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<extra_id_5>The year was 1932. Amelia Earhart was flying alone from North America to England in a small single-engined aeroplane. At midnight, several hours after she had left Newfoundland, she ran into bad weather. To make things worse, her altimeter failed and she didn't know how high she was flying. At night, and in a storm, a pilot is in great difficulty without an altimeter. At times, her plane nearly plunged into the sea. Just before dawn, there was further trouble. Amelia noticed flames coming from the engine. Would she be able to reach land? There was nothing to do except to keep going and to hope. In the end, Amelia Earhart did reach Ireland, and for the courage she had shown, she was warmly welcomed in England and Europe. When she returned to the United States, she was honored by President Hoover at a special dinner in the White House. From that time on, Amelia Earhart was famous. What was so important about her flight? Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly the Atlantic Ocean alone, and she had set a record of fourteen hours and fifty-six minutes. In the years that followed, Amelia Earhart made several flights across the United States, and on each occasion she set a new record for flying time. Amelia Earhart made these flights to show that women had a place in aviation and that air travel was useful. When Amelia Earhart saw flames coming from the engine, what did she do?
<extra_id_0>She did nothing but pray for herself.
<extra_id_1>She changed her direction and landed in Ireland.
<extra_id_2>She continued flying.
<extra_id_3>She lost hope of reaching land.
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<extra_id_5>Would you like to go to Beijing, our capital? It's far away from Guangdong. It's 2313 kilometers from Beijing to Guangdong. The city of Kunming is 2216 kilometers away from Guangdong. It's always very warm there. But it's very hot in summer in Wuhan. It's 1084 kilometers from Guangdong to Wuhan. Changsha is near Guangdong. It's 726 kilometers from Changsha to Guangdong. Do you know which city is the biggest in China? It's Shanghai. It's 1811 kilometers from Guangdong to Shanghai. If you travel by air, you'll find it very interesting and fast enough to fly from Guangdong to Beijing. It only takes you about four hours and you'll get there easily, safely and unhurriedly .But traveling by train is quite different. You have to stay on the train for over thirty hours to arrive in Beijing. More and more people like to travel by air. You can see why, can't you? From the passage, we know _ has the longest way to Guangdong except Beijing.
<extra_id_0>Wuhan
<extra_id_1>Changsha
<extra_id_2>Shanghai
<extra_id_3>Kunming
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<extra_id_5>Almost every child in cities has the chance to go to school, but not all children in the countries are so lucky. There is a girl called Xiao Fang. She is eight years old and lives in a small village in Guangxi. When she was young, she wanted to go to school. But she could not, because her family was too poor to afford the school fees for her, so her parents had to keep her at home. Instead of studying, Xiao Fang worked in the fields with her parents every day. Then Hope Project heard about Xiao Fang. It agreed to help Xiao Fang to go to school. Her wish of study came true, and now she is studying in a school. Unluckily there are many thousands of children who can not go to school. You can join in Hope Project and help these children. You know all the good work needs money. Hope Project needs your help. If you give Hope Project Y=300 each year, it can pay for one child to go to school for a whole year. With more money, Hope Project can build new schools, buy good desks, chairs, blackboards and books. let's help the children together and give them a chance to have a good start in life. Xiao Fang didn't go to school when she was young because _ .
<extra_id_0>her family was too poor
<extra_id_1>she didn't like to go to school
<extra_id_2>there was too much work for her to do
<extra_id_3>she could learn nothing at school
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<extra_id_5>Dear Mary, I'm sorry to hear that you didn't get good grades in math mid-term exam. And you said you spend a lot of time studying math. However, it is difficult for you to learn it well. I think you should find a right way to learn it. Here is my advice for you. During the class * Listen to the teacher and be sure to write down everything the teacher puts on the blackboard. * If you don't understand a step or how to get the answer to the question, ask the teacher or a classmate for help right now. * Underline key points while taking notes. After the class * Recopy each day's notes into a new notebook clearly. * Do your homework every day carefully. And don't copy other students' homework. * If a step is unclear or you don't know how to do it, ask for help soon. _ * Look for useful examples of how this kind of difficult problem is used in your textbook or other materials Before exam * Review all of your notes quickly and find out every missing problem at times. * Work examples in the text each several times until you can do them quickly. This will help you improve the speed needed for the exam. If you do as I said, I think you will get good grades in the final exam. Come on! Mary. The underline sentence "The only difficult question is the one that isn't asked." means _ .
<extra_id_0>There is no difficult question in learning math.
<extra_id_1>There is no difficult question if you can ask for help.
<extra_id_2>There is only one difficult question in learning math.
<extra_id_3>There is only one difficult question if you ask for help.
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<extra_id_5>It has been two years since China Daily last interviewed 31-year-old Zhang Chao.The micrograph enthusiast still wears the same hair style, even the same coat. But one thing is very different: He's become a celebrity in cyberspace almost overnight, after his pictures, which show what the smog in Beijing looks like under his microscope, spread like a virus on China's major micro-blogging site Sina Weibo, since he posted them last Friday.Now the media is always interviewing him. Zhang's apartment is on the eighth floor, which he says is perfect for capturing the thickest levels of smog. As a Beijing native, Zhang explains his original purpose is to _ and expose its mystery." People have higher and higher standards for the environment," he says," When I was a child, I was annoyed by the frequent sandstorms, so I feel Beijing's air seems much better now all in all because there are hardly any sandstorms in recent years.Now, we've noticed PM2.5, which has long been neglected." Although he graduated as a science major from Beijing Normal University, Zhang says it is difficult for him to give an exact definition of what smog is in Beijing. Under his scope, which magnifies the sample 1,000 times, the smog is found to contain minerals, fragments of animal fur and insects, seeds and burnt dust.But many are compounds, he says, which are more difficult to identify. Zhang realizes that he may have disappointed the public because he can't show the inner construction of PM2.5 , today's most notorious(.) element in smog. It is beyond the capacity of his microscope and camera to explore such tiny grains, " You cannot imagine how splendid the micro world is" ! says Zhang Chao. Zhang Chao has become a celebrity in cyberspace because _ .
<extra_id_0>he has taken many pictures of smog
<extra_id_1>he is a micrograph enthusiast
<extra_id_2>he graduated from Beijing Normal University
<extra_id_3>his smog pictures spread widely on Sina Weibo
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<extra_id_5>Sam, Thank you for asking me to play soccer with you. But I'm afraid I can't. I have a piano lesson on Tuesday. Maybe another time. Nancy Sandy, Thank you very much for inviting me to your birthday party on Friday. I'd love to come, but I have to go to New York that day. It's very kind of you. I hope you have a happy birthday party. Nancy Lucy, Thanks for your invitation. I'd love to go to your house for dinner on Thursday. But I have to get my things ready for travelling. How about coming to my house with Lily? My mother cooks fish very well. I think you'll like it. I hope to see you before I'm leaving. Nancy Rose, Would you like to come to my house for dinner tonight? Many of our good friends will come. Nancy How many invitations does Nancy get?
<extra_id_0>Two
<extra_id_1>Three
<extra_id_2>Four
<extra_id_3>Five
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<extra_id_5>One day, a woman traveled alone in the mountains.When she was walking, she found a precious stone.She was very happy and put the stone into her bag. The next day, the woman met another traveler.The traveler was hungry and the woman opened her bag to s hare her food with him.The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and said, "How beautiful the stone is! Can I have a look?" The woman gave it to the traveler.The traveler looked and looked, and then he asked the woman whether she would like to give it to him.She gave the stone to him without hesitation . The traveler left.He was very happy because he knew he could get lots of money by selling the stone and he could live a rich life.But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the woman. "I know how precious the stone is," the traveler said. "But I gave it back.I hope that you can give me something even more precious." "Even more precious? What is that?" the woman asked. "Your beautiful mind is more precious than the stone," the man said. What did the traveler think when he got the stone?
<extra_id_0>He could live a rich life by selling the stone.
<extra_id_1>He could win the heart of the woman.
<extra_id_2>He could travel all over the world.
<extra_id_3>He could help more people.
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<extra_id_5>There are two factors which determine an individual's intelligence, The first is the sort of brain he is born with , Human brains differ considerably , some being more capable others, But no matter how good a brain he has to begin with , an individual will have a low order of intelligence unless he has opportunities to learn, So the second factor is what happens to the individual- the sort of environment in which he is reared, If an individual is handicapped environmentally , it is likely that his brain will fail to develop and he will never attain the level of intelligence of which he is capable. The importance of environment in determining an individual's intelligence can be demonstrated by the case history of the identical twins, Peter and Mark X. Being identical, the twins had identical brains at birth, and their growth, processes were the same, When the twins were three months old, their parents.died, and they were placed in separate foster homes, Peter was reared by parents of low intelligence in an isolated community with poor educational opportunities, Mark was reared in the home of well-to -do parents who had been to college ,He was read to as a child, sent to good schools, and given every opportunity to be stimulated intellectually, This environmental difference continued until the twins were in their late teens, when they were given tests to measure their intelligence, , Mark's LQ ,was 125.twenty-five points higher than the average and fully points higher than his identical brother Given equal opportunities, the twins, having identical brains , would have tested at roughly the same level The best statement of the main ides of this passage is that
<extra_id_0>human brains differ considerably
<extra_id_1>the brain a person is born with is important in determining his intelligence
<extra_id_2>environment is vital to determine a person's intelligence
<extra_id_3>persons having identical brains will have roughly the same intelligence
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<extra_id_5>While considering the importance of education in the life of children, according to a recent survey on the net, most of the parents want to send their children to the best of the schools. There is no doubt that many schools must be located near to your neighborhood area that provides good education to your children. However, you need to do a little research about the lessons of various schools so that you can be sure that your children are also following path as you have been since your childhood. Besides public and private schools, there are Christian schools that teach knowledge about Christianity along with the school lessons. A parent can compare between all the schools and their decision will depend entirely on their beliefs, thinking and neighborhood area. The main focus of Christian schools is religion and you can send your children to such schools if you want to focus on religion in your child's life. Every person has his own priority and no one can force anyone with their own personal beliefs. If you feel that your child is not able to gain the right principles in other schools, then you can consider Christian schools for the right education of your children. There are Christian elementary schools that focus on reading, writing and arithmetic so as to strengthen the primary skills in children. These schools take students from pre-school to high school to make them prepare for handling all types of situations in the future. So, use Internet to search a good school that help your child to have a better and brighter future. We can know Christian elementary schools _ .
<extra_id_0>focus on religion only in students' life
<extra_id_1>value the basic skills of children
<extra_id_2>allow students to have their own beliefs
<extra_id_3>are fit for all children
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<extra_id_5>Nowadays, Chinese love to consume TV shows, particularly American TV shows. Some shows have become especially popular for certain reasons. When you meet Chinese people, try to mention these shows to strike up a conversation with them, as it is likely that they are fans of these shows. 1. The Big Bang Theory Talk to any young Chinese person, and chances are that they are crazy about the lives of Sheldon, Raj, Howard, and Leonard. Many viewers describe themselves as in love with Sheldon, and they appreciate the science jokes and content on the show. People admire the young geniuses on the show and the large amount of funny jokes, but also recognizes the show's message that being smart isn't everything in life. The university lifestyle _ on the show and the friendships and witty arguments between the main characters are especially attractive to Chinese audiences. 2. House of Cards China is ridding itself of corruption today. It's no surprise, then, that a thrilling and brilliant drama about political corruption currently catches on in China. China is the top country where the show is being wildly pirated on Chinese websites. The Chinese government has also featured prominently on the show. Even high-ranking Chinese political officials have been known to watch religiously this show and keep up with the exploits of Frank Underwood. Some Chinese politicians consider Underwood as a role model, fans create special videos to honor the show, and many viewers like to learn about American politics and society from the show, even though what they learn from the show may not be totally accurate. It's interesting to wonder what a Chinese version of this show would be like. 3. Gossip Girl China has become much wealthier in the last several decades, and people across the world always like to observe rich people's lives and imagine themselves being rich as well. Like the Chinese movie series Tiny Times, Gossip Girl rose to fame in China because Chinese viewers enjoyed watching the lives of rich Westerners and living wealthily through the characters. Many Chinese fans also admired the romance between Chuck and Blair, and strongly supported them getting married. The show is full of passionate love affairs, pleasant young people, and brilliant drama that fascinated Chinese audiences. 4. Two Broke Girls Many young Chinese viewers like following the struggles of Max and Caroline as they attempt to earn money and build their own cupcake business. This show has become extremely popular in China and is frequently downloaded online. One reason why this sitcom has been successful in China is that for many Chinese who are young like Max and Caroline, they must deal with the same problems in life. Finding work and earning enough money to join the middle class is difficult for many Chinese people today. The Chinese TV show WoJu shows a family working to save money for an apartment and dealing with many situations caused by poverty, wealth, and greed. Young Chinese work extremely hard to earn enough money to buy cars, homes, and find someone to marry, and they can easily sympathize with characters living in poverty and working towards similar goals. Viewers struggling for life probably sympathize with characters by watching _ .
<extra_id_0>The Big Bang Theory
<extra_id_1>House of Cards
<extra_id_2>Gossip Girl
<extra_id_3>Two Broke Girls
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<extra_id_5>"How to Train Your Dragon" by British author Cressida Cowell is one of the best pieces of children's literature. A child can make a whole alternative universe with a vivid imagination and Toothless, the hero's hunting dragon, thus turning a rainy day into an adventure of a lifetime. However, if you have never read the book but instead choose to see the film version, you might think you were seeing a new-age war movie meant for adults rather than children. Let's look at "Where the Wild Things Are" for further discussion. The story centers around a lonely eight-year-old boy named Max, who sails away to an island. Creatures living there declare Max their king. What an amazing piece of children's literature! A treasure for every child's library. Yet, children were crying in the movie theatre. Owls were falling from the sky, chicken's arms were being torn off, and a child was running around a dark abandoned world fighting evil as the only human. It was almost as if Hollywood could not imagine children enjoying a movie for its basic literature content. Hollywood might be right. But more and more its audiences are complaining that there is an increased amount of violence in children's stories today than in the past. While there appears to be a trend in our society to make more violence more accessible to younger children, books and literature are generally an exception. I truly believe that children's literature has become more vivid, and more colorful. This is a great treasure for the children, and is certainly not violent. What has changed the children's stories of today is not the writers, but the film industry. In some way, children's literature is just being strangely twisted. I wonder how much influence the author have over this. The Text is mainly about _ .
<extra_id_0>two good books for children
<extra_id_1>how a book is adapted into a film
<extra_id_2>whether children should go to movies
<extra_id_3>whether children's literature is getting more violent
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<extra_id_5>One day a great general asks his soldiers, "What is the strongest power in the world? " Four of his soldiers put up their hands. They want to answer the question. The general asks the first man to speak. The man is younger than the other three, and he's not strong. He says, "My gun is the strongest. It can kill anyone." "Thank you. Next, please." The second man is very strong. He says, "I don't think so. Soldiers use guns. So the soldier is the strongest." The third man says, "Soldiers use guns, but our general gives orders. So I think our general is the strongest." The fourth man is the oldest. He says, "Love is the strongest. For love, people don't use guns." The general says nothing. He takes out a medal and gives it to him. The second man is _ than the _ .
<extra_id_0>stronger; other three
<extra_id_1>older; fourth man
<extra_id_2>younger; third man
<extra_id_3>taller; general
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<extra_id_5>In the kitchen of my mother's houses there has always been a wooden stand with a small notepad and a hole for a pencil. I'm looking for paper on which to note down the name of a book I am recommending to my mother. Over forty years since my earliest memories of the kitchen pad and pencil, five houses later, the current paper and pencil look the same as they always did. Surely it can't be the same pencil? The pad is more modern, but the wooden stand is definitely the original one. "I'm just amazed you still have the same stand for holding the pad and pencil after all these years." I say to her, walking back into the living-room with a sheet of paper and the pencil. "You still use a pencil. Can't you afford a pen?" My mother replies a little sharply. "It works perfectly well. I've always kept the stand in the kitchen. I never knew when I might want to note down an idea, and I was always in the kitchen in those days." Immediately I can picture her, hair wild, blue housecoat covered in flour, a wooden spoon in one hand, the pencil in the other, her mouth moving silently. My mother smiles and says, "One day I was cooking and watching baby Pauline, and I had a brilliant thought, but the stand was empty. One of the children must have taken the paper. So I just picked up the breadboard and wrote it all down on the back. It turned out to be a real breakthrough for solving the mathematical problem I was working on." This story--which happened before I was born--reminds me how extraordinary my mother was, and is, as a gifted mathematician. I feel embarrassed that I complain about not having enough child-free time to work. Later, when my mother is in the bathroom, I go into her kitchen and turn over the breadboards. Sure enough, on the back of the smallest one, are some penciled marks I recognize as mathematics. Those symbols have travelled unaffected through fifty years, rooted in the soil of a cheap wooden breadboard, invisible exhibits at every meal. The author feels embarrassed for _ .
<extra_id_0>blaming her mother wrongly
<extra_id_1>giving her mother a lot of trouble
<extra_id_2>not making good use of time as her mother did
<extra_id_3>not making any breakthrough in her field
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<extra_id_5>A Nepalese teenager had made a PS 23 solar panel ( ) using human hair. Milan Karki, who is 18 years old and lives in a village, used human hair to replace silicon, which is a common but expensive part of solar panels. By using hair as a replacement, Karki says that solar panels can be produced for around PS 23. Karki got the idea from a Stephen Hawking book, which explained how to create energy from hair. The device that Karki has showed can produce 18w of energy -- plenty to _ a mobile phone. "Half a kilo of hair can be bought for only 16p in Nepal and last a few months; but a pack of batteries would cost 50p and last a few nights," according to The Daily Mail. The solar panel is easy to service as the hair is easy to replace. Karki has now sent out several devices to other places near his home for testing. He said, "First I wanted to provide energy for my home, then my village. Now I am thinking for the whole world." What is the passage mainly about?
