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John Blanchard stood up from the bench, straightened his Army uniform, and studied the crowd of people making their way through Grand Central Station. He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn't, the girl with the rose. His interest in her had begun thirteen months before in a Florida library. Taking a book off the shelf he found himself intrigued, not with the words of the book, but with the notes penciled in the margin. The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind. In the front of the book, he discovered the previous owner's name, Miss Hollis Maynell. With time and effort he located her address. She lived in New York City. He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her to correspond. The next day he was shipped overseas for service in World War II. During the next year and one month the two grew to know each other through the mail. Each letter was a seed falling on a fertile heart. A romance was starting Blanchard requested a photograph, but she refused. She felt that if he really cared, it wouldn't matter what she looked like. When the day finally came for him to return from Europe, they scheduled their first meeting --7:00 PM at the Grand Central Station in New York. "You'll recognize me," she wrote, "by the red rose I'll be wearing on my lapel." So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for a girl whose heart he loved, but whose face he'd never seen. I'll let Mr. Blanchard tell you what happened: A young woman was coming toward me, her figure long and slim. Her blonde hair lay back in curls from her delicate ears; her eyes were blue as flowers. Her lips and chin had a gentle firmness, and in her pale green suit she was like springtime come alive. I stared at her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was not wearing a rose. As I moved, a small, attractive smile curved her lips. "Going my way , sailor?" she murmured. Almost uncontrollably I made one step closer to her, and then I saw Hollis Maynell. She was standing almost directly behind the girl. A woman well past 40, she had graying hair tucked under a worn hat. She was more than plump, her thick-ankled feet thrust into low-heeled shoes. The girl in the green suit was walking quickly away. I felt as though I was split in two, so keen was my desire to follow her, and yet so deep was my longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned me and upheld my own. And there she stood. Her pale, plump face was gentle and sensible, her gray eyes had a warm and kindly twinkle. I did not hesitate. My fingers gripped the small worn blue leather copy of the book that was to identify me to her. This would not be love, but it would be something precious, something perhaps even better than love, a friendship for which I had been and must ever be grateful. I squared my shoulders and saluted and held out the book to the woman, even though while I spoke I felt choked by the bitterness of my disappointment. "I'm Lieutenant John Blanchard, and you must be Miss Maynell. I am so glad you could meet me; may I take you to dinner?" The woman's face broadened into a tolerant smile. "I don't know what this is about, son," she answered, "but the young lady in the green suit who just went by, she begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should go and tell you that she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!" It's not difficult to understand and admire Miss Maynell's wisdom. The true nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive. "Tell me whom you love," Houssaye wrote, "And I will tell you who you are. "

[{'question': 'How did John Blanchard get to know Miss Hollis Maynell?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['They lived in the same city.', 'They were both interested in literature.', "John knew Hollis's name from a library book.", 'John came across Hollis in a Florida library.']}, {'question': 'Hollis refused to send Blanchard a photo because _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['she was only a middle - aged woman', "she wasn't confident about her appearance", 'she thought true love is beyond appearance', 'she had never taken any photo before they knew']}, {'question': 'How could Blanchard recognize Hollis?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['She would be wearing a rose on her coat.', 'She would be holding a book in her hand.', 'She would be standing behind a young girl.', 'She would be wearing a scarf around her neck.']}, {'question': 'What was the real Miss Hollis Maynell like?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['She was a plump woman with graying hair.', 'She was a slightly fat girl, with blonde hair.', 'She was a middle - aged woman in her forties.', 'She was a young, pretty girl wearing a green suit.']}, {'question': 'When Blanchard went over to greet the woman, he was _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['satisfied and confident', 'disappointed but well - behaved', 'annoyed and bad - mannered', 'shocked but inspired']}, {'question': 'Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['A Test of Love', 'The Symbol of Rose', 'Love is blind', "Don't Judge a Book by its Cover"]}]

A new survey finds that more than eighty percent of Internet users in the United States search for health information online. The survey found that searching online is one of the leading ways that people look for a second opinion though doctors are still the main source of health information. Forty-four percent of people are actually looking for doctors or other providers when they search for health information online. Another finding of the survey: Two-thirds of Internet users look online for information about a specific disease or medical condition. The Internet has also become an important source of emotional support for people with health problems. Susannah Fox says one in five Internet users has gone online to find other people who have the same condition. It was more popular among people with more serious health issues--one in four people living with chronic diseases . And it was basically _ with people living with rare disease. They are so eager to find other people online who share their health concerns. A disease is considered rare if it affects fewer than two hundred thousand people worldwide. The rise of social networking has made it easier for people with rare diseases to connect with each other and feel less alone. Social networking is also changing the way some doctors and patients communicate with each other. Dr. Jeff Livingston operates a medical center for women in Irving, Texas. His office uses password-protected software to share information with patients. "We provide the patient full access to their medical care. Anything I can see, the patient can see. All of their notes, all of their doctor visits are right there. All of their lab work is right there." Dr. Livingston says the software has increased efficiency, reduced costs and improved relations with patients.

[{'question': 'By using social networking, patients with rare diseases can _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['find effective cures', 'get emotional comfort', 'ask for financial support', 'consult doctors anytime']}, {'question': "Which of the following is NOT true of Dr. Livingston's software?", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['It cuts down medical expenses.', 'It decreases the time spent on medical care.', 'It takes doctors closer to their patients.', 'It gives patients a medical test online.']}]

Taichi with English narration A veteran Taichi teacher, about 38, teaches the basic 24 movements, pushinghands and self-defense techniques, suitable for the beginners and intermediate level. Time:10:00-12:00 a.m., every Sunday morning Place: Bamboo Garden Hotel, No 24, Xiaoshiqiao Hutong, jiuprefix = st1 /Gulou Street, Northwestof Drum Tower in the downtown. Fee: 60 yuan each time Chinese ink & water painting class To learn the techniques of painting a bird, flower, or lady with brushes. The Chinese philosophy and culture will also be included Time: 7:00-9:00p.m. every Wednesday Place: Library Bar, first floor, Tower B of East Gate Plaza ,right behind the poly plaza at the East Second Ring Road. Fee: 60 yuan each week Big-bowl-tea Ten yuan (US$1.2) for a cup of Chinese tea and live performance of Peking Opera is the tempting offer up for grabs at Dawancha (big-bowl-tea) Theatre, a new branch of Lao She Tea house. The atmosphere of a traditional Chinese tea-house of the past is evoked with window seats overlooking Tian'an Men Square. Place: east side of north end of Qianmen Dajie, facingArrowTower Tel: 318-4723, 6318-2107 Acrobatic show The Tianqiao area of Beijingwon its name as the city's major outdoor performance site for acrobatics shows before the founding of New China in 1949. Acrobatic shows are still staged every evening in a theatre located in the Tianqiao area. The shows, put on by the Beijing Acrobatics Troupe, include many national or world award-winning programmes. Time: 7 p.m., daily Place: Wansheng Theatre Price: 100 yuan (Us$ 12.0) Tel: 65287750 ext 198

[{'question': 'If you are a sport lover you can go to _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Library Bar', 'Bamboo Garden Hotel', 'Lao she Tea-House', 'Wansheng Theatre']}, {'question': 'Which item is the cheapest and most relaxed to spend your leisure time?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Taichi with English narration', 'Chinese ink & water painting class', 'Big-bowl-tea', 'Acrobatic']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is NOTtrue?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['You can enjoy acrobatic shows every day at 7 p.m. in the open air.', 'You can see live performance of Peking Opera while enjoying Chinese traditional tea', "You don't have to worry about the language problem to attend Taichi if you are an Englishman", 'Chinese ink &water painting class is probably open to learner from outside China']}]

Forget Twitter and Facebook, Google and the Kindle. Television is still the most influential medium around. Indeed, for many of the poorest regions of the world, it remains the next big thing--finally becomes globally available. And that is a good thing, because the TV revolution is changing lives for the better. Across the developing world, around 45% of families had a TV in 1995; by 2005 the number had climbed above 60% . That is some way behind the U.S. ,where there are more TVs than people, and where people now easily get access to the Internet. Five million more families in sub-Saharan Africa will get a TV over the next five years. In 2005 , after the fall of the Taliban ,which had banned TV, I in 5 Afghans had one. The global total is another 150 million by 2013--pushing the numbers to well beyond two thirds of families. Television's most powerful effect will be on the lives of women. In India, researchers Robert Jensen and Emily Oster found that when TVs reached villages, women were more likely to go to the market without their husbands approval and less likely to want a boy rather than a girl. They were more likely to make decisions over child health care. TV is also a powerful medium for adult education. In the Indian state of Gujarat, Chitrageet is a popular show that plays Bollywood songs with words in Gujarati on the screen. Within six months, viewers had made a small but significant improvement in their reading skills. Too much TV has been associated with violence, overweight and loneliness. However, TV is having a positive influence on the lives of billions worldwide.

[{'question': 'Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Americans used to get access to the Internet easily.', "The world's TV sets will total 150 million by 2013.", '45% of families in the developing countries had a TV in 2005.', 'Over two thirds of families in the world will have a TV by 2013.']}, {'question': 'The author intends to _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ["stress the advantages of TV to people's lives", 'persuade women to become more independent', 'encourage people to improve their reading skills', 'introduce the readers some websites such as Google']}, {'question': 'What would be the best title for the passage?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['TV Will Rule the World', 'TV Will Disturb the World', 'TV Will Better the World', 'TV Will Remain in World']}]

I love everything about making Easter dinner except the Saturday shopping. That day, the supermarket can be as crowded as a department store at Christmas. And this Easter, on top of my regular checklist, I had to buy the ingredient for a delicious, new recipe I'd discovered: sliced ham and turkey layered with Swiss cheese and cabbage, all wrapped in pastry dough. Trouble was that my work schedule had left me no time to shop earlier in the week. I would get up extra early and take care of everything on Saturday morning, I thought, as I drove to the office on Friday. But that morning, Yola, one of my co-workers, asked if my husband Robert and I would help her move the next day. "I really don't have anybody else to ask," she apologized. "Sure," I told her, soft touch that I am. Early Saturday morning, Robert, my 15-year-old son Ben, and I drove our truck to her old apartment. Oh, the piles of furniture and boxes! It took us till late afternoon to get her settled in her new place. By the time we returned home, I was exhausted. I don't know how I'm going to go shopping now, let alone cook Easter dinner, I thought. The only ingredient I had at home was the cabbage. On the kitchen counter were two shopping bags of food that Yola had sent home with us -- her thanks for helping her move. She was leaving on a trip the next day, and didn't want the food to go to waste. I reached into the first bag and pulled out a package of sliced ham. Well, that's lucky, I thought. Then I pulled out a package of sliced turkey, and another of Swiss cheese. That's strange, I thought. There's no way Yola knew my Easter dinner plans. I reached back into the grocery bag, thinking of the Easter miracle. All of a sudden, the strangest feeling came over me. I lifted it out. It was a box of pastry dough -- the final ingredient I needed for my recipe.

[{'question': 'According to her plan, what was the author going to do on early Saturday morning?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Shop in the supermarket.', 'Cook some delicious food.', 'Do extra work in her office.', 'Help her co-worker move.']}, {'question': 'What do we know from the passage?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['It took the author the whole morning to finish moving.', 'Helping Yola move took the author nearly a whole day and a lot of effort.', 'Only two people carried the furniture and boxes for Yola.', "Yola's new home is far away from her old apartment."]}, {'question': 'Why did Yola give the author food?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['The food she bought was too much to eat up.', 'She knew that the author liked eating the food.', 'She was leaving and feared the food would go to waste.', "She knew that the author didn't buy Easter food."]}, {'question': 'Which of the following things surprised the author most?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Yola had so much furniture and many boxes to move.', 'Yola gave her so much food to express her thanks.', 'Yola had known what she was in need of.', 'Yola gave her exactly what she wanted to buy.']}]

America's child movie star Shirley Temple Black died late Monday evening at the age of 85. Her fans in China are also deeply saddened. Temple is just one example of movie stars that China adored, and still adores. Here's our editor's pick of the top movie stars who have influenced China. 1. Sylvester Stallone Oh, Rambo! The first strong American man that China knew. His accented English, easily recognizable even for someone who doesn't speak English, and his eyes that never seemed to smile, makes him someone whom cannot be forgotten. He represented the strong American image, and even stirred a boxing and bodybuilding fever in China. 2.Charlie Chaplin (April 16, 1889 - December 25, 1977) In the 20th century, it is not too much to say that Einstein made the greatest contributions to science, and not many would disagree that Chaplin did the same for film. He was the first actor that introduced comedy to most Chinese viewers, and politically, he was also a close friend of China's. His silent films broke the barrier of language and his form of art was recognized by all. It will be a difficult task to find a person in China who does not recognize Chaplin, even today. 3. Shirley Temple ( April 23, 1928 - February 10, 2014) When Chinese audiences saw this adorable child star for the first time on screen, Shirley Temple had already lived for more than half a century. In her movies, she was always alone or in trouble, but this adorable little blonde could always resolve anything with her kindness, push away the fogginess and bring about light. The brand "Shirley Temple" was a product of the Great Depression. People watched her act to forget their hardships as Temple entertained the poor, the rich, adults and children alike. Several decades later, when her films were screened in China, the effects were the same. 4. Audrey Hepburn( May 4, 1929 - January 20, 1993) She will forever be the princess in Chinese people's hearts. Even to this day, a large number of tourists go to Rome to visit the Mouth of Truth with their lovers and eat ice cream on the Spanish Steps. Her sense of style seems to never go out of style. When she was alive, she was living perfection. Even after her death, she has remained an _ . That's something that only Audrey Hepburn is capable of.

[{'question': 'According to the passage, who was most known for comedy in China?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Sylvester Stallone', 'Charlie Chaplin', 'Shirley Temple', 'Audrey Hepburn']}, {'question': 'What can we learn from the passage?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Sylvester Stallone taught boxing and bodybuilding and caused a fever in China.', "Charlie Chaplin was China's close friend because he introduced comedy to China.", "Audrey Hepburn's movie made the Mouth of Truth and the Spanish Steps popular.", "Shirley Temple's works can only help Americans forget hardships and enjoy life better."]}, {'question': 'In which part can we most probably read this passage?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Art', 'Columns', 'Music & Theater', 'Film &TV']}]

Now that America has declared a state of swine flu public health emergency, you may be asking yourself -- what am Isupposed to do? Here is a list of practical steps you can take to prepare and protect yourself and your family. 1) Know the symptoms-- Here are some of the symptoms that sound like swine flu -- fevers over 100 degrees (37.8degC), body aches, cough, runny nose, and sometimes, nausea and diarrhea . It's also useful to know if you might have had an exposure either by recent travel to Mexico, or to the areas of known cases so far in America -- specific areas of California, Texas, New York, Ohio and Kansas. Or you may have been exposed to a sick person who came from those areas. 2) Don't panic-- If you have symptoms that sound like swine flu, do not rush to hospitals. Not only is this difficult for the healthcare system, it can also be potentially dangerous for everyone. Call your doctor or local public health clinic before going in. 3) Contain the illness-- Hand-washing works. Wash, wash and wash. Invest in some hand sanitizer for the whole family. Avoid hugs and kisses of well-wishers, and do not share telephone handsets or computers. Be especially careful to always cough into the elbow of your arm (yes! the elbow, not your hand!). Cover your cough and sneeze to protect others. 4) What about a mask?-- The data shows that masks do work --as long asthere is a tight seal about the mouth and nose. 5) Eat the pork(if you want) -- Swine flu gets its name because pigs can get the infection and spread it to each other -- as well as to humans. This latest virus contains pieces that indicate it evolved from swine flu virus, and can now spread from person to person. Swine flu is not spread by properly prepared and cooked pork products. So if you want to eat pork, you can. 6) Getting sick? Stay home!-- In our go-go-go culture and these severe economic times, it can be very hard to call a boss and cancel a day's work. Now, however, if you or your loved ones are feeling like there's a flu coming on, stay home. 7) Stockpile?-- Right now, it's too early for any of us to become a Swine Flu Shut-In, but the public health department recommends that each home have two weeks of supplies, in case we must stay home -- either for illness or to help contain transmission. That means two weeks of food for everyone in your home, two weeks of all medications, and, if you're like most people, two weeks of books and DVDs.

[{'question': 'The purpose of the writer is mainly to _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['analyze the possible causes of swine flu', 'tell people how to protect themselves from swine flu', 'give people some information about the present situation of swine flu', 'suggest some treatments for swine flu']}, {'question': 'According to the passage, which of the following is one of the reasons why the disease is called "Swine flu"?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Some patients have eaten some not-so-well-cooked pork.', 'Some patients have contact with pigs in their life.', 'The virus is probably developed from swine flu virus.', 'The disease is mostly passed from pigs to humans.']}, {'question': "Suppose Mr Fernando has just been back from prefix = st1 /Mexicoand he's got a high fever and runny nose, what shall he do?", 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Go to hospital as soon as possible.', 'Ask a day off and stay at home.', 'Call his doctor to ask for directions.', 'Take some medicine and have a good rest.']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is NOT a suggestion given by the writer?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Cough and sneeze into your hands.', 'Wash your hands and wear a mask.', 'Go on eating pork if you like.', 'Store some food and medicine at home.']}]

Throughout the world, clothing has many uses. It is used to provide protection from cold. It is also worn to prevent others from seeing specific parts of one's body. However, the parts of the body that must be covered vary widely throughout the world. Some clothing is worn to provide supernatural protection. Wearing a lucky shirt to take an exam is calling for supernatural assistance. People in all cultures use clothing and other forms of bodily decoration to communicate status , intentions and other messages. In North America, we dress differently for business and various leisure activities. North American women usually are much more knowledgeable of little difference in messages communicated by clothes than men. At times, this leads to silly mistakes of understanding of female intentions on the part of men. Of course, clothing styles also are intended to communicate messages to members of the same gender . Long before we are near enough to talk to someone, their appearance tells their gender, age, economic class, and often even intentions. We begin to recognize the important cultural clues at an early age. The vocabulary of dress that we learn includes not only items of clothing but also hairstyles, jewelry, and other body decoration. In most cultures, however, the same style of dress communicates different messages depending on the age, gender, and physical appearance of the individual wearing it. Putting on certain types of clothing can change your behavior and the behavior of others towards you. This can be the case with a doctor's white lab coat, or an army uniform. Most uniforms are clearly symbolic so that they can rapidly and unmistakably communicate status. For instance, the strange hairstyle and clothing of the English "punks" are essential aspects of their uniforms. There are many forms of body decoration other than clothes that are used around the world to send messages. These include body and hair paint, and even body deformation. When doctors put braces on teeth, they are actually doing the same thing - deforming or reforming a part of the body to make it more attractive.

[{'question': 'Which of the following is the best title for this passage?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Clothing and Culture', 'Ways of Sending Message', 'Clothing and Social Behavior', 'Communication through Clothing']}, {'question': 'Some people wear lucky shirts to take an exam because they believe _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['clothes can hide their fear for the exam', 'clothes have extraordinary power', 'shirts can make them more comfortable', 'shirts provide protection against bad weather']}, {'question': "In North America, men sometimes misunderstand women's intention because _ .", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['men are more careless than women', 'women spend more time on their clothes', 'men and women have different views on clothing styles', 'men care less about the different messages communicated by clothes']}, {'question': 'According to the passage, the behavior of others towards you can be changed by your _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['age', 'dress', 'status', 'gender']}, {'question': 'From the passage, it can be inferred that _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['clothing plays an important role in social activities', 'words of dress are unable to communicate different messages', 'dress is better than language in communicating messages', 'messages communicated by clothes are the same in different cultures']}]

Every few years, two groups carry out a study of how many Americans wash their hands after using the toilet. These groups are the American Society for Microbiology and the American Cleaning Institute, formerly the Soap and Detergent Association. There was good news in the latest study. Researchers found that eighty-five percent of adults washed their hands in public restrooms last month. That was the most since the studies began in 1996. Researchers visited restrooms at a baseball park in Atlanta and a science museum and aquarium in Chicago. They also visited two train stations in New York City and a large farmers' market in San Francisco. In all, they observed about six thousand adults, with females and males equal in number. The researchers found that seventy-seven percent of men and ninety-three percent of women washed their hands. That was up from sixty-six percent of men and eighty-eight percent of women in the last study three years ago. The lowest rate of hand washing among men was at Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves baseball team. Only sixty-five percent of men washed their hands, compared to all but two percent of women. Chicago and San Francisco had the most hand washers--eighty-nine percent of adults. Atlanta followed at eighty-two percent. New York had the lowest rate, at seventy-nine percent of the adults observed at Grand Central Station and Penn Station. The findings of the observational study conflicted with the findings of a separate telephone survey of about one thousand people. Ninety-six percent of them said they always washed their hands after using public restrooms. Almost nine out of ten also said they always washed after using the bathroom at home. Hand washing can help prevent the spread of many different infections. To clean your hands well, wet them first and rub in soap for at least twenty seconds, including between the fingers and under the nails. Then wash under running water. In a public restroom, if you dry your hands with a paper towel, you should also use the towel to shut off the water and open the door. Hand washing is also important when preparing food and after changing a baby's diaper . You should also wash if you cough or sneeze into your hands.

[{'question': 'According to the latest study, about _ women washed their hands after using public bathroom.', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['1,980', '2,310', '2,640', '2,790']}, {'question': 'Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Hand washing is up in public restrooms in the US', 'Americans like washing their hands so much', 'Adults have their hands washed in public restrooms', 'Why hand washing never enjoys popularity in the US']}]

The cheetah is best known for being the world's fastest land animal, reaching speeds of just over 110kph for short period of time. However, many people know little else about this wonderful animal. The word cheetah probably comes from a Hindi word spotted animal. It is very similar to other cats but also has some obvious differences. Its body is much leaner than most cats and it has much longer legs. People sometimes make a cheetah a leopard because they both have spots, but in fact they are very different. A leopard is far heavier and more powerful, but also much slower. The cheetah's spots cover most of its body except for its stomach and throat. The cheetah's tail has spots and these become rings at the end of the tail. An adult cheetah weighs between 35-65 kilograms and is about 80 centimeters high at the shoulder. The cheetah's head is quite small and the eyes are quite high up. A black line runs from each eye down to its mouth and makes it look a little sad. It has high shoulders that help it to walk so gracefully. Cheetahs are very fast but they are not very strong. They are not good fighters and will run away rather than fight another animal to protect their food. If they make a kill, it is sometimes taken away from them by stronger animals such as lions and leopard. These animals will kill their young if they get the chance. The cheetah is not a threat to humans at all. It will not attack humans and prefers to stay away from occupied areas.

[{'question': 'Many people know that the cheetah _', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['is a fast runner', 'runs faster than any other animal on land', 'runs as fast as it can', 'is very fast for periods of time']}, {'question': 'The cheetah _', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['has spots all over its body including its tail', 'has spots on its stomach and throat', 'does not have spots on its stomach and throat', 'has spots everywhere except for its stomach and throat']}, {'question': 'Cheetahs will not fight another animal to protect their food because _', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['they can quickly run away', 'they are very fast runners', 'They want to protect their young', 'They are poor fighters']}]

My friend Mike was shaking his head in disbelief. "That young woman who just waited on me," he said, pointing to an employee of the fast food restaurant where we were eating, "had to call someone over to help her count change. The cash register showed her I needed 99 cents, but she couldn't figure out how to count out the coins." I understood Mike's concern. What we have done is to create several generations of individuals most of whom have no idea how to reason; how to do simple math; how to do research; or, finally, how to be creative . The reason for this is our overuse of information technology: video games, television, digital watches, calculators, and computers. Information technology feeds us information without requiring us to think about it and let us perform operations without understanding them. It is time we took a hard look at an educational system that only teaches our children how to push buttons. Our kids can't tell time if the clock has hands. They can use calculators, but cannot add, subtract , divide, or multiply. Video games have taken the place of active, imaginative play. Although most of them are technically educated, they choose not to read. They are so used to television and movies that they cannot use their imagination to stay interested in a book. Therefore, we must do something to help our children. If we don't, they will never learn how to solve problems. They will never learn even basic reasoning skills and will certainly not develop creativity. Instead of filling classrooms with electronics, let's concentrate on good old-fashioned literacy -- reading books. Students must see how things work and how processes lead to results, and they must also stretch their imagination.

