diff --git "a/race_high_validation.jsonl" "b/race_high_validation.jsonl" deleted file mode 100644--- "a/race_high_validation.jsonl" +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1021 +0,0 @@ -{"article": "I am a psychologist. I first met Timothy, a quiet, overweight eleven-year-old boy, when his mother brought him to me to discuss his declining grades. A few minutes with Timothy were enough to confirm that his self-esteem and general happiness were falling right along with _ . I asked about Timothy's typical day. He awoke every morning at six thirty so he could reach his school by eight and arrived home around four thirty each afternoon. He then had a quick snack, followed by either a piano lesson or a lesson with his math tutor. He finished dinner at 7 pm, and then he sat down to do homework for two to three hours. Quickly doing the math in my head, I found that Timothy spent an average of thirteen hours a day at a writing desk.\nWhat if Timothy spent thirteen hours a day at a sewing machine instead of a desk? We would immediately be shocked, because that would be called children being horribly mistreated. Timothy was far from being mistreated, but the mountain of homework he faced daily resulted in a similar consequence --he was being robbed of his childhood. In fact, Timothy had no time to do anything he truly enjoyed, such as playing video games, watching movies, or playing board games with his friends.\nPlay, however, is a crucial part of healthy child development. It affects children's creativity, their social skills, and even their brain development. The absence of play, physical exercise, and freefrom social interaction takes a serious toll on many children. It can also cause significant health problems like childhood obesity, sleep problems and depression.\nExperts in the field recommend the minutes children spend on their homework should be no more than ten times the number of their grade level. As a fifthgrader, Timothy should have no more than fifty minutes a day of homework (instead of three times that amount). Having an extra two hours an evening to play, relax, or see a friend would soundly benefit any child's life quality.", "problems": [{"question": "What did the writer think of Timothy after learning about his typical day?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Timothy was very hardworking.", "Timothy was being mistreated.", "Timothy had a heavy burden.", "Timothy was enjoying his childhood."]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements best describes the writer's opinion?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Children should be allowed enough time to play.", "Playing board games works better than playing video games.", "The more they play, the more creative children will become.", "The depression caused by homework makes children unwilling to play."]}, {"question": "According to the passage, how long should a thirdgrader spend a day doing homework?", "answer": "C", "options": ["About ten minutes.", "No more than twenty minutes.", "No more than thirty minutes.", "About fifty minutes."]}]} -{"article": "From self-driving cars to carebots (care+robots) for elderly people, rapid development in technology has long represented a possible threat to many jobs normally performed by people. But experts now believe that almost 50 percent of occupations existing today will be completely unnecessary by 2025 as artificial intelligence continues to change businesses.\n\"The next fifteen years will see a revolution in how we work, and a revolution will necessarily take place in how we plan and think about workplaces,\" said Peter Andrew, Director of Workplace Strategy for CBRE Asia Pacific.\nA growing number of jobs in the future will require creative intelligence, social skills and the ability to use artificial intelligence.\nThe report is based on interviews with 200 experts, business leaders and young people from Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. It shows that in the US technology already destroys more jobs than it creates.\nBut the report states: \"Losing occupations does not necessarily mean losing jobs -- just changing what people do.\" Growth in new jobs could occur as much, according to the research.\n\"The growth of 20 to 40 person companies that have the speed and technological know-how will directly challenge big companies,\" it states.\nA 2014 report by Pew Research found 52 percent of experts in artificial intelligence and robotics were optimistic about the future and believed there would still be enough jobs in the next few years. The optimists pictured \"a future in which robots do not take the place of more jobs than they create,\" according to Aaron Smith, the report's co-author.\n\"Technology will continue to affect jobs, but more jobs seem likely to be created. Although there have always been unemployed people, when we reached a few billion people there were billions of jobs. There is no shortage of things that need to be done and that will not change,\" Microsoft's Jonathan Grudin told researchers.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the report, _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["people won't necessarily lose jobs", "big companies will face fewer challenges", "small companies will win against big companies", "most people will become interested in technology"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the text that in the future _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["people will face many difficulties", "people will take up more creative jobs", "artificial intelligence will threaten people's lives", "most jobs will be done in traditional workplaces"]}, {"question": "What is the attitude of most experts in artificial intelligence and robotics to the future?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Mixed.", "Worried.", "Hopeful.", "Doubtful."]}]} -{"article": "Most people know that a wedding ring is symbolic of the bond of love and commitment between two people. But not everyone knows about the history behind this small yet powerful symbol. The history of the wedding ring goes back not just hundreds but thousands of years. No other currently practiced wedding tradition has been around as long.\nThe Egyptians were the first recorded civilization to use the wedding ring. In Egyptianhieroglyphics a circle represented _ . Once a woman accepted the ring she became the \"property\" of the person who gave it to her and she was in a sense \"his.\" The first wedding ring could have been made of braided grass or hay (which would have been changed often), ivory, bone, or leather. Eventually, metal was used, but the first wedding bands werecrude and rough. However, the sentiment remained the same-eternal commitment and love.\nThe Egyptians wore the wedding ring on the left hand because it was believed that a vein in the left hand went straight to the heart. This tradition is still commonly practiced today in most parts of the world largely for practical purposes (most people are right handed.)It is worn on the fourth finger of the left hand. But there are some countries and groups which do not follow this tradition. In the Jewish faith, the wedding ring is put on the index finger. Roman Catholics traditionally wore their wedding band on the right hand, and in many countries and regions in Europe some people still follow this tradition.\nIt is interesting to note that in the long history of the wedding ring that it is only in the last century that men have begun to wear them. However, now both men and women show their love and commitment by exchanging rings on their wedding day.\nOnce you begin shopping for rings you may be amazed by the choices that await you. There are several different types of metals: traditional gold, white gold, platinum, and titanium. You can have an inscription put on the inside of the band if you like. Some people are even choosing a tattoo band. The styles vary from a simple, yet elegant band to an elaborate ring covered with jewels. If you do not buy the wedding and engagement rings as a set you will want to be sure the styles are compatible . Choose carefully because this choice will need to stand the test of eternity.", "problems": [{"question": "What would be the best title for this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["History of rings", "Interesting facts about rings", "Different beliefs about rings", "The meaning of the rings."]}, {"question": "Which is NOT true according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The meaning of the rings remained unchanged.", "One should be careful of choosing a ring in a shop from different kinds.", "Jewish are so faithful to their beliefs to wear rings on the fourth finger.", "Now most people in the world still follow Roman Catholics traditionally."]}, {"question": "What can we infer from the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Men were looked upon by women for thousands years.", "Only women have the right to make themselves beautiful.", "women wore rings thousands of years earlier than men.", "You can have an inscription put on the inside the band."]}]} -{"article": "I've often had difficulty remembering names. Proper nouns seldom found easy purchase in my brain unless I consciously repeat them over and over again. Needless to say, when people leave my life their names are often soon forgotten. This can have some embarrassing consequences.\nFive or six years after high school graduation, I was reading carefully the shelves of a local auto supply shop when I noticed someone familiar enter the store. I knew him. He was in my graduation class and although he was not a good friend of mine, we had shared many classes and knew each other well. I began to feel an increasing sense of foreboding and quickly hid behind the nearest shelving unit. I should have known his name. How many times had I heard it during class role call? How many conversations had we had in the hallways?\nI easily remembered his surname, \"Ricca\". His was a large, well know family in the town of my childhood. I couldn't have just _ him using his surname. I might as well have admitted forgetting his name, which was not a choice. One's name is important to every person's identity. Not remembering an old acquaintance's name is similar to forgetting your wife's favourite flower, an embarrassing mistake of the highest order.\nI quickly ran through the alphabet , a strategy I developed for just such an occasion. Abe? No, Adam, Andy, Bob? No, Bill? Yes! Bill sounded right. Of course, his name is Bill. I confidently made my way around the shelves and spoke to him as he was studying some cans of motor oil.\n\"Bill, how are you doing?\", I said offering him my hand which he took with a friendly shake. We talked a bit, some amusing remarks about our college experiences and such. I took his hand again, said how good it was to see him and gave him a happy wave, calling him by name again, as I left.\nI was so pleased that I avoided yet another awkward encounter that I could feel a big smile on my face as I paid the cashier and exited the store. As I marched merrily across the parking lot, an awful thought came into my mind. John, his name is John! Where did Bill come from? Was that one of my brothers? The sudden realization of what I did made me stop in my tracks. My head dropped when I realized my mistake. There was no way Mrs. Ricca would name one of her sons \"Bill\". \"Billerica\" was the name of a town just north of Boston.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, which statement is NOT sure?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Forgetting your wife's favourite flower is a very serious mistake.", "It is common to call an old acquaintance his given name.", "The writer was in his twenties when he met John in the store.", "John and the writer studied in the same college."]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["The writer must have experienced such embarrassment many times", "The writer had difficulty remembering names because he was getting old", "Running through the alphabet was always an effective way of remembering an acquaintance's name for the writer", "Mrs. Ricca would have named one of her sons \"Bill\" if Billerica was not the name of a town north of Boston"]}]} -{"article": "Last year, on report card day,my son and a group of his 13-year-old friends piled into the back seat of my car,ready for the last-day-of-school party at McDonald's.\"Jack got a laptop for getting straight A's,and Laurie got a cell-phone,\"one boy said.\"Oh,yeah,and Sarah got a MP3,and she's only in third grade,said another.\"And how about Brian? He got $ 10 for each A.\"\n I suddenly became concerned.These payoffs might get parents through grammar school,but what about high school and beyond? What would be left after the electric guitar,the cell-phone,and the DVD player?\n I saw the road ahead:As the homework load increased, my income would decrease.I saw my comfortable lifestyle disappear before my eyes---no more of those $5 bags of already-peeled organic carrots.No more organic anything!\n I started to feel surprised and nervous.Would every goal achieved by my two children fetch a reward? A high grade point average? A good class ranking? Would sports achievements be included in this reward system:soccer goals,touchdowns? What about the orchestra? Would first chair pay more than second? I'd be penniless by eighth-grade graduation.\n \"We never paid anything for good grades,\"said my neightbour across the street,whose son was recently accepted at MIT.\"He just did it on his own.Maybe once in a while we went out for pizza,but that's about it.\"\n Don't you just hate that? We're all running around looking for the MP3 player with the most updates, and she's spending a few dollars on pizza. She gets motivation;we get negotiation .And what about the primary grades? What do these students get? \"When the teacher asked if anyone got rewards for good grades,everyone in my class raised their hand and said they got ice cream cones,\"said one third grader.", "problems": [{"question": "What's the best title for the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Tips on Paying Kids for Good Grades", "New Trends in Paying Kids for Good Grades", "Don't Pay Kids for Good Grades", "Good Grades Mean Good Rewards"]}, {"question": "It call be inferred from the passage that_.", "answer": "A", "options": ["if you pay kids for good grades,they will take it for granted", "if you buy children pizza as a reward,they will work harder", "children will not ask for rewards when they enter high school", "good grades won't help kids make great progress in future"]}, {"question": "The author takes her neighbour as an example to show_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["pizza is the best way to motivate children", "rewards are not the only way to motivate children", "getting rewards for good grades is common", "it is necessary to reward children for their good grades"]}, {"question": "Who are most probably interested in this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Parents.", "Children.", "Teachers.", "Businessmen."]}]} -{"article": "Uncle Tom gave little Vicki Black a birthday gift one week before her birthday. He told her not to open it until her birthday. She knew her mother wouldn't tolerate any disrespect to the kind man who helped them out after Vicki's father passed away. Besides, Vicki didn't want to get Uncle Tom angry. But little Vicki didn't want to just hold it and guess what was in it. After all, she looked forward to his coming to show her interesting things, like how to turn an old sock into a doll.\nAll the day, Vicki couldn't stop thinking about the gift. While her teacher was giving a lecture, Vicki sat still in her seat, drawing paper dolls inside the box. When school was done, she raced home. Walking into the room, again, she shook the present, but she heard nothing. Holding her breath, she opened the box and looked inside. Seconds later, she cried. When Mrs Black saw the box, she said angrily, \"Didn't I tell you to leave it alone?\"\nVicki sobbed and said, \"Mommy, you don't understand.\"\n\"Don't cry to me. You have missed everything now, just because you couldn't wait,\" Mrs Black accused. \"What will Uncle Tom think now?\"\n\"Uncle Tom gave me nothing,\" Vicki cried and handed the empty box to her mother. \"He played a trick on me.\"\nMrs Black said doubtfully, \"Uncle Tom is not like that. You must have dropped it.\"\nVicki kept crying. Only a rapid knock on the door made the house quiet. It was Uncle Tom. He looked at the empty box. \"You have already done it? I told you to wait for your birthday.\"\n\"You didn't give me a gift.\" Fresh tears filled her eyes.\n\"I try to give you something. I know your birthday is a special day. I tell myself to give you something valuable to last your whole life. I think hard and get an idea to give you an important lesson. If you open it on birthday, I see you learn. Then I will make a big party to celebrate, Maybe next year you listen, and then you will understand the gift better.\"\nVicki's cheeks flushed .", "problems": [{"question": "We can learn from the text that Vicki _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["often received gifts from her father", "expected Uncle Tom to give her something expensive", "was sad because of her father's death", "liked and respected Uncle Tom"]}, {"question": "What kink of person is Uncle Tom?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Thoughtful", "Humorous", "Mysterious", "Funny"]}, {"question": "What did Uncle Tom want to teach Vicki?", "answer": "D", "options": ["How to respect others", "The meaning of gifts", "How to deal with gifts", "The value of a promise"]}]} -{"article": "\"Is there anything else you need, honey?\" my dad asked me as he put three twenty dollar bills in my hand. I was traveling back home from a family visit, and after treating me to breakfast and filling my car with gas, it was obvious that my dad wanted to make sure that I would be okay on the road.\n\"No, Dad. You've done so much already. Thank you!\" I was overwhelmed once again by his kind acts of providing everything I needed, although I turned 40. Yet I realize that in my father's eyes, I will always be his little girl. He takes deep pleasure in knowing his children are all right. Now that he has enough money, he loves to give whenever he sees a need.\nBut this was not always the case. Divorced from my mother when I was 11, my dad couldn't be around his kids as often as he would have liked. Money was also tight; even weekend visits were rare. However, my dad stayed in constant communication with us and made sure he was involved in our lives. Though he couldn't always be there in person, I knew he was only a phone call away. I could always make sure of that.\nEven now, almost 30 years later, I treasure knowing that I can pick up the phone and call Dad, and he'll be there for me. I have a wonderful husband, but that hasn't changed how Dad sees me. I'm still his child and he loves to see that my needs are met.\nI remember a time when I was shopping in a hardware store with Dad. I mentioned my plans to paint one wall in my house. Well, that's all it took for Dad to take action. By the time I got to the checkout line, all the supplies I picked out were put out of my hands and placed with things he bought.\nThen there was the time when I took him with me to do some grocery shopping for just a few \" items\". By the time we were finished, my shopping cart was full of groceries from every shelf in the store! My sister and I joke that if you don't want Dad to buy it for you, avoid even mentioning you want something.", "problems": [{"question": "What's the best title for the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Father's generosity", "Father's considerate love", "The love for children", "Love's power"]}, {"question": "The author demonstrates her father's love for her mainly by _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["suggestion", "reasoning", "examples", "argument"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is not TRUE?", "answer": "A", "options": ["After the author got married, her father no longer get himself involved in her life.", "Now the father's economic condition is satisfying.", "The author's father was divorced when she was 11.", "The father has a great sense of responsibility."]}, {"question": "The authors' two shopping experiences with father show _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["father paid little attention to money", "father was quick in action", "father loved going shopping very much", "father paid great attention to his children's needs"]}]} -{"article": "Today, roller skating is easy and fun. But a long time ago, it wasn't easy at all. Before 1750, the idea of skating didn't exist. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. Merlin's work was making musical instruments. In his spare time he liked to play the violin. Joseph Merlin was a man of ideas and dreams. People called him a dreamer.\nOne day Merlin received an invitation to attend a fancy dress ball. He was very pleased and a little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think how to make a grand entrance at the party. He had an idea. He thought he would get a lot of attention if he could skate into the room.\nMerlin tried different ways to make himself roll. Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each shoe. These were the first roller skates. Merlin was very proud of his invention and dreamed of arriving at the party on wheels while playing the violin.\nOn the night of the party Merlin rolled into the room playing his violin. Everyone was astonished to see him. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skates. He rolled on and on. Suddenly, he ran into a huge mirror that was hanging on the wall. Down fell the mirror, breaking to pieces. Nobody forgot Merlin's grand entrance for a long time!", "problems": [{"question": "The text is mainly about _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["a strange man", "how roller skating began", "an unusual party", "how people enjoyed themselves in the 18th century"]}, {"question": "People thought Merlin was a dreamer because he _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["often gave others surprises", "was a gifted musician", "was full of imagination", "invented the roller skates"]}, {"question": "Merlin put wheels under his shoes in order to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["test his invention", "arrive at the party sooner", "impress the party guests", "show his skill in walking on wheels"]}]} -{"article": "At 10:35 a.m. on December 17, 1903, two brothers from Ohio flew the first successful airplane for 12 seconds and 120 feet along a beach in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. With Orville flying first, the brothers took turns as pilot, and they flew three more times that day. On their fourth try, they managed to go 852 feet in 59 seconds ----an amazing feat at the time. The two brothers had invented powered flight. \nOrville and Wilbur Wright owned a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio. Although they had not gone to school to learn about airplanes or engineering, they were good mechanics. By repairing bicycles, they had learned how gears and pulleys worked. They also learned to take careful notes about what they saw. Each time they made a new design and tested a machine, they took notes and made drawings. They would study these to figure out what they could do better the next time.\nBefore the Wright brothers flew, they did many things to prepare for this extraordinary achievement. They read everything they could find about air, balloons, and kites. Then they made careful sketches of what they wanted to build. They began by making model kites to learn how air flowed over wings. They made them bigger and bigger until they had a glider -- a kite that is big enough to hold a person, but with no engine. The Wright brothers made three gliders before building their first airplane. Each time they made a glider, they would test it, make careful observations, and then improve their design. \nWhen they made a glider that flew well, they added an engine. This step was harder than it sounds, because they had to find an engine that was both light-weight and powerful. The engines that they could buy were either too heavy or too weak, so they asked their friend Charlie Taylor to help them build one. The first engine that Charlie built broke almost immediately, but the second one worked well. \nAfter Orville and Wilbur installed the engine in their plane, they were almost ready. They simply had to wait for the perfect day with just the fight amount of wind. On the morning of December 17, 1903, they had their chance. And the airplane flew into history.", "problems": [{"question": "What was the speed of the first flight?", "answer": "A", "options": ["10 feet per second.", "120 feet per minute.", "12 feet per second.", "1200 feet per hour."]}, {"question": "The brothers constructed a number of kites in order to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["test the materials they would use for their plane", "prove that building a flying machine was possible", "see which shape could support the most weight", "improve the design of their plane's wings"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is true according to the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The Wright brothers built all the parts of their first plane.", "Wilbur Wright flew 852 feet on December 17, 1903.", "There was no wind on the day the Wright brothers flew.", "Orville Wright went on to become a professional pilot."]}]} -{"article": "Geneva is situated between the Jura Range and the Alps on the western end of Lake Geneva. Capital of Peace is one of its names-- the European headquarters of the United Nations lies here in Palais des Nations. Another worthy name for this city with a humanitarian tradition and international character is the World's Smallest Metropolis. Parks,splendid stores and lively streets in the old part of town and its 2000 -- year history wait to be discovered.\nThe Jet d'Eau together with the Flower Watch are the main attractions every year for the tourists visiting Geneva. The Jet d'Eau has become the symbol of Geneva for a long time. This is a 140 meters high water monument with a rich history. Eight 13,500--watt projectors light the grand column of the fountain in the evening, from early March until the second Sunday of October. The Flower Watch, which was created at the edge of the English Garden in 1955,reminds us about that Geneva is the birthplace of the Swiss clock and watch making, and that this industry has become internationally famous, as well through the quality of the watches as through their beautiful appearance.\nSails on Lake Geneva are also enjoyable. The Lake of Geneva, lying among the Alps, is a true inland sea, making possible a wide range of pleasant boat trips, you can relax and watch the beautiful scenes pass by.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is NOT suitable for describing Geneva?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Capital of Peace.", "Palais des Nations.", "The World's Smallest Metropolis.", "The birthplace of the Swiss clock and watch making."]}, {"question": "What do we learn about the Lake of Geneva from the text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It is the symbol of Geneva.", "It lies among the Jura Range.", "It has a direct passage to the ocean.", "It is a large body of water of tourist interest."]}]} -{"article": "I walked down the hall heading to see my 88-year-old grandma who had been in hospital. Each member of the family was taking turns sitting with her because of her dementia . As I did I looked very carefully at some of the rooms on this wing of the hospital, and it seemed that almost every bed held an elderly person. Some appeared to be confused, and some just looked lonely. I couldn't help but notice that there was no family there, no one to care them, and no one to reduce the ache of loneliness. My heart broke inside me.\nThey are aging, with withered skin on their faces and hands, their eyes look tried, and yet no one notices them. Could it be that we are far too busy to slow down and give a moment of our time to anyone that may swerve us off the course we are traveling on? Are we afraid of those who have come before us to pave the way, afraid that they carry some awful disease that if we get too close we might catch it?\nWhatever the case may be, one day we will be those same people that we long to avoid. We pay thousands of dollars for staying young, and we may turn up the music to forget the thoughts of getting older. But, try as we might, time and age will catch up with us.\nWe seem to have come to detest the elderly. While we once held them in high regard and honor, always enjoying their stories of history, we now see them as a pain, always in our way. Isn't it time we wake up?\nSo, next time you see a withered hand extended in need, or peer into the eyes of a lonely aging face, don't run or look away. Remember, it might just be you in that place one day.", "problems": [{"question": "What made the author deeply sad?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The poor food for the patients.", "The sight he saw in the hospital.", "The hopeless patients in the hospital.", "The bad service of the hospital."]}, {"question": "What's people's excuse for not visiting the old?", "answer": "A", "options": ["They are too busy.", "They can't afford it.", "They live too far away.", "They usually travel abroad."]}, {"question": "What can we learn from the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Time will tell the truth.", "People are afraid of being old.", "A doctor is important to old people.", "Respecting elderly people is a good tradition."]}]} -{"article": "If you want to be a volunteer, you have to answer the following typical questions. Do you want to work with people, animals or machines? Do you want to work indoors or outdoors, directly serve people in need or serve people behind the scenes? Every year, thousands of people in the west offer volunteer service. Volunteering greatly strengthens the community because it helps the old, the young, the weak, the sick, and the disabled and the injured to solve problems.\nVolunteers usually help in many different ways. They may give people advice, offer friendship to the young, drive the elderly to church (if up to the driving age), advise kids against drugs, work as assistants in schools or nursing homes, raise funds, plant trees, help out in local libraries and do many other things. Volunteering can be a few hours a week or a few hours a month. Anybody who wants to serve people in need can become a volunteer.\nIn fact, the art of volunteering is a process of both giving and receiving. Volunteering allows volunteers to meet new people, make new friends and mix with people from all walks of life. Volunteering is an excellent way to experiment and try out new techniques and skills, discover your individual talents and explore career choice. Being a volunteer will take you on a wonderful journey and help you learn more than what you can get from books.", "problems": [{"question": "As a volunteer, only when you grow old enough can you _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["plant trees on hills", "drive the elderly to church", "give advice to others", "help out in local libraries"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the passage that to be a volunteer, _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["you can do experiments", "you must be very strong", "you need to work very long", "you can get something valuable"]}, {"question": "What's the best title of the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["How to hunt for jobs", "Volunteer service in the west", "How to make friends", "How to work with animals"]}]} -{"article": "Memory, they say, is a matter of practice and exercise. If you have the wish and really make a conscious effort, then you can quite easily improve your ability to remember things. But even if you are successful, there are times when your memory seems to play tricks on you.\nSometimes you remember things that really did not happen. One morning last week, for example, I got up and found that I had left the front door unlocked all night, yet I clearly remembered locking it carefully the night before.\nMemory \"tricks\" work the other way as well. Once in a while you remember not doing something and then find out that you did. One day last month, for example,I was sitting in a barbershop waiting for my turn to get a haircut, and suddenly I realized that I had got a haircut two days before at the barbershop across the street from my office.\nWe always seem to find something funny and interesting in incidents caused by people's forgetfulness or absent-mindedness. Stories about absent-minded professors have been told for years. Unfortunately, however, absent-mindedness is not always funny. There are times when \"tricks\" of our memory can cause us great trouble.", "problems": [{"question": "If you want to have a good memory, _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["you should ask someone else to help you to remember things", "you should make a conscious effort to practice and exercise", "you should never stop learning", "you should try hard to remember things"]}, {"question": "In the passage, the writer seems to tell us _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["forgetting things is serious and dangerous", "always forgetting things is understandable", "forgetting things at times is natural", "the ways to protect yourself from memory \"tricks\""]}, {"question": "The best title for this passage is\" _ \".", "answer": "B", "options": ["How to Get a Good Memory", "Tricks' of Memory", "The Danger of Forgetfulness and Absent-mindedness", "Get Rid of Absent-mindedness"]}]} -{"article": "Let us take a serious look at what the results might be if such a suggestion were accepted. Families might use the time for a real family hour. They might sit around together after dinner and actually talk to one another. It is well known that many of our problems-everything, in fact, from the generation gap to the high divorce rate to some forms of mental illnesses-are caused at least in part by the failure to communicate. We do not tell each other what is disturbing us. The result is emotional difficulty of one kind or another. By using the quiet family hour to discuss our problems, we might get to know each other better, and to like each other better.\nOn evenings when such talk is unnecessary, families could rediscover more active entertainments. Freed from TV, forced to find their own activities, they might take a ride together to watch the sunset. Or they might take a walk together and see the neighborhood with fresh, new eyes.\nWith free time and no TV, children and adults might rediscover reading. There is more entertainment in a good book than in a month of typical TV programming. Educators report that the generation growing up with television can hardly write an English sentence, even at the college level. Writing is often learned from reading. A more cultured new generation could be a product of the quiet hour.\nAt first glance, the idea of an hour without TV seems radical . What will parents do without the electronic baby-sitter? How will we spend the time? But it's not radical at all. It has been only twenty-five years since television came to control our free time. Those of us thirty-five and older can remember childhoods without television, spent partly with radio-which at least involved the listener's imagination-but also with reading, learning, talking, playing games and inventing new activities. It wasn't that difficult, honest. The truth is that we had a ball.", "problems": [{"question": "The author's suggestion can help _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["people solve emotional problems", "draw people's attention to the evening news", "college students get along well with others", "develop strong neighborhood relationships"]}, {"question": "According to the text, good books _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["offer as much knowledge as TV does", "are more entertaining than TV", "should be made into films", "cannot be found easily"]}, {"question": "In the author's opinion, life without TV _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["is not good for children's imagination", "will be accepted by more people", "used to be a lot of fun", "is not worth living"]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The future of television", "Turning off TV: a quiet hour", "Saying goodbye to television", "Effects of television on humans"]}]} -{"article": "I lost my sight when I was four years old by falling off a box car in a freight yard in Atlantic City and landing on my head. Now I am thirty two. I can slightly remember the brightness of sunshine and what color red is. It would be wonderful to see again, but a calamity can do strange things to people. It occurred to me the other day that I might not have come to love life as I do if I hadn't been blind. I believe in life now. I am not so sure that I would have believed in it so deeply, otherwise. I don't mean that I would prefer to go without my eyes. I simply mean that the loss of them made me appreciate the more what I had left.\nLife, I believe, asks a continuous series of adjustments to reality. The more readily a person is able to make these adjustments, the more meaningful his own private world becomes. The adjustment is never easy. I was totally confused and afraid. But I was lucky. My parents and my teachers saw something in me--a potential to live, you might call it--which I didn't see, and they made me want to fight it out with blindness.\nThe hardest lesson I had to learn was to believe in myself. That was basic. If I hadn't been able to do that, I would have collapsed and _ for the rest of my life. When I say belief in myself I am not talking about simply the kind of self confidence that helps me down an unfamiliar staircase alone. That is part of it. But I mean something bigger than that: an assurance that I am, despite imperfections, a real, positive person; that somewhere in the sweeping, intricate pattern of people there is a special place where I can make myself fit.\nIt took me years to discover and strengthen this assurance. It had to start with the simplest things. Once a man gave me an indoor baseball. I thought he was making fun of me and I was hurt. \"I can't use this.\" I said. \"Take it with you,\" he urged me, \"and roll it around.\" The words stuck in my head. \"Roll it around! \"By rolling the ball I could hear where it went. This gave me an idea how to achieve a goal I had thought impossible: playing baseball. At Philadelphia's Overbrook School for the Blind I invented a successful variation of baseball. We called it ground ball.\nAll my life I have set ahead of me a series of goals and then tried to reach them, one at a time. I had to learn my limitations. It was no good to try for something I knew at the start was wildly out of reach because that only invited the bitterness of failure. I would fail sometimes anyway but on the average I made progress.", "problems": [{"question": "We can learn from the beginning of the passage that _", "answer": "A", "options": ["the author lost his sight because of a car crash.", "the author wouldn't love life if the disaster didn't happen.", "the disaster made the author appreciate what he had.", "the disaster strengthened the author's desire to see."]}, {"question": "What's the most difficult thing for the author?", "answer": "B", "options": ["How to adjust himself to reality.", "Building up assurance that he can find his place in life.", "Learning to manage his life alone.", "How to invent a successful variation of baseball."]}, {"question": "According to the passage, the baseball and encouragement offered by the man _", "answer": "B", "options": ["hurt the author's feeling.", "gave the author a deep impression.", "directly led to the invention of ground ball.", "inspired the author."]}, {"question": "What is the best title for the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["A Miserable Life", "Struggle Against Difficulties", "A Disaster Makes a Strong Person", "An Unforgetable Experience"]}]} -{"article": "Today we tell about the expression \"down to earth\".Down to earth means being open and honest.It is easy to deal with someone who is down to earth.Such people could be important members of society, but they do not consider themselves to be better than others who are less important.They do not let their importance \"go to their heads.\" Someone who lets something go to his head feels he is better than others.He has a \"big head.\"\nA person who is filled with his own importance and pride is said to have \"his nose in the air.\"Often the person who has a big head and his nose in the air has no reason to feel better than others.\nAmericans use another expression that is similar in some ways to down to earth---\"both feet on the ground.\" Someone with both feet on the ground is a person with a good understanding of reality.She has what is called \"common sense.\" She does not allow her dreams to block her understanding of what is real.\nThe opposite kind of person is one who has his \"head in the clouds.\" Someone with his head in the clouds is a person whose mind is not on what is happening in real life.Such a person may be called a \"daydreamen.\"\nThe person who is down to earth usually has both feet on the ground.But the opposite is not always true.Someone with both feet on the ground may not be as open and easy to deal with as someone who is down to earth.\nWhen we have both our feet firmly on the ground,and when we are down to earth,we do not have our noses in the air.We act honestly and openly to others.And our lives are like the ground below up--solid and strong.", "problems": [{"question": "He who considers himself to be better and more important than others is likely to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["have his head in the clouds", "be easy to deal with", "have a \"common sense\"", "have \"a big head\""]}, {"question": "Which of the following expressions is similar to \"down to earth\"?", "answer": "C", "options": ["\"his nose in the air\"", "\"go to his head\"", "\"both feet on the ground\"", "\"daydreamer\""]}, {"question": "The passage is mainly about _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["some popular American expressions", "how to be down to earth", "why to be honest and open", "how to deal with someone who is down to earth"]}]} -{"article": "What is one of the most boring and tiresome words ever? Like discipline, responsibility is one of those words you have probably heard so many times from authority figures that you have been a bit allergic to it. Still, it's one of the most important things to grow and to feel good about your life. Without it as a foundation nothing else in any personal development book really works.\nIt's been said that the line between childhood and adulthood is crossed when we move from saying\"It got lost\"to\"I lost it\". Indeed, being accountable, understanding and accepting the role our choices play in the things that happen are important signs of emotional and moral maturity. That's why responsibility is one of the main supports of good character.\nMany people have been refusing to grow up and avoiding the burdens implied in being accountable. Yes, responsibility sometimes requires us to do things that are unpleasant or even frightening. It asks us to carry our own weight, prepare and set goals and exercise the discipline to reach our ambitions. But the benefits of accepting responsibility are far more important than the short-lived advantages of refusing to do so. No one makes his or her life better by avoiding responsibility. In fact, irresponsibility is a form of self-forced servitude to circumstances and to other people.\nGeorge Bernard Shaw once said,\"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people whoget onin this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them.\"\"Man must stop owing his problems to his environment and learn again to exercise his will -- his personal responsibility in the realm of faith and morals,\"said Albert Schweitzer.\nThe following incident shows blaming others and not taking full responsibility: Bernard L. Brown, Jr., once worked in a hospital where a patient knocked over a cup of water, which spilled on the floor beside the patient's bed. The patient was afraid he might slip on the water if he got out of the bed, so he asked a nurse to mop it up. The patient didn't know it, but the hospital policy said that small spills were the responsibility of the nurse while large spills were to be mopped up by the hospital's housekeeping group.\nThe nurse decided the spill was a large one and she called the housekeeping group. A housekeeper arrived and declared the spill a small one. An argument followed.\"It's not my responsibility,\"said the nurse,\"because it's a large puddle .\"The housekeeper didn't agree.\"Well, it's not mine,\"she said,\"the puddle is too small.\"\nThe angry patient listened for a time, then took a pitcher of water from his night table and poured the whole thing on the floor.\"Is that a big enough puddle now for you two to decide?\"he asked. It was, and that was the end of the argument.\nSo, responsibility is about our ability to respond to circumstances and to choose the attitudes, actions and reactions that shape our lives. It is a concept of power that puts us in the driver's seat. The grand sight of the potential of our lives can only be appreciated when we begin to be accountable and independent. If you want more control over your life and the pleasures, power of freedom and independence, all you have to do is be responsible. Responsible people not only depend on themselves, but show others that they can be depended on.", "problems": [{"question": "What can we learn about responsibility?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It's of secondary importance to discipline.", "It's the basic but leading quality in one's life.", "It has the same requirements for people as discipline.", "It's the most important factor in building one's character."]}, {"question": "Those who escape from accepting responsibility .", "answer": "C", "options": ["can't achieve their goals in a short time", "can benefit from not growing up in the end", "can miss the advantages of being a responsible person", "can avoid the burdens of unpleasant or frightening things"]}, {"question": "What does George Bernard Shaw's saying imply?", "answer": "A", "options": ["We should bear responsibility regardless of situations.", "We shouldn't owe failure to the sense of responsibility.", "We should first step out of our present circumstances.", "We shouldn't care what kind of situations we're in."]}, {"question": "Why was the patient quite angry with the nurse and the housekeeper?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because he had slipped on the water by chance.", "Because he had to mop up the water by himself.", "Because he didn't like the noise made in hospital.", "Because he found them refusing their responsibility."]}]} -{"article": "Ways to travel\nModern life is impossible without travelling. The fastest way to travel is by air. With a modern plane you can travel in one day to places which took a month or more one hundred years ago.\nTravelling by train is slower than by air, but it has its advantages . You can see the country you are travelling in. Modern trains have comfortable seats and dining cars. They make even the longest journey enjoyable.\nSome people prefer to travel by sea when it is possible. There are large lines and river boats with which you can visit many other countries and different places. Travelling by sea is a very pleasant way to spend a holiday.\nMany people like to travel by car. You can make your own timetable. You can travel three or four hundred miles or only fifty miles a day, just as you like. You can stop wherever you wish: where there is something interesting to see, at a good restaurant where you can enjoy a good meal, or a hotel to spend the night. That is why travelling by car is popular for pleasure trips, while people usually take a train or a plane when they are travelling on business.", "problems": [{"question": "From the passage we know that the fastest way to travel is _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["by car", "by train", "by plane", "by boat"]}, {"question": "If we travel by car, we can _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["only stop at the destination", "make our own timetable", "travel to a very far place in several minutes", "travel one thousand miles a day"]}, {"question": "How many ways to travel are mentioned in the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Five", "Six", "Three", "Four"]}]} -{"article": "Children have their own rules in playing games. They seldom need a judge and rarely trouble to keep scores. They don't care much about who wins or loses, and it doesn't seem to worry them if the game is not finished. Yet, they like games that depend a lot on luck, so that their personal abilities cannot be directly compared. They also enjoy games that move in stages, in which each stage, the choosing of leaders, the picking-up of sides, or the determining of which side shall start, is almost a game in itself.\nGrown-ups can hardly find children's games exciting, and they often feel puzzled at why their kids play such simple games again and again. However, it is found that a child plays games for very important reasons. He can be a good player without having to think whether he is a popular person, and he can find himself being a useful partner to someone of whom he is ordinarily afraid. He becomes a leader when it comes to his turn. He can be confident, too, in particular games, that it is his place to give orders, to pretend to be dead, to throw a ball actually at someone, or to kiss someone he caught.\nIt appears to us that when children play a game they imagine a situation under their control. Everyone knows the rules, and more important, everyone plays according to the rules. Those rules may be childish, but they make sure that every child has a chance to win.", "problems": [{"question": "What is true about children when they play games?", "answer": "A", "options": ["They can stop playing any time they like.", "They can test their personal abilities.", "They want to pick a better team.", "They don't need rules."]}, {"question": "To become a leader in a game the child has to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["play well", "be popular among his playmates", "be confident in himself", "wait for his turn"]}, {"question": "What do we know about grown-ups?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They are not interested in games.", "They find children's games too easy.", "They don't need a reason to play games.", "They don't understand children's games."]}, {"question": "The writer believes that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["children should make better rules for their games", "children should invite grow-ups to play with them", "children's games can do them a lot of good", "children play games without reasons"]}]} -{"article": "Carrying everything they need on their backs, three friends from England are setting out to run 39 marathons across Eastern Europe.\nTom, Rob and Guy ran the Marathon des Sables last year and were looking for another challenge.Where do you go from there?\" asks Tom.Then someone said, \"Run 1,000 miles\".And the idea was born.\nThe three friends are running from Odessa in Ukraine to Dubrovnik in Croatia in 30 days, to raise awareness of child trafficking and to raise & 50,000 for the charity Love 146. The money will enab4 Love 146 to bui4 a home in the UK to provide specialist aftercare to victims of child trafficking.\n The run - the equivalent of 39 marathons in 30 days - will take in nine different countries and pass through some of Eastern Europe's most remote terrain , without the help of support vehicles or medical aid.The three men will carry everything they need, sleeping where they can and finding food and water along the way.\n\"What really inspires us is the idea that people will join us at various points along the way, Forrest Gump-style,\" says Tom.If that sounds like your idea of fun, it's not too late to sign up on their website and join them for a spot of extreme fundraising over the next month.The aim is to arrive in Dubrovnik on 3 May.\nOnly days before they set off, I asked Tom what his biggest concern was at this late Stage.''The cold,\" he said.\"We hadn't imagined Europe would be this cold in April.Some nights the plan is to sleep outside in the camping bags.I'm terrified about the weather.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Why did the three friends run across Eastern Europe?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To look for a challenge.", "To raise money for charity.", "To experience Forrest Gump-style.", "To change people's attitudes on running."]}, {"question": "W at can we know about Love 146?", "answer": "A", "options": ["It focuses on child trafficking.", "It has many branches in the UK.", "It is run by Tom, Rob and Guy.", "It provides kids with medical aid."]}, {"question": "Which of the following was a challenge for Tom in the run?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The cold weather.", "The long distance.", "The tough terrain", "The necessary aids."]}, {"question": "What is the purpose of this text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To solve a problem", "To get more people to join in.", "To tell an interesting story.", "To present a research result."]}]} -{"article": "\"Chances are we have all experienced shyness in our lives, and shyness has been associated with negative outcomes--characteristics like difficulty maintaining eye contact, and feelings of humiliation are known to be part of a shy person's characters. It's these traits that tend to affect some shy individuals' ability to connect,\" says C. Barr Taylor, a professor of psychology at Stanford University.\n\"But while shyness can often be seen as a bad thing, there are ways to use the personality trait to your advantage,\" Taylor says. Below are some common shy habits and how you can learn to make them benefit you:\nShy people usually reflect inwardly a lot. But according to Taylor,all that thinking may not always be a bad thing and it should be viewed as a way you can think actively as you go into a situation. So, for shy people who feel worried about facing a particular challenge or event, Taylor advises slowly approaching the fearful situation if you start to feel anxious. By facing what you are not feeling secure about, Taylor says, you will feel less anxious. \"Our brains are amazing--they can become well adapted,\" he says. \"If you put yourself in a fearful situation, you will get a sense that you are going to do it.\" What's more, shy individuals care deeply about what others think of them, and if it is addressed healthily, they can use it to their advantage to form social connections.\nShy people are observant and often pick up on parts of their conversation or surroundings that others may not. \"Just because you are shy, that does not mean you are not used to social situations,\" Taylor says. \"It can actually become a source of strength as you are the observer in the room.\" In a study out of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, researchers found an association between college-age adults who were shy and the ability to better identify expressions of sadness and fear compared with those who weren't shy. In addition, a shy person has a born drive to absorb a conversation, so they can be great at conversation.", "problems": [{"question": "In the opinion of C. Barr Taylor, we should _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["think positively of shyness", "try to get rid of shyness", "attempt to be a little shy", "often help those shy people"]}, {"question": "The passage mentions the study by Southern Illinois University just to show that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["shy people use rich facial expressions", "shy people are good at observing others", "shyness can be used to reduce anxiety", "shyness can be used in social connections"]}, {"question": "We can know from the passage that shy people _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["are good at getting used to a new environment", "often attach much importance to others' opinions", "hate to think a lot before taking an action", "are good at overcoming their feeling of insecurity"]}]} -{"article": "Before l tell you bow many hours a day people spend ,watching content on tablets ,TVs,phones ,and so forth, let's talk quick about technology .The word ,l mean , according to my dictionary's primary definition, means \"the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes.\"\nThese days, you say that word and I'd refer to most magic images of tablets ,smart phones, digital cameras ,satellites, cruise missiles ,electric cars or glasses-free 3D handhelds. That's all correct ,of course--that stuff's definitely technology ,I mean But so is a wheel, or a pencil ,or if we're going all the way back, it's any tool, including something as simple as a stick snatched up and applied to some purpose ,say ,knocking something down for dinner or turning over a rock to get whatever's underneath.\nThe reason I raise the point is that the following poll implies that something different is happening when we pick up an electronic tablet instead of pencil and paper to compose an email, or an e-reader instead of a book to read something like the digital version of a magazine, or a novel by Stephen King Those who view changes as bad ,or at least a little bit terrifying , may look at the numbers below and read ominous signs.\nBut okay, hold that thought ,and let's jump to the poll results.\nThe poll was conducted by Poll Position to determine \"how many hours a day do you spend looking at either a TV, computer screen ,e-reader, PDA or cell phone? \"The group asked that question of I,220 registered voters, by phone ,on November 19, 2011. Its generalized finding 60% of Americans spend between one and six hours a day viewing content on electronic devices.\nA bout a third spend one to three hours , another third spend four to six ,and the remaining third spend between seven and more than 10 hours a day viewing content on electronic devices, Supposing most of us spend between 12 and 18hours per 24-hour day awake ,that's a pretty high range of use, from one hour through 10 or more.", "problems": [{"question": "The purpose of the picture and the words below are to", "answer": "D", "options": ["introduce a famous painting", "show the popularity of electronic devices", "recommend an exhibition on art", "raise the topic to be discussed"]}, {"question": "According to the text, what is the author's opinion about the word \"technology\"?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It has changed the way of people's everyday life.", "It has brought great advantages and convenience to people.", "It has different meanings in different times.", "It includes more meanings than usually regarded."]}, {"question": "According to the poll, the time people spend viewing content on electronic devices a day differs from_.", "answer": "C", "options": ["one to three hours", "four to six hours", "one to more than ten hours", "seven to more than ten hours."]}, {"question": "What is the topic of this text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["How many hours a day people spend watching content on electronic devices", "The bad effects on people's health caused by using electronic devices too often.", "The proper time people take to use their electronic devices every day'", "People waste too much time in watching content on electronic devices."]}]} -{"article": "The twenty-four horses dash around a racetrack. The thunder of their hooves rings in the riders' ears, nearly drowning out the cheering of the crowd. After three or four minutes of suspense, one horse crosses the finish line first, winning the Melbourne Cup and earning a place in history.\nThe horses that compete in the Melbourne Cup--one of the world's most famous horseraces--were fated to race. Bred for speed, these horses are the few that were singled out as having potential to become champions.\nPreparing a racehorse to compete requires a team. A horse's owner manages the team and decides which races to enter. A trainer determines the racehorse's diet and exercise. Regular exercise makes a horse less likely to be injured, but overtraining tires the horse. A groomer cares for the racehorse and reports any problems he discovers to the trainer. And of course, no horserace could be run without a rider. These riders train for long hours and travel constantly from one race to another. They need to make a strategy, adapt to changing conditions and communicate with their horse to guide it to victory.\nAustralia's most famous horserace, the Melbourne Cup, is 3,200 meters of pure excitement. Each year 300 or 400 horses are nominated , but only 24 can run. The competitors are chosen based on a number of factors, but winners of certain races qualify automatically.\nEach racehorse receives a handicap--a certain weight it must carry to give each horse an equal chance of winning--two months before the race. Originally, horses that seemed likely to win were assigned larger handicaps. But the rules have changed, reducing the handicap for previous winners.\nThe first Melbourne Cup in 1861 drew a crowd of 4,000 spectators, and the race's popularity has grown since then. Held on the first Tuesday of November, the cup has become a four-day festival with fine food and entertainment.\nThe Melbourne Cup began during a gold rush as a form of entertainment for the rich. Today it still attracts society's upper class. They come dressed in their finest to enjoy the event in comfort.\nBut anyway it's all about the race--the effort of horses and riders, the suspense and the thrill of victory.", "problems": [{"question": "What can be learned about the horses in the Melbourne Cup?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They are all winners of a certain race.", "They are raised and trained by joint effort.", "They are chosen from ordinary horses.", "Their fates are determined by their trainers."]}, {"question": "The racehorses are given handicaps so that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["they will weigh the same", "previous winners are unlikely to win", "the race will be fair enough", "they will be more adaptable to the race"]}, {"question": "It can be learned from the passage that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the spectators of the Melbourne Cup must dress well", "the Melbourne Cup was intended for wealthy people", "the winner of the Melbourne Cup can earn a large fortune", "the Melbourne Cup is the best-known horserace worldwide"]}, {"question": "The passage can most probably be found in _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["a sports journal", "a business newspaper", "an academic paper", "a health magazine"]}]} -{"article": "Whether in the home or the workplace, social robots are going to become a lot more common in the next few years. Social robots are about to bring technology to the everyday world in a more humanized way, said Cynthia Breazeal, chief scientist at the robot company Jibo.\nWhile household robots today do the normal housework, social robots will be much more like companions than mere tools. For example, these robots will be able to distinguish when someone is happy or sad. This allows them to respond more appropriately to the user.\nThe Jibo robot, arranged to ship later this year, is designed to be a personalized assistant. You can talk to the robot, ask it questions, and make requests for it to perform different tasks. The robot doesn't just deliver general answers to questions; it responds based on what it learns about each individual in the household. It can do things such as reminding an elderly family member to take medicine or taking family photos.\nSocial robots are not just finding their way into the home. They have potential applications in everything from education to health care and are already finding their way into some of these spaces.\nFellow Robots is one company bringing social robots to the market. The company's \"Oshbot\" robot is built to assist customers in a store, which can help the customers find items and help guide them to the product's location in the store. It can also speak different languages and make recommendations for different items based on what the customer is shopping for.\nThe more interaction the robot has with humans, the more it learns. But Oshbot, like other social robots, is not intended to replace workers, but to work alongside other employees. \"We have technologies to train social robots to do things not for us, but with us,\" said Breazeal.", "problems": [{"question": "How are social robots different from household robots?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They can control their emotions.", "They are more like humans.", "They do the normal housework.", "They respond to users more slowly."]}, {"question": "What can Oshbot work as?", "answer": "C", "options": ["A language teacher.", "A tour guide.", "A shop assistant.", "A private nurse."]}, {"question": "What does the passage mainly present?", "answer": "D", "options": ["A new design idea of household robots.", "Marketing strategies for social robots.", "Information on household robots.", "An introduction to social robots."]}]} -{"article": "We are fortunate to be living in a time when all people have the ability to access any knowledge they desire. This digital society that we live in affords us opportunities that our ancestor only dreamed of having. _ \nIn the not so distant past of the 1950s, people who wanted to research an idea, a product, or anything else, had to go to a library where they could look up information in books. Not all people had the same access to the books, and the information they contained. In America, if your skin was black, you could not use the same library that a person with white skin used. If a black skinned person was allowed access to a library, it most likely was stocked with outdated books that white skinned people had discarded.\nIn the digital society we live in today, the color of your skin does not determine the access you have to information. Technology has brought to us the powerful tools like the Internet where we can find information on almost every subject.\nAccess to the Internet has allowed us to research the things we are planning to purchase. We are capable of comparing prices on things like insurance, appliances, entertainment, clothing, and all other things. We also now have the ability to purchase items online without ever leaving our homes. We have been freed from the restrictions of store hours, and regional sales. A person in America can purchase a product from a person in Germany, without leaving home.\nBecause of the digital society we live in our children can learn about anything they are interested in. When they ask you what the dinosaurs ate, you can look it up, and tell them the answer. Because of this people will be smarter in the future, and technology will only improve.", "problems": [{"question": "By \"We should not take this privilege for granted\", the writer means that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["we have special right to do anything", "it is wrong to make use of the privilege", "knowledge is important in the digital society", "we should seize the chances the modern society offers"]}, {"question": "The writer's attitude toward the digital society is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["critical", "positive", "neutral", "negative"]}]} -{"article": "Here's one very simple but lifechanging advice that I first heard from Brian Tracy. Cut down on the TV at night by just one hour. Instead, use that hour to read books that could improve your life.\nIf you're a salesman, google for the best and most useful books on improving your sales.\nThis applies to all fields, not just the work-related ones. Maybe you want to improve your health, become a more energetic person. Or maybe you want to improve your study, your relations or perhaps do some personal development.\nOne hour a day is not much. But if you read for one hour a day on weekdays, that's about 260 hours a year. That's a large number of books and a lot of useful advice.\nIf you follow the ideas, who knows what great things and feelings could come into your life. Also, all that information and advice will start to open up your mind. You will start to see more chances in your life.\nNow, you might think something like this:\n1. I really don't have the money...\nAnswer: Visit your public library or search the database . Or look for books that are used in places like amazon.com.\n2. I really don't have the time...\nAnswer: Buy audiobooks and listen to them in the car while driving to and from work. Or copy them to your MP3-player and listen while riding your bike /bus to work or school. Recently selling audiobooks through MP3-downloads has become popular...\nShut off the TV a little earlier and start reading.", "problems": [{"question": "What is Brian Tracy's lifechanging advice about?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Watching TV.", "Listening to MP3.", "Surfing the internet.", "Reading helpful books."]}, {"question": "If you'd like to improve your work, you should _ according to the writer.", "answer": "A", "options": ["read work-related books", "become more energetic", "improve your study", "improve your relations"]}, {"question": "Which is NOT true about reading an hour a day?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It will open up your mind.", "You will have about 260 hours a year to read.", "You will read lots of books and get much useful advice.", "It will probably bring great things and feelings into your life."]}, {"question": "What should you do if you really don't have the money to read?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To buy some books from amazon.com.", "To download MP3 free.", "To visit the public library.", "To borrow audiobooks and listen to them."]}, {"question": "What is the writer's idea about audiobooks?", "answer": "D", "options": ["They are more useful.", "Listening to audiobooks is easier than reading books.", "It's dangerous to listen to audiobooks while driving or riding.", "Audiobooks are a good solution to the problem of having no time to read."]}]} -{"article": "As a young ice skater, I had flown pretty high, pretty quickly. My partner and I won the Canadian junior pairs championship when I was 14. Later I was thrilled to be picked to skate in the 1994 Olympics in lillehammer, Norway. But then everything came down. \n We finished the 12th at the Games. I soon quit double skating and tried to continue in singles. But I wasn't good enough; I didn't even compete in the next two national championships. I felt like I was a somebody who had become a nobody. \n I was 18 and had just graduated from high school, when my mum told me, \"You can't just depend on skating to make a living. You'd better find a job.\" I knew she was right. So I found a job at a restaurant where I waited at tables and did anything else that needed to be done. In fact, I worked so hard that I had never got the chance to have a break. No one cared that I had been an Olympic skater; I was judged only by how hard I worked. \n That job taught me so many things. I learned, for example, how to deal with people. As an athlete, this was new to me. One day a man loudly called me over to his table and complained, \"This milk is sour. I am not drinking this junk! I want my money back! \" It was near the end of my shift and I wanted to tell him how rude I thought he was. But I had learned that \"the customer is always right\" and a smile can go a long way. \"I'm really sorry, sir. I'll get you a free cup.\" I said with a smile. When I brought him his coffee, his attitude changed. And he left me a tip! \n My first job taught me that it is important to do your best at anything you try. I knew nothing about being a waitress when 1 started my job but by the time I left when 1 decided to return to skating -- I had earned a raise and my boss's praise. They meant so much to me.", "problems": [{"question": "How did the author feel after she picked up single skating?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Thrilled.", "Confident.", "Disappointed.", "Proud."]}, {"question": "What did the author do about the man's complaint?", "answer": "D", "options": ["She told him how rude he was.", "She gave his money back.", "She asked her boss for help.", "She apologized with a smile."]}, {"question": "The passage is mainly about _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the author's skating life", "a lesson from skating", "the author's first job", "how to be a good waitress"]}]} -{"article": "Bali is an Indonesia island that is rich in indigenous culture. A lot of people say that Balinese culture is unique and that the people of Bali have always been content with the \"now\". If you ask a Balinese person what heaven is like, the probable answer will be \"just like Bali\". This only goes to show that most Balinese people are happy to be where they are and never worry.\nOne factor that contributes to this laidback lifestyle is the culture of close family ties in Bali. In the Balinese culture, support is always available. Balinese extended families are so tightly linked that all members usually live in the same block.\nBalinese culture is based on a form of this religion, which is called \"Hindu Darma\". This religion reached the island during the eleventh century. Most of the family customs and traditions as well as community lifestyles of the Balinese people are influenced by this. The religious influence even expands widely into the arts, which makes Bali distinct from the rest of Indonesia.\nIn spite of the fact that tourists flood to the island every year, Balinese people have managed to _ their culture. Almost every native of Bali is an artist in some form or another. Parents and villagers have passed on their skills to their children, who all seem to have inclinations either to music, dance, painting, or decoration.\nAnother remarkable mark of the Balinese culture is the senses of ceremonies known as the Manusa Yadnya. This marks the different stages of Balinese life. Cremation is very popular on this island--and unlike in the West, death is a joyous and colorful event for the Balinese.", "problems": [{"question": "Bali is distinguished from the rest of Indonesia by _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["people's tight family relationship", "the family customs and traditions", "people's great love for religion", "the influence of religion on their culture"]}, {"question": "When a person dies in Bali, it is a common practice to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["express deep sorrow at his death", "celebrate the death like a great event", "sing and dance joyfully in his honor", "remember what he did in his lifetime"]}, {"question": "What is the text mainly about?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Balinese religion.", "The lifestyle of Balinese.", "Balinese culture.", "The tourism in Bali."]}]} -{"article": "Planted for their fragrance and beauty, roses historically have been the center of much praise and are one of the most universal symbols of love and life. As the phrase goes, sometimes you do have to \"stop and smell the roses\".\nAlthough you may think that this is just a fancy way of saying taking some time to enjoy life, perhaps we have dismissed roses for too long. Seriously, you should pay more attention to those roses. They could greatly improve your life. That is, if you are one of the millions of people in the US who suffer from arthritis diseases.\nResult from two different arthritis studies have proved that an active ingredient of rose hips has been shown to protect and possibly rebuild joint tissue broken down by arthritis. The latest results, presented at the World Conference in Rome showed that protein GOPO(R) found in rose hips can protect vulnerable cartilage . GOPO(R) has also been shown to improve mood, increase energy and sleep quality of those affected by arthritis. Marked by stiffness, swelling, loss of flexibly and pain, arthritis can significantly stop one from a normal life.\n\"We have little doubt that certain rose hip preparations, and GOPO(R) in particular, have had an important role to play in reducing the pain and disability caused by arthritis,\" said Winther.\nWith the aid of this new research, those affected by joint pain caused by arthritis could choose an alternative treatment than pain killers. \"We suspect that more people will be turning to the power of rose-hip for joint pain relief,\" said Winther.\nSorry Shakespeare, but in this case, no other rose could smell as sweet.", "problems": [{"question": "The author asks us to pay more attention to roses because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["roses can represent love and life", "roses are very sweet", "we are so busy as to ignore roses", "roses have some unknown uses"]}, {"question": "Protein GOPO(R) found in rose hips can do all the following EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["protecting vulnerable cartilage", "improving mood", "improving sleep quality of normal people", "improving the life of those affected by arthritis"]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["In Pain? Stop and Smell the Roses", "Roses, the Center of Praise", "Roses, Symbol of Love and Life", "Sorry Shakespeare, No Other Rose Could Smell as Sweet"]}]} -{"article": "The preventive measures for forest fires include some preemptive methods that can help reduce the risks of fires and control their severity and spread,and thus, maintain ecological balance and protect resources.Close monitoring of forest fires caused by natural factors can help prevent their spread to a large extent.To contain forest fires,fire departments usually use water and chemical fire retardants that can be dropped from planes and helicopters.To control the spread of a wildfire.firefighters usually create a control line by removing all fuel from an area so that the fire cannot travel across it.\nControlled burns are often employed by government authorities to reduce fuel buildup,and clean up the fallen leaves,and thus,prevent the spread of forest fires to a vast area.Regular controlled burns can also help maintain biodiversity ,as the smoke and heat produced in the process can facilitate the growth of seeds of certain plant species.Apart from these,responsible human behavior can help reduce the number of forest fires to a great extent.In fact,we can reduce the number of wildfires dramatically by not leaving behind any source of fire in the forest.\nForest fires can affect climate and weather to a great extent,besides causing severe damage to valuable trees.Wildfires can increase the level of greenhouse gases(water vapor, carbon dioxide,etc),and therefore increase pollution and global warming.However, they are also an important part of the ecosystem,and many plants depend on the heat and smoke generated by wildfires for their growth and reproduction.But large wildfires can cause extensive damage to the ecosystem,which again highlights the importance of effective control and prevention of forest fires*", "problems": [{"question": "What may be the best title for this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Control and Prevention of Forest Fires", "How to Keep Ecological Balance", "Effects of Forest Fires", "Methods of Fire Spread Control"]}, {"question": "Firefighters get rid of all fuel in all area in order to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["keep close monitoring of forest fires", "prevent the forest fire from occurring", "protect the animals there", "stop the wildfire from spreading"]}, {"question": "The government arranges some controlled burns to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["burn the rubbish and keep the forest clean", "help keep ecological balance of nature", "reduce fuel buildup and limit forest fires spread", "provide reasonable conditions for some plants'growth"]}, {"question": "A controlled forest fire may play a positive role because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["a new forest will appear soon", "it promotes the development of some seeds", "nature keeps its balance only by wildfires", "it makes the trees grow faster than before"]}]} -{"article": "Every one of the gymnasts who went to National Qualifiers showed up with that goal in mind. Everyone gave it their all.\nAnd I hate admitting it, but I was an exception. I did not do my best. Not for the ribbon exercise, nor for the club exercise. Knowing that I could have reached a little further to catch my ribbon, focused a little more so the stick wouldn't slip through my fingers, tried a little harder to clean up those errors, but I didn't, still bothers me.\nAfter my disappointing competition, I tried my best to keep my eyes dry. But soon tears burned the edges of my eyes, and as I blinked, the first tear rolled down my cheek. Even though I angrily wiped my tears away before she looked at me, the evidence of my self-pity session presented itself clearly in the form of dirty makeup and reddened eyes.\nMy mom hated to see me cry, especially because I had no right or reason to. I had messed up--that wasn't anyone's fault but mine--and crying wouldn't help at all. \"Why are you crying, Amanda?\" she asked, perhaps more pointedly than intended, but I heard the concern in her voice. Unable to form all the emotions into words, I just looked away and avoided her questions.\n\"Tell me now why you're crying.\" Her voice this time wasn't as gentle as it was before; it was filled with frustration and impatience. \"Why are you crying?\" she whispered again, but this time her voice was shaky and flooded with pain. This was the first time I'd ever seen my mom cry; my mom, who was always so strong and was there to encourage me through the roughest times, was now crying, and I was the reason for it. Finding my voice, I tentatively asked, \"Why are you crying?\"\nShe looked at me and answered exactly what I was afraid to hear, \"I hate to see you hurting yourself.\" So it was my fault. I had put those tears in her eyes. I had filled her with pain, with helplessness and with sadness.\nI'll never forget her pained expression. It forced me to realize how shortsighted and close-minded I'd been. I decided that no matter what happens in the future, I will never lose myself to regret.", "problems": [{"question": "Why did Amanda feel regretful after the competition?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because she wasn't admitted to the club.", "Because she dropped her ribbon suddenly.", "Because she broke the rule of the competition.", "Because she didn't try her best to compete."]}, {"question": "What did Amanda try to hide on the way back?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Her silent tears.", "The disappointing scores.", "Her dirty makeup.", "The evidence of failure."]}, {"question": "Which words reflect the change of the mother's emotions?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Painful--impatient--concerned", "Concerned--frustrated--painful", "Satisfied--painful--frustrated", "Frustrated--angry--painful"]}, {"question": "What did Amanda determine to do?