<extra_id_0>Making a mobile phone with human hair
<extra_id_1>Making a mobile phone with a new idea.
<extra_id_2>Making a solar panel with silicon.
<extra_id_3>Making a solar panel with human hair.
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<extra_id_5>Alia Sabur, from Northport, N. Y., US, went to college at age 10. And four years later, Sabur became a bachelor of science in. Applied Mathematics summa cum laude from Stony Brook University -- the youngest female in US history to do so. Her education continued at Drexel University, where she earned a Master of Science and a Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Science and Engineering. With an unlimited future ahead of her, Sabur directed her first career choice to teaching. "I really enjoy teaching," she said. She was three days short of her 19th birthday in February, 2008, when she was hired to become a professor at Konkuk University in Seoul, Korea. This distinction made her the youngest college professor in history, according to the Guinness' Book of Worm Records, beating the previous record held by Colin Maclaurin, a student of Isaac Newton, in 1717. Although she doesn't start until next month, Sabur has taken up teaching math and physics courses at Southern University in New Orleans. Sabur is old enough to teach in the city, but not to join her fellow professors in a bar after work. In Korea, where the drinking age is 20, _ . In traditional Korean culture, children are considered to be 1 year old-when they are born, and add a year to their age every New Year instead of their actual birthday, so in Korea Sabur is considered 20. On top of her unprecedented academic achievements, Sabur has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do . She is also a talented clarinet player who has performed with musicians like Lang Lang and Smash Mouth. So is there anything Sabur can't do? We can learn from the passage that Sabur is _ .
<extra_id_0>America's youngest bachelor of science
<extra_id_1>Drexel University's youngest student
<extra_id_2>the world'syoungest college professor
<extra_id_3>the world's youngest female teacher
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<extra_id_5>Is war unavoidable? Can war be prevented? History tells that there were wars, great or small, in every century, in every decade. Throughout the ages, from the Stone age to the Atomic Age, men have been fighting, first with swords and shields , then with guns and cannons, and now, hydrogen bombs and missiles are used for military purpose. But, in spite of all these, it is still my belief that war can be prevented and peace can be won, but it requires the effort of every one of us. I am sure that we would not like to experience another world war. If it ever happens, two-thirds of the world and much of the civilization which men have gained through time, patience and effort will be destroyed. Will then the remaining one-third of the world be able to survive on its own? Our task now is not to blame the past, but to plan for the future. If there is peace in the world, men can use their rockets to explore the mystery of space, their submarines to explore the depth of the sea, their missiles to deliver mails and their fine equipment to penetrate the jungles of Africa, instead of using them military. Governments can use their money to build more schools, so that more children can be educated to be useful citizens. Scientists can use atomic energy to propel steamships and planes. They can also design new machines to increase the production of goods and thus improve the way of living of the people. How can a peaceful world be achieved? It requires, in my opinion, the understanding and friendship between all people from all nations. Let no one suffer discrimination by reason of color, race, religion, or national origin. Let the rich support the poor and the strong help the weak. We know that neither peace nor such a dream world can come true in a day or a month. It may even take decades or centuries. But let us plan and begin now. In the writer's opinion, _ .
<extra_id_0>it is too difficult to achieve peace
<extra_id_1>peace can be won through the efforts of all human beings
<extra_id_2>another world war is inevitable
<extra_id_3>wars will always exist in the world
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<extra_id_5>A 13-year-old American has made a cheap machine that can help blind people read. The blind can read by using _ - a system of small bumps that the blind touch to read the letters. The machine that makes these small bumps usually costs at least $2,000. It is called Braille writer. The American schoolboy, Shubham Banerjee, made a new Braille writer from a Lego tool that lets people create robots. Banerjee has called his new machine the Braigo - a combination of the words Braille and Lego. It costs just $ 350. It works by changing electronic text into Braille and then printing it using a computer or mobile machine. Banerjee designed his Braigo last year for a school science exhibition. Since then, he has caught the interest of Silicon Valley in the USA. The big technology company Intel spent money on Banerjee's machine last November, but they did not say how much money they put in. Banerjee also got $35, 000 from his father to help him start the project. His father works as a computer engineer at Intel. He spoke about why he gave so much money to his son, saying:"We as parents started to be interested more, thinking that he's on to something and this invention has to continue." Banerjee told the AP News: "My dream would probably be having most of the blind people...using my Braigo." Banerjee's parents wanted him to continue to _ .
<extra_id_0>catch Intel's interest
<extra_id_1>work on his invention
<extra_id_2>be a computer engineer
<extra_id_3>use the new Braille writer
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<extra_id_5>Australia's koalas could be dying out within 30 years, unless urgent measures is taken to stop the losing in population, according to researchers. They say development, climate change and bushfires have all related to reduce the number of wild koalas sharply. The Australian Koala Foundation said a recent survey showed the population could have dropped by more than half in the past six years. Previous estimates put the number of koalas at more than 100,000, but the latest figures suggest there could now be as few as 43,000. The foundation collected field data from 1,800 sites and 80,000 trees to calculate the numbers. In one area in northern Queensland estimated to have 20,000 koalas a decade ago, a team of eight people could not find a single animal in four days of searching. The foundation said besides problems caused by cutting down forests, hotter and drier conditions because of global warming had reduced the nutritional value of their staple food, eucalyptus leaves, leading to poor nutrition for them. Koalas, which live in the forests in Australia's east and south, are very particular about what types of the leaves they eat. Foundation chief Deborah Tabart said: "The koalas are missing everywhere we look. It's really no tree, no me. If you keep cutting down trees you don't have any koalas."She is hoping the new figures will persuade the government's Threatened Species Steering Committee (TSSC) to list the koala as threatened. But committee chairman Bob Beeton said a decision was not likely recently and the koala's status as one of the country's favorite animals would not be a factor. "There's a number of species which are attractive and people have special feelings towards them. We don't consider that," Mr. Beeton was reported as saying by the AFP agency. Global warming is an important cause of koalas' reduction because _ .
<extra_id_0>the leaves koalas eat are losing nutritional value
<extra_id_1>koalas cannot get enough water to drink
<extra_id_2>koalas can hardly stand the hot weather
<extra_id_3>the leaves koalas eat cannot grow in hot weather
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<extra_id_5>When I was young, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighborhood. I remember the shiny box on the wall. But I was too little to reach it, I could only listen to my mother talk on it. I discovered that inside the wonderful box lived an amazing person whose name was Information Please. There was nothing she did not know. One day my mother went out. I accidentally hurt my finger when I was playing with a hammer. I walked around the house sucking my hurting finger, finally seeing the telephone. Quickly I dragged a chair over and climbed up. "Information Please," I spoke into the receiver. A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear, "Information." "I hurt my finger..." I cried into the phone. "Isn't your mother home?" came the question. "Nobody's home but me." I sobbed. "Are you bleeding?" the voice asked. "No," I replied. "I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts." "Can you open your icebox?" she asked. I said I could. "Then take a little piece of ice and hold it to your finger." Said the voice. After that, I called "Information Please" for everything. I asked her for help with my geography and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my math. She told me her name was Sally. Then there was the time my pet canary died. I called "Information Please" and told Sally the sad story. "Why is it that birds sing so beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to end up as a pile of feathers?" She listened, then said quietly, "Paul, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in." Somehow I felt better. One day when I called "Information Please" again, a different voice answered "Information." I asked for Sally. "Are you a friend?" she said. "Yes." I answered "I'm sorry to have to tell you this," she said. "She died five days ago." Before I could hang up she said, "Wait a minute. Did you say your name was Paul?" "Yes!" "Well, Sally left a message for you. The note said, "Tell him I still say there are other worlds to sing in. He'll know what I mean." I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant. When the author hurt his finger, he rang because _ .
<extra_id_0>he believed that the telephone knew everything.
<extra_id_1>the telephone could tell him a doctor's number
<extra_id_2>his mother was on the other end of the telephone
<extra_id_3>he was once told to ask for help in this way
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<extra_id_5>Charlie Chaplin was one of the greatest and most widely loved silent movie stars. From Easy Street (1917) to Modern Times (1936), he made many of the funniest and most popular films of his time. He is best known for his character "the little tramp ". It is this kind-hearted character that we connect with the time of silent movies. Born in London in 1889, Chaplin first visited America with a theater company in 1907. Appearing as Billy in the play Sherlock Holmes, the young Chaplin toured the country twice. On his second tour, he met Mack Sennett and was signed to Keystone Studios to act in films. In 1914, Chaplin made his first short film, Making a Living. That same year, he made thirty-four more short films. These early silent shorts allowed very little time for anything but physical comedy, and Chaplin was extremely good at it. Chaplin was known as one of the most demanding men in Hollywood. No matter how big or tiny the size of the part, Chaplin walked each actor through every scene. Chaplin knew that a successful scene wasn't simply about the star, but about everyone on the screen. He required that all the actors and actresses work together in every performance. The only way to achieve it was to keep complete control over every scene. As he became more popular, he used more and more creative and difficult filming techniques. Movies such as his 1925 hit, The Gold Rush, required endless reworking of scenes and rebuilding of sets. Though Chaplin is of the silent movie era, his achievements were carried over into the films of today. His strictness and concern for the processes of acting and directing made his films great and led the way to a new and more wonderful cinema. Chaplin's working life in entertainment lasted over 75 years, from the Victorian stage and the music hall in the United Kingdom as a child performer, until close to his death at the age of 88. We can learn from the passage that _ .
<extra_id_0>Charlie Chaplin went to America for the first time at 20
<extra_id_1>Charlie Chaplin made 35 short films in total in 1914
<extra_id_2>short films had many kinds of comedy besides physical comedy
<extra_id_3>Charlie Chaplin didn't make any popular movies after 1936
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<extra_id_5>Life has changed in Mexico City. Streets normally filled with people are empty. One of the most popular professional soccer teams recently played a game in an empty stadium that can seat more than100,000 people. It's swine flu that has made life in Mexico City grind to a halt . Seemingly out of nowhere, swine flu has caused confirmed deaths in 12 countries as of April 30. It has sent a wave of alarm around the world. Governments are trying to find ways to prevent further out-breaks. The World Health Organization has raised its swine flu global threat level to five out of six. People may be familiar with bird flu, but they know little about swine flu. Swine flu is a contagious respiratory disease in pigs. It is caused by a type-A influenza virus. Humans can also catch swine flu. The virus causes regular outbreaks in pigs, but people usually do not catch it. However, there have been cases of the virus spreading to people, and then from one person to another. The symptoms of swine flu are similar to the common flu. They include fever, lethargy , lack of appetite, coughing, runny nose, sore throat, nausea , and vomiting . The high proportion of young adults among the deaths is one of several mysteries about this virus. Most of the dead had lung damage. What caused it is not yet known. The virus spreads the same way the common flu does. When an infected person coughs or sneezes around another person, the latter is put at risk. People can get the disease by touching something with the flu virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose or eyes. There are medicines to treat swine flu. Doctors suggest using anti - viral drugs. They keep the virus from reproducing inside the body. Although there are no vaccines for it now, several everyday steps can help prevent the spread of the virus: washing hands frequently; avoiding close contact with people who are sick; and avoiding touching surfaces that might have the virus on it. People may worry that they will get swine flu from eating or preparing pork. In fact, you cannot catch the virus from pork products if they have been properly prepared and cooked. Cooking food at temperatures of 71degCkills the virus. What can we infer from the passage?
<extra_id_0>At present there still aren't effective vaccines for swine flu.
<extra_id_1>Swine flu virus cannot spread in the air.
<extra_id_2>From now on, people can't eat pork if they want to be safe.
<extra_id_3>All of the dead killed by swine flu had lung damage.
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<extra_id_5>When 7-year-old Warren Buffett said, "I will be the richest man one day," his friends made fun of his "daydreaming". But ever since then the little boy has set about learning how to make money by selling drinks, delivering newspaper and buying stocks. The American had already earned $9,000 (equal to $90,000 today) by the time he graduated from the high school. And this month the 78-year-old, who earned his fortune by making a lot of sound investment in the stock market, took the place of Microsoft founder, Bill Gates, as the world's richest man. Gates' worth declined $1.5 billion to $55.5 billion in 33 days after the recent financial storm, according to Forbes Magazine. Buffett, the only son of a stockbroker, was ready to think outside the box to develop his business from a very early age. At 8, he went to golf courses collecting and selling the used balls. At 11 when he sold soda pop door-to-door with a friend, the pair collected lids on streets to judge which flavor was the most popular. As a paper boy during high school, Buffett delivered two competitor papers, so that even when customers canceled one of the subscriptions , he could still make a profit from the other. With his paper delivery savings, Buffett bought 162,000 square meters of farmland and collected rent. Young Buffett stepped into the stock market at 11 but earned only $5. The experience taught him one of the virtues in investing patience. After graduating from university, Buffett started his venture with stocks with his childhood earnings and money from friends. He researched the stocks and just bought those of solid companies that were undervalued and inexpensive at the time. By sticking to companies such as American Express and Coca-Cola, Buffett has become rich. "Learning is important to Buffett's success. He is a learning machine who can spend his entire day reading. He keeps learning from books, street smarts and investigation, from both success and failure. In this way, he over achieved his aptitude ," said Charlie Munger, his longtime business partner. The passage is mainly about _ .
<extra_id_0>why Buffett took the place of Bill Gates as the world's richest man
<extra_id_1>what effect Buffett's childhood experiences have on his success
<extra_id_2>how Buffett earned his fortune and achieve his aptitude
<extra_id_3>what Buffett dreamt about when he was a child
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<extra_id_5>TOURNAMENT OF ROSES ----5 Days Los Angeles Day 1 Los Angeles.( Sun.Dec.30) Welcome to Los Angeles! This evening mixes with your traveling friends at the welcome reception. Day 2 Los Angeles.( Mon.Dec.31) Head to Pasadena for the always colorful ROSE BOWL FAMILY FESTIVAL and watch the floats decorated with tens of thousands of flowers.This afternoon, you can take the included visit to the GETTY MUSEUM.This evening, join your travelling friends at a special New Year's Eve DINNER AND DANCE GALA , complete with hats, party favors and live music.You'll toast the New Year a little early tonight to consider an early morning departure to the Rose Parade. Day 3 Los Angeles.Tournament of Roses Parade ( Tue.Jan.1) Happy New Year! Get ready for one of the world's most popular parades, and you'll see it live! Globus has booked the GRANDSTAND SEATS at the beginning of the parade route for a good view.See the wonderful colorful floats, marching bands from around the world, and the famous people. Day 4 Los Angeles.( Wed.Jan.2) This morning view the individual floats in the POST PARADE VIEWING AREA.For many this is the most exciting part of the entire event.Be sure to bring your camera and plenty of film! Another special dinner tonight--a special GLOBUS FAREWELL CELEBRATION DINNER. Day 5 Los Angeles.( Thu.Jan.3) The tour ends today, with tour guests departing on individual schedules. According to the passage, you should bring your camera on _ .
<extra_id_0>Day 2.
<extra_id_1>Day 4
<extra_id_2>Day 3
<extra_id_3>Day 5
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<extra_id_5>"Blogging is helping students to think and write more critically ,"says an Australian researcher, "and can help draw out people who would otherwise not engage in debate." These are the preliminary findings of PHD research by Anne Bartlett-Bragg, a lecturer at the University of Technology, Sydney, who has been using weblogs or blogs in her own teaching since 2001. "The students are thinking more critically." she says, "They are learning to be responsible and they're communicating outside the boundaries of the classroom and the institution, and they like that. "Bartlett-Bragg says in conventional teaching, students often rely on the lecturer as the main source of ideas and critique for their work. "I'm a bit over listening to my students giving me back in an essay what I've told them in class." she says. "I want them to think for themselves and get different perspectives." "What makes blogs useful is their interactive nature." she says. These web-based forums for discussing ideas, experiences or opinions allow students to discuss publicly what they are studying with other students and experts outside their own university. "I really encourage them to put their personal opinion in there, provided they are informed and backed up with evidence." Bartlett-Bragg says because a lot of academics in her field of electronic or e-learning now have their own blogs, students can engage directly with them. She says one of the most powerful facilities in weblogs is pinging, which involves a person positing a comment about someone else's work on their own blog. They use the "Trackback" tool to notify the author when they have published the comment, basically inviting them to discuss it. "They get such a buzz when they make a comment on another person outside the boundaries of the institution and that person responds, or even gives them some further reading." she says. "They are getting new perspectives that I can't give them in a normal lecture." Bartlett-Brag would like her students to _ .
