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<extra_id_5>Soccer is not a violent game. But players can hit the ball with their head to purposely change the direction of the ball. In the sport this move is known as a header. Unfortunately, they may sometimes crash into other players, the ground or goal posts. During the World Cup semifinal soccer match in Sao Paulo, Brazil, July 2014,Netherlands,Dirk Kuyt went for a header with Argentina's Javier Mascherano and Ezequiel Garay, making his competitors injured in head. Catherine McGill is a neuropsychologist at the Children's National Health System in Houston. She examines many children who have suffered concussions ,which are the most common brain injury. She says concussions from soccer and other youth sports are increasing. "Firstly,parents, coaches, and medical providers alike are getting better at recognizing and responding to the injury, and it,s a huge proof to media paying more attention to this and leagues paying more attention to the safety of their players. Also, kids are getting bigger, faster, stronger across the sports, and so more injuries may be occurring simply because of that." Catherine McGill spoke at a recent conference on ways to make soccer safer for young players which was held recently in New York. She says researchers are examining the effects of soccer-related head injuries. They want to know whether repeated hits to the head can cause CTE, which is a brain disorder that worsens as a person ages. She says parents often ask what age children should start "heading" or whether there should be "heading" at all. She thinks it,s a very individual decision. The age for one child may be quite different from another. According to the passage, Dirk Kuyt is probably _ . <extra_id_0>a league leader <extra_id_1>a soccer player <extra_id_2>a doctor <extra_id_3>a coach <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Several days ago, I was walking home from school and saw some writing on the fence of a house I was passing by. It said, "Happiness is a direction, not a destination ." I had been having a bad day and just reading this brightened my day a little. I also took out a pen and wrote one of my favorite quotes down. ww.szzx100.com When I came back to the fence, I saw another quote under mine in the handwriting as the first one. I added another, and we kept at this pattern for quite a while. One day, I was writing another quote on the fence and the old man, one of my neighbors, who owned the fence, saw me. He came out and I was afraid he would be mad at me for writing on his fence; he was not known to be very friendly. He gave me a sharp glance and then read the quotes on the fence. Without saying a word, he said something to himself and then went back inside. I was a bit terrified for a while, afraid to go back to the fence, but when I did, I noticed not more quotes but two words in entirely different handwriting had been added, "Thank you." Later, I saw the old man in his front yard. He beckoned me over and told me how my quotes had been inspiring him, how he thanked me and how he was glad to see young people still have "values". We are now good friend and I talk to him a lot. This experience has changed my life. I still don't know who wrote that very first quote, but if he is out there, I'd like to say "thanks" to that unknown friend. We can learn from the passage that _ . <extra_id_0>writing quotes on fences is a good idea <extra_id_1>the writer has written three quotes on the fence <extra_id_2>the good relationship between neighbors is very important. <extra_id_3>the old man has changed his opinion about young people. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>In the 1960s Walt Disney pictured in the mind a future utopian city with underground roads and a climate-controlled round roof. The real community of Celebration, Florida, built in 1999, applies the social and environmental goals of both Disney and the New Urbanism movement. Disney and the New Urbanism have imagined communities that promote social and local communication. Celebration has a central Market Street district to reduce traffic and encourage social contacts. The idea is that if the downtown area is neatly and closely ranked, people will walk and meet their neighbors. Downtown events like arts festivals also bring citizens together. Narrow, tree-lined streets are "traffic calm"----with slower speed limits----to encourage bicycling and walking. Moreover, housing in Celebration includes both single- and multi-family houses that encourages socialization. Apartment buildings are located close to downtown, and houses are built close together with small yards. They feature entrance halls to encourage citizens to socialize. "Many aspects of that kind of design are really aimed at maximizing social communication between citizens, not just on the streets but also in community institutions that are very much a part of public life there," says Andrew Ross, a New York University professor who lived in Celebration for one year. Utopian communities such as Celebration are also designed with environmental protection in mind. The town itself is built on 4,900 acres surrounded by a 4,700 acre protected greenbelt. The greenbelt parks, and common areas accommodate native wildlife and animals. High-rise office and apartment buildings provide close office and living space in a small geographic area in order to reduce urban _ , the spread of today's cities onto nature areas. Buildings also minimize environmental influence by using cooling; and electric systems with insulated (;) glass, cooling towers, and energy-saving lamps. "The town more or less borrows very heavily from New Urbanist principles...to create environmentally friendly alternatives to sprawl and to create communities around people rather than vehicles," Ross said. Celebration mentioned in the passage is a _ . <extra_id_0>city offering living spaces <extra_id_1>community promoting socialization <extra_id_2>special occasion in the market <extra_id_3>downtown area with high buildings <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>What's on ? The Conjuring 2 (2016) Certificate R 134 min--Horror Viewer points: 8.2 / 10 Lorraine and Ed Warren travel to north London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house troubled by evil spirits . Director : James Wan Stars : Vera Farmiga , Patrick Wilson , Madison Wolfe , Frances O'Connor Warcraft (2016) Certificate PG-13 123 min--Action | Adventure | Fantasy Viewer points : 7.7 / 10 The peaceful land of Azeroth stands on the edge of war as its civilization faces a fearsome race of invaders : orc warriors escaping their dying home to conquer another . As a tunnel opens to connect the two worlds , one army faces destruction and the other faces extinction . From opposing sides , two heroes are set on a collision course that will decide the fate of their family , their people , and their home . Director : Duncan Jones Stars : Travis Fimmel , Paula Patton , Ben Foster , Dominic Cooper Now You See Me 2 (2016) Certificate PG-13 129 min--Action | Comedy | Thriller Viewer points : 7.1 / 10 The Four Horsemen resurface and are forcibly hired by a tech genius to pull off their most impossible magic show yet . Director : Jon M. Chu Stars : Jesse Eisenberg , Mark Ruffalo , Woody Harrelson , Dave Franco Me Before You (2016) Certificate PG-13 110 min--Drama | Romance Viewer points : 7.9 /10 A girl in a small town forms an unlikely bond with a recently-disabled man she's taking care of . Director : Thea Sharrock Stars : Emilia Clarke , Sam Claflin , Janet McTeer , Charles Dance Which actor will show in a movie that scares you ? <extra_id_0>Sam Claflin <extra_id_1>Jon M. Chu <extra_id_2>Patrick Wilson <extra_id_3>Travis Fimmel <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Do you get angry at your friends' singing loudly while you are working? Or when your best friend does not wait for you after school? If you do, you need to control your feelings and stop getting angry so easily. Getting angry with people can make you lose friends. Gary Egeberg, an American high school teacher, has writtenMy feelings Are Just Like Wild Animalsto help you control your feelings. It tells teens how to stay cool when bad things happen to them. The book says that getting angry only makes problems worse. It can never make them better. Getting angry is not a natural way to act. It is just a bad habit, like smoking. The book says you can control your anger easily--all you have to do is telling yourself not to be angry. When a baby falls over, it only cries if people are watching it. Like a baby, you should only get angry if you are sure it is the right thing to do. *Keep a record. Every time you get angry, write down why you are angry. Look at it later and you will see you get angry too easily. *Ask your friends to stop talking to you when you get angry. This will teach you not to be angry. *Do something different. When you get angry, walk away from the problem and go somewhere else. Try to laugh! My Feelings Are Just Like Wild Animalsis a _ . <extra_id_0>story <extra_id_1>book <extra_id_2>picture <extra_id_3>film <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Looking for a new weight loss plan? Try living on top of a mountain. Mountain air contains less oxygen than air at lower altitudes, so breathing it causes the heart to beat faster and the body to burn more energy. A handful of studies have found that athletes training at high altitudes tend to lose weight. Doctor Florian Lippl of the University Hospital Of Ludwig-Maximilians-university Munich wondered how the mountain air would affect overweight individuals if they weren't doing any more physical activity than usual. Lippl and his colleagues invited 20 overweight men to an environmental research station about 300 meters below the summit of Zugspitze, a mountain around 2,970 meters near the Austrian border. They were allowed to eat as much as they liked. The men also gave blood so that researchers could test for hormones linked to appetite and fatness. At the end of the week, the men, whose mean weight starting out was 105kg, had lost on average about l.5kg. The men's blood pressure also dropped, which the researchers believed was due to weight lost. Exactly what caused the weight loss is uncertain. Loss of appetite is common at higher altitudes, and indeed the men ate significantly less than usual--about 700 calories fewer per day. Lippl also notes that because their consumption was being recorded, they may have been more self-conscious about what they ate. Regardless, eating less accounts for just l kg of the l.5 kg lost, says Lippl. He thinks the increased metabolic rate, which was measured, also contributed to weight loss but cannot separate the different effects with the given data. Appetite loss at high altitudes could certainly be key, notes Damian Bailey, a physiologist at the University of Glamorgan, UK, who recently lost 11 kg during a 3-month expedition to the Andes in Chile. Unfortunately, for the average person there is no treatment that can resemble living at high altitude, says Lippl. The only alternative is hypobaric chamber, which exposes subjects to low oxygen and isn't practical as a treatment. He says, half- jokingly, "If fat people plan their holidays, they might not go to the sea, but maybe to the mountain." Hormones are tested in the research because they can affect _ . <extra_id_0>one's bodyweight <extra_id_1>one's blood pressure <extra_id_2>one's way of living <extra_id_3>one's metabolic rate <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>How to deal successfully with a child showing outstanding musical ability? It's not always clear how best to develop and encourage his gift. Many parents may even fail to recognize and respond to their children's need until discouragement explodes into uncooperative behavior. And while most schools are equipped to deal with children who are especially able in academic subjects,the musically gifted require special understanding which may not always be available in an ordinary school. Such children may well benefit from the education offered by a specialist music school. The five music schools in Britain aim to provide all environment where gifted children can develop their skills under the guidance of professional musicians. Children here spend about half of a day on musical activities,for example,individual lessons,orchestras,chamber groups,voice training,conducting and theory. They also spend several hours a day practicing in private rooms .The rest of their time is taken up with the subjects:English,maths and basic sciences. What are the disadvantages? An obvious problem is that the fees are high .However, each school will often scholarships and other forms of financial aid. Secondly, not all parents want to send their children to boarding school, especially at an early age .Almost all the directors of the specialist schools express doubts about the wisdom of admitting children as young as seven into such a tense and disciplined environment. They stress,however, that their main aim is to turn out "well-rounded and well--balanced individual." The passage mainly talks about _ . <extra_id_0>education and development about children <extra_id_1>disadvantages of music schools <extra_id_2>music schools for children with music gift <extra_id_3>how to deal with music talented children <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>We have a strange and strong belief in the idea of perfection. Driven by our culture, we struggle for an unattainable ideal: If I have the perfect parents, perfect grades, perfect..., then I would be happy. We seek what we can't have without remembering that we don't actually need to be perfect. Imperfection allows us to be human. Parents, teachers and other high-achieving peers will have us believe that we must be perfect if we wish to remain competitive. However, what job or school requires you to develop a cure for some form of cancer by the age of 18? Although these grades would be admirable achievements, are they worth losing sleep over? We feel like we need the perfect grades to get into the perfect college that will provide us with the perfect education necessary to obtain the perfect job. Making use of our thirst for perfection, the whole college and career industries have emerged claiming to help us reach our goals. Truth is, you only need to be good enough to get into the conversation. It is what you do afterwards that sets you apart. Focus more on your passions. Don't worry about anything secondary to your passions. You don't become an expert at anything if you spent your time trying to succeed in everything you do. You only become an expert when you devote your time to that one project that truly brings you joy. As members of this society, we have a responsibility to be excellent in what we do, not perfect. Although perfection can be a goal, it should not be the only goal. We only have 24 hours in a day and seven days in a week. Thus, we need to plan what we want to do and cut out the activities we cannot do. With everything, though, make sure you're doing enough. Pursuing your passions is not enough of a reason to completely give up on everything else. Try as hard as you can and let your future worry about itself. Worry about your task at hand and you will be successful in achieving your dreams. Most of all, remember that you're going to be okay. According to the author, we should _ . <extra_id_0>see becoming perfect as our responsibility <extra_id_1>deal with what we hope to do first <extra_id_2>set a goal of perfection in our life <extra_id_3>worry about our future dreams <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Imagine putting some bacteria in the freezer and taking them out millions of years later to find that they are still alive. That would be similar to what happened recently, when scientists brought eight-million-year-old bacteria back to life -- simply by thawing them out. The ancient bacteria were found frozen in the world's oldest known tracts of ice, the glaciers of Antarctica. Professor Bidle and his colleagues found and revived two samples of bacteria from the glacial ice. The first was a hundred thousand years old, and the second was around eight million years old. The eight-million-year-old bacteria were alive. But their genes were seriously damaged from long exposure to cosmic ( ) radiation, which is higher at the earth's poles. Most of the bacteria in the samples probably blew over from African deserts, said Paul Falkowski, a scientist at prefix = st1 /RutgersUniversity. Once the bacteria landed on the glacier's snowy surface, they combined with the snow to form ice. "These ices are actually gene banks," he added. As glaciers and ice caps melt as a result of increasing global warming, large amounts of bacterial genetic material might be washed into the ocean. These bacteria might get incorporated into today's bacteria in the ocean, or living bacteria from the ice might also grow and have an important effect on the ecosystem. "How that's going to play out, we don't know," Bidle said. He and Falkowski plan to focus their future work on how current ice melting influences modem bacteria's genetic diversity. According to Paul Falkowski, the ices in Antarctica are gene banks because _ . <extra_id_0>there are bacteria from African deserts <extra_id_1>dead bacteria in them can be easily revived <extra_id_2>they are fit for people to store bacteria <extra_id_3>plenty of living bacteria can be found in them <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Which process in plants is most similar to sexual reproduction in vertebrates? <extra_id_0>cell division <extra_id_1>self-pollination <extra_id_2>cross-pollination <extra_id_3>seed development <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Many of the old sayings using animals to predict the weather are folklore , but not all. It's still unknown how animals can predict the weather, but limited research and acute observations have proved the animal kingdom's ability to notice changes before we do. Through their highly developed sense of hearing, smell and awareness of changes in atmospheric conditions, animals do appear to have a sixth sense that does allow them to predict certain weather conditions, earthquakes and tsunamis. Lying cows are one of the most well-known natural weather indicators. If a cow lies in a field, it means rain is on the way, because cows sense the moisture in the air and are making sure hay have somewhere dry to lie down. Fish are known to eat more before a storm. Some say cats increase their grooming activities when extra static electricity is in the air, and horses are known to run fast before a violent storm or when windy conditions are coming. Meteorologist Randy Rauch of WTSP-TV in Clearwater confirms that animals can serve as severe weather barometers . "It's actually been long believed that animals have a sixth sense when it comes to severe weather," Rauch said. " It's long been talked about in folklore. You'll hear all kinds of stories that dogs, cats, cows, crickets---all have some sort of knowing power before severe weather." That theory was put to the test during the massive tsunami in 2004. It has been said that the actions of animals were one of the main reasons that residents in the area knew to take cover. "Many of the elephants scattered to higher places 5 to 10 minutes before the first wave hit the shoreline," Rauch said. "This has been a long story with animals in the wild and somehow knowing that weather or some kind of terrible event is going to occur." Why does a cow lie in a field when rain is on the way? <extra_id_0>To avoid being blown away. <extra_id_1>To avoid becoming wet through. <extra_id_2>To save a dry place on the ground. <extra_id_3>To protect its stomach from suffering. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Do you care about your memory ?The following ways can help improve your memory. Sleep: Sleep plays an important part in improving your memory. Enough sleep is very important to have a good memory. Don't watch TV while eating: Do not watch television while eating. Some people keep talking and eating while watching TV. Eating is a time when you can take a break from studying and rest your eyes. Healthy food: Healthy food is important for a healthy mind. Have milk, eggs, fish and fruits. These foods have a lot of nutrients Make the things interesting: If you find the things the teachers ask you to memorize interesting, you will memorize them more easily. For example, include music and different colors in the things you need to memorize. Repeat the things: Repeat the things by singing or talking. Repeating is a good way to memorize things. Exercise: Do exercise every day. It not only improves the body but improves the mind. Air in the morning keeps your mind clear. A clear mind is needed for memorizing things. Have a rest: Don't study for long hours. Have a rest from time to time. Studying for a long time will make you tired and you will find it harder to remember and learn things. How many ways of improving memory are there in the passage? <extra_id_0>Five. <extra_id_1>Six. <extra_id_2>Seven. <extra_id_3>Eight <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>We are naturally drawn to friends and colleagues with familiar voices, scientists have found.People prefer those who have a similar accent,intonation and tone of voice to themselves , they discovered. Previous research has focused on how masculine or feminine a voice sounds.Men with deeper voices and women with slightly higher voices were thought to sound more attractive,because they suggest a bigger or a smaller body. But the new study,published by a linguistics expert in Canada,suggests there is a more complex mechanism at play.Dr Molly Babel, from the University of British Columbia in Canada, said,"The voice is an amazingly flexible tool that we use to construct our identity.Very few things in our voices are changeless,so we felt that our preferences had to be about more than a person's shape and size.'' She recorded 30 volunteers' voices and asked each to rate the others' attractiveness on a scale of one to nine.Each participant was from western America,with similar accents.The people we assessed were all in the same dialect group,but they showed that dialect to different degrees. "We seem to like people who sound like we sound,we like people who fit within what we know,"Dr Babel said.She also found that breathy voices in women-typified by the famous American actress Marilyn Monroe-were seen as more attractive. The breathy tone,caused by younger and thinner vocal cords ,implied youthfulness and health A creaky voice,suggesting a person has a cold,is tired or smokes,was seen as unattractive.The participants preferred men who spoke with a shorter average word length and deeper voices. The linguist,whose work is published in the journal PLOS One,said,"Once you're outside of a certain range of familiarity,novel and exotic sounding voices might become more attractive.We also have to keep in mind we find some accents more preferable than others because of social fixed ideas." The main purpose of the passage is to _ . <extra_id_0>encourage men to use shorter words and talk less <extra_id_1>inform readers of the findings of voices <extra_id_2>argue against women's breathy way of speaking <extra_id_3>compare male voices with female voices <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Today, we are talking about money. I can share a bit about my history with money and my new view when it comes to using _ I made a web page with links to posts about our financial journey where you can look for more details of where we've been and how we got where we are now. It was a big part of my story in the past and was a huge part of our downsizing journey. We got out of debt and stayed out of debt. So I feel eager to share the benefits of being on this side. It takes planning and more careful thought whenever a dollar is spent now than it did when I had a wallet full of credit cards. I now like to think all of my dollars having a job. So many of us work for money and don't consider that money should work for us, too. Make your dollars do the job of helping you live the life you want. Each time money is spent or saved, it should be going toward something that you purposefully want for your life. Last week I was out and I spent $20 on food in 3 days. It made me angry because afterward I thought about eating is not at all what for my life. On the other hand, there are times I spend $20 while out with my family and it doesn't bother me one bit. An afternoon out with my kids during which we stop for ice cream, and do something fun together has a completely different feel to it. In the end, I want the dollars I spend to have purpose like I can enjoy life while still planning and saving for the future. In the writer's opinion, _ . <extra_id_0>more credit cards should be used in our daily life <extra_id_1>we should work hard to make more money <extra_id_2>money should help us live better <extra_id_3>saving money is very easy <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Where in the world can you take an hour's train ride, and pass a forest, a London street, a scene from the Wild West, and a burning building that never burns down? There's only one place, and that's Hollywood, in California. The scenes you see from the tourist train are film sets in the Universal Studios, one of the oldest and largest movie companies in the USA. A visit to Universal Studios brings back memories of great days of Hollywood, the films and the stars. But they are only memories. Hollywood isn't quite the same as it used to be. Costs have gone up and confidence has gone down. Movie-makers are afraid to spend their money on expensive new ideas. Instead, they repeat old ones. The film industry is changing fast. Teenagers still go out to the movies. The theatre is a good place to meet friends away from home. But older people mostly stay home to watch series, like Dynasty have become as important to Hollywood as expensive movies. These "soap opera", as they are called, show rich, powerful families living in beautiful homes and wearing beautiful clothes. But the actors and actresses are nearly all middle-aged, like many of the people who watch them. Though it is soap operas that are keeping the film-makers of Hollywood in Business, big films are still being made in America. But more and more of them are made outside Hollywood. New York is the most important new center, but there are many others as well. Movie-makers have realized that they don't need Hollywood any more. Modern cameras and real houses instead of expensively made copies in a studio. Other states, especially Florida and Texas, are working hard to take the film business away from California. They are offering better working conditions and lower cost. But Hollywood is fighting back. The state of California is trying hard to keep its best-known industry. From the passage, we know Universal Studios is _ . <extra_id_0>a very large park <extra_id_1>a busy London street <extra_id_2>a famous movie company <extra_id_3>an old Hollywood movie <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>As an effect of the high fuel prices spent on bus transportation, some American schools are changing to a four-day week. That means longer days instead of the traditional Monday through Friday schedule. Having been approved for three years and beginning in the fall, students in the Maccray school district in Minnesota will be in school from Tuesday to Friday. Each school day will be 65 minutes longer. Officials say the district expects to save about sixty-five thousand dollars a year in transportation costs. In new Mexico, the first school district changed to a four-day week in 1974 because of the Arab oil boycott . Now, 17 out of 89 districts use it. In Custer, South Dakota, students have been going to school four days a week since 1995. Superintendent Tim Creal says the change has saved about one million dollars over just the past eight years. He sees other benefits, too. Students get more instructional time, and activities that used to take up class time are now held on non-school days. He says that in the future, the growth of online classes could make it possible to require even fewer days in school. High fuel prices are driving college students to take more online classes. A four-day school week sounds like a great idea for students and teachers, but working parents may have to pay for child care for that fifth day. The passage is mainly about _ <extra_id_0>some school's four-day week plan <extra_id_1>districts using a four-day week. <extra_id_2>how to save on transportation fees. <extra_id_3>expense of school transportation. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Rules for the University Entrance Examination *You must be at the examination center ten minutes before the examination starts. If you are more than ten minutes late, you may not enter the examination center. The examination takes place at the same time in different states. *You must have proof of your name and grade as well as official examination number. Show these when you come to the examination center. *Depending on which examination you are taking, you may bring certain items into the examination center. Mathematics examinations may allow you to use electronic calculators . Other subjects may allow you to use dictionaries and other reference material. Please read the notes sent with your timetable carefully. *You must bring your own pencils. None will be provided for you. The following items are not allowed in the examination center: walkmans and radios, head sets, any food or drink, schoolbags, electronic equipment (unless specifically permitted for various subjects), and mobile phones. *Once in the center, you must sit at the desk with your examination number on it. When you sit down, place your examination number at the top comer of your desk. *You must remain silent during the examination. You must not disturb other people who are taking the test. *If you need a drink or toilet break, you should raise your hand and wait for the supervisor to speak to you. You will be given water or the supervisor will take you to the bathroom. You are not allowed to talk with anyone during the break. *You must write your answers in the official answer sheet. Your supervisor will provide extra paper if you wish to make notes. *You may leave the examination room at any time if you do not plan to return. If you finish early and want to leave, please move well away from the examination center. *The supervisor will warn you fifteen minutes, five minutes and one minute before the end of the examination. When the supervisor says that the time is up, you must put down your pencil and wait at your desk until you paper is collected. What kind of examination are these rules probably for? <extra_id_0>A local exam. <extra_id_1>A final exam. <extra_id_2>A college exam. <extra_id_3>A national exam. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Dear Mum, I don't think you understand my life. You think I should be studying all the time. I know you want me to find a good job when I grow up, but I would like to have a wonderful time, too. You never think about fun things for me to do like music, sports. Two days ago, when I was watching a football game on TV, you asked me to stop and do my homework. After finishing my homework, still I wasn't allowed to read my football magazines. You said I had to go to bed early. That was bad enough, but yesterday was the worst day. I bought some computer games, and put them in my bag so that you wouldn't see them. I told you I had to do my homework first. I know it was wrong to lie to you, but you told me that Dad would talk to me later. Mum, I didn't quite like what you did to me! I really love you, mum, but I wish you could try not to be so hard on me. Love, Zhang Ning Zhang Ning is asked _ . <extra_id_0>to watch TV <extra_id_1>to do sports <extra_id_2>to play computer games <extra_id_3>to study all the time <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Have you ever had a doctor write you a prescription for three laps around a local trail ? How about a prescription for sit-ups? These treatments may not be as typical as the drugs that are usually used to treat our problems, but maybe they should be: a new report shows that regular exercise can be just as effective as prescription drugs for patients with depression and anxiety. "Individuals who exercise report fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression, and lower levels of stress and anger, " said the paper's co-author, Jasper Smith, director of the Anxiety Research and Treatment Program at Southern Methodist University. " Exercise may help patients with depression re-establish positive behaviors. For patients with anxiety disorders, exercise reduces their fears of fear and related bodily sensations such as a racing heart and rapid breathing." In a separate study, published in Physical Therapy journal, scientists studied 161 women who' d recently given birth to babies, and decided them into two groups. New mothers tend to develop post-partum depression , and the scientists wanted to find out whether exercise could prevent such problems. One group of women was given specialized exercises as part of an eight-week parenting education program, while the other was given only written education. The physical element seemed to do the trick; the researchers report that the number of women identified as "at risk" for post-partum depression was reduced by half in the exercising group. Another recent study shows that even when a patient has a chronic illness like cancer or a heart condition, regular exercise can dramatically increase wellbeing by reducing anxiety. Researchers from University of Georgia analyzed 40 clinical trials involving almost 3,000 patients, and found that the patients who reported exercising regularly had a 20% reduction in symptoms of anxiety compared to those who didn't exercise. As a result, they were more likely to follow their recommended treatment plan. Of course, there are still some situations where prescription drugs are necessary, and we recommend you leave it to your doctor to determine when that may be. But in many cases, the best medicine may simply be to get up off the couch and go for a walk. Which of the following is the common method to treat depression and anxiety? <extra_id_0>Drug. <extra_id_1>Exercise <extra_id_2>Run. <extra_id_3>walk <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Elaine Yu Yee-nee, 15, Creative Secondary School Lockers are designed in a way to hide their contents for a reason. Otherwise, they'd have open fronts like cupboards. Searching students' lockers would be total invasion of privacy. Having a locker is more than having a place to store your stuff. A locker also gives you the freedom to keep certain things hidden. These can include harmless personal items like diaries, letters and photos. Searching lockers could _ students and others might make fun of them. Yes, lockers are school property . But that doesn't give schools the right to inspect lockers as they please. While students are using lockers, they have the right to keep their contents private. Teachers could ask for permission to take a look inside a student's locker and if the student is OK with that, then it would be fine. Searching students' lockers without their permission would result in the loss of trust. I doubt that students who have something dangerous to hide, such as weapons or drugs, would put them in their lockers. They would not want to risk being caught so easily. Giving schools the right to search lockers would not help catch those who commit crimes. But it would certainly create an environment in which students would be embarrassed to have their belongings shown in public for no good reason. Ronald Ling Pak-ki, 20, University of Hong Kong Many students see their lockers as personal property. They would never agree that schools should have the right to inspect their lockers. But I think schools have an absolute right to do so. It is the schools that actually own the lockers. Students just use them to store some of their things safely and conveniently. There are clear rules on what items students can and cannot keep in their lockers. Schools have both the duty and the right to check if students are following the rules. I don't think school authorities would decide to search a student's locker unless they felt the need to do so. They might, for instance, suspect students of hiding drugs. To make sure that the process remains open and fair, only authorized teachers should have the right to search lockers. The search should be carried out in such a way as not to embarrass students in front of others. What are .the two students talking about? <extra_id_0>How to make sure schools are safe. <extra_id_1>Whether there are crimes in schools. <extra_id_2>Whether schools can search students' lockers. <extra_id_3>How to establish trust between teachers and students. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>When I was growing up, I had an old neighbor, Dr. Gibbs. He didn't look like any doctor I'd ever known. He never invited us to play in his yard, but he was a very kind person. When Dr. Gibbs wasn't saving lives, he was planting trees. He owned a large field and wanted to make it a forest. The good doctor had some interesting ideas about planting trees. He never watered his new trees. Once I asked why. He said that watering plants spoiled them, and that if you watered them, each baby tree would grow weaker and weaker, so you had to make things difficult for them and pick out the weaker trees early on. He talked about how watering trees made for shallow roots, and how trees that weren't watered had to grow deep roots in search of water under the earth by themselves. Deep roots were very important. So he never watered his trees. He'd planted an oak and, instead of watering it every morning, he'd beat it with a rolled-up newspaper. I asked him why he did that, and he said it was to get the tree's attention. Dr. Gibbs died several years after I left home. Every now and then, I walked by his house and looked at the trees that I watched him plant about twenty-five years ago. They're very big and strong now. I planted some trees a few years back and carried water to them for whole summer. After two years of caring too much, whenever a cold wind blows in, they shake a lot. Every night before I go to bed, I check on my two sons. Mostly I pray that their lives will be easy. But lately I've been thinking that it's time to change my prayer. I know my children are going to face difficulties. There's always cold wind blowing somewhere, so what we need to do is to pray for roots that reach deep into the brave heart, so when the rains fall and the winds blow, we could face it strongly and won't be beaten down. Which can be the best title of the passage? <extra_id_0>Watering trees <extra_id_1>Growing roots <extra_id_2>Doctor and his neighbor <extra_id_3>Father and his children <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Earthquake safety tips On April 14,2010, a big earthquake hit Yushu,Qinghai.Over,2,000 people died. Many people were hurt. Why are there earthquakes? The surface of the Earth has many pieces. These pieces are always moving. When two pieces move past each other, there is an earthquake. Scientist are working hard to find out more about earthquakes. They try to predict them, but it's very hard. Do you know how to get ready for an earthquake? Do you know what to do during an earthquake? Here are some things you should know. What to do before an earthquake Make sure you have two bottles of water, a packet of biscuits ,a clean towel ,a few band-aids ,a radio and a flashlight at home. What to do during an earthquake If you are inside: Stay where you are. Quickly move under a strong desk, or along a wall. This will protect you from falling things. Don't stand near windows. Turn off the lights. Don't get into a lift during an earthquake. If your are in a lift, get out as quickly as possible. If you are outside: Don't stand near buildings. Things may fall on you. Lie on the ground until the shaking stops. The reason why an earthquake happens is that _ . <extra_id_0>the surface of the earth is thin <extra_id_1>the pieces of the surface are moving slowly <extra_id_2>two pieces of the surface move past each other <extra_id_3>there are too many people on the earth <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Are you a happy person most of the time? Or do you easily get angry sometimes? Everyone has a different temperament . It is usually be1ieved that both genes and environment may affect people's temperaments in different ways. But now scientists have found that the season of birth also plays a role. Scientists from Budapest, Hungary, studied 400 university students. In the study, the students needed to finish a questionnaire . The purpose of it was to find out which of four kinds of temperaments they most had. From the questionnaire, scientists found that the students always answered something like "My mood often changes for no reason" and "I love to deal with new projects, even if it is risky". These answers were then matched with their birthdays. They discovered that people born in summer easily change between sad and happy moods compared to people born in winter. Those who always feel positive are mostly born in spring and summer. The study also found that those born in autumn less probably had a mood of _ which may easily drive them to cry, while those born in winter were not easier to be angry. Scientists said that this was probably because the seasons had an influence on certain chemicals in the human body. And the chemicals are important to control people's moods even in adult life. _ "It seems that when you are born may increase or decrease your chance of developing certain mood disorders ," lead scientist Xenia Gonda told The Telegraph. What does the under1ined word " _ depression " most probably mean? <extra_id_0>Sadness. <extra_id_1>Happiness. <extra_id_2>Surprise. <extra_id_3>Excitement. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Air pollution is a leading cause of cancer and classified among Group 1,or top, human carcinogens , said the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is the World Health Organization's (WHO) cancer agency, on Oct 17,2013. The most widely used system for classifying carcinogens comes from the IARC, which places them into five groups. Group 1 carcinogens definitely cause cancer in humans. Group 2A is probably carcinogenic to humans, Group 2B is possibly carcinogenic, the carcinogenicity of Group 3 in humans is unclassifiable, and Group 4 is probably not carcinogenic to humans. Only a little more than 100 are classified as Group 1 cancer-causing substances, including ultraviolet radiation and tobacco smoke. "Our task was to evaluate the air everyone breathes rather than focus on specific air pollutants," the lARC's Dana Loomis said in a statement. "The results from the reviewed studies point in the same direction: the risk of developing lung cancer is significantly increased in people exposed to air pollution." In 2010, lung cancer resulting from air pollution killed 223,000 people worldwide, and there was also convincing evidence that it increases the risk of bladder cancer, according to the IARC. Air pollution is already known to raise risks for a wide range of illnesses, including respiratory and heart diseases. Air pollution is global, although the levels of it vary over space and time. Loomis said people in Asia, eastern North America, some places in Central America and Mexico, as well as North Africa have relatively high exposure. Developing countries with large populations and booming manufacturing sectors, such as China, are particularly at risk. Many cities in China, such as Beijing, frequently see smog. This week, Harbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang province, became the first Chinese city to officially suspend classes due to serious smog Many developed countries face similar problems, although to a lesser degree than most developing nations. In Europe, levels of many pollutants have fallen. But between 91 and 96 percent of Europeans living in cities are exposed to levels of PM2.5--tiny particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers--that are higher than the WHO safety limits, says a report published by the European Environment Agency on Oct 15. Although both the composition and levels of air pollution can vary dramatically from one location to the other, the 1ARC said its conclusions apply to all regions of the world. "Given the scale of the exposure affecting people worldwide, this report should send a strong signal to the international community to take action without further delay," said Christopher Wild, director of the IARC. What's the main task of IARC? <extra_id_0>To focus on cancer-causing substances. <extra_id_1>To evaluate the air quality. <extra_id_2>To study the developing risk of cancer. <extra_id_3>To send signals to the international community. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>There was a big garden in front of Jeff's house. So on weekends, many children came to play soccer from morning to late night. They made a lot of noise, so Jeff couldn't do anything. He thought hard and had an idea. One Saturday evening, he went out and said to them, "It is my happy time when I see and hear you playing here. So I will give you fifty yuan a week if you play in the garden here," They felt very happy and on Saturday evening they came to Jeff's house and asked for the money. He did so. The second week, Jeff said he didn't have enough money and only gave them twenty yuan. The third week Jeff said he lost his work, but he gave them only 10 yuan. And the boys were very _ . The fourth week Jeff said he was looking for his job. He gave them only five yuan. And said he couldn't pay them fifty yuan a week. But he would give them two yuan each week. After that, the boys never played in the garden again. How much did the children get in total ? <extra_id_0>85 yuan. <extra_id_1>82 yuan. <extra_id_2>50 yuan. <extra_id_3>35 yuan. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>long ago people made fires from lightning . But they had to keep the fire burning, for they couldn't start it again if there was no lightning. Later, they found out hitting two piece of stone together could make a spark . The spark could fire dry leaves. In this way they could make the fire again if it went out. Then people also learned to make a fire by rubbing. They made a hole on a big piece of wood and put a smaller stick into the hole. They turned the stick again and again. After a few minutes they got a fire. As years went by, people learned other ways to make a fire. Sometimes they used the heat from sun. they held a piece of glass in the right way and made a piece of paper on fire. About two centuries ago, people began to make matches . Matches brought people a quick and easy way to make fire. Today matches are still being used, but people have more new ways to make fires. One of them is to use an electric fire starter. Of course an electric fire starter is much more expensive than a box of matches. But it is more useful. A spark can _ . <extra_id_0>fire any leaves <extra_id_1>burn anything <extra_id_2>burn dry leaves <extra_id_3>keep fires burning <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Wondering where to watch the fireworks on the fourth Friday of July? Here are some restaurants where you can sit, grab a bite to eat and watch the show. The Roof on Wilshire offers a view of the city, so chances are that you'll be able to catch a fireworks show while you're up there. The restaurant will also offer an all-you-can-eat menu for $20 that includes all beef hot dogs and sweet potato chips. The festivities will take place from 2 to 11 p.m. Reservations are recommended. 6317 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 852-6002. Whiskey Red's is located in Marina Del Rey. Beginning at 5:30 p.m., it will include live music from Jack of Hearts. Drink specials include $3 select "Old School" beers and $5 Fireball shots from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. A custom menu of hamburgers and hot dogs will be available. Guests can make reservations from 5:30 to 10 p.m. It costs $59 to reserve a seat on the patio and $49 for indoor seating. Kids aged 5 to 12 need $25 for a seat outside and $20 for an indoor seat. Kids aged four and below are free. 13813 Fiji Way, Marina Del Rey, (310) 823-4522. High Rooftop lounge in Venice at the top of the Hotel Erwin offers views of the Venice coastline. The fireworks show starts at 9 p.m. The rooftop lounge offers a full menu of cocktails and a selection of snacks. 1697 Pacific Avenue, Venice Beach, (800) 786-7789. The last one is Carbon Beach Club at the Malibu Inn. Here you can see fireworks from the restaurant's oceanfront balcony from 6 to 9:30 p.m. The restaurant offers a menu of cheese, steak, fish, as well as a selection of raw shellfish. Reservations are recommended. 22878 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, (310) 456-6444. Which restaurant will you choose if you want to watch the fireworks at 3 p.m.? <extra_id_0>The Roof on Wilshire. <extra_id_1>Whiskey Red's. <extra_id_2>High Rooftop lounge. <extra_id_3>Carbon Beach Club. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Nowadays,the Internet,with its ability to connect people throughout the world,is changing the way people learn languages.There is still no way to avoid the hard work through vocabulary lists and grammar rules,but the books,tapes and even CDs are being replaced by email, video chat and social networks. Livemocha, a Seattle company, has created a website devoted to helping people learn more than 38 languages by exchanging messages over the Internet and then correcting each other's messages. The lessons,whether they are flashcards,quizzes,audio recordings or written and spoken essays,are delivered through the Intemet. Michael Schutzler, Livemocha's chief executive , says the website's advantage is the ability to practicel with a real person. "The great irony is that even if you have learned a foreign language in the classroom for years,you don't have confidefice to go into a restaurant and have a conversation with a foreigner,"he said.The casual connection with real people throughout the world, however brief, are not just fun and surprising but show more about how the language is really used. Livemocha is now experimenting with a variety of ways that resemble the games on other social websites to motivate people.The flashcard exercises,for instance,are scored, and the totals earned by studying and teaching appear on the users'front page. Besides,each person can set up a profile which includes a short description of his age,location and what language he would like to learn.Therefore,if you want to study one language,you will easily find many people who are fluent in it.Andl an email or two is all it takes to find a study partner. There are more and more companies like Livemocha offeritig online language learning to students throughout the world. And instead of merely helping people practice different languages,they also enable people to share interests and make new friends. How can one find a study partner on Livemocha? <extra_id_0>He needs to set up a profile about his past experience. <extra_id_1>He should deliver his written essays to the website. <extra_id_2>He needs to give lessons over the Internet. <extra_id_3>He can select suitable people and email them. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>It was when I was attending high school that I first read Asimov's stories. At the time, a few science fiction magazines began to introduce this author, and to translate a few pieces from his "Robot Series". Of Asimov's works, the one that left the deepest impression on me was Pebble in the Sky. This novel directly influenced my early science fiction writing. Asimov was one of the leading writers of western science fiction's Golden Age, so although his writing may not have a direct influence on writers of today, his underlying influence on many levels is undeniable -- the famous Three Laws of Robotics, and many classic writing techniques, for example. Asimov's novels are marked by a fully integrated logical system, and his stories are a pleasure to read. This is the reason his novels still attract readers today. Naturally, western science fiction has few people these days who follow Asimov's creative methods. But still the majority of Chinese science fiction readers would rather read the classic works of Asimov. Compared with the "Robot Series", Asimov's "Foundation Series" is a little less well-known in China. In fact, the "Foundation Series" creates an entire world, even grander than that of the "Robot Series"; this science fiction had a direct influence on later western science fiction, the most famous example being Star Wars. The purpose of the passage is to _ . <extra_id_0>compare Asimov with other science fiction writers <extra_id_1>advise people to read Asimov's stories <extra_id_2>give some comments on Asimov's influence <extra_id_3>explain why Asimov is popular in China <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>A new study suggests that the roundtheclock availability that cell phones have brought to people's lives may _ family life. The study,which followed more than 1,300 adults over 2 years, found that those who consistently used a mobile phone throughout the study period were more likely to report negative "spillover" between work and home life--and,in turn,less satisfaction with their family life. Spillover essentially means that the line between work and home begins to become unclear. Work life may invade home life when a parent is taking jobrelated calls at home,for instance--or family issues may start to take up work time. For example,a child may call mum at work,telling her "microwave exploded",explained Noelle Chesley,an assistant professor of sociology at the University of WisconsinMilwaukee and the author of the study. The problem with cell phones seems to be that they are allowing for even more spillover between work and home. This may be especially true for working women,the study found. Among men,consistent use of mobile phones seemed to allow more work issues to creep into family time. But for women,the spillover tended to go in both directions. Being "connected" meant that work cut into home time,and family issues came into work life. Cell phones seem to be opening more lines for stressful exchanges among family members. But there may be ways to control the spillover,according to Chesley. Employers, she said,could look at their policies on contacting employees after hours to make sure their expectations are "reasonable".For their part,employees could decide that cell phones go off during family time, Chesley said. According to Chesley,what is the best solution to the problem caused by cell phones? <extra_id_0>Separate work hours from family time. <extra_id_1>Refuse to use cell phones. <extra_id_2>Ignore coming calls during family time. <extra_id_3>Encourage women to stay at home. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Mary likes dogs very much. She has a pug-dog. It is white. It has big eyes and ears. It is small but it is cute and beautiful. Every morning, the dog eats some bread and meat. They are the dog's favorite food. When Mary goes to school, the dog always waits for her at the gate. When she comes back home, the dog follows her here and there. When Mary does her homework, it lies near her feet. When Mary watches TV, the dog sits on the sofa near her. When Mary goes to bed, the dog lies its bed next to Mary's. in the evening, they often run and play in the yard . They are really good friends. ,. (1x5=5) Mary has a _ dog. <extra_id_0>white <extra_id_1>black <extra_id_2>yellow <extra_id_3>red <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Although it was autumn, the snow was already beginning to fall in Tibet. Our legs were so heavy and cold that they felt like blocks of ice. Have you ever seen snowmen ride bicycles? That's what we looked like! Along the way children dressed in long wool coats stopped to look at us. In the late afternoon we found it was so cold that our water bottles froze. However, the lakes shone like glass in the setting sun and looked wonderful. Wang Wei rode in front of me as usual. She is very reliable and I knew I didn't need to encourage her. To climb the mountains was hard work but as we looked around us, we were surprised by the view. We seemed to be able to see for miles. At one point we were so high that we found ourselves cycling through clouds. Then we began going down the hills. It was great fun especially as it gradually became much warmer. In the valleys colorful butterflies flew around us and we saw many yaks and sheep eating green grass. At this point we had to change our caps, coats, gloves and trousers for T-shirts and shorts. From this passage we know it is _ when they had their bike trip. <extra_id_0>summer <extra_id_1>spring <extra_id_2>winter <extra_id_3>fall. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>A British dog-lover has invented a high-tech way of feeding his pet by Twitter( ,). Computer expert Nat Morris ,30, has designed a system to give his pet a "tweet treat" by sending him a Twitter message. His dog Toby gets some delicious dog biscuits from a computer-controlled food machine whenever Nat sends a message to "@ feedtoby". Nat often works away from home and isn't always able to feed Toby by hand. But his new invention allows Nat to feed his dog from anywhere in the world. Nat said, "Toby ly loves it. At first he didn't know what was going on. Now he sits underneath the machine, wagging his tail and waiting for the food to drop." Nat fills the food machine with small pieces of dog biscuits, but not too many in case four-year-old Toby gets too many messages. And Nat has even equipped his house with an online camera so he can see Toby enjoying the food at his home. But one problem is that friends and family have been so amazed with the "tweet treat" machine that they have started sending tweets to Toby too. So Nat has had to restrict feeding time to make sure Toby doesn't turn into Tubby. "People have been sending him tweets at all hours of the day, so I had to limit it to between 9a.m. and 9 p.m. . I'm thinking of doing an updated one which can measure his weight before he is fed, just to make sure he's not putting on too much puppy fat," explained Nat. How Nat's Twitter Feeder works: When a message is sent to @ feedtoby, it is received by a mini -computer that is linked to the feed machine. When the mini-computer receives the message, a bell rings and Toby comes running over and sits in front of the feeding machine. Next, the machine's motor pulls open a trap door which releases a serving of food. The doggy biscuits then drop into Toby's food bowl. Finally a digital camera takes a photo of him and sends it back to Nat on Twitter -- so he knows Toby has been fed. In which section of the newspaper would you most probably find this passage? <extra_id_0>Technology <extra_id_1>Health. <extra_id_2>Environment <extra_id_3>Style <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Supply and demand is perhaps one of the most basic concepts of economics and it is the backbone of a market economy. Demand refers to how much of a product or service is desired by buyers. The quantity demanded is the amount of a product people are willing to buy at a certain price; the relationship between price and quantity demanded is known as the demand relationship. Supply represents how much the market can offer. The quantity supplied refers to the amount of a certain goods producers are willing to supply when receiving a certain price. The relationship between price and how much of a goods or service is supplied to the market is known as the supply relationship. Price, therefore, is a reflection of supply and demand. The law of demand states that, if all other factors remain equal, the higher the price of a product, the fewer people will demand that product. The amount of goods that buyers purchase at a higher price is less as the price of a product goes up, so does the opportunity cost of buying that product. Like the law of demand, the law of supply shows the quantities that will be sold at a certain price. But unlike the law of demand, the supply relationship shows an upward slope. This means that the higher the price, the higher the quantity supplied. Producers supply more at a higher price because selling a higher quantity at a higher price increases the whole income. Now that we know the laws of supply and demand, let's turn to an example to show how supply and demand affect price. Imagine that a CD of your favorite band is sold for $20. Because the record company's previous analysis showed that consumers will not demand CDs at a price higher than $20, only ten CDs were sold because the opportunity cost is too high for suppliers to produce more. If, however, the ten CDs are demanded by 20 people, the price will then rise. As a result, the rise in price should cause more CDs to be supplied as the supply relationship shows that the higher the price, the higher the quantity supplied. If, however, there are 30 CDs produced and demand is still at 20, the price will not be pushed up because the supply is more than the demand. The text is written mainly _ . <extra_id_0>to persuade people to buy more products <extra_id_1>to let people know more about a CD <extra_id_2>to explain the relationships between demand, supply and price <extra_id_3>to tell people how to buy things reasonably <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>I grew up in Jamaica Plain, an urban community located on the outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts. In the 1940's it was a wholesome, specific little community. It was my home and I loved it there; back then I thought I would never leave. My best friend Rose and I used to collectively dream about raising a family of our own someday. We had it all planned out to live next door to one another. Our dream remained alive through grade school, high school, and even beyond. Rose was my maid of honor when I got married in 1953 to the love of my life, Dick. Even then she joked that she was just one perfect guy short of being married, thus bringing us closer to our dream. Meanwhile, Dick aspired to be an officer in the Marines and I fully supported his ambitions. I realized that he might be stationed far away from Jamaica Plain, but I told him I would relocate and adjust. The idea of experiencing new places together seemed somewhat romantic to me. So, in 1955, Dick was stationed in Alaska and we relocated. Rose was sad to see me leave, but wished me the best of luck. Rose and I remained in touch for a few years by regular phone call but after a while we lost track of one another. Back in the 1950's it was a lot more difficult to stay in touch with someone over a long distance, especially if you were relocating every few years. There were no email addresses or transferable phone number and directory lookup services were available at best. I thought of her several times over the years. Once in the mid 1960's ,when I was visiting the Greater Boston area, I tried to determine her whereabouts but my search turned up empty-handed. Jamaica Plain had changed drastically in the 10 years I was gone. A pretty obvious shift in income demographics was affecting my old neighborhood. My family had moved out of the area, as did many of the people I used to know. Rose was nowhere to be found. 52 years passed and we never spoke. I've since raised a family of five, all of whom now have families of their own, and Dick passed away a few years ago. Basically, a lifetime has passed. Now here I am at the doorstep to my 80th birthday and I receive a random phone call on an idle Wednesday afternoon. "Hello?" I said. "Hi Natalie, it's Rose," the voice on the other end replied. "It's been so long. I don't know if you remember me, but we used to be best friends in Jamaica Plain when we were kid" she said. We haven't seen each other yet, but we have spent countless hours on the phone catching up on 52 years of our lives. The interesting thing is that even after 52 years of separation our personalities and interests are still extremely similar. We both share a passion for several hobbies that we each picked up independently several years after we lost touch with one another. It almost feels like we are picking up right where we left off, which is really strange considering the circumstances. Her husband passed away a few years ago as well, but she mailed me several photographs of her family that were taken over the years. It's so crazy, just looking at the photos and listening to her describe her family reminds me of my own; a reasonably large, healthy family. Part of me feels like we led fairly similar lives. I don't think the numerous similarities between our two lives are a coincidence either. I think it shows that we didn't just call each other best friend we truly were best friend and even now we can be best friends again. Real friends have two things in common: a compatible personality and a strong-willed character. The compatible personality is what initiates the connection between two people and a strong-willed character at both ends is what maintains the connection. If those two ingredients are present in a friendship, the friendship is for real, and can thus sustain the tests of time and prolonged absence without faltering. What can we infer from the text? <extra_id_0>Rose had been making every effort to look for the writer <extra_id_1>Compared with the writer, Rose lived an unhappy life. <extra_id_2>Both of the husbands died before their wives. <extra_id_3>It is a coincidence that there were a lot of similarities between them <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Most of Earth's surface is covered by <extra_id_0>sand <extra_id_1>trees <extra_id_2>water <extra_id_3>mountains <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>On August 15, 2011,the Ministry Publish Security started a campaign to educate drivers about the dangers of driving after drinking. As a part of the campaign, police officers watched bars, restaurants and KTVs in Beijing, Shanghai, Liaoning, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hubei and Guangdong. It ended up on December 30. But it told the drivers the meaning of the new traffic laws and the dangers of drinking. In Beijing, some restaurants put up notices and told drivers about their responsibility. "Usually if a group of guests come by car, the driver won't drink. If he does, we will remind him," said a waitress from Dongfang Restaurant in Beijing. Fewer drivers are drinking alcohol nowadays, since many know about the campaign. Wang Lankun, a traffic policeman in Beijing said, "Some drivers think a glass of beer is not a problem. But a blood test will show that their blood-alcohol level is more than 20mg for each 100ml of blood, that is enough to affect their driving." During the campaign, drivers who have a blood-alcohol level of over 20mg for each 100ml of blood will get a fine of 500 yuan. Also, they will not be allowed to drive for three months. In fact, there are strict laws to punish drunk driving in many other countries. For example, in the USA, if someone has a blood-alcohol level