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Never cry in face of her mom.", "Never compete as a gymnast.", "Never involve herself in self-pity.", "Never make up before games."]}, {"question": "The best title of the passage is probably _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["My painful experience as a gymnast", "The tears I wiped away for my mother", "The fiercest competition I lost", "The worst thing I ever felt: regret"]}]} -{"article": "In the kitchen of my mother's houses there has always been a wooden stand with a small notepad and a hole for a pencil.\n I'm looking for paper on which to note down the name of a book I am recommending to my mother.Over forty years since my earliest memories of the kitchen pad and pencil, five houses later, now the paper and pencil look the same as they always did.Surely it can't be the same pencil. The pad is more modern, but the wooden stand is surely the original one.\n \"I'm just amazed you still have the same stand for holding the pad and pencil after all these years.\" I say to her, \"Can't you afford a new one?\"\n My mother replies ,\"It works perfectly well.I've always kept the stand in the kitchen.I never knew when I might want to note down an idea, and I was always in the kitchen in those days.\"\nShe smiles and says, \"One day I was cooking and watching baby Pauline, and I had a great thought, but the stand was empty.One of the children must have taken the paper.So I just picked up the breadboard and wrote it all down on the back.The idea turned out to be really helpful in solving the mathematical problem I was working on.\"\nThis story--which happened before I was born--reminds me how special my mother was, and is, as a gifted mathematician.I feel ashamed that I complain about not having enough child-free time to work.Later, when my mother is in the bathroom, I go into her kitchen and turn over the breadboards.Sure enough, on the back of the smallest one, are some penciled marks I recognize as mathematics.Those marks have travelled through fifty years, rooted in a cheap wooden breadboard, exhibits at every meal.", "problems": [{"question": "Why has the author's mother always kept the notepad and pencil in the kitchen?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To leave messages.", "To list her everyday tasks.", "To write down a flash of a thought.", "To note down maths problems."]}, {"question": "What is the author's original opinion about the wooden stand?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It has great value for the family.", "It should be passed on to the next generation.", "It brings her back to her lonely childhood.", "It needs to be replaced by a better one."]}, {"question": "The author feels ashamed for _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["not making good use of time as her mother did", "giving her mother a lot of trouble", "blaming her mother wrongly", "not making any achievement in her field"]}, {"question": "In the author's mind, her mother is _", "answer": "C", "options": ["strange in behaviour", "fond of collecting old things", "devoted to her research", "careless of her children"]}]} -{"article": "How much and who on your cruise should be tipped? When and how should tips be given? Generally, you should plan to tip your room steward $3.00 to $3.50 per person, per day, and plan an equal amount for your dining room waiter, and half of that for the busboy . \nOn most ships, tip the maitre d' or dining room captain only if you ask for special favors or table-side service; $5 to $10 is normal. Barmen and wine stewards are tipped 10 to 15 percent, but many cruise lines will add this tip to your bar or drink bill. Check the bill to see how it is handled. Also, tips for special services such as salon && spa treatments and room service are left to the guest, depending on services offered. Sometimes tips are placed in envelopes from your cabin's stationery supply. Generally, passengers on cruises of 10 days or less will tip at the end of the cruise; on longer voyages, tipping weekly. \nAs part of a new trend that seems likely to grow, Carnival, Holland America, Norwegian, Princess and Cunard now charge tips to your account . Norwegian, for example, charges $10 per day, per guest, to cover service in the various dining rooms and your room steward. If you feel this amount needs to be increased or decreased, arrangements can be made onboard the ship, generally at the end of your cruise. \nA few lines do not encourage tipping, including Radisson Seven Seas, Seabourn, Silversea and Windstar. Crew members are reportedly higher paid and not tip dependent. Many passengers tip anyway for outstanding service or special favors and give them tips face to face immediately they get serviced. \nTips on Tipping \nCabin steward \n$3.00 to $3.50 per person per day \nWaiter \n$3.00 to $3.50 per person per day \nAssistant waiter \n$1.50 to $2.00 per person per day \nBartender, wine and deck stewards \n10-15% of the bill \nMaitre d' \n$5.00 to $10.00 tip for each special service", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, if your bill for barmen and wine is $50, you will probably tip the steward _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["$3.50", "$prefix = st1 /3.00", "$6.50", "$10.00"]}, {"question": "How many ways does the passage mention on how to tip the waiters?", "answer": "A", "options": ["3.", "2.", "4.", "5."]}, {"question": "According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Sometimes you must spend more money tipping waiters on cruise.", "In the line Seabourn, you must tip crew members for the special service.", "In some lines, you can bargain on how much to tip.", "Generally speaking, maitre d' can get the most tips."]}, {"question": "The passage is written mainly for the readers who are _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["travelers on cruise to America", "students to foreign countries to study", "tourists not knowing how to tip in hotels", "travelers on cruise the first time"]}]} -{"article": "In a movie, a woman reads a storybook to her friend's daughter. As they approach the last page, she reads, \"... and Cinderella and the prince lived happily ever after.\" She closes the book and looks at the young girl, adding, \" You know, things don't always happen like this in real life, I just think you should know that now.\"\nWe were all raised on fairy tales with glass slippers, brave princes and magic! It didn't take too long to realize that stories like that aren't necessarily true. In real life, you learn that glass slippers are really uncomfortable, no prince is perfect and magic doesn't always work.\nSo what do you do when the way you planned things is not the way they turned out?\nKnow that parts of your fairy tale have already been written, and sadly, there's not much you can do about those first few chapters. You didn't get the best start. Your trust was unexpectedly betrayed . You didn't get the job. Whatever falls and failures happened in your past, there's still more to the story.\nYour life has a lot of contributors , and you are the editor-in-chief. You take what's there and create the masterpiece . All the good pages and the bad can come together to make a beautiful adventure.\nWhen you find yourself wishing your life was more like the fairy tales, remember that in some ways it already is. There will be dragons, bad witches, great romances, winding roads and friends to help you along the way. Live your life carefully and positively as if you are writing a long story. Whether it's a comedy, tragedy or a little of both, the pen is in your hand. How it ends is all up to you.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following may NOT often appear in fairy tales?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Glass slippers", "Winding roads", "Sad endings", "Bad witches."]}, {"question": "What is the message expressed in the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Be positive about life", "Write your own stories.", "Parents should tell fairy tales to their kids", "There are many problems in school education"]}]} -{"article": "Although there is no formal process of selection, in larger groups, leaders are usually chosen formally through election or recruitment .\nAlthough leaders are often thought to be people with unusual personal ability, decades of research have failed to produce evidence that there are any \"natural leaders\". It seems that there is no set of personal qualities that all leaders have in common; or rather, any person may be recognized as a leader if the person has qualities that meet the needs of that particular group.\nResearch suggests that there are typically two different leadership roles that are held by different individuals. Instrumental leadership is leadership that emphasizes the completion of tasks by a social group. Group members look to instrumental leaders to \"get things done\". Expressive leadership, on the other hand, is leadership that emphasizes the collective well-beings of a social group's members. Expressive leaders are less concerned with the overall goals of the group than with providing emotional support to group members and attempting to minimize tension and conflict among them.\nInstrumental leaders are likely to have a rather secondary relationship to other group members. They give others and may discipline group members who inhibit attainment of the group's goals. Expressive leaders develop a more personal or primary relationship to others in the group. They offer sympathy when someone experiences difficulties and try to solve problems that threaten to divide the group. As the difference between these two roles suggests, expressive leaders generally receive more personal affection from group members; instrumental leaders, if they are successful in promoting group goals, may enjoy a more distant respect.", "problems": [{"question": "What does the passage mainly discuss?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The problems faced by leaders.", "How social groups determine who will lead them.", "How leadership differs in small and large groups.", "The role of leaders in social groups."]}, {"question": "The passage mentions all of the following ways by which people can become leaders EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["specific leadership training", "formal election process", "recruitment", "traditional cultural patterns"]}, {"question": "In mentioning \"natural leaders\" in Line 4, the author is making the point that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["few people qualify as \"natural leaders\"", "\"natural leaders\" share a similar set of characteristics", "there is no proof that \"natural leaders\" exist", "\"natural leaders\" are easily accepted by the members of a group"]}, {"question": "The passage indicates that instrumental leaders generally focus on _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["sharing responsibility with group members", "achieving a goal", "identifying new leaders", "ensuring harmonious relationships"]}]} -{"article": "I believe that animals possess greater intelligence than most people think. But plants? I've never considered the possibility of plant intelligence. The idea seems absurd .\nYet I've had friends argue that plant intelligence might exist. \"What are the differences between plants and animals?\" they ask, and then they argue about certain species that seem to share the intelligence of both plants and animals. \nNew research suggests that plants communicate via \"networks\". Plant communication is not idea, and cannot indicate that it is a kind of intelligence, but it is still interesting.\nRecent research from Vidi researcher Josef Stuefer at the Radboud University Nijmegen shows that plants have their own chat systems that they can use to warn each other. Therefore plants are not boring and passive organisms that just stand there waiting to be cut down or eaten up. Many plants form internal communication networks and are able to exchange information networks and are able to exchange information efficiently.\nMany herbal plants such as strawberries and clovers naturally form networks. Individual plants remain connected with each other for a certain period of time by means of runners (plant stems that grow along the ground and put down roots to form new plants). These connections enable the plants to share information with each other via internal channels. They are therefore very similar to computer networks. But what do plants chat to each other about?\nRecently Stuefer and hus colleagues were the first to prove that clover plants warn each other via the network links if danger is nearby. If one of the plants is attacked by caterpillars , the other members of the network are warned via an internal signal. Once warned the intact plants strengthen their chemical and mechanicaicl resistance so that they are less attractive to advancing caterpillars. Thanks to this early warning system, the plants can stay one step ahead of their attackers. The research has shown that this significantly limits the damage to the plants.\nAgain, I don't believe this reflects intelligence,", "problems": [{"question": "The author thinks that the plant communication _", "answer": "D", "options": ["is ly a new idea", "is a sign of plant intelligence", "is related to animal communication", "is interesting and fascinating"]}, {"question": "Clover plants warn each other when danger is nearby by _", "answer": "D", "options": ["making sounds", "releasing chemicals", "strengthening mechanical resistance", "sending internal signals"]}, {"question": "The author's attitude towards plant intelligence is _", "answer": "B", "options": ["unconcerned", "doubtful", "positive", "hopeful."]}, {"question": "What's the best title for the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Does Plant Communication Really Exist?", "Some Discoveries About Clover Plant", "Does Plant Communication Imply Intelligence?", "A New Study on Plant Communication"]}]} -{"article": "Normally a student must attend a certain number of courses in order to graduate, and each course which he attends gives him a credit which he may count towards a degree. In many American universities the total work for a degree consists of thirty-six courses, each lasting for one semester. A typical course consists of three classes per week for fifteen weeks; while attending a university a student will probably attend four or five courses during each semester. Normally a student would expect to take four years attending two semesters each year. It is possible to spread the period of work for the degree over a longer period. It is also possible for a student to move between one university and another during his degree course, though this is not in fact done as a regular practice.\nFor every course that he follows a student is given a grade, which is recorded, and the record is available for the student to show to future employers. All this imposes a constant pressure and stress of work, but in spite of this some students still find time for great activity in student affairs. Elections to positions in student organizations arouse much enthusiasm. The effective work of maintaining discipline is usually performed by students who advise the academic authorities. Any student who is thought to have broken the rules, for example, by cheating has to appear before a student court. With the enormous numbers of students, the operation of the system does involve a certain amount of activity. A student who has held one of these positions of authority is much respected and will be of benefit to him later in his career.", "problems": [{"question": "Normally a student would at least attend _ classes each week.", "answer": "B", "options": ["36", "12", "20", "15"]}, {"question": "American university students are usually under pressure of work because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["their academic performance will affect their future careers", "they are heavily involved in student affairs", "they have to obey university discipline", "they want to run for positions of authority"]}, {"question": "Some students are enthusiastic for position in student organizations probably because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["they hate the constant pressure and strain of their study", "they will then be able to stay longer in the university", "such positions help them get better jobs", "such positions are usually well paid"]}, {"question": "The student organizations seem to be effective in _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["dealing with the academic affairs of the university", "ensuring that the students obey university regulations", "evaluating students' performance by bringing them before a court", "keeping up the students' enthusiasm for social activities."]}]} -{"article": "At the age of seven I started taking violin lessons. I practiced half an hour every day, went to lessons once a week, and occasionally played in a group concert. Like most kids, I always thought practicing was boring. If my parents hadn't been there to make me practice, I probably would have put down my violin and never have picked it up again.\nI met Moira when I was 11 at an Irish music party. Moira hosted the party that night, playing the violin, singing and dancing. She made sure that everyone in the room got involved and had a great time. I immediately fell in love with the music she played and the energy that she brought to it. Just a few days after that party, I took my first lesson with Moira, and I continued taking lessons with Moira throughout middle school.\nWhen I started playing the violin with Moira, playing music became something that I loved. She introduced me to so many types of music, from Irish to Old Time, to Cajun. Moira also taught me to play the guitar. Soon we started performing together and were shocked to discover that people actually wanted to hear us! When I began to play the violin, practicing was something that I did at home in my living room, but with Moira's influence it quickly became something that I did everywhere. I played on street corners, at festivals, at the beach, at parties, at weddings, and late at night in my friends' kitchens.\nMoira took the music out to the classroom and brought it to life. Her passion was not only for playing music, but also for sharing it. My time with Moira allowed me to grow both musically and personally. I have met so many special people and had so many invaluable experiences. Moira has proven to be the most important influence in my musical development, and also my invaluable friend.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The writer had her violin lessons every day.", "The writer disliked the kids who hated the violin.", "The writer usually played music in school concerts.", "At first the writer was not active in learning the violin."]}, {"question": "The passage didn't say directly but we can learn that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Moira was a good neighbor", "the writer was a good singer", "Moira was a good organizer", "the writer was a music teacher"]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["My Way to Success.", "My Invaluable Friend.", "My Middle School Life.", "How I learned the Violin."]}]} -{"article": "My room faces the sun in the morning and on clear summer mornings it wakes me bright and fresh, no matter what time I stayed up till; I'll get up and make breakfast. \nThis morning I wake up suddenly, like the alarm clock in my head has given me a little electric shock; it isn't sunny outside. I pull back the curtains and the sky is dark grey. \nHearing my brother is getting up, I go downstairs to make him a cup of tea. He's down in the kitchen about five minutes later, wearing his work clothes, eyes mostly closed against the morning. \n\"Morning.\" I say. \n\"Uh huh.\" \nI leave him to work out what he is going to eat and go back to my room, and get back beneath the quilt . \nThis morning I want to think a while. Today is Dad's birthday; Mom won't mention it. My brother might, just to _ , so I'll keep him sweet when he comes in from work. Every year on my dad's birthday I draw a picture of him; each year he looks a bit different. I'm an artist. It's not that I draw a straighter line or a truer circle, as they try to teach us to do at school. I just get the message across more clearly than other people. More truthfully. I know it.\nI read a lot of books too, mainly about artists, and I try to paint like them. When my dad comes back I'll be able to say \"this is you when I was twelve and I was in love with Monet\" or \"this is you on your thirty-eighth birthday, when I was fourteen, and you'd been gone five years, and I wanted to paint like Dante Gabriel Rossetti.\" And he'll look at each painting and know that I love him and never forget him. \nOn Saturday mornings he'd take me to town and I'd drag him around the art shops. On my sixth birthday he bought me a box of 99 crayons. On my eighth birthday he bought me an easel , a real one, not a kiddie's. On my ninth birthday he bought me oils. Some mornings I'd wake up and there'd be a book on my pillow about Picasso, or Chagall.\n\"Draw me,\" he'd say. \n\"Aw, Dad, I can't.\"\nI know I should go to school; I'm not one of those kids who are scared to go. But, it's my dad's birthday and I think I must spend it with him. \nSo I spend some time thinking about his hair, which I think is probably no more grey than it was last year; I know hair doesn't age at the same speed every year, but I make his hair longer this year. And in my mind's eye I give him an extra few pounds too. But I keep the smile fixed in my head, like it is when he's happy. \nIt's head and shoulders, so I'll put him in a T-shirt that shows his neck and throat and how strong he is and how brightly his eyes shine and how his eyebrows are dead level straight and still black. \nI try to think of how much I want to show and how much I want to tell. \nThen I pick up a charcoal stick and do it. I pick up a chalk to add a suggestion of color1 to his eyes, then another chalk for his mouth. \nAnd there he is. \nDad. \nThere _ are.", "problems": [{"question": "The author wakes up suddenly this morning because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["it is a dark grey morning", "it is time for her to make breakfast", "it is her father's birthday", "she doesn't want to go to school"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is NOT true?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The author's father left home when she was twelve.", "The author has drawn more than five pictures of her father.", "The author's mother won't hear a word about her father.", "The author's brother is a worker."]}, {"question": "We can infer from the article that the author is _ her father.", "answer": "C", "options": ["forgiving", "blaming", "missing", "defending"]}]} -{"article": "Homework can put you in a badmood , and that might actually be a good thing. Researchers from the University of Plymouth in England doubted whether mood might affect the way kids learn. To find out the answer, they did two experiments with children.\nThe first experiment tested 30 kids. Someshapes were hidden inside a different, larger picture. The kids had to find the small shapes while sitting in a room with either cheerful or sad music playing in the background. To test their mood, the scientists asked the kids to point to one of five faces, from happy to sad. Children who listened to cheerful music tended to point to the smiley faces while the others pointed to the unhappy ones. The researchers found that sad kids took at least a second less to find the small shapes. They also found an average of three or four more shapes.\nIn the second experiment, 61 children watched one of two scenes from a film. One scene was happy, and the other was sad. Just like in the first experiment, kids who saw the sad scene acted better compared to the others.\nThe researchers guessed that feeling down makes people more likely to focus on a problem or difficult situation. Not all scientists agree with them, however. Other studies argued that maybe, that cheerful music in the first experimentdistracted kids from finding shapes.\nWhile scientists work on finding out the answers, it still might be wise to choose when to do your tasks according to your mood. After eating a delicious ice cream, for example, write an essay.", "problems": [{"question": "Researchers did experiments on kids in order to find out _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["how they really feel when they are learning", "whether mood affects their learning ability", "what methods are easy for kids to learn", "the relationship between sadness and happiness"]}, {"question": "The researchers found in the first experiment that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["kids who listened to happy music turned out to be energetic", "kids who listened to sad music liked to choose smiley faces", "kids worked harder in the background of happy music", "sad music helped kids find out small shapes quickly"]}, {"question": "What can we learn from the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The researchers will continue to do experiments.", "The researchers have found a clear answer.", "The experiments are popular among kids.", "Kids change their feelings more easily."]}, {"question": "We can infer that the text is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["a science survey", "a research report", "a school project", "an introduction to an experiment"]}]} -{"article": "Does style really sell? How can the appearance of a product be more important than what it does? The battle between form and function rose again when James Dyson, British inventor of the Dvson vacuum cleaner that has sold in millions around the world, resigned as chairman of London's Design Museum. It is widely believed that Mr. Dyson felt that the museum put too much stress on style at the expense of serious industrial design.\nMr. Dyson accused the museum of not keeping true to itself. He may be right, but these days, museums everywhere can no longer afford to be unique centers of scholarship and learning. Among competition for sponsorship, they must use exhibitions of populist culture, nice cafes and shops or, best of all, a new building by Frank Gehry to increase visitor numbers.\nOn the one hand, some producers can be too old-fashioned and too concerned with the importance of product engineering and the functionality of their goods. On the other hand, there are those who believe that how a product looks is more important. Design is indeed a broad term, involving both function and form. Typically, in any given product area, it changes from the former to the latter. Clothing is a good example. But surely you would have to be a very shallow person to think something's appearance is more important than what it does.\nToday nearly all goods at any given price point do much the same job. So almost the only way producers can differentiate their products from those of their competitors is to create some sort of emotional connection with the consumer, which could be through the visual appeal of the product or its packaging, or the imagery created by advertising. And what of the Dyson vacuum cleaner? Mr. Dyson may believe that people buy these machines because of the graphs showing their superior suction, but most vacuum cleaners do a good job; the main reason people pay extra for a Dyson is that it is a vacuum cleaner with a fashionable brand. With its inside workings exposed, it is a bit like a Richard Rogers building with all its pipes shown in bright colors on the outside instead of being hidden inside. Functional it may be, but it is a bit of a trick, too.", "problems": [{"question": "Mr. Dyson left the Design Museum because he thought the museum _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["didn't increase the number of visitors", "couldn't provide scholarships for learners", "wasn't loyal to its original purpose of learning", "didn't have great appeal for serious industrial design"]}, {"question": "The author believes that people buy the Dyson vacuum cleaner because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["it has very good suction", "it is fashionable", "it sells well around the world", "it is invented by James Dyson"]}, {"question": "What is the author's attitude towards the form of a product?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Optimistic.", "Doubtful.", "Disapproving.", "Objective."]}]} -{"article": "There are three different kinds of friends in our life. I classify them according to how well I know them and how well they know me.\nThe first type of friend is just an acquaintance .This means that you only know their name. You might not even remember what they look like if you go away for a short vacation. You don't miss them when they are elsewhere. It is also this type of friend who gives you the most amount of aggravation .Since most of the time you are placed in a position where you have to act friendly. You would not normally tell an acquaintance when he or she is doing something that makes you feel angry,such as tapping the fingers on a table or shouting loudly. I call them \"pest friends\".\nThe second kind of friend is a \"guest friend\".They are just social partners. You meet them at a certain location and at the end of the meeting you go your separate way and they go theirs. You don't talk too often with this sort of friend,and you don't share each other's secrets.\nLastly,we have \"best friends\".This sort of friend is there when you need them. They know you as a person and they are there through thick and thin. Best friends are the ones that you can lean and depend on no matter what happens. If you need a listening ear,they will be the one to lend support.\nFriends come in all different shapes and sizes. Every friend has an influence on our life....", "problems": [{"question": "What is this passage mainly about?", "answer": "B", "options": ["What a true friend is like.", "Three kinds of friends in our life.", "The role that friends play in our life.", "Why there are different kinds of friends."]}, {"question": "According to the writer,when a friend of the first type acts in an annoying way,you _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["can tell him/her about it directly", "should stay away from him/her", "should advise him/her to correct his/her behavior", "may find it hard to tell him/her not to do so"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is WRONG about the second type of friend?", "answer": "D", "options": ["They are only social partners.", "You don't talk very often with them.", "You don't share your secrets with them.", "They are called \"pest friends\" by the writer."]}]} -{"article": "A nine-year-old kid was sitting at his desk when suddenly there was a puddle between his feet and the front of his trousers was wet. He thought his heart was going to stop because he couldn't possibly imagine how this had happened. It had never happened before, and he knew that when the boys found out, especially Jack, _ When the girls found out, especially Martha and Jackie, they would never speak to him again as long as he lived.\nHe prayed this prayer, \"Dear God, I need help now! Five minutes from now I'm dead meat!\" He looked up from his prayer and here came the teacher with a look in her eyes that said he had been discovered. As the teacher was walking toward him, a classmate named Susie was carrying a goldfish bowl full of water. Susie lost her balance in front of the teacher and dumped the bowl of water in the boy's lap. The boy pretended to be angry, but all the while was saying to himself, \"Thank you, Lord!\"\nNow all of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule , the boy was the object of sympathy . The teacher rushed him downstairs and gave him gym shorts to put on while his trousers dried out. All the other children were on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk. Martha even gave him her own candy. The sympathy was wonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his had been turned to someone else--Susie. She tried to help, but they told her to get out.\nWhen school was over, the boy walked over to Susie and whispered, \"You did that on purpose, didn't you?\" Susie whispered back, \"I wet my trousers once, too!\"", "problems": [{"question": "After Susie dumped water in his lap, the boy was in a state of _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["disappointment", "relief", "anxiety", "anger"]}, {"question": "What did the other kids do after the incident?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They offered him dry clothes.", "They laughed at the boy rudely.", "They helped the boy do the cleaning.", "They urged the boy to get out angrily."]}, {"question": "Why did Susie dump water in the boy's lap?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The boy asked her to do so.", "She just did it by accident.", "The teacher told her to do so.", "She knew the boy's trouble."]}, {"question": "Besides Susie, _ also knows what had really happened to the boy.", "answer": "C", "options": ["Martha", "Jack", "the teacher", "the boys"]}]} -{"article": "Every day when I enter the classroom, I will take a look at the wall beside my seat. You will find nothing special about this old wall if you just look at it. But for the students in my class, it is a special wall. Take a good look at it, and you will get to know the real feelings and thoughts of us, the 9th graders.\nIn the middle of the wall, there is a big \"VICTORY\". It was written in pencil. I guess it must have been written by someone who got a good mark in an exam.\nA little higher above the formulas, there is a poem. It only has two sentences. It reads: All those sweet memories have disappeared. Like tears dropping in the heavy rain. Oh! It must have been written at the end of the last semester in middle school. Classmates had to leave school and good friends had to _ . What a sad poem!\nIf you \"explore\" the wall more carefully, you will find many other interesting things, like a crying face, or a happy face, and other patterns . There are still some patterns and letters that I can't understand, but they all show the feeling of the students who drew them.\nFor years, the wall has witnessed all the things that have happened in the classroom. I don't know how it will be next year, two years from now, or even ten years from now. But I hope more smiling faces will be drawn on it.", "problems": [{"question": "There is _ special on this wall.", "answer": "A", "options": ["something", "anything", "nothing", "everything"]}, {"question": "What was the \"VICTORY\" written in?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Chalk", "Pencil", "Pen", "Brush"]}, {"question": "When has the poem been written?", "answer": "C", "options": ["At the beginning of the last semester.", "At the end of the year.", "At the end of the last semester.", "At the beginning of the last month."]}, {"question": "What's the title of the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The Pictures of the Wall", "The Feelings of the Students", "The Patterns of the Classroom", "The Hope of the Writer"]}]} -{"article": "No one was left in the museum now, and John was walking round to see if everything was all right. Suddenly he saw a beautiful painting lying on the floor. John picked it up and gave it to the director of the museum.\nThe director called several museums to check and see if it was a stolen painting, but no one claimed it. So the director decided to hang it in the museum. All the experts came to look at the painting. Each one said it was beautiful and had very deep meaning. The director was proud to have such a painting in his museum and congratulated John on his discovery.\nSome weeks later a woman and her little son came to the museum. While they were looking at the new painting, the little boy began to cry. The director went over and asked him.\n\"Why are you crying?\"\nThe child pointed to the painting and said, \"That's my painting on the wall and I want it back.\"\n\"Yes,\" said his mother, \"he left it on the floor a few weeks ago. If you look carefully, you can see his name on the painting.\"", "problems": [{"question": "John was perhaps _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["a painter", "an expert on painting", "a visitor to the museum", "a man working in the museum"]}, {"question": "John found the painting _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["before the museum opened", "after the museum was closed", "during his visit to the museum", "while he was enjoying his walk"]}, {"question": "The boy began to cry before the painting because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["he was afraid of it", "he thought it was his painting", "he wanted to have the painting back", "Both B and C"]}, {"question": "After the director heard what the woman and the boy said, he must be very _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["angry", "afraid", "surprised", "proud"]}, {"question": "All the experts thought the painting good because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["it was really very beautiful and had very deep meaning", "the painting was drawn by a famous painter though he was a child", "all of them did not look carefully enough", "they examined it very carefully"]}]} -{"article": "IT'S a mystery that has puzzled scientists. Five years ago, researchers found an area in the Atlantic Ocean seabed, where a part of the Earth's outer layer, or crust , is missing. A thick layer of dark green rock, which is usually found deep inside the planet, lies exposed.\nThe crust, mantle and core are the main layers that make up the planet. The mantle rests between the crust and the core.\nLast month, a team of 12 British scientists set off on a six-week trip to study the hole in the crust.\nThe hole is about 4,800 meters below sea level and is believed to be more than 48,000 meters long and more than 48,000 meters wide. Scientists think that there are other nearby gaps. \"It is like a window into the interior of the Earth,\" says scientist Bramley Murton, who is part of the research team.\nThe site where the hole is located is part of a ridge of undersea volcanoes. There, two of the plates that make up the Earth's surface meet. The plates are always moving. When the plates move away from each other, lava rushes up from the mantle to fill the gap and form a new crust. But this did not happen in the area where the hole is located.\nThe hole is giving researchers a good opportunity to study what's below the Earth's surface. The team will use a special robotic tool to film the area and get samples of the exposed mantle. They hope to study everything from the chemistry of the oceans to how the Earth's surface behaves under the sea.", "problems": [{"question": "What's the title for the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["How to study the earth.", "The formation of the earth.", "A hole in the earth.", "Studying the inside of the earth."]}, {"question": "For the main layers of the earth, which one is right?", "answer": "A", "options": ["crust, mantle, core", "seabed, crust, mantle", "seabed, mantle, core", "crust, seabed, core"]}, {"question": "How does the hole come into being?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It's because of a volcano eruption.", "It's because of the plates movements", "It's because lava rushes up from the mantle", "It's not clear from the passage."]}, {"question": "By studying the hole, the scientists want to do the following except _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["knowing what's below the Earth's surface", "getting samples of the exposed mantle", "getting the film of the hole", "studying the chemistry of the oceans"]}]} -{"article": "The day was warm and the sun shone down like a new beginning on my life. I was waving goodbye to my son, the last one of my fledglings to leave home and go to new woods. \"University actually\" I felt so lighthearted after spending many years looking after my four children-cooking, washing, ironing, teaching them how to look after themselves and manage their financcs-that I nctually thought \"At long last, freedom\".\nBut, as I watched my last one leave, although it was a joyous occasion, I realized I had not really prepared for this day, I _ bringing up these adults of the future to realize that they would all leave the nest and lives indupendently.\nAt first I didn't know what \"I\" wanted to do. I tried a part time job, which ended in me running out in tears. I started a business making soft furnishings, but that didn't work either. I got my own veggies and fruit, which lasted 3 years, until I was advised by my doctor that my feet couldn't take any more \"tools\" driven through them. \nIt began wondering if I did have a future of my own, I cried for the life I was used to, and hadn't known or wanted anything different.\nThen one day I saw an advert for foster parents, I discussed it with my husband who was always behind everything I tried and with great disturbance I rang up the number.\nI now laugh and sing with my 14-year-old foster daughter, even when my cooker is a mess and my bathroom is a disaster area. I now know, 8 years later, what \"I\" was meant to be doing with all the spare hours, days, and weeks I had on my hands when my hands when my last fledgling flew thenest. The sun shines once again in my home.", "problems": [{"question": "How did the mother first feel when her last child went off to university?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Lonely.", "Anxious.", "Relieved.", "Annoyed."]}, {"question": "What did the empty-nested mother think of her husband?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Skilled", "Supportive", "Stubborn", "Open-minded"]}, {"question": "Thanks to the foster daughter, the author _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["got rid of her busy work", "forgot her other children", "found a suitable job", "knew what she really wanted"]}]} -{"article": "The Mayan Indians lived in Mexico for thousands of years. The Maya were so bright that they achieved a lot. They had farms, temples and cities with many buildings. They knew much about nature and the world around them. This knowledge helped them to live a better life than most people of that time.\nIn ancient Mexico there were many small clearings in the forest. In each clearing was a village with fields of crops around it. The Maya planted seeds after they cleared the land. A farmer was able to grow crops that produced for several people. But not every Maya had to be a farmer. Some were builders or priests .\nThe Maya believed in many gods. They built large temples to honor them. Skillful workers built cities around these temples. It was difficult because they had to carry all of the building materials themselves. Today, many of these ancient Mayan cities and temples are still standing.\nAlthough the Maya worked hard to build the beautiful cities, very few of them lived in them. Usually, only the priests lived in the cities. The other people lived in small villages in the forests. Their houses were much simpler. Most Maya lived a simple life close to nature.\nMeasuring time correctly was important to the Maya, so Mayan priests made a system to keep track of time. They wrote numbers as dots ( ... ) and bars ( -- ). They also made a calendar . The year was divided into 18 months of 20 days each with five days left over.\nAround the year 800, the Maya left their villages and beautiful cities, never to return. No one knows why this happened. They may have died from a deadly disease. They may have left because the soil could no longer grow crops. The lost secrets of the Maya are still beyond the reach of modern people. _ are still one of our greatest mysteries .", "problems": [{"question": "The Maya lived better than most people of their times because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["they had skillful workers", "they believed in many gods", "they knew better about nature", "they could measure time correctly"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the passage that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the calendar was first invented by the ancient Maya", "the ancient Mayan cities and temples were well built", "the ancient Mayan people led a happy life in the cities", "the priests were not highly respected by the ancient Maya"]}, {"question": "Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The Life of the Maya", "The Cities of the Maya", "The Mystery of the Maya", "The Belief of the Maya"]}]} -{"article": "Do you suffer from perfectionism ?\nAccording to psychologist and perfectionism researcher, Hamaehek D.E.there are two types of perfectionism: normal and neurotic .A person with normal or healthy perfectionism feels a deep sense of pleasure from the dull effort of working towards \"perfect\". And then there are the neurotic or unhealthy perfectionists who never feel satisfied but keep struggling towards impossible goals.These people often measure their own self-worth entirely in terms of productivity and accomplishment.\nIt is necessary to notice if you are struggling and feel tense while trying to perfect your recipe, article, parenting, job, project, etc.You are fighting and resisting your own humanness.\nHow do you know if you suffer from perfectionism?\n* Are you afraid of making mistakes?\n* Do you get impatient with others when they make a mistake?\n* If you fail an assignment at work or school, do you feel like a failure?\n* How do you feel when you read these questions?\nYour relationship with yourself is the foundation for all of your other relationships.If you are hard on yourself, then you'll in turn be hard on others.If we are unable to care for our innermost beings, then our lives will reflect this fault in some way.Embracing your own humanness is the doorway to seeing the miracles of who you are at your best.\nDr. Bemie Siegcl writes in his new book on miracles, \"Our body loves us, but it needs to know we love our lives in order for it to do all it can to help us survive.The change in body energy motivated by the love leads to chemical changes in our body and makes a difference.\nIn many cases, this kind of miracle needs hard work.But when you are willing to do the work, and live in your heart, it can happen.\"", "problems": [{"question": "According to the text, people with neurotic perfectionism probably _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["worry about their health", "get great pleasure from their hard work", "accept no failure in life", "take great pride in doing doll work"]}, {"question": "The major difference between normal and neurotic perfectionism lies in _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["self-confidence .", "self-expectation", "sense of accomplishment", "sense of satisfaction"]}, {"question": "In the opinion of Dr.Bemie Siegel, the miracle has roots in _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["love of our life", "chemical changes in our body", "hard work .", "eagerness for success"]}]} -{"article": "You must have been troubled by when to say \"I love you\" because it is one of the greatest puzzles in our life.\nWhat if you say it first and your partner doesn't love you back? Or if they do say it but you don't feel they mean it? Being the first to declare your love can be never racking and risky and can leave you feeling as vulnerable as a turtle with no shell. But is the person who says it first really in a position of weakness? Doesn't it pay to hold back, play it cool and wait until the other half has shown their hand faster?\n\"A really good relationship should be about being fair and being equal,\" says psychologist Sidney Crown. \"But love is seldom equal.\" \"All relationships go through power struggles but,\" he says, \"if a love imbalance continues for years, the rot will set in.\" That feeling of \"I've always loved you more\" may be subverted (,) for a time, but it never goes away completely and it often emerges in squabbling . In love, at least, the silent, withholding type is not always the most powerful. \"The strongest one in a relationship is often the person who feels confident enough to talk about their feelings,\" says educational psychologist Ingrid Collins. Psychosexual therapist Paula Hall agrees. \"The one with the upper hand is often the person who takes the initiative.\" In fact, the person who says \"I love you\" first may also be the one who says \"I'm bored with you' first.\" Hall believes that much depends on how \"I love you\" is said and the motivation of the person saying it. Is it said when they're drunk? Is it said before their partner flies off on holiday, and what it really means is \"Please don' t be unfaithful to me\" ? By saying \"I love you\", they are really saying \"Do you love me?\" If so, wouldn't it just be more honest to say that. Collins agrees that intention is everything. \"It's not what is said, but how it's said. What it comes down to is the sincerity of the speaker.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What is the main idea of this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The importance of \"I love you\"", "The meaning of \"I love you\"", "The time of saying \"I love you\".", "The place of saying \"I love you\""]}, {"question": "In the first sentence the author means that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["it is easy to say \"I love you\"", "it is hard to say \"I love you\"", "we have many troubles in our life", "people usually do not know when to say \"I love you\""]}, {"question": "According to the expert, a good relationship should be _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["fair and equal", "fair and kind", "powerful and equal", "confident and fair"]}, {"question": "What is the most important for you to consider when somebody say \"I love you\" to you?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The intention.", "The place.", "The time.", "The determination."]}]} -{"article": "A few months ago as I wandered through my parents' house, the same house I grew up in, I had a sudden, scary realization. When my parents bought the house, in 1982, they were only two years older than I am now. I tried to imagine myself in two years, ready to settle down and buy the house I'd still be living in almost 30 years later.\n It seemed ridiculous. On a practical level, there's no way I could afford to buy a house anytime soon. More importantly, I wouldn't want to. I'm not sure where I'll be living in two years, or what kind of job I'll have. And I don't think I'll be ready to settle down and stay in one place.\n So this is probably the generation gap that divides my friends and me from our parents. When our parents were our age, they'd gotten their education, chosen a career, and were starting to settle into responsible adult lives.\n My friends and I - \"Generation Y\" - still aren't sure what we want to do with our lives. Whatever we end up doing, we want to make sure we're happy doing it. We'd rather take risks first, try out different jobs, and move from one city to another until we find our favorite place. We'd rather spend our money on travel than put it in a savings account.\n This casual attitude toward responsibility has caused some critics to call my generation \"arrogant\", \"impatient\", and \"overprotected\". Some of these complaints have a point. As children ,we were encouraged to succeed in school, but also to have fun. We grew up in a world full of technological innovation: cellphones, the Internet, instant messaging, and video games.\n Our parents looked to rise vertically --starting at the bottom of the ladder and slowly making their way to the top, on the same track, often for the same company. That doesn't apply to my generation.\n Because of that, it may take us longer than our parents to arrive at responsible, stable adulthood. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. In our desire to find satisfaction, we will work harder, strive for ways to keep life interesting, and gain a broader set of experiences and knowledge than our parents' generation did. \nBy Ariel Lewiton", "problems": [{"question": "When the author walked through her parents' house, she _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["was frightened that she had no idea what she wanted from life", "started to think about her own life", "realized I should buy a house.", "wondered why her parents had settled down early"]}, {"question": "What is the main \"generation gap\" between the author and her friends and their parents according to the article?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Their attitude toward high technology.", "Their ways of making their way to the top.", "Their attitude towards responsibility.", "Their ways of gaining experience."]}, {"question": "Which of the following might the author agree with?", "answer": "A", "options": ["It's all right to try more before settling down.", "It's better to take adult responsibility earlier.", "It involves too much effort to rise vertically.", "It's ridiculous to call her generation \"arrogant\"."]}, {"question": "What can we conclude from the article?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The author is envious of her parents enjoying a big house at her age.", "Growing up in a hi-tech world makes \"Generation Y\" feel insecure about relationships.", "\"Generation Y\" people don't want to grow up and love to be taken care of by their parents.", "The author wrote this article so that others would be able to understand her generation better."]}, {"question": "What is the main theme of the article?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The sudden realization of growing up.", "A comparison between lifestyles of generations.", "Criticisms of the young generation.", "The factors that have changed the young generation."]}]} -{"article": "Early this morning, I got up to make cookies for my neighbor. But actually she hardly greeted me when we saw each other.\nLast Monday, she called the firefighters when my house began to fog up while I was out. Luckily, nothing serious had happened. When I thanked her and apologized for causing the trouble, she just asked if my cats were all right and stepped into her house. I felt strangely safe, knowing that even though we don't get along, she'd done the right thing. So, the yummy cookies.\nLast winter, my neighbor carelessly let it out that she was holding a _ towards me because of an incident we'd had four years ago. I had particularly apologized and asked if there was anything I could do to improve our relationship. She would not accept my apology.\nIt had taken me a lot of courage to apologize and ask that question. Her refusal to make amends really saddened me. After that, I decided I'd just leave her be. So I was really scared she was going to refuse my offer again. I know some people have a hard time understanding how the possibility of rejection can make an adult so afraid, but that's just the way I felt.\nThen, I reminded myself of how good I had felt yesterday when I'd done some acts of kindness after telling myself: Feel the fear, and do it anyway! So I put the cookies on a beautiful plate, opened my apartment door--and there she was, standing in the hallway. But when she saw me, she went back inside. I went after her and quickly said, \"I'm sorry, I've got something for you! I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am that you were paying attention on Monday.\" When she heard me speaking, she turned around. As I held the plate towards her, her eyebrows winged up and she took the plate. I was so happy and excited.\nBack in my place, I did a \"happy dance\", because I had dared to be kind even though I hadn't been sure my kindness would be welcome. I do hope that our relationship will slowly get better. I know I was and still am biased towards her at times, but even if we don't make amends, I want to be able to be kind without depending on other people's behaviors and reactions.", "problems": [{"question": "The neighbor hardly greeted the writer most probably because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the writer's cats disturb her neighbor frequently", "the writer didn't thank her for calling the firefighters", "the writer never apologized to her for her misbehaviors", "the writer had an unpleasant experience with the neighbor long ago"]}, {"question": "What does the author try to tell us?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Don't punish yourself because of others' mistakes.", "We should be kind to others, regardless of their behavior.", "We must keep a good relationship with our neighbors.", "When we make a mistake, we should have the courage to admit it."]}]} -{"article": "I was born on the 17th of November 1828, in the village of Nam Ping, which is about four miles southwest of the Portuguese Colony of Macao, and is located on Pedro Island lying west of Macao, from which it is separated by a channel of half a mile wide.\nAs early as 1834, an English lady, Mrs. Gutzlaff, wife of a missionary to China, came to Macao. Supported by the Ladies' Association in London for the promotion of female education in India and the East, she immediately took up the work of starting a girls' school for Chinese girls, which was soon followed by the opening of a boys' school.\nMrs. Gutzlaff's comprador happened to come from my village and was actually my father's friend and neighbor. It was through him that my parents heard about Mrs. Gutzlaff's school and it was doubtlessly through his influence and means that my father got me admitted into the school. It has always been a mystery to me why my parents should put me into a foreign school, instead of a traditional Confucian school, where my big brother was placed. Most certainly such a step would have been more suitable for Chinese public opinion, taste, and the wants of the country, than to allow me to attend an English school. Moreover, a Chinese belief is the only avenue in China that leads to political promotion, influence, power and wealth. I can only guess that as foreign communication with China was just beginning to grow, my parents hoped that it might be worthwhile to put one of their sons to learning English. In this way he might become an interpreter and have a more advantageous position to enter the business and diplomatic world. I am wondering if that influenced my parents to put me into Mrs. Gutzlaff's School. As to what other _ it has eventually brought about in my later life, they were entirely left in the hands of God.", "problems": [{"question": "How was the author admitted to Mrs. Gutzlaff's school?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Through his father's request.", "Through his father's friend's help.", "Through his own efforts to exams.", "Through Mrs. Gutzlaff's influence."]}, {"question": "Why did the author's parents put him into an English school?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It met with Chinese public opinion.", "An English school was more influential.", "He could become a successful interpreter.", "Foreign trade with China was developing fast."]}, {"question": "What did the author think of his parents' decision to put him into an English school?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It was skeptical.", "It was wonderful.", "It was thoughtful.", "It was mysterious."]}]} -{"article": "According to a recent study out of the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, men with shaved heads are considered to be more manly, powerful, and successful than those with longer hair or thinning hair. Besides, in some cases, they are considered to have greater leadership potential . That may explain why the power-buzz look has become popular among business leaders in recent years.\nAlbert Mannes, Wharton management lecturer, said he was encouraged to do the research after noticing that he was treated with more respect when he shaved off his thinning hair.\nMannes did three experiments to test people's impression of men with shaved heads. In one of the experiments, he showed 344 subject photos of the same men in two versions: one showing the men with hair and the other showing them with their hair digitally removed, so their heads appear shaved. In all three tests, the subject report found the men with shaved heads are more dominant than their hairy counterparts .\nThe study found that men with thinning hair were viewed as the least attractive and powerful. For those men, _ .\nNew York image consultant Julie Rath advised her clients to get closely cropped when they start thinning up top. \"There is something really strong, powerful and confident about laying it all bare ,\" she said, describing the thinning look as kind of raunchy .\nNot everyone needs a bare head. Rick Devine, 55, the CEO of Devine Capital Partners, advised executive candidates attracted by their clippers to keep their hair closely cropped, rather than completely shaved. \"It is way too much image risk,\" he said, \"The best thing you can do in a business meeting is to make your look not an issue.\"", "problems": [{"question": "When did Albert Mannes decide to do the research?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Long before he shaved his own thinning hair.", "When he was looked down upon because of his thinning hair.", "When people treated him more respectfully after he shaved his thinning hair.", "When he noticed that others began to shave their thinning hair."]}, {"question": "What's the author's attitude toward men's bear heads?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Objective", "Negative", "Positive", "Doubtful"]}]} -{"article": "The sound of a mosquito can mean trouble in many parts of the world. The bite of the mosquito can be deadly. The insects carry serious diseases like malaria . It is estimated that almost 630,000 people died from malaria and malariarelated causes in 2012, and most of these cases were in African countries.\nIn the United States, a group of California scientists are working to develop a more effective and less costly substance to protect people from mosquitoes. The researchers are investigating the sense of smell in mosquitoes. They found the insects use the same _ for identifying carbon dioxide in human breath as they do for the smell of our skin. Anandasankar Ray, who is leading the investigation, says scientists tested more than a million chemical compounds until they found a substance called Ethyl Pyruvate. He says Ethyl Pyruvate makes the mosquitoes' receptors inactive. \"When we apply Ethyl Pyruvate to a human arm and offer it to hungry mosquitoes in a cage, very few of the mosquitoes are attracted to the human arm because only a few of them are able to smell it out,\" said Ray.\nGenevieve Tauxe, a member of the research team, says it was not easy to find the neurons of noble cells that recognize both the smell of human breath and skin. \"With the device used to examine the mosquito, we are able to insert a very small electrode into the part of the mosquito's nose, where its smelling neurons are and where the smell is happening,\" said Tauxe.\nAnandasankar Ray says a product based on Ethyl Pyruvate may cost less to produce than DEFT, the most effective chemical treatment now in use. He says DEFT is too costly for most people who live in areas affected by malaria.\n\"Perhaps by finding smells that can attack other target receptors, we will be able to improve upon DEFT and finally have the next generation of insect behaviour control products,\" said Ray.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, Ethyl Pyruvate can _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["kill the mosquitoes' smelling neurons", "cause the mosquitoes to lose their senses of smell", "result in the inactiveness of the mosquitoes' receptors", "make the mosquitoes uninterested in human breath and skin smell"]}, {"question": "Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Ethyl Pyruvate--an Insect Behaviour Control Product", "Malaria--a Serious Disease Causing 630,000 Deaths", "Scientists Find a New Substance to Fight Mosquitoes", "A New Generation of DEET Has Been Developed to Kill Mosquitoes"]}, {"question": "This passage most probably appears in _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["a textbook of medical schools", "a collection of doctors' essays", "the column of newspaper ads", "the health column of a magazine"]}]} -{"article": "If a person forgets names , places or facts --and has trouble with everyday things like reading or shopping --it may not mean you are getting old . It could be Alzheimer's disease . So it's important to see a doctor as soon as you can .\nThere is no cure for Alzheimer's . But a drug called ARICEPT has been used by millions of people to help their symptoms .\nIn studies , ARICEPT has been proved to work for Alzheimer's . It has helped people improve their memory over time . It has also helped them to keep doing everyday things on their own .\nAsk your doctor if ARICEPT is right for you or your loved one . It is the Number One drug for Alzheimer's in the world . The sooner you know it's Alzheimer's , the better ARICEPT can help .\nARICEPT is good for many but may not be good for everyone . Some people may experience not sleeping well , feeling very tired , or not wanting to eat . In studies , these side effects weren't serious at all and went away over time . Some people taking ARICEPT may feel light-headed . In this case you should tell your doctors because your condition may get worse .", "problems": [{"question": "If one suffers from Alzheimer's ,_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["he can't do everyday things on his own", "he has trouble with his memory", "he often forgets things because he is old", "he can't move about"]}, {"question": "What is ARICEPT ?", "answer": "D", "options": ["A medicine to cure Alzheimer's", "A medicine to delay signs of aging .", "A medicine to cure brain damage .", "A medicine to reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's ."]}, {"question": "One who is taking ARICEPT should go to see a doctor if he_.", "answer": "A", "options": ["feels like a drunken man", "feels tired out", "has no desire to eat", "can't fall asleep"]}]} -{"article": "Researchers at the University of Bedforshire have developed a new technique for powering electronic device . The system, developed by Professor Ben Allen at the Centre for Wireless Research, uses radio waves as power.\nBelieved to be a world first, the team claims it could eventually get rid of the need for conventional batteries. The university has now applied for a patent application to secure the only rights to the technique.\nProfessor Allen and his team have created a system to use medium wave frequencies to replace batteries in small everyday devices like clocks and remote controls.\nThe new technique uses the \"waste\" energy of radio waves and has been developed as part of the university's research into \"power harvesting\". Professor Allen said that as radio waves have energy---like light waves, sound waves or wind waves---in theory, these waves could be used to create power.\n\"The new area of power harvesting technology promises to reduce our reliance on conventional batteries,\" he said. \"It's really exciting way of taking power from sources other than what we would normally think of.\"\nThe team is now waiting for the results of the patent application to secure recognition of the technique. Professor Allen said that the team's achievements had all been done in their \"spare time\". \"Our next stage is to try and raise some real funds so that we can take this work forward and make a working pattern and maybe partner up with the right people and take this to a full product in due course,\" he said.\n\"Power harvesting has a really important part in our future, because, just in this country, we leave somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000 tons of batteries in landfill sites every single year-that is poisonous chemicals going into the ground.\"\nHe added that development of the product could also be \"commercially beneficial\". \"The market for this is several billion pounds. We've seen market predictions for 2020 which have these kinds of figures, so there's a lot of commercial potential in this area,\" he said.\nPro-Vice Chancellor at the University of Bedfordshire, Professor Carsten Maple said, \"This type of work is a reflection of the university's growing reputation and experience in carrying out creating research.\"", "problems": [{"question": "From the text we know the new technique for powering electronic devices _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["can be applied to all electronic devices.", "uses radio waves to create power.", "has replaced conventional batteries.", "produces many poisonous chemicals."]}, {"question": "According to Professor Allen, power harvesting technology _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["makes every use of radio waves.", "takes power from usual sources.", "reduces our dependency on conventional batteries.", "aims at huge commercial benefits."]}, {"question": "What can we learn about Professor Allen and his team from the text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["They have made use of radio waves in their daily life.", "They have raised a big fund to support their research.", "They have gained a patent for their new technology.", "They mainly did their research in their spare time."]}, {"question": "What is Professor Carsten Maple's attitude toward the new technique?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Critical.", "Favorable.", "Disapproving.", "Negative."]}, {"question": "What is the text mainly about?", "answer": "A", "options": ["A new technique to create power.", "A big problem concerning conventional batteries.", "Some special sources of power.", "The development of power harvesting."]}]} -{"article": "One morning, my husband Jerry went back to the kitchen as he just finished loading his car. \"I guess filling my thermos is all that I have left to do, and then I'm off.\" Down the drain went the hot water that had been warming his thermos.\nWith a nostalgic look on his face, he softly said: \"Anytime I fill my thermos I think of your mom.\" The tone in his voice was so tender as he spoke of my mother, who is sadly no longer with us.\n\"Oh honey, I know she's watching and listening right now with a big smile on her face,\" I responded, tears in my eyes.\nOne morning years ago when we were leaving, mother watched as Jerry was to fill his thermos. Mom then casually said, 'Jerry, if you filled your thermos with hot water and let it sit a while, your coffee would stay hot for longer then.\" With her simple suggestion, his face showed that he was shocked by his own lack of common sense. Well, of course it would!\nHe poured out the small amount of coffee already in the thermos and refilled it with boiling hot water. Then he poured the water and refilled it with hot coffee. Mom smiled as Jerry did so.\nWords of wisdom from a loving mother-in-law made an impact that will never be forgotten. She never dreamed her words would be a treasured and everlasting memory in the heart of her son-in-law.\nThe lasting memories _ come from major moments in life. Memories are often made during those small, ordinary times. Life is about small moments we share with friends and loved ones.", "problems": [{"question": "The message that the story intends to convey is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["how valuable a mother's advice is to her children.", "that lasting memories come from small things", "what a wise woman the mother is to her son-in-law", "why we should respect our parents and listen to them."]}]} -{"article": "America used to have a strong college education system for prison inmates (prisoners). It was seen as a way to _ men and women in prison by helping them go straight when they got out.\nThose taxpayer-supported college classes were put to an end in the 1990s. But New York Governor Andrew Cuomo would like to bring them back in the state, setting off a fierce new debate.\nA number of lawmakers in New York have promised to kill Cuomo's proposal .\nCuomo says reintroducing taxpayer-funded college classes in New York's prisons is a common-sense plan that will reduce the number of inmates who commit new crimes.\n\"You pay $ 60,000 for a prison cell for a year,\" Cuomo responded. \"You put a guy away for 10 years, and that's $600,000. Right now, chances are almost half. Once he's set free, he's going to come right back.\"\nCuomo says helping inmates get a college education would cost about $ 5,000 a year per person. He argues, \"It's a small amount of money if it keeps that inmate from bouncing back into prison.\"\nBut even some members of the governor's own party hate this idea. State Assemblywoman Addie Russell, whose upstate district includes three state prisons, says taxpayers just won't stand for inmates getting a free college education, while middle-class families struggle to pay for their kids' college fees.\n\"That is the vast majority of feedback that I'm also getting from my constituents ,\" she says. \"You know, 'Where is the relief for the rest of the population who obey the law ?' \"\n\"I was very disappointed that the policy had been changed,\" says Gerald Gaes, who served as an expert on college programs for the Federal Bureau of Prisons in the 1990s. In 1994, President Clinton stopped federal student aid programs for inmates.\nGaes says research shows that college classes actually save taxpayers' money over time, by reducing the number of inmates who break the law and wind up back in those expensive prison cells.\n\"It is cost-effective,\" he says. \"Designing prisons that way will have a long-term benefit for New York State.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What is the debate about ?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Lawmakers' rights in New York.", "College classes for New York's citizens.", "Higher education in New York's prisons.", "Punishments given to New York's criminals."]}, {"question": "Cuomo does the calculations to prove _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["almost half of prisoners are likely to come back into prison.", "college classes for inmates can save taxpayers' money.", "the costs of running prisons in the US are on the rise.", "it is very difficult to reduce the number of inmates."]}, {"question": "Most of Russell's constituents believe Cuomo's proposal _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["is unfair to middle-class families.", "will benefit citizens obeying laws.", "will be useless for improving prisons.", "is based on most taxpayers' feedback."]}]} -{"article": "Nature responds to climate change. To understand it, we need to monitor key life cycle events-flowering, the appearance of leaves the first frog calls of the spring-all around the world. But scientists can't be everywhere so they're turning to non-scientists, sometimes called citizen scientists, for help.\nA group of scientists and educators launched an organization last year called the National Phenology Network. \"Phenology\" is what scientists call the study of the timing of events in nature.\nOne of the group's first efforts depends on scientists and non-scientists alike to collect data about plant flowering and leafing every year. The program, called Project BudBurst, collects life cycle data on different kinds of common plants from across the prefix = st1 /United States.\n\"People don 't have to be plant experts-they just have to look around and see what's in their neighbourhood,\"says Jennifer Schwartz, an adviser with the project, \"As we collect this data, we'll be able to predict how plants and communities of plants and animals will respond as the climate changes.\" \nThat data will help scientists predict not only how natural communities may change but also how these changes will affect people.\nScientists monitoring lilac flowering in the western United States reported that in years when lilacs bloomed early - before May 20th-wildfires later in the summer and fall are larger and more severe. _ , Jennifer says.\nImproved monitoring is an important step toward predicting how natural communities will respond to climate change.\n\"The best way for us to increase our knowledge of how plants and animals are responding to climate change is to increase the amount of data we have,\" he says. \"That 's why we need citizen scientists to get as much information from as many places on as many species over as long a time period as we can.\"", "problems": [{"question": "The National Phenology Network is launched to_.", "answer": "A", "options": ["research how nature makes response to climate change", "keep a record of what is happening in nature", "make a study of the first frog calls of the spring", "judge what plants will die out in the future"]}, {"question": "The task of Project BudBurst is to_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["grow more plants to improve the climate", "collect information about common plants", "made citizens tell different plants", "find out how many kinds of plants there are in America"]}, {"question": "By saying \"Lilac blooming could serve as an alarm bell\", Jennifer meant_.", "answer": "C", "options": ["lilac flowers could made people feel anxious or afraid", "lilacs could warn people of the danger of wildlife", "the blooming of lilacs could predict the happening of wildfires", "the flowers of lilacs could be used to wake people up"]}, {"question": "The main idea of this passage is_.", "answer": "D", "options": ["why we need to collect data about nature", "when an alarm bell sounds for nature", "what citizen scientists are in America", "how nature responds to climate change"]}]} -{"article": "Name: Hasbro Electronic Catch Phrase\nPrice: $25\nProduct Features:\n-- Classic electronic Catch Phrase with over a thousand updated new phrases for 2013.\n --When the buzzer begins, you have to guess fast and then pass the game fast, so you won't get caught holding it when the buzzer stops! Once you pick it up, it's tough to put it down.\n --With an electronic timer and a built-in scorekeeper .\n--Including Catch Phrase game units and rules\n --You can do or say anything to get them to guess the phrase\nProduct Descreption:\n Classic Electronic Catch Phrase with all new phrases to play. Say it fast ; play it fast. It's good fun. How quickly can you get your teammates to say \" backseat driver?\", \" Pay through the nose?\" or \" Strong , silent type ?\" Just try anything to get them to guess the answer. Guess the answers to the clues for more than 10,000 words. Just don't be the last one holding the game.\nContact Information of the company:\nTel : 08-3125-7745\nE-mail: hasbroelectronic@ hotmail.com\nMost Helpful Customer Reviews:\n My name is Mike Smith. I play with many fridens and everybody has appreciated and enjoyed playing with it. We have an older version and a newer one. The older one has easier phrases. The newer one has mnore phrases so it is a little more difficult for people to play with.The buttons on the newer one are very clearly marked so mistakes don't happen. The older one had a vocie that would announce the score of each team and at the end would say \"team 1 (or 2) wins!\".The newer one just displays this information on the previously mentioned tiny screen. Overall this is a game that is well worth having at home.", "problems": [{"question": "Hasbro Electronic Catch Phrase can be used to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["sing and play music like a CD player.", "help children say and learn phrases", "store words and phrases for future use.", "help children learn basic knowledge of computer"]}, {"question": "What do you know about Hasbro Electronic Catch Phrase ?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It is an electric timer which is used for sports events.", "It is a kind of clock which can wake you up in the morning.", "It is machine which can teach you English phrases.", "It is a toy with which you can play phrase competitions with others."]}, {"question": "It can be known from the passage that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["there are two ways to contact the company.", "the new version will announce the scores", "the toy is too difficult for kids to play with.", "the company is the biggest toy company in the world."]}, {"question": "Where can you probably read the article ?", "answer": "B", "options": ["In a science fiction", "In a newspaper", "In a medical magazin", "In a guidebook"]}]} -{"article": "One year, my school report made my parents angry. On Christmas Eve, all the presents were stolen, along with our TV. My parents told me that there were no presents because Santa was very angry with my behavior over the past year. The next year on Christmas Eve I slept downstairs with a plastic sword waiting for Santa to make sure that he didn't steal the new TV. The next morning, when I woke up, I saw Santa standing there. As soon as I saw that there were no presents, I grabbed my plastic sword and ran at him, shouting angrily: \"THIEF! THIEF!\"\nJack\nWhen I was young, we always had a specific room for the Christmas tree. My mom never really liked the location, so one year she moved the tree into another room. I was convinced that Santa would not know where the tree was and would get lost in our house. I was worried that he would be mad and put me on the \"bad\" list and would not give me any gifts because he couldn't find the tree. I came up with the idea to make signs leading from the fireplace to the tree. They said things like: \"Tree this way\" or \"Santa, put the gifts over here.\" When my big brother saw them he began to laugh his head off.\nLucy\nDoes everyone remember going to the mall and sitting on Santa's lap to have his picture taken at Christmas time?\nWell, I used to think that if I did that, Santa would get mad bcause he would have to go all around the world and give every kid the chance to have his picture taken with him. Of course his lap would hurt and he would be very fired. I thought he might keep a copy of the picture and that would be how he decided who would be on his naughty list.\nMy mom couldn't get me onto Santa's lap until she made him promise I wouldn't end up on his naughty list.\nLydia", "problems": [{"question": "The real reason why Jack's TV was taken away is that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["his parents were too careless", "his parents thought he had watched too much TV", "Santa Claus was not satisfied with Jack's behavior", "Santa gave the TV to another child as a present"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT one of the reasons why Lucy didn't want the tree to be moved?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Santa would not know where the tree was.", "Santa would be angry and would not give her any gifts.", "Her big brother might laugh at her.", "Santa might think she was a \"bad\" child."]}, {"question": "We can learn from the third story that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Lydia's mother was very Strict with her", "Lydia believed in Santa when she was young", "Lydia was naughty when she was young", "Lydia liked taking pictures with Santa"]}, {"question": "Why didn't Lydia want to take pictures with Santa?", "answer": "D", "options": ["She was afraid that Santa would get mad with her.", "She was afraid that Santa would get too tired and hurt himself.", "She disliked the idea that Santa would keep a copy of her picture.", "She feared that she would appear in the Santa's naughty list."]