers. Newspapers have been an important part of everyday life since the 18th century. Many countries have hundreds of different newspapers. How do newspaper editors decide which news stories to print? Why do they print some stories and not others? What makes a good newspaper story? Firstly, it is important to report new stories. TV stations can report news much faster than newspapers, but newspapers give more about the same story. They may also look at the story in another way, or they may print completely different stories from those on TV. Secondly, a new story has to be interesting and unusual. People don't want to read stories about everyday life. As a result, many stories are about some kinds of danger and seem to be "bad" news. For example, newspapers never print stories about planes landing safely, instead they print stories about air crashes. According to the passage, how do people learn about news stories in the world now? <extra_id_0>They tell others news stories from place to place on foot or by horse. <extra_id_1>They learn about news stories by watching TV or reading newspapers. <extra_id_2>They tell each other what they have seen with their eyes. <extra_id_3>They listen to the radio every day to get some information. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>One day a poor man was cutting a big piece of wood near a river. Suddenly his old axe fell into the water. He felt very sad because he lost his only axe. Then all at once a beautiful fairy came out and asked the man what was the matter. "I have lost my axe, "he said. It fell into the water when I was cutting the wood. The fairy showed him a gold axe and asked, "Is this yours?". "No," said the man. The fairy then showed him a silver axe and asked again, "Is this yours?" "No," again answered the man. Then she showed him the old axe. "Yes, that is mine,"called out the happy man. "I know that well enough," said the fairy."I only wanted to see if you would tell me the truth, and now I'll give you the gold axe and the silver axe besides your own one." The fairy gave him a gold axe and a silver axe but he didn't take them, because he _ . <extra_id_0>did not like them <extra_id_1>did not know they were made of gold and silver <extra_id_2>was very rich <extra_id_3>knew these axes were not his <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>We all know that different people have different hobbies. Some like planting flowers, some like exercising and others like building model ships. I am Jack and I like collecting stamps. There are four people in my family and they are my parents, my brother and I. My father works in a big company. He usually goes abroad three or four times a year. Two years ago when he was working abroad, he sent home a letter with a beautiful stamp on the envelope. The stamp was very beautiful and I like it very much. Since then, when my father goes abroad, I always ask him to send me different stamps from different countries. My brother went to college last year and he often wrote me letters instead of chatting with me or sending e-mail to me, so that I could see the beautiful stamps on the envelopes and I always took them down and put them in my box. Now I have more than a thousand stamps. From these stamps I can learn a lot of knowledge like the history persons. Whenever I look through the beautiful stamps, I will feel relaxed and happy. They are like my "good and nice friends." Jack likes _ . <extra_id_0>keeping pets <extra_id_1>rising flowers <extra_id_2>collecting stamps <extra_id_3>building model ships <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>a car engine usually converts gasoline into motion and heat through what? <extra_id_0>air <extra_id_1>hot peppers <extra_id_2>water <extra_id_3>fiery reaction <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Hello, you guys! Do you want to make e-pals via the Internet and have fun? Here's some advice for you to follow. First take a look at . Click on international pen-pal sites to find some of our favorite international e-pal and pen-pal web sites. Don't forget: some e-pal services cost money and some are safer than others. Remember to read a web site safety warning before you join! KidFu ( m)says it is the safest place online for kids to chat, play games and make friends. Get your parents to help you register and then you can write things about yourself or read what other kids have written. There're also chat monitors that make sure that the online chat rooms are safe and friendly. KidFu costs money, but the first month is free. If you join e-PALS ( you can choose a pen-pal from over 65,000 kids from 191 countries. You can also find information about how teachers can get pen-pals for their pupils. Or if you want to start sending e-mails right now, go to Europe Pages( ). Lots of young people have written their names, interests, home countries and their e-mail addresses. Just click on a name and start writing! Well, however, there are tips that you should keep in mind: never be absorbed in the line for too long, so stay there not more than 2 hours once. Never go out with your pals without your parents' permissions. Let your parents know about what you are doing. Then, have fun! A chat monitor mentioned in Paragraph 2 is probably _ . <extra_id_0>a person in the web site to give safe online advice <extra_id_1>a police officer to keep order in the chat rooms <extra_id_2>an engineer in charge of controlling the chat <extra_id_3>a software to keep online chatting clean and safe <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Two men are working in the park. One is Mr. Brown, a worker, and the other is Mr. Black. Mr. Brown is going to a chair. It is next to the road. Mr. Black is after him. Mr. Brown finds Mr. Black. Now Mr. Black begins to walk faster. Because he wants to get to the chair before Mr. Brown. Now Mr. Brown begins to walk faster because he also wants to get to the chair first. Then they both run. Mr. Black runs faster than Mr. Brown. So he gets to the chair first and sits down on it. Mr. Brown runs after Mr. Black. When he gets to the chair. He sees Mr. Black sitting on it. He is sorry to show a notice with the words. "Wet Paint" to Mr. Black. Now Mr. Black knows Why Mr. Brown is going to the chair. _ gets to the chair first. <extra_id_0>The worker <extra_id_1>Mr. Brown <extra_id_2>Mr. Black <extra_id_3>A student <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>How many things can you see in the night sky? A lot! On a clear night you might see the Moon, some planets, and thousands of sparkling stars. You can see even more with a telescope. You might see stars where before you only saw dark space. You might see that many stars look larger than others. You might see that some stars that look white are really red or blue. With bigger and bigger telescope you can see more and more objects in the sky. And you can see those objects in more and more detail. But scientists believe there are some things in the sky that we will never see. We won't see them with the biggest telescope in the world, on the clearest night of the year. That's because they're invisible. They're the mysterious dead stars called black holes. You might find it hard to imagine that stars die. After all, our Sun is a star. Year after year we see it up in the sky, burning brightly, giving us heat and light. The Sun certainly doesn't seem to be getting old or weak. But stars do burn out and die after billions of years. As a star's gases burn, they give off light and heat. But when the gas runs out, the star stops burning and begins to die. As the star cools, the outer layers of the star pull in toward the center. The star squashes into a smaller and smaller ball. If the star was very small, the star ends up as a cold, dark ball called a black dwarf. If the star was very big, it keeps squashing inward until it's packed together tighter than anything in the universe. Imagine if the Earth were crushed until it was the size of a tiny marble . That's how tightly this dead star, a black hole, is packed. What pulls the star in towards its center with such power? It's the same force that pulls you down when you jump - the force called gravity. A black hole is so tightly packed that its gravity sucks in everything - even light. The light from a black hole can never come back to your eyes. That's why you see nothing but blackness. So the next time you stare up at the night sky, remember: there's more in the sky than meets the eyes! Scattered in the silent darkness are black holes - the great mystery of space. What happens AFTER a star dies? <extra_id_0>It burns up all of its gases. <extra_id_1>It becomes invisible. <extra_id_2>It falls to Earth. <extra_id_3>It becomes brighter and easier to see. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>which of these indicate non-living tree? <extra_id_0>it stands tall with flowers <extra_id_1>none of these <extra_id_2>it is fresh and green with strong roots <extra_id_3>it lies horizontally on the park grounds <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Scientists say they now have proof to support the old-fashioned advice that it's best to sleep on a problem. They say sleep strengthens the memory and helps the brain organize the masses of information we receive each day. Lead researcher Bob Stickgold at the Harvard Medical School said, "Sleep helps us draw rules from our experiences. It's like knowing the difference between dogs and cats even if it's hard to explain." The US research team studied how well students remembered connections between words and symbols , reports New Scientist. They compared how the students performed if they had had a sleep between seeing the words and having the test, and if they had not slept. They found that people were better able to remember lists of related words after a night's sleep than after the same time spent awake during the day. They also found it easier to remember themes that the words had in common. But they forgot around one in four more themes if they had been awake. Prof. John Groeger, of Surrey University's Sleep Research Centre, said, "People have been trying for years to find out what the purpose of sleep is, as we know that only certain parts of it have a restorative value. " "We form and store huge numbers of experiences in the head every day, and sleep seems to be the way the brain deals with it all." What may be the importance of the research? <extra_id_0>It shows sleep may help us manage information <extra_id_1>It helps find out the common themes of word <extra_id_2>It tells us that more sleep can improve health <extra_id_3>It proves the value of old-fashioned advice <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Note-taking is a skill that can help you do well in all your schoolwork. It can make you confident when you are studying. But unluckily, most students don't know how to take notes. Write down key facts. If your teacher writes notes on the blackboard, that's great. You can copy them or write down the most important facts of all in class. Different teachers do things differently. For example, some teachers may focus on lots of dates and facts in class, but they only write the important ones on the blackboard. Other teachers may not write anything down, but they may say something important again and again. Ask. Don't be afraid to ask your teacher to repeat what you miss. If your teacher speaks too fast and you can't follow what he is saying, you can ask him after class. Compare. Comparing your notes with your classmates' can be good for your learning. It can also help you and your classmates correct some mistakes. Organize . Note-taking also needs organization. Keep notes for each subject in one notebook, so that you can find everything easily when a test comes. Good note-taking takes time. If you decide to recopy your notes every evening, you'll surely have less time to watch TV. But you'll save time in the coming test. Which can be the BEST title for this passage? <extra_id_0>How to take notes <extra_id_1>What to do in class <extra_id_2>How to study for a test <extra_id_3>What to do with problems <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>For medical students, real experience begins not in a classroom but at a teaching hospital. These doctors in training are guided. But sometimes accidents happen and the students get injured. For example, they might stick themselves with a needle while treating patients. Such needle sticks are common. But a recent study found that medical students often fail to report them. Failing to report an injury like this can be dangerous if a patient, or a medical worker, has an infectious disease. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, did the study, which involved a survey answered by almost 700 surgeons in training in the United States. Almost 60% said they had suffered needle stick injuries when they were in medical school. Many said they were stuck more than once. Yet nearly half of those whose most recent incident happened in school did not report it to a health office. If they had, they would have been tested to see if they needed treatment to prevent an infection like HIV or hepatitis. Most known cases of HIV or hepatitis are reported, but other possible infections often are not. Martin Makary, the lead author of the study, says medical students who are stuck put themselves and others in danger from infectious diseases. Doctor Makary said, "A needle that goes through the skin needs to be as sharp as possible." Doctors in training may have to do hundreds of stitches in some cases to close the skin after an operation. Doctor Makary said, "I support using _ tip needles which are considered safer. This needle is still sharp enough to go through body tissue, but it does have a blunt tip, so that if it accidentally goes into my finger, it's much less likely to hurt me." How common are needle sticks among health care workers? An estimated 600,000 to 800,000 of these and similar injuries are reported each year in the United States. But Doctor Makary says the real number may be much higher. The study advises doctors to protect their hands by wearing two sets of gloves. It also urges hospitals to establish a special telephone number for medical workers and students to call if they are injured. The idea is for hospitals to send a clear message that there is no reason not to report this kind of accident. Where can this passage most probably be found? <extra_id_0>In an entertainment magazine <extra_id_1>In a science magazine <extra_id_2>In a storybook <extra_id_3>In science fiction <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Every profession or trade, every art, and every science has its technical vocabulary, the function of which is partly to refer to things or processes which have no names in ordinary English, and partly to secure greater exactness in expression. Such special dialects, or jargon, are necessary in technical discussion of any kind. Being universally understood by the devotees of the particular science or art, they have the precision of a mathematical formula . Besides, they save time, for it is much more economical to name a process than to describe it. Thousands of these technical terms are very properly included in every large dictionary, yet, as a whole, _ Different professions, however, differ widely in the character of their special vocabularies. In trades and handicrafts and other professions, such as farming and fishing, that have occupied great numbers of men from remote times, the technical vocabulary is very old. It consists largely of native words, or of borrowed words that have worked themselves into the very fiber of our language, hence, though highly technical in many particulars, these vocabularies are more familiar in sound, and more generally understood than most other technicalities. The special dialects of law, medicine, and philosophy have also become pretty familiar to cultivated person, and have contributed much to the popular vocabulary. Yet, every profession still possesses a large body of technical terms that remain essentially foreign, even to educated speech. And the proportion has been much increased in the last fifty years, particularly in the various departments of natural and political sciences and in the mechanic arts. So new terms are coined with the greatest freedom, and abandoned with indifference when they have served their turn. Most of the new coinages are restricted to special discussions and seldom get into general literature or conversation. Yet no profession is nowadays, as all profession once were, a closed guild . The lawyer, the physician, the man of science, and the cleric associate freely with his fellow creatures, and do not meet them in a merely professional way. Furthermore, what is called popular science makes everybody acquainted with modern views and recent discoveries. Any important experiment, though made in a remote laboratory, is at once reported in the newspapers, and everybody is soon talking about it--as in the case of the Roentgen rays and wireless telegraphy. Thus, our common speech is always taking up new technical terms and making them commonplace . ks5u The author mentions Roentgen rays and wireless telegraphy as examples of _ . <extra_id_0>rapid occurrence of jargon <extra_id_1>quick talk of an experiment <extra_id_2>precision of jargon in meaning <extra_id_3>fast expansion of technical words <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>When 7-year-old Warren Buffet said " I will be the richest man one day", his friends made fun of his "daydreaming". But ever since then the little boy has set about learning how to make money, selling drinks, delivering newspapers and buying stocks. He had already earned $ 9,000 ( equal to $ 90,000 today) by the time he graduated from high school and became a millionaire at 32. And this month the 77-year- old, who earned his fortune by making a lot of great investment in the stock market, made his childhood dream come true. With a fortune of $ 62billion, Buffet has risen to be the world's richest man according toForbes Magazine. Born in 1930, Buffet, the only son of a stockbroker, started on achieving his billion-dollar dream at an early age and was always ready to think outside the box to develop his business. At 8 he went to golf courses collecting and selling used balls. At 11 when he sold soda pop door to door with a friend, the pair collected lids on the streets to judge which flavor was the most popular. As a paper boy during high school, Buffet delivered two rival papers, so that even when customers canceled one of the subscriptions, he could still make a profit from the other. With his paper delivery savings, Buffet bought 162,000 square meters of farmland and collect rent. Young Buffet stepped into the stock market at 11 but earned only $ 5. The experience taught him one of the virtues in investing: patience. After graduating from university, Buffet started his venture with stocks with his childhood earnings and money from friends. He researched the stocks and just bought those of solid companies that were undervalued and inexpensive at the time. By sticking to companies such as American Express and Coca-cola, Buffet has become rich. "Learning is important to Buffet's success. He is a learning machine who can spend his entire day reading. He keeps learning, from books, street smarts and investigation, from both success and failure. In this way, he finally over achieved his aptitude ( ) ," said Charlie Munger, his long-time business partner. With the example of delivering two rival papers in high school, the author intends to tell us that Buffet _ . <extra_id_0>had a good sense of business <extra_id_1>was a good paper boy <extra_id_2>was hard to deal with business <extra_id_3>knew anything but how to make money <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Tommy and his mother go shopping today. Tommy's father likes apples very much. They buy some red apples for him. Tommy's mother likes yellow bananas, but the bananas are green. "Look! The strawberries are very nice, Mom. Do you like them?" Tommy says to his mother. "Yes, I like strawberries very much." Tommy's mother buys some for herself . The oranges are very nice. Tommy's mother buys some for Tommy. He likes oranges very much. They need some vegetables. The vegetables in the supermarket are very good. They buy some tomatoes, cabbages and carrots. Tommy doesn't like carrots, but his parents like it. They like carrots very much. They buy lots of carrots. Which of the following is NOT true ? <extra_id_0>Tommy's father likes carrots. <extra_id_1>Tommy's mother likes the strawberries. <extra_id_2>Tommy and his mother buy some bananas. <extra_id_3>Tommy and his mother buy some carrots. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Last month we reported about a study that showed eating even a little less salt could greatly help the heart. The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The scientists used a computer model to predict how just three grams less salt a day would affect heart disease in the United States. The scientists said the results would be thirteen percent fewer heart attacks, eight percent fewer strokes , four percent fewer deaths and eleven percent fewer new cases of heart disease And two hundred forty billion dollars in health care savings. Researchers said it could prevent one hundred thousand heart attacks and ninety-two thousand deaths every year. They and public health professionals in the United States are interested in a national campaign to persuade people to eat less salt. Such campaigns are already in place in Britain, Japan and Finland. Michael Alderman is among the critics. He is a high blood pressure expert and professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. Doctor Alderman says that eating less salt results in lower blood pressure. But he says studies have not clearly shown that lowering salt means fewer heart attacks or strokes. And he says salt has other biological effects. He says calling for reduction in the national diet could have good effects, but it could also have harmful results. He says there is not enough evidence _ . Another critic is David McCarron, a nutrition and kidney disease expert at the University of California, Davis. He and his team looked at large studies of diets in thirty-three countries. They found that most people around the world eat about the same amount of salt. Most of them eat more salt than American health officials advise. Doctor McCarron says the worldwide similarity suggests that a person's brain might decide how much salt to eat. Both Doctor McCarron and Doctor Alderman have connections to the Salt Institute, a trade group for the salt industry. Doctor Alderman is a member of an advisory committee. But he says he receives no money from the group. Doctor McCarron is paid for offering advice to the Salt Institute. Which of the following about David McCarron is NOT TRUE? <extra_id_0>He is a nutrition and kidney disease expert. <extra_id_1>His team found that most people around the world eat about the same amount of salt. <extra_id_2>He says the worldwide similarity suggests that a person's brain might decide how much salt to eat. <extra_id_3>He says he receives no money from the Salt Institute. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Criticism is judgement.A critic is a judge.A judgement study and think about the material presented to him, accept it, correct it, or reject it after thinking over what he has read, watched or heard. Another word for criticism is appreciation.When I criticize or appreciate some objector another, I look for its good points and bad points.In reading any printed or written matter, I always have a pencil in hand and put any comments in the book or on a separate paper.In other words, I always talk back to the writer. That sort of critical reading might well be called creative reading because I am thinking along with the author, asking him questions, seeing whether he answers the questions and how well he answers them.I mark the good passages to store them in my memory piece of writing; where, how and why could or should I improve upon it? You might think that doing what I suggested is work.Yes, it is, but the work is a pleasure because I can feel my brain expanding, my emotion reacting and my way of living change. Reading exercises is a great influence on a person.If pictures, still or moving, accompany the reading, the memory will retain the material for a long time. Just as evil books can corrupt, so also can good books gradually work a change on a corrupt person. Let's get back to the beneficial effects of thinking while reading.It helps us to enlarge our minds.We understand more about the universe, its people and many of its wonders.We learn to think and observe in new ways.We certainly do get a feeling for the language we are reading.All good writers in any language have been readers who read critically and continuously. According to the writer, creative reading is _ . <extra_id_0>raising questions and answering them for the author. <extra_id_1>reading and giving comments on the materials one has read. <extra_id_2>thinking in the same line with the author. <extra_id_3>storing up facts in one's memory. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Winter is dangerous because it's so difficult to know what is going to happen and accidents take place so easily. Fog can be waiting to meet you over the top of a hill. Ice might be hiding under the melting snow, waiting ahead to send you off the road. The car coming to you may suddenly slip across the road. Rule Number One for driving on icy roads is to drive smoothly . Sudden movements can make a car very difficult to control. So every time you either start or stop your car, increase or reduce your speed, you must be as gentle and slow as possible. Suppose you are driving with a full cup of hot coffee on the seat next to you. Drive so that you wouldn't spill it. Rule Number Two is to pay attention to what might happen. The more ice there is, the further down the road you have to look. Test how long it takes to gently stop your car. Remember that you may be driving more quickly than you think. Generally, allow twice of your usual stopping distance when the road is wet, three times this distance on snow, and even more on ice. Try to stay in control of your car at all times and you will not get into trouble. In the passage the writer talks about a cup of coffee _ . <extra_id_0>to show how important smooth movements are <extra_id_1>to ask the drivers to bring some soft drinks with them <extra_id_2>to tell the drivers to be more relaxed <extra_id_3>to show how it can be spilled <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Cold weather can be hard on pets,just like it can be hard on people.Sometimes owners forget that their pets are just as used to the warm shelter as they are.Some owners will leave their animals outside for a long period of time,thinking that all animals are used to living outdoors.This can put their pets in danger of serious illness.There are things you can do to keep your animal warm and safe. Keep your pets inside as much as you can when the weather is bad.If you have to take them out,stay outside with them.When you're cold enough to go inside,they probably are too.If you must leave them outside for a long time,make sure they have a warm,solid shelter against the wind,thick bedding,and plenty of non-frozen water. If left alone outside,dogs and cats can be very smart in their search for warm shelter.They can dig into snow banks or hide somewhere.Watch them closely when they are left outdoors,and provide them with shelter of good quality.Keep an eye on your pet's water.Sometimes owners don't realise that a water bowl has frozen and their pet can't get anything to drink.Animals that don't have clean and unfrozen water may drink dirty water outside,which may contain something unhealthy for them. If pets are left on their own outdoors in cold weather,they may _ . <extra_id_0>run short of clean water <extra_id_1>dig deep holes for fun <extra_id_2>dirty the snow nearby <extra_id_3>get lost in the wild <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Proper arrangement of classroom space is important to encouraging interaction. Most of us have noticed how important physical setting is to efficiency and comfort in our work. College classroom space should be designed to encourage the activity of critical thinking. We are in the 21stcentury now, but step into almost any college classroom and you _ . Desks are normally in straight rows, so students can clearly see the teacher but not all their classmates. The assumption behind such an arrangement is obvious: Everything of importance comes from the teacher. With a little imagination and effort, unless desks are fixed to the floor, the teacher can correct this situation and create space that encourages interchange among students. In small or standard-size classes, chairs, desks, and tables can be arranged in a variety of ways: circles, U-shapes or semicircles. The primary goal should be for everyone to be able to see everyone else. Arrangement of the classroom should also make it easy to divide students into small groups for discussion or problem-solving exercises. Small classes with movable desks and tables present no problem. Even in large lecture halls, it is possible for students to turn around and form groups of four or six. Breaking a class into small groups provides more opportunities for students to interact with each other, think out loud, and see how other students' thinking processes operate---all these are essential elements in developing new modes of critical thinking. In courses that regularly use a small group format, students might be asked to stay in the same small groups throughout the course. A colleague of mine, John, allows students to move around during the first two weeks, until they find a group they are comfortable with. John then asks them to stay in the same seat, with the same group, from that time on. This not only creates a comfortable setting for interaction but helps him learn students' names and faces. The way of arranging desks in classrooms in straight rows indicates that _ . <extra_id_0>students can be easily prevented from cheating during tests <extra_id_1>it is convenient for teachers to monitor students <extra_id_2>teachers play a significant role in a classroom <extra_id_3>it is good for students to concentrate on listening to teachers <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Great Wall Xmas BBQ Beijing Hikers is organizing a three-hour hike on a rarely-visited part of the Great Wall and will celebrate Christmas afterwards with a Christmas barbecue dinner in a small hotel at the foot of the Great Wall.Meet at 8:30 am.Dec 25 in front ofStarbucks at Lido Holiday Inn, Jiangtai Lu.Please write to _ or 139-100-25516.Pingyao tour High Club will guide a weekend trip to Pingyao, an ancient-walled town near Taiyuan, capital city of Shanxi Province.The town is among one of the best-preserved featuring a number of courtyard buildings of the Ming and Qing dynasties(1368-1911).Among them is the Qiao family courtyard house, the shooting location of Zhang Yimou's " Raise the Red Lantern (')".Leave on Friday (December 23) night by train and back to Beijing on Sunday morning.For sign-up and more information, contact Lucy at _ or 8580-5080, 130-11171326. New year Harbin trip The Chinese Culture Club is running a new year trip to Harbin, to catch a fresh view of its yearly ice and snow lantern festival. As the temperature is expected to fall between minus 20 degC to 30 degC, visitors are warned to prepare well with down jackets, masks, fur gloves and boots.The trip sets out by train at night on December 31 and gets back on the morning January 2.The cost is 2,300 yuan (US $284).Reservation is required at 8457-2772 or 138-101-33998. The last advertisement of Harbin trip offers NO information about _ . <extra_id_0>what to see there <extra_id_1>what to buy there <extra_id_2>when to leave and return <extra_id_3>how much to pay <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Cell Phone Are the New Cigarette When you get in your car, you reach for it. When you are at work, you take a break to have a moment alone with it. When you get in to a lift, you play with it. Cigarette? Cup of coffee? No, it's the third most addictive thing in modern life, the cell phone. Experts say that it is becoming more difficult for many people to curb their longing to hug it more tightly than most of their personal relationships. With its shiny surface and its smooth and satisfying touch, the cell phone connects us to the world even as it disconnects us from people three feet away. In just the past couple of years, the cell phone has challenged people in ways its inventors in the late 1940s never imagined. The costs are becoming even more obvious, and I don't mean just the monthly bill. Dr. Chris Knippers, working at the Betty Ford Center in Southern California, reports that the overuse of cell phones has become a social problem not much different from other harmful addictions: a problem that limits one-on-one personal contact, and an escape from reality. Sounds extreme, but we've all witnessed the evidence: the person at restaurant who talks on the phone through an entire meal, ignoring his kids around the table; the women who talks on the phone in the car, ignoring her husband; the teen who texts messages all the way home from school, avoiding contact with kids all around him. Is it just rude, or is it a kind of unhealthiness? And pardon me, but how is this improving the quality of life? Jim Williams, an industrial sociologist based in Massachusetts, notes that cell-phone addiction is part of a set of symptoms in a widening gulf of personal separation. He points to a study by Duke University researchers that found one-quarter of Americans say they have no one to discuss their most important personal business with,Williams says studies show that we don't have as many friends as our parents."Just as more information has led to less wisdom,more acquaintances via the Internet and cell phones have produced fewer friends."he says. Which of the following best explains the title of the passage? <extra_id_0>More people prefer cigarettes to cell phones. <extra_id_1>Cell phone users smoke less than they used to. <extra_id_2>Cell phones have become as addictive as cigarettes. <extra_id_3>Using cell phone is just as cool as smoking cigarettes. