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These days it's cheaper to throw that broken DVD player, cell-phone or TV out and buy a new one. This " replace-rather-than-repair" mentality is polluting the planet with electronic waste. According to the UN Environment Program, we are throwing away an estimated 50 million metric tonnes of electronics waste (e-waste) per year. But this is not ordinary garbage. Our electronics leak harmful heavy metals -- such as mercury and arsenic -- along with equally poisonous chemicals that end up in our soil and eventually our water. You've probably participated in a community recycling event and left feeling good about shipping off that old computer to be recycled. Chances are it was shipped overseas where it's polluting someone else'community. Guiyu city in Southeastern China has become known as the e-waste city where low-paid workers use whatever means available to remove electronics in hopes of recovering the copper, microchips, aluminum, gold and silver and plastic that can be resold. Any leftover waste is simply thrown into the nearby river or piled up high in the streets, poisoning the children growing up here. So what can you do with your e-waste? Robert Houghton, President and founder of Redemtech, an asset management and recovery firm, recommends you vote with your dollar. Buy from companies who have a take-back program that guarantees your discarde electronics are handled proper. " Consumers want to do business with companies who are demonstrably good with corporate responsibility and dealing with e-waste, " said Houghton. There are plenty of charitable organizations that will take your used electronics and donate them for charitable causes: * Electronic Recycling Association (Canada) (ERA) collects old computers for donation to libraries and other organizations across Canada. * eBay's Rethink Initiative pairs up consumers with businesses that refurbish old computers for donation. * TechSoup has a thorough listing of resources for those who would like to donate or recycle hardware,buy recycled hardware or find a refurbisher. * The Charitable Recycling Program accepts all cell-phones and has a listing of charities it helps with its program. * Call2 Recycle has set up drop off points across Canada in a number of stores. You can drop off your cell-phone and also your rechargeable batteries from handheld electronic products. Guiyu city in Southeastern China is mentioned here to show us _ .
|
[
"there is an ideal place in the world for e-waste",
"there is a good example in the world for recycling",
"the recycling events in Canada benefit people overseas",
"people should find a scientific and thorough way to recycle"
] | 3 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
These days it's cheaper to throw that broken DVD player, cell-phone or TV out and buy a new one. This " replace-rather-than-repair" mentality is polluting the planet with electronic waste. According to the UN Environment Program, we are throwing away an estimated 50 million metric tonnes of electronics waste (e-waste) per year. But this is not ordinary garbage. Our electronics leak harmful heavy metals -- such as mercury and arsenic -- along with equally poisonous chemicals that end up in our soil and eventually our water. You've probably participated in a community recycling event and left feeling good about shipping off that old computer to be recycled. Chances are it was shipped overseas where it's polluting someone else'community. Guiyu city in Southeastern China has become known as the e-waste city where low-paid workers use whatever means available to remove electronics in hopes of recovering the copper, microchips, aluminum, gold and silver and plastic that can be resold. Any leftover waste is simply thrown into the nearby river or piled up high in the streets, poisoning the children growing up here. So what can you do with your e-waste? Robert Houghton, President and founder of Redemtech, an asset management and recovery firm, recommends you vote with your dollar. Buy from companies who have a take-back program that guarantees your discarde electronics are handled proper. " Consumers want to do business with companies who are demonstrably good with corporate responsibility and dealing with e-waste, " said Houghton. There are plenty of charitable organizations that will take your used electronics and donate them for charitable causes: * Electronic Recycling Association (Canada) (ERA) collects old computers for donation to libraries and other organizations across Canada. * eBay's Rethink Initiative pairs up consumers with businesses that refurbish old computers for donation. * TechSoup has a thorough listing of resources for those who would like to donate or recycle hardware,buy recycled hardware or find a refurbisher. * The Charitable Recycling Program accepts all cell-phones and has a listing of charities it helps with its program. * Call2 Recycle has set up drop off points across Canada in a number of stores. You can drop off your cell-phone and also your rechargeable batteries from handheld electronic products. Guiyu city in Southeastern China is mentioned here to show us _ .
A. there is an ideal place in the world for e-waste
B. there is a good example in the world for recycling
C. the recycling events in Canada benefit people overseas
D. people should find a scientific and thorough way to recycle
Answer:D
|
Report Card Name: James Stuart Time: January 24th, 2012 Subjects Grades Comments English B+: Your reading and writing are good. But you have a strong accent , so you are not good at speaking. And you do not put much effort into this subject. If you work hard, you can get a better grade in this subject. Physics A+:You are good at this subject. You are hard-working. I am glad that you do best in this subject Math C:You like this subject. But you are not good at this subject because you are a little bit lazy. It is disappointing. You can do better if you try your best. Music B:It is a happy thing to hear you play the piano. You are crazy about the music. Although you like this subject best, your accent has a bad influence on your singing. James's favorite subject is _ .
|
[
"English",
"physics",
"math",
"music"
] | 3 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Report Card Name: James Stuart Time: January 24th, 2012 Subjects Grades Comments English B+: Your reading and writing are good. But you have a strong accent , so you are not good at speaking. And you do not put much effort into this subject. If you work hard, you can get a better grade in this subject. Physics A+:You are good at this subject. You are hard-working. I am glad that you do best in this subject Math C:You like this subject. But you are not good at this subject because you are a little bit lazy. It is disappointing. You can do better if you try your best. Music B:It is a happy thing to hear you play the piano. You are crazy about the music. Although you like this subject best, your accent has a bad influence on your singing. James's favorite subject is _ .
A. English
B. physics
C. math
D. music
Answer:D
|
Beyond two or three days, the world's best weather forecasts are doubtful, and beyond six or seven they are worthless. The Butterfly Effect is the reason. For small pieces of weather--to a global forecaster, small can mean thunderstorms and blizzards --any prediction becomes worse rapidly. Errors and uncertainties increase, from dust devils and storms up to continent-size eddies that only satellites can see. The modern weather models work with net-like points sixty miles apart, and even so, some starting data have to be guessed, since ground stations and satellites cannot see everywhere. But suppose the earth could be covered with sensors placed one foot apart, rising at one-foot intervals all the way to the top of the atmosphere. Suppose every sensor gives perfectly accurate readings of temperature, pressure, humidity , and any other data a weatherman would want. Exactly at noon a powerful computer takes all the data and calculates what will happen at each point at 12.01, then 12.02, then 12.03... the computer will still be unable to predict whether Princeton will have sun or rain one month away. At noon the spaces between the sensors will hide fluctuations that the computer will not know about. By 12.01, those fluctuations will already have created small errors one foot away. Soon the errors will have added to the ten-foot scale, and so on up to the size of the globe. Our computer will not be able to know about fluctuations because _ .
|
[
"the sensors are not good enough",
"they are hidden by the spaces between the sensors",
"they are too far away",
"they move very fast"
] | 1 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Beyond two or three days, the world's best weather forecasts are doubtful, and beyond six or seven they are worthless. The Butterfly Effect is the reason. For small pieces of weather--to a global forecaster, small can mean thunderstorms and blizzards --any prediction becomes worse rapidly. Errors and uncertainties increase, from dust devils and storms up to continent-size eddies that only satellites can see. The modern weather models work with net-like points sixty miles apart, and even so, some starting data have to be guessed, since ground stations and satellites cannot see everywhere. But suppose the earth could be covered with sensors placed one foot apart, rising at one-foot intervals all the way to the top of the atmosphere. Suppose every sensor gives perfectly accurate readings of temperature, pressure, humidity , and any other data a weatherman would want. Exactly at noon a powerful computer takes all the data and calculates what will happen at each point at 12.01, then 12.02, then 12.03... the computer will still be unable to predict whether Princeton will have sun or rain one month away. At noon the spaces between the sensors will hide fluctuations that the computer will not know about. By 12.01, those fluctuations will already have created small errors one foot away. Soon the errors will have added to the ten-foot scale, and so on up to the size of the globe. Our computer will not be able to know about fluctuations because _ .
Answer: they are hidden by the spaces between the sensors
|
One day three Frenchmen who did not know English very well were talking about the English language. The first Frenchman said, 'I heard someone shout 'look out' ,I put my head out of a window and a basin of water fell on me. It seems that 'look out' may mean 'don't look out!' The second one followed, ' I was once on a ship and heard the captain shout, 'All hands on the deck ' I put my hands on the deck and someone trod on them.' The third one told his friends his experience too, 'One early morning I called on my English friend and the maid said, 'He is not up yet, come back in half an hour.' When I went again for him, she said, 'He's not down yet.'I said, 'If he's not up and he is not down, where is he then? What a strange language it is!' When the captain shouted. "All hands on deck", he really meant to tell _ .
|
[
"Everyone on the ship to put his hands on the deck",
"All the sailors to put their hands on the deck",
"All the sailors to come up to deal with some trouble",
"Everyone on ship to gather on the deck"
] | 2 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
One day three Frenchmen who did not know English very well were talking about the English language. The first Frenchman said, 'I heard someone shout 'look out' ,I put my head out of a window and a basin of water fell on me. It seems that 'look out' may mean 'don't look out!' The second one followed, ' I was once on a ship and heard the captain shout, 'All hands on the deck ' I put my hands on the deck and someone trod on them.' The third one told his friends his experience too, 'One early morning I called on my English friend and the maid said, 'He is not up yet, come back in half an hour.' When I went again for him, she said, 'He's not down yet.'I said, 'If he's not up and he is not down, where is he then? What a strange language it is!' When the captain shouted. "All hands on deck", he really meant to tell _ .
A. Everyone on the ship to put his hands on the deck
B. All the sailors to put their hands on the deck
C. All the sailors to come up to deal with some trouble
D. Everyone on ship to gather on the deck
Answer:C
|
The Royal Mint has chosen Beatrix Potter's thieving Peter Rabbit as the first character from children's literature ever to appear on a UK coin. Peter, pictured in the blue jacket that he is forced to abandon in the garden of Mr McGregor when he is caught stealing vegetables, is captured on a special, coloured edition of a 50p coin available from now. The Royal Mint, which described Peter as "the most recognizable of Potter's creations, and one of the most cherished from children's literature", will release uncoloured versions of the coin in change later this year. Three more of Potter's characters will also be committed to currency later this year, as part of celebrations marking 150 years since the children's author's birth. The images have been created by coin designer Emma Noble, who said it was "amazing to be given the opportunity to work with such famous and treasured literary characters". Potter's The Tale of Peter Rabbit, featuring Peter and his better-behaved siblings Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail, was the first of her stories to be published, released in 1902 by Frederick Warne & Co. Potter would go on to follow it with a series of much-loved stories which remain popular today, from The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin to The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck. According to the passage, the coins will be released by the Royal Mint to _ .
|
[
"celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Beatrix Potter",
"celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Peter Rabbit",
"celebrate the first publication of The Tale of Peter Rabbit",
"promote the sales of Beatrix Potter's works"
] | 0 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: The Royal Mint has chosen Beatrix Potter's thieving Peter Rabbit as the first character from children's literature ever to appear on a UK coin. Peter, pictured in the blue jacket that he is forced to abandon in the garden of Mr McGregor when he is caught stealing vegetables, is captured on a special, coloured edition of a 50p coin available from now. The Royal Mint, which described Peter as "the most recognizable of Potter's creations, and one of the most cherished from children's literature", will release uncoloured versions of the coin in change later this year. Three more of Potter's characters will also be committed to currency later this year, as part of celebrations marking 150 years since the children's author's birth. The images have been created by coin designer Emma Noble, who said it was "amazing to be given the opportunity to work with such famous and treasured literary characters". Potter's The Tale of Peter Rabbit, featuring Peter and his better-behaved siblings Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail, was the first of her stories to be published, released in 1902 by Frederick Warne & Co. Potter would go on to follow it with a series of much-loved stories which remain popular today, from The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin to The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck. According to the passage, the coins will be released by the Royal Mint to _ .
Answer: celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Beatrix Potter
|
Life is full of change, and this leads to growth. Change is what keeps our lives moving, and allows us to achieve what we desire and deserve. Like it or not, we need to be willing to go with the flow, and be adaptable when something doesn't go according to plan. A catalyst is a person that causes something else to happen, and if you're not currently a catalyst for change, here are some things you can do to become one. Take a look at what you've got going on in your life right now. Write down everything that comes to mind. Is there anything that jumps out at you that you're not content with? Is there something that isn't moving forward as quickly as you would like it to? Identifying what you want to change is the first step to getting somewhere with it. Take the initiative to make change happen. Once you have identified what you want to work on changing, write down several possible "next steps" you can take to realizing that change. Whatever it is you want to change, you won't get very far without having specific actions in mind to carry out. Start small, and then focus on items that are a bit more involved or difficult and just keep going! When carrying out a change, it's great if you're able to _ , particularly if they can help you implement that change in some way. Be receptive to feedback, but realize that others' opinions are not golden. Also remember to give feedback when asked for it. Be sure it's genuine and that you are able to stand behind it. Create an environment for change. There is nothing more discouraging than trying to create change in an environment that is not conducive to it. It's like trying to stick to a diet in a house that is filled with chips, cookies, ice cream and chocolate; you are just making it more difficult for yourself. Change is good, and often leads to process improvement, increased productivity and efficiency. Take the initiative, and make changes to your life to get to where you want to go faster than you are going right now. If you decide to change, you should start by _ .
|
[
"going with the flow",
"changing from day to day",
"writing down good ideas",
"making sure you know what to change"
] | 3 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Life is full of change, and this leads to growth. Change is what keeps our lives moving, and allows us to achieve what we desire and deserve. Like it or not, we need to be willing to go with the flow, and be adaptable when something doesn't go according to plan. A catalyst is a person that causes something else to happen, and if you're not currently a catalyst for change, here are some things you can do to become one. Take a look at what you've got going on in your life right now. Write down everything that comes to mind. Is there anything that jumps out at you that you're not content with? Is there something that isn't moving forward as quickly as you would like it to? Identifying what you want to change is the first step to getting somewhere with it. Take the initiative to make change happen. Once you have identified what you want to work on changing, write down several possible "next steps" you can take to realizing that change. Whatever it is you want to change, you won't get very far without having specific actions in mind to carry out. Start small, and then focus on items that are a bit more involved or difficult and just keep going! When carrying out a change, it's great if you're able to _ , particularly if they can help you implement that change in some way. Be receptive to feedback, but realize that others' opinions are not golden. Also remember to give feedback when asked for it. Be sure it's genuine and that you are able to stand behind it. Create an environment for change. There is nothing more discouraging than trying to create change in an environment that is not conducive to it. It's like trying to stick to a diet in a house that is filled with chips, cookies, ice cream and chocolate; you are just making it more difficult for yourself. Change is good, and often leads to process improvement, increased productivity and efficiency. Take the initiative, and make changes to your life to get to where you want to go faster than you are going right now. If you decide to change, you should start by _ .
Answer: making sure you know what to change
|
Fifty has never looked better. It's been 50 years since the first James Bond film, Dr. No, premiered in cinemas. As first embodied by Scottish actor Sean Connery, Agent 007 was a fearless, cool-as-ice spy who excelled at sleuthing , fighting and saving the world. Since then, more than 20 films featuring the iconic spy have been released-making it one of the longest-running franchises in the history of cinema. On Nov 9, the 23rd Bond movie, Skyfall, celebrated the legend's 50th birthday. Over the years, audiences have changed. It doesn't matter. Six different actors have acted 007 and it doesn't matter. Even shocking technological and cultural changes can't bend Bond. Why? Is it the action, the sexy women, the cars, the gadgets and the exotic locations? Yes, but the most important reason is still the man himself. Bond can challenge his boss and shoot a bad guy in mere minutes. He is an expert in literature, languages, art and fine wines. He has a sharp tongue besides his wits. In the first film Dr. No, as Connery lit a cigarette, we heard James Bond's voice and saw his cafe for the first time. The simple scene and short phrase have defined the character for half a century. "Next to the Beatles and Stones, James Bond was the greatest British import of the 1960s," David Kamp, a US contributing editor for Vanity Fair, wrote in a recent article about the birth of Bond and its influence on the US. The Bond phenomenon has clearly affected movie culture, pop culture and spy culture. But perhaps the most amazing thing is that 007 has survived in the age of feminism . "Talking of objectifying women, Bond is essential Huge Henfner (founder of Playboy magazine) with a gun," movie critic Xan Brooks told The Guardian. "But women liked Bond, too. He couldn't have run for 50 years with male fans alone." We love Bond for many reasons--after all 50 years, Bond is still breathtaking. thrilling ride into the very heart of an icon like no other. But most of all, we may love him for one reason: "he always gets away with it." one said. What does the movie critic Xan Brooks agree with?
|
[
"James Bond films are not accepted by young girls.",
"Men are especially interested in James Bond films.",
"Bond is actually a man against feminism.",
"Women are fond of James Bond films too."
] | 3 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Fifty has never looked better. It's been 50 years since the first James Bond film, Dr. No, premiered in cinemas. As first embodied by Scottish actor Sean Connery, Agent 007 was a fearless, cool-as-ice spy who excelled at sleuthing , fighting and saving the world. Since then, more than 20 films featuring the iconic spy have been released-making it one of the longest-running franchises in the history of cinema. On Nov 9, the 23rd Bond movie, Skyfall, celebrated the legend's 50th birthday. Over the years, audiences have changed. It doesn't matter. Six different actors have acted 007 and it doesn't matter. Even shocking technological and cultural changes can't bend Bond. Why? Is it the action, the sexy women, the cars, the gadgets and the exotic locations? Yes, but the most important reason is still the man himself. Bond can challenge his boss and shoot a bad guy in mere minutes. He is an expert in literature, languages, art and fine wines. He has a sharp tongue besides his wits. In the first film Dr. No, as Connery lit a cigarette, we heard James Bond's voice and saw his cafe for the first time. The simple scene and short phrase have defined the character for half a century. "Next to the Beatles and Stones, James Bond was the greatest British import of the 1960s," David Kamp, a US contributing editor for Vanity Fair, wrote in a recent article about the birth of Bond and its influence on the US. The Bond phenomenon has clearly affected movie culture, pop culture and spy culture. But perhaps the most amazing thing is that 007 has survived in the age of feminism . "Talking of objectifying women, Bond is essential Huge Henfner (founder of Playboy magazine) with a gun," movie critic Xan Brooks told The Guardian. "But women liked Bond, too. He couldn't have run for 50 years with male fans alone." We love Bond for many reasons--after all 50 years, Bond is still breathtaking. thrilling ride into the very heart of an icon like no other. But most of all, we may love him for one reason: "he always gets away with it." one said. What does the movie critic Xan Brooks agree with?
A. James Bond films are not accepted by young girls.
B. Men are especially interested in James Bond films.
C. Bond is actually a man against feminism.
D. Women are fond of James Bond films too.
Answer:D
|
MANY of us enjoy doing it: you turn on the camera on your mobile phone and hold it at a high angle , making your eyes look bigger and your cheekbones more marked out. You turn to your best side and click. There it is - your selfie. Over the past year, "selfie" has become a well-known term across the globe. This August the Oxford dictionary added the word to their online dictionary and defined it as: "A photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website." Today it's not difficult to find social networking pages full of photos people have taken of themselves and their friends. And selfie culture has become especially related to young people. As many as 91 percent of teenagers have posted photos of themselves online, according to a recent survey by the US Pew Research Center. So what are the reasons for the rise of selfie culture? "The cult of the selfie celebrates regular people," Pamela Rutledge, a professor at the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, told Vogue magazine. "There are many more photographs available now of real people than models." Posting selfies also allows you to control your image online. "I like having the power to choose how I look, even if I'm making a funny face," Samantha Barks, 19, a high school student in the US, told Vogue. In addition to self-expression and documentation , selfies "allow for an close friendship for long-distance friends, because you can see each other's faces every day", wrote Casey Miller at The Huffington Post. But US psychologist Jill Weber is concerned that selfies might lead to social problems. "There's a danger that your self-esteem may start to be tied to the comments and 'likes' you get when you post a selfie, and they aren't based on who you are - they're based on what you look like," Weber told Vogue. "When you get nothing or a negative response, your confidence can " What is Jill Weber's opinion about selfies?
|
[
"Comments on selfie are based on who you are.",
"Selfies have more disadvantages than advantages.",
"Others' response to selfies might affect one's self-esteem.",
"Selfies shouldn't be encouraged for they lead to social problems."
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: MANY of us enjoy doing it: you turn on the camera on your mobile phone and hold it at a high angle , making your eyes look bigger and your cheekbones more marked out. You turn to your best side and click. There it is - your selfie. Over the past year, "selfie" has become a well-known term across the globe. This August the Oxford dictionary added the word to their online dictionary and defined it as: "A photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website." Today it's not difficult to find social networking pages full of photos people have taken of themselves and their friends. And selfie culture has become especially related to young people. As many as 91 percent of teenagers have posted photos of themselves online, according to a recent survey by the US Pew Research Center. So what are the reasons for the rise of selfie culture? "The cult of the selfie celebrates regular people," Pamela Rutledge, a professor at the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, told Vogue magazine. "There are many more photographs available now of real people than models." Posting selfies also allows you to control your image online. "I like having the power to choose how I look, even if I'm making a funny face," Samantha Barks, 19, a high school student in the US, told Vogue. In addition to self-expression and documentation , selfies "allow for an close friendship for long-distance friends, because you can see each other's faces every day", wrote Casey Miller at The Huffington Post. But US psychologist Jill Weber is concerned that selfies might lead to social problems. "There's a danger that your self-esteem may start to be tied to the comments and 'likes' you get when you post a selfie, and they aren't based on who you are - they're based on what you look like," Weber told Vogue. "When you get nothing or a negative response, your confidence can " What is Jill Weber's opinion about selfies?
Answer: Others' response to selfies might affect one's self-esteem.
|
Published in 1896 and one of the most memorable horror stories ever written, Dracula, by Irish writer Bram Stoker,is the story of a vampire ,someone who lives on human blood. Stoker wrote the book after reading stories about Central European vampires and set his novel in Transylvania. Even today,there are readers of the book who believe that Transylvania is a mythical country,a figment of Stoker's imagination. Nothing could be further from the truth. Transylvania is part of modern-day Central European country Romania,and the country does indeed have a history of mythological vampires. However,Romanians are always puzzled by the description of the novel's central character, Count Dracula,a tall,elegant aristocrat with impeccable manners who also happens to speak very good English. This is a world away from the images of vampires that they have grown up with. Romanian vampires are half-human creatures who live solitary lives in the forests,not aristocrats living in castles with well-stocked libraries. So where did Stoke get the image for his Dracula? The answer becomes clearer when one learns of his relationship with a man called Henry Irving,the greatest British stage actor of his time. Stoker was working as a civil servant in his home city of Dublin when he first met Irving. Bored with his tedious life and work, Stoker took every opportunity to visit the theatre and for a while was the drama critic for the Dublin Evening Mail. One of the reviews he wrote was of a performance of Shakespeare's play Hamlet,with Irving in the lead role. Irving was so pleased with Stoker's review of his performance that he asked to meet him. Stoker couldn't believe his luck when one night,he was invited to a dinner party where Irving was the guest of honour. Irving entertained the assembled dinner guests with some renditions of famous poems and speeches from Shakespeare. Stoker was already writing the first chapters of Dracula and began to base the central character on Irving,in the vain hope that if it ever became a stage play, Irving would play the central character. Sadly,Irving never did,but the two men became close friends,and in 1878 Stoker left the civil service and became Irving's manager in London. What was Stoker's hope?
|
[
"That the book would become a stage-play.",
"That Irving would play the central character in the stage play.",
"That he could live in London.",
"That Irving would work for him."
] | 1 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Published in 1896 and one of the most memorable horror stories ever written, Dracula, by Irish writer Bram Stoker,is the story of a vampire ,someone who lives on human blood. Stoker wrote the book after reading stories about Central European vampires and set his novel in Transylvania. Even today,there are readers of the book who believe that Transylvania is a mythical country,a figment of Stoker's imagination. Nothing could be further from the truth. Transylvania is part of modern-day Central European country Romania,and the country does indeed have a history of mythological vampires. However,Romanians are always puzzled by the description of the novel's central character, Count Dracula,a tall,elegant aristocrat with impeccable manners who also happens to speak very good English. This is a world away from the images of vampires that they have grown up with. Romanian vampires are half-human creatures who live solitary lives in the forests,not aristocrats living in castles with well-stocked libraries. So where did Stoke get the image for his Dracula? The answer becomes clearer when one learns of his relationship with a man called Henry Irving,the greatest British stage actor of his time. Stoker was working as a civil servant in his home city of Dublin when he first met Irving. Bored with his tedious life and work, Stoker took every opportunity to visit the theatre and for a while was the drama critic for the Dublin Evening Mail. One of the reviews he wrote was of a performance of Shakespeare's play Hamlet,with Irving in the lead role. Irving was so pleased with Stoker's review of his performance that he asked to meet him. Stoker couldn't believe his luck when one night,he was invited to a dinner party where Irving was the guest of honour. Irving entertained the assembled dinner guests with some renditions of famous poems and speeches from Shakespeare. Stoker was already writing the first chapters of Dracula and began to base the central character on Irving,in the vain hope that if it ever became a stage play, Irving would play the central character. Sadly,Irving never did,but the two men became close friends,and in 1878 Stoker left the civil service and became Irving's manager in London. What was Stoker's hope?
A. That the book would become a stage-play.
B. That Irving would play the central character in the stage play.
C. That he could live in London.
D. That Irving would work for him.
Answer:B
|
I sat at my seat waiting for the school paper to be passed around. I waited anxiously, knowing that once I received it I would know how good a writer I really am. When the paper arrived at my classroom, I nearly knocked down five of my classmates to get to the first paper. With a school paper in my hands, I returned to my seat. About a month earlier, I had handed in one of, what I believed to be, my best stories. I named it Symbol of Success. The head of the English Department at my school, Professor Cullen had said that she would include some reviews of students' stories in the latest school paper. Professor Cullen was known for her rough criticism. Impressing her was very hard but I wanted to be the first to do so. I sat at the edge of my seat as I read through the other story reviews. There wasn't one story that got more than three stars .I became calm and wasn't anxious to know my review. It was long after that I heard someone shout out "Five stars?! Seriously !" from behind me. I turned around and saw the shocked expression of Gene's face, "Peter, your story got five stars!" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I turned my attention back to my story and saw the five stars at the end of the review that I had not read yet. I looked through the review written by Professor Cullen. She wrote that I had a gift for story writing. I was proud that I achieved what I thought was impossible .For so long I believed I wasn't as good as I thought I was and that my talent was not enough to cover up my lack of wring skills .But this review proved that I was truly a good writer and that there was a future ahead of me in the field of fiction writing. The review and the five stars meant the world of me. Those five stars became the symbol of my success. How did the writer get the school paper?
|
[
"His teacher gave it to him first",
"The publisher sent it to him first",
"His friend helped him get the first one.",
"He rushed ahead to get the first one by himself."
] | 3 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
I sat at my seat waiting for the school paper to be passed around. I waited anxiously, knowing that once I received it I would know how good a writer I really am. When the paper arrived at my classroom, I nearly knocked down five of my classmates to get to the first paper. With a school paper in my hands, I returned to my seat. About a month earlier, I had handed in one of, what I believed to be, my best stories. I named it Symbol of Success. The head of the English Department at my school, Professor Cullen had said that she would include some reviews of students' stories in the latest school paper. Professor Cullen was known for her rough criticism. Impressing her was very hard but I wanted to be the first to do so. I sat at the edge of my seat as I read through the other story reviews. There wasn't one story that got more than three stars .I became calm and wasn't anxious to know my review. It was long after that I heard someone shout out "Five stars?! Seriously !" from behind me. I turned around and saw the shocked expression of Gene's face, "Peter, your story got five stars!" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I turned my attention back to my story and saw the five stars at the end of the review that I had not read yet. I looked through the review written by Professor Cullen. She wrote that I had a gift for story writing. I was proud that I achieved what I thought was impossible .For so long I believed I wasn't as good as I thought I was and that my talent was not enough to cover up my lack of wring skills .But this review proved that I was truly a good writer and that there was a future ahead of me in the field of fiction writing. The review and the five stars meant the world of me. Those five stars became the symbol of my success. How did the writer get the school paper?
A. His teacher gave it to him first
B. The publisher sent it to him first
C. His friend helped him get the first one.
D. He rushed ahead to get the first one by himself.
Answer:D
|
With eco-tourism on the rise, eco-hotels are fast becoming the darling of the travel industry. These days, however, staying at an eco-hotel doesn't necessarily mean vacationing in a tree house in the Costa Rican jungle, although that is certainly a choice. The majority of eco-hotels fall into several categories: hotels and resorts that conserve ecologically important habitats; "green" hotels that reduce, recycle, minimize waste, and protect water; sustainable hotels that harvest food from gardens on the hotel property or get part or all of their power from renewable energy; hotels that encourage community involvement such as guests taking part in trail clearing; and hotels that offer some form of environmental education to their guests. As such, eco-hotels are a various group. Stylish urban hotels like the Willard Inter-Continental Washington focus on energy conservation whereas the Rosario Resort & Spa on Orcas Island in Washington State offers a wildly popular "green" vacation package where guests can "take a hike, clear a trail". No matter what you call them, eco-hotel, eco-lodge, eco-resort, or green hotel, they're all part of the "greening" of the tourism industry. Part of what drives this greening of the hotel industry is no doubt competition. Going green is another way to distinguish a hotel from the mass of other excellent hotels that consumers have to choose from. But for many hotels, it's also part of their philosophy. With the concept of "going green" firmly rooted in consumers' minds, eco-hotels have taken it to the next level, and whether or not money is the driving factor behind the greening of the hotel industry doesn't matter so much as it's good for the planet. From the passage, we know the Rosario Resort & Spa is a kind of hotel that _ .
|
[
"encourages its guests to participate in its greening activities",
"harvests food from its own garden",
"has courses on the environment for its guests",
"protects important habitats"
] | 0 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
With eco-tourism on the rise, eco-hotels are fast becoming the darling of the travel industry. These days, however, staying at an eco-hotel doesn't necessarily mean vacationing in a tree house in the Costa Rican jungle, although that is certainly a choice. The majority of eco-hotels fall into several categories: hotels and resorts that conserve ecologically important habitats; "green" hotels that reduce, recycle, minimize waste, and protect water; sustainable hotels that harvest food from gardens on the hotel property or get part or all of their power from renewable energy; hotels that encourage community involvement such as guests taking part in trail clearing; and hotels that offer some form of environmental education to their guests. As such, eco-hotels are a various group. Stylish urban hotels like the Willard Inter-Continental Washington focus on energy conservation whereas the Rosario Resort & Spa on Orcas Island in Washington State offers a wildly popular "green" vacation package where guests can "take a hike, clear a trail". No matter what you call them, eco-hotel, eco-lodge, eco-resort, or green hotel, they're all part of the "greening" of the tourism industry. Part of what drives this greening of the hotel industry is no doubt competition. Going green is another way to distinguish a hotel from the mass of other excellent hotels that consumers have to choose from. But for many hotels, it's also part of their philosophy. With the concept of "going green" firmly rooted in consumers' minds, eco-hotels have taken it to the next level, and whether or not money is the driving factor behind the greening of the hotel industry doesn't matter so much as it's good for the planet. From the passage, we know the Rosario Resort & Spa is a kind of hotel that _ .