}]} -{"article": "Melbourne, Australia\nMelbourne is a hot-spot travel destination, and it's easy to see why with its beautiful beaches and busy city life.\nWhy it's a great choice: Australia as a whole is considered a safe destination for international travel, and because of that, many solo travelers go there. As an English-speaking country, you won't be faced with any language barriers. Melbourne is easy to get around because you can walk or bike practically anywhere!\nThailand\nThailand is great for solo travelers -- perhaps because it is one of the Buddhist mindsets, which promote equality among the sexes.\nWhy it's a great choice: Thailand is known for its friendly atmosphere, and as a travel hot-spot, there are plenty of chances to meet other like-minded travelers. Well known for being very cheap, especially in the north. A good choice if you want to get away on a budget. Thailand has a lot to offer, from the party-central Bangkok to beautiful beaches and tropical jungle.\nHong Kong, China\nHong Kong is a great place to relax for solo travelers as it is full of \"Zen moments,\" such as beautiful gardens and Tai Chi classes.\nWhy it's a great choice: Hong Kong is regarded as one of the safest cities in the world. If you're not well-traveled, or perhaps a bit tired of things like language barriers, Hong Kong is a great place to start, as it mixes both Eastern and Western at the same time.\nBali, Indonesia\nBali is a spiritual place with yoga, spas, healthy food and beaches. The combination of friendly people and splendidly visual culture has made Bali Indonesia number one tourist attraction.\nWhy it's so great: You won't be the only solo traveler in Bali. Everyone is known for being extremely friendly and you're sure to meet some amazing characters along the way. As a Hindu island, Bali is the perfect place for a relaxing and spiritual retreat . The Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud is fantastic -- if you like monkeys, anyway.", "problems": [{"question": "What do the four places have in common according to the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They're cheap to travel around.", "They're great for solo travelers.", "They offer good spas and yoga.", "There're no language barriers."]}, {"question": "Where can you enjoy both convenient transport and beautiful beaches?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Melbourne, Australia.", "Thailand.", "Hong Kong, China.", "Bali, Indonesia."]}, {"question": "What has made Bali Indonesia No.1 tourist attraction?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Yoga, spas, healthy food and beaches.", "Friendly people and splendidly visual culture.", "Meeting some amazing characters along the way.", "Fantastic monkeys in the Sacred Monkey Forest."]}, {"question": "What type of writing is this text?", "answer": "C", "options": ["A travel journal.", "A business report.", "A travel guide.", "A press advertisement."]}]} -{"article": "There are hundreds of expressions of words using \"hand\" in the English language. Let us examine some of the expressions that use \"hand\".\nWe will get a hand in this way. \"To get a hand in\" is to begin a job, to begin to know something about it. When we learn completely, we will be able to do it hands down. If we do the job well, we may end up with the upper hand. On the other hand, if the situation gets out of hand, it is out of control.\nWe must consider another way of expressing phrase---- to hand it to someone. For example, I must hand it to you for understanding what we have discussed this far. You can also lend a hand to someone but without really giving up your hand. You lend a hand when you help someone. If someone is kind enough to lend us a hand then we surely do not want to bite the hand that feeds us. We do not want to repay his kindness by treating him badly.\nNow, we have a free hand to continue examining other \"hand\" expressions. It means you are free to act without getting permission from someone else.\nMaybe you can find a friend who wants to take a hand in our project. It would have to be someone who was interested in these expressions. Your friend may want to work hand in glove with us. That is good because that means he wants to work as closely with us as a glove covers the hand. Of course, there is a danger that he may look at our project and decide to take it in hand. That means he wants to tale it over. If that happens, we may throw up our hands because the situation seams hopeless. In fact, we may decide that it is time for us to end this project to wash our hands of \" hand\" expressions.", "problems": [{"question": "We are ready to do a certain job, we may say; Let's _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["get out of hand", "get a hand in", "lend a hand", "take a hand in"]}, {"question": "Which of the following has an unpleasant meaning?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Hands down", "bite the hand that feeds us", "take a hand in", "hand in glove"]}, {"question": "Something is so easy to do. So you can do it _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["hands down", "on the other hand", "the upper hand", "hand in glove"]}, {"question": "What is the writer's purpose in writing the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To tell us the fact that there are many phrases with \"hands\".", "To prove the importance of the word \" hand \".", "To tell us some phrases with \" hand \".", "To make us laugh."]}]} -{"article": "The question of what children learn, and how they should learn, is continually being debated and redebated. Nobody dares any longer to defend the old system, the learning of lessons parrot-fashion, the grammar-with-a-whip system, which was good enough for our grandparents. The theories of modem psychology have stepped in to argue that we must understand the need of children. Children are not just small adults; they are children who must be respected as much.\nWell, you may say, this is as it should be, a good idea. But think further. What happens? \"Education\" becomes the responsibility not of teachers, but of psychologists . What happens then? Teachers worry too much about the psychological implications of their lessons, and forget about the subjects themselves. If a child dislikes a lesson, the teacher feels that it is his fault, not the child's. So teachers worry whether history is \"relevant\" to modern young children. And do they dare to recount stories about violence? Or will this make the children themselves violent? Can they tell their classes about children of different races, or will this encourage racial hatred? Why teach children to write grammatical sentences? Verbal expression is better. Sums? Arithmetic? No: Real-life mathematical situations are more understandable.\nYou see, you can go too far. Influenced by educational theorists, who have nothing better to do than to write books about their ideas, teachers leave their teacher-training colleges filled with grand, psychological ideas about children and their needs. They make elaborate, sophisticated (,) preparations and try out their \"modem methods\" on the long-suffering children. Since one \"modem method\" rapidly replaces another the poor kids will have had a good bellyful by the time they leave school. Frequently the modem methods are so sophisticated that they fail to be understood by the teachers, let alone the children; even more often, the relaxed discipline so essential for the \" informal\" feelings the class must have, prevents all but a handful of children from learning anything.", "problems": [{"question": "People do not dare defend the old system mainly because under the old system _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["too much grammar was taught to children", "children were spoiled", "children were treated as grown-ups", "children were made to learn passively"]}, {"question": "What view do the modem psychologists hold?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Children must be understood and respected.", "Children are small adults and know what they need.", "Children are better off without learning lessons.", "Education of children is the responsibility of psychologists."]}, {"question": "What happens when teachers pay too much attention to the psychology of their lessons?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They find that the children dislike the lessons.", "They tend to blame students for their failure.", "They do not pay enough attention to the actual lessons.", "They no longer want to teach children history."]}, {"question": "Grammatical sentences are regarded as unimportant because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["it is better to use verbs only", "words are said out of natural feelings only", "talking freely and naturally without sentences is a better form of expression", "it is felt that formal grammar rules might cause unnatural expressions"]}, {"question": "according to the passage, the modern methods are understood by _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["neither teachers nor pupils", "only a handful of teachers and pupils", "the more sophisticated teachers", "everyone who enjoys the relaxed discipline of the informal classes"]}]} -{"article": "Medalists of the 1948 London Olympic Games look back on their summer of victory.\nSAMMY Lee, 91, U.S.\nGOLD AND BRONZE, DIVING\nI first had my Olympic dream at 12, when they held the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. My father and I were at a grocery store, and I asked, \"What are all the flags doing here?\" He said, \"We are having the Olympic Games. That's where they honor the greatest athletes in the world.\" I said, \"Papa, someday I'm going to be an Olympic champ.\"\nWalking up the 10-meter platform, I thought to myself, \"I've waited 16 years for this moment. Am I going to win?\" So I prayed to God that I was most deserving of winning the Games.\nDAVID BOND, 90, BRITAIN\nGOLD, SAILING\nDuring the war, I spent six years in Royal Air Force. I think in general, the 1948 Olympics meant very little to most people. We were too busy after the war to be worried about sport very much anyway.\nOur team had about six weeks before the Olympics down at Torquay and we went out sailing every day.\nWinning gold was quite something. It was nice to stand on the platform with lots of people cheering. We celebrated by going to a big dance.\nMICHAEL LAPAGE, 88, BRITAIN\nSILVER, ROWING\nI started rowing when I was 14. I joined the navy in 1942. In 1945 the war came to an end and I started rowing again.\nIn 1948 we were still on rations : 4 oz. of red meat a week. But the United States had all the meat they wanted. They were the favorites to win.\nOn the day of the final, we led the Americans at the start, but their stronger staying power took them through to win. There were no ribbons on the medals, so we just showed them round the family.\nTHOMAS GODWIN, 91, BRITAIN\nBRONZE, CYCLING\nAt 14 I left school and got a job delivering groceries on a bicycle, which excited my interest in cycling. When the war broke out, I volunteered but was held back, so I continued riding.\nAfter my team won our bronze medals, we went home just round the corner and had a sit-down and a chat and a laugh. It was a different world. Money was never, never thought about.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, Sammy Lee _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["was 28 when he attended the 1948 Olympics", "never thought he could win medals in diving", "found that he has a talent for sports at age 12", "prepared for the 1948 Olympics for 16 years"]}, {"question": "Michael Lapage blamed his team's loss of the gold medal on their _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["weak will", "poor skill", "poor nutrition", "hurried preparation"]}, {"question": "What did David Bond and Thomas Godwin have in common?", "answer": "A", "options": ["They both took part in a team event.", "A lot of money was awarded to them.", "The 1948 Olympics meant little to them.", "They both served in the army during World War II."]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Long-lived medalists", "The 1948 Olympics", "Famous athletes", "Great in 1948"]}]} -{"article": "Think about the last time you felt a negative emotion--like stress, anger, or frustration. What was going through your mind as you were going through that negativity? Was your mind cluttered with different kinds of thoughts? Or was it paralyzed, unable to think?\nThe next time you find yourself in the middle of a very stressful time, or you feel angry or frustrated, stop. Yes, that's right, stop. Whatever you're doing, stop and sit for one minute. While you're sitting there, completely _ yourself in the negative emotion.\nAllow that emotion to consume you. Allow yourself one minute to truly feel that emotion. Don't cheat yourself here. Take the entire minute--but only one minute--to do nothing else but feel that emotion.\nWhen the minute is over, ask yourself, \"Am I willing to keep holding on to this negative emotion as I go through the rest of the day?\"\nOnce you've allowed yourself to be totally immersed in the emotion and really feel it, you will be surprised to find that the emotion clears rather quickly.\nIf you feel you need to hold on to the emotion for a little longer, that is OK. Allow yourself another minute to feel the emotion.\nWhen you feel you've had enough of the emotion, ask yourself if you're willing to carry that negativity with you for the rest of the day. If not, take a deep breath. As you exhale, release all that negativity with your breath.\nThis exercise seems simple--almost too simple. But, it is very effective. By allowing that negative emotion the space to be truly felt, you are dealing with the emotion rather than stuffing it down and trying not to feel it. You are actually taking away the power of the emotion by giving it the space and attention it needs. When you immerse yourself in the emotion, and realize that it is only emotion, it loses its control. You can clear your head and proceed with your task.", "problems": [{"question": "What should you do when you are into negativity according to the article?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Listen to some music.", "Ignore it and do something else.", "Just do nothing and truly feel that emotion.", "Think about it and try to deal with it immediately."]}, {"question": "What's the best title of this text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Clear Your Mental Space.", "Deep Breath, Trouble Away.", "Try to Avoid the Negative Emotion.", "Keep Holding on to This Negative Emotion as Long as Possible."]}, {"question": "The author's opinion towards negative emotion is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["doubtful", "optimistic", "frightened", "confused"]}]} -{"article": "I arrived in the classroom,ready to share my knowledge and experience with 76 students who would be my English literature class. Having taught in the US for 17 years,I have no doubt about my ability to hold their attention and to impress on them my admiration for the literature of my mother tongue.\n I was shocked when the monitor shouted, \"stand up!\" The entire class rose as I entered the room and l was somewhat confused about how to get them to sit down again,but once the embarrassment was over, I quickly regained my calmness and admiration. I went back to my office with the rosy glow which came from a strong sense of achievement.\n My students kept diaries. However, as I read them the rosy glow was gradually replaced by a strong sense of sadness.The first diary said, \"Our literature teacher didn't teach us anything today perhaps her next lecture will be better.\" Greatly surprised.I read diary after diary, each expressing a similar theme. \"Didn't I teach them anything? I described the entire Western _ and laid the historical background for all the works we will study in class,\" I complained. \"How should they say I didn't teach them anything?\"\n It was a long term, and it gradually became clear that my ideas about education were not the same as those of my students. I thought a teacher's job was to raise interesting questions and provide enough background so that students could draw their own conclusions. My students thought a teacher's job was to provide exact information as directly and clearly as possible. What a difference!\n However, I also learned a lot,and the experience with my Chinese students has made me a better American teacher, knowing how to teach in a different culture.", "problems": [{"question": "We can know that on the first day the writer _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["was disappointed at her students' performance", "was very confident in her students", "felt she didn't teach them much", "felt very confident in herself at first"]}, {"question": "At the beginning of the lesson,the writer got confused because of _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["cultural differences", "students' respect", "students' embarrassment", "the same experience"]}, {"question": "The writer learnt from their diaries that the students wanted to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["raise interesting questions", "know about background", "draw their own conclusions", "know more exact facts"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is FALSE according to the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The writer doubted about her ability of teaching.", "The writer became better at teaching foreign students.", "The writer had taken up her career for years.", "The writer was upset when reading the students' diaries."]}]} -{"article": "New research has shown that you might not just be feeling blue; you may also be seeing it differently. Your mood may affect how you see the world around you, according to a new study. A team of researchers has proved that sadness could have an effect on the way we see colors.\nThe team, led by psychology researcher Christopher Thorstenson of the University of Rochester, found that people who had a sad mood were less accurate in identifying colors on the blue-yellow axis , compared to people who weren't feeling sad.\n\"We were already deeply familiar with how often people use color terms to describe common phenomena, like mood, even when these concepts seem unrelated,\" Thorstenson said in a statement. \"We thought maybe a reason why these metaphors appear was that there really was a connection between mood and identifying colors in a different way.\"\nThorstenson and his team are not the first to identify a link between a depressed mood and a difference in recognition. In 2010, Emanuel Bubl and his team at Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg in Germany first proved a link between mood and identifying colors. This was supported by a 2013 paper by Johnson Fam of the University of Singapore.\nThe team conducted two studies. In the first, 127 participants were chosen _ to watch one of two video clips, which had been proved in previous studies to feel either sadness or amusement. They didn't do that in a specific order. The entire group was then tasked with identifying the colors in 48 continued color changes. The group that had been shown the sad clip was measurably worse at identifying colors along the blue-yellow axis.\nFor the second study, 130 participants were randomly assigned to watch either a sad clip or a neutral one. The sadness group showed reduced ability to identify colors along the blue-yellow axis than the neutral group.", "problems": [{"question": "If one _ , the colors he sees might be different from those in others' eyes.", "answer": "D", "options": ["is in a good mood", "has an eye illness", "attends a speech", "doesn't feel happy"]}, {"question": "Who were the first to find out the link between mood and identifying colours?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Thorstenson and Johnson.", "Thorstenson and his team.", "Johnson and his team.", "Emaneuel and his team."]}, {"question": "The sadness group in the second study _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["felt happy when watching the video", "performed better than the other", "were less able to identify some colours", "could only identify blue and yellow"]}]} -{"article": "In 1857 Louis Pasteur accepted a position at the Ecole Normale Superieure, a prestigious school in Paris.There, he continued the research on fermentation that he had started earlier.\nUltimately, his research led to the process of pasteurization , which uses heat to kill harmful germs in a variety of food products.Later, Pasteur took on industry-related cases such as a disease affecting the silk industry.Beginning in 1865, Pasteur spent three years investigating the bacteria that were the culprits and developing ways to prevent their spread.\nIn 1866 Pasteur lost two daughters to typhoid fever.Two years later he became partially paralyzed as a result of grief and stress.But despite these difficulties, Pasteur pressed on to even greater accomplishments.\nIn the late 1870s, Pasteur began research in the emerging scientific field of immunization and developed a vaccine for the deadly disease rabies.Following this success, the Pasteur Institute was founded to support Pasteur's work.Pasteur headed the institute until his death in 1895.Since then, the institute has continued to grow.Today, the institute's headquarters in Paris contain over 130 laboratories along with extensive teaching facilities and the institute's own medical center.Over the years, the institute has also extended through the establishment of around thirty research centers in other countries.At each one, researchers help local authorities monitor public health and provide medical treatment.\nUnlike many research organizations, the Pasteur Institute is not government funded.Instead it relies on financial gifts that it receives from institutions and ordinary people.This insures the institute's independence and enables it to respond quickly when health needs arise.", "problems": [{"question": "Who does this article introduce?", "answer": "C", "options": ["A modem philosopher.", "An international diplomat .", "An important scientist", "A conservative politician."]}, {"question": "What happened to Pasteur in the late 1860s?", "answer": "C", "options": ["His sales decreased.", "His career ended.", "His health suffered.", "His personality changed."]}, {"question": "What did Pasteur focus his attention on in the 1870s?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Contributing to French art and literature.", "Designing products that people would buy.", "Using his fortune to enjoy life in France.", "Protecting people against a terrible illness."]}, {"question": "What does the Pasteur Institute provide?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Instruction.", "Entertainment.", "Legal advice.", "Economic news."]}, {"question": "According to this article, what do ordinary people do?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Apply for jobs at the Pasteur Institute.", "Give money to the Pasteur Institute.", "Tour the Pasteur Institute in Paris.", "Contact the Pasteur Institute for advice"]}]} -{"article": "My name is Toby. I'm eighty-three years old now. I once knew the greatest man in England. William Shakespeare was his name. I first met William near a big field of apple trees in the town named Stratford in October, 1579. He told me he was 15 years old. He was two years older than me. He had a sister, Joan, and two younger brothers, Gilbert and Richard. And the next year he had another brother, Edmund. After William's parents died, he and his sister lived with his mother's brother. I became his friend from that day until he died. We met nearly every day. We were friends for thirty years.\nI once worked with him in the theatre, through the good times and the bad times. William was good at acting. He could make all kinds of people pleased. By 1592, he became very famous. He was always busy day and night. I don't know when he slept. He not only acted in plays, but also wrote his own plays. In his whole life, William wrote 37 plays in all. He was the best _ in England.\nHe wrote a play about love in 1595. It was Romeo and Juliet. He once used my name, Toby, in his play--Twelfth Night. In this play, Sir Toby Belch was a big fat man, who liked drinking too much and having a good time. Queen Elizabeth the First watched this play on the 6thof January, 1601. She liked it.\nWilliam Shakespeare is dead now, of course. He has been dead for more than thirty years. There's no singing, no dancing, no plays. It isn't like that in my young days. But I can still think--and remember when William and I were young, we had a good time in London, William and I...", "problems": [{"question": "Toby and William first met in _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["1601", "1595", "1592", "1579"]}, {"question": "Who was William's youngest brother?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Gilbert", "Edmund", "Richard", "Joan"]}, {"question": "Romeo and Julietis a play about _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["war", "peace", "love", "friendship"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, which of the following is true?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The plays in which Shakespeare acted were all written by himself.", "Queen Elizabeth was the first person to watch Shakespeare's play.", "The author, Toby, was a big fat man, who liked drinking too much.", "They first met in a small town named Stratford, which is in London."]}]} -{"article": "Every dog has his day, and this Friday, June 21, just happens to be a really big one.\nIt's Take Your Dog to Work Day, your four-legged friend's turn to prove who is truly the boss. The day was founded in 1999 to celebrate the incredible companionship dogs provide and to encourage animal adoption.\nDogs have been having their day for some time now. Everywhere you look, there is some kind of pet-project going on, which for a dog lover like me, is a dream come true.\nThere are dogs starring in reality TV. Doggy day care is in high demand. Big well-known companies like Paul Mitchell, Omaha Steaks, and Harley Davidson have all jumped on the gravy-train offering pet products including shampoos, food and clothes. The pet insurance business is booming. And, luxury hotels and apartment buildings are also catering to our furry friends, finally.\nMake no bones about it, the pet industry is a multi-billion dollar business. According to the American Pet Products Association, 62 percent households in the U.S. own a pet. It's estimated that owners will spend about $55.5 billion on goods and services for their pets this year, up about $2 billion from last year.\nThat's a small price to pay for the unconditional love and loyalty you get from a pet. The bond between dog and dog owner began about 30,000 years ago when dogs started to become domesticated . Since then, dogs have become faithful companions not only at home but also as service dogs, in the workplace and on the battlefield.\nIn addition to the unconditional love, companionship and sense of security that comes with dog ownership, there are also many health benefits. Research shows that owning a pet can help a person increase their amount of exercise, reduce their stress and lower their blood pressure.\nAnd if that's not enough good news, here's more. The entire week is \"Take Your Pet to Work Week\" so there's no need to go to the office without your furry or even feathered (if your pet is a bird) friend.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Take Your Dog to Work Day", "Dogs are Popular Nowadays", "Human Beings and Dogs", "Benefits from Dogs"]}, {"question": "Compared with what they have done, dogs _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["don't get equal treatment", "are not worth the value", "have cost more than enough", "should not be provided with apartment buildings"]}, {"question": "Which is one of the advantages dogs have according to the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They lower people's blood pressure.", "They keep company with people.", "They save people's money.", "They lead people to their work."]}]} -{"article": "Janelle was running late for work, so she just had time for a quick look at herself in the mirror as she was going out. What she saw there made her stop dead in her tracks.\nBeing a busy college student just one year removed from her teenage years, she wasn't exactly obsessive-compulsive about the neatness of her clothes. But her boss at the restaurant where she works saw things a little differently. He had recently lectured the entire staff on the importance of appearance, and had specifically mentioned the need for servers to wear clean, unwrinkled blouses. As an assistant manager, Janelle felt it was important to set an example for the other employees. But if she stopped to iron the blouse normally, she would be late --and work without delay was an area of even greater concern to her boss.\nSo she grabbed her iron and plugged it in and set it for low heat. Carefully holding her blouse away from her body, she continued to iron it while she was wearing it. It seemed like a logical answer to an urgent problem.\nAnd it seemed to be working until Janelle tried to iron the collar and accidentally ironed her neck by mistake. Then it suddenly seemed like a really stupid idea and a really painful one as well. It took more time to treat her burn than it would have taken to iron her shirt properly. And she spent a miserable shift dealing with the pain of the burn.\nWe've all been there, haven't we? For me it was cutting my own hair. For a former roommate it was trying to pull his own wisdom teeth. For another college acquaintance, it was trying to change the oil in his car while the motor was still running.\n\"There's a right way and a wrong way of doing things,\" Dad used to tell me whenever I'd spoil the look of our yard by trying out a faster, easier and more creative way of pulling weeds or edging the lawn. \"If a thing is worth doing,\" he said, \"it's worth doing it right.\" There's a reason why certain things are done in certain ways. Those old, boring, predictable ways work.", "problems": [{"question": "Jenelle found in the mirror that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["there were stains on her blouse", "her blouse was wrinkled", "she wore heavy makeup", "she put on a wrong blouse"]}]} -{"article": "Have you thought about what determines the way we are as we grow up? Remember the TV program Seven Up ? It started following the lives of a group of children in 1963. We first meet them as wide-eyed seven-year-olds and then catch up with them at seven-year intervals ( ) : nervous 14-year-olds , serious 21-year-olds , then grown-ups.\n Some of the stories are inspiring ,others sad ,but what is interesting in almost all the cases is the way in which the children's early hopes and dreams are shown in their future lives, for example ,at seven ,Tony is a lively child who says he wants to become a sportsman or a taxi driver. When he grows up, he goes on to do both. How about Nicki ,who says, \"I'd like to find out about the moon. \" and goes on to become a space scientist. As a child, soft - spoken Bruce says he wants to help \"poor children\" and ends up teaching in India.\n But if the lives of all the children had followed this pattern, the program would be far less interesting than it actually was. It was the children whose childhood did not prepare them for what was to come that made the program so inspiring. Where did their ideas come from about what they wanted to do when they grew up? Are children influenced by what their parents do ,by what they see on television ,or by what their teachers say? How great is the effect of a single important event? Many film directors ,including Stephen Spielberg ,say that an early visit to the cinema was the turning point in their lives. Dr. Magaret Mc Allister ,who has done a lot of research in this area ,thinks that the major influences are parents , friends and the wider society.", "problems": [{"question": "What does the text mainly discuss?", "answer": "D", "options": ["New ways to make a TV program interesting.", "The importance of television programs to children.", "Different ways to make childhood dreams come true.", "The influence of childhood experience on future lives."]}, {"question": "In the TV program Seven Up ,we can meet _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["different groups of people at different periods of their lives", "different groups of people at the same period of their lives", "the same group of people at different periods of their lives", "the same group of people at the same period of their lives"]}, {"question": "Spielberg's story is meant to show that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["going to a movie at an early age helps a child learn about society", "a single childhood event may decide what one does as a grown-up", "parents and friends can help a child grow up properly", "films have more influence on a child than teachers do"]}, {"question": "What does the writer think of the TV program?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Interesting.", "Crazy.", "Dull.", "Serious."]}]} -{"article": "I was driving home the other day on a sunny afternoon. I had a smile on my face as I sang along to the songs on the radio. It was such a beautiful day that I felt full of happiness. My good mood ended, however, when the radio station took a news break between songs. Then suddenly I found myself listening to yet another story of a rich famous man who had broken the law. I shook my head as I came to a red traffic light.\nAs I pulled to a stop I noticed four leatherjacketed bikers. They were standing in the middle of the road with two on either side of the light. They looked rough and dangerous, but as I got closer I noticed each one was holding their helmet in their hands. I rolled down my window as one approached my car. \"We are the Brother of the Wheel,\" he said. \"We are collecting money for Christmas Toy Drive for needy children.\" As I pulled a dollar out of my wallet I looked past his beard and into his eyes. They shined with goodness and kindness that came right from his soul. I dropped the money in his helmet and waved to the other bikers as I drove off. My good mood had returned. My faith in mankind had been _ . And I remembered once again never to judge people by their appearance.\nOur society often judges books by their covers but God reads what is written in our hearts and souls. Perhaps one day we will all learn to see the world through the same eyes. Perhaps one day we will realize that looks matter little and actions matter much.", "problems": [{"question": "The writer's good mood ended when _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["he heard news between songs", "he had to stop at a red traffic light", "he heard a rich man broke the law", "he saw four leatherjacketed bikers"]}, {"question": "What were the four bikers doing at the traffic lights?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Having a bicycle race in the street.", "Selling helmets to the passersby.", "Raising money to help kids in need.", "Preparing for Christmas holidays."]}, {"question": "The writer wants to tell us that we should _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["have faith in young people", "judge others by their actions", "change our attitude to society", "manage to help others in need"]}]} -{"article": "Roosevelt's active and clever mind helped him greatly through periods of his illness. As soon as he could sit up, he worked on his stamp collection, began to write a history of the United States and a book about John Paul Jones--a navy hero. He was also ready to try anything that might help him to get well. A member of his family tells the following: Roosevelt got a great deal of physical exercise later simply by crawling around on the floor. Although now over forty, he spent hours crawling around his library floor like a child. Then he decided to learn how to go up the stairs by himself. Day after day he would pull himself up the stairs by the power of his hands and arms. He insisted that his family and friends watch him and talk with him, to give the impression that what he was doing an everyday routine action.", "problems": [{"question": "From this passage we know that Roosevelt _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["was good at sports", "couldn't sit up", "hated collecting stamps", "was once seriously ill"]}, {"question": "John Paul Jones was _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the man who was ready to help Roosevelt", "the writer of the passage", "of the members of Roosevelt's family", "a hero in the navy"]}, {"question": "Roosevelt liked _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["crawling on the floor", "reading and writing", "physical exercise", "climbing stairs"]}, {"question": "Roosevelt had a lot of exercise in order to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["get praised by his friends and families", "tell his friends he was healthy", "get well again", "show he was active and clever"]}, {"question": "After a period of exercise. Roosevelt _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["could walk up the stairs with the help of others", "could crawl upstairs with his feet", "could get upstairs without anybody to help him", "could stand up and walk for a while"]}]} -{"article": "We do some strange things when we don't like the way our life is going.Too often we blame someone else.''I wish my parents were more understanding.\"\n\"I have such a bad Chemistry teacher!\"\n\"My friends are so boring and self-centered.They make my life worse and worse.''\nBlame! Blame! Blame!\nIt seems natural to sing this self-pitying song,but the truth is,if you don't like your life,you should do something about it.No one else knows exactly how you feel or what you need.No one can read your mind correctly.You are the only one with the power to cheek your life,and if you want it to be different,you can change what you're doing.\nWhen you're in trouble,don't give away your power to decide how you feel about yourself. Choose how you want to think and act.Other people can't make you unhappy or angry.They only act in their own way and then it's up to you to decide how you will respond .For example,your friends go out to lunch without you and you feel very angry.How are you going to act? You may blame your friends,\"They are not kind.Who needs them anyway?\" Or you may tell your friends how you feel,listen to their explanation,and let them know you'd like to be invited next time.\nWhen you decide everything in your own way,you're getting hold of your own life and shaping it according to your tastes and feelings.You can choose to be happy,to make friends and to build an interesting life.When you blame others for what is or isn't happening in your life,you have stopped growing or learning.\nOne of the most important rules is that you can never change another person by your direct action.The only person you have the right to change is yourself.Once you change,the other person has something different to respond to and change is possible.If you want change in your life,begin with yourself.", "problems": [{"question": "What should we do if we don't like our life?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Change what we're doing.", "Read our minds correctly.", "Sing that self-pitying song.", "Tell others what we want."]}, {"question": "If the writer's friends have dinner together without him,he may _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["ask somebody else to talk to them", "do the same thing to them in return", "talk to them and try to find out why", "forget it and be still friendly with them"]}, {"question": "What's the writer's idea about how to change others?", "answer": "D", "options": ["He thinks it's impossible to change others.", "He believes our love can change everything.", "He chooses to talk with others directly.", "He prefers to change ourselves first instead."]}, {"question": "At the beginning of the passage three examples are given _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["to support the idea that people often blame others", "to suggest that there are various problems in people's life", "to show that not all chemistry teachers are fit for their job", "to explain the reason why some people's life is worse and worse"]}, {"question": "What's the best title of the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Blame! Blame! Blame!", "Who Controls My Life?", "Change! Change! Change!", "What Makes Me Unhappy?"]}]} -{"article": "Basic Study Manual Hardcover: $ 37.50\nFuture success depends on the ability to learn. Here are the answers to the questions most often asked by parents, teachers, business trainers and by students themselves. Read this book and learn:\n* What the three barriers to study are and what to do about them\n* What to do if you get tired of a subject you are studying\n* Twenty-six simple drills to help you learn how to study easily, rapidly and with full understanding\nBuy and read theBasic Study Manualand use it to dramatically improve your ability to study.\nStudy Skills for Life Hardcover: $31.99\nL. Ron Hubbard's study technology for teenagers opens the door to their future success by giving them the ability to study and learn. Fully illustrated for easy comprehension.\nLearning How to Learn Hardcover: $24.99\nThe basics of effective study for 8 to 12-year-olds, fully illustrated. Children who read and apply the materials in this book regain their liking for study and their ability to apply this knowledge in life. Get this book for a child you want to see win at his studies!\nHow to Use a Dictionary Picture Book for Children Hardcover: $34.90\nIn spite of billions of dollars spent on 'educational research', children are not taught the most basic skills of learning, even the most basic of these: how to use a dictionary. In fact, a search of educational books for children found no book that told them how to use a dictionary or that one should. Written for children 8 to 12-year-olds, this fully illustrated book will teach your child:\n* How to find words in a dictionary\n*The different ways that words are used\n* What the different marks and symbols that are used in a dictionary mean\n* How to use a dictionary to correctly pronounce words\nIt includes a section for parents and teachers showing you how to use this book with children. Buy this book and give it to your children to unlock their education.\nWhat's more, you'll just pay 50% for it before May 1, 2006.", "problems": [{"question": "Some of the four books were illustrated in order to _", "answer": "A", "options": ["help readers understand them", "persuade readers to buy them", "reduce the cost of them", "make them suitable to different readers"]}, {"question": "Which one is the book written for 8 to 12 years old to use a dictionary?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Basic Study Manual", "Study Skill for Life", "Learning How To Learn", "How to Use a Dictionary Picture Book for Children Hardcover"]}, {"question": "If you buy the four books on April 1, 2006, your will have to pay _ for them.", "answer": "B", "options": ["$129.38", "$49.18", "$64.69", "$34.90"]}, {"question": "The purpose of the passage is to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["introduce the four books to readers", "help children to learn English", "enrich students knowledge about nature", "advertise the four books to students"]}]} -{"article": "Most people think that the capital of the movie world is Hollywood in the United States. However, the real movie capital is Mumbai, in India. Mumbai used to be known as Bombay, and so the film industry there is called \"Bollywood.\" Bollywood makes twice as many movies each year as Hollywood--more than 800 films a year.\nThe movies from Bollywood are very different from Hollywood movies. For one thing, Bollywood movies are much longer than most Hollywood movies. Most Bollywood movies are more than three hours long, and contain singing, dancing, action, adventure, mystery and romance (but usually no kissing). Because Bollywood films contain so many different features, this style of film is sometimes called a \"masala\" film. (\"Masala\" is an Indian word for a mixture of species.)\nAnother big difference between Bollywood and Hollywood movies is the way movies are made. It takes much longer to make a movie in Hollywood than in Bollywood. In fact, filming may begin on a Bollywood movie before the script is finished. The director and writer can make up the story while the film is being made. Sometimes they will even write the script by hand instead of taking time to type it.\nBollywood actors are very popular and some are in such high demand that they may work on several movies at the same time. They may even shoot scenes for several films on the same day using the same costumes and scenery. Since most Bollywood movies follow the same kind of story, shooting scenes for several films at the same time is not a big problem for actors or directors. This also helps keep the cost of Bollywood movies lower than the cost of Hollywood movies. The average Bollywood film, with a budget of only two million US dollars, seems very cheap compared to the average budget of sixty million US dollars for a Hollywood film, thirty times as much!", "problems": [{"question": "What is the main topic of the reading?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Famous stars in Bollywood.", "How Hollywood movies are made.", "The difference between two movie industries.", "The history of movie-making in India."]}, {"question": "What is NOT true about Mumbai?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It is the movie capital of India.", "The new name is Bombay.", "More movies are made there than in Hollywood.", "It is less expensive to make films there than in Hollywood."]}, {"question": "Why are Bollywood films often called \"masala\" films?", "answer": "D", "options": ["They are very popular.", "They show Indian culture.", "They are much longer than Hollywood films.", "They mix different styles of movies."]}, {"question": "Bollywood films are cheap to make because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["they are shorter than Hollywood films", "the scripts are written by hand", "the movies do not use any special effects", "one movie can reuse things from other movies"]}, {"question": "Which of the statements would the writer probably agree with?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Most Bollywood movies are very similar.", "It takes a lot of money to make a good movie.", "Only Indian people can understand Bollywood movies.", "Hollywood movies are too short."]}]} -{"article": "The pupils of the remote Beau-Roc primary school in Haiti are chanting (singing the same words again and again).One of them plays a guitar made from an empty oil tin.Their headmistress, Emile Jean-Noel, is one of the few women school headteachers in the country.\nToday, over 70% of Haitian population live without proper food, water, schools, or housing. To reduce the hunger that prevents learning and to encourage parents to send their children to school, meals are provided by the World Food Programme.\n\"We are so cut off that we have many difficulties,\" comments Emile, adding that finding chalk, school books and other materials is practically impossible.Emile tries to encourage people around her to make use of available resources.Her efforts are bearing fruit.One of her successes was convincing local women to contribute to their children' s schooling and increase their income by selling embroidery and other handicrafts.\nRecent political instability has meant that the country has not invested in education for ten years.Only 44% of children go to school and less than half of them finish primary school. Less than a third of these children go on to secondary school.In rural areas it is not rare to find 17 and 18 year olds in primary school- Beau-Roc has only 4 teachers for 260 pupils.Emile works constantly to improve her pupils' environment.Under her direction, a local worker is now constructing a store house for the food delivered regularly by the WFP.\nNot only is Emile' s salary small, but she receives it irregularly.For her, transport is a real headache.She lives five kilometers away and has to take the tap tap, a privately-owned bus, costing more than she can afford.\n\"The decision to be a rural teacher in Haiti should not be taken lightly\" , Emile comments. \"With all the sacrifices and risks it requires, only _ should do it.\" However, Emile loves her job.\"I always feel at home with the children and, because the parents understand what I'm doing, I try to give my best.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is extremely difficult for Beau-Roc primary school?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Teaching the women how to make embroidery and other handicrafts.", "Persuading local women to care about their children' s education.", "Encouraging people around to use those available resources.", "Finding chalk, school books and other materials."]}, {"question": "What topic is presented in this passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Hardship for teachers.", "Devotion to education.", "Politics and children.", "Love and beauty."]}]} -{"article": "I travel a lot, and I find out different \"styles\" of directions every time I ask \"How can I get to the post office?\"\nForeign tourists are often confused in Japan because most streets there don't have names; in Japan, people use landmarks in their directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers,\"Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop. \"\nIn the countryside of the American Midwest, there are not usually many landmarks. There are no mountains, so the land is very flat; in many places there are no towns or buildings within miles. Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distances. In Kansas or Iowa, for example, people will say,\" Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile. \"\nPeople in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map; they measure distance in time, not miles. \"How far away is the post office?\" you ask. \"Oh,\" they answer,\"it's about five minutes from here. \" You say,\" Yes, but how many miles away is it?\"They don't know.\nIt's true that a person doesn't know the answer to your question sometimes. What happens in such a situation? A New Yorker might say,\" Sorry, I have no idea. \"But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers \"I don't know.\" People in Yucatan believe that \"I don't know. \"is impolite. They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A tourist can get very, very lost in Yucatan !", "problems": [{"question": "When a tourist asks the Japanese the way to a certain place, they usually _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["describe the place carefully", "show him a map of the place", "tell him the names of the streets", "refer to recognizable buildings and places"]}, {"question": "What is the place where people measure distance in time?", "answer": "B", "options": ["New York.", "Los Angeles", "Kansas.", "Iowa"]}, {"question": "People in Yucatan may give a tourist a wrong answer _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["in order to save time", "as a test.", "so as to be polite", "for fun"]}, {"question": "What can we infer from the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["It's important for travelers to understand cultural differences.", "It's useful for travelers to know how to ask the way properly.", "People have similar understandings of politeness.", "New Yorkers are generally friendly to visitors."]}]} -{"article": "As is known to all, in daily conversation people often use simple words and simple sentences, especially elliptical sentences. Here is an interesting conversation between Mr Green and his good friend Mr Smith, a fisherman. Do you know what they are talking about?\nMr Green: Going?\nMr Smith: Been.\nMr Green: Any?\nMr Smith: Some.\nMr Green: Big?\nMr Smith: Small.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is true to the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Mr Smith has just been fishing and caught some small fish.", "Mr Green caught some big fish and wanted to give some to Mr Smith.", "Mr Smith didn't catch any small fish.", "Mr Smith wanted to buy some big fish from Mr Green."]}, {"question": "The text is mainly about _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["how to catch fish", "how to spend a Sunday", "ellipsis in conversations", "joy in fishing"]}]} -{"article": "Like all other mothers who have small children, I, too, have to steal time-from my own children at home and from the children who know me as their teacher-just to put a few words down on paper. Many times I've wanted to write for myself, for other women, for my parents, for my husband, and especially for my children. I would have liked to leave a legacy of words explaining what it has meant to have twins. One reason that there is not a great deal written about being a mother of a new baby is that there is seldom a moment to think of anything else but the baby's needs.\nWith twins, I did not have a spare hand to write with.\nBefore my twins were born, my days were long and I had nothing to write about. After the twins' birth I did have something to write about, but I found myself facing not a pen and paper but milk bottles.\nSome nights, friends would visit. They would leave at 11 p.m., heading for bed, and for us the night was only just beginning. With twins, there is really no night. Each feeding lasts a long time. At 1:00 a.m., each of them would begin crying from hunger. At 4:00am, when I finally put them down, I felt exhausted.\nTwo years have passed since then and we've managed to live through it all. My days are still very full and even now there isn't one evening when I put the twins down for the night that I don't have a break. At last a little time for myself.", "problems": [{"question": "When did the writer have time but she didn't feel like writing anything?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Before the birth of her twins.", "When she faced bottles of milk.", "After her friends visited her home.", "When she had to think about the babies' needs."]}, {"question": "What does the writer mainly write about?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Her role as a wife.", "Her work as a writer.", "Her experience as a mother.", "Her feeling as a woman."]}, {"question": "This passage is probably from a(n) _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["blog", "newspaper", "guidebook", "advertisement"]}, {"question": "What can we learn from the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The writer was unhappy because of no time for writing.", "The writer cared about her babies more than her own interests.", "The writer hated to be a mother of twins.", "The writer could steal a little time at night."]}]} -{"article": "China has become Volvo's third largest market, with more of its car models to go on sale in the world's largest auto market this year, Chief Executive Office (CEO) of Volvo Cars China said in Tianjin.\nAlexander Klose, CEO of Volvo Cars China, told Xinhua at the Ninth Tianjin International Automobile Trade Show, being held from Friday to Wednesday.\nKlose said Volvo Cars had entered a new time of fast development, adding that its sales volume in China\nin 2010.\nUp to the end of September, Volvo's global sales volume was up 12.5 percent year on year , compared with 52 percent year-on-year rise in China, he said.\nTwo new Volvo sales centers opened in Beijing within merely one week in early October, about two months after east China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co acquired the Swedish brand from the US auto giant Ford for $1.5 billion in early August.\nKlose said he was confident of seeing tremendous growth in China's auto market in the next five years. \"As the Chinese government has increased the tax rate for large displacement cars already, we now have a lot of cars below three liters , and I think we'll stick to that strategy, as you can see now the XC60 which was introduced today is just two liters,\" he said.\n\"As the technology advances, we'll probably even see 1.6 liter engines or 1.5 liter engines in the future,\" he added.\nVolvo Cars is not the only automaker hoping to take advantage of China's rapidly growing auto market.\nBentley, the famous British luxury carmaker, will open a new sales center in China at Tianjin Thursday, which is the 11th one in China, according to a press release by Shanghai-based Zenith Integrated Communications Corp (Zenith) Saturday at the auto show.\nZenth is the public relations agent of Bentley in China. The automaker has sold 421 limousines to China in 2009, and the goal for 2010 is 777, the release said.", "problems": [{"question": "From this passage we can infer that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["The Ninth Tianjin International Automobile Trade Show was held from Friday to Wednesday.", "Volvo Cars is a world-famous carmaker in Britain.", "Of all the auto sales volume Volvo sales volume is only number one in China", "Volvo sales centers are developing very fast in China recently"]}, {"question": "The text is mainly about _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["China Becomes Volvo's 3rd largest market", "Volvo Cars in China", "Volvo Sales Volume in China", "Carmakers in China"]}, {"question": "How many carmakers are mentioned in this passage which opened and will open new sales centers in China recently?", "answer": "B", "options": ["One", "Two", "Three", "Four"]}]} -{"article": "Children of all ages love birthday parties at the Staten Island Zoo. Where else can you invite real party animals to join in the fun?\nWho is invited?\nParties at the Staten Island Zoo are designed for children who are turning 4 years old and older, with a maximum group size of 15 children and 4 adults.Along with your human guests,2-3 live animals will also be invited into your party room. No need for more introductions. By the end of your party, our teachers will make sure everyone is well familiar with their new scaly ,feathery or furry friends.\nWhat is included?\nEach party lasts an hour and a half (two hours if pizza is included) and includes live animal demonstration,games or stories,and animal skills.Each member will receive a goodie bag to take home for fun. Besides, birthday invitations will be given to you for giving to your guests.\nBirthday party themes\nChoose from four different themes:\nAnimal Tracks\nDiscover different types of animal's feet and their purpose.Track some animals and then make a take home plaster mold .\nAfrican Savannah\nJoin in the fun at exploring the mysteries of the African Savannah.Learn about favorite foods of the Savannah's people and make an animal mask to enjoy the fun.\nTropical Rainforest\nListen to the sounds of the jungle and find where the animals live.Create a colorful rainforest bird.\nBarnyard Friends\nStories, games, activities and crafts will all focus on the differences between wild and domestic animals.Make a small bookmark to use at home.\nCosts\nPizza,ice cream cake,juice and party (includes cutlery, paper plates, cups and napkins) --- $370 Staten Island Zoo members/$400 non.Members.\nParty only --- $250 Staten Island Zoo members/$275 non.Members", "problems": [{"question": "What's special about the birthday parties at the Staten Island Zoo?", "answer": "D", "options": ["There are 19 people in one party at least.", "Parties are intended for those who are just 4 years old.", "It is necessary to introduce the s", "Live animals will take part in the birthday parties."]}, {"question": "If you choose a theme of Tropical Rainforest,what kind of works of art can you make?", "answer": "B", "options": ["A take-home plaster mold.", "A colorful rainforest bird.", "An animal mask.", "A small bookmark to use at home."]}, {"question": "A non-member who only plans to hold a party at the Staten Island Zoo should pay _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["$250", "$275", "$370", "$400"]}, {"question": "What can we learn from the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["All birthday parties last one and a half hours.", "We should buy birthday invitations for our guest at the zoo.", "Animals will make a performance at the party.", "Any party member will be given a bag to store rubbish at the party."]}]} -{"article": "Some time ago,I was diagnosed with breast cancer and reacted in the way most people would.The first thing came to mind was a \"death sentence\". However,I found out later it was truly \"an awakening\" for me,especially after being diagnosed with colon cancer a few years later,but still alive to tell about them both.I began to question God.Why was I chosen to suffer this double challenge?What had I done in life so bad to have this placed upon me?I was unhappy with the way I look and the intolerant pain I had to experience each day,but instead of sighing over my fate,I decided to look on the positive sides of it.\nI knew that I was about to face a new beginning,new hope,do and see more with a whole new perspective on life.I also began thinking of the individuals that are no longer among us and how there will always be someone worse off than I am.Who am I to complain?I still have my life.\nDuring my treatments,I experienced something of a miracle that I had to write down.I took that experience and turned it into a poem and I called it \"Peace\".I took that poem along with many others I had composed during my breast cancer period and submitted them for publication.The book of poems was accepted and published under the title \"True Simple Poems of Life,Faith and Survival\".\nI continue to write and hope that my poetry may encourage other unfortunate people and my writing continues to give me strength.I've had another inspirational children's book published called \"If Only I Could Fly,Said Mattiebee\".\nI would never have become a writer,producing inspirational stories,if I had not gone through all that I did.I'm a true example that you can survive cancer,not once,but twice,providing that you catch it in time.It won't all be easy,but you must have faith and allow that faith to direct your path.\nI truly believe when you survive a terrible tragedy or a horrible disease like cancer,it's for a reason--you have a purpose,and I want to live and find out exactly what that is for me.", "problems": [{"question": "How did the author feel about her disease at first?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Optimistic.", "Pessimistic.", "Confident.", "Discontented."]}, {"question": "When did the author begin to notice the positive sides of her tragedy?", "answer": "A", "options": ["After she was diagnosed with colon cancer.", "After she was diagnosed with breast cancer.", "After she wrote her first poem.", "After she became a writer."]}, {"question": "In the author's opinion, _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["no one is luckier than her", "God doesn't treat everyone fairly", "writing poetry is the best way to deal with cancer", "being alive is lucky for her"]}, {"question": "We can know from the passage that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the author developed breast cancer a few years after colon cancer", "writing only helped the author alone", "the author wrote stories as well as poems", "If Only I Could Fly,Said Mattiebee is a poem"]}]} -{"article": "People living in the country enjoy several advantages that people living in the city cannot enjoy. They are in closely contact with nature. They make friends with trees and stones. They can own dogs. They breathe fresh air. They fight with strong winds. They listen to the songs of birds.\nThis contact with nature is good for health. There are many diseases that are common in the city. but are not to be found in the country. For example, near-sightedness is almost unknown to country people.\nBecause of the absence of cars, one can walk more freely in the country than in the city. There are no rules of the road nor traffic signs to obey.\nPeople living in the country can easily get fresh vegetables, fresh fruit and fresh milk. And they get them at lower prices than in the city.\nCountry life is economical in other ways, too. There are practically no temptations to waste money.\nCountry people are mostly honest. They say what they mean, and make and keep promises with sincerity . They do not put on air. They do not pretend to have those ridiculous manners which are necessary in what we call polite society.", "problems": [{"question": "What can't country people often enjoy ?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Musical concerts.", "Fresh air.", "Song of birds.", "Close contact with nature."]}, {"question": "What is probably more expensive in country than in the city ?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Vegetables.", "Beer.", "Milk.", "Fruit."]}, {"question": "What is NOT true of country life ?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The traffic accident rate is very high in the country.", "Living in the country saves one a lot of money.", "Country people enjoy better health than the city people.", "Country people are honest."]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is true according to the passage ?", "answer": "D", "options": ["People living in the country enjoy no advantages.", "People living in the city are in close contact with nature.", "People living in the country suffer from more diseases than those living in the city.", "The prices of farm products are lower in the country than in the city."]}, {"question": "Which of the following would be the best title for the passage ?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The Disadvantages of Living in the Country.", "The Expenses of Living in the Country.", "Country Life.", "Healthy Country People."]}]} -{"article": "The Last Supper is regarded as one of the supreme masterpieces in the whole field of pictorial art. Tradition has it that Leonardo Da Vinci worked for ten years upon the painting, the monks in the church annoyed at the delay. It was said that Leonardo often painted continuously from dawn to night without eating his meals. But at other times he spent hours before the picture, lost in contemplation, examining, comparing, and measuring his figures.\nThis inactivity aroused the anger of the fussy Prior, the head of the church, who belonged to the large group of those who believed that the busier a man seems, the more he accomplishes; and so he tried to find fault with the idle painter. Leonardo was slightly unhappy and explained to somebody else that there is a great difference between the work of the creative artist and the stonemason . The creative artist needs time for contemplation; he may be busiest when his hands are idlest. Just now he needed two heads to complete the picture: that of Christ, for which no model on earth could be found, for where was the man to be found whose face would express the strength, and beauty, and tenderness, and deep sorrow of the Christ; then he also needed a head of Judas, and that was hard to find as well, for where was the man whose face could express the meanness of that base traitor . But he would look no further; if none came his way, he would be satisfied to take Prior as a model for Judas. This threat silenced the angry Prior, who quite naturally had no desire to pass to descendants in such a fashion.", "problems": [{"question": "Why did the Prior complain about the delay?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Because he thought that the painter idled most of the hours.", "Because he knew that genius might be busiest when seemingly idlest.", "Because he liked the work of a stonemason.", "Because he was eager to be taken as a model for Judas."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is true?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The painter was pleased with the Prior's anger.", "The Prior was angry because he thought the painter did not work hard.", "The painter took one of the monks as a model for Christ.", "The painter took one of the monks as a model for Judas."]}, {"question": "Why did the Prior stop complaining?", "answer": "A", "options": ["He did not wish to be remembered like an evil traitor after he died.", "He wanted to be painted as a tender Christ.", "He disliked to be painted in fashionable clothes.", "He was pleased to be a fashionable model."]}]} -{"article": "Mini Book Excerpts \nBiography \nWhen Salinger learned that a car park was to be built on the land,the middleaged writer was shocked and quickly bought the neighboring area to protect it ... The towns people never forgot the rescue and came to help their most famous neighbor.\nJ. D. Salinger: A Life by Kenneth Slawenski (Random House,$27)\nMystery \n\"You're a smart boy. Benny's death was no accident, and you're the only one who saw it happen. Do you think the murderer should get away with it? \"The boy was staring stubbornly at his lap again.\nA thought suddenly occurred to Annika,\"Did you ...You recognized the man in the car, didn't you?\"\nThe boy hesitated, twisting his fingers,\"Maybe,\"he said quietly.\nRed Wolf by Liza Marklund (Atria Books, $25.99)\nShort Stories\nShe wants to say to him what she has learned,none of it in class: Some women are born stupid, and some women are too smart for their own good. Some women are born to give, and some women only know how to take. Some women learn who they want to be from their mothers, some who they don't want to be. Some mothers suffer so their daughters won't. Some mothers love so their daughters won't.\nYou Are Free by Danzy Senna (Riverhead Books,$15)\nHumor\nDo your kids like to have fun? Come to Fun Times! Do you like to watch your kids having fun? Bring them to Fun Times! Fun Times's \"amusement cycling\" is the most fun you can have, legally, in the United States right now. Why spend thousands of dollars flying to Disney World when you can spend less than half of that within a day's drive of most cities?\nHappy And Other Bad Thoughts by Larry Doyle (Ecco,$14.99)", "problems": [{"question": "If the readers want to know about the life of Salinger, they should buy the book published by _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Ecco", "Random House", "Riverhead Books", "Atria Books"]}, {"question": "The book Happy And Other Bad Thoughts is intended for _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["young children", "Disney World workers", "middle school teachers", "parents with young children"]}, {"question": "Which book describes women with characters of their own?", "answer": "A", "options": ["You Are Free", "J.", "Happy And Other Bad Thoughts", "Red Wolf"]}]} -{"article": "One evening I went out and left my 17-year-old son in charge of his 8-year-old brother and 4-year-old sister.On this occasion, the work was made less troublesome by the presence of his girlfriend.I left with complete confidence that the older children would do a wonderful job of babysitting the younger children.Later, I discovered that complete confidence was the last thing I should have left home with.\nI had decided to return home earlier than planned so that my son and his girlfriend could go out.I called home with this happy news.But instead of hearing his cheerful, grateful voice on the other end of the line, all I heard was the sound of a telephone ringing.\nIt was, I should point out, after 10 p.m.,when the two younger children should have been in bed, and when the two older children should have been answering the phone.\"I'll give him a lesson,\" I said. I decided they must be outside.Why they might be outside at 10:30 on a winter night I had no idea, but it was the only explanation I could come up with.\nFinally, in desperation, I called his girlfriend's house. After what seemed like countless rings, his girlfriend answered.\"Yes,\" she said brightly, \"He's right here.\"\nHe came on the phone.I was not my usual calm, rational self. After all, one of the rules of survival for modern parents is that you can't trust modern teenagers.\"Where are the children?\" I said.He said they were with him.They had done nothing wrong.My son had taken the younger children over to his girlfriend's house just for ice cream and cake.This was too good to be believed. Well, it turns out that I shouldn't have believed it.It was only part of the truth.\nThe following Saturday evening we were at my parents' home, celebrating my birthday.My oldest son gave me the children's gifts.Mounted and framed were a series of lovely color photographs of my children, dressed in their best clothes, and wearing their most wonderful expressions.They are pictures to treasure a lifetime, all taken by the father of my son's girlfriend.", "problems": [{"question": "The author went out and left her eldest son in charge of the younger children because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["she knew that her eldest son was a good baby-sitter", "she thought it no hard work to take care of the younger ones", "she believed he could do well with his girlfriend's help", "she could not find a baby-sitter on that winter night"]}, {"question": "When the author called home that evening, she found that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["two younger children had already been in bed", "the children were preparing a birthday gift for her", "her son was quarrelling with his girlfriend", "there was no one answering the telephone"]}, {"question": "What might the children do that evening?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They had a birthday party.", "They framed some photographs.", "They had their pictures taken.", "They made some beautiful clothes."]}, {"question": "What does the author intend to tell us by the story?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Modern teenagers are not worth trusting.", "It is no easy job to look after young children.", "It's no good to have a girlfriend at an early age.", "Her children have a caring and tender heart."]}]} -{"article": "Are you forty years old and fat? Do you wear fine clothes? Do you look rich? If so, be careful. There is a pickpocket looking for you. World travelers, away from home and usually carrying much money, are often troubled by pickpockets in foreign countries, but they should remember that there are pickpockets in their own country, too.\n A typical pickpocket is under forty years of age, usually a male. He has nimble fingers and has trained himself in running. Generally, he carries a newspaper or magazine in his hand. He may appear fairly clever and pretend to be calm. He has learned his job from another pickpocket, and he repays his \"teacher\" by giving him a percentage of the money or things which he steals.\n The skilled pickpocket always operates in crowded places. Very well-dressed men and slightly drunken men are the favorite objects of the pickpocket.\n An average-sized department store hires about six or seven full-time detectives. These men and women are constantly looking for pickpockets quickly. But a good pickpocket knows these things and is very careful. He is especially busy on buses, trains and subways between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. when there are many shoppers with much money to spend. He carefully remembers the payday and bonus times of companies.\n Pickpocketing and stealing from a shop together represent about 75% of daytime little crimes in America. The sentence for these crimes is usually from three to five years in prison. After finishing their sentence, pickpockets and thieves seldom reform; they usually advance to more serious crimes.", "problems": [{"question": "According to this passage, what does a typical pickpocket look like?", "answer": "C", "options": ["An old gentleman.", "A fat rich man.", "A clever calm man.", "A middle-aged traveler."]}, {"question": "Why is a pickpocket especially busy on buses between 1:00 a.m. and 3:00_p.m.?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because this is the time when detectives have a rest.", "Because this is the time when many shoppers carry much money to spend.", "Because this is the time when companies pay bonus to their employees.", "Because this is the time when their hands are nimblest."]}]} -{"article": "The majority of physicists once believed that the universe's expansion was slowing down. In 1998, they were proven completely wrong. Though it flies in the face of scientific theory, the universe is expanding at an ever-increasing rate. \nOne possible explanation is that empty space has a thing called dark energy, which supposedly makes up about three quarters of the universe. Dark energy supposedly very sparsely exists in such a way that it interacts with other objects only through attracting force. It has a strong negative pressure, which causes it to pull on its surroundings and as a result, pull apart the universe. This neatly explains the universe's expansion without completely changing our understanding of the universe. Scientists can merely claim that dark energy \"should\" exist. \nAccording to Einstein's theory of relativity, it is impossible to travel faster than at the speed of light. \nWith this in mind, physicists set out to do the impossible and succeeded. In 2000, scientists in Princeton, New Jersey sent a small pulse of laser light through a vapor made up of gaseous cesium . The pulse traveled so quickly that it was already leaving the vapor-filled chamber as it was still entering, roughly 300 times faster than it would have in a vacuum . Thus, light moved faster than the speed of light. \nOther experiments have since managed to conquer light's supposed speed limit, though all claims have had fine print that keeps them from being especially groundbreaking . Those seeking to truly prove Einstein wrong must instead turn to objects like black holes, which could theoretically cause things to move at faster-than-light speeds. Black holes have been proven to be particularly uncooperative test subjects though, and for now this remains a guess.", "problems": [{"question": "What did the scientists think before 1998?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The universe would expand faster.", "Empty space was full of dark energy.", "The universe would expand more slowly.", "There was nothing in the space."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Dark energy has a positive pressure because of its surroundings.", "Three fourths of the universe is made up of dark energy.", "We have changed our understanding of the universe.", "Dark energy has been discovered."]}, {"question": "What can be inferred from the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The pulse traveled exactly 300 times faster than light.", "It is impossible to exceed the speed of light.", "Objects like black holes haven't been found.", "Einstein's theory of relativity is wrong."]}]} -{"article": "The film \"Avatar\" has received great popularity around the world. It turned out to be a great success. The film got $1 billion in ticket sales in a very short time. The story in the film happens on an alien planet called Pandora where many strange species live. Among the planet's inhabitants(,),the one that has the most similarities with humans is the Na'vi, and it is the struggle between the Ma'vi and human invaders that forms the story of the film.\nAs to the factors leading to the film's success, many think that the entertaining feast for the eyes and the wonderful story shouldn't be forgotten, but the new language invented especially for the film which provides audiences with a new experience also plays an important part.\nIn order to increase the truthfulness of an alien race , the film's director James Cameron asked an expert in languages from the University of Southern California to invent a language for the Na'vi. Professor Paul Frommer combined the languages spoken among Indians, Africans and mid-Asians and worked with James Caneron for four years to create the Na'vi language based on the original 30 words that the director had already come up with.\nAccording to Professor Frommer, the most important characteristic of the Na'vi language is that it could be pronounced. \"This is an alien language but obviously it has to be spoken by human actors and actresses,\" Professor Frommer told the BBC, \"it has to sound natural and it should make human beings comfortable when using it.\"\nThe language has a vocabulary of around 1000 words but Professor Formmer hopes to enlarge the vocabulary in possible follow-ups to the film and in video games. The professor hopes that one day his creation will be as successful as the Klingon alien language from the \"Star Trek\"films. \"There's a translation of Hamlet into Klingon and it has received great popularity among the audiences,\" says Professor Frommer,\"if anything like this happens to the Na'vi language, I'd be very happy.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What do we know about\"Avatar\" from this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The story in it is a moving love story.", "It brings the producer $1 billion in total.", "The story in it happens on an alien planet.", "It talks about humans and aliens' friendship."]}, {"question": "The director of \"Avatar\" James Cameron had a language invented for the Na'vi to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["make the film a whole mystery", "make the Na'vi more believable", "make the Na'vi different from humans", "make the film have specific characteristics"]}, {"question": "Who first created the basic words of the Na'vi language?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Paul Frommer.", "An Indian.", "James Cameron", "Hamlet."]}, {"question": "The important feature of the Na'vi language is that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["it can be spoken by humans", "it has just 30 original words", "it has a vocabulary of 1000 words.", "it is like the Klingon alien language"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["James Cameron will produce follow-ups to \"Avatar\"", "the Na'vi language is another kind of the Klingon language", "the director believes the Na'vi language will be popular", "Paul Frommer hopes to add new words to the Na'vi language"]}]} -{"article": "Today, many people are too busy to spend enough time with their family. What are the causes of this phenomenon and what problems has it brought to families and society as a whole?\nIn this day and age, the human society is progressing rapidly on various aspects. Many modern technologies were invented by human such as cars, computers and Internet. But advances in technology lead to our pace of life much faster than before. People have not enough time with their family.\nIt is evident that the causes of this phenomenon are different. In the first place, advancing in technology improves the efficiency of production, but also causes people to do more things at the same time. Moreover, this is especially true when we consider the fact that the global financial crisis in recent years has led many people to fear losing their job, and the significant rising costs of life which need people to work harder than before. Besides, employees may be scattered at the whole world. For example, my friend often holds a meeting at middle-night with his colleague who stays in the US and he still needs to work at daytime.