<extra_id_0>make comments on her teaching
<extra_id_1>spend more time on the web
<extra_id_2>be taught in a conventional way
<extra_id_3>get new ideas from the web-based forums
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<extra_id_5>In June, 2007, a group of students from eight high schools in Winnipeg, the capital of Canada's Manitoba province, will begin test-launching a satellite the size of a Rubik's cube. The one-kilogram Win-Cub satellite, named for its home city and its shape, will be put into low orbit. Once in space, it can perform for a few months or up to several years, communicating information that could help find the signs of earthquakes. There are 80 similar satellite projects worldwide, but this is the first high-school based program of its kind in Canada. 30 Manitoba high school students are having a hand in designing and building the satellite, in cooperation with aerospace experts and 10 students from the University of Manitoba, and with support from two other organizations. The Win-Cube project is not something that goes on a piece of paper; it is real-world engineering, allowing high school students to have an opportunity to learn more about the exciting world of engineering through their participation in this challenging program. It is also taken as a wonderful example of the unique partnerships within Manitoba. Designing, building and launching a satellite with high-school participation will bring this world-class educational project into reality and Manitoba closer to space. "These Manitoba high school students deserve congratulations for their enthusiasm, innovation , and a strong love for discovery," said Education, Citizenship and Youth Minister Peter Bjomson. "We want to make science more relevant, interesting and attractive to high school students by showing them how classroom studies can relate to practical experience in the workplace or, in this case, in space," Bjomson added. The Win-Cube program is mainly aimed at inspiring a strong desire for discovery on the part of the students. It also shows Manitoba's devotion to research and innovation and the development of a skilled workforce -- all important drivers of knowledge-based economic growth. 37. According to Mr. Bjomson, _ .
<extra_id_0>those Manitoba high school students are worth praising
<extra_id_1>the study of space can be practically made in classrooms
<extra_id_2>Manitoba high schools are famous for the study of space
<extra_id_3>scientific research is too far away from high school students
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<extra_id_5>Which of the following characteristics is used when classifying organisms within the plant kingdom?
<extra_id_0>type of vascular tissue
<extra_id_1>use of photosynthesis
<extra_id_2>presence of cell walls
<extra_id_3>production of oxygen
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<extra_id_5>Basic Study Manual: $30 Future success depends on the ability to learn. Here are the answers to the questions most often asked by parents, teachers, business trainers and by students themselves. Read this book and learn: What the three barriers to study are and what to do about them. What to do if you get tired of a subject you are studying. Twenty-six simple drills to help you learn how to study easily, rapidly and with full understanding. Buy and read the Basic Study Manual and use it to dramatically improve your ability to study. Study Skills for Life: $20 L. Ron Hubbard's study technology for teenagers opens the door to their future success by giving them the ability to study and learn. Fully illustrated for easy understanding. Learning How to Learn: $40 The basics of effe www.ks5u.comctive study for 8 to 12-year-olds, fully illustrated. Children who read and apply the materials in this book regain their liking for study and their ability to apply this knowledge in life. Get this book for a child you want to see win at his studies! Buy it before May 1, 2005, and you'll just pay half less. How to Use a Dictionary Picture Book for Children: $40 In spite of billions of dollars spent on "educational research", children are not taught the most basic skills of learning, even the most basic of these: how to use a dictionary. Written for children from 8 to 12-year-olds, this fully illustrated book will teach your child: How to find words in a dictionary The different ways that words are used What the different marks and symbols that are used in a dictionary mean How to use a dictionary to correctly pronounce words It includes a section for parents and teachers showing you how to use this book with children. Buy this book and give it to your children to unlock their education. What's more, you'll just pay 50% for it before May 1, 2005. If you buy all the four books in April, 2005, you will have to pay _ for them.
<extra_id_0>$65
<extra_id_1>$80
<extra_id_2>$90
<extra_id_3>$130
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<extra_id_5>For well over a thousand years, smallpox was a disease that everyone feared. The disease killed much of the native population in South America when the Spanish arrived there in the early sixteenth century. By the end of the eighteenth century, smallpox was responsible for about one in ten deaths around the world. Those who survived the disease were left with ugly scars on their skin. It had long been well known among farmers that people who worked with cows seldom caught smallpox; instead, they often caught a similar but much milder disease called cowpox . A British doctor called Jenner was extremely interested in this, and so he studied cowpox. He believed that, by vaccinating people with the disease, he could protect them against the much worse disease smallpox. In 1796, he vaccinated a boy with cowpox and, two months later, with smallpox. The boy did not get smallpox. In the next two years, Jenner vaccinated several children in the same way, and none of them got the disease. News of the success of Jenner's work soon spread. Vaccination soon became a common method to protect people against other diseases caused by virus, such as rabies , and vaccines were sent across the world to the United States and India. It took nearly two centuries to achieve Jenner's dream of getting free of smallpox from the whole world. In 1967, the world Health Organization (WHO) started a great vaccination program, and the last known case of smallpox was recorded in Somalia in 1977. The story of vaccinations does not end there, however. There are many other diseases that kill more and more people every year. Besides, many new diseases are being discovered. The challenge for medical researchers will, therefore, probably continue for several more centuries Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?
<extra_id_0>The first experiment with cowpox was made by a British doctor.
<extra_id_1>After 1977 smallpox disappeared around the world according to WHO.
<extra_id_2>Vaccination had existed among ordinary farmers before being discovered.
<extra_id_3>Vaccination can be used to protect people in the world against not only smallpox.
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<extra_id_5>In many romantic movies or TV shows one scene always appears. It involves a handsome man standing outside a young woman's window, singing a love song to her to win her over. However, trying to woo a female with songs is not just something that humans do. A few animals sing love songs as well. Birds and elephants are romantic but the latest animal to _ a female might surprise you--it is the humble mouse. You may find it odd to find out that mice sing. We do not hear them because the frequency of their voice is so high. In fact, scientists have known for some time that male mice make special sounds to females, but it has always been assumed that the sounds are produced instinctively and randomly, with little thought going into the process. But new research suggests otherwise. When male mice with different voices were put in a cage together, scientists found that they would gradually change their pitches to sound like one another. But when a female mouse was put in the cage with two males, one male would change his pitch to match the other. "It was usually the smaller animal changing the pitch to match the larger animal," professor Erich Jarvis, leader of the study, from Duke University, US, told BBC News. This ability, known as vocal learning, is rare in the natural world. It had been thought to be limited to some birds, such as parrots--as well as whales and dolphins. The latest findings challenge the long-held opinion that mice cannot learn to adapt their voices. Scientists also found the part of the brain that controls the mice's singing ability. In the experiment, they damaged the cells in this part of the mice's brain and found that the animals couldn't keep their songs in pitch or repeat them any more. This also happened when the mice became deaf. Jarvis said that this finding had changed his understanding of the way mice make sound. "In mice we find that the pathways that are at least modulating these vocalizations are in the forebrain, in places where you actually find them in humans," he said. "If we're not wrong, these findings will be a big boost to scientists studying diseases like autism and anxiety disorders." Which of the following is proven wrong by the latest discovery?
<extra_id_0>The frequency of mice's voice is so high that it's impossible for humans to hear it.
<extra_id_1>When male mice make special sounds to females they can't control the sounds.
<extra_id_2>Birds and elephants are both romantic animals that are good at expressing love.
<extra_id_3>Animals like mice are smart even though they often make sounds randomly.
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<extra_id_5>One little miracle has been happening to me recently, and it gives me a special joy. A few months ago, I was telling my daughter, Sally, some stories about my mother. Mydaughter was so young when my mother died that she doesn't remember her well. I told her allI could remember, like how wonderful my mother was and how much she meant to me. One day, Sally was sad because her grandmother was in heaven and she couldn't see her. I explained that though her grandmother was dead, now she was still watching over usand could send us something to let us know she was there. She could be anywhere, even ridinginvisibly on the back of a butterfly . Just after I said this, a butterflyflew down right by us, and we laughed happily. Now many people would say it was just luck that the butterfly flew down at that time. A funnything, however, has happened since then. Every time I go out in any type of weather I seebutterflies. Very often they fly right by my face to get my attention. I always say hi to Mom,send her my love, and thank God for little miracles. Everyone is always looking for some big miracles to come out and save them when they are introuble, but they don't notice the little miracles that happen every day right in front of theireyes. I know what they really are, however. For me little miracles are the best kind. So manylittle miracles happen around me all the time that I know _ are not just luck. ,. Which can be the BEST title for this passage?
<extra_id_0>Butterflies and miracles
<extra_id_1>Sally's grandmother
<extra_id_2>Miracles are nowhere
<extra_id_3>A funny thing happened to Sally
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<extra_id_5>The Beijing government has set out to _ thousands of university graduates to work as junior officials in rural areas to both improve rural administration and ease the city's employment problems. The government plans to recruit 3,000 university graduates this year, 1,000 more than last year, to work as assistants to village heads or Party secretaries in suburban areas. People interested in jobs in Beijing's rural villages and townships can submit applications to the Beijing Municipal Personnel Bureau or online at www.Bjbys.com from February 1 through March 15. "We hope university graduates will seize this opportunity to use their knowledge in rural villages and to start their careers," Sun Zhenyu, deputy director of Beijing Personnel Bureau, told Xinhua News Agency. The government has promised successful candidates a monthly salary of 2,000 yuan ( $ 250) in the first year, 2,500 yuan ($ 320) the second year and 3,000 yuan ($ 385) the third year, provided their performance is up to the required standards.Sun said. Wang Lina, who graduated from Beijing Union University last year, was one of the first graduates to find work in the city's countryside After majoring in industrial and commercial administration, Wang served as the assistant to the village head of Ertiaojie Village in suburban Besjing's Pinggu District.For one project, Wang contacted people at the BeijingAcadeny of Agricnitural Sciences and arranged for the local farmers to receive training in strawberry planting.Her efforts paid off.The village had a plentiful harvest of organic strawberries earlier this year. Nationwide, about 150,000 university graduates found employment in rural areas last year, according to figures provided by the Ministry of Education. The ministry predicts that 4.95 million students will graduate from universities across the country this year, 820,000 more than last year.About 1.4 million of them are unlikely to find jobs when they graduate. In Beijing, a record 200,000 people are expected to graduate from university this year. Less than half of them are expected to be offered jobs, according to the personnel bureau. From the story of Wang Lina we can learn that _
<extra_id_0>the sooner you go to the countryside, the sooner you will be successful
<extra_id_1>local fanners can get big harvests if they team more knowledge
<extra_id_2>university graduates can also realize their value in rural areas
<extra_id_3>Wang had great difficulty in helping villagers planting organic strawberries
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<extra_id_5>A famous foreign company in China wanted a Clerk for its public relation department . A beautiful girl with a master's degree went through a lot of challenges and her name was on the list. In the final stage she faced an interview together -with another girl. Both of them were outstanding , not only in looks but also in education. The girl was successful in the interview. It seemed that she would get the chance. At last the examiner asked her, "Can you come to the office next Monday?" Shocked by the unexpected question, the beautiful girl couldn't make a decision at the moment, so she said, "I have to talk with my parents before I give an answer. " The examiner felt surprised but said calmly, "If so, let' s wait till you are ready. " The next day, the girl came to tell the examiner that her parents had agreed to let her begin work next Monday. But the examiner said regretfully , "Sorry, another suitable candidate has got the job. You had better try another place. "The beautiful girl was surprised. She asked for an explanation and was told, "What is needed here is a person who knows her own mind. " That was how a good opportunity _ a beautiful girl ran away. We can learn from the passage that _
<extra_id_0>the company lost its best clerk
<extra_id_1>no girl got the job
<extra_id_2>the other girl who failed at the last interview might get the job
<extra_id_3>the examiner was very pleased with the girl
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<extra_id_5>It was the last time Susan Butcher ran the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in 1992. An hour into the race, Susan and her sled dog team sped down a hill and crashed into a fallen tree. Although hurt, Susan continued the difficult race. The Iditarod Race started in 1925 when a doctor in Nome, Alaska was desperately in need of medicine to stop the spread of a deadly disease. Only a hospital had what he needed, but it was 700 mile-away! In January, it was too dangerous to send a boat and too stormy for his tiny airplane. The only hope was to use several sled dog teams following a trail, called the Iditarod Trail. They passed the medicine from one sled team to another. Wind and snow did not stop the men and their dogs. The medicine was delivered in record time. The race follows the route of the famous medicine run. Over 1,000 miles long, it is considered the toughest race in the world. Susan Butcher was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In her teens Susan was given a Siberian husky dog and became very interested in huskies as sled dogs. After reading about the Iditarod Race, Susan moved to Alaska. She got several jobs to earn money to buy herself a sled and a team of huskies. After years of hard work and training, Susan achieved her dream of racing on the Iditarod Trail. In 1978, at the age of 24, Susan entered the race for the first time and became the first woman to finish in the top 20. In 1982 she came in second. In 1984 she was leading her team across a frozen waterway when they fell into the water. Her lead dog managed to pull Susan and the other dogs out of danger. Remarkably, she came in second. In her fourth race, in 1985,a starving moose attacked her dogs, killing two and injuring eleven. Susan had to leave the race. In 1986 Susan joined the race again. This time, she won. She won again in 1987. In 1988 she became the first person ever to win three Iditarod races in a row. Unbelievably, Susan won for the fourth time in 1990. What led to some of Susan Butcher's failures?
<extra_id_0>Snowstorm.
<extra_id_1>Lack of food.
<extra_id_2>Accidents.
<extra_id_3>Lack of experience.
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<extra_id_5>A rich woman begins to learn painting . When she is sixty years old, she loves it very much. She paints and paints. After ten years, there are lots of pictures in her workroom, and she thinks they are very good. One day, the old woman is badly ill in bed, but she doesn't forget her pictures. She says to his grandson, Hand, "I want to give my pictures to a school, then the students will remember me. But which school do you think is the best, my dear?" "Well," says the little boy, "You'd better give them to the blind school!" The old woman is Hand's _ .
<extra_id_0>grandmother
<extra_id_1>grandfather
<extra_id_2>grandson
<extra_id_3>grand-daughter.
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<extra_id_5>As is known to us all, baths and bathing have long been considered of medical importance to man. In Greece there are the ruins of a water system for baths built over 3,000 years ago. The Romans had warm public baths. In some baths, as many 3,000 persons could bathe at the same time. Treating disease by taking bathing has been popular for centuries. Modern medical bathing first became popular in Europe and by the late 1700's has also become popular in the United States. For many years frequent bathing was believed to be bad for one's health. Ordinary bathing just to keep clean was avoided, and _ was often used to cover up body smells! By the 1700's doctors began to say that soap and water were good for health. They believed that it was good for people to be clean. Slowly, people began to bathe more frequently. During the Victorian Age of the late 19th century, taking a bath on Saturday night became common. In the United States ordinary bathing was slow to become popular. During the 18th and early 19th centuries, many Americans were known as "The Great Unwashed!" In one American city, for example, a person was only allowed to take a bathe every thirty days! That was a law! Frequency of bathing today is partly a matter of habit. People know that bathing for cleanliness is important to health, Doctors know that dirty bodies increase the chance of diseases. As a result, in the United States, people generally bathe often. Some people bath once a day at least. They consider a daily bath essential (="necessary)" to good health. Which of the following gives the main idea of the passage?
<extra_id_0>Everybody inAmericatakes a daily bath.
<extra_id_1>A bath a day keeps the doctor away.
<extra_id_2>Bathing has become easier and cheaper.
<extra_id_3>Taking baths has become popular in the world.
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<extra_id_5>A 14-year-old British student is packing for the next day of school: textbooks, notebooks, pens, 250 grams of flour, an egg and some cooking oil. Wait, what? It's not a joke. From September, cookery will be a compulsory course for kids aged 7-14 in the UK. Primary school students will learn how to put things together and make simple, healthy food. At high school, students will then master a number of different meals. They will also learn some cooking skills including baking. Britain is sometimes known as a country with bad food and unhealthy eating habits. These new courses are part of the country's effort to bring healthy food back onto the table. "One in four British families no longer has a table that everyone can eat around. One out of every two meals we eat is eaten alone. Only four out of ten of us enjoy eating meals with our children," British writer Joanna Blythman wrote in her book Bad Food Britain: How A Nation Ruined Its Appetite in 2006. Instead, ready meals have become the first choice for many British kids, because their parents are often too busy to cook a proper meal. The Department for Education hopes that the cookery courses can introduce children to good food and reduce childhood _ . "It's important that children can develop an interest and understanding of good food," said a spokesman for the department. "We want to encourage them to develop a love of food and cooking that will stay with them as they grow up. From the passage, we can learn that _ .
<extra_id_0>many British people have unhealthy eating habits
<extra_id_1>people in Britain don't love to eat around the table
<extra_id_2>parents cook meals for their kids although they are busy
<extra_id_3>many British people don't like to eat with their families
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<extra_id_5>You've just come home, after living abroad away, has this country changed for the better-or for a few years.Since you've been for the worse? If you've just arrived back inthe UK after a fortnights holiday, small changes have probably surprised you-anything from a Iocal grcengrocer suddenly being replaced by a mobile-phone shop to someone in your street moving house. So how have things changed to people coming back to Britain after seven, ten or even 15 year:' living abroad ? What changes in society can they see that the rest of us have hardly noticed ----or now take for granted ? To find out, we asked some people who recently returned. Dcbi: When we IcCheltenham, my home town, was a town of white ,middle-class families-all very conservative .The town is now home to many eastern Europeans and lots of Australians, who come here mainly to work in hotel and tourism.There are even severai snops only for foreigners. Having been an inunigrant myself, I admire people who go overseas to find a job.Maybe if I lived in an inner city where unemployment was high, I'd think differently, but I believe foreign settlers have improved this country because they're more open-minded and often work harder than the natives. Christine: As we flew home over Britain, both of us remarked how green everything looked.But the differences between the place we'd left behind and the one we returned to were brought sharply into focus as soon as we landed. To see policemen with guns in the airport for the first time was frightening-in Cyprus, they're very relaxed-and I got pulled over by customs officers just for taking a woolen sweater with some metal-made buttons out of my case in the arrivals hall.Everyone seemed to be on guard.Even the airport car-hire firm wanted a credit card rather than cash because they said their vehicles had been used by bank robbers. But anyway, this is still a green, beautiful country.I just wish more people would appreciate w,that they've got. Which might be the best title for the passage?
<extra_id_0>Life in Britain.
<extra_id_1>Back in Britain.