A. encourages its guests to participate in its greening activities
B. harvests food from its own garden
C. has courses on the environment for its guests
D. protects important habitats
Answer:A
|
33 Chilean miners were trapped nearly a half-mile underground after the mine accident. They had no real hope that they'd ever be found. Luckily, though, the men had Luis Urzua. They were rescued to safety on October 13, 2010.Urzua, 54, was the shift leader at the time of the disaster, and used all his wisdoms and his leadership talents to help his men stay calm and in control for the 17 terrible days it took for rescuers to make their first contact with them. It was no surprise that Urzua was the last of the 33 miners to leave the mine. Urzua --- after shaking hands with rescue workers ---- climbed into a capsule barely wider than a man's shoulders at 9:46 and was hauled up from a narrow hole drilled through 2,000 feet of rock. He arrived at the top 11 minutes later. "We have done what the entire world was waiting for," he told Chilean President Sebastian Pinera immediately after his rescue. "The 69 days that we fought so hard were not in vain." Pinera greeted Urzua, saying "You have been rescued, coming out last like a good leader... You have no idea how all Chileans share with you your hardships, your hope, and your joy. You are an inspiration." With Urzua by his side, the president led the crowd in singing the national anthem.Robinson Marquez once worked with Urzua in a nearby mine. He described Urzua as a calm, professional person and a born leader. "He is very protective of his men and obviously loves them. He wouldn't have left until all of his men were safely above ground," Marquez said. Under Urzua's leadership, the men stretched an emergency food supply meant to last just 48 hours over two and a half weeks, taking tiny sips of milk and bites of fish every other day.He described the difficulties of the first days, saying that it took about three hours for the dust to settle before the men could inspect where tons of collapsed rock sealed off the main way out. When the rescuers first made contact by drilling a narrow hole into their refuge , the miners were so excited that everyone wanted to hug the drill hammer.After the collapse, Urzua was the first to speak to Pinera and to urge him not to let him and his men down. "Don't leave us alone," he asked the president, who assured the workers that they would not be abandoned, telling them he would do everything he could to get them back to the surface. The emergency food supply was designed to last _ .
|
[
"over two and a half weeks",
"five days",
"one week",
"two days"
] | 3 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
33 Chilean miners were trapped nearly a half-mile underground after the mine accident. They had no real hope that they'd ever be found. Luckily, though, the men had Luis Urzua. They were rescued to safety on October 13, 2010.Urzua, 54, was the shift leader at the time of the disaster, and used all his wisdoms and his leadership talents to help his men stay calm and in control for the 17 terrible days it took for rescuers to make their first contact with them. It was no surprise that Urzua was the last of the 33 miners to leave the mine. Urzua --- after shaking hands with rescue workers ---- climbed into a capsule barely wider than a man's shoulders at 9:46 and was hauled up from a narrow hole drilled through 2,000 feet of rock. He arrived at the top 11 minutes later. "We have done what the entire world was waiting for," he told Chilean President Sebastian Pinera immediately after his rescue. "The 69 days that we fought so hard were not in vain." Pinera greeted Urzua, saying "You have been rescued, coming out last like a good leader... You have no idea how all Chileans share with you your hardships, your hope, and your joy. You are an inspiration." With Urzua by his side, the president led the crowd in singing the national anthem.Robinson Marquez once worked with Urzua in a nearby mine. He described Urzua as a calm, professional person and a born leader. "He is very protective of his men and obviously loves them. He wouldn't have left until all of his men were safely above ground," Marquez said. Under Urzua's leadership, the men stretched an emergency food supply meant to last just 48 hours over two and a half weeks, taking tiny sips of milk and bites of fish every other day.He described the difficulties of the first days, saying that it took about three hours for the dust to settle before the men could inspect where tons of collapsed rock sealed off the main way out. When the rescuers first made contact by drilling a narrow hole into their refuge , the miners were so excited that everyone wanted to hug the drill hammer.After the collapse, Urzua was the first to speak to Pinera and to urge him not to let him and his men down. "Don't leave us alone," he asked the president, who assured the workers that they would not be abandoned, telling them he would do everything he could to get them back to the surface. The emergency food supply was designed to last _ .
A. over two and a half weeks
B. five days
C. one week
D. two days
Answer:D
|
A city ordinance makes the city building inspector responsible for ensuring that all buildings in that city are kept up to building code standards and requires the inspector to refer for prosecution all known building code violations. Another ordinance provides that the city building inspector may be discharged for "good cause." The building inspector took a newspaper reporter through a number of run-down buildings in a slum neighborhood. After using various epithets and slurs to describe the occupants of these buildings, the building inspector stated to the reporter: "I do not even try to get these buildings up to code or to have their owners prosecuted for code violations because if these buildings are repaired, the people who live in them will just wreck them again." The reporter published these statements in a story in the local newspaper. The building inspector admitted he made the statements. On the basis of these statements, the city council discharged the building inspector. Is the action of the city council constitutional?
|
[
"Yes, because the statements demonstrate that the building inspector has an attitude toward a certain class of persons that interferes with the proper performance of the obligations of his job. ",
"Yes, because the building inspector is a government employee and a person holding such a position may not make public comments inconsistent with current governmental policy. ",
"No, because the statements were lawful comments on a matter of public concern. ",
"No, because the statements were published in a newspaper that is protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments"
] | 0 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
A city ordinance makes the city building inspector responsible for ensuring that all buildings in that city are kept up to building code standards and requires the inspector to refer for prosecution all known building code violations. Another ordinance provides that the city building inspector may be discharged for "good cause." The building inspector took a newspaper reporter through a number of run-down buildings in a slum neighborhood. After using various epithets and slurs to describe the occupants of these buildings, the building inspector stated to the reporter: "I do not even try to get these buildings up to code or to have their owners prosecuted for code violations because if these buildings are repaired, the people who live in them will just wreck them again." The reporter published these statements in a story in the local newspaper. The building inspector admitted he made the statements. On the basis of these statements, the city council discharged the building inspector. Is the action of the city council constitutional?
A. Yes, because the statements demonstrate that the building inspector has an attitude toward a certain class of persons that interferes with the proper performance of the obligations of his job.
B. Yes, because the building inspector is a government employee and a person holding such a position may not make public comments inconsistent with current governmental policy.
C. No, because the statements were lawful comments on a matter of public concern.
D. No, because the statements were published in a newspaper that is protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments
Answer:A
|
Waves are beautiful to look at,but they can destroy ships at sea,as well as houses and buildings near the shore.What causes waves? Most waves are caused by winds blowing over the surface of the water.The sun heats the earth,causing the air to rise and the winds to blow.The winds blow across the sea,pushing little waves into bigger and bigger ones. The size of a wave depends on how strong the wind is,how long it blows,and how large the body of water is.In a small bay big waves will never build up,but at sea the wind can build up giant,powerful waves. A rule says that the height of a wave (in meters)will usually be no more than one-tenth of the wind's speed(in kilometers).In other words,when the wind is blowing at 120 kilometers per hour,most waves will be about twelve meters of course,and some waves may combine to form giant waves that are much higher.In 1933 the United States Navy reported the largest measured wave in history.It rose in the Pacific Ocean to a height of thirty-four meters. What would be the best title for the text?
|
[
"Beautiful Waves",
"Waves in the Pacific Ocean",
"What Causes Waves",
"The Largest Waves in History"
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Waves are beautiful to look at,but they can destroy ships at sea,as well as houses and buildings near the shore.What causes waves? Most waves are caused by winds blowing over the surface of the water.The sun heats the earth,causing the air to rise and the winds to blow.The winds blow across the sea,pushing little waves into bigger and bigger ones. The size of a wave depends on how strong the wind is,how long it blows,and how large the body of water is.In a small bay big waves will never build up,but at sea the wind can build up giant,powerful waves. A rule says that the height of a wave (in meters)will usually be no more than one-tenth of the wind's speed(in kilometers).In other words,when the wind is blowing at 120 kilometers per hour,most waves will be about twelve meters of course,and some waves may combine to form giant waves that are much higher.In 1933 the United States Navy reported the largest measured wave in history.It rose in the Pacific Ocean to a height of thirty-four meters. What would be the best title for the text?
Answer: What Causes Waves
|
Research has long backed the therapeutic value of diary-keeping for teenage girls and boys.But according to a new study, when teenagers detail their sadness onto a blog, the therapeutic value is even greater.Blogging, it seems, can be good for you. The study, published in the journal Psychological Services and conducted by Meyran Boniel-Nissim and Azy Barak, psychology professors at the University of Haifa, Israel, found the contact with an online community through a blog made it more effective in relieving the writer's social anxiety than a private diary would be. To track teenagers' experiences with blogging, the researchers randomly surveyed high school students in Israel and selected 161 of them who exhibited some level of social anxiety or stress.The teenagers, who averaged 15 years old, said they had difficulty making new friends or relating to their existing friends. The teenagers were divided into six groups.The first two groups were asked to blog about their social difficulties, with one group asked to open their posts to comments.The second two groups were asked to blog about whatever struck their adolescent fancy; again, with one group allowing comments.All four groups were told to write in their blogs at least twice a week.As a control, two more groups were told to keep either an old-fashioned print diary or to do nothing at all. All of their blog records were then read through by four psychologists to determine the authors' social and emotional state.In all the groups, the greatest improvement in mood occurred among those bloggers who wrote about their problems and allowed commenters to respond. Interestingly, the commenters on the blogs were quite supportive."The only kind of surprise we had was that almost all comments made by readers were very positive and constructive in trying to offer support for anxious bloggers," Dr.Barak wrote in an e-mail. Compared with the traditional diary, the main advantage of blogging is that _ .
|
[
"you can write almost anything in a blog",
"you can make complaints in a blog",
"you can keep in touch with others through your blog",
"you can improve your emotional state through your blog"
] | 2 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Research has long backed the therapeutic value of diary-keeping for teenage girls and boys.But according to a new study, when teenagers detail their sadness onto a blog, the therapeutic value is even greater.Blogging, it seems, can be good for you. The study, published in the journal Psychological Services and conducted by Meyran Boniel-Nissim and Azy Barak, psychology professors at the University of Haifa, Israel, found the contact with an online community through a blog made it more effective in relieving the writer's social anxiety than a private diary would be. To track teenagers' experiences with blogging, the researchers randomly surveyed high school students in Israel and selected 161 of them who exhibited some level of social anxiety or stress.The teenagers, who averaged 15 years old, said they had difficulty making new friends or relating to their existing friends. The teenagers were divided into six groups.The first two groups were asked to blog about their social difficulties, with one group asked to open their posts to comments.The second two groups were asked to blog about whatever struck their adolescent fancy; again, with one group allowing comments.All four groups were told to write in their blogs at least twice a week.As a control, two more groups were told to keep either an old-fashioned print diary or to do nothing at all. All of their blog records were then read through by four psychologists to determine the authors' social and emotional state.In all the groups, the greatest improvement in mood occurred among those bloggers who wrote about their problems and allowed commenters to respond. Interestingly, the commenters on the blogs were quite supportive."The only kind of surprise we had was that almost all comments made by readers were very positive and constructive in trying to offer support for anxious bloggers," Dr.Barak wrote in an e-mail. Compared with the traditional diary, the main advantage of blogging is that _ .
A. you can write almost anything in a blog
B. you can make complaints in a blog
C. you can keep in touch with others through your blog
D. you can improve your emotional state through your blog
Answer:C
|
"On a spring night, we offer book lovers a desk and a light. You can stay here as long as you want to." This is the slogan of Sanlian Taofen Bookstore in Beijing. Earlier this month, Sanlian Taofen Bookstore became the first 24-hour bookstore in the city. It hopes to encourage more people to read books. Bookstores are the brain of a city. Although many people can now buy books online, many readers still like the feeling in bookstores. They can touch the books and smell the print In China, most cities are home to at least one bookstore. Some have special themes . Popular Holdings ( ) in Shanghai is a film-themed bookstore. There are film books and posters inside. Other bookstores have colorful activities. Eslite Bookstore in Taiwan has activities like talks with famous writers as well as holding gallery shows . People come here not only for reading but also to communicate with others. The best title to explain the main idea of the text is " _ ".
|
[
"BuyingBooksinBookstores",
"WarmPlacesforReading",
"ANewBookstoreinChina",
"GreatBookstoresOnline"
] | 1 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: "On a spring night, we offer book lovers a desk and a light. You can stay here as long as you want to." This is the slogan of Sanlian Taofen Bookstore in Beijing. Earlier this month, Sanlian Taofen Bookstore became the first 24-hour bookstore in the city. It hopes to encourage more people to read books. Bookstores are the brain of a city. Although many people can now buy books online, many readers still like the feeling in bookstores. They can touch the books and smell the print In China, most cities are home to at least one bookstore. Some have special themes . Popular Holdings ( ) in Shanghai is a film-themed bookstore. There are film books and posters inside. Other bookstores have colorful activities. Eslite Bookstore in Taiwan has activities like talks with famous writers as well as holding gallery shows . People come here not only for reading but also to communicate with others. The best title to explain the main idea of the text is " _ ".
Answer: WarmPlacesforReading
|
This is not a diet. It's a simple way to lose weight. You don't have to give up the food you love or join a gym. You just follow some habits thin people have. Keep them, and you'll become thin. *Wake-up When you wake up in the morning, sit up slowly without using your hands. With legs straight out, lean forward until you feel sore in your back. It will use up 10 calories. *Start with soup Order a clear soup, and have it before the main food. In this way, you'll feel fuller, so you'll eat less when the main food comes. *An apple or more a day Apples are full of fiber and water, so your stomach will want less. Studies show that people who eat at least three apples or pears a day may lose weight. *Talk it up Every time you use the cell phone, stand up and walk around. Heavy people sit on average two and a half hours more each day than thin people. This skill is very important and standing up and walking around will burn up 50 or more calories. Use these skills, and you will have a big weight loss. Which of the following ways is a good choice become thin?
|
[
"Sit up quickly in the morning",
"Have soup before the main food.",
"Eat rice instead of apples",
"Sit down when using a cell phone."
] | 1 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: This is not a diet. It's a simple way to lose weight. You don't have to give up the food you love or join a gym. You just follow some habits thin people have. Keep them, and you'll become thin. *Wake-up When you wake up in the morning, sit up slowly without using your hands. With legs straight out, lean forward until you feel sore in your back. It will use up 10 calories. *Start with soup Order a clear soup, and have it before the main food. In this way, you'll feel fuller, so you'll eat less when the main food comes. *An apple or more a day Apples are full of fiber and water, so your stomach will want less. Studies show that people who eat at least three apples or pears a day may lose weight. *Talk it up Every time you use the cell phone, stand up and walk around. Heavy people sit on average two and a half hours more each day than thin people. This skill is very important and standing up and walking around will burn up 50 or more calories. Use these skills, and you will have a big weight loss. Which of the following ways is a good choice become thin?
Answer: Have soup before the main food.
|
Have you ever wondered what goes through your mind when you choose where to sit in a new classroom? Or in a waiting room full of strangers? Or on a bus? Researchers have found out some interesting facts. Perhaps unsurprisingly, we prefer to sit closer to people like ourselves. Girls sit by girls and boys sit by boys. Adults sit together and young people choose another young person to sit near. But it goes further than this. We even choose to sit near someone who looks like us. People with glasses are more likely to sit near other people with glasses. People with long hair sit closer to other people with long hair. We seem to believe that people with similar habits or hobbies will share similar attitude and we are more likely to be accepted by people like ourselves or even, we think we may be safer with people who look like us. Sometimes that's true but it's a pity if we always stick to the same people, the same group. The danger in always staying in our comfort zone is that we just recycle the same opinions, the same tastes and the same ideas. We lose the chance to learn something new, find out about interesting things, hear funny stories and discover difference. When we always stick to the same people, how can we ever break down the barriers which prevent us from getting to know people with different ideas? And how can we avoid the ignorance ,which too often leads to prejudice and even fear? If instead you want to live in a society that opens to changes and new things and different opinions, be the cat among the pigeons. Move out of your comfort zone. Go and sit next to someone different. And don't just sit there in silence. Say hello. Ask a question. Start a conversation. That's how we make friends. That's how we learn about people. That's how we open our minds to new ideas. That's how we live an exciting life. From the passage, we know that people prefer sitting by someone who
|
[
"is like themselves",
"has a sense of humor",
"is open-minded",
"lives an exciting life"
] | 0 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Have you ever wondered what goes through your mind when you choose where to sit in a new classroom? Or in a waiting room full of strangers? Or on a bus? Researchers have found out some interesting facts. Perhaps unsurprisingly, we prefer to sit closer to people like ourselves. Girls sit by girls and boys sit by boys. Adults sit together and young people choose another young person to sit near. But it goes further than this. We even choose to sit near someone who looks like us. People with glasses are more likely to sit near other people with glasses. People with long hair sit closer to other people with long hair. We seem to believe that people with similar habits or hobbies will share similar attitude and we are more likely to be accepted by people like ourselves or even, we think we may be safer with people who look like us. Sometimes that's true but it's a pity if we always stick to the same people, the same group. The danger in always staying in our comfort zone is that we just recycle the same opinions, the same tastes and the same ideas. We lose the chance to learn something new, find out about interesting things, hear funny stories and discover difference. When we always stick to the same people, how can we ever break down the barriers which prevent us from getting to know people with different ideas? And how can we avoid the ignorance ,which too often leads to prejudice and even fear? If instead you want to live in a society that opens to changes and new things and different opinions, be the cat among the pigeons. Move out of your comfort zone. Go and sit next to someone different. And don't just sit there in silence. Say hello. Ask a question. Start a conversation. That's how we make friends. That's how we learn about people. That's how we open our minds to new ideas. That's how we live an exciting life. From the passage, we know that people prefer sitting by someone who
A. is like themselves
B. has a sense of humor
C. is open-minded
D. lives an exciting life
Answer:A
|
(ALAUDDIN VALLEY) -- Russia's relationship with Tajikistan has _ following an incident involving a Russian pilot who was arrested -- after making an emergency landing in the Central Asian nation. Russia responded by beginning to drive out Tajik guest workers, a move that threatens Tajikistan's entire economy. In total, some 700,000 Tajik citizens work in Russia. In the past quarter, they sent home some $742 million in remittances . Overall, the money guest workers send back makes up half of the republic's government budget. The Alauddin Valley is in the Fann Mountains in eastern Tajikistan. The place long held an attraction for Russian writers and adventurers. Later, during the Soviet era, it was a popular tourist destination. Yet establishing a strong relationship with the people of the mountainous region is not easy. Men are seldom seen in the area. Nearly every family has at least one breadwinner working in Russia, if not more. The farm work falls to the women, who divide it up among themselves. Each summer, the village chooses the most experienced and skilled women to take all of the cows (up to 300 of them) to the summer pastures high up on in the mountains. The women spend four months there with their children since there is no one to leave the children with. They milk the cows and prepare products for the winter: cheese, butter and so on. These fermented goods get them through the winter when snow and avalanches cut off all contact with civilization. Residents here generally have two questions for visiting Russians. The first one is obvious: Is President Dmitri Medvedev going to limit the entry of Tajik guest workers? The second question is less obvious: Are there cows in Moscow? The Alauddin Valley's women truly can't imagine life without either. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
|
[
"A Russian pilot was arrested in Tajikistan.",
"Each year Tajik guest workers send home some $ 742 million.",
"The Alauddin Valley is a popular tourist destination for Russians.",
"Now there are no men in the Alauddin Valley."
] | 0 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: (ALAUDDIN VALLEY) -- Russia's relationship with Tajikistan has _ following an incident involving a Russian pilot who was arrested -- after making an emergency landing in the Central Asian nation. Russia responded by beginning to drive out Tajik guest workers, a move that threatens Tajikistan's entire economy. In total, some 700,000 Tajik citizens work in Russia. In the past quarter, they sent home some $742 million in remittances . Overall, the money guest workers send back makes up half of the republic's government budget. The Alauddin Valley is in the Fann Mountains in eastern Tajikistan. The place long held an attraction for Russian writers and adventurers. Later, during the Soviet era, it was a popular tourist destination. Yet establishing a strong relationship with the people of the mountainous region is not easy. Men are seldom seen in the area. Nearly every family has at least one breadwinner working in Russia, if not more. The farm work falls to the women, who divide it up among themselves. Each summer, the village chooses the most experienced and skilled women to take all of the cows (up to 300 of them) to the summer pastures high up on in the mountains. The women spend four months there with their children since there is no one to leave the children with. They milk the cows and prepare products for the winter: cheese, butter and so on. These fermented goods get them through the winter when snow and avalanches cut off all contact with civilization. Residents here generally have two questions for visiting Russians. The first one is obvious: Is President Dmitri Medvedev going to limit the entry of Tajik guest workers? The second question is less obvious: Are there cows in Moscow? The Alauddin Valley's women truly can't imagine life without either. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
Answer: A Russian pilot was arrested in Tajikistan.
|
Fifty-two years ago in the USA, a little black girl named Ruby Bridges arrived at her new primary school. The school was in New Orleans, Louisiana. As she walked toward the school's front door, an angry crowd of people shouted at her. United States marshals walked with her. A marshal is a police officer. They were there to protect the first grader. That's because the people didn't want Ruby to go inside the school. But the 6-year-old walked into the school anyway. As she did, she marched into history books. The day was Nov. 14, 1960. On that morning, little Ruby became one of the first African Americans to attend an all-white primary school in the South. Before then, the law in many states said that black children could not attend the same schools as white children. People of different races also had to use separate public restrooms. It was called segregation. That is when people of different races are kept separate. U.S. leaders worked to end segregation. They helped bring civil rights to all Americans. Those are the rights mean that all people should be treated equally. A few months before Ruby started school, a federal court had just ordered an end to school segregation in New Orleans. By the time Ruby started the second grade, there were no more angry people outside her school. There were other African American students in her class. Today, children of all races go to school together. Bridges said she was never scared to go to school during the first grade. She wasn't really afraid and she didn't really know what was going on at the time. Why was Ruby Bridges famous in the American history?
|
[
"She served on the U.S. federal court.",
"She got along well with the U.S. marshals.",
"She helped end school segregation in New Orleans.",
"She brought all rights to the Americans with U.S. leaders."
] | 2 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Fifty-two years ago in the USA, a little black girl named Ruby Bridges arrived at her new primary school. The school was in New Orleans, Louisiana. As she walked toward the school's front door, an angry crowd of people shouted at her. United States marshals walked with her. A marshal is a police officer. They were there to protect the first grader. That's because the people didn't want Ruby to go inside the school. But the 6-year-old walked into the school anyway. As she did, she marched into history books. The day was Nov. 14, 1960. On that morning, little Ruby became one of the first African Americans to attend an all-white primary school in the South. Before then, the law in many states said that black children could not attend the same schools as white children. People of different races also had to use separate public restrooms. It was called segregation. That is when people of different races are kept separate. U.S. leaders worked to end segregation. They helped bring civil rights to all Americans. Those are the rights mean that all people should be treated equally. A few months before Ruby started school, a federal court had just ordered an end to school segregation in New Orleans. By the time Ruby started the second grade, there were no more angry people outside her school. There were other African American students in her class. Today, children of all races go to school together. Bridges said she was never scared to go to school during the first grade. She wasn't really afraid and she didn't really know what was going on at the time. Why was Ruby Bridges famous in the American history?
A. She served on the U.S. federal court.
B. She got along well with the U.S. marshals.
C. She helped end school segregation in New Orleans.
D. She brought all rights to the Americans with U.S. leaders.
Answer:C
|
The house was quiet at 5 am and Tim's mother was asleep. Only the sound of the big freezer broke the quiet. He'd dreamt of the cave last night. The purring of the freezer had been the sea . Tim pulled on a sweater and put some apples into his schoolbag. It was too early for breakfast. He'd eat after he'd been through the cave, sitting on the rocks and staring at the sea. He wished he had a proper pack. His schoolbag would have to do. What else? Sandwiches--but his mother might wake up if he started pulling out bread for sandwiches, she'd want to know why he had to leave so early. , and left a note stuck to the table: Gone to Michael's. Back tonight. Tim. The sky was high and soft and light outside, though the sun still wasn't up. Even the highway up the hill was quiet as he made his way down the street. The wind from the sea was fresh and sweet. The sandhills still breathed heat from yesterday's sun, though the top of the sand was cool. He ran down to the beach impatiently, but there was no one, just dry sand dancing in the early wind and seabirds marching up and down watching the waves. The light changed suddenly. The first rays of sunlight stretched across the sea . The sun was pushing its way over the edge of the world. Over the first rocks, along to the point. Tim glanced back. The beach was still empty. The sun sailed higher in the sky. He could see the cave now, even darker in the morning light. The sand turned silver then dark gold as the water flowed away from it. He had to force himself to go closer. Why was it so much more mysterious now ? But it would be silly to go back now after so much trouble. He needn't go in all the way ... What made it possible for Tim to see the entry to the cave?
|
[
"The height of the first rocks.",
"The ups and downs of the waves.",
"The change in the position of the sun.",
"The vast stretch of the sunlit beach."
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: The house was quiet at 5 am and Tim's mother was asleep. Only the sound of the big freezer broke the quiet. He'd dreamt of the cave last night. The purring of the freezer had been the sea . Tim pulled on a sweater and put some apples into his schoolbag. It was too early for breakfast. He'd eat after he'd been through the cave, sitting on the rocks and staring at the sea. He wished he had a proper pack. His schoolbag would have to do. What else? Sandwiches--but his mother might wake up if he started pulling out bread for sandwiches, she'd want to know why he had to leave so early. , and left a note stuck to the table: Gone to Michael's. Back tonight. Tim. The sky was high and soft and light outside, though the sun still wasn't up. Even the highway up the hill was quiet as he made his way down the street. The wind from the sea was fresh and sweet. The sandhills still breathed heat from yesterday's sun, though the top of the sand was cool. He ran down to the beach impatiently, but there was no one, just dry sand dancing in the early wind and seabirds marching up and down watching the waves. The light changed suddenly. The first rays of sunlight stretched across the sea . The sun was pushing its way over the edge of the world. Over the first rocks, along to the point. Tim glanced back. The beach was still empty. The sun sailed higher in the sky. He could see the cave now, even darker in the morning light. The sand turned silver then dark gold as the water flowed away from it. He had to force himself to go closer. Why was it so much more mysterious now ? But it would be silly to go back now after so much trouble. He needn't go in all the way ... What made it possible for Tim to see the entry to the cave?
Answer: The change in the position of the sun.
|
Most Americans get what money they have from their work; that is, they earn an income from wages or salaries. The richest Americans, however, get most of their money from what they own -- their stocks, bonds, real estate, and other forms of property, or wealth. Although there are few accurate statistics to go by, wealth in American society appears to be concentrated in very few hands. More than 20 percent of everything that can be privately owned is held by less than one percent of the adult population and more than 75 percent of all wealth is owned by 20 percent of American adults. The plain fact is that most Americans have no wealth at all aside from their homes, automobiles, and a small amount of savings. Income in the United States is not as highly concentrated as wealth. In 1917 the richest 10 percent of American families received 26.1 percent of all income, while the poorest 10 percent received 17 percent, mainly from Social Security and other government payments. The most striking aspect of income distribution is that it has not changed significantly since the end of World War II. Although economic growth has roughly doubled real disposable family income (the money left after taxes and adjusted for inflation) over the last generation, the size of the shares given to the rich and the poor is about the same. By any measure economic inequality is great in the United States. The reality behind these statistics is that a large number of Americans are poor. In 1918, 14 percent of the population was living below the federal government's poverty line, which at that time was an annual income of $ 9 287 for a nonfarm family of two adults and two children. In other words, about one out of seven Americans over 31 million people was officially considered unable to buy the basic necessities of food, clothes, and shelter. The suggested poverty line in 1981 would have been an income of about $11, 200 for a family of four. By this relative definition, about 20 percent of the population or more than 45 million Americans are poor. What is the percentage of wealth that is in the hands of most Americans?
|
[
"Less than 25%.",
"More than 25%.",
"More than 75%.",
"Less than 20%."
] | 0 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Most Americans get what money they have from their work; that is, they earn an income from wages or salaries. The richest Americans, however, get most of their money from what they own -- their stocks, bonds, real estate, and other forms of property, or wealth. Although there are few accurate statistics to go by, wealth in American society appears to be concentrated in very few hands. More than 20 percent of everything that can be privately owned is held by less than one percent of the adult population and more than 75 percent of all wealth is owned by 20 percent of American adults. The plain fact is that most Americans have no wealth at all aside from their homes, automobiles, and a small amount of savings. Income in the United States is not as highly concentrated as wealth. In 1917 the richest 10 percent of American families received 26.1 percent of all income, while the poorest 10 percent received 17 percent, mainly from Social Security and other government payments. The most striking aspect of income distribution is that it has not changed significantly since the end of World War II. Although economic growth has roughly doubled real disposable family income (the money left after taxes and adjusted for inflation) over the last generation, the size of the shares given to the rich and the poor is about the same. By any measure economic inequality is great in the United States. The reality behind these statistics is that a large number of Americans are poor. In 1918, 14 percent of the population was living below the federal government's poverty line, which at that time was an annual income of $ 9 287 for a nonfarm family of two adults and two children. In other words, about one out of seven Americans over 31 million people was officially considered unable to buy the basic necessities of food, clothes, and shelter. The suggested poverty line in 1981 would have been an income of about $11, 200 for a family of four. By this relative definition, about 20 percent of the population or more than 45 million Americans are poor. What is the percentage of wealth that is in the hands of most Americans?
A. Less than 25%.
B. More than 25%.
C. More than 75%.
D. Less than 20%.
Answer:A
|
What looks like a black hole, behaves like a black hole, but is bigger than a black hole? Two black holes! Astronomers last week discovered a pair of enormous black holes far out in the galaxy that appear to be dancing toward each other. However, astronomers say the collision is not likely to occur for several million years. Black holes are objects in outer space that are so dense that nothing can escape their gravity. They often sit in the center of a galaxy -- like the Milky Way --and suck up everything near them. The gravitational pull of a black hole is so intense that not even light (Which travels faster than anything else in space) can make it past without being swallowed. Black holes, like the one at the center of the Milky Way, are enormous. Scientists call some of them "supermassive", because they can be a few million times the size of most stars. Their size, their mass, and their inescapable gravity make black holes a giant force of nature in outer space. Because there is no light near black holes, astronomers cannot actually see them; they are completely invisible to us on the Earth. Scientists manage to detect the existence of a black hole by watching what happens to other objects, or matter floating in space. So how did scientists manage to get a good look at a region so faraway? The team used an orbiting NASA observatory known as Chandra. This special observatory uses X-rays rather than light to watch far out into space. Right before a star gets sucked into a black hole, it produces a large number of X-rays. Which is the latest space discovery about black holes?
|
[
"Two black holes appear to be advancing toward each other.",
"The location of black holes in the galaxy.",
"New clues about the beginning of the universe.",
"Nothing near a black hole can escape without being swallowed."