[{'question': "What was the employee's problem?", 'answer': 'C', 'options': ["She couldn't operate the cash register.", 'She forgot to count change.', "She couldn't solve simple math problems.", 'She was in need of coins for customer.']}, {'question': 'According to the text, Mike worries that _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['information technology is developing too fast.', 'many restaurants do not provide good service', 'we are creating people who cannot think for themselves', 'modern technology feeds us with too much information']}, {'question': "What's probably the author's suggestion about children's problem?", 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['To get them off TV and computer games.', 'To teach them how to learn from video games.', 'To turn off all electronic equipment at school.', 'To give them freedom in the use of computers.']}, {'question': 'We can learn from the text that the author believes _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['calculators help children expand their imagination', 'reading benefits children more than electronics do', "there's no place for electronics in the classroom", 'information technology does us a lot of good']}]

Two thieves came to a house to steal something. They dug a hole in the wall of the house. There lived many mice in the house. The woman in the house saw a mouse crawl into the house in the moonlight. "Look! In comes one," she said to the man in the house. The thief was so frightened that he hurriedly crawled out of the house and said to the one waiting outside, "She found me when I was just in." But the thief outside didn't believe him, so he said, "Let us try to crawl into the house together." At that time two mice happened to crawl into the house, too. The woman saw the mice and shouted, "In come two, catch them!" The two thieves were terribly frightened. The man in the house said, "You saw them come in but where are they? I will catch them tonight." The two thieves started running away at once. The two thieves wanted to make it clear whether they had been found or not the night before. The next day they acted as men selling sweet potatoes and came before the house. The man and the woman were ploughing in their fields. The rope broke and the woman came home for a rope. She saw two men selling sweet potatoes and wanted to buy some. She picked out two which looked like mice. At the time the man couldn't wait for her any longer in the fields and he ran back from the fields to hurry her up. The woman showed the sweet potatoes to the man and said, "How they look like the two of last night." The man said, "I asked you to fetch a rope, why don't you hurry for it?" The two thieves ran away very quickly without their sweet potatoes.

[{'question': 'The two thieves failed to steal anything from the house because _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['they were found out', 'they were frightened by what they had heard in the house', "they didn't work together well with each other", 'mice stopped them from doing so']}, {'question': 'When the woman said, "How they look like the two of last night!" _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['she referred to the two thieves', 'she meant nothing', 'she said it on purpose', 'she referred to the mice']}, {'question': '" _ "is the best title for this passage.', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Two Clever Thieves', 'Terrible Mice', 'Hit the Mark by a Fluke', 'A Clever Coupe']}, {'question': 'Which of the following statements is NOT true?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['The two thieves not only failed to steal things but also lost their sweet potatoes.', 'Whenever they found mice, the people in the house would try to catch them.', 'The two thieves ran away at once, because they thought the woman had seen them.', 'The man let the woman go home for a rope, which would be used for catching the thieves.']}]

To err is human. To blame the other guy is even more human. Common sense is not all that common. Why tell the truth when you can come up with a good excuse? These three popular misquotes are meant to be jokes, and yet they tell us a lot about human nature .To err, or to make mistakes, is indeed a part of being human, but it seems that most people don't want to accept the responsibility for the problem. Perhaps it is the natural thing to do .The original quote about human nature went like this: " To err is human, to forgive, divine ."This saying mirrors an ideal people should be forgiving of others' mistakes. Instead, we tend to do the opposite -find someone else to pass the blame on to. However, taking responsibility for something that went wrong is a making of great maturity. Common sense is what we call clear thought. Having common sense means having a good general plan that will make things work well, and it also means staying with the plan. Common sense tells you that you take an umbrella out into a rainstorm, but you leave the umbrella home when you hear a weather forecast for sunshine.Common sense does not seem to be common for large organizations, because there are so many things going on that one person cannot be in charge of everything. People say that in a large company, "the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing." And what is wrong with a society that thinks that making up a good excuse is like creating a work of art? One of the common problems with making excuses is that people, especially young people, get the idea that it's okay not to be totally honest all the time. There is a corollary to that: if good excuse is "good" even if it isn't honest, then where is the place of the truth?

[{'question': 'According to tile passage, which of following seems the most human?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['To search for truth.', "To achieve one's ideal", "To make fun of others' mistakes.", "To criticize others for one's own error."]}, {'question': "According to the author, what is a sign of a man's maturity?", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Doing things his own way.', 'Bearing responsibility for his mistakes.', 'Making as few mistakes as possible.', 'Thinking seriously about his wrongdoing.']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is N0T based on common sense?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['A man tries to take charge of everything in a large company.', 'A student goes out with an umbrella in stormy weather.', "A company's next move follows a good plan.", 'A lawyer acts on fine judgments.']}, {'question': "What is the author's opinion about a good excuse?", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Making a good excuse is sometimes a better policy.', 'Inventing a good excuse needs creative ideas.', 'A good excuse is as rewarding as honesty.', 'Bitter truth is better than a good excuse.']}, {'question': 'What would be the best title for his passage?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['A Mirror of Human Nature', 'To Blame or to Forgive', 'A Mark of Maturity', 'Truth or Excuse']}]

A meteor that exploded over Russia's Ural mountains and sent burning to earth has set off a rush to find fragments of the space rock which hunters hope could fetch thousands of dollars a piece. Friday's explosion and following shockwave shattered windows, injured almost 1200 people and caused about $33 million worth of damage, said local authorities. It also started a "meteorite rush" around the industrial city of Chelyabinsk,where groups of people have started _ the snow and ice. "The price is hard to say yet... The fewer meteorites that are discovered, the higher their price is." Said Dmitry Kachkalin, a member of the Russian Society of Amateur Meteorite Lovers. Meteorites are parts of a meteor that have fallen to earth. Scientists at the Urals Federal University were the first to announce a significant find-53 small, stony, black objects around Lake Chebarkul, near Chelyabinsk, which tests confirmed were small meteorites. The fragments were only 0.5 to 1 cm across but the scientists said larger pieces may have crashed into the lake, where a crater in the ice about eight metres wide opened up after Friday's explosion. "We just completed tests and confirm that the pieces of matter found by our experts around Lake Chebarkul are really meteorites." said Viktor Grokhovsky, a scientist with the Urals Federal University and the Russian Academy of Sciences. Many other people were in the area just hoping to find a meteorite after what was described by scientists as a once-in-a-century event. Residents of a village near Chelyabinsk searched the snowy streets, collecting stones they hoped prove to be the real thing. But not all were ready to sell. "I will keep it. Why sell it? I didn't have a rich lifestyle before, so why start now?" a woman in a woollen hat and winter jacket, clutching a small black pebble , told state television. The Internet was filled quickly with advertisements from eager hunters hoping to sell what they said were meteorites - some for as little as 1,000 roubles ($33.18). One seller of a large, silver-hued rock wrote in an advertisement:" Selling an unusual rock. It may be a piece of meteorite. It may be a bit of a UFO. It may be a piece of a rocket!"

[{'question': 'According to the passage, lots of people rushed to find meteorites for _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['fun', 'money', 'research', 'fame']}, {'question': 'Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['The price of meteorites will be very high without doubt.', "A meteor exploded over Russia's Ural mountains on Friday.", 'All meteorites hunters want to sell what they found and become rich.', 'People from all across Russia have rushed to Ural mountains to find meteorites.']}, {'question': 'Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['How to identity a meteorite', 'To sell or to keep your meteorite', 'Meteorite rush around Chelyabinsk', 'Meteor explosion caused great damage']}]

We've all felt discouragement at one point or another in our lives. However, when this emotion bleeds into other aspects of our life, it can sometimes be inappropriate or even harmful. I was personally discouraged by an adult during my high school. After telling her what university I wanted to attend, she plainly told me I would not get in. I was completely shocked and angry at her statement. The adult may have not intended to hurt me with her words, but it had an after effect. The meeting made me think she had no belief that I could possibly succeed in the future. After that it caused me to try to avoid any future meeting with adults until absolutely necessary. We are all human; therefore, we can all understand that some days are more challenging. But when people allow situations of stress to consume them, they cannot perform their best. People should pay attention to how their reactions could affect the person they are interacting with. People have the potential to perform their best when they _ the task at hand, but adults who come off in a rude and aggressive way through communication have an effect on teenagers' mind. Adults whether in schools, or any other institutions should work to tear down walls gently and create a safe space for the person they are serving. These adults should also help and contribute to a person's academic, personal and professional growth. High school is an important time when young people need someone to believe in them. In conclusion, I would like to add that it is not completely up to adults only. Students are responsible for seeking help from adults who are in authority positions. They are also responsible for the way they approach adults in their academic surroundings. Students can expect to be treated in a respectful way when they express at the beginning. Generally the responsibility lies on both parties. When both sides can communicate in a polite manner then the complete environment of the school has the potential to develop well.

[{'question': 'The passage is mainly about _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ["the adults' roles in school", 'the skill to encourage students', 'the way to communicate with children', 'the importance of personal professional growth']}, {'question': "Who are responsible for children's development at school according to the writer?", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Students.', 'Teachers.', 'Headmasters.', 'Both students and teachers.']}, {'question': 'The writer once tried to avoid meetings with adults because _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['he was very busy', 'he thought highly of himself', 'he was once hurt by an adult', "he couldn't get high marks at school"]}]

There's a man in the habit of hitting me on the head with an umbrella.At first I couldn't stand it;now I'm used to it. I don't know his name.I know he's average in appearance,wears a gray suit.and has a common face one hot morning,when 1 was sitting off a tree-shaded bench in Palermo Park,reading the paper,suddenly I felt something touch my head.It was the very same man who now,as I'm writing.keeps striking me with an umbrella. On that occasion I turned around filled with anger.He just kept on hitting me.I asked him if he was crazy.He didn't even seem to hear me.Thell I threatened to call a policeman.Calmly.cool as a cucumber,he stuck with his task.After a few moments of hesitation,and seeing that he was not about to change his attitude,I stood up and hit him on the nose.The man fell down.But he immediately got back on his feet,obviously with great effort,and without a word again began hitting me on the head with the umbrella.His nose was bleeding and,at that moment.Ifelt sorry for him I felt regret for having hit him so hard.After all,the man wash't exactly hitting me;he was merely tapping me lightly with his umbrella,not causing any pain at all.Of course.those taps were extremely bothersome.As we all know,when a fly lands on your forehead,you don't feel any pain;what you feel is annoyance well then,that umbrella was one huge fly that kept landing on my head time after time. Convinced that I was dewing with a madman.I tried to escape.But the man followed me,wordlessly continuing to hit me.So I began to run(I should point out that not many people run as fast asI do).He took off after me.trying to land a blow.The man was out of breath so that I thought,if I continued to force him to run at that speed,he would drop dead fight then and there*

[{'question': 'When the man began to strike the author with an umbrella,the author', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['became angry', 'called the police', 'turned around and escaped', 'turned around and fought back']}, {'question': 'The author would most probably agree that he man was_.', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['deaf', 'blind', 'dead', 'mad']}, {'question': 'The author felt sorry for the man because_.', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['the man formed a bad habit of beating others', 'he hit I the marl so hard that his nose bled', "the man couldn't catch up with him", "there was a fly on the man's head"]}, {'question': 'It can be learned from the passage that the man_.', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['shouted loudly while hitting the author', 'wanted to tell the author something', 'rail after the author breathlessly', 'acted as if he were a fly']}]

The Internet has led to a huge increase in credit-card fraud. Your card information could even be for sale in an illegal web site. Web sites offering cheap goods and services should be regarded with care. On-line shoppers who enter their credit-card information may never receive the goods they thought they bought. The thieves then go shopping with your card number -- or sell the information over the Internet. Computers hackers have broken down security systems, raising questions about the safety of cardholder information. Several months ago, 25, 000 customers of CD Universe, an on-line music retailer , were not lucky. Their names, addresses and credit-card numbers were posted on a Web site after the retailer refused to pay US $157, 828 to get back the information. Credit-card firms are now fighting against on-line fraud. Mastercard is working on plans for Web -- only credit card, with a lower credit limit. The card could be used only for shopping on-line. However, there are a few simple steps you can take to keep from being cheated. Ask about your credit-card firm's on-line rules: Under British law, cardholders have to pay the first US $78 of any fraudulent spending. And shop only at secure sites; Send your credit-card information only if the Web site offers advanced secure system. If the security is in place, a letter will appear in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. The Website address may also start https: //--the extra "s" stands for secure. If in doubt, give your credit-card information over the telephone. Keep your password safe: Most on-line sites require a user name and password before placing an order. Treat your passwords with care.

[{'question': 'What do most people worry about the Internet according to this passage?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['A lot of stolen credit-cards were sold on the Internet.', 'Fraud on the Internet.', 'Many Web sites are destroyed.', 'Many illegal Web sites are on the Internet.']}, {'question': 'What is the meaning of "fraud"?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Cheating.', 'Sale.', 'Payment.', 'Safety.']}, {'question': 'How can the thieves get the information of the credit card?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['The customers give them the information.', 'The thieves steal the information from Web sites.', 'The customers sell the information to them.', 'The thieves buy the information from credit-card firms.']}, {'question': 'How many pieces of advice does the passage give to you?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Four.', 'Three.', 'Five.', 'Six.']}, {'question': 'You are shopping on the site: http: // www. Shopping. com, and you want to buy a TV set, what does this article suggest to do?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Order the TV set at once.', 'Do not buy the TV set on this site.', 'E-mail the site your credit-card information.', 'Tell the site your password and buy the TV set for you.']}]

prefix = st1 /PITTSBURGH, Sept. 7 -- At 26, many people haven't even decided on a career. Luke Ravenstahl, cashing in on his family's political tradition, is already the mayor of Pittsburgh, the youngest mayor of any major city in the country. Although mayors elsewhere have been younger, Jeff Dunkel was 18 in 2001 when he was elected mayor of Mount Carbon, small towns inNew York, and elsewhere have also elected teenagers as mayors. But,Tallahassee, is the only other city with a population over 100,000 that has had a mayor as young as Mr. Ravenstahl. A supporter of Mr. Ravenstahl said concerns about Mr. Ravenstahl's age would _ once the city saw his work ethic. But now comes the hard part. As he strives to be taken seriously and take charge of a city only recently back from the brink of bankruptcy, the baby-faced mayor said that even the smallest decisions felt weighty, even what to wear in the Steelers game matters. And another pressing issue is to strengthen the city's economy. Pittsburghhas lost all its mills, nearly half its population and much of its downtown commercial district in the last several decades. "ButPittsburghhas 50,000 college students, and our challenge is to figure out how to retain them and to increase downtown development." He said. But one of the biggest uncertainties is how long he will remain in office. According to the city charter, Mayor Ravenstahl's term will not expire until November 2009. Some city lawyers, however, have argued that he must face the electorate next year. And residents in Pittsburghare still withholding judgment on him. Deli, Jimmy Cvetic, a sandwich shop owner, said "I call him Cool Hand Luke. He'll be all right, but he's going to need a cool hand to get through this." Mayor Ravenstahl said he was still coming to terms with the challenge he faced.

[{'question': 'What can you infer from the article about Pittsburgh?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['It is a small town in New Yorkfamous for steel mills.', 'It has always enjoyed prosperous economic success.', 'Many young college students there are the new hope of the district.', 'It is a major city in the U.S.A with a population slightly smaller than 100,000.']}, {'question': 'Where can you find this article?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['A magazine', 'A brochure about politicians', 'A newspaper', 'An advertisement about some mayor candidates']}, {'question': 'What kind of Challenges will not Luke Ravenstahl cope with?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Distrust from his citizens', 'pressure from other outstanding young majors', 'economical standstill of his city', 'decreasing population in his city']}]

The literal meaning of philosophy is "love of wisdom". But this meaning does not tell us very much. Unlike the other disciplines ,philosophy cannot be defined by what you study, because it is actually unlimited. Anything can be the subject matter of philosophy: art, history, law, language, literature, mathematics, medicine, psychology, religion, science, and values. Philosophy is one of the world's oldest subjects of study, and in fact, the other academic disciplines are directly related to philosophy. For this reason you get a Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in biochemistry, or computer science, or psychology. Two broad sub-fields of philosophy are logic and the history of philosophy. Logic is the science of argument and critical thinking. It provides sound methods for distinguishing good from bad reasoning. The history of philosophy involves the study of major philosophers and periods in the development of philosophy. Of what use is philosophy? First it is useful in educational advancement. It is necessary for understanding other disciplines. Only philosophy questions the nature of the concepts used in a discipline, and its relation to other disciplines. And through the study of philosophy, one develops sound methods of research and analysis that can be applied to any field. There are a number of general uses of philosophy. It strengthens one's ability to solve problems, to communicate, to organize ideas and issues, to persuade, and to take what is the most important from a large quantity of data.These general uses are of great benefit in the career field, not necessarily for obtaining one's first job after graduation, but for preparing for positions of responsibility, management and leadership later on. It is very short-sighted after all, to take a course of studies only for the purpose of getting one's first job. The useful skills developed through the study of philosophy have significant long-term benefits in career advancement. No other discipline systematically follows the ideals of wisdom, leadership, and capacity to resolve human conflict.

[{'question': 'With the study of philosophy, you can _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['become a great leader', 'succeed in everything', 'find a good job soon after graduation', 'make progress in your career development']}, {'question': 'According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Philosophy is an independent discipline.', 'Logic helps you to become a better thinker.', 'The study of philosophy brings you immediate benefits.', 'The meaning of philosophy is too limited to define.']}, {'question': 'From the passage, we can conclude _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['not all the subjects have to do with philosophy', 'a person will get a Ph.', 'philosophy can be helpful for the study of any other subjects', 'philosophy is the only solution to all the problems to the world']}]

I was brought up in the British, _ . Strong feelings aren't something you display in public. So, you can imagine that I was unprepared for the outpouring of public grief at a Chinese funeral. My editorial team leader died recently after a short illness. He was 31. The news was so unexpected that it left us all shocked and upset. A female colleague burst into tears and cried piteously at her desk. Somehow we got through the day's work. The next day was the funeral. Our big boss stepped forward to deliver a eulogy and was soon in tears. She carried on, in Chinese of course, but at the end said in English: "There will be no more deadlines for you in heaven." Next came a long-term colleague who also dissolved in tears but carried on with her speech despite being almost overcome by emotion. Then a close friend of the dead man paid tribute , weeping openly as he spoke. Sorrow is spreading. Me and women were now sobbing uncontrollably. Finally, the man's mother, supported between two women, addressed her son in his coffin. At one point, the mother almost collapsed and had to be held up. We were invited to step forward to each lay a white rose on the casket. Our dead colleague looked as if he was taking a nap. At the end of the service I walked away from the funeral parlor stunned at the outpouring of emotion. In the UK, families grieve privately and then try to hold it together and not break down at a funeral. Here in China it would seem that grieving is a public affair. It strikes me that it is more cathartic to cry your eyes out than try to keep it bottled up for fear of embarrassment, which is what many of us do in the West. Afterwards, a Chinese colleague told me that the lamenting at the funeral had been restrained by Chinese standards. In some rural areas, she said, people used to be paid to mourn noisily. This struck me like something out of novel by Charles Dickens. But we have all seen on TV scenes of grief-stricken people in Gaza and the West Bank, in Afghanistan, Iraq and the relatives of victims of terrorist bombings around the world. Chinese grief is no different. I realized that it's the reserved British way of mourning that is out of step with the rest of the world. It was our newspaper's production day. We were bussed back to the office to resume work. No more deadlines for our former colleague, but we had to pull together to put the newspaper to print. The boss invited the team to go out for dinner after work. We relaxed, smiled, joked. There was no mention of the funeral or our poor colleague. Enough sorrow had been shed already. We needed a break.

[{'question': 'At the funeral, _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['five individuals made speeches', "the boss's speech was best thought of", 'everyone was crying out loudly', 'the writer was astonished by the scene']}, {'question': 'According to the writer, people in the West _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['are not willing to be sad for the dead', 'prefer to control their sadness in public', 'cry their eyes out at the public funeral', 'have better way to express sadness']}, {'question': 'It is implied that _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ["the English might cry noisily for the dead in Dickens' time", 'Chinese express their sadness quite unlike other peoples', 'victims of terrorist bombings should be greatly honored', 'English funeral culture is more civilized than the others']}, {'question': 'This passage talks mainly about _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ["an editor's death", 'bad funeral customs', 'western ways of grief', 'cultural differences']}]

Soon after you have your first child, the question of having a second one is raised by friends and family. However, as the pattern of having two children in a family is challenged by modern family units, there are a few reasons why it is not selfish to want only one child. Today, the role of women has changed a lot. But nowadays, a wife has to help her husband earn the bread and butter as well as well as looking after her family. In demanding times like these, a woman has to put in more physical and emotional effort than any other member of the family. Raising a child comes at a cost that remains only heard of, until you find yourself paying it. The good reality of double income with no kids suddenly comes crashing down when there is a child involved in the picture. When one parent (the mother) needs to take some time off to look after the newborn, only one person becomes the earning member. Of course, the expenses went up rapidly. According to Susan Newman, PhD, a social psychologist, the average cost of raising a child is $227,000 from birth to college. Most young mothers also think that having one child would mean that there is more income for the child, and thus, better facilities can be provided. It is much easier to educate a single child at a good school, and give him/her better life with more resources at hand. With several children in the house, it becomes increasingly difficult to find ways to spend time with all of them. Dividing your time with just one child means that you can devote a little more time to doing the things you want to. In a single child unit, there are less comparison and more chances for positive motivation to learn new things. A happy child, who deserves the rightful attention, love, care, and time from both the parents, always gets a meaningful childhood, for both the parents and the child.

[{'question': 'What does the writer mainly want to tell us in the passage?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['It is not selfish to have only one child in a family.', 'Raising a child costs a lot nowadays.', 'It is more difficult to raise several children in a family.', 'Women are playing a more important role in the family than before.']}, {'question': "Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage to support the writer's opinion?", 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['better education.', 'meaningful childhood.', 'less generation gap.', 'better care.']}]

Grown-ups are often surprised by how well they remember something they learned as children but have never practiced ever since. A man who has not had a chance to go swimming for years can still swim as well as ever when he gets back in the water. He can get on a bicycle after many years and still ride away. He can play catch and hit a ball as well as his son. A mother who has not thought about the words for years can teach her daughter the poem that begins "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" or remember the story of Cinderella or Goldilocks and the Three Bears. One explanation is the law of overlearning, which can be stated as follows: Once we have learned something, additional learning trials increase the length of time we will remember it. In childhood we usually continue to practice such skills as swimming, bicycle riding, and playing baseball long after we have learned them. We continue to listen to and remind ourselves of words such as "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" and childhood tales such as Cinderella and Goldilocks. We not only learn but overlearn. The multiplication tables are an exception to the general rule. that we forget rather quickly the things that we learn in school, because they are another of the things we overlearn in childhood. The law of overlearning explains why cramming for an examination, though it may result in a passing grade, is not a satisfactory way to learn a college course. By cramming, a student may learn the subject well enough to get by on the examination, but he is likely soon to forget almost everything he learned. A little overlearning, on the other hand, is really necessary for one's future development

[{'question': "What's the main idea of Paragraph 1", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Children have a better memory than grown-ups.', 'People remember well what they learned in childhood.', 'Poem reading is a good way to learn words."', 'Stories for children are easy to remember']}, {'question': 'The author explains the law of overlearning by', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['presenting research findings', 'setting down general rules', 'using examples', 'making a comparison']}, {'question': 'According to the author, being able to use multiplication tables is', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['a result of overlearning', 'a special case of cramming', 'a skill to deal with math problems', 'a basic step towards advanced studies']}, {'question': "What is the author's opinion on cramming?", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['It leads to failure in college exams.', "It increases students' learning interest.", "It's possible to result in poor memory.", "It's helpful only in a limited way."]}]

For most of us, the rain that falls on our roof runs off into the ground or the sewer system. But if you want to save a little water and reuse it on your lawns or plants --- or even use it for laundry, dishes, or other needs --- collecting rainwater from your gutter's downspouts is a _ According to John C. Davis, writing in E / The Environmental Magazine, just about any homeowner can collect rainwater, given that the roof and gutters do most of the work. And since an inch of rain falling on a 2,000-square-foot roof produces some 1,200 gallons of water, you can harvest enough to water your lawn or garden. Plants and grass actually do better when fed rainwater instead of tap water, which is usually treated with substances that can hold back plant growth. Using rainwater can also extend the life of pipes, since the salts added to tap water may gradually damage the pipes. However, homeowners should set up a water purification system if they do plan to use rainwater for inside needs. Rainwater harvesting can also be good for the local community, as it reduces the erosion, flooding, and pollution associated with heavy rainfall, and reduces dependence on public water supplies. So some states fund rainwater collection systems in their local communities. Many varieties of rain barrel systems, starting at just $100, are available for home use. A typical setup is simply a rain barrel positioned under a gutter's downspout. Skillful homeowners can make their own water harvesting systems, but buying one is a lot easier. Most garden centres offer a range of choices as well as tips.