\nIn my opinion, the impact of this phenomenon on families and society is profound. People do not have enough time to spend with their family, especially with their children. They may spend much time in front of TV or computer games which have much violence and may seriously influence children's growth. Furthermore, the increasingly over-speed lifestyle will engender a higher incidence of illness. More instances about employee's sudden death at his/her workplace are reported by media and we must make reflection.\nIn brief, I pen down saying that people should spend more time with their family because families are the foundation of the society. This is no longer a problem for individual families, but for society as a whole.", "problems": [{"question": "The purpose of the author to write the text is to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["disclose the strange phenomenon at present", "encourage people to spend more time with family", "show people nowadays lack real love for each other.", "imply the human society needs to be reformed"]}, {"question": "One cause of this phenomenon is that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["modern technology brings people much trouble", "computers and Internet save much time for people", "advancing in technology makes people very busy", "economic development leads people to be engaged in their jobs"]}, {"question": "The author blames people for _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["working hard at their work", "not taking care of their children", "playing computer games too much", "not caring about their own health"]}]} -{"article": "Most of my friends are moving outside the city.. to avoid the noise, smog, traffic, and crime of the city.\nOne friend says, \"The air is heavily polluted in the city, so I prefer to live outside, where the air is clean.\"\nAnother friend is unpleased with the traffic, \"Downtown is crowded with cars! You can't find a parking place, and the traffic jams are terrible.\" Everyone is worried about crime, \"The city is full of criminals-it's toodangerous.\"\nFor them, the rural life is a cure for all problems, green grass, flowers, swimming pools, barbecues, and so on. Yet after they have lived there for a year or so, they realize that rural life is not so pleasant as they were expecting. Why? Their gardens! They soon learn that the main part of rural life is yard work . After they work all weekend in their gardens, they're too tired to swim in their pools or cook some meat on their barbecues. And they can't live in the countryside without a car. Most of them moved to the countryside to avoid traffic, but now they're blocked on a busy freeway two hours every day to drive to work downtown.\nMy opinions about urban life are different-I love to live downtown! Why? First, in the city, I can enjoy nature. I can walk through the park. smell. the flowers, sit on the grass and visit the animals in the zoo. Yet I don't have to do yard work or feed the animals. Also, I can get everywhere by bus; if there is a traffic jam, I can walk home. I think the criminal life will reflect changes in society too; if people are buying homes outside the city, the criminals will soon follow. Criminals want to avoid noise, smog, and pollution, too. Then, overcrowding and crime will be problems of the suburbs instead of the city!", "problems": [{"question": "What did those moving outside think of their life in the city?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Cosy.", "Convenient.", "Colorful.", "Crowded."]}, {"question": "What is the major problem for those who live in the countryside?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Being far from downtown.", "Having gardens to take care of.", "Failing to find parking lots.", "Suffering heavy traffic on the road."]}, {"question": "What is the author's attitude to his city life?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Approving..", "Ambiguous.", "Grateful.", "Doubtful."]}]} -{"article": "I've been a nurse for years. I've loved and hated my job, which can be exciting and stressful . Holidays are the hardest. I don't think I could count the number of times I've been asked to work a holiday for another, because \"You don't have a family.\"\nThis is what I faced the year that I received my most beloved Christmas gift.\nI was to work the night shift on Christmas Eve, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. It was a bitterly cold night when I arrived at work. When I stepped onto my floor, I sensed excitement. As I rounded the corner, I saw all of my co-workers waiting for me with big smiles. I thought that something big was up, and they were waiting for me to be part of it. Just then one of my co-workers Susan stepped forward, and I realized I was not just part of it... _ !\nHappy tears filled my eyes as Susan told me she'd celebrated an early Christmas Eve with her daughter so that I could have the shift off and go home to be with my parents. Maggie had taken Susan's shift, and two more had split Maggie's shift.\nGrateful tears froze to my cheek as I reached my car. There was hardly any traffic as I sped home. I sang along to the carols on the radio, alone on the highway. But I was not alone in my heart, for it was filled with thanks and wonder.\nMy co-workers had given me the greatest Christmas gift I'd ever received--their friendship and understanding. Because of that gift, and the sweet memories of that night, I will never be alone on Christmas again.", "problems": [{"question": "Why was the writer always expected to work on holidays?", "answer": "A", "options": ["She was single.", "she wanted the overtime pay.", "She liked to work on holidays.", "She liked to be alone on Christmas."]}, {"question": "All the co-workers were waiting for the writer with smiles and they wanted to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["have a party together", "play a trick on the writer", "give the writer a happy surprise", "give the writer a Christmas package"]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for the test?", "answer": "C", "options": ["A Night Shift on Christmas.", "A Christmas with My Patents.", "The Gift of Understanding.", "The Fun of Working Holidays."]}]} -{"article": "It was the end of my junior year, the weekend before prom . I was riding with some friends, and a bottle was passed around the car. Everyone was taking swigs . When the bottle got to me, I thought:\"What should I do?\"I took a swig. It was the biggest mistake of my life. I had to drive home later that night.\nI went back to my car, got in and drove off. At a stop sign I saw a policeman sitting in the parking lot across the street. His headlights were turned on, and I knew he was going to follow me. Then he flashed his lights at me. All I could think was: \"Oh no, that swig!\"\nI pulled over and waited for him to come to my door. It felt like forever. \"Can I see your license and registration, please, Miss?\" I gave them to him. He took them and went back to his car for a while. When he returned, he asked if I had been drinking.\n\"No,\" I said. He asked me to step out of my car.\n\"Walk heel to toe down the white line, please.\" I passed the test. Next he had me stand on my left foot, lift my right foot and hold it for 30 seconds. I'm not the most coordinated person and I can't even walk and chew gum at the same time, so, needless to say, I didn't pass. Then he asked me to take a breathalyzer test.\nThat was where I messed up. I told him I didn't want to and didn't understand why I had to. The officer asked me three more times, and I continued to refuse. He told me to turn around and place my hands behind my back. He arrested me right then and there.\nThe policeman drove me to a police station 20 minutes from my home. He called my parents and told them where I was.\nI went to court two months after that, charged with refusing to obey an officer. I got a $700 (4,340 yuan) fine and 40 hours of community service. I'll be on probation for a year, and I'll have to take the driving test again. I lost my license for a whole year.\nThis was a huge learning experience for me. It opened my eyes to how easy it is to make a stupid decision. I want everyone reading this to know that it's not right to drink and drive. It definitely isn't worth losing your license over.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is TRUE according to the article?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The author was in jail for 40 hours and had to do community service.", "The author thought her punishment shouldn't be so serious.", "The author was really sorry that she had made a serious mistake.", "The author believed she would have avoided punishment if she had obeyed the policeman."]}, {"question": "What is the main purpose of the article?", "answer": "A", "options": ["To warn people against driving after drinking.", "To explain how policemen test drivers.", "To show that severe punishment works.", "To blame the author's thoughtless friends."]}]} -{"article": "English teenagers are to receive compulsory cooking lessons in schools. The idea is to encourage healthy eating to fight the country's increasing obesity rate. It's feared that basic cooking and food preparation skills are being lost as parents turn to pre-pre-pared convenience foods.\nCooking was once regarded as an important part of education in England-even if it was mainly aimed at girls. In recent decades cooking has progressively become a minor activity in schools. In many cases the schools themselves have given up cooking meals in kitchens in the schools .But the rising level of obesity has led to a rethink about the food that children are given and the skills they should be taught.\n\"What I want is to teach young people how to do basic, simple recipes like a tomato sauce, a bolognaise, a simple curry, a stir-fry-which they can use now at home and then in their later life\", said Ed Balls, the minister responsible for schools.\nThe new lessons are due to start in September, but some schools without kitchens will be given longer to adapt. There is also likely to be a shortage of teachers with the right skills, since the trend has been to teach food technology rather than practical cooking. Also the compulsory lessons for hands on cooking will only be one hour a week for one term. But the well-known cookery writer, Pru Leith, believes it will be worth it .\n\"If we'd done this thirty years ago we might not have the crisis we've got now about obesity and lack of knowledge about food and so on. Every child should know how to cook, not just so that they'll be healthy, but because it's a life skill which is a real pleasure\".\nThe renewed interest in cooking is primarily a response to the level of obesity in Britain which is among the highest in Europe, and according to government figures half of all Britains will be obese in 25 years if current trends are not stopped.", "problems": [{"question": "The passage mainly talks about _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the compulsory cooking classes", "the lost cooking skills", "the healthy eating", "the reason for obesity"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT the purpose for English teenagers to receive cooking lessons?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To encourage teenagers to eat healthy food.", "To reduce the country's increasing obesity rate.", "To prevent basic cooking and food preparation skills from being lost.", "To stop parents from turning to pre-prepared convenience foods."]}, {"question": "In what way will cooking lessons benefit the students?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They will be able to do some basic, simple recipes like a tomato sauce.", "They will be healthy and enjoy the pleasure of such a life skill as well.", "They will be able to make food experiments with the knowledge and skills.", "They will be able to control the level of obesity in the whole country."]}, {"question": "The well-known cookery writer, Pru Leith, thinks it _ to offer compulsory cooking lessons in schools.", "answer": "B", "options": ["difficult", "necessary", "funny", "timely"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the passage that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["cooking has always been an important part of school education in England", "English teenagers will have their cooking lessons twice a week for one year", "the obesity rate in Britain has been rapidly growing in recent decades", "the students will pay a lot of money to the school for their cooking lessons"]}]} -{"article": "The World Trade Organization (WTO) founded on January 1, 1994, aims to encourage international trade to flow as freely as possible, making sure that trade agreements are respected and that any disputes can be settled.\nIn the five years since its founding, the WTO has become well-known as one of the world's most powerful economic organizations, taking its place alongside the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.\nThe system of global rules for international trade, however, dates back half a century to 1948 when the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was formed after World War II.\nAs time went by it became clear that the GATT had two major _ --the limited areas of trade it covered, and the lack of an effective system to settle disputes.\nAfter seven years of trade talks ending in 1994. the so-called Uruguay Round finally gave birth to the WTO, complete with an effective system to settle disputes and new rules covering trade in services and intellectual property .\nEven after seven years of talks and 22500 pages of agreements there were still problems, especially the difficult-to-deal-with areas of agriculture and services.\nThe WTO. with its head office in Geneva, has 135 members with 30 more waiting to join.", "problems": [{"question": "Compared with the GATT, the WTO _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["can do better to settle disputes in more areas of international trade", "got its members to sign the agreements more easily", "has got too many areas of international trade to deal with to work effectively", "didn't pay enough attention to services and intellectual property"]}, {"question": "In the new century the WTO will _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["take the place of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund", "have new rules covering trade in services and intellectual property", "make complete new rules in every area of international trade", "have more members and do much more to settle more problems"]}, {"question": "The best title for the passage is _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["WTO--Another Name for GATT", "WTO--an International Service Organization", "WTO--One of the World's Strongest Economic Organizations", "WTO--the World's Most Powerful Economic Organization"]}]} -{"article": "A At a recent visit to the beautiful Keukenhof flower gardens in Holland, I learned about the practice of topping.As flowers grow, sometimes the growers cut off the tops of the flowers, which they believe causes the plants to invest more energy into flower growth and less into seed production.The expected result is flower buds that will produce higher quality flowers.\nThis is the same with personal growth.Sometimes when we produce first results in a certain area, it can be helpful to cut them off and throw them away.This can free up energy for a stronger attempt elsewhere instead of settling into the comfort zone of satisfaction with the old results.\nAfter running my computer games business for 10 years and getting satisfying results with it, I decided to drop it and leave that field behind.This freed up my energy to focus on my personal development writing and speaking.If I'd kept running the old business, this would have meant less energy to invest in my new path.\nIt can be difficult to choose the topping approach because you're taking something that's already reasonably satisfying and cutting it out of your life, in the hopes that something even better will grow in its place.\nDo you want to settle where you are right now? If so, then topping is unnecessary.But if you'd like to do better and believe you have a good shot at improvement, just like the flower growers at Keukenhof, then topping is a sensible practice.To free up time and energy for future growth in new directions, you have to drop the merely satisfactory.This gives you a shot at the truly beautiful.\nStepping outside of your comfort zone is by definition an uncomfortable experience, but it can result in a lot more growth than staying put.Though dropping satisfaction to go for more growth is not an easy path to follow, I do find it to be the more beautiful path.", "problems": [{"question": "By using metaphor , the author means that the tops of flowers are _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["personal growth", "his writing and speaking", "a stronger attempt elsewhere", "the first results we produce in a certain area"]}, {"question": "If you believe that you \"have a good shot at improvement\", you believe that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["you are good at improving", "you are fond of improving", "you have a strong ability to improve", "you have a good chance to improve"]}, {"question": "The author calls on the readers through the passage to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["settle where they are", "drop the truly beautiful", "step out of their comfort zone", "get rid of the uncomfortable experience"]}, {"question": "The best title of the passage should be _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Flower Gardens in Holland", "Comfort or Growth", "Personal Development", "The Topping Approach"]}]} -{"article": "The United States estimates that about one out of every 10 people on the planet today is at least 60 years old. By 2050, it's projected to be one out of 5. This means that not only will there be more old people, but there will be relatively fewer young people to support them.\nProfessor Richard Lee of the University of California at Berkeley says this aging of the world has a great effect on economics. \"Population aging increases the concentration of population in the older ages and therefore it is costly,\" he said.\nAging populations consume more and produce less. With more people living longer, it could get expensive. But Mr. Lee says with continuing increases in worker productivity and smart planning, it can be manageable.\nSocieties have different methods for caring for the elderly, but each carries a cost. Generally, there are three types of support. Seniors can live off the wealth they gained when they were younger. They can rely on their family to take care of them, or they can rely on the government.\nIn industrialized nations, governments created publicly-funded support systems. These worked relatively well until recent years, when aging population growth in places like the United States and Western Europe began to gradually weaken the systems finances. These nations now face some tough choices. Mr. Lee says the elderly in some of these countries must either receive less money, retire later or increase taxes to make the system continuable.\nMost developing nations haven't built this type of government-funded support, but have instead relied on families to care for their elderly. These nations also generally have a much younger population, which means their situation is not as urgent as more developed nations. But Mr. Lee says that doesn't mean they can ignore the issue. \"Third World countries should give very careful thought to this process, to population aging and how it may affect their economies -- now, before population aging even becomes an issue,\" he explained.", "problems": [{"question": "\"Aging\" in this text means .", "answer": "D", "options": ["there are more young people than old people", "an increasing number of old people are dying", "more and more young people are growing old", "the percentage of old people in the world is increasing"]}, {"question": "What is Professor Richard Lee's attitude towards population aging?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Indifferent.", "Optimistic.", "Negative.", "Worried."]}, {"question": "The publicly-funded support systems in industrialized nations.", "answer": "A", "options": ["are facing the risk of failing", "have failed to provide support for the old", "will be replaced by other support systems", "have greatly affected the nations' economies"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the text that developing nations.", "answer": "A", "options": ["should prepare for population aging", "don't see population aging as an issue", "are facing urgent situations of population aging", "have better ways to deal with population aging"]}]} -{"article": "I am 26. I'm clear that I'm never going to catch up with Mother Teresa. But I want to do something to help people every single day like her.\nEverybody thinks we just serve food and soda. The safety training is serious and stressful. Caring for 49 people in a business class in 90 minutes is not easy. I had a roommate who was a waitress; she just left a candle and a table cloth burning, and I used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire. If something goes bad at her job, she calls the police. But if something happens up in the air, it's up to us.\nI'm single and have no kids. I've flown every Christmas since 1995. If I fly, someone else can be with their kids. Christmas in an airport can be depressing, but it's the little things that make a difference.\n _ . It's hard to put on a smile and just pretend everything is great when it isn't. I've seen co-workers lose a family member the day before a trip and just pull themselves together (take control of their feelings and believe in a calm way). At the end of a 14-hour flight, it's like, \"It was really nice to help you, but I'm ready for you to get off the plane.\" Those last 15 minutes can be the longest 15 minutes of your life. You can't wait to turn off the flight attendant's voice and get something to eat without anyone saying \"Excuse me.\"\nSometimes I go all day and never hear a \"please\" or a \"thank you.\" When you say thank you, it's huge. It makes us feel like you actually see us as fellow humans. We're up there together at a height of 30,000 feet, enjoying the miracle of the modern flight.", "problems": [{"question": "What's the author's attitude towards Mother Teresa?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Grateful", "Fearful", "Doubtful", "Admiring"]}, {"question": "How did the author like her roommate's job?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It was the same as hers", "It was more interesting than hers", "It was easier than hers", "It was more serious than hers"]}, {"question": "Why does the author fly every Christmas?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because she has nowhere to go.", "Because she's trying to be a helpful co-worker.", "Because she owes her co-workers some favors.", "Because she'd like to earn more money."]}]} -{"article": "Begin doing the work you love as soon as possible, even if you don't get paid for it, or if you can only work at it part-time. Albert Einstein was unable to get a job as a physics professor. He could have said to himself, \"Well, I just don't have the work relative to physics. I should give up on it and settle for something else.\" Instead, he wrote the two most famous papers when he was employed as a patent clerk. After their publication, there was not a major university in the world that would not have been glad to have him on their staff.\nIf you want to work as an artist and you are making a living as a waiter, don't think of yourself as a waiter who hopes one day to become an artist. That puts the work you love somewhere off in the distant future. Rather, think of yourself as an artist, supporting yourself by waiter tables--and paint, or draw as much as you can. It is possible to earn a living wage as a waiter working 24 hours a week. That leaves plenty of time to devote to training or developing your craft in the off hours.\nWhile seeking the work you love, it helps to expand your awareness into the universe of all possibilities. You don't want to be limited to the ideas of what you should do or what you have done before. Having opened to all possibilities, you can make a final decision and select the work you love as your own.\nDoing the work you love requires that you be equally comfortable with the imaginative and the practical. It requires the ability to dream big dreams and the ability to face and master all the little details that make dreams come true.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, perhaps Einstein once said to himself, \" _ .\"", "answer": "C", "options": ["Well, I just don't have the work relative to physics. I should give up on it and settle for \nsomething else", "The job is just what I want, I should work very hard at it", "I have to support myself by working as a patent clerk now, but I won't give physics up", "I must wait until I find my favorite job"]}, {"question": "If a person works 24 hours a week, he can _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["have enough spare time for his hobbies", "have no time left to make his dream come true", "do nothing else", "make a good living"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, the author encourages us to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["start work quickly", "select job carefully and patiently", "dream often", "make up our minds quickly"]}]} -{"article": "Eyesight problems are common among all ages and if they are left untreated, they can cause serious headaches or other problems. The good news is that most eyesight problems can easily be sorted out by wearing glasses.\nRegular eye tests are important for everyone. Children and teenagers, under the age of 16 and up to the age of 19 for those full-time education, have the right to have eye tests for free in Britain. As the eye test is free, there's no excuse for not having a regular eye test. Doctors suggest that it's better to have an eye test about once a year.\nWearing glasses isn't always regarded as all that cool and teens who suddenly need to wear glasses may find it difficult to accept. If they've grown up wearing glasses, then they may be more used to it. However, if your eyes are in poor health, not wearing glasses can put even more pressure on your eyes and could make them even worse.\nThankfully, the days of little choice of glasses frames for teenagers are gone and there's now a wide selection of frames. If a teen does need to wear glasses, then it's good to let him or her choose the type, as he or she will be able to choose something he or she feels comfortable. Don't forget to be guided by the experts on glasses too.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the text, teens in the UK _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["have few eyesight problems", "can design their own glasses", "change their glasses very often", "can check their eyes without paying"]}, {"question": "How often do doctors suggest teens to have an eye test?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Once a month.", "Once every six months.", "Once a year.", "Twice a year."]}, {"question": "It can be learned from the text that teens _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["find it difficult to buy comfortable glasses", "prefer to wear cool glasses at an early age", "are advised to wear glasses if their eyesight is poor", "think they are much cooler when wearing glasses"]}, {"question": "In the past, teens who wanted to buy glasses _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["were unable to find the right glasses", "only had a few styles to choose from", "could not find an expert to ask for advice", "were worried about the quality of glasses"]}]} -{"article": "Very old people do raise moral problems for almost everyone who comes into touch with them.Their values---this can not be repeated too often--aren't necessarily our values.Physical comfort,cleanness and order are not necessarily the most important things.The social services from time to time find themselves faced with a room with rotten food covered by small worms,and an old person lying alone on bed,taking no notice of the worms.But is it interrupting personal freedom to insist that they go to live with some of their relatives so that they might be taken better care of? Some social workers,the ones who clear up the worms,think we're in danger of carrying this idea of personal freedom to the point where serious risks are being taken with the health and safety of the old.\nIndeed,the old can be easily hurt or harmed.The old is like a car: it needs more mechanical repair as it gets older.You can carry this comparison right through to provision of spare parts.But never forget that such operations are painful experiences,however good the results are.And at what point should you stop to treat the old body?Is it morally right to try to push off death by continuing the development of medicine to excite the forgetful old mind and to make the old body active,knowing that it is designed to die?You cannot ask doctors or scientists to decide,because so long as they can see the technical chances,they will feel it necessary to give them a try,by the rule that while there's life,there's hope.\nTalking to the old,however,you're forced to the conclusion that whether age is happy or unpleasant depends less on money or health than it does on your ability to have fun.", "problems": [{"question": "Some social workers think that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["old people should keep their living places clean", "one should not take risk dealing with old people", "health and safety are more important than personal freedom", "personal freedom is more important than health and safety"]}, {"question": "The writer of this passage thinks that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["it is always morally right to treat old people and push off death", "the opinion that we should try every means possible to save old people is uncertain", "old people can enjoy a happy life only if they are very rich", "medical decisions for old people should be left to the doctors"]}]} -{"article": "Location: Worlds of Fun is located off Highway 435 in Kansas City, Missouri.\nHistory: Worlds of Fun was opened on May 26, 1973, at a cost of 25 million dollars. Loosely themed around the Jules Verne book, Around the World in Eighty Days, the park was founded by Hunt Midwest Company. In 1982, Hunt Midwest bought a nearby waterpark, Oceans of Fun. In 2013, Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun were combined to a one-ticket admission, providing all guests with access to 235 acres of amusement and water rides.\nHours: Worlds of Fun is open from April through Halloween.\nTickets: Buy and print online. Always try to buy your tickets in advance, to save time when you get to the park.\nReservations: World of Fun sells \" Fast Lane\" cards that save rides' time by allowing them to avoid the majority of wait for most of rides and attractions including Mamba, Plowler, and Patriot. Ride as many times as you want all day long.\nStrategy : Most visitors tend to begin in the day with Prowler, the hottest attraction in the park. Use that tendency to your advantage and head to the Patriot first. After that, try the Dragons. Then work your way back to the Prowler. After riding the Prowler, there is only one roller coaster, Mamba. Hit it next. If the park is not very crowded, you can ride Boomerang on the way to Mamba. After riding Mamba, head back for a ride on the Wolf. By then you will have tried most of the popular rides and attractions in the shortest possible time.\nNews: In 2014, Worlds of Fun is adding Steel Hawk, a ride that will take guests up 301 feet in the air and spin them at a 45-degree angle for a 60-second flight. Wait to have a try.", "problems": [{"question": "When did Hunt Midwest's two parks start to share one ticket?", "answer": "D", "options": ["In 1973", "In 1982", "In 2014", "In 2013"]}, {"question": "With a \"Fast Lane\" card, visitors can _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["save some money", "avoid lining up for long", "buy tickets online", "enjoy all the rides for free."]}, {"question": "What is talked about in the part of Strategy?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The most popular tour season.", "The highest ride in the park.", "The best visiting route.", "The hottest attractions in the park."]}]} -{"article": "His youth was nothing like yours, unless your name happens to be Justin Bieber or Emma Watson. At 14, Kirk Cameron was receiving 10,000 letters a month while acting as Mike Seaver in the sitcom Growing Pains. For children of the 1980s, every boy dreamt of having his brown leather coat, the modern parents, and the humor of Mike Seaver.\nKirk was making $ 50,000 a week but had to deal with various things resulting from increasing popularity. \"Kirk had a couple of _ fans who followed and shadowed him. They kind of crossed the line and frightened all of us to some degree,\" says another star of the sitcom.\nIn 1986, the kid described his life to a magazine: \"I'm just going to have to get used to the uncomfortable parts, like not having a lot of privacy. Interviewer wants to know if being famous is making me breathless and I answer no, it isn't--it is a lot, but I can handle it.\" However, people considered him the happiest guy on the planet. He was driving around the city in his favorite car. He flew to foreign countries for vacations. He tasted various foods in different restaurants on streets.\nIn a recent interview, Kirk admitted that he once viewed the world as though he were the centre of it and began expecting things to be done for him. \"Anything I wanted was given to me. That was what I expected because that was my reality,\" he says. Though it was not easy for Kirk, he managed to treat himself as an ordinary person, with years of life experience.", "problems": [{"question": "Kirt Cameron was thought to be the happiest guy because of _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["his high income", "his popularity", "his life style", "his great dreams"]}, {"question": "What does Kirt Cameron think of the early himself?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Humorous.", "Self-centered.", "Ordinary.", "Happy."]}, {"question": "What might be the best title for this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Live a Free Life as You Wish", "A Hard Life Lacking in Privacy", "To Be Ordinary Though Famous", "Annoying Popularity with Troubles"]}]} -{"article": "I serve coffee at a diner in Texas. I often see a look of isolation in my customers' eyes. They come in the front door, wander to the counter, pick up the menu, and look around the diner for something they can't short-order: a connection.\nIn an age of online chat, online shopping and even online school, it's no wonder people come into the diner starving for human connection. Most of my customers ask me about the happenings in my life when I serve up their eggs and meat.\nOne day, I walked back to the smoking section to pass around a fresh pot of coffee. There was a woman who had been sitting in a corner booth for at least three hours. She asked me, \"How much is just one breakfast taco ?\" I told her I'd never served just one by itself. Going back to the kitchen I thought about her tired eyes. I offered her a free pancake breakfast. She asked to borrow the money for bus and promised to return and pay me back. I handed over tip money from my pocket. She smiled on her way out the front door.\nThree weeks later she returned my two dollars. She had gotten a job and a friend's bed to sleep on. She offered to buy me breakfast on my break!\nThis kind of thing gets me wondering if something as simple as a breakfast can bring about a small change in society, then why not take it even further and see if one act of friendliness can start to make peace? I believe it can. Peace begins with one person but spreads. When I connect with my neighbors, they return it in kind.\nSo I believe in friendliness and an open ear. For me, it starts with making eye contact when I pour coffee and ask my customers, \"How are you doing?\" and then listen to their answer. My job is to take care of customers, but I also believe we're to take care of each other.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, people with looks of isolation go to the diner mainly to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["order some drinks", "have dinner", "get in touch with others", "surf the Internet"]}, {"question": "When most of the customers saw the author, they would _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["have a talk with her", "thank her just for her service", "buy her breakfast on her break", "talk about online shopping with her"]}, {"question": "What do we know about the woman who borrowed money from the author?", "answer": "C", "options": ["She had not a friend.", "She found a perfect job later.", "She didn't have her own home.", "She often borrowed money from others."]}]} -{"article": "Downing Street sources have indicated that the British tennis player,Andy Murray,will be Recommended for a knighthood for ending Britain's 77-year wait for a Wimbledon men's champion title.David Cameron,the British prime minister,who was in the royal box on Sunday at Wimbledon told reporters that he couldn't think of anyone who deserves one more.More news on the knighthood is surely to come, but Murray's achievement has a _ in that he is Scottish, not English.\nAlso in the royal box show on Sunday was Scotland's first minister, Alex Salmond, waving the white-and-blue Scottish flag in the row directly behind Cameron after the victory.No Scotsman had won the singles at Wimbledon since Harold Mahony in 1896.Salmond was later asked on BBC Radio whether Murray's achievement had been a victory for Britain. \"Absolutely,and for tennis fans everywhere,\"Salmond said.\"Let everyone enjoy the victory.But you will allow us just the little private thing.Let us wave our national flag.\"\nThe Scottish government,headed by Salmond,has announced that Scotland will hold a referendum on independence from Britain in September 2014.Murray,who lives in the London area but was born and raised in the Scottish town of Dunblane,has not said publicly which way he would vote on the issue,and his Wimbledon Championship will only mix interest in his views.\nBut this was a national moment.Murray's semifinal victory over Jerzy\nJanowicz drew a peak television audience of 13.24 million viewers, the biggest of the year in Britain.The final then topped that with a peak audience of 17.3 million,the biggest audience for a Wimbledon final since at least 1990, according to the B BC.\nOnly one name will go on the trophy ,but tennis at the highest level has now become a team event.Murray,who once had frequent fits of anger during matches,has transformed himself into a much more focused force with the help of an extensive support group.Murray's rise to champion has clearly something to do with his decision to hire the former number one tennis champion Ivan Lendl as his coach just before the 2012 season.\"He's been very patient with me; I'm just happy I managed to do it for him.\"\nOnward Team Murray goes toward a defense of the United States Open title,beginning next month,and then eventually to defending at Wimbledon next year with the British drought well and truly over.", "problems": [{"question": "What does the author mean by saying\"the British drought well and truly over\"?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Murray is concerned about the drought that struck Britain.", "Drought in Britain will be over next year when Wimbledon is held.", "British government's rule over Scotland will come to an end soon.", "The British people's desire for a Wimbledon victory is fully satisfied."]}, {"question": "What does the writer intend to tell us?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The whole Great Britain is enjoying Murray's victory.", "Scotland is going to gain independence from Britain", "The secret lies behind Murray's Wimbledon victory.", "Murray was torn between the choices in the referendum."]}]} -{"article": "It is known to us that computer users are being warned by industry experts to pay attention to secret codes which could be used to record their conversation.\nE-mails, screen savers, and electronic greeting cards can carry a secret code which is able to turn on the computer's microphone, make a recording, and forward it to someone else without the user's knowledge.\nIn fact any attachments sent to a computer, whether it is a game of Space Invaders, or a moving picture, can possibly be used to spy .\nExperts say people should always think twice about opening attachments because --- although not common --- bugging by computer can and has been done.\nBill Lyons, head of the Internet Security Company Finjan, said, \"People in the army have tested this and you can be sure, if people in general are aware of it, then computer hackers are aware of it. The frightening thing is that there are tools on the Internet which people, using a simple search method, can find, and which will enable them to attach this dangerous code to simple attachments.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What is the advice given in the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Use secret codes to record other people's conversation.", "Be careful when opening an attachment.", "Never open any attachments.", "Never use secret codes."]}, {"question": "What worries the experts is that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["nobody seems to believe such things", "nobody knows the danger of the code", "tools can easily be used to tie dangerous codes to e-mails", "effective ways can never be found to deal with the problem."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["A moving picture cannot be used to spy.", "Electronic greeting cards cannot carry a secret code.", "A secret code is used to destroy the computer system.", "Any attachments sent to a computer may carry a secret code."]}]} -{"article": "Have you ever heard the saying \"All roads lead to Rome\"? At one time, this was pretty much true. During the Roman Empire, lots of roads were built in order to move armies, send messages by courier , and make trade easier. This construction work went on for five centuries! If all the roads built during the Roman Empire were put together end to end, they would circle the equator twice.\nThe network of Roman roads was begun in 312 BC. It was demanded that the roads be built strong so that they would not fall down. Roman soldiers, supervised by engineers, laid down the roads in a special pattern of layers. The first layer was made of sand. Next, the builders added rocks and rubble. On top of these materials came gravel. On this solid foundation, the road builders placed paving stones.\nAlso, Roman roads were cambered. This means that they were built higher in the middle than on the edges, allowing rainwater to run off, which prevented flooding. We use the same technique in building roads today. The Romans also laid out roads over hills when necessary, setting them down in a zigzag pattern to make the road rise gradually.\nAll Roman roads had milestones , placed every thousands paces (a Roman mile). The milestones told when the road was built, who was emperor at the time, the road's destination, how far the traveler was from the destination, and how many miles had been traveled since the beginning of the road. This information was a great help to travelers.\nBecause of their excellence in construction, it really is no surprise that many parts of Roman road still exist today. These roadways are one of the most impressive accomplishments of the Roman Empire.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following correctly shows the structure of the Roman roads?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Paving stones\nGravel\nRocks & rubble\nSand", "Gravel\nRocks & rubble\nSand", "Sand\nRocks & rubble\nGravel\nPaving stones", "Sand\nRocks & rubble\nGravel"]}, {"question": "What information can you find on the milestones?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The builders of the road.", "The materials used in building roads.", "The distance from one city.", "The time spent in building roads."]}, {"question": "The passage mainly _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["explains the saying \"All roads lead to Rome\"", "praises ancient Romans for their great achievements", "shows how great the Roman Empire was", "introduces the construction of the Roman roads"]}]} -{"article": "prefix = st1 / SYDNEY: As they sat sharing sweets beside a swimming pool in 1999, Shane Gould and Jessicah Schipper were simply getting along well, chatting about sport, life and \"anything else that came up.\"\nYet in Sydney next month, they will meet again by the pool, and for a short time the friends will race against each other in the 50-meter butterfly in the Australian championships at Homebush Bay. \nGould, now a 47-year-old mother of four, has announced she will be making a return to elite competition to swim the one event, having set a qualifying time of 30.32 seconds in winning gold at last year's United States Masters championships. Her comeback comes 32 years after she won three golds at the Munich Olympics. \nSchipper, now a 17-year-old from Brisbane with a bright future of going to Athens for her first Olympics, yesterday recalled her time with Gould five years ago. \n\"I was at a national youth camp on the Gold Coast and Shane had come along to talk to us and watch us train,\" Schipper explained. \"It seemed as if we had long been good friends. I don't know why. We just started talking and _ went from there.\"\n\"She had a lot to share with all of us at that camp. She told us stories about what it was like at big meets like the Olympics and what it's like to be on an Australian team. It was really interesting.\"\nNext time, things will be more serious. \"I will still be swimming in the 50m butterfly at the nationals, so there is a chance that I could actually be competing against Shane Gould,\" said Schipper, who burst into the scene at last year's national championships with second places in the 100m and 200m butterfly.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the passage mainly about?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Stories happening in swimming competitions.", "Two women swimmers winning Olympic golds.", "Lessons learned from international swimming championships.", "Friendship and competition between two swimmers."]}, {"question": "Gould and Schipper are going to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["talk about sport and life", "go back to elite competition", "set a qualifying time and win gold", "take part in the same sports event"]}, {"question": "Gould won her three Olympic golds when she was_.", "answer": "A", "options": ["15", "17", "22", "30"]}, {"question": "What Schipper said showed that she _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["was no longer Gould's friend", "had learned a lot from Gould", "was not interested in Gould's stories", "would not like to compete against Gould"]}]} -{"article": "Humans aren't the only species on the planet with a _ for electronic gadgets .Zookeepers across the US and Canada are discovering that apes also get excited about Apps.\nAs part of a program called\"Apps for Apes\",12 zoos across the two countries have been introducing iPads into the entertainment time for orangutans,the giant furry red primates native to Indonesia and Malaysia.\n\"We are finding that,similar to people,they like touching the tablet,watching short videos of David Attenborough for instance,and looking at other animals and orangutans,\" said Richard Zimmerman,founding director of Orangutan Outreach,the non-profit that runs the program.\nTwice weekly,orangutans are provided with access to the tablets.The animals spend from 15 minutes to half an hour using different Apps depending on their attention span.Apps designed for children that stimulate activities such as painting,music and memory games are among the most popular Apps with the apes.\n\"It is a lot like when we're showing children pop-up books,\"said Zimmerman,adding that the orangutans are among the most intelligent primates,with the intelligence level of a young child.\nThe program,which relies on donated iPads, will soon be expanding to zoos across Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Europe.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements is true according to the article?", "answer": "B", "options": ["12 zoos are involved in the program in the US.", "Orangutans were originally found in Indonesia and Malaysia.", "Orangutan Outreach is a successful company which earns much money.", "All the animals in the zoo spend from 15 minutes to half an hour using different Apps."]}, {"question": "It can be concluded from the passage that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the program has been successful in Europe", "orangutans are nearly as smart as children of young ages", "orangutans are the animals with thick shell", "Apps are designed for orangutans to stimulate activities such as painting, and memory games"]}, {"question": "Which can be the best title for the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Using Apps for Apes", "Let's Help Zoos", "Wonderful Zoos Welcome You", "A Traditional Program Will Expand"]}]} -{"article": "The smiling face of Santa Claus appears all across China.Local governments are decorating trees and lamp posts with lights and ornaments.At first glance,visitors would think they were in Europe.\nDespite the fact that most Chinese are not Christians,Christmas season has become increasingly popular.\n\"If you walked around major Chinese cities 15 years ago,you wouldn`t have seen many signs of Christmas.However,if you were to visit those same Chinese cities again today,you'd be surprised to see signs of Christmas almost everywhere,\" says Cai Jiming,a professor with Tsinghua University,who has served as an expert in developing China`s holiday schedule.\nAlthough Christmas is not a public holiday,many Chinese cities are still getting into the Christmas spirit.\nCai says his e-mail inbox and cell phone have been flooded with messages wishing him a merry Christmas.The greetings have been coming in since the end of November.\nIn his view,Christmas seems like a \"warm-up\" for the truly important coming month-long Spring Festival.\nHowever,despite the prevalence of Christmas celebrations,for most Chinese,it neither means a religious celebration nor an occasion for family reunions.Instead,it is a time for relaxing with friends,a time to shop,a time to have a party and it is especially a time for romance.\n\"I expect my boyfriend to take me out on Christmas Eve and I expect a romantic night,\" says Christine Zhou,28,a hotel manager in Beijing.\"It seems to me that everything associated with Christmas time is romantic.\"\nOn the streets,rose and chocolate peddlers are vying for their business.\nChristmas has become another Valentine`s Day,and at the same time,more people feel it is a time to reward themselves with good food and a good time.\nHowever,as more Chinese join in the Christmas celebrations each year,some feel the Western-based festival is harming time-honored traditions.\nBut Cai considers it is unnecessary to boycott a Western cultural festival.\"All important festivals in different cultures have now developed into universal holidays,\" he says.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Christmas celebrations for Chinese people mean _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["a religious celebration.", "an occasion for family to get together.", "a lover's celebration.", "relaxing with friends and a time for romance."]}, {"question": "What's the best title of the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Christmas in Europe", "Chinese celebrating Christmas holiday", "Romantic holiday-Valentine's Day", "The smiling face of Santa Claus"]}]} -{"article": "Man, a land animal. But he is also closely tied to the sea. Throughout history the sea has served the needs of man. The sea has provided man with food and a convenient way to travel to many parts of the world. Today, nearly two-thirds of the world's population live within 80 kilometers of the sea coast.\nIn the modern technological world, the sea offers many resources to help mankind survive. Resources on land are beginning to be used up. The sea, however, still can be hoped to supply many of man's needs.\nThe list of riches of the sea yet to be developed by man's technology is big. Oil and gas explorations have been carried out for nearly 30 years. Valuable amounts of minerals exist on the ocean floor ready to be mined.\nFish farming promises to be a good way to produce large quantities of food. The culture of fish and shellfish is an ancient skill practised in the past mainly by _ , including people in China.\nBesides oil and gas, the sea may offer new sources of energy. Experts believe that the warm temperature of the ocean can be used in a way similar to the steam in a steamship. Ocean currents and waves offer possible use as a source of energy.\nTechnology is enabling man to explore ever more deeply under the sea. The development of strong, new materials has made this possible.\nThe technology to harvest the sea continues to improve. Experts believe that by the year 2020 the problems that prevent us from exploiting fully the food, minerals, and energy sources of the sea will be largely solved.", "problems": [{"question": "Valuable amounts of minerals are _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["in the ocean water", "in the warm ocean water", "on the sea coast", "on the ocean floor"]}, {"question": "We can conclude from this passage that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the sea resources have largely been used up", "the sea, in the broad sense, has not yet been developed", "the problems that prevent us from using the food, minerals, and energy sources of the sea have already been solved.", "by the year 2020 , the technology will be good enough to exploit all the sea resources"]}, {"question": "The best title for this passage is _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["Sea Harvest", "Sea Food", "Technology for Exploiting the Sea", "Man and the Sea"]}]} -{"article": "Do you want to be productive at work or at home? Here's what you should do.\n1. Cut off television\nI used to tell myself that I needed a break. So, when the kids slept I turned on the cable and watched whatever program that caught my fancy. Often, I found myself not watching, just channel-surfing. And I didn't end up watching a full program. I decided one day to just give up on TV as it made me sleep late and woke up tired.\nIf you want to be productive, cut off TV. You are better off reading a book. Without TV, I have managed to finish many books which I have bought but never read.\n2. Limit Internet use\nThe other big distraction that can make you sleep late is the Internet. Probably because you will be checking your emails, updating your blog, watching YouTube, etc. Try limiting the use of it at home, or switch it to the morning session.\nNowadays, I check all my personal emails early in the morning. When I get into work, I find myself less tempted to check personal emails.\n3. Know your priorities \nReally, it is all about the choices you make and the priorities you have. If you know it is competitive out there in the world, how can you be a better worker than the person who is also aiming for the position above you?\n4. Rest early, rise early\nDo you want to be productive? Rise early, read more books, have more energy, be more focused and set standards for others to catch up. It's as simple as that.", "problems": [{"question": "The passage aims to give advice on how to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["balance our work and energy well", "take care of our kids at home", "divide time between work and family", "compete against others for a better position"]}, {"question": "What does the author mainly use to support her theory?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Ancient wisdom.", "Internet information", "Popular beliefs.", "Personal experience"]}, {"question": "The author used to be in the habit of _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["watching her favorite TV programs with her kids", "checking all her personal emails in the morning", "changing channels frequently when watching TV", "reading the books immediately after she bought them"]}, {"question": "In the author's opinion, _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["our top priority at work is to get the leader's attention", "reading at night helps to make us more productive", "it's a waste of time to update our blogs very often", "knowing priorities makes us more competitive at work"]}]} -{"article": "Plastic is one of the most important technological discoveries of the 20th century. However, it may soon be replaced. The new development- liquid wood- can replace plastics in all branches of modern-day industries.\nPlastic as a material enjoys the biggest demand in the modern world, but it does have a number of drawbacks. First and foremost, plastic isn't recyclable. Secondly, it contains toxins helping develop cancerous diseases. Finally, it's made of oil and oil reserves aren't endless.\nThe liquid wood technology is likely to replace plastic and providing mankind with new materials for many years ahead. Norbert Eisenfreich, a senior researcher at the Faunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology in Germany (ICT), said that arboform, the new material, is made of lignin , which can be obtained from soft tissues of wood. Once mixed with several other matenals, it turns into solid and non-toxic _ for plastics.\nICT team leader Emilia Regina Inone-Kauffmann said the wood-working industry separates wood into three basic components, including lignin. Lignin isn't used for the production of paper. Specialists of ICT mixed lignin with several natural materials and thus invented the material which could be melted and molded .\nWhen solid, arboform looks like plastic and possesses tho qualitie of polished wood. It can be used for the production of any items. Arboform is already used for the production of car parts which require extra strength. In addition, liquid wood can be recycled repeatedly. The material preserved all of its qualities even if it's reprocessed ten times.\nHowever, the new invention doesn't enjoy an extensive use due to the high content of sulfur in it. German researchers are sure to reduce the amount of sulfur by 90% very soon to make arboform usable for home needs.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, plastic _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["helps us to reduce the use of petrol", "helps to protect our environment in some way", "does harm to our society in some way", "has been replaced by the newly discovered material"]}, {"question": "What's the advantage of arboform over plastic?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It is easier made from natural oil.", "It is more widely used in household", "It is recyclable and friendly to environment.", "It contains no poisonous materials."]}, {"question": "It can be concluded that German researchers will focus their future work firstly on _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the material's extensive use", "the content of sulfur in arboform", "the production cost of arboform", "the qualities of liquid wood"]}, {"question": "The main purpose of the text is to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["introduce liquid wood which will replace plastic", "show readers how to produce arboform", "advertise the new material-arboform", "advertise new products made of arboform"]}]} -{"article": "Hey, ladies! It's summer again and it's time for a new you! No more make-up, no more pretending! Yes, that's right! It's time to stop making ourselves beautiful for the camera, and start posting confident pictures without all the make-up and extra tricks we add onto ourselves in the hope of appearing more attractive and beautiful. Because believe it or not, we already are!\nAfter we wash our face and go to bed, it is not so perfect. You know it the face we should confidently be showing to the world! Who cares if you have pimples or your eyes look small, or if you have crow's feet? Guess what? Those are actually what make you such a beautifully grown woman. And any person who doesn't think so is just not as strong as you.\nNowadays we are so prone to do anything and everything to make us look as young and perfect as possible. Yet the troth is, by doing this, we are actually making our tree skin get worse and badly affected by all the junk we put on. We are making ourselves believe that by changing our appearance we will be more accepted and seem more attractive to other people. And yet, our final goal is to find that without all of the make-up. What kind of twisted game are we really playing with ourselves?\nSo I would like to make a suggestion for all women out there to give yourself a break at least this summer. Take a couple of pictures without all of that make-up on. You don't need it every single day, especially not this hot summer! You'll be surprised that the more confident you are about showing the real side of you, the more attractive you will be to everyone else.\nYes, the saying, \"Beauty comes from within\" is an old one, definitely still holds some troth today. So be brave, carefree, and make-up free! Let the world see you for who you really are!", "problems": [{"question": "The author thinks that ladies should show others _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["their crow's feet", "their beautiful pictures", "their real face with confidence", "their attractive appearance"]}, {"question": "What does the author think of adding make-up to our face?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It makes perfect images.", "It's really meaningless.", "It makes true images go outdated.", "It's hard to achieve what we wish."]}, {"question": "What is the author's purpose of quoting the old saying?", "answer": "A", "options": ["To declare it's what one really is that matters.", "To show the importance of adding make-up", "To give us some examples of adding make-up.", "To tell us not to neglect those old sayings."]}, {"question": "What is the topic of this text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Spending more time being with families and friends.", "Not putting on any make-up on our face this summer.", "Paying enough attention to ourselves in this summer.", "Showing the beautiful side of ourselves to others."]}]} -{"article": "Green is an important color in nature. It is the color of grass and the leaves on trees. It is the color of most growing plants, too.\nSometimes, the word green means young, fresh and growing. Sometimes, it describes something that is not yet finished or plants that are not\nFor example, a greenhorn is someone who has no experience, who is new to a situation. In the fifteenth century, a greenhorn was a young cow or ox whose horns had not yet developed. A century or so later, a greenhorn was a soldier who had not yet had any experience in war . By the eighteenth century, a greenhorn had the meaning it has today--a person who is new in a job.\nAbout one hundred years ago, greenhorn was a popular expression in the American west. Old-timers used it to describe a man who had just arrived from one of the big cities in the east. The greenhorn didn't have the skills that he would need to live in the hard, rough country.\nSomeone who has the ability to grow plants well is said to have a green thumb. The expression comes from the early nineteen hundreds.\nA person with a green thumb seems to have a magic touch that makes plants grow quickly and well. You might say that the woman next door has a green thumb if her garden continues to grow long after your plants have died.\nThe Green Revolution is the name which was given some years ago to the development of new kinds of rice and other grains. The new plants produced much larger crops. The Green Revolution was the result of hard work by agricultural scientists who had green thumbs.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, a greenhorn means _ now.", "answer": "C", "options": ["a young cow or ox whose horns have not yet developed", "a soldier who has not had any experience in war", "a person who is new in a job", "a man who doesn't have the skills to live in the country"]}, {"question": "Which of the following about the Green Revolution is NOT right?", "answer": "A", "options": ["If there weren't the Green Revolution, we would have no rice to eat.", "The expression \"the Green Revolution\" appeared several years ago.", "Because of the Green Revolution, we have more kinds of rice and other grains.", "Agricultural scientists with green thumbs started the Green Revolution."]}, {"question": "We can know from the passage that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["all growing plants is green", "green is the most important color in nature", "a person with a green thumb can make plants grow well", "the expression \"a green thumb\" has a history of two hundred years"]}, {"question": "The main idea of the passage is _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["a greenhorn", "a green thumb", "the Green Revolution", "the word \"green\" and its story"]}]} -{"article": "Attractions in York\nYork Minster\nDeangate, York YO17HH\nEnjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the largest Medieval Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe, a place for worship for over 1,000 years and a treasure house of 800 years of stained glass. Open daily subject to services. Please check in advance to avoid disappointment.\nTel: 01904 557216 \nwww.yorkminster.org E-mail: visitors@yorkminster.org\nNational Railway Museum\nLeeman Road, York YO26 4XJ\nEnjoy a fantastic free day out for the whole family at the National Railway Museum in York.\nExplore our three huge halls full of trains and railway legends including Mallard the world's fastest train and the Japanese Bullet Train.\nOpen daily between 10am. - 6pm. Tel: 08448 153139 \nwww.nrm.org.uk E-mail: nrm@nrm.org.uk \nYork Castle Museum\nEye of York, York YO1 9RY\nGet ready to take a trip to the world-famous recreated Victorian street, Kirkgate. The first street of its kind, visited by 30 million people, is alive with the sights, sounds and colourful characters of York more than 100 years ago. Step inside the shops and meet the interesting folk who work there. \nOpening hours: Mon - Sun 09:30 to 17:00 Tel: 01904 687687 \nwww.yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk E-mail: castle.museum@ymt.org.uk\nClifford's Tower\nTower Street, York YO1 9SA\nBuilt by William the Conqueror, it was twice burned to the ground, before being rebuilt by Henry III in the 13th century. With sweeping views of York and the surrounding countryside, it isn't hard to see why Clifford's Tower played such a key role in the control of northern England.\nOpening hours: Mon - Sun 10:00 to 16:00 Tel: 01904 646940 \nwww.english-heritage.org.uk/cliffordstower E-mail: customers@english-heritage.org.uk", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following attractions is on Leeman Road?", "answer": "B", "options": ["York Minster", "National Railway Museum", "York Castle Museum", "Clifford's Tower"]}, {"question": "Where can visitors step into the well-known Victorian Street?", "answer": "C", "options": ["York Minster", "National Railway Museum", "York Castle Museum", "Clifford's Tower"]}, {"question": "While visiting York Minster, the visitors can _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["enjoy a treasure house of 800 years of stained glass", "go inside the shops and meet the folk working there", "have sweeping views of York and countryside", "see the world's fastest train and the Japanese Bullet Train"]}, {"question": "If you want to know more information about Clifford's Tower, you can _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["phone 01904 557216", "email to castle.museum@ymt.org.uk", "visit the website www.nrm.org.uk", "write a letter to Tower Street, York YO1 9SA"]}]} -{"article": "Most foodies agree that eating healthy food is important. But sometimes making good food choices can be tough. Now, there are apps that can help people learn about the food they eat to improve their diets and their dining out experience.\nOpen Table\nOpen Table helps people choose restaurants when they want to go out to eat. Open Table users can also make restaurant reservations directly through the app or website. Open Table gives userspoints when they make reservations. The points can add up to discounts on restaurant visits.\nCheese & Wine Pairing app\nWine and cheese can be a great combination. But which wines go best with which cheeses? Max McCalman's cheese and wine app can help. It provides information about hundreds of different cheeses and suggests wines to pair with each. Max McCalman's Cheese & Wine Pairing app is free for iPhone and iPad.\nCalorific app\nWhat does 200 calories look like? It can be hard to picture. Calorific provides images of 200 calories worth of food. The pictures can help people on a diet and those who just want to eat healthier. The app is free for iPad and iPhone. There is also a version that provides more information for a price.\nHappyCow app\nVegetarians do not eat animal meat. Vegans do not eat any animal products. The HappyCow app is made for both groups. Users can search for vegetarian-vegan restaurants and stores around the world. A free version of HappyCow is available for Android that has ads and requires an Internet connection.\nLocalEats app\nRestaurant chains, like McDonalds, can be found almost anywhere a person might travel. But sometimes travelers want to eat like locals. The website and app LocalEats is designed for that. It lists locally owned restaurants so users can try foods from that area. The app costs about a dollar.", "problems": [{"question": "If people want to go on a diet, they need _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Cheese & Wine Pairing app", "LocalEats app", "Calorific app", "Open Table"]}, {"question": "Which of the following apps is NOT free for iPhone or Android?", "answer": "B", "options": ["HappyCow app.", "LocalEats app.", "Calorific app.", "Cheese & Wine Pairing app."]}, {"question": "What is the main purpose of this article?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To show the differences in food apps.", "To advertise the best apps for iPhones.", "To introduce some healthy eating habits.", "To inform foodies of some useful apps."]}]} -{"article": "Most city parks are places where you can escape from big,ugly structures of metal and stone.The Manhattan High Line is different.Raised 25 feet above the ground,this massive metal structure once supported a rail line.The line opened in 1934 but it was hardly used after the 1960s,and much of it was torn down.However,one stretch remained in a region of Manhattan.The railway structure was ugly and everyone knew that at some time,it would have to be removed.\nBut the High Line was not destroyed.In fact.now the old rail line serves as one of the most peaceful places in the city.The idea to change the rail line into a park came from Joshua David and Robert Hammond.In 1999,they attended a community meeting to decide the fate of the High Line.David and Hammond were the only people at the meeting interested in saving the historical structure. Later on,when they asked railway officials to take them up to look at the High Line,they saw a mile and a half of wild flowers growing in the middle of the city,and they realized that the High Line had potential to become a park.There was growing interest in improving urban centers,and so the project quickly gathered funds for construction.\nThe first section of the High Line opened in 2009 and immediately became popular with tourists and locals alike.Each part of the park has a different atmosphere.Some areas are like balconies with wonderful city views.Other sections have wide lawns and walkways planted with wild flowers.Only the final section remains the way it has been for the last fifty years--a railway line overgrown with weeds.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the text mainly about?", "answer": "A", "options": ["A park.", "A train line.", "City transport.", "A historical monument."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT true about the High Line?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It is above ground level.", "Only part of the line remains.", "It is now a popular park.", "Trains still use the line."]}, {"question": "Why did David and Hammond want to save the High Line at first?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They thought it would make a good park.", "They wanted to reopen the train line.", "They thought it had historical value.", "They were interested in improving the city."]}, {"question": "Why were people easily persuaded by David and Hammond's idea?", "answer": "A", "options": ["They wanted to make cities nicer places.", "They wanted to see the wild flowers too.", "They realized the High Line was important.", "They knew that funds were available."]}]} -{"article": "One of Scotland's most active centenarians ( ), Lady Morton, drove for nearly 80 years. She loved driving and spent the war years as an ambulance driver for Bangour Hospital. Aged 100 she was still driving around Edinburgh, up to Perthshire and elsewhere -- the oldest among all the drivers in Scotland. But she had her first ever accident several days after her 100th birthday -- she hit a traffic island (a raised area in the middle of a road where people can wait until it is safe to cross) when she took her new car for a drive in Edinburgh.\nLady Morton, who celebrated her 100thbirthday in July, was given a car as a present. She talked about the accident happened that night. \"I wasn't going fast, but I hit a traffic island. I couldn't see it, because it had no light, which I think was unbelievable and unreasonable. But I am all right and luckily my car wasn't badly damaged.\nAlthough Lady Morton had the accident, she didn't plan to stop driving.\"Some people are just born to drive, and I think I am one of them. I've been a good driver since the first time I got in a car, she said. \"I am musical, so I listen to sound of the car to know when to change gear .\nLady Morton bought her first car in 1927. The main change she had noticed since then is the traffic. \"It's _ However, I don't mind it, because I am experienced, but I feel very sorry for beginners,\" she said.", "problems": [{"question": "What was special about Lady Morton?", "answer": "C", "options": ["She was 100 years old.", "She had the fewest traffic accidents.", "She was the oldest driver in Scotland.", "She had the most years of driving experience."]}, {"question": "How did Lady Morton's first accident happen?", "answer": "C", "options": ["She had poor eyesight.", "She was driving too fast.", "The traffic island was dark.", "The lights of her car weren't on."]}]} -{"article": "A university is not just about careers and getting a well-paid job after graduation -- it's a place for learning about yourself and the world.\nSo how to select a suitable university is of great importance. How do you decide on a school when there are thousands of them to pick from? Start by asking yourself questions about your preferences:\nWhat are my strengths?\n1.Am I interested in liberal arts or science or business?\n2.What kind of learning environment is best for me?\n3.Would I be more comfortable in a small school or a large one?\n4.Do I want to stay close to home or live far away?\n5.Would I prefer to be in a city environment or a small college town?\n6.Do I like being with people who are mostly like me or do I want to meet a different group?\nAsk friends and older people who are in college about their schools and about other schools they're familiar with. Talk to one of your teachers and go to college fairs when they visit your town.\nOnce you've narrowed down your choices, ask the schools to send you related materials and visit their websites. When you've cut your list down to a manageable number, make arrangements to visit. Try to do this when the schools are having regular classes, so you can get a good idea of what life is really like on campus.\nAnd remember: you're not the only one making a decision. Schools are picking from a large pool of students. They want to know how excellent you are and what makes you stand out from everyone else. They will look at your school performance, test scores, and so on, so it's important to devote time and effort to all these things.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, when deciding on a college you need NOT consider _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["in which aspect you are superior to others", "what kind of people you'd like to meet", "what kind of college environment you like", "whether the college has an exchange-student program"]}, {"question": "When you have got a manageable number of choices, you'd better _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["visit the schools when they have regular classes", "ask the schools to send you related materials", "go to college fairs with your friends", "discuss them with your teachers"]}]} -{"article": "Alfred Nobel, the great Swedish inventor and industrialist, was born in Stockholm on October 21, 1833, but moved to Russia with his parents in 1842, where his father, Immanuel, made a strong position for himself in the engineering industry.\nImmanuel Nobel invented landmine and made a lot of money from the government during the Crimean War, but went bankrupt soon after. Then, the family returned to Sweden in 1859, where Alfred began his own study of explosives in his father's lab. He had never been to school or university but had taught himself, and by the time he was twenty, he became a skillful chemist and excellent linguist, speaking Swedish, Russian, German, French and English. He built up over 80 companies in 20 different countries.\nHe was always searching for a meaning to life. He spent much time and money working on how to end the wars, and the peace between nations, until his death in Italy in 1896. His famous last will, in which he left money to provide prizes for outstanding work in physics, chemistry, physiology, medicine, literature and peace, is a memorial to his interests and ideas. And so, the man is remembered and respected long after his death.", "problems": [{"question": "What did Immanuel Nobel invented during the Crimean War?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The engineering industry.", "A strong position.", "Landmine.", "Study of explosives."]}, {"question": "Why did Alfred Nobel return to Sweden? Because his father _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["went bankrupt", "was put in prison", "was ill", "died"]}, {"question": "What was Alfred Nobel always searching for?", "answer": "B", "options": ["More time and more money.", "A meaning to life.", "How to end the war.", "The peace between nations."]}]} -{"article": "TIJUANA, Mexico - A powerful earthquake swayed buildings from Los Angeles to Tijuana, killing two people in Mexico, blacking out cities and forcing the evacuation of hospitals and nursing homes. One California city closed off its downtown due to unstable buildings.\nThe 7.2-magnitude quake centered just south of the US border near Mexicali was one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the region in decades.\n\"It sounds like it's felt by at least 20 million people,\" USGS seismologist Lucy Jones said. \"Most of Southern California felt this earthquake.\"\nSunday afternoon's earthquake hit hardest in Mexicali, a commerce center along Mexico's border with California, where authorities said the quake was followed by at least 20 smaller aftershocks, including ones of magnitudes 5.1, 4.5 and 4.3.\n\"It has not stopped trembling in Mexicali,\" said Baja California state Civil Protection Director Alfredo Escobedo on Monday.\nEscobedo said one man was killed when his home collapsed just outside of Mexicali and another died when he rushed into the street in panic and was struck by a car. At least 100 people were injured in the city, most of them struck by falling objects. Power was out in virtually the entire city.\nSusan Warmbier was putting away groceries in the San Diego suburb of Chula Vista when her husband asked, \"Is the house moving?\"\nElsewhere in San Diego, there were reports of shattered windows, broken pipes and water main breaks in private buildings, but no reports of injuries, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokesman Maurice Luque said. Coronado Bridge over San Diego Bay was briefly closed as a precaution.\nAcross the border in Tijuana, Mexico, the quake caused buildings to sway and knocked out power in some areas. No tsunami warning was issued, but hundreds of people on Tijuana's crowded beach feared the worst and fled when they felt the ground shake.", "problems": [{"question": "What's the best title of the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["A strong quake in Mexico, but no tsunami", "A strong quake kills 2 in Mexico, frightens US states", "A strong quake, downtowns closed off", "A strong quake, buildings collapses"]}, {"question": "The 7.2-magnitude quake _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["centered just south of the Mexico", "was felt by 20 million people in Mexico", "was felt by most of Southern California", "was the strongest earthquakes to hit the region in centuries"]}, {"question": "Which is NOT true according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Some cities had power failure after the quake.", "One of the cities closed off its downtown because of the swaying buildings.", "Many smaller quakes happened after the 7.2-magnitude one.", "Hundreds of people on the beach died because of the tsunami."]}, {"question": "People got injured mostly _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["because they were in panic", "because the power was out in the whole city", "because of the falling objects", "because they were buried under the falling objects"]}, {"question": "Coronado Bridge over San Diego Bay was briefly closed _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["to avoid further dangers", "by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department", "as a reminding of the quake", "to prevent the bridge from destroying"]}]} -{"article": "Nothing was going right for Dr.Turner at the hospital. He made a mistake while operating on a patient. He felt sure he was no longer trusted and decided to change his job . One day he learned from the paper that a doctor was looking for a partner . The doc-tor, whose name was Johnson , lived in Thorby, a small town in the north of England.\nA few days later Dr. Turner went to Thorby, and arrived at Dr.Johnson's home early in the afternoon. Though old and a little deaf, Dr.Johnson still had a good brain. He kept talking to the visitor about the town and its people. When they turned to the question of partnership,it was already seven in the evening. Dr. Johnson invited Dr . Turner to have dinner with him in a restaurant before catching the train back to London. Dr . Turner noticed that Dr. Johnson was fond of good food and expensive wines . They had an excellent meal. When the bill was brought, Dr. Johnson felt in his pocket.\" Oh, dear,\" he said. \"I've forgotten my money.\" \"That's all right,\"Dr. Turner said.\"I'll pay the bill.