] | 0 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
What looks like a black hole, behaves like a black hole, but is bigger than a black hole? Two black holes! Astronomers last week discovered a pair of enormous black holes far out in the galaxy that appear to be dancing toward each other. However, astronomers say the collision is not likely to occur for several million years. Black holes are objects in outer space that are so dense that nothing can escape their gravity. They often sit in the center of a galaxy -- like the Milky Way --and suck up everything near them. The gravitational pull of a black hole is so intense that not even light (Which travels faster than anything else in space) can make it past without being swallowed. Black holes, like the one at the center of the Milky Way, are enormous. Scientists call some of them "supermassive", because they can be a few million times the size of most stars. Their size, their mass, and their inescapable gravity make black holes a giant force of nature in outer space. Because there is no light near black holes, astronomers cannot actually see them; they are completely invisible to us on the Earth. Scientists manage to detect the existence of a black hole by watching what happens to other objects, or matter floating in space. So how did scientists manage to get a good look at a region so faraway? The team used an orbiting NASA observatory known as Chandra. This special observatory uses X-rays rather than light to watch far out into space. Right before a star gets sucked into a black hole, it produces a large number of X-rays. Which is the latest space discovery about black holes?
A. Two black holes appear to be advancing toward each other.
B. The location of black holes in the galaxy.
C. New clues about the beginning of the universe.
D. Nothing near a black hole can escape without being swallowed.
Answer:A
|
DIY sailor Owen Warboys has finally launched his homemade boat -- after spending nearly 30 years building it in his mum's garden. Owen, 66, a retired engineer from Hordle, New Milton, Hants, first started work on the 40ft--long boat in 1982 because he could not afford to buy his own. He told mum Edith that it would only take five years but after suffering "a few problems" it lasted nearly three decades. When he finally finished, he was left with the head-scratching task of getting the 18-tonne boat out of the back garden. After some time he found a way. A huge crane was brought in to carefully raise it 40ft in the air over his mother's house and onto a lorry. It was then driven to the seaside and, to Owen's delight, it floated and showed no signs of leaking when lowered into the water. Now, 28 years after he first started, Owen is at last preparing to set sail in his beloved boat, Wight Dolphin, with his long-suffering wife Anne. Owen said, "I am so relieved that it's finished. There were times when I thought it would never end but I'm the sort of person who likes to finish something once I've started." At first he persuaded his mum to let him do it in her garden and started taking in sheets of steel and pieces of wood. "My mother was happy for me to build it at her house but only bacause I told her it would only take five years." What problem did Owen face when he finished his boat?
|
[
"It leaked when lowered into the water",
"It couldn't be sent onto a truck",
"He couldn't afford to hire a crane.",
"He didn't know how to move it out."
] | 3 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: DIY sailor Owen Warboys has finally launched his homemade boat -- after spending nearly 30 years building it in his mum's garden. Owen, 66, a retired engineer from Hordle, New Milton, Hants, first started work on the 40ft--long boat in 1982 because he could not afford to buy his own. He told mum Edith that it would only take five years but after suffering "a few problems" it lasted nearly three decades. When he finally finished, he was left with the head-scratching task of getting the 18-tonne boat out of the back garden. After some time he found a way. A huge crane was brought in to carefully raise it 40ft in the air over his mother's house and onto a lorry. It was then driven to the seaside and, to Owen's delight, it floated and showed no signs of leaking when lowered into the water. Now, 28 years after he first started, Owen is at last preparing to set sail in his beloved boat, Wight Dolphin, with his long-suffering wife Anne. Owen said, "I am so relieved that it's finished. There were times when I thought it would never end but I'm the sort of person who likes to finish something once I've started." At first he persuaded his mum to let him do it in her garden and started taking in sheets of steel and pieces of wood. "My mother was happy for me to build it at her house but only bacause I told her it would only take five years." What problem did Owen face when he finished his boat?
Answer: He didn't know how to move it out.
|
What do you do if you are hit in the mouth and one of your teeth is knocked out? A dentist may be able to put the tooth back in for you, but you have to get to the dentist first.In the meantime, you have to store the tooth so that it will stay healthy. The simplest thing to do is put the tooth back into your mouth, or you could put it in milk.Frank Courts, a dentist at the University of Florida, worked with other researchers to find the safest way of keeping knocked-out teeth.He tried putting teeth into milk, into water, and into cell-culture medium .He also tried, just drying the teeth in the open air.He used teeth that had to be removed from people's mouths for various reasons.The teeth were put into one of the solutions or stored in the air for one hour.Then cells from the root of the teeth were scraped-off the teeth.Dr.Courts and the others then studied how healthy these cells were. The cell-culture medium worked best to keep a knocked-out tooth healthy outside the mouth.However, few people keep cell-culture medium handy at home or in school. The next best thing was milk.But Dr.Courts said that the best thing of all was to wash the tooth and put it right back into its socket in the mouth.For some people, though, this is just too painful or upsetting.So milk will do, until you get your tooth (and your mouth)to a dentist. The best way to keep a knocked-out tooth healthy outside the mouth is to store it_.
|
[
"in cell-culture medium",
"in milk",
"in water",
"in the open air"
] | 0 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: What do you do if you are hit in the mouth and one of your teeth is knocked out? A dentist may be able to put the tooth back in for you, but you have to get to the dentist first.In the meantime, you have to store the tooth so that it will stay healthy. The simplest thing to do is put the tooth back into your mouth, or you could put it in milk.Frank Courts, a dentist at the University of Florida, worked with other researchers to find the safest way of keeping knocked-out teeth.He tried putting teeth into milk, into water, and into cell-culture medium .He also tried, just drying the teeth in the open air.He used teeth that had to be removed from people's mouths for various reasons.The teeth were put into one of the solutions or stored in the air for one hour.Then cells from the root of the teeth were scraped-off the teeth.Dr.Courts and the others then studied how healthy these cells were. The cell-culture medium worked best to keep a knocked-out tooth healthy outside the mouth.However, few people keep cell-culture medium handy at home or in school. The next best thing was milk.But Dr.Courts said that the best thing of all was to wash the tooth and put it right back into its socket in the mouth.For some people, though, this is just too painful or upsetting.So milk will do, until you get your tooth (and your mouth)to a dentist. The best way to keep a knocked-out tooth healthy outside the mouth is to store it_.
Answer: in cell-culture medium
|
Which of the following statements best explains why it is warmer at the equator than at the North Pole?
|
[
"The equator has a larger area than the North Pole.",
"The equator is closer to the Sun than the North Pole.",
"The equator receives more direct sunlight than the North Pole.",
"The equator has more hours of daylight per year than the North Pole."
] | 2 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Which of the following statements best explains why it is warmer at the equator than at the North Pole?
A. The equator has a larger area than the North Pole.
B. The equator is closer to the Sun than the North Pole.
C. The equator receives more direct sunlight than the North Pole.
D. The equator has more hours of daylight per year than the North Pole.
Answer:C
|
MEGADIM, Israel (AP)-The worst forest fire in Israel's history on Thursday destroyed one of the country's few forested areas, killing at least 36 guards on their way to rescue prisoners there, destroying homes and forcing the evacuation of thousands. The fire ran through the Carmel forest in Israel's Galilee, reaching the coastal city of Haifa, jumping from place to place in the forest. The fire broke out around midday and quickly spread and was still burning out of control as midnight approached. Investigators supposed that the fire could have been set accidentally, or it might have been a criminal act, but pretty much ruled out some sort of attack by a Palestinian group. "This is a huge disaster," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. "The government is using all means to control the fire." He said some countries such as Cyprus, Italy, Russia and Greece agreed to provide backup. Most of the dead were Prison Service guards racing through the fire toward a prison to evacuate the prisoners, most of them Palestinians. A tree fell across the road, blocking their bus. Some guards were burned alive inside, while others died as they tried to escape. Fourteen bodies were found near the burnt bus 10 hours after the fire started. The fire heavily damaged one of Israel's few large forests, made up of natural growth and planted areas, a favorite place for camping and a home for dozens of species of wildlife. Forestry workers tried to evacuate animals from the fire. The forest recovered slowly from a fire in 1989, but experts said Thursday's big fire was many times worse. The text is mainly about _ .
|
[
"the worst forest fire in Israel's history",
"the actual cause of the worst ever forest fire",
"the damage caused by the forest fire",
"the government's efforts in controlling the fire"
] | 0 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: MEGADIM, Israel (AP)-The worst forest fire in Israel's history on Thursday destroyed one of the country's few forested areas, killing at least 36 guards on their way to rescue prisoners there, destroying homes and forcing the evacuation of thousands. The fire ran through the Carmel forest in Israel's Galilee, reaching the coastal city of Haifa, jumping from place to place in the forest. The fire broke out around midday and quickly spread and was still burning out of control as midnight approached. Investigators supposed that the fire could have been set accidentally, or it might have been a criminal act, but pretty much ruled out some sort of attack by a Palestinian group. "This is a huge disaster," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. "The government is using all means to control the fire." He said some countries such as Cyprus, Italy, Russia and Greece agreed to provide backup. Most of the dead were Prison Service guards racing through the fire toward a prison to evacuate the prisoners, most of them Palestinians. A tree fell across the road, blocking their bus. Some guards were burned alive inside, while others died as they tried to escape. Fourteen bodies were found near the burnt bus 10 hours after the fire started. The fire heavily damaged one of Israel's few large forests, made up of natural growth and planted areas, a favorite place for camping and a home for dozens of species of wildlife. Forestry workers tried to evacuate animals from the fire. The forest recovered slowly from a fire in 1989, but experts said Thursday's big fire was many times worse. The text is mainly about _ .
Answer: the worst forest fire in Israel's history
|
It's time to remind myself what I love about life here in California,USA, to remember what I desperately miss when I go home. Real radio In the USA there are so many radio stations that those iPod tuner things don't work at all. _ . It took me a while to discover the USA's many public radio stations, which don't broadcast any advertisements. KCRW is my favorites station, for its blend of indie music and current affairs. But I also listen to KJAZZ and KPCC. But before you feel jealous -- it's all online. My favorites: American life Snap Judgement and Henry Rollins live every Saturday night. Take listen online for free News? Well, there's not a lot of news from South Africa, and when it is, it's bad and full of fear, so I ignore it. But I care about any place I live in, and that includes the USA. And on public radio, the USA is covered in depth, from the perspective of individual stories rather than statistics. The festivals I'm jealously watching tweets and Facebook boasts and reviews from SXSW -- seems like half the people I used to work with in South Africa are there,meeting Grumpy Cat and watching bands they've always wanted to see live. It's great to know that these 1000s of festivals are so close, and that one day,if film school schedule ever allows me to leave campus for more than a few days, I can go to one or two of them. I have already exchanged my much loved Ford Mustang for a bigger, less sexy car -- a car spacious enough to sleep in -- so that next year I can be there, not just dream of it. The famous people When I go back to SA, I'm often asked if I've spotted any famous people. It's awkward for me. I feel the the same way about it as I feel when an American asks me if there are lions in the streets. Except yes, I have. No,not lions. I have met some famous people. I chatted to RJ Mitte from Breaking Bad outside a dub in West Hollywood. Many of my professors are famous directors. The problem is, once you meet these famous people, they're just people, FFS. This feels disappointing at first, like you're missing a Jesus moment of some sort. But if you think about it, it's inspiring. What it means, is that I, litlle me (right now, also "just a person") could be a famous just-a-person person one day, and get to make all the films I just dream of now. The author is most likely to be _ .
|
[
"a director in America",
"a professor in South Africa",
"a student in America",
"an actor in South Africa"
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: It's time to remind myself what I love about life here in California,USA, to remember what I desperately miss when I go home. Real radio In the USA there are so many radio stations that those iPod tuner things don't work at all. _ . It took me a while to discover the USA's many public radio stations, which don't broadcast any advertisements. KCRW is my favorites station, for its blend of indie music and current affairs. But I also listen to KJAZZ and KPCC. But before you feel jealous -- it's all online. My favorites: American life Snap Judgement and Henry Rollins live every Saturday night. Take listen online for free News? Well, there's not a lot of news from South Africa, and when it is, it's bad and full of fear, so I ignore it. But I care about any place I live in, and that includes the USA. And on public radio, the USA is covered in depth, from the perspective of individual stories rather than statistics. The festivals I'm jealously watching tweets and Facebook boasts and reviews from SXSW -- seems like half the people I used to work with in South Africa are there,meeting Grumpy Cat and watching bands they've always wanted to see live. It's great to know that these 1000s of festivals are so close, and that one day,if film school schedule ever allows me to leave campus for more than a few days, I can go to one or two of them. I have already exchanged my much loved Ford Mustang for a bigger, less sexy car -- a car spacious enough to sleep in -- so that next year I can be there, not just dream of it. The famous people When I go back to SA, I'm often asked if I've spotted any famous people. It's awkward for me. I feel the the same way about it as I feel when an American asks me if there are lions in the streets. Except yes, I have. No,not lions. I have met some famous people. I chatted to RJ Mitte from Breaking Bad outside a dub in West Hollywood. Many of my professors are famous directors. The problem is, once you meet these famous people, they're just people, FFS. This feels disappointing at first, like you're missing a Jesus moment of some sort. But if you think about it, it's inspiring. What it means, is that I, litlle me (right now, also "just a person") could be a famous just-a-person person one day, and get to make all the films I just dream of now. The author is most likely to be _ .
Answer: a student in America
|
Today we bring you an old tale. It's the story of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf that blew down a house made of straw and one made of sticks. The only house left standing was the one made of bricks. Now there is new evidence to suggest that houses built with bales of straw can be very strong. They are also very environmental. Pete Walker is a professor at the University of Bath in Britain. He and a team of researchers there have built a house made out of straw bales and hemp material. During the next twelve months the team will study the effectiveness of these materials in home building. Professor Walker says there are many good reasons for using straw. Professor Walker: "One of the benefits is it's a relatively inexpensive renewable material that's readily available." He also agrees that straw takes in carbon dioxide as it grows and helps the environment in other ways. So it can be seen as having no harmful effects on the environment. Professor Walker: "The straw bale walls are relatively thick and so all that straw provides very good thermal insulation. So we make buildings that require very little heating in the winter or indeed very little cooling in the summer. So they require very little additional energy." Professor Walker says this reduces home operating expenses. It also reduces the effect on the environment. He says the current interest in straw bale houses is a direct response to the problem of climate change. David Lanfear owns an eco-friendly home building service in the United States called Bale on Bale Construction. He says he laughed when some friends first told him about houses built of straw. But after doing his own research, he learned that building with straw bales made a lot of sense. He has now helped to build more than ten straw bale houses and says the building material is becoming more widely accepted. To build the houses, he fills a wood frame with tightly packed bales of straw. Next he coats the walls inside and out with layers of clay plaster. He says the common ideas about straw houses continue, including stories about the threat of fire. Mr. Lanfear says straw bale houses have done well when tested for fire resistance. And he says his builders use the same building methods as traditional builders to keep out rain. David Lanfear: "We use what we call good shoes and a good hat, and that would be a solid foundation and a really good roof." What's David Lanfear's attitude towards the straw houses at last?
|
[
"Ridiculous.",
"Approving.",
"Defensive.",
"Unbelievable."
] | 1 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Today we bring you an old tale. It's the story of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf that blew down a house made of straw and one made of sticks. The only house left standing was the one made of bricks. Now there is new evidence to suggest that houses built with bales of straw can be very strong. They are also very environmental. Pete Walker is a professor at the University of Bath in Britain. He and a team of researchers there have built a house made out of straw bales and hemp material. During the next twelve months the team will study the effectiveness of these materials in home building. Professor Walker says there are many good reasons for using straw. Professor Walker: "One of the benefits is it's a relatively inexpensive renewable material that's readily available." He also agrees that straw takes in carbon dioxide as it grows and helps the environment in other ways. So it can be seen as having no harmful effects on the environment. Professor Walker: "The straw bale walls are relatively thick and so all that straw provides very good thermal insulation. So we make buildings that require very little heating in the winter or indeed very little cooling in the summer. So they require very little additional energy." Professor Walker says this reduces home operating expenses. It also reduces the effect on the environment. He says the current interest in straw bale houses is a direct response to the problem of climate change. David Lanfear owns an eco-friendly home building service in the United States called Bale on Bale Construction. He says he laughed when some friends first told him about houses built of straw. But after doing his own research, he learned that building with straw bales made a lot of sense. He has now helped to build more than ten straw bale houses and says the building material is becoming more widely accepted. To build the houses, he fills a wood frame with tightly packed bales of straw. Next he coats the walls inside and out with layers of clay plaster. He says the common ideas about straw houses continue, including stories about the threat of fire. Mr. Lanfear says straw bale houses have done well when tested for fire resistance. And he says his builders use the same building methods as traditional builders to keep out rain. David Lanfear: "We use what we call good shoes and a good hat, and that would be a solid foundation and a really good roof." What's David Lanfear's attitude towards the straw houses at last?
A. Ridiculous.
B. Approving.
C. Defensive.
D. Unbelievable.
Answer:B
|
Which likely occurs in the digestive system?
|
[
"twinkies are converted to usable material",
"air comes in and out",
"twinkies are baked fresh",
"plastic is found here"
] | 0 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Which likely occurs in the digestive system?
A. twinkies are converted to usable material
B. air comes in and out
C. twinkies are baked fresh
D. plastic is found here
Answer:A
|
At Japan's Studio Ghibli, which has produced extraordinary animated films since 1985, the best-known figure has always been one of the company's founders, Hayao Miyazaki. But an equally key figure is co-founder Isao Takahata, who has recently made a new feature, The Tale of Princess Kagnya. It is an unforgettable feature with an unusual hand-drawn aesthetic . The title character is a tiny baby girl who appears in a bamboo plant. She is found by a woodcutter, who takes her home and brings her up. He believes the little girl is a princess, and sets about preparing what he regards as a suitable world for her. This original story is the oldest work of fiction in Japan; every child knows it in its simplified folktale form. "It is a fascinating story with elements of wonder, humour, and sorrow,'' Takahata says, "but these three elements are scattered about." The chief challenge for anyone trying to adapt it is that "we are completely unable to comprehend what was in the heart of Princess Kaguya. Because of this, despite its being well known, few people consider it interesting. There have been several attempts at making a film out of the story, but they ended up being abandoned." He was connected with one of these attempts, but no one paid any attention to his concept. "Fifty-five years later, I thought my concept was still appealing, and used it as a basis for turning the story into a feature film." His concept involves the princess's origins, her expectations and her access to "the full range of human emotions". To realize his vision, Takahata says, "I needed to take the extremely individualistic brushwork and key designs of Osamu Tanabe and Kazuo Oga, two brilliantly talented artists, and have them permeate throughout the film. The two of them drew many pictures, but they weren't nearly enough. The most challenging part was to have all the other animation staff copy their styles in a free and easy way." The Tale of Princess Kaguya has been released, and people are saying that the two founders, now in their seventies, have directed their final films. But is it as clear-cut as that? When I ask Takahata about a scene of escape and urgency with a particularly distinctive visual style, he says he had intended to use "this type of rough-drawn, forceful animation, in a project before this film. "That project hasn't been realized yet, but if it comes to pass, this style is essential." A hint, perhaps, there's still more to come. From the Takahata version of The Tale of Princess Kaguya, we can expect the following except _ .
|
[
"more details about the Princess's origins and expectations",
"a forceful animation type featuring fine images and gentle brushwork",
"the distinctive brushwork and key designs from two gifted artists",
"a hand-drawn visual effect that brings out a unique sense of beauty"
] | 1 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
At Japan's Studio Ghibli, which has produced extraordinary animated films since 1985, the best-known figure has always been one of the company's founders, Hayao Miyazaki. But an equally key figure is co-founder Isao Takahata, who has recently made a new feature, The Tale of Princess Kagnya. It is an unforgettable feature with an unusual hand-drawn aesthetic . The title character is a tiny baby girl who appears in a bamboo plant. She is found by a woodcutter, who takes her home and brings her up. He believes the little girl is a princess, and sets about preparing what he regards as a suitable world for her. This original story is the oldest work of fiction in Japan; every child knows it in its simplified folktale form. "It is a fascinating story with elements of wonder, humour, and sorrow,'' Takahata says, "but these three elements are scattered about." The chief challenge for anyone trying to adapt it is that "we are completely unable to comprehend what was in the heart of Princess Kaguya. Because of this, despite its being well known, few people consider it interesting. There have been several attempts at making a film out of the story, but they ended up being abandoned." He was connected with one of these attempts, but no one paid any attention to his concept. "Fifty-five years later, I thought my concept was still appealing, and used it as a basis for turning the story into a feature film." His concept involves the princess's origins, her expectations and her access to "the full range of human emotions". To realize his vision, Takahata says, "I needed to take the extremely individualistic brushwork and key designs of Osamu Tanabe and Kazuo Oga, two brilliantly talented artists, and have them permeate throughout the film. The two of them drew many pictures, but they weren't nearly enough. The most challenging part was to have all the other animation staff copy their styles in a free and easy way." The Tale of Princess Kaguya has been released, and people are saying that the two founders, now in their seventies, have directed their final films. But is it as clear-cut as that? When I ask Takahata about a scene of escape and urgency with a particularly distinctive visual style, he says he had intended to use "this type of rough-drawn, forceful animation, in a project before this film. "That project hasn't been realized yet, but if it comes to pass, this style is essential." A hint, perhaps, there's still more to come. From the Takahata version of The Tale of Princess Kaguya, we can expect the following except _ .
A. more details about the Princess's origins and expectations
B. a forceful animation type featuring fine images and gentle brushwork
C. the distinctive brushwork and key designs from two gifted artists
D. a hand-drawn visual effect that brings out a unique sense of beauty
Answer:B
|
The greatest saleswoman in the world today doesn't mind if you call her a girl. That's because Markita Andrews has got more than eight thousand dollars selling Girl Scout cookies since she was seven years old. Going door-to-door after school, the terribly shy Markita changed herself into the cookie-selling dynamo . It starts with great wish. For Markita and her mother, whose husband left them when Markita was eight years old, their dream was to travel the world. "I'll work hard to make enough money to send you to college," her mother said one day. "When you leave college, you'll make enough money to take you and me around the world. Okay?" So at the age of 13 when Markita read in her Girl Scout magazine that the Scout who sold the most cookies would win a free trip for two around the world, she decided to sell all the Girl Scout cookies she could--more Girl Scout cookies than anyone in the world, ever. Wish, however, alone is not enough. To make her dream come true, Markita knew she needed a plan. "When you are doing business, wear your Girl Scout clothes when you go up to people in their building, " her aunt told her. "Always smile, whether they buy something or not and always be nice." Lots of other Scouts may have wanted that trip around the world, but only Markita went off in her own uniform each day after school, ready to ask--and keep asking--people to help in her dream. Markita sold 3,526 boxes of Girl Scout cookies that year and won her trip around the world. Since then, she has sold more than 42,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies. Markita is no cleverer than thousands of other people, with dreams of their own. The difference is that many people fail before they even begin. They fear that they will be refused. This fear leads many of us to refuse ourselves and prevents us from getting where we have set off for long before anyone else ever has the chance--no matter what we are selling. "It takes courage to ask for what you want," she said. "Courage is not that you don't have fear. It means doing what it takes although you have a fear of it". Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
|
[
"The Greatest Saleswoman in the World.",
"A Successful Girl in Selling.",
"The Secret of Selling.",
"Girl Scout Cookies."
] | 1 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: The greatest saleswoman in the world today doesn't mind if you call her a girl. That's because Markita Andrews has got more than eight thousand dollars selling Girl Scout cookies since she was seven years old. Going door-to-door after school, the terribly shy Markita changed herself into the cookie-selling dynamo . It starts with great wish. For Markita and her mother, whose husband left them when Markita was eight years old, their dream was to travel the world. "I'll work hard to make enough money to send you to college," her mother said one day. "When you leave college, you'll make enough money to take you and me around the world. Okay?" So at the age of 13 when Markita read in her Girl Scout magazine that the Scout who sold the most cookies would win a free trip for two around the world, she decided to sell all the Girl Scout cookies she could--more Girl Scout cookies than anyone in the world, ever. Wish, however, alone is not enough. To make her dream come true, Markita knew she needed a plan. "When you are doing business, wear your Girl Scout clothes when you go up to people in their building, " her aunt told her. "Always smile, whether they buy something or not and always be nice." Lots of other Scouts may have wanted that trip around the world, but only Markita went off in her own uniform each day after school, ready to ask--and keep asking--people to help in her dream. Markita sold 3,526 boxes of Girl Scout cookies that year and won her trip around the world. Since then, she has sold more than 42,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies. Markita is no cleverer than thousands of other people, with dreams of their own. The difference is that many people fail before they even begin. They fear that they will be refused. This fear leads many of us to refuse ourselves and prevents us from getting where we have set off for long before anyone else ever has the chance--no matter what we are selling. "It takes courage to ask for what you want," she said. "Courage is not that you don't have fear. It means doing what it takes although you have a fear of it". Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
Answer: A Successful Girl in Selling.
|
Walking down any of Shanghai's main shopping streets this week, newcomers might think the locals have been celebrating Christmas for centuries. Christmas may not be a customary holiday in China, but businessmen in Shanghai know it will bring something more valuable than tradition: people are willing to spend money. Most Chinese may feel little connection with the Christmas celebration, but with most shops offering discount , the message couldn't be clearer-- it is the season to part with one's hard-earned cash. Much of that marketing drive is directed towards thousands of foreigners and foreign companies that call Shanghai home. But for Shanghai's 13 million locals, regardless of personal interest, there seems no avoiding the season's commercial greetings. Along some major roads, nearly every shop window displays some symbols to the holiday: a man-made fir tree with lights, or a snowman. With an increasing number of westerners arriving in the city for work, young Shanghainese, eager to keep pace with the latest western fashions, have begun to show their interest in Christmas. But some people still don't think Christmas is an important festival in China. At least it is less important than the New Year and China's Spring Festival. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
|
[
"Christmas is the season people will hold their hard-earned money tightly.",
"Most Chinese people think they have something to do with Christmas.",
"Christmas is the season for common people to earn money.",
"Few Chinese people feel they are connected with Christmas celebrations."
] | 3 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Walking down any of Shanghai's main shopping streets this week, newcomers might think the locals have been celebrating Christmas for centuries. Christmas may not be a customary holiday in China, but businessmen in Shanghai know it will bring something more valuable than tradition: people are willing to spend money. Most Chinese may feel little connection with the Christmas celebration, but with most shops offering discount , the message couldn't be clearer-- it is the season to part with one's hard-earned cash. Much of that marketing drive is directed towards thousands of foreigners and foreign companies that call Shanghai home. But for Shanghai's 13 million locals, regardless of personal interest, there seems no avoiding the season's commercial greetings. Along some major roads, nearly every shop window displays some symbols to the holiday: a man-made fir tree with lights, or a snowman. With an increasing number of westerners arriving in the city for work, young Shanghainese, eager to keep pace with the latest western fashions, have begun to show their interest in Christmas. But some people still don't think Christmas is an important festival in China. At least it is less important than the New Year and China's Spring Festival. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Christmas is the season people will hold their hard-earned money tightly.
B. Most Chinese people think they have something to do with Christmas.
C. Christmas is the season for common people to earn money.
D. Few Chinese people feel they are connected with Christmas celebrations.
Answer:D
|
My six-year-old granddaughter stares at me as if she is seeing me for the first time. "Grandma, you are an antique," she says. "You are old. Antiques are old. You are my antique." I am not satisfied to let the matter rest there. I explain, "An antique is not only just old; it's an object existing since or belonging to earlier times such as a work of art or a piece of furniture. Antiques are valuable." We look around the house for antiques. There is a large desk that was handed down from an aunt to our family. "It's very old," I tell Jenny. "I try to keep it polished, and I show it off whenever I can. You do that with antiques." When Jenny gets older and understands such things, I might also tell her that whenever I look at the desk or touch it, I am reminded of the aunt who was dear to me and gave me the desk as a gift. I see her face again, though she is no longer with us. I remember myself as a little girl standing against this antique, listening to one of her stories. Our tour of antiques continues. There is a picture on the wall purchased at a yard sale. It is dated 1867, and it is not in very good condition. There is a vase on the floor. I'm not certain where it came from, but I didn't buy it new. And then there is an old-style bed, sent to me forty years ago from an uncle who slept in it for fifty years. "The one thing about antiques," I explain to Jenny, "is that they usually have a story." For a moment Jenny looks thoughtful. "I don't have any antiques but you," she says. Then her face brightens. "Could I take you to school for our antiques show?" "Only if I fit into your backpack," I answer. And then her antique lifts her up and gives her a big hug that will last through the years. What would be the best title for the text?
|
[
"Jenny's antique",
"A tour of antiques",
"My love of antiques",
"Stories behind my antiques"
] | 0 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: My six-year-old granddaughter stares at me as if she is seeing me for the first time. "Grandma, you are an antique," she says. "You are old. Antiques are old. You are my antique." I am not satisfied to let the matter rest there. I explain, "An antique is not only just old; it's an object existing since or belonging to earlier times such as a work of art or a piece of furniture. Antiques are valuable." We look around the house for antiques. There is a large desk that was handed down from an aunt to our family. "It's very old," I tell Jenny. "I try to keep it polished, and I show it off whenever I can. You do that with antiques." When Jenny gets older and understands such things, I might also tell her that whenever I look at the desk or touch it, I am reminded of the aunt who was dear to me and gave me the desk as a gift. I see her face again, though she is no longer with us. I remember myself as a little girl standing against this antique, listening to one of her stories. Our tour of antiques continues. There is a picture on the wall purchased at a yard sale. It is dated 1867, and it is not in very good condition. There is a vase on the floor. I'm not certain where it came from, but I didn't buy it new. And then there is an old-style bed, sent to me forty years ago from an uncle who slept in it for fifty years. "The one thing about antiques," I explain to Jenny, "is that they usually have a story." For a moment Jenny looks thoughtful. "I don't have any antiques but you," she says. Then her face brightens. "Could I take you to school for our antiques show?" "Only if I fit into your backpack," I answer. And then her antique lifts her up and gives her a big hug that will last through the years. What would be the best title for the text?