<extra_id_2>Britain in Future.
<extra_id_3>Britain in Memory.
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<extra_id_5>The triathlon promises to be one of the most popular Olympic sports.Recently it has drawn huge crowds attracted by athletes swimming 1,500m,cycling 40km,then running 10km without stopping.But what makes an attractive 17yearold girl give up everything for the doubtful pleasure it offers? Melanie Sears has not yet learnt those oftenrepeated phrases about personal satisfaction,mental challenge and higher targets that most athletes use when asked similar questions."You swim for 1,500m,then run out of the water and jump on your bike,still wet.Of course,then you freeze.When the 40km cycle ride is over,you have to run 10km,which is a long way when you're feeling exhausted.But it's great fun,and all worth it in the end," she says. Melanie entered her first triathlon at 14 and she won the junior section.Full of confidence,she entered the National Championships,and although she had the second fastest swim and the fastest run,she came nowhere."I was following this man and suddenly we came to the sea.We realised then that we had gone wrong.I ended up cycling 20 kilometres too far.I cried all the way through the running." But she did not give up and was determined that she never will."Sometimes I wish I could stop,because then the pain would be over,but I am afraid that if I let myself stop just once,I would be tempted to do it again."Such doggedness draws admiration from Steve Trew,the sport's director of coaching."I've just been testing her fitness," he says, "and she worked so hard on the running machine that it finally threw her off and into a wall.She had given it everything,and she just kept on." Melanie was top junior in this year's European Triathlon Championships,finishing 13th."I was almost as good as the top three in swimming and running,but much slower in cycling.That's why I'm working very hard at it." She is trying to talk her longsuffering parents,who will carry the PS1,300 cost of her trip to New Zealand for this year's world championships,into buying a PS2,000 bike,so she can try 25km and 100km races later this year. But there is another price to pay."I don't have a social life,"she says."After two hours' hard swimming on Friday night,I just want to go to sleep.But I phone and write to the other girls in the team." What does she talk about?Boys?Clothes?"No,what sort of times they are achieving." What upset Melanie during the National Championships?
<extra_id_0>She was tricked by another competitor.
<extra_id_1>She felt she had let her teammates down.
<extra_id_2>She made a mistake during part of the race.
<extra_id_3>She realized she couldn't cycle as fast as she thought.
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<extra_id_5>The speaker, a teacher from a community college, addressed a sympathetic audience. Heads nodded in agreement when he said, "High school English teachers are not doing their jobs." He described the weaknesses of his students, all high school graduates who can use language only at a grade 9 level. I was unable to determine from his answers to my questions how this grade 9 level had been established. What the speaker was really saying is that he is no longer young; he has been teaching for sixteen years, and is able to think and speak like a mature adult. My point is that the frequent complaint of one generation about the one immediately following it is unavoidable. It is also human nature to look for the reasons for our dissatisfaction. Before English became a school subject in the late nineteenth century, it was difficult to find the target of the blame for language deficiencies . But since then, English teachers have been under constant attack. The complainers think they have hit upon an original idea. As their own command of the language improves, they notice that young people do not have this same ability. Unaware that their own ability has developed through the years, they suppose the new generation of young people must be hopeless in this respect. To the eyes and ears of sensitive adults, the language of the young always seems inadequate . Since this concern about the decline and fall of the English language is not recognized as a generational phenomenon but rather as something new and strange to today's young people, it naturally follows that today's English teachers cannot be doing their jobs. Otherwise, young people would not commit crimes against the language. According to the author, what is human nature?
<extra_id_0>Complaining English teachers.
<extra_id_1>Complaining the younger generation.
<extra_id_2>Seeking for the reasons to meet our satisfaction.
<extra_id_3>Seeking for the original ideas of language deficiencies.
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<extra_id_5>A mouse looked through a crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package; what food might it contain? He was astonished to discover that it was a mouse trap! Running to the farmyard, the mouse shouted, warning everyone, "There is a mouse trap in the house, there is a mouse trap in the house." The chicken, with her head high, glared at the mouse and said, "Shut up. Little Ugly. This is a great concern to you, but it has nothing to do with me; I can't be troubled by it. The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mouse trap in the house." "I am so sorry, Mr. Mouse," said the pig sympathetically, "but there is nothing I can do about it but pray; you are always in my prayers." The mouse turned to the cow, who relied, " A mouse trap, am I in great danger, huh?" Now the mouse had to face the farmer's mouse trap alone. The very night a sound was heard through the house, like that of a mouse trap catching its . The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a big poisonous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital. She returned home with a fever. It is said that drinking fresh chicken soup will help treat fever, so the farmer took his sharp knife to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. His wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer killed the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well, in fact, she died, and so many people came for her funeral. The farmer had the cow killed to provide for all of them to eat. So next time when someone is facing a problem, don't say that it has nothing to do with you. Remember: when the least of us is threatened, we all might be at risk. We could see from the passage that the mouse was _ .
<extra_id_0>good at cheating others
<extra_id_1>honest
<extra_id_2>kind and warm-hearted
<extra_id_3>foolish
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<extra_id_5>Wearing the wrong type of glasses will do harm to your eyes. Incorrect glasses may not be good for the children under 10. You may see better with glasses that are specially made for you. Watching too much television may be bad for your eyes. This is not true for everyone. People with easily affected eyes may find they get red and achy from watching TV for long. Carrots will help you see in the dark. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene (b). The body can change beta-carotene into vitamin A, and too little beta-carotene can cause night blindness. However, a lot of research shows that night blindness is more likely to be connected with some other vision problems. Watching TV for a long time may cause _ .
<extra_id_0>night blindness
<extra_id_1>easily affected eyes
<extra_id_2>no eye trouble for some people
<extra_id_3>vision problems for everyone
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<extra_id_5>Many years ago,there lived a very rich man who wanted to do something for the people of his town. But first he wanted to find out whether they were good enough to get his help. So he placed a very large stone in the center of the main road into town. Then he hid behind a tree and waited. Soon an old man came along with his cow. "Who put this stone in the center of the road?" said the old man,but he did not try to move the stone away. Instead,he passed around the stone and continued on his way. Another man came along and did the same thing; then another came,and another. All of them complained about the stone in the center of the road,but none of them tried to move it away. Late in the afternoon, a young man came along. He saw the stone and said, "It will be very dark at night. Some people will come along later in the dark and will fall against the stone." The young man then began to move the stone. He pulled with all his strength to move it to one side. But imagine his surprise when he found a bag full of money and this message under the stone: "This money is for the thoughtful person who takes this stone away from the road. Thank you." What did the rich man aim to do?
<extra_id_0>To offer help to the people of his town.
<extra_id_1>To show his people how rich he was.
<extra_id_2>To give money to anybody in need.
<extra_id_3>To find out how good his people are.
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<extra_id_5>Responding to County's written advertisement for bids, Tyres was the successful bidder for the sale of tires to County for County's vehicles. Tyres and County entered into a signed, written agreement that specified, "It is agreed that Tyres will deliver all tires required by this agreement to County, in accordance with the attached bid form and specifications, for a one-year period beginning September 1, 1990." Attached to the agreement was a copy of the bid form and specifications. In the written advertisement to which Tyres had responded, but not in the bid form, County had stated, "Multiple awards may be issued if they are in the best interests of County." No definite quantity of tires to be bought by County from Tyres was specified in any of these documents. In January 1991, Tyres learned that County was buying some of its tires from one of Tyres's competitors. Contending that the Tyres-County agreement was a requirements contract, Tyres sued County for the damages caused by County's buying some of its tires from the competitor. If the court concludes that the Tyres-County contract is an agreement by County to buy its tire requirements from Tyres, Tyres probably will
<extra_id_0>recover under the contracts clause of the United States Constitution.
<extra_id_1>recover under the provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code.
<extra_id_2>not recover, because the agreement lacks mutuality of obligation.
<extra_id_3>not recover, because the agreement is indefinite as to quantity.
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<extra_id_5>The smartphone has become the centerpiece of many students' digital lives. Yes, it can be a distraction(,), but it is also an incredible tool that can transform classroom learning and late-night studying. Professors and students are starting to explore what the smartphone can contribute to learning-and there is a whole host of apps to help that process along. There are also plenty of apps to help students with the less academic parts of college life. To download any of these apps, search the iTunes App Store or Android Market. iOS apps are built for Apple's mobile platform and can run on the iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. Skype Cost: Free Platform: Android, BlackBerry, iOS More and more smartphones now ship with front-facing cameras that make them great video chat tools. There are several competitors here ---- including Apple's FaceTime ----but Skype is still the best cross-platform tool for keeping in touch with faraway friends and family. Users on either end can be on a computer, smartphone. Grades 2 Cost: Free Platform: iOS This app is a sophisticated tool for calculating grades. Students can use it to figure out what grade they'll need on a test to achieve their target grade and also keeps track of overall GPA, weighted by each class's credit count. Students can also enter due dates for assignments as reminders. The app is free and supported by ads, but users can pay $1 inside the app to turn them off. Snoozerr Recordings Cost: 99 cents Platform: iOS This is a great tool for logging long lecture classes or smaller study sessions . It records audio and pairs that with time-stamped pictures that the student takes of presentations--- say, equations on a blackboard----or of his or her own notes. When the student wants to review, he or she can use the pictures as a visual guide to what the instructor was saying and replay that section. TED Cost: Free Platform: iOS This app is great for the student in everyone. It compiles video from hundreds of presentations at technology, entertainment and design----a conference that features short speeches focused on new ways of thinking. Presenters often speak about technology, social good or education and challenge societal norms. It's a great way to spend an hour or so hearing from some of the world's leading minds for free. All of the videos are also available at www.ted.com. AroundMe Cost: Free Platform: Android and iOS This app uses a smartphone's GPS to find nearby locations by category such as banks, gas stations, bars, coffee shops, restaurants and supermarkets---- all the college staples . What might be the best title for the text?
<extra_id_0>How to Improve College Students' Studies
<extra_id_1>How to Download Computer Games
<extra_id_2>How to Choose the Latest Smartphone
<extra_id_3>Five Tech Tools for College Students
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<extra_id_5>People think what I do is so wonderful because I interview stars. And I have to admit that when I first started working at Sassy in 1987 I was excited about that part of my job for the first couple of months,anyway. Then I noticed how stars would fool me around for months. I could never get enough time with a star to find out anything interesting, and some acted just simply rudely. I started hating the way I was treated, and I was really disappointed to see that these people I had worshipped before were pretty ordinary. So I decided I would just tell the truth instead of keeping up their myths .If the star was a bad guy, I would say so. If I thought anyone was stupid, I did not hold back that information. I thought readers would appreciate that kind of honesty. Surprisingly, many of them hated me for it. I have gotten so many attacks on my character. In their eyes,being famous is everything, even more desirable than being truly creative and talented Why do we need stars? In fact, the media created stars to satisfy our basic need for gossip .Over time, talking about people we have never met and we are never likely to meet has become what we are crazy about. Thus, some people are more interested in the personal lives of the stars than in the lives of their own family and their own friends. That is why it is so ridiculous when a star wants to discuss only his or her work in an interview -as we care. We want the dirt on their personal lives. There is another reason we worship stars. As a whole, our society is not as religious as it once was. It seems that people need something to fulfill them the way religion once did. Star worship exists as an unfulfilling desire for true heroes. We make them stars, but then their reputation makes us feel unimportant, and we truly feel better about ourselves when they die. I am part of this whole process. No wonder I feel soiled at the end of workday. What are the stars like according to the author?
<extra_id_0>They always treat others rudely.
<extra_id_1>They always talk about something dull.
<extra_id_2>They are acutually ordinary people.
<extra_id_3>They are usually honest and polite,
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<extra_id_5>In his lowest days when few people bought his records, Taiwan singer Steve Chou lived alone in Canada and did little. One day, he passed by a local CD store and accidentally heard a song that greatly enchanted him. His passion for music was suddenly rekindled . "My heart tells me that music is the thing I truly want to do, not for fame or money," Chou told Teens. "So I asked myself, 'why not start all over again?'" That's how we luckily regained this music genius, who has since then composed lots of _ for the pop music charts . His emotional voice is enthralling . "Sometimes we need to get close to nature to look deeply into our souls and see what we genuinely want to follow," he said. Following the success of Turkey in Blue, he has recently released his latest work Lovers Genesis. In this album he explores human relationships in the Internet age. This time, he takes the role of a calm observer rather than a struggling insider. " _ ," is Chou's advice to teenagers. Chou often gets his music ideas from trips. He has traveled to many places around the world and believes that learning a country's language is the fastest way of experiencing the culture behind it. How was Steve Zhou's passion for music rekindled?
<extra_id_0>He was encouraged by his friends.
<extra_id_1>When he passed by a store and heard a song that enchanted him.
<extra_id_2>He decided to rebuild his reputation.
<extra_id_3>A good idea suddenly occurred to him.
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<extra_id_5>Our little boy came up to his mother in the kitchen one evening while she was preparing supper, and handed her a piece of paper that he had been writing on. After his mom dried her hands on her apron , she read it, and this is what was said: For going to the store for you $2. For cutting the grass in the garden $3. For cleaning up the yard this week $2.5. For cleaning up my room this week $2. For setting the table for meals this week $1. For baby-sitting my kid brother while you went shopping $1.5. For getting a good school report $5. Total owed: $17. His mother looked at him, who was standing there with expectation. Memories flashed through her mind. Then she picked up a pen, turned over the paper he had written on, and wrote: For the nine months I carried you while you were growing inside me, No Charge . For all the nights that I've sat up with you and taken care of you, No Charge. For all the problems and troubles that you've caused through the years, there is No Charge. When you add it all up, the cost of my love is No Charge. For all the nights that were filled with fear and for the worries I knew were ahead, No Charge. For the toys, food, clothes, and even wiping up your nose? There is No Charge. And when you add it all up, the full cost of real love is, No Charge, Son. Well, friends, when our son finished reading what his mother had written, there were big tears in his eyes, and he looked straight up at his mother and said, "Mom, I sure do love you.." And then he took the pen and in great letters he wrote, " PAID IN FULL." According to the boy's bill, his mom owed him _ for his helping with the house work.
<extra_id_0>$7.50
<extra_id_1>$10.50
<extra_id_2>$12.00
<extra_id_3>$17.00
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<extra_id_5>Traveling by train is usually not easy in China. It can be hard to get a ticket. When you're traveling to the railway station, you look at your watch, for you are afraid you will miss your train. But there is good news for people traveling between Beijing and Shanghai. Construction on the express railway between the two cities started just before the Spring Festival of 2008. When it is finished by 2013, taking a train will be as easy as taking a bus. "There will be trains every several minutes. Buying a ticket, getting through the checkpoint and taking your seat, will take just 10 minutes," said an engineer. There may be high-speed trains running at 350 kilometers an hour. The travel time between the two cities will _ from 10 to about 5 hours. The trains will carry twice the present number of passengers. The new line will be 1,318 kilometers long and go across specially built bridges. It will run along side the present line. There will be 21 stations in Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong, Anhui and Jiangsu. "The cost of traveling by the express railway may be around 800 yuan. That will be more expensive than an ordinary train, but cheaper than by air." Said Zhang Xiaoling, a Jiangsu government official. According to Zhang, the higher price is caused by the large cost of the railway project. At about 200 billion yuan, the project may be even more expensive than the Three Gorges Project . Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
<extra_id_0>Traveling by train is usually difficult in China because tickets are too expensive.
<extra_id_1>The high-speed trains will have 21 stations in Shanghai, Shandong, Hunan and Jiangsu.
<extra_id_2>Tickets for the high-speed trains will be cheaper than those for planes.
<extra_id_3>The cost of the express railway project is as high as that of the Three Gorges Project.
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<extra_id_5>At thirteen, I was diagnosed with kind of attention disorder. It made school difficult for me. When everyone else in the class was focusing on tasks, I could not. In my first literature class, Mrs. Smith asked us to read a story and then write on it, all within 45 minutes. I raised my hand right away and said, "Mrs. Smith, you see, the doctor said I have attention problems. I might not be able to do it." She glanced down at me through her glasses, "you are no different from your classmates, young man." I tried, but I didn't finish the reading when the bell rang. I had to take it home. In the quietness of my bedroom, the story suddenly all became clear to me. It was about a blind person, Louis Braille. He lived in a time when the blind couldn't get much education. But Louis didn't give up. Instead, he invented a reading system of raised dots , which opened up a whole new world of knowledge to the blind. Wasn't I the "blind" in my class, being made to learn like the "sighted" students? My thoughts spilled out and my pen started to dance. I completed the task within 40 minutes. Indeed, I was no different from others; I just needed a quieter place. If Louis could find his way out of his problems, why should I ever give up? I didn't expect anything when I handed in my paper to Mrs. Smith, so it was quite a surprise when it came back to me the next day with an "A" on it. At the bottom of the paper were these words: " See what you can do when you keep trying?" What is the main idea of the passage?
<extra_id_0>The disabled should be treated with respect.
<extra_id_1>A teacher can open up a new world to students.
<extra_id_2>Everyone needs a hand when faced with challenges.
<extra_id_3>One can find his way out of difficulties with efforts.