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Starting in l972,the National Park Service established a policy for forest fires calle Natural Burn.It was acknowledged that some forest fires,such as those caused by lightning were necessary for forests to maintain balanced ecosystems,so the fire should be allowed to burn.However, a big fire in Yellowstone National Park in l988 caused this policy to be abandoned since the fire was initially allowed to burn yet soon out of control.As a result,the fire of l988 destroyed much of Yellowstone,which is America's oldest and most beloved national park.Massive areas of plants were destroyed,and large empty spaces and acres of burned and blackened trees greeted visitors.The rivers and streams were choked with ash,and the ecosystem of the park was changed beyond repair. In addition,great numbers of animals were killed by the fires that bumed out of control. The fires were driven by high winds,moving as many as ten miles a day.Many small animals died in the flames.The fires' rapid advances gave the wildlife little chance to escape. Even today,few of these small forest animals have returned to live in the park. In the years immediately following the fires,the numbers of visitors declined rapidly.No one was interested in seeing a blackened and treeless park on vacation.Yellowstone had previously been famous for its amazing views and unique geological formations such as the geyser Old Faithful. But now its reputation as America's wonder is damaged permanently. Yellowstone was famous for its_. <extra_id_0>rare animals <extra_id_1>unique plants <extra_id_2>beautiful scenery <extra_id_3>little streams <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>The surface gravity of Pluto is the weakest of the nine planets because Pluto <extra_id_0>has the lowest temperature. <extra_id_1>has the smallest mass. <extra_id_2>rotates the slowest. <extra_id_3>is farthest from the Sun. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>My parents moved to Mississippi when my brother and I were small children, and we were separated from our Oklahoma grandparents by some 600 miles. This long distance allowed us to only visit our grandparents once a year, either at Christmas or during summer vacation. Most of my classmates lived near their grandparents, and I would often hear stories of big families regularly spending time with one another, fishing at "grandpa's" house or going over to "grandma's" for her famous fried chicken. We were disappointed that we did not get to spend more time with our grandparents, but our love for them remained deep and strong. We always expected a road trip to Oklahoma. We would count the days, and when the day came, the entire family would pile into our car at four o'clock in the morning. Crossing the Mississippi River into Louisiana, the scenery changed. Crossing the Red River in Oklahoma, we were in a foreign world. Every trip to see my grandparents can't be without bringing delight. We jumped out of the car in their driveway to be met with bear hugs. My grandparents wanted to know everything about their grandchildren, and we would sit for hours and tell story after story. Grandma had a meal planned, and you could guess she prepared her grandsons' favorite foods. Of course the best part of the visit was that we were able to do whatever we wanted without punishment from our grandparents. Grandma and Grandpa always had presents for us, short trips planned and lovely surprises, such as the time we got to a local restaurant and ate the world's largest hamburger. Why didn't the family visit their grandparents often? <extra_id_0>Because they seldom had a vacation. <extra_id_1>Because they had a bad attitude to them. <extra_id_2>Because they were all busy with their work. <extra_id_3>Because they lived far away from each other. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>if a television stayed on for a prolonged period, what kind of energy might be a byproduct? <extra_id_0>it will produce hydroponic energy <extra_id_1>it will produce warmth <extra_id_2>it will produce kinetic energy <extra_id_3>it will produce hydro energy <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>How to Graduate from College with a High GPA(Grade Point Average) One Hour a Day One of the most challenging things about college is time management. It's not that you don't have enough. In fact you usually have too much time, and as a result time gets wasted. If you take good notes in class, and spend one hour reviewing your notes every day before going to sleep, you will make use of the power of the subconscious to absorb information and by the time exams come around you'll know all the material on a subconscious level, and you don't have to sit up the night before exams. Select Easy Courses The reason why selecting easy courses is powerful is that it allows you to start off your college career with an extremely high GPA. Good grades have less and less of an impact on your GPA later in your college career and raising your GPA becomes much more difficult. Selecting easy courses in the first term also leaves room for the occasional failure when coursework become more challenging. Join (or Form) Study Groups If you go to a large public school where classes often have 700 plus people, study groups are an extremely effective way to ensure good grades. Study groups are often led by older students who have taken the course and received A's in that particular course. They also often provide you with resources such as practice tests, practice problems, and many others that might not be provided by professors. Use Personal Development I can honestly say I didn't involve myself in personal development when I was in college. Looking back I realize that I suffered from low self-respect and a very unhealthy self-image. But, if I had combined personal development techniques with the three steps above, my college career would have turned out very differently. If you have already started school, I recommend developing a strategy that applies these four ideas to your current schedule. If you haven't started school yet, do some research on easier courses and what study groups might be available. If you follow through and commit to the four recommendations above, you'll set yourself up for a very successful first term, and hopefully a very successful college career. According to the passage, managing your time wisely leads to _ . <extra_id_0>sitting up late before exams <extra_id_1>spending less time each day <extra_id_2>mastering what you learn in an easy way <extra_id_3>benefiting from the notes <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Some time ago I discovered that one of my chairs had a broken leg. I didn't think there would be any difficulty in getting it mended, as there are a lot of antique shops near my home. So I left home one morning carrying the chair with me. I went into the first shop expecting a friendly reception. I was quite wrong. The man wouldn't even look at my chair. The second shop, though slightly more polite, was just the same, and the third and the fourth...So I decided that my approach must be wrong. I entered the fifth shop with a plan in my mind. I placed the chair on the floor and said to the shopkeeper, "Would you like to buy a chair?" He looked it over carefully and said, "Yes. How much do you want for it, sir?" "Twenty pounds,"I said, "OK,"he said. "I'll give you twenty pounds." "It's got a slightly broken leg,"I said. "Yes, I saw that, it's nothing." Everything was going according to plan and I was getting excited. "What will you do with it?" I asked. "Oh, it will be easy to sell once the repair is done." "I'11 buy it." I said. "What do you mean?" "You've just sold it to me." he said. "Yes, I know but I've changed my mind. I am sorry. I'll give you twenty-seven pounds for it.""You must be crazy. "he said. Then, suddenly the penny dropped. "I know what you want. You want me to repair your chair." "You're right."I said. "And what would you have done if I had walked in and said, 'Would you mend this chair for me?'" "I wouldn't have agreed to do it," he said. "We don't do repairs, not enough money in it and too much trouble. But I'll mend this for you, shall we say for a fiver?" He was a very nice man and was greatly amused by the whole thing. From the text, we can learn that the writer was _ . <extra_id_0>honest <extra_id_1>careful <extra_id_2>smart <extra_id_3>funny <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>On April 18,the 100-day countdown to the 2012 Olympic Games in London began. For this year's Games' slogan,the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games has chosen the phrase "Inspire a Generation" .It is expected to inspire athletes to do their best,and common people to do better in their daily lives. The Games are also inspiring lots of tourists to come to London.But if you go there,you'd better try your best to follow British manners and customs.Otherwise,you'll end up in a right mess! Expert William Hanson has given the Associate Press a few tips for tourists on how to act while in the UK.Let's have a look: Don't talk about money.According to Hanson,British people hate talking about money and it is considered rude to do so.In particular,never ask anyone about their salary. Afternoon tea.The traditional view of the British sitting down for an afternoon tea is not exact.Few people keep the tradition nowadays. Give tips--but not in an obvious way.The British favor a quiet "thank you" gift for good service rather than the rigid 16-20%tip Americans always give.In fact,many British waiters will not feel anxious and nervous if you decide not to tip at all. Greeting with a kiss.The British are not like their _ neighbors in France. Many prefer a handshake or a pat on the back to say "hello". Conversation tip.If you want to be friendly,end a sentence with the word "mate"* When will the London Olympics be held? <extra_id_0>On August 18. <extra_id_1>At the end of July. <extra_id_2>At the beginning of August. <extra_id_3>In the middle of July. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>People have smoked cigarettes for a long time now. The tobacco which is used to make cigarettes was first grown in what is now part of the United States. Christopher Columbus, who discovered America, saw the Indians smoking. Soon the dried leaves were transported to Europe. In the late 1800s, the Turks made cigarettes popular. Cigarette smoke contains at least two harmful substances, tar and nicotine. Tar, which forms as the tobacco burns, damages the lungs and therefore affects breathing. Nicotine, which is found in the leaves, causes the heart to beat faster and increases the breathing rate. Nicotine in large can kill a person by stopping a person's breathing muscles. Smokers usually take in small amounts that the body can quickly break down. Nicotine can make new smokers feel dizzy or sick to their stomachs. The heart rate for young smokers increases 2 to 3 beats per minute. Nicotine also lowers skin temperature and reduces blood flow in the legs and feet. It plays an important role in increasing smokers' risk of heart disease and stroke. Smoking cigarettes is dangerous. Cigarette smoking was the cause of lung cancer and several other deadly diseases. Tobacco first appeared in _ . <extra_id_0>Asia <extra_id_1>Africa <extra_id_2>Europe <extra_id_3>America <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>The German-made Doppelpferd, featuring sleek styling and remarkable fuel efficiency, is the most popular automobile in the United States. Its U.S. sales are booming, and the average retail markup in such sales is 30 percent. Hardsell Motors, Inc., a franchised Doppelpferd dealer in the United States, contracted with Shift to sell him a new Doppelpferd for $9,000 cash, the sale to be consummated after delivery to Hardsell of the car, which Hardsell ordered from the manufacturer specifically for Shift. The signed retail contractual document was a contract drafted by Hardsell's lawyer, and Shift did not question or object to any of its terms, including the price inserted by Hardsell. When the car arrived from Germany, Shift repudiated the contract. Hardsell at once sold the car for $9,000 cash to Karbuff, for whom Hardsell had also ordered from the manufacturer a Doppelpferd identical to Shift's. In an action against Shift for breach of contract, Hardsell will probably recover <extra_id_0>$9,000 minus what it cost Hardsell to purchase the car from the manufacturer. <extra_id_1>$9,000 minus the wholesale price of an identical Doppelpferd in the local wholesale market among dealers. <extra_id_2>nominal damages only, because Hardsell resold the car to Karbuff without lowering the retail price. <extra_id_3>nothing, because the parties' agreement was an adhesion contract and therefore unconscionable <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Nearly a thousand people laugh heartily together for half an hour every morning in a park in Shenzhen. Guangzhou Daily took a closer look at those happy people. They are members of a group named Laughing Club, and when they get together, all they do is laugh. Zhang Lixin, the founder of the club and regarded as the 'laugh leader', told the paper that laughing does him a lot of good. He started after he read some advice in a book and tried giggling after quarrelling with his wife to relax. After laughing for a few days, Zhang found himself more outgoing and relaxed. Soon his wife joined him, bringing the family more laughter and less bickering. When he got to know a kind of "laughing yoga" is good for the health, Zhang went to Bombay to learn from the locals and developed what he learned into more than 30 ways of laughing. The "lion bellow "is to shout with the fingers outstretched near the ears. There is the "open mouth laugh", the "bow-pulling laugh", the "welcoming laugh" and even the "quarrelling laugh", with different arm movements of laugh style. The "laugh movement" swept over Shenzhen in a few of months, attracting tens of thousands of people to join, and has been followed in nearby cities such as Guangzhou. Every morning at the lake front and at 8 pm on every Monday, Wednesday, Friday at the mountain peak square in Lianhua Mountain Park, club members gather to laugh and shout loudly. The people in Laughing Club laugh because they _ . <extra_id_0>live a happy life <extra_id_1>always feel happy <extra_id_2>just can't help it <extra_id_3>want to relax themselves <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>An 18-year-old girl Anna Meier from Austria is taking her parents to court for posting over 500 photos of her on Facebook since 2009,without her permission. Anna has apparently become fed up with her parents' refusal to take down the embarrassing photos of her at an early age,and is now seeking justice in court.She told the magazine that even though she was 11 years old when her parents started sharing her photos with several hundreds of Facebook friends,they went as far as to post pictures of her as a baby,without ever asking if it was alright with her."They knew no shame and no limit--and didn't care whether it was a picture of me sitting on the toilet or lying naked in my bed--every stage was photographed and then made public,"the girl said. The girl added that she was only able to see the photos posted on Facebook by her parents when she was 14,after setting up her own account on it.Again and again,Anna asked her parents to remove the photos of her immediately,but they refused.Angry and upset,she felt that she had no other way but to take them to court,which she did as soon as she turned 18 this year."I'm tired of not being taken seriously by my parents,"she said. Anna's lawyer claims they have a good chance of winning the case in court,if it can be proven that the images have violated her rights to a personal life.But,based on similar cases and according to Austrian privacy laws,if the parents lose,they may be forced to pay their daughter a fine of EUR 3,000 to EUR10,000. But Anna's parents,however,see nothing wrong with posting baby photos of her."I consider it my right to publish these photos,"her father said. "We have posted no more photos of our daughter since she stopped allowing us to photograph her.We also have baby photos of her that can only be seen by a limited group of 700 Facebook friends." It's reported that Anna has moved out of her parents' home and is living with some girls in a rented apartment. If Anna's parents lose in the case,they will have to pay a fine of at least _ . <extra_id_0>EUR 8,000 <extra_id_1>EUR 4,000 <extra_id_2>EUR 3,000 <extra_id_3>EUR 10,000 <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Trying to make a big decision while you're also preparing for a scary presentation? _ . Feeling stressed changes how people weigh risk and reward. However, an article published in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, suggests stressed people pay more attention to the positive sides of a possible outcome. It's a bit surprising that stress makes people focus on the way things could go right, says Mara Mather of the University of Southern California. She co-wrote the review paper with Nichole R.Lighthall. "This is sort of not what people would think, " Mather says. "Stress is usually associated with negative experiences, so you'd think, maybe I'm going to be more focused on the negative outcomes." But researchers have found that when people are under stress, they start paying more attention to positive information and discounting negative information. "Stress seems to help people learn from positive feedback and impairs their learning from negative feedback, " Mather says. When people under stress are making a difficult decision, they may