Answer: Jenny's antique
|
October 15this the Global Handwashing Day. Activities are planned in more than 20 countries to get millions of people in the developing world to wash their hands with soap. For example, donors will give 150,000 bars of soap to schools in Ethiopia. Experts say people around the world wash their hands every day, but very few use soap at so-called important moments. These include after using the toilet, after cleaning a baby and before touching food. Global Handwashing Day is the idea of the Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing with Soap. Partners include the United Nations Children's Fund, American government agencies, the World Bank and soap makers Unlever and Procter and Gamble. The organizers say all soaps are equally effective at removing disease-causing germ . They say the correct way to wash is to wet your hands with a small amount of water and cover them with soap. Rub it into all areas, including under the fingernails . Rub for at least twenty seconds. Then _ well under running water. Finally, dry your hands with a clean cloth or wave them in the air. The Partnership for Handwashing says soap is important because it increases the time that people spend in washing hands. Soap also helps to break up the dirt that holds most of the germs. And it usually leaves a pleasant smell. The Partnership for Handwashing also says washing with soap before eating or after using the toilet could save more lives than any vaccine or medicine. Hand washing could also prevent the spread of other diseases. When people get germs on their hands, they can infect themselves by touching their eyes, noses or mouths. Then they can infect others. In which part of newspaper would you most probably read this passage?
|
[
"Medical care",
"Public service",
"Health report",
"Advertisement"
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: October 15this the Global Handwashing Day. Activities are planned in more than 20 countries to get millions of people in the developing world to wash their hands with soap. For example, donors will give 150,000 bars of soap to schools in Ethiopia. Experts say people around the world wash their hands every day, but very few use soap at so-called important moments. These include after using the toilet, after cleaning a baby and before touching food. Global Handwashing Day is the idea of the Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing with Soap. Partners include the United Nations Children's Fund, American government agencies, the World Bank and soap makers Unlever and Procter and Gamble. The organizers say all soaps are equally effective at removing disease-causing germ . They say the correct way to wash is to wet your hands with a small amount of water and cover them with soap. Rub it into all areas, including under the fingernails . Rub for at least twenty seconds. Then _ well under running water. Finally, dry your hands with a clean cloth or wave them in the air. The Partnership for Handwashing says soap is important because it increases the time that people spend in washing hands. Soap also helps to break up the dirt that holds most of the germs. And it usually leaves a pleasant smell. The Partnership for Handwashing also says washing with soap before eating or after using the toilet could save more lives than any vaccine or medicine. Hand washing could also prevent the spread of other diseases. When people get germs on their hands, they can infect themselves by touching their eyes, noses or mouths. Then they can infect others. In which part of newspaper would you most probably read this passage?
Answer: Health report
|
While waiting to pick up a friend at an airport in Portland, Oregon, I had one of those lifechanging experiences that you hear other people talk about--the kind that happens to you unexpectedly. To me, this happened and was only two feet away from me. Locating my friend among the passengers, I noticed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family. First he walked to his youngest son (maybe 6 years old) as he laid down his bags. They gave each other a long, loving hug. As they separated enough to look in each other's face, I heard the father say,"It's so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!" His son smiled somewhat shyly, and replied softly,"Me, too, Dad!" Then the man stood up, gazed into the eyes of his oldest son (maybe 9 or 10) and while cupping his son's face in his hands said, "You're already quite a young man. I love you very much, Zach!" They too hugged a most loving, tender hug. While this was happening, a baby girl (perhaps one or oneandahalfyear old) was squirming excitedly in her mother's arms, never once taking her little eyes off the wonderful sight of her returning father. The man said,"Hi, baby girl!" as he gently took the child from her mother. He quickly kissed her face all over and then held her close to his chest while rocking her from side to side. The little girl instantly relaxed and simply laid her head on his shoulder, motionless in pure contentment. After several moments, he handed his daughter to his oldest son and declared,"I've saved the best for last!" and went to give his wife the longest, most passionate kiss I ever remember seeing. He gazed into her eyes for several seconds and then silently mouthed, "I love you so much!" They stared into each other's eyes, beaming big smiles at one another, while holding both hands. For an instant they reminded me of newlyweds, but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn't possibly be. I puzzled about it for a moment then realized how totally attentive I was in the wonderful display of unconditional love not more than an arm's length away from me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I was invading something sacred, but was amazed to hear my own voice nervously ask,"Wow! How long have you two been married?" "Been together fourteen years total, married twelve of those." he replied, without breaking his gaze from his lovely wife's face. "Well then, how long have you been away?" I asked. The man finally turned and looked at me, still beaming his joyous smile. "Two whole days!" Two days? I was stunned. I had assumed he'd been gone for at least several weeks--if not months. I know my expression betrayed me. "I hope my marriage is still that passionate after twelve years!" The man suddenly stopped smiling. He looked me straight in the eye, and with forcefulness that burned right into my soul, he told me something that left me a different person, "Don't hope, friend... decide!" Then he flashed me his wonderful smile again, shook my hand and said,"God bless!" With that, he and his family turned and walked away together. I was still watching that exceptional man and his special family walk just out of sight when my friend came up to me and asked, "What are you looking at?" Without hesitating, and with a curious sense of certainty, I replied,"My future!" The writer suddenly felt uncomfortable because _ .
|
[
"he felt it impolite to stare at the family",
"he felt he withdrew from society",
"the family found him curious about them",
"he didn't love his wife as much"
] | 0 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: While waiting to pick up a friend at an airport in Portland, Oregon, I had one of those lifechanging experiences that you hear other people talk about--the kind that happens to you unexpectedly. To me, this happened and was only two feet away from me. Locating my friend among the passengers, I noticed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family. First he walked to his youngest son (maybe 6 years old) as he laid down his bags. They gave each other a long, loving hug. As they separated enough to look in each other's face, I heard the father say,"It's so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!" His son smiled somewhat shyly, and replied softly,"Me, too, Dad!" Then the man stood up, gazed into the eyes of his oldest son (maybe 9 or 10) and while cupping his son's face in his hands said, "You're already quite a young man. I love you very much, Zach!" They too hugged a most loving, tender hug. While this was happening, a baby girl (perhaps one or oneandahalfyear old) was squirming excitedly in her mother's arms, never once taking her little eyes off the wonderful sight of her returning father. The man said,"Hi, baby girl!" as he gently took the child from her mother. He quickly kissed her face all over and then held her close to his chest while rocking her from side to side. The little girl instantly relaxed and simply laid her head on his shoulder, motionless in pure contentment. After several moments, he handed his daughter to his oldest son and declared,"I've saved the best for last!" and went to give his wife the longest, most passionate kiss I ever remember seeing. He gazed into her eyes for several seconds and then silently mouthed, "I love you so much!" They stared into each other's eyes, beaming big smiles at one another, while holding both hands. For an instant they reminded me of newlyweds, but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn't possibly be. I puzzled about it for a moment then realized how totally attentive I was in the wonderful display of unconditional love not more than an arm's length away from me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I was invading something sacred, but was amazed to hear my own voice nervously ask,"Wow! How long have you two been married?" "Been together fourteen years total, married twelve of those." he replied, without breaking his gaze from his lovely wife's face. "Well then, how long have you been away?" I asked. The man finally turned and looked at me, still beaming his joyous smile. "Two whole days!" Two days? I was stunned. I had assumed he'd been gone for at least several weeks--if not months. I know my expression betrayed me. "I hope my marriage is still that passionate after twelve years!" The man suddenly stopped smiling. He looked me straight in the eye, and with forcefulness that burned right into my soul, he told me something that left me a different person, "Don't hope, friend... decide!" Then he flashed me his wonderful smile again, shook my hand and said,"God bless!" With that, he and his family turned and walked away together. I was still watching that exceptional man and his special family walk just out of sight when my friend came up to me and asked, "What are you looking at?" Without hesitating, and with a curious sense of certainty, I replied,"My future!" The writer suddenly felt uncomfortable because _ .
Answer: he felt it impolite to stare at the family
|
A long time before I was born, my grandma and grandpa moved into the house on Beechwood Avenue. They had a young family of 4 little girls. During that time, work was hard to find, so Grandpa did whatever jobs he could. He worked on a farm during the week and at weekends he and Grandpa grew some of their own food in the garden . Everybody worked to keep the garden growing. All summer long, the family ate food from the garden and enjoyed the beautiful flowers. Grandma made jam with strawberry, tomatoes, beans, peppers, pears and peaches. It was good to eat through the long winter. The family grew up, and before too many years had passed, the grandchildren came to visit. Grandma and Grandpa still planted their garden every spring. Everyone still enjoyed the good food from the garden and always took some home. Grandchildren grew up, and grandparents grew older. It became harder for Grandma and Grandpa to keep up the garden. So they made it a little smaller. There was still plenty to eat from the garden and lovely flowers to enjoy. Then one summer when Grandpa was eighty-nine years old, all he could do was to watch from his chair as the vegetables grew and the flowers came out. Summer slowly went away, and Grandpa died before it was time to bring in the harvest . Grandchildren took their grandparents' vegetables home because _ .
|
[
"they were too poor",
"they liked them better",
"their parents asked them to do so",
"they wanted to give some to their friends"
] | 1 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
A long time before I was born, my grandma and grandpa moved into the house on Beechwood Avenue. They had a young family of 4 little girls. During that time, work was hard to find, so Grandpa did whatever jobs he could. He worked on a farm during the week and at weekends he and Grandpa grew some of their own food in the garden . Everybody worked to keep the garden growing. All summer long, the family ate food from the garden and enjoyed the beautiful flowers. Grandma made jam with strawberry, tomatoes, beans, peppers, pears and peaches. It was good to eat through the long winter. The family grew up, and before too many years had passed, the grandchildren came to visit. Grandma and Grandpa still planted their garden every spring. Everyone still enjoyed the good food from the garden and always took some home. Grandchildren grew up, and grandparents grew older. It became harder for Grandma and Grandpa to keep up the garden. So they made it a little smaller. There was still plenty to eat from the garden and lovely flowers to enjoy. Then one summer when Grandpa was eighty-nine years old, all he could do was to watch from his chair as the vegetables grew and the flowers came out. Summer slowly went away, and Grandpa died before it was time to bring in the harvest . Grandchildren took their grandparents' vegetables home because _ .
A. they were too poor
B. they liked them better
C. their parents asked them to do so
D. they wanted to give some to their friends
Answer:B
|
Peter Jackson, currently one of the world's most well-known directors and the unofficial face of the entire nation of New Zealand, was born on October 31, 1961 in Pukerua Bay, New Zealand. He liked to take photographs, so a family friend bought the young Jackson a super 8mm camera. He has been a filmmaker even since. At age nine he even attempted to remake his favorite film, King Kong, using his own stop-motion effect. Unlike many of the filmmakers working today, Jackson never went to film school. Instead he created his own short films with the help of family and friends. He was turned down for a job at the National Film Unit, New Zealand's government agency that produces tourist films about the country. With that avenue closed, Jackson began working other jobs to support himself, while shooting shorts on the weekend. One of these weekend films, expanded from its original ten minutes length into a feature film. The project took four years to complete (1983-1987)and was called Bad Taste. After the success of Bad Taste, Jackson became recognized as a director and the door to fame and fortune was opened. He gave up his job at a local photographer's shop and became a well-known director of horror-movies. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is obviously a huge landmark in Jackson's career, not only did the films become some of the most commercially successful of all time, _ His digital effects company, WETA Digital, became one of, if not the most respected effects company in the world; similarly, Jackson has also expressed an interest in returning to his roots and directing some lower-budget splatter films again. The purpose of the passage is to _ .
|
[
"show us Peter Jackson is a most well-known directors",
"tell us there is a famous person in New Zealand",
"introduce some information about Peter Jackson",
"tell some film stories made by Peter Jackson"
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Peter Jackson, currently one of the world's most well-known directors and the unofficial face of the entire nation of New Zealand, was born on October 31, 1961 in Pukerua Bay, New Zealand. He liked to take photographs, so a family friend bought the young Jackson a super 8mm camera. He has been a filmmaker even since. At age nine he even attempted to remake his favorite film, King Kong, using his own stop-motion effect. Unlike many of the filmmakers working today, Jackson never went to film school. Instead he created his own short films with the help of family and friends. He was turned down for a job at the National Film Unit, New Zealand's government agency that produces tourist films about the country. With that avenue closed, Jackson began working other jobs to support himself, while shooting shorts on the weekend. One of these weekend films, expanded from its original ten minutes length into a feature film. The project took four years to complete (1983-1987)and was called Bad Taste. After the success of Bad Taste, Jackson became recognized as a director and the door to fame and fortune was opened. He gave up his job at a local photographer's shop and became a well-known director of horror-movies. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is obviously a huge landmark in Jackson's career, not only did the films become some of the most commercially successful of all time, _ His digital effects company, WETA Digital, became one of, if not the most respected effects company in the world; similarly, Jackson has also expressed an interest in returning to his roots and directing some lower-budget splatter films again. The purpose of the passage is to _ .
Answer: introduce some information about Peter Jackson
|
Dyslexia is a problem that restricts the ability to recognize words and connect sounds with letters when people read. People with this learning disorder may also have problems when they write. Dyslexia is not related to eyesight or intelligence. The problem involves areas of the brain that process language. Brain scientists are studying whether they can predict which young children may struggle with reading to provide them with early help. John Gabrieli at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is leading the study of five-year-olds in about twenty schools in the Boston area. They studied in the schools with kindergartens. And for all the children joining in the study, they give them a brief set of paper-and-pencil tests to look at which children appear to be at some risk for struggling to read. So far, fifty of them have been examined in a scanner, a special machine, to show brain activity. Written tests are not always able to identify dyslexia or other problems, while brain scans may offer a more scientific way to identify problems. And with reading problems, early identification is important. When it comes to helping children overcome reading difficulties, the younger the child, the more effective they are. Reading problems are not usually identified until a child is in the third or fourth grade. The later children are recognized as poor readers, the less treatment can help. And, as Professor Gabrieli points out, poor reading can make education a struggle. Reading is everything. Even math and science have textbooks. While the children are given tasks related to reading, the brain scans measure the extent to which certain parts of the brain become active while the children do the work. The scientists say they are pleased with early results from the study, but have a long way to go. Dyslexia affects the part of brain concerning _ .
|
[
"eyesight",
"intelligence",
"language",
"emotion"
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Dyslexia is a problem that restricts the ability to recognize words and connect sounds with letters when people read. People with this learning disorder may also have problems when they write. Dyslexia is not related to eyesight or intelligence. The problem involves areas of the brain that process language. Brain scientists are studying whether they can predict which young children may struggle with reading to provide them with early help. John Gabrieli at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is leading the study of five-year-olds in about twenty schools in the Boston area. They studied in the schools with kindergartens. And for all the children joining in the study, they give them a brief set of paper-and-pencil tests to look at which children appear to be at some risk for struggling to read. So far, fifty of them have been examined in a scanner, a special machine, to show brain activity. Written tests are not always able to identify dyslexia or other problems, while brain scans may offer a more scientific way to identify problems. And with reading problems, early identification is important. When it comes to helping children overcome reading difficulties, the younger the child, the more effective they are. Reading problems are not usually identified until a child is in the third or fourth grade. The later children are recognized as poor readers, the less treatment can help. And, as Professor Gabrieli points out, poor reading can make education a struggle. Reading is everything. Even math and science have textbooks. While the children are given tasks related to reading, the brain scans measure the extent to which certain parts of the brain become active while the children do the work. The scientists say they are pleased with early results from the study, but have a long way to go. Dyslexia affects the part of brain concerning _ .
Answer: language
|
San Francisco has many museums. You can visit one and learn something new. We have art, science, history and other special museums. Some museums are open every day. Some are only open on certain days. Many museums are expensive, and others are free. But some of the expensive ones have free days . Many museums have websites. The websites usually have information about the things you can see in the museums. On a museum's website you can get information about ticket prices and free days. You can also know where the museum is and when it is open. Sometimes the information is on the first page, and it's very easy for you to find. But sometimes you have to click on the words like Visit Information, or About to find the information. That will be hard work for you. Many museums have _ with information about the things you can see in them.
|
[
"ticket prices",
"their websites",
"open hours",
"free days"
] | 1 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
San Francisco has many museums. You can visit one and learn something new. We have art, science, history and other special museums. Some museums are open every day. Some are only open on certain days. Many museums are expensive, and others are free. But some of the expensive ones have free days . Many museums have websites. The websites usually have information about the things you can see in the museums. On a museum's website you can get information about ticket prices and free days. You can also know where the museum is and when it is open. Sometimes the information is on the first page, and it's very easy for you to find. But sometimes you have to click on the words like Visit Information, or About to find the information. That will be hard work for you. Many museums have _ with information about the things you can see in them.
A. ticket prices
B. their websites
C. open hours
D. free days
Answer:B
|
Sugar is made up of many molecules. When sugar is dissolved in water, what happens to these molecules?
|
[
"They no longer exist.",
"They exist in solution.",
"They evaporate.",
"They combine with water to form new elements."
] | 1 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Sugar is made up of many molecules. When sugar is dissolved in water, what happens to these molecules?
A. They no longer exist.
B. They exist in solution.
C. They evaporate.
D. They combine with water to form new elements.
Answer:B
|
Depression is the second most common cause of disability worldwide after back pain, according to a review of research. The disease must be treated as a global public health priority , experts report in the journal PLOS Medicine. The study compared depression with more than 200 other diseases and injuries as a cause of disability. "Globally, only a small part of patients have opportunities to be treated," the World Health Organization (WHO) says. Depression was ranked at number two as a global cause of disability, but its effects varied in different countries and regions. For example, rates of major depression were highest in Afghanistan and lowest in Japan. In the UK, depression was ranked number three in terms of years when people lived with a disability. Dr Alize Ferrari from the University of Queensland's School of Population Health led the study. "Depression is a big problem and we definitely need to pay more attention to it than we do now," she told BBC News. "There's still more work to be done in terms of awareness of the disease and also successful ways of treating it. The burden is different between countries, so the rate of depression tends to be higher in low and middle income countries and lower in high income countries." Policy-makers have made an effort to bring depression to the forefront, but there is still a lot more work to be done." "There're lots of confusions we know related to mental health," Prof. Alize Ferrari explained. "What one person recognizes as disabling might be different to another person and might be different across countries as well, there are lots of cultural effects and explanations that are related to depression, which makes it more important to raise awareness of the size of the problem and also signs and how to find depression." The data--for the year 2010--follows similar studies in 1990 and 2000 looking at the global burden of depression. Commenting on the study, Dr Daniel Chisholm, a health economist at the department of mental health and substance abuse at the WHO said depression was a very disabling condition. "It's a big public health challenge and a big problem to be thought about but not enough is being done. Around the world only a tiny part of people get any sort of treatment or diagnosis." Dr Daniel Chisholm said. The WHO recently started a global mental health action plan to raise awareness of depression among policy-makers. Who is Alize Ferrari?
|
[
"She is a doctor working in a hospital.",
"She is a professor at a university leading the study.",
"She is an official from the government.",
"She is a common teacher taking part in the study."
] | 1 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Depression is the second most common cause of disability worldwide after back pain, according to a review of research. The disease must be treated as a global public health priority , experts report in the journal PLOS Medicine. The study compared depression with more than 200 other diseases and injuries as a cause of disability. "Globally, only a small part of patients have opportunities to be treated," the World Health Organization (WHO) says. Depression was ranked at number two as a global cause of disability, but its effects varied in different countries and regions. For example, rates of major depression were highest in Afghanistan and lowest in Japan. In the UK, depression was ranked number three in terms of years when people lived with a disability. Dr Alize Ferrari from the University of Queensland's School of Population Health led the study. "Depression is a big problem and we definitely need to pay more attention to it than we do now," she told BBC News. "There's still more work to be done in terms of awareness of the disease and also successful ways of treating it. The burden is different between countries, so the rate of depression tends to be higher in low and middle income countries and lower in high income countries." Policy-makers have made an effort to bring depression to the forefront, but there is still a lot more work to be done." "There're lots of confusions we know related to mental health," Prof. Alize Ferrari explained. "What one person recognizes as disabling might be different to another person and might be different across countries as well, there are lots of cultural effects and explanations that are related to depression, which makes it more important to raise awareness of the size of the problem and also signs and how to find depression." The data--for the year 2010--follows similar studies in 1990 and 2000 looking at the global burden of depression. Commenting on the study, Dr Daniel Chisholm, a health economist at the department of mental health and substance abuse at the WHO said depression was a very disabling condition. "It's a big public health challenge and a big problem to be thought about but not enough is being done. Around the world only a tiny part of people get any sort of treatment or diagnosis." Dr Daniel Chisholm said. The WHO recently started a global mental health action plan to raise awareness of depression among policy-makers. Who is Alize Ferrari?
Answer: She is a professor at a university leading the study.
|
My favourite sport is basketball because it is very exciting. I like basketball because the NBA stars play very well. Basketball is very cheap and it is a good sport for our health. We can grow taller if we play basketball often. Also it keeps me healthy. I play basketball three times a week. Most often I play it in my school. I often play it with my friends or I may play it myself. I feel very happy when I play basketball at school with my classmates. Sometimes I play basketball in the playground near my home. Basketball is very easy to play. If you play basketball very well, you can join the basketball team . If you win the basketball competition, you will have the prize. You may become a famous basketball star. The best title for the passage is _ -
|
[
"Basketball player",
"My favourite sport",
"Basketball star",
"My favourite basketball star"
] | 1 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: My favourite sport is basketball because it is very exciting. I like basketball because the NBA stars play very well. Basketball is very cheap and it is a good sport for our health. We can grow taller if we play basketball often. Also it keeps me healthy. I play basketball three times a week. Most often I play it in my school. I often play it with my friends or I may play it myself. I feel very happy when I play basketball at school with my classmates. Sometimes I play basketball in the playground near my home. Basketball is very easy to play. If you play basketball very well, you can join the basketball team . If you win the basketball competition, you will have the prize. You may become a famous basketball star. The best title for the passage is _ -
Answer: My favourite sport
|
What takes place as a light wave enters a denser medium?
|
[
"it is reflected",
"it is absorbed",
"it is refracted",
"it is compressed"
] | 2 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
What takes place as a light wave enters a denser medium?
A. it is reflected
B. it is absorbed
C. it is refracted
D. it is compressed
Answer:C
|
Meiosis contributes to the process of reproduction by producing what type of cell?
|
[
"aneuploid",
"diploid",
"haploid",
"polyploid"
] | 2 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Meiosis contributes to the process of reproduction by producing what type of cell?
A. aneuploid
B. diploid
C. haploid
D. polyploid
Answer:C
|
Each organ in the digestive system has a specific function. During digestion, food passes from the stomach into the small intestine. Which statement best describes what takes place in the small intestine?
|
[
"Nutrients are absorbed from the food.",
"Wastes are prepared to pass out of the body.",
"Food is churned with acid to break down proteins.",
"Excess water is reabsorbed into the blood stream."
] | 0 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Each organ in the digestive system has a specific function. During digestion, food passes from the stomach into the small intestine. Which statement best describes what takes place in the small intestine?
Answer: Nutrients are absorbed from the food.
|
Indonesia is my mother's homeland and one of my favorite countries. Since I was young, I had learned a lot about the country and become interested in it. For a long time I had wanted to do something for the country and people there, and I thought volunteering would be a good and fun way to do so. I received the greatest pleasure from being with the children. Teaching my first English class in Aceh was exciting but I was rather nervous. As time passed by, I learned how to be a better teacher. Teaching was actually the most enjoyable of my many responsibilities . Many children were shy at first. But when they relaxed, they would start talking and telling you a lot of funny things. I believe we were helping them build up their confidence. For the children who are more in need, The Education Program (TEP) will collect donations to help them. As a volunteer, I had to visit the TEP children at home once a month and help them write a thank-you letter to their This was a way for the children to communicate with their sponsors. Sometimes the sponsors would write back to the children. Seeing the children's happy faces, I had a great sense of pleasure. The writer felt _ when he gave his first class.
|
[
"relaxed",
"nervous",
"unhappy",
"uncomfortable"
] | 1 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Indonesia is my mother's homeland and one of my favorite countries. Since I was young, I had learned a lot about the country and become interested in it. For a long time I had wanted to do something for the country and people there, and I thought volunteering would be a good and fun way to do so. I received the greatest pleasure from being with the children. Teaching my first English class in Aceh was exciting but I was rather nervous. As time passed by, I learned how to be a better teacher. Teaching was actually the most enjoyable of my many responsibilities . Many children were shy at first. But when they relaxed, they would start talking and telling you a lot of funny things. I believe we were helping them build up their confidence. For the children who are more in need, The Education Program (TEP) will collect donations to help them. As a volunteer, I had to visit the TEP children at home once a month and help them write a thank-you letter to their This was a way for the children to communicate with their sponsors. Sometimes the sponsors would write back to the children. Seeing the children's happy faces, I had a great sense of pleasure. The writer felt _ when he gave his first class.
Answer: nervous
|
Is gun play good or bad for children? For many years I emphasized its harmlessness. When concerned parents expressed doubt about letting their children have toy guns, because they didn't want to encourage them in the slightest degree to become criminals, I would explain how little connection there was. In the course of growing up, children have a natural tendency to bring their aggressiveness more and more under control if their parents encourage _ . One- to two-year-olds, when they are angry with another child, may bite the child's arm without hesitation. But by 3 or 4 they have already learned that aggression is not right. However, they may pretend to shoot their mother or father, but smiling to assure them that the gun and the aggressive behaviour aren't to be taken seriously. In the 6- to 12-year-old period, children will play an earnest game of war, but it has lots of rules. There may be arguments, but real fights are relatively rare. At this age children don't shoot at their mother or father, even in fun. It's not that the parents have turned stricter; the children's own conscience has. In adolescence aggressive feelings become much stronger, but well brought-up children can turn them into athletics and other competition or into kidding their friends. In other words, I'd explain that playing at war is a natural step in the disciplining of the aggression of young children; that a cautious parent doesn't really need to worry about producing a criminal. But nowadays I'd give parents much more encouragement to guide their child away from violence. A number of incidents have convinced me of the importance of this. One of the first things that made me change my mind, several years ago, was an observation that an experienced nursery school teacher told me about. Her children were hitting each other much more than previously, without reason. When she talked to them, they would protest, "But that's what the Three Stooges do." (This was a children's TV program full of violence which immediately became very popular.) What further shocked me into reconsidering my view was the assassination of the former President, and the fact that some schoolchildren cheered about this. (I didn't so much blame the children as I blamed the kind of parents who will say about a President they dislike, "I'd shoot him if I got the chance!") These incidents made me think of other evidences that Americans often tolerate lawlessness and violence. We were hard on the Indians and the later waves of immigrants. At times we denied justice to groups with different religions or political views. And now a great percentage of our adult as well as our child population has been endlessly fascinated with dramas of Western violence and with cruel crime stories, in movies and on television. This doesn't necessarily mean that we Americans on the average have more aggressiveness inside us than the people of other nations. I think rather that the aggressiveness we have is less controlled, from childhood on. To me it seems very clear that in order to have a more stable and civilized national life we must bring up the next generation of Americans with a greater respect for law and for other people's rights than in the past. There are many ways in which we could and should teach these attitudes. One simple opportunity we could seize in the first half of childhood is to show our disapproval of lawlessness and violence in television programs and in children's gun play. I also believe that the survival of the world now depends on a much greater awareness of the need to avoid war and to actively seek peaceful agreements. There are enough nuclear arms to completely destroy all civilization. This terrifying situation demands a much greater stability and self-control on the part of national leaders and citizens than they have ever shown in the past. We owe it to our children to prepare them deliberately for this awesome responsibility. Based on the author's view about the relationship between children's aggressiveness and their age, which of the following is true?
|
[
"A 2-year old boy knows that it is not correct to behave aggressively.",
"The older children become, the less aggressive they will be.",
"6- to 12-year-olds enjoy war games but develop them into argument and serious fights.",
"Adolescents' aggressiveness is often displayed in the form of competition."
] | 3 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Is gun play good or bad for children? For many years I emphasized its harmlessness. When concerned parents expressed doubt about letting their children have toy guns, because they didn't want to encourage them in the slightest degree to become criminals, I would explain how little connection there was. In the course of growing up, children have a natural tendency to bring their aggressiveness more and more under control if their parents encourage _ . One- to two-year-olds, when they are angry with another child, may bite the child's arm without hesitation. But by 3 or 4 they have already learned that aggression is not right. However, they may pretend to shoot their mother or father, but smiling to assure them that the gun and the aggressive behaviour aren't to be taken seriously. In the 6- to 12-year-old period, children will play an earnest game of war, but it has lots of rules. There may be arguments, but real fights are relatively rare. At this age children don't shoot at their mother or father, even in fun. It's not that the parents have turned stricter; the children's own conscience has. In adolescence aggressive feelings become much stronger, but well brought-up children can turn them into athletics and other competition or into kidding their friends. In other words, I'd explain that playing at war is a natural step in the disciplining of the aggression of young children; that a cautious parent doesn't really need to worry about producing a criminal. But nowadays I'd give parents much more encouragement to guide their child away from violence. A number of incidents have convinced me of the importance of this. One of the first things that made me change my mind, several years ago, was an observation that an experienced nursery school teacher told me about. Her children were hitting each other much more than previously, without reason. When she talked to them, they would protest, "But that's what the Three Stooges do." (This was a children's TV program full of violence which immediately became very popular.) What further shocked me into reconsidering my view was the assassination of the former President, and the fact that some schoolchildren cheered about this. (I didn't so much blame the children as I blamed the kind of parents who will say about a President they dislike, "I'd shoot him if I got the chance!") These incidents made me think of other evidences that Americans often tolerate lawlessness and violence. We were hard on the Indians and the later waves of immigrants. At times we denied justice to groups with different religions or political views. And now a great percentage of our adult as well as our child population has been endlessly fascinated with dramas of Western violence and with cruel crime stories, in movies and on television. This doesn't necessarily mean that we Americans on the average have more aggressiveness inside us than the people of other nations. I think rather that the aggressiveness we have is less controlled, from childhood on. To me it seems very clear that in order to have a more stable and civilized national life we must bring up the next generation of Americans with a greater respect for law and for other people's rights than in the past. There are many ways in which we could and should teach these attitudes. One simple opportunity we could seize in the first half of childhood is to show our disapproval of lawlessness and violence in television programs and in children's gun play. I also believe that the survival of the world now depends on a much greater awareness of the need to avoid war and to actively seek peaceful agreements. There are enough nuclear arms to completely destroy all civilization. This terrifying situation demands a much greater stability and self-control on the part of national leaders and citizens than they have ever shown in the past. We owe it to our children to prepare them deliberately for this awesome responsibility. Based on the author's view about the relationship between children's aggressiveness and their age, which of the following is true?