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<extra_id_5>My grandfather died more than twenty-five years ago. I was fifteen. He was kind, strong, fair, and very funny. When I was a young musician, he was my biggest fan. I played my violin for him when he visited, and he loved everything, but each time he had one request. "Could you play 'Amazing Grace'?" he asked, full of hope and with a twinkle in his eye, because he knew my answer was always, "I don't know that one!" We went through this routine at every major holiday, and I always figured I'd have time to learn it for him later. About the time I entered high school and started guitar, Grandpa got cancer. The last time I saw him alive was Thanksgiving weekend in 1985. My mom warned us that Grandpa didn't look the same anymore and that we should prepare ourselves. For a moment I didn't recognize him. He looked so small among all the white sheets. We had all gathered in Ohio for the holiday, and I'm sure we all knew we were there to say good-bye. I can see now that Grandpa held on long enough to see us each one more time. I remember how we ate in the dining room and laughed and talked while Grandpa rested in his hospital bed. I wonder if it was sad for him to be alone with our voices and laughter. _ The next morning I found my moment alone with him. I pulled out my guitar, tuned to his appreciative gaze, and finally played for him "Amazing Grace." I had worked on it for weeks, knowing it never mattered whether I actually played it well and choosing not to believe as I played that it was my last concert for my biggest fan. The cancer had stolen his smile, but I saw joy in his eyes. He held my hand afterward, and I knew I had done something important. I argued with people all through college about my music major. I was told by strangers that music wouldn't make me any money and it wasn't useful like being a doctor. But I know firsthand that with music I was able to give my grandpa something at a point when no one else could. What is the author's attitude toward her music major?
<extra_id_0>Disapproving.
<extra_id_1>Positive.
<extra_id_2>Doubtful.
<extra_id_3>Regretful.
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<extra_id_5>Nate suffered a hard blow when he lost his job.His boss had spoken rudely, "Your services are no longer needed." Nate left the building filled with disappointment.By the time he reached home, he was in a deep depression.When he entered his house, he blurted out to his wife Sophia, "I lost my job.I am a complete failure." A tense silence followed.Then a smile crept across Sophia's face."What great news!" she responded. "Now you can write the book you have always wanted to write." "But I have no job and no prospect of a job," he objected, completely without hope."If I struggle to be an author, then what will we live on? Where will the money come from?" Sophia took her husband by the hand and led him to the kitchen.Opening a drawer, she took out a box that was full of cash."Where on earth did you get this?" Nate gasped."To whom does it belong?" "It's ours!" Sophia replied."I always knew that one day you would become a great writer if only you were given the chance.From the money you gave me for housekeeping every week, I have saved as much as I could so you would have your chance.Now there is enough to last us a whole year." What a surprise! What encouragement! What a wife! The unemployed husband did concentrate on writing that year, and the novel he wrote became a literary masterpiece.The book is The Scarlet Letter.Sophia had an even greater achievement, and she turned Nathaniel Hawthorne from a poor clerk into a world famous master. Sophia saved money because _ .
<extra_id_0>she knew her husband would lose his job one day
<extra_id_1>she knew their life would be in difficulty
<extra_id_2>she was very careful with money
<extra_id_3>she was trying to help her husband in every possible way
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<extra_id_5>In China, if you are not married by the time you are 30, you are _ trouble: social blame and pressure from family and friends can get you down. And if you are a woman, it's even worse. Many young people get married simply to get other people off their backs . This is a serious compromise. One ends up not marrying the ideal partner. There are, however, a few young people who refuse to compromise: if they can't find a good marriage partner, they say, they would rather not marry at all. 34-year-old Kate is a university lecturer in English. She said she would not describe herself as celibatarian but simply a woman who hasn't come across the right man yet. She has sharp comments for the way in which the old generation looks at marriage. "Many people think marriage is a duty---to your parents, family and society. Nobody cares if your marriage is happy or not, she said, I think this is very wrong and I intend to live and act according to my own will." Happily for her, her parents are open-minded and not lay stress on her. But the same does not apply to her friends. They are constantly trying to get her together with some young man or another. She always refuses politely. If marriage is regarded as a duty to society, _ .
<extra_id_0>everybody will be happy and satisfied
<extra_id_1>nobody will pay attention to whether you are happy or not in your family life
<extra_id_2>you can easily find an ideal partner
<extra_id_3>young people will have nothing to worry about in marriage
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<extra_id_5>Is traditional fairytales good all the time? Recent research found one in five parents have abandoned those old classics such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and Hansel and Gretel and they're in favor of more modern books. One third of parents said their children have been left in tears after hearing the terrible details of Little Red Riding Hood. The survey of 2,000 adults was carried out to mark the launch of the hit US drama GRIMM, which starts tonight at 9:00 pm on Watch, and sees six series based on traditional fairytales. The research found a quarter of parents wouldn't consider reading a fairytale to their child until they had reached the age of five, as they cause too many awkward questions. And 52 percent of the parents said Cinderella didn't send a good message to their children as it portrays a young woman doing housework all day. Similarly, Goldilocks and the Three Bears was also a tale likely to be left on the book shelf as parents felt it condones stealing. Steve Hornsey, General Manager of Watch, said: "Bedtime stories are supposed to relax the children and send them off to sleep soundly. But as we see in GRIMM, fairytales can be dark and dramatic tales so it's understandable that parents worry about reading them to young children. As adults we can see the innocence in fairytales, but a five year old with an over active imagination could think they are true. Despite the dark nature of classic fairytales, as we see in GRIMM, good will defeat evil and there is always a moral to the story." Though half of parents said traditional tales are more likely to have a strong moral message than a lot of modern kids' books, two thirds of mums and dads said they were no longer appropriate to soothe youngsters before bed. On the contrary, they might give their children nightmares. Why aren't some traditional fairytales read by parents to children?
<extra_id_0>They are forbidden to read according to the rules.
<extra_id_1>They are difficult for their children to understand.
<extra_id_2>They are too scary for their young children to hear.
<extra_id_3>They don't have any strong moral messages in them.
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<extra_id_5>A Play: Four Butterflies Characters: Red Butterfly (RB), Green Butterfly (GB), Green Tree (GT), Rose (R), Grandpa Sun (GS) Look! There are four butterflies in the garden. One is red, one is yellow, one is green, and the other one is white. They play games and dance together every day, and they are very happy. One day, it's fine. Four butterflies are playing a game in the garden. Suddenly it is full of dark clouds and it begins to rain hard. 1. GB: Oh, it's raining hard. Green Tree is over there. She can help us. GB: Green Tree, our wings are wet. Please let us stay under your leaves. GT: Green Butterfly, I like you. We have the same color. You can come in, but the other three butterflies must go away. GB: No, thank you. We are good friends. We love each other and must stay together. RB: Rose is over there. She can help us. 2. RB: Rose, our wings are wet. Please let us stay under your leaves. R: Red Butterfly, I like you. We have the same color. You can come in, but the other three butterflies must go away. RB: No, thank you. We are good friends. We love each other and must stay together. 3. GS: What good friends they are! This is a real friendship. I must help them. The sun drives the clouds away and asks the rain to stop. Soon the sun gives off bright light and dries up their wings. 4. Four butterflies: Oh, the sun comes out. Our wings are dry. Let's play and dance again. How many butterflies are there in the garden? _
<extra_id_0>One butterfly.
<extra_id_1>Two butterflies.
<extra_id_2>Three butterflies
<extra_id_3>Four butterflies
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<extra_id_5>Do you dream of owning your own house? Canadian Kyle MacDonald, a 26-year-old from Vancouver who is a resident in Montreal, has just achieved it. MacDonald, who has spent much of his time since graduating from college backpacking round Europe and Asia and whose main income appears to come from working as a pizza-delivery man, decided last year that he wanted to settle down. However, when he checked the real estate market, he quickly realized that he had no chance of raising the depositon a home of his own. So he came up with an inventive solution. Using the power of the Internet, he decided to try to barter his way to a house. His starting offer One red paper clip . Of course, he didn't expect someone to offer him a house for the paper clip, he simply wanted to trade it for something that was more valuable. 14 trades later, he is now the owner of a house in Kipling, Saskatchewan. His first trade took place when two women from his hometown offered him a pen in the shape of a fish. MacDonald then traded the fish-pen for a doorknob, then the doorknob for a stove. Further _ brought him an electricity generator and a ski-bob, a small vehicle on tracks that people use to ride across snow and ice. After nine trades, he had a recording contract at a music studio in Toronto. But Kyle pressed on, still convinced that he would eventually get a house. After trades which brought him the opportunity to spend a day with rock star Alice Cooper and to have a small part in a Hollywood movie, he struck gold. When words of Kyle's astonishing barter journey reached the people of Kipling, they decided to make their move. The population of the town is a little more than l,000, and falling fast. By offering the keys to an empty house on Main Street, Kipling hoped to bring much needed publicity--and residents--to the fading town. And they seem to have succeeded! The third thing that Kyle MacDonald received was _ .
<extra_id_0>something you can write with
<extra_id_1>something you hold when you open a door
<extra_id_2>something you can cook food on
<extra_id_3>a small vehicle for riding across snow and ice
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<extra_id_5>Bali is home to most of Indonesia's Hindu minority. Here's how to get the most out of a 48hour visit: FRIDAY 3pm--There's nothing like a good meal. La Lucciola is the place to go, with its good food, great service and a beautiful view of the sea. You can hire a car for some 450,000 rupiah per day. This will help you have more to spare during your trip there. 5pm--About an hour away from La Lucciola is Uluwatu. This southern tip of the island is famous for its temple that lies on the edge, high above the sea. Fire dance is performed here daily at sunset. 8pm--To finish off the evening, head to Jimbaran Bay where restaurants offer candles, dances, boys singing songs. Kick off your shoes, feel the sand, and enjoy the night. SATURDAY 9:30am--Start the day with another taste of culture by heading for a "barong and keris" dance performance. It's held in many places. One is the Catur Eka Budi in Denpasar, capital of Bali. 12pm--About 50km from Denpasar is Kintamani, a favorite with tourists for the view of active volcano Mt. Batur. It's a good idea to reach Kintamani early as it gets cloudy after 3pm. Have lunch at a local restaurant with a view of Mt. Batur. Tourists can climb to Mt. Batur to catch the sunrise. 6:30pm--Spa time! Spa Hati is a good place. Book ahead. SUNDAY 6am--It's time to go to the sea. Don't forget the camera. 10:30am--Another halfday trip to two of the most famous temples in Bali. Drive down to the Taman Ayun temple at Mengwi. 12am--Next up is the Tanah Lot temple, perhaps the most famous of them all. Built on a rock, it's best seen in the afternoon when it's against the sun or at sunset. Which of the following needs to be booked in advance?
<extra_id_0>Joining in a " barong and keris" dance.
<extra_id_1>Visiting the Tanah Lot temple.
<extra_id_2>Having a spa in Spa Hati.
<extra_id_3>Having lunch in Kintamani.
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<extra_id_5>Mozilla has shown off a prototype for a $25 (PS15) smart phone that is aimed at the developing world. The company, which is famed mostly for its Firefox browser , has partnered with the Chinese low-cost chip maker Spreadtrum. While not as powerful as more expensive models, the phone will run apps and make use of mobile internet. It would appeal to the sorts of people who currently buy cheap "feature" phones, analysts said. Feature phones are highly popular in the developing world as a halfway point between "dumb" phones --- just voice calls and other basic functions --- and fully-developed smart phones. Mozilla hopes that it will take an early lead in a market that is now being targeted by mobile phone producers who see the developing world as the remaining area for massive growth. It will face fierce competition from bigger, more popular brands, however --- with more announcements of this kind expected over the course of the next couple of days at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. "These solutions expand the global accessibility of open web smart phones to first-time and entry-level smart phone buyers by reducing the time and cost required for handset makers to bring these phones to market," said Spreadtrum in a press statement. Mozilla said the phone "redefines" the entry-level phone market. The concept of a cheap smart phone may seem likely to appeal to consumers in developed countries, particularly those who locked into long contracts in order to pay part of the cost of the likes of the Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy range. But analyst Carolina Milanesi, from Kantar World panel, said it should not be seen as a competitor. We can learn from the text that at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona _ .
<extra_id_0>new cheap smart phones will beat high-end ones
<extra_id_1>the $25 smart phone coming from Mozilla will be the best seller
<extra_id_2>quite a few companies will announce their new cheap smart phones
<extra_id_3>Mozilla will be the only company to announce its new cheap smart phone
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<extra_id_5>Different people use different languages. We Chinese speak Chinese, and, most of us are learning a foreign language. But there is another kind of language we need to know --- the language of the body. All over the world, people "talk with their hand, with their heads and with their eyes." When Japanese people meet, they bow. When Indians meet, they put their hands together. What do American and British do? Americans are more imformal than the British. They like to be friendly. They use first names, they ask questions and they talk easily about themselves. When they sit down, they like to relax in their chairs and make themselves comfortable. British people are more reserved . They take more time to make friends. They like to know you before they ask your name. When British or American people meet someone for the first time, they shake hands. They do not usually shake hands with people they know well. Women sometimes kiss their women friends, and men kiss women friends (on one cheek only). When a man meets a man, he just smiles, and says, "Hello." Men do not kiss each other, or hold hands. Even fathers and sons do not often kiss each other. In the passsage, the writer thinks that body language is _ .
<extra_id_0>uselss
<extra_id_1>difficult
<extra_id_2>quite easy
<extra_id_3>important
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<extra_id_5>When you're curious about something, and want to know more about it, you can use the way of asking questions.Asking questions is the first step to make discoveries and find interesting answers.The steps below can guide you during the research. Step1 On a note card or piece of paper, write down the subject that you are interested in.Just get the main idea down.For example, you might write: Discover more about dinosaurs. Step2 Next, stop and think for a moment about what you already know about your subject.List what you already know like the sentences below: (1)Dinosaurs lived long before human beings appeareD. (2)Dinosaurs lived on the earth for more than 150 million years. (3)Some dinosaurs fed on plants, some on meat. Step3 What can you do with what you want to learn? By asking questions.On your paper, start writing down questions about the dinosaurs as you think of them: (1)What's the best weather for dinosaurs to live in? (2)How many kinds of dinosaurs are there? (3)Have dinosaurs really disappeared? Step4 Armed with your list of questions, you can now go to the nearest library or computer to begin your research.As you learn more about your subject, you'll probably discover some new questions.For example, you might discover that dinosaurs disappeared about 65 million years ago.Why? What happened? Asking new questions can help you research your subject more widely. If you always find something interesting to research, take time to organize your thinking by asking good questions.And remember learning more always brings more questions. From the passage, we know _ .
<extra_id_0>dinosaurs appeared after human beings
<extra_id_1>not all the dinosaurs fed on meat
<extra_id_2>dinosaurs lived on the earth for 65 million years
<extra_id_3>dinosaurs lived warm season
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<extra_id_5>Across the globe, single parent homes are on the rise. In the US, the 2000 census showed 24.8 million, or nearly 24 percent of the nation's 105.5 million households, were traditional two-parent homes. By comparison, 9.8 million households, or 9 percent of all US households were headed by an adult raising a child alone. The 1990 census showed 26 percent of homes were led by a married mother and father, and 8 percent of homes were led by a single parent. Similar increases occurred in other countries. In the UK, lone-parent homes increased from 3.3 percent in 1990 to 5.5 percent in 1999. Single parent households in Australia rose from 5.8 percent in 1990 to 7.6 percent in 1999. Belgium saw the increase from 1.8 percent to 2.7 percent during the same period of time. These countries tend to have greater acceptance of the single parent because there are fewer nearby family members to disapprove, Riche, a Census Bureau director, said. Just as in the US, those changes raised new questions about how involved govenment should be in helping single parent families. Some research suggests children raised in two-parent families are better off than those who depend on one. "The position of one-parent families in any country is very much a gender issue-women's opportunities, especially working-class women on low income," said Sue Cohen, coordinator of the Single Action Parents Network in England. What is the cause of the rise of single parent families across the globe?
<extra_id_0>The nearby family members have a favourable opinion.
<extra_id_1>A lone parent is well off enough to support his /her children.
<extra_id_2>A lot of problems have arisen in two-parent families.
<extra_id_3>We cannot get enough proving information from the text.
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<extra_id_5>Which two activities use most of the water used in an average U.S. household?
<extra_id_0>flushing toilets and washing clothes
<extra_id_1>washing clothes and using sink faucets
<extra_id_2>using sink faucets and showering
<extra_id_3>showering and flushing toilets
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<extra_id_5>Fish contains lost of omega-3 fatty acids.These fatty acids have been shown to help prevent heart disease,lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of strokes.Researchers suggest that these benefits of eating fish far outweigh the risks of getting sick from contaminated fish. Ongoing studies find that omega-3 fatty acids work magic on the brain too.Pregnant? Go out and eat fish! One study tracked a group of expectant women who ate more than 340 grams of fish per week.It turns out they gave birth to children who,years later,scored really high on IQ tests. How can you add fish to your diet? One way to begin is by replacing meat with fish in one meal a week.Instead of frying,which retains more fat,try boiling your fish in an oven or grilling it outdoors.And don't be afraid to spice up your fish.Garlic,herbs other spices can add wonderful flavors to fish. For lighter meals,keep a few cans of tuna or other fish on hand at all times.They're great for making tasty sandwiches or fish burgers.If you get hungry in the middle of the morning or afternoon,try tuna on crackers.It's hard to find a better snack.And parents,be sure to introduce fish to your children.It's important for them to get used to eating it at a young age. What does the author imply about omega-3 fatty acids?
<extra_id_0>They can make kids smarter.
<extra_id_1>They are found in most foods.
<extra_id_2>They last for just a few days.
<extra_id_3>They create significant risks.