\"As he _ ,he began to wonder whether Dr. Johnson was worthy of trust.", "problems": [{"question": "Dr. Turner decided to leave his present job because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["he had never been trusted", "it demanded too great skills", "he believed it offered little hope for his future", "he thought the hospital would like him to leave"]}, {"question": "The two doctors spent most of the afternoon talking about _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["things of no interest to Dr. Johnson", "things of no importance to Dr. Turner", "health matters", "food and drink"]}, {"question": "The story suggests that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Dr. Johnson did notlike Dr. Turner", "the two doctors would become friends", "the two doctors would not work together", "Dr. Turner decided to stay at his present job"]}]} -{"article": "At the moment, it may be difficult to imagine, but many people believe that, by the year 2100, we will live on the planet Mars. Our own planet, Earth, is becoming more and more crowed and polluted. Luckily, we can start again and build a better world on Mars. Here is what life could be like.\nFirst of all, transport should be much better. At present, our spaceships are too slow to carry large numbers of people to Mars -- it takes months. However, by 2100, spaceship can travel at half the speed of light. It might take us two or three days to get to Mars!\nSecondly, humans need food, water and air to live. Scientists should be able to develop plants that can be grown on Mars. These plants will produce the food and air that we need. However, can these plants produce water for us ? There is no answer now.\nThere is a problem for us to live on Mars. Mars pulls us much less than the Earth does. This will be dangerous because we could easily jump too high and fly slowly away into space. To prevent this, humans on Mars have to wear special shoes to make themselves heavier.\nLife on Mars will be better than that on Earth in many ways, People will have more space. Living in a large building with only 10 bedrooms is highly possible. Many people believe that robot will do most of our work, so we have more time for our hobbies.\nThere will probably be no school on Mars. Every student will have a computer at home which is connected to the internet. They can study, do their homework and take exams in online schools. Each student will also have their own online teacher called \"e-teacher\".\nHowever, in some ways, life on Mars may not be better than that on the earth today. Food will not be the same -- meals will probably be in the form of pills and will not be as delicious as they are today, Also, space travel will make many people feel ill. The spaceship will travel fast but the journey to Mars will probably be very uncomfortable.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the text, by the year 2100, some of us will possibly live _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["on the moon", "on Mars", "under the sea", "in the sun"]}, {"question": "So far, how long will it take us from the earth to Mars by spaceship ?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Two or three days", "A few years", "A few days", "A few months"]}, {"question": "In the future, the students on Mars _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["needn't study at all", "will study mainly in a classroom", "will meet each other face to face every day", "will study mainly through the internet"]}, {"question": "Life on Mars will be better than life on the earth because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["there will be more space and less work to do", "only a few people will live there", "there will be much delicious food", "all students don't need to do any homework"]}, {"question": "According to the text, which of the following about Mars is NOT true ?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Transport will be much better and faster.", "We need to develop a special plant which can produce water.", "Food will be much more tasty.", "On Mars, we can jump higher than on the earth."]}]} -{"article": "If you win the $1.5 billion Powerball jackpot , you may not be as lucky as you think. Many winners experience the so-called curse of the lottery, with some squandering their fortunes and others meeting tragic ends.\n\"So many of them wind up unhappy or wind up broke. People have had terrible things happen,\" said Don McNay, 56, a financial consultant to lottery winners and the author of Life Lessons from the Lottery. \"People commit suicide. People run through their money. Easy comes, easy goes. They go through divorce or people die.\"\n\"It's just a great change that they're not ready for,\" McNay told Time on Tuesday. \"It's the curse of the lottery because it made their lives worse instead of improving them.\"\nAbout 70 percent of people who suddenly receive a windfall of cash will lose it within a few years, according to the National Endowment for Financial Education. Here are some of the stories of past winners that gamblers should know about:\nAbraham Shakespeare was murdered in 2009 after he won a $30 million lottery jackpot. The 47-year-old Florida man was shot twice in the chest and then buried under a slab of concrete in a backyard, ABC News reported. Dorris \"Dee Dee\" Moore, who authorities say befriended him after his lottery win, was found guilty of first degree murder in 2012. His brother, Robert Brown, told the BBC that Shakespeare always said he regretted winning the lottery. \"'I'd have been better off going broke.' He said that to me all the time,\" Brown said.", "problems": [{"question": "What does Don McNay think of winning a lottery?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It's a blessing for the winner.", "It doesn't necessarily bring fortune.", "It may make one feel at a loss.", "It can increase one's popularity."]}, {"question": "What's the purpose of mentioning Abraham Shakespeare?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Attracting readers' attention.", "Describing a social phenomenon.", "Supporting the author's viewpoint.", "Making the news known to readers."]}, {"question": "What can be learned about Abraham Shakespeare?", "answer": "D", "options": ["He won a $300 million lottery jackpot.", "He felt proud of winning the lottery.", "He shared his fortune with his brother.", "He was probably murdered by his friend."]}]} -{"article": "Who are these people rushing by you in the street? More than 215 million people now call America \"home'',but most of them can trace their families back to other parts of the world.If you look at the names on shop windows,you will see that Americans come from many different lands.The idea that these people,who once were strangers to the United States, have lost the customs and cultures of their original countries and have become \"American''is really not true. In fact,what exists in America is more often a kind of \"side-by-side'' living in which groups of people from other countries often have kept many of their customs and habits. They join the general American society only in certain areas of their lives--such as in schools,business,and sports-but they keep many of their own native customs and manners socially and at home.This living \"side-by-side\"has both advantages and disadvantages.Sometimes it may cause disagreements to develop between groups whose ways of life are very different from one another.However, there are also great advantages that come from the variety of cultures brought by settlers from other lands.There is great freedom of choice among ideas and dress,food,and social customs in America.Everyone can find some part of his or her familiar world in the United States, in Churches,music,food,national groups,or newspapers.", "problems": [{"question": "More than 215 million people call America \"home\" because", "answer": "B", "options": ["they buy their houses there", "they settle there now", "they get married there", "they were born there"]}, {"question": "\"Side-by-side\" living style means", "answer": "C", "options": ["making friends with native people", "the groups of people who live nearby", "keeping their own customs while sharing American ones in certain areas", "that they get closer to American society"]}, {"question": "According to the passage,people in the USA", "answer": "B", "options": ["share American customs and cultu re", "1ive in a kind of \"side-by-side'' society", "keep their own customs and habits firmly", "make no choice to accept American customs"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is true?", "answer": "D", "options": ["They always stick to their own customs and habits.", "\"Side--by--side''living style is not suitable.", "They face the society they are not familiar with.", "The advantages coming from the variety of cultures make life in America color1ful."]}, {"question": "Which title of the following can best take the place of \"Different Cultures in America\"?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Advantages and Disadvantages.", "Different Customs and Habits.", "Home for the People", "\"Side--by--side\"Living Style in America."]}]} -{"article": "Today was a big day for my eldest son, Kevin. He had his first big boy haircut. Before today, we have always stood by his side, told the hairdresser what to do and watched over the whole thing. We've been working on the rewards of responsibility with my son for quite some time. Today, he got one of those rewards by having his own haircut.\nWhen they arrived at the shop, his father showed him a book with lots of styles of haircuts for boys. After he made his choice, he waited patiently for his turn. My husband decided he would get his own hair cut at the same time.\nWhen their names were called, Kevin showed the hairdresser the picture of his chosen haircut, which, thankfully, was not a strange haircut. The hairdresser looked to my husband for approval and he told her his son was in charge.\nDuring his haircut, Kevin talked happily with the hairdresser. My husband, who was getting his haircut in the next chair, kept silent. When all was said and done, Kevin looked quite handsome.\nWhen it was time to pay, he reached into his pocket and took out the cash my husband gave him. He handed it to her and said, \"Thanks, it's all yours.\" I guess that's the six-year-old equivalent of \"keep the change.\"\nI have to admit I was a little nervous about the whole thing before, but I'm a believer now. My son is growing up and ready for new big boy experiences.", "problems": [{"question": "When Kevin got his haircut, the author used to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["do her own thing", "leave him alone", "talk happily with her son", "manage the whole thing"]}, {"question": "What did the author's husband do at the hairdresser's?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Picked out a hair style for his son.", "Talked happily with the hairdressers.", "Had his own haircut silently", "Stood together with the author."]}, {"question": "What was the hair style that Kevin chose like?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It was very strange.", "It suited him well.", "It was very bad.", "It was more like a girl's"]}]} -{"article": "Maybe ten-year-old Elizabeth put it best when she said to her father, \"But, Dad, you can't be healthy if you're dead.\"\nDad, in a hurry to get home before dark so he could go for a run, had forgotten to wear his safety belt--a mistake 75% of the US population make every day. The big question is why.\nThere have been many myths about safety belts ever since their first appearance in cars some forty years ago. The following are three of the most common.\nMyth Number One: It's best to be \"thrown clear\" of a serious accident.\nTruth: Sorry, but any accident serious enough to \"throw you clear\" is also going to be serious enough to give you a very bad landing. And chances are that you'll have traveled through a wind shield or door to do it. Studies show that chances of dying after a car accident are twenty-five times greater in cases where people are \"thrown clear\".\nMyth Number Two: Safety belts \"trap\" people in cars that are burning or sinking in water.\nTruth: Sorry again, but studies show that people knocked unconscious due to not wearing safety belts have a greater chance of dying in these accidents. People wearing safety belts are usually protected to the point of having a clear head to free themselves from such dangerous situations, not to be trapped in them.\nMyth Number Three: Safety belts aren't needed at speeds of less than 30 miles per hour.\nTruth: When two cars traveling at 30 mph hit each other, an unbelted driver would meet the windshield with a force equal to diving headfirst into the ground from a height of 10 meters.", "problems": [{"question": "Why did Elizabeth say to her father, \"But, Dad, you can't be healthy if you're dead\"?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He was driving at great speed.", "He was running across the street.", "He didn't have his safety belt on.", "He didn't take his medicine on time."]}, {"question": "According to the text, the \"thrown clear\" of a serious accident is very dangerous because you _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["may be knocked down by other cars", "may get seriously hurt being thrown out of the car", "may find it impossible to get away from the seat", "may get caught in the car door"]}, {"question": "One of the reasons that some people prefer to drive without wearing a safety belt is that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the belt prevents them from escaping in an accident", "they will be unable to think clearly in an accident", "they will be caught when help comes", "cars catch fire easily"]}]} -{"article": "When I was in my fourth year of teaching, I was also (and am still) a high school track and field coach . One year, I had a student, John, who entered my class when he was a junior . John changed to our school from Greece, and seemed to be interested in athletics, so I encouraged him to join our track team. I explained to him that even though he had never taken part in it before, I did believe that he could do well in any event, and I would be willing to coach him at whichever ones interested him. He accepted the offer, and began to work hard at every practice.\nAbout a month later, I had found out from other sources that John was a first-class tennis player, winning various junior awards in his home country. I went to him asking, \"John, I really appreciate that you came out for the track team, but why didn't you play tennis instead? It seems that would interest you a lot more, since you're so good at it.\"\nJohn answered, \"Well, I like tennis, but you told me that you believed in me, and that you thought I could do well in track, so I wanted to try it for that reason.\"\nFrom then on, I often remember my student's reply. I told it to a friend and she suggested I write it down to share somewhere with more teachers. No matter how critical students can be of themselves, I've found that a simple \"I trust that you can do it!\" can go a long way!", "problems": [{"question": "Why did John take part in the track team?", "answer": "B", "options": ["He had been an excellent runner.", "He was encouraged by his teacher.", "He liked running more than tennis.", "He had no tennis coach to train him."]}, {"question": "The purpose of this passage is probably _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["to build a close teacher-student relationship", "to introduce a new way of sports training", "to explain the value of sports and games", "to show the importance of encouragement"]}, {"question": "The passage is mainly written for _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["teachers", "parents", "students", "players"]}]} -{"article": "On the high-speed train Avignon to Paris, my husband and I landed in the only remaining seats on the train, in the middle of a car, directly opposite a Frenchwoman of middle years. It was an extremely uncomfortable arrangement to be looking straight into the eyes of a stranger. My husband and I pulled out books. The woman produced a large makeup case and made up her face. Except for a lunch break, she continued this activity for the entire three-hour trip. Every once in a while she surveyed the car with a bright-eyed glance, but never once did she catch my eye. _ .\nI was amused, but some people would have felt uncomfortable , even repulsed .there is something about making up in public that calls up strong emotional reactions. Partly it's a question of hygiene. And it's a matter of degree. Making up --- a private act--- has a way of neglecting the presence of others. I was once seated at a party with a model-actress who immediately waved a silly brush and began dusting her face at the table, demonstrating that while she was next to me, she was not with me.\nIn fact, I am generally prohibited from making up in public, except when I am in the company of cosmetics moment. In a gathering more professional than social, I would do so.\nKathy Peiss, a history professor at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst says that nose-powdering in the office was an occasion for outrage in 1920's and 30's. Deploring the practice as a waste of company time, trade journals advises managers to discourage it among workers. Peiss theorizes that it was female's making up in what has been an all-male field that disturb some gentlemen.\nPeiss tells me that after the 30's , pulling out a make-up case was no longer an issue. It became an accepted practice. I asked if she feels free to apply lipstick at a professional lunch herself. Sounding mildly shocked, she says she would save that for the privacy of her car afterward. Why? Because it would be \"a gesture of inappropriate feminity .\" One guess is that most professional women feel this way. There is evidence of the popularity of the new lipsticks that remain in place all day without retouching.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the author, \"My husband and I could have been a blanket wall.\" (Line 6, Para.1) most probably means \" _ \".", "answer": "D", "options": ["We were treated with an expressionless face.", "We looked at the French woman expressionlessly", "We used books as a wall to avoid the woman's eyes", "We were of no existence in the French woman's eyes"]}, {"question": "In the author's opinion, she _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["allows public making up on certain occasions", "feels comfortable when making up in public", "only makes up on social occasions", "makes up before any professional gatherings"]}, {"question": "According to Peiss, nose powdering in an office was criticized mainly for the reason that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["normal office work was disturbed", "it discouraged women's interest in career", "make dominance was emphasized there", "it distracted make workers' focus on work"]}, {"question": "Why do most professional women give up using lipsticks in public?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because they are worried about being looked down upon", "Because it emphasizes their female features in wrong situations", "Because it implies women's disadvantages in academic fields", "Because they are ashamed to be seen making up in front of males/"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred that in a highly open society, the differences between men and women _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["have attracted little attention", "hinder the social development", "are attractive topics in talk shows", "still call for great concern"]}]} -{"article": "Recently, a case of lifeboat ethics occurred. On Aug. 4, Graham and Sheryl Anley, while boating off the coast of South Africa, hit a rock. As the boat threatened to sink, the husband got off, but his wife was trapped in the boat. Instead of freeing his wife and getting her to shore, Graham grabbed Rosie, their pet dog. With Rosie safe and sound, Graham returned for Sheryl. All are doing fine. \n It's a great story, but it doesn't strike me as especially newsworthy. News is supposed to be about something fairly unique, and recent research suggests that, in the right circumstances, lots of people also would have grabbed their Rosie first. \nWe have strange relationships with our pets. We look after our pets with great love and better health care than billions of people receive. We speak to pets with the same high-pitched voices that we use for babies. As an extreme example of our feelings about pets, the Nazis had strict laws that guaranteed the kind treatment of the pets of Jews being shipped to death camps. \nA recent paper by George Regents University demonstrates this human involvement with pets to an astonishing extent. Participants in the study were told a situation in which a bus is out of control, bearing down on a dog and a human. Which do you save? With responses from more than 500 people, the answer was that it depended: What kind of human and what kind of dog?\n Everyone would save a brother, grandparent or close friend rather than a strange dog. But when people considered their own dog VS people less connected with them--a distant cousin or a hometown stranger--votes in favor of saving the dog came rolling in. And an astonishing 40% of respondents, including 46% of women, voted to save their dog over a foreign tourist. \n What does a finding like this mean? First, that your odds aren't so good if you find yourself in another country with a bus bearing down on you and a cute dog. But it also points to something deeper: our unprecedented attitude toward animals, which got its start with the birth of kind-hearted societies in the 19th century. \nWe prison people who abuse animals, put ourselves in harm's way in boats between whales and whalers and show sympathy to Bambi and his mother. We can extend sympathy to an animal and feel its pain like no other species. But let's not be too proud of ourselves. As this study and too much of our history show, we're pretty selective about how we extend our kindness to other human beings.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is true according to the article?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The story of the Anleys and their dog was too unique to be newsworthy.", "Most people surveyed choose to save their own dog rather than a human.", "It was in the 19th century that human beings started to love their pets.", "Human beings are more and more concerned with animals nowadays."]}, {"question": "What does the author mainly argue for?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Pets are of great significance to us human beings.", "We should rethink about our attitude towards animals and mankind.", "It is kind of human beings to extend kindness to animals.", "We should be selective when showing attitude toward other human beings."]}]} -{"article": "This sense of total discomfort that you're both feeling is pretty normal. And I don't say that to in any way reduce your problems. I just don't want you to think that you're the one person in the world who's stuck with a neurotic mom. Think about it: for most of the past 14 years, you have depended on your mother for every little thing you've ever needed. Now suddenly you're putting up all sorts of boundaries because you're growing out of being that little kid who needed her for everything, and it's hurting her feelings. What we need here is a little understanding and some new rules to take into account the changes you're going through. You can't just stop sharing things with your mom. It's mean. \nSo why not make a point of telling her some things about what's going on with you every day? She wants to feel that she's still a part of your life. And after consistently doing this for about a month, why don't you tell her where you'd like a little privacy -- maybe there are certain things you don't want her to always ask about? Promise her that whenever there's an update on those topics, you will completely let her know. And follow up on it!\nThe bottom line is that you guys need to build a new relationship based on the young woman. The only way to do this is to work through some really uncomfortable moments and big fights and then come up with a solution, which is what you're doing now. So don't worry -- it's all going to be okay. But it will take some work, honesty and communication to get there. \nHaving a good relationship with your mom is a really important thing. She's the one person who will always be on your side.", "problems": [{"question": "In the writer's opinion, the problems a guy may face are _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["serious", "normal", "unlucky", "uncomfortable"]}, {"question": "The best way to reduce the problems with Mom may probably be _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["to communicate with her", "to let out your secrets to her", "to break your bottom line", "to work through bad times"]}, {"question": "The passage is written mainly _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["to tell people how to get rid of a neurotic mom", "to show us how to build a relationship between each other", "to tell guys how to keep a good relationship with mothers", "to tell guys how to reduce everyday problems with others"]}]} -{"article": "Even as Americans have been gaining weight, they have cut their average fat intake from 36 to 34 percent of their total diets in the past 15 years. And indeed, cutting fat to control or lose weight makes sense. Fat has nine calories per gram. Protein and carbohydrates have just four. Moreover, the body uses fewer calories to metabolize fat than it does to metabolize other foods. Compared with protein and carbohydrates -- which break down into amino acids and simple sugars, respectively, and can be used to strengthen and energize the body ---- dietary fat is more easily converted to body fat. Therefore, it's more likely to stay on buttocks, thighs and bellies.\nBut cutting fat from your diet doesn't necessarily mean your body won't store fat. For example, between nonfat and regular cookies, there's trivial difference in calories because manufacturers make up for the loss of fat by adding sugar. Low-fat crackers, soups and dressings can also be just as high in calories as richer versions. No matter where the calories come from, overeating will still cause weight again. The calories from fat just do it a little quicker. A Wisconsin computer programmer who decided with a diet coach to eat only 40 grams of fat a day learned the lesson firsthand. He wasn't losing weight. Then he showed his food diary to his coach and revealed he'd been eating half a pound of jelly beans a day. \"They don't have any fat,\" he explains. But they had enough sugar to keep him from shedding an ounce. \nNonfat foods become add-on foods. When we add them to our diet, we actually increase the number of calories we eat per day and gain weight. That was borne out in a Pennsylvania State University study. For breakfast, Prof. Barbara Rolls gave two groups of women yogurt that contained exactly the same amount of calories. One group's yogurt label said \"high fat\"--the other, \"low fat.\" The \"low fat\" yogurt group ate significantly more calories later in the day than the other group. \"People think they've saved fat and can indulge themselves later in the day with no adverse consequences,\" says Richard Mattes, a nutrition researcher at Purdue University. \"But when they do that, they don't compensate very precisely, and they often end up overdoing it.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What lessons did the computer programme learn ?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Overeating will cause weight gain", "He can eat half a pound of jellybeans a day", "He can't didn't eat any fat", "His coach gave him a lecture"]}, {"question": "Prof. Barbara's ecperiement proved that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["two groups ate the same amount of calories", "two groups ate the same wmount of yogurt", "the \" low fat\" yogurt group ate more calories later in the day than the other group", "people increase the number of calories they eat per day and gain group"]}, {"question": "According to the author , _ has less calories.", "answer": "B", "options": ["fat", "protein and carbohydrates", "low-fat soups", "sugar"]}, {"question": "What can you infer from the text ?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To keep from being overweight, people have to eat nofat food", "The calories from fat just do it a little quicker than from protein and carbohydrates", "People should avoid temptation", "Americans realize that it is necessary to count calories before eating the food"]}]} -{"article": "Extract 1\nA computer is an \"information processor\".It is given information,called \"data\",instructed to do certain things and then show us the results.The data put into the computer is called the\"input\" and the results which come out are the \"output\".Some people say the circle of large standing stones at Stonechenge is a kind of computer.Prehistory people worked out their calendar from the position of the shadows made by the sun shining on the stones.\nExtract 2\nTeach yourself new subjects and skills at your own pace with a home computer.Use it to help with schoolwork,for self-improvement,even to improve your career skills.Learn touchtyping. Foreign languages or computer programming.A home computer can help children of all ages learn classroom subjects such as spelling,geography and others.In fact it makes learning fun.So if you want to teach yourself,or help your children teach themselves-get a home computer.It can also help you manage your personal finances or help you to work taxes and plan household budgets.You can make business a pleasure with a home computer.", "problems": [{"question": "The writer introduces the words such as \"input\" and \"output\" in order to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["introduce people to computer language", "show computer language is the same as English", "help people some scientific language", "give people some scientific language"]}, {"question": "Why does the writer talk about Stonechenge in Extract 1?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To give an example of the very first computer.", "To show that computers are older than mankind.", "To tell the difference between the past and the present.", "To give another way of explaining computers."]}, {"question": "If you think of the circle of large standing stones as a computer, _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the shadow is the input and the position is the output", "the sunlight is the input and the calendar is the output", "the position is the input and the sunlight is the output", "the calendar is the input and the shadow is the output"]}, {"question": "Extract 2 is probably taken from _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["a computer textbook", "a company's advertisement", "a teach-yourself computer book", "a children's guide to computers"]}]} -{"article": "Three engineers and three accountants are traveling by train to a conference.At the station,the three accountants each buy tickets and watch as the three engineers buy only a single ticket.\n\"How are three people going to travel on only one ticket?\" asks an accountant.\"Watch and you'll see,\" answers an engineer.They all board the train.The accountants take their respective seats but all three engineers cram into a restroom and close the door behind them.\nShortly after the train has _ ,the conductor comes around collecting tickets.He knocks on the restroom door and says,\"Ticket,please.\" The door opens just a crack and a single arm emerges with a ticket in hand.The conductor takes it and moves on.\nThe accountants see this and agree it is quite a clever idea.So after the conference,the accountants decide to copy the engineers on the return trip and save some money.When they get to the station they buy a single ticket for the return trip.\nTo their astonishment,the engineers don't buy a ticket at all.\"How are you going to travel without a ticket?\"asks one puzzled accountant.\"Watch and you'll see,\" answers an engineer.When they board the train the three accountants cram into a restroom and the three engineers cram into another one nearby.The train departs.\nShortly afterward,one of the engineers leaves his restroom and walks over to the restroom where the accountants are hiding.He knocks on the door and says,\"Ticket,please.\"", "problems": [{"question": "The three engineers buy only a single ticket because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["only one of them need buy a ticket", "the three accountants buy tickets for them", "they just want to save money", "they are too poor to buy more tickets"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the accountants are not as clever as the engineers", "the accountants are cleverer than the engineers", "the engineers are not as clever as the accountants", "the engineers are as clever as the accountants"]}, {"question": "Which one of the following is TRUE according to this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Only one engineer is in the restroom when the conductor collects the ticket.", "At first the three accountants know why the three engineers buy one ticket.", "On the return trip the three accountants buy three tickets again.", "On the return trip the three engineers don't buy any ticket."]}]} -{"article": "We know the famous ones--the Thomas Edisons and the Alexander Graham Bells--but what about the less famous inventors? What about the people who invented the traffic light and the windshield wiper ? Shouldn't we know who they are?\nJoan Mclean thinks so.In fact,Mclean,a professor of physics at Mountain University in Range,feels so strongly about this matter that she's developed a course on the topic.In addition to learning\"who\"invented\"what\",however,Mclean also likes her students to learn the answers to the\"why''and''how\"questions.According to Mclean.\"When students learn the answers to these questions,they are better prepared to recognize opportunities for inventing and more motivated to give inventing a try.''\nHer students agree.One young man with a patent for an unbreakable umbrella is walking proof of McLean's statement.\"If I had not heard the story of the windshield wiper's invention,\"said Tommy Lee, a senior physics major,\"I never would have dreamed of turning my bad experience during a rainstorm into something so constructive.\"Lee is currently negotiating to sell his patent to an umbrella producer.\nSo,just what is the story behind the windshield wiper Well,Mary Anderson came up with the idea in 1902 after a visit to New York City.The day was cold and stormy,but Anderson still wanted to see the sights,so she jumped aboard a streetcar.Noticing that the driver was struggling to see through the snow covering the windshield,she found herself wondering why there couldn't be a built--in device for cleaning the window.Still wondering about this when she returned home to Birmingham,Alabama, Anderson started drafting out solutions.One of her ideas,a lever on the inside of a vehicle that would control an arm on the outside,became the first windshield wiper.\nToday we benefit from countless inventions and innovations.It's hard to imagine driving without Garrett A.Morgan's traffic light.It's equally impossible to picture a world without Katherine J.Blodgett's innovation that makes glass invisible.Can you picture life without clear windows and eyeglasses?", "problems": [{"question": "By mentioning\"traffic light\"and\"windshield wiper\".the author indicates that countless inventions are _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["beneficial,because their inventors are famous", "beneficial,though their inventors are less famous", "not useful,because their inventors are less famous", "not useful,though their inventors are famous"]}, {"question": "Professor Joan McLean's course aims to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["add color and variety to students'campus life", "inform students of the windshield wiper's invention", "carry out the requirements by Mountain University", "prepare students to try their own inventions"]}, {"question": "Tommy Lee's invention of the unbreakable umbrella was _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["not eventually accepted by the umbrella producer", "inspired by the story behind the windshield wiper", "due to his dream of being caught in a rainstorm", "not related to Professor Joan McLean's lectures"]}, {"question": "Which of the following can best serve as the title of this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["How to Help Students to Sell Their Inventions to Producers", "How to Design a Built-in Device for Cleaning the Window", "Shouldn't We Know Who Invented the Windshield Wiper", "Shouldn't We Develop Invention Courses in Universities"]}]} -{"article": "Long, long ago there were a lot of donkeys. The donkeys worked hard every day. They had no time to play or to relax, but they never felt appreciated for the work they did.\nOne day two donkeys got bored. They wanted to live a comfortable life. So the donkeys went to see a wise old man. They told him their problem. The wise old man agreed that they worked too hard, and he wanted to help the donkeys. \"I have an idea.\" he said.\n\"What is your idea?\" asked the donkeys.\n\"I will paint you and no one will know you are donkeys,\" said the man.\nThe man went off to find some paint and he returned in just a matter of minutes. He had two pots of paint. One pot was filled with white paint, and the other black paint.\nThe old man first painted them white, and then painted black stripes over the white paint. When he finished, the donkeys did not look at all like donkeys. \"You no longer look like donkeys, \" the old man said. \" Everyone will be fooled. I will call you something else, zebras. \"\nThe zebras went to a field to eat grass. Now they did not have to work.\nSoon, other donkeys saw the zebras. They asked the zebras where they came from. When the ' zebras told the donkeys their secret, the donkeys all rushed to see the old man.\n\"Make us into zebras, too,\" they pleaded. So the wise old man painted more donkeys. As he did, more and more donkeys came.\nThe old man could not paint fast enough. Soon the donkeys became impatient. They began to kick about, and they knocked over the paint pots.\nThere was no more paint. The painted donkeys ran off to become zebras. The unpainted don- keys, because of their impatience, had to return to work.\nThis is ,why it is important to be patient.", "problems": [{"question": "The text was written to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["explain how donkeys became zebras", "tell a good way to avoid hard work", "tell an important truth about things", "explain how zebras got their stripes"]}, {"question": "The two donkeys went to see a wise old man in order to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["tell him their problem", "get some grass", "change into zebras", "ask him for help"]}, {"question": "When the two donkeys returned, why did they no longer have to work?", "answer": "A", "options": ["No one knew they were donkeys.", "They didn't want to work.", "They didn't eat enough grass", "They were no longer donkeys."]}, {"question": "Many donkeys were not painted by the old man because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["all the paint was used up", "no more paint was left", "they couldn't wait any longer", "he was too tired to paint"]}]} -{"article": "There are many American expressions about insects--- like bees, for example. Bees are known as very hard workers. They appear to be busy, moving around their homes, or hives . So you might say you were as busy as a bee if you spent your weekend cleaning your house. In fact, you might say your house was a beehive of activity if your whole family was helping you clean. You also might say you made a beeline for something if you went there right away. When we go to see a movie, my friend always makes a beeline for the place where they sell popcorn .\nHere is an expression about bees that is not used much any more, but we like it anyway. We think it was first used in the 1920s. If something was the best of its kind, you might say it was the bee's knees. Now, we admit that we do not know how this expression developed. In fact, we do not even know if bees have knees!\nIf your friend cannot stop talking about something because she thinks it is important, you might say she has a bee in her bonnet . If someone asks you a personal question, you might say \"that is none of your beeswax\". This means none of your business.\nSpeaking of personal questions, there is an expression when their children ask, \"Where do babies come from?\" Parents who discuss sex and reproduction say this is talking about the birds and bees.\nButterflies are beautiful insects, but you would not want to have butterflies in your stomach. That means to be nervous about having to do something, like speaking in front of a crowd. You would also not want to have ants in your trousers. That is, to be unable to sit still.", "problems": [{"question": "If you make a beeline for something, you _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["are as busy as a bee", "go quickly and directly towards it", "always go to the same place", "buy something at a certain place"]}, {"question": "If you ask your American friend Jack \"How old is your wife?\" he may say \" _ .\"", "answer": "A", "options": ["It is none of your beeswax", "You have a bee in your bonnet", "It is the bee's knees", "You are talking about the birds and bees"]}, {"question": "When you have butterflies in your stomach, you _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["are too sick to sit still", "have ants in your trousers", "are nervous about something", "have a stomachache"]}]} -{"article": "An idea that started in Seattle's public library has spread throughout America and beyond.The concept is simple: help to build a sense of community in a city by getting everyone to read the same book at the same time.\nIn addition to encouraging reading as a pursuit to be enjoyed by all, the program allows strangers to communicate by discussing the book on the bus, as well as promoting reading as an experience to be shared in families and schools.The idea came from Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl who launched the \"If All of Seattle Read the Same Book \" project in 1998.Her original program used author visits, study guides and book discussion groups to bring people together with a book, but the idea has since expanded to many other American cities, and even to Hong Kong.\nIn Chicago, the mayor appeared on television to announce the choice of To Kill a Mockingbird as the first book in the \"One Book, One Chicago\" program.As a result, reading clubs and neighborhood groups sprang up around the city.Across the US, stories emerged of parents and children reading to each other at night and strangers chatting away on the bus about plot and character.\nThe only problem arose in New York, where local readers could not decide on one book to represent the huge and diverse population. This may show that the idea works best in medium-sized cities or large towns, where a greater sense of unity can be achieved. Or it may show that New Yorkers rather missed the point, putting all their energy and passion into the choice of the book rather than discussion about a book itself.\nUltinatelas Nancy points out, the level of success is not measured by how many people read a book, but by how many people are enriched by the process, or have enjoyed speaking to someone with whom they would not otherwise have shared a word.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the purpose of the project launched by Nancy?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To invite authors to guide readers.", "To encourage people to read and share.", "To involve people in community service.", "To promote the friendship between cities."]}, {"question": "Why was it difficult for New Yorkers to carry out the project?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They had little interest in reading.", "They were too busy to read a book.", "They came from many different backgrounds", "They lacked support from the local government"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, where would the project be more easily carried out?", "answer": "D", "options": ["In large communities with little sense of unity.", "In large cities where libraries are far from home.", "In medium-sized cities with a diverse population.", "In large towns where agreement can be quickly reached."]}, {"question": "According to Nancy, the degree of students of the project is judged by _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the careful selection of a proper book", "the growing popularity of the writers", "the number of people who benefit from reading.", "the number of books that each person reads."]}]} -{"article": "Are you stuck in a rut and looking for a change? Fed up of seeing hungry, poor faces on your TV screen and want to do something to help? Perhaps you've considered volunteering overseas but ruled it out because you thought you were too old, couldn't commit enough time, or have a family. If so, think again.\n\"Over the past five years it has become far safer --- and more professionally acceptable --- to take up a job volunteering overseas,\" says David Stitt, managing director of Gap Year for Grown Ups, a company catering for volunteers in their late 20s and upwards. \"While 10 years ago _ took financial and personal risks in volunteering abroad, now several organizations exist to make the experience safe and well-organized.\nNowadays, universities and business encourage overseas volunteering among students and employees. Entire families can volunteer abroad, and agencies are employing more disabled and retired people. A prosperous \"humanitarian tourism\" industry has sprung up; thousands of UK citizens will do some form of overseas volunteering this year.\n\"Some volunteering jobs are easier to find than others,\" explains Kevin Cusack, from a volunteer advice agency. \"If you can speak English, it's not too hard to land a job teaching English, even without a qualification, and those who enjoy working with children should be able to find child care work.\" zxxk\nWhether your interest is rainforests or women's rights, you can find a volunteer position to suit you. But be warned: unless you have relevant skills or existing overseas development experience, it's going to cost. Just how much depends on the location and length of the position, but you should budget for somewhere between PS1,500 and PS6,000.\n\"Having to pay to volunteer may sound paradoxical , but it's the best way to ensure you get a position that benefits the local community while matching your interests and skills,\" explains Cusack. \"You can also discuss the time you want to commit to a project --- many positions can fit into a holiday or even a weekend.\"", "problems": [{"question": "In Kevin Cusack's opinion, paying to volunteer overseas _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["must be incredible and unrealistic", "can help volunteers learn more about another culture", "may benefit both volunteers and the community they work in", "needs confidence, courage and determination"]}, {"question": "What can we learn from the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Disabled people can also take up a job volunteering overseas.", "In the past no one could take up a job volunteering overseas.", "\"Humanitarian tourism\" industry is in its beginning stage.", "Taking up a job volunteering overseas needs at least PS1,500."]}, {"question": "Where can we most probably read this article?", "answer": "D", "options": ["In a job guidebook.", "In a celebrity biography.", "In a guidebook to work overseas.", "In a report on volunteer work."]}, {"question": "What is the writer's attitude towards volunteer work?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Critical.", "Unfavorable.", "Supportive.", "Disagreeable."]}]} -{"article": "The size of the British Isles often leads people to think that the languages spoken in its countries of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are somewhat the same. At first, visitors are often surprised to find that they have difficulty in understanding the accents and dialects of certain regions. Even in England there are many different dialects.\nExperts believe that for most English people, the places they come from are very important to them. Accents are clues to where people were born and where they grew up. Although some people may change the way they speak during their lifetime, most people carry at least some evidence of their accents and dialects throughout their lives. In addition to the regional accents of England, there can also be class differences among the accents. People are often able to make instant and unconscious judgments about a stranger's class by listening to his or her accent. Both the words and the pronunciation of an individual reflect his or her social position.\nIt is agreed that in England, the kind of English spoken by a person plays a leading role that generally is not important in North America. The importance of accents and their cultural and social relationships are well represented in films and on television in Britain. The film My Fair Lady based on George Bernard Shaw's 1912 play Pygmalion is often said to be a wonderful example of how social class and the accent were, and still are, linked in Britain.", "problems": [{"question": "From the passage we can learn that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["English people all speak the same language.", "People from different regions speak different dialects.", "Visitors have no difficulty in understanding the dialects.", "The British Isles include England, Wales and Northern Ireland."]}, {"question": "Most people carry some evidence of their accents and dialects in their lives to_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["show they are different from others", "show the places they are from", "change the way they speak", "show they don't like standard English"]}, {"question": "Which statement is NOT TRUE according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["An Englishman's accent reflects his social position.", "In Britain some films show us the importance of accents.", "The English spoken by a person plays an important role in North America.", "An Englishman's accent is a clue to where he was born and where he grew up."]}, {"question": "How do people in England know a person's class?", "answer": "A", "options": ["By speaking to him.", "By guessing.", "By showing something to him.", "By judging from his appearance."]}, {"question": "What's the film My Fair Lady about?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It shows how a boy learned English.", "It is a love story between two lovers with different accents.", "It shows how social class and accent are linked in Britain.", "It shows the relationship between people from different classes."]}]} -{"article": "Once a girl named Lily got married, but soon she found that she couldn't get along with her mother-in-law at all. Finally, Lily could not stand her mother-in-law's bad temper and decided to do something about it.\nLily turned to Mr. Huang, who sold herbs , for help. She asked if he could give her some poison so that she could solve the problem once and for all. Mr. Huang thought for a while and said: \"Lily, I will help you solve your problem, but you must listen to me and do what I tell you.\" Lily agreed.\nHe told Lily, \"You can't use a quick-acting poison to get rid of your mother-in-law, because that would cause people to become suspicious. Therefore, I have given you a number of herbs that will slowly build up poison in her body. Every other day, prepare some delicious food and put a little of these herbs in her serving. Now, to make sure that nobody suspects you when she dies, you must be very friendly towards her.\" Lily thanked Mr. Huang and hurried home to start her plot to murder her mother-in-law.\nThus every other day, Lily served the specially treated food to her mother-in-law. She controlled her temper, obeyed her mother-in-law, and treated her like her own mother. After six months had passed, the whole household changed. Lily and her mother-in-law were now treating each other like a real mother and daughter.\nOne day, Lily came to see Mr. Huang and asked for his help again. She said: \"Mr. Huang, please help me to stop the poison from killing my mother-in-law! I do not want her to die.\"\nMr. Huang smiled, saying, \"Lily, there is nothing to worry about. I never gave you any poison. The herbs I gave you were vitamins to improve her health. The only _ was in your mind and your attitude towards her, but that has been all washed away by the love which you gave to her. \"", "problems": [{"question": "What can we learn about Lily?", "answer": "B", "options": ["She was treated badly by her husband's family.", "She didn't treat her mother-in-law sincerely at first.", "Her mother-in-law didn't agree to her marriage.", "She didn't respect the tradition of her husband's family."]}, {"question": "Lily first went to see Mr. Huang to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["ask for some herbs to kill her mother-in-law", "ask him to cure her mother-in-law's illness", "buy some herbs to improve her mother-in-law's health", "ask him for some advice on dealing with her mother-in-law"]}, {"question": "After visiting Mr. Huang, Lily _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["became more and more suspicious", "changed all of her living habits to please her mother-in-law", "prepared specially cooked food for her mother-in-law every day", "changed her attitude towards her mother-in-law gradually"]}, {"question": "What does the author try to tell us?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Be aware of other people's good qualities in relationships.", "Keep your thoughts positive, because your thoughts will become your words.", "True happiness is to enjoy the present, without depending anxiously on the future.", "Don't waste your time explaining, because people will only hear what they want to hear."]}]} -{"article": "We don't plan to cry, but it just happens. In fact when we feel sad or angry, a good cry is almost impossible to resist. But if you didn't know what crying was, you'd have to wonder why some strong feelings started water streaming from people's eyes and why they seemed to feel better afterwards.\nNow a US researcher had found there may be more in crying than we think. William H. Frey II, author of \"Crying: The Mystery of Tears,\" believes it may really be one of the body's clever self-repair mechanisms. Crying may be a way of getting rid of the by-products of stress, he says.\nHe has found that tears contain some chemicals which can cause stress. One of these is the hormone prolactin , which is set free when one is feeling stressed. Since women have more of this than men, that might explain why they usually cry more, he suggests.\nUnsurprisingly, Dr Frey's study seemed to prove that most people feel better after a good cry. And sex has nothing to do with it --- the result was true for women and men. So, next time you feel like bursting into tears, go ahead. If Dr Frey is right, you'll be doing yourself a favour.", "problems": [{"question": "The best title of this passage would be _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["Why Do We Cry", "Crying and Tears.", "Dr Frey and Crying.", "Tears and Chemicals"]}, {"question": "According to the author, we feel like crying because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["crying is one of our habits", "we can't control it", "crying is one of the body's self-repair mechanisms", "we can get the by-products of stress by crying"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, men seem less likely to cry than women because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["their bodies contain less hormone prolactin", "their tears contain more chemicals", "they are not so full of feelings as women", "the chemicals in their tears can't cause stress"]}, {"question": "The author advised us _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["to plan to cry very often", "not to cry any more", "to go outdoors without hesitation", "to cry as we want to"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Good cries can make most people feel better", "Only women can feel better after crying.", "It is easy to understand that people feel better after a good cry.", "Crying is sometimes impossible to resist."]}]} -{"article": "Speed-reading is an essential skill in the Internet age. We skim over articles, e-mails to try to grasp key words and the essential meaning of a certain text. Continuous information from our electronic devices, it would be impossible to cope if we read word by word, line by line. But a new trend calls on people to unplug and enjoy reading slowly, listing benefits beyond intellectual development.\nA recent story from The Wall Street Journal reported on a book club in Wellington, New Zealand, where members meet in a cafe and turn off their smart phones. They sink into cozy chairs and read in silence for an hour.\nSome of these benefits have been backed up by science. For example, a study of 300 elderly people published by the journal Neurology last year showed that regular engagement in intellectual activities like slow-reading slowed the rate of memory loss later in life.\nYet technology has made us less attentive readers. Screens have changed our reading patterns from the linear, left-to-right sequence to a wild skimming and skipping pattern as we hunt for important words and information. The Internet may have made us stupider, says Patrick Kingsley from The Guardian. \nSlow reading means a return to an uninterrupted, linear pattern, in a quiet environment free of distractions. Aim for 30 minutes a day, advises Kelly from The Atlantic. \"You can spend half an hour pretty easily if only during your free moments -- whenever you find yourself automatically firing up your laptop to check your favorite site, or scanning Twitter for something to pass the time-you pick up a meaningful work of literature.\"", "problems": [{"question": "We can conclude from the passage _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["People dislike reading in their daily life", "Reading through smart phones is a new trend", "Some benefits could be gained beyond reading", "People could do anything in the Wellington book club"]}, {"question": "What advantage of slow-reading is mentioned in the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Improving some reading skills.", "Specializing in collecting news.", "Exploring a new method of reading.", "Reducing the memory loss."]}, {"question": "Which of the following suggestions can be Kelly's ?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To spare some time to check emails every day.", "To go through some sites to kill time every day.", "To chat with favorite persons on Twitter every day.", "To read literary works for 30 minutes every day."]}, {"question": "What's mainly talked about in the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Fast reading is very important in life.", "Slow reading is necessary in life.", "People must read as quickly as possible.", "Life is reading for all the people."]}]} -{"article": "More women are graduating from colleges than men.The situation is causing some people to worry about the future.The trend could cause social problems,according to a report on July 8 by the Washington Post.\nWomen received about 57 percent of the bachelor's degrees awarded this year from colleges and universities in the United States.The figure of 57 percent has been the highest since World War II ended in 1945.During the war,many men were in the military.\nThe gap between men and women is greater among African Americans and Hispanics.Two AfricanAmerican women receive a degree for every AfricanAmerican man.Only 40 percent of Hispanics who get a degree are males.\nThe USA Department of Education estimates 698,000 females received bachelor's degree this year.The number of male graduates was 529,000.The trend toward more female graduates began in the mid1980s.Nobody seems to know why.However,many theories exist.\nResearchers say the trend could lead to social problems.They also say this may indicate two things.It may reflect the increasing success of women.But it also may show the educational problems affecting men.\nHigh school graduation rates are slightly lower for men than for women.Males also make up the vast majority of students in special education classes.\nThe Business Roundtable is studying the trend.The group is an organization of chief executives of some of the nation's largest corporations.Susan Traiman is the director of the group's education policy.Traiman said the nation couldn't afford to let half its population fail to develop skills needed for the future.", "problems": [{"question": "Some people worry about the future because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["there are many social problems in America", "more and more men don't like the life in college", "more AfricanAmerican women receive a degree", "fewer and fewer men receive a degree than women in America"]}, {"question": "Which one of the following statements is right according to this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["There must be something wrong with the education system.", "40% of the Hispanics get a degree in America.", "Nobody knows the reason why more women get a degree than men.", "More than half of the men received bachelor's degrees this year."]}, {"question": "What Susan Traiman said means that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the nation should prevent the women from receiving further education", "the nation would be too poor to develop its education", "the nation didn't have enough money for women's further education", "the nation should encourage men to develop skills for the future"]}, {"question": "What is the main subject discussed in the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Women are more successful in America than men.", "More women than men are graduating from college.", "Men are more successful in America than women.", "There are two kinds of social problems in America."]}]} -{"article": "One day, when my wife and I were leaving a restaurant, I heard a man's voice from a car in the car-park. After a quick look at the car, I noticed the Pennsylvania license plate at once, so I knew they had come from far away. The young man had his head partly out of the window and spoke to me as I moved closer, \"Excuse me, my wife and I are trying to find a room for the night and every place in the area seems to be filled up. Do you have any suggestions for us where we might find a room?\"\nWell, that didn't surprise me. After all, it was the busy time of the year for tourism. As he spoke, I noticed that his wife was pregnant . I told them that they should just keep searching and wished them good luck in their search. The young husband didn't say any other words and backed out of the car-park and headed off. We also got into our car and drove home.\nAfter a short drive, I couldn't get this young couple out of my mind. Here they were, traveling in a different state, tired, the wife pregnant. It was at that moment that my wife told me we needed to go back and find that couple. We went back and looked for them. We even went as far as the mountain. I'm happy that this story had a happy ending. We found them in the end, gave them a room, and now we are close friends.", "problems": [{"question": "The main problem the young couple had was that they couldn't _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["find a place for the night", "find a doctor", "find their way", "afford to stay at a hotel"]}, {"question": "When the writer told him to keep searching, the young husband _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["was very happy", "continued to ask other questions", "thanked him and drove away", "said nothing and drove away"]}, {"question": "We can reach a conclusion from the passage that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the writer didn't agree with his wife", "the writer's wife was a kind person", "the writer had no trouble finding the young couple", "the young couple found a room in a hotel in the end"]}, {"question": "Which is NOT the reason why the writer decided to offer help?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The couple was not familiar with the state.", "The couple became tired out.", "The driver's wife was to give birth.", "It was getting dark outside."]}, {"question": "We can infer from the ending that the writer managed to help the couple by _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["leading them to a hotel", "searching together with them", "giving a room for them", "renting a room for them"]}]} -{"article": "When in doubt, cut that out! Yeah, yea, Doubting Thomas may have had a point in his day, and life may not be what you want it to be, but if you constantly doubt yourself, how can you accomplish anything?\nWhere is your confidence? What possible good can come from taking the negative aspect of any situation and growing it into acceptance?\nPurpose of achievement is to attain a goal. So, if you set your goals and strive to get there, it should be assumed that you are moving toward your goal no matter what you are doing, right?\nWhen watching a football game, one of those great high school starter games, set to determine who starts when the real games begin, I noticed the coach called \"defense\" only when the team was \"protecting\" their goal. As long as the team was fighting for more ground they played \"offense \". Along the same lines, I've heard the phrase, \"a strong defense requires a good offense.\" Simply put, if you concentrate more on gaining ground than on protecting your goals, your accomplishments will be greater. Time spent protecting your goals is wasted time, when you could be working toward attaining your goals rather than preventing others from reaching their goal.\nIn business, if you waste your time focusing on what your competitor is doing rather than working toward meeting your goals, you won't get very far.\nFocus your attention on where you're going. Don't waste time worrying about where your competition is. You will gain ground while they are watching you. Smile as you reach your destination.", "problems": [{"question": "The writer of the passage intends to tell us _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["a common rule in a football game", "how to beat our competitors", "how to overcome our doubts and achieve our goals", "how to deal with doubt in our business"]}, {"question": "The author suggests that in business we should _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["avoid too much competition", "seek as much cooperation as possible", "focus on our own goals", "know our competitors as well as ourselves"]}, {"question": "The passage is intended for _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["football players", "coaches", "businessmen", "common readers"]}]} -{"article": "When you buy a T-shirt, or a fur coat in a store , it often carries a label telling who made it or from what store it was bought. Indeed, some labels show the dress is famous and it is very expensive, so buyers who deal with the cheapest products would be pleased to do away with labels entirely.\nHowever, there is another label more important than the one showing from which store the dress was bought. When a person buys a fur coat, or a jacket , from a store , a label telling what the product is made of should be carried to it.\nThis label is required by law. Besides telling what the product on show is made of , the label should be in clear English and be where one can find it easily. The information on the label must be the truth.\nThe reason for this label is that most buyers today aren't expert enough to know exactly what kind of fur or material they are buying. The buyer must believe in the store that sells the products or in what the labels say.", "problems": [{"question": "The author doesn't agree that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["some clothes may carry more than one label", "some clothing stores sell cheap dresses", "shops can sell products with or without labels", "buyers will believe what the label says"]}, {"question": "This article mainly refers to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["making furs and clothes", "protecting buyers with law", "keeping the buyers informed", "businessmen and sellers"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is true?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Not all buyers know the materials they are buying.", "A fur coat with a high price often carries a false label.", "A label only says what material the product is made of .", "A T-shirt seldom carries a label."]}]} -{"article": "The city of Venice,in Italy,is one of a kind.It is built on more than 120 islands,just off arrival.After explaining where my new house was,I told him that I had left the key under the doormat.Since I knew it would be quite late before I could get back,I suggested that be make himself at home and help himself to anything that was kept in the refrigerator .\nTwo hours later my friend phoned me from the house.At the moment,he said,he was listening to some of my records after having had a nice meal.He had found the pan and meat in the refrigerator.Now,he was drinking a cup of tea and hoped that I would join him soon.When I asked him if he bad any difficulty finding the house,he answered that the only problem was that he had not been able to find the key under the doormat,but luckily,the living room window by the apple tree had been left open and he had climbed in through the window.I listened to all this in great surprise.There is no apple tree outside my window,but there is one by the living room window of my next-door neighbor's house!", "problems": [{"question": "When my friend arrived,I could not go to meet him because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["we were not good friends", "I was busy at work", "he had not told me that he would come", "I did not want to see him"]}, {"question": "A doormat is a mat _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["used as a door", "for cleaning the bottom of shoes", "put up on a door as an ornament", "near a door under which people put their keys"]}, {"question": "I listened to my friend's phone call in great surprise because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["he had not waited for me to eat together", "he had eaten too much of the food", "he mistook my neighbor's house for mine", "he had left the house with the window open"]}, {"question": "At last my friend _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["did not enter my house", "entered my house after he opened the door", "entered my house by climbing through the window", "entered my house with the help of my neighbor"]}, {"question": "The writer left the key under the doormat so that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["nobody would find it", "he might not lose it", "his family could use the same key", "his friend could easily get it"]}]} -{"article": "It is true that good writers rewrite and rewrite and then rewrite some more. But in order to work up the desire to rewrite, it is important to learn to like what you write at the early stage.\nI am surprised at the number of famous writers I know who say that they so dislike reading their own writing later that they even hate to look over the publishers' opinions. One reason we may dislike reading our own work is that we're often disappointed that the rich ideas in our minds seem very thin and plain when first written down. Jerry Fodor and Steven Pinker suggest that this fact may be a result of how our minds work.\nDifferent from popular belief, we do not usually think in the works and sentences of ordinary language but in symbols for ideas (known as 'mentalese' ), and writing our ideas down is an act of translation from that symbolic language. But while mentalese contains our thoughts in the form of a complex tapestry ,writing can only be composed one thread at a time. Therefore it should not be surprising that our first attempt at expressing ideas should look so simple. It is only by repeatedly rewriting that we produce new threads and connect them to get closer to the ideas formed in our minds.\nWhen people write as if some strict critics are looking over their shoulder, they are so worried about what this critic might say that they get stuck before they even start. Peter Elbow makes an excellent suggestion to deal with this problem. When writing we should have two different minds. At the first stage, we should see every idea, as well as the words we use to express it, as wonderful and worth putting down. It is only during rewrites that we should examine what we excitedly wrote in the first stage and check for weaknesses.", "problems": [{"question": "What do we learn from the text about those famous writers?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They often regret writing poor works.", "Some of them write surprisingly much.", "Many of them hate reading their own works.", "They are happy to review the publishers' opinions."]}, {"question": "What do people generally believe about the way human minds work?", "answer": "A", "options": ["People think in words and sentences.", "Human ideas are translated into symbols.", "People think by connecting threads of ideas.", "Human thoughts are expressed through pictures."]}, {"question": "What can we conclude from the text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Most people believe we think in symbols.", "Loving our own writing is scientifically reasonable.", "The writers and critics can never reach an agreement.", "Thinking and writing are different stages of mind at work."]}]} -{"article": "Do you think that day dreaming is a waste of time? Probably so.\n\"On the contrary.\" says L. Giambra. an expert in psychology .\"Daydreaming is quite necessary. Without it, the mind couldn't get done all the thinking it has to do during a normal day. You can't possibly do all your thinking with a consciousness . Instead, your unconscious mind is working out problems all the time. Daydreaming then may be one way that the unconscious and conscious states of mind have silent dialogues.\"\nEarly psychology experts paid no attention to the importance of daydreams or even considered them harmful. In the past daydreaming was thought to be a cause of some mental illnesses. They did not have a better understanding of daydreams until the late 1980's. Eric Klinger, a professor of psychology, is the writer of the book DAYDREAMING. Klinger says. \"We know now that daydreaming is one of the main ways that we organize our lives, learn from our experiences, and plan for our futures... Daydreams really are a window on the things we fear and the things we long for in life.\"\nDaydreams are usually very simple and direct, quite unlike sleep dreams, which may be hard to understand. It's easier to gain a deep understanding of your life by paying close attention to your daydreams than by trying to examine your sleep dreams carefully. Daydreams help you recognize the difficult situations in our life and find out a possible way of dealing with them.\nDaydreams cannot be predicted. They move off in unexpected directions which may be creative and full of ideas. For many famous artists and scientists, daydreams were and are a main source of creative energy.", "problems": [{"question": "What's the writer's opinion of daydreaming?", "answer": "B", "options": ["He agrees with the early experts in psychology.", "He agrees with L. Giambra and Eric Klinger.", "He doesn't prefer either side.", "He hasn't formed his own idea yet."]}, {"question": "Which of the following can lead to daydreams according to the text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Absence of attention.", "Illness in mind.", "Lack of sleep at night.", "None of the above."]}, {"question": "Daydreams can be described as _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the mirror of one's worries and wishes in life", "the unconscious state of mind", "some mental illnesses", "unusual thinking and feeling"]}, {"question": "After reading the passage we can conclude that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["daydreaming is neither harmful nor useful to daydreamers", "daydreams are not the same as, but similar to sleep dreams", "daydreaming is the result of dialogues between two persons.", "daydreams are of great help to us in solving problems"]}]} -{"article": "Twenty years is just a blink in time. But 20 years is also long enough for a man to grow up. It is always painful. For Andrew Agassi, maturing in the spotlight of international tennis competition was even harder.\nOn September 3, the American tennis player said a tearful goodbye to his 21-year career after a third-round defeat in the US Open. The 36-year-old tried his best, but was unable to keep up with German Benjamin Becker, _ \n\"The scoreboard said I lost today, but what the scoreboard doesn't say is what I've found,\" Agassi said to the fans. \"I have found inspiration and you willed me to succeed.\" It was an emotional speech at the end of a long career.\nAgassi hated tennis as a teenager as much as he loves it now. His father made him play when he was a child. He got bored, and became a rebel . The strict training that his father pushed upon him got in the way of his wild lifestyle. He grew hair long, wore colorful clothes and spat at a judge. Over the years, he has made bad jokes during news conferences. Asked what he would say to his 17-year-old self, Agassi answered, \"I would say, I understand you a lot more than I want to be you.\"\nThe turning point in Agassi's career came in 1992 when he unexpectedly won his first Grand Slam at Wimbledon. It was the first time Agassi understood what real champions finally understand: winning is a test of courage and not just power, it's a marathon, not a sprint .\nAnd what a marathon Agassi was about to begin. He cut his long hair, got fitter and tightened up emotionally. On the court, he ranked No. 1 for almost two years. His lowest point came in 1997 when his ranking dropped to No. 141. He didn't quit though. \"I knew that I would try to get the most out of myself every day from that day forward. That was my promise,\" he said. \"That never stopped.\" www.zxxk.com", "problems": [{"question": "How did Agassi feel when he was defeated in the competition?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He felt angry with the judge", "He felt satisfied with the scoreboard", "He felt regretful but encouraged", "He felt in great desperation"]}, {"question": "The passage implies _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["after 1997 Agassi began to take up marathon besides tennis", "Agassi began to play tennis before he was fifteen", "Agassi hesitated to quit his sports career", "the reason why Agassi lost his last competition was that he lacked courage and power"]}, {"question": "The score of the match between Agassi and Becker is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["0-2", "0-3", "1-3", "2-3"]}]} -{"article": "Virgin Galactic said its first passenger flights wouldn't occur before 2013. Richard Branson's space tourism venture said it hoped to launch the service in two years, but even that date wasn't fixed. The firm's commercial director, Stephen Attenborough, told the BBC that its customers?safety was vital. Test flights are currently under way, with rocket-powered tests scheduled to start next year.\nAlmost 500 people have bought tickets. Richard had originally hoped the first commercial spacecraft, Spaceship Two, would take off as early as 2007. However, Mr. Attenborough stressed there never was an official date set for the first launch.\nStephen Attenborough criticized some press reports, particularly an article in the Wall Street Journal, which described the 2013 goal as ''yet another delay\".\n\"This is a programme that can?t have a hard-end date as safety is number one priority ,\"Mr. Attenborough said, \"Our foot is flat on the gas. We have proven technology, we have a spaceport that opened last week, and the test flight programme is well advanced -----I don't think you can ask for a lot more from a programme like this. A delay is a strange word, and there is no delay. \"\nKeith Colmer, a former Air Force test pilot, was chosen from more than 500 applicants ,among them a handful of astronauts. The BBC,s Richard Scott was the first journalist to be allowed inside the Virgin Galactic spaceship.\nRichard has held an official ceremony for the launch pad for the space tourism venture in the New Mexico desert on 18,October. He plans to take the first flight, accompanied by his children.\nMr. Attenborough said that although all of the future tourists were eager to take off to space, none were pushing for an early flight. \"They are willing to put a large a- mount of money up front because they trust us, because they know we will only take them to space if it's safe to do so,\" he said.\nThe 2. 5-hour flights will offer five minutes of weightlessness. Tickets cost $ 200,000.", "problems": [{"question": "What Stephen Attenborough valued most is _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the number of tourists", "the cost of a commercial flight", "the safety of tourists", "the process of the launch"]}, {"question": "What do we know about Richard according to the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["He used to serve as an astronaut.", "He will start the space tour with his children.", "He is in charge of the interview of the first flight.", "He has a thorough research in a spaceship."]}, {"question": "You can most probably read the passage in a _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["travel guide", "chef magazine", "newspaper", "textbook"]}]} -{"article": "Last week I did something that scared me. I stood in front of nearly 200 financial planners and I talked to them about why financial blogs are a good thing.\nI'm a confident writer. I've been doing this long enough that I know my strength and my limitations. I'm less confident as a speaker. I don't have time to pause to collect my thoughts. I'm not able to edit. I'm afraid of being trapped in a corner without being able to talk my way out. Basically, I'm scared to speak.\nIt would be easy to simply refuse the chances that come my way. When somebody asks me to speak in front of a group, I could say \"no\". When radio and television stations call for an interview, I could say \"no\". But for the past two years, I've been following _ to say \"yes\" to new chances.\nTo say \"yes\" is to live in fear. My goal is to continually improve myself to become better than I am today. One way to do that is to do the things that scare me, to take them on as challenges, and to learn from them -- even if I fail.\nIn mid-November, a local station asked me to appear on live television. \"I realize it's short notice,\" the producer wrote, \"but we'd love to have you on the show if you're available tonight.\" I was frightened. I thought about recent taped television interviews that I had hated. I was afraid of what might happen.