Answer: Adolescents' aggressiveness is often displayed in the form of competition.
|
By the time we finished, herring covered the bottom of the boat as deep as my calves . For the first time in days, my father seemed happy as a herring choker . Then he looked at the western sky, and his smile faded. The storms were sweeping out of Canada hard and fast. No one could predict their arrival. All fishermen feared them. "We're going back," my father said. He pulled the cord and started the motor. We were only two miles out, but the shoreline looked to me as far away as the moon. Over the distant hills, black clouds ran toward us like wild horses. We made it only halfway home before we met the storm. The wind came first. It lifted the lake in whitecaps. The weight of the herring made us ride low in the water, and the waves broke over our bow. My father struggled to hold us on course. I'd put on my raincoat, but I had no life jacket. Then the rain fell so hard we couldn't see the land. The boat was filling with water. I was scared, but I saw my father sitting straight, holding the boat steady into the wind, and I felt hopeful. He didn't look hurt at all. I was starting to think we were going to make it. That's when the motor died. My father pulled the cord hard, but the motor wouldn't catch. We would go down in no time. "Grab an oar ," he cried above the wind. He always carried two oars for just such a moment. We began to pull hard. My father grunted, from pain or effort I couldn't tell. He dug his oar into the violent lake and bowed into the wind again. With all my strength, I pulled on my own oar. _ I was tired. My arms felt heavy and on fire. I didn't know how much longer I could push that oar through the water. As if he heard my thinking, my father called to me, "I need you, Karl. Only a little longer." So I kept rowing. Just when I thought I had no more strength, I heard it. The sound of waves breaking against the shore. We moved into the shelter of our small cove and rode the swells toward the landing. My mother rushed through the rain to greet us. "I've been so worried," she said. She hugged me and then my father. "Nothing to worry about," he assured her. He put his hand on my shoulder. "You did well, son. How do you feel?" Tired as I was, I managed a smile. "I feel like a herring choker." We can learn from the passage the author felt _ after arriving home safe.
|
[
"he were a real man",
"he needed his father's praise",
"he shouldn't have gone out to the lake",
"he would be a herring choker when he grew up"
] | 0 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: By the time we finished, herring covered the bottom of the boat as deep as my calves . For the first time in days, my father seemed happy as a herring choker . Then he looked at the western sky, and his smile faded. The storms were sweeping out of Canada hard and fast. No one could predict their arrival. All fishermen feared them. "We're going back," my father said. He pulled the cord and started the motor. We were only two miles out, but the shoreline looked to me as far away as the moon. Over the distant hills, black clouds ran toward us like wild horses. We made it only halfway home before we met the storm. The wind came first. It lifted the lake in whitecaps. The weight of the herring made us ride low in the water, and the waves broke over our bow. My father struggled to hold us on course. I'd put on my raincoat, but I had no life jacket. Then the rain fell so hard we couldn't see the land. The boat was filling with water. I was scared, but I saw my father sitting straight, holding the boat steady into the wind, and I felt hopeful. He didn't look hurt at all. I was starting to think we were going to make it. That's when the motor died. My father pulled the cord hard, but the motor wouldn't catch. We would go down in no time. "Grab an oar ," he cried above the wind. He always carried two oars for just such a moment. We began to pull hard. My father grunted, from pain or effort I couldn't tell. He dug his oar into the violent lake and bowed into the wind again. With all my strength, I pulled on my own oar. _ I was tired. My arms felt heavy and on fire. I didn't know how much longer I could push that oar through the water. As if he heard my thinking, my father called to me, "I need you, Karl. Only a little longer." So I kept rowing. Just when I thought I had no more strength, I heard it. The sound of waves breaking against the shore. We moved into the shelter of our small cove and rode the swells toward the landing. My mother rushed through the rain to greet us. "I've been so worried," she said. She hugged me and then my father. "Nothing to worry about," he assured her. He put his hand on my shoulder. "You did well, son. How do you feel?" Tired as I was, I managed a smile. "I feel like a herring choker." We can learn from the passage the author felt _ after arriving home safe.
Answer: he were a real man
|
When William Stidger taught at Boston University, he once thought about the people he hadn't thanked in his life. They taught him, encouraged him or cared a lot about him. One was a teacher. She once taught William geography, and William loved geography all his life. So he wrote a letter of thanks to her. He got the teacher's letter later. It began, "My dear Willie." He was very happy. Now over 50, he didn't think someone would call him "Willie". Here is that letter. My dear Willie, I can't tell you how much your letter meant to me. I am in my eighties, living alone in a small room and cooking my own meals. You will be interested to know that I taught school for 50 years and yours is the first letter of appreciation I ever got. It came on a cold morning and it made me feel very warm. ... William cried when he read the letter. She was one of the people that William hadn't thanked in his past. She helped him to believe in himself. He would never forget her. There are some people we should always remember, because they helped to shape our life. William Stidger found a way to show his appreciation--he wrote them letters. Who are some of the people that you need to say thank you to in your past? It may not be too late to say "Thanks". The teacher _ when William was young.
|
[
"got her first letter of appreciation",
"helped him to believe in himself",
"encouraged him to be active",
"made friends with him"
] | 1 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
When William Stidger taught at Boston University, he once thought about the people he hadn't thanked in his life. They taught him, encouraged him or cared a lot about him. One was a teacher. She once taught William geography, and William loved geography all his life. So he wrote a letter of thanks to her. He got the teacher's letter later. It began, "My dear Willie." He was very happy. Now over 50, he didn't think someone would call him "Willie". Here is that letter. My dear Willie, I can't tell you how much your letter meant to me. I am in my eighties, living alone in a small room and cooking my own meals. You will be interested to know that I taught school for 50 years and yours is the first letter of appreciation I ever got. It came on a cold morning and it made me feel very warm. ... William cried when he read the letter. She was one of the people that William hadn't thanked in his past. She helped him to believe in himself. He would never forget her. There are some people we should always remember, because they helped to shape our life. William Stidger found a way to show his appreciation--he wrote them letters. Who are some of the people that you need to say thank you to in your past? It may not be too late to say "Thanks". The teacher _ when William was young.
A. got her first letter of appreciation
B. helped him to believe in himself
C. encouraged him to be active
D. made friends with him
Answer:B
|
For Chinese students the end of their senior year is filled with studying and stress as they prepare for the college entrance exams in June. The end of senior year is a celebration of their time in high school and involves parties, games and fun. Senioritis is a commonly used expression. It means seniors have a disease which makes them unable to do work. This starts in April when seniors find out whether they have been accepted to university. Unwilling to do school work, seniors have plenty of other activities to focus on.Many schools have a "Senior Show", in which only seniors are allowed to perform. Some seniors sing or dance but many of them perform skits , where they make fun of their favorite teachers or their friends. For example, a group of boys may dress up and imitate a group of their girl friends. It is all very light-hearted.The "Senior Show" is usually a part of Senior Week, which is a week specifically dedicated to seniors. During this week, seniors usually get academic or athletic awards they have won over their high school careers. The seniors also vote for one of their male and female classmates who they believe is the best-looking or funniest or most involved, etc. These are then published in the yearbook. The yearbook is an important part of high school for seniors. It is usually dedicated to them and has all their pictures and some words from them in it. Then seniors go around and get it signed by their friends so they can always remember their time together. Of course during all of this time, seniors are preparing for the Senior Prom , which is an important moment in American culture. It is the most important dance in a young American's life. The end of senior year is a truly special and wonderful time for American students. It's something they will remember for the rest of their lives. What activities that seniors would like to do according to the passage?
|
[
"School work.",
"Voting for the film star.",
"Singing or dance contests.",
"Senior Show and Senior Prom."
] | 3 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
For Chinese students the end of their senior year is filled with studying and stress as they prepare for the college entrance exams in June. The end of senior year is a celebration of their time in high school and involves parties, games and fun. Senioritis is a commonly used expression. It means seniors have a disease which makes them unable to do work. This starts in April when seniors find out whether they have been accepted to university. Unwilling to do school work, seniors have plenty of other activities to focus on.Many schools have a "Senior Show", in which only seniors are allowed to perform. Some seniors sing or dance but many of them perform skits , where they make fun of their favorite teachers or their friends. For example, a group of boys may dress up and imitate a group of their girl friends. It is all very light-hearted.The "Senior Show" is usually a part of Senior Week, which is a week specifically dedicated to seniors. During this week, seniors usually get academic or athletic awards they have won over their high school careers. The seniors also vote for one of their male and female classmates who they believe is the best-looking or funniest or most involved, etc. These are then published in the yearbook. The yearbook is an important part of high school for seniors. It is usually dedicated to them and has all their pictures and some words from them in it. Then seniors go around and get it signed by their friends so they can always remember their time together. Of course during all of this time, seniors are preparing for the Senior Prom , which is an important moment in American culture. It is the most important dance in a young American's life. The end of senior year is a truly special and wonderful time for American students. It's something they will remember for the rest of their lives. What activities that seniors would like to do according to the passage?
A. School work.
B. Voting for the film star.
C. Singing or dance contests.
D. Senior Show and Senior Prom.
Answer:D
|
During an experiment, a student reports that a liquid turned green when mixed with another liquid. This is an example of
|
[
"a measurement",
"a prediction",
"an explanation",
"an observation"
] | 3 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: During an experiment, a student reports that a liquid turned green when mixed with another liquid. This is an example of
Answer: an observation
|
For years, business people in Western Europe were worried. They knew they could not compete against business from the U.S. The United States is much larger and had many more resources than any Western European countries. Some European people realized that the European nations need to join together to help each other. If they could forget their language differences and the differences in customs, they might become strong competition against other countries. In 1958, six of the European countries --- Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Germany and Italy got together and decided to cooperate. They called their group the European Economic Community, or the Common Market. These countries agreed to join their resources together. Within a few years, the European Economic Community had worked so well that its members were more prosperous than many other European nations. Soon, other nations began to realize the advantage of the Common Market. Today the Common Market includes most of the important countries in Western Europe. It is helping Western Europe to again take its place as a leader among the industrial nations of the world. . In order to _ , the Western European countries decided to cooperate.
|
[
"join together to found a united country",
"help each other to smooth away the differences in customs",
"work and act together for common purpose",
"work together and fight against the U.S."
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: For years, business people in Western Europe were worried. They knew they could not compete against business from the U.S. The United States is much larger and had many more resources than any Western European countries. Some European people realized that the European nations need to join together to help each other. If they could forget their language differences and the differences in customs, they might become strong competition against other countries. In 1958, six of the European countries --- Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Germany and Italy got together and decided to cooperate. They called their group the European Economic Community, or the Common Market. These countries agreed to join their resources together. Within a few years, the European Economic Community had worked so well that its members were more prosperous than many other European nations. Soon, other nations began to realize the advantage of the Common Market. Today the Common Market includes most of the important countries in Western Europe. It is helping Western Europe to again take its place as a leader among the industrial nations of the world. . In order to _ , the Western European countries decided to cooperate.
Answer: work and act together for common purpose
|
Still seeking a destination for your weekend break? There are some places which are probably a mere walk away from your college. King's Art Centre A day at the Centre could mean a visit to an exhibition of the work of one of the most interesting contemporary artists on show anywhere. This weekend tees the opening of an exhibition of four local artists. You could attend a class teaching you how to 'learn from the masters' or get more creative with paint ---- free of charge. The Centre also runs two life drawing classes for which there is a small fee. The Botanic Garden The Garden has over 8,000 plant species; it holds the research and teaching collection of living plants for Cambridge University. The multi-branchedTorch Aloe here is impressive. The African plant produces red flowers above blue-green leaves, and is not one to miss. Get to the display house to seeDionaea muscipula, a plant more commonly known as the Venus Flytrap that feeds on insects and other small animals. The Garden is also a place for wildlife-enthusiasts. Look for grass snakes in the lake. A snake called 'Hissing Sid' is regularly seen lying in the heat of the warm sun. Byron's Pool Many stories surround Lord Byron's time as a student of Cambridge University, Arriving in 1805, he wrote a letter complaining that it was a place of "mess and drunkenness". However, it seems as though Byron did manage to pass the time pleasantly enough. I'm not just talking about the pet bear he kept in his roans. He spent a great deal of time walking in the village. It is also said that on occasion Byron swam naked by moonlight in the lake, which is now known as Byron's Pool. A couple of miles past Grantchester in the south Cambridgeshire countryside, the pool is surrounded by beautiful circular paths around the fields. The cries of invisible birds make the trip a lovely experience and on the way home you can drop into the village for afternoon tea. If you don't trust me, then perhaps you'll take it from Virginia Woolf- ----over a century after Byron, she reportedly took a trip to swim in the same pool. In the passage Byron's Pool is described as a lake _ .
|
[
"surrounded by fields",
"owned by Lord Byron",
"located in Grantchester",
"discovered by Virginia Woolf"
] | 0 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Still seeking a destination for your weekend break? There are some places which are probably a mere walk away from your college. King's Art Centre A day at the Centre could mean a visit to an exhibition of the work of one of the most interesting contemporary artists on show anywhere. This weekend tees the opening of an exhibition of four local artists. You could attend a class teaching you how to 'learn from the masters' or get more creative with paint ---- free of charge. The Centre also runs two life drawing classes for which there is a small fee. The Botanic Garden The Garden has over 8,000 plant species; it holds the research and teaching collection of living plants for Cambridge University. The multi-branchedTorch Aloe here is impressive. The African plant produces red flowers above blue-green leaves, and is not one to miss. Get to the display house to seeDionaea muscipula, a plant more commonly known as the Venus Flytrap that feeds on insects and other small animals. The Garden is also a place for wildlife-enthusiasts. Look for grass snakes in the lake. A snake called 'Hissing Sid' is regularly seen lying in the heat of the warm sun. Byron's Pool Many stories surround Lord Byron's time as a student of Cambridge University, Arriving in 1805, he wrote a letter complaining that it was a place of "mess and drunkenness". However, it seems as though Byron did manage to pass the time pleasantly enough. I'm not just talking about the pet bear he kept in his roans. He spent a great deal of time walking in the village. It is also said that on occasion Byron swam naked by moonlight in the lake, which is now known as Byron's Pool. A couple of miles past Grantchester in the south Cambridgeshire countryside, the pool is surrounded by beautiful circular paths around the fields. The cries of invisible birds make the trip a lovely experience and on the way home you can drop into the village for afternoon tea. If you don't trust me, then perhaps you'll take it from Virginia Woolf- ----over a century after Byron, she reportedly took a trip to swim in the same pool. In the passage Byron's Pool is described as a lake _ .
Answer: surrounded by fields
|
Alexis was _ and tired. With anger in her voice she shouted,"Pull me up. I give up. I hate this. This is stupid!"It was at that moment when Jason, the adviser on the trip, looked at me and said,"Ed, I'm going to go down and talk with her."I then shouted down to Alexis,"Hold on! You can do this. We know you can!" Jason grasped another rope, put this climbing harness on and began to move down the cliff. Within moments Jason was beside Alexis. She had her cheek directly against the face of the rock with her feet barely resting on a small piece of the cliff that jetted outward. Jason said to Alexis,"I know that you have been on this cliff now for what seems like a long time. Your feet and fingers are cramping " up and your forearms feel as though they are on fire. But, Alexis, you are strong. Look how far up you are already. You have taken one of the more difficult parts up the cliff. Alexis, look at the path you have taken." At that moment, Alexis moved her cheek away from the rock face and looked down. The bright white chalk she used on her hands to give her a better hold, showed the path where her tired hands had moved her upward on the cliff. Jason was right. Alexis had taken the hardest way up the cliff. Jason then looked straight into Alexis' eyes and in a calm voice he said,"You are not alone out here. There are people who care about you, who want to help you and see you succeed. We are going to do this together. Are you ready?"Slowly she nodded and took a deep breath. Alexis would probably become_.
|
[
"more strong-minded",
"easier to give up",
"poorer in health",
"less interested in rock-climbing"
] | 0 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Alexis was _ and tired. With anger in her voice she shouted,"Pull me up. I give up. I hate this. This is stupid!"It was at that moment when Jason, the adviser on the trip, looked at me and said,"Ed, I'm going to go down and talk with her."I then shouted down to Alexis,"Hold on! You can do this. We know you can!" Jason grasped another rope, put this climbing harness on and began to move down the cliff. Within moments Jason was beside Alexis. She had her cheek directly against the face of the rock with her feet barely resting on a small piece of the cliff that jetted outward. Jason said to Alexis,"I know that you have been on this cliff now for what seems like a long time. Your feet and fingers are cramping " up and your forearms feel as though they are on fire. But, Alexis, you are strong. Look how far up you are already. You have taken one of the more difficult parts up the cliff. Alexis, look at the path you have taken." At that moment, Alexis moved her cheek away from the rock face and looked down. The bright white chalk she used on her hands to give her a better hold, showed the path where her tired hands had moved her upward on the cliff. Jason was right. Alexis had taken the hardest way up the cliff. Jason then looked straight into Alexis' eyes and in a calm voice he said,"You are not alone out here. There are people who care about you, who want to help you and see you succeed. We are going to do this together. Are you ready?"Slowly she nodded and took a deep breath. Alexis would probably become_.
Answer: more strong-minded
|
Did you know that the position you choose to sleep in says something about what kind of person you are? A study of 1,000British people has been done by Chris,a British professor and director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service in the UK.It looked at the six most common sleeping positions and which personalities tend to match them.Have a look. 1. Fetus position - This is the most common sleeping position. About 41 percent of the _ said they sleep in this position. These sleepers may appear to be strong but they are usually sensitive and shy. The more they curl up, the more worried they are. 2. Log position - This is the second most common position. People who sleep like a log are usually stubborn. 3. Yearner position - This position says that you are open-minded and eager to face challenges. 4. Soldier position - These sleepers lie on their backs with their arms down and close to the body. They are usually reserved and quiet. 5. Freefall position - People who sleep in this position are outgoing but feel a lack of control in their lives. This is the least comfortable position. 6. Starfish position - People who sleep like this are good listeners, helpful, and uncomfortable being the center of attention. What is the main idea of this passage?
|
[
"Sleeping position decides personality.",
"Sleeping position reflects personality.",
"What the six different sleeping positions are like.",
"Different people have different sleeping positions."
] | 1 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Did you know that the position you choose to sleep in says something about what kind of person you are? A study of 1,000British people has been done by Chris,a British professor and director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service in the UK.It looked at the six most common sleeping positions and which personalities tend to match them.Have a look. 1. Fetus position - This is the most common sleeping position. About 41 percent of the _ said they sleep in this position. These sleepers may appear to be strong but they are usually sensitive and shy. The more they curl up, the more worried they are. 2. Log position - This is the second most common position. People who sleep like a log are usually stubborn. 3. Yearner position - This position says that you are open-minded and eager to face challenges. 4. Soldier position - These sleepers lie on their backs with their arms down and close to the body. They are usually reserved and quiet. 5. Freefall position - People who sleep in this position are outgoing but feel a lack of control in their lives. This is the least comfortable position. 6. Starfish position - People who sleep like this are good listeners, helpful, and uncomfortable being the center of attention. What is the main idea of this passage?
Answer: Sleeping position reflects personality.
|
An example of a learned behavior is a
|
[
"spider building a web.",
"dog laying down on command.",
"beaver building a dam in a creek.",
"kangaroo jumping away from a predator."
] | 1 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: An example of a learned behavior is a
Answer: dog laying down on command.
|
Going to a new school can be difficult, but this passage will help you in the beginning. Here is something to help you to fit in . First, take a day to enjoy your school. You won't fit in at school if you don't know the school. Ask for a school map. Try to get to know every corner of your new school. A good school handhook can be of great help. But to make it easy, ask the people near you where something is--tell people that you are new when you need help. Be nice to everyone. Be nice to everyone, the young or the old, because they might just be your next teacher or friend. Get to know your teachers and pay attention in class. Teachers always pay attention to new students, Talk to them and find out more about them. Never test their limits --don't go too far, or you may end up getting into trouble You need to make friends. Talk to different people. Be yourself and don't lie. This is YOUR school now, take a chance on being who you weren't at your old school. Join a few clubs or sports teams and make more friends in this way. Be yourself and be polite. Don't worry too much about what people think of you. Be true, be yourself, and be nice to everyone, no matter how mean (unfriendly) they may seem at first. It's often the "girl/boy that I didn't like at my new school" that ends up being my friend after a little while. But then again, don't be afraid to stand up for yourself if it's very clear that you should. Work hard to fit in while still being yourself. The first few weeks are always hard, but you'll soon get used to it. It is very easy to find places in your new school by _ .
|
[
"looking at a map",
"asking people for help",
"reading a handbook",
"walking around the school"
] | 1 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Going to a new school can be difficult, but this passage will help you in the beginning. Here is something to help you to fit in . First, take a day to enjoy your school. You won't fit in at school if you don't know the school. Ask for a school map. Try to get to know every corner of your new school. A good school handhook can be of great help. But to make it easy, ask the people near you where something is--tell people that you are new when you need help. Be nice to everyone. Be nice to everyone, the young or the old, because they might just be your next teacher or friend. Get to know your teachers and pay attention in class. Teachers always pay attention to new students, Talk to them and find out more about them. Never test their limits --don't go too far, or you may end up getting into trouble You need to make friends. Talk to different people. Be yourself and don't lie. This is YOUR school now, take a chance on being who you weren't at your old school. Join a few clubs or sports teams and make more friends in this way. Be yourself and be polite. Don't worry too much about what people think of you. Be true, be yourself, and be nice to everyone, no matter how mean (unfriendly) they may seem at first. It's often the "girl/boy that I didn't like at my new school" that ends up being my friend after a little while. But then again, don't be afraid to stand up for yourself if it's very clear that you should. Work hard to fit in while still being yourself. The first few weeks are always hard, but you'll soon get used to it. It is very easy to find places in your new school by _ .
Answer: asking people for help
|
There is a zoo named Zhongshan in our city. There are many animals. Some animals are very friendly. But some other animals are not. Tigers, lions and some snakes are dangerous . That's why they must be in cages . But I don't think it's good for animals to be in cages. They need to be free. The animals in cages cannot be happy. Tigers usually live in forests and mountains . They are strong and can run very fast . They run after and eat small animals like rabbits and deer , but now they are in small cages. They have nothing to do every day. So they walk around in the cages, and they want to come out. When they are tired, they sleep. I am kind of sorry for them. Tigers want to _ when they are in cages.
|
[
"come out",
"eat animals",
"run fast",
"be friendly to people"
] | 0 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
There is a zoo named Zhongshan in our city. There are many animals. Some animals are very friendly. But some other animals are not. Tigers, lions and some snakes are dangerous . That's why they must be in cages . But I don't think it's good for animals to be in cages. They need to be free. The animals in cages cannot be happy. Tigers usually live in forests and mountains . They are strong and can run very fast . They run after and eat small animals like rabbits and deer , but now they are in small cages. They have nothing to do every day. So they walk around in the cages, and they want to come out. When they are tired, they sleep. I am kind of sorry for them. Tigers want to _ when they are in cages.
A. come out
B. eat animals
C. run fast
D. be friendly to people
Answer:A
|
Many animals do strange things before an earthquake . This news may be important. Earthquakes can kill people and knock down homes. The animals may help to save lives. Some animals make a lot of noise before an earthquake. Farmers have told about this. Dogs that are usually quiet have started to howl . Horses on farms have run around in circles. Mice have left their holes and run away. Cows have given less milk. In a town in Italy, cats raced down the street in a group. That happened only a few hours before an earthquake. In San Francisco, a man kept tiny pet frogs. One Sunday, the frogs jumped around more than ever. They made loud noises, like bigger frogs. That night, an earthquake struck the city. People want to know when an earthquake is coming. Then they could get away safely. Right now, there is no sure way to know ahead of time. Maybe the best way is to watch the animals. Before an earthquake, quiet dogs _ .
|
[
"ran away",
"started to howl",
"climbed trees",
"race down streets"
] | 1 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Many animals do strange things before an earthquake . This news may be important. Earthquakes can kill people and knock down homes. The animals may help to save lives. Some animals make a lot of noise before an earthquake. Farmers have told about this. Dogs that are usually quiet have started to howl . Horses on farms have run around in circles. Mice have left their holes and run away. Cows have given less milk. In a town in Italy, cats raced down the street in a group. That happened only a few hours before an earthquake. In San Francisco, a man kept tiny pet frogs. One Sunday, the frogs jumped around more than ever. They made loud noises, like bigger frogs. That night, an earthquake struck the city. People want to know when an earthquake is coming. Then they could get away safely. Right now, there is no sure way to know ahead of time. Maybe the best way is to watch the animals. Before an earthquake, quiet dogs _ .
Answer: started to howl
|
Alexandra Scott was born to Liz and Jay Scott in Manchester,Connecticut on January 18, 1996,the second of four children. Shortly before her first birthday,Alex was diagnosed with neuroblastoma,a type of childhood cancer. On her first birthday, the doctors informed Alex's parents that if she beat her cancer it was doubtful that she would ever walk again. Just two weeks later,Alex slightly moved her leg at her parents' request to kick. This was the first indication that she would turn out to be a courageous and confident child with big dreams and big accomplishments. By her second birthday,Alex was able to stand up with leg braces .She worked hard to gain strength and to learn how to walk. She appeared to be overcoming the difficulties, until the shocking discovery within the next year that her tumors had started growing again. In the year 2000,the day after her fourth birthday,Alex received a stem cell transplant and informed her mother,"When I get out of the hospital I want to have a lemonade stand. " She said she wanted to give the money to doctors to allow them to "help other kids,like they helped me.,,True to her word, she held her first lemonade stand later that year with the help of her older brother and raised an amazing $ 2,000 for "her hospital, People from all over the world,moved by her story,held their own lemonade stands and donated the earnings to Alex and her cause. In August of 2004,Alex passed away at the age of 8,knowing that,with the help of others,she had raised more than $ 1 million to help find a cure for the disease that took her life. Alex's family--including brothers Patrick,Eddie,and Joey--and supporters around the world are committed to continuing her inspiring cause through Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation . What did the public do to support Alex and her cause?
|
[
"They helped her sell lemonade.",
"They provided free stands for her.",
"They donated money to her foundation.",
"They donated stem cells for her operation."
] | 2 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Alexandra Scott was born to Liz and Jay Scott in Manchester,Connecticut on January 18, 1996,the second of four children. Shortly before her first birthday,Alex was diagnosed with neuroblastoma,a type of childhood cancer. On her first birthday, the doctors informed Alex's parents that if she beat her cancer it was doubtful that she would ever walk again. Just two weeks later,Alex slightly moved her leg at her parents' request to kick. This was the first indication that she would turn out to be a courageous and confident child with big dreams and big accomplishments. By her second birthday,Alex was able to stand up with leg braces .She worked hard to gain strength and to learn how to walk. She appeared to be overcoming the difficulties, until the shocking discovery within the next year that her tumors had started growing again. In the year 2000,the day after her fourth birthday,Alex received a stem cell transplant and informed her mother,"When I get out of the hospital I want to have a lemonade stand. " She said she wanted to give the money to doctors to allow them to "help other kids,like they helped me.,,True to her word, she held her first lemonade stand later that year with the help of her older brother and raised an amazing $ 2,000 for "her hospital, People from all over the world,moved by her story,held their own lemonade stands and donated the earnings to Alex and her cause. In August of 2004,Alex passed away at the age of 8,knowing that,with the help of others,she had raised more than $ 1 million to help find a cure for the disease that took her life. Alex's family--including brothers Patrick,Eddie,and Joey--and supporters around the world are committed to continuing her inspiring cause through Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation . What did the public do to support Alex and her cause?
A. They helped her sell lemonade.
B. They provided free stands for her.
C. They donated money to her foundation.
D. They donated stem cells for her operation.
Answer:C
|
Liverpool Discover the best music, sport, culture ... in the UK Liverpool MUSIC The Beatles Story The world-famous 1960s music group came from Liverpool. Find out about The Beatles at the Beatles Story. Open every day except Dec. 25th and 26th. Adult:PS15.95 Child:PS7.00 Child under five: Free Liverpool SPORT Liverpool FC This city loves football. Visit Anfield football stadium, home of Liverpool FC, Liverpool's favorite football club, and take a tour. Closed on weekends. Adult:PS15.00 Child:PS9.00 Child under five: Free Liverpool MUSEUM The Museum of Liverpool Learn all about the history and culture of Liverpool. Open daily 10:00 a.m. -- 5:00 p.m. Free! Liverpool SHOPPING Liverpool ONE Find the best shopping in the center of Liverpool at Liverpool ONE, a big shopping center. Opened in 2008. More than 160 shops, restaurants and cinemas. , How much will Jack, a boy of 6, and his father pay if they visit the Beatles Story?
|
[
"PS15.95.",
"PS14.00.",
"PS22.95.",
"PS31.90."
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Liverpool Discover the best music, sport, culture ... in the UK Liverpool MUSIC The Beatles Story The world-famous 1960s music group came from Liverpool. Find out about The Beatles at the Beatles Story. Open every day except Dec. 25th and 26th. Adult:PS15.95 Child:PS7.00 Child under five: Free Liverpool SPORT Liverpool FC This city loves football. Visit Anfield football stadium, home of Liverpool FC, Liverpool's favorite football club, and take a tour. Closed on weekends. Adult:PS15.00 Child:PS9.00 Child under five: Free Liverpool MUSEUM The Museum of Liverpool Learn all about the history and culture of Liverpool. Open daily 10:00 a.m. -- 5:00 p.m. Free! Liverpool SHOPPING Liverpool ONE Find the best shopping in the center of Liverpool at Liverpool ONE, a big shopping center. Opened in 2008. More than 160 shops, restaurants and cinemas. , How much will Jack, a boy of 6, and his father pay if they visit the Beatles Story?
Answer: PS22.95.
|
Jack was not a stupid kid,nor was he the shiniest spoon in the drawer. He didn't care for school. With his "I'd rather be fishing" attitude, Jack missed a lot of classes. Knowing that graduating from middle school was not going to be written in his life, Jack became a dropout at the age of fourteen. Jack was sent to live on his uncle's farm in Wisconsin. He happily stayed there until he reached the age of eighteen. He wanted to see more about the United States, so he went to California. He found a good job at an aircraft company. He had to lie about his education. Worrying that his background was found out, Jack was employed there. Two years later, Jack got married. He wanted to better his life, so he signed up for a home study course to get his high school diploma .He chose his elective subject to be automotive technology .Sadly, this was ended when he took his wife and son back to his uncle's farm. Jack found a job as a worker in a wire factory. Seven years later, Jack began dreaming of something better for them all. He wanted to be an automobile engineer, and he knew that it needed education to get into that field. Because of Jack's efforts, he joined a junior college in California. Jack was accepted to go for his Associates in Arts degree in automotive technology. Jack found that for the most parts, the studies covered most of what he had learned in elementary school. He studied hard for two years and passed the final examination. He received his diploma. Jack went on to work as an automotive technician for an excellent company. Within a year he was the engineer. To better the life of his family, Jack realized the importance of _ .
|
[
"being honest",
"having fewer children",
"receiving more education",
"having more work experience"
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Jack was not a stupid kid,nor was he the shiniest spoon in the drawer. He didn't care for school. With his "I'd rather be fishing" attitude, Jack missed a lot of classes. Knowing that graduating from middle school was not going to be written in his life, Jack became a dropout at the age of fourteen. Jack was sent to live on his uncle's farm in Wisconsin. He happily stayed there until he reached the age of eighteen. He wanted to see more about the United States, so he went to California. He found a good job at an aircraft company. He had to lie about his education. Worrying that his background was found out, Jack was employed there. Two years later, Jack got married. He wanted to better his life, so he signed up for a home study course to get his high school diploma .He chose his elective subject to be automotive technology .Sadly, this was ended when he took his wife and son back to his uncle's farm. Jack found a job as a worker in a wire factory. Seven years later, Jack began dreaming of something better for them all. He wanted to be an automobile engineer, and he knew that it needed education to get into that field. Because of Jack's efforts, he joined a junior college in California. Jack was accepted to go for his Associates in Arts degree in automotive technology. Jack found that for the most parts, the studies covered most of what he had learned in elementary school. He studied hard for two years and passed the final examination. He received his diploma. Jack went on to work as an automotive technician for an excellent company. Within a year he was the engineer. To better the life of his family, Jack realized the importance of _ .