[{'question': 'What is the topic of the passage ?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Basic gardening skills.', 'Water-saving techniques.', 'Wastewater treatment systems.', 'Roof rainwater collection.']}]

The day the letter arrived from my university telling me how much I owed them for my first semester, I felt a lump forming in my throat. I hadn't even started my degree and already I was in debt. But although the sum was unsettling, I had peace of mind: I had taken out a loan that would cover the next three years of tuition fees and living expenses. A government body in the UK, the Student Loans Company, provides loans to students whose parents cannot afford to cover the costs themselves. Students forward this amount to the university in advance and agree to repay the loan when they begin their first job. For me, it was a lot of money -around &6,000(60,860 Yuan) per year in total -and much more than I had ever been responsible for. I would receive a couple of thousand pounds per semester -half for tuition fees, half for living costs. Even though I will be paying off my debt for a long time, I don't regret my decision. Having a loan taught me a lot about money management, which I would not have learned otherwise. Each term I paid my tuition fees in one payment, but I also received my loan for living costs in one payment. It was up to me to organize how I would spend this. I divided the amount to calculate my weekly budget and it was important that I tried not to overspend. I had to be disciplined and keep a close eye on my expenditure. Food, clothes and going out are the main things students spend money on. With a loan, students have total financial freedom. Instead of having someone looking over their shoulder, they must make every financial decision for themselves. This year, university fees were tripled. But when it comes to money management, perhaps this generation will be the smartest yet.

[{'question': 'How did the writer feel when the letter arrived?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Unsettled.', 'Calm.', 'Relieved.', 'Stressed.']}, {'question': 'Which of the following statements about the loan is right?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ["It's meant for excellent students.", "It's well beyond what the author could be responsible for.", 'Students must pay it off as soon as they get a job.', 'Students can receive the money monthly.']}, {'question': 'The student loan has all of the advantages except that _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['It can make students live a comfortable life in university.', 'It can enable students to carry on with their study.', 'It can teach students to spent money wisely.', 'It can help to reduce family burden.']}]

Do you love holidays but hate gaining weight? You are not alone. Holidays are times for celebrating. Many people are worried about their weight. With proper planning, though, it is possible to keep normal weight during the holidays. The idea is to enjoy the holidays but not to eat too much. You don't have to turn away from the foods that you enjoy. Here are some tips for preventing weight gain and maintaining physical fitness: Don't skip meals. Before you leave home, have a small, low-fat meal or snack . This may help to avoid getting too excited before delicious foods. Control the amount of food. Use a small plate that may encourage you to "load up ". You should be most comfortable eating an amount of food about the size of your fist . Begin with soup and fruit or vegetables. Fill up beforehand on water-based soup and raw fruit or vegetables, or drink a large glass of water before you eat to help you to feel full. Avoid high-fat foods. Dishes that look oily or creamy may have large amount of fat. Choose lean meat . Fill your plate with salad and green vegetables. Use lemon juice instead of creamy food. Stick to physical activity. Don't let exercise take a break during the holidays. A 20-minute walk helps to burn off extra calories.(238 words)

[{'question': 'Which of the following statements is WRONG according to the passage?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['You should never eat delicious foods.', 'Drinking some water or soup before eating helps you to eat less.', 'Holidays are happy days but they may bring you weight problems.', 'Physical exercise can reduce the chance of putting on weight.']}, {'question': 'Which of the following can NOT help people to lose weight according to the passage?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Eating lean meat.', 'Creamy food.', 'Eating raw fruit or vegetables.', 'Physical exercise.']}, {'question': "Many people can't control their weight during the holidays mainly because they _ .", 'answer': 'A', 'options': ["can't help eating too much", 'take part in too many parties', 'enjoy delicious foods sometimes', "can't help turning away from foods."]}, {'question': 'If the passage appeared in a newspaper, which section is the most suitable one?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Holidays and Festivals section', 'Health and Fitness section', 'Fashion section', 'Student Times Club section']}, {'question': 'What is the best title of the passage?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['How to avoid holiday feasting.', "Do's and don'ts for keeping slim and fit.", 'How to avoid weight gain over holidays.', 'Wonderful holidays, boring experiences.']}]

Do you have a hobby--something you really enjoy doing in your spare time? Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you could spend more time on your hobby and less time at work? Maybe it's not an either/or situation. Perhaps you can do both at the same time. When choosing a career, one of the things you must consider is your interests. Why then do so many people not even think about their hobbies when a hobby is, in fact, an interest? Perhaps it's because even Webster's Dictionary defines a hobby as "a pursuit (,) outside one's regular occupation ". Maybe this is a rule you should break. After all, no one ever said your hobby had to stay separate from your occupation. In addition people are usually very skilled at their hobbies. The combination of interest and skill is a very compelling reason to choose a particular career. "Who's going to hire someone who loves making beaded jewelry?" you may ask yourself. Good question. Don't wait for someone to hire you. Start your own business. That may be the best way to combine your hobby with your career. Those with hobbies that involve creating things, i.e. jewelry, clothing, or pottery, may do well to sell those items on their own. Before you go forward with your plans, though, you should find out whether being an entrepreneur is for you. When you attempt to turn your hobby into a career, don't forget to do your homework. Even though you may have enjoyed training your pet birds to sing the national song, that doesn't mean you're suitable to be an animal trainer. Be sure to research your career choice completely. There may be aspects of it that just aren't for you. In that case, stick to your day job, as they say, and save your hobby for your free time.

[{'question': 'By writing this passage, the writer wants to introduce _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['how to choose a hobby for your free time', 'how to develop your own hobby', 'how to treat your job as a hobby', 'how to turn a hobby into a career']}]

Aqeela Asifi, who fled to Pakistan as a young woman, has spent her life teaching other Afghan refugees. For her efforts, Ms. Asifi, who is 49, has won the 2015 UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award. She also gets $100,000 to help pay for her education projects. The UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award honors extraordinary service to people who have been forced from their homes. Eleanor Roosevelt, Graca Machel and Luciano Pavarotti are some of the other winners of the award. Asifi faced many problems in Afghanistan before she fled to Pakistan. Resources were limited and education for women was discouraged. However, in Pakistan, the 49-year-old was able to bring change to her conservative Afghan community. She persuaded parents to send their daughters to school in a tent at the Kot Chandana refugee village. The village was in the Punjab Province of Pakistan. Since then, Ms. Asifi has guided more than a thousand refugee girls through their primary education. "When I began my mission to educate Afghan girls, I could not have imagined that one day it will win me this award. I cannot express my happiness," she told VOA. Ms. Asifi was a teacher in Kabul when she fled with her family in 1992. "In Afghanistan I was teaching both boys and girls," she told VOA. "When I left Afghanistan and ended up in this refugee village with my family, I was saddened to find out there were no facilities here, particularly for women and girls." They made their home in the distant refugee community in Kot Chandana. There she began teaching a small number of students in her tent. She made teaching materials by hand. Her tent school has led to the opening of several permanent schools in the village. These schools teach more than one thousand children. Support from the UNHCR, local government, and non-governmental organizations helped make these new schools possible. Ms. Asifi is a mother of six children. She has worked hard to pay for their education. She spends almost all her income to pay her son's tuition to study engineering at Kabul University. But seeking higher education for her four daughters is difficult. There is not enough money or secondary schools for girls in the village. The Afghan teacher hopes more and more children will receive an education in Afghanistan. She hopes her home country becomes better known for higher levels of education, instead of war. "I want my goal to be introduced in parts of Afghanistan where conservative traditions and customs still prevent parents from sending their daughters to outdoor schools," she said.

[{'question': 'According to the passage, Asifi was able to win the 2015 UNHCR Nansen Refugee award mainly because _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['she suffered a lot more than other refugees who fled to Pakistan', 'she was the kindest person all over the world', 'she witnessed the cruelest event when she was in Afghanistan', 'she made great contributions to refugees despite leaving her homeland']}, {'question': "Which of the following is TRUE about Asifi's experiences?", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Before she fled to Afghanistan, she had been a teacher in Pakistan.', 'Asifi succeeded in changing attitudes of Afghan refugees toward girl education.', 'Asifi determined to win the award when she began to educate Afghan girls.', 'All the materials needed for teaching were borrowed.']}, {'question': 'What can be inferred from the passage?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Resources were unlimited and education for women was encouraged before Asifi fled to Pakistan.', 'Eleanor Roosevelt, Graca Machel and Luciano Pavarotti all fled to other countries from Afghanistan.', "Asifi's daughters can enjoy equal opportunities like their brothers to receive higher education at university.", 'Asifi still treats her own country with great affection though living as a refugee in another country.']}]

Dear son, The day that you see me old and I am already not in good health, have patience and try to understand me. If I get dirty when eating, if I can not dress, have patience and remember the hours I spent teaching it to you. If, when I speak to you, I repeat the same things thousand and one times, do not interrupt me, listen to me. When you were small, I had to read to you thousand and one times the same story until you got to sleep. When I do not want to have a shower, neither shame me nor scold me. Remember when I had to chase you with thousand excuses I invented, in order that you wanted to breathe. When you see my knowing little about new technologies, give me the necessary time and do not look at me with your mocking smile. I taught you how to do so many things: to eat good, to dress well, to confront life... When at some moment I lose the memory or the thread of our conversation, let me have the necessary time to remember, and if I cannot do it, do not become nervous, as the most important thing is not our conversation but surely to be with you and to have you listening to me. If ever I do not want to eat, do not force me. I know well when I need to and when not. When my tired legs do not allow me to walk, give me your hand, the same way I did when you made your first step. And when someday I say to you that I do not want to live anymore--that I want to rest forever, do not get angry. Someday you will understand. Try to understand that _ . Some day you will discover that, despite my mistakes, I always wanted the best thing for you and that I tried to prepare the way for you. You must not feel sad, angry or impotent for seeing me near you. You must be next to me, try to understand me and to help me as I did it when you starting living. I will pay you by a smile and by the immense love I have had always for you.

[{'question': 'What does the father mainly want to say to his son in short?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['" Help me to understand my life."', '" Teach you how to live and survive."', '" Share you how I taught you."', '" Help to end my way with your love and patience."']}]

Health insurance can be very expensive. Some working people do not make enough money to pay for it. In the US there is a program called Healthy Families. This program offers people health insurance at a low cost. Families are charged about $7.00 a month for every child, and $10.00 for every adult. It costs much less than any other kind of health insurance. Having health insurance is very important. With this insurance, people can see a doctor when they are sick or hurt. The program is not expensive at all, but many people are still not enrolling in it. People say that it still costs too much money. They need all of their money to pay for things like food and rent . It would be great if everyone could have health insurance. People are working hard to come up with ways to make this happen. One idea is to make the Healthy Families Program free for some people. It is important for people to see a doctor when they need to. The Healthy Families Program makes it possible for more people to do this. Many ideas are being considered. Hopefully some of them will allow even more families to get health insurance. The Healthy Families Program is made to help those who don't have welfare and cannot earn enough to pay for private health insurance. It is an important program, but officials say that too many people are signing up for it and then dropping out because of the Healthy Families Program's cost.

[{'question': 'The aim of the Healthy Families Program is to _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['help people earn more and pay for the program', 'make it free for people to see a doctor', 'help more families get health insurance', 'help families pay for private health insurance']}, {'question': 'If a couple has two children, how much would health insurance cost every month?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['$34', '$40.', '$28.', '$24.']}, {'question': 'Why is it very important for people to have health insurance?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['They can see a doctor free of charge.', 'They can get special medical care.', 'They can go to see a doctor as soon as possible.', 'They can afford to see a doctor when they need to.']}, {'question': 'In the passage we can learn all of the following EXCEPT that _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['health insurance is very important for ordinary people', 'people should make more money to pay for private health insurance', 'the program is still too expensive for many people', "many people don't make enough money to pay for health insurance"]}, {'question': 'The passage is mainly about _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['health insurance at a low cost', 'the Healthy Families Program', 'the cost of health insurance[', 'the benefits of health insurance']}]

Teenage life is quite dramatic but that doesn't mean you cannot enjoy your life in these years. Even with your daily troubles, your life is not very hard if you know how to deal with them. I know exactly how you feel. Life as a teenager can be hard. You are not a kid anymore, because you are smart enough to observe and analyze your surroundings. However, you are still not an adult because there are still lots of experiences that you need to have and lessons that you need to learn from these experiences. To top it all, the hormonal imbalance in your body can really mess you up emotionally. I have been there. I was in it for 6 years exploring what life is about. As a teenager, I had a major problem with completing my chores on time. And at that time, all that I need to do was finish my assignments, study for the upcoming test and clean my room. Now, I have lots of things to do: cooking, cleaning and working while striking a balance between all my relationships related to work, family and friends. That really is a lot of work. So, I will just give you one golden tip, quoting from Benjamin Franklin, "Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today." Life becomes much easier because I finish all my work on time and I have enough time to _ . Half the problems as a teenager are because we hate doing things. We'd rather go and have fun than sit down and take care of our duties and responsibilities. That is why you have so much trouble in your life; your parents won't let you go out with friends because you didn't clean your room or your professor is always criticizing you because you haven't finished your assignments.

[{'question': 'Whom is the text intended for?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Parents', 'Teachers', 'Teenagers', 'Scientists']}, {'question': 'The author tries to persuade readers mainly by means of _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['quoting famous sayings by famous people', 'setting his own experiences as example', 'listing all of his troubles in his childhood', 'showing the numerous assignments for children']}]

You could feel sorry for Alberto Torres, who is blind. The last thing he remembers seeing was his daughter being born 13 years ago. Then the world went blank; he can only imagine what his only child looks like now, as a teenaged honor student. Bad luck is no stranger to this warm and thoughtful 37-year-old man. His mother died of cancer when he was 4, and his father, who was often ill, had to give him up to the care of the state when he was 11. He later worked for 19 years in a workshop making household goods, deathly boring work. Earlier this month, Alberto Torres's wife, who had just been laid off from her job, had to have a breast removed due to cancer and now faces a year of radiation treatments. Things seemed always to go from almost incredibly bad to worse. Even Mr. Torres's good luck has a dark side: Five years ago, his lovely guide dog pulled him out of the path of a truck. Mr. Torres was not hurt. The dog was killed. But Mr. Torres does not feel sorry for himself. "These are just little bumps you have to go over in your life," he said. At 5 a.m. on a recent morning, we caught up with Mr. Torres at a subway stop in Brooklyn, New York, near where he lives in a third-floor apartment (with no elevator). He had been up since 3 a.m., feeding his new dog, making coffee, getting ready. "When you're blind, it takes a little longer to do things," he said. Mr. Torres was beginning his two-hour trip to his job developing film in the X-ray department of the emergency room of the Bronx hospital. He would take the G train to Queens Plaza station to the R train, heading towards Manhattan. He would then ride the R train to 59th Street where he would walk upstairs to switch to the Number 6 train. At one point along the journey, he might chat with a stranger. At another, someone would pat his dog, calling him by name. People offered assistance, even seats. At 125th Street, Mr. Torres would transfer to the Number 4 train by crossing the platform. At 149th Street, he would go down to the Number 2. He would take that to East 180th Street where he nearly always has a long wait for his final train, to Pelham Parkway. Then he and his dog would walk 20 minutes to the hospital. It was a hard job to come by. Before he got the job, Mr. Torres was determined to escape the workshop run by an organization dedicated to help people who can't see. He wanted a job developing X-ray film, something that everyone must do in the dark. He had to handle the long trip, as well as the work. "Our philosophy here is that blind people can do just about anything except drive buses," it was the thinking about disabled people at the Bronx hospital. "We find what a person can do rather than what he can't do," said the hospital's director. One day a while ago marked the first anniversary of Mr. Torres's hiring. He developed 150 or so X-rays, his usual output, to celebrate. Mr. Torres works by himself in a small, dark room that smells of chemicals. He cannot wear gloves, because he needs to feel. It is hard work, related to emergency of lives. His immediate supervisor says he trusts him 100%. Mr. Torres makes $20,000 a year. But his motivation goes beyond money. "If I start feeling like a victim, that makes me bitter. And why be bitter? That makes you go into a hole and stay there." he said. "I'm not doing anything out of the ordinary," insisted Mr. Torres as he quickly completed the task.

[{'question': 'Mr. Torres became blind when _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['his daughter was just born', 'he was thirteen years old', 'his mother died of cancer', 'his wife was out of work']}, {'question': 'Mr. Torres does not feel sorry for himselfbecause he _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['was once saved by his lovely guide dog', 'is taken good care of by the government', "thinks it's natural to have setbacks in life", 'believes it takes a little longer to do things']}, {'question': "The description of Mr. Torres's long trip to work shows _ .", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['the effective traffic system', 'the kindness of New Yorkers', 'the loyalty of his guide dog', 'his will to overcome difficulty']}, {'question': 'What is the principle of the hospital in employing a worker?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Sympathy counts most.', 'Ability comes first.', 'Preference for the blind.', 'Easy job for the weak.']}, {'question': 'Mr. Torres works very hard in order to _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['make plenty of money', "win his supervisor's trust", 'live like a normal person', 'complete his daily task']}, {'question': 'In the eyes of the writer, Alberto Torres is a man of _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['deep thinking', 'weak motivation', 'special talents', 'great independence']}]

The challenge to drink to the limits of one's endurance has become a celebrated part of college life. In one of the most extensive reports on college drinking thus far, a 1997 Harvard School of Public Health study found that 43 percent of college students admitted binge drinking in the preceding two weeks (Defined as four drinks in a sitting for a woman and five of a man, a drinking binge is when one drinks enough to risk health and well - being ) Experts estimate that excessive drinking is involved in thousands of student deaths a year. And the Harvard researchers found that there has been a dramatic change in why students drink. 39 percent drank "to get drunk" in 1993, but 52 percent had the same objective in 1997. "What has changed is the across - the - board acceptability of intoxication ," says Felix Savino at UW - Madison. Many college students today see not just drinking but being drunk as their primary way of socializing. The reasons for the shift are complex and not fully understood. But researchers guess that it may have something to do with today's instant - satisfaction life - style--and young people tend to take into the extreme. While binge drinking isn't always deadly, it does have other, wide - ranging effects. Academics is one area where it takes a heavy _ (something paid, lost or suffered). Perhaps because alcohol increases aggression and affects judgement, it is also related to 25 percent of violent crimes and roughly 60 percent of vandalism on campus. Facing the many potential dangers, college campuses are searching for ways to reduce binge drinking.

[{'question': 'Why has "binge drinking" caused widespread concern?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Because it is directly responsible for the academic problem on campus.', 'Because it has claimed many young lives every year.', "Because it has had harmful effects on the students' health and well - being.", 'Because it is in close connection with school violence.']}, {'question': 'We can infer from the passage that young people today_.', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['cherish their dream and are willing to work hard for it.', 'value spiritual satisfaction over physical satisfaction.', 'are idealistic and disillusioned by the dark reality.', 'seek immediate satisfaction and indulge themselves too much']}, {'question': 'Students regard drinking and binge drinking as_.', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['tolerable', 'acceptable', 'necessary', 'essential']}]

Good Teachers A language training school at Yayuncun needs two full-time teachers and three part-time teachers to teach adults, 12 students a class, oral English and business English during afternoons and evenings. Full-time teachers 25--30 hours per week, 10 000--2 000 yuan per month. Part-time teachers can choose the class to teach, 100--150 yuan per hour, according to your experience. Need native English speakers with teaching experience. Please send your RESUME and PICTURE to eslchina@ yahoo.com.cn Writers/Researchers Currently, Fisher's Travel SOS is looking for the freelance writer and researcher with experience in journalism and the ability to computers, it is part-time positions for our project that will take a month to complete. Work is conducted at home, and will take a couple of hours per day or less. Full training is given. Please refer to www.Fisherstravelos.com for more information on our company. Journalists and writers interested in the positions should directly contact Danielle-Chu at daniellechu@ fisherstravelsos. com with your details and CV . Full-time Waiters/Waitresses/Bartenders We are a beautiful modern world famous Tiki Bar looking for FULL-TIME staff --waiters/waitresses/ bartenders for its current expansion. If you are 18 to 25 years old, with good looks, wit and charm, this job is for you. Good English and basic restaurant experience are necessary but not required. Please contact us. Tel: 13370153195 Mail :dacfxa@ 163bi. com Advertising Sales You must have a "sales" personality -- you need to love knocking on doors, giving presentations, closing deals, and keeping your customers happy. You don't need any special degrees, and you don't have to speak English. It would be better if you should have advertising sales experience, but that's not a requirement. If this sounds fit for you, please email your resume to jobs @ chinadeco, com. cu.

[{'question': 'You must know English if you want to be _', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['a teacher', 'a waiter', 'a writer', 'a seller']}, {'question': 'All the following are necessary as a researcher EXCEPT that _', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['you are able to use the computer', 'you should be interested in the job', 'you can work several hours a day', 'you must finish your work every day']}, {'question': 'As a salesman, you need to love keeping the customers pleased because _', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['you are always very friendly to others', 'you would like to make friends with them', 'you want to sell more products to them', 'you have learned a lot of experience']}, {'question': 'If you want to get a job that you can do at home you should get in touch with _', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['jobs@ china&co, com. Cn', 'eslchina@ yahoo, com. cn', 'dacfxa@ 163bj. Com', 'daniellechu@ fisherstravelsos, com']}]

No one is sure how the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids near Cairo. But a new study suggests they used a little rock'n'roll. Long-ago builders could have attached wooden poles to the stones and rolled them across the sand, the scientists say. "Technically, I think what they're proposing is possible," physicist Daniel Bonn said. People have long puzzled over how the Egyptians moved such huge rocks. And there's no obvious answer. On average, each of the two million big stones weighed about as much as a large pickup truck. The Egyptians somehow moved the stone blocks to the pyramid site from about one kilometer away. The most popular view is that Egyptian workers slid the blocks along smooth paths. Many scientists suspect wokers first would have put the blocks on sleds . Then they would have dragged them along paths. To make the work easier, workers may have lubricated the paths either with wet clay or with the fat from cattle. Bonn has now tested this idea by building small sleds and dragging heavy objects over sand. Evidence from the sand supports this idea. Researchers found small amounts of fat, as well as a large amount of stone and the remains of paths. However , physicist Joseph West think there might have been a simpler way , who led the new study . West said , "I was inspired while watching a television program showing how sleds might have helped with pyramid construction . I thought , "Why don't they just try rolling the things ? " A square could be turned into a rough sort of wheel by attaching wooden poles to its sides , he realized . That , he notes , should make a block of stone "a lot easier to roll than a square". So he tried _ He and his students tied some poles to each of four sides of a 30-kilogram stone block.That action turned the block into somewhat a wheel.Then they placed the block on the ground. They wrapped one end of a rope around the block and pulled.The researchers found they could easily roll the block along different kinds of paths.They calculated that rolling the block required about as much force as moving it along a slippery path. West hasn't tested his idea on larger blocks,but he thinks rolling has clear advantages over sliding.At least,workers wouldn't have needed to carry cattle fat or water to smooth the paths.

[{'question': "It's widely believed that the stone blocks were moved to the pyramid site by _ .", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['rolling them on roads', 'pushing them over the sand', 'dragging them on some poles', 'sliding them on smooth paths']}, {'question': 'Why is rolling better than sliding according to West ?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Because more force is needed for sliding.', 'Because less preparation on path is needed for rolling.', 'Because sliding on smooth road is more dangerous.', 'Because rolling work can be done by fewer cattle.']}, {'question': 'What is the text mainly about ?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['An experiment on ways of moving blocks to the pyramid site.', 'An argument about different methods of moving blocks to the pyramid site.', 'An application of the method of moving blocks to the pyramid site.', 'An introduction to a possible new way of moving blocks to the pyramid site.']}]

Does your local town have a nickname ? If so, what does it say about the area and the people who live there? Many cities are recognized across the world by their unofficial names. New York is the Big Apple, London is the Big Smoke, and Los Angeles is famously called La La Land. A project has been carried out to make a survey on how the nicknames of some places came about. The University of Winchester's Professor Bill Lucas is a patron of the English Project. He explains that unofficial place names often show what people think about a place. "The name that people create for a place forms a connection with feelings," he says. Basingstoke is a town in central England. The local nickname, Amazingstoke, shows the love that locals seem to have for the area. Swindon, on the other hand, is sometimes called Swindump, showing that some people think it's a dump . Stanford Le Hope in Essex is called Stanford No Hope by locals. And Padstow in Cornwall is so closely connected with the local famous person Rick Stein that it's become known as Padstein. Some people say that the project may have a practical use. Glen Hart, the survey's head of research, says the information could be very helpful to the emergency services, for example. "By having the most complete set of nicknames we could help the emergency services quickly _ the right place as soon as possible, for people usually remember the nicknames of some places instead of their official names. And this will take the helpers less time to reach the places." he says.