pay more attention to the good sides of the alternatives they're considering and less to the problems. So someone who's deciding whether to take a new job and is feeling stressed by the decision might focus on the increase in salary more than the longer commute . The increased focus on the positives also helps explain why stress plays a role in addictions. People under stress have a harder time controlling their urges. "The compulsion to get that reward comes stronger and they're less able to resist it," Mather says. A person who's under stress might think only about the good feelings they'll get from a drug, while the downsides shrink into the distance. Stress also increases the differences in how men and women think about risk. When men are under stress, they become even more willing to take risks; when women are stressed, they get more conservative . Previous research backs this up -- men usually react to difficulties while trying to fight them or escape them; women try to find friends and improve their relationships. From the article, we can conclude that stress _ . <extra_id_0>often leads people to take more risks <extra_id_1>often leads people to make balanced decisions <extra_id_2>makes people think more of negative results <extra_id_3>makes people ignore the negative side of problems <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Comfort zone is the mental place surrounded by borders in our mind where we feel secure.Even though this comfort area and its boundaries are just a state of mind that has nothing to do with reality,it plays a huge role in the progress of our development.Since the comfort zone is limited,there is not much benefit for you inside your comfort zone.Nothing new will happen until you open yourself and leave your comfort zone. Even though your background may be affecting your present situation,what really matters is not where you were born,your skin color,race,age,gender,religion,government,or even the poor environment in which you have been living for so many years,but what really matters and makes a big difference in your life is your attitude,to understand your comfort zone,how you limit yourself within it,who you are,why you behave the way you do it,and mainly where you are going. Sadly many people don't go anywhere because they stay within their comfort zone.They accept defeat after defeat before even trying or knowing how capable or valuable they really are.These circumstances are not the cause of our actual situation but the conformism and the poverty of our thoughts and therefore the weakness of our broken spirit. Leave your past behind;constantly transcend your comfort zone!Your past within this comfort zone is nothing but a wasted load that you don't need to carry at all. Take constant action as many times as it is required and never,never quit. As Napoleon Hill said,"A quitter never wins and a winner never quits. Defeat is never a failure;no circumstance ever is failure until it is accepted by the individual as a failure." Nothing is impossible for an optimist attitude;everything is possible when we start blindly trusting ourselves,when we have a burning desire to succeed and a blind determination to make our dreams come true;everything is possible when we don't take a no for an answer. What is comfort zone according to the passage? <extra_id_0>A place in our realistic life where we obtain comfort. <extra_id_1>A mental place in our mind where we stick to our beliefs. <extra_id_2>A limited place in our mind where we feel safe. <extra_id_3>A secret place in our mind where we communicate with ourselves. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>John Nash, a Nobel Prize winner and a mathematical genius whose struggle with mental illness was documented in the Oscar-winning film A Beautiful Mind, was killed in a car accident on May 24th, 2015. Born in West Virginia, Nash displayed a keenness for mathematics early in life,independently proving Femret's little theorem before graduating from high school. By the time he turned 30 in 1958,he was an unquestionable academic celebrity. At Princeton, Nash published a 27-page thesis that led to applications to economics, international politics, and evolutionary biology. His signature solution-known as a "Nash Equilibrium "-found that competition among two opponents,not necessarily governed by zero-sum logic. Two opponents can, for instance,each achieve their maximum objectives through cooperating with the other, or gain nothing at all by refusing to cooperate. It is now regarded e, one of the most important social science ideas in the 20th century. In the late 1950s, Nash began a slide into mental illness. By the time Nash was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1994, he hadn't published a paper in 36 years. But like a child cured of a nightmare by the switch of a light, Nash recovered from his illness seemingly by choosing not to be sick anymore. He continued to work, travel,and speak at conferences for the rest of his life. In 2001, the release of the film A Beautiful Mind,based an Sylvia Nasar's 1998 book of the same name, introduced Nash's unusual life story to an international audience. Which of the following can be the best title for the text? <extra_id_0>John Nash's Sudden Death <extra_id_1>John Nash's Extraordinary life <extra_id_2>John Nash's Equilibrium <extra_id_3>John Nash's Mental illness. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>All things change except barbers, the ways of barbers, and the surroundings of barbers. These never change. What one experiences in a barber's shop the first time he enters one is what he always experiences in barbers' shops afterward till the end of his days. I got shaved this morning as usual. A man approached the door from Jones Street as I approached it from Main--a thing that always happens. I hurried up, but it was of no use; he entered the door one little step ahead of me, and I followed in and saw him take the only empty chair, the one headed by the best barber. It always happens so. I sat down, hoping that I might sit in the chair belonging to the better of the remaining two barbers, for he was a bit ahead. I watched the probabilities with strong interest. When I saw that No. 2 was gaining on No. 1, my interest grew to solicitude . When No. 1 was gradually losing the race, my solicitude rose to anxiety. When No. 1 caught up again, and both were about to finish and say "Next!" first, my very breath stood still with the _ . But when I saw that he had lost the race by a single instant, I rose angrily and quitted the shop, to keep from falling into the hands of No. 2; for I have none of that firmness that enables a man to look calmly into the eyes of a waiting barber and tell him he will wait for his fellow-barber's chair. I stayed out fifteen minutes, and then went back, hoping for better luck. Unfortunately, all the chairs were occupied now, and four men sat waiting, silent, and looking bored, as men always do who are waiting their turn in a barber's shop. I sat down and waited. At last my turn came. A voice said "Next!" and I give in to No. 2, of course. It always happens so. I smiled and said that I was in a hurry, and it affected him as strongly as if he had never heard it. He explored my hair with his claws and suggested that it needed trimming . I said I did not want it trimmed. He explored again and said it was pretty long for the present style. I said I had had it cut only a week before. He stopped for a moment, and then asked "who cut it?" I stared at him from the mirror and replied "You did!". Then a dog-fight attracted his attention, and he ran to the window and stayed and watched it... The author left the barber's shop mainly because _ . <extra_id_0>he would like to wait for "No. 1" outside <extra_id_1>he would rather be served by the best barber <extra_id_2>he lacked the courage to tell "No. 2" his intention <extra_id_3>he was angry at the slow speed of "No. 1" <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Tim Burton attempts to work his gothic magic over one of the best loved stories of all time--Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There. Alice, now 19, attends a party at a Victorian estate, only to find she is about to be proposed to by a rich suitor in front of hundreds of snooty society types. She runs off, following a white rabbit into a hole and ending up in Wonderland--a place she visited many years before, yet she doesn't remember. The white rabbit claims to have come back for Alice because she is the only one who can slay the Jabberwock, the beast who guards the Red Queen's empire. Alice remains completely unaware of why she is in Wonderland, and is confused about the fact that she had once visited