Answer: receiving more education
|
Do you know Walk With A Doc? It is a new program . This program helps people to be healthy. It's not difficult to do it. You only need sports shoes and then go for a walk in a store or a park with two or more people at a time. David Sabgir is a doctor in the U.S.A. He starts the new health program. Every Saturday morning, Sabgir runs in a park and he starts thinking, "I run to help myself to be healthy. But I think I can help more people to be healthy." So he tells his friends and other people about this. They all like the idea. For the first walk, 101 people join. Later , more and more people join this health program. Walk With A Doc is a(n) _ .
|
[
"exciting game",
"school trip",
"health program",
"sports club"
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Do you know Walk With A Doc? It is a new program . This program helps people to be healthy. It's not difficult to do it. You only need sports shoes and then go for a walk in a store or a park with two or more people at a time. David Sabgir is a doctor in the U.S.A. He starts the new health program. Every Saturday morning, Sabgir runs in a park and he starts thinking, "I run to help myself to be healthy. But I think I can help more people to be healthy." So he tells his friends and other people about this. They all like the idea. For the first walk, 101 people join. Later , more and more people join this health program. Walk With A Doc is a(n) _ .
Answer: health program
|
There are robots all around us,Some do very complicated jobs like flying airplanes and driving subway trains. And some do a simple job. When an automatic washing machine is switched on, water pours in. The machine waits until the water is hot before washing the clothes. It does this by "feedback". Information about what is happening is "feedback"into the robot to tell it what to do next. Our eyes,ears and other senses are our feedback. They tell us what is going on around us. So robots are like people in two ways:They work and they have feedback. There are robots all around, making our lives easier. Some of them, like the pocket calculator, can work much more quickly than human beings can. And they rarely make mistakes. In some ways robots are better than people. They work quickly, but do not make mistakes. They do not get bored doing the same job over andover again. And they never get tired. Robots are very useful in factories. They can be taught to do many different jobs. First their electronic brains must be shown how the job is done. A person moves the robot's"arm"and"hand"through each part of the job. The robot's brain remembers each move. When the robot is put to work on its own, its brain controls the rods, wheels and motors which move its arm. When the robot is needed for a new job, its electronic memory is"wiped clean."Then it is taught how to do its new task. If the robot's hand stops working, or if something gets in the way, it cannot do the next part of the job. So it stops and signals for help, then a human engineer repairs it. The most"intelligent"robots can move and see. Their eyes are cameras. Their metal fingers can feel shapes and even find out how hot and cold objects are. These robots have computer brains, linked to their eyes and fingers, which control their actions. In thisstory the author tells us that _ .
|
[
"there are very few robots",
"we see robots only at certain times",
"robots are something new in our life",
"robots are all around us"
] | 3 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
There are robots all around us,Some do very complicated jobs like flying airplanes and driving subway trains. And some do a simple job. When an automatic washing machine is switched on, water pours in. The machine waits until the water is hot before washing the clothes. It does this by "feedback". Information about what is happening is "feedback"into the robot to tell it what to do next. Our eyes,ears and other senses are our feedback. They tell us what is going on around us. So robots are like people in two ways:They work and they have feedback. There are robots all around, making our lives easier. Some of them, like the pocket calculator, can work much more quickly than human beings can. And they rarely make mistakes. In some ways robots are better than people. They work quickly, but do not make mistakes. They do not get bored doing the same job over andover again. And they never get tired. Robots are very useful in factories. They can be taught to do many different jobs. First their electronic brains must be shown how the job is done. A person moves the robot's"arm"and"hand"through each part of the job. The robot's brain remembers each move. When the robot is put to work on its own, its brain controls the rods, wheels and motors which move its arm. When the robot is needed for a new job, its electronic memory is"wiped clean."Then it is taught how to do its new task. If the robot's hand stops working, or if something gets in the way, it cannot do the next part of the job. So it stops and signals for help, then a human engineer repairs it. The most"intelligent"robots can move and see. Their eyes are cameras. Their metal fingers can feel shapes and even find out how hot and cold objects are. These robots have computer brains, linked to their eyes and fingers, which control their actions. In thisstory the author tells us that _ .
A. there are very few robots
B. we see robots only at certain times
C. robots are something new in our life
D. robots are all around us
Answer:D
|
If you travel in some areas of India, you'll be lucky enough to be waited on by special guides - monkeys. These monkeys are always ready to serve you. Hungry, you just need to point to your own stomach and they'll lead you to the nearest restaurant. Thirsty, the monkeys will lead you to a bar. Tired, you put both of your hands behind your head and the monkeys will take you to the nearest hotel. Don't feel surprised when they put out their hairy hands to you after the service is done. They are just asking for a little money as a tip. After that, they will wave their hands as if they are saying goodbye to you. Believe it or not, these monkeys are from the school for monkeys in India, where they were trained for one year. They are not the only monkey students in the world. Some are being trained as nurses in an American medical college. These monkeys are about to look after patients and help-them with their housework. A three-year-old monkey named Helen has learned to turn on TV, turn off lights, and open doors and windows when she is told to. Once the job is done, she will rush to her master, hoping to get some food as a reward. What is probably the best title for this passage?'
|
[
"Funny Monkeys",
"Lovely Guides",
"Special Nurses",
"Good Helpers"
] | 3 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: If you travel in some areas of India, you'll be lucky enough to be waited on by special guides - monkeys. These monkeys are always ready to serve you. Hungry, you just need to point to your own stomach and they'll lead you to the nearest restaurant. Thirsty, the monkeys will lead you to a bar. Tired, you put both of your hands behind your head and the monkeys will take you to the nearest hotel. Don't feel surprised when they put out their hairy hands to you after the service is done. They are just asking for a little money as a tip. After that, they will wave their hands as if they are saying goodbye to you. Believe it or not, these monkeys are from the school for monkeys in India, where they were trained for one year. They are not the only monkey students in the world. Some are being trained as nurses in an American medical college. These monkeys are about to look after patients and help-them with their housework. A three-year-old monkey named Helen has learned to turn on TV, turn off lights, and open doors and windows when she is told to. Once the job is done, she will rush to her master, hoping to get some food as a reward. What is probably the best title for this passage?'
Answer: Good Helpers
|
While in Banff, make time for a walk around town. A special treat is to go up the mountainside on the Banff Gondola for a surprising view of the valley below. Here is The Pines, whose cook has developed a special way of mixing foreign food such as caribou, wild boar, and reindeer with surprising sauces. Best time to visit is during the off-season, from early May to mid-June, or in October. This way you can avoid sharing the highway with mobile homes which can be pulled by cars. But whatever the season, take some lunch with you from Banff, because there are only a few food stops on the road. Forty minutes north of Banff, side by side with the Banff National Park, sits world-famous Lake Louise. This surprisingly small body of water is attractive with towering mountains around it. Glaciers, huge masses of ice, moving very slowly against rocks, produce what is called glacier rock flour, making its water dark to see. It is worth taking a walk around the grounds of the Chateau Lake Louise, another beauty, proud of its early 20th century history. Back on the road, and it's time to continue north past the astonishing Columbia Icefield, then turn off the highway and take the short road to the base of the Athabaska Glacier. You can rent ice cleats and do some climbing or do a more pleasant snowmobile tour. Either way, you can enjoy endless beautiful sights. Finally you'll reach Jasper, the usual turning around the place for the Banff-Jasper loop . It's worth riding the Jasper Skytram, and be sure to visit the wonderful Jasper Park Lodge, also dating back to the 1920s. If you can have lunch there, do it. The restaurant has an adventurous menu and their wine list would put a smile on any visitor's face. According the passage, The Pines is a _ .
|
[
"place in which you can see many mobile homes",
"mountain where you can get a good view of the valley",
"town which happens to be near the Banff National Park",
"restaurant where you can ask for some special kinds of food"
] | 3 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
While in Banff, make time for a walk around town. A special treat is to go up the mountainside on the Banff Gondola for a surprising view of the valley below. Here is The Pines, whose cook has developed a special way of mixing foreign food such as caribou, wild boar, and reindeer with surprising sauces. Best time to visit is during the off-season, from early May to mid-June, or in October. This way you can avoid sharing the highway with mobile homes which can be pulled by cars. But whatever the season, take some lunch with you from Banff, because there are only a few food stops on the road. Forty minutes north of Banff, side by side with the Banff National Park, sits world-famous Lake Louise. This surprisingly small body of water is attractive with towering mountains around it. Glaciers, huge masses of ice, moving very slowly against rocks, produce what is called glacier rock flour, making its water dark to see. It is worth taking a walk around the grounds of the Chateau Lake Louise, another beauty, proud of its early 20th century history. Back on the road, and it's time to continue north past the astonishing Columbia Icefield, then turn off the highway and take the short road to the base of the Athabaska Glacier. You can rent ice cleats and do some climbing or do a more pleasant snowmobile tour. Either way, you can enjoy endless beautiful sights. Finally you'll reach Jasper, the usual turning around the place for the Banff-Jasper loop . It's worth riding the Jasper Skytram, and be sure to visit the wonderful Jasper Park Lodge, also dating back to the 1920s. If you can have lunch there, do it. The restaurant has an adventurous menu and their wine list would put a smile on any visitor's face. According the passage, The Pines is a _ .
A. place in which you can see many mobile homes
B. mountain where you can get a good view of the valley
C. town which happens to be near the Banff National Park
D. restaurant where you can ask for some special kinds of food
Answer:D
|
What are you reading? (A3) How do your reading habits compare to those of students of a similar age? We ran a poll to discover what, when, where and why teens read. Literary greats(A4-7) People have been telling stories for centuries. We profile eight authors, whose work has made a great contribution both to literature and the world as a whole. Have you read any of their books? Teen reading(A8-10) Not all books are written by adults for adults. The market for books aimed at young adults is very strong and many new titles are published each year. Some of them are even written by teenagers. Science fiction (A11) Have you ever thought what it would be like to travel in space or meet _ ? Jules Verne and Douglas Adams did. It's time to explore the world of science fiction, where anything and everything can happen. Horror(A12) You'll want to sleep with the light on after reading a story by Edgar Allan Poe or Stephen King. They are two of the finest fiction writers. Get ready for unpleasant deaths and frightening ghosts . _ (A13) Don't have time to read a whole book? Then why not spend a few minutes with a book of poetry? We have selected some poems that celebrate the winter season--white snow, cold weather and Christmas. Past and present(A14) Over the centuries, stories have been written on all kinds of things. Find out about the development of paper and printing----and what books will look like in the future. Join in the fun(A15--16) Reading is enjoyed by almost everyone. Here are some activities you can do to make it even more fun. You can also try our special literature quiz. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
|
[
"Articles about Shakespeare or Charles Dickens can be found in A12.",
"An introduction of the book Journey to the Center of the Earth may possibly appear in A11.",
"A section named \"BESTSELLERS\" can be found in A16.",
"An article about Harry Potter may possibly appear in A14."
] | 1 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
What are you reading? (A3) How do your reading habits compare to those of students of a similar age? We ran a poll to discover what, when, where and why teens read. Literary greats(A4-7) People have been telling stories for centuries. We profile eight authors, whose work has made a great contribution both to literature and the world as a whole. Have you read any of their books? Teen reading(A8-10) Not all books are written by adults for adults. The market for books aimed at young adults is very strong and many new titles are published each year. Some of them are even written by teenagers. Science fiction (A11) Have you ever thought what it would be like to travel in space or meet _ ? Jules Verne and Douglas Adams did. It's time to explore the world of science fiction, where anything and everything can happen. Horror(A12) You'll want to sleep with the light on after reading a story by Edgar Allan Poe or Stephen King. They are two of the finest fiction writers. Get ready for unpleasant deaths and frightening ghosts . _ (A13) Don't have time to read a whole book? Then why not spend a few minutes with a book of poetry? We have selected some poems that celebrate the winter season--white snow, cold weather and Christmas. Past and present(A14) Over the centuries, stories have been written on all kinds of things. Find out about the development of paper and printing----and what books will look like in the future. Join in the fun(A15--16) Reading is enjoyed by almost everyone. Here are some activities you can do to make it even more fun. You can also try our special literature quiz. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Articles about Shakespeare or Charles Dickens can be found in A12.
B. An introduction of the book Journey to the Center of the Earth may possibly appear in A11.
C. A section named "BESTSELLERS" can be found in A16.
D. An article about Harry Potter may possibly appear in A14.
Answer:B
|
Have you ever heard of Weifang, Shangdong Province? What is it known for? There is an international kite festival every April in Weifang that is a modern city with many traditions. People from all over the world compete in the kite flying. There are also competitions for the best kites. The kites in the competition are all made by hand. Most people have flown a kite. It makes people happy. It's easy to make it. It's made of bamboo and paper. But not so many people know that kites were first made in China thousands of years ago. The ancient Chinese made and flew kites even before they could write. A long time ago, the Chinese made kites to use in wars. They would fly these war kites in the dark. The kites were fixed and they made strange sounds in wind. Men who were at war against them would hear these sounds and run away. They thought those strange sounds were made by gods in the sky. The ancient Chinese also flew kites to bring good luck and to make their crops grow rich and tall. Sometimes they tied long strings and hooks to their kites. Then they would fly the kites over water, letting the hooks hang down to catch fish. The Chinese use sticks, string and paper for their kites. Some of these kites look like animals or trees and others look like houses. The ancient Chinese used kites in wars because the kites _ .
|
[
"could bring good luck",
"looked like animals.",
"could make strange sounds and help them in a war.",
"could brought light in the dark for them."
] | 2 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Have you ever heard of Weifang, Shangdong Province? What is it known for? There is an international kite festival every April in Weifang that is a modern city with many traditions. People from all over the world compete in the kite flying. There are also competitions for the best kites. The kites in the competition are all made by hand. Most people have flown a kite. It makes people happy. It's easy to make it. It's made of bamboo and paper. But not so many people know that kites were first made in China thousands of years ago. The ancient Chinese made and flew kites even before they could write. A long time ago, the Chinese made kites to use in wars. They would fly these war kites in the dark. The kites were fixed and they made strange sounds in wind. Men who were at war against them would hear these sounds and run away. They thought those strange sounds were made by gods in the sky. The ancient Chinese also flew kites to bring good luck and to make their crops grow rich and tall. Sometimes they tied long strings and hooks to their kites. Then they would fly the kites over water, letting the hooks hang down to catch fish. The Chinese use sticks, string and paper for their kites. Some of these kites look like animals or trees and others look like houses. The ancient Chinese used kites in wars because the kites _ .
A. could bring good luck
B. looked like animals.
C. could make strange sounds and help them in a war.
D. could brought light in the dark for them.
Answer:C
|
Lose yourself in the sights and sounds of Madrid -- a three-night break from PS175 per person. * Have a three-night break in Madrid, with a four-star hotel. * Prices range from PS175 to PS245 per person, depending on when you travel (PS350 as usual). * Stay in the Hotel Santo Domingo in the heart of the city. * Return flights are included in the cost of the voucher . Details * The voucher is valid from January 9th, 2014 to March 25th, 2014 (no discounts during January 16th -18th, February 1st-2nd, 12th-16th, March 1st-2nd). * PS175 per person for arrivals between January 9th and January 31st; PS210 per person for arrivals between February 1st and February 28th; PS245 per person for arrivals between March 1st and March 25th. * Once you have bought the voucher, book by calling 0800 368 0300. Book as early as you can. You cannot call off your deal once you book one. * One voucher can only be used for one stay. You cannot use more vouchers to extend your stay. It's not available with any other discounts. The unused parts of the deal are not exchanged for cash or any other service. What you will get Madrid's mix of culture, wisdom and fun makes it one of Europe's most exciting capital cities. By day, go to the Golden Museum Triangle to enjoy works of art by Picasso and Van Gogh, and visit the Royal Palace. At night, go to clubs to experience the culture. When it comes to the food, no words can describe it. In the hotel, you can have free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, LCD televisions and bathrooms. As well as being based in the best shopping area in Madrid, the hotel is also close to the biggest museum. What do we know about the Hotel Santo Domingo?
|
[
"It is a five-star hotel.",
"It lies in the west of Madrid.",
"It is located in a shopping area.",
"It is far from the biggest museum."
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Lose yourself in the sights and sounds of Madrid -- a three-night break from PS175 per person. * Have a three-night break in Madrid, with a four-star hotel. * Prices range from PS175 to PS245 per person, depending on when you travel (PS350 as usual). * Stay in the Hotel Santo Domingo in the heart of the city. * Return flights are included in the cost of the voucher . Details * The voucher is valid from January 9th, 2014 to March 25th, 2014 (no discounts during January 16th -18th, February 1st-2nd, 12th-16th, March 1st-2nd). * PS175 per person for arrivals between January 9th and January 31st; PS210 per person for arrivals between February 1st and February 28th; PS245 per person for arrivals between March 1st and March 25th. * Once you have bought the voucher, book by calling 0800 368 0300. Book as early as you can. You cannot call off your deal once you book one. * One voucher can only be used for one stay. You cannot use more vouchers to extend your stay. It's not available with any other discounts. The unused parts of the deal are not exchanged for cash or any other service. What you will get Madrid's mix of culture, wisdom and fun makes it one of Europe's most exciting capital cities. By day, go to the Golden Museum Triangle to enjoy works of art by Picasso and Van Gogh, and visit the Royal Palace. At night, go to clubs to experience the culture. When it comes to the food, no words can describe it. In the hotel, you can have free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, LCD televisions and bathrooms. As well as being based in the best shopping area in Madrid, the hotel is also close to the biggest museum. What do we know about the Hotel Santo Domingo?
Answer: It is located in a shopping area.
|
Many gardeners believe that "talking" to their plants helps them grow---it turns out that _ may not be crazy after all. According to the scientists from the University of Exeter, plants may keep communicating with each other through a secret "unseen" language. For their experiment, the scientists picked a cabbage plant that is known to send out a gas when its surface is cut. In order to get video evidence of the communication, they changed the cabbage gene by adding the protein---luciderase , which is what makes fireflies glow in the dark. When the changed cabbage plant was in full bloom, they cut a leaf off with a pair of scissors, and almost immediately, thanks to the luciderase, they could see the plant sending out "methyl jasmonate ". While this was a known fact, what was surprising was the fact that the minute this gas began to give out, the nearby cabbage plants seemed to sense some kind of danger and started to send out a gas that they normally have to keep predators like caterpillars away. What the scientists are not sure is whether the plants are trying to warn the other leaves or the near plants about the danger---something that will require further research However, the team, which is led by Professor Nick Smirnoff, is quite excited about the findings because this is the first time it has been proved that plants do not live a passive life, but actually move, sense and even communicate with each other. However, before you get all concerned, they are quite sure that plants do not feel the pain when they are cut, since they do not have nerves---so go ahead and bite into that juicy carrot! What's the best title of the passage?
|
[
"Plants Can Send Some Gas",
"Plants Can Communicate with Each Other",
"The \"Unseen\" Language of Plants",
"Plants Can't Feel Pain"
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Many gardeners believe that "talking" to their plants helps them grow---it turns out that _ may not be crazy after all. According to the scientists from the University of Exeter, plants may keep communicating with each other through a secret "unseen" language. For their experiment, the scientists picked a cabbage plant that is known to send out a gas when its surface is cut. In order to get video evidence of the communication, they changed the cabbage gene by adding the protein---luciderase , which is what makes fireflies glow in the dark. When the changed cabbage plant was in full bloom, they cut a leaf off with a pair of scissors, and almost immediately, thanks to the luciderase, they could see the plant sending out "methyl jasmonate ". While this was a known fact, what was surprising was the fact that the minute this gas began to give out, the nearby cabbage plants seemed to sense some kind of danger and started to send out a gas that they normally have to keep predators like caterpillars away. What the scientists are not sure is whether the plants are trying to warn the other leaves or the near plants about the danger---something that will require further research However, the team, which is led by Professor Nick Smirnoff, is quite excited about the findings because this is the first time it has been proved that plants do not live a passive life, but actually move, sense and even communicate with each other. However, before you get all concerned, they are quite sure that plants do not feel the pain when they are cut, since they do not have nerves---so go ahead and bite into that juicy carrot! What's the best title of the passage?
Answer: The "Unseen" Language of Plants
|
Thanks to a young waiter, I only recently discovered that a friend of 20 years was once a yo-yo virtuoso . "Oh, stop it!" Jackie said when I started laughing during our dinner. "I was, too. And I knew how to 'Walk the Dog.' " "Wow, really?" said our waiter, Jumario Simmons, flashing a big smile at us. "Don't encourage her," I said. "What else could you do?" he asked. "I did 'Round the World,'" Jackie said, now ignoring me completely. "That cradle thing, too." I'd asked Jumario what he did when he wasn't waiting on tables. The 24-year-old waiter was so smart that I knew there had to be more to his story. It turns out that he won a regional yo-yo competition last year. He also gives free lessons to kids. "It gives them something to do," Jumario said. "Keeps them off the streets." One of the great things about eating out is the table talk with strangers, which reminds us that everyone has a life and a name. But the other day I heard that some restaurants are ending this talk between diners and servers. I listened to the reporter describe how their improvements are allowing customers to text orders from their tables to speed up service. The reporter got my attention with this sentence: "Five minutes after typing 'I'm at table 3', a meal arrives at the table." But there wasn't a "please" with this order, which should have been a request, by the way. If you've ever waited on tables, you know that the last thing you need is yet another way for a customer to be unpleasant. Most servers are constantly mediating between customers' requests for substitutions and overworked cooks' accusations of treason. Except at high-end restaurants, servers also have to hover like mothers of preschoolers so that we might consider them worthy of a large enough tip to lift their pay to minimum wage. Texting a server from a table a few feet away is equal to moving our fingers and shouting, "Hey, you!" It was rude in 1957, and it's rude now. You won't ever find me texting a waiter or waitress. The passage mainly focuses on _ .
|
[
"how to wait on tables",
"the friendship between old friends",
"where to eat out",
"the relationship between customers and waiters"
] | 3 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Thanks to a young waiter, I only recently discovered that a friend of 20 years was once a yo-yo virtuoso . "Oh, stop it!" Jackie said when I started laughing during our dinner. "I was, too. And I knew how to 'Walk the Dog.' " "Wow, really?" said our waiter, Jumario Simmons, flashing a big smile at us. "Don't encourage her," I said. "What else could you do?" he asked. "I did 'Round the World,'" Jackie said, now ignoring me completely. "That cradle thing, too." I'd asked Jumario what he did when he wasn't waiting on tables. The 24-year-old waiter was so smart that I knew there had to be more to his story. It turns out that he won a regional yo-yo competition last year. He also gives free lessons to kids. "It gives them something to do," Jumario said. "Keeps them off the streets." One of the great things about eating out is the table talk with strangers, which reminds us that everyone has a life and a name. But the other day I heard that some restaurants are ending this talk between diners and servers. I listened to the reporter describe how their improvements are allowing customers to text orders from their tables to speed up service. The reporter got my attention with this sentence: "Five minutes after typing 'I'm at table 3', a meal arrives at the table." But there wasn't a "please" with this order, which should have been a request, by the way. If you've ever waited on tables, you know that the last thing you need is yet another way for a customer to be unpleasant. Most servers are constantly mediating between customers' requests for substitutions and overworked cooks' accusations of treason. Except at high-end restaurants, servers also have to hover like mothers of preschoolers so that we might consider them worthy of a large enough tip to lift their pay to minimum wage. Texting a server from a table a few feet away is equal to moving our fingers and shouting, "Hey, you!" It was rude in 1957, and it's rude now. You won't ever find me texting a waiter or waitress. The passage mainly focuses on _ .
A. how to wait on tables
B. the friendship between old friends
C. where to eat out
D. the relationship between customers and waiters
Answer:D
|
I once was walking in the woods with my friends. The day was very nice, there were a lot of trees. The walk was part of a week long trip I took with Boy Scouts. This day was day number three of our trip. There was four of us walking. We were walking down a path when all of the sudden we came across a bear. This scared us. Bears can be dangerous. A few seconds later we saw another bear, there was not only one. This bear was a baby bear. A leader told us that a bear with a baby can be much more dangerous. We had to remember what to do when you come across a bear. The leader told us not to walk towards the bear. You also can not make any quick motions. The leader said we needed to start talking to make noise and to start to walk away from the bears. After a little bit of time we were away from the bears and we were safe. What made these bears more dangerous?
|
[
"The bear was with the baby.",
"There was no bears in the story",
"The bears were hiding in the trees",
"There were four bears"
] | 0 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
I once was walking in the woods with my friends. The day was very nice, there were a lot of trees. The walk was part of a week long trip I took with Boy Scouts. This day was day number three of our trip. There was four of us walking. We were walking down a path when all of the sudden we came across a bear. This scared us. Bears can be dangerous. A few seconds later we saw another bear, there was not only one. This bear was a baby bear. A leader told us that a bear with a baby can be much more dangerous. We had to remember what to do when you come across a bear. The leader told us not to walk towards the bear. You also can not make any quick motions. The leader said we needed to start talking to make noise and to start to walk away from the bears. After a little bit of time we were away from the bears and we were safe. What made these bears more dangerous?
A. The bear was with the baby.
B. There was no bears in the story
C. The bears were hiding in the trees
D. There were four bears
Answer:A
|
Everyone knows that there's not enough land in Hong Kong. If you go there by air, you will land at Kai Tak Airport. It was built out into the sea. It is in the part of Hong Kong called Kowloon. Kowloon is one of the two big islands in Hong Kong. The other island is Hong Kong itself. You can get there by ship or through a tunnel under the sea. The population of Hong Kong is more than six million. Chinese and English are spoken by many people there. Clothes, computers, radios, televisions are made in Hong Kong. It is a shopping center. You can buy all kinds of things there. Hong Kong is also a beautiful city. It is a good place for traveling. People from all over the world visit Hong Kong every year. You can watch dog-racing and motor-racing there. When you are hot and tired, you may rest in the small cool gardens. There are also a lot of tall buildings with comfortable rooms to live in. If you enjoy eating out, you can easily find a good place for delicious food. Foods of different flavors are served in Hong Kong. What's the population of Hong Kong?
|
[
"Nearly 6 million.",
"Less than 6 million.",
"Over 6 million.",
"Only 6 million."
] | 2 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Everyone knows that there's not enough land in Hong Kong. If you go there by air, you will land at Kai Tak Airport. It was built out into the sea. It is in the part of Hong Kong called Kowloon. Kowloon is one of the two big islands in Hong Kong. The other island is Hong Kong itself. You can get there by ship or through a tunnel under the sea. The population of Hong Kong is more than six million. Chinese and English are spoken by many people there. Clothes, computers, radios, televisions are made in Hong Kong. It is a shopping center. You can buy all kinds of things there. Hong Kong is also a beautiful city. It is a good place for traveling. People from all over the world visit Hong Kong every year. You can watch dog-racing and motor-racing there. When you are hot and tired, you may rest in the small cool gardens. There are also a lot of tall buildings with comfortable rooms to live in. If you enjoy eating out, you can easily find a good place for delicious food. Foods of different flavors are served in Hong Kong. What's the population of Hong Kong?
A. Nearly 6 million.
B. Less than 6 million.
C. Over 6 million.
D. Only 6 million.
Answer:C
|
Many boys love reading about the legends of old pirates and dreaming of their own wild adventures. But modern pirates are not a thing of the past. Last month Somali pirates did their boldest hijacking to date. They seized the Saudi supertanker Sirius Star carrying crude oil worth about $100 million. They demanded $15 million to free the ship and its crew. The pirates have kept hitting the headlines this year: 92 attacks have been attempted, with 36 successful hijackings and 268 crew members taken hostage . The Chinese fishing ship Tianyu 8, with 17 Chinese and 8 foreigners on board, has been in their hands since November 14. Of course piracy is nothing new. Even since there has been water and ships there have been pirates. The earliest documented history of pirates dates back to the 13thcentury in the Mediterranean Sea. Even the famous Roman emperor Julius Caesar was once kidnapped by pirates. Piracy reached its peak in the mid-1700s. It was during this time in the Caribbean and off the coast of Africa that men like "Blackbeard the Pirate" made this profession attractive. But with the creation of stronger national Navies piracy became less popular around the world. In the mid-20thcentury, most pirates were petty thieves. They used hooks to sneak on board ships at anchor, and grabbed all that they could find. _ However, nowadays piracy has become a multi-million-dollar business at tracting many in poor countries. Pirates are treated like heroes among local fishermen. They use satellite phones and Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Once they spot their target, they swarm the ship with fast boats and shoot it by firing AK-47s or even rocket-propelled grenades . Then they hold the ship and its crews for money. "The world should take forceful actions together to fight piracy," said leaders at the Asian and Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru. "However, putting in anti-piracy army can only be half of the solution. We have to protect the fair chance of Somali fishermen to get a good living and keep them from the lure of easy money," said Peter Lehr, a lecturer in terrorism studies. When did piracy reach its peak?
|
[
"In the 13 thcentury.",
"In the mid-1700s.",
"In the mid-20 thcentury.",
"November 14, 2008."
] | 1 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Many boys love reading about the legends of old pirates and dreaming of their own wild adventures. But modern pirates are not a thing of the past. Last month Somali pirates did their boldest hijacking to date. They seized the Saudi supertanker Sirius Star carrying crude oil worth about $100 million. They demanded $15 million to free the ship and its crew. The pirates have kept hitting the headlines this year: 92 attacks have been attempted, with 36 successful hijackings and 268 crew members taken hostage . The Chinese fishing ship Tianyu 8, with 17 Chinese and 8 foreigners on board, has been in their hands since November 14. Of course piracy is nothing new. Even since there has been water and ships there have been pirates. The earliest documented history of pirates dates back to the 13thcentury in the Mediterranean Sea. Even the famous Roman emperor Julius Caesar was once kidnapped by pirates. Piracy reached its peak in the mid-1700s. It was during this time in the Caribbean and off the coast of Africa that men like "Blackbeard the Pirate" made this profession attractive. But with the creation of stronger national Navies piracy became less popular around the world. In the mid-20thcentury, most pirates were petty thieves. They used hooks to sneak on board ships at anchor, and grabbed all that they could find. _ However, nowadays piracy has become a multi-million-dollar business at tracting many in poor countries. Pirates are treated like heroes among local fishermen. They use satellite phones and Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Once they spot their target, they swarm the ship with fast boats and shoot it by firing AK-47s or even rocket-propelled grenades . Then they hold the ship and its crews for money. "The world should take forceful actions together to fight piracy," said leaders at the Asian and Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru. "However, putting in anti-piracy army can only be half of the solution. We have to protect the fair chance of Somali fishermen to get a good living and keep them from the lure of easy money," said Peter Lehr, a lecturer in terrorism studies. When did piracy reach its peak?