[{'question': 'The best title of the passage can be _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ["People's Attitudes to Nicknames", 'A Survey on Nicknames', 'the Development of Nicknames', 'the Usefulness of Nicknames']}, {'question': 'It can be inferred from the passage that _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['every famous place has a nickname', 'the town Swindon must be a clean place', 'sometimes nicknames can help save lives', 'Rick Stein nicknamed Padstow Padstein']}]

A thief who dropped a winning lottery ticket at the scene of his crime has been given a lesson in honesty. His victim, who picked up the ticket, then claimed the PS25000 prize, managed to trace him, and handed over the cash. The robbery happened when maths professor Vinicio Sabbatucci,58, was changing a tyre on an Italian motorway. Another motorist, who stopped "to help", stole a suitcase from his car and drove off. The professor found the dropped ticket and put it in his pocket before driving home to Ascoli in eastern Italy. Next day, he saw the lottery results on TV and, taking out the ticket, realized it was a winner. He claimed the 60 million lire prize. Then he began a battle with his conscience. Finally, he decided he could not keep the money despite having been robbed. He advertised in newspapers and on radio, saying: "I'm trying to find the man who robbed me. I have 60 million for him--- a lottery win. Please meet me. Anonymity guaranteed." Professor Sabbatucci received hundreds of calls from people hoping to trick him into handing them the cash. But there was one voice he recognized--- and he arranged to meet the man in a park. The robber, a 35-year-old unemployed father of two, gave back the suitcase and burst into tears. He could not believe what was happening. "Why didn't you keep the money?" he asked. The professor replied:" I couldn't because it's not mine." Then he walked off, spurning the thief's offer of a reward.

[{'question': 'Hundreds of people phoned professor Sabbatucci because they _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['wanted to make fun of him', 'knew who the robber was', 'hoped to get the money', 'lost the lottery ticket']}, {'question': 'The underlind word "spurning" in the last sentence can be replaced by _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['accepting', 'rejecting', 'claiming', 'canceling']}, {'question': 'If the story appears in a newspaper, the best title might be _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['A Reward of Honesty', 'A Popular Maths Professor', 'A Magic Lottery', "A Thief's Lucky Day"]}]

High school announcements Do you have a high school announcement to make? Are you hosting a high school sports event or tournament? Are you looking for a coach? Let us know, and we'll share it with "Tribune" readers. August 21---- Sacred Heart is looking for two assistant baseball coaches immediately. Practices and games are held after school at 3:30 pm. Some experience in playing or coaching is preferred. If interested, e-mail Ron Schwartz at [email protected]. August 7 ----- Loyola Academy will host its 12th Rambler Baseball Winter Workshop for students in fourth through eighth grades on Aug. 26. the early registration fee is $70 and registration at the door is $85. contact Loyola coach Bill San Hamel at 847-920-2523 to register early. July 17 ----- St. Patrick will host a Youth Holiday Baseball Camp for boys in grades three through eight Aug. 26 through Aug. 28 from 6:30 pm to 9 pm in St. Pat's gym. The registration fee is $90. for more information, visit www. stpatrick.orgor contact Coach Kusinski at (773) 282-8844 ext. 242 or [email protected]. June 12 ----- The Marist Girls' basketball team is looking for a game for the new season. The team can play all levels. If interested, please contact Mary Pat Connolly at (773) 881-5318, or e-mail [email protected]. June 1 ----- Bartlett is hosing a high school football camp June 13-30 and July 11-28 from 8-11 am. The registration fee is $180. to register go to www.athletic2000.com/bartlett. Contact coach Tom Meaney with questions at 630-372-4700 ext. 8105. May 27 ----Hinsdale is hosting youth wrestling camps June 20-23 and June 27-30. There is no minimum age required. Even wrestlers in kindergarten are eligible to participate. The cost of registration is $80 per person. Contact head wrestling coach Jason Hayes at 815-762-1568 or e-mail [email protected] for more information.

[{'question': 'If a fourth-grade girl wants to learn baseball, she may contact _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Ron Schwartz', 'Mary Pat Connolly', 'Kusinski', 'Bill San Hamel']}, {'question': 'Which of the following high schools wants to have a match?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Sacred Heart.', 'The Marist.', 'Bartlett.', 'hinsdale.']}, {'question': 'If one wants to choose a relatively cheap sports camp, he may _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['phone 847-920-2523 to register early', 'e-mail [email protected]', 'visit www.athletics2000.com/bartlett', 'contact head wrestling coach Jason Hayes']}]

Flying Ever since I was old enough to dream,I have imagined myself soaring with the eagles.My love of flying has shaped the way I live and the person I have become.Two years ago,that passion rocketed to new heights when I had the opportunity to visit Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Arizona.For a whole week I lived in a college dorm,roomed with a total stranger and---best of all---I flew! My group took part in activities ranging from learning about the history of aviation to flying in state-of-the-art pilot training simulators .At least once a day,I devoted myself to learning one of the world's best training aircrafts,the Cessna 182.Not only did I receive thorough ground instruction,but I also got to fly.In total,I flew five hours to receive my private pilot's license. In that one joyous and oh-so-short week,my passion for aviation grew even stronger.Now, whenever I see a plane flying overhead,I feel a sense of pride thinking I've done that. During my time in and above the Arizona desert,I learned not only about the mechanics and techniques of aviation,but also about myself and how I see the world.As I floated in that seemingly endless sea of air,I became aware of the variety and complexity of the humanity below.On the ribbons of roadways,each tiny car carried people with hopes and dreams.I wondered if any of those people had ever wished to fly like an eagle.Then I realized that each must have his or her own dreams and ambitions.That's what makes us unique.We try to respond to something special inside us.I also realized that I was especially fortunate to be making my own dream come true. Everywhere I go,I hear,"Do what makes you happy and you will be happy."It sounds like standard advice,but I've really thought about it and taken it to heart.I couldn't care less about how much money I make or what benefits I receive.I know that I am already in hot pursuit of my dreams.And,even if they change,even if they finally don't involve aviation,I'll always aim to fly with the eagles.

[{'question': 'Two years ago,the author .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['was admitted to a university', 'stayed in a university for one week', 'saw the launch of the rocket', 'made good friends with an astronaut']}, {'question': 'According to the author, makes people unique.', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['flying like an eagle', 'trying something special', 'having their own dreams', 'learning unusual techniques']}]

Teamwork is all about working together to achieve a common goal or purpose.Is teamwork out of date?Why it is so hard to effectively conduct teamwork in those things? One way we employ teamwork in everyday lives is by becoming a parent.It is a parent's job to teach their children the fundamental skills and give them the knowledge they need to be successful in life.So why is teamwork disappearing in this aspect of our lives?Well in today's society,we find that more and more parents are experiencing that the teamwork is one-sided thing.According to a 2009report from the US,there are 13.7million single parents raising their children in the US and this amount could be due to the fact that parents are not stepping up and taking responsibility for their children or they don't have the means to,so they leave one parent to do it by themselves.This is a saddening fact,but it reflects that effective teamwork is losing ground in the parenting aspect of our everyday lives. Another place where teamwork affects us greatly is in our jobs.It doesn't matter if you are a small or large company; if you have at least one employee and yourself,then teamwork will be present.I have noticed that with the current economic recession ,people are racing to grab jobs but the quality of people work has gone down greatly.It just appears to me that people do not take part in their work anymore.They want to get to work and work as fast as they can,just to receive the paycheck,but their quality standards flew right out the window.This type of behavior is where I think teamwork is losing its ground in the workforce.There are too many people who want to work independently and forget they are a part of a team. As you can see,we run into the aspects of teamwork in just about everything we do.Do you believe teamwork is really losing ground in today's society?I think it is.What's your opinion?

[{'question': 'Why does teamwork disappear in the parenting aspect of my daily life?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Parents have no time to spare with their children.', 'Parents have no chances to teach their children about it.', 'Many children are often brought up by a single parent.', 'Many children are independent to deal with their matters.']}, {'question': 'Teamwork is losing ground in workforce mainly because .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ["workers don't like to work together with others.", "workers'sense is affected by economic recession", 'workers want to prove they are more capable', 'fewer workers are employed to save money']}, {'question': 'The author wants us to believe his opinion by .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['listing some data', 'giving some examples', 'asking some questions', 'analyzing some cases']}, {'question': "What is the author's main purpose of writing the passage?", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['To show the importance of housework.', 'To introduce how teamwork works now.', 'To tell us the current economic recession.', 'To show his attitude towards teamwork.']}]

We live in a technological society where most goods are mass-produced by unskilled labor. Because of this, most people think that craft no longer exists. One of the ways these people wrongly support their view is by pointing to 100-year-old homes which are still solid, and arguing that it is the craftsmanship that is responsible for their durability. "Homes in those days were well-built," _ say. No doubt these homes were well-built, but what these people have done is mix up the quality of material used in the house with the quality of the craftsmanship. Homes today could be built to last just as long as those old homes if people were willing or able to pay the price. For example, most people can no longer afford solid oak stairways, although they were once fairly common in older homes. Nor can they afford the high labor cost of employing a carpenter to build the stairway. Yet if someone can pay the high cost, there are still plenty of carpenters around able to make those stairways. And not only would these carpenters know how to build them, they would probably do a better job than carpenters of old. One thing the modern carpenter has which enables him to do a better job is much more advanced tools. Such tools as laser beams and powerplanes help them lay out a house better and make more precision cuts on the wood. Also, it is not uncommon say more to find carpenters with college degrees and carpenters with a solid knowledge of mathematics, which would enable them to deal with more difficult house designs. The problem of modern quality, then, really boils down to the problem of material, for the modern carpenter is just as able to produce craftsmanship as the carpenter of fifty years ago, but only if given proper material.

[{'question': 'Compared to the carpenters in the past, modern carpenters are _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['more successful', 'more learned', 'more imaginative', 'more hardworking']}, {'question': 'What would be the best title for the text?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Is Craft Dead?', 'Craft, Back to Life?', 'History of Craftsmanship', 'Carpenters Today and Yesterday']}]

VINCOUVER (Reuters)----South Korea' s Kirn Yuna can finally relax and does fiot need to think about the future after she won the gold medal in the women' s figure skating on Thursday. The 19-year-old was the overwhelming favorite to finish top of the podium but said the pressure going into the event was large. "I feel now as if a huge burden has been lifted, " the Games' highest-earning female athlete-she makes an estimated $8 million a year --said after her near-perfect program where she nailed all of her 11 jumps. "I will enjoy this moment and think about things later.I was just thrilled on the podium and I feel so relieved.I had been running toward this dream of the Olympics and was so happy to be here, " she said. "Since I have achieved the most important goal in my life.I am going to enjoy this moment for a while and then think about what I am going to do," a smiling Yuna said. Japanese _ Mao Asada took silver while Joannic Rochette of Canada grabbed the bronze medal four days after her mother died. "I still cannot believe I did what I wanted to do at the Olympics.I have been dreaming about this moment and I cannot believe it is not a dream any more." said Yuna. South Korea was counting on her to grab their first gold medal in figure skating and the first Winter Olympics gold medal outside short track and speed skating. "I was just happy to have skated a clean program.It was the first time I skated two clean programs.During the program when I finished all elements I thought 'this is going to be yeah...this is it'."

[{'question': 'Kim Yuna felt relaxed because _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['the competition was over', 'her dream finally came true', 'she won a large amount of money', 'she became well-known overnight']}, {'question': 'According to the passage, Kim Yuna _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['had a strong sense of team spirit in the Games', 'won the first gold medal for South Korea in the Winter Olympics', 'had expected she would surely win the gold medal', 'joined in the competition with great pressure from her country']}, {'question': 'It is known from the passage that _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Kim Yuna is a person of great confidence', 'Joannie Rochette joined in the games with great sorrow', 'Kim Yuna is the richest athlete in South Korea', 'Mao Asada took silver medal by accident']}]

It is not a secret that these are _ times that put everyone on edge all the time and it makes people angry with their families, co-workers, friends and relatives, frustrated and highly annoyed just for the noise of the neighbors or the music coming from the opposite house. Anger and negative energy have a strong influence on everyone's life, even when they don't realize it. Being in a calm state of mind is simply wonderful. Results of this can be seen when parents no longer shout at their children over any small thing and when one can keep him cool when bad things happen and doesn't let the situation become worse by his negative influence. Also results can be seen on a larger scale. In 1993 a very interesting scientific experiment called The US Transcendental Meditation experiment was conducted in Washington. A company called TM got 4,000 calm and relaxed people to simply sit and meditate in a central Washington convention center. The results of this experiment showed that during those particular 8 weeks, violent crimes, such as murder, rape, assaults, clearly decreased by as much as 23%. This is evident proof that meditation can change the state of mind, bring back peace of mind and collective meditation is contagious , just as anything done collectively is contagious. For example, a person has the urge to become aggressive (while in normal circumstances that person is very calm and normal), just because he is sitting at a stadium watching a football game and everyone around is shouting and is aggressive. Isn't increasing the quality of life worth spending 20 minutes of time on meditation? Yes, very few people follow through with a meditation method that should be a joy to do. Many start and leave it after only a few sessions. So if collective meditation has proven that meditation works, that it calms people down and that it brings their levels of stress down, why not employ it in everyday life?

[{'question': 'Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Violent crimes are closely related to aggressive characters.', 'People are sometimes easily annoyed by small things.', 'Many people fail to carry out a meditation method.', 'Meditation can cure people of many illnesses.']}]

"Show them the money!" That's what some people are saying for college athletes. They say students who play sports for their school should receive salaries. Top athletes should be paid because many of them practice full time, Mark Jameson argues. Rico Cannon, a former college football player, agrees. "Nonathletes can get a job for extra spending money, but many student athletes spend so many hours in training that they don't have time to work," he explains. "Shouldn't athletes be able to earn extra money too?" The students also make money for their schools when people buy tickets to their games. The players should receive some of that cash, supporter Robbie Pokora reasons. College athletes are about honor and tradition, but they're also a business. Thanks to ticket sales, there's money for schools to build new athletic stadiums and give the coaches high salaries. The cash should be shared with athletes. They're the ones out on the field or court working hard for their school. The money matter has others _ , though. Kaitlyn Rentala argues that colleges should not pay their athletes. Students are in school to get an education. Playing a sport is an extracurricular activity, not a job. If athletes need extra money, they can apply for college scholarships . Michael Massett is a middle school teacher and a football and a basketball coach. He agrees. "Athletes should be paid with scholarships, like nonathletes are," Massett explains. In addition, if colleges pay their athletes, those students might focus more on sports than on their education. "Most students do not become professional athletes after college. If they focus too much on sports, they may not learn the skills they need to get good jobs," Kate Macrae reasons. Plus, she says, many athletes have schoolships that help them pay for school.

[{'question': "What is Rico Cannon's opinion on paying student athletes?", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['They make money for their schools and should receive salaries.', 'Training leaves them no time to work and they should be paid.', "Playing a sport at school is not a job and they shouldn't be paid.", 'They can apply for scholarships and should not be paid.']}, {'question': 'Who supports the idea of paying student athletes?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Kaitlyn Rentala', 'Robbie Pokora', 'Michael Massett', 'Kate Macrae']}, {'question': "What's the best title for the text?", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Pay to play? ---- Will it be popular with college athletes?', 'College athletes make a lot of money for their schools.', 'College athletes can apply for scholarships as their salaries.', 'Pay to play?---- Should college athletes be paid?']}]

Friends play an important role in our lives, and although we can't be more familiar with the fact of friendship, we often don't clearly understand how we make friends, especially with Americans. Here are some pieces of advice on making friends with Americans: 1. Visiting places Americans enjoy: parties, churches, restaurants, parks and sports clubs. 2. Be willing to take the first step. Don't wait for them to get close to you. Americans in China may not know you speak English. They may be uncomfortable if they can't speak your language. 3. Use small talks to open the conversation. Ask them where they're from, why they come to China, etc. . Remember: Be careful not to ask personal questions about age, salary and so on. 4. Show an interest in their culture, their country or their job. Americans like to talk about themselves! 5. Invite them to join you for dinner or just for coffee or tea. Try to set a specific time. Americans sometimes make general invitations like "Let's go out for dinner sometime. "Often this is just a way to be friendly. It is not always a real invitation. 6. Don't expect too much at first. Maybe they're being friendly. But maybe they want to be your good friends. It will take time to tell.

[{'question': 'According to the text, Americans like to visit the following places except _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['shopping centers', 'parks', 'sports clubs', 'churches']}, {'question': 'What should you say when meeting an American for the first time?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ["What's your age?", 'How much do you get in a month?', 'Nice to meet you! Are you from America?', "Let's get together sometime. I want to ask you some questions."]}, {'question': 'What is mainly discussed in the text?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ["It's very important to be a good friend of an American.", 'Some advice on how to make friends with Americans.', 'Something about the friendship in America.', 'Friendship is the most important in our life.']}, {'question': 'Which is the best way to make friends with an American?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['To ask him if he is willing to make friends with you.', 'To spend a long time learning about him.', 'To wait until he tells you his thoughts.', 'To ask him to join you for dinner.']}]

I recently turned fifty, which is young for a tree, midlife for an elephant, and ancient for a sportsman. Fifty is a nice number for the states in the US or for a national speed limit but it is not a number that I was prepared to have hung on me. Fifty is supposed to be my father's age, but now I am stuck with this number and everything it means. A few days ago, a friend tried to cheer me up by saying, " Fifty is what forty used to be." He had made an inspirational point, Am I over the hill?People keep telling me that the hill has been moved, and I keep telling them that he high-jump bar has dropped from the six feet I once easily cleared to the four feet that is impossible for me now. " Your are not getting older, you are getting better." says Dr. Joyce Brothers. This, however, is the kind of doctor who inspires a second opinion. And so. as I approach the day when I cannot even jump over the tennis net. I am moves to share some thoughts on aging with you. I am moved to show how aging feels to me physically and mentally. Getting older. of course, is obviously a better change than the one that brings you eulogies . In fact, a poet named Robert Browning considered it the best change of all: Grow old along with me! The best is yet to me. Whether or not Browning was right, most of my first fifty years have been golden ones, so I will settle for what is ahead being as good as what has gone by. I find myself moving toward what is ahead with a curious blend of both fighting and accepting my aging, hoping that the philosopher was right when he said." Old is always fifteen years from now."

[{'question': 'The author seems to tell us in Paragraph 1 that _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['time alone will tell', 'time goes by quickly', 'time will show what is right', 'time makes one forget the past']}, {'question': 'When the author turned fifty, people around him _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['tried to comfort him', 'got inspiration with him', 'were friendlier with him', 'found him more talkative']}, {'question': 'The author considers his fifty years of life', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['peaceful', 'ordinary', 'satisfactory', 'regretful']}, {'question': 'We can infer from the passage that', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['the old should led a simple life', 'the old should face the fact of aging', 'the old should take more exercise', 'the old should fill themselves with curiosity']}]

Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. One day I went up to Michael and asked him, "I don't get it. You can't be positive all the time. How do you do it?" Michael replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself 'Mike, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.' I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life." I often thought about that when I made a choice about life. Several years later, Michael was involved in a serious accident, falling off 60 feet from a communica-tion tower. After l8 hours of operation, and weeks of intensive care, Michael was re-leased from the hospital with rods placed in his back.I asked him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was the well being of my soon-to-born daughter," Michael replied. "Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered I had two choices: I could choose to live or I could choose to die. In the operation room, I told the doctors and nurses, 'I'm choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead'." Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude.

[{'question': 'Each time something bad happens, Michael chooses to _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['be in a good mood', 'learn from it', 'complain about it', 'ignore the negative side of it']}, {'question': 'From the passage we can infer that _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['most people manage to lead a positive life at any time', "most people can't lead a positive life at any time", 'only Michael can be so positive', 'the author is always a sad person']}]

Lying within, the inner London Borough of Southwark, this hugely improved non-selective Secondary Academy School is looking to recruit and appoint a talented Science Teacher in April 2016 or sooner. POSITION:Science Teacher | KS3 --5| All Science specialists welcome DEPARTMENT:Popular & Ambitious Science Department LOCATION:Borough of Southwark -- Zone 2 -- Inner London PERSON:Qualified Science Teacher required -- experience in UK or overseas trained START DATE:April 2016 or sooner -- full time & permanent contract on offer SALARY:Inner London Pay Scale -- PS29,270 ~PS37,862 a year PERSON REQUIREMENT: All applicants will need to be suitably skilled, trained and qualified to be considered for this Science Teacher position. Applicants should feel confident across Key Stage 3, 4 and 5, in addition to having a real desire to make a difference and provide pupils under their care with a first class education . SCHOOL & TRAVEL INFORMATION: This is a typically diverse inner city school, suitable for a broad range of pupils aged 11 to 18 years old. The school has made huge steps and progressed from a satisfactory to a good school. Results are constantly improving, thanks to the staff in place, who are responsible for creating and delivering a broad curriculum. The school site is a short walk away from the nearest underground and rail stations, positioned within inner London, Zone 2. Those living in South and Central London are perfectly positioned for this position. If you are a hardworking Science Teacher, hoping to become part of an improving Inner London Secondary, get in touch today. Please apply and submit your up-to-date CV using the form . One of the Clarus Education Team will be in touch within 48 hours if shortlisted .

[{'question': 'What is a must for the recruited teacher?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Being trained in England.', 'Experience in UK.', 'Diploma of Higher Education.', 'Being qualified for all grades.']}, {'question': 'What should the applicant be able to do ?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Teach KS3-5 pupils well.', 'Be very confident across Key Stage 3 and 4.', 'Be good at using traditional methods.', 'Put advanced ideas into practice every day.']}]

WILD WEATHERMAN Name: Sam Champion Hot job: TV Weatherman Where: ABC-TV, New York City When you were a child, did you plan to forecast wind, rain, and snow on TV? I wanted to be a foreign journalist. I took courses in weather science at Eastern Kentucky University, but I majored in broadcasting news. How did you finally become a weatherman? My first job in the early 1980s was at the local TV station in Paducah, Kentucky. I did everything from turning on the lights in the morning to writing and delivering morning news. I put together weather forecasts, and became interested in them. Back then, how did you forecast weather? Independent companies collected computer information that showed, for example, how a single weather system might split into snow or snow mixed with rain. The information was often opposite and the job of a weatherman was to study the information and make the best educated guess about the storm. Has weather forecasting changed much with new technology? Advanced computers, satellites, and Doppler radar (sound waves used to track storms) have made forecasting more exact. But we still know very little about how weather is shaped. So far, we just have theories. Any advice for children who'd like to become weather scientists? To me, weather is the most exciting field in the world. There are still so many more questions about weather than answers. After all, if we can't foresee floods or hurricanes, how safe a society are we? Weather forecasting is wide open for scientists who love to solve puzzling problems. The next generation of meteorologists (weather scientists) will unlock many of Earth's weather secrets. So get a general knowledge of Earth science, and study meteorology in college. Thanks, Sam.

[{'question': 'Judging from the writing style, the text is _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['a diary', 'an interview', 'a news story', 'an announcement']}, {'question': "As a child, ABC-TV's Sam Champion wanted to be a _ .", 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['space scientist', 'weatherman', 'news reporter', 'meteorologist']}, {'question': 'Present weather forecasting technology _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['has made weather report more exact than ever', 'is still not perfect', "hasn't changed much in the last 50 years", 'both A and B']}, {'question': 'The study of weather science is called _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['meteorology', 'forecasting', 'geography', 'Earth science']}]

Warm weather brought by El Nino has had mixed effects on animals in usually snowy places in North America, including New England, according to an Associated Press article. Some animals seem to benefit from having a chance to gather more food before winter, and from expending less energy in daily survival mode. Others, like snowshoe hares, are put at center stage in predators' view when they lack snow for disguising their white fur -- not a good thing for them, of course. Black bears, on the other hand, have been keeping busy gathering nuts and apples, when they would normally have settled into their winter homes by now. Vermont and Massachusetts officials have asked residents to wait till snow falls to take out their bird feeders for the sake of safety, the article said. "We suggest waiting for 6 or more inches of snow that lasts before taking out your bird feeders, especially if you have been visited in the past by bears or if there are sightings of bears in your neighborhood,"Forrest Hammond, Vermont Fish and Wildlife's bear biologist, said in the article."Due to lack of snow and frozen ground, birds are able to seek food in fields and forests for theirnatural foods." Snow amounts can also determine how comfortable bears are and how quickly they consume their accumulated fat during hibernation , noted Hammond in the article. This is because snow covers and traps them in their winter homes, and also hides them from predators.