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<extra_id_5>A businessman walks into a bank in San Francisco and asks for the loan officer. He says he is going to Europe on business for two weeks and needs to borrow $5,000.The bank officer says the bank will need some kind of security for such a loan. So the businessman hands over the keys to a Rolls Royce parked on the street in front of the bank. Everything checks out, and the bank agrees to accept the car as collateral for the loan. An employee drives the Rolls into the bank's underground garage and parks it there. Two weeks later, the businessman returns, and repays the $5,000 and the interest, which comes to $15.41. The loan officer says, "We are very happy to have had your business, and this transaction has worked out very nicely, but we are a little puzzled. While you were away, we checked you out and found that you are a multimillionaire. What puzzles us is that why would you bother to borrow $5,000?" Laughing, the businessman replies, "Where else in San Francisco can I park my car for two weeks for $15?" Which of the following words can best describe the businessman according to the story?
<extra_id_0>Honest.
<extra_id_1>Clever.
<extra_id_2>Rich.
<extra_id_3>Kind.
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<extra_id_5>Russia and the United States have completed the largest spy exchange since the Cold War.On Friday, at an airport in Vienna, Austria, an American plane and a Russian plane landed, parked side by side and exchanged _ . The United States freed ten admitted Russian agents.The men and women were arrested in late June and pleaded guilty on Thursday. In exchange, Russia freed four Russians serving prison sentences on charges of spying for the West.The men include Igor Sutyagin, an armed researcher who always denied the charges.Some considered him a political prisoner. The United States deported nine Russian and an American citizen born in Peru.Some raised children while living quiet lives as married couples. Russia's Foreign Ministry praised the exchange, saying, "The action improved Russian-U.S.relations." The group was accused of trying to gain information on American nuclear weapons, foreign policy and politics for the SVR -- Russia's foreign intelligence service. The ten were only charged with plotting to act as undeclared foreign agents.They were not charged with the more serious crime of spying, so the extent of their success as spies is not clear. One of the Russians, Anna Chapman, drew attention with her looks and stories of her New York party life.Hr lawyer, Robert Baum, said she had not passed secret information to Russia or received any payment.He also said, "She was accused of communicating with a Russian official through a laptop to laptop communication, without the government specifying the nature of the communication." The passage is most probably _ .
<extra_id_0>an advertisement
<extra_id_1>a newspaper ad
<extra_id_2>a book review
<extra_id_3>a news report
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<extra_id_5>The Spring Festival is the biggest festival for Chinese people all around the world.. The celebration usually lasts for 15 days. There is a lot to do. On the eve of the Spring Festival, family members get together and have big meals. Their favourite dish on this day is dumplings. Days before the Spring Festival, families will clean their homes. People think cleaning sweeps away bad luck. It makes the house ready for good luck. The colour red is everywhere during the Spring Festival. People think red is a happy colour and will bring them a bright future. People wear red, too. They decorate their homes with pieces of red paper. Kids get a lot of "hong bao". It is a red paper bag with money in it. Usually, older people give younger ones hong bao. They think it brings good luck. The Spring Festival is the time to make everybody happy. So don't say any bad words or do anything that will bring unhappiness to other people. For instance, you'd better not say any bad words like "death". Don't break anything. People think that it means your luck is _ Also, don't borrow or lend money on these days. If you have borrowed money, return it before the Spring Festival. ,: What do most people do on the eve of the Spring Festival?
<extra_id_0>Family members gather for a big meal.
<extra_id_1>Friends eat dumplings together.
<extra_id_2>They borrow money from friends.
<extra_id_3>They give each other hong bao.
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<extra_id_5>Here is an examination notice . Mrs. Dickson gave it to her students last week. To the students of Class 3 * Examinations start on January 22 and end on June 23. * The time for each of the subject is: English June 22 9:30 A.M.- 10:30 A.M. Math June 22 11:00 A.M.- 12:00 A.M. History June 22 2:30 P.M.-3:30 P.M. PE June 23 8:00 A.M.-10:00 A.M. Music June 23 1:00 P.M.-3:00 P.M. * For the PE test? go to the playground. For the music test, go to the Piano Room. All else are written tests. They will be held in Classroom 3. * No student can get into the examination room more than 15 minutes after the exam starts. * No food or drink during ANY test. * No dictionaries during the English exam. * Wear pants and sports shoes for the PE exam. * If you have questions, go to the Teacher's Office before the tests. On the morning of June 23, what should Helen, a student of Class 3 get ready for?
<extra_id_0>Food and drinks. Because there is no food and drinks during any test.
<extra_id_1>Dictionary. Because she isn't good at English.
<extra_id_2>Pants and sports shoes. Because there will be a PE exam.
<extra_id_3>Nothing. Because all the exams are over.
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<extra_id_5>It was New Year's Night. An aged man was standing at a window. He raised his mournful eyes towards the deep blue sky, where the stars were floating like white lilies on the surface of a clear calm lake. Then he cast them on the earth, where few more hopeless people than himself now moved towards their certain goal --- the tomb. He had already passed sixty of the stages leading to it, and he had brought from his journey nothing but errors and remorse. Now his health was poor, his mind vacant, his heart sorrowful, and his old age short of comforts. The days of his youth appeared like dreams before him, and he recalled the serious moment when his father placed him at the entrance of the two roads --- one leading to a peaceful, sunny place, covered with flowers, fruits and filled with soft, sweet songs; the other leading to a deep, dark cave, which was endless, where poison flowed instead of water and where devils and poisonous snakes hissed and crawled. He looked towards the sky and cried painfully, "O youth, return! O my father, place me once more at the entrance to life, and I'll choose the better way!" But both his father and the days of his youth had passed away. He saw the lights flowing away in the darkness. These were the days of his wasted life; he saw a star fall down from the sky and disappeared, and this was the symbol of himself. His regret, which was like a sharp arrow, struck deeply into his heart. Then he remembered his friends in his childhood, who entered on life together with him. But they had made their way to success and were now honored and happy on this New Year's Night. The clock in the high church tower struck and the sound made him remember his parents' early love for him. They had taught him and prayed to God for his good. But he chose the wrong way. With shame and grief he dared no longer look towards that heaven where his father lived. His darkened eyes were full of tears, and with a despairing effort, he burst out a cry: "Come back, my early days! Come back!" And his youth did return, for all this was only a dream which he had on New Year's Night. He was still young though his faults were real; he had not yet entered the deep, dark cave, and he was still free to walk on the road which leads to the peaceful and sunny land. Those who still wander on the entrance of life, hesitating to choose the bright road, remember that when years are passed and your feet stumble on the dark mountains, you will cry bitterly, but in vain: "O youth, return! Oh give me back my early days!" Why does the author set his story on New Year's Night?
<extra_id_0>He wants to tell people it's time to recall the past
<extra_id_1>he suggests the aged man will have a bright future
<extra_id_2>He tries to stress the man's sad feeling
<extra_id_3>He expects people to share the man's emotion
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<extra_id_5>In the late 1970's,many people in North America turned their attention to environmental problems ,and new steel -- and -- glass skyscrapers were widely criticized. Some ecologists pointed out that a number of tall buildings in a city often overburden public transportation. Skyscrapers are also _ of electric power and water. In just one recent year, the addition of 17 million square feet of skyscraper office space in New York City itself has already raised the top daily demand for electricity by 120, 000 kw -- enough to supply the entire city of Albany in New York area for a single day. Glass--walled skyscrapers can also be especially wasteful. The heat loss ,or gain, through a wall of half inch plate glass is more than ten times that through a typical ordinary wall filled with bricks or board. In order to decrease the pressure on heating and air -- conditioning equipment, builders of skyscrapers have begun to use double--layered glass ,and reflective glasses coated with silver or gold mirror films that could reduce glare as well as heat gain. However, mirror -- walled skyscrapers may raise the temperature of the surrounding air and affect neighboring buildings as well. Skyscrapers put a severe pressure on a city's sanitation facilities, too. If fully occupied, the towers just within the central area of New York would alone produce 2. 25 million gallons of waste water each year^--as much as the city size of Stanford, Connecticut, which has a population of more than 109,000. Glass walls of skyscrapers are specially mentioned in order to _ .
<extra_id_0>show how skyscrapers manage to lessen their pressure
<extra_id_1>explain why skyscrapers can control its air conditions
<extra_id_2>describe further how wasteful skyscrapers could be
<extra_id_3>present the stability of skyscrapers in modern buildings
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<extra_id_5>When we talk about village teachers, we often think of difficult conditions, heavy teaching tasks and little income. But there is a village teacher who makes his teaching jobso interesting. His name is Liu Yuesheng who is now called "the most beautiful teacher", Liu comes from Liugang Village Middle School in Dagang, Tianjin. The school is a rural area middle school. It has only about more than 300 students and teachers. Though the school is small, it is only a village school that takes the municipal scientific research projects in Tianjin. Since Liu started to work at Liugang Village Middle School in 1999, he has led his students completing the 300 designs and reportings of national patents . Liu spent three years writing a book called Practice and Invention. In this book, he mostly tells people his teaching experience. The inventions of his students won the silver medal in the national youth science and technology competition. The rural students improve their living skills while they are inventing. Many of the students start their own business after graduation . Liu also guided his students to make a big 260 Model Airplane. He often takes his students to go to the wetlands and take photos during holidays. In order to call on people to pay more attention to protecting environment, he further watches the number of the birds with his students. Today , the wetland aerial of his school of has reached the UAV level. From the passage , we know Liu Yuesheng is a _ .
<extra_id_0>creative and unusual
<extra_id_1>hard-working and serious
<extra_id_2>humorous and patient
<extra_id_3>strange and quiet
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<extra_id_5>Myfriend'sgrandfathercametoAmericafromafarminThailand.Afterarriving in New York, he went into a cafeteria inManhattan to get something to eat. He sat down at an empty table and waitedfor someone to take his order. Of course nobody did. Finally, a woman with abig plate full of food came up to him. She sat down opposite him and toldhim how a cafeteriaworked. "Start out at that end," she said, "Just go along the line andchoose what you want. At the other end they'll tell you how much you have topay." "I soon learned that's how everything works in America,"the grandfather told my friend later, "Life's a cafeteria here. You can getanything you want as long as you want to pay the price. You can even get success,but you'll never get it if you wait for someone to bring it to you. You have toget up and get ityourself." The grandfather went into a cafeteriato _ .
<extra_id_0>wait forsomeone
<extra_id_1>get something toeat
<extra_id_2>meet myfriend
<extra_id_3>buy something
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<extra_id_5>A student puts two identical plants in the same type and amount of soil. She gives them the same amount of water. She puts one of these plants near a sunny window and the other in a dark room. This experiment tests how the plants respond to
<extra_id_0>light
<extra_id_1>air
<extra_id_2>water
<extra_id_3>soil
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<extra_id_5>Up to 90% of school leavers in major Asian cities are suffering from myopia ---short-sightedness, a study suggests. Researchers say the "extraordinary rise" in the problem is being caused by students working very hard in school and missing out on outdoor light. Eye experts say that you are short-sighted if your vision is blurred beyond 2m. It is often caused by an elongation of the eyeball that happens when people are young. According to the research, the problem is being caused by a combination of factors - a commitment to education and lack of outdoor light. Professor Morgan who led this study argues that many children in South East Asia spend long hours studying at school and doing their homework. This in itself puts pressure on the eyes, but exposure to between two and three hours of daylight helps maintain healthy eyes. Cultural factors also seem to play a part. Across many parts of South East Asia, children often have a lunchtime nap. According to Professor Morgan they are missing out on natural light to prevent short-sightedness. A big concern is the numbers of the students suffering from "high" myopia. One in five of these students could experience severe visual impairment and even blindness. These people are at considerable risk--sometimes people are not told about it and are just given more powerful glasses--they need to be warned about the risk and given some self-testing measures so they can get to an ophthalmologist and get some help. For decades, researchers believed there was a strong genetic component to the condition. But this study strongly suggests an alternative view. "Any type of simple genetic explanation just doesn't fit with that speed of change; gene pools just don't change in two generations. Whether it's a purely environmental effect or an environmental effect playing a sensitive genome, it really doesn't matter, the thing that's changed is not the gene pool---it's the environment." As is mentioned above, which factor mainly results in students' myopia in South East Asia?
<extra_id_0>Genetic faults of the people.
<extra_id_1>Elongation of the eyeball.
<extra_id_2>The shortage of outdoor light.
<extra_id_3>Lack of research into the problem.
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<extra_id_5>Teenage life is interesting, adventurous and difficult. Teenagers have to go through many problems. It may probably be a family problem or a school problem. It is important to learn how to deal with those problems. Be grateful of your parents' support. When you have a problem, ask your parents to support you. When a child is thirteen, he feels like he has grown up. As a part of a family, teenagers do not want their parents to involve in their personal activities and they think they are able to be independent . It is very normal and parents should also cooperate with their kids. They should try to get to know what their child needs. Sometimes a child may be hesitating to tell something but they should try to know what the matter is. Parents' support is the greatest support for a teenager. Learn to live in society. Society plays a very important role in everyone's life. What teenagers see from society has a big influence on their characters. As a teenager, you should know what is wrong and what is right. Never be impatient in making a decision. Always keep cool and calm , take advice from your parents and you will make a good decision. Don't let the bad things of society influence you. Instead, get to learn good things from society. Learn from school. School is like a second home. We learn a lot from our school, and at the same time, it is the hardest part of a teenager's life. *First are the studies. You should know what you want to do. Don't come under pressure in making choices. *Learn to take your own stand . If you don't do well in exams, don't feel broken. Be strong-minded and spend more time on your studies. *Share your problems with your friends. Your friends are always ready to help. If you are confused in your life, talk about what all you've done and what you want to do with your friends. When teenagers don't do well in exams, they should _ .
<extra_id_0>learn to make choices
<extra_id_1>work harder at their studies
<extra_id_2>feel sad about themselves
<extra_id_3>talk with their good friends
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<extra_id_5>Not a day goes by when we don't use the World Wide Web. Today it has become almost as important to every family as food and water! This year, the World Wide Web has turned 25 years old. What many people don't know is that the web was at first created to improve communication between thousands of scientists in Switzerland. In 1989, Tim Berners-Lee was a 34-year-old British physicist working as a software engineer at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland. Since CERE was a huge organization with thousands of scientists, communication between them was becoming increasingly difficult. Berners-Lee wanted to develop a system to solve the problem. His paper suggested an information system, where a page on one computer could have a link to another page on another computer ( connected through the Internet) allowing scientists to read lots of information quickly. However, Berners-Lee's boss said that it sounded exciting but impossible. Even though there were many difficulties and few supporters, Berners-Lee went on to develop the World Wide Web. He came up with ideas such as Hyper-text Transfer Protocol to allow computers to talk to each other, Hyper-text Markup Language (HTML) to create the pages, a server to serve the pages, and a browser to see them. In December 1990, the World Wide Web was demonstrated and in 1991, the WWW project was made public, so that other programmers could develop their own browsers. Berners-Lee believed that it could be used for more than scientific purposes. He wanted the Internet to be easy for anyone to use-a free open software. His wishes soon came true. Although the World Wide Web has today turned into a completely different thing from what it meant at first, it has become necessary and important to our lives, powering our mobile technologies and the way we get information. According to the text, Berners-Lee_.
<extra_id_0>doesn't give up easily when in trouble
<extra_id_1>has worked at CERN for 25 years
<extra_id_2>is a 55-year-old Swiss physicist
<extra_id_3>knows little about the Internet
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<extra_id_5>To support his sick wife and earn a paycheck, a 61-year-old Iowa man named Steve Simon sometimes walks 35 miles to his job as an overnight gatekeeper. Simon said that he leaves his basement apartment in a small town at about 3:30 p.m. to get to the Lakesside hotel and Casino in Osceola where he begins to work at 11:00 p.m. for $9.07 per hour. His wife suffered a stoke nine years ago and some days there just isn't enough money to put gas in the couple's 2002 car. Moving closer to his job would likely mean paying more than he now does in monthly rent--$400. Family and a job are "the two most important things I can think of," Simon said, explaining why he walks to his job. He and his wife, Renee, adopted their now 22-year-grandson, Steven, who has been unemployed since January. Although some people along the route do stop to offer him a lift, they often drop him off about 8 miles from home. But Simon doesn't seem to mind. He describes the walking route as "picturesque " and sounds like he enjoy passing the cows and fields along the way. He's done the walk in all kinds of weather, including snow. It's a little dangerous because trucks frequent Interstate highway 35, whizzing past him at 70 miles per hour. Simon story has a familiar ring. Last month there were storied written about a Detroit man named James Robertson who for years has been walking 21 miles roundtrip through city streets to and from his factory job. The media attention got Robertson $350,000 from a GoFundMe campaign and a new car. We wonder what the Internet holds for Simon. Simon walks 35 miles to his job mainly _ .
<extra_id_0>to attract others' attention
<extra_id_1>to keep healthy and strong
<extra_id_2>to accompany his sick wife
<extra_id_3>to save money for his family
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<extra_id_5>Group exercise is one of the most effective ways to improve physical fitness and sustain a healthy lifestyle.Group exercise is challenging, yet fun and empowering! Of course everyone knows that exercise is good for the body.However, studies have shown that when exercise is performed in groups, it's not only great for improving physical health but for psychological health. It's an opportunity to be social, release endorphins , and improve your strength. Additionally, group exercise creates a community feel and the shared common goal motivates participants to work hard. The instrumental support of taking on a fitness journey with others proves more effective than going to the gym alone. Another beneficial aspect of group exercise is the informational support participants receive from the instructor.Many people fear the gym because they feel lost and don't want to embarrass themselves. If you feel you can relate, then group training is an even better option for you. It's a great opportunity to learn more about fitness through the clear instruction and supervision of a fitness instructor. If you're tired of wandering around the gym wasting time and becoming bored, !you can attend an upbeat group fitness class that'll keep your workout on track. Don't let fitness frighten you! If you're serious about wanting to live a healthy lifestyle, it's extremely important to surround yourself with people who'll provide you with the proper emotional support. I wouldn't scold anyone for deciding to party on weekends and in turn I wouldn't expect anyone to give offence to me for focusing on my health. Surround yourself with people who uplift, encourage and understand you! Make fitness even more fun by trying something new or any group fitness class, with a friend. Plan to go for a jog together. Then try a fun healthy restaurant or fresh juice bar! Fitness can be both fun and social! Surrounding yourself with people who'll provide you with respect support can be very beneficial while working towards reaching health and fitness goals. First, decide to do it for yourself and work towards staying positive. Then make sure the people you surround yourself with are supportive. Don't let negativity ruin your motivation. What would be the best title for the passage?