\nBut I also thought about the things that had gone right. I thought of how my speaking skills had improved over the past year. And then I thought of the book I was reading, a book that I had bought for $1.29 at the local store. The Magic of Thinking Big was a huge bestseller during the 1960s. Written by Dr. David Schwartz, a professor at Georgia State University, the book contains dozens of practical tips on how to take risks to achieve big goals. Schwartz argues that nobody will believe in you until you believe in yourself.\nSo when the television producer asked if I wanted to appear on his show, I thought big. \"Sure,\" I said. \"I'll do it.\" I acted confidently, but on the inside I was frightened. What I needed was techniques to build up my confidence and to overcome my fear.", "problems": [{"question": "Why is the author afraid of speaking in public?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He is aware of his potential.", "He has few chances to talk.", "He is not able to edit what he says.", "He likes writing better."]}, {"question": "The author mentioned the book The Magic of Thinking Big mainly because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["it was inspiring", "it was a bestseller", "its author was famous", "its price was attractive"]}, {"question": "What is the author's purpose to write the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To analyze his strength and weaknesses.", "To give practical tips on speaking in public.", "To persuade people to follow his example.", "To share his experiences of overcoming fear."]}]} -{"article": "\"Here is the Eight O' Clock News.\"\n\"Chinese people spent about 120 billion yuan during the first three days of the May Golden Week last year. This year it has increased to 140 billion yuan.\"\n\"The children of Beijing No.2 Middle School sang with students from Toronto in Canada to celebrate the 20th _ . They had been sister schools since 1986. They spent about two weeks together in Beijing. They visited the Great Wall and the Summer Palace. They took a lot of photos in Beihai Park.\"\n\"Have you ever got tired of heavy shopping bags? A new shopping assistant robot which was invented by Japanese company could be the answer. The helpful robot can follow you around and carry several bags. The robot was tested at a shopping center in February 2006. \"\n\"About 500 people from different countries were in the 2006 \"Rock Paper Scissors \" World Match in Canada. This event was founded in 1842. It is said playing this game is fun, and also a good way to solve problems among people.\"\n\"And now it's time for Morning Music.\"", "problems": [{"question": "The students from Canada and Beijing No. 2 Middle School didn't _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["take photos", "visit places of interest", "sing songs", "have a football match"]}, {"question": "This year during the first three days of the May Golden Week, it cost Chinese people _ yuan more than that of last year.", "answer": "D", "options": ["260,000,000,000", "120,000,000,000", "140,000,000,000", "20,000,000,000"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is not talked about in the news?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The robot can help with shopping bags.", "A Japanese company invented the robot.", "The robot was tested at a shopping centre.", "There are such robots in people's homes now."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is a game?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Rock Paper Scissors", "May Golden Week", "Shopping assistant robot", "A visit to the school"]}]} -{"article": "I placed the spaghetti in front of everyone and sank into my chair with a big sigh. It was Thursday, and like every Thursday, I was exhausted end just sick of everyone and everything.\n\"Mommy?\" asked my older daughter.\n\" What?\" I practically shouted. Could' t they just eat without demanding anything? \" It seems that the spaghetti is overcooked,\" she said.\nI glanced at my husband, and he just gave a slight nod in agreement with ray daughter. Why could' t I even cook something simple as spaghetti? Then I remembered why. Because every time I was trying to gel dinner cooked, I could be distracted by so many other things. I hung my head in defeat once again. Sometimes, I just wanted to cry. Throughout my journey in motherhood, 1 have concluded that my abilities are an failure at times. This spaghetti dinner was just another example. I don' t even know how to balance the \"wife\" with the \"mother\" anymore. Romance is a distant memory. My only goal as a mother is to survive, because not burning down ray house or losing a kid would be an accomplishment.\n\" It's s okay, honey, \" my husband said as He patted me on the back, \"I\" see if we have a frozen pizza or something. \" I nodded. I knew we would Laugh at this later, but it was just another moment of failure.\nI looked down at my older daughter as I got up to carry the awful spaghetti to the sink. She hugged me and looked up at me with her big brown eye. I couldn't help but smile. Then she said the words that could make any mother' s mood better, \" I love you, Mommy, and I still think you are the greatest mommy ever!\"", "problems": [{"question": "What made the author feel better?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Her husband' s words.", "Her daughter' s words.", "Her daughter's company.", "Her husband 's company."]}]} -{"article": "A rat looked through a crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package. What food might it contain? He was alarmed to discover that it was a rat trap .\nGoing back to the farmyard the rat gave a warning: \"There is a rat trap in the house, a rat trap in the house!\" The chicken raised her head and said: \"Excuse me, Mr Rat, I can tell this is a big concern to you, but it is of no business to me. I cannot be bothered with it.\"\nThe rat turned to the pig and told him: \"There is a rat trap in the house, a rat trap in the house!\"\"I am so very sorry, Mr. Rat,\" sympathized the pig, \"but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. I will make sure that you are in my prayers.\"\nThe rat turned to the cow. She said, \"Like wow, Mr. Rat. A rat trap. I am in grave danger. Duh?\"\nSo the rat returned to the house, head down and _ , to face the farmer's rat trap alone.\nThat very night a sound was heard throughout the house, like the sound of a rat trap catching its prey . The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see that it was a poisonous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife.\nThe farmer rushed her to the hospital. She returned home with a fever. Now everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.\nHis wife's sickness continued so that friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them the farmer killed the pig.\nThe farmer's wife did not get well. She died, and so many people came for her funeral that the farmer had the cow killed to provide meat for all of them to eat.\nSo the next time you hear that someone is facing a problem and think that it does not concern you, remember that when there is a rat trap in the house, the whole farmyard is at risk.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the article?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The chicken showed great concern for the rat.", "The pig helped the rat get rid of the trap.", "The cow didn't care about what the rat said.", "The snake was killed after being caught in the trap."]}, {"question": "We can conclude from the article that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the farmer's wife got good treatment in the hospital", "the farmer regretted setting up the rat trap", "the rat was very wise in avoiding the trap", "none of the other animals felt threatened by the rat trap"]}, {"question": "What message does the story intend to convey?", "answer": "B", "options": ["We should mind our own business.", "Everything is related to something else.", "Helping others is always a virtue.", "We should treat animals in a friendly way."]}]} -{"article": "Jack lay, quiet and unmoving, for thirty minutes while a stranger repeatedly stabbed him with sharp needles, causing blood to pour steadily out of his leg. Jack was getting a tattoo. His friend Tony had recently gotten a tattoo, and Jack was so impressed by it that he decided to get one too. Peer pressure, media influence, and personal expression are some of the common reasons for wearing tattoos today.\nThe desire to be accepted by one's friends or peers can have a great influence on what a person does. Sometimes, wearing a tattoo can be a sign that you belong to a certain group. Gangs often use special clothes and tattoos to identify their particular group. Some of these groups wear only brand-name clothes. Others wear tattoos. When a person's friends are all doing something, that person is more likely to do the same thing.\nThe media is another big influence behind the popularity of tattoos in North America. A wide variety of media images show tattoos--people appearing in commercials selling expensive cars, famous sports heroes with tattoos in magazines, fashion models wearing designer clothes that show their bodies tattooed with detailed and colorful patterns. These media images link tattoos to ideas of wealth, success, and status. As a result, many people decide to get a tattoo for its fashion and status value.\nMany people decide to wear tattoos in order to express their artistic nature, their beliefs, or their feelings-in other words, to show their individuality . A musician in a rock band may get a tattoo of a guitar on the arm. Some environmentalists may tattoo pictures of endangered animals on their shoulders. A tattoo can be a public sign to show what is important in a person's life.\nAs you can see, there are many reasons why young North Americans get tattoos. A tattoo can be part of a group's uniform, a sign of fashion, or an expression of individuality. The decision to get a tattoo is most often a result of the influence of friends or media or the desire to express oneself. For Jack, it was a mixture of all three.", "problems": [{"question": "Jack has got tattoos in order to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["show his great bravery", "gain a special experience", "make himself more healthy", "be different from others"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, media images are linked to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["traditional lifestyle", "social position", "cultural background", "public interest"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["some people get tattoos out of pressure", "tattoo is related to religious belief", "getting tattoos costs a lot of money", "most people with tattoos are artists"]}]} -{"article": "SAN ANTONIO -- For Tira Starr, an eighth grader at Anson Jones Middle School, the plastic nametag hanging around her neck that she has decorated with a smiley face and a purple bat sticker offers a way to reflect her personal interest. For administrators, it is something else entirely: a device that lets them use radio frequency technology--with scanners tucked behind walls and ceilings--to track her whereabouts. \nAnson Jones is the first school in San Antonio's Northside Independent School District to roll out the new nametags, which are part of a pilot program intended to ensure that the district receives all of the state dollars. \nIn Texas, school finance is a numbers game: schools receive money based on the number of students counted in their homeroom classes each morning. At Anson Jones, as at other schools, many students were in school but not in homeroom, so they were not counted and the district lost money, said Pascual Gonzalez, a spokesman for the district. \n\"We were leaving money on the table,\" he said, adding that the district expects a $2 million return on an initial investment of $261,000 in the technology at two pilot schools. \nBut the radio frequency identification nametags have prompted concerns from civil liberties groups and electronic privacy watchdogs, which fear a Big Brother atmosphere in Texas public schools. \nMatthew Simpson, a policy strategist for the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, said the technology was easy to acquire, meaning people outside a school might be able to monitor a student if they obtained the student's unique tracking number. \nMr. Simpson said the technology was originally designed for shipping goods and for cattle. \"It was never intended for people,\" he said. \nBut students and educators at Anson Jones say they are excited about the practical advantages -- getting to eat lunch faster by scanning their bar codes in the lunch line, or being able to locate a child quickly in an emergency. \nNorthside is not the first district to use the tracking devices. Two Houston-area districts began the program several years ago. The Spring district, for example, started using the technology in 2004 as a way to track elementary students getting on and off buses. It expanded the program to high school students three years ago and has so far recovered $400,000, said Karen Garrison, a spokeswoman for the district. \n\"Our system still focuses on safety but has the added benefit of recovering average daily attendance funding,\" Ms. Garrison said. \nWendy Reyes, the principal of Anson Jones, said only one parent had complained about the program at her school. On the first day of classes at Jay High School, home to the other pilot program school in Northside, several parents staged a protest across the street from the school, though most did not have students in the district. \nMany students, teachers and parents at the middle school feel the technology's benefits outweigh privacy concerns, Ms. Reyes said.", "problems": [{"question": "This passage is mainly about _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["a pilot program in the US", "an eighth grader at Anson Jones", "nametags that track students", "money invested in technology"]}, {"question": "From the passage we can learn that most students and parents _ nametags.", "answer": "A", "options": ["don't mind", "complain about", "like to decorate", "refuse to use"]}, {"question": "The author might agree that nametags _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["lead to some schools losing money", "can help schools' administration", "should never be intended for people", "destroy students' privacy and civil rights"]}]} -{"article": "Picking a university is a tense period of asking yourself which institution is most relevant. That's why university rankings play such a vital role in students searching for their next academic direction. Rankings are also an inescapable part of the reputation and brand image of universities. \"No university website is complete without the claim to be in the top 100 for something or other,\" reported the BBC. The reason is simple: Rankings help them to attract students, staff and research investment.\nCurrently there are numbers of university rankings, and each has its own list of criteria. But the main categories are the same: academic reputation, graduates' performance and faculty resources.\nHowever, experts point out the ranking process isn't entirely reliable. Mark Kantrowitz, a US financial aid researcher, said university rankings were mostly just for show. He wrote in The New York Times. \"It may give your parents better bragging rights, but that's about it.\"\nMoreover, it's not difficult to see the limitations of university rankings. Many rankings focus on the number of times research work is cited by other researchers. _ helps British and US universities to dominate global rankings because English is the favored language of academia, John O'Leary, a member of the QS academic advisory board, told The Gunrdian. Also, rankings such as QS mainly focus on the qualities of the university rather than its students. \"Any university ranking is likely to help students make better decisions about where to study, but the need to balance them with other more human factors is also important,\" said Phil Moss, an education and admissions consultant. \"Advice from graduates or current students can be as valuable in providing a genuine insight into the experience or quality of a particular degree program. It can also add an element that rankings can never convey -- the actual emotion of a university experience.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Why do universities consider rankings important?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Rankings make them more appealing.", "Rankings are students' only reference.", "Rankings can increase their academic level.", "Rankings help them complete their websites."]}, {"question": "According to John O'Leary, what helps British and US universities rank well?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The wide use of English in academia.", "Their outstanding qualities.", "Their graduates' excellent performance.", "The academia's favor to them."]}, {"question": "Besides ranking, what does Phil Moss suggest you should refer to if you're picking a university?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Investment in education.", "Guidance from professors.", "Information on websites.", "Suggestions from students."]}]} -{"article": "Those who have suffered from _ know the sinking feeling of watching the clock tick.Now a new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that lying in bed awake may actually contribute to the problem of sleeplessness.\nThe study of 79 adults(average age 72)with insomnia aimed to determine whether brief behavioral interventions for insomnia would help.Traditional behavioral therapy requires at least half a dozen hour-long sessions with a therapist -- a costly commitment many patients either can't make or don't have access to.Other options include sleep-aiding medications or supplements.In the current study,the 39 participants in the behavioral therapy group received a 45- to 60-minute instructing session,plus a 30-minute follow-up session and two 20-minute phone calls.\nDoctors offered the following behavioral interventions for improving sleep: reduce time in bed; get up at the same time every day,regardless of sleep duration; don't go to bed unless sleepy; and don't stay in bed unless asleep.\nThe other 40 participants in the study were given printed educational materials about insomnia,which included the same instructions given to the intervention group,but without the individualized sessions with a therapist.Two weeks later,the latter group also got a 10-minute follow-up phone call.\nAt the end of four weeks,the behavioral treatment group was significantly more likely to show improvements in sleep than the printed-materials group.By that time,55% of those who received behavioral treatment no longer met the criteria for insomnia,compared with 13% of the group that got educational brochures.\nThe good news comes at the same time as a report on the health effects of insomnia from the U.K.'s Mental Health Foundation.The report,Sleep Matters,suggests a link between insomnia and poor relationships,low energy levels and an inability to concentrate.Poor sleep has already been linked to depression,immune deficiency and heart disease.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the disadvantage of traditional behavioral therapy?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It can't help.", "It costs a lot of money.", "It requires sessions with a therapist.", "It includes sleep-aiding medications."]}, {"question": "How to improve sleep according to the doctor?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Lying in bed awake.", "Get up early every day.", "Don't go to bed late at night.", "Don't stay in bed if you are not asleep."]}, {"question": "We can learn from the text that insomnia may cause the following results except _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["depression", "concentration", "immune deficiency", "heart disease"]}]} -{"article": "Language is a major problem for the European Union (EU). The agreement or treaty which created the organization that eventually became the EU, the Treaty of Rome, stated that each country's language must be treated equally. The original six countries had only three languages between them: French. German and Dutch/Flemish. However, there are now 15 countries in the EU, with a total of 12 languages. EU documents must be translated into all these languages, and at official meetings the speeches must be translated into all the languages by interpreters.\nAll this translating is very expensive and time-consuming . it is said that nearly half of all employees of the EU are engaged in translating documents and speeches, and nearly half of the EU's administrative costs are spent on this task. In the near future it is probably that several more countries, most of them having their own languages, will join the EU, thus making the situation even worse.\nThe problem is not just cost: there are practical difficulties as well. With 12 languages, there are 132 possible \"translation situations\" that might be needed. It is often' difficult to find people in the right place at the right time who can translate from (for example) Danish into Greek, or Dutch into Portuguese, at a high professional standard.\nIn practice the problem has been made less serious by the use of English in many contacts between EU officials, since almost all of them speak some English. However, any move to reduce the number of official languages (perhaps to four or five) would be a blow to the pride of the smaller countries. Another commonly suggested solution is to make English the official language for all EU business. However, powerful member countries like France and Germany are strongly against it.", "problems": [{"question": "What's the main purpose of this passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To give a solution to a problem.", "To discuss a problem and show how serious it is.", "To criticize the European Union for inefficiency .", "To show that the problem cannot be solved."]}, {"question": "According to the writer, the use of English in contacts among EU officials has _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["angered the officials who don't speak English", "reduced the number of official languages", "made the problem less serious", "been opposed by powerful member countries"]}, {"question": "The writer suggests that if the number of official languages was reduced _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the EU would not know which official languages to choose", "countries whose languages were not used officially would be unhappy", "only languages that are easy to translate would be used officially", "the smaller member countries would be pleased"]}]} -{"article": "A Japanese student called Mami told me about her own experiences in Britain. She spent 10 months in the UK last year, studying English at a language school. She really enjoyed her first two weeks in the UK. But soon she started to miss things of her own country. She found it hard to make friends,and got annoyed about local people's behaviour. Mami said,\"After a few weeks I started to cry a lot. I felt homesick.I thought the weather was dark and too changeable,and that affected my mood as well.\"\nTo comfort herself Mami began to spend many hours on the Internet chatting with her friends back home. She spent a couple of weeks in the countryside in Kent. She went to a social club for British people who were interested in Japan and started to make some friends there. In addition, she took a short course in calligraphy to get an opportunity of mixing with local people. A few months later,Mami's impression of the UK had greatly changed .She found that most of the British were friendly, witty and fun.\nHowever,once Mami was back in Japan,she experienced \"culture shock\"again. She said,\"I missed the friends I had made in England. My way of thinking had changed. Sometimes I was annoyed by the views of people in my country--for example,about the value of money and time. I thought people around me lived in such a small world.\" Mami noticed some changes in her behaviour:\"I kept the habit of always carrying an umbrella with me, even on a fine day--my friends thought I was crazy!\"", "problems": [{"question": "The reason why Mami had the habit of carrying an umbrella was that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["she liked umbrellas very much", "the umbrella reminded her of her life in the UK", "she had got used to the changeable weather in Britain", "it often rained in Japan those days"]}, {"question": "Why did Mami experience culture shock in Japan?", "answer": "D", "options": ["She didn't like Japanese culture any more.", "The Japanese behaviour had changed a lot.", "The world in Japan was too small for her.", "She had got used to British culture and life."]}, {"question": "The best title for the passage would be \" _ \".", "answer": "C", "options": ["Why not make friends with the British", "Cultural differences between Britain and Japan", "Culture shock experienced by a Japanese student", "How to prepare for culture shock"]}]} -{"article": "Given Australia's size and the fact that early settlements were far apart, Australian society is remarkably homogeneous . Its citizens are fundamentally prosperous and the way of life in the major cities and towns is much the same however many miles divide them. _ However, there is some difference in lifestyle between city dwellers and the country people. Almost 90 per cent of the population lives in the fast-paced cities along the coast and has little more than a passing familiarity with the desert. The major cities preserve pockets of colonial heritage, but the overall impression is modern, with new buildings reflecting the country's youth. In contrast, the rural communities tend to be slow-moving and conservative. For many years, Australia was said to have \"ridden on the sheep's back\", a reference to wool being the country's main money earner. However, the wool industry is no longer dominant. Much of Australia's relatively sound economy is now achieved from natural coal and wheat, and by being the largest diamond producer in the world. Newer industries such as tourism and wine making are also increasingly important. Australians are generally friendly and relaxed, with a self-deprecating sense of humor. On the whole, Australia is a society without hierarchies , an attitude generally held to stem from its prisoner beginnings.\nYet, contrary to widespread belief, very few Australians have true prisoner origins. Within only one generation of the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, Australia had become a nation of immigrants. Originally coming almost entirely from the British Isles, today one in three Australians comes from elsewhere. Australia's liberal postwar immigration policies led to an influx of survivors from war-torn Europe, most notably Greeks, Italians, Poles and Germans.\nThe emphasis has shifted in recent years and today the majority of new immigrants are from Southeast Asia. Today Australia is a 'blend of nations' and although some racism exists, _ has generally been a successful experiment and the country is justifiably proud to have one of the most harmonious multicultural communities in the world.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Most Australians have ancestors who were prisoners.", "The Australian economy is dependent on sheep exports.", "The majority of people living in Australia come from Europe.", "The pace of life is different in the city and in the country."]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["there are no signs of Australia's colonial past in its modern cities", "Australia's recent immigration policy encourages immigrants from Southeast Asia", "immigrants from Southeast Asia have brought racial problems", "\"riding on sheep's back\" resulted in slow development in rural communities"]}, {"question": "This passage mainly focuses on Australia's _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["society", "economy", "racial problems", "history"]}]} -{"article": "My father wasn't a king, he was a taxi driver, but I am a prince-Prince Renato II, of the country Pontinha, an island fort on Funchal harbour. It's in Madeira,Portugal, where I grew up. It was discovered in 1419.\nIn 1903, the king of Portugal sold the land to a wealthy British family, the Blandys, who make Madeira wine. Fourteen years ago the family decided to sell it forjust EUR25,000, but nobody wanted to buy it either. I met Blandy at a party. and he asked if I'd like to buy the island. Of course I said yes,but I had no money-I was just an art teacher.I tried to find some business partners, who all thought I was crazy.So I sold some of my possessions,put my savings together and bought it.Of course, my family. my friends-all thought I was mad.\nWhen the King originally sold the island,he signed a document, selling all the \"possessions and the dominions\"of the island.It means I can do what I want with it-I could start a restaurant, or a cinema but nobody thought someone would start a country.So that's what I did:I decided it would be my island, about the size of a one-bedroom house.\nI have both a Portuguese passport and one for Pontinha (where my passport number is 0001).There are four citizens: me, my wife, my son and my daughter.I am the police, the gardener,everything.I am whatever I want to be-that's the dream,isn't it?If l want to have a national flag,it could be blue today,red tomorrow.I can change it any time.Of course,my power is only absolute here, where I am the true sovereign.\nI don't live in my country full time, but I am often there.My family sometimes drops by, and other people come every day because the country is free for tourists to visit; I never close for bad weather.Sometimes I come here when I'm feeling lively,after a few drinks.\nMadeira is surrounded by water,but for some reason we all have to pay to swim in the ocean now,at the swimming spots.However.I have my island,which means I can come swimming whenever I want-it's as if someone has given me the key to the waters.\nOur lives are gone in a flash.All change in the world begins with something very small, and this is my country-just a small island.", "problems": [{"question": "How did the author get the island?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It was a present from Blandy.", "The king sold it to him.", "He inherited from his father.", "He bought it from Blandy."]}, {"question": "It can be learned from the passage that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the author made his living by driving", "the author's wife supported to buy the island", "blue and red are the main colors of his national flag", "people can travel around the island free of charge"]}, {"question": "What did the author do with his island?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He set up a restaurant.", "He started a cinema.", "He founded his own country.", "He opened a swimming pool."]}, {"question": "From his own experience, the author wanted to tell the readers that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["you can change your life through small things", "you should buy your own country and become a king", "becoming a real ruler is of much fun", "life is too short, so enjoy it to the fullest"]}]} -{"article": "RichardSolo 1800 Rechargeable Battery\nIn just minutes a day, plug in and charge your iPhone quickly!\nJust plug RichardSolo 1800 into your iPhone once or twice a day, for fifteen minutes, and keep your iPhone charged up. At your desk, or at dinner, plug RichardSolo into iPhone to instantly transfer charge. No more battery worries. RichardSolo will charge iPhone to full 1.5 times, and it is good for 3-5 years of recharges.\nUse the iPhone while charging it. Even charge the RichardSolo 1800 and iPhone together at the same time. Take only one charger when traveling and wake up in the morning with the RichardSolo and the iPhone charged.\nRichardSolo 1800 is largest in its class and holds its charge for months. Works with almost all iPhone cases.\nYour satisfaction is guaranteed, with our 30-day return privilege. If you're not satisfied for any reason, we'll email you a pre-paid return label.\nActual customer comments:\nTo have your company exhibit such good service is unbelievably refreshing. -- P.S.\nThis is what I call great customer support. I wish more companies would figure this out these days. Thank you so much. -- D.C.\nYou have provided me one of the best services I have ever seen on any online/ telephone shopping. -- T.K.\nYou must have the fastest processing and shipping in the industry!! -- M.C.\nThis is the best customer service experience I have had in a long time. -- L.L.\nI've read online about your amazing customer service, and I must say I'm now a true believer. -- B.L.", "problems": [{"question": "How long does it take the battery to charge up an iPhone?", "answer": "A", "options": ["15 minutes.", "30 minutes.", "1.5 hours.", "3 hours."]}, {"question": "What is special about the battery?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It is built in an iPhone.", "It is the smallest of its kind.", "It can also be used as a charger.", "It keeps power for about 30 days."]}, {"question": "The customer comments on the battery are mainly about its _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["quality", "service", "function", "shopping"]}]} -{"article": "People seem to have a natural need for friends and with good reason. Friends increase your enjoyment of life and relieve feelings of loneliness. They even can help reduce stress and improve your health. Having good friends is especially helpful when you are going through any kind of hard time such as when you are experiencing anxiety, panic attacks, or depression.\nWhen you are with good friends you feel good about yourself, and you are glad to be with them. A friend is someone who --\n*you like, respect, and trust, and who likes, respects and trusts you\n*doesn't always understand you, but accepts and likes you as you are, even as you grow and change\n*allows you the space to change, grow, make decisions, and even make mistakes\n*listens to you and shares with you both the good times and the bad times\n*respects your need for secrets, so you can tell them anything\n*lets you freely express your feelings and emotions without judging, teasing, or criticizing you\n*accepts the limitations you have put on yourself and helps you to remove them\nA person once said, \"Friendship is a continuing source of bonding , releasing, and creating in yourself and with the other person. There is an emotional bond between the two people.\"\nA good friend or supporter may or may not be the same age or the same sex as you, and may not have the same educational, cultural, or religious background, or share interests that are similar to yours. Friendships also have different depths. Some are closer to the heart and some more\n, but they're all useful and good.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is NOT a function of a friend?", "answer": "D", "options": ["He brings you some happiness.", "He helps you feel less lonely.", "He helps you get over the difficulties.", "He helps you cheat on the exam."]}, {"question": "Which is the best title for the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["A Friend in Need Is A Friend Indeed", "What Kind of Person A Friend Should Be", "To Be A Good Friend", "How to Get on with Your Friend"]}]} -{"article": "Traffic jams seem a sure companion of national holidays. On May 1, there were constant traffic jams on highways leading out of the several metropolises, the longest, according to reports, was 55 kilometers. Some blame the jams on the two-year-old policy that allows cars with no more than seven seats to use the highways for free on public holidays, but a Beijing News editorial said this is not the real cause of the jams.\nThe growing automobile culture is doubtlessly among the causes. Data shows that China's production and sales of automobiles both went up by 20 million in 2013. But over the same period there has been no breakthrough in highway construction, and _ \nGrowing tourism also leads to the jams. At the 2014 global summit of the World Travel and Tourism Council, which ended last week, it was reported that Chinese people spent almost 3 trillion yuan on tourism in 2013, which took up more than 90 percent of hotel income and more than 80 percent of air and railway use.\nWorse, Chinese have to travel during the same periods. As employees' rights to paid leave often fail to be protected, many have no choice but to travel on the limited public holidays. From Oct 1 to 7, the so-called Golden Week, almost every tourist site will be full of visitors. Therefore it is wrong to blame the free-pass policy.\nThat does not mean the government should stand idle doing nothing. As traffic jams during the holidays are predictable, they could develop more public transport and strengthen legal supervision to ensure that every employee enjoys their entitlement to a paid vacation or offer free passes on other days to encourage people to travel on days other than public holidays. The measures might not prevent traffic jams, but they may at least ease the jams.", "problems": [{"question": "How many factors are mentioned in the passage accounting for the traffic jam on the highway?", "answer": "B", "options": ["two", "three", "four", "five"]}, {"question": "What can we infer from the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Traffic jams often happen on highways on national holidays.", "People prefer to stay at home because of traffic jams.", "Chinese people spent over 3 trillion yuan on tourism in 2013.", "There is nothing the government can do to prevent traffic jams."]}, {"question": "Which of the following ways can ease the jams according to the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["People drive private cars to spend holiday.", "People take trains to spend their holiday.", "Employees can have an expense-paid vacation.", "People make use of public holidays to enjoy themselves."]}]} -{"article": "The Arctic will soon be free from ice, experts say. The change is bound to take place, but the global warming and climate change are changing the earth's landscape rapidly,causing panic worldwide.\nExperts say that the Arctic sea ice is melting quite faster than expected and it can affect not just the region, but Earth in general. A scientist even says that next year, or maybe the year after that, the Arctic will be free of ice.\nPeter Wadhams, a scientist, said that the melting trend led to his statement. \"Most people expect this year will see a record low in the Arctic's summer sea-ice cover. Next year or the year after that, I think it will be free of ice in summer and by that I mean the central Arctic will be ice-free,\" Peter Wadhams, director of the Scott Polar Institute in Cambridge, said in an interview withthe Guardian. \"You will be able to cross over the North Pole by ship,\" Peter Wadhams added. He strongly believes that although some pieces of ice will remain, the Arctic basin may be free of sea ice in the next two years starting in the summer of 2017.\nWadhams' study says that melting sea ice will have a great influence on the planet since the sea ice is more capable of reflecting sunlight compared to water that can only reflect 10% of the sunlight. Once the sea ice melts, the water can only reflect a small amount of sunlight. This means that the Earth will receive and absorb more sunlight, making the planet even hotter.\nThe year 2016 has already broken records of the hottest temperature ever recorded and the trend doesn't seem to show any decrease in global warming. \"It doesn't look like the ice is healing and growing back,\" Tom Wagner, NASA's manager for cryosphere research said in a statement.\nLike Wadhams, scientists and researchers all over the world are lecturing around to educate people to help lighten global warming that has already changed the planet's landscape.", "problems": [{"question": "What does the author think of global warming and climate change?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Indifferent.", "Anxious.", "Unbelievable.", "Misunderstood."]}, {"question": "Why would the Earth become even hotter if the sea ice melted? Because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["more water will cover the earth", "there are more hours of daylight", "the water will reflect more sunlight", "more heat would be taken in by the earth"]}, {"question": "What is the passage mainly about?", "answer": "A", "options": ["According to some experts, the Arctic may be free from ice soon because of global warming and climate change.", "The Arctic melting sea ice will affect the planet greatly.", "The Arctic will be free from ice in two years.", "Global warming are changing the earth's landscape quickly."]}]} -{"article": "My grandfather grew up in war - torn Europe. When German soldiers occupied his hometown, the thriving city of Tarow, prefix = st1 /Poland, he refused to obey them and eventually joined the Soviet army to fight for his country's freedom. \"Stand straight, stand tall,\" he told himself.\nAfter the war, in 1947, he boarded a boat for Manhattan. He was hungry and suffering from seasickness. All alone in a new country, he was frightened about his future .Still, he marched head-on into the hustle and bustle of the streets ofNew York. Soon he met other European immigrants, each of them trying to find his or her own way .If they could do it ,why couldn't he? \"Stand straight, stand tall,\" he would remind himself.\nThanks to the help of a loyal and trusting friend, my grandfather gained a jewelry booth on Canal Street,New York City.He once told me how nervous he was on that first day of work. He was not only trying to learn this tough new business, but also a new language.\nTo his surprise, the men in neighboring booths--who could have taken advantage of him--offered their help and advice. Within months, my grandfather was commanding his spot behind the counter, selling diamonds and cultured pearls as if he'd been doing it his whole life.\nStand straight and stand tall.\nIn later years , my grandfather would take both my mother and her sister down the aisle at their weddings. As he stood with each of them, he thought about their new beginnings, and of the adventures and journeys they would experience together .He also thought about the children who would one day carry on his family name.\nI am so proud to be one of those children . Listening to my grandfather's remarkable experiences has changed the way I view my own life.", "problems": [{"question": "Which is NOT true according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["My grandfather was a soldier during World War II.", "My grandfather went to Americaby sea.", "My grandfather had been doing a jewelry business his whole life.", "My grandfather ran his business successfully."]}, {"question": "Grandpa probably inspired his grandchildren in time of trouble by saying \"_\".", "answer": "C", "options": ["A friend in need is a friend indeed", "God help those who help themselves", "Stand straight, stand tall", "Practice makes perfect"]}, {"question": "It can be concluded that_.", "answer": "A", "options": ["Grandpa never lost heart in time of hardships", "Grandpa never threw doubt upon his fate", "Grandpa was born to be a businessman", "Grandpa didn't live up to his friend's expectations"]}]} -{"article": "If you still need to relax and want to head overseas, don't miss out some great deals on accommodation or air fares at some of the world's top off-peak travel hotspots. Whether you want to go to Europe or run away on a tropical escape, stretch that travel budget to take advantage of off-peak rates at some of the world's most-visited locales. Several destinations host spring festivals and other special events.\nHere are four off-peak travel destinations to visit in 2013:\nPortugal\nWith rich culture and history, Portugal continues to be one of the most affordable European destinations. Head to this beautiful capital city of Lisbon to attend the festivals and fairs, visit some 12th-century buildings, and stay at one of the newer hotels in the main city district. The Hotel Teatro is a four-star restaurant, and average nightly rates are under $150 a night.\nHotel Teatro\nPorto, Portugal\n+351 220 409 620\nAruba\nSet your sights on Aruba for an unforgettable Caribbean holiday. You can get special offers from one of the larger beach resorts here. Some of the chain hotels, including Marriott and Radisson, offer discounts on spa relaxations . The Radisson Aruba Resort, Casino, & Spa is offering a Super Saver Spring Rate at just $309 per night.\nRadisson Aruba Resort, Casino & Spa\nPalm Beach, Aruba\n800-967-9033\nOaxaca\nEscape to southern Mexico to explore the historic colonial city and learn about the region's traditions, culture, and colorful history. Oaxaca holds several cultural festivals and is a great place to relax. You will be receiving a 50% discount with just $170 per night for a deluxe single or double room if you stay in the Camino Real Oaxaca for more than 7 nights (7 included).\nCamino Real Oaxaca\nCentro, 68000\n01 951 501 6100\nTurkey\nAnother place to have some local culture and participate in some late spring festivals is Istanbul, Turkey. Stay at a destination that will put you within easy reach of famous sites like the Topkapi Palace. The Modern Sultan Hotel is a deluxe hotel located in the heart of the historic district. Average nightly rates for the bed and breakfast package are just under $120 per night.\nModern Sultan Hotel\nIstanbul, Turkey\n+90 212 520 00 53", "problems": [{"question": "In the passage Portugal is described as a destination _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["for visitors interested in ancient buildings", "especially appealing to wealthy Europeans", "owning rich culture but lacking colorful festivals", "having the Hotel Teatro in the suburbs of Lisbon"]}, {"question": "If you want to know more information about spas, you can call _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["800-967-9033", "+351 220 409 620", "01 951 501 6100", "+90 212 520 00 53"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, nightly rates including breakfast is offered by _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["Hotel Teatro", "Radisson Aruba Resort, Casino & Spa", "Camino Real Oaxaca", "Modern Sultan Hotel"]}, {"question": "What is the passage mainly about ?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Some off-peak places for relaxation.", "A way to travel on a budget.", "The world's most visited destinations.", "Comparing the four tourist destinations."]}]} -{"article": "The Leaning Tower of Pisa was straight like a pole when the construction began in 1173. It started to shift direction soon after construction because of poor foundation in addition to the loose layer of subsoil . At the beginning, it leaned to the southeast before the shaky foundation started to shift leaning towards the southwest. After the period of structural strengthening at the beginning of the 21stcentury, now the Leaning Tower of Pisa leans at an angle of 3.97 degrees.\nIn 1178, the shift in direction was observed for the first time when the construction had progressed further to the third floor. The tower was heavy for the three-meter foundation that was built on a weak area of land.\nFor compensating the leaning position, the builders started to construct the upper floors with one side higher than the other one. This caused the tower to lean in the other direction. This unusual structure led to the tower being actually curved. In spite of these efforts, the tower kept on leaning.\nThe government of Italy started to plan prevention of the complete collapse of the tower in 1964. However, a request was put forward by the authorities to keep the leaning position because of the tourism industry of the region.\nAfter nearly two decades of careful planning by engineers, historians and mathematicians, the stabilization efforts for the Leaning Tower of Pisa started in 1990. The tower was closed for the general public and the people living nearby moved away. For reducing the total weight of the tower, its seven bells which represented the seven musical notes were removed. The tower was reopened for the general public on December 15, 2001.\nIn May 2008, after removing another 70 metric tons of earth, the engineers announced that the tower had been finally stabilized and it would remain stable for at least 200 years.", "problems": [{"question": "The Leaning Tower of Pisa began to lean probably because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["it was too high like a pole", "its foundation shook badly", "the work of repair was delayed", "the soil of its foundation was too weak"]}, {"question": "People noticed the Leaning Tower of Pisa shift its direction _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["as soon as it was constructed", "during the construction", "at the end of the construction", "as soon as it was completed"]}, {"question": "Who preferred not to change the leaning position of the Leaning Tower of Pisa?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The authorities.", "The government.", "The engineers.", "The historians."]}]} -{"article": "Seeing a volcano erupt is a wonderful experience, and you can really feel the heat by climbing to the top of Pacaya for a close-up view. There are guided tours every day up this highly active volcano from Antigua, giving travelers a chance to see Mother Nature at her most powerful.\nPacaya is an easy drive from Antigua, a beautiful city with many colorful houses along its old streets that are turned into art-works during its Holy Week festival. No matter when you come to Antigua, you won't miss the Pacaya-tour companies.\nBut climbing Pacaya is no easy job. It is 2,560 meters high, and reaching the peak takes two to three hours of almost one-step-forward and two-step-back movements. As you climb, you hear the dull sounds of eruptions high above. Steaming, hot remains from recent eruptions begin to line the path as you are near the active peak: the McKenney Cone . Just as though you were going to walk over to the edge of the cone, the road turns to the left and up to the relative safety of the old, inactive peak.\nMany tours are timed so that you arrive at the cone of the volcano in plenty of time for sunset and the full contrast between the erupting red lava and the darkening sky. On a good day the view from the peak is extremely exciting. The active mouth boils, sending red lava over its sides, and once in a while shoots hot streams up to 100 metres into the air.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the main purpose of this passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To describe the beauty of Pacaya.", "To attract guided tours to Pacaya.", "To introduce the best time to visit Pacaya.", "To explain the power of nature at Pacaya."]}, {"question": "Antigua is a city _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["where people can enjoy cultural festivals", "where the challenging Pacaya tours start", "that gives a close-up view of Pacaya", "that is famous for its tour companies"]}, {"question": "Many tours are timed for people to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["get down the mountain in time when night falls", "avoid the smell from the upwind direction of the cone", "enjoy the fantastic eruption against the darkening sky", "appreciate the scenery of the 2,560-metre-high mountain"]}]} -{"article": "Swiss national Louis Palmer fulfilled a childhood dream when he set off from his mother country on July 3, travelling over deserts, cities and seas in 17 countries in a solar taxi to reach UN Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia.\n\"In 1986, 1 was a 14-year-old boy. I was dreaming that when I will be an adult. I want to drive around the world, \" he told reporters.\n\"Then it came to my mind, how can I travel around the world and enjoy the beauty of this world with a car that is polluting the world? Then I thought the perfect car would be a solar car. \"\nHis car, which has become a major attraction at the gates of the summit of some 188 nations, was built in three years with scientific help from four universities and 15 Swiss companies. The car pulls a trailer with six square meters of solar panels which absorb the sun. The electricity is fed into the battery which powers the car, and can run for up to 100 kilometers a day.\n\"It's the first time in history that a car is driving around the world without a single drop of petrol, \" said Palmer.\nHis epic solar journey is not his first adventure--he crossed Africa on a bicycle and North America in a light aircraft.\nSo far, Palmer has gone by land through Europe and the Middle East, then by sea to India and on to Indonesia. After covering much of Asia, Australia, North America and Africa, he will return to Switzerland to try and drum up support for the commercial possibilities of solar cars.\nFor the moment, he _ , with more curious customers waiting to take a ride in his unique automobile which, he said, \"works like a Swiss clock. \"", "problems": [{"question": "Why did Louis Palmer take so long a journey in a \"solar taxi\"?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To attend the conference.", "To advertise the solar car.", "To realize his dream.", "To turn to the summit for help."]}, {"question": "So many visitors came to the car mainly because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["it uses electricity as power", "it works as well as a Swiss clock", "it is the first solar car in the world", "they were eager to have a look at it"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is true according to the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Palmer will attempt to put solar cars on the market.", "Palmer dreamed of a solar car when he was a boy.", "Palmer will return home from Indonesia.", "Palmer has never made a journey before."]}]} -{"article": "One day, Jack told his friend. Tom , that he loved a very beautiful girl with charming eyes and long hair, and that he wanted to marry her. Tom was so happy to hear the news and asked Jack to lead him to her. However, Tom loved her at first sight, He then told Jack, \"This girl is not suitable for you. She deserves a handsome man like me.\" Jack was astonished and struggled with Tom until they went to the police to solve the problem.\nThey told the policeman their story. The policeman asked them to bring the girl to his office. \nHowever, when the policeman saw her, he became taken with her and said, \"This girl is not suitable for you two. She deserves someone with a status like me.\" The three men struggled with each other and then went to the king.\nThe king asked them to bring him the girl. When the king saw the girl, he said, \"Oh, the girl should marry a king like me.\" They all argued with each other. \nThen the girl said, \"I have a solution. I'm going to run and you'll run after me. I'll be the wife to the one who catches me first.\" The four men all agreed and ran after her. While running after her, they suddenly fell into a deep hole. From the top, the girl looked at them and said, \"Now, let me tell you who I am.\"\n\"I'm Reputation--I'm the one all people run after. They compete against each other to get me . They leave principles aside to seek for me, and they are sure to fall like you !\"", "problems": [{"question": "What makes the four men love the girl ?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The girl's beauty.", "The girl's reputation.", "The girl's smart mind.", "The girl's way to speak."]}, {"question": "According to the passage, we can infer that_.", "answer": "C", "options": ["men can never touch beautiful girls", "running after girls makes us fall down", "seeking only for reputation may bring disasters", "love at risk is all the time taking place everywhere"]}, {"question": "What could be the best title of the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["All Men Are Similarly Stupid", "A Smart Girl Has All Solutions", "Be Careful about Beautiful Girls", "Always Follow the Principles in Life"]}]} -{"article": "The Inspiration\n Greeks in ancient times believed in many deities or gods. One way they showed their devotion to gods was to build temples in their honor.\n A Shaky Start\n The Greeks were building the original Parthenon in about 480 B.C. when the Persians captured Athens. The Greeks swore an oath called \"The Oath of Plateau\". They swore to fight to death. They also vowed never to rebuild the city's monuments. The Greeks survived the invasion. They used the remains of the monuments to build a defensive wall around the city. After thirty years' peace, the Greeks broke their oath. Their ruler, Pericles, ordered the rebuilding of Athens. They started work on Parthenon.\n Fit for a Godness\n The Greeks used expensive white marble to build the Parthenon. The Parthenon was 60 feet high and was surrounded by 46 tall Doric columns. The temple was decorated with many sculptures. A continuous sculpture formed a border around the outside of the building. This horizontal band is called a frieze. Only 325 feet of the original 525 feet of the frieze still exist. A huge 40-foot gilt and ivory statue of Athena was placed inside the temple.\n Changes in Purpose\n Over time, many different groups of people used the Parthenon. It was first a Greek temple. Then in the sixth century, Christians made it a church. Later, in the 1400s, Muslins used it as a mosque. At one point, it was nearly destroyed by war. Turkish invaders used it to store ammunition. An explosion destroyed the inside of the building.\n The Parthenon stands as a ruin today. Pollution has harmed the outside. Despite the changes over time, the Parthenon remains one of the most famous buildings in the world.", "problems": [{"question": "In the long history, the Parthenon had been used as the following except _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["a temple", "a church", "a storehouse", "a mosquito net"]}, {"question": "Why didn't the Greeks rebuild the Parthenon for thirty years after the Persian invasion?", "answer": "D", "options": ["They were unwilling to rebuild it.", "They had no money to rebuild it.", "They were angry with Athena for allowing the invasion.", "They had sworn an oath not to rebuild."]}, {"question": "What caused the temple to lie in ruins?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Passing of time, lack of money and people's neglect.", "Passing of time, an explosion and pollution.", "An explosion, a volcanic eruption and an earthquake.", "Pollution, rain and wind."]}]} -{"article": "Seeing a volcano erupt is a wonderful experience, and you can really feel the beat by climbing to the summit of Pacaya for a close-up view. There are guided tours every day up this highly active volcano from Antigua, giving travelers a chance to see Mother Nature at her most powerful.\nPacaya is an easy drive from Antigua, a beautiful city with many colorful houses along its old streets that are turned into art-works during its Holy Week festival. No matter when you come to Antigua, you won't miss the Pacaya-tour companies.\nBut climbing Pacaya is no easy job: it is 2560 metres high, and reaching the summit takes two to three hours of seemingly one-step-forward and two-step-back movements. As you climb, you hear the dull sounds of eruptions high above steaming. Hot remains from recent eruptions begin to line the path as you are near the active summit; the McKenney Cone .\nMany tours are timed so when you arrive at the cone of the volcano there is plenty of time for sunset and the full contrast between the erupting red lava and the darkening sky. On a good day the view from the summit is extremely exciting. The active mouth boils, sending red lava over its sides, and once in a while shoots hot streams up to 100 metres into the air. There is a strong bad smell in the air even if you take care to be upwind of the cone. As evening turns deeper into the night, the burning lava quietly falls down the side of the volcano. For you, too, it is time to get down .", "problems": [{"question": "What is the main purpose of this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["To attract tourists to Pacaya.", "To describe the beauty of Pacaya.", "To introduce guided tours to Pacaya.", "To explain the power of nature at Pacaya."]}, {"question": "Antigua is a city _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["where people can have a close-up view of the volcano", "where the daring Pacaya tour starts", "that lies on the summit of Pacaya", "that is famous for its tour companies"]}, {"question": "Climbing to the McKenney Cone, people will _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["walk down to the active summit", "hear the continuous loud screams from above", "make greater efforts than to other summits", "see a path lined with remains of earlier eruptions"]}, {"question": "Many tours are timed for people to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["get down the mountain in time when night falls", "avoid the smell from the upwind direction of the cone", "enjoy the fantastic eruption against the darkening sky", "appreciate the scenery of the 2560-metre-high mountain"]}, {"question": "The short passage probably comes from _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["a travel journal", "a popular science magazine", "A novel", "an advertisement"]}]} -{"article": "The winter vacation is just around the corner. With such a long holiday to spend, have you decided where to get yourself relaxed from the great pressure of school study? Our company specializes in civil tours. We take pride in offering you the best services and in providing you with a vacation that will be fondly remembered. The following places can be your unforgettable destinations in our country.\nA. The Australian Museum\nThe Australian Museum has an international reputation in the fields of natural history and indigenous studies research and exhibitions. The museum was established in 1827 and is Australia's first museum of natural science and cultural artifacts.\nB. Sydney Olympic Park\nHome of the Best Games Ever and 2003 Rugby World, Sydney Olympic Park is a gold medal attraction and continues to serve as a major sport and social venue.\nApart from its ultra-modern sport venues, Sydney Olympic Park is set in extensive parklands. Bicentennial Park, one of Sydney's most popular recreational areas, is criss-crossed with walking and bicycle tracks.\nC. Art Gallery of New South Wales\nLocated within a short walking distance from Sydney's CBD, the Art Gallery of New South Wales is one of Australia's foremost art museums housing some of the finest works of art in the country.\nThe Gallery has a rich and diverse collection including key works of the Heidelberg School and favorite modern Australian artists including Brett Whiteley and Margaret Preston, as well as permanent Australian, European, Asian, contemporary and photographic galleries.\nD. Koalas Park Sanctuary\nKoalas are on show every day. Shows are at 10:20 A.M., 11:20 A.M., 2:00 P.M., 3:00 P.M. where you can cuddle, feed, pat and have your photo taken with the Koalas. See free roaming Koalas as well, 10 acres of rainforest. Walk in and pat our kangaroos.", "problems": [{"question": "How long has the Australian Museum been built?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Around 220 years.", "Around 190 years.", "Around 140 years.", "Around 100 years."]}, {"question": "Which of the following might be more inviting to a sports fan?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Koalas Park Sanctuary.", "Art Gallery of New South Wales.", "The Australian Museum.", "Sydney Olympic Park"]}, {"question": "You can watch Koalas Show at _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["M", "11:20 P.M.", "2:00 P.M.", "3:00"]}]} -{"article": "The North and South poles are remote and freezing places that receive lots of animal visitors but few human tourists.\nBut even if you never plan to visit the polar bears in the north or penguins in the south, now is a perfect time to start thinking about them. That's because 2007 marks the beginning of the International Polar Year (IPY), a two-year-old activity of science projects that aim to show how important the poles are to the health of our planet. During the IPY, which will last until March 2009, thousands of researchers from more than 60 countries will conduct more than 200 projects and expeditions to both the top and bottom of the world.\nIn recent years, the polar regions have begun to change severely as a result of global warming. Temperatures there are rising faster than anywhere else on Earth. As a result, the ice and snow in these regions are melting at record-setting rates. One result is that sea levels are rising around the world, putting animals and people at risk.\nOnly by studying the poles, say IPY researchers, can we find ways to protect them and ourselves.\nBoth the Arctic and the Antarctic are cold and remote, but the two regions have important differences. For one thing, the Arctic is an ice-covered ocean surrounded by land. The Antarctic, on the other hand, is a continent of ice-covered land surrounded by water.\nMost polar studies have focused on the Arctic, and that is where scientists have observed the most remarkable changes in the ice. During a typical year, Arctic ice expands in the winter and shrinks in the summer. But recently, the amount of ice covering the ocean has been steadily dropping in both seasons.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following might be the best tile of the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Earth's Poles Interest Scientists", "The Animals of Earth's Poles", "Earth's Poles in Danger", "The Discoveries of Earth's Poles"]}, {"question": "The goal of the International Polar Year is _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["to make it clear that the poles have much to do with a healthy earth", "to provide practical theory to further develop this distant area", "to call on as many scientists as possible to do research on the poles", "to discover more mysteries unknown to man"]}, {"question": "What is the main factor that has caused the changes of the poles?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The increasing number of animals.", "The development of the poles.", "The melting of the poles.", "The rising temperature."]}, {"question": "What unusual phenomenon worries the scientists?", "answer": "B", "options": ["In summer the ice of the Arctic loses faster.", "The ice covering the Arctic shrinks even in winter.", "The ice of the Arctic increases less than in the past.", "The changes in the Arctic are more serious."]}]} -{"article": "Much of my work as a coach includes helping people make an important decision,such \"If I''m at a crossroads in my career,which path should I follow?\"\"lf I m considering .: offers,which one should I accept?\" \t\nDifficuLt decisions like these remind me of a comment made by Scott McNealy,CEO of Microsystems for years during a lecture white I was in a business school at Stanford. He asked how he made decisions and responded,\"lt s important to make good decisions. spend much less time and energy worrying about making the right decision and much more and energy ensuring that any decision I make turns out right. \" \t\nIn fact,before we make any decisions,particularly those difficult ones,we re anxious focus on identifying the \"best\" option because of the risk of being \"wrong\". But a side effect that mindset is that we pay too much attention to the moment of choice and sight of everything that follows. It~ s what happens next that finally determines whether a decision was \"right\". \t\nAnother aspect of this mindset is that our focus on making the \"right\" decision can easy lead to paralysis (,),because the options we- re choosing among are so difficult rank in the first place. How can we definitively determine in advance what career path will \"the best\",or what job offer we should accept? Obviously,we can''t. \t\nFocusing on the effort after our decision not only helps us succeed,but also reminds us we play a role in every outcome. Our control should be in our day-to-day activrties rather than our one-time decision.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the author''s job?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To teach people to choose good careers.", "To tell people how to adapt to a new city.", "To advise people to ask for a high salary.", "To help people make a vital choice."]}, {"question": "Which of the following about Scott McNealy is TRUE?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Making decisions is not very important for him.", "He never cares about whether his decision is good or not.", "He tries his best to make his decision right in the end.", "He only focuses on the process rather than the outcome."]}, {"question": "Most people feel anxious when making an important decision because they .", "answer": "B", "options": ["don-t know what to do next", "worry about the undesired result it may bring about", "can-t find a good coach to give them advice", "have no idea of what to expect"]}]} -{"article": "Homeopathy is the oldest form of complementary and alternative medicines from Europe. It originated with the German physician Samuel Hahnemann (1755--1843). He came across the cinchona, the bark of a South American tree that was used by the local people to treat fevers. Among the active ingredients in the bark is quinine , which is still used to treat malaria. If a healthy person took cinchona, he or she would have symptoms of malaria. In 1796 and 1810, Hahnemann published essays on the theories of homeopathy: substances that cause illnesses or symptoms in people can be used in small doses as treatment. Supporters of homeopathy viewed it as a safe, patient-centered system. Hahnemann claimed he could cure any and all illnesses using homeopathic principles.\nHowever, the Australian council sought to evaluate this claim once and for all. Their assessment was based on the analysis of 57 published systematic reviews encompassing 176 individual studies, independent evaluation of evidence provided by homeopathy interest groups and the public, and clinical practice guidelines and reports on homeopathy from other governments. Studies were only considered if they were case-controlled, meaning they compared a group of patients receiving homeopathic treatments with a control group. The council who oversaw this review consisted of experts in conventional-based medicine as well as complementary and alternative medicines. As a guideline, for a treatment to be considered effective, it must result in health improvements that cannot be explained by the placebo effect, these improvements must be meaningful for a person's overall health and the results have to be seen consistently in several studies. A draft of the report was reviewed by a group of independent experts in complementary medicine research and opened up for public consultation before it was finalized.\nEventually, the council found no reliable evidence that homeopathic treatments were effective. Studies that did find homeopathy to be effective were overall of poor scientific quality, used too few patients or lacked evidence on which to base their conclusions. Rejecting proven medical treatments in favor of homeopathy for chronic or potentially serious conditions could place people at risk. As always, use of homeopathic or other remedies should be discussed with your physician in order to make informed healthcare decisions.", "problems": [{"question": "When evaluating homeopathic treatments, the Australian council was most concerned about _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the source of the data to be analyzed", "the criteria of an effective treatment", "the objectivity and reliability of the evaluation", "the experts involved in the evaluation"]}]} -{"article": "A Charlotte, NC, lawyer bought a box of very rare and expensive cigars, and then insured them against fire among other things.Having smoked his entire great cigars within a month, the lawyer filed claim against the insurance company.\nIn his claim, the lawyer stated the cigars were lost \"in a series of small fires\".Of course the insurance company refused to pay, giving the obvious reason that the man had consumed the cigars in the normal way.\nThe lawyer brought the case to the court and out of everybody's expectation, he actually won! At the end of the trial the judge agreed with the insurance company that the claim was crazy.But the judge said that the lawyer held a policy from the company in which it had promised that the cigars were insured and that it would insure them against fire.Because the company didn't say what is considered to be unacceptable fire, it had to pay the claim.\nRather than put up with long and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the punishment and paid $ 15 ,000 to the lawyer for his loss of the rare cigars lost in the \"fires.\"\nAfter the lawyer cashed the check, the insurance company had him arrested and accused him of arson .With his own insurance claim from the previous case being used against him, the lawyer was charged with burning his insured possessions on purpose and was sentenced to 24 months in prison and a $ 24,000 fine.", "problems": [{"question": "The lawyer had smoked all the cigars _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["by design", "by mistake", "by accident", "by contract"]}, {"question": "Which of the following sayings is the best suitable for the lawyer?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Whoever sits against heaven, it falls in his face.", "A bad beginning makes a bad ending.", "Accidents will happen.", "Even the wise make mistakes sometimes."]}]} -{"article": "These days people more and more care for their weight. For example, as many as 70,000,000 Americans are perhaps on weight- reducing diets, and weight control has become very large business .\nThere are different kinds of diet foods in the markets such as soft drinks, diet cakes, diet salad dressings. Dieters also spend much money on diet pills, exercise machines and so on . Each year scores of new diets become popular all over America. they have such names as the Miracle ( ) Diet , the Nine -Day Wonder diet , and the Easy 24- Hour Diet .There is even one called the Ice Cream diet, which advises the dieter to eat only ice cream for lunch and dinner! For dieters who can not lose weight on their own, there are many well-prepared diet groups , which give their help and encouragement.", "problems": [{"question": "About 70 million Americans _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["are taking some exercise to lose weight", "are eating some special foods to lose weight", "have weight problems", "care for their weight"]}, {"question": "Weight control has become a large business because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["weight- reducing diets are expensive", "70 million Americans want to lose weight", "there are different kinds of diet foods in the market", "more and more people care for their weight"]}, {"question": "In the text \"dieters\" means those who _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["take weight -reducing diets", "want to lose weight", "have healthy diets", "have unhealthy diets"]}, {"question": "The best explanation for \"Nine-Day Wonder Diet\" is that the dieter _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["must take this food 9 times a day", "should eat nothing in 9 days except this diet", "is sure to lose some weight only in 9 days by taking it", "should spend only 9 days eating up this food"]}, {"question": "The writer _ all those diet foods can help one lose weight.", "answer": "A", "options": ["doesn't believe that", "is sure that", "doesn't know how", "wants to make us believe"]}]} -{"article": "For years and years people have been saying that the railways are dead. \" We can do without railways.\" People say...as if motorcars and planes have made the railways unnecessary. We all keep hearing that trains are slow, that they lose money, and that they're dying .But this is far from the truth: in these days of expensive oil, the railways have become highly competitive with motorcars and planes. If you want to carry people or goods from place to place, they are cheaper than planes. And they have much in common with planes. A plane goes in a straight line and so does a railway. What is more, it takes you from the heart of a city into the heart of another. It doesn't leave you up as a plane does, miles and miles from the city center. It doesn't hold you up as a car does, in endless traffic jams, and a single train carry goods which a plane or a motorcar could never do.\nFar from being dead, the railways are very much alive. Modern railway lines give you a smooth, untroubled journey. Where else can you eat well, sleep in comfort, feel safe and enjoy the scene while you are traveling at speed at the same time? And we are only at the beginning, for we have just entered the age of super-fast trains, trains traveling at 150 miles an hour and more. Soon we will be wondering why we spent so much on motorcars we can't use because we have not enough money to buy the oil and planes we can't fly for the same reason..", "problems": [{"question": "Some people think the railways are unnecessary for many reasons except that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["planes and motorcars have taken the place of trains", "oil is expensive today", "trains are slow", "railways lose money"]}, {"question": "According to the writer, which of the following is Not true?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It is cheaper to travel by train than by plane.", "The railway station is usually at the center of the city.", "When you get off the plane you will find yourself right in the city center.", "No motorcar or plane can carry as many goods as a train does."]}, {"question": "The writer thinks that the railways, far from being dead, are very much alive because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["we can have a smooth and untroubled journey", "we'll not have enough money to fly in planes", "we can now travel in super-fast train", "all of the above"]}, {"question": "The best title for this passage may be\" _ \"", "answer": "A", "options": ["Not the End but the Beginning", "Which is the Best: Train, Motorcar or Plane", "Trains are More Competitive than Motorcars or Planes", "Oh, Super-fast Trains"]}]} -{"article": "Time was running out, and Mark Dickinson wasn't sure whether he'd get to see his dying 2-year-old grandson one last time. A long line at Los Angeles International Airport's security checkpoint had kept him from getting to his gate on time.\nHis grandson Caden would be taken off life support in a matter of hours in Denver, Colorado, with or without his grandfather's presence, according to CNN affiliate KABC.\n\"I was kind of panicking because I was running late, and I really thought I wasn't going to make the flight,\" Dickinson told KABC.\nThat's when a pilot from Southwest Airlines stepped up and held the flight at the gate until Dickinson arrived. The pilot was standing by the air bridge waiting for him when Dickinson arrived in socks, so rushed that he just grabbed his shoes at security and ran through the terminal.\n\"I told him, 'Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much I appreciated that.' And he said, 'No problem. They can't leave without me anyway,'\"Dickinson told KABC.\nAuthorities say Dickinson's grandson, Caden Rodgers, suffered a head injury after his mother's boyfriend threw him across the room. The boyfriend reportedly told police he was drunk and high on marijuana at the time. The child later died and the boyfriend has been charged with first-degree murder, according to the Aurora Sentinel.\nThanks to the pilot, Dickinson made it to Colorado in time to say goodbye to his grandson. Most airlines would punish any staff member who holds up a flight, according to consumer advocate Christopher Elliott, who broke the story of the sympathetic pilot on his blog. However, a Southwest spokeswoman said the pilot's actions were praiseworthy.\n\"You can't hold a plane for every late customer, but I think we would all agree that these were extenuating circumstances and the pilot absolutely made the right decision,\" Southwest spokeswoman Marilee McInnis said. \"I don't think you could ask for a better example of great service for our customers.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The security staff prohibited Dickinson from getting to his gate on time.", "The plane couldn't leave without Dickinson according to the regulations.", "Dickinson made it to see his grandson one last time.", "Christopher Elliott holds the view that all the airlines should advocate similar actions."]}, {"question": "What can we infer from the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The boyfriend of Caden's mother hates him very much.", "The boyfriend has been accused of first-degree murder.", "Many pilots enjoy writing blog.", "Dickinson had to take off his shoes at the security cheekpoint."]}, {"question": "In writing this passage, the author mainly tells us a story about _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["an unlucky man from Los Angeles making his flight", "a poor boy being killed by his mother's boyfriend", "Southwest Airlines' decision not to punish a pilot who held up the flight", "a pilot holding the flight for a man going to see his dying grandson"]}]} -{"article": "Fans of US television dramas watch their favorite series for different reasons: some want to improve their English skills, others just want to kill time.www.ks5u.com\nSome TV series are more than pure entertainment--they have a certain depth. Mad Men, which returned with a sixth season recently; Monday Mornings, which just finished its first season; and Modern Family, which sweeps the awards every year, are just a few examples.\nWhy do these shows stand out among so many similar ones? TV critics Raymond Zhou will give you an idea of why some shows are better than others.\nPeriod drama--More than time travel\n Period dramas are intended to capture the ambience of a particular era. Directors must therefore attract audiences as much by their recreation of a historical setting as by an interesting storyline.www.ks5u.com\n Mad Men is an excellent example of this balance being struck. Set in New York during the 1960s, it accurately shows US attitudes in the workplace through the alcoholism and chain-smoking common of the time, and places an absorbing plot right in its center.\n But rather than merely presenting a past decade, Mad Men's subtle description of the struggles of white-collar workers at the time, both male and female, makes it stand out.\n \"The series' attention to detail is superb,\" Raymond Zhou said. \"For example, creator Matthew Weiner makes Don Draper--the leading role of the series--drive a Buick instead of a Cadillac, because Weiner thinks the ad man lacks the self-pride to buy a luxury car. It's this kind of attentiveness that raises the show's artistic value.\"\nCritics also recommend\n Another period drama that works is Broadwalk Empire, set during the prohibition period of the 1920s and 1930s in Atlantic City, New Jersey.\n Heather Havrilesky at Salon magazine noted how the show \"revels in the oddities of its time, peeling back the layers of polite society to reveal a shadow world of criminals and politicians working together to keep the liquor flowing.\"www.ks5u.com\n Why does it appeal to viewers? Because they know that the \"liquor\" is a metaphor for today's political scandals .www.ks5u.com", "problems": [{"question": "How many US TV series are mentioned in this passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["One.", "Two.", "Three.", "Four."]