A. In the 13 thcentury.
B. In the mid-1700s.
C. In the mid-20 thcentury.
D. November 14, 2008.
Answer:B
|
My name is Maria. I'm 13. I live in New York City. I often go to school by bike. Riding a bike is good exercise for me. I like watching NBA matches on TV very much. I watch them every week. It's real fun for me. I like pop music a lot, too. My favorite singing star is Michael Jackson. At school, music is my favorite subject. I have a good voice and I play the violin well. I have a dream of being a singer like Madonna. I'm Linda. I'm 12. I live in Los Angeles. I like playing football and basketball. I play football or basketball every day with my friends after school. I like animals and I also like animal stamps. I have panda stamps from my pen pal. They are very good. On weekends I often go to the mountains to paint pictures. I have painted some very nice pictures. Painting is my life, so I want to be a painter when I grow up. I'm Sophia. My home is in Washington D.C. I like reading and watching programs about travel and history. I often stay at home reading on weekends. At school, I like French very much and I'm good at it. I'd like to be a guide. I can go around the world and meet a lot of people. That would be great fun. Linda wants to be _ when she grows up.
|
[
"a singer",
"a guide",
"a painter",
"a player"
] | 2 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
My name is Maria. I'm 13. I live in New York City. I often go to school by bike. Riding a bike is good exercise for me. I like watching NBA matches on TV very much. I watch them every week. It's real fun for me. I like pop music a lot, too. My favorite singing star is Michael Jackson. At school, music is my favorite subject. I have a good voice and I play the violin well. I have a dream of being a singer like Madonna. I'm Linda. I'm 12. I live in Los Angeles. I like playing football and basketball. I play football or basketball every day with my friends after school. I like animals and I also like animal stamps. I have panda stamps from my pen pal. They are very good. On weekends I often go to the mountains to paint pictures. I have painted some very nice pictures. Painting is my life, so I want to be a painter when I grow up. I'm Sophia. My home is in Washington D.C. I like reading and watching programs about travel and history. I often stay at home reading on weekends. At school, I like French very much and I'm good at it. I'd like to be a guide. I can go around the world and meet a lot of people. That would be great fun. Linda wants to be _ when she grows up.
A. a singer
B. a guide
C. a painter
D. a player
Answer:C
|
In the countries of South and Southeast Asia, the elephant has been an important part of the culture, economy and religion for centuries. And nowhere more so than in Thailand. Unlike its African cousin, the Asian elephant is easily domesticated . The rare so-called white elephants have actually lent the power of royalty to its rulers,and until the 1920s the national flag was a white elephant on a red background. To the early Western visitors, the country's romantic name was" Land of the White Elephant". Today, however, the story is very different. Out of work and out of land, the Thai elephant struggles for survival in a nation that no longer needs it. The elephant has found itself more or less deserted by previous owners who have moved on to a different economic world and a society in the western part. And while the elephant's problems began many years ago, now it has a very low national advantage. How does the national symbol turn into ignored animals? It is a story of worse environment and the changing lives of the Thais themselves. According to Richard Lair, Thailand's expert on the Asian elephant and author of the report Gone Astray, at the turn of the last century, there may well have been as many as 100,000 national elephants in the country. In the north of Thailand alone, it was estimated that more than 20,000 elephants were employed in transport, 1,000 of them alone on the road between the cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Saen. This was at a time when 90 percent of Thailand was still forest---a habitat that not only supported the animals but also made them necessary to carry goods and people. Nothing ploughs through thick forest better than lots of sure-footed elephants. By 1950 the elephant population had dropped, but still to the number of 13, 397. However, today there are probably no more than 3,800, with another l,350 wandering free in the national parks. But now, Thailand's forest covers only 20 percent of the land. This deforestation is the central point of the elephant's difficult situation, for it has effectively put the animals out of work. This century, as the road network grew, the elephant's role as a beast of burden decreased. The passage is most probably from _ .
|
[
"a travel guide",
"a history book",
"a popular science magazine",
"an official announcement"
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: In the countries of South and Southeast Asia, the elephant has been an important part of the culture, economy and religion for centuries. And nowhere more so than in Thailand. Unlike its African cousin, the Asian elephant is easily domesticated . The rare so-called white elephants have actually lent the power of royalty to its rulers,and until the 1920s the national flag was a white elephant on a red background. To the early Western visitors, the country's romantic name was" Land of the White Elephant". Today, however, the story is very different. Out of work and out of land, the Thai elephant struggles for survival in a nation that no longer needs it. The elephant has found itself more or less deserted by previous owners who have moved on to a different economic world and a society in the western part. And while the elephant's problems began many years ago, now it has a very low national advantage. How does the national symbol turn into ignored animals? It is a story of worse environment and the changing lives of the Thais themselves. According to Richard Lair, Thailand's expert on the Asian elephant and author of the report Gone Astray, at the turn of the last century, there may well have been as many as 100,000 national elephants in the country. In the north of Thailand alone, it was estimated that more than 20,000 elephants were employed in transport, 1,000 of them alone on the road between the cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Saen. This was at a time when 90 percent of Thailand was still forest---a habitat that not only supported the animals but also made them necessary to carry goods and people. Nothing ploughs through thick forest better than lots of sure-footed elephants. By 1950 the elephant population had dropped, but still to the number of 13, 397. However, today there are probably no more than 3,800, with another l,350 wandering free in the national parks. But now, Thailand's forest covers only 20 percent of the land. This deforestation is the central point of the elephant's difficult situation, for it has effectively put the animals out of work. This century, as the road network grew, the elephant's role as a beast of burden decreased. The passage is most probably from _ .
Answer: a popular science magazine
|
Scientists in Colombia have trained a team of rats to help remove land mines from the countryside. Land mines are small bombs hidden in the ground and designed to explode when someone steps on them. When trained, the rats can smell special metals in the mines and then signal to their human team. Then why use rats for such an important job? In the past, dogs have been used to find bombs. Rats have a good sense of smell and can respond to orders, just like dogs do. But rats are much lighter than dogs. They stand less of a chance of setting off the mines, which explode under a certain amount of weight. What's more, the best rats are cheaper to keep than dogs. It costs about the same amount of money to take care of one dog as it does 70 rats. The rats have already been used in Tanzania, an African country with many land mines. Luisa Fernanda Mendez and her team in Colombia are training the even lighter Wistar rats. These are the white rats with red eyes that scientists often use in laboratory experiments. " _ even train their babies to perform their jobs, which saves us a lot of time, " Mendez said. Colombia has the second-highest rate of deaths from land mine accidents in the world. Last year, land mines killed 695 people -- 56 of whom were children. A criminal group called the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, as well as other organizations, have placed the mines. FARC are strongly against Colombia's government. The group has placed mines all around its own bases and in many places in the countryside. In the past, the Colombian government hired peasants and poor farmers to find mines. Many of them died trying to find the well-hidden bombs. Colombian police official Erick Guzman hopes the team of rats can come to the rescue . "These rats will be a great help," he said. How do rats help to find land mines?
|
[
"By their special sight.",
"By their light weight.",
"By their sense of smell.",
"By their excellent hearing."
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Scientists in Colombia have trained a team of rats to help remove land mines from the countryside. Land mines are small bombs hidden in the ground and designed to explode when someone steps on them. When trained, the rats can smell special metals in the mines and then signal to their human team. Then why use rats for such an important job? In the past, dogs have been used to find bombs. Rats have a good sense of smell and can respond to orders, just like dogs do. But rats are much lighter than dogs. They stand less of a chance of setting off the mines, which explode under a certain amount of weight. What's more, the best rats are cheaper to keep than dogs. It costs about the same amount of money to take care of one dog as it does 70 rats. The rats have already been used in Tanzania, an African country with many land mines. Luisa Fernanda Mendez and her team in Colombia are training the even lighter Wistar rats. These are the white rats with red eyes that scientists often use in laboratory experiments. " _ even train their babies to perform their jobs, which saves us a lot of time, " Mendez said. Colombia has the second-highest rate of deaths from land mine accidents in the world. Last year, land mines killed 695 people -- 56 of whom were children. A criminal group called the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, as well as other organizations, have placed the mines. FARC are strongly against Colombia's government. The group has placed mines all around its own bases and in many places in the countryside. In the past, the Colombian government hired peasants and poor farmers to find mines. Many of them died trying to find the well-hidden bombs. Colombian police official Erick Guzman hopes the team of rats can come to the rescue . "These rats will be a great help," he said. How do rats help to find land mines?
Answer: By their sense of smell.
|
People who travel a lot fly with BA because they know they will get what they want and what they need. First of all, they want to go safely, and they also want to go quickly, across the country, across the sea, or right across the world -- and they know BA will take them where they want to go, when they want to go. BA flies all the newest and fastest planes, to more towns and cities, in more countries of the world, than any other airline. Do you want to go to Paris, Washington, or Beijing? BA will take you there, at all time of the day and night, right through the week. BA flies not only to the big cities, we also fly three or four times a week to towns and cities in the very heart of Asia, Africa and South America. People who travel a lot fly with BA, because they know that they will leave on time, and arrive on time. They know the food they will receive and the films they will watch will be of the very best. . When you fly, fly with BA. The writer thinks that the most important thing for the passengers is _ .
|
[
"to fly freely",
"that the planes arrive on time",
"to fly at a fast speed",
"to travel safely"
] | 3 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: People who travel a lot fly with BA because they know they will get what they want and what they need. First of all, they want to go safely, and they also want to go quickly, across the country, across the sea, or right across the world -- and they know BA will take them where they want to go, when they want to go. BA flies all the newest and fastest planes, to more towns and cities, in more countries of the world, than any other airline. Do you want to go to Paris, Washington, or Beijing? BA will take you there, at all time of the day and night, right through the week. BA flies not only to the big cities, we also fly three or four times a week to towns and cities in the very heart of Asia, Africa and South America. People who travel a lot fly with BA, because they know that they will leave on time, and arrive on time. They know the food they will receive and the films they will watch will be of the very best. . When you fly, fly with BA. The writer thinks that the most important thing for the passengers is _ .
Answer: to travel safely
|
You've probably grown accustomed to texting in the glow of a mobile phone screen. Well, there's some good and bad news coming for those of you who spend hours speedily tapping messages to one another. The good news is that the hours you spend face-to-phone are paying off. You may have become fluent in a second language. The bad news, however, is that this language is texting. Worse still, there isn't yet a texting section in your school exams, so you'll need to work harder to recover the grammar skills you might be killing with every LOL and BRB (Be right back). A new study confirms what many parents suspect. The more kids send and receive texts, the poorer their grammar skills become. With "the culture of mobile communication--quick back and forth , there are compromises on traditional, cultural writing", said S. Shyam Sundar, professor of Pennsylvania State University, which conducted the study. "Techspeak", as Sundar and his research partner Drew P. Cingel call it, has become so prevalent among young users that it's changing their foundation of basic grammar. "Routine use of textual adaptations by current and future generations of 13-to-17-year-olds may serve to create the impression that this is normal and accepted use of the language, "they said in their published findings. It seems teenagers are unable to "code switch-shift" between standard grammar and the abbreviations used in text messages, Sundar said. These abbreviations have become the real words for them now. However, linguists aren't particularly disturbed by the trend, Sundar added. "The linguists will tell you the language is very dynamic. " Still, students have exams to worry about. Here's a sample of the questions, so you can test yourself to see how texting has affected your grammar: *During the flood, we (dranked, drank, drunk, drunked) bottled water. *Fortunately, Jim's name was (accepted, excepted) from the list of those who would have to clean bathrooms because he was supposed to go downtown to (accept, except) a reward for the German Club. *The dress is so large that it is (lose, loose) on me when I wear it! With the sample of the questions at the end of the article, the author intends to _ .
|
[
"get teens to attach more importance to grammar exams",
"give some useful tips on how to pass a grammar exam",
"get teens to find out how much texting has affected their use of language",
"prove that teens' routine of texting is changing their understanding of basic grammar"
] | 2 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
You've probably grown accustomed to texting in the glow of a mobile phone screen. Well, there's some good and bad news coming for those of you who spend hours speedily tapping messages to one another. The good news is that the hours you spend face-to-phone are paying off. You may have become fluent in a second language. The bad news, however, is that this language is texting. Worse still, there isn't yet a texting section in your school exams, so you'll need to work harder to recover the grammar skills you might be killing with every LOL and BRB (Be right back). A new study confirms what many parents suspect. The more kids send and receive texts, the poorer their grammar skills become. With "the culture of mobile communication--quick back and forth , there are compromises on traditional, cultural writing", said S. Shyam Sundar, professor of Pennsylvania State University, which conducted the study. "Techspeak", as Sundar and his research partner Drew P. Cingel call it, has become so prevalent among young users that it's changing their foundation of basic grammar. "Routine use of textual adaptations by current and future generations of 13-to-17-year-olds may serve to create the impression that this is normal and accepted use of the language, "they said in their published findings. It seems teenagers are unable to "code switch-shift" between standard grammar and the abbreviations used in text messages, Sundar said. These abbreviations have become the real words for them now. However, linguists aren't particularly disturbed by the trend, Sundar added. "The linguists will tell you the language is very dynamic. " Still, students have exams to worry about. Here's a sample of the questions, so you can test yourself to see how texting has affected your grammar: *During the flood, we (dranked, drank, drunk, drunked) bottled water. *Fortunately, Jim's name was (accepted, excepted) from the list of those who would have to clean bathrooms because he was supposed to go downtown to (accept, except) a reward for the German Club. *The dress is so large that it is (lose, loose) on me when I wear it! With the sample of the questions at the end of the article, the author intends to _ .
A. get teens to attach more importance to grammar exams
B. give some useful tips on how to pass a grammar exam
C. get teens to find out how much texting has affected their use of language
D. prove that teens' routine of texting is changing their understanding of basic grammar
Answer:C
|
Do you have memories of being kidnapped by aliens and taken away rapidly in a spaceship? You wouldn't be alone. Several thousand people worldwide reported to have had such experiences, researchers say. But in a new study, a psychology expert at London's Goldsmiths College says these experiences are proof of the weakness of the human memory, rather than evidence of life in outer space. "Maybe what we're dealing with here is false memories, and not that people are actually being kidnapped and taken aboard spaceships," says Professor Chris French, who surveyed 19 so-called victims. Several of the victims reported being taken away from their beds or cars by alien creatures around four feet high, with long and lean arms and legs and oversized heads, French said. Some men said they were forced to take painful medical examinations by the aliens. Many of the alien experiences could be explained by sleep paralysis, a condition in which a person is awake and aware of the surroundings but is unable to move. Sleep paralysis often leads to hallucinations --the experience of seeing or feeling something that is not really there and 40 percent of people experience the state at least once in their lives, French said. A rich imagination was also at play. Several of the alien victims were more likely to _ and reported to have seen ghosts and have unnatural abilities. "People have very rich fantasy lives," said French, who is due to present his findings at a public seminar at London's Science Museum on Wednesday. "So much that they often mix up what's happening in their heads with what is going on in the real world." Where can this passage probably be found?
|
[
"A science magazine.",
"A textbook.",
"A science fiction.",
"A storybook."
] | 0 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Do you have memories of being kidnapped by aliens and taken away rapidly in a spaceship? You wouldn't be alone. Several thousand people worldwide reported to have had such experiences, researchers say. But in a new study, a psychology expert at London's Goldsmiths College says these experiences are proof of the weakness of the human memory, rather than evidence of life in outer space. "Maybe what we're dealing with here is false memories, and not that people are actually being kidnapped and taken aboard spaceships," says Professor Chris French, who surveyed 19 so-called victims. Several of the victims reported being taken away from their beds or cars by alien creatures around four feet high, with long and lean arms and legs and oversized heads, French said. Some men said they were forced to take painful medical examinations by the aliens. Many of the alien experiences could be explained by sleep paralysis, a condition in which a person is awake and aware of the surroundings but is unable to move. Sleep paralysis often leads to hallucinations --the experience of seeing or feeling something that is not really there and 40 percent of people experience the state at least once in their lives, French said. A rich imagination was also at play. Several of the alien victims were more likely to _ and reported to have seen ghosts and have unnatural abilities. "People have very rich fantasy lives," said French, who is due to present his findings at a public seminar at London's Science Museum on Wednesday. "So much that they often mix up what's happening in their heads with what is going on in the real world." Where can this passage probably be found?
Answer: A science magazine.
|
From March 12 to 17 of each year, hundreds of clowns get together in the Bonior Regis Town, UK. They all wear tall blue hats and big red noses with colorful faces. The first International Clown Festival was in 1987, UK. All the clowns from all over the world came together to celebrate the great festival in England. During the festival, people can see clowns from the world. They are together for the world of clown shows. They try their best to please all the people for the festival. In the shows, they have big feet, funny noses and look really funny. They sing and dance in a strange way to make people laugh. All people for the festival can have great fun. Of course, children like this interesting festival best. Now women can take part in the clown shows , and they are very popular. But in the old days, only men could be clowns. There are different kinds of clowns like white faces, red faces, street clowns and clowns for children. All these clowns are popular with people. Which is the best title of the article?
|
[
"The International Clown Festival",
"Men clowns and women clowns",
"Different kinds of strange festival",
"Different kinds of clowns in the festival"
] | 0 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
From March 12 to 17 of each year, hundreds of clowns get together in the Bonior Regis Town, UK. They all wear tall blue hats and big red noses with colorful faces. The first International Clown Festival was in 1987, UK. All the clowns from all over the world came together to celebrate the great festival in England. During the festival, people can see clowns from the world. They are together for the world of clown shows. They try their best to please all the people for the festival. In the shows, they have big feet, funny noses and look really funny. They sing and dance in a strange way to make people laugh. All people for the festival can have great fun. Of course, children like this interesting festival best. Now women can take part in the clown shows , and they are very popular. But in the old days, only men could be clowns. There are different kinds of clowns like white faces, red faces, street clowns and clowns for children. All these clowns are popular with people. Which is the best title of the article?
A. The International Clown Festival
B. Men clowns and women clowns
C. Different kinds of strange festival
D. Different kinds of clowns in the festival
Answer:A
|
If you want to get a new cell phone number, don't forget to bring your ID with you . As of September 1, people have to register with their ID to buy a new cell phone number. You can show your ID card orhukou, but student ID's won't work. If you already have a cell phone number, it is better to register it before 2013. The new rules are meant to prevent junk messages and fraud through cell phones. A cell phone user in China on average received 43.3 messages a week in the first half of this year. According to reports, about 12 of those were junk messages. In a survey, about 74.5 percent of users said they have received fraudulent messages. If all people register their cell phone number with ID information, it will be easier for police to find the people behind those messages. Situations in other countries Because cell phone are getting more and more popular, many countries have made stricter cell phone rules. Countries like India, Japan, Australia, and Singapore all ask users to register their ID information. Ulrich Mller is a German living in Beijing. "In Germany, you have to show your ID when you buy a cell phone card," he said. "The rules have been there for a long time. Most people know about it." Linda van der Horst is a student at Peking University. She said that in the Netherlands ,people have to show ID information and bank account information to buy a cell phone card. People received an average of _ junk messages in a week in the first half of this year.
|
[
"31.3",
"12",
"43.3",
"55"
] | 1 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
If you want to get a new cell phone number, don't forget to bring your ID with you . As of September 1, people have to register with their ID to buy a new cell phone number. You can show your ID card orhukou, but student ID's won't work. If you already have a cell phone number, it is better to register it before 2013. The new rules are meant to prevent junk messages and fraud through cell phones. A cell phone user in China on average received 43.3 messages a week in the first half of this year. According to reports, about 12 of those were junk messages. In a survey, about 74.5 percent of users said they have received fraudulent messages. If all people register their cell phone number with ID information, it will be easier for police to find the people behind those messages. Situations in other countries Because cell phone are getting more and more popular, many countries have made stricter cell phone rules. Countries like India, Japan, Australia, and Singapore all ask users to register their ID information. Ulrich Mller is a German living in Beijing. "In Germany, you have to show your ID when you buy a cell phone card," he said. "The rules have been there for a long time. Most people know about it." Linda van der Horst is a student at Peking University. She said that in the Netherlands ,people have to show ID information and bank account information to buy a cell phone card. People received an average of _ junk messages in a week in the first half of this year.
A. 31.3
B. 12
C. 43.3
D. 55
Answer:B
|
It's seven thirty in the morning. The students are coming into the classroom. A girl is opening the windows. Some of the students are laughing and talking. Some others are listening to them. Some are reading books. Some are doing their homework. Miss Zhao is standing behind the teacher's desks. She is writing on the blackboard. Sue and Lily are wearing their new dresses today. Ann is cleaning her desk. Mike is helping her. They all look happy. What are Bill and Jim doing? Oh, dear! They are still playing basketball on the playground. The students are _
|
[
"in the school",
"at home",
"in the boat",
"on the playground"
] | 0 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: It's seven thirty in the morning. The students are coming into the classroom. A girl is opening the windows. Some of the students are laughing and talking. Some others are listening to them. Some are reading books. Some are doing their homework. Miss Zhao is standing behind the teacher's desks. She is writing on the blackboard. Sue and Lily are wearing their new dresses today. Ann is cleaning her desk. Mike is helping her. They all look happy. What are Bill and Jim doing? Oh, dear! They are still playing basketball on the playground. The students are _
Answer: in the school
|
Which characteristic is not an inherited trait?
|
[
"size",
"eye color",
"skin color",
"personality"
] | 3 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Which characteristic is not an inherited trait?
A. size
B. eye color
C. skin color
D. personality
Answer:D
|
Comfort zone is the mental place surrounded by borders in our mind where we feel secure.Even though this comfort area and its boundaries are just a state of mind that has nothing to do with reality,it plays a huge role in the progress of our development.Since the comfort zone is limited,there is not much benefit for you inside your comfort zone.Nothing new will happen until you open yourself and leave your comfort zone. Even though your background may be affecting your present situation,what really matters is not where you were born,your skin color,race,age,gender,religion,government,or even the poor environment in which you have been living for so many years,but what really matters and makes a big difference in your life is your attitude,to understand your comfort zone,how you limit yourself within it,who you are,why you behave the way you do it,and mainly where you are going. Sadly many people don't go anywhere because they stay within their comfort zone.They accept defeat after defeat before even trying or knowing how capable or valuable they really are.These circumstances are not the cause of our actual situation but the conformism and the poverty of our thoughts and therefore the weakness of our broken spirit. Leave your past behind;constantly transcend your comfort zone!Your past within this comfort zone is nothing but a wasted load that you don't need to carry at all. Take constant action as many times as it is required and never,never quit. As Napoleon Hill said,"A quitter never wins and a winner never quits. Defeat is never a failure;no circumstance ever is failure until it is accepted by the individual as a failure." Nothing is impossible for an optimist attitude;everything is possible when we start blindly trusting ourselves,when we have a burning desire to succeed and a blind determination to make our dreams come true;everything is possible when we don't take a no for an answer. What is comfort zone according to the passage?
|
[
"A place in our realistic life where we obtain comfort.",
"A mental place in our mind where we stick to our beliefs.",
"A limited place in our mind where we feel safe.",
"A secret place in our mind where we communicate with ourselves."
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Comfort zone is the mental place surrounded by borders in our mind where we feel secure.Even though this comfort area and its boundaries are just a state of mind that has nothing to do with reality,it plays a huge role in the progress of our development.Since the comfort zone is limited,there is not much benefit for you inside your comfort zone.Nothing new will happen until you open yourself and leave your comfort zone. Even though your background may be affecting your present situation,what really matters is not where you were born,your skin color,race,age,gender,religion,government,or even the poor environment in which you have been living for so many years,but what really matters and makes a big difference in your life is your attitude,to understand your comfort zone,how you limit yourself within it,who you are,why you behave the way you do it,and mainly where you are going. Sadly many people don't go anywhere because they stay within their comfort zone.They accept defeat after defeat before even trying or knowing how capable or valuable they really are.These circumstances are not the cause of our actual situation but the conformism and the poverty of our thoughts and therefore the weakness of our broken spirit. Leave your past behind;constantly transcend your comfort zone!Your past within this comfort zone is nothing but a wasted load that you don't need to carry at all. Take constant action as many times as it is required and never,never quit. As Napoleon Hill said,"A quitter never wins and a winner never quits. Defeat is never a failure;no circumstance ever is failure until it is accepted by the individual as a failure." Nothing is impossible for an optimist attitude;everything is possible when we start blindly trusting ourselves,when we have a burning desire to succeed and a blind determination to make our dreams come true;everything is possible when we don't take a no for an answer. What is comfort zone according to the passage?
Answer: A limited place in our mind where we feel safe.
|
Governors, lawyers and business leaders have to deal with scientists, and every educated person finds his views affected by science. Yet our science teaching of non-scientists, in school and college, has built up mistaken ideas, dislikes, and the common boast, "I never did understand science.' Even those students who arrive at college with plans to become scientists usually bring a mistaken picture of science: some have a collection of unorganized facts about science, and some regard the study of science as a game which includes getting the right answer. The first of these attitudes seems to come from a kind of course which provides various kinds of information; the second, from a training course on how to pass examinations that do not ask about the student's understanding but simply require him to put the numbers in the right formulas . Neither type of courses (in school or college) seems to give students and understanding of science as we find it among scientists. Neither shows students how real scientists work and think how the facts are gathered, how discoveries are made, and what they mean. Young people need good teaching of science, not so much a great wealth of knowledge as a healthy understanding of the nature of science. They need an understanding of knowledge leading to sympathy with science and an eagerness of the way scientists work. Given these, it is easy to encourage later reading and learning. According to the passage, we can safely say that the subject of the passage is _ .
|
[
"need for good science teaching",
"every person, including governors, lawyers and business leaders should study science",
"young people should form a correct attitude to science",
"students must know what science is and how scientists work and think"
] | 0 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Governors, lawyers and business leaders have to deal with scientists, and every educated person finds his views affected by science. Yet our science teaching of non-scientists, in school and college, has built up mistaken ideas, dislikes, and the common boast, "I never did understand science.' Even those students who arrive at college with plans to become scientists usually bring a mistaken picture of science: some have a collection of unorganized facts about science, and some regard the study of science as a game which includes getting the right answer. The first of these attitudes seems to come from a kind of course which provides various kinds of information; the second, from a training course on how to pass examinations that do not ask about the student's understanding but simply require him to put the numbers in the right formulas . Neither type of courses (in school or college) seems to give students and understanding of science as we find it among scientists. Neither shows students how real scientists work and think how the facts are gathered, how discoveries are made, and what they mean. Young people need good teaching of science, not so much a great wealth of knowledge as a healthy understanding of the nature of science. They need an understanding of knowledge leading to sympathy with science and an eagerness of the way scientists work. Given these, it is easy to encourage later reading and learning. According to the passage, we can safely say that the subject of the passage is _ .
A. need for good science teaching
B. every person, including governors, lawyers and business leaders should study science
C. young people should form a correct attitude to science
D. students must know what science is and how scientists work and think
Answer:A
|
(CNN)-China will sometimes say "no" and the world should get used to it. That message came through when China joined Russia in blocking action on Syria. "Do not mistakenly think that because China takes a careful and responsible position on the Syria issue, China will not use its veto power or will always abstain ," said Cui Tiankai, China's vice foreign minister, "When China must use its veto power to say no, it will surely use it." On Saturday, Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, called the vetoes "disgusting and shameful." He Wenping, director of African Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the veto shows China's confidence in foreign affairs. "A country expressing its true opinion - that's progress. China opposes the use of threat or force to achieve regime change in other countries. This agrees with China's long-standing diplomacy principle. It is also not acceptable for China to rush a U.N. vote without sufficient discussion." So why did China use its veto this time? China's critics say China's veto of the U.N. draft proposal was in part due to Beijing's fear that allowing a regime change in Syria could encourage the spread of the Arab revolution and eventually threaten China. He Wenping disagrees, "China has a completely different political system and economic development path. If someone in the international community thinks that the Arab Spring will happen in China, then I think they misjudge the situation in China, exaggerate some problems in the Chinese society and underestimate the ability of the Chinese government to control the situation in China." What can we learn from the passage?
|
[
"China has a firm stand on international issues.",
"The U.N. asks the whole world to get used to China saying no on international issues.",
"CNN believed that China helped Syria to fight against the U.N.",
"All the member countries of the U.N. supported Susan Rice."
] | 0 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: (CNN)-China will sometimes say "no" and the world should get used to it. That message came through when China joined Russia in blocking action on Syria. "Do not mistakenly think that because China takes a careful and responsible position on the Syria issue, China will not use its veto power or will always abstain ," said Cui Tiankai, China's vice foreign minister, "When China must use its veto power to say no, it will surely use it." On Saturday, Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, called the vetoes "disgusting and shameful." He Wenping, director of African Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the veto shows China's confidence in foreign affairs. "A country expressing its true opinion - that's progress. China opposes the use of threat or force to achieve regime change in other countries. This agrees with China's long-standing diplomacy principle. It is also not acceptable for China to rush a U.N. vote without sufficient discussion." So why did China use its veto this time? China's critics say China's veto of the U.N. draft proposal was in part due to Beijing's fear that allowing a regime change in Syria could encourage the spread of the Arab revolution and eventually threaten China. He Wenping disagrees, "China has a completely different political system and economic development path. If someone in the international community thinks that the Arab Spring will happen in China, then I think they misjudge the situation in China, exaggerate some problems in the Chinese society and underestimate the ability of the Chinese government to control the situation in China." What can we learn from the passage?
Answer: China has a firm stand on international issues.
|
Elizabeth Blackwell was born in England in 1821, and moved to New York City when she was ten years old. One day she decided that she wanted to become a doctor. That was nearly impossible for a woman in the middle of the nineteenth century. After writing many letters asking for admission to medical schools, she was finally accepted by a doctor in Philadelphia. She was so determined that she taught school and gave music lessons to get money for the cost of schooling. In 1849, after graduation from medical school, she decided to further her education in Paris. She wanted to be a surgeon , but a serious eye problem forced her to give up the idea. Upon returning to the United States, she found it difficult to start her own practice because she was a woman. By 1857 Elizabeth and her sister, also a doctor, along with another woman doctor, managed to open a new hospital, the first for women and children. Besides being the first woman physician and founding her own hospital , she also set up the first medical school for women. Why couldn't Elizabeth Blackwell realize her dream of becoming a surgeon?
|
[
"She couldn't get admitted to medical school",
"She decided to further her education in Paris",
"A serious eye problem stopped her",
"It was difficult for her to start a practice in the United States"
] | 2 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Elizabeth Blackwell was born in England in 1821, and moved to New York City when she was ten years old. One day she decided that she wanted to become a doctor. That was nearly impossible for a woman in the middle of the nineteenth century. After writing many letters asking for admission to medical schools, she was finally accepted by a doctor in Philadelphia. She was so determined that she taught school and gave music lessons to get money for the cost of schooling. In 1849, after graduation from medical school, she decided to further her education in Paris. She wanted to be a surgeon , but a serious eye problem forced her to give up the idea. Upon returning to the United States, she found it difficult to start her own practice because she was a woman. By 1857 Elizabeth and her sister, also a doctor, along with another woman doctor, managed to open a new hospital, the first for women and children. Besides being the first woman physician and founding her own hospital , she also set up the first medical school for women. Why couldn't Elizabeth Blackwell realize her dream of becoming a surgeon?