<extra_id_0>Seeking Support
<extra_id_1>Supporting Health
<extra_id_2>Improving Your Strength
<extra_id_3>Building Up Fitness
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<extra_id_5>Sixty years ago by a properly executed and recorded deed, Albert conveyed Greenacre, a tract of land: "To Louis for life, then to Louis's widow for her life, then to Louis's child or children in equal shares." At that time, Louis, who was Albert's grandson, was six years old. Shortly thereafter, Albert died testate. Louis was his only heir at law. Albert's will left his entire estate to First Church. Twenty-five years ago, when he was 41, Louis married Maria who was then 20 years old; they had one child, Norman. Maria and Norman were killed in an automobile accident three years ago when Norman was 21. Norman died testate, leaving his entire estate to the American Red Cross. His father, Louis, was Norman's sole heir at law. Two years ago, Louis married Zelda. They had no children. This year, Louis died testate, survived by his widow, Zelda, to whom he left his entire estate. The common-law Rule Against Perpetuities is unchanged by statute in the jurisdiction. In an appropriate action to determine the ownership of Greenacre, the court should find that title is vested in
<extra_id_0>First Church, because the widow of Louis was unborn at the time of conveyance and, hence, the remainder violated the Rule Against Perpetuities.
<extra_id_1>Zelda, because her life estate and her inheritance from Louis (who was Albert's sole heir at law and who was Norman's sole heir at law) merged the entire title in her.
<extra_id_2>the American Red Cross, because Norman had a vested remainder interest (as the only child of Louis) that it (as the only child of Louis) that it inherited, the life estate to Louis's widow being of no force and effect.
<extra_id_3>Zelda for life under the terms of Albert's deed, with the remainder to the American Red Cross as the successor in interest to Norman, Louis's only child.
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<extra_id_5>The next time you try for a high-ranking post, you could let your possible boss listen to a recommending phone call "made" by US President George W Bush or British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Of course, neither of them could really do that for you-you would just "borrow" their voices. AT & T labs will start selling speech software that it says is so good at reproducing the sounds of a human voice that it can recreate voices and even bring the voices of long-dead famous people back to life. The software, which turns printed text into speech, makes it possible for a company to use recordings of a person's voice to say things that the person never actually said. Possible customers for the software, which is priced in the thousands of dollars, include telephone call centers, companies that make software that reads digital files aloud, and makers of automated voice devices . The advances raise several problems. Who, for example, owns the rights to a famous person's voice? (Some experts even believe that new contracts will be drawn that include voice-licensing clauses.) And although scientists say the technology is not yet good enough to commit fraud , would the synthesized voices at last be able to trick people into thinking that they were getting phone calls or digital audio recordings from people they know? Even Mr Fruchterman, one of AT & T lab's possible first customers, said he wondered what the new technology might bring. "Just like you can't trust a photograph anymore." He said, "you won't be able to trust a voice either." According to the passage, you can infer that _ .
<extra_id_0>the software will turn out to be an immediate success in the market
<extra_id_1>the government will forbid the sale of the software in the market
<extra_id_2>it's hard to decide whether the software will enjoy popularity
<extra_id_3>the software will soon prove to be nothing but rubbish
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<extra_id_5>One Canada, Two Languages Canada is one of the few nations in the world to have two official languages: English and French. There are 10 provinces in the country but only one of these--Quebec is known as "French Canada". This is because it was founded by French explorers while British adventurers discovered the rest. Canada left the British empire in 1867 to become an independent country, and English and French have been recognized as the official languages ever since. Most people speak English as their first language and the two national television networks broadcast in English throughout the country. Apart from in Quebec and a few places on the east coast, French television is very rare. The same goes for traffic signs and menus. For example, outside of Quebec, there are only a few places where you'll see traffic signs in French. In restaurants, it's almost impossible to find French on the menu unless you are in the heartland of French Canada. However, all products sold in Canada must, by law, have labels and instructions in both languages. In Canada's English speaking provinces, official bilingualism means that students can choose to complete a special French language course. Under this programme, they are taught most of their subjects in French. If a student begins the course in kindergarten or Grade One, it is likely that all their lessons will be in French. However, if they start at junior high school,25 per cent of the teaching will continue to be in English. Which country controlled Canada before its independence?
<extra_id_0>France.
<extra_id_1>Britain.
<extra_id_2>America.
<extra_id_3>Germany.
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<extra_id_5>A deal has been signed to turn by-products from a Scottish distillery into fuel for cars. In what is declared to be a world first, the Tullibardine distillery in Perthshire has linked up with a spin-out company from Napier University in Edinburgh. They plan to use bacteria to feed on the "leftovers" from the whisky making process. This will produce butanol which can be used to fuel vehicles. More than 90% of the stuff that comes out of a whisky distillery is not whisky. It is leftovers like draff and pot ales -- both produced in the early stages of the process. They are high in sugar and are currently used for things like fertiliser and cattle feed. Napier University's Biofuel Research Centre (BfRC) has already shown that the right bacteria can feed on those by-products to produce butanol--a direct replacement for vehicle fuel. Now the spin-out company, Celtic Renewables, and independent whisky producer Tullibardine have signed an agreement. Together they will apply the process to thousands of tons of the distillery's leftovers. Professor Martin Tangney, founder of Celtic Renewables, said "Our partnership with Tullibardine is an important step in the development of a business which combines two important Scottish industries -- whisky and renewables. This project shows that creative use of existing technologies can _ resources on our doorstep to benefit both the environment and the economy." Douglas Ross, managing director of Tullibardine, which spends PS250,000 disposing of its by-products every year, said "We are delighted to be partnering Celtic Renewables in this creative business, the obvious benefits of which are environmental. It takes a cost to us and turns it into something that has social as well as commercial value." The project is being supported by a grant from the Scottish government's Zero Waste Scotland initiative. Celtic Renewables said it eventually aimed to build a processing plant in Scotland, with the hope of building an industry that could be worth PS60m a year. According to the passage, _ will be used to take the place of petrol.
<extra_id_0>whisky
<extra_id_1>whisky leftovers
<extra_id_2>butanol
<extra_id_3>draff and pot ales
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<extra_id_5>The technology is great. Without it we wouldn't have been able to put a man on the moon, explore the ocean's depths or eat microwave sausages. Computers have revolutionized our lives and they have the power to educate and pass on knowledge. But sometimes this power can create more problems than it solves. Every doctor has had to try their best to calm down patients who've come into their surgery waving an Internet print-out, convinced that they have some rare incurable disease, say, throat cancer. The truth is usually far more ordinary, though: they don't have throat cancer, and it's just that their throats are swollen. Being a graduate of the Internet "school" of medicine does not guarantee accurate self-health-checks. One day Mrs. Almond came to my hospital after feeling faint at work. While I took her blood sample and tried to find out what was wrong, she said calmly, "I know what's wrong;I've got throat cancer. I know there's nothing you doctors can do about it and I've just got to wait until the day comes." As a matter of routine I ordered a chest X-ray. I looked at it and the blood results an hour later. Something wasn't right. "Did your local doctor do an X-ray?" I asked. "Oh, I haven't been to the doctor for years," she replied. "I read about it on a website and the symptoms fitted, so I knew that's what I had." However, some of her symptoms, like the severe cough and weight loss, didn't fit with it--but she'd just ignored this. I looked at the X-ray again, and more tests confirmed it wasn't the cancer but tuberculosis --something that most certainly did need treating, and could be deadly. She was lucky we caught it when we did. Mrs. Almond went pale when I explained she would have to be on treatment for the next six months to ensure that she was fully recovered. It was certainly a lesson for her. " _ ," she said, shaking her head, as I explained that all the people she had come into close contact with would have to be found out and tested. She listed up to about 20, and then I went to my office to type up my notes. Unexpectedly, the computer was not working, so I had to wait until someone from the IT department came to fix it. Typical. Maybe I should have a microwave sausage while I waited? Mrs. Almond said "I'm so embarrassed" (Para. 7) because _ .
<extra_id_0>she had distrusted her close friends
<extra_id_1>she had caused unnecessary trouble
<extra_id_2>she had to refuse the doctor's advice
<extra_id_3>she had to tell the truth to the doctor
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<extra_id_5>In today's fast-paced society, few people take time to enjoy the midday meal.Most of us just rush right through it. We grab a quick salad, or buy a sandwich and eat at our computers, Sometimes, if there is a deadline around the corner, we just _ The development of technology hasn't done our eating habits much good either.We are constantly distracted by e-mail, social media, and 24 - hour news.Even when we do sit down for lunch, we are more connected to our hand - held electronic devices. Long working hours can cause all kinds of health problems, and many developed countries have put in place labor laws specifically regarding the lunch break.These laws give employees the right to take a break during a long work shift, but it's up to them whether they do so or not. Frank Partnoy, a former Wall Street trader, says that employers should encourage workers to take time off for lunch.This is because long lunch breaks can benefit both individuals and society. Writing in The Guardian, Partnoy says that one obvious reason to take a lunch break is to slow down and gain some perspective . A break from work allows us to think strategically and outside the box.It also puts our daily tasks into a broader context . What we eat at lunch is also important.In Partnoy' s opinion, a fast food lunch is more harmful than not having lunch at all. And it's not just about calories and unhealthy food.Recent studies show that fast food also has negative effects on how we think. However, if we sit down at a proper restaurant and chat leisurely with colleagues, we are more likely to slow down, something that hardly can be achieved in a noisy and over -- packed fast food chain. Despite these benefits, some employees might still be unwilling to take time off for lunch.Partnoy's suggestion? Make skipping lunch difficult: Employers could ask workers to fill out a form stating their reasons for skipping the meal. What might be the author's purpose in writing the text?
<extra_id_0>To warn us not to eat fast food.
<extra_id_1>To introduce Frank Partnoy's opinion.
<extra_id_2>To encourage us to work more efficiently.
<extra_id_3>To show the importance of a proper lunch.
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<extra_id_5>On May 23, Shenzhen introduced new rules in order to prevent the "Chinese style of crossing the road". "Chinese people cross roads without thinking about traffic lights, so long as they are part of a group of people," said a post on Sina Weibo. A CCTV news program showed that in only an hour, more than 600 people jumped red lights when crossing a road in Shijiazhuang, Hebei. Many people say that they jaywalk because the red light lasts too long. Such an opinion is supported by a research group at Tongji University. _ did research on people's waiting times at different road crossings for three years. They found that Chinese people would wait for 70 to 90 seconds before they lost their patience. "People are likely to ignore the light when the waiting time is longer than they can bear," said Ni Ying, a member of the research team. However, a survey on Sina Weibo suggested that people jaywalk mainly because they ignore rules. "I always obey traffic rules. Time is important but safety should come first," someone wrote on his Weibo. Many countries give out punishments to jaywalkers. In Singapore, the maximum can be three months in prison . Some Chinese cities have started taking some actions, too. For example, the first three people in a jaywalking group will be fined 50 yuan in Shijiazhuang. But calling on people to obey rules is more important. To completely solve the problem, everyone should understand the importance of obeying the traffic rules. To solve the problem of jaywalking, the writer suggests that we should _ .
<extra_id_0>punish the jaywalkers
<extra_id_1>reduce the time of red lights
<extra_id_2>ignore the traffic rules
<extra_id_3>call on people to obey the traffic rules
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<extra_id_5>A single parent took their child on a trip. The trip was to the playground. The child had a fear of the playground, because she had dug a hole and it had made her trip once. The parent put the child on the sofa and put her shoes on, telling her that it would be alright, and they would be back home by nine. At the playground, the child met a witch. The witch had a piggy with her. The witch stood in the middle of the street. She had a broom. The child wondered what there was to sweep at the playground. Instead, the witch made a chicken, and gave some of it to the child. The witch was saying that it was a gift for her. She thought a gift would help the child with her fear. The child ate the chicken. Then she asked the witch a question. She asked what the witch had a broom for. The witch laughed. She told the girl it was to fly with. The girl did not believe her. The witch sat on her broom and flew away. In the distance, a dog howled. What animal traveled with the witch?
<extra_id_0>A chicken.
<extra_id_1>A cat.
<extra_id_2>A dog.
<extra_id_3>A pig.
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<extra_id_5>One August afternoon, Richard Allen dropped off his last passenger, Mrs. Carey. Lifting two grocery bags, he followed her across the yard and stood on the step of her house. Glancing up, he saw a large wasp nest under the roof. Allen had heard that wasps can become more likely to sting(sting, stung, stung)in summer. He mentioned this to Mrs. Carey, who had opened the door. "Oh, they don't bother me," she said lightly. "I go in and out all the time." Anxiously, Allen looked at the nest again-to see the wasps flying straight at him. "Hurry!" he shouted to Mrs. Carey. "Get in!" She stepped quickly inside. Allen ran for his mini-bus. Too late; they were upon him. Just as he jumped aboard, half a dozen red spots showed on his arm, and he felt more on his back and shoulders. As he was driving down the road, Allen felt as if something was burning at the back of his neck, and the "fire" was spreading forward toward his face. An immediate anxiety took hold of him. Allen knew that stings could cause some persons to die. But he had been stung the previous summer and the after-effects soon passed. However, what he didn't know was that the first sting had turned his body into a time bomb waiting for the next to set off an explosion. Miles from the nearest medical assistance, Allen began to feel his tongue thick and heavy and his heartbeat louder. Most frightening, he felt his breathing more and more difficult. He reached for the radio mike ,trying to call the mini-bus center, but his words were hardly understandable. Signals were also poor that far out. He knew a rescue team was on 24-hour duty at the Amherst Fire Department's north station. So his best chance was to make a run for it. Rushing down the mountain, Allen tried not to panic, focusing his mind on each sharp turn. He was almost through the last of them when he felt sure he was going into shock .Just then he reached for the radio mike again. "Call fire station," he shouted, concentrating to form the words. "Emergency. Bee sting. Emergency. There in ten minutes." "Five-ten," the center replied. Hold on, Allen thought. Keep your eyes open. Breathe. Keep awake. At last he reached the station. Two firemen ran out. Allen felt their hands grasp him before he hit the ground. You made it, he thought. Allen didn't know that if stung by wasps again, he would _ .
<extra_id_0>have no after-effects
<extra_id_1>suffer from sharper pain
<extra_id_2>become more sensitive
<extra_id_3>surely lose his life
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<extra_id_5>So you thought the hamburger was the world's most popular fast food? After all, McDonald's Golden Arches span the globe . But no, there is another truly universal fast food, the ultimate fast food. It's easy to make, easy to serve, much more varied than the hamburger, can be eaten with the hands and it's delivered to your front door or served in fancy restaurants. It's been one of America's favourite foods for over 50 years. It is, of course, the pizza. It's kind of silly to talk about the moment when pizza was "invented". It changed over the years, but one thing's for certain--it's been around for a very long time. The idea of using pieces of flat, round bread as plates came from the Greeks. They called them "plakuntos" and ate them with various simple toppings such as oil, garlic , onions and herbs. The Romans enjoyed eating something similar and called it "picea". By about 1000 AD in the city of Naples, "picea" had become "pizza" and people were experimenting with more toppings: cheese, ham, anchovies and finally the tomato, brought to Italy from Mexico and Peru in the sixteenth century. Naples became the pizza capital of the world. In 1889, King UmbertoIand Queen Margherita heard about pizza and asked to try it. They invited pizza maker, Raffele Esposito, to make it for them. He decided to make the pizza like the Italian flag, so he used red tomatoes, white mozzarella cheese and green basil leaves. The Queen loved it and the new pizza was named "Pizza Margherita" in her honour. Pizza went to America with the Italians at the end of the nineteenth century. The first pizzeria in the United States was opened in 1905 at 53 Spring Street, New York City, by Gennaro Lombardi. But the popularity of pizza really exploded when American soldiers returned from Italy after World WarII and raved about "that great Italian dish". Americans are now the greatest producers and consumers of pizza in the world. What's the best title of the passage?
<extra_id_0>McDonald's and Pizza
<extra_id_1>Global Pizza
<extra_id_2>Pizza in the United States
<extra_id_3>How to Make Pizza
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<extra_id_5>Japanese couples, too busy for a normal social life, are increasingly turning to actors to play their friends on the most important days of their lives. Several agencies have sprung up offering actors to attend weddings or even funerals.The first guest-for-hire company was established about nine years ago and around 10 agencies now send out dozens of pretend friends to family events. Agencies such as Hagemashi Tai, which means "I want to cheer you up", charge around PS100 for each "guest". Other services such as giving a speech in praise of a bride or the groom cost extra. The appearance of the small fake friends industry has been linked to social and economic changes in Japan.With lifetime employment a thing of the past, couples feel uncomfortable about inviting work colleagues to their wedding.Increasingly busy and put upon, many Japanese surround themselves with only a very small circle of friends. When they marry, however, they are under pressure to match the number of their new partner's wedding guests. Office Agents, the largest provider of pretend friends, makes sure that its employees have done their homework and know all about the bride or groom before the wedding. Hiroshi Mizutani, the company's founder, said the fake friends he provides must look happy, be well dressed and look like people with good jobs. The agents make sure that _ .