}, {"question": "The following statements are the reasons why many people are attracted by US television dramas EXCEPT that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["US television dramas merely present a past decade", "directors recreate a historical setting and adopt interesting storylines", "the dramas can improve their English skills, and help people kill time", "some TV series are more than pure entertainment, and they have a certain depth"]}, {"question": "According to Raymond Zhou, Don Draper's driving a Buick instead of a Cadillac shows _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["Mad Men attaches much importance to details", "Mad Men places an absorbing plot right in its center", "the director wants to raise the show's artistic value", "Mad Men's description of the struggling white-collar workers makes it stand out"]}, {"question": "What does the passage mainly talk about?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Directors of US dramas.", "US dramas and their storylines.", "US period dramas to kill time.", "US dramas and their magic touch."]}]} -{"article": "Although men and women have been growing crops for thousands of years, they have not always had enough to eat. Even today, many people in the world go hungry, and even die of hunger. If we are to grow enough for everybody, we have to grow more crops and better crops.\nPlants need the right food in order to grow. In particular, they need three chemical substances in the soil: nitrogen , phosphorus and potassium . They also need smaller amounts of other chemical substances like calcium. If there is too little of any of these substances in the soil, plants can't grow well.\nWhen a plant grows, it takes up these basic substances from the soil and builds them into itself. If we remove the plant from the soil and use it for food, we are taking some of these substances away, and this means that future plants will find less of them in the soil. In time, the soil would become too poor for plants to grow in it at all.\nTo prevent _ we must put basic substances back. One way of doing this is putting manure on the soil. This contains the remains of plants that have been eaten, and, if we add it to the soil, we are returning some of the basic substances. In Europe and in prefix = st1 /Japan, manure from animals has for long been used in this way. Unfortunately much of the animal waste inIndiais used as fuel because there is not enough wood to burn. This means there is less manure for the crops.\nEven when we use manure, we can not put back into the soil more of the basic substances than have been taken out. Often the soil does not have enough of them in the first place, and so we must provide extra supplies. We can use chemical fertilizers . Experiments in Indiahave shown that, if we use a fertilizer containing a mixture of nitrogen and phosphorus, we get half as much rice again from the crops on any one piece of land.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, how many methods are introduced to improve the soil?", "answer": "B", "options": ["One.", "Two.", "Three.", "Four."]}, {"question": "To make sure that the soil has enough basic substances, people can _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["remove plants from the soil", "provide the soil with extra supplies", "plant as many plants as possible", "stop planting in the soil"]}, {"question": "The passage is mainly about _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["why more food is needed", "how to grow better crops", "the fact that people have not always enough to eat", "the essential substances that plants need"]}]} -{"article": "Attractions in Wisconsin\nWisconsin Historical Museum\n30 N. Carroll Street on Madison's Capital Square\nDiscover Wisconsin's history and culture on four floors of exhibits. Open for public program. Admission is free.\nOpen Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00am--4:00 pm.\n(608) 264-6555\n _ \nSwiss historical village\n612 Seventh Ave., New Glarus\nThe Swiss Historical Village offers a delightful look at pioneer life in America's heartland. 14 buildings in the village give a full picture of everyday life in the nineteenth-century Midwest.\nTue.--Fri., May 1st -October 31st , 10:00 am--4:00 pm. Admission is $20.\n(608) 527-2317 _ \nArtisan Gallery & Creamery Cafe\n6858 Paoli Rd., Paoli, WI\nOne of the largest collections of fine arts and crafts in Wisconsin. Over 5000 sq. ft. of exhibition space in a historic creamery. While visiting enjoy a wonderfully prepared lunch at our cafe overlooking the Sugar River. Just minutes from Madison!\nGallery open Tue.--Sun., 10:00 am--5:00 pm.\nCafe open Wed.--Sat., 11:00 am--3:00 pm.\nSun. brunch with wine, 10:00--3:00 pm.\n(608) 845-6600 _ \nChristopher Columbus Museum\n239 Whitney St., Columbus\nWorld-class exhibit--2000 quality souvenirs marking Chicago's 1893 World Columbian Exhibition. Tour buses are always welcome.\nOpen daily, 8:15 am - 4:00 pm.\n(920) 623-1992 _", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is on Capital Square?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Wisconsin Historical Museum.", "Swiss Historical Village.", "Artisan Gallery & Creamery Cafe.", "Christopher Columbus Museum."]}, {"question": "Where can you go for a visit on Monday?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Wisconsin Historical Museum.", "Swiss Historical Village.", "Artisan Gallery & Creamery cafe.", "Christopher Columbus Museum."]}, {"question": "Where can visitors have lunch?", "answer": "C", "options": ["At Wisconsin Historical Museum.", "At Swiss Historical Village.", "At Artisan Gallery & Creamery Cafe.", "At Christopher Columbus Museum."]}, {"question": "We learn from the text that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["Swiss Historical Village is open for half a year", "Christopher Columbus Museum overlooks a river", "tickets are needed for Wisconsin Historical Museum", "Artisan Gallery & Creamery Cafe are open daily for 4 hours"]}]} -{"article": "I must have been about fourteen then, and I put away the incident from my mind with the easy carelessness of youth. But the words, Carl Walter spoke that day, came back to me years later, and ever since have been of great value to me.\nCarl Walter was my piano teacher. During one of my lessons he asked how much practicing I was doing. I said three or four hours a day.\n\"Do you practice in long _ , an hour at a time?\"\n\"I try to.\"\n\"Well, don't, \" he said loudly. \"When you grow up, time won't come in long stretches. Practice in minutes, whenever you can find them five or ten before school, after lunch, between household tasks. Spread the practice through the day, and piano-playing will become a part of your life.\"\nWhen I was teaching at Columbia, I wanted to write, but class periods, theme-reading, and committee meetings filled my days and evenings. For two years I got practically nothing down on paper, and my excuse was that I had no time. Then I remembered what Carl Walter had said. During the next week I conducted an experiment. Whenever I had five minutes unoccupied, I sat down and wrote a hundred words or so. To my astonishment, at the end of the week I had a rather large manuscript ready for revision. Later on I wrote novels by the same piecemeal method. Though my teaching schedule had become heavier than ever, in every day there were moments which could be caught and put to use.\nThere is an important trick in this time-using principle: you must get into your work quickly. If you have but five minutes for writing, you can't afford to waste it in chewing your pencil. You must make your mental preparations beforehand, and concentrate on your task almost instantly when the time comes. Fortunately, rapid concentration is easier than most of us realize.\nI admit I have never learnt how to let go easily at the end of the five or ten minutes. But life can be counted on to supply interruptions. Carl Walter has had a significant influence on my life. To him I owe the discovery that even very short periods of time add up to all useful hours I need, if I throw myself into it without delay.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements is TRUE?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The author didn't take the teacher's words to heart at first.", "Rapid concentration is more difficult than people imagine.", "The author thanked his teacher for teaching him to work in long stretches.", "Carl Walter has influenced the writer greatly since he was a student."]}, {"question": "We can infer that the author _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["had new books published each year however busy his teaching is", "is tired of interruptions in life because he always has much work", "has formed a bad habit of chewing a pencil while writing his novels", "makes mental preparations beforehand so as to focus on work quickly"]}, {"question": "What is probably the best title for this text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Concentrate on Your Work", "A Little at a Time", "How I Became a Writer", "Good Advice"]}]} -{"article": "One cold, rainy night in 1979, staying on the deck of the nuclear attack submarine USS Birmingham entering Hampton Roads Harbor, a soldier who was called Jeff Harris was suddenly hit by a huge wave that took away his ship's ball cap.\nMonths later, while walking along Chesapeake Boulevard beach in Hampton, Will Miller, a Vietnam veteran and Navy commander, happened to find Harris' cap which was half-buried in the sand then. Knowing how important a ship's cap was to its owner, Miller saved the hat, hoping one day to find its owner. The cap was packed away for years but recently appeared again at Miller's home in Florida.\n\"It suddenly fell out of a box onto my computer keyboard, right in front of me,\" said Miller. \"I guessed it was telling me, 'It's time to get me home.'\"\nAn extensive Internet search led Miller to a USS Birmingham website and finally to Harris. The two sent e-mails back and forth, and one night Miller's phone rang.\n\"This is Jeff Harris,\" the voice on the phone said. \"You have my hat!\"\nThe two sailors talked for almost half an hour, telling sea stories to each other and thinking of the common relationship between seamen.\"\n\"Most non-seagoing people wouldn't understand how much a sailor likes his hat,\" Miller said. \"Your hat protects you from sun, wind, salt and cold, and when you lose it, especially one with your ship's name on it, it's a big thing. I'm delighted to get it back to Jeff.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What is the main idea of the story?", "answer": "C", "options": ["A sailor looked for his hat for years.", "Hats are important for sailors.", "A sailor reunited with his hat years after losing it.", "Friendship was based on a hat."]}, {"question": "Jeff Harris's hat dropped off into the sea because of _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["a sudden wave", "his carelessness", "a strong wind", "something wrong with his hat"]}, {"question": "Will Miller kept the hat for years because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["he wanted to leave it to his child", "it was valuable as a gift", "he wanted to return it to its owner", "he wanted to sell it one day"]}, {"question": "From the passage we can know Jeff Harris and Miller _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["had been friends before the story happened", "didn't know the importance of the hat", "often told sea stories to each other", "once worked at sea"]}]} -{"article": "Publishing on paper will draw up to an end in the next 30 years. That's what some high-tech experts have said ever since computers began appearing in everyone's workplace. If you have ever read a newspaper online, you have experienced a tiny part of what paperless future look like.\n New technology will certainly continue to revolutionize written communication. But will the use of paper in our everyday lives really disappear anytime soon? Well, don't give up on paper just yet.\n Paper, an ancient Chinese invention, has dominated written communication for centuries. Cai Lun, an official in the prefix = st1 /Chinese Imperial Court, is well-known for inventing paper in A.D. 105. This invention changed the world forever.\n Today, surprisingly, it seems the digital age has actually strengthened the importance of paper. Studies show that paper use has doubled in the last 20 years. People still like to print their longer documents and e-mails. But today's technology is rapidly improving. And efforts toward a paperless world continue.\n The Internet is clearly one giant step. Many of the publications have created Web sites that offer everything in their paper editions--and even more. Their Web sites can be continually updated as news happens. Other types of material have also fit well into the digital age. Dictionaries and other reference books actually work better in a paperless format. Information published on a Web site or CD-ROM can be kept more current.\n In addition publishers have begun to produce e-book version of their best sellers. New e-book readers---a simple computer about the size of a paperback book--can store nearly a hundred books. But e-books haven't gained a large following.Readingfrom a computer is simply uncomfortable and paperback books are easier to carry around.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is not true according to the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The invention of paper revolutionized written communication.", "Publishing on paper will disappear in the next decade.", "Most books will continue in paper for now.", "Digital books are read on a computer screen."]}, {"question": "What surprises us today is that the digital age makes people realize _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the importance of the use of paper", "the importance of paperless workplace", "the paperless future will come sooner or later", "how important paper has been in the last 20 years"]}, {"question": "What is not included as a resource of paperless material in the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["e-books", "CD-ROM", "a newspaper online", "dictionaries and other reference books"]}, {"question": "\"The Internet is clearly one giant step\" implies that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["It offers you an opportunity to experience a part of paperless future.", "This new technology fits well into the digital age.", "A substitute for paper might someday be a reality.", "For now the world will continue to stick with what works."]}]} -{"article": "The fiddler crab is a living clock. It indicates(=shows) the time of day by the colour of its skin, which is dark by day and pale by night. The crab's changing colour follows a regular twenty--four hour plan that exactly matches the daily rhythm of the sun.\n Does the crab actually keep time, or does its skin simply answer to the sun's rays, changing colour according to the amount of light strikes it? To find out, biologists kept crabs in a dark room for two months. Even without daylight, the crab's skin colour continued to change exactly on time.\n This characteristic probably developed gradually in answer to the daily rising and setting of the sun, to help protect the crab from sunlight and enemies. After millions of years it has become completely regulated inside the living body of the crab.\n The biologists noticed that once each day the colour of the fiddler crab is especially dark, and that each day this happens fifty minutes later than on the day before. From this they discovered that each crab follows not only the rhythm of the sun but also that of the tides . The crab's period of greatest darkening is exactly the time of low tide on the beach where it was caught!", "problems": [{"question": "The crab's changing colour _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["tells the crab what time it is", "protects the crab from the sunlight and enemies", "keeps the crab warm", "is of no real use"]}, {"question": "When the fiddler crabs were kept in the dark , they _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["did not change colour", "changed colour more quickly", "changed colour more slowly", "changed colour on the same timetable"]}, {"question": "The best title for this selection would be _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["The Sun and the Tides", "Discoveries in Biology", "A scientific Study", "A Living Clock"]}]} -{"article": "Between their crazy schedules and upside-down circadian rhythms, teens have always been somewhat sleep-deprived .Now technology is making it worse.\nTeens are not just texting, instant-messaging and surfing Facebook all day; they're sleeping with their cell phones or laptops, too.Or rather, not sleeping.And doctors and parents, many of whom raised in an era when phones were attached to walls, are concerned.\n\"So many teens are having sleep issues, and parents aren't necessarily regulating the use of the electronic devices enough,\" says Margie Ryerson, a therapist.\"It's impossible to wind down and relax the body, the mind, the senses and be ready to fall asleep.\"\n\"We all know teens don't get enough sleep in general,\" says San Francisco.\"As long as parents allow teens to have these devices in their bedrooms at night, teens will be tempted to use them.\"... Teens would socialize 24/7 if they could.\nRyerson calls it _ -- round-the-clock reports on breaking news about everything, from homework to wardrobe choices to ice-cream cravings.\nSleep deprivation is linked to memory and concentration problems, anxiety and depression, and moodiness.\"Many people assume these problems arise directly from adolescence, which is not really true,\" he says.\"The real issue is sleep deprivation.Late-night texting can certainly make the situation worse.\"\n\"The psychology behind this constant contact is certainly understandable,\" Ryerson says.\"It comes from wanting to avoid being left out.They won't be considered important and significant in their peer group, if they don't know what's going on.If they're on top of everything, they belong,\" she says.\n\"What helps, at least for younger kids,\" says Ryerson, \"is parental involvement.If all of their friends are all able to text into the early hours of the night, it is hard for a middle or high schooler to set the limit themselves.Often they appreciate parents stepping in.\"\n\"As parents, we want our kids to be happy, healthy and responsible,\" she says, \"and the most necessary requirement for achieving balance is to first take care of ourselves physically -- eating well, exercising and getting enough sleep.\"", "problems": [{"question": "According to Ryerson, it seems that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["it is unnecessary to control teens' using the electric devices", "parents possibly don't control teens in using the electric devices", "there is no need for parents to make use of the electric devices", "parents don't learn enough how to use the electric devices"]}, {"question": "When teens felt depressed, people used to think it was because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["teens stayed up late to do homework", "teens were easily anxious in character", "teens didn't have enough sleep at night", "teens were going through a period of growth"]}, {"question": "Why do teens keep texting all the time?", "answer": "A", "options": ["To have a sense of being accepted by others.", "To keep informed of what is going on in the world.", "To spread important news among their group.", "To reduce the pressure from parents and schools."]}]} -{"article": "The crowd cheered and cheered. The man with the horn waved and smiled his great, happy smile.\"More! More!\"cried the crowd. And Louis Satchmo Armstrong took his horn and began to play again. Here he was inprefix = st1 /England. Now a famous man, he was rich. He knew many important people. Wherever he went, people knew his name. They wanted to hear his music. As Louis played the sad, slow songs, he thought of his home inNew Orleans. He lived there as a boy. How many years ago it was? It was a busy, exciting city. But Louis' family was very poor. He went to work to help his mother. He also went to school. One of Louis' teachers asked him to be in the school band\"This horn is yours until you leave our school,\"his teacher said. Louis' music was jazz and he loved it. He remembered all the music he heard. He didn't learn to read music until he was a man.\n When he left school, he played in many bands. He loved his work and people loved him. They knew he had a wonderful talent. Louis played on the boats that sailed up and down the river. He played in little towns and in big cities. Satchmo's horn had as many sounds as ten horns-sometimes slow and sweet; sometimes fast and hot, high and low. His music was always strong and exciting.\"He does make wonderful music,\"said the man who listened happily.\"Yes,\"said another man,\"he makes that horn speak.\"Then the music jazz as I can play. I thought jazz was my music, but now I understand it is ours. Isn't it beautiful how music brings us together!\"", "problems": [{"question": "What music did Armstrong play?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Jazz music", "Classical music", "Rock music", "Pop music"]}, {"question": "When did he learn to read music?", "answer": "C", "options": ["When he was less than 14 years old", "When he was in the school band", "After he became a grown-up", "His beautiful speech"]}, {"question": "What was Louis Armstrong most famous for?", "answer": "C", "options": ["His great happy smile.", "His sad and slow songs.", "His wonderful jazz music", "His beautiful speech."]}, {"question": "This story mainly tells us_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["of the origin of jazz music", "of the famous jazz musician Louis Armstrong", "how Louis came to play his horn", "how people loved Louis and his horn"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is the best title for this story?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Musician", "A Beautiful Horn", "Sweet Smiles", "The Man With the Horn"]}]} -{"article": "Our love of music and appreciation of musical harmony is learnt and not based on natural ability, a new study by University of Melbourne researchers has found. The researchers said previous theories about how we appreciate music were based on the physical functions of sound, the ear itself and a born ability to hear harmony.\nThe study shows that musical harmony can be learnt, and it is a matter of training the brain to hear the sounds. So if you thought that the music of some foreign culture (or Jazz) sounded like the crying of cats, it's simply because you haven't learnt to listen by their rules.\nThe researchers used 66 volunteers with a range of musical training and tested their ability to hear combinations of notes to determine if they found the combinations familiar or pleasing. They found that people needed to be familiar with combinations of notes. If they found the notes unfamiliar they also found the sound unpleasant. This finding put an end to centuries of theories claiming that physical functions of the ear determine what we find attractive.\nThe study found that trained musicians were much more sensitive to unpleasant notes than non-musicians. When they couldn't find the note, the musicians reported that the sounds were unpleasant, while non-musicians were much less sensitive. This shows the importance of training or nurturing the brain to like particular sound of combinations of notes, like those found in jazz or rock.\nDepending on their training, a strange chord sound was pleasant to some musicians, but very unpleasant to others. This showed us that even the ability to hear a musical note is learnt.\nTo confirm this finding, they trained 19 non-musicians to find the notes of a random selection of western chords. Not only did the participants' ability to hear notes improve rapidly, afterward they reported that the chords they had learnt sounded more pleasant -- regardless of how the chords were played.\nThe question of why some combinations of musical notes are heard as pleasant or unpleasant has long been debated. \"We have shown in this study that for music, beauty is in the brain of the beholder \", a researcher said.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the study, people find foreign music quite unpleasant because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["they hear the music much too often", "they don't like the person playing it", "they have no idea about how to listen", "they have no born musical ability at all"]}, {"question": "Although non-musicians were less sensitive to music, they can still _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["be trained to like particular music", "make friends with real musicians", "find the beauty of chords without training", "enjoy the beauty of music when played by musicians"]}, {"question": "The 19 non-musicians were trained in order to show _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the brain likes particular combinations of notes", "not a strange note was pleasant to all musicians", "how the chords were played was very important", "people's ability to hear a musical note can be learnt"]}, {"question": "What is the main idea of the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Love of musical harmony can't be taught.", "Love of music is not natural but nurtured.", "Listening to music can improve your brain.", "You can be a musician without being trained."]}]} -{"article": "Global English Center\nGeneral English in all four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.\n* 3-month (700 yuan ), 6-month (1,200 yuan ) and one-year (2,000 yuan) courses.\n* Choice of morning or evening classes, 3 hours per day, Mon. -- Fri.\n* Experienced college English teachers.\nTel: 67605272 Add: 105 Zhongshan Road, 100082\nModern Language School\nSpecial courses in English for business, travel, banking, hotel management and office skills.\n* Small classes ( 12~16 students ) on Sat. & Sun. from 2:00~5:00 p.m..\n* Native English teachers from Canada and the USA.\n* Language lab and computers supplied.\n* 3-month course: 1,050 yuan; 6-month course: 1,850 yuan.\nAdd: Modern Language School, 675 Park Road, 100056\nTel: 67353019\nThe 21st Century English Training Center\nWe specialize in effective teaching at all levels.\n* We offer morning or afternoon classes, both of which last three months and a half at a cost of 800 yuan.\n* We also have a six-week TOEFL preparation class during winter and summer holidays\n*Entrance exams: June 1 and Dec. 1.\nOnly 15-minute walk from city center.\nCall 67801642 for more information.\nThe International House of English\nA six-month English course for students of all levels at very low cost: 60 yuan for 12 hours per week.\n* Class hours: 9:00~12:00 a.m. and 2:00~5:00 p.m..\n*Well trained Chinese and foreign teachers experienced in teaching English as a second/foreign language.\nVery close to the Central Park. Call 67353119 for further information.", "problems": [{"question": "If Mary are not free in the daytime, she'd better call _ to find a suitable training place.", "answer": "B", "options": ["67353019", "67605272", "67801642", "67353119"]}, {"question": "If a hotel manager hope to learn from native English speakers to help his work, he'd better choose _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Global English Center", "Modern Language School", "The 21st Century English Training Center", "The International House of English"]}, {"question": "What is the main purpose of the text?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To introduce some famous English teachers.", "To teach readers what is advertisement.", "To give some information about English language training.", "To show the importance of English learning."]}]} -{"article": "Like many of my generation, I have a weakness for hero worship. At some point, however, we all begin to question our heroes and our need for them. This leads us to ask: What is a hero?\nDespite immense differences in cultures, heroes around the world generally share a number of characteristics that instruct and inspire people.\nA hero does something worth talking about. A hero has a story of adventure to tell and community who will listen. But a hero goes beyond mere fame.\nHeroes serve powers or principles larger than themselves. Like high-voltage transformers, heroes take the energy of higher powers and step it down so that it can be used by ordinary people.\nThe hero lives a life worthy of imitation. Those who imitate a genuine hero experience life with new depth, enthusiasm, and meaning. A sure test for would-be heroes is what or whom do they serve? What are they willing to live and die for? If the answer or evidence suggests they serve only their own fame, they may be famous persons but not heroes. Madonna and Michael Jackson are famous, but who would claim that their fans find life more abundant?\nHeroes are catalysts for change. They have a vision from the mountaintop. They have the skill and the charm to move the masses. They create new possibilities. Without Gandhi, India might still be part of the British Empire. Without Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr., we might still have segregated buses, restaurants, and parks. It may be possible for large-scale change to occur without leaders with magnetic personalities, but the pace of change would be slow, the vision uncertain, and the committee meetings endless.", "problems": [{"question": "Although heroes may come from different cultures, they _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["generally possess certain inspiring characteristics", "probably share some weaknesses of ordinary people", "are often influenced by previous generations", "all unknowingly attract a large number of fans"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, heroes are compared to high-voltage transformers in that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["they have a vision from the mountaintop", "they have warm feelings and emotions", "they can serve as concrete examples of noble principles", "they can make people feel stronger and more confident"]}, {"question": "Madonna and Michael Jackson are not considered heroes because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["they are popular only among certain groups of people", "their performances do not improve their fans morally", "their primary concern is their own financial interests", "they are not clear about the principles they should follow"]}, {"question": "The author concludes that historical changes would _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["be delayed without leaders with inspiring personal qualities", "not happen without heroes making the necessary sacrifices", "take place if there were heroes to lead the people", "produce leaders with attractive personalities"]}]} -{"article": "Emily Post was an American writer who became famous for writing the book on correct etiquette for social behavior in the United States. Before that, she wrote several novels and short stories which sold moderately well in the early 1900s. Then a publisher asked Ms. Post to write a book on suggested etiquette. Many people during this time had _ through the boom in the American economy just after World War I, but these people were not raised in \"polite society\"; therefore, they did not necessarily have the proper manners. Ms. Post's book was planned to help these new upper-middle class people pass smoothly into their new social circle. She wrote the book, and it became a great success. In fact, it continued to sell well for the next 20 years. Ms. Post began writing a weekly advice column for newspapers, and the column was published in papers across the country. She even had her own radio show for several years. Ms. Post died in 1960, but her book on etiquette is still published with occasional updates under the title \"The Emily Post Book of Etiquette\". Americans continue to turn to this book for advice on the proper behaviour in a variety of social situations.\nOne area in which people in the United States can count on words of wisdom from Ms. Post is in giving gifts. Everyone has to give gifts at some time or another, and Ms. Post explains just what to do in each situation. Whether the occasion is a birthday party for a friend, , or coworker, there are some basic rules the gift-giver and the receiver should follow.\nGiving money is a common concern among gift-givers. \"When is it proper? When is it rude? Some people see a gift of money as a sign of a gift-giver who is too lazy to go out and find a proper gift. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes money is more appreciated than a gift that the receiver does not need or cannot use. For example, elderly people who must live on a limited income may find a small gift of money as a wonderful present. For those who are uncomfortable giving cash, gift certificates to popular stores may serve as an equally acceptable gift.\nGiving flowers can be a wonderful gift for both men and women. For occasions such as funerals and dinner parties, flowers are often required. When attending a dinner party, a host or hostess may not have the time to run off and find a vase for fresh-cut flowers brought by a thoughtful guest. Bringing the flowers in a prepared vase can save the host or hostess the trouble. Flowers may also be sent ahead of time in order to give the hostess or host time to arrange and display the flowers before the party begins. If a gift of flowers seems too feminine for a man to receive, a plant is another option the gift-giver may consider.\nIn some cases, the person throwing the party may specify that no gift is needed or wanted. It is common sense that guests should abide by the wishes of the host or hostess. Guests who ignore the host or hostess and bring a gift may appear rude. The giving of a gift in these situations will only embarrass the host or hostess and the other guests who honored the request of no gifts. Make sure that you are not one of the rule-breakers. Be sure to follow the host's or hostess's suggestion.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements is true about Ms. Post?", "answer": "A", "options": ["She influenced people's behaviour.", "few people today know about her.", "Her column was about entertainment.", "all of the above"]}, {"question": "According to Ms. Post, who might appreciate money as a gift?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Acoworker", "A girfreind", "A grandparent", "No one"]}, {"question": "What does the passage suggest as a good gift for a man instead of flowers?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Acard", "Food", "A plant", "Money"]}, {"question": "The passage says that when a hostess or host requests no gifts be given, _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["ask them again.", "don't give one.", "one should be given anyway", "spend less than five dollars."]}]} -{"article": "Nineteen-year-old Christopher Paolini has always loved adventure books. In fact, he plotted out his first book, Eragon, when he was just fifteen!Eragon is selling more copies than most of the Harry Potter books. A reporter from Who's News talked to this young author about his books and how he ended up being one of the best-selling authors of all time!\nReporter : _ \nChristopher Paolini (CP): I love fantasy. I love the sense of awe and wonder that you always get at the end of a great book . Eragon was an attempt to express _ . When I was about twelve, I read a book called Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher. It's about a young boy who went into a mysterious shop and bought a dragon egg that ends up hatching. It stuck in my head. Eragon was an attempt to see what I could do with the idea myself.\nReporter : Where else do you get your idea?\nCP: I'm definitely influenced by authors who have a fairly inventive use of language, imaginative worlds and a sense of wonder--authors who write about things that other people don't.\nReporter : What was the hardest thing about writing Eragon? \nCP: Probably the editing because I wasn't used to it. It was a kind of shock doing it. But also I had to learn a huge amount about grammar and commas and other things I'd never paid much attention to before. I'd say that editing and writing are pretty much equal in difficulty. My raw writing is a lot more professional now than it ever was before because of everything I learned through the editing process.\nReporter : How do you avoid becoming frustrated with the writing process?\nCP: Write about what you enjoy the most or what touches you the most; otherwise you'll never be able to survive a book-length project. \nReporter : Anything else you'd like to share with our readers?\nCP: Before I wrote Eragon, I spent an entire month plotting out the entire story so I wasn't writing blindly. That helps. I really poured my heart and soul into it. It's not just an adventure story: it is about Eragon trying to work out who we are, why we are here and how we can live honorably.", "problems": [{"question": "The reporter's first question is most likely to be \" _ \".", "answer": "D", "options": ["What's the most interesting thing about Eragon?", "How long did it take you to write Eragon?", "How has your writing improved after Eragon?", "What inspired you to write Eragon?"]}, {"question": "What does Paolini find as difficult as writing?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Plotting out the story.", "Grammar and commas.", "The editing process.", "The creative use of language."]}, {"question": "Which of the following BEST indicates Paolini devoted himself completely to writing Eragon?", "answer": "D", "options": ["\"Write about what you enjoy the most or what touches you the most.\"", "\"Eragon was an attempt to see what I could do with the idea myself.\"", "\"I spent an entire month plotting out the entire story.\"", "\"I really poured my heart and soul into it.\""]}]} -{"article": "Le Havre (2011)\nTime: Oct.21, 23-25\nVenue: China National Film Museum\nPrice: 40 yuan\nLe Havre is a comedy-drama. It centers on a shoeshiner who takes pity on an immigrant child in the French port city Le Havre. He tries to save him by inviting him to his home. The film premiered in competition at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, where it received the FIPRESCI Prize.\nMia et le Migou (2008)\nTime: Oct. 29\nVenue: China Film Archive\nPrice: to be announced\nAlso known as Mia and the Migoo, this animated film describes the adventure of a young girl named Mia. Motivated by a premonition, Mia sets out on a journey across mountains and jungles to search for her father. The film won the European Film Award for Best Animated Feature. Director Jacques-Remy Girerd will also show up at China Film Archive.\nLe Voyage dans la Lune (1902)\nTime: Oct. 22, 24-25\nVenue: China National Film Museum\nPrice: 20 yuan\nAlso known as A Trip to the Moon, this silent movie was inspired by the French novels From the Earth to the Moon and Around the Moon, by Jules Verne. It follows a group of astronomers who travel to the moon and explore it. They meet lunar inhabitants and capture one before returning to Earth.\nFind schedule and ticket information about the French movie panorama at http://www. gewara.com/\nThe China Film Archive will also present a short lecture before each French movie on how to understand it.", "problems": [{"question": "If you are free on Oct.29, which venue would you like to visit?", "answer": "A", "options": ["China Film Archive", "China National Film Museum", "China Film Museum", "International Cinema"]}, {"question": "On which day can you see the film whose theme is about adventure ?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Oct.21", "Oct.23", "Oct.25", "Oct. 29"]}, {"question": "Where can you find the passage most likely?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Newspaper", "Magazine", "Textbook", "Science fiction"]}]} -{"article": "Americans are a strange people. They work like mad, then give away much of what they earn. They play until they are exhausted, and call this a vacation. They live to think of themselves as hard-hearted business men, yet _ . They have the biggest of nearly everything including government, motor cars and debts. Yet they like to think of themselves as little people, average men, and they would like to cut everything down to their own size. They show off their tall buildings, high mountains, long rivers, big state, the best country, the best world, the best heaven. Yet they also have the most traffic deaths, the most waste, and the most liars.\nWhen they meet, they are always telling each other, \"Take it easy,\" then they rush off like crazy in opposite directions. They play games as if they were fighting a war, and fight wars as if playing a game. They marry more, and go broke more often. They love children, animals, mother, work, excitement, noise, nature, television shows, comedy, high pace, sports, the underdog, the hero, the flag, Christmas, jazz, shapely women and muscular men, classical recordings, crowds, comics, cigarettes, warm houses in winter and cool ones in summer, thick beefsteaks, coffee, ice cream, informal dress, plenty of running water, do-it-yourself, and a working week limited to forty hours or less.\nThey crowd their highways with cars while complaining about the traffic, troop to movies and television while blaming the quality and the advertisements, go to church but don't care much for sermons , and drink too much in the hope of relaxing--only to find themselves drunk into even bigger dreams.\nThere is of course, no typical American. But if you added them all together and then divided by 226, 000, 000 they would look something like what this chapter has tried to describe.", "problems": [{"question": "What may be the best title of the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The Americans.", "Life in America.", "Strange people.", "Great America"]}, {"question": "Which one of the following is probably NOT what the Americans love?", "answer": "B", "options": ["noise", "advertisement", "smoking", "fresh water"]}, {"question": "In what way did the author write this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["By comparison.", "By giving examples.", "By experimenting.", "By telling stories."]}]} -{"article": "Bursting into the classroom from recess, 15 children take their seats and face the woman they know as Ms. Yang.\n\"What day is it today?\" she asks, in Mandarin Chinese.\n\"Confucius' birthday!\" the fifth graders shout in Mandarin.\n\"Why do we celebrate Confucius' birthday?\"\n\"Because he's the greatest teacher in the history of China!\" exclaims a brown-haired girl. She is speaking Mandarin.\nEnglish is rarely heard in Lisa Yang's class at the Chinese American International School(CAIS), despite the fact that few students are native speakers of Mandarin.\nThe United States is actively trying to increase the group of students in \"critical languages\" such as Mandarin. The students at CAIS are way ahead in such a trend.\nFounded 25 years ago, this small private school in San Francisco, USA, does what few other American schools do: It produces fully fluent speakers of Mandarin Chinese, by far the most commonly spoken language in the world.\nMandarin Chinese is suddenly hot in American schools. As China becomes the world's leading economy sometimes this century, schools in the U. S. are _ to add Mandarin to their list of foreign languages or expand Chinese programs already in place.\n\"It really is almost unprecedented. People are looking at China as a force to be reckoned with... And to ensure that the U. S. has the ability to conduct trade, and to work with the Chinese. Certainly having an understanding of Chinese language and culture is an advantage,\" said Marty Abbott of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages(ACTFL).\nTo develop Chinese-language programs has not been smooth. A shortage of trained teachers has made it difficult for some schools to join the race. When schools do get teachers, they often hire them straight from China, and the teachers usually suffer culture shock when they come to the U. S.\nRobert Liu remembers his first two years in an American classroom It was not an easy adjustment. \"In China, students respect their teachers,\" he said. Liu found that American students, however, expect an active teaching style. He had to use games to engage them rather than lectures.\nTo avoid many of the problems with foreign teaching styles, the CAIS has been working with the Chinese government to improve training of teachers who are sent to the U. S.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Understanding Chinese language and culture is helpful to work with Chinese.", "Chinese-language programs have met trouble during the development.", "Many other American schools do the same as CAIS, founded 25 years ago.", "A lack of trained Mandarin Chinese teachers is a problem for the programs."]}, {"question": "What kind of problem is the most difficult to adjust in teaching Chinese in America?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To adapt themselves to the American life styles.", "To communicate with the American students.", "To get along well with the American students.", "To be fit for the cultural differences in teaching styles."]}, {"question": "It can be learned from the passage that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the students in Lisa Yang's class usually speak Chinese", "There are few American students in Lisa Yang's class", "We celebrate Confucius' birthday because he's the greatest history teacher", "in America the students don't respect their teachers"]}]} -{"article": "Mother-of-three Carmen Blake called her midwife to ask for an ambulance when she _ unexpectedly with her fourth child.\nBut the 27-year-old claims she was refused an ambulance and told to walk the 100m from her house in Leicester to the city's nearby Royal Infirmary .\nHer daughter Mariah was delivered on a pavement outside the hospital by a passer-by, just before ambulance crews arrived.\nMs Blake said she started going into labor at about 7:15 am on Sunday, August 2. She said, \"I phoned up the Royal Infirmary, it's just across the road.\n\"I went into the bath and realized she was gong to come quickly. I didn't think I'd be able to make it out of the bath, so I phoned the maternity ward back and told them to get an ambulance out.\"\nThey said they were not sending an ambulance and told me I had had nine months to sort out a lift.\nExperienced mother MS Blake today said she knew she had to get herself out of the bath and try to get to the hospital.\nEventually MS Blake and her friends enlisted the help of a physiotherapist who happened to be passing on her way to work. She dialed 999 and helped deliver baby Mariah while waiting for emergency services.\nMs Blake said despite the happy ending she was upset she was told to make her own way to the hospital as, being an experienced mum, she knew she did not have the time.\nToday a government spokeswoman said, \"We are disappointed that Ms Blake was not happy with the advice and care she received and will of course investigate any complaint. We are pleased that both Ms Blake and her daughter are well and healthy.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Carmen Blake, the 27-year-old mother, gave girth to her new child Mariah _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["in the city's Royal Infirmary", "in the ambulance on her way to hospital", "out of the bath at home", "in the street on her way to hospital"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["there were not enough ambulance in the Royal Infirmary", "the story ended with a sad ending", "the maternity ward said Ms Blake only needed a lift", "the maternity ward said Ms Blake ought to call earlier"]}, {"question": "Carmen Blake accused the Royal Infirmary of _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["failing to send an ambulance to help her", "having killed her newly-born baby", "not taking good care of her and her baby", "refusing to admit her into the hospital"]}]} -{"article": "Face-book chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg and Anna Maria Chavez, chief of American Girl Scouts, are leading a campaign to discourage the use of the word \"bossy\". Does the term destroy the confidence of young girls?\nThe campaign claims that terms like \"bossy\" are improperly applied to females, preventing schoolgirls from seeing themselves as future \"leaders\". From its first application, the word has been definitely connected more with women than with men. It first appeared in 1882, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, mentioning \"a lady manager who was extremely bossy\". As late as 2008, the word appeared in reference to females four times more often than males, claim the Ban Bossy campaigners. \"To me, the reference is always is association with women,\" says Helen Trim, director of Fresh Minds. \"I have three brothers and my family still call me 'bossy' today.\" Her father is the only other family member who could be considered in that way, says Trim, but nobody would ever call him so.\nSome educators recommend that the word should be reclaimed, rather than banned.\"But the thing with'bossy' is that there's an infantile element to it,\"says Sara Mills, professor at Sheffield University. \"You think of 'bossy' as being like a little kid who's claiming more than he has the right to claim.\"\nIt's not just\"bossy\"under fire.\"Pushy\"is another target. The implication is that women shouldn't present themselves as powerful and confident. Mills suggests, which some women are willing to listen to and accept. Trim points out that many modern female business role models are able to be bosses without being labeled'bossy'.And she rarely,if ever, hears the word used within her company. But she says that the damage may be dome much earlier in a woman's life.\"It does come about from those early teenage years.\"she says.\"I think it's impossible to ban a word, but if people are replacing it with words like'confidence'or'assertiveness',we would all be in a much better place.\"", "problems": [{"question": "More evidence is provided to show\" bossy\" is more applied to females by_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["the Oxford English Dictionary", "the Ban bossy campaigners", "Helen Trim at Fresh Minds", "some experts in education"]}, {"question": "Trim's family still consider her bossy because .", "answer": "C", "options": ["she is expected to lead in her family", "she is the boss of her company", "she is a powerful and confident female", "her farther considers her that way"]}, {"question": "How does the author sound when referring to the campaign against\"bossy\"?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Objective", "Angry", "Doubtful", "Optimistic"]}]} -{"article": "With large and small keyboards everywhere, neither children nor adults need to write much of anything by hand. That's a big problem. Study after study suggests that handwriting is important for brain development -- helping kids get fine motor skills and learn to express and create ideas. Yet the time devoted to teaching penmanship in most schools has shrunk to just one hour a week. Is it time to give up handwriting? Have a look at the link between the brain and penmanship, and you may get the answer.\nA test among students in grades 2, 4 and 6 found that they not only wrote faster by hand than by keyboard, but also created more ideas when composing essays with handwriting. And other research shows that the finger movements required to write by hand activate brain areas involved with thought, language, and short-term memory.\nA recent Indiana University study had one group of children practice writing letters by hand while a second group just looked at those letters. Then, both groups of kids entered a functional MRI that scanned their brains as the researchers showed them the same letters. Researchers found that the brain activity in the first group was far more advanced and \"adult-like\".\nHandwriting also affects other people's way they think of adults and children. Several studies have shown that the same average essay will score much higher if written with good penmanship and much lower if written out in poor handwriting. These studies have also found that people judge the quality of a person's ideas based on his or her handwriting. And the consequences are real: On standardized tests with handwritten sections, like the SAT, all essay that is considered hard to recognize gets a big zero.\nStudies show that this isn't only an English-language phenomenon. Chinese and Japanese youths are suffering from \"character amnesia\". They can't remember how to write characters, thanks to computers and text messaging. Some experts fear that Chinese writing and reading are so closely linked in the brain that China's reading ability as a nation could suffer.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, it can be learned that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["many researches have been done on handwriting", "essays can't be composed without handwriting", "all children write faster by keyboard than by hand", "most schools are trying to teach more handwriting"]}, {"question": "What does the Indiana University study imply?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Children should practice writing letters", "Handwriting can increase brain activity", "It's good for children to enter a functional MRI.", "Letters should often be shown to children"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is TRUE?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Essays written with keyboards will get lower scores.", "The quality of your ideas depends on your handwriting.", "Chinese and Japanese youths don't know how to write.", "Less handwriting may affect China's reading ability."]}, {"question": "The passage tries to tell us that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["keyboards are more popular than handwriting", "we shouldn't judge people by their handwriting", "handwriting is of great importance", "it's time to give up using keyboards"]}]} -{"article": "(Xinhua)\nChinese and Russian armed forces on Wednesday began a five-day joint military drill aimed at boosting their troops' capability in fighting against terrorist. They will conduct a joint antiterror military exercise beginning July 22.\nThe exercise, named \"Peace Mission-2009\", will be carried out in Russia's Far East area and the Shenyang Military Area Command in northeast China, according to the two countries' defense authorities. It will last five days.\nAbout 1,300 people from the army and air force of each side will participate in the exercise. The Russian forces would also send an airborne assault unit to participate in the exercise, according to the Defense Ministry.\nThe more than 2,600 soldiers have conducted joint exercise before. From July 23 to 26, the troops will conduct the exercise at a training base in the Shenyang Military Area Command where theater-level command headquarters of both sides will be established.\nThe deputy chief of general staff of Chinese armed forces Ma Xiaotian told reporters this morning that the Chinese military is well prepared for Sunday's joint anti-terror drill with Russia in a training base in Baicheng, Jilin Province.\nThe other four member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Takistan, Uzbekistan and the SCO's secretariat will send military observers.\nChina, Russia and other member states of the SCO held two similar anti-terrorism exercises under the name of \"Peace Mission\" in 2005 and 2007 respectively.\nThe exercise was not targeted at any particular third party, but would show the abilities and resolution of both sides to jointly deal with various kinds of security threats and crack down on terrorist, separatist and extremist forces, the spokesman said.", "problems": [{"question": "In which day will the military exercise end?", "answer": "D", "options": ["On July 22.", "On July 23.", "On July 25.", "On July 26."]}, {"question": "How many soldiers in all between China and Russian will conduct joint exercise?", "answer": "C", "options": ["More than 1,300.", "Exactly 2,600.", "More than 2,600.", "Less than 2,600."]}, {"question": "The passage tells us that .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the five-day joint military drill is held in Russia's Far East area.", "China, Russia and other member states of the SCO, held three similar anti-terrorism exercises before this", "not only the other four member states of the SCO, but also the members from America and France will send military observers", "the target for the exercise is to show two nations strong determination to beat the terrorists severely and at the same time to show their military abilities to jointly deal with various kinds of security threats internationally."]}, {"question": "What can be the best title for the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Peace Mission-2009.", "A Five-day Joint Military Drill.", "Mission for Peace Tarets Terrorists.", "Chinese Forces Ready for Sunday's Joint Drill."]}]} -{"article": "Body and Food\nYour body, which has close relations with the food you eat, is the most important thing you own, so it needs proper treatment and proper nourishment .The old saying \"An apple a day keeps the doctor away\" is not as silly as some people think. The body needs fruit and vegetables because they contain vitamin C. Many people take extra vitamins in pill form, believing that these will make them healthy.\nBut a good diet is made up of nourishing food and this gives all the vitamins you need. The body doesn't need or use extra vitamins, so why waste money on them?\nIn the modern western world, many people are too busy to bother about eating properly. They throw anything into their stomachs, eating hurriedly and carelessly. The list of illnesses caused or made worse by bad eating habits is frightening,", "problems": [{"question": "\"Your body has close relations with the food you eat.\" It really means that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["all kinds of food you eat can be made into your body", "your body is made up of the food you eat", "what you eat has great effect on your health", "the more you eat, the fitter you will feel"]}, {"question": "The old saying referred to in the passage tells us that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["eating apples regularly does lots of good to our health", "the apple is the best among all kinds of fruits", "apples can take the place of doctors", "an apple is a sure cure for illness"]}, {"question": "In the modern western countries _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["people don't want to pay more attention to their eating", "lots of people's illnesses are caused or made worse by bad eating habits", "people throw everything into their stomachs without chewing", "people are only too busy to cook meals for themselves"]}, {"question": "From the passage we can draw a conclusion that if we want to keep healthy, we should _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["only eat an apple a day", "eat properly", "take as many vitamin pills as possible", "throw something into our stomachs slowly and carefully"]}]} -{"article": "For most people, shopping is still a matter of wandering down the street or loading a cart in a shopping mall.Soon, that will change.Electronic commerce (trade) is growing fast and will soon bring people more choices.There will, however, be a cost: protecting the consumer from being cheated will be harder.Many governments therefore want to apply street regulations to the electronic world.But politicians would be wiser to see cyberspace as a basis for a new era of corporate self-regulation.\nConsumers in rich countries have grown used to the idea that the government takes responsibility for everything for the stability of the banks to the safety of the drugs or their rights to refund when goods are faulty.But governments cannot enforce national laws on businesses whose only presence is on the screen.Even in a country where a clear right to compensation exists, the on-line customer in Tokyo, say, can hardly go to New York to get a refund for a clothes purchase.\nOne answer is for government to cooperate more: to recognize each other's rules.But that requires years of work and volumes of detailed rules.And plenty of countries have rules too fanciful for sober countries to accept.There is, however, another choice.Let the electronic businesses do the regulation themselves.They do, after all, have a self-interest in doing so.\nIn electronic commerce, a reputation for honest dealing will be a valuable competitive asset.Governments, too, may compete to be trusted.For instance, customers ordering medicines on-line may prefer to buy from the United States because they trust the rigorous screening of the Food and Drug Administration; or they may decide that the FDA's rules are too strict, and buy from Switzerland instead.\nCustomers will still need to use their judgment.But precisely because the technology is new, electronic shoppers are likely for a while to be a lot more cautious than customers of the normal sort.And the new technology will also make it easier for them to complain when a company lets them down.In this way, at least, the advent of cyberspace may argue for fewer consumer protection laws, not more.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the author, what will be the best policy for electronic commerce?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Self-regulation by the business.", "Strict consumer protection laws.", "Close international cooperation.", "Government protection."]}, {"question": "In case an electronic shopper bought faulty goods from a foreign country, what could he do?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Refuse to pay for the purchase.", "Go to the seller and ask for a refund.", "Appeal to consumer protection law.", "Complain about it on the Internet."]}, {"question": "In the author's view, businesses would place a high emphasis on honest dealing because in the electronic world _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["international cooperation would be much more frequent", "consumers could easily seek government protection", "a good reputation is a great advantage in competition", "it would be easy for consumers to complain"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that in licensing new drugs the FDA in the United States is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["very quick", "very cautious", "very slow", "rather careless"]}, {"question": "If a customer buys something that does not meet his expectation, what is the advantage of dealing through electronic commerce over the present normal one?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It will be easier for him to return the goods he is not satisfied with.", "It will be easier for him to attain the refund from the seller.", "It will be easier for him to get his complaints heard by other consumers.", "It will be easier for him to complain about this to the government."]}]} -{"article": "We once had a poster competition in our fifth grade art class.\n\"You could win prizes,\" our teacher told us as she wrote the poster information on the blackboard. She passed out sheets of construction paper while continuing, \"The first prize is ten dollars. You just have to make sure that the words on the blackboard appear somewhere on your poster. \"\nWe studied the board carefully. Some of us looked with one eye and held up certain colors against the blackboard, rocking the sheets to the right or left while we _ our designs. Others twisted their hair around their fingers or chewed their erasers while deep in thought. We had plans for that ten-dollar grand prize, each and every one of us. I'm going to spend mine on candies, one hopeful would announce, while another practiced looking serious, wise and rich.\nEveryone in the class made a poster. Some of us used parts of those fancy paper napkins, while others used nothing but colored construction paper. Some of us used big designs, and some of us preferred to gather our art tidily down in one corner of our poster and let the space draw the viewer's attention to it. Some of us would wander past the good students' desks and then return to our own projects with a growing sense of hopelessness. It was yet another grown-up trick of the sort they seemed especially fond of, making all of us believe we had a fair chance, and then always--always--rewarding the same old winners.\nI believe I drew a sailboat, but I can't say that with any certainty. I made it. I admired it. I determined it to be the very best of all of the posters I had seen, and then I turned it in.\nMinutes passed. No one came along to give me the grand prize, and then someone distracted me, and I probably never would have thought about that poster again.\nI was still sitting at my desk, thinking, What poster? When the teacher gave me an envelope with a ten-dollar bill in it and everyone in the class applauded for me.", "problems": [{"question": "What was the teacher's requirement for the poster?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It must appear in time.", "It must be done in class.", "It must be done on a construction sheet.", "It must include the words on the blackboard."]}, {"question": "After seeing the good students' designs, some students _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["loved their own designs more", "thought they had a fair chance", "put their own designs in a corner", "thought they would not win the prize"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that the author _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["enjoyed grown-up tricks very much", "loved poster competitions very much", "felt surprised to win the competition", "became wise and rich after the competition"]}]} -{"article": "The slavery drama \"12 Years a Slave\" won the Academy Award for best picture on Sunday, making history as the first movie from a black director to win the film industry's highest honor in 86 years of the Oscars.Can anyone tell me your ideas about this movie? ---- GreatMartin\n\"12 Years a Slave is a surprisingly underwhelming movie.It is more of a string of picture about several heartless and evil white men(and women)who are just mean without the motivation of running a plantation on their minds.There is very little character development and most of the film relies on what the audience already knows and feels about slavery.\" GeminiJef\n''Never have I been _ into an emotional silence after watching a film in the theater.I've come out of films before thinking\" My god,that was unbelievable\",like when I saw The Lord of the Rings for the first time,but this film just hits you on another level entirely.You sit there after it's over,wondering if what you'd just experienced was real.The day after.you feel the same.\"Pauljohnson\n\"This movie is just an average movie about slavery.Are you kidding me,segregation movies are a dime a dozen and this movie beat out Gravity for Golden Globes? Gravity has never been done before.12 Years a Slave I watched once and will never watch again.I watched Gravity 5 times and still love it.''Dominionator\n\"This movie was realistic and engaging at every second.Even the dramatic pauses were worthwhile and definitely not a waste of time.The script inferred and hinted at events rather than just plain saying them,and that was genius.Outstanding photography,amazing special effects and the acting is top notch.There were a few people that walked out during some scenes.What a shame!\" Apols", "problems": [{"question": "The main purpose of GreatMartin's writing is _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["to give a brief introduction of the movie", "to share his own opinions with others", "to invite answers to his question", "to explain why he asks the question"]}, {"question": "Among the four speakers,who made positive comments on the movie?", "answer": "D", "options": ["GeminiJef and Pauljohnson", "Pauljohnson and Dominionator", "GeminiJef and Dominionator", "Pauljohnson and Apols"]}, {"question": "Which of the following best states Pauljotmson's ideas about l2 Years a Slave?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It leaves little room for character development.", "It reaches the height of The Lord of the Rings.", "It doesn't deserve such high praise.", "It amazes the audience with its special effects."]}]} -{"article": "Brian Walker chews pens. He bites them so hard that his boss has warned him to stop or buy his own. Kate's weakness is more acceptable-she is unable to walk past a cake shop without overeating Sophin Cartier finds her cigarette habit a headache, while prefix = st1 /Alice's thumb-sucking drives her boy friend crazy. Four people with very different habits, but they all share a common problem anxiety disorder or, in serious cases. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).\nFrom nail-biting to too much hand-washing, overeating and internet addiction ,OCD is widespread in almost every workplace and countless home. \"It is a ly common form of nxiety,\"says Dr. Mootee. \"The main feature of OCD is the repetition of unwanted obsessive thoughts such as worries that doors are left unlocked , gas or electrical appliances are left on.\" In order to fight against the essay checking door locks and gas or electrical appliandces.\n Dr. Mootee says that repetitive washing, particularly of the hands, is the most common type of OCD. She has treated many patients who wash their hands up to 30 times a day. The technique Mootee uses to treat people with OCD is called cognitive-behavioral therapy .\"It is based on the general idea that people have the ability to change the way they think and behave,\"says Mootee.\nBut when does a habit become a problem? \"It's personal,\"says Mootee.\"Everyone has something unusual, but if you can't put up with it, then it's a problem and you need to do something to change it.\"Mootee says many people resist for treatment because they fear they are\"crazy\". But as people become more knowledgeable about these problems they will go and get help. The only way to cure is to conquer.", "problems": [{"question": "If a person suffers from OCD, be is likely to keep doing any of the following EXCEPT .", "answer": "B", "options": ["chewing pens", "hurting himself", "sucking fingers", "biting nails"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, a person suffering from OCD .", "answer": "B", "options": ["reduces his/her anxiety by taking drugs", "gets into unwanted habits to relieve stress", "has unwanted thoughts about habits", "has unwanted thoughts because of illness"]}, {"question": "Dr. Mootee's treating lechnique is based on the idea that .", "answer": "C", "options": ["every one has something different", "people can put up with their problems", "people can chat their way of thinking and action", "people tend to repeat their obsessive actions"]}, {"question": "By saying \"The only way to cure is to conquer.\" Dr. Mootee suggests that an OCD sufferer .", "answer": "D", "options": ["has to be an extraordinary person", "must cure his illness by himself", "must overcome many physical illnesses", "should have a right attitude towards the problem"]}]} -{"article": "prefix = st1 /Guangzhou Asian Games English Star Contest\nOrganizer:\n The 16 th Asian Games Organizing Committee\nQualification for entry:\n People wishing to enter should be born on or before April 30, 1992,be in good health and willing to work as a volunteer for the 16 th Asian Games to be held in Guangzhou in 2010. He/ She will be expected to have a good command of the English language, a strong interest in community life and in taking part in public relations activities and other community events arranged by the Organizer. He/ She will also be expected to obey the laws, rules and regulations in force in the P.R.C..\nCompetition schedule:\n Applications period: Sep. 22-Oct. 10\n Preliminary round: Oct. 12\n Semi-final: Oct. 18\n Final: Nov. 8\nPrizes:\n During the final, the following prizes will be awarded: Most outstanding(Cash Prize RMB 5000 yuan), three first Prizes(4000 yuan), and six 2 nd Prizes(3000 yuan). There will also be prizes awarded in: Best pronunciation, most Humourous Presentation, Best Demeanor and Most Popular.\n All the winners will receive a prize, a trophy and certificate. All contestants who reach the semi-final will be officially recuited by GAGOC as professional language volunteers and be given a place in the Guangzhou Foreign Affairs Volunteers Program.\nApplication procedures:\n Competitors can fill in the application form online and submit it to the organizer. The application form can be found on the official 16 th Asian Games websitewww.gz2010.cnunder \"Guangzhou Asian Games English Star Contest\"\nFor further information, please contact the organizer:\n Tel: 020-83344105 or 83344197\n Fax: 020-83389163", "problems": [{"question": "When will the final of the English Star Contest be?", "answer": "D", "options": ["On Oct. 9", "On Oct. 12", "On Oct. 18", "On Nov. 8"]}, {"question": "At least how much will be given out as cash prizes?", "answer": "C", "options": ["12,000 yuan", "30,000 yuan", "35,000 yuan", "53,000 yuan"]}, {"question": "To be a professional language volunteer, you have to reach the _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["application period", "preliminary round", "semi-final", "final"]}]} -{"article": "Kids are cool to wear blue jeans and T-shirts today. It is fashionable like that. Fashion refers to the styles of dress that are currently popular. Fashion goes beyond just clothes, though. It's important for some people to wear only the latest fashions and styles. For others, though, keeping up with trends isn't that important. The one thing that stays the same with fashion is this: it always changes!\nDuring the 1960s and 1970s, Hippies made bell--bottomed blue jeans popular. Also, in the 1980s, Michael Jackson made parachute pants all the fashion. Now try to find these items in today's clothing stores!\nDo you know why fashions change?The answer is probably as simple as the fact that people change. Over time, the new replaces the old. People are influenced greatly by popular culture, including athletes, musicians, movies stars, as well as popular films, television shows, books and music. We are also influenced by the fashion industry's advertising.\nThe stars of popular culture are always searching for a new angle to maintain their popularity. Often these new angles come in the form of new clothing or hairstyles. When people see these new styles, they often want to imitate their favorite stars. To do so, they seek out the latest fashions to make themselves look like the people they want to imitate. In this way, fashions evolve and change over time.\nClothes have been used to separate people into groups for many years. Even today, brand-name, clothing that is more expensive than other types of clothing can be used by some people to make themselves different from others.\nUnfortunately, this can often have the effect of distancing certain groups from others. Don't forget that it's always OK to develop your own sense of style that is unique and separate from what the fashion world determines! Stay true to yourself and let your personality -- not your clothes -- speak for who you are!", "problems": [{"question": "What causes the changes of fashions?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Advertisements change rapidly.", "Popular culture influences people.", "Movie stars are changing over time.", "New films and shows replace the old."]}, {"question": "We can learn from the text that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["fashion is all about clothes.", "the author has gone out of fashion.", "clothes may separate and distance people.", "people like imitate others' dressing style."]}]} -{"article": "Some people think that all wild animals are very dangerous. Actually, very few of them will _ a man if he leaves them alone. If you met a lion or an elephant, suppose, you would run away, but even a lion will keep away from a man unless it is very hungry. Lions and tigers only kill and eat men when they have grown too old and too weak to catch their usual food, such as deer and other small animals. If you saw a wild elephant, perhaps you would be frightened. Elephants usually run away at once unless you attack them. Some animals get very frightened if they only smell a man; some take no notice at all but quietly walk in another direction. Wild animals only attack hunters when they are afraid that the hunters mean to harm their young ones, or then the hunters shoot at them and make them angry.", "problems": [{"question": "The word \"attack\" is closest in meaning to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["hurt", "catch", "hit", "follow"]}, {"question": "Lions and tigers will not kill or eat men _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["unless men try to run away", "if they are too old and too weak", "if they are able to get enough food", "however men act towards them"]}, {"question": "Some wild animals will become very dangerous _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["when they grow old", "if they are left alone", "while they are looking for food", "when their young ones are in danger"]}, {"question": "This passage is mainly about _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["how to protect wild animals", "how animals look for their food", "how to make friends with wild animals", "how animals act towards men"]}]} -{"article": "Hockerill's Suggestion\nCaught between the rising cost of university tuition in England and the falling percentage of applicants offered places, one British school is giving its students some surprising advice.\nBy any measure HockerilI is one of the most successful schools in Britain. Named last month as one of the government's flagship academies, its students regularly come at or near the top of exam results for the entire country, outperforming such famous names as Eton or Harrow. But unlike those private schools, where fees can exceed PS28, 000 or PS45, 000 a year, Hockerill, in the Hertfordshire town, is a state comprehensive, which charges no tuition fees and is forbidden from selecting its students on the basis of academic ability. And while a third of Hockerill's 830 students are boarders, they are chosen on the basis of need rather than ability to pay.\nSo when the school's principal heard of government plans to raise university tuition fees in England to PS9, 000 a year, he decided to make use of the school's international focus. urging his students to apply to universities abroad and hiring a counselor to help the students who want to apply to universities in countries whose fees are cheaper. \"If you can get into a university in France and pay about PS180 a year for an education at one of the best institutions in the world, why would you pay PS9, 000 a year in Britain?\" the principal asked.\nPupils at Hockerill are offered a choice of seven foreign languages: French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese or Mandarin. History and geography classes are taught exclusively in French or German. But with English rapidly becoming the international language of education, even less linguistically flexible students soon find that going abroad can save them money while enhancing the quality of their education.\n\"Our students can get to Maastricht in Holland by train more quickly than they can get to Lees from London,\" the principal said. Just over the border from Germany and Belgium, Maastricht University offers a highly regarded undergraduate program taught in English. Tuition fees are about PS1, 430, a year. Germany and France offer even greater savings.", "problems": [{"question": "What is Hockerill's suggestion to its students?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Learning foreign languages.", "Picking courses on their basic needs.", "Applying for less famous universities.", "Receiving further education outside of UK."]}, {"question": "We can learn from the passage that Hockerill _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["admits students based on their academic performance", "provides dormitories to the students in need", "collects less money than private schools", "hires counselors for every student"]}, {"question": "What's Hockerill's principle's attitude towards government's tuition plan?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Neutral.", "Supportive.", "Indifferent.", "Negative."]}, {"question": "Students choosing Maastricht in Holland will benefit from the followings EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["education quality", "convenient location", "flexible program plans", "lessons taught in English"]}]} -{"article": "Different Kinds of Birds\nAvocets\nThere are 4 different species of Avocet found around the world-Pied Avocet , Red-necked Avocet, Andean Avocet, and American Avocet. This bird is found in North and South America, Europe, and even Australia. This long-legged bird has webbed feet and an upturned, thin bill.\nBald Eagles\nThe bald eagle is found in wetlands and near coastlines. They have very large and broad wings, with a broad tail. The head and tail are white in color, which is the major distinguishable factor of the bald eagle. The long, hooked bill is yellow in color. They feed on fish, ducks, rabbits, geese, etc.\nEastern Bluebirds\nThese are around 61/2 inches in length .Such birds are found mainly in gardens woodlands, and orchards with the arrival of spring. Male Eastern Bluebirds are bright blue on the upper half and have a white belly. Female Eastern Bluebirds have a grayish head with shades of blue as well. New York and Missouri have named this creature as their state bird.\nFlamingos\nThese pink-bodied birds with a unique beak, are generally found in large groups. The beaks are capable of removing mud before they can eat their food. Flamingos can be found in many African countries, areas of Florida, and one particular type of species is found only in the Andean highlands.\nKingfishers\nThere are over 90 various species of Kingfishers found in the woodland areas as well as wetlands across the world. They are excellent divers when it comes to catching fish in the rivers. Their pointed bills are what help them bag the catch. Kingfishers have good eyesight whether they are in air or underwater.", "problems": [{"question": "_ most probably mean the same.", "answer": "A", "options": ["Bill and beak", "Head and beak", "Bill and belly", "Leg and feet"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is true?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Eastern Bluebirds are all blue in color.", "Avocets can be found around the world.", "The white head and tail make Bald Eagles distinguishable.", "More Kingfishers can be found in wetlands than in the woodland areas."]