Wonderland years before. Now, Wonderland has changed into a dark, scarier place than it used to be. Alice then _ an adventure of self discovery, and to save Wonderland from the Red Queen's reign of terror with the help of her Wonderland friends. Alice runs off because maybe _ . <extra_id_0>she doesn't like that party <extra_id_1>she is too snooty <extra_id_2>she doesn't like the suitor <extra_id_3>she wants to get married <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>No one doubts that students should study languages, maths and science in high school, but some may be against the idea that they should study art and music as well. To them, these subjects are useless for students' future and are not worth the time and effort. In my opinion, however, it is necessary for middle school students to study art and music. Art and music are a valuable culture legacy , which bring us pleasure and enjoyment. Have you ever been deeply moved by Beethoven's famous Fifth Symphony? Have you ever been shocked by the colorful starry night produced by Vincent van Gogh in his paint? Have you ever longed for the moving love between the Butterfly Lovers when you hear this well-known Chinese melody ? Art and music are not only images and sounds, but something beyond them. They are the products of passion and human wisdom. Art and music help make students more creative. Artists and musicians are considered the most creative people in the world. It is because art and music sharpen their senses and provide a different perspective for them to see the world. Many great scientists benefited from art and music. Einstein, the greatest physicist in the 20th century, as well as an excellent violin player, is a good example. Enjoying art and music is also a good way to relax ourselves. Middle school students, who typically carry heavy burdens of study, will definitely benefit from it. In a word, art and music should absolutely be included in the middle school courses, for they can bring students pleasure,creativity and relaxation. Which of the following is an effective way for middle school students to study ? <extra_id_0>Relaxing themselves regularly while studying. <extra_id_1>Attending concerts during holidays or after school. <extra_id_2>Avoiding too much homework by studying art and music. <extra_id_3>Listening to music while studying language, maths or other subjects. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Tomato Festival Started in 2005, the Tomato Festival has grown into a local tradition in Malta. In recent years, the festival has added amusement park-style rides and a yearly Creature Feature, which screens old horrible movies.There are also dance competitions, parades and pancake breakfast.Third weekend in August. Address: 833 Tinkham Rd, Fountain Park, Wilbra-ham, Massachusetts 01095 Phone: (413)599-0010 Brat Days Don't mistake this festival for a day filled with poorly behaved children. Begun in 1953, the gathering is the biggest festival in the city each year and features more than 50 stands selling the sausage, as well as a contest to see who can quickly eat the most bratwurst in ten minutes.Early August. Address: 17th and New Jersey sts, Kiwanis Park, She boygan, Wisconsin 53081 Phone: (920)457-9491 Hope Watermelon Festival The festival dates back to the 1920s, when many trains went through this small town and local watermelon growers would sell their watermelon to _ travelers.These days, the festival sees a Watermelon Queen crowned and sometimes a world-record watermelon grown.There are also more than 300 stands selling arts and crafts from a six-state area, as well as a car show and the Watermelon Olympics.Early August. Address: 108 W 3rd St, Hope, Arkansas 71801 Phone: (870) 777-3640 Oyster Festival Featuring appearances from tall ships and oyster boats, this festival has regularly drawn 60,000 visitors a year since it began in 1978.More than 3,000 volunteers make the festival possible each year.Norwalk is less than a two-hour drive from many of New England's larger cities, making it easy to attend the festival during a trip to New York or Hartford.Weekend after Labor Day. Address: Sea view Ave, Veteran's Park, East Nor-walk, Connecticut 06855 Phone: (800) 866-7925 In which of the following activities can you enjoy the frightening films? <extra_id_0>The Creature Feature <extra_id_1>The Watermelon Olympics <extra_id_2>The Eating-bratwurst Contest <extra_id_3>Dance Competitions <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Real policemen, both in Britain and the United States, hardly recognize any similarity between their lives and what they see on TV -- if they ever get home in time. There are similarities, of course, but the cops (policemen) don't think much of them. The first difference is that a policeman's real life revolves round (......) the law. Most of his training is in criminal law. He has to know exactly what actions are crimes and what evidence can be used to prove them in court. He has to know nearly as much law as a professional lawyer, and what is more, he has to apply it on his feet, in the dark and rain, running down an alley after someone he wants to talk to. Little of his time is spent in chatting to charming ladies or in dramatic confrontations with desperate criminals. He will spend most of his working life typing millions of words on thousands of forms about hundreds of sad, unimportant people who are guilty -- or not -- of stupid crimes of little importance. Most television crime drama is about finding the criminal: as soon as he's arrested, the story is over. In real life, finding criminals is seldom much of a problem. Except in very serious cases like murders and terrorist attacks-- where failure to produce results reflects on the standing of the police -- little effort is spent on searching. The police have detailed machinery which eventually shows up most wanted men. Having made an arrest, a detective really starts to work. He has to prove his case in court and to do that he often has to gather a lot of different evidence. Much of this has to be given by people who don't want to get involved in a court case. So, as well as being overworked, a detective has to be out at all hours of the day and night interviewing his witnesses and persuading them, usually against their own best interests, to help him. A third big difference between the drama detective and the real detective is that the real detective lives in an unpleasant moral twilight . Detectives tend to have two opposing pressures: first, as members of a police force they always have to behave with legality; secondly, as expensive public servants they have to get results. They can hardly ever do both. Most of the time, some of them have to break the rules in small ways. If the detective has to deceive the world, the world often deceives him. Hardly anyone he meets tells him the truth. And this separation the detective feels between himself and the rest of the world is deepened by the simplemindedness -- as he sees it -- of citizens, social workers, doctors, law-makers, and judges, who, instead of putting a complete end to crime punish the criminals less strictly in the hope that this will make them reform. The result, detectives feel, is that nine-tenths of their work is re-catching people who should have stayed behind bars. This makes them rather cynical . Which of the following statements is NOT true? <extra_id_0>There are similarities between drama detective and the real detective. <extra_id_1>Most people don't want to be the witnesses of the case. <extra_id_2>American policemen's real life is different from prefix = st1 /Britainpolicemen's. <extra_id_3>In reality society does not punish criminals strictly enough. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Marry is eight years old now. This autumn she begins to go to school. She likes her teachers and has some friends. She studies hard and is good at her classes. So we think she's a good girl. It's Sunday today. It's fine and after breakfast the girl and her parents are going to the zoo. She likes to watch the animals very much. Now they're standing at the bus stop and waiting for the bus. She sees her friend Jim and his grandpa there. "Good morning, grandpa!" says the girl. "Are you going to the zoo, too?" "Yes, we are," says the old man. Then he says to Mary's father, "You have a polite daughter. How old is she?" "Eight, grandpa." answers the girl. "Eight?" the old man says with a smile. "But you're shorter than my stick!" "How old is your stick, then?" says the girl. Mary and her parents are going to the zoo by _ . <extra_id_0>car <extra_id_1>boat <extra_id_2>bus <extra_id_3>bike <extra_id_4>
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