[{'question': 'What may upset snowshoe hares because of El Nino?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Their being caught more easily.', 'Their failing to gather more food.', 'Their consuming more energy.', 'Their losing sight of their enemies.']}, {'question': 'Why did the officials ask people to keep bird feeders until snow falls?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['They may disturb bears.', "There's no need to do so.", 'To avoid attracting bears.', 'For the safety of bears.']}, {'question': "What do the bear biologist's words imply?", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['A heavy snow is on the way.', 'Bears are common nowadays.', 'Bears live mainly on birds in winter.', 'Warm weather benefits birds in winter.']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is the proper title for the passage?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Warm Weather Helps Animals Survive', "Snow Amounts Determine Animals' Winter Life", 'Measures Should Be Taken to Protect Wildlife', 'Lack of Snow Affects North American Animals']}]

Every spring Beijing is choked by huge sandstorms.The sky turns a strange and frightening yellow colour as clouds of sand sweep down from the deserts of Mongolia and north-western China.Strong winds blow up the dust and cover everything in sight--in 2006,a storm dumped 330,000 tonnes of dust on Beijing in one night. The number of sandstorms has grown alarmingly over the years as the deserts have expanded.This is partly man-made and partly because of climate .Many grasslands have been overgrazed by sheep and goats,or ploughed up,leaving the soil dangerously exposed.Too much water has been taken out of rivers,and the situation is made worse by increasingly long-lasting droughts that have affected the northern half of China as the climate grows warmer and drier.The result is probably the worst loss of rich land to deserts in the world and a dust bowl of extremely large proportions.The nearest sand dunes to Beijing are now only 70 km away and drifting closer each year.At this rate,the desert will reach the city by 2040,and Beijing could become the world's first modern city to disappear under sand.To hold back the deserts,a huge programme of forest planting called the Great Green Wall has been under way for over 30 years.The barrier is planned to be 4,500 km long when completed in several decades ,but the drought is having a very bad effect on the trees and the deserts carry on growing.

[{'question': 'All the following are the reasons for the expansion of the deserts EXCEPT _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['the soil of the grasslands is exposed', 'too much water in rivers has been used', "it doesn't rain for a long time", 'the climate in northern China is colder and drier']}, {'question': 'At what speed do the nearest sand dunes move towards Beijing according to the passage?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['More than 15 km a year.', 'More than 2 km a month.', 'More than 2 km a year.', 'More than 15 km a month.']}, {'question': 'What is the purpose of the huge programme"the Great Green Wall"?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['To protect the Great Wall.', 'To plant as many trees as possible along the Great Wall.', 'To stop the deserts from moving towards Beijing.', 'To plant as many trees as possible in Beijing.']}, {'question': 'In which section can this passage most likely be found in a newspaper?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Science and technology.', 'Weather.', 'Environment.', 'Health and life.']}]

Now some women are spending a weekend at Mother's Camp . There, husbands and children are not allowed. Why would a woman want to take a vacation without her family? Some women say they need time to be alone. At Mother's Camp a woman has room to herself. She can sleep, read or watch TV, and no one will bother her. No children will ask,"Mom, what's for dinner?" No husband will say, "Oh, dear, I can't find any clean socks."In fact almost 50% of women in the United States work outside the home. Many of them work full-time and then come home to a second job-taking care of their homes and families. These working women say one of their biggest problems is housework. In the United States, working wives do about 75% of the housework. Many of their husbands say they want to help. But then they burn the rice or they can't find the pans. They ask so many questions that their wives decide it is easier to do the job themselves. Some women go to Mother's Camp just to get a break from housework. For two days they don't cook, they don't clean, they don't look after their children and husbands. What do they do? They enjoy warm, sunny weather, walking, swimming or boating in a clear blue lake and sing songs around the campfire. They relax away from home. They have a really wonderful vacation at Mother's Camp.

[{'question': 'From this passage we can see in the United States.', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['women want to work outside the home', 'working wives do most of the housework', 'husbands do as much housework as their wives', 'women do not like to stay at home with their families']}, {'question': "At Mother's Camp, women can't_.", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['watch TV', 'read newspapers', 'swim in the lake', 'bring their husbands and children']}, {'question': 'Why would some mothers like to be alone? Because_.', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ["they don't like their husbands and children", 'they have to work full-time', 'they are too busy to relax themselves', 'they want a new life']}, {'question': '_ is one of the biggest troubles for working wives in the United States.', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Housework', 'Working outside the home', 'When to take a vacation', 'Looking after their children']}, {'question': "What's the best title for this passage?", 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Busy Working Mothers', 'The US family', 'Mothers Relax Away from Home', 'Mothers in the US']}]

I am so worried about global warming. We need stop cutting down all of the trees so that they can absorb the carbon dioxide. I think the Kyoto Protocol to stop pollution is a great idea ,and I hope our country will decide to follow it, too.[: http://wx.jtyjy.com/] -- Eli S.,10,Texa People should do all they can to help stop pollution, even if it is something as little as recycling your soda can. Every little thing helps. Maybe schools can put recycling bins in classrooms. Students can bring in all of their cans and bottles and see how many the school can collect. -- Lindsey A.,11, Massachusett[: http://wx.jtyjy.com/.Com] The United States should take action to help stop pollution. Since we are one of the richest countries, we should at least spend a little money to help. -- Aaron z,11,Massachusett It is not good that the United States is not following the Kyoto Protocol. The U.S. is one of the most pollutionemitting countries in the world. Even if the rest of the world agrees to follow those rules, without the U. S. and its big businesses agreeing, global warming will still be a big problem. --Augustine S.,11,Ohio The world needs to learn more about global warming problems. If we do not do something soon then some of Earth's coolest animals will become extinct. People should use solar power instead of things that pollute the atmosphere! -- Jillian J.,10,Pennsylvania Global warming is very dangerous, and it must be prevented. Even if people think that it cannot be stopped ,we should at least try. Stopping global warming is more important than keeping our businesses going. What about thepenguins and the polar bears? We can't just let them become extinct. --Samantha R.,11,Illinois

[{'question': 'Why does Lindsey suggest schools put recycling bins in classrooms?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['To keep the classroom clean', 'To help protect wild animals.', 'To help protect our earth.', 'To collect waste in classroom.']}, {'question': 'Augustine worries that global warming problems will be difficult to solve because _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['many people think that global warming cannot be stopped', 'more and more trees are being cut down', 'American government spends little money stopping pollution', 'the U.S. refuses to follow the Kyoto Protocol']}, {'question': 'Jillian and Samantha believe that _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['solar power is earth-friendly energy', "global warming threatens animals' survival", 'America is the richest country in the world', 'the penguins and the polar bears are dying out']}, {'question': 'What do the six children mainly talk about?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Environmental problems.', 'The Kyoto Protocol.', 'Animal protection.', 'The climate change.']}]

One day Mr. Brown sees a young woman in the street with children. He is very surprised because all the children are wearing the same clothes. White caps, blue coats and yellow trousers. "Are all these children yours?" he asks the woman. "Yes, they are." she answers. "Do you always dress them in the same clothes ?" asks Mr. Brown. "Yes," answers the mother. "When we have four children, we dress them in the same clothes because we don't want to lose any of them. It is easy to see our children among other children because they are all wearing the same clothes. And now we have ten, we dress them like this because we don't want to take other children home by mistake. When there are other children among ours, it is easy to see them because their clothes are different.

[{'question': 'How many people does Mr. Brown see in the street one day? He sees _ in all.', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['twelve', 'eleven', 'four', 'ten children']}, {'question': 'Why is Mr. Brown surprised? Because _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['all the children are boys', 'all the children are in the same clothes', 'all the children are lovely', 'all the children are wearing the same trousers']}, {'question': 'Why does the woman dress her children in the same clothes? Because _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['she has so many children', 'she loves her children', "she doesn't want to take her children home", 'she wants to see her children easily among others']}]

Job advertising on the web Register a new account Log in to an existing account Promote your casual work, graduate or internship ,opportunity with an advertisement on the Careers Centre database free of charge. Your advertisement will be viewable to all university of Sydney students and appear in 'Job Alert' - a daily email to subscribing students. You can also target alumni (up to five years after graduation) - advertise on our database and it will be visible at AlumniOnline. If you advertise through the Careers Centre you will need to agree to our advertising terms and conditions. Unpaid work We are unable to advertise unpaid internship work experience or volunteer positions unless: the position fulfills part of a University curriculum and has faculty approval, or it is a volunteer position with a registered not-for-profit organisation. Our unpaid and volunteering work info brochure has essential information for employers wishing to offer unpaid work including alternative suggestions. You can also contact the Careers Centre for assistance. Submit an advertisement To upload your job advertisement: log in to the Careers Centre employer database - if you don't have a username you'll need to request a new account click 'job ads' and fill out the form agree to our advertising terms and conditions submit your advertisement for review by the Careers Centre. Advertisements are displayed for a maximum of two months. If your position is filled before your registered deadline please log in to the database and withdraw your ad. What to include in your advertisement We've found there is generally a better response to advertisements that are clear and informative. The following information is important to include: job title and description of duties skills and/or experience required hours worked, and flexibility with regard to study/exam timetables location of the work pay rate/basis of payment - visit the Fair Work online website for pay rates and other employment conditions, or call their help line on 131394 how to apply and close date for applications your contact details, including email address and phone number for Careers Centre staff (these do not appear with the job advertisement, however they are required for office purposes should we need to contact you). Cost It is free to advertise on our jobs database. Related services For greater promotion of your opportunities, consider: sending a targeted email-out to the students you wish to recruit( ) booking a booth at a careers fair if you are promoting a graduate or internship program. Contact us For help submitting an advertisement or more information, contact the Industry Development Team: P (02) 8627 8408 E [email protected][at]sydney.edu.au.

[{'question': 'What kind of people is the passage intended for?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['people recruiting employers', 'members in the Careers Centre', 'job-hunters in university of Sydney', 'undergraduates who need to improve the ability to study and work']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is TRUE according to the article?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Registering a new account every time you log in', 'Advertisements are displayed for a minimum of two months.', 'Advertising unpaid positions with registered non-profit organizations is permitted.', 'All job ads will appear online once they are submitted.']}, {'question': 'What should be included in your advertisement?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['job title, experience required and sex', 'hours worked, age and location of the work', 'marriage, contact details and location of the work', 'experience required, payment and contact details']}]

In 2005,the American artist Richard Prince's photograph of a photograph,Untitled(Cowboy),was sold for $1 248 000. Prince is certainly not the only contemporary artist to have worked with so-called "found photographs"--a loose term given to everything from discarded prints discovered in a junk shop to old advertisements or amateur photographs from a stranger's family album.The German artist Joachim Schmid,who believes "basically everything is worth looking at",has gathered discarded photographs,postcards and newspaper images since 1982.In his on-going project,Archiv,he groups photographs of family life according to themes:people with dogs;teams;new cars;dinner with the family;and so on. Like Schmid,the editors of several self-published art magazines also champion found photographs.One of them,called simply Found,was born one snowy night in Chicago,when Davy Rothbard returned to his car to find under his wiper an angry note intended for someone else:"Why's your car HERE at HER place?"The note became the starting point for Rothbard's addictive publication,which features found photographs sent in by readers,such as a poster discovered in your drawer. The whole found-photograph phenomenon has raised some questions.Perhaps one of the most difficult is:can these images really be considered as art?And,if so,whose art?Yet found photographs produced by artists,such as Richard Prince,may raise endless possibilities.What was the cowboy in Prince's Untitled doing?Was he riding his horse hurriedly to meet someone?Or how did Prince create this photograph?It's anyone's guess.In addition,as we imagine the back-story to the people in the found photographs artists,like Schmid,have collated ,we also turn toward our own photographic albums.Why is memory so important to us?Why do we all seek to freeze in time the faces of our children,our parents,our lovers,and ourselves?Will they mean anything to anyone after we've gone? In the absence of established facts,the vast collections of found photographs give our minds an opportunity to wander freely.That,above all,is why they are so fascinating.

[{'question': 'According to the passage,Joachim Schmid _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['is fond of collecting family life photographs', 'found a complaining note under his car wiper', 'is working for several self-published art magazines', 'wondered at the artistic nature of found photographs']}, {'question': "The author's attitude toward found photographs can be described as _ .", 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['critical', 'doubtful', 'optimistic', 'satisfied']}]

It's killed at least two dozen people, damaged hundreds of homes, cost some 22 billion Yuan in direct economic losses so far and has left thousands of family-bound travelers stranded. The massive snow and ice storm that has swept through the southern part of China has put this country into full disaster management mode. Tens of thousands of soldiers have been activated and the government has already provided 126 million Yuan in aide to six provinces in the south slammed by the unexpected winter blast. But is enough being done? And what else can be done to ensure that the effects of natural disasters like the one in southern China are minimized in the future? "Ni hao, you're listening to People In the Know, your window into the world around you, online at www.crienglish.com here on China Radio International. In this edition of the show, we'll be talking about the southern China snow and ice storm. So let's get started. First, let's get a Chinese perspective of how well the ice and snow storm in southern China is being handled from a logistical point of view. For this we're joined on the line by Professor Peng Xizhe, Dean of the School of Social Development and Public Policy at Fudan University in Shanghai. (Dialogue with Peng) And after a short break, we'll talk about the broader view of disaster management." "Ni hao, you're listening to People In the Know, your window into the world around you, online at www.crienglish.com here on China Radio International. I'm Paul James in Beijing. In this edition of the show, we're talking about the massive winter storm that has ravaged southern China. For a broader look at disaster management, we're joined on the line now by Mr. Aloysius Rego and Ms. Jiang Lingling, both with the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center in Thailand. (Dialogue with Jiang and Rego) And with that we close out this edition of People In the Know, online at www.crienglish.com here on China Radio International. Though it may seem small consolation now for the thousands who remain stranded because of the storm, it's important to remember that as long as patience prevails, you will get home. Questions or comments for us can be sent to [email protected]. For Executive Director Wang Lei and Producers Yang Jingjie and Xu Yang, I'm Paul James in Beijing. Take care."

[{'question': "What's the main idea of this article?", 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Tell the stories about the snow storm in the southern part of China', 'Tell us some facts about the people in the disaster.', 'What have been done or will be done to rescue the people in the disaster.', "Let's know the measures about the disaster."]}, {'question': 'How many people died from the snow disaster before this report?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['more than 30', 'more than 24', 'many', '50']}]

A recent online poll asked kids what they hated most about school. "Classes are boring" came in first. "Too much homework" was a close second. Since all activities remain interesting for only so long, too much homework can lead to ennui. So, why are some kids getting homework overload? Teachers give two reasons. First, they say, the government now requires schools to meet higher-than-ever achievement goals for students. If students don' t succeed, the school faces punishment. Second, many parents want their children to be able to get into the best colleges and universities. These parents believe homework is a way to ensure that students are learning as much as possible. People who favor homework argue that it can have many beneficial effects. They claim it can help students develop good study habits. Homework can help students recognize that learning can occur at home as well as at school. It can help develop their independent learning and responsible character traits . But studies show that middle school students doing 60 to 90 minutes of homework a night are doing just as well in school as those doing more than 90 minutes. And homework can have negative effects. Homework can deny students access to leisure activities that also teach important skills. For example, sports teams teach cooperation and leadership, in addition to helping kids stay physically active. Another problem with too much homework is that parents can get too involved. They can put too much pressure on their kids. So what should be done? Good homework assignments in the proper amount will have positive effects. Too much homework, however, will have negative effects. The bottom line: Students in grades three through six should do no more than 30 to 60 minutes of homework each night.

[{'question': 'Those who are in favor of homework think that _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['homework helps students to succeed', "it's good for kids to help each other in learning", 'parents are a great help when kids do homework at home', 'homework helps children to learn independently']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is NOT a negative effect of too much homework?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Kids have little time to do leisure activities.', 'There is a lack of sleeping time.', 'The chances of learning other skills are lost.', 'Kids are under pressure from their parents.']}, {'question': "The author's purpose in writing the passage is _ .", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['to criticize the school teachers', "to attract public attention to kids' study", "to offer more help to today's kids", 'to call for proper amounts of homework']}]

Runners in a relay race pass a stick in one direction. However, merchants passed silk, gold, fruit, and glass along the Silk Road in more than one direction. They earned their living by traveling the famous Silk Road. The Silk Road was not a simple trading network. It passed through thousands of citied and towns. It started from eastern China, across Central Asia and the Middle East, and ended in the Mediterranean Sea. It was used from about 200 B, C, to about A, D, 1300, when sea travel offered new routes , It was sometimes called the world's longest highway. However, the Silk Road was made up of many routes, not one smooth path. They passed through what are now 18 countries. The routes crossed mountains and deserts and had many dangers of hot sun, deep snow and even battles. Only experienced traders could return safe. The Silk Road got its name from its most prized product. Silk could be used like money to pay taxes or buy goods. But the traders carried more than just silk. Gold, silver, and glass from Europe were much found in the Middle East and Asia. Horses traded from other areas changed farming practices in China. Indian merchants traded salt and other valuable goods. Chinese merchants traded paper, which produced an immediate effect on the West. Apples traveled from central Asia to Rome. The Chinese had learned to graft different trees together to make new kinds of fruit. They passed this science on to others, including the Romans. The Romans used grafting to grow the apple. Trading along the Silk Road led to world-wide business 2,000 years before the World Wide Web. The people along the Silk Road did not share just goods. They also shared their beliefs. The Silk Road provided pathways for learning, diplomacy , and religion

[{'question': "It's probable that traders along the Silk Road needed _ .", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['to remember the entire trade route', 'to know the making of products', 'to receive certain special training', 'to deal with a lot of difficulties']}, {'question': 'The Silk Road became less important because _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['it was made up of different routes', 'silk trading became less popular', 'sea travel provided easier routes', 'people needed fewer foreign goods']}, {'question': 'New technologies could travel along the Silk Road because people _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['learned from one another', "shared each other's beliefs", 'traded goods along the route', 'earned their living by traveling']}, {'question': 'What is the best title for the passage?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['The Silk Road ; Past and Present', 'The Silk Road; East Meets West', 'The Silk Road; Routes Full of Dangers', 'The Silk Road; Pathways for Learning']}]

Are you having too much salt? You might not think so, but people in China eat on average about 12 grams of salt each day, that is much higher than the 6 grams suggested by the World Health Organization. You could be eating too much without realizing it, because about 75% of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy, such as bread, sauces, soups and sausages. What problems can eating too much salt cause? To answer that question, first let's take a look at what salt is. Salt is a chemical compound. It is made of sodium and chloride . Salt is used to keep and flavor foods. A small amount of salt is important for good health because our bodies need sodium and chloride to work. But past studies have found that people who eat more salt than they need tend to have high blood pressure. Eating too much salt has also been connected with other conditions, such as heart and kidney problems. If you want to cut down on salt, the good news is, there are plenty of simple things to do. Here are some tips: *Cut back on high salt foods. Most foods contain some salt. But some foods such as cheese, bacon, pickles , smoked fish and chips are almost always high in salt because of the way they are made. You can still enjoy them, but try to have these in smaller amounts, or eat them less often. *Choose reduced salt bread and breakfast cereals. Bread and breakfast cereals are major source of salt in the diet, not that they're necessarily high in salt but because we eat a lot of them. For these foods, there can be a really big difference between different types and brands. So next time you're shopping, take the time to compare the salt levels on a few similar products. And always try to choose the ones lower in salt. *Avoid adding salt to cooking and at table. Instead, you could use herbs and spices such as garlic and lemon juice to add flavor to meals.

[{'question': "Many people in China don't realize they are eating too much salt because _ .", 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['salty food tasted better than reduced salt food', 'they do not calculate the amount of salt they eat', 'about 3/4 of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy', 'few people experience problems from eating too much salt']}, {'question': "For a healthier life, the author's suggestion is to _ .", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['cut back on food with less salt', 'eat less heavily salted food', 'eat as much reduced salt bread as is wanted', 'stop eating bread and breakfast cereals']}, {'question': 'What is the purpose of the article?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['To warn people of food containing too much salt.', 'To inform people of the right amount of salt taken each day.', 'To advise people to be careful about the amount of salt they eat.', 'To promote the right way to make reduced salt food.']}]

A new study warns that about thirty percent of the world's people may not have enough water by the year 2025. An American organization called Population Action International did the new study. It was more than three hundred and thirty-five million people lack enough water now. The people live in twenty-eight countries. Most of the countries are in Africa or in the Middle East. Population Action International researcher Robert Engelman says by the year 2025, about three thousand million people lack water. At least 18 more countries are expected to have serious water problems. The demand for water keeps increasing. Yet the amount of water on the earth the same. Mr Engelman says the population in countries that lack water is growing in these countries will continue to increase. The report says lack of water in the future may result several problems. It may increase health problems. Lack of water often means drinking water is not safe. Mr Engelman says there are problems all over the world because of diseases such as cholera that are carried in water. Lack of water also may result in more international conflict. Countries may have to fight for water in the future. Some countries, such as Syria, Sudan, Cambodia, and so on, now get sixty percent of their fresh water from other countries. And the report says lack of water would affect the ability to improve their economies. This is because industries often need a large amount of water. The Population Action International study gives several ways to solve the water problem. One way is to find ways to use water for more than one purpose. Another way is to teach people to be careful not to waste water. A third is to use less water for agriculture. The report also says long-term solutions to the water problem must include controls on population growth.

[{'question': 'According to the report, how many countries will lack water by the year 2025?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['More than eighteen', 'About twenty-eight', 'Less than forty', 'At least forty-six']}, {'question': '_ million will lack water by the year 2025?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['335', '3,000', '3,305', '355']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['The amount of the water on earth will always stay the same.', 'The report gives three solutions to water problem.', 'M ost of the countries that lack water belong to the developing ones.', "There's only one long-term solution to solve the water problem, that is we must try our best to control the population growth."]}, {'question': 'The passage mainly tells us that _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['water is very important for any people', 'PAI did a lot of study about water shortage', 'water shortage will be a serious problem facing us in the near future', 'controlling the population is the best way to solve the problem of water shortage']}]

Two studies are suggesting that some overweight people do not face an increased risk of developing heart disease. Researchers also found that some individuals of normal body weight have an increased risk of the disease. Being overweight does increase your risk of medical problems, but the studies found that not all heavy people are less healthy than thin people. In one study, American researchers examined medical records from over 5000 men and women. Each person had taken part in a separate study from 1999 to 2004. The searchers found that about 51% of them were overweight or obese. About 32% were obese, but considered metabolically healthy. This means they had no evidence of problems in tests for high blood pressure or other factors linked to heart disease. However, more than 23% of people who were at a healthy weight were unhealthy in two or more aspects Judith WylieRosett helped carry out the American study. She says the finding show that all obese person can still be healthy. She believes that having body fat is not as important as where the fat is found on body. It's reported that twothirds of Americans are considered overweight or obese. A second study is suggesting that fat in the liver may be an important health risk. Norbert Stefan and his team closely examined 314 people.They measured how much body fat each person had, and where it was on the body. To do this ,they used medical imaging tests. They discovered that obese people could have healthy hearts. Their results suggest that fat in the liver is more dangerous than fat in other areas. The results of both studies were published recently in the Archives of Internal Medicine.Professor WylieRosett says the findings don't mean that people shouldn't be concerned about obesity. Experts say there are several diseases linked to obesity that make it more dangerous to be fat than thin. They say people should see their doctor to learn what health risks they may be facing and what behaviours should be changed to improve health.