}, {"question": "Birds that can be found only in the Andean highlands are _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["Bald Eagles", "Female Eastern Bluebirds", "Andean Avocets", "one special type of Flamingos"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the passage that what Bald Eagles and Kingfishers have in common is their _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["habitats", "shapes", "ability to catch fish", "eyesight in air or under water"]}]} -{"article": "Valentine's Day, for many couples, means cards, flowers, and candlelight dinners. For most couples it also means withdrawing money at the ATM to express their love. Fortunately, there are ways to save money by saving energy -- even during the date -- so you can spend the money you save on the things that really matter to your sweetheart. Here are five easy tips for those couples out there who want to save energy and save money:\nA fireplace is always a perfect background to set up holiday decorations because of the space it provides, in addition to the grand role it plays in the house as being an important part of each room. If you plan on spending your Valentine's Day near the fireplace, be sure to prevent the heat loss and make sure of the chimney efficiency. If you never use your fireplace, plug and seal the chimney flue.\nIf you plan on having a nice, romantic dinner at home and want to set the mood with proper lighting, use energy efficient light bulbs that save you money, and look for bulbs that are lower in lumens. Lumens tell you the brightness of the bulb. The lower the lumens, the weaker the light.\nFor those who plan to cook that romantic dinner, there are some simple energy efficient ways you can prepare that meal. For example, did you know that if you're baking in a china or glass dish, you can typically set your oven for 25 degrees less than the recipe calls for? Learn more about saving energy while cooking.\nFor those couples who would like to have a movie night, plug your TV and DVD into an electronic power strip to save money on your gas of the car. By plugging in electronic devices into a power strip and turning it off when not in use, you can save up to $100 per year.\nIf you plan on going on a romantic \"escape\" from your house by car, be sure to check out these tips to reduce fuel consumption and costs.", "problems": [{"question": "How do most people spend their Valentine's Day according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["They make green trips by riding bikes or walking dogs.", "They go to visit their parents or grandparents together.", "They stay at home making delicious food for lovers.", "They spend money creating romantic environment."]}, {"question": "What does the author advise you to do when you use a fireplace that night?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Try to burn less wood by covering the chimney.", "Try to use more wood to produce more heat.", "Try to hold more heat by using it effectively.", "Try to make the room wetter than usual."]}, {"question": "What does the author advise you to do if you choose to have dinner at home?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Choose the bulbs without lumens.", "Choose the bulbs with lower lumens.", "Choose the small bulbs with higher lumens.", "Choose the colorful bulbs as many as possible."]}, {"question": "How should you cook meals according to the author?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Adjust electricity amount according to different dishes.", "Set the oven for 25 degrees higher than required.", "Try to cook all kinds of food with a china dish.", "Try to bake some cakes in a glass dish."]}, {"question": "What is the greenest way for you to see a film on Valentine's Day?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Just watch a DVD at home.", "Just see the film in the running car.", "Go to the nearest theatre by bike.", "\"Escape\" from your house by car."]}]} -{"article": "Microsoft has a problem:It desperately wants the remaining Windows XP users to upgrade to a newer version of the operating system but a good many of them still haven't started.The latest numbers from NetMarket show that Windows XP still accounts for around 29.5%of all desktops in use even though Microsoft is due to end support for the l3-Year-old platform on April 8th.ZDNet reports that Microsoft plans to force remaining XP users to start next week by sending them notices reminding them again that it will end XP support within a month.\n However, as Computerworld reports,Microsoft may have a tough time convincing some Windows XP users to upgrade because it's trying to sell them on Windows 8,the newest operating system that has angered many longtime PC users by removing the traditional Start menu and by adding the interface a special feature.Computerworld writes that many Windows users expressed anger last month when Microsoft asked them to help switch as many people as they could from Windows XP to Windows 8 partly because Microsoft hasn't offered any sort of discount for Windows XP users making the switch.\n This is particularly tiresome, these users said,because switching from XP to Windows 8 won't just require a software upgrade but will instead likely force them to buy new machines capable of running Microsoft's new operating system.Some users were also annoyed that Microsoft only mentioned Windows 8 and not Windows 7 as upgrade possibilities.\n In the end,it looks like when Microsoft ends support for Windows XP next month there will still be a large part of the desktop PC world using the platform.Hackers who have been saving up all their best new malware for the day when Windows XP support ends are about to have a field day.", "problems": [{"question": "What problem does Microsoft have now?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Windows XP is out of date and needs improvement.", "Windows 8 runs worse than Windows XP.", "No people like to upgrade their operating system.", "Lots of users refuse to switch from XP to Windows 8."]}, {"question": "How will Microsoft remind users ofthe stop of XP support?", "answer": "A", "options": ["By sending them notices.", "By sending them daily emails.", "By adding the interface a special feature.", "By removing the traditional Start menu."]}, {"question": "Which is probably one of the reasons why users dislike Window 8?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Microsoft hasn't offered any discount for it.", "They like Window 7 more than Window 8.", "Microsoft refuses to offer them a new machine.", "It's impossible for them to use the new operating system."]}, {"question": "What can be inferred from the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Windows XP will completely be out of use in a month.", "Windows XP will still be in use for a period of time.", "Windows 8 will have a longer history than Windows XP.", "Windows 7 will easily be attacked by Hackers."]}]} -{"article": "Enjoy your reading time! We provide a collection of books for you.\nBiography\nWhen Salinger learned that a car park was to be built on the land, the middle---aged writer was shocked and quickly bought the neighboring area to protect it. The towns-people never forgot the rescue and came to help their most famous neighbor.\nJ.D. Salinger: A life by Kenneth Slawenski published by Random House Price: $27\nMystery\n\" You're a smart boy. Benny's death was no accident, and you're the only one who saw it happen. Do you think the murderer should get away with it?\" The boy was staring stubbornly at his lap again. A thought suddenly hit Annika, \" You recognized the man in the car, didn't you?\" The boy hesitated, twisting his fingers, \" Maybe,\" he said quietly.\nRed Wolf by Liza Marklund Published by Atria Books Price: $25.99\nShort stories\nShe wants to say to him what she has learned, none of it in class. Some women are born stupid, and some women are too smart for their own good. Some women are born to give, and some women only know how to take. Some women learn who they want to be from their mothers, some who they don't want to be. Some mothers suffer, so their daughters won't. Some mothers love, so their daughters won't.\nYou Are Free by Danzy Senna published by Riverhead Books Price: $14.99\nHumor\nDo your kids like to have fun? Come to Fun Times! Do you like to watch your kids having fun? Bring them to Fun Times! Fun Time's \"amusement cycling\" is the most fun you can have in the Unite States right now. why spend thousands of dollars flying to Disney World when you can spend less than half to that within a day's drive in most cities?\nHappy And Other Bad Thoughts by Larry Doyle published by Ecco Price: $15", "problems": [{"question": "If you want to knowsomething about Salinger, you can buy the book published by _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Ecco", "Atria Books", "Random House", "Riverhead Books"]}, {"question": "What can be learned from the book Red Wolf?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Annika carried out the crime.", "Benny died of an accident.", "The murderer got away with the crime.", "The boy helped arrest the murderer."]}, {"question": "Who wrote short stories about women?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Danzy Senna", "Liza Marklund.", "Kenneth Slawenski.", "Larry Doyle"]}, {"question": "In which column of a newspaper could we find this passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Politics.", "Entertainment.", "Sports.", "Science"]}]} -{"article": "Police in prefix = st1 /Hangzhouyesterday claimed to have arrested 11 people suspected of running an illegal gambling network. \n\"The network acted as a bridge between Chinese gamblers and overseas casinos ,\" said Wu Jun, spokesman for the public security bureau of Xiaoshan district, Hangzhou. \"About 80 percent of the gamblers are local businessmen, and chances are that the money they bet came from their companies' accounts,\" Wu said. The underground gambling network was set up by a wealthy local businessman surnamed Li last year, he said. The gamblers could view real-time images of a casino in Philippinesvia the website and place bets through the agent's account. \nLi registered with the website after coughing up a 5-million-yuan deposit last March. Every time a gambler won, 17% of the winning amount would go to the website as a fee. Li received 10% of the winnings as _ , while the person who introduced the gambler to the website got a 7-percent commission. \nLi ran the gambling network under a pyramid scheme. Gamblers were encouraged to bring in more people to join the website's network in order to earn more commission. \n\"Li had provided a convenient but illegal platform for wealthy businessmen, who wanted to gamble,\" Wu said. \"Otherwise they had to travel all the way to Macaoto do so.\" Under the current law, gambling is prohibited all overChina, exceptMacao. \"Setting up the gambling network is the stupidest thing I've ever done,\" Li said. \"The whole thing started as a joke, but the joke went too far,\" he added. \"I was not short of money, I was just being greedy.\" \nAccording to Wu, the police uncovered the illegal network while investigating a local businessman, who fled without paying banks \"hundreds of millions of yuan\" worth of debt. The cops later discovered the man lost most of the bank's money in Li's virtual casino.", "problems": [{"question": "What's the main idea of the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["More people are addicted to illegal gambling.", "Police uncovered an illegal gambling network.", "Money can be got through the illegal network.", "Mr. Li made gambling spread with the network."]}, {"question": "According to the passage, Li _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["set up the network with a deposit of 5,000,000 yuan", "didn't express regret about what he had done", "started the network just because of lack of money", "could get a commission of 17% of the winning amount"]}, {"question": "Li ran the network under a pyramid scheme because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["this scheme made the management much easier", "it could encourage gamblers to bring in more people", "this kind of management is popular nowadays", "running in this way can not be uncovered easily"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the passage that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["gambling is prohibited all over ChinaexceptMacao", "Li had provided an illegal platform for some businessman", "being greedy is an evil sometimes leading to crimes.", "some gamblers probably use their companies' money for gambling"]}]} -{"article": "I'm Black, a 25 young man living in Shanghai and looking for a job in a variety of fields, web designer, teaching Spanish or English or working as a waiter or bar tender. I have a friendly and hard-working personality. If you have any job that you think I could do, please do not hesitate about contacting me. Backer1896@126. com\nJOB OFFERED\nEL house is a well-known English learning center for primary and high school students. We are looking for native English teachers who can teach the following subject(s) to our students who are planning to study abroad. The _ should meet the following requirements:\n--Experienced in exam preparations (TOEFL, IELTS, SAT)\n--Degree holder\n--Experienced in teaching either mathematics, physics or business\n--Excellent command of English in both oral and written\n--Experienced in teaching higher academic level English\n--Native English teachers or Bilingual teachers with native command of English JGHTR@gmail. com\nSHARE\nI'm Margaret, looking for a person with a positive outlook on life to share the bedroom in a wonderfully-located luxury apartment. That's near everything and has everything, hard-wood floors, international TV, washer/dryer. Other two rooms already occupied by a French and a Kiwi woman, both professional.\nPlease contact me. MLCT@sina. com\nFOR RENT\nCNY 12, 000 / lovely apartment near West Nanjing Road\nLayout:3 bedrooms,2 bathrooms\nSize:120 sqm\nMonthly rental:RMB 12, 000\nCompound:First Block\nFacilities:gym, tennis court, indoor swimming pool,children's playground\nLYG2560@sohu. com", "problems": [{"question": "Margaret is now looking for _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["her lost cat", "an apartment", "a job", "a roommate"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT the requirement of EL house?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Experienced in exam preparations.", "Experienced in teaching Chinese.", "Excellent command of English.", "Degree holder."]}, {"question": "To look for a person to work in your restaurant,you can contact _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["LYG2560@sohu. com", "MLCT@sina. com", "Backer1896@126. com", "JGHTR@gmail. com"]}]} -{"article": "Andy is the most unreasonable, pigheaded life form in the world, and he makes me so angry I could scream! Of course, I love him like a brother. I have to because he is my brother. More than that, he is my twin! That's right. Andy and Amy(that's me) have the same curly hair and dark eyes and equally stubborn character. Yet, though we may look alike, on most issues we usually take completely opposite positions. If I say day, you can count on Andy to say night.\nJust this week, the hot topic in school was all about the PTA'S proposal to adopt a school dress principle. Every student would be required to wear a uniform. Uniforms! Can you imagine? Oh, they would be uniforms in color. The dress style would be sort of loose and free.\nI think a dress principle is a good idea. The reason is simple. School is tough enough without worrying about looking cool every single day. The fact is, the less I have to decide first thing in the morning, the better. I also wouldn't mind not having to see guys wearing oversized jeans and shirts. And I certainly would welcome not seeing kids showing off designer clothes.\nAndy is surprised at my opinion. He says he can't believe that I would be willing to give up my all-American teenage birthright by dressing like -- well, like a typical teenager. Last night, he even dragged out Mom and Dad's high school photo albums. What a couple of peace-loving hippies they were!\nThe vote for or against uniforms took place later that day. The results of the vote and the headmaster's decision will be announced next week. I wonder what it will be. I know how I voted, and I'm pretty sure I know how Andy voted.\nHow would you vote--for or against?", "problems": [{"question": "The story is about _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["a school policy decision that will affect parents and students", "a personal experience and is told in the first person", "a historical event and is told in the third person", "a conflict of opinions between boys and girls"]}, {"question": "Amy's position on school uniforms is most likely based on _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["logical conclusions drawn form her own observation and personal experience", "an aggressive reaction to what she has been told by people in authority", "her preference for designer-labeled clothes", "not liking anything her brother likes"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is the best statement of Andy's position?", "answer": "C", "options": ["School clothing should reflect parents' values.", "Teenagers should never follow the latest fashions in dress.", "How one dresses should be an expression of one's individuality.", "Wearing school uniforms means one less decision every morning."]}, {"question": "What is the best title for the text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["A School Dress Principle.", "My Stubborn Twin Brother", "Endless Fights with My Brother", "For or Against?--- That Is the Question"]}]} -{"article": "If you go into the woods with your friends,stay with them. If you don't,you may get lost. If you do get lost,this is what you should do.\n Sit down and stay where you are. Don't try to find your friend--let them find you. There is another way to help your friend or other nearby people to find you. Give them a signal by shouting or whistling three times. Stop shouting and whistling. Then three times again. Any signal given three times is a call for help. Keep up shouting or whistling,always three times together. When people hear you,they will know that you are not just making noise for fun. They will let you know that they have heard your signal. They will give two shouts, two whistles or two gun shots. When a signal is given twice, it is an answer to a call for help.\n If you don't think that you will get help, try to make a little house--cover up the holes with branches with lots of leaves,and a soft bed with leaves and grass.\n What should you do if you need drinking water? You would have to leave your little branch house to look for a river. Don't just walk away. Pick off small branches and drop as you walk so that you can find your way back.\n The most important thing to do when you are lost is to stay one place.", "problems": [{"question": "When you get lost in the woods,you should,", "answer": "D", "options": ["try your best to get out of the woods", "make a little house with branches", "keep quiet and wait for help to come", "stay in one place and send signals for help"]}, {"question": "How do you make your friends know that you are calling for help but not making noise for fun?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Keeping shouting or whistling three times together.", "Crying all the time", "Keep shouting or whistling or firing gun twice together", "Making a house with branches"]}, {"question": "Why should you leave some small branches on the way to get some water?", "answer": "C", "options": ["So that you can find the water", "So that your friends know where you have gone", "So that you can come back to the place where you were lost", "So that you can pick the branches for your house"]}, {"question": "The best title of the passage is _", "answer": "D", "options": ["Don't Get Lost", "Stay With Your Friends", "Stay In One Place", "What To Do When Lost In Woods"]}, {"question": "According to the author \"a signal is given twice\" is _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the key to the house", "a reply to help", "an answer to a call for help", "a call for help"]}]} -{"article": "In the past, people who graduated from college felt proud of their academic achievement and confident that their degree would help them find a good job.\nHowever, in the past four years the job market has changed dramatically. This year's college graduates are facing one of the worst job markets in years. For example, Ryan Stewart, a graduate of San Jose University, got a degree in religious studies, but no job _ . He points out that many people already working are getting laid off and don't have jobs, so it's even harder for new college graduates to find jobs.\nFour years ago, the future looked bright for the class of 2003. There were many high-tech job opportunities. Graduates received many job offers, and they were able to get jobs with high salaries and benefits such as insurance and paid vacations. However, \"Times have changed and it's a new market,\" according to Cheryl Allmen- Vinnidge of the San Jose State Career Center.\nAllmen-Vinniage says students who do find jobs started preparing two years ago. They worked during summer vacations, they have had several internships , and they've majored in one of the few fields that are still hot, like chemical engineering, accounting, or nursing, where average starting salaries have actually increased over last year. Other popular fields (like information system management, computer science, and political science) have seen big declines in starting salaries.\nRyan Stewart (he had hoped to become a teacher) may just end up going back to school. \"I'd like to teach college some day and that requires more schooling, which would be great in bad economy.\" he said.\nIn conclusion, _ . For now, they can only hope its value will increase over time.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following majors can get a job easily?", "answer": "B", "options": ["teaching", "accounting", "political science", "computer science"]}, {"question": "Ryan Stewart will have to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["change his major", "get a job teaching", "go back to school", "become a religious leader"]}, {"question": "The main idea of this passage is that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["a lot of graduates are losing their jobs", "Ryan Stewart has not been able to find a job", "salaries in some fields have increased in the past year", "the job market has changed dramatically over the past 4 years"]}]} -{"article": "Children seem to care so much about their names. A study showed that 25% of young children feel they couldn't live any more if you took away their name. Another study shows that about one third of all young people wish their parents had given them a different name.\nIn many cultures, there are special ideas about how to choose a name. For example, many people choose a name that has been in their family for many years. It tells the child where he or she has come from.\nChoosing a good name isn't easy. Many parents search books that tell them the meanings of names. They could choose a name that carries a message. For example, Edith means \"valuable gift\". Amanda means \"love\". And Fara means \"joy\".\nNames like these tell family and friends how happy they are with their new baby. Other names can say something about the events during the birth of the child. In Africa, a first born son may have the name Mosi and the name Ama means \"born on Saturday\".\nBut can our names influence our lives? Some experts say that they can, but others disagree. Is every girl called Malak like an angel? Is every boy called Curitis polite? And is every girl called Mahira quick and full of energy? No parent can tell what kind of person their child will grow up to be. Just because parents name a boy Fahim, it doesn't mean he will be clever. All they can do is to hope.", "problems": [{"question": "Ama is a name used to show _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["where she has come from", "she was born on Saturday", "she was the first born daughter", "the happiness of the family"]}, {"question": "Which of the following names means kindness and beauty?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Fara", "Mahira", "Malak", "Curitis"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Nearly 33% of the people wish they had been given a different name.", "All names can tell something about what happened when the baby was born.", "The child's name decides what kind of person the child will grow up to be.", "In some cultures, a child's name can tell where he or she has come from."]}, {"question": "The writer develops the passage mainly by _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["using numbers", "giving examples", "telling stories", "giving reasons"]}]} -{"article": "When author Nicholas Carr began researching his book on whether the Internet is ruining our minds,he restricted his online access and email.His new book argues the latest technology _ us less capable of deep thinking.Carr found himself so distracted that he couldn't work on the book while staying as connected.After first feeling confused by his sudden lack of online connection,he was able to stay focused on one task for a long period within several weeks.\nReading on the Internet has changed how we use our brains.Facing a lot of texts,video,music and links to other web pages and blogs,our minds have become used to skimming and scanning information.As a result,we have developed sharper skills at making fast decisions,particularly visual ones,Carr wrote.\nBut now most of us seldom read books or long articles that would help us focus.We are becoming more like librarians--able to find information quickly and see clearly the best nuggets .That lack of focus hinders our longterm memory,leading many of us to feel distracted,he wrote.\n\"What we are losing is a whole other set of mental skills,which require not the shifting of our focus but the maintaining of our focus,\" Carr said,adding that for centuries books protected our brains from distraction and focused our minds on one topic at a time.\nBut with devices such as Apple's iPad becoming common,Carr predicts books also will change.\"New forms of reading always require new forms of writing,\" he said.Carr has a suggestion for those who feel web surfing has left them incapable of concentration--slow down,turn off the Internet and practice the skills of contemplation and reflection.\"It is pretty clear from the brain science that if you don't exercise particular cognitive skills,you are going to lose them,\" he said.\"If you are constantly distracted,you are not going to think in the same way that you would think if you paid attention.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What topic is Nicholas Carr's new book mainly concentrating on?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Whether there is any need for us to surf the Internet.", "How the Internet changes our way of thinking.", "What we should do when we are surfing the Internet.", "Whether our minds are being influenced by the Internet."]}, {"question": "How did Nicholas Carr feel after he limited his time online several weeks later?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Anxious.", "Relaxed.", "Concentrated.", "Puzzled."]}, {"question": "What's Nicholas Carr's suggestion for people who are often distracted by the Internet?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They should read more books besides surfing the Internet.", "They should often slow down their pace of modern living.", "They should often get away from the disturbing of the Internet.", "They should spend more time thinking while surfing the Internet."]}]} -{"article": "You may open your electronic mail and find information about how to buy medicine,cheap airline tickets , and books and,of course,computers and computer products.There may also be offers for investment deals,bank loans and special holidays.However, to many computer users,this use of electronic spam to sell products has become a major problem as it makes computer communication more difficult.\nMany companies who want to send a great deal of advertising might use the services of a \" spammer.\" A spammer is a person or company that uses computers to send out millions of copies of the same sales information.Spammers find e-mail addresses from websites,news groups and \" chat rooms \" where people send messages to each other.\nMost spam is sent by companies who are trying to get you to buy their products . Some of these are honest companies that offer good products or services for fair prices.These companies can offer their products for a cheaper price than you might find in a store.However, much of the spam on the Internet is sent by criminals who are trying to sell products that do not exist or offer services they will not provide.They are only interested in stealing your money.When you answer their spam,you find you are expected to send them money and receive a gift.If you just follow what they ask you to do without any consideration, it is likely that you will be cheated and lose some money.", "problems": [{"question": "Why do some companies send spam?", "answer": "B", "options": ["to make friends on the Internet.", "to promote their producta on the Internet.", "to send some virses to your company.", "to make computer communication much easier"]}, {"question": "According to the writer,how can we deal with spam?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Look out for any spam that reaches your computer .", "Don't trust any information on the Internet.", "But the cheaper products advertised in the spam.", "Don't buy anything advertised in the spams."]}, {"question": "The auther's main purpose of writing this passage is to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["explain what spam is", "find out who send out spam", "warn readers of the possible dangers of spam", "show the advantages and disadvantages of spam"]}]} -{"article": "The man with the bullhorn encouraged the runners as they made their way up the hill. \"Two hours, fifteen minutes, forty seconds ...\"His deep, loud voice boomed toward us.\nIt was mile 17 of the marathon.\n\"Hey, great stride!\" a bearded viewer yelled to me. He clapped loudly. \"You're looking strong. Keep going--go, go, go!\"\nYou bet I'm looking strong, I thought, as I followed my younger sister, Laura. I just got started. She had been diligently clocking eight-minute miles since the race had begun downtown. Initially in the middle of a pack, which was several thousand people, she had been steadily passing other runners for the past 10 miles or so. We were now on the relatively steep rise to the St. Cecelia Bridge. Once we crossed, we would begin heading back into town, running along the east side of the Rincon River. Laura had asked me to run the most difficult section of the marathon with her. Not having trained for anything more challenging than a quick walk, and with no experience running in organized events, I figured I might be good for two or three miles.\nUp ahead, steel drums were playing. A group of drummers was beating their drums, chanting, and encouraging us with their music and smiles. Crossing the bridge, I recalled the advice in the Marathon Handbook. During my preview of the route, it had seemed like a babyish thing to do. But now it seemed like a fine idea, and I spat magnificently over the side of the bridge.\n\"I read the handbook, too!\" said a woman behind me, who also let loose over the side of the bridge. We had now started a chain reaction of bridge spitters. It was quite a sight, but I had other things to occupy my attention, namely the back of Laura's sweater.\nEasing off the bridge, and heading south on Avila Boulevard, Laura and I found our pace together again. Here we could hang to the left of the group and enjoy some brief conversation. \"You keeping up okay?\" she asked. Being her older brother, and therefore unable to admit weakness, I nodded convincingly.\n\"Hey, Lee!\" yelled a waving man on the sidewalk. Immediately pleased that my marathon efforts had been recognized by someone I knew, I waved back and reflected on the importance of wearing tie-dyed clothing to a road race of this size. It made it a lot easier to be spotted!\nThe town marathon is a \"people's\" marathon in that it tends to be a family affair, with the runners and spectators creating a festival atmosphere. I managed to run six miles before bowing out, and Laura finished the entire race in under four hours. I now pride myself on telling people that I ran in a marathon. The distinction between having run a marathon and having run in a marathon seems unimportant. If pressed, however, I'll admit that I only ran one-fourth of one.\nInspired by this year's experience, I plan to walk the course--really fast--next year. It's not because I'm jealous of my sister's accomplishment. This is not some silly competition in which I must do whatever she does. Rather, Laura got free cookies at the finish line, and the promise of that will lead me to any goal.", "problems": [{"question": "Why did the author write this story _ ?", "answer": "C", "options": ["to explain how marathons are won", "to tell about the history of marathons", "to tell a story about a marathon experience", "to show how difficult running in a marathon can be"]}, {"question": "Why was Lee glad he wore a tie-dyed shirt?", "answer": "A", "options": ["It helped people locate him easily.", "The shirt brought him good luck.", "It added to the festival atmosphere.", "The shirt was a favorite of Laura's."]}, {"question": "Which of the following words best describes Laura as she is presented in this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["competitive", "foolish", "comical", "carefree"]}, {"question": "The tone of this passage is best described as _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["tense and anxious", "light and friendly", "matter-of-fact", "uninterested and bored"]}]} -{"article": "Humankind has tried to improve its standard of living since the very beginning of civilization. Back then, as well as today, providing food and security was the basic task for a person. However, nowadays the range of required goods has expanded significantly. People feel the need for not only some primary things, such as a piece of bread and a roof over their heads, but also for various facilities and luxuries. Providing humanity with these things is connected to the use of natural resources, which requires energy. In turn, the common sources of energy we use today cause pollution, so economic growth is almost unavoidably associated with environmental damage.\nEconomic growth is the increase in numbers of goods and services produced over time by an economy, and it is calculated in terms of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Before growth is calculated, inflation is adjusted in order to take into account its misleading effect on the price of goods and services. Economic growth can also be explained as the increase in expected output, which results from an increase in actual output, or total demand.\nThere are certain aspects of economic growth which affect the environment. The first of these is the fact that in order to produce more goods and products, at a faster rate, the construction of large industrial plants is required. These plants produce a lot of waste, leading to the pollution of water and the atmosphere, which may cause negative long term health effects to nearby populations of animals, or people. _ also lead to global warming.\nIndustrial manufacturing leads to the constantly increasing energy consumption. The traditional energy sources, which are commonly used nowadays, are considered to be the greatest polluters to the environment. There also exist so-called eco-friendly sources of energy. They are sometimes preferred but replacing the traditional sources with them also requires time, during which people have to make some sacrifices to support these undertakings.\nIn order to produce economically practical energy, a sometimes significant transformation of the natural site is often inevitable. This is expensive and, has harmful effects on the environment. Application of wind energy would block airflows' natural speed which is the reason for their decrease in strength, after crossing the windmill. Consequently, the pressure balance that is brought about by this current will be affected, and it is important to remember that the environment and weather conditions are directly affected by atmospheric pressure.\nFor these reasons, bringing about economic growth without any resulting environmental damage, whatsoever, is impossible.", "problems": [{"question": "What does the passage mainly talk about?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Pollution caused by plant construction.", "Effects of windmills on the environment.", "Economic growth and human civilization.", "Economic growth and environmental damage."]}, {"question": "According to the passage, the author holds the opinion that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["economic growth should be calculated in terms of GDP", "use of natural resources causes no damage to the environment", "industrial manufacturing may cause damage to the environment", "a windmill is a perfect way to produce economically practical energy"]}]} -{"article": "A sandstorm, also known as a dust storm, is exactly what it sounds like. A very strong windstorm especially in the desert carries clouds of sand or dust that greatly reduces visibility. This wind is usually caused by convection currents , which are created by intense heating of the ground, and is usually strong enough to move entire sand dunes. Air is unstable when heated, and this instability in the air will cause higher winds to mix with winds in the lower atmosphere, producing strong surface winds.\nSandstorms can disturb people's travel, and can sometimes destroy whole roads, and dry flat areas. Similar dust storms can be found on the planet Mars, and are thought to be seasonal. Today, the destruction of forests and too much farming of farmland can lead to sandstorms. Too much use of water resources can also cause sandstorms.\nIn the United States of America, sandstorms are rare because of the lack of large deserts and more importantly the development of proper agricultural techniques. The last recorded destructive sandstorm in American history was the Dust Bowl, which occurred on July 16, 1971 and was widely recorded by meteorologists .\nTo protect themselves from sandstorms, some people wear protective suits. Special equipment can be fixed in some cars to prevent sand from getting into the engine. Sandstorms can cause coughs, and the sand and dust has also been known to carry \"infectious diseases\". Sand particles, unlike dust ones, will block air passages, and cause a person who breathes them in to choke. Dust particles may cause an allergic reaction.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following plays the first part in forming sandstorms?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The instability of the sand.", "The instability of the wind.", "The intense heating of the ground.", "The speed of the wind."]}, {"question": "The author will most probably agree that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["there will soon be no sandstorms in the USA", "humans haven't thought of any way to deal with sandstorms", "death caused by sandstorms is increasing all the time", "humans should make more efforts to stop soil turning into desert"]}]} -{"article": "With the rapid social development, the Internet now provides social networks that include online movies and videos.The major television networks have much less control over your mind and their broadcasts for entertainment and, more importantly, advertising.It has long been known that television's audience will spend more time on the Internet than watching TV.People have found another means of entertainment by going to websites which seem to satisfy their specific interests more completely.This isn't very good news for the television networks.\nThe influence of people using DVRs (Digital Video Recorder) also has led to fewer and fewer viewers watching television commercials.Market research indicates the effectiveness of TV ads is getting weaker as a result.Many DVR owners are fast forwarding and skipping television commercials.With viewers now spending an average of four times longer on the Internet and more viewers avoiding commercials, this trend isn't good for television's advertising revenues .\nMajor TV advertisers know full well that their advertising dollars on TV aren't as an effective investment as they once were.The major players in advertising have been moving towards the Internet as a serious alternative means of advertising.\nFor thousands of people involved in Internet marketing, it's history-making to share the revenue that previously all went to major television networks.There's already a group of Internet marketers being paid a larger amount of advertising revenue.These are everyday people that work usually from home on their own.Advertisers can direct their advertising to websites where viewer types are more likely to be interested in their product or service.\nThe development of the Internet and its role and change in our lives cannot be compared to any other form of media created throughout the history of mankind.", "problems": [{"question": "People are going to websites for entertainment because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["they'd like to follow the last trend", "there are fewer commercials", "there are more movies and videos", "they can choose what meets their particular needs"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the passage that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["people spend time on the Internet mainly for entertainment", "most people prefer to work at home nowadays", "the Internet will attract more and more advertisers", "the appearance of TV changed our lives"]}, {"question": "The passage mainly tells us _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the rapid social development", "the fast development of the Internet advertising", "the way to advertise on the Internet", "the influence of television commercials"]}]} -{"article": "Parties and social gatherings no longer excite us the same way they once did. This is not due to a lack of desire to socialize, but the smartphone.\nAt parties, more people are on their smartphones than on their drinks. According to a recent International Data Corporation study, well over half of all Americans have a smartphone and reach for it the moment they wake up, keeping it in hand all day. In addition, too much of society is using smartphones while driving and as a result getting into car crashes. 34 percent of teens admit to text while driving, and they confirm that text messaging is their number one driving interruption. People's attachment to their smartphones is unbelievably becoming more important than the lives of themselves and others.\nJust as drivers dismiss the importance of focusing while on the road, many people also fail to recognize the significance of human interaction. When with their friends, some people pointlessly check or send text messages in the presence of a friend, which sends a message to that friend: the person I am texting is more important than you. In addition, relying on our smartphone to make friends does not give us the same advantage as being able to make new friendships in the real world. Face-to-face conversations will give us much stronger communication skills in the long run.\nAs many people risk their lives and the lives of people around them just to send a text or mindlessly check their massages, smartphones are in many ways more dangerous to people. The quality of this technology is de-advancing societal achievements and weakening the value of communication. Not only is the smartphone affecting our desire to interact face-to-face but it is also lowering society's ability to communicate.", "problems": [{"question": "The purpose of this text is to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["call for an end to use the smartphone while driving", "express concern about the overuse of the smartphone", "appeal to us to pay attention to communication skills", "advise us to be cautious about the addiction to the smartphone"]}, {"question": "Over dependence on the smartphone leads to the fact that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["parties and gatherings limit their social circle", "people's communication skills are weakened", "people are more and more narrow-minded", "face-to-face communication becomes less important"]}]} -{"article": "Yousuf Karsh,the Canadian portrait artist who photographed many of the most influential figures of the 20thcentury,died in a Boston hospital on July l3 th,2002.He was 93.\nWorking from a studio in Ottawa,Karsh produced famous portraits of such subjects as Winston Churchill,John F.Kennedy,Ernest Hemingway and Albert Einstein.Actually he has become almost as famous as his legendary subjects.In the latest edition of Who's Who,which listed the most notable people of the last century,Karsh was the only Canadian of the 100 famous people listed----51 0f whom Karsh had photographed.\nAs a master portraitist,often working in black and white.Karsh was famous for talking to his subjects as he was getting the shot's composition just right,asking them questions and putting them at ease.In preparation,he read as much as he could about the _ ,but avoided having the idea beforehand of how he would photograph them.He sought, as he wrote in Karsh Portfolio in 1967,to capture the \"essential element which has made them great,\" explaining,\"All I know is that within every mall a secret is hidden,and as a photographer, it is my task to reveal it if I can.\"\nKarsh was born in America in 1908,and his uncle,George Nakash,brought him to John Garo,all outstanding photographer,to teach him in 1928.Four years later,Karsh set up his own studio in Ottawa.\nIn December of 1941,his memorable portrait of Winston Churchill brought Karsh into international fame.Canada's Prime Minister Mackenzie King arranged for him to photograph Churchill following Churchill's speech in the House of Commons.Not told,Churchill lit up a cigar, \"Why was I not told of this?'' Karsh asked him to remove the cigar and,when he didn't,stepped forward and gently removed it with the comment,\"Forgive me,Sir.\"Churchill glowered as the shot was taken,then permitted Karsh to take still another,;jokingly commenting,\"You can even make a roaring lion stand still to be photographed.\" The Churchill portrait has since appeared in publications all over the world.\nKarsh traveled to London in 1943 with his portable studio ---- an 8-by-10 view camera and many studio lamps to photograph such notables as George Bernard Shaw and the royal family.All these portraits fully illustrate Karsh's ability.", "problems": [{"question": "What did Karsh seek to do most in working?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Capture the essence and greatness of the character.", "Present the true and vivid expression of the subject.", "Make the photograph more colorful and expressive.", "Reveal the idea he has got in preparing for the shot."]}, {"question": "From the passage,we can learn that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["Churchill was asked to stand still when Karsh took a photograph of him", "Churchill's portrait hanging in the House of Commons gave Karsh great fame", "Karsh was listed as one of the 100 notables by Who's Who in the last century", "Karsh could skilfully adjust the subjects' mood when photographing them"]}]} -{"article": "The building is shaking. A woman with a baby in her arms is trying to open the door, but fails. Finding no way, she rushes into her bedroom and there they survive the earthquake.\n In a factory building, as the workshop floor swings under the terrible shaking, workers run for safety. Some hide under the machines and survive, but others who try to run outside are killed by the falling ceilings.\n These scenes, played by actors and actresses, are from a film of science education Making a Split Second Decision shown in 1998 on China Central TV in memory of Tangshan Earthquake. \n By studying actual cases in the earthquake areas and scientific experiments, experts find that buildings remain untouched for the first 12 seconds of an earthquake.\n In this short time, one has the best chance of surviving an earthquake by staying near the inside walls, in bedrooms and under beds, experts concluded in the film. \"Earthquakes seem to catch the lives of those who run,\" said many survivors in the earthquake areas, describing how their friends were killed on the doorways or along the stair steps as they tried to get out of the building.\n Their advice was proved in the film, \"Take a hiding-place where you are rather than run, unless you are sure you can reach a safe open place in ten seconds.\"\n \n. (2,8)", "problems": [{"question": "What does the passage mainly talk about?", "answer": "B", "options": ["A woman's experience", "How to survive in an earthquake.", "Scientific experiments on earthquake", "A film of science education"]}, {"question": "The workers who try to run outside the building die because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the factory building is shaking terribly.", "they are making a film.", "they don't have enough time to run outside.", "they are too nervous"]}, {"question": "The passage suggests that you should _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["cry for help and run out", "not move and lie on the floor immediately", "run down the steps as fast as you can.", "hide in a safe place at once or run out in ten seconds."]}, {"question": "Where can we probably find this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["In a magazine", "In a novel", "In a history book", "On a poster"]}]} -{"article": "My name is Pablo. I think I'm a lucky guy. I have a good family, and we live in a nice neighborhood in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. People travel here from many countries for their vacations. We have beautiful beaches, hotels, restaurants, shopping and sports.\nHowever, in my beautiful hometown, there are also very poor neighborhoods. These areas are crowded and have a lot of crime. Life is terrible for many of the children in these areas. Some don't really have a childhood because they're homeless and live on the streets. They don't have education. They don't have enough food. Many use drugs or have diseases or mental problems.\nLast year, I came back to Puerto Vallarta from my university in Mexico City. I spent one year as a volunteer with an organization called Outreach International. They have several programs. I volunteered for one program to help street children.\nI worked in a home for street children (all boys, at this one). At this home, the boys have a place to sleep and three meals daily. The home keeps the boys off the streets. It shows them another way of life. As a volunteer, I helped to prepare meals. I taught games---such as basketball, football and art. I helped the kids with their homework. These kids can be fun. They have a lot of energy, but they're also really tough. Their hardships on the streets make them strong and not always \"sweet little children.\"\nAt this boys' home, I met two other volunteers---Brian from Canada and Greg from Australia. In many ways, we were very similar. We were the same age, came from good homes and had a good education. They were both college students, like me. We became very good friends. Now, we email each other.\nIt was the best---and most difficult---year of my life. I learned a lot that year.", "problems": [{"question": "What do we learn about the author?", "answer": "B", "options": ["He loves travelling.", "He enjoys his work as a volunteer.", "He is now working for Outreach International.", "He has made friends with the homeless children."]}, {"question": "According to the author, what makes the street children really tough?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Drugs.", "Too much energy.", "Hard life.", "Pressure from school."]}, {"question": "What is the best title for the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["My Special Year", "A Sweet Home", "Outreach International", "Street Children"]}]} -{"article": "I belong to that classification of people known as wives. I am a wife. And, not altogether incidentally, I am a mother.\nNot too long ago a male friend of mine appeared on the scene fresh from a recent divorce. He had one child, who is, of course, with his ex-wife. He is obviously looking for another wife. As I thought about him while I was ironing one evening, it suddenly occurred to me that I, too, would like to have a wife. Why do I want a wife?\nI would like to go back to school so that I can become economically independent, support myself, and if needed, support those dependent upon me. I want a wife who will work and send me to school. And while I am going to school, I want a wife to take care of my children. I want a wife to keep track of the children's doctor. And to keep track of mine, too. I want a wife to make sure my children eat properly and are kept clean. I want a wife who will wash the children's clothes and keep them mended. I want a wife who takes care of the children when they are sick, a wife who arranges to be around when the children need special care, because, of course, I cannot miss classes at school. My wife must arrange to lose time at work and not lose the job. It may mean a small cut in my wife's income from time to time, but I guess I can tolerate that. Needless to say, my wife will arrange and pay for the care of the children while my wife is working.\nI want a wife who will take care of my physical needs. I want a wife who will keep my house clean. I want a wife who will keep my clothes cleaned, ironed, mended, replaced and who cooks the meals, does the necessary grocery shopping, prepares the meals, serves them pleasantly, and then does the cleaning up while I do my studying. I want a wife who will care for me when I am sick and sympathize with my pain and loss of time from school.\nI want a wife who will take care of the details of my social life. When my wife and I are invited out by my friends, I want a wife who will take care of the babysitting arrangements. When I meet people at school that I like and want to entertain, I want a wife who will have the house cleaned and prepare a special meal and serve it to me and my friends and will not interrupt when I talk about the things that interest me and my friends.\nIf, by chance, I find another person more suitable as a wife than the wife I already have, I want the liberty to replace my present wife with another one. Naturally, I will expect a fresh, new life: My wife will take the children and be only responsible for them so that I am left free.\nWhen I am through with school and have a job, I want my wife to stop working and remain at home so that my wife can more fully and completely take care of a wife's duties.\nMy God, who wouldn't want a wife?", "problems": [{"question": "The writer is a _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["student", "man", "woman", "housewife"]}, {"question": "The article is written in a(n) _ tone.", "answer": "A", "options": ["ironic and humorous", "serious and pleasant", "approving and objective", "persuasive and aggressive"]}, {"question": "What is implied according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The writer really approves of the present situation of the wives' position at home.", "The writer expresses the satisfaction with a wife's position at home and speaks for all the wives.", "The writer thinks a wife should indeed do everything for the children and the husband at home but nothing else.", "It is wrong for some of the husbands not to share the duties at home and women should be respected in family life."]}, {"question": "A wife should be _ according to the author's description?", "answer": "D", "options": ["curious", "optimistic", "romantic", "energetic"]}]} -{"article": "Big Blue Whale\nNicola Davies\nIllustrated(......) by Nick Maland\nNicola Davies provides a look at nature's largest living creature in Big Blue Whale. The text often uses examples from the child's world to help youngsters understand this great creature. For example, the blue whale's skin is \"smooth like a hard-boiled egg\" and its eye is \"big as a teacup\". Nick Maland's pen-and-ink illustrations capture the majesty of the blue whale, of which only 10,000 remain.\nAges 3 to 8, $ 19.99.\nLife in the Coral Reef\nBobbie Kalman & Niki Walker\nPhotographed by Tom Stack\nThis educational book has outstanding photographs and illustrations. The bright colors are attention grabbing. The importance of the coral reefs in the ecology of the earth is explained as well as how the coral reefs are being harmed and destroyed. The author then offers solutions and suggestions to help prevent the destruction of these beautiful natural resources.\nAges 7 up, $ 16.95.\nNorth American Endangered Species\nColleayn O. Mastin\nIllustrated by Jan Sovak\nThis is a beautifully illustrated book by the award winner Jan Sovak featuring fifteen North American animals that are in danger of becoming extinct. Each animal is introduced with a short poem, followed by factual information and why the species is considered to be endangered.\nAges 6 up, $ 9.95.\nWhale\nVasilli Papastavrou\nPhotographed by Frank Greenaway\nThis reference book takes a close look at the fascinating world of majestic sea mammals including whales, dolphins, seals, and sea lions. The author describes how whales adapt to sea life and explores whale communication, socialization, behaviors and reproduction, life cycles, habitats and physical characteristics.\nAges 10 up, $ 19.00.", "problems": [{"question": "What do we learn from Big Blue Whale?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The number of the blue whale is increasing.", "Many animals are in danger of dying out.", "There used to be more than 10,000 blue whales.", "The blue whale has strong survival abilities."]}, {"question": "What is special about North American Endangered Species?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It uses examples from the child's world.", "The author introduces animals with poems.", "It contains bright colors.", "It takes a close look at sea animals."]}, {"question": "Who has won an award as an illustrator or a photographer?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Nick Maland.", "Tom Stack.", "Jan Sovak.", "Frank Greenaway."]}, {"question": "A child who wants to learn about how whales communicate will buy _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["Big Blue Whale", "Life in the Coral Reef", "North American Endangered Species", "Whale"]}]} -{"article": "You're standing in the dairy section at the grocery store, searching for your favorite brand. Suddenly, you catch a smell of chocolate cookies. You forget about dairy and head for the bakery section. Guess what? You just walked into an odor trap ! The odor was cooked up by scientists in a lab.\nFor years, scientists have been studying the special powers of smell. They found that more than our other senses, smell changes our mood and helps us remember things.\nSo companies have begun spending thousands of dollars to scent entire stores. Artificial scents are being used to lead customers by the nose. These smells help to get people inside and put them in the mood to buy. They even make customers remember the store later, so they'll come back for more. Also, many companies have smartly made use of product smells. A company added lemon fragrance to its dish cleaner. They wanted people to think the soap contained \"natural\" cleaners. It worked!\nNew uses for smells are being created every day. One bank, for example, gives customers coupons advertising car loans . To get people to take out a loan, bank officials hope to coat these coupons with the fresh leather smell of a new car. In Australia, telephone offices are putting sweat odor on unpaid bills. Since some people sweat when they're scared, this smell might remind them of when they were frightened. And they'll pay the bills right away!\nWhat lies ahead for our noses? Smell scientists are working on some pretty far-out ideas. Would you believe TV sets that produce smells? Or how about scent diets? Certain food smells will fool your stomach into thinking it's full. Alarm clocks will scent your bedroom with a strong pleasant smell designed to wake you up. Scientists are even working on ways to keep garbage from smelling. Researchers expect scents to help students make more sense of what they're learning.\nAnd just think.", "problems": [{"question": "How do sales methods affect customers in the stores?", "answer": "D", "options": ["They change customers' preferences.", "They persuade customers to use credit cards.", "They make customers avoid bad and unsafe products.", "They influence customers to make unplanned purchases."]}, {"question": "Why do telephone offices put sweat odor on unpaid bills?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Because the sweat odor is a reminder of terrifying experience.", "Because the sweat odor can change people's attitude.", "Because most people don't think much of sweating.", "Because many people dislike paying bills."]}, {"question": "What does the author mean by saying \"Someday soon, even your homework may smell nice!\"?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Students would benefit more from smell research.", "Students would be more willing to do homework.", "Smell research would develop beyond our imagination.", "Smell research would make great differences to our life."]}, {"question": "Why does the author write this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To encourage the store owners to use smells.", "To expose wrong practices by smell scientists.", "To inform the readers of an interesting subject.", "To blame the advertisers that use smells to sell."]}]} -{"article": "By the time I reached junior high,I was sure I wanted to be a nurse. If you didn't study Latin,you couldn't be a nurse,so I enrolled. Many Latin words were familiar to me. The hard part turned out to be the usage and creating sentences with the words that seemed so easy to pronounce. Several weeks into the course my teacher came to me,saying,\"I think you should withdraw from this course. It seems to be too hard for you. \"\nThat was the day I learned I wasn't smart enough to become a nurse. With shame. I handed in my Latin textbook.\nAfter high school,the years raced by. I married and had children. Then one day my husband John came home. \"Carol. Max died this afternoon. \"I looked at my husband with disbelief.\nJohn was touched by this tragedy. Finally one evening he said,\"Carol,Jackie has never worked and now she's alone with four children. I've been thinking -- if anything happens to me. I want you to be able to take care of yourself and the children. Why don't you think about what you'd like to do and get the training you'll need to do it?\"\nI signed up for the entrance exam for nursing programs. One day I received a letter from the schoo1. I wanted so badly to open it,but with my lack of confidence,I laid it on the kitchen counter saying,\" I'm not in the mood for a rejection letter today. \"\nFinally I forced myself to open it. \"Dear Carol,\"I read. \"We are pleased to inform you that you successfully passed the entrance exam.\"\nAn insensitive teacher once stole my dream. If you have a dream, exhaust every effort to reach it. I've worked thirty years now as a nurse and I've never been more certain that this is what I was meant to be.", "problems": [{"question": "Why did John advise Carol to find a job?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To support the family", "To be able to live independently", "To live a more colorful life", "To provide more money for her kids"]}, {"question": "From the text, we know what the teacher said _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["saved Carol from wasting her time", "helped Carol find her true interest", "destroyed Carol's dream to be a nurse", "encouraged Carol to be careful in learning"]}, {"question": "After receiving the letter from the schoo1, Caro1 _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["couldn't wait to open it", "had no mood to read it then", "didn't take it seriously at all", "was uncertain about the result"]}, {"question": "What may be the best title for the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Too stupid to be a nurse", "A dream too high to achieve", "Never too late to 1earn", "A chance too important to miss"]}]} -{"article": "Many of us have heard of the saying: everything is possible if you can just believe. But few of us really know the power of faith and perseverance . South African swimmer Natalie du Tiot embodies those virtues.\nDu Tiot, 24, became the first swimmer to compete in both the Olympic Games and the Paralympics in Beijing. Although she finished 16thin the tough 10km marathon in the able-bodied Games, she has collected three golds in the Paralympics so far.\nOne of the most successful disabled athletes of all time, Natalie du Tiot was already a promising swimmer when she lost her leg in a motorcycle accident in 2001, at just 17.\n\"There are a lot of dark moments,\" she said, \"There are some days when I cry. But I try to remember that better days are ahead. You just go on.\"\nWithin a few months, she was back in the swimming pool.\nShe still completes and still succeeds. The only difference is she has switched to longer events--from 200m and 400m individual medley to 800m and 1,500m freestyle--to make up for her loss of speed with only one leg. But she made no adjustment to her mental look .\n\"Going out in the water, it feels as if there's nothing wrong with me. It doesn't matter if you look different. You're still the same as everybody else because you have the same dream.\"\nShe is the owner of many world records, and she also won gold when competing against able-bodied swimmers in the 1,500m freestyle at the All African Games in 2007.\nBut there is no magic recipe for success. It all comes down to hard work and determination. \"She is stubborn, which is good and bad,\" said her coach Karoly Von Toros. \"Good for the swimming, but bad for the coach.\"\nThere is a poem that hangs on her wall that reads:\nThe tragedy of life does not lie in not reaching your goals;\nThe tragedy of life lies in not having goals to reach for.", "problems": [{"question": "Natalie du Tiot is a vivid example that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["you are what you believe", "your biggest enemy is yourself", "results are not so important as the process", "you must set reasonable goals or you will fail"]}, {"question": "According to the text , Natalie du Tiot became _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the first athlete to compete with able-bodied swimmers in the world", "the youngest disabled swimmer to break the world record in the 1,500m freestyle", "the youngese disabled swimmer to collect three golds in a single Paralympics", "the first swimmer to compete in both the Olympic Games and the Paralympics"]}, {"question": "In dark moments it was _ that pushed her on.", "answer": "C", "options": ["her coach", "her family", "hope and faith", "her love of swimming"]}]} -{"article": "Our oldest daughter is having trouble letting go of an old red sofA.\nIt's not the sofa she's having trouble letting go of as much as the memories.It was their first sofA. It has been loaded and unloaded onto moving trucks seven times.Three kids have eaten on it,dripped on it,and jumped on it.\nYet she's having a hard time letting go and asked if I thought that was strange.\n\"Completely,\" I saiD. \"You get it from me.\"\nWhen we were ready to get rid of our baby things,I sold our crib at the neighborhood garage sale.I had pieces of it in the garage and the other pieces of it still in the house.A young woman said she wanted to buy it.\nMy throat tightened and the tears began to well.She pulled out cash and I cheered up.\nBut by the time I returned with the other pieces to the crib,I was all sobbing.\"Have you considered that maybe you're not ready to sell it?\" the woman askeD.\n\"No-o-o-o,\" I crieD. \"It's fine,really,\" I saiD. \"Take it.\"\nOur attachment to stuff grows in direct relationship to the amount of time it has sat in one place.The longer it sits,the harder it is to get rid of it.You think: \"Hey,we've hung onto it this long - it must be valuable!\" As though yellowing and a layer of dust increase value.\nPeople who find it extremely hard to part with things have been made into entertainment in a television show called Hoarders.If an episode of that isn't depressing enough for you,producers now offer Extreme Hoarders.Both of which are not to be outdone by Storage Wars,a show about aggressive people who bid on other people's storage units.\nLet the sofa go,I told my daughter.It served its purpose.You can get a new one.Give the kids some crackers and juice and it will be like the old one in six weeks.", "problems": [{"question": "When the writer was selling the crib, _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["she felt relieved that there was someone willing to buy it", "she showed a strong attachment to the old item", "she couldn't decide whether or not to sell it in the end", "she changed her mind in hopes of keeping it and increasing its value"]}, {"question": "The writer refers to the television shows to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["prove that it's depressing to get attached to old stuff", "explain what contributes to people's attachment to old stuff", "show that people in TV shows live the same lives as ordinary people do", "prove that it's actually common for people to find it hard to get rid of old stuff"]}, {"question": "Which opinion might the writer agree with according to the article?", "answer": "B", "options": ["If you give away old stuff regularly,you are wasteful.", "If the old stuff has done what it was supposed to,then let it go.", "Nothing is more valuable than your love for your old stuff.", "The older your stuff is,the less trouble you have getting rid of it."]}]} -{"article": "The best way to come first is to go last. An analysis of almost 50 years of competitions--including Eurovision Song Contests and world skating championships--has found that contestants are more likely to win if they are among the last to appear before the judges. \n The study by an American university appears to provide scientific proof that the best man, or woman, does not always win. \n It found that, on average, the last competitor to appear in the Eurovision Song Contest was more than twice as likely to win as the one who went on first. \n The first rounds of figure-skating championships, for which the running order is selected at random, showed more dramatic results. The final skater had a 14 percent chance of victory, making him or her more than four times as likely to win as the first skater. \n The study showed a gradual _ of chances for competitors who appeared earlier in the running order. A contestant who appears first in a contest is two percent less likely to win than one who appears second. A contestant who appears second is two percent less likely to win than one who appears third, and so on.\n The findings are published in the March issue of Acta Psychologica, a scientific journal.\n Robert Hardman, a senior lecturer in psychology at London Metropolitan University who specializes in the science of decision-making, said that the results were interesting. He suggested that the effect was caused by the limitations of the human memory. \n \"When people make comparisons, they aren't really able to make a lot of fine-grade discrimination. When contestants appear at the beginning of a contest, judges have little to compare them to and are perhaps wary of the scores they give,\" he said. \n \"Later on, when judges are able to compare the contestants to those that have gone before, they might give more extreme marks because they feel more confident about their judgments.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Robert Hardman's words mainly tell about his _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["own achievement in the research", "explanation for the findings", "suggestion to solve the problem", "comments on the findings"]}, {"question": "The first skater in the first round of figure skating championships had about a _ percent chance of winning.", "answer": "B", "options": ["two", "three", "four", "five"]}, {"question": "What may be a problem with the judges according to the article?", "answer": "A", "options": ["They can't remember things well enough.", "They believe the first is seldom the best.", "They don't really know what is good.", "They show favor towards the contestants they like."]}]} -{"article": "I've often wondered if I might do more good as a travel agent rather than as a psychologist. It seems that I have been more dramatically affected by certain kinds of travel experiences than I ever have.\nMy trip to Iceland is a fine example of that. The plan was to spend two days in a remote mountain hut in Iceland. I was working on a photographic book about winter in Iceland and needed to capture images of this amazing region of high mountain peaks, smoky volcanoes, and lakes with floating icebergs.\nThe moment after we arrived, the weather turned extreme making visibility impossible. It snowed so much and the wind blew so hard that we couldn't leave the tiny hut. To stay warm, we walked around in circles much of the day inside the tiny hut. We tried to call for help but the radio did not work. Day after day, we watched our supplies of food and fuel grow dangerously short. We got acute cabin fever and started going for walks and ski expeditions outside. Even when the weather finally broke, nobody came to get us even though it was three days beyond our scheduled pickup. By the time the rescue team came to pull us out, we had all given up hope.\nFrom then on, the world looks different to me, as does my life. It would have taken me years of psychotherapy to get to the same point.\nAlmost everyone has a story to tell, and interestingly, most of these experiences were not altogether pleasant at the time. In fact, it appears that the most constructive life-changing journeys were those that involved some sorts of awful and uncomfortable events that forced the person to develop new resources, increase confidence, and solve problems in new ways.", "problems": [{"question": "The writer went to Iceland to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["enjoy the natural beautiful floating icebergs", "take photos about the region for a book", "collect materials for psychological research", "challenge the high mountains there"]}, {"question": "During the trip in Iceland, those travelers faced difficulties EXCEPT that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["they got lost in the mountain", "they were short of food and fuel", "they couldn't see the surroundings clearly", "they failed to get in touch with the rescue team"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The writer is a travel agent who loves difficult challenges.", "In Iceland the weather is always extreme and it snows a lot.", "The travellers were so depressed that they needed psychotherapy.", "Awful journeys may become life-changing events that inspire people."]}]} -{"article": "Detective Keeling took his client--a goodlooking lady into the back yard of the store together. The lady opened a door in the wall and they entered the small room behind the store. They crossed the room to a locked door.\nMr. Keeling took some special keys from his pocket. Moments later, one of the keys unlocked the door. The lady went into the store. She said she would hide under the table to keep watch on her husband. Mr. Keeling did not follow her.\nThe detective went quickly to the policeman's house. Then the two men hurried to the jewellery store. They looked through the window. The policeman was surprised. He spoke to Mr. Keeling, \"I don't understand. You told me, 'Robbins took a young woman to a restaurant.' Where is she?\"\n\"There she is!\" said Mr. Keeling. He pointed through the window.\n\"Do you know the lady with Robbins?\" asked the policeman.\n\"That's his secret friend,\" said Mr. Keeling.\n\"No! You're wrong! That's Robbins' wife,\" said the policeman. \"I've known her for fifteen years.\"\n\"What?\" the detective shouted. His face became pale. \"Who is under the table in the store?\" He started to kick the door of the jewellery store. Mr. Robbins came to the door and opened it. The policeman and the detective ran into the store.\n\"Look under that table!\" shouted the detective. \"Be quick!\"\nThe policeman lifted the cloth and put his arm under the table. He pulled out a black dress, a black veil and a woman's wig .\n\"Is this young lady your wife?\" Mr. Keeling asked the jeweller. He pointed at the woman.\n\"Yes! She is my wife!\" said Mr. Robbins angrily. \"Why did you kick my door? Why are those clothes under my table?\"\n\"Please check all the jewellery in your store, Mr. Robbins,\" the policeman said. \"Is anything missing?\"\nSome diamond rings and some expensive necklaces were missing. The missing jewellery was worth $800. Later that night, Mr. Keeling was sitting in his office. He was looking through a big book of photographs. They were photographs of criminals. The policeman had brought the book to the detective's office. Suddenly, Mr. Keeling stopped turning the pages. He looked at a picture of a handsome young man with a familiar face.\nThe next morning, Mr. Keeling paid the jeweller $800, then closed his office.", "problems": [{"question": "At the beginning, the lady was able to go into the jewellery store because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["she went to the back yard and found the way", "she was the owner of the store and had the key", "two men helped her together to enter the store", "Mr. Keeling unlocked the back door to the store"]}, {"question": "The young lady who stayed with Mr. Robbins in the jewellery store was actually _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Mr. Robbins' sister", "Mr. Robbins' secret friend", "Mr. Robbins' wife", "a clever thief"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the passage that Mr. Keeling cooperated with his client _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["so that he could get some jewellery from the store", "because he thought he was helping the lady", "because he wanted to play a joke on Mr. Robbins", "so that he could get a job as a policeman"]}, {"question": "The missing jewellery worth$800 was in fact taken away by _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["a young woman", "a young man", "a detective", "a policeman"]}]} -{"article": "Dear Editor,\n I used to be a doctor in the children's department of a hospital. Sometimes I treated children who had been poisoned by medicine for older family members. The children didn't know the medicine was dangerous; they just knew it tasted sweet. Children easily open the bottle that we now use in China.\n Some days ago I talked about medicines with an American. He showed me a sort of plastic bottle. The design was quite simple and I'm sure our Chinese factories could produce these bottles. The top of the bottle licks but can be opened by pressing down on it while turning. This is difficult for most young children to do, though grown-ups can open these bottles very easily.\n I'm certain that the expense of making such tops would be very small. As a doctor, I'd love to see this done. And most parents would be grateful .\n Sincerely yours, \n Li Hua", "problems": [{"question": "The letter writer's job in the hospital was mainly to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["treat sick children", "treat poisoned children", "give medicine to people", "give medicine to children"]}, {"question": "From the letter one can conclude that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["some children like to take adults' medicine", "some adults medicines cause danger to children", "all children like to take sweet medicines", "all adults' medicines are dangerous to children"]}, {"question": "The doctor seems to be _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["happy about China' a hospital", "sorry for what has happened", "eager to disclose the affair", "anxious to solve the problem"]}, {"question": "The doctor thinks that we should _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["learn from the Americans", "buy this kind of bottle", "produce this kind of plastic bottle", "turn to Americans for advice"]}, {"question": "The letter was written to the editor in order to ask for _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["money from the newspaper", "the plastic bottles from the readers", "advice from the editor", "support from public opinion"]}]} -{"article": "I moved into a new house in July. Since then I have met a few of my neighbors who are very nice people. For Christmas, I thought I would do something nice for each of the neighbors I know. There were nine neighbors whom I knew by name or spoke with often when I was out in my yard. I knew which houses they lived in.\nI decided to add one more to my list. This lady I decided to add lives down the street from me. I meet her every morning walking to work as I drive down the street. She always smiles to me. But I had no idea who she was and which house she lived in.\nI planned to make small fruit baskets and leave them on my neighbor's front porches on Christmas Eve. I signed the cards: \"Happy Holidays from 5104 Northumberland Road.\"\nI saved the last for the friendly lady. I finally decided on a house where I met her each morning and guessed that it was hers.\nMy neighbors really appreciated the baskets and would tell me as they saw me in the yard or they would call, and a couple even came by to thank me.\nThis morning I found a small note in the mailbox. It was addressed simply: Resident, 5104 Northumberland Road.\nThe Thank You card really caught me by surprise. I opened it and read the message, \"Thank you for the lovely fruit basket you left on our porch. It was very thoughtful. Richard Kelly passed away last week. He talked a lot about how nice it was that someone remembered him in his time of illness. He really appreciated it.\"\nI had no idea who Richard Kelly was and that he had been seriously ill. I had left that nice lady's basket on his porch by mistake. I wanted to say sorry, but that would be wrong. I believe that Mr. Kelly was meant to have that basket because he was dying. I hate that the nice lady did not get to receive a fruit basket on Christmas, but I believe if she knew what had happened, she would be happy. I feel pleased to have helped Richard Kelly's last days be more cheerful.", "problems": [{"question": "How many Christmas gifts did the author intend to send?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Nine.", "Eight.", "Ten.", "Eleven."]}, {"question": "Where did the friendly lady live?", "answer": "D", "options": ["She lived at the end of Northumberland Road.", "Her address was 5104 Northumberland Road.", "She was thought to share a house with Mr. Kelly.", "The author was not sure about her address at all."]}, {"question": "How did the author's neighbors respond to his gifts?", "answer": "A", "options": ["They liked the gifts very much and were thankful.", "They were thankful that they wanted to be friends.", "They all made phone calls to say \"Thank You\".", "They all visited him by person to show gratitude."]}]} -{"article": "Get Your Degree at Home!\nHave you ever wondered what a Degree might be worth to you in your job or career? It means a lot--Americans with an Association Degree average nearly $10,000 more in yearly earnings than those with just a High School Diploma.