A. She couldn't get admitted to medical school
B. She decided to further her education in Paris
C. A serious eye problem stopped her
D. It was difficult for her to start a practice in the United States
Answer:C
|
Soccer is not a violent game. But players can hit the ball with their head to purposely change the direction of the ball. In the sport this move is known as a header. Unfortunately, they may sometimes crash into other players, the ground or goal posts. During the World Cup semifinal soccer match in Sao Paulo, Brazil, July 2014,Netherlands,Dirk Kuyt went for a header with Argentina's Javier Mascherano and Ezequiel Garay, making his competitors injured in head. Catherine McGill is a neuropsychologist at the Children's National Health System in Houston. She examines many children who have suffered concussions ,which are the most common brain injury. She says concussions from soccer and other youth sports are increasing. "Firstly,parents, coaches, and medical providers alike are getting better at recognizing and responding to the injury, and it,s a huge proof to media paying more attention to this and leagues paying more attention to the safety of their players. Also, kids are getting bigger, faster, stronger across the sports, and so more injuries may be occurring simply because of that." Catherine McGill spoke at a recent conference on ways to make soccer safer for young players which was held recently in New York. She says researchers are examining the effects of soccer-related head injuries. They want to know whether repeated hits to the head can cause CTE, which is a brain disorder that worsens as a person ages. She says parents often ask what age children should start "heading" or whether there should be "heading" at all. She thinks it,s a very individual decision. The age for one child may be quite different from another. What's the main purpose of the passage?
|
[
"To entertain us with exciting soccer matches.",
"To warn us of something dangerous in sports.",
"To inform us of risks of heading in soccer.",
"To share ways to make soccer safer for children."
] | 2 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Soccer is not a violent game. But players can hit the ball with their head to purposely change the direction of the ball. In the sport this move is known as a header. Unfortunately, they may sometimes crash into other players, the ground or goal posts. During the World Cup semifinal soccer match in Sao Paulo, Brazil, July 2014,Netherlands,Dirk Kuyt went for a header with Argentina's Javier Mascherano and Ezequiel Garay, making his competitors injured in head. Catherine McGill is a neuropsychologist at the Children's National Health System in Houston. She examines many children who have suffered concussions ,which are the most common brain injury. She says concussions from soccer and other youth sports are increasing. "Firstly,parents, coaches, and medical providers alike are getting better at recognizing and responding to the injury, and it,s a huge proof to media paying more attention to this and leagues paying more attention to the safety of their players. Also, kids are getting bigger, faster, stronger across the sports, and so more injuries may be occurring simply because of that." Catherine McGill spoke at a recent conference on ways to make soccer safer for young players which was held recently in New York. She says researchers are examining the effects of soccer-related head injuries. They want to know whether repeated hits to the head can cause CTE, which is a brain disorder that worsens as a person ages. She says parents often ask what age children should start "heading" or whether there should be "heading" at all. She thinks it,s a very individual decision. The age for one child may be quite different from another. What's the main purpose of the passage?
A. To entertain us with exciting soccer matches.
B. To warn us of something dangerous in sports.
C. To inform us of risks of heading in soccer.
D. To share ways to make soccer safer for children.
Answer:C
|
Combining families with kids can be tough and offers even more unexpected problems. You just don't know how things will shake out until everyone is under one roof, trying on new roles with name that start with "step". This is what happened to Sheila and Will, and Sheila's 8-year-old daughter Ashley. After the couple got married, and Will became the member of the new family, things got worse than expected. How did they make it work? Read the full version of the story here. Shelia's Turn: When Shelia and Will were dating, he seemed like kids, especially Ashley. He'd bring her presents, play games with her. But after the wedding, things took a turn. Will suddenly became a super strict stepfather, scolding Ashley for watching too much cartoons, constantly picking fights and punishing her for offenses as small as spilling milk. Shelia's thought about leaving Will, but soon after they married, they had a son, Billy. Will adores his well-behaved boy, but Ashley hates him. Shelia doesn't know what to do--- her daughter is miserable, but leaving her husband might mean losing her son. Will's turn: Will was so excited to be a male role model in Ashley's life. He didn't just want to be a guy living in her house; he wanted to treat her like his own daughter, which, to Will, meant giving Ashley more rules and help her learn responsibility. He'd always felt that Shelia let Ashley loose on everything. But after the wedding, Will was surprised that Shelia didn't want him to do that. If Will takes away Ashley's TV privileges or tells her to clean up her room, Shelia just lets Ashley do what she likes and does it herself. Will was tired of this and he'd rather take his son and go. The advisor's turn: The counselor quickly recognized their conflict as a classic case of unspoken, hidden expectations. Before the wedding, when it was just Shelia and Will, everything was easy. But now, everyone in their big family is competing for attention, and the couple never sat down and discussed the biggest issue---their child-upbringing philosophies . The counselor suggested Shelia allow Will to give some rules on Ashley but Will's punishments couldn't be extreme. Once Ashley saw that her mom and stepdad had become a united front, she cooperated more. The reasons for Ashley's dislike of Will are as follows except _ ?
|
[
"Will often picked fights with Ashley.",
"Ashley often spilled milk on the floor.",
"Will always punished her for bad behaviors.",
"Ashley was stopped watching too many cartoons."
] | 1 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Combining families with kids can be tough and offers even more unexpected problems. You just don't know how things will shake out until everyone is under one roof, trying on new roles with name that start with "step". This is what happened to Sheila and Will, and Sheila's 8-year-old daughter Ashley. After the couple got married, and Will became the member of the new family, things got worse than expected. How did they make it work? Read the full version of the story here. Shelia's Turn: When Shelia and Will were dating, he seemed like kids, especially Ashley. He'd bring her presents, play games with her. But after the wedding, things took a turn. Will suddenly became a super strict stepfather, scolding Ashley for watching too much cartoons, constantly picking fights and punishing her for offenses as small as spilling milk. Shelia's thought about leaving Will, but soon after they married, they had a son, Billy. Will adores his well-behaved boy, but Ashley hates him. Shelia doesn't know what to do--- her daughter is miserable, but leaving her husband might mean losing her son. Will's turn: Will was so excited to be a male role model in Ashley's life. He didn't just want to be a guy living in her house; he wanted to treat her like his own daughter, which, to Will, meant giving Ashley more rules and help her learn responsibility. He'd always felt that Shelia let Ashley loose on everything. But after the wedding, Will was surprised that Shelia didn't want him to do that. If Will takes away Ashley's TV privileges or tells her to clean up her room, Shelia just lets Ashley do what she likes and does it herself. Will was tired of this and he'd rather take his son and go. The advisor's turn: The counselor quickly recognized their conflict as a classic case of unspoken, hidden expectations. Before the wedding, when it was just Shelia and Will, everything was easy. But now, everyone in their big family is competing for attention, and the couple never sat down and discussed the biggest issue---their child-upbringing philosophies . The counselor suggested Shelia allow Will to give some rules on Ashley but Will's punishments couldn't be extreme. Once Ashley saw that her mom and stepdad had become a united front, she cooperated more. The reasons for Ashley's dislike of Will are as follows except _ ?
Answer: Ashley often spilled milk on the floor.
|
BELJLNG-Eating at a Beijing restaurant is usually an adventure for foreigners, and particularly when they get the chance to order "chicken without sex life" or "red burned lion head". Sometimes excited but mostly confused, embarrassed or even terrified, many foreigners have long complained about mistranslations of Chinese dishes. And their complaints are often valid, but such an experience at Beijing's restaurants will apparently soon be history. Foreign visitors will no longer, hopefully, be confused by oddly worded restaurant menus in the capital if the government's plan to correctly translate 3,000 Chinese dishes is a success and the translations are generally adopted. The municipal office of foreign affairs has published a book to recommend English translations of Chinese dishes, which aims to help restaurants avoid bizarre translations. It provides the names of main dishes of famous Chinese cuisines in plain English, "an official with the city's Foreign Affairs office said ." Restaurants are encouraged to use the proposed translations, but it will not be compulsory ." It's the city's latest effort to bridge the culture gap for foreign travelers in China. Coming up with precise translations is a task, as some Chinese culinary techniques are untranslatable and many Chinese dishes have no English-language equivalent.The translators, after conducting a study of Chinese restaurants in English-speaking countries, divided the dish names into four categories: ingredients, cooking method, taste and name of a person or a place. For some traditional dishes, pinyin, the Chinese phonetic system, is used, such as mapo tofu(previously often literally translated as "beancurd made by woman with freckles"), baozi(steamed stuffed bun ) and jiaozi (dumplings) to "reflect the Chinese cuisine culture," according to the book. "The book is a blessing to tourist guides like me. Having it, I don't have to rack my brains trying to explain Chinese dishes to foreign travellers," said Zheng Xiaodong, a 31- year - old employe with a Beijing- based travel agency. "I will buy the book as I major in English literature and I'd like to introduce Chinese cuisine culture to more foreign friends," said Han Yang, a postgraduate student at the University of International Business and Economics. It is not clear if the book will be introduced to other parts of China. But on Tuesday, this was the most discussed topic on weibo. com, China's most popular microblogging site. What's the attitude of most people to the book according to the passage?
|
[
"not clear",
"excited",
"favorable",
"divided"
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: BELJLNG-Eating at a Beijing restaurant is usually an adventure for foreigners, and particularly when they get the chance to order "chicken without sex life" or "red burned lion head". Sometimes excited but mostly confused, embarrassed or even terrified, many foreigners have long complained about mistranslations of Chinese dishes. And their complaints are often valid, but such an experience at Beijing's restaurants will apparently soon be history. Foreign visitors will no longer, hopefully, be confused by oddly worded restaurant menus in the capital if the government's plan to correctly translate 3,000 Chinese dishes is a success and the translations are generally adopted. The municipal office of foreign affairs has published a book to recommend English translations of Chinese dishes, which aims to help restaurants avoid bizarre translations. It provides the names of main dishes of famous Chinese cuisines in plain English, "an official with the city's Foreign Affairs office said ." Restaurants are encouraged to use the proposed translations, but it will not be compulsory ." It's the city's latest effort to bridge the culture gap for foreign travelers in China. Coming up with precise translations is a task, as some Chinese culinary techniques are untranslatable and many Chinese dishes have no English-language equivalent.The translators, after conducting a study of Chinese restaurants in English-speaking countries, divided the dish names into four categories: ingredients, cooking method, taste and name of a person or a place. For some traditional dishes, pinyin, the Chinese phonetic system, is used, such as mapo tofu(previously often literally translated as "beancurd made by woman with freckles"), baozi(steamed stuffed bun ) and jiaozi (dumplings) to "reflect the Chinese cuisine culture," according to the book. "The book is a blessing to tourist guides like me. Having it, I don't have to rack my brains trying to explain Chinese dishes to foreign travellers," said Zheng Xiaodong, a 31- year - old employe with a Beijing- based travel agency. "I will buy the book as I major in English literature and I'd like to introduce Chinese cuisine culture to more foreign friends," said Han Yang, a postgraduate student at the University of International Business and Economics. It is not clear if the book will be introduced to other parts of China. But on Tuesday, this was the most discussed topic on weibo. com, China's most popular microblogging site. What's the attitude of most people to the book according to the passage?
Answer: favorable
|
The New York Philharmonic came to an unexpected stop on Tuesday night when an audience member's cell phone started ringing and wouldn't stop. Conductor Alan Gilbert was nearing the end of Mahler's Ninth Symphony when the interruption began. As eh New York Times writes, the symphony, "contains some of the most spiritual and peaceful music ever written." As the cell phone continued to ring, the iPhone's signature ringtone, Gilbert stopped the entire performance. And yet shockingly the phone continued to ring. "Nothing happened," Gilbert told the Times, "Nobody was to blame for it. It was unbelievable." Gilbert said minor cell phone interruptions have become common and rarely _ a live performance. The Philharmonic does what it can to remind to audience to turn off their cell phones before the performance begins. But the audience and performers stood by in astonished silence as Gilbert asked the offender to silence the phone, only to hear it continue. Mr Gilbert said audience pointed out two people sitting where the sound was coming from. "They were staring at me firmly," he said of the couple. Eventually, the man put his hand in his pocket and the ringing stopped. The conductor said he asked the man if he was sure the phone was quieted. "Then he nodded his head," Mr Gilbert said. People in the hall had been shouting for the sound to stop. Mr Pelkonen reported that they yelled: "Thousand-dollar fine!" "Kick him out!" "Get out!" Once the phone was finally silenced, Gilbert apologized to the audience. They responded with cheers and applause . And the performance continued. What do we know about the offender?
|
[
"He silenced the phone the moment he was reminded to.",
"He enjoyed the ringtone so he kept the phone ringing.",
"He quieted the phone after hearing people's angry shouts.",
"He didn't like the music so he wouldn't silence the phone."
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: The New York Philharmonic came to an unexpected stop on Tuesday night when an audience member's cell phone started ringing and wouldn't stop. Conductor Alan Gilbert was nearing the end of Mahler's Ninth Symphony when the interruption began. As eh New York Times writes, the symphony, "contains some of the most spiritual and peaceful music ever written." As the cell phone continued to ring, the iPhone's signature ringtone, Gilbert stopped the entire performance. And yet shockingly the phone continued to ring. "Nothing happened," Gilbert told the Times, "Nobody was to blame for it. It was unbelievable." Gilbert said minor cell phone interruptions have become common and rarely _ a live performance. The Philharmonic does what it can to remind to audience to turn off their cell phones before the performance begins. But the audience and performers stood by in astonished silence as Gilbert asked the offender to silence the phone, only to hear it continue. Mr Gilbert said audience pointed out two people sitting where the sound was coming from. "They were staring at me firmly," he said of the couple. Eventually, the man put his hand in his pocket and the ringing stopped. The conductor said he asked the man if he was sure the phone was quieted. "Then he nodded his head," Mr Gilbert said. People in the hall had been shouting for the sound to stop. Mr Pelkonen reported that they yelled: "Thousand-dollar fine!" "Kick him out!" "Get out!" Once the phone was finally silenced, Gilbert apologized to the audience. They responded with cheers and applause . And the performance continued. What do we know about the offender?
Answer: He quieted the phone after hearing people's angry shouts.
|
Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of visiting with Deputy Superintendent Pedro Martinez, Principal Neddy Alvarez and her staff at Western High School, located in the Clark County School District, in Las Vegas. The school undertook a comprehensive effort to completely transform the culture of the school and added a motivated group of talented teachers. Western altered the school day to add opportunities for students to get additional credits toward graduation and created smaller learning groups. As part of these comprehensive changes, the school's leadership also focused on four main reforms to transform their school. First, improvements started with the change in the relationship between the school and students to create a caring atmosphere at the school. Using the "Capturing Kids' Hearts" strategies, school leadership and teachers began building a trusting environment and students and families described seeing changes aimed at improving student outcomes and ensuring the success of every student. The school day was altered to add more options for students to obtain additional credits toward graduation. Students and teachers were grouped into "houses," so that smaller groups of teachers and counselors could create one-on-one relationships with students. Teachers and counselors said that the altered school day provides time to address student's individual concerns and develop individualized learning plans to put every student on a path to graduation. The school also made changes to encourage parents to support school and encourage real dialogues between parents and the teachers and leaders at Western. Funded in part through the United Way, the school created a family engagement center to get parents more involved in their children's education, particularly parents of English language learners. Parents like Ally Gaona and Martha Mendez told me that they had a voice and the tools to engage in their children's learning and that they recognize that the main responsibility for their children's learning must rest with the parents. Parents were passionate about these positive changes and said that these changes signaled to the entire the community that the school was serious about family engagement. How many main reforms are mentioned in the passage?
|
[
"Two",
"Three",
"Four",
"Five"
] | 0 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of visiting with Deputy Superintendent Pedro Martinez, Principal Neddy Alvarez and her staff at Western High School, located in the Clark County School District, in Las Vegas. The school undertook a comprehensive effort to completely transform the culture of the school and added a motivated group of talented teachers. Western altered the school day to add opportunities for students to get additional credits toward graduation and created smaller learning groups. As part of these comprehensive changes, the school's leadership also focused on four main reforms to transform their school. First, improvements started with the change in the relationship between the school and students to create a caring atmosphere at the school. Using the "Capturing Kids' Hearts" strategies, school leadership and teachers began building a trusting environment and students and families described seeing changes aimed at improving student outcomes and ensuring the success of every student. The school day was altered to add more options for students to obtain additional credits toward graduation. Students and teachers were grouped into "houses," so that smaller groups of teachers and counselors could create one-on-one relationships with students. Teachers and counselors said that the altered school day provides time to address student's individual concerns and develop individualized learning plans to put every student on a path to graduation. The school also made changes to encourage parents to support school and encourage real dialogues between parents and the teachers and leaders at Western. Funded in part through the United Way, the school created a family engagement center to get parents more involved in their children's education, particularly parents of English language learners. Parents like Ally Gaona and Martha Mendez told me that they had a voice and the tools to engage in their children's learning and that they recognize that the main responsibility for their children's learning must rest with the parents. Parents were passionate about these positive changes and said that these changes signaled to the entire the community that the school was serious about family engagement. How many main reforms are mentioned in the passage?
A. Two
B. Three
C. Four
D. Five
Answer:A
|
We have all heard the old phrase "attitude is everything", and that phrase is certainly true.Your attitude can have a great impact on your personal motivation, so it is important to keep a positive attitude no matter what challenges you face. As a matter of fact, keeping your attitude positive in the face of difficulties is the motivation tip that most successful business owners will tell you.The most successful business owners, from Sam Walton to Bill Gates, have all been able to triumph in the face of unpleasant situations.It is those successful business owners who tell you that attitude is everything.But how you deal with that knowledge will determine your level of success. One of the most important ways to carry out "attitude is everything" is to observe who you associate with and who you surround yourself with.That is because when you surround yourself with negative people, their negative attitudes will infect you.So keeping your associates, colleagues, co-workers and friends as positive as possible is a great way to put the phrase "attitude is everything" into practice. Whatever you decide to do in life, your attitude will have a great effect on the success you achieve.Success , whether in the world of business or in your personal life, is directly related to your attitude, and the attitude you bring to your work.A positive attitude will help you achieve greater success in your job, no matter what your current level of employment. According to the text, Sam Walton _ .
|
[
"is more successful than Bill Gates",
"has given readers some tips about success",
"has never dealt with unpleasant situations",
"is one of the most successful businessmen"
] | 3 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
We have all heard the old phrase "attitude is everything", and that phrase is certainly true.Your attitude can have a great impact on your personal motivation, so it is important to keep a positive attitude no matter what challenges you face. As a matter of fact, keeping your attitude positive in the face of difficulties is the motivation tip that most successful business owners will tell you.The most successful business owners, from Sam Walton to Bill Gates, have all been able to triumph in the face of unpleasant situations.It is those successful business owners who tell you that attitude is everything.But how you deal with that knowledge will determine your level of success. One of the most important ways to carry out "attitude is everything" is to observe who you associate with and who you surround yourself with.That is because when you surround yourself with negative people, their negative attitudes will infect you.So keeping your associates, colleagues, co-workers and friends as positive as possible is a great way to put the phrase "attitude is everything" into practice. Whatever you decide to do in life, your attitude will have a great effect on the success you achieve.Success , whether in the world of business or in your personal life, is directly related to your attitude, and the attitude you bring to your work.A positive attitude will help you achieve greater success in your job, no matter what your current level of employment. According to the text, Sam Walton _ .
A. is more successful than Bill Gates
B. has given readers some tips about success
C. has never dealt with unpleasant situations
D. is one of the most successful businessmen
Answer:D
|
April 22,2010 will be the 18th celebration of the annual Take Our Daugluers to Work Day (TOD), a project the National Ms.Foundation for Women of America (NFW) developed to expose girls to expanding opportunities for women in the workplace. The program offers, millions of girls a first - hand view of the many career opportunities available in their futures.Now that women make up 46 peroent of the U.S.workforce, girls can find role models in every occupational field-from politics to molecular biology to professional athletics, to name just a few.TOD encourages girls to focus on their abilities and opportunities, not just their appearance. The NFW developed the project more than a decade ago to address the self - esteem problems that many girls experience when they enter adolescence.At school, boys often receive more encouragement in the classroom, especially in math.science and computer science, the academic fields that tend to lead to the highest salaries.Women receive on average only 73 cents for every dollar that men are paid.and remain vastly underrepresented in top executive positions and technology fields.TOD aims to give girls the confidence and inspiration they need to develop successful careers, particularly in non-traditional fields. Perhaps because the program had become so widespread and successful, TOD had been criticized for excluding boys.and it was expanded in 2003to include boys.The program's official website states that the program was changed in order to provide both boys and girls with opportunities to explore careers at an age when they are more flexible in tenns of gender stereotyped roles."We should also show boys that becoming a child care provider is as acceptable a choice as becoming a police officer or CEO," added Sara K.Gould.executive director of the NFW. Why are women underrepresented in some fields such as technology?
|
[
"They are not interested in these fields.",
"They are not encouraged to work in these fields.",
"They are not paid the same as men in these fields.",
"They are not allowed to be educated in these fields."
] | 1 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
April 22,2010 will be the 18th celebration of the annual Take Our Daugluers to Work Day (TOD), a project the National Ms.Foundation for Women of America (NFW) developed to expose girls to expanding opportunities for women in the workplace. The program offers, millions of girls a first - hand view of the many career opportunities available in their futures.Now that women make up 46 peroent of the U.S.workforce, girls can find role models in every occupational field-from politics to molecular biology to professional athletics, to name just a few.TOD encourages girls to focus on their abilities and opportunities, not just their appearance. The NFW developed the project more than a decade ago to address the self - esteem problems that many girls experience when they enter adolescence.At school, boys often receive more encouragement in the classroom, especially in math.science and computer science, the academic fields that tend to lead to the highest salaries.Women receive on average only 73 cents for every dollar that men are paid.and remain vastly underrepresented in top executive positions and technology fields.TOD aims to give girls the confidence and inspiration they need to develop successful careers, particularly in non-traditional fields. Perhaps because the program had become so widespread and successful, TOD had been criticized for excluding boys.and it was expanded in 2003to include boys.The program's official website states that the program was changed in order to provide both boys and girls with opportunities to explore careers at an age when they are more flexible in tenns of gender stereotyped roles."We should also show boys that becoming a child care provider is as acceptable a choice as becoming a police officer or CEO," added Sara K.Gould.executive director of the NFW. Why are women underrepresented in some fields such as technology?
A. They are not interested in these fields.
B. They are not encouraged to work in these fields.
C. They are not paid the same as men in these fields.
D. They are not allowed to be educated in these fields.
Answer:B
|
The United States has many different kinds of climate .On the west coast ,the temperature changes very little between summer and winter,but the north central states have a very different kind of climate.In these states,people wear light clothes during the summer,and they need heavy wool or fur clothes in winter. In the southwest,the climate is quite warm during the winter,but hot in summer. In the eastern part of the United States,summer temperatures are very different from winter temperatures.Summers are usually hot,and winters are usually cold.Spring temperatures are comfortably warm,and autumn temperatures are quite cool. Years ago,people in the cold areas of the United States did not often get vegetables and fresh fruits during the winter.Today trucks and trains carry fruits and vegetables very quickly to all parts of the United States.In this way,Americans"send their climate"to people in other states. In the north central states,people wear _ clothes in summer and _ clothes during the winter.
|
[
"silk;linen",
"light;heavy fur",
"wool;cotton",
"wool;silk"
] | 1 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
The United States has many different kinds of climate .On the west coast ,the temperature changes very little between summer and winter,but the north central states have a very different kind of climate.In these states,people wear light clothes during the summer,and they need heavy wool or fur clothes in winter. In the southwest,the climate is quite warm during the winter,but hot in summer. In the eastern part of the United States,summer temperatures are very different from winter temperatures.Summers are usually hot,and winters are usually cold.Spring temperatures are comfortably warm,and autumn temperatures are quite cool. Years ago,people in the cold areas of the United States did not often get vegetables and fresh fruits during the winter.Today trucks and trains carry fruits and vegetables very quickly to all parts of the United States.In this way,Americans"send their climate"to people in other states. In the north central states,people wear _ clothes in summer and _ clothes during the winter.
A. silk;linen
B. light;heavy fur
C. wool;cotton
D. wool;silk
Answer:B
|
Australia's Northern Territory became the first legal authority in the world to perform euthanasia --that's to say, doctors are permitted to take the lives of incurably ill patients who wish to die. Word that the law was passed by the vote of 15 to 10 immediately flashed on the Internet and was picked up by John, the director of the Right to Die Society of Canada, who posted it on the group's homepage online, saying, "This isn't merely something that happened in Australia. It's world history." The NT Rights of the Terminally Ill Law has left physicians and citizens trying to deal with its moral and practical influence. Some have breathed sighs of relief; but others, including churches, right to life groups and the Australian Medical Association, bitterly attacked the law. But the tide is unlikely to turn back. In Australia--where an aging population, life-extending technology and changing community attitudes have all played their part--other states are going to consider making a similar law. In the U. S. and Canada, where the right to die movement is gathering strength, _ . Under the new Northern Territory law, an adult patient can request death--probably by a deadly injection or pill--to end suffering. The patient must be diagnosed as incurably ill by two doctors. After a "cooling off" period of seven days, the patient can sign a certificate of request. After 48 hours the wish for death can be met. For Lloyd, a 54-year-old Darwin resident suffering from lung cancer, the NT Rights of Terminally Ill Law means he can get on with living without the disturbing fear of his suffering: a terrifying death from his breathing condition. "I' m not afraid of dying from a spiritual point of view, but what I was afraid of was how I'd go, because I've watched people die in the hospital fighting for oxygen and clawing at their masks," he says. According to the text, which of the following statements is TURE?
|
[
"Patients will ask their doctors for euthanasia if they are afraid of illness.",
"Australia, Canada and the US speak highly of the law of euthanasia.",
"All people in Australia don't share the positive attitude to euthanasia",
"If a patient requests death, he should sign a certificate after 48 hours."
] | 2 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: Australia's Northern Territory became the first legal authority in the world to perform euthanasia --that's to say, doctors are permitted to take the lives of incurably ill patients who wish to die. Word that the law was passed by the vote of 15 to 10 immediately flashed on the Internet and was picked up by John, the director of the Right to Die Society of Canada, who posted it on the group's homepage online, saying, "This isn't merely something that happened in Australia. It's world history." The NT Rights of the Terminally Ill Law has left physicians and citizens trying to deal with its moral and practical influence. Some have breathed sighs of relief; but others, including churches, right to life groups and the Australian Medical Association, bitterly attacked the law. But the tide is unlikely to turn back. In Australia--where an aging population, life-extending technology and changing community attitudes have all played their part--other states are going to consider making a similar law. In the U. S. and Canada, where the right to die movement is gathering strength, _ . Under the new Northern Territory law, an adult patient can request death--probably by a deadly injection or pill--to end suffering. The patient must be diagnosed as incurably ill by two doctors. After a "cooling off" period of seven days, the patient can sign a certificate of request. After 48 hours the wish for death can be met. For Lloyd, a 54-year-old Darwin resident suffering from lung cancer, the NT Rights of Terminally Ill Law means he can get on with living without the disturbing fear of his suffering: a terrifying death from his breathing condition. "I' m not afraid of dying from a spiritual point of view, but what I was afraid of was how I'd go, because I've watched people die in the hospital fighting for oxygen and clawing at their masks," he says. According to the text, which of the following statements is TURE?
Answer: All people in Australia don't share the positive attitude to euthanasia
|
A growing number of health, hunger, and sustainable agriculture groups today announced plans for Food Day-a nationwide campaign to change the way Americans eat and think about food.Food Day will encourage people around the country to sponsor or participate in activities that encourage Americans to "eat real" and support healthy, affordable food grown in a sustainable, humane way. Organizers hope Food Day will inspire Americans to hold thousands of events in schools, college campuses, houses of worship and even in private homes aimed at fixing America's food system.A Food Day event could be as small as a parent organizing a vegetable identification contest at a kindergarten class-or as massive as a rally in a city park, with entertainment and healthy food.Health departments, city councils and other policy makers could use Food Day to launch campaigns, hold hearings, or otherwise address communities food problems. The campaign will advocate progress toward five central goals: *Reducing diet-related disease by promoting healthy foods.The American diet is too low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and too high in fatty meat, soft drinks and salty packaged and restaurant foods-contributing to hundreds of thousands of premature deaths each year. *Supporting sustainable farms and stopping subsidies to agribusiness.Billions of federal dollars a year would be better spent helping environmentally conscious family farmers than hugeagribusiness operations. *Expanding access to food and alleviating hunger.Far too many Americans don't know where their next meal is coming from, or have access to fresh produce in their neighborhood. *Reforming factory farms to protect animals and the environment.Farming of animals can and should be done without cruelty, and without degrading the quality of life. *Curbing junk-food marketing to kids.Food companies should not be targeting children with foods that promote tooth decay, obesity and other health problems. What is the best title of the text?
|
[
"Food Day Campaign",
"Eat Real and Keep fit",
"How to Observe Food Day",
"Food Problems in the USA"
] | 0 |
Complete the following questions with the correct answer.
Question: A growing number of health, hunger, and sustainable agriculture groups today announced plans for Food Day-a nationwide campaign to change the way Americans eat and think about food.Food Day will encourage people around the country to sponsor or participate in activities that encourage Americans to "eat real" and support healthy, affordable food grown in a sustainable, humane way. Organizers hope Food Day will inspire Americans to hold thousands of events in schools, college campuses, houses of worship and even in private homes aimed at fixing America's food system.A Food Day event could be as small as a parent organizing a vegetable identification contest at a kindergarten class-or as massive as a rally in a city park, with entertainment and healthy food.Health departments, city councils and other policy makers could use Food Day to launch campaigns, hold hearings, or otherwise address communities food problems. The campaign will advocate progress toward five central goals: *Reducing diet-related disease by promoting healthy foods.The American diet is too low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and too high in fatty meat, soft drinks and salty packaged and restaurant foods-contributing to hundreds of thousands of premature deaths each year. *Supporting sustainable farms and stopping subsidies to agribusiness.Billions of federal dollars a year would be better spent helping environmentally conscious family farmers than hugeagribusiness operations. *Expanding access to food and alleviating hunger.Far too many Americans don't know where their next meal is coming from, or have access to fresh produce in their neighborhood. *Reforming factory farms to protect animals and the environment.Farming of animals can and should be done without cruelty, and without degrading the quality of life. *Curbing junk-food marketing to kids.Food companies should not be targeting children with foods that promote tooth decay, obesity and other health problems. What is the best title of the text?
Answer: Food Day Campaign
|
Stars appear in different areas in the sky at different times of year due to what?
|
[
"Earths Rotation",
"Changing Weather",
"Suns Rotation",
"Time Change"
] | 0 |
The following are multiple choice questions (with answers).
Stars appear in different areas in the sky at different times of year due to what?
A. Earths Rotation
B. Changing Weather
C. Suns Rotation
D. Time Change
Answer:A
|
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