[{'question': 'What was found in 23% of the healthy people examined?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['No factors linked to heart disease.', 'They were unhealthy in two or more aspects.', 'High blood pressure.', 'No evidence of problems.']}, {'question': 'Professor WylieRosett agrees that people should _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['avoid becoming obese', 'not worry about becoming obese', 'worry about becoming thin', 'not be afraid of several diseases']}, {'question': 'The text is mainly about evidence that some people can _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['be both fat and healthy', 'develop heart disease', 'increase weight', 'have too much fat in the liver']}]

It was 11 pm. Donald Lubeck was lying in bed. Outside, lightning lit up the sky, and thunder shook the house. Suddenly he heard the smoke alarm sounding. Lubeck walked down to see what happened; he opened the door to the kitchen, and flames just went out. The sudden strong wind from the doorway immediately created a large fire from a small one, probably caused by lightning. Lubeck went back to his bedroom to call 911. "I felt safe because the room had a separate stairway," he explains. The phone didn't work, and when Lubeck tried to go down the stairway, he was stopped by a wall of flames. Lubeck realized he was in trouble. His daughter and granddaughters, who lived with him, were away for the night. Up a hill lived Lubeck's neighbors, Jeremie Wentworth and his wife. From his house, Wentworth saw the black smoke. He rushed out, and headed towards Lubeck's house. He knew Lubeck lived in the house. He dialed 911. On the phone, the 911 worker warned Wentworth not to enter the house. "But I told the worker, "Sorry, but I'm going in. I can hear Lubeck shouting "Help me!" I can't let myself do nothing in this situation," /he says. "I went in and shouted, "Donald, where are you?" Then I had to run outside to catch my breath." After one more try inside the house, he gave up. Then the wind parted the smoke just enough for him to see Lubeck on the second-floor bedroom. But there was no way to get to him."I finally noticed a ladder," says Wentworth. He set it against the wall and pulled Lubeck down. Just seconds later the floor fell down. Within the year, Lubeck and his family built a new two-story house at the place. Wentworth and Lubeck don't run into each other often, but Lubeck now knows that if he ever needs help, Wentworth will be there.

[{'question': 'Why did Lubeck feel safe at the beginning?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Because he knew how to fight fire.', 'Because he thought it was a small fire.', 'Because he thought he could get out easily.', 'Because he knew his neighbor would help him.']}, {'question': 'How did Lubeck get out of the house?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['He went down a separate stairway.', '911 workers found him and helped him out.', 'He climbed out of a window by himself.', 'He climbed down a ladder found by Wentworth.']}, {'question': 'Which of the following words can best describe Jeremie Wentworth?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Patient and creative.', 'Calm and brave.', 'Careful and clever.', 'Simple and generous.']}, {'question': 'We can learn from the text that Donald Lubeck _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['was living alone', 'trusts Jeremie Wentworth', 'got in touch with 911', 'sounded the smoke alarm himself']}]

Yueyang Tower lies in the west of Yueyang City, near the Dongting Lake. It was first built for soldiers to rest on and watch out. In the Three Kingdoms Period, Lu Su, General of Wu State, trained his soldiers here. In 716, Kaiyuan of Tang Dynasty, General Zhang Shuo was sent to defend at Yuezhou and he rebuilt it into a tower named South Tower, and then Yueyang Tower. In 1044, Song Dynasty, Teng Zijing was stationed at Baling Jun, the ancient name of Yueyang City. In the second year, he had the Yueyang Tower repaired and had poems by famous poets written on the walls of the tower. Fan Zhongyan, a great artist and poet, was invited to write the well-known poem about Yueyang Tower. In his A Panegyric of the Yueyang Tower (<<>> ), Fan writes: "Be the first to worry about the troubles across the land, the last to enjoy universal happiness." His words have been well-known for thousands of years and made the tower even better known than before. The style of Yueyang Tower is quite special. The main tower is 21.35 meters high with 3 stories, flying eave and wood construction, the helmet-roof of such a large size is a rarity among the ancient architectures in China. Entering the tower, you'll see "Dongting is the water of the world, Yueyang is the tower of the world". Moving on, there is a platform that once used as the training ground for the navy of Three-Kingdom Period general Lu Su. To its south is the Huaifu Pavilion in honor of Du Fu. Stepping out of the Xiaoxiang Door, the Xianmei Pavilion and the Sanzui Pavilion can be seen standing on two sides. In the garden to the north of the tower is the tomb of Xiaoqiao, the wife of Zhou Yu.

[{'question': 'The passage mainly tells us _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['the history of Yueyang Tower', 'some information about Yueyang Tower', 'the architecture style of Yueyang Tower', 'Yueyang Tower is a good place to see']}, {'question': 'In Three-Kingdom Period, Yueyang Tower was used as _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['a place where rich people enjoyed themselves', 'the symbol of the Three Kingdoms', 'a place where educated people often met', 'an army-training place']}, {'question': 'Yueyang Tower was once named _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['South Tower', 'Xianmei Tower', 'Sanzui Tower', 'Baling Tower']}, {'question': 'When did Yueyang Tower become more famous?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['In 1045.', 'In 716.', 'In the Three-Kingdom Period.', 'In the Tang Dynasty.']}, {'question': 'Which of the following has nothing to do with Yueyang Tower?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Huaifu Pavilion.', 'Xiaoxiang Door.', 'Tomb of Du Fu.', 'Tomb of Xiaoqiao.']}]

Introductory Chemistry was taught at Duke University for many years by Professor Bonk.One year, two guys took the class and did pretty well on all the quizzes and midterms.They each had a solid A.These two friends were so confident in going into the final that the weekend before the final week, despite the Chemistry final being on Monday, they decided to go to the prefix = st1 /UniversityofVirginiato party with some friends. They had a great time there.However, with their hangovers and tiredness, they overslept all day Sunday and didn't make it back to Duke until early Monday morning.Rather than taking the final then, they found Professor Bonk after the final and explained to him how they missed the final.They told him they went up to the University of Virginia for the weekend and had planned to come back in time to study, but they had a flat tire on the way back and didn't have a spare.So they were late getting back to campus. Bonk thought this over and agreed that they could take the final the following day. The two guys, happy and relieved, studied that night and went in the next day at the time that Bonk had told them.He placed them in separate rooms and handed each of them a test booklet.He told them to begin. They looked at the first problem which was something simple about solution .It was worth 5 points."Cool," they thought, "this is going to be an easy final". They then turned the page.They were unprepared, however, for what they saw on it. The question contained only two words:(95 points) Which tire?

[{'question': 'The two guys decided to go to the University of Virginia because _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['they were afraid of the final', 'there was a big party there', 'the final would be held there', 'they thought they could pass the final easily']}, {'question': 'It can be inferred from the passage that _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ["Bonk wasn't strict with the two guys", "Bonk didn't believe the two guys' explanation", 'the two guys came back to campus late on purpose', 'repairing the flat tire took the two guys a lot of time']}, {'question': 'After the final, the two guys would probably _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['apologize to Professor Bonk', 'get the same high marks', 'lose interest in their Chemistry', 'feel happy and relieved']}, {'question': 'We can learn from the passage that _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['honesty is the best policy', 'you should think twice before you jump', 'one never loses anything by politeness', 'he who makes no mistakes makes nothing']}]

Elena Kagan has reached a lifelong goal:becoming a Justice on the United States Supreme Court.The U.S. Senate confirmed Kagan on Thursday by a vote of 6337.She replaces Justice John Paul Stevens,who retired in June. Kagan will take a sacred oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States on Saturday at a swearingin ceremony.The new Justice will bring the number of women sitting on the nation's highest court to three.Kagan joins Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor--all three New Yorkers. Kagan is the fourth woman in history to sit on the Supreme Court.Justice Sandra Day O'Connor was the first female Justice.She was appointed by President Ronald Reagan and served from 1981 to 2006. Kagan,who is 50 years old,is the second Justice appointed by President Barack Obama.(He appointed Justice Sotomayor in 2009.) Obama told reporters on Thursday that Kagan will make an "outstanding Justice who understands that her rulings affect people." He also noted that the addition of another woman to the Supreme Court marks a sign of progress for the country.Obama and Kagan will celebrate her confirmation with a ceremony at the White House today. Kagan has spent most of her adult life working with the law.She served in President Clinton's administration as a legal adviser,was the head of Harvard Law School,and until her confirmation Thursday,was the U.S. Solicitor General--one of the most powerful lawyers in the federal government.Kagan was born in New York City.She grew up in an apartment on the Upper West side of Manhattan,the strongwilled,independent middle sister sandwiched between two brothers. Kagan's mother was a public school teacher who taught fifth and sixth grades.Her father was a lawyer. The new Justice once wore a judge's robe in a picture for her highschool yearbook.Now she'll be wearing real ones as she and the other eight Justices decide some of the most important legal cases.

[{'question': 'Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['To take the place of an old Justice,a Justice was elected by the Senate.', 'There will be four women working in the United States Supreme Court.', 'Kagan will take a sacred oath before taking part in the election.', 'No one but a New Yorker can be a Justice of the Supreme Court.']}, {'question': 'This text must be taken from _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['a storybook', 'a textbook', 'a newspaper', 'a biography of famous people']}]

Mo Yan, whose primitive name is Guan Moye, was awarded the Nobel Literature Prize on October 11, 2012."Chinese author Mo Yan today won the Nobel Literature Prize for writing that mixes folk tales, history and the contemporary," the Swedish Academy announced."Through a mixture of fantasy and reality, historical and social perspectives, Mo Yan has created a world reminiscent in its complexity of those in the writing of William Faulkner and Gabriel Garcia Marques, at the same time finding a departure point in old Chinese literature and in oral tradition," the Swedish Academy said Mo Yan began writing in 1981 and he has published novels, short stories and essays on various topic, and despite his social criticism is seen in his homeland as one of the foremost contemporary authors, the Nobel Committee noted, In his writing Mo Yan draws on his youthful experiences and on settings in the province of his birth. He is the first Chinese resident to win the prize, who is a novelist and a short story writer, born on 17th February 1955, in Gaomi County, Shandong Province.His novel The Frog won the Mao Dun Literature Prize in 2011. His works are deeply impacted by the magic realism that he creates unique subject feeling world by fantastical narration in bus novels.Some people may not know who Mo Yan is before, but they must know some of his works.For example, a famous film directed by Zhang Yimou that won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in 1988 was adapted from his novel Red Sorghum which was a tale of the brutal violence in the eastern China countryside, where he grew up, during the 1920s and 1930s.

[{'question': 'Which novel of Mo Yan won the Mao Dun Literature Prize in 2011?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['The Mangrove.', 'Red Sorghum.', 'The Frog.', 'History and the contemporary']}, {'question': 'Why was Mo Yan awarded the Nobel Literature Prize of 2012?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Because of his work The Frog.', 'Because of his works with the contemporary.', 'Because of his works with history.', 'Because his writing mixes folk tales, history and the contemporary.']}, {'question': 'Mo Yan is his _ name.', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['primitive', 'pen', 'real', 'family']}]

EDGEWOOD-Every morning at Dixie Heights High School, customers pour into a special experiment: the district's first coffee shop run mostly by students with special learning needs. Well before classes start, students and teachers order Lattes, Cappuccinos and Hot Chocolates. Then, during the first period, teachers call in orders on their room phones, and students make deliveries. By closing time at 9.20 a.m., the shop usually sells 90 drinks. "Whoever made the chi tea, Ms. Schatzman says it was good," Christy McKinley, a second year student, announced recently, after hanging up with the teacher. The shop is called the Dixie PIT, which stands for Power in Transition. Although some of the students are not disabled, many are, and the PIT helps them prepare for life after high school. They learn not only how to run a coffee shop but also how to deal with their affairs. They keep a timecard and receive paychecks, which they keep in check registers. Special-education teachers Kim Chevalier and Sue Casey introduced the Dixie PIT from a similar program at Kennesaw Mountain High School in Georgia. Not that it was easy. Chevalier's first problem to overcome was product-related. Should schools be selling coffee? What about sugar content? Kenton County Food Service Director Ginger Gray helped. She made sure all the drinks, which use non-fat milk, fell within nutrition guidelines. The whole school has joined in to help. Teachers agreed to give up their l ounge in the mornings. Art students painted the name of the shop on the wall. Business students designed the paychecks. The basketball team helped pay for cups.

[{'question': 'What is the text mainly about?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['A best-selling coffee.', 'A special educational program.', 'Government support for schools.', 'A new type of teacher-student relationship.']}, {'question': 'The Dixie PIT program was introduced in order to _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['raise money for school affairs', 'do some research on nutrition', "develop students' practical skills", 'supply teachers with drinks']}, {'question': "How did Christy McKinley know Ms. Schatzman's opinion of the chi tea?", 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['She met her in the shop.', 'She heard her telling others.', 'She talked to her on the phone.', 'She went to her office to deliver the tea.']}, {'question': 'We know from the text that Ginger Gray _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['manages the Dixie P1T program in Kenton County', 'sees that the drinks meet health standards', 'teaches at Dixie Heights High School', "owns the school's coffee shop"]}, {'question': 'Where can we usually read this passage?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['In a novel.', 'In a newspaper.', 'In an instant message.', 'In a school report.']}]

The USA Well, imagine how my sister felt when she went off for the first time to New York for a business trip. After a few days she was still amazed at how friendly everyone was to her until she took a taxi back to her hotel one night. First she gave just the name of the hotel, but when asked she said the address too. Then she was asked how to get there, but of course she didn't know. Imagine how frightened she was when the driver started shouting at her for not knowing the way. The UK A friend was in London for a conference. He took a taxi and there were no problems: the driver knew the way and was very cheerful. The problem started when he realized he had stupidly left his laptop on the back seat! He called the company up and, in a panic, went straightaway to their Lost and Found office. He was _ to find the laptop waiting for him, and then very surprised that it was one of 2,900 left in taxis over the past six months! Tunisia Well, my brother took a Mediterranean cruise one summer and had a day in Tunis. He spent most of the afternoon in the Medina buying presents when he suddenly realized he'd completely lost track of time and there was only half an hour before the ship left the port. There had been loads of yellow taxis in the centre so he wasn't too bothered until he stood on the pavement and waited for one to appear----and of course there wasn't a single one in sight! Nothing! He questioned a passer-by who explained that the cost for the taxi ride goes up in the evening so the taxi drivers disappear until they can charge higher prices! Luckily for my brother the man then offered to give him a lift and he caught the boat on time!

[{'question': "What was the author's sister's trip by taxi in the US like?", 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Unpleasing and scary.', 'Tiring but impressive.', 'Relaxing and exciting.', 'Interesting but strange']}, {'question': "Why couldn't the author's brother find a taxi in Tunis?", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Because it was too late.', 'Because the weather was bad.', "Because he didn't know how to call a taxi.", 'Because the taxi drivers disappeared on purpose.']}, {'question': 'What do the three stories have in common?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['They are all about taking a taxi.', 'They are all about business trips.', 'They are all about great services.', "They are all about the author's family."]}]

Culture helps human societies survive in changing natural environment.For example, the end of the last Ice Age, beginning about 15,000 years ago, brought a big challenge to which humans had to adapt.Before this time, large parts of the northern hemisphere were covered in great sheets of ice that contained much of the earth' s water.In North America, large animals that wandered the vast tundra provided people with food and materials for clothing and simple shelters.When the earth became warm, large Ice Age animals disappeared, and many land areas were covered by rising sea levels from melting ice.But people survived, they developed new technologies and learned how to survive on new plant and animal species. Finally some people settled into permanent villages, durable houses and farms. Cultural adaptation has made humans one of the most successful species on the planet. Through history, major developments in technology, medicine, and nutrition have allowed people to reproduce and survive in ever-increasing numbers.The global population has risen from 8 million during the Ice Age to about 6 billion today. However, the successes of culture adaptation can also create problems in the long run.Over the last 200 years, people have begun to use large quantities of natural resources and energy and to produce a great amount of material and chemical wastes.The global population now consumes some important natural resources--such as petroleum, wood, and minerals--faster than nature can produce them.Many scientists believe that in the process of burning fuels and producing wastes, people may be changing the global climate in unpredictable and possibly harmful ways.Thus, the adaptive success of the present-day global culture of production and trade may be temporary.

[{'question': 'To deal with the problems, human beings should _ according to the passage.', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['stop developing any longer', 'reduce the overuse of natural resources', 'stop the global warming and using natural resources', 'save more animals in case they all die out']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is the problem caused by cultural adaptation according to the passage?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['A very developed culture came into being.', 'New technologies have been developed.', 'Natural resources have been used up.', 'Human activities have done damage to the balance of nature.']}, {'question': 'Which of the following can be the best tide of the passage?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Natural Environment Should Be Protected.', 'The Success of Cultural Adaptation Is Not Permanent.', 'The Global Population Is Increasing Since Ice Age.', 'Human Beings Are Capable of Surviving on Earth.']}]

Opportunity knocked on my door last January when I was given a chance to work in another country. At first, it seemed really scary for me to live on my own. But I had to overcome the true challenge! Luckily, I met seven new friends, six boys and one girl. They were really nice and I loved their company. We hung out most weekends. We cooked, watched movies, chatted and shared jokes! It was amazing -- until something unexpected happened ! One of my friends was diagnosed with kidney stones which needed to be removed as soon as possible. But our friend could not afford the surgery. He tried to get help from our other friends but they refused him. My heart cried for him! Our friends abandoned him just when he needed them most. I didn't know how to help him because I didn't have any money either. But I never lost hope. Instead I tried to think of other options. I told him not to worry because he might find a way somehow and everything would be all right. So I went to the hospital with him. I talked to the surgeon, asking him to do the surgery for him and promising to pay the expenses the next day (As if I had that money). I must have been convincing because the surgeon agreed to do it! Now, how was I going to get that much money? All I knew was that I needed to help my friend! I tried to borrow money from other friends but I failed. I tried selling my things but no one wanted them. Then I had to talk to my boss. I asked him if I could have my next two months salary in advance -- without even thinking on how I would survive for two months without money. He was surprised and asked me why. I told him that I had a friend who was really in need. Luckily, he gave my two months salary without hesitation! As soon as I had the money I ran to the hospital and paid all the bills. Friendship may not only be found in happy moments. Sometimes you can find it on the toughest time in your life!

[{'question': 'Why did the author go to the hospital with his friend?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['To find free medical treatment for his friend.', 'To have his friend admitted into the hospital.', 'To pay the expenses of treatment for his friend.', 'To keep him company during the operation.']}, {'question': 'Which of the following words can be used to describe the author?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Warm - hearted.', 'Adventurous.', 'Open-minded.', 'Clever.']}, {'question': 'What does the author intend to tell us by sharing his story?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['We should not judge a person by his look.', "Trouble can put one's qualities to the test.", 'True friends should share in joys and sorrows alike.', "We can't depend on friends when in trouble."]}]

Sheep, like turkeys and ostriches, are not considered the cleverest animals. British scientists said last Wednesday human may have underestimated the woolly creatures. They could be much smarter than we think. Researchers at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge, southern. England, have shown that animals have a good memory system and are extremely good at recognizing faces--which they think is a sure sign of intelligence. Behavioral scientist Keith Kendrick and his friends trained 20 sheep to recognize and distinguish 25 pairs of sheep faces and used electrodes to measure their brain activity, which showed they could remember 50 faces for up to two years. "If they can do that with faces, the fact is that they have to have reasonable intelligence, otherwise, what is the point of having a system for remembering anything else," Kendrick said in an interview. So hours of seemingly mindless eating grass may not be so mindless after all. Kendrick believes sheep got their reputation as dumb animals because they live in large groups and do not appear to have much ind ividuality and are frightened of just about everything. All animals, including humans, once they are frightened don't tend to show signs of intelligent action," he explained. In research reported in the science journal Nature, Kendrick and his team showed that sheep, like humans, have a specialized system in the brain, which allows them to distinguish between many different faces that look extremely similar. "The most important findings of the study is that they are able, both from a behavioral point of view and from looking at the way the brain is organized, to remember a large number of faces of individuals for a very long time," said Kendrick. "It is a very strange system. They are showing similar abilities in many ways to humans. "

[{'question': 'From what Kendrick said in the interview we learn that _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ["scientists have learned a lot about sheep's intelligence", "scientists have learned little about sheep's intelligence", "scientists can't do anything more about sheep's memory", "scientists don't have to research animals' memory"]}, {'question': 'As is shown in the passage _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['sheep are among the weak animals', 'it is not right for people to raise sheep in groups', 'when sheep eat grass in the fields their minds may be active', 'if people feel frightened, they may become more brave']}, {'question': 'When scientists found that sheep show similar abilities in many ways to humans they may think it _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['worrying', 'moving', 'frightening', 'interesting']}]

In 1955, a man named Raymond Kroc entered a partnership with two brothers named Mcdonald. They operated a popular restaurant in California which sold food that was easy to prepare and serve quickly. Hamburgers, French fries, and cold drinks were the main foods on the limited menu. Kroc opened similar eating places under the same name, "McDonald's" and they were a quick success. He later took over the company and today it is one of the most famous and successful "fast-food" chains in America and the world. Why was his idea so successful? Probably the most important reason was that his timing was right. In the 1950s, most married women stayed home to keep house and take care of their children. During the 1960s, the movement for equality between men and women and an economy that needed more families to have two money-earners resulted in many women returning to the workplace. This meant that they had less time and energy to do housework, so they depended more on fast-food restaurants. Single parents also have little time to spend in the kitchen. People living alone because of divorce or a preference for a "single lifestyle" also depend on this type of food, since cooking for one is often more trouble than it is worth. Fast food is not part of the diet of all Americans. Another of the 1960s was called back-to-nature movement. More and more Americans based their diets on natural foods. This preference for natural foods continues to this day. These products can now be found not only in the special health food store but also in many supermarkets.

[{'question': 'The passage is mainly about _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['how and why "McDonald\'s" became successful', "the effect social and economic changes have on people's eating habits", 'why Americans prefer natural food', 'American eating habits']}, {'question': "Which of the following was NOT a reason for Raymond Kroc's success?", 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['His partnership with the McDonald brothers.', 'A changing economy.', 'The back-to-nature movement.', "Women's equality movement."]}, {'question': 'We can infer from the passage that _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ["natural foods can also be found in McDonald's", 'many married women in America returned to work in the 1960s', "McDonald's fast food is popular among the young", 'divorce caused people to change their eating habits']}]

There are three main forms of public transport in Singapore--trains,buses and taxis. TRAINS Trains run from 6:00 am to midnight. Single trip tickets start at 80 cents. If you buy an EZ-Link card for $ 15,you can ride the trains and buses as you like. If you need more infor-mation, just call Train Station at 6222 5165. BUSES There are several bus services in Singapore and fares start at 80 cents. Be sure always to ask the driver the cost of your ticket as he can't give change. If you need help,just call Tran-sit Link at 1800 767 4333. TAXIS There are three main taxi companies--City Cab (6552 2222),Comfort (6552 1111) and Tibs (6552 8888). Booking can also be easy by calling the numbers listed above. RENTAL CARS Driving in Singapore is a pleasure and if you like to travel at your own pace,renting a car is a good choice.Renting takes away the hassle of getting to places around Singapore.Just sit back and enjoy the city. It also means you'll get to see a lot more that a train or a bus won't let you see. For car rental? call Avis at + 65 6737 1668.

[{'question': 'With an EZ-Link card, you can take_.', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['only trains', 'both buses and trains', 'only rental cars', 'both buses and taxis']}, {'question': 'If you need the bus service? you had better call_.', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['6552 1111', '1800 767 4333', '6552 5165', '+ 65 6737 1668']}, {'question': 'What do we know about traveling in Singapore from the text?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['A foreigner has no trouble finding his way around.', "It's much cheaper to go around by bus than by train.", 'To see a lot in Singapore we have to rent a car.', "It's very easy for visitors to travel in Singapore."]}]

Read the following reviews for movies that are showing at the moment. And then answer questions. Happiness(Romance) Happinesstells the story of two people (Lisa Turbot and Danny Roy) who work for different advertising companies. They talk on the phone all the time and don't like each other. But then they _ by e-mail and fall in love. This movie will be very popular with teenagers and people who like romances. It also has beautiful music. I Scream(Thriller) InI Scream, Paul (Colin Jacks) is a young man who joins a thriller club. Each of the members tries to frighten the others. Paul is told to stay in an old house for the night. Everyone who has tried to stay in the house before has died. This movie is very frightening but also quite silly. It doesn't make sense for Paul to stay in the house when things start to go wrong. Only for people who like thrillers. Paul's Heroes(Comedy) This is a very funny war movie set in World War Two. Six soldiers (including Sammy Turblow) have to get to Italy to take secret messages to the American army there. During the movie, they dressup as women and fight with Italian workers. You can guess the ending, but it's great fun getting there. _ (Drama) This is a very good drama with Jack Ross, who plays a hard-working truck driver. His wife becomes ill and he has to find a doctor who can help her. In his travels he meets Dr. Lloyd (Phil Driver) who has found the cure for the illness, but Jack Ross has only twelve hours to get the medicine back to his wife on the other side of America. This is an excellent movie, which is very exciting.