<extra_id_0>fake friends have done their housework
<extra_id_1>fake friends have good jobs
<extra_id_2>fake friends must look happy and be well dressed
<extra_id_3>fake friends feel uncomfortable
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<extra_id_5>My father is tall and has short gray hair. He wears glasses with heavy black frames . Today I find a picture of him in 1986. What a surprise! In the picture, he's 15 years old. He's short and he has glasses with small round frames. He has long black hair and it's really straight. He's wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt with the word "love". I'm 15 years old now. I'm of medium height and I have short hair. My hair isn't black, it's brown. My dad thinks it's _ , but my friends think it's great. I wear glasses, but my glasses have square , red frames. They are so cool. I never wear blue jeans. I like big, baggy pants and long T-shirts. Most of my T-shirts have pictures of my favorite actors or singers on them. What's on the father's T-shirt?
<extra_id_0>The word "love".
<extra_id_1>Heavy and black frames.
<extra_id_2>Picture of a singer.
<extra_id_3>An actor.
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<extra_id_5>Don't have plenty of time for reading ? If you are interested in nun-fiction books, here are good choices for you. A Room of One's Own This essay by English writer Virginia Woolf is based on several lectures given to two woman's colleges at Cambridge University to 1928. In it, Woolf describes that it's circumstance not talent that allows men to be more successful at writing. Women,in other word, spend so much time cooking , cleaning,and tending to their children that they have no time left for art. To write well,therefore, a woman must have a " room of her own. The Art of War Written by Chinese warrior SunZi in the 5th century BC, The Art of War widely considered to be one of the best boob about military strategy in human history. Conaistng of 13 chapters, each detailing a separate aspect of warfare, the book has been translated into every majorlanguage and has thousands of editions. For centuries , it has been cited and praised by world leaders both for its detailed study of military straaategy and its phibsophical examination of strong ,effective leadership. Letter to My Daughter This 2009 book of essays and poems by Maya Angelou,a respectable American poet, is written for t he daughter never had--the millions of women, both young and old,that she considers to be her "family." From the viewpoint of a caring, older relative, this book contains lessons selected from her own Life experiences, including tte birth of her only child,a son,as well as the formation and loss of friendships, A Brief History of Time If you' re short on time,then why not read about,well,the creation of time? This 1998 from brilliant scientist and mathematician Stephen Hawking explores mind - bending question s about the creation of the universe , including if and when it will end,and if so,how Despite heavy subject matter. Hawkimg addresses th ese questions in n way that's easy to understand s even for those who know little about physics. What is the purpose of the pasaage?
<extra_id_0>To promote of the Four books.
<extra_id_1>To make comments on the four books,
<extra_id_2>To recommend the four books to readers.
<extra_id_3>To make comparisons between the four books.
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<extra_id_5>A person can create the most friction by rolling a ball over
<extra_id_0>glass
<extra_id_1>gravel
<extra_id_2>ice
<extra_id_3>marble
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<extra_id_5>John had been on a business trip for three weeks. It was coming up on Mother's Day, and he usually tried to go back home, but this time he was too tired. He was in a small town outside of Little Rock when he drove by a flower shop. He decided to send his mother some roses. He went into the shop and saw a young man talking to the florist. "How many roses can I get for six dollars, ma'am?" the boy asked. The florist tried to explain that roses were expensive. Maybe he should be happy with carnations . "No, I have to have roses," he said, "My mom was sick so much last year and I had little time with her. It has to be red roses, 'cause that's her favourite." The florist shook her head. John was touched by the boy, who wanted to get those roses so badly. John looked at the florist and silently mouthed that he would pay for the boy's roses. Then the florist said, "Ok, I will give you a dozen red roses for your six dollars." The young man almost jumped into the air. He took the flowers and ran from the store. It was worth the extra thirty-five dollars just to see that kind of excitement. John ordered his own flowers and had the florist be sure that delivery would include a note telling his mother how much he loved her. Then he drove away from the shop. As he waited at the light, he saw the young man crossing the street and enter a park through two huge gates. Suddenly, he realized it wasn't a park. It was a cemetery . The light changed, and John slowly crossed the road, parked his car and got out to follow the boy down the fence. The boy stopped by a small monument and went on his knee. He carefully laid the roses on the ground and cried, "Mommy, why didn't I tell you how much I love you?, Jesus, please. Tell my mommy I love her." John turned, tears in his eyes, and walked back to his car. He drove quickly to the flower shop and told the florist he would take the flowers personally. How much did each rose cost according to the passage?
<extra_id_0>Around $3.5.
<extra_id_1>About $6
<extra_id_2>$12
<extra_id_3>$41
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<extra_id_5>Have you ever had the desire to wander the world and see what was out there? While some people prefer to stay in the comfort of their own home, others been bitten by the travel bug and can't wait to explore the world. Exotic places call to them. "Come to visit us and we will show you my mysteries," they say. Every year millions of people pack their suitcases or put on backpacks and flock to visit the seven continents of the world. They wander through the castles and museums of Europe, and the cities and natural of North and South America. Some visit the vast exotic cultures of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The great outback of Australia is a wonderland for those who go there. And a few lucky people even realize their dreams to visit the most mysterious continent on the earth--Antarctic. Why do people want to explore the world? It gives them a better understanding about the earth and the people living on it. It opens their minds, it gives them a feeling of accomplishment, and it makes them feel alive. So save some money, get your passport ready, and see the world. It will change your life forever. The writer suggests travellers go to _ to experience the most different cultures.
<extra_id_0>America
<extra_id_1>Europe
<extra_id_2>Asia
<extra_id_3>Antarctica
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<extra_id_5>At 21,Ricardo Semler became boss of his father's business in Brazil,Semco,which sold parts for ships. Semler Junior worked like a mad man,from 7:30 am,until midnight every day. One afternoon,while touring a factory in New York,he broke down. The doctor who treated him said,"There's nothing wrong with you. But if you continue like this, you'll find a new home in our hospital. "Semler got the message. He changed the way he worked. In fact,he changed the ways his employees worked too. He let his workers take more responsibility so that they would be the ones worrying when things went wrong. He allowed them to set their own salaries,and he cut all the jobs he thought were unnecessary,like receptionists and secretaries. This saved money and brought more equality to the company. "Everyone at Semco,even top managers,meets guests in reception,does the photocopying,sends faxes,types letters and dials the phone." He completely reorganized the office:instead of walls,they have plants at Semco,so bosses can't shut themselves away from everyone else. And the workers are free to decorate their workspace as they want. As for uniforms,some people wear suits and others wear T-shirts. Semco has flexible working hours:the employees decide when they need to arrive at work. Also,Semco lets its workers use the company's machines for their own projects,and makes them take holidays for at least thirty days a year. It sounds perfect,but does it work? The answer is in the numbers:in the last six years,Semco's revenues have gone from $35 million to $212 million. The company has grown from eight hundred employees to 3,000. Why? Semler says it's because of "peer pressure". Peer pressure makes employees work hard for everyone else. If someone isn't doing his job well,the other workers will not allow the situation to continue. In other words,Ricardo Semler treats his workers like adults rather than children, and expects them to act like responsible adults. And they do. In his company, what does Ricardo Semler value most?
<extra_id_0>freedom
<extra_id_1>rules
<extra_id_2>responsibility
<extra_id_3>hard work
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<extra_id_5>A purple tomato genetically engineered to contain nutrients more commonly seen in dark berries helped cancer in mice, British researchers said on Sunday. The finding, published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, the idea that plants can be genetically modified(changed) to make people healthier. Cancer-prone mice fed the modified fruit lived significantly longer than animals fed a standard diet with and without regular tomatoes, Cathie Martin and colleagues at the government-funded John Innes Center in Britain reported. "The effect was much bigger than we had expected." said Martin, a plant biologist. The study focused on anthocyanins,a type of antioxidant found in berries such as blackberries and blackcurrants that have been shown to lower risk of cancer, heart diseases and some neurological diseases. While an easy way to improve health, many people don't eat enough of these fruits, the researchers said. Using genes from the snapdragon flower, the researchers discovered they could get the tomatoes to make anthocyanins---- turning the tomato purple in the process. Mice genetically engineered to develop cancer lived an average of 182 days when they were fed the purple tomatoes, compared to 142 days for animals on the standard diet. "It is greatly encouraging to believe that by changing diet, or specific components in the diet. You can improve health in animals and possibly humans." Martin said in a telephone interview. The researchers warned that trials in humans are a long way off and the next step is to investigate( look into) how the antioxidants actually affect the tumors to promote better health. But the findings do support the formal research suggesting that people can significantly improve their health by making simple changes to the daily diet, other researchers said. "It's exciting to see new techniques that could potentially make healthy foods even better for us." said Doctor Lara Bennett, science information office at Cancer Research UK. " But it is too early to say whether anthocyanins obtained through diet could help to reduce the risk of cancer." According to Dr. Lara Bennett, the effects of anthocyanins through diet on human being _
<extra_id_0>are not certain now.
<extra_id_1>have been proved
<extra_id_2>are very harmful
<extra_id_3>are hard to be tested
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<extra_id_5>The food we eat seems to have profound effects on our health. Although science has made big steps in making food more fit to eat, it has, at the same time, made many foods unfit to eat. Some research has shown that 80 percent of all human illness are connected with diet and 40 percent of cancer is connected with the diet. Therefore, that food is connected with illness is not a new discovery. In 1940's scientists realized that nitrates , which are often used to keep color1 of meat, and other additives caused cancer. However these additives remain in our food and it becomes more difficult to know which additives are helpful or harmful. Farmers sometimes give drugs to animals not because the animals are ill but because they want to sell the animals at higher prices. For example, farmers try hard to make animals grow big so that they can sell the big animals for more money. Although the Food and Drug Administration has tried again and again to control farmers to do so, farmers go on doing this. What are nitrates used for?
<extra_id_0>They keep flavor of food.
<extra_id_1>They keep the color1 of meat.
<extra_id_2>They keep food fresh.
<extra_id_3>They make animals fatter.
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<extra_id_5>Service Foods makes it easier for cooks to reduce mealtime complains. Service Foods is so confident that they can reduce complaints, in fact, that the company is offering a series of mealtime complaint-reduction tips. According to a representative of Service Foods, complaints can occur when busy cooks serve substandard, low quality meats. As products sit in packaging in the meat case at the store, the meat can age out too much. The natural flavor disappears, and it can be replaced with an undesirable strange flavor. According to Service Foods, complaints from children are common when you serve substandard meats. Kids may not have the words to describe why they don't like the meats, but they're certainly willing to express their displeasure. By serving meats from Service Foods, complaints can be reduced. Service Foods meats are all natural and organic, meaning the meats have-no chemicals or water or colorings that could change the taste. And the meats are flash-frozen right after cutting, so they won't taste strange to your children. If you're facing different types of complaints, Service Foods may still be able to help you. Some families have mealtime boredom. The same meals, served in the same way, week after week, can be incredibly boring and hard 'to look forward to. When it comes to these complaints, Service Foods has the answer right on the web. Just go to http: //www. servicefoods.com and you'll find a long list of recipes to try. Some of these recipes are made in demonstration format, so you can watch the video and get step-by-step instructions on how to prepare the meals. By following these recipes from Service Foods, complaints relating to boredom can certainly be reduced. While Service Foods knows complaints at mealtime can never be totally _ , as picky kids will always be picky kids with concerns, the company is doing everything possible to deal with the problem and get cooks the help they need. What will the readers probably do after reading the passage?
<extra_id_0>Pay for Service Foods service.
<extra_id_1>Buy organic meat from now on.
<extra_id_2>Write recipes for Service Foods.
<extra_id_3>Answer complaints on the web.
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<extra_id_5>We spend hours, days and years of our lives in school. Imagine you could design your dream school, what would it be like? What would you be doing? We wanted to find out what teenagers around the world thought. Here is what they said: Richard from the USA: My dream school would have a big swimming pool and two soccer fields. It would also have a cinema, a gym and a shopping center. My school has none of these, and I think there should be more pleasant things for students to do while they are studying. Sonia from Italy: I'd like a room where we can relax and play computer games. I'd also like to have a music room. I think there should be a place for everyone to go and relax after class. Wu from Beijing: I think it would be great to have another day off every week, besides the weekend. If that day was a Friday or a Monday, we would have a long weekend every week. What fun! I also think school should start later, at about 10 o'clock, and finish earlier. Hannah from Australia: In my dream school, I think the teachers should give us more freedom and choice about how we study and what we study. I also think it's not necessary for us to wear school uniforms every day. I really don't like wearing it. There would be _ in Richard's dream school.
<extra_id_0>a big swimming pool and a music room
<extra_id_1>a room to relax and play computer games
<extra_id_2>a big swimming pool, two soccer fields, a cinema, a gym and a shopping center
<extra_id_3>a cinema, a gym, and a shopping center
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<extra_id_5>While Jennifer was at home taking an online exam for her business law class, a monitor a few hundred miles away was watching her every move. Using a web camera equipped in Jennifer's Los Angeles apartment, the monitor in Phoenix tracked how frequently her eyes moved from the computer screen and listened for the secret sounds of a possible helper in the room. Her Internet access was locked - remotely - to prevent Internet searches , and her typing style was analyzed to make sure she was who she said she was: Did she enter her student number at the same speed as she had in the past? Or was she slowing down? In the battle against cheating, this is the _ and a key to encourage honesty in the booming field of online education. The technology gives trust to the entire system, to the institution and to online education in general. Only with solid measures against cheating, experts say, can Internet universities show that their exams and diplomas are valid - that students haven't just searched the Internet to get the right answers. Although online classes have existed for more than a decade, the concern over cheating has become sharper in the last year with the growth of "open online courses." Private colleges, public universities and corporations are jumping into the online education field, spending millions of dollars to attract potential students, while also taking steps to help guarantee honesty at a distance. Aside from the web cameras, a number of other high-tech methods are becoming increasingly popular. Among them are programs that check students' identities using personal information, such as the telephone number they once used. Other programs can produce unique exam by drawing on a large list of questions and can recognize possible cheaters by analyzing whether difficult test question are answered at the same speed as easy ones. As in many university classes, term papers are scanned against some large Internet data banks for cheating. Why was Jennifer watched in an online exam?
<extra_id_0>To correct her typing mistakes.
<extra_id_1>To find her secrets in the room.
<extra_id_2>To prevent her from slowing down.
<extra_id_3>To keep her from dishonest behaviors.
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<extra_id_5>When your pet meets your infant ,it might not be love at first sniff. When Jennifer brought her baby home from the hospital, her cherished dogs had very different reactions. Her Boxer, Sonya, was immediately gentle and protective. But Tiger, the Pomeranian, was less welcoming. "If any diapers or toys were on the floor, he peed on them," says the Greenbrier, mom. In the eyes of a pet, there's a new star in home who's stealing his spotlight. Even the gentlest animal will probably act up if he doesn't get his usual attention. These simple steps will help your pet adjust and keep your baby safe. Introduce Them with Care Your newborn and per's first encounter can set the tone for their relationship. To make it as smooth as possible, try this trick from Caryn Ruiz:"Before we left the hospital, my husband took blankets home to our dog, Daisy, so she'd know our newborn Devon's smell." When you get home, have your husband carry the baby so you can greet your pet without worrying about her jumping on you. A cat will likely walk away at first, while a dog probably wants to investigate right away. To introduce your baby, get down on your pet's level and let her have a hello sniff. Don't panic and pull your baby away unless your pet is barking or hissing, because it'll send the message that the baby is a threat. Learn the Safety Basics No matter how smoothly the introduction goes, there are certain safety rules you should follow. Never leave your baby alone with the pet. Even the gentlest animal can react unpredictably. Your baby's crying could frighten your cat, or your dog could suddenly become territorial. Consider setting up baby gates to limit your pet's access. To keep your cat from jumping into the bassinet , try putting mosquito netting over the top. Cats hate sticky paws, so keep the crib and changing table off-limits by lining the edges with sticky strips made for furniture. You can also train your dog to sleep in a crate . According to the passage, to keep your baby safe, you should do the following things EXCEPT _ .
<extra_id_0>introducing your baby to your pet with care
<extra_id_1>leaving your baby alone with your pet at the first day when they meet
<extra_id_2>setting up baby gates to limit your baby
<extra_id_3>keeping your pet away from your baby
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<extra_id_5>When should a child start learning to read and write? This is one of the questions I am most frequently asked. There is no hard and fast rule, for no two are alike, and it would be wrong to set a time when all should start being taught the intricacies of reading letters to form words. If a three-year-old wants to read(or even a two-year-old for that matter), the child has the right to be given every encouragement. The fact that he or she might later be "bored" when joining a class of non-readers at child school is the teacher's affair. It is up to the teacher to see that such a child is given more advanced reading material. Similarly, the child who still cannot read by the time he goes to junior school at the age of seven should be given every help by teachers and parents alike. They should make certain that he is not dyslexic(having difficulty in reading). Although parents should be careful not to force youngsters aged two to five to learn to read( if badly done it could put them off reading for life ), there is no harm in preparing them for simple recognition of letters by labeling various items in their rooms. For instance, tie a nice piece of cardboard to their bed with BED written in neat, big letters. Should the young child ask his parents to teach him to read, and if the parents are capable of doing so, such an attraction should not be ignored. But the task should never be made to look like a hard job and the child should never be forced to continue, or his interest should start to flag. This passage is mainly about _ .
<extra_id_0>what qualities people teaching children reading should have
<extra_id_1>when and how children should be taught reading
<extra_id_2>different age groupings of children to be taught reading
<extra_id_3>various problems of children who start learning to read
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