of over 80mg for each 100ml of blood, he will be sent to prison for one year. But in Britain, he will be fined 5,000 pounds and banned from driving for 12 months, also he will be sent to prison for 6 months. In Germany, if a driver has a blood-alcohol level of over 60mg for each 100ml of blood, he won't be allowed to drive until he passes a new driving test. From the text, we know _ . <extra_id_0>The waitress in the restaurant can remind the driver not to drink <extra_id_1>More and more drivers are drinking alcohol nowadays <extra_id_2>The Ministry Publish Security began this campaign to punish the drivers <extra_id_3>All drivers must pass a new driving test if they drive after drinking <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Young people can have problems with their minds.Some students become worried because they have to study very hard.Others have trouble getting on well with people like their parents and classmates. Liu Wei,a junior 2 student from Hefei,could not understand his teacher and was doing badly in his lessons.He became so worried about it that he started to cut his finger with a knife. Another student,14-year-old Yan Fang from Guangzhou,was afraid of exams.She got very worried when she looked at the exam paper.She couldn't think of anything to write. A recent report from Jiefang Daily says about 18% of Shanghai teenagers have mental problems.Their troubles include being worried and very unhappy.And they have problems in learning and getting on with people.Many students who have problems won't ask others for advice or help.Some think they will look stupid if they go to see a doctor.Others don't want to talk about their secret. Liang Yuezhu,an expert on teenagers from Beijing Anding Hospital has the following advice for teenagers: * Talk to your parents or teachers often * Take part in group activities and play sports * Go to see a doctor if you feel unhappy or unwell The students who often become worried or have trouble getting on with others may have _ . <extra_id_0>mental problems <extra_id_1>a headache <extra_id_2>knives with them <extra_id_3>no parents <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>When I was 10 years old, I tried out for the cheerleading squad. I had taken gymnastics classes for two years to prepare for these tryouts. However, I didn't make the team. It was a heavy blow to me. I cried all night. Kids today won't experience that kind of rejection. They're growing up in "everybody gets a turn" world where every child gets a chance to kick the ball, sing the song, and win the award. But that's not always such a good thing. Parents have become fearful of letting kids fail, thinking that our children are easily hurt and will never recover from anything--that's a serious problem. Last week, my 7-year-old daughter didn't get into the school play. At first, I was upset by it. How would she react? When I gave her the news, I was ready to hug her and cry with her. She looked at me, made a slight face and said, "That's too bad. What's for dinner?" It clearly wasn't the end of her world. Maybe if we let our kids experience rejection once in a while, we'd realize they are much stronger than we think. Kids need to be able to handle disappointments; doing so helps them to prepare for real life. Most importantly, rejection carries the possibility not only for growth and can also motivate kids to try harder the next time. Rejection is pain. There is no way around that. How will our kids ever discover their true talents if we don't let them? Instead of complaining, maybe we should consider rejection an opportunity. The author shared her childhood story with readers to _ . <extra_id_0>introduce the topic of how to let kids face rejection in life <extra_id_1>suggest how difficult it was for her to join a cheerleader squad <extra_id_2>show how her parents attached importance to her education <extra_id_3>explain why children are easily hurt in the process of their growth <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Several decades ago, US sociologists developed a series of universal facial images supposed to represent the seven basic human emotions: happiness, sadness, surprise, fear, disgust, anger and neutrality . But now, a new study by researchers at the University of Glasgow indicates that these standardized facial images aren't so universal at all. For the study, the Scottish researchers found 13 Western Caucasians (mainly Europeans) and 13 East Asians (mostly Chinese students). The volunteers were shown the standardized facial images and asked to identify the emotions being expressed. At the same time, the researchers electrically monitored the eye movements of the volunteers. According to the results, published in the journal Current Biology, the Asian participants had a harder time than the Caucasians telling the difference between a face meant to look fearful compared with one showing surprise, and a face supposedly expressing disgusting compared with one displaying anger. "This strongly suggests that the meanings of facial expressions are different across cultures," says Rachael Jack, who led the study. The study also showed that the volunteers focused on different parts of the face in their efforts to understand the underlying emotions. "Westerners look at both the eyes and the mouth to the same degree, yet Easterners favor the eyes and overlook the mouth. This means that Easterners has difficulty distinguishing facial expressions that are similar around the eyes," Ms Jack says. The faces representing fear and surprise" both have big, wide open eyes, while the mouths are very different," she notes. "It would be difficult to distinguish between the two if you didn't look at the mouth." So why would different cultures express emotions in different ways? Ms Jack thinks it may be considered impolite in some Asian cultures to display certain emotions in an obvious manners, and that they use more subtle ways to express them. In particular, muscle movements around their eyes could be more important for expressing feelings than over-expressive mouth movement, explaining why the Asian participants focused on the eyes. The fact that the Asian volunteers confused some facial expressions shows that _ . <extra_id_0>different cultures have different meanings of facial expressions <extra_id_1>people of different backgrounds share similar facial expressions <extra_id_2>Easterners have a more complex system of facial expressions <extra_id_3>Westerners and Easterners express their emotions in similar ways <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Many people have wondered what makes the oceans rise and fall on the word's beaches twice a day. Those tides are caused by the force of the Moon's gravity and the rotation of the Earth. Gravity acts on the center of any solid object. The Earth is mostly molten rock, but compared to the oceans, we can think of it as a solid object. As you know, the oceans are fluid and lie on the surface of the Earth. When the Moon is overhead, the oceans are four thousand miles closer to the Moon than the Earth's center is. Because the oceans are closer, the Moon pulls harder on the water than on the Earth. This stronger pull makes the water bunch up a little under the Moon, creating a high tide. At the same time, the oceans on the opposite side of the Earth are four thousand miles farther from the Moon than the Earth's center is. The Moon's pull on this water is weak. This water bunches up because it is "left behind"(making another high tide) as the Earth is pulled slightly towards the Moon. When the waters bunch up on these two sides of the Earth, they draw water away from the other sides of the Earth, which creates the low tides. As the Earth rotates, different parts of the land and oceans pass through the high-tide and low-tide zones. And that makes the waters on our coasts go up and down. The moon's pull has a weak effect on the oceans on the opposite of the Earth,_. <extra_id_0>so there is a low tide. <extra_id_1>so the water there doesn't bunch up <extra_id_2>but it can still make a high tide. <extra_id_3>because the Earth's gravity there is greater. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>For millions of people,the American dream of owning a home seems to be slipping out of reach. "Maybe young couples can no longer afford to buy a ready-made house as their parents did,' says 40-year-old building instructor Pat Hennin."But they can still have a home.Like their pioneer ancestors,they can build it themselves,and at less than half the cost of a ready-made house." The owner-builders came from every occupational group,although surprisingly few are professional building workers.Many take the plunge with little or no experience."l learned how to build my house from reading books,"says John Brown,who built a six-room home for$25,000 in High Falls,New Jersey."If you have patience and the carpentry skill to make a bookcase,you can build a house."An astonishing 50 percent of these owner builders hammer every nail.1ay every pipe,and wire every switch with their own hands.The rest contract for some parts of the task.But even those who just act as contractors and finish the insides of their homes can save from 30 percent to 45 percent of what a ready-made home would cost. One survey revealed that 60 percent of owner-builders also design their homes.Many others buy commercial house plans for less than $100 or use plans available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. From the passage we learn that _ . <extra_id_0>Many house plans are offered free of charge. <extra_id_1>Most of the house plans are offered by building instructors <extra_id_2>Fifty percent of the American young couples build houses. <extra_id_3>Most of the owner builders design their homes. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis was one of the most private women in the world, yet when she went to work as an editor in the last two decades of her life, she revealed herself as she did nowhere else. After the death of her second husband, Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, Jacqueline's close friend and former White House social secretary Letitia Baldrige made a suggestion that she consider a career in publishing. After consideration, Jacqueline accepted it. Perhaps she hoped to find there some idea about how to live her own life. She became not less but more interested in reading. For the last 20 years of her life, Jacqueline worked as a publisher's editor, first at Viking, then at Doubleday, pursuing a late-life career longer than her two marriages combined. During her time in publishing, she was responsible for managing and editing more than 100 successfully marketed books. Among the first books were In the Russian Style and Inventive Paris Clothes. She also succeeded in persuading TV hosts Bill Moyer's and Jose Campbell to transform their popular television conversations into a book, The Power of Myth. The book went on to become an international best-seller. She dealt, too, with Michael Jackson as he prepared his autobiography , Moonwalk. Jacqueline may have been hired for name and for her social relations, but she soon proved her worth. Her choices, suggestions and widespread social relations were of benefit both to the publishing firms and to Jacqueline herself. In the books she selected for publication, she built on a lifetime of spending time by herself as a reader and left a record of the growth of her mind. Her books are the autobiography she never wrote. _ the end, was overshadowed by her performance as an editor. However, few knew that she had achieved so much. The passage is mainly _ <extra_id_0>a brief account of Jacqueline's career as an editor in her last 20 years <extra_id_1>a brief description of Jacqueline's lifelong experiences <extra_id_2>an introduction of Jacqueline's life both as First Lady and as an editor <extra_id_3>an analysis of Jacqueline's social relations in publishing <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>An 18-year-old student was struggling to pay his fees. Not knowing where to get the money, he and a friend decided to host a musical concert to raise money for their education. They went to the great pianist Paderewski. His manager demanded $2,000 for the piano recital . A deal was made and the boys began to work to make the concert a success. The big day arrived. But unfortunately, they hadn't managed to sell enough tickets. The total collection was only $1,600. Disappointed, they went to Paderewski and gave him the entire $1,600, and promised to pay him the rest $400 back as soon as possible. "No," said Paderewski. "Keep the money you need for your fees. And just give me whatever is left." The boys were surprised, and very thankful. Paderewski later became the Prime Minister of Poland, and he was a great leader. When the World War broke out, more than l.5 million people went hungry, but there was no food to feed them. Paderewski turned to the US Food and Relief Administration for help. The head there was a man called Herbert Hoover -- who later became the US President. Hoover agreed to help and quickly shipped tons of food to Poland. Paderewski decided to go across to thank Hoover himself. When Paderewski began to thank Hoover for his kindness, Hoover quickly stopped him and said, "You shouldn't be thanking me, Mr. Prime Minister. You may not remember this, but several years ago, you helped two young students go through college. I was one of them." How much money did the two students raise? <extra_id_0>$400. <extra_id_1>$1,200. <extra_id_2>$1,600. <extra_id_3>$2,000. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Which object is nonliving? <extra_id_0>bear <extra_id_1>bicycle <extra_id_2>bird <extra_id_3>butterfly <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Hatchling sea turtles are typically dark in color. Occasionally, a sea turtle hatches that is almost white in color. When crawling from the nest on the beach to the ocean, this light-colored sea turtle could be at risk for sunburn. The light color of the turtles would most likely <extra_id_0>help the turtles have better chances at reproducing. <extra_id_1>cause the shell of the sea turtles to become stronger. <extra_id_2>reduce the chances of turtles surviving to reproduce. <extra_id_3>help in the development of a new species of sea turtles. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Your living room Feng shui is all about balance. Try to arrange sofas and chairs in a square around a circular table. Avoid an L-shaped arrangement as this leaves a missing corner. The centre of the living room should be left clear. Make sure there is a lot of light, which will promote good energy. Put plants in the corners of the room, as they attract good energy and will energize your health, but not ones with sharp leaves such as yuccas or cactus. Fresh flowers also bring good energy, but throw them away as soon as they begin to die, and don't have dried flowers. Mirrors are vital because they reflect energy. Round or oval ones are best, but they should not be opposite each other, nor should they reflect a door, otherwise your good fortune will go out of it. To promote harmony between the members of your family, have photos of them around the room, preferably smiling. If you want to find a partner, energize the south-west corner of your living room or bedroom by placing a floor light at least 1.75m high there, and turn it on every evening. Surround yourself with decorations and objects in pairs, such as ducks or birds. To avoid blocking the positive energy in the room, keep everything tidy. Don't accumulate too many unnecessary things. Take a look at every object, and ask yourself, "Do I really need it? Do I really like it?" If the answer is no, get rid of it. Your bedroom You should have the head of your bed placed against a wall, as this gives you a sense of security. Avoid having a bed under a window, as you are exposed to danger and bad energy from outside. If this is impossible, use blinds or heavy curtains to cover the window. Never sleep in a place where you can't see the door--you should always be able to see someone who's coming in. Avoid hanging pictures or lights above your bed, as this leads to a subconscious feeling of threat. Don't put mirrors opposite the bed either, as they "break up" the image, and therefore the relationship reflected in them. Keep lighting low and soft, and decorate preferably with dark colors. Do not hang paintings of fierce animals, abstract subjects, or water in the bedroom. Water is very good elsewhere, but in the bedroom it suggests financial loss. Make sure you never put plants in the bedroom, and don't have a TV facing the bed, or at least cover it when it is not in use. Your study Don't use the same room for your bedroom and your study, as the different energies will be in conflict. If you have to do this, try to separate the areas either symbolically with plants, or with a screen. Put away piles of files or unfinished work--don't leave them on your desk. Being tidy promotes positive energy. Wherever you study make sure your desk is in the north-east corner, especially if you are preparing for exams, as this area symbolizes education. A bookcase is bad feng shui, as its sharp corners generate negative "arrows", and if you have one you ought to put a climbing plant on it to avoid this effect. Cupboards are better than open shelves. A bed should be put according to the following rules EXCEPT _ . <extra_id_0>the head of your bed should be placed against a wall <extra_id_1>having a bed under a window should be avoided <extra_id_2>mirrors should not be opposite the bed <extra_id_3>your bed can't face the door for the sake of privacy <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>The warden of State Prison prohibits the photographing of the face of any prisoner without the prisoner's consent. Photographer, a news photographer, wanted to photograph Mobster, a notorious organized crime figure incarcerated at State Prison. To circumvent the warden's prohibition, Photographer flew over the prison exercise yard and photographed Mobster. Prisoner, who was imprisoned for a technical violation of a regulatory statute, happened to be standing next to Mobster when the photograph was taken. When the picture appeared in the press, Prisoner suffered severe emotional distress because he believed that his business associates and friends would think he was consorting with gangsters. Prisoner suffered no physical harm as the result of his emotional distress. Prisoner brought an action against Photographer for intentional or reckless infliction of emotional distress. What is the best argument that Photographer can make in support of a motion for summary judgment? <extra_id_0>No reasonable person could conclude that Photographer intended to photograph Prisoner. <extra_id_1>Prisoner did not suffer any physical injury arising from the emotional distress. <extra_id_2>As a news photographer, Photographer was privileged to take photographs that others could not. <extra_id_3>No reasonable person could conclude that Photographer's conduct was extreme and outrageous as to Prisoner. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Congress provides by statute that any state that fails to prohibit automobile speeds of over 55 miles per hour on highways within the state shall be denied all federal highway construction funding. The state of Atlantic, one of the richest and most highway-oriented states in the country, refuses to enact such a statuteThe strongest argument that can be made in support of the constitutionality of this federal statute is that <extra_id_0>the states ceded their authority over highways to the national government when the states accepted federal grants to help finance their highways. <extra_id_1>the federal government can regulate the use of state highways without limitation because the federal government paid for some of their construction costs. <extra_id_2>Congress could reasonably believe that the 55-m.p.h. speed limit will assure that the federal money spent on highways results in greater benefit than harm to the public. <extra_id_3>a recent public opinion survey demonstrated that 90 percent of the people in this country support a 55-m.p.h. speed limi <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Which of the following is an example of how insects are beneficial to humans? <extra_id_0>Insects can spread diseases. <extra_id_1>Insects have short life spans. <extra_id_2>Insects pollinate flowering plants. <extra_id_3>Insects sometimes eat poisonous plants. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>The sharing economy has grown in recent years to include everything from apartment sharing to car sharing to community tool sharing. Since 2009, a new form of sharing economy has been emerging in neighborhoods throughout the US and around the world---- Little Free Library. The libraries are boxes placed in neighborhoods from which residents can withdraw and deposit books. Little Free Libraries come in all shapes and sizes. Some libraries also have themes, focusing on books for children, adults, or tour guides. In 2009, Tod Bol built the first Little Free Library as a gift to his mother, who was a devoted reader. When he saw the people of his community gathering around it, exchanging conversation as well as books, he knew he wanted to take his simple idea further. "I think Little Free Libraries open the door to conversations we want to have with each other," Bol said. Since then, his idea has become a movement, spreading from state to state and country to country. According to Little FreeLibrary.org, there are now 18,000 of the little structures around the world, located in each of the 50 US states and 70 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia. The Internet has helped to spread Little Free Libraries. But an Atlantic article says the little structures serve as a cure for a world of e-reader downloads. The little wooden boxes are refreshingly physical and human. For many people, the sense of discovery is Little Free Libraries' main appeal. "A girl walking home from school might pick up a graphic novel that gets her excited about reading; a man on his way to the bus stop might find a volume of poetry that changes his outlook on life," says the Atlantic article. "Every book is a potential source of inspiration". Little Free Libraries attract readers most in that _ . <extra_id_0>they are in various shapes and sizes <extra_id_1>they are located all over the world <extra_id_2>they connect strangers together <extra_id_3>they may give readers a sense of discovery <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Language learning begins with listening. Children are greatly different in the amount of listening they do before they start speaking, and later starters are often long listeners. Most children will "obey" spoken instructions some time before they can speak, though the word"obey"is hardly exact as a description of the eager and delighted co- operation usually shown by the child. Before they can speak, many children will also ask questions by gestures and by making questioning noises. Any attempt to study the development from the noises babies make to their first spoken words leads to considerable difficulties. It's agreed that they enjoy making noises, and that during the first few months one or two noises sort themselves out as particular expression like delight, pain, friendliness and so on. But since these can't be said to show the baby's intention to communicate, they can hardly be regarded as early forms of language. It is agreed too, that from about three months they play with sounds for enjoyment, and that by six months they are able to add new words to their store. This self - imitation leads out to deliberate imitation of sounds made or words spoken to them by other people. The problem then arises to the point at which one can say that these imitations can be considered as speech. It is a problem we need to get our teeth into. The meaning of a word depends on what a particular person means by it in a particular situation and it is clear that what a child means by a word will. change as he gains more experience of the world. Thus the use, at seven months, of" mama" as a greeting for his mother cannot be dismissed as a meaningless sound simply because he also uses it at another time for his father, his dog, or anything else he likes. Playful and meaningless imitation of what other people say continues after the child has begun to speak for himself. I doubt, however , whether anything is gained when parents take advantage of his ability in an attempt to teach new words. The problem of deciding at what point a baby's imitation can be considered as speech _ . <extra_id_0>is important because words have different meanings for different people <extra_id_1>is not especially important because the change takes place gradually <extra_id_2>is one that should be ignored because children's use of words is often meaningless <extra_id_3>is one that can never be properly understood because the meaning of words changes with age <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>A school was across the street from our home and I would often watch the kids from my window as they played basketball. One day, among the children a girl attracted me. She seemed so small as she muscled her way through the crowd of boys. Running circles around the other kids, she managed to shoot jump shots just over their heads and into the net with no one to stop her. Sometimes, I saw her play alone. She would practice dribbling and shooting over and over again until dark. One day I asked her why she practiced so much. Without hesitation, she said, "I want to go to college. The only way I can go is that I get a scholarship. If I were good enough, I would get a scholarship. I like basketball. My Daddy told me if the dream is big enough, the facts don't count." Then she smiled and ran towards the court to go on with practice. I watched her through junior high and into high school. Every week, she led her school team to victory. One day in her senior year, I saw her sitting in the grass, head cradled in her arms. I went over there and sat down beside her. The coach told her that as a player as tall as prefix = st1 /5'5"she would probably never get to play for a top ranked college team -- much less offered a scholarship -- so she should stop dreaming about college. She was heartbroken and I felt my own throat tighten as I sensed her disappointment. I asked her if she had talked to her dad about it yet. She told me that her father said those coaches were wrong. They did not understand the power of a dream. He told her that if she really wanted to play for a good college and if she truly wanted a scholarship, nothing could stop her except one thing -- her own attitude. He told her again, "If the dream is big enough, the facts don't count." The next year, as she and her team went to the Northern California Championship game, she was seen by a college recruiter , and was offered a full scholarship, to a NCAA women's basketball team. She was going to college, which she had dreamed of and worked toward for all those years. What can we infer from the passage? <extra_id_0>Anyone who dreams every day will surely succeed. <extra_id_1>Basketball players can go to college without studying well. <extra_id_2>It's not easy to become a member of NCAA basketball team. <extra_id_3>Only if you have a good teacher can you succeed. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>A little boy selling magazines for school walked up to a house that people seldom visited. The house was very old and the owner hardly ever came out. They boy's parents told him to stay away from the house, a lot of other neighborhoods children were told the same from their parents. As he was ready to walk away, the door slowly opened. "What do you want?" the old man said. "Uh, sir, I am selling these magazines and I was wondering if you would like to buy one." The old man stared at the boy. The boy could see inside the old man's house and saw that he had dog figurines on the fireplace mantle. "Do you collect dogs?" the little boy asked. "Yes, I have many collectibles in my house. They are my family here. They are all I have." The boy then felt sorry for the man, as it seemed that he was a very lonely soul . Then the old man was ready to close the door and said, "No, boy, I don't need any magazine of any kind, now goodbye." The little boy was sad that he was not going to make his quota with the sale. He was also sad for the old man being so alone in the big house. The boy went home and then had an idea. He knocked on the door again and this time the old man came right to the door. "Boy, I thought I told you no magazines." "No, sir. But I want to give you a gift. The boy handed him the figurine and the man's face lit up. "It's a Golden Retriever, and I have one at home, this is for you. The old man was simply stunned ; no one had ever given him such a gift and shown him so much kindness. From that day on, the old man started coming out of the house and _ people. He and the boy became friends; the boy even brought his dog to see the man weekly. What can we see in the old man's house? <extra_id_0>Some magazines. <extra_id_1>Some dogs. <extra_id_2>Some dog figurines. <extra_id_3>His family members. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Gina is an English girl. She has a brother. His name is Mike. They are good students. Their father and mother are English teachers, and they work very long hours every day. So the family usually go to the park on Saturday or Sunday. Today is Saturday. It's a nice day. They want to go there with their dog. They leave home at 8:30 a.m. and go to the park by car. They get there at 9:10 a.m. Gina and Mike start to play tennis. Their parents are under a tree. Their father reads a book and their mother listens to music. The dog plays on the grass. At 12:00 they have lunch in KFC in the park. In the afternoon they go boating. And they get home at 4:00 p.m. they are very tired, but very happy. What do they do in the afternoon? <extra_id_0>Watch TV. <extra_id_1>Play sport. <extra_id_2>Go boating. <extra_id_3>Plant some trees. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>At school many things happen to us. We may feel excited when we have success in a school play. We may feel sorry if we lose an important game. We want to keep the memory for the rest of our lives. How to keep the memory? Our English teacher, Miss Wang, has taught us a good way of remembering things to make our own yearbook. What is a yearbook? A yearbook is a kind of book which is used to keep the memory of exciting moments. It's usually made at the end of the year. Last December, we began to make our yearbook. First we chose the persons who had done something special, then some students interviewed them, some wrote down their stories, others took photos of them. Everyone in our class had something to do. Finally our teacher helped us to put the things together. We had our first yearbook. All of us put a lot of love into making the yearbook. It is so wonderful that not only the students but also our parents and teachers will remember the special time for ever. When the students have success in a school play, they may have a feeling of _ . <extra_id_0>fun <extra_id_1>amazement <extra_id_2>excitement <extra_id_3>surprise <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>For many years, I was convinced that my suffering was due to my size. I believed that when the weight disappeared, it would take old wounds, hurts and rejections with it. Many weight-conscious people also mistakenly believe that changing our bodies will fix _ . Perhaps our mistake is believing that being thin equals being loved, being special, and being cherished. We fantasize about what it will be like when we reach the long-awaited goal .We work very hard to realize this dream. Then, at last, we find ourselves there. But we often gain back what we have lost. Even so, we continue to believe that next time it will be different. Next time, we will keep it off. Next time, being thin will finally fulfill its promise of everlasting happiness, self-worth, and, of course, love. It took me a long time to realize that there was something more for me to learn about beauty. Beauty standards vary with culture. In Samoa a woman is not considered attractive unless she weighs more than 200 pounds. More importantly, if it's happiness that we want, why not put our energy there rather than on the size of our body? Why not look inside? Many of us strive hard to change our body, but in vain. We have to find a way to live comfortably inside our body and make friends with and cherish ourselves. When we change our attitudes towards ourselves, the whole world changes. According to the author , what is the common view of those who have lost some weight first and gained it back later ? <extra_id_0>They feel optimistic about future plans on weight control. <extra_id_1>They are indifferent to the regained weight. <extra_id_2>The feel angry about the regained weight. <extra_id_3>They think they should give up their future plans on weight control. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>There are rolling hills and ivy-covered brick buildings. There are small classrooms, high-tech labs, and green fields. There's even a clock tower with a massive bell that rings for special events. Cushing Academy has all the characteristics of a New England school, with one exception. This year, after having had a collection of more than 20,000 books, officials have decided the 144-year-old school no longer needs a traditional library. They have decided to give away all their books. The future, they believe, is digital. "When I look at books, I see an outdated technology," said James Tracy, headmaster of Cushing. "We're not discouraging students from reading. We see this as a natural way to shape emerging trends and use technology. Instead of a traditional library, we're building a virtual library where students will have access to millions of books on the computer. We see this as a model for the 21st-century school." _ . Liz Vezina, a librarian at Cushing for 17 years, said she never imagined working as the director of a library without any books. "It makes me mad," said Vezina, who has made a career of introducing students to books. "I'm going to miss them, and there's something lost when they are done on a computer. There's sensual side to them -- the smell, the feel, the physicality of a book is something really special." Cushing is one of the first schools in the country to give up its books. William Powers, author of a book called the changes at Cushing "radical " and "a huge loss for students". "There are modes of learning and thinking that at the moment are only available from actual books," he said. "There is a kind of deep-dive reading that's almost impossible to do on a screen. Without books, students are more likely to do the quick reading that screens enable, rather than be by themselves with the author's ideas." What would be the best title for the passage? <extra_id_0>Cushing is facing challenges <extra_id_1>The Internet library promises a bright future <extra_id_2>A library says goodbye to books <extra_id_3>Cushing leads the world in digital technology <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Caribbean natives have a dark skin tone do to <extra_id_0>unicorns <extra_id_1>solar radiation <extra_id_2>lack of nutrients <extra_id_3>camouflage <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>High school graduation--the bittersweet feelings are as much a part of me now as they were twenty-one years ago. As graduation day approached, excitement increased. Being out of high school meant I was finally coming of age. Soon I would be on my own, making my own decisions, doing what I wanted without someone looking over my shoulder and it meant going to school with boys--a welcome change coming from an all-girl high school. There was never any question in my mind that I would go to a college away from home. My mother's idea, on the other hand, was just the opposite. Trying her best not to force her preferences on me, she would subtly ask whether I had considered particular schools--all of which happened to be located in or near my hometown of Chicago. Once it was established that, as long as the expenses would not be too heavy a burden on the family budget, I would be going away anyway, my family's perspective changed. Their concern shifted from whether I was going away to how far. The schools I was considering on the East Coast suddenly looked much more attractive than those in California. But which college I would attend was just one of what seemed like a never-ending list of unknowns: What would college be like? Would I be unbearably lonely not knowing anyone else who was going to the same school? Would the other students like me? Would I make friends easily? Would I miss my family so much that I wouldn't be able to stand it? And what about the work--would I be able to keep up? (Being an A student in high school seemed to offer little assurance I would be able to survive college.) What if the college I selected turned out to be a horrible mistake? Would I be able to transfer to another school? Then panic set in. My feelings took a 180-degree turn. I really didn't want to leave high school at all, and it was questionable whether I wanted to grow up after all. It had been nice being respected as a senior by the underclass students for the past year; I didn't enjoy the idea of being on the bottom rung of the ladder again. Despite months of expectation, nothing could have prepared me for the impact of the actual day. As the familiar melody of "Pomp and Circumstance" echoed in the background, I looked around at the other figures in white caps and gowns as we seriously lined into the hall. Tears welled up uncontrollably in my eyes, and I was consumed by a rush of sadness. As if in a daze , I rose from my seat when I heard my name called and slowly crossed the stage to receive my diploma. As I reached out my hand, I knew that I was reaching not just for a piece of paper but for a brand-new life. Exciting as the future of a new life seemed, it wasn't easy saying good-bye to the old one--the familiar faces, the familiar routine. I would even miss that chemistry class I wasn't particularly fond of and the long travel each day between home and school that I hated. Good or bad, it was what I knew. That September, I was fortunate to attend a wonderful university in Providence, Rhode Island. I needn't have worried about liking it. My years there turned out to be some of the best years of my life. And as for friends, some of the friendships I formed there I still treasure today. Years later, financial difficulties forced my high school to close its doors for good. Although going back is impossible, it's comforting to know I can revisit my special memories any time. In this article the author mainly describes _ . <extra_id_0>the great excitement during the months leading up to the big event--the graduation ceremony <extra_id_1>her mixed feelings during the months leading towards graduation and on the actual graduation day <extra_id_2>her happiness to be admitted to a wonderful university <extra_id_3>her eagerness to go to a wonderful university far away from home <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Here is some information about several famous local bakeries in Indiana, the US. They serve as a social gathering place for locals. Maple Lane Bakery At 8260 S. State Rd. Claypool, IN. (574) 566-2917, it offers a variety of cooked pies, cookies, and bread. With 20 years' experience Maple Lane Bakery has specialized in the making of pies. The menu includes peach pie $7.19, berry pie $ 7.70, apple pie $7.19 and banana pie $6.99. Feel free to place an order at least 24 hours in advance. Betty's cakes & Candy Shop At 816 E. Winona Avenue Warsaw, IN. (574) 269-1231, it specializes in cakes and offers cookies and candies. The chocolate cookies are sold at $ 8.99 a dozen. Betty's cakes & Candy Shop, started half a century ago, specializes in wedding cakes and birthday cakes. Buying a cake from Betty's will not disappoint you as they are always excellent. Crepes' Quality Bakery At 217S. Cavin Street Ligonier, IN.(260) 894-3024, this third generation bakery is located downtown Ligonier. It offers cookies and cupcakes, and specializes in rolls and bread. If you plan to buy cookies for the office or work area, you had better get there early as the building workers arrive just before 5:00 am waiting for the doors to open. Olympia Candy Kitchen At 136N. Main Street Goshen, IN. (574) 533-5040, it has been welcoming visitors for almost a century in its unchanged location in downtown Goshen, Indiana. Its tradition began in 1912 when Greek Nicholas began making his own chocolates. Today this family-owned operation offers all kinds of candies and boxed candies. If you need an order, you should call ahead of time to see if they can meet your request. Which of the following pies is the most expensive? <extra_id_0>Berry pie. <extra_id_1>Banana pie. <extra_id_2>Apple pie. <extra_id_3>Peach pie. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>"Be home by dinnertime", Eric's mother said as he left for school that morning. Eric was excited. Today was show and tell, and he planned to do his magic tricks for the whole class. Once he got to school, he couldn't wait until it was his turn. First up was Angie, who brought her pet lizard. It could change colors to match whatever it was sitting on. The second to be called was John, who showed the class a flower he had grown from seeds. Finally Eric's name was called. He went to the front of the class. "For my first trick" he said, "I'll pull a hamster out of a hat". He had borrowed his sister Candice's pet hamster in order to do his trick. He showed the class his that the hat was empty, then he reached inside, into the secret space where the hamster was hidden. The hamster was gone. He heard a scream. Two girls were standing on their chairs, and the hamster was crawling toward the back of the class. The teacher made him stay after school as punishment, but at least he made it home by dinnertime. What time did Eric have to be home? <extra_id_0>At dinnertime. <extra_id_1>In the morning. <extra_id_2>Right after school. <extra_id_3>Before dark. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>The teacher was leaving the village, and everybody seemed sorry. The miller lent him the small cart and horse to carry his goods to Christminster, the city of his destination. Such a vehicle proved of quite enough size of the teacher's belongings, for his only article, in addition to the packing-case of books, was a piano that he had bought when he thought of learning instrumental music. But the eagerness having faded, he had never acquired the skill of playing, and the purchased article had been a permanent trouble to him. The headmaster had gone away for the day, being a man who disliked the sight of changes. He didn't mean to return till the evening, when the new teacher would have arrived, and everything would be smooth again. The blacksmith, the carpenter and the teacher were standing in confused attitudes in the sitting room before the instrument. The teacher had remarked that even if he got it into the cart he should not know what to do with it on his arrival at Christminster, since he was only going into a temporary place just at first. A little boy of eleven, who had been assisting in the packing, joined the group of men, and said, "Aunt has got a fuel-house, and it could be put there, perhaps, till you've found a place to settle in, sir." "Good idea," said the blacksmith. The smith and the carpenter started to see about possibility of the suggested shelter, and the boy and the teacher were left standing alone. "Sorry I am going, Jude?" asked the latter kindly. Tears rose into the boy's eyes. He admitted that he was sorry. "So am I," said the teacher. He continued, "Well---don't speak of this everywhere. You know what a university is, and a university degree? It is the necessary hallmark of a man who want to do anything in teaching. My plan, or dream, is to be a university graduate. By going to Christminster, I shall be at headquarters , so to speak, and if my plan is practical at all, I consider that being on the spot will afford me a better chance." The smith and his companion returned. Old Miss Fawly's fuel-house was big enough, and she seemed willing to give the instrument standing-room there. So it was left in the school till the evening, when more hands would be available for removing it; and the teacher gave a final glance round. The motivation of the teacher's moving lay in his _ . <extra_id_0>devotion <extra_id_1>admiration <extra_id_2>inspiration <extra_id_3>ambition <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Do you want to be an artist ( ) Do you want to be an artist? Come to our club, and you can find yourself in happiness . We have lessons about the guitar, drum, the violin and the piano for just Y=20 each. You can also learn to sing, to dance for Y=25 each. If you like art, you can be satisfied , too--it's just for Y=30 each! If you want to learn about the guitar and dance, you should pay _ . <extra_id_0>Y=45 <extra_id_1>Y=20 <extra_id_2>Y=30 <extra_id_3>Y=25 <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Robots industry is developing so rapidly that there is no denying that we may one day find ourselves surrounded by robots. The humanoid (human like) robots with two legs such as Honda Motor Co. Ltd's ASIMO would likely have an easier time climbing up stairs inside homes than a robot that moves on wheels, developers say. But it will be some time before such devices make their way into people's homes. "They may look smart, but they are still quite stupid," Shimoyama said. "I don't think they will ever be as smart as humans." While safety is an obvious concern, robots also need to be sensitive to people's needs. Researchers at Fujitsu Frontech Ltd and Fujitsu Laboratories responsible for developing "Enon", a guide and patrol robot designed for use in shopping malls and corporate facilities , are working on this. Enon, which has a humanoid upper body but no legs, is equipped with a touch screen on its chest and space in its stomach to carry loads weighting up to 10 kg. In guide mode, it will check a newcomer and approach the person with a nod and a greeting: "Are you a visitor? Hello." Visitors requiring directions can point to icons displayed on Enon's chest screen. If the restroom icon is pressed, the screen will display a map that shows the way. The robot will then face and point in the direction of the restroom, although it won't actually walk the visitor there. Enon is now in use at four locations in Japan, including a shopping mall near Tokyo. The main goal is to make it more helpful for the elderly. "People who work in the transportation sector often ask whether we can build a robot that will find elderly people who look lost in train stations, and ask them if they are all right," said Toshihido Marita, director of Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd's autonomous system laboratory. "Actually that is hard to do, very hard," he said. Enon is mainly designed to help _ . <extra_id_0>old people <extra_id_1>mall owners <extra_id_2>tourists or newcomers <extra_id_3>shoppers <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>In a few years,you might be able to speak Chinese,Korean,Japanese,French,and English-and all at the same time. This sounds incredible,but Alex Waibel,a computer science professor at US's Car-negie Mellon University (CMU) and Germany's University of Karlsruhe,announced last week that it may soon be reality. He and his team have invented software and hardware that could make it far easier for people who speak different languages to understand each other. One application,called Lecture Translation,can easily translate a speech from one language into an-other. Current translation technologies typically limit speakers to certain topics or a limited vocabulary. Us-ers also have to be trained how to use the programme. Another machine can send translations of a speech to different listeners depending on what languagethey speak. "It is like having a s _ translator right next to you but without disturbing the person next to you,"Waibel said Prefer to read? So- called Translation Glasses transcribe the translations on a tiny liquid-crystal display(LCD) screen. Then there's the Muscle Translator. Electrodes capture the electrical signals from facial muscle movements made naturally when a person is mouthing words. The signals are then translated into speech.The electrodes could be replaced with wireless chips implanted in a person's face,according to research-ers. During a demonstration held last Thursday in CMU's Pittsburgh campus,a Chinese student named Sang Jun had 11 tiny electrodes attached to the muscles of his cheeks,neck and throat. Then he mouthed-without speaking aloud- a few words in Mandarin to the audience. A few seconds later,the phrase was displayed on a computer screen and spoken out by the computer in English and Spanish: "Let me introduce our new prototype." This particular instrument,when fully developed,might allow anyone to speak in any number of lan-guages or,as Waibel put it,"to switch your mouth to a foreign language". "The idea behind the universi-ty's prototypes is to create'good enough' bridges for cross- cultural exchanges that are becoming more common in the world,"Waibel said. With spontaneous translators,foreign drivers in Germany could listen to traffic warnings on the radio; tourists in China could read all the signs and talk with local people;leaders of different coun-tries could have secret talks without any interpreters there. What's the final destination of inventing the language translators? <extra_id_0>To make cultural exchanges between different countries easier. <extra_id_1>To help students learn foreign languages more easily. <extra_id_2>To make people live in foreign countries more comfortably. <extra_id_3>To help people learn more foreign languages in the future. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>A group of Canada geese left a Florida lake in the spring. The geese arrived at a Maine lake 2,000 km away in 40 days. If the geese traveled at a constant rate, how far did the geese travel on the first day? <extra_id_0>5 km <extra_id_1>20 km <extra_id_2>40 km <extra_id_3>50 km <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>All writers dream of success. Yet some writers turn their back on success the moment it comes along. J.D. Salinger, the American author, is a good example. On the face of it, the future did not look promising for the teenage Salinger. He seems always to have been running away from something. First it was school, then he dropped out of New York University. Finally, after failing to find a career in his father's food import business and dropping out of yet another college he decided that his destiny was to be a writer. In the same year he joined a writing class at Columbia University which was taught by Whit Burnett, founder and editor of a magazine called Story. The March-April issue contained a story written by Salinger entitled 'The Young Folks'. In it there are early versions of the moody, selfish youths that appear in his later fiction. Soon, his stories were appearing in various mass-circulation magazines but it was the famous New Yorker which he dreamed of, believing that publication within its covers would indicate his future potential as a serious writer. Salinger has a huge reputation around the world yet it rests mainly on just one novel, The Catcher in the Rye. Published in 1951, it soon became highly popular with teenagers who identified with the hero's powerful sense of dissatisfaction. Its success made Salinger a public figure. Most writers, of course, would welcome this. Salinger, however, hated it and refused it. He moved to a small house in Cornish, New Hampshire, where he lived away from society until his death in 2010 at the age of 91. For Salinger, fame and artistic honesty were not the same thing. Some people become writers because they wish their works to speak for themselves. Salinger appears to have been disgusted by the idea that he had become the spokesman for a generation. In death he has perhaps achieved his highest goal: to be out of the spotlight, represented only by his work. Salinger's career as a writer improved greatly and his reputation was assured after he _ . <extra_id_0>failed to pursue a career in business <extra_id_1>attended a writing class at Columbia University <extra_id_2>published the novel 'The Catcher in the Rye' <extra_id_3>became a spokesman for young people <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>What is the first thing you want to do when you see someone yawn ?You want to yawn, too! Yawning is _ Scientists have found that all people yawn. Babies start to yawn even before they are born. The earliest yawn takes place when a baby is still inside its mother. When young children are about one year old, they start to yawn when they see others yawning. That's why scientists seem to think yawning is contagious. It's no secret that yawning is contagious, but why do we yawn? Well, scientists are not really sure. Some think we yawn because we feel bored. Recently scientists studied two groups of students between the ages of 17 and 19. One group watched music videos, and the other watched a boring color test. Scientists compared the numbers of their yawns and found that the color test group yawned more times than the video group. Another reason for yawning has to do with breathing. Some scientists believe that when we are bored or tired, we breathe more slowly. As our breathing slows down, we cannot get rid of enough carbon dioxide, our bodies will tell the brains to breathe deeply. The result is a big yawn. In 2007, scientists suggested a new reason. They said that the reason why people yawned was to cool down their brains. These scientists found that people who were warmer than others yawned more often. Scientists are still trying to find out why yawning happens and why it is so contagious. But they are only sure that when one person yawns, almost everyone else nearby wants to yawn, too. We can probably read this passage in a _ <extra_id_0>storybook <extra_id_1>travel guidebook <extra_id_2>movie poster <extra_id_3>science magazine <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Spam mail is a fact of Internet life. Some of it carries bad things, but the main problem with spam is that it is unpleasant because it fills your mail box with pointless messages. Most email programs have built-in filters that will discover unwanted messages and put them into a junk folder . You can make the filter learn what you consider to be spam or block certain senders. Avoid letting your email address appear on websites--spammers search the Internet for email addresses. Be careful who you give your email address to, and if you need to send out several copies of an email, use blind copy instead to cover the other people's addresses. Delete spam emails without opening them. Signs of possible spam are bad spelling in email headers, strange sender addresses, or emails sent at unusual hours. If you do open a spam mail, never reply to it or click on any pictures it may have. If you receive an unexpected email pretending to come from your bank, credit card company or other suppliers, be very careful. If the email asks you to reply, don't do it! Instead, call up these places or visit their websites. Consider setting up a second email address and keep one address for your personal use and another for your online communication. Which of the following is the writer's idea about spam emails? <extra_id_0>Be careful with them. <extra_id_1>Don't be afraid of them. <extra_id_2>Find interest in them. <extra_id_3>Try to fight against them. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Sometimes successful health campaigns can have quite unexpected reactions. The years of warnings about skin cancer mean that Britons are happy to cover themselves in sunscreen or stay out of the sun altogether, but it also means that most of us are not getting enough vitamin D. Scientists announced yesterday that Britons need to increase to three times the amount of vitamin D they get per day. They called on food producers to fortify their products with more of the vitamin and suggested people should consider taking supplements to keep levels up. They also suggested getting out in the sun for short periods more often, but they warned against "sun bingeing". The government does not publish official advice on the amount of vitamin D people should take due to a lack of research, says Dr Birgit Teucher of the Institute for Food Research. But in the US, the government recommends 5 micrograms a day. By that count, Dr Birgit Teucher said that around 90% of Britons between 19 and 64 would be lacking in the vitamin because they only took around 3 micrograms a day. Vitamin D is important for absorption of calcium by the body, which is needed for healthy teeth and bones. A lack of it can lead to serious diseases in both children and adults. The vitamin can be found in some foods but it can also be obtained from chemicals in the skin reacting to sunlight. Dr Barbara Boucher said adults should get 5 to 25 micrograms a day. Shortage of vitamin D may be linked to diseases such as muscle weakness, high blood pressure and rickets . Dr Birgit Teucher gave several reasons for the lack among Britons. Increasing numbers of office-based jobs mean a lack of exposure to the sun; and the rise of becoming overweight means that vitamin D--which is fat soluble is increasingly stored in body fat, where it cannot be accessed readily. Professor Brian Wharton of the Institute of Child Health said that children in particular needed to have enough vitamin D to prevent rickets. Professor Graham Bentham, an environmental scientist at the University of East Anglia, added that babies who were only breast-fed probably need to take supplements in case their mother was vitamin D lacking. Those drinking milk were likely to be OK, thanks to the fortification of the drink. The scientists called on food producers to fortify milk, bread and breakfast nutrient to enable people to get their daily amount of the vitamin. Prof Graham Bentham added that 30 minutes of sun exposure to the face and forearms between April and October would be _ . Outside these months, the sun is not strong enough in Britain for the body to produce its own vitamin D. But Prof Graham Bentham warned against spending too long in the sun. "Sun bingeing is well known to be dangerous," he said. "In any case, vitamin D transformation in the skin switches off after a while so short frequent amounts are better for vitamin D formation." Which best describes the writer's tone in the passage? <extra_id_0>Humorous. <extra_id_1>Objective. <extra_id_2>Pessimistic. <extra_id_3>One-sided. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Amos Dudley, a 24-year-old boy who studies digital design at New Jersey University of Technology, felt ashamed about his teeth. But being a student, Dudley didn't have the money to get braces . So, he decided to 3-D print his own and marked down the DIY project in a recent blog post. His braces totaled less than $60, and after wearing them for 16 weeks, his teeth are also getting straighter. Months ago, he mentioned on his blog that he avoided smiling for a while because he was unhappy with his teeth. However, clear braces can get pricey, costing up to $8,000. But after studying some images of these expensive clear braces, something comes up on him--they looked like that one which can come from a 3-D printer. So he decided to hit up his school's 3-D printing equipment and scanned and printed models of his teeth. He then made non-harmful plastic molds around them to make 12 sets of braces. Dudley, who does not recommend attempting any of this at home said that he didn't ask a dentist for his project. But the student did get information from journal articles and textbooks. And though this was a perfectly friendly choice to buy braces. He didn't accept the project just to save money--he was also up for the challenge. "When I realized that I could do something that was a little bit special, while proving my skills as a designer and a maker, and fixing something that was making me self-conscious for actually free, I felt it was more than worth the risk." he said. Dudley got the information on making a 3-D printed braces from _ . <extra_id_0>a professional magazine <extra_id_1>a recent blog post <extra_id_2>journal articles and textbooks <extra_id_3>a 3-D printer user <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>The Atacama Desert is located just west of the Andes, a 1000-km strip of land next to the Pacific Ocean. In spite of its location beside the sea, several studies have shown that this region is the driest place in the world. In the Antofagasta Region of the desert, the average annual rainfall is just 1 mm and some weather stations have never received rain at all. Atacama is so _ that the surrounding mountains that reach up to 6885 m, have ly no glaciers! In the region, the river beds have been dry for over 120,000 years. However, unlike the Sahara Desert,Atacama is surprisingly not that hot. It has an average daily temperature between 0'C and 25degC! If you find that surprising, you'd be shocked to find out that this desert has lakes! When there was rainfall in the region (many year ago), this accumulated water created what we now know as the Salt Lakes. The name of these lakes was given as a result of the effect of the Atacama environment: the long dry period makes the water evaporate ,resulting in the higher concentrations of salt in the remaining water. This region has been tested by scientists to see if life is present in the Atacama soil with the same instruments that would be used to detect life in the soil on Mars! As a result of the soil's similarites to that of Mars,the Atacama land is used to test instruments for future Mars missions. In addition, the region has been used in movies as a set for filming Mars scenes, most famously in the television show Space Odyssey: Voyage to the Planets. The Atacama Desert is truly a unique place, due to its lack of rain as well as its similarities to Mars. You would think that this place would be a bare ghost town , but think again! Many people have lived here for centuries, giving this desert its own culture and economic significance. The TV program mentioned in the text _ . <extra_id_0>tells Atacama's similarities to Mars <extra_id_1>focuses on the soil of Mars <extra_id_2>explores life in Atacama <extra_id_3>was filmed in Atacama <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>With limited pocket money in hand,many Chinese college students are increasingly opting to live life "low cost".One way to save money is teambuying.Online teambuying offers huge discounts and becomes popular on campus. Li Jing,a student at China Youth University for Political Sciences,for example,says she often buys movie tickets on teambuying websites.But while they offer a good opportunity to save money,Li said she would "think twice before buying them from online stores".Because many of them are "a bit chaotic ",and have fake goods mixed among them.Then why don't the students just earn more pocket money by taking up parttime jobs?Guo Na,a teacher at the Communication University of China,said most college students were unlikely to choose workstudy programs to earn pocket money because of their intensive study schedules. A kind of card called "VELO" has become another ideal choice for many money savers.It provides allround discounts while dining out or shopping in general.Cao Zuyang,a student at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China,often searches for sales online and buys things together with friends to cut down on costs.Cao once wanted to buy an electromagnetic oven ,which was on sale at a shopping website.He then asked five dormitory roommates to pitch in for the oven.Each student only paid 25 yuan. Most students find it difficult to deal with the expense of accommodation while traveling.So they choose to travel to cities where they have friends and live in their dorms.For instance,Ge Rui,a student at the Hebei University of Technology,has been to many cities where he has friends."Friends can act as free guides,offer me free accommodation,give me valuable tour information,and broaden my mind at the same time," he said.He also had friends from other cities coming over and living with him when they visited his city. The passage is probably taken from _ . <extra_id_0>a personal diary <extra_id_1>a travel magazine <extra_id_2>an official paper <extra_id_3>an advertisement <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>It was the Year from Hell - the dog died, my marriage of 24 years ended, and my house burned down. I had moved into a new rented house with my youngest son after my husband and I divorced. We'd been in the house just six weeks. I went to a dinner party one night, and as I drove home near, I saw smoke rising into the sky. I wondered whether it was my house. Then I turned the corner, and sure enough, it was my house. My son and I stayed with a friend for a couple of nights. Then my friend Gail heard about the fire, called me up, and said, "Come and move into my house. I have seven bedrooms and five bathrooms - plenty of space for you and your son." Gail had three kids at home, but there was still plenty of room for me and my son, Sutton. Little did I know that her offer of a temporary place to stay would turn into a living arrangement that lasted two and a half years. We were two single mothers. Gail and I spent the next couple of years sorting out a lot of things together. After we moved in, I soon began to look for a permanent place to live in. Gail said, "Please don't leave. I've never had so much freedom!" Having me in the house meant someone to help take care of her kids, someone to share cooking and gardening, and someone to share day-to-day life. She loved having me there, and I loved being there. So we stayed. It was an important chapter in my life. We both needed time to heal from our divorces. It was a time of deeper insight and spiritual growth for both of us. Gail's generosity was more than anyone could expect from a friend. I am eternally grateful to have a friend like Gail. I'm also grateful for the lessons I learned from the fire and the other losses that came so suddenly, so fast. Much to my surprise, I found gratitude among the ashes. I was tested serious trial by fire. But, like a phoenix, I rose from the ashes strong and whole. I would not be the person I am today if not for that Year from Hell. Which of the following could be the title of the passage? <extra_id_0>The Year from Hell. <extra_id_1>My Generous Friend - Gail. <extra_id_2>Gratitude among the Ashes. <extra_id_3>Everything Gone in the Smoke. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>As thousands of communities in the USA -- especially in the South -- became booming gateways for immigrant families from Central and South America during the 1990s and the early years of the new century, public schools struggled with the unfamiliar task of serving the large numbers of English learners arriving in their classrooms. Education programs needed _ . "We had no teaching resources suitable for English learners here before. We had to develop them all ourselves," a Texas principal said. Throughout the country, districts had to train their own teachers to teach English to non-native speakers or recruit teachers from elsewhere. School staff members had to figure out how to communicate with parents who spoke no English. But even as immigration has slowed or stopped in many places, and instructional programs for English-learners have matured, serving immigrant families and their children remains a work in progress in many public schools, especially those in communities that are skeptical, or sometimes unwelcoming, to the newcomers. One of the biggest challenges educators face, is communicating effectively with parents who don't speak English -- an issue that, in part, has contributed to recent complaints of discrimination by Latino students in some cities. "The parents' role is very important for the success of these students, but it's also one of the most difficult things we've had to tackle ," said Jim D. Rollins, the president of the Springdale school district, where the 19,000-student school system has gone from having no English-learners 15 years ago to more than 7,500 now. "You have to make it a priority and work on it, work on it, and work on it." Aside from the practical challenges, such as finding bilingual staff members, guiding districts through such dramatic changes requires school leaders to bridge difficult political and cultural divides. For school leaders in the South, especially in the last few years, this difficult job has been made harder still by the negative attitudes of some locals towards immigrants. According to the passage, what is the problem that public schools are facing? <extra_id_0>Handling more cases from the immigrant Mexican communities. <extra_id_1>Offering services to immigrant families in the southern states. <extra_id_2>Offering enough communicative lessons to immigrant parents. <extra_id_3>Providing education for non-native English learners. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Spiderman is one of the most famous comic book heroes of all time. He was created by Stan Lee in 1963 and was first introduced to the world in the pages of Marvel Comic Books. Spiderman's story is the story of Peter Parker, a child who lost his parents and lives with his aunt and uncle. Peter is a shy, quiet boy wearing glasses and has few friends. One day, on a high school class trip to a science lab, he gets bitten by a special spider. Soon Peter realizes he has amazing powers: he is as strong and quick as a spider and also has a type of sixth sense. He no longer needs his glasses and he can use his super power to fly through the city streets! Remembering something his Uncle Ben has told him _ ,Peter decides to use his powers to fight against enemies who do cruel things to people. And so, Spiderman is born. Life is not easy for Peter even though he is a superhero. He is in love with Mary Jane but he can't tell her about his amazing powers. Besides, his best friend Harry hates Spiderman! Peter is also short of money and time. He has to sell photos of Spiderman (himself!) to a newspaper and he keeps losing his other jobs because he's so busy saving people! Yet he has to fight against different kinds of cruel enemies. What does"With great power, there must also come great responsibility"mean? <extra_id_0>Powerful people can do whatever they like. <extra_id_1>People with power are always good. <extra_id_2>Powerful people should have a responsibility to do good. <extra_id_3>Powerful people are to blame for all the bad things that happen. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Industrial pollution is not only a problem for the countries of Europe and North America but also an extremely serious problem in some developing countries. For these countries, economic growth is a very important aim. They want to introduce industries, and so they put few controls on the industries which cause pollution. Cubatao, an industrial town of 85 000 people in Brazil, is an example of the connection between industrial development and pollution. In 1954, Cubatao had no industry. Today it has more than twenty large factories, which produce many pollutants . The people of the town are suffering from the poisonous matter in their environment and the bad effects can be clearly seen. Birth shortcomings are extremely common. Among children and adults, lung problems are sometimes twelve times more common in Cubatao than in other places. It is true that Brazil, like many other countries, has laws against pollution, but these laws are not enforced strictly enough. It is cheaper for companies to take no notice of the laws and pay the fines than to buy the expensive equipment that will reduce the pollution. It is clear, therefore, that economic growth is more important to the government than to the health of the workers. However, the responsibility does not completely lie with the Brazilian government. The example of Cubatao shows that international companies are not acting in a responsible way either. A number of the factories in the town are owned by large companies from France, Italy, and the U. S. They are doing things in Brazil that they would not be able to do at home. If they caused the same amount of pollution at home, they would be severely punished or even put out of business. What is the author's purpose in taking Cubatao as an example? <extra_id_0>To show that industry can develop very fast in developing countries. <extra_id_1>To show that the pollution problem in Brazil is extremely serious. <extra_id_2>To show that industrial growth can cause pollution problems for developing countries. <extra_id_3>To show that pollution is killing many people and destroying the whole economy of Brazil. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Crowd controls could soon become an important skill for climbers on Mount Everest, as important as physical strength or watching the weather. In a single day last week, nearly 40 people reached the top of the world --- a record. Reports from base camp spoke of queues at dangerous ridges and crowds as people passed each other in the final dash for the 8, 848 meters top. More traditional mountaineers tease about the circus atmosphere surrounding Everest in recent years, and there are warnings that the crowds are making the mountain more dangerous. In 1996, 14 died on the mountain when the members of several groups were trapped at high altitudes by sudden snowstorms. Bad weather in early May led to this year's jam on the summit ridge, but the loss, luckily, was light. Just four climbers died, including a Nepali Sherpa who had made 11 previous successful climbing. Traditionalists are also worried about the growing tendency of climbers to set records and achieve "firsts", rather than simply climb the mountain. This year's crop of mountaineers included the oldest man, 64-year-old Sherman Bull from Connecticut, and the youngest, 16-year-old Temba Tsheri Sherpa of Nepal. An American with only one arm was on the mountain this year; an Indian with no legs also tried but failed. Erik Weihennieyer, an American, became the first blind person to reach the top of the world. His fellow climbers stayed in front of him on the way up, describing the type of land and ringing bells. Nepal views Mount Everest as something of a cash cow. The government charges journeys a minimum of $ 70,000. That is probably why officials in Katmandu are ignoring concerns about overcrowding and talking about even more climbers coming next year. But a celebration of the 48th anniversary of the first conquest of Everest, by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, was cancelled after violent strikes. Tumultuous Nepali politics, it seems, could be just the crowd-control measure that Everest needs. What is the attitude of the Nepali government towards overcrowding? <extra_id_0>Unconcerned. <extra_id_1>Doubtful. <extra_id_2>Disapproving. <extra_id_3>Worried. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>National Forecast LONDON --This Evening and Tonight: Rain, locally heavy across northwest Scotland. Mostly cloudy but dry in other northern and western areas. Dry with clear spells in more central and eastern parts, but some low cloud and fog will develop. Generally mild with light winds. Saturday: Cloud and rain over western Scotland at the beginning will gradually push down over N. Ireland and northwest England. Largely dry, warm with sunny spells elsewhere, once early fog and low cloud clears. http://www.times.online.co.uk/tol/news/weather/ The Nation's Weather Fri, Aug 24, NEW YORK--Heavy rain was forecast throughout Friday in parts of the Midwest. The heaviest rainfall was over northern Illinois, with more than 4 inches possible around Chicago. Wet weather was also expected in the Plains as the same storm system tracks through the region. Periods of heavy rain were also forecast for the Northeast as the remnant of tropical storm Erin moves into the Canadian Maritimes. Hot weather was expected to continue in the South and West. http://www.underground.com Death toll rises to 36 in China typhoon Wed, Aug 22, BEIJING-- At least 36 people were killed by Typhoon Sepat in four provinces in eastern and central China in widespread destruction that also forced the evacuation of l.37 million people. More than 60,000 homes in the provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Hunan also were destroyed or damaged, Xinhua News Agency said. Total economic losses in the provinces have reached $ 663 million. Fujian was the worst-hit province, with 18 people killed, Xinhua said. Earlier, the storm, named after a Malaysian fish, killed at least one person in Taiwan, and left three dead in the Philippines. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap On August 25, in N. Ireland and northwest England, there will be _ . <extra_id_0>low cloud and fog <extra_id_1>typhoon and flood <extra_id_2>cloud and rain <extra_id_3>sunshine and mild wind <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>In the year 480 BC the Greek allies faced invasion by the King of Persia,Xerxes,who commanded a huge army of about half a million men. When the Persian army marched into northern Greece,the Greek states,led by Athens and Sparta,were ill equipped to deal with the threat. The Persians were well supplied with food and weapons. Their army included infantry,cavalry,and a large navy. It seemed that they would easily defeat the Greeks. The Greek allies decided to send 10,000 men northwards to slow down the Persians,while the rest prepared to defend their homelands. A group of 300 best Spartan soldiers were chosen to lead the force going north,with Leonidas in command. Leonidas realised that the only hope of slowing the Persians would be to block the narrow passage of land at Thermopylae. The Pass of Thermopylae was the route between the mountains and the sea,and was so narrow that only a few men could get through at a time. When the Persian army arrived at Thermopylae,they found Leonidas' tiny army opposing them. The Persians attacked,but could not get through. They attacked again and again,but each time they were driven back by the Greeks,led by the fearless Spartans. Leonidas'plan worked well until a Greek traitor called Ephialtes went to Xerxes. He told the Persian king about a goat's path in the mountains that would take the Persian army past Thermopylae. When Leonidas saw the enemy crossing the mountains,he realised that he could no longer hold Thermopylae. He sent all the Greek soldiers except the 300 Spartans back to their homelands. The Spartans waited for the 500,000 Persians at the goat's path. Although hopelessly outnumbered,the Spartans fought bravely. They all died,but the other Greeks were able to get home to strengthen the defences. Why did Leonidas send most of his soldiers back to their homelands? <extra_id_0>Because their homelands were under attack. <extra_id_1>Because he found they were not brave enough. <extra_id_2>Because the Persians gave up attacking Thermopylae. <extra_id_3>Because he found it impossible to hold Thermopylae. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Tom lived by himself a long way from town. He hardly went to town, but one day he went into town to buy a few things. After he bought them, he went into a restaurant and sat down at a table. When he looked around, he saw some old people put glasses on before reading their newspapers. So after lunch he decided to go to a shop to buy himself one pair, too. He walked along the road, and soon found a shop. The man in the shop let him try on a lot of glasses, but Tom always said, "No, I can't read with these." The man became puzzled , and he said, "Excuse me, but can you read?" "No, of course I can't!" Tom said angrily. "If I could read before, do you think I would come here to buy your glasses?" Tom lived _ . <extra_id_0>with his family <extra_id_1>near town <extra_id_2>in the country <extra_id_3>in town <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>While every dog owner knows their dogs can read their moods perfectly, scientists have always been a piffle doubtful.Now thanks to some researchers at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria; we finally have some convincing evidence. For their study, biologist Corson Miller and his team exposes eleven selected dogs to digital images of women that were either angry or happy.Half the dogs were rewired for touching the screen when shove a happy face, while the other half gilt their treat for selecting those that appeared angry. Interestingly, the dogs were not provided with the entire face.Some dogs were show Ti only upper halves while the others observed lower halves.That's because the scientists believe humans show their eruptions on their equities face. After some training ill.e how to recognize small differences like the wrinkles between the eyes or the changes in their shape that accompany the happy or angry expressions, the dogs were mostly able to identify the correct expression not only on a familiar face but on a strange face, the researchers concluded the dogs were smart-enough to read human emotions. They also found those being trained to read angry expressions took a longer time to learn.They guess it may be because dogs find angry faces disgusting, causing them to withdraw quickly.However, once the smart dogs realized they were getting rewired, the trepidation seem end to disappear.In fact, the dogs had such a good time playing the computer "game" That scientists had a hard time keeping them away from the touch screens after the study was completed. The researchers also noticed only dogs with a male owner had a harder time understanding the expressions correctly.Since the touches careen models were all females, this confirmed what has been observed in previous studies-dogs are more efficient at reading facial expressions of people that are the serene gender as their owner. How did the scientists conduct the experiment? <extra_id_0>By leaving dogs to women who are either happy or angry. <extra_id_1>By mixing the selected dogs together. <extra_id_2>By rewarding only half of the dogs touching the screen. <extra_id_3>By showing digital pictures of women's happy or angry faces. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Astronauts, people who fly into space, need special training. First they go to Houston, Texas. That is the home of the Johnson Space Centre. There they are tested to see how strong and smart they are. One of the first tests is for the heart. The people walk or run, then the space doctors see how fast their hearts are beating. Another important test is performed. In this test the person must curl his body up in a ball. When he is in that position, he is put into a round cloth bag. The doctors give him no idea how long he will have to stay in the bag. If a spaceship broke down in space, the astronauts would get into bags like this. Then they would have to wait and curl up in darkness, until help could arrive. You can see that an astronaut must not be afraid of tight space or darkness. After the tests, only the best people are chosen to start astronaut training in a training centre. The astronauts in training learn many other things. They learn how to jump out of a moving airplane. They learn to how to blow up a lifeboat and get into it while they are in the ocean. The astronauts also have to learn how to get lifted out of the ocean by helicopter . That may look fun, but it can be dangerous. After they finish training, the astronauts continue to work. They stay in good shape by running and doing exercise. They read about their special jobs. In that way they can learn new facts about space travel. Then the big day comes. The astronaut is told to go to work on a flight into space. The crew members get to know each other first. Then they can learn which job each will do. Which of the following is NOT true? <extra_id_0>After the tests, only the best people are chosen to start astronaut training in a training centre. <extra_id_1>The crew members get to know each other after the tests. <extra_id_2>One of the first tests is for the heart. <extra_id_3>An astronaut must not be afraid of tight space or darkness. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Birds eat nuts, but sometimes they eat <extra_id_0>wolves <extra_id_1>bugs <extra_id_2>dogs <extra_id_3>cats <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>What is "walk to School?" Now we are working on a programme of "Walk to School". We would like as many parents and children as possible to take part, even if in a small way. Children who walk to and from school along with their parents can learn essential road safety and life skills. You can take part by... #Walking to and from school with your child every day. #Walking for one or two days during the week. #Encouraging others to walk, if you already do. Walking is great! #Walking is great exercise! A walk is good for your body and can keep you fit. #You won't have to waste time looking for a parking site . #It's pollution free. #It's a good chance to talk to your children and to meet other parents, too. Enjoying walking to school! Here is some advice to help you and your child enjoy walking to school. #Plan a safe route together. #Teach children what a kerb is and what it means. #Encourage your child to help you choose the safest places to cross the road. #Look at and discuss the things you see on your way - especially road signs and what they mean. Walk to school! Thousands of parents and children take part, could you? Please go to www.walktoschool. org. uk for more information. What is the first thing to do if you want to enjoy your walking to school? <extra_id_0>Plan a safe route with your children. <extra_id_1>Learn what a kerb is and its meaning. <extra_id_2>Choose the safest places to cross the road. <extra_id_3>Find road signs and know their meanings. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>There was a story many years ago of a school teacher----Mrs.Thompson. She told the children on the first day that she loved them all the same. But that was a lie. There in the front row was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. He didn't play well with the other children and he always needed a bath. She did not like him. Then Mrs. Thompson got to know that Teddy was actually a very good boy before the death of his mother. Mrs. Thompson was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when, like all her other students, Teddy brought her a Christmas present too. It was his mother's perfume . Teddy said, "Mrs.Thompson, today you smell just like my Mom used to." After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she stopped teaching reading, writing and math. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs.Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy.The boy's mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he improved. By the end of the sixth grade, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class. Six years went by before she got a note from Teddy. He wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. He went to college. Mrs.Thompson got two more letters from him with the last signed, Theodore F. Stoddar, M. D. . The story doesn't end there. On his wedding day, Dr.Stoddard whispered in Mrs.Thompson's ear," Thank you, Mrs. Thomson, for believing in me. You made me feel important and showed me that I could make a difference." Mrs. Thompson , with tears in her eyes, whispered back,"Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you. What did Mrs.Thompson do on the first day of school? <extra_id_0>She made Teddy feel ashamed <extra_id_1>She asked the children to play with Teddy. <extra_id_2>She changed Teddy's seat to the front row. <extra_id_3>She told the class something untrue about herself. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Welcome to Australia The Great Outdoors Australia is the world's oldest continent and indigenous Australians have one of the world's oldest culture. In Australia you will see unique plants and animals and some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.Many parks have information centres offering advice on where to go, what to see and how to see it--for both your personal safety and to protect our sensitive, natural environment. Banks and Money Matters Banks are generally open between 9:30am and 4pm on Monday to Thursday and 9:30am and 5pm on Friday. Foreign currency or traveller's cheques can be changed at all banks and some of the larger hotels.There are currency exchange facilities at all international airports. _ Take care! Our sunlight is very strong and you can get sunburnt. For best sun protection, it is advisable to wear: l A broad-brimmed hat l A shirt with a collar and sleeves l Sunscreen with high protection factor. Swimming We have so many beautiful places to swim--beaches, lakes, rivers and creeks. l Many of our waters are safe for swimming, but if you have any doubts, ask before entering the water. l Most of our popular ocean beaches have patrols with life-saving service.Red and yellow flags mark the area that you are advised to swim within. l If there are no flags and no life guards on the beach, talk to local people about the best areas to swim. Staying Safe on the Roads l Australians drive on the left-hand side of the road. l For safety, everyone in the car, including children, must wear a seat belt. l Motor cyclists and bicyclists are required to wear a helmet. l Watch out for native animals crossing the roads, especially at night.Road signs are erected in places where animals are commonly seen. How can you ensure your safety when swimming? <extra_id_0>You can swim in whichever lake you like <extra_id_1>You should swim with the life guard. <extra_id_2>You can swim where there are red flags. <extra_id_3>Always find a local person to ask about how to swim. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>"To be or not to be".Outside the Bible, these six words are the most famous in all the literature of the world.They were spoken by Hamlet when he was thinking aloud, and they are the most famous words in Shakespeare because Hamlet was speaking not only for himself but for every thinking man and woman.To be or not to be----to live or not to live, to live richly and abundantly and eagerly, or to live dully and meanly and scarcely.A philosopher once wanted to know whether he was alive or not, which is a good question for everyone to put to himself occasionally.He answered it by saying, "I think, therefore I am." But the best definition of existence I ever saw was one written by another philosopher who said, "To be is to be in relations." If this is true, then the more relations a living thing has, the more it is alive.To live abundantly means simply to increase the range and intensity of our relations.Unfortunately, we are so constituted that we get to love our routine.But other than our regular occupation, how much are we alive? If you are interested only in your regular occupation, you are alive only to that extent.So far as other things are concerned----poetry and prose, music, pictures, sports unselfish friendships, politics, international affairs----you are dead. On the contrary, it is true that every time you acquire a new interest----even more, a new accomplishment----you increase your power of life.No one who is deeply interested in different kinds of subjects can remain unhappy.The real is the person who has lost interest. Bacon said that a man dies as often as he loses a friend.But we gain new life by contacts with new friends, and new ideas and thoughts, too.Where your thoughts are, there will be your life also.If your thoughts are limited only to your business, only to your physical welfare, only to your narrow circle of the town in which you live, then you live in a narrow restricted life.But if you are interested in the characters of a good novel, then you are living with those highly interested people; if you listen intently to fine music, you are always away from immediate surroundings and living in a world of passion and imagination. To be or not to be ---- to live intensely and richly, or merely to exist, that depends on ourselves.Let us widen and intensify our relations.While we live, let us live. What does the author mainly want to do by this passage? <extra_id_0>Argue against an idea. <extra_id_1>Put forward an idea. <extra_id_2>Introduce some famous sayings. <extra_id_3>Explain some famous sayings. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Just three days after hitting the screen across China, the Chinese animation film "Monkey King: Hero is Back" aroused enthusiasm among audience and ticket sales have exceeded 100 million yuan ($16.11 million).Web celebrities and many fans even posted topics about the film on China's Twitter-like Weibo, at which heated discussion are sparked. "Monkey King: Hero is Back" is based on the household legend of the Monkey King, but tells a not-so familiar story. However, it's still a Chinese style heroic legend and an exciting adventure against evil and darkness in troubled times, according to Lu Wei, the producer. "Monkey King is China's super hero. It is so popular among Chinese audience because they long for and cherish our own superhero," said Tian Xiaopeng, the director. Some media also put on a lot of comments from foreigners. "He's never dead, he's just fallen asleep. We all need a hero to look up to, to give us hope and courage when it is needed. We grew up listening to his tales, his great adventures and heroic deeds. What makes a true hero is not just helping people when one has the power, but having the courage to stand up against the evil even without power. And this is what the film is about. When the hero loses his power and armor, when he is nothing more than an ordinary monkey, what would he do to protect the one he loves? This is also about a group of Chinese dream chasers trying to keep the beacon of hope lit even though being in the most unfavorable situations" from Tumblr. "Though the film was injected with a little bit of Hollywood, its and creative story has attracted several Chinese cinema aficionados." from Yibada. One netizen posted after watching the film: "The film sets a new high-bar for the domestic animation film, when I walked out of the theater, I was crying." Why does the writer mention Weibo, Tumblr and Yibada? Because he wants to _ . <extra_id_0>persuade more readers to visit them <extra_id_1>tell readers some information about them <extra_id_2>make them better known to readers <extra_id_3>provide some evidence for readers <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>I had been rather proud of myself when my friends and family got the ticket, whether it was for speeding, parking or stop sign violations . It was something that happened to others. But last Friday I joined _ . I was asked to do a new project last week. On Friday morning on my way to work, I suddenly remembered that I had spent the past six weeks without considering that I had a week's vacation planned during that time. I was very disappointed with myself for not remembering it. The truth is that I was not paying enough attention to my driving and I did not come to a complete stop at the stop sign in front of a school. I was so distracted that I didn't even notice I had a policeman on my tail with his lights flashing. Finally I looked in my mirror and caught on. The policeman was rude and took my papers. Fortunately, I had everything up to date and since I had never had a ticket before, there was nothing for him to do but write me a ticket. While I was sitting there in the seat of "shame", I felt bad. If I had been that distracted and a child had run onto the road, perhaps I would have not reacted as well as I could have. It was a wake-up call. People at work asked me if I tried to talk my way out of it . Frankly, it never occurred to me. I felt sorry. Now I no longer have a clean driving record. Please be careful out there, as a moment's distraction can lead to tragedy. What is this passage mainly about? <extra_id_0>The writer's most unforgettable experience. <extra_id_1>How the writer got her first ticket. <extra_id_2>An accident caused by the writer. <extra_id_3>Why the writer is always so careful. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Anger is a kind of feeling. Many things can make you angry. When your teacher gives you too much homework, when your team loses an important game, when a friend borrows your favorite thing and then breaks it, you may get really angry. Usually, your body will tell you when you are angry. For example, you breathe faster, your face turns red, and you may want to break something or hit someone, but sometimes, you hide your anger. For example, you may hide it in your heart. The problem is that if you do this, you may get a headache or your stomach may hurt. In fact, it's not good to hide your anger, and it's normal for you to get angry sometimes. But anger must be let out in the right way, without hurting others or yourself. When you get angry, you can talk about it with other people. It's helpful to talk about your anger with an adult, such as parents, a teacher, etc. When you talk about anger, those bad feelings can start to go away. Here are some other things you can do when you start to feel angry: talk to a good friend; count from 1 to 100; give someone a hug ; go for a bike ride; think about good things, etc. Remember that how you act when you are angry can make everything better or worse. Don't let your anger you. According to the passage, you can do everything when you get angry except _ . <extra_id_0>go for a bike ride <extra_id_1>think about good things <extra_id_2>talk to a good friend <extra_id_3>say bad things to the people around you <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Animals are more like us than we ever imagined. They feel pain, they experience stress, they show affection, excitement and love. All these findings have been made by scientists in recent years and such results are beginning to change how we view animals. Strangely enough, some of this research was sponsored by fast food companies like McDonald's and KFC. Pressured by animal rights groups, these companies felt they had to fund scientists researching the emotional and mental states of animals. McDonald's, for instance, funded studies on pig behavior at Purdue University, Indiana. This research found that pigs seek affection and easily become depressed if left alone or prevented from playing with each other. If they become depressed, they soon become physically ill. Because of this, and other similar studies, the European Union has banned the use of isolating pig stalls from 2010. In Germany, the government is encouraging pig farmers to give each pig 20 seconds of human contact a day, and to provide them with toys to prevent them from fighting. Other scientists have shown that animals think and behave like humans. Koko, the 300-pound gorilla at the Gorilla Foundation in Northern California, for instance, has been taught sign language. Koko can now understand several thousand English words, more than many humans who speak English as a second language. On human IQ tests, she scores between 70and 95. Before such experiments, humans thought language skills were absent from the animal kingdom. Other myths are also being overturned, like the belief that animals lack self-awareness. Studies have also shown that animals mourn their dead, and that they play for pleasure. These striking similarities between animal and human behavior have led some to ask a question:" If you believe in evolution, how can't you believe that animals have feelings that human beings have?" Until recently, scientists believed that animals behaved by instinct and that what appeared to be learned behavior was merely genetically-programmed activity. But as Koko, the gorilla shows, this is not the case. In fact, learning is passed from parents to offspring far more often than not in the animal kingdom. So what implications does this knowledge have for humans? Because of this, should we ban hunting and animal testing? Should we close zoos? Such questions are being raised by many academics and politicians. Harvard and 25 other American law schools have introduced courses on animal rights. Germany, meanwhile, recently guaranteed animal rights in its constitution-the first country to do so. The research on pigs at Purdue University shows that _ . <extra_id_0>pigs love being alone <extra_id_1>pigs easily become physically ill <extra_id_2>pigs need affection <extra_id_3>pigs don't like to play with each other <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>In the summer of 2011 my friend and I decided to go to Italy for a holiday and we decided to travel there without going through a travel agency. You know, you would not be seen among the tourists and lose lots of chances to get familiar with the country more closely. We started to think over our trip and tried to come up with a free tour to Italy. The trip was not very long but it was so exciting that we never forgot. We look forward to going there again! Of course, we spent lots of time arranging the trip, but it was well worth it! Of course I was afraid that something would go wrong and I was especially worried about my visa, but everything went quite well in the end. The most difficult part was getting a visa without an invitation. In the Italian consulate , one must hand in some official paper proving that one has a hotel booked for oneself in order to get the visa. Then we had to solve the ticket problem. Airlines often sell cheap tickets and we bought ours far earlier. The next step was to book a hotel. We finally booked a hotel about 30 km away from the centre of Rome and it was the perfect choice for our trip. Every day we took a train that carried us to the centre of Rome. Our big house was among the forest. The beautiful views, nice hosts, comfortable living conditions made us happy to no end. Besides this, we were very lucky that our hostess was Russian. She gave us a lot of advice that was of great use. She told us what transport to choose and where the best places to go. Don't be afraid to arrange your trip by yourself. It's not difficult! The only thing I'll say right now is that we really enjoy travelling by ourselves. We walked with a map and a guide-book wherever we wanted to go and we even met some of our countrymen on the way just two or three times. So, if you're also planning a "single" trip, don't forget to take a Russian-Italian phrasebook as people in Italy prefer to speak in their local language. The hardest thing in preparing for his Italian trip was _ . <extra_id_0>booking a comfortable hotel on his own in Rome <extra_id_1>buying cheap airline tickets to Italy before travelling <extra_id_2>solving the ticket problem and booking a hotel far earlier <extra_id_3>getting a visa from the Italian consulate without an invitation <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>When a person travels over long distances, the place may not be the only change. When his or her body rhythms get thrown off, he or she suffers from jet lag -- it's hard to sleep and eat at the right times in the new location. Humans and animals have a biological clock in their body that tells them when to sleep, and when to wake. When someone comes to a different place far away, this biological clock takes a while to match the day and night time of the new place. In a new study, reported in November's Science News, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley tested the effects of jet lag on hamsters . They wanted to know how serious jet lag would affect the brain and thinking habits of the animals. They think what happens to hamsters may happen to humans, too. In their experiments, the researchers first moved the hamsters' schedules forward by six hours. The animals' eating schedules, for example, were changed. If a hamster was often fed at noon and 4 pm, then it ate at 6 pm and 10 pm on the new schedule. People who travel from China to Europe experience the same shift, since the two regions are about six hours apart, half the shift between China and the USA. After three days, the scientists did it again - they shifted the hamsters' schedules forward by another six hours. Three days after that, they did it again; and then again three days later. For a full month, the scientists changed the hamsters' routines every three days. During the study, the hamsters slept the same amount every day as they did before the study. However, their sleep patterns had a hard time keeping up with the changing schedule. What's more, they seemed to feel low. The researchers also found that the hamsters had trouble with basic learning exercises during the study. The animals' thinking problems didn't go away when the experiment was over. A month after they went back living on a normal schedule, the hamsters still had trouble with basic mental tasks, such as learning and memory. The scientists concluded that serious jet lag has serious side effects, including stupidity . They are now trying to find out how jet lag is causing these problems, and then it will be possible for them to work out a solution. What time is it in France when it is 2 pm in China? <extra_id_0>About 11 am <extra_id_1>About 2 am <extra_id_2>About 8 pm <extra_id_3>About 5 pm <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>A way in which humans may cause pollution to the environment is <extra_id_0>using bug killer on crops <extra_id_1>avoiding spilling oil into oceans <extra_id_2>placing plastics in special containers <extra_id_3>making laws against littering <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Around twenty years ago I was going through hard times. I could not find a satisfying job. To my shame, I had to drive a school bus to make ends meet and lived in a friend's house. One afternoon, while driving through a quiet suburban neighborhood I was so sad that I kept asking myself "Why has my life become so hard?" "What's wrong with the world?" Then I pulled over the bus to drop off a little girl and as she passed she handed me a pretty earring, saying she found it on the floor of the bus and I should keep it in case the owner came to look for it. In the evening, the owner did come to look for her earring. When I handed it to her, she got very excited and continued saying "Thanks, you're a real gentleman." I told her that she should thank the little girl who had found it. She said, "Yes, and you are a good driver, too. What a lovely world it is!" Then she left with satisfaction. I was touched by her last words. I had thought something was wrong with the world just because of my poor condition. In fact, nothing was wrong with the world. I should change my attitude towards life. I should be positive about life. At first it was hard, and then it got easier. Every day I could find things to make me happy. Then one night there was a phone call for me at my friend's house from a lady who was a manager in a large hospital. She said she had read my application form and asked me if I would like to work in the hospital. I said yes and got the job. Looking back at the experience I know the most important is to have a positive attitude towards life. When the author got a call from the manager of the hospital, he felt _ . <extra_id_0>annoyed <extra_id_1>delighted <extra_id_2>shocked <extra_id_3>disappointed <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>the earth's population could face severe depletion if which of these stopped happening? <extra_id_0>the running man dance <extra_id_1>the American Idol show <extra_id_2>human gene cloning research <extra_id_3>the food pyramid structure <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>Whether you live in Seattle or the Sahara desert, the time has come to invest in a good raincoat or umbrella, a new study suggests. As global temperatures continue to rise, more "extreme rain" events--intense, cats-and-dogs downpours--can be expected, said thestudy, published Monday in the journalNature Climate Change. And that, scientists said, means an increased flood risk, particularly for the world's driest areas. The study challenges the idea that global warming is causingdry areas to become drierand wet areas wetter. "In both wet and dry regions, we see these great increases in heavy precipitation ," lead author Markus Donat, a climate scientist at the University of New South Wales, told Nature. Donat and his team collected data from 1951 to 2010 on extreme precipitation events from 11, 000 weather stations around the world, Nature reported. In that time, the number of days with "extreme precipitation" increased 1 percent to 2 percent per decade. "We found a strong relationship between global warming and an increase in rainfall, particularly in areas outside of the tropics," Donatsaid in a statement. "Importantly, this research suggests we will see these extreme rainfall events increases at regional levels in dry areas, not just as an average across the globe," Donat added. Peter Stott, a senior climate scientist at Met Office, told Climate Central that the study's findings are important, because more violent rainfall and flooding will "challenge our capability to adaptto a rapidly changing climate." As Nature reported, the research aligns witha 2015 study that found global warming has led to a sharp increase in record-breaking precipitation events. Donat told Nature that his study should come as a warning to world governments. Which of the following is one of the study's findings? <extra_id_0>Global warming is causingdry areas to become drierand wet areas wetter. <extra_id_1>Extreme rain events can be expected at regional levels in dry areas. <extra_id_2>Extreme rainfall events increase at regional levels in wet areas. <extra_id_3>Rainfall increases particularly in the tropics areas. <extra_id_4>
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<extra_id_5>The air bag is a piece of safety equipment in cars. It was first designed by John W. Hetrick in 1952. Like many inventions, he came up with the idea as a result of an event that had occurred in his life. He says: "In the spring of 1952, my wife, my seven-year-old daughter, Joan, and I were out for a Sunday drive in our 1948 Chrysler Windsor. About three miles outside Newport we were watching for deer jumping across the road. Suddenly, there was a large rock in our path. I hit the brakes and we went into a ditch . "As I applied the brakes, both my wife and I threw our hands up to keep our daughter from hitting the car. There was soft mud in the ditch, so the car wasn't damaged, and no one was hurt." "During the ride home I couldn't stop thinking about the accident. I asked myself,'Why couldn't some object come out to stop you from striking the inside of the car?'As soon as I got home that night I drew some sketches . Each evening for the following two weeks, I'd add or reduce something from the sketches." Hetrick applied an event he had observed while in the Navy to the design of the air bag. He was repairing a torpedo which had a cloth covering. When the compressed air that was in the torpedo was let out, the covering was suddenly filled with air and was shot to the ceiling. With this knowledge, he developed his design until he was able to obtain a patent on the invention on August 5, 1952. The idea was similar to the air bag designs of today. Compressed air is stored in a container and when a traffic accident occurs and the car slows down at a rapid enough rate, the air will be released into the air bag. The idea was _ , but Hetrick's air bag never would have functioned properly. It was really a breakthrough, but it would require years and years of designing and testing by some top car designers before it could be used. What do we know about the air bag Hetrick designed? <extra_id_0>It came into use in the 1950s. <extra_id_1>It performed perfectly in car accidents. <extra_id_2>It prepared the way for air bags nowadays. <extra_id_3>It took Hetrick about two months to develop it. <extra_id_4>
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