[{'question': 'Which of the four movies is the least popular with people?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['The 1st one.', 'The 2nd one.', 'The 3rd one.', 'The 4th one.']}, {'question': 'A thriller is most probably a film which tells something _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['instructive', 'frightening', 'humorous', 'interesting']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is the best title for the fourth film?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['A Hard-working Trick Driver', 'Medicine', 'A Strange Illness', 'Twelve Hours']}]

Dear Ms Morris, We have come to know of an unfortunate incident you had with our customer service department and we would like to deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused to you by the customer service manager's behavior. We have noted down your complaint (number 797329SA) and would like to let you know that strict action will be taken against the employee. He is a new employee with little experience and so his attitude towards his job was over enthusiastic and he lacked proper judgment. We are by no means excusing his behavior but I would like to request you not to take any legal action against the company as we are very sorry for what happened. To express our appreciation, please accept the offer of free servicing of all products of our company that you own for up to three years. We will also make sure that the faulty air conditioner is replaced by us at no extra cost so that you do not face any further problem. Once again, we are very sorry for the incident. Please contact us if you have any questions. Yours sincerely, Nate Borges Dear sir, I should like to apologize for the inconvenience caused to you due to poor Internet connectivity. I understand that you require the Internet all through the day as all your business deals are done online and since last week your work has been affected a great deal. We are continually working towards providing the best possible services to our customers. You have been using our service for the last three years and are aware of the excellent quality of service offered by us. However, this time due to some major technical fault the Internet service was interrupted and our customers in your part of the city are facing our poor Internet connectivity problems. The issue is likely to be solved within the next two days; kindly bear with us until then. Once again I apologize for the poor service. Yours faithfully, David Johns

[{'question': "What is Ms Morris's attitude towards the customer service manager?", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Thankful.', 'Dissatisfied.', 'Doubtful.', 'Worried.']}, {'question': 'Which is most likely to happen according to the first letter?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['The new employee will be punished.', 'Ms Morris will get her air conditioner repaired.', 'Nate Borges will take legal action against Ms Morris.', 'Ms Morris will get all products of the company for free.']}, {'question': 'Why does David Johns mention their level of service in the past?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['To increase the service prices.', 'To express thanks to the customer.', "To preserve the customer's confidence.", 'To explain the causes of the poor service.']}, {'question': 'What do the two letters have in common?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Both complain about poor services.', 'Both are written to make an apology.', 'Both explain how to use the product.', 'Both discuss how to make up for the loss.']}]

Some mothers in Senegal are learning a new way to save the lives of babies born too soon. The idea is borrowed from the way mother kangaroos carry their young in front in a pouch. The baby kangaroo stays in this built-in baby carrier until it can survive independently. Kangaroo mother care is also known as the skin-to-skin method for premature babies. The direct contact with the mother keeps the baby warm. It also lets the baby breastfeed at any time. The mother's heartbeat also helps control the baby's breathing rate. Every year, seven thousand babies are born at the health center where Ousmane Ndiaye works in Guediaway, outside Dakar. One in five is underweight. But Senegal has few incubators in which to keep premature babies warm. In Africa, one newborn in twenty dies. A major reason is prematurity, so the death rates are among the highest in the world. Doctor Ndiaye says babies who weigh less than two kilos get special attention from _ who assist with the births. They teach the mother how to keep the baby wrapped to her chest. The health center has a Kangaroo Clinic, a special area for teaching this method. Doctor Ndiaye says they plan to expand the program throughout Senegal. But he believes the best way to get more people to use the kangaroo method is for mothers who have used the method to tell others about it.

[{'question': 'Which of the following is NOT the advantage of the kangaroo method?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['The babies can get warmth from their mothers', 'It is convenient for mothers to feed their babies', 'The direct skin contact reduce the risk of failing ill', "The mother's heartbeat helps the baby breathe normally"]}, {'question': 'What is the major reason for the high death rates of newborns in Africa?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['They are not fed with nutritious food', "Most hospitals don't have incubators", 'The newborns are not taken good care of', 'They are born before the usual time']}, {'question': 'What is the passage mainly about ?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['advantages of kangaroo mother care', 'new ways to take care of newborn babies', 'medical conditions in Senegal need improving', 'saving premature babies with an idea from nature']}]

It's a fact that we all dream. Some dreams seem to last for hours, others only for seconds. Some of us have strange dreams, some have interesting dreams, and some of us have unpleasant dreams. Tests in the 1980s showed that these dreams occur within 90-minute cycles, each cycle made up of six stages. In the last stage people experience rapid eye movement, known as REM, and it is in this stage that dreaming takes place. Eighty percent of people who were woken during this sixth stage could easily remember their dreams. On the other hand, when during the first five stages (NREM), only seven percent could describe a dream. However, of these same people woken during the first five stages, 74% were able to remember thinking activity, although they would not call it a dream. NerysDee, who has written about dreams in a book called "Your Dreams and What They Mean" says: "Perhaps during NREM sleep we are sorting out our outer mundane problems, but in REM sleep we are dealing with inside matters." She also makes the following statement about 90-minute cycle: It may also prove the reason why _ who wake in the middle of the night find it impossible to get to sleep again for at least an hour and a half. In other words, until they have missed out one complete 90-minute sleep period.

[{'question': 'Which of the following statements about dreams is TRUE?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Everyone dreams but very few can recall what they dream.', 'Some people have long dreams and others have very short ones.', 'People can only remember unpleasant dreams.', 'More than eighty percent of people can remember their dreams.']}, {'question': 'According to the tests in the 1980s, dreaming takes place _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['between each 90-minute cycle', 'at any time during 90-minute cycles', 'during the first five stages of 90-minute cycles', 'in the last stage of 90-minute cycles']}, {'question': 'People woken during REM sleep can _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['hardly remember their dreams', 'easily remember their dreams', 'only remember their dreams', 'partly remember their thinking activity']}, {'question': '"Insomniacs" are persons who _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['can always remember their dreams', 'have trouble getting into sleep at night', 'experience rapid eye movement', 'usually wake after each 90-minute sleep period']}]

In most of the time, I am devoted to my research in the lab with my friend Dave, who loves traveling very much. To make our life colorful and relax ourselves, in July, my friend and I are taking a camping trip. We will travel for four weeks and will tour the United States and part of Canada. We have decided to camp because it does not cost as much as vacationing in hotels. We have to plan very carefully in advance. First, the car we are going to drive is very small, so we have decided to take only one small suitcase each and as few camping things as possible. We will take some medicine with us to prevent insects from hurting us, and also food for picnics. Second, there is a lot to see in the United States and Canada, so we have to decide on the direction we want to drive. The date we are leaving is July 2, from which day we will have two months off. We want to see and do many things on our camping tour. We want to climb in the mountains, visit famous caves, and swim in cool mountain rivers. We want to visit many cities and talk to many people, which I am sure can enrich our experience greatly. We also want to find a hotel room if it rains at night. We expect to have an exciting trip.

[{'question': 'The two friends are going to take a camping trip _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ["if they have four weeks' time off", 'though it will be a long trip', 'so that they can save money', 'because it will be warm enough in July']}, {'question': 'Which of the following statements is possibly true?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['They are now on the trip', 'They are going to make a tour all over the U.S and Canada.', 'They are quite rich.', 'July is drawing near.']}, {'question': 'It is quite clear that _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['there will be no insects at all.', 'they are sure to take some medicine on the trip.', 'the two friends will take turns to drive.', 'the two friends will share a suitcase.']}, {'question': 'If they are caught in the rain , they will _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['talk to their families while it rains.', 'ask others for help.', 'have to stop climbing.', 'have to stay in a hotel for the night.']}]

Poet William Stafford once said that we are defined more by the detours in life than by the narrow road toward goals.I like this image.But it was quite by accident that I discovered the deep meaning of his words. For years we made the long drive from our home in Seattle to my parents' home in Boise in nine hours.We traveled the way most people do:the fastest,shortest,easiest road,especially when I was alone with four noisy,restless kids who hate confinement and have strong opinions about everything. Road trips felt risky,so I would drive fast,stopping only when I had to.We would stick to the freeways and arrive tired. But then Banner,our lamb was born.He was rejected by his mama days before our planned trip to Boise.I had two choices:leave Banner with my husband,or take him with me.My husband made the decision for me. That is how I found myself on the road with four kids,a baby lamb and nothing but my everlasting optimism to see me through.We took the country roads out of necessity.We had to stop every hour,let Banner shake out his legs and feed him.The kids chased him and one another.They'd get back in the car breathless and energized,smelling fresh from the cold air. We explored side roads,catching grasshoppers in waisthigh grass.Even if we simply looked out of the car windows at baby pigs following their mother,or fish leaping out of the water,it was better than the best ride down the freeway.Here was life.And new horizons . We eventually arrived at my parents' doorstep astonishingly fresh and full of stories. I grew brave with the trip back home and creative with my disciplining technique.On an empty section of road,everyone started quarreling.I stopped the car,ordered all kids out and told them to meet me up ahead.I parked my car half a mile away and read my book in sweet silence. Some road trips are by necessity fast and straight.But that trip with Banner opened our eyes to a world available to anyone adventurous enough to wander around and made me realize that a detour may uncover the best part of a journey-and the best part of yourself.

[{'question': "Why did the author use to take freeways to her parents'home?", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['It was less tiring.', 'It would be faster and safer.', 'Her kids would feel less confined.', 'She felt better with other drivers nearby.']}, {'question': 'The author stopped regularly on the country roads to _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['relax in the fresh air', 'take a deep breath', 'take care of the lamb', 'let the kids play with Banner']}, {'question': 'Why did the author ask the kids to get out of the car on their way back home?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['To give herself some time to read.', 'To order some food for them.', 'To play a game with them.', 'To let them cool down.']}, {'question': 'What could be the best title for the passage?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Charm of the Detour', 'The Road to Bravery', 'Creativity out of Necessity', 'Road Trip and Country Life']}]

STRANGERS parties go wild these days. The main idea of them is to never let the people know who their matches are until the last minute. These are some popular practices that are storming the world's youth on this V-day. Speed dating It's exactly what the name implies. Complete with a timer, a whistle and 50 willing singles, speed dating is not the traditional dinner and a movie type of first date. Singles pay US $35 for three minutes with more than two dozen future dates. They ask questions and try to get to know each other. At the sound of a whistle, they do the same thing all over again--25 times in all. Lock and key party Women are given a lock and men are given a key, upon arriving at the party. Each key and lock has several matches. One can hunt for his/her later-to-be sweetheart in various groups, and try out the key or lock. Each time a lock and key match the pair are entered into a ballot for top prizes! Dinner in the dark Waiters wearing night vision glasses guide the guests through the pitch-black dining room. They are seated at the table and familiarized with the wine glass and plate. Food is handled with the fingers. People will not see the food they are eating or the guests at their table until the dessert course. At that moment, dining partners will appear. Message party Have A Cocktail, Leave A Message! When you arrive, you get a tag with a number and a pad of post-it notes. If you see someone you like, write a message on the message board. But wait... You've got a message... Go and collect it! You can make new friends and win lots of gifts. The more messages you leave on the bulletin board, the more chances you have of winning prizes.

[{'question': 'What do you think the similarities of these parties are?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['All the parties have very strict rules for their members.', 'If you want to go to any of the parties, you have to buy a ticket.', 'All the parties are aimed at strangers who want to be lovers.', 'All the parties are suitable not only for the young but for the old.']}, {'question': 'In which party does a participant have to be careful with the time?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Speed dating.', 'Lock and key party.', 'Dinner in the dark.', 'Message party.']}, {'question': 'If you go to the Dinner in the dark, _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['you have to wear night vision glasses', 'you have to eat with your hands', 'guests eat all the courses in the darkness', 'your dining partners will help you choose the food']}, {'question': 'How many of the parties offer gifts or prizes?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['1.', '2.', '3.', '4.']}]

No matter where he lives, 16-year-old Danny Lopez feels like an outsider: he is half-Mexican and half-white. At his private high school in wealthy northern San Diego, California, US, Lopez is too brown to fit in, whereas for the Mexican side of his family in National City, just a dozen miles from the border, he is too white to belong. Different from both sides, Lopez is silent in school. He focuses on his passion for baseball and working hard to improve the pitches that have kept him off the school team. Mexican Whiteboy, by Matt de la Pena, is about a teenager's search for identity. It was named as one of the Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults in 2009 by the US Young Adult Library Services Association. When Lopez's mother decides to go to live with her wealthy white boyfriend in San Francisco, he chooses to spend the summer with his father's family in San Diego. It's a trip to explore roots and self-identity, filled with unexpected friendship. There he meets Uno, of mixed heritage like himself, also with a divorced mom. Uno understands Danny's split background and helps him improve his baseball skills. Both boys have big league dreams, but they both have to learn to come to terms with their mixed heritages before they can achieve their goals. Aside from discussions of racism, Mexican Whiteboy takes on other issues, such as the importance of family and the negative influence of hiding the truth. It also shows how sports can draw cultures together.

[{'question': 'The reason why Lopez feels like an outsider lies in the fact that _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['he is a Mexican', 'he lives in San Diego', 'he is half-white and half-Mexican', 'he studies in a private school']}, {'question': 'Most probably "Mexican Whiteboy" is a _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['book', 'club', 'newspaper', 'organization']}, {'question': 'When Lopez found it is hard for him to fit in, he _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['starts writing a book about himself', 'begins to look for identity with the help of Mexican Whiteboy', 'loses his interest in baseball', 'works in the fields in which he was kept off the school team']}, {'question': 'Lopez and Uno have a lot in common except that _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['they both have a divorced mom', 'they both have mixed heritage', 'they were both in the school baseball team', 'both of them have big league dreams']}]

Sir Steven Redgrave Winner of 5 Olympic Gold Medals "In 1997 I was found to have developed diabetes . Believing my career was over, I felt extremely low. Then one of the specialists said there was no reason why I should stop training and competing. That was it -- the encouragement I needed. I could still be a winner if I believed in myself. I am not saying that it isn't difficult sometimes. But I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't finished yet. Nothing is to stand in my way." Karen Pickering Swimming World Champion "I swim 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I manage that sort of workload by putting it on top of my diary. This is the key to success -- you can't follow a career in any field without being well-organized. List what you believe you can achieve. Trust yourself, write down your goals for the day, however small they are, and you'll be a step closer to achieving them." Kirsten Best Poet & Writer "When things are getting hard, a voice inside my head tells me that I can't achieve something. Then, there are other _ , such as family or hobbies. The key is to concentrate. When I feel tense, it helps a lot to repeat words such as 'calm', 'peace' or 'focus', either out loud or silently in my mind. It makes me feel more in control and increases my confidence. This is a habit that can become second nature quite easily and is a powerful psychological tool"

[{'question': 'What does Sir Steven Redgrave mainly talk about?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['He overcame the bad influence of illness to win.', 'Specialists offered him medical advice.', 'Training helped him defeat his disease.', 'Difficulties influenced his career.']}, {'question': 'What does Karen Pickering put on top of her diary?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Her daily happenings.', 'Her training schedule.', 'Her achievements.', 'Her sports career.']}, {'question': 'According to the passage, what do the three people have in common?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Courage.', 'Self-confidence.', 'Devotion.', 'Hard work.']}]

Educating Girls Is a Real Lifesaver Clare Short knows it. Every developing economist knows it. The World Bank knows it. The education of girls is the surest way to reduce poverty. The reason is simple. All the evidence shows that taking girls out of the fields and homes, and putting them behind desks, raises economic productivity, lowers infant and maternal death rates, reduces birth rates, and improves environmental management. Why, then, are 90 million primary school-age girls around the world not in school? For the same reason that when Charles Dickens was writing David Copperfield 150 years ago girls were absent from the British education system: Men in power mostly prefer _ that way, or are not interested enough in changing the situation to commit energy and money to doing so. The countries with the poorest record for having women in positions of power or influence have the worst figures for girls' education. High-profile intervention by organizations such as the World Bank has begun successfully with several countries, and more of the same will probably be needed to bring change in conservative, male-run states. Even if there were no development payoff from gender equality in schools, the education of girls would still be a cause worth fighting for. Education is a human right, and the denial of it to girls is a scar on the community in the twenty-first century. To be born a girl in a rural area in Nepal, Pakistan, Indonesia, Morocco, Togo, or Sudan -- half a dozen of the most shameful performers -- means being condemned to a life without school, education, or clean water, marriage and babies coming too early, too many births, children who die of preventable diseases, backbreaking work in the fields, subordination to husband and his family, and an early death. Every year, almost 12 million children under the age of five needlessly die of infectious diseases associated with poverty. But each additional year spent by their mothers in primary school lowers the risk of premature child deaths by about 8 percent. In Pakistan, an extra year of school for 1,000 girls could prevent sixty infant deaths. With women and girls being the main farmers in Africa and southern Asia, their education offers a chance to develop more efficient farming practices, improve output, and raise awareness of the ecological needs of the land with tree planting and farming. Therefore, the world community cannot afford to ignore this avenue of change.

[{'question': 'Which is Not the reason why educating girls reduces poverty?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['It improves environmental management.', 'It raises economic productivity.', 'It creates more children.', 'It lowers maternal death rates.']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ["The countries where women have great influence and are in power always do worse in girls' education.", "Some organizations such as the World Bank haven't taken the lead in girls' education.", 'Some girls in Sudan and Indonesia are bound to live a life without education when they are born.', 'Each extra year of school for girls has nothing to do with the birthrate and maternal deaths.']}, {'question': 'How many more infants will survive when 100 girls stay in school for another year?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['5', '6', '8', '12']}, {'question': "What does the author think of girls' education?", 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['essential', 'terrible', 'indifferent', 'helpless']}]

My parents knew their wealth: each other, their six children, and their faith. They tried to live simple lives so that they could have time for what was most important. They didn't busy themselves buying a bigger house, because that would mean working harder to pay the monthly mortgage ,working overtime or taking second job. Who would go running with me then? Who would read stories to me? They didn't burden themselves with buying an expensive car because that would mean worrying about installment bills. Besides, walking to the shopping centre every Saturday afternoon with me gave my dad his needed exercise, and made me feel so special. One of my heart's delights was seeing Dad and Mom in their bedroom at night, after our nightly family prayer. The lights were turned off, and I'd see the figure of my father seated on his old chair and Mom standing behind him, gently massaging his shoulders. I'd hear them talk about what happened during their day. Even as a child, I sensed their quiet pleasure in being together. My question today: Could they have done this rich ritual each night and nourished their marriage if they had been busy paying for expensive clothes for themselves or their kids, or if they had been worrying about monthly bills for new hi-tech equipment? I don't think so. And I've made a choice: I don't want that of life either.

[{'question': "Which of the following is TRUE about the author's family?", 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['There were six people in the family.', 'They decided to buy a bigger house.', 'They lived an easy and happy life.', 'They had a second-hand car.']}, {'question': 'What did the parents regularly do with the author?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['They wrote stories together.', 'They read newspapers together.', 'They regularly took exercise together.', 'They went shopping together each day.']}, {'question': "The author believed that his/her parents' happiness was due to(, )", 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['their attitude towards life', 'their love for each other', 'their common interests', 'their ability to communicate with each other']}]

"Mama, when I grow up, I'm going to be one of those!" I said this after seeing the Capital Dancing Company perform when I was three. It was the first time that my dream took on a vivid form and acted as something important to start my training. As I grew older and was exposed to more, my interests in the world of dance certainly varied but that little girl's dream of someday becoming a dancer in the company never left me. In the summer of 2005 when I was 18, I received the phone call which made that dream a reality: I became a member of the company dating back to 1925. As I look back on that day now, it surely lacks any sense of reality. I believe I stayed in a state of pleasant disbelief until I was halfway through rehearsals on my first day. I never actually expect to get the job. After being offered the position, I was completely astonished. I remember shaking with excitement. _ . Through the strict rehearsal period of dancing six days a week, I found it vital to pick up the material fast with every last bit of concentration. It is that extreme attention to detail and stress on practice that set us apart. To then follow those high-energy rehearsals with a busy show schedule of up to five performances a day, I discovered a new meaning of the words "hard work." What I thought were my physical boundaries were pushed much further than I thought possible. I learned to make each performance better than the last. Today, when I look at the unbelievable company that I have the great honor of being a part of, not only as a member, but as a dance captain, I see a tradition that has inspired not only generations of little girls but a splendid company that continues to develop and grow-and inspires people every day to follow their dreams.

[{'question': 'How many years has the Capital Dancing Company existed when the author received the phone call from it?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['180', '1925', '2005', '80']}, {'question': 'How did the author feel when she look back on that day now?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['strange', 'unrealistic', 'indifferent', 'lucky']}, {'question': 'What conclusion could be drawn from the passage?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['The company values practice most.', 'The company extremely focus on intelligence.', 'The company has an inherited tradition of inspiring its members break their limits.', 'The company sets the members apart in order to extremely stress detail and practice.']}]

Is there anything more important than health?I don't think so.You can't be good at your studies or work when you are ill. If you have a headache,or a bad cough,if you run a high temperature and have a bad cold,I think you should go to the doctor. The doctor will examine your throat,feel your pulse,take your temperature,sound your heart and lungs.After that he will advise some treatment,or some medicine.The only thing you have to do is to follow his advice. Speaking of doctor's advice,I can't help telling you a funny story. An old man came to see the doctor.The man was very ill.He told the doctor about his weakness,memory loss and serious problems with his heart and lungs.The doctor examined him and said there was no medicine for his disease. He told his patient to go to a quiet place for a month and have a good rest.He also advised him to eat a lot of meat,drink two glasses of red wine every day and take long walks.In other words,the doctor advised him to follow the rule:"Eat at pleasure,drink with measure and enjoy life as it is."The doctor also said that if the man wanted to be well again,he shouldn't smoke more than one cigarette a day. A month later the gentleman came into the doctor's office.He looked cheerful and happy. He thanked the doctor and said that _ "But you know,doctor,"he said,"it's not easy to begin smoking at my age."

[{'question': 'The writer thinks that _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['health is more important than wealth', 'work is as important as studies', 'medicine is more important than pleasure', 'nothing is more important than money']}, {'question': 'The doctor usually tells his patient what to do _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['without examining the patient', 'after he has examined the patient', "if the patient doesn't take medicine", 'unless the patient feels pain']}, {'question': 'From the last sentence of the passage,we learn the man _ before the doctor told him not to smoke more than one cigarette a day.', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['was a heavy smoker', "didn't smoke so much", "didn't smoke", 'began to learn to smoke']}]

British newspapers are among the oldest and most famous in the world. But recently big changes have seen these traditional publications try to fit the modern world. After 221 years, The Times has changed its size to become much smaller. In fact, the paper has cut its size in half from a broadsheet to tabloid . In prefix = st1 /Britainthe newspaper market is divided between the larger broadsheets and the smaller tabloids. These terms refer to the size of the papers' pages but there is also a clear difference in content. Broadsheets such as The Times, the Guardian and Daily Telegraph are serious papers. They cover a broad range of political, economic and international issues. Their stories are also reasonably long and use quite formal language. Tabloids have far more stories about less serious issues such as celebrities' love lives. Their stories are shorter and use more simple language. Tabloids often have bigger pictures. Britain's best-selling newspaper, the Sun, is a tabloid and has a naked girl on Page Three every day. By changing to the size of a tabloid, The Times is following in the footsteps of a less famous broadsheet paper the Independent . It changed to tabloid last year and saw its sales increase greatly. Although both papers have switched to the smaller size the content of the papers has remained the same. They are both still serious papers. The two papers claim that people find the smaller size easier to handle when they travel to work on the bus or the train in the morning. Instead of calling the new style of their paper tabloid, the paper says its new size is "compact" .

[{'question': 'In which year was The Times born?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['1782', '1785', '1788', '1786']}, {'question': 'Which of the following statements can best describe broadsheets and tabloid?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Broadsheets are larger in size while tabloids are smaller.', 'Tabloids are less serious than broadsheets.', 'Broadsheets contain more news than tabloids.', 'They are different in size, content and the style of language.']}, {'question': 'Which of the following newspapers would you read if you are interested in lives of film stars?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['The Sun', 'The Times', 'The Independent', 'The Guardian']}, {'question': "According to the passage we can infer the main reason for The Times' changing into the tabloid is that _ .", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['it wants to become convenient for people to carry', 'it wants to increase its circulation', 'it intends to copy what The Independent has done', 'it is unlikely to stay in business if it does not change']}, {'question': 'Which of the following statements is true according to the given information?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['There are more tabloids than broadsheets in Britainat present.', 'After the change, there will be no differences between The Sun and The Times.', 'Although The Times has cut its size, it remains a serious paper.', 'All the papers will tend to have the same style in the future.']}]

In the US and Britain, the slogan around colleges was "Save water. Shower with a friend." Now, Wuhan University has come up with another system for the campus bathhouse. It charges students for the amount of time in a shower. Before entering the bathhouse, students pay for the amount of time they want in the shower with cash or their student ID card. The clock starts ticking the minute the tape is turned on. It pauses when a button is pressed for soap. An integrated circuit (IC) card reader at each tap shows the time. No money, no water. The benefits of the new system can be seen with the old system, which charged 1 Yuan for each person regardless of time in the shower. The university used about 320 tons of water daily under the old system, but only 160 tons now. Many students use the new system but opinions on it are divided. Some students say it is bad because bathing had become a sort of race. Many people using it for the first time are not sure how long they need to shower. Some might be embarrassed if their time is up and they're still covered in soap. They have to ask the bathhouse worker to help them buy extra time. "It's a _ in the system that you can not buy extra time on the ID card," said Ren, a freshman in Wuhan University. The university is also considering some students' suggestions that they be allowed to pay after they've finished the shower. Not surprisingly, some are complaining about losing the hour shower. But many students say the move helps them develop a water-saving sense. Without the time limits, most students tended to shower for 30 to an hour in the bathhouse. Some even used the hot water to wash their clothes. "In my experience, 10--20 minutes is enough," said Dai Zhihua, a third-year student who usually takes 8 minutes. A similar system has been installed in other universities. Shanghai Normal University introduced it at its Fengxiang Campus in September. The bathing fee there is 0.2 Yuan per minute. One male student responded by setting a record with a two-minute shower.

[{'question': 'According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Students buy the time of their showers.', "The clock times the student's bathing except when the bather pauses for soap.", 'If money runs out, there will be no water.', 'Having finished bathing, the student has to pay for it.']}, {'question': 'Since the new system has performed, _ of water can be saved.', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['a quarter', 'one third', 'one half', 'two thirds']}, {'question': 'It can be inferred from the passage that _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ["the new operation can raise students' environmental awareness", 'the new operation can solve the water crisis', 'a similar operation has been set in other universities', 'the university has saved a lot of water by using the new system']}, {'question': 'In which column can you find this passage?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Culture.', 'Society.', 'Campus Life.', 'Lifestyle.']}]

When people who are nature lovers worldwide wish all humans to realize the importance of their natural surroundings, many Australians are turning caring for the environment into a way of life. Julie, an Australian housewife in Brisbane is one such example. Even though autumn is approaching Australia's Brisbane in April, one can still watch colorful blooming flowers in Julie's little garden, as she tells that in her community,"Each of us has a beautiful yard. The whole community, from children to elderly people, takes care of the environment as if they are taking care of their own garden." "Gardening is the most popular club in our community," she says. "A lot of retired people don't just regularly organize gardening lectures, but also personally visit families in the community to provide gardening training. So you can see that flowers continue to blossom in our gardens throughout the year." Talking about her people's sense of caring for the environment, Julie says when people in the community take along their dog, they always carry a garbage bag to deal with the dog's waste. "In our community, you will never experience the embarrassment of stepping on the dirty waste while you are walking on the grass," says Julie with a smile. "Taking care of the dog's waste can also help to develop children's sense of responsibility!" As to protecting water resources, the Australian government has made strict rules for families. Julie says, "We certainly would not use tap water to water the flowers!" She says almost every family in her community has a huge tank used to store rainwater, which is later used as the resource of all outdoor water use, including car washing and watering the garden. This year, they also asked people to connect the water tank with their toilets.

[{'question': "Why can flowers be seen all year round in Julie's community?", 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Families are taught how to take care of their gardens.', 'Gardening lessons are often given by professors.', 'The local government provides free gardening training.', 'There is enough rainwater to water the flowers regularly.']}, {'question': 'What do we know about Julie from the passage?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['She finds it embarrassing to walk on the grass.', "She once stepped on a dog's waste.", 'She is quite in favor of raising a dog.', 'She takes pride in her community.']}, {'question': 'What would be the best title for the text?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['How Australians save resources', 'Love nature, the Australian way', 'How Australians lead their life', 'Protect nature, a must of life']}]

As people have accurately observed,smiles are absent from early photographs. In 1852,for instance,a girl sat for her Daguerrotype,her head slightly turned,giving the camera an unsmiling look. She is preserved forever as a very serious girl indeed. Charles Darwin,a loving and playful parent,looks frozen in photographs. Why did our ancestors,from unknown sitters for family portraits to the great and famous,because so sad in front of the camera? The severity is everywhere in Victorian photographs. However,you don't have to look very long at these unsmiling old photos to see how incomplete the seemingly obvious answer is-that they are freezing their faces in order to keep still for the long exposure times. In Julia Margaret Cameron's Portrait of Tennyson,the poet dreams,his face a shadowed mask of genius. This is not simply a technique. It's an emotional choice. People in the past did not go around in a continual state of sorrow. In fact,the Victorians had a sense of humor even about the darkest aspects of their society. Laughter was not just common in the past but accepted by society far more than it is today,from medieval carnivals to Georgian print shops,where people gathered to look at the latest funnies. Far from preventing festivals and fun,the Victorians,who invented photography,also created Christmas as a celebration as it is today. So the severity of people in the 19th-century photographs cannot be the evidence of generalized sadness. This was not a society in permanent desperation. Instead,the true answer has to do with attitudes to portraiture itself. People who sat for early photographs understood it as a significant moment. Sitting for the camera was cheaper,quicker and meant that people who never had a chance to be painted could now be photographed; but people seemed to have taken it seriously in the same way they would be a painted portrait. Like a portrait painting,it was intended as a timeless record of a person. To me those unsmiling people probably had as much fun as we do,if not more. But they felt no need to prove it with pictures. Instead,when whey sat for a photograph,they thought about time,death and memory. Perhaps we should stop smiling sometimes,too.

[{'question': 'What do we know about the people in Victorian times?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['They laid importance on religious events.', 'They were skillful at portrait painting.', 'They valued their family life.', 'They enjoyed themselves.']}, {'question': 'The author thinks early people look frozen in old photos because _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['they lived in a traditional society', 'they had to stay still for a long time', 'they regarded photography important', 'they held negative views about painting']}, {'question': "What is the author's attitude towards people not smiling in old photos?", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Skeptical.', 'Critical.', 'Neutral.', 'Positive.']}]

The Healthy Habits Survey shows that only about one third of American seniors have correct habits.Here are some findings and expert advice. 1.How many times did you brush your teeth yesterday? *Finding:A full 33% of seniors brush their teeth only once a day. *Step:Remove the 300 types of bacteria in your mouth each morning with a batteryoperated toothbrush.Brush gently for 2 minutes,at least twice a day. 2.How many times did you wash your hands or bathe yesterday? *Finding:Seniors,on average,bathe fewer than 3 days a week.And nearly 30%wash their hands only 4 times a day-half of the number doctors recommend. *Step:We touch our faces around 3,000 times a day-often inviting germs to enter our mouth,nose,and eyes.Use toilet paper to avoid touching the door handle.And,most important,wash your hands often with hot running water and soap for 20 seconds. 3.How often do you think about fighting germs? *Finding:Seniors are not fighting germs as well as they should. *Step:Be aware of germs.Do you know it is not your toilet but your kitchen sponge that can carry more germs than anything else?To kill these germs,keep your sponge in the microwave for 10 seconds.

[{'question': 'What is found out about American seniors?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Most of them have good habits.', 'Nearly 30% of them bathe three days a week.', 'All of them are fighting germs better than expected.', 'About one third of them brush their teeth only once a day.']}, {'question': 'Doctors suggest that people should wash their hands _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['twice a day', 'three times a day', 'four times a day', 'eight times a day']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is true according to the text?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['We should keep from touching our faces.', 'There are less than 300 types of bacteria in the mouth.', 'A kitchen sponge can carry more germs than a toilet.', 'We should wash our hands before touching a door handle.']}, {'question': 'The text probably comes from _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['a guide book', 'a popular magazine', 'a book review', 'an official document']}]

Earthquakes are something that people fear. There are some places that have few or no earthquakes. Most places in the world, however, have them regularly . Countries that have a lot of earthquakes are usually quite mountainous. The most talked about earthquake in the United States was in San Francisco in 1906. Over 700 people died in it. The strongest one in North America was in 1964. It happened in Alaska. Strong earthquakes are not always the ones that kill the most people. In 1755, one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded was felt in Portugal. Around 2,000 people died. In 1923, a very strong earthquake hit Tokyo, the Yokohama area of Japan. A hundred and forty thousand people died. Most of them died in fires which followed the earthquake. One of the worst earthquakes ever was in China in 1976. It killed a large number of people. The worst earthquake ever recorded was also in China, in which 400,000 people were killed or injured. This earthquake happened in 1556. Earthquakes worry people a lot. The reason is that we often do not know when they are coming. People can not prepare for it. Although we cannot stop earthquakes, there are things which can be done to protect ourselves during an earthquake.

[{'question': 'Earthquakes happen _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['only in a few places along the mountains', 'regularly in most places in the world', 'in all the places in the world', 'only in the countries that have a lot of mountains']}, {'question': 'How many people died in the earthquake which happened in Portugal in 1755?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['500.', '140,000.', '400,000.', '2,000.']}, {'question': 'When and where was the worst earthquake ever recorded?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['1964; Alaska.', '1923; Japan.', '1976; China.', '1556; China.']}, {'question': 'According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ["People still don't know exactly when an earthquake will come.", 'The stronger the earthquake is, the more people are killed.', 'Earthquakes can cause fires.', 'Earthquakes often come unexpectedly.']}]

I was dirty smelly hungry and some somewhere beneath all that, suntanned .It was the end of an Inter-Rail holiday.My body couldn't take any more punishment. My mind couldn't deal with any more foreign timetables, currencies or languages. " _ ," I said, as I stepped onto home ground.I said exactly the same thing the following year.And the next, all I had to do was buy one train ticket and, because I was under twenty--five years old,I could spend a whole month going anywhere I wanted in Europe. Ordinary beds are never the same once you've learnt to sleep, in the passage of a train, the rhythm rocking you into a deep sleep. Carrying all your possessions on your back in a tucksack makes you have a vefy basic approach to travel,and encourages incredible wastefulness that can lead to burning socks that have become too anti-social ,and getting rid of books when finished.On the other hand, _ is entirely in the spirit of Inter--Rail,for common sense and reasoning can be thrown out of the window along with the paperback book and the socks.All it takes to achieve this carefree attitude is one of those tickets in your hand. Any system that enables young people to travef through countries at a rate of more than one a day must be pretty social on that first trip,my friehds mad I were at first unaware of the possibilities of this type of train ticket,thinking it was just an inexpensive way of getting to and from our chosen camp-site in southern France.But the idea of non-stop travel proved too attractive,for there was always just one more country over the border,always that little bit further to go.And what did the extra miles cost us? Nothing. We were not completely uninterested in culture.But this was a first holiday without parents,as it was for most other Inter-Railers,and in organizing our own timetable we left out everything except the most available sights.This was the chance to escape the guided tour,an opportunity to do something different.I took great pride in the fact that.in many places,all I could be bothered to see was the view from the station.We were just there to get by,and to have good time doing so.In this we were not different from most of the other Inter-Raiders with whom we shared passage floors,food and water,money and music. The excitement of travel comes from the sudden reality of somewhere that was previously just a name.It is as if the city in which you arrive never actually existed until the train pulls in at the station and you are able to see it with your own tired eyes for the first time.

[{'question': 'At the end of his first trip, the writer said"Never again"because', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['He fell ill', 'he disliked trains', 'he was tired from the journey', 'he had lost money']}, {'question': 'Why did the writer originally buy an Inter--Rail ticket?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['To get to one place cheaply.', 'To meet other young people.', 'To see a lot of famous places', 'To go on a tour of Europe.']}, {'question': 'What the writer liked about traveling without his parents was that', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['he could see more interesting places', 'he could spend more time sightseeing', 'he could stay away from home longer', 'he could make his own decisions']}]

Lee Ann Laraway has polio and is not able to move very much. Most things are out of reach for her. Jeannie, a Labrador retriever, acts as her arms and legs. Jeannie understands 72 or more different commands. On a shopping trip, she can get money for Lee Ann at the bank or candies at the store. She can pay the cashier and get change back. Jeannie brings things to Lee Ann and puts them in her lap. Jeannie was trained at a place called Canine Companions for Independence, located on twelve acres of land in Santa Rosa (California). The land was donated by the cartoonist Charles Shultz. "We train four different types of dogs here," said Ken Kirsh, a dog trainer there. "Hearing dogs, service dogs, skilled companion dogs, and facility dogs." Trainers work with Labrador retrievers and golden retrievers for hours a day, but not every dog is good enough to be a working dog. The work is a serious business. Hearing dogs warn their owners of sounds like ringing telephones and doorbells. Other dogs work with disabled patients like eight-year-old Noah Habib who communicates with a special computer. He likes it when people come to ask him about his dog. His father says, "People are really interested in the dog and will come over and ask to pet her and play with her, and ask about what she does, and these are people that normally might not approach us and want to talk to Noah." When Lee Ann Laraway comes home with Jeannie and her goods, Jeannie helps her open the door. "You can train a dog to do a lot of things." said Lee Ann.

[{'question': "According to this passage, we can know that Jeannie is Lee Ann's _ .", 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['servant', 'daughter', 'dog', 'mother']}, {'question': 'Jeannie can help Lee Ann do all the following things EXCEPT _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['go to the bank to get money', 'pay for what Lee Ann buys in the shop', 'bring things home', 'do some cooking at home']}, {'question': 'People want to talk to Noah mainly because _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['he is good at training dogs', 'he is not only honest but also lovely', 'they want to play with his dog', 'they want to ask him for help']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is the best title for the passage?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Dogs are helpful to people', 'Four kinds of dogs', 'Jeannie, a very clever dog', 'How to train working dogs']}, {'question': 'What kind of dogs are not trained in the center?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Dogs that warn their owners of sounds like doorbells.', 'Dogs that help their blind owners cross over a road.', 'Dogs that open the door for their owners.', 'Dogs that work with children who have polio.']}]

Many people have influence on my life, based on their personal characteristics, achievements, and values. I have been lucky to have had a great many teachers and professors who I respect for their patience and intelligence. There are artists who have encouraged me by their talents and creativity. I value many political leaders, who have inspired me by their contributions to society, and their ability to change our futures. But of all the people I have known in my life, the person I admire most is my father. As the youngest girl in my family, I always considered myself to be "Daddy's little girl". While I grew up, it always made me sad to see so many of my friends and neighbors without a father or father-like figure around. This helped me appreciate how my father always takes an interest in his children's lives. In every aspect of my life, my father continuously pushes me to _ , so I could finish my work excellently among my people. Whenever I feel like giving up, or have a question or a concern, I know I can always turn to him for advice. From him I have also learned that sometimes _ . His strength seems to be unbreakable during hard times, and he is extremely determined to do anything he sets his mind on, no matter how small it is. I highly respect him for how he stands up for what he believes in, and will never back down. I have always admired his open mind, sympathy for people, and sense of understanding. He is a very strict man, but in our daily life, he has a great sense of humor, and always knows how to put a smile on the faces of his wife, his children and his friends. Living in his love and instruction, I am very proud of my father. He also professes how proud he is of his children, and is still there to support us in whatever we are doing in.

[{'question': "Which of the following could NOT be used to describe the author's father?", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Caring and humorous.', 'Knowledgeable and sociable.', 'Sympathetic and open-minded.', 'Energetic and helpful.']}, {'question': 'What can we infer about the author?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['She appreciated her father because he could solve all the problems.', 'She considered her father strict and had no smile to her.', 'She was outstanding because her father forced her to do so.', 'She felt pity for those children without the father.']}]

Want to know the dynamic pulse of China's economy? Get a glance of the most important business activities taking place here every day through Business Daily Update, a service offered by China Daily information via the World Wide Web. Placed under 10 categories, over 25 news items appear each day with the top three events highlighted all in English.Business Daily Update is just a few mouse clicks away. Subscribe to BDU for an annual fee of US $240.Email and fax services are also Available upon request. For more information, please contact Business Daily Update: Tel: (010)64941107, (010) 64924488 ext.2000; Fax: +86-10-64941125 Email: [email protected];URL:http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bdu

[{'question': 'If you get into BDU, you can _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['get the information of the latest business activities taking place in China', 'get the most important business information in the world', 'know more than what you expect in China', 'get all the information in China Daily']}, {'question': 'This advertisement will be very helpful to _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Chinese people', 'foreign travelers', 'foreign business people', 'China Daily reporters']}, {'question': 'To get the information from BDU every day, you must _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['understand Chinese', 'know something about the mouse', 'know how to operate a computer', 'how to use a fax machine']}]

The butterfly Ecological Park, which opened early this May, is located in Dabao Village in Longfeng Township of Pengzhou City, some 65 kilometers to the north of Chengdu downtown. The park, covering an area of 67 hectares, is more famous for a variety of butterflies living in _ surroundings and houses a collection of some 30,000 butterfly species. An ideal site for parents and kids alike to enjoy the sight of "the flying flowers" and the ecological area. A great variety of butterflies live in China, and Sichan and Yunnan are rich in butterfly resources. At present, 702 species have been discovered in Sichuan, where the number of butterfly species equals to the total of Europe. In the Longmen Mountain of Pengzhou City alone, there are more than 500 species. The butterfly Ecological Park, a project of RMB200 million at the foot of the Longmen Mountain, is the natural habitat of butterflies. The park also has educational and cultural programs. The park has prepared many spring and summer activities for visitors, including a scientific exhibition about butterflies, a "butterfly valley" where visitors can have a close look at butterflies, even with them resting on the shoulders, and enjoy themselves in activities designed for children. Tourists can enjoy the splendid scenery of thousands of butterflies at the "butterfly valley" and appreciate more than 30,000 different kinds of butterfly species at the exhibition area. Classified as the only category I butterfly species the Wild Animal Protection Law in 1989 in China, the Golden Kaiserihind is the most expensive species living in "butterfly valley", with an estimated value of RMB10,000 each.

[{'question': 'The author mentioned Europe in the essay to _ ?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['stress that Sichuan has plenty of butterfly resources.', 'state that a large number of butterflies live in Europe.', 'tell readers that more than 500 species of butterflies live in Europe.', 'emphasize that Europe is less famous than the Longmen Mountain.']}, {'question': 'Why is The butterfly Ecological Park situated at the foot of the Longmen Mountain?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Because the park has educational and cultural programs.', 'Because the park has prepared many spring and summer activities.', 'Because visitors can have a close look at butterflies in the park.', 'Because butterflies of various species can live there naturally.']}]

The woman had died when the rescuers found her after the terrible earthquake. She was covered by a destroyed house. Through gaps of those ruins,the rescuers could see her last posture . It was something like an ancient person who was kowtowing ,but it just looked strange because she was out of shape by pressure. The rescuers confirmed her death by touching her through the gaps of the ruins. They shouted at the ruins again and again,knocked the bricks using various tools,but no reply inside. Then the rescuing team went to the next building. Suddenly the leader ran back,calling "Come here." He came to the body,put his hands under the woman,feeling and touching,then shouted loudly and gladly,"There is someone,a baby,still living." Through some efforts,rescuers cleaned up the ruins which blocked her. Under her body lay her baby,who was covered by a small red quilt . He was about 3 or 4 months' old. Since well protected by his mother's body,he was safe. He was in a deep sleep when the rescuer carried him out,and his lovely and peaceful face warmed everyone around him. The doctor,along with the rescuing team,took the baby out of the quilt to check if the baby was all right,and he found there was a mobile phone in the quilt. The doctor looked at the screen;a written message was already there:"My dear baby,if you could live,don't forget how much I love you." As a doctor,he experienced much of this type of separation;but at this moment,he cried. The mobile phone was passed,and every person who saw this message shed tears.

[{'question': 'When the rescuers found the mom,she .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['was using her mobile phone to ask for help', 'begged the rescuers to save her baby first', 'was struggling with the pressure', "didn't have the normal shape"]}, {'question': 'When the baby was rescued, he .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['was smiling a lot', 'was fast asleep', 'was listening carefully', 'was frightened to death']}, {'question': 'The passage is mainly about .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['a story of saving a mother and her baby', 'the disaster of a terrible earthquake', "the rescuers' hard work after an earthquake", 'the great love of a mother in the earthquake']}]

A treasure trove hidden for centuries has been discovered in the underground vaults of a temple in southern India. The treasures include gold, diamonds and precious stones. The estimated value of the hoard is reportedly 22 billion US dollars. Hundreds of armed police have been deployed around the temple. Meanwhile, a debate about how to use the money has also broken out across the country. After discovering the treasure trove in Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple in the southern Indian state of Kerala, the local government has assured security of the temple. Elaborating on the security arrangements, Venugopalan Nair, Additional Director General of the Kerala Police, says the latest security devices are being used to guard the temple. Venugopalan Nair, Additional Dir. Gen. of Kerala Police, said, "We are trying to bring in the latest technology with regards to surveillance cameras, with regards to, you know digitalizing the various things which are available inside. We are keeping a constant sort of surveillance for every movement, which happens in the whole area surrounding the temple." According to temple authorities, the crowd at the temple has increased steeply after news of the discovery of the treasure trove. And the Administrative Officer of the Temple says the government has initiated appropriate steps to control the curious crowds visiting the temple. G. Jayasekharan Nair, administrative officer, said, "To control the crowds the government itself is taking a lot of measures. They are trying to do whatever is possible from the premises of the temple. Apart from all that, the government has taken a favorable step and we are satisfied with them." Over the last week, a seven-member team of investigators broke into five secret subterranean vaults, and discovered jewels that have been lying untouched for hundreds of years. As estimates of the treasures' worth rise, a fierce debate is growing regarding what to do with the discovery. Kerala's top elected leader said the wealth would remain with the temple, while others say it should be used to pay for poverty alleviation . However, the government is adhering to the Supreme Court's ruling on ownership of the treasure found in the temple.

[{'question': 'How will the government deal with the treasure mentioned in the passage?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['It will be used to pay for poverty alleviation.', 'It will be returned to its owner.', 'It will be kept in the vaults.', "It hasn't been decided yet."]}, {'question': 'Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['The treasures include gold, diamonds and some old coins.', 'The treasure trove has been lying unknown for hundreds of years before it is discovered.', 'The local people are very curious about the treasure and the temple.', 'The whole area surrounding the temple is under close watch.']}, {'question': 'What G.Jayasekharan Nair said means that _', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['what the government does means little', 'the crowd will make trouble without proper control', 'more effective measures should be taken', 'the temple is of great value']}]

Since people first sent rockets into space in the 1950s, we have been leaving behind all sorts of things. Some of them, like the camera, were lost by astronauts while they did work outside their spaceship. But much of the space junk is made up of little pieces of things that were once bigger objects, until they struck each other and broke apart. Some things we send into space fall back toward the earth and burn up in the atmosphere. But larger pieces sometimes survive the extreme heat and hit the ground or the ocean at great speeds. So there is always concern that something may fall from the sky and do some harm. But space junk falling on housetops is not the biggest worry. Scientists are concerned about what happens when an empty rocket strikes another while orbiting the earth. Two big things become many smaller things. They then hit other things. The pieces get smaller and smaller until they form a cloud of junk that blocks the path of future space vehicles. So what can be done to clean up the space around our planet? Marco Castronuovo, an Italian researcher, talks about sending a satellite into space that would get very close to some of the larger pieces of space junk. The satellite would connect a small rocket to the useless object. When the rocket explodes, it pushes the junk into a lower and slower orbit, nearer the earth. After a time, the junk burns up in the atmosphere. Mr. Castronuovo has proposed using a number of small satellites with robotic arms. One arm would catch the space junk, and another arm would connect the rocket. He imagines that each satellite would jump from one large piece of junk to another. He thinks this method could destroy about ten large objects each year. Scientists have been concerned about space junk for many years. Right now, the costs of the clean-up have been too great. Mr. Castronuovo says his system could be put in place for a much more reasonable amount of money.

[{'question': 'Much of the space junk _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['was thrown by the astronauts', 'is from broken spaceship', 'is made up of small pieces of things', 'returns to the earth piece by piece']}, {'question': 'Scientists are most worried that the space junk _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['will stop the future space vehicles', 'will do harm to the atmosphere', 'will fall on the housetops', 'will burn up in space']}, {'question': 'What does Marco Castronuovo think of his system?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['It can remove space junk completely.', 'It can save a large amount of money.', 'It can create a large amount of space.', 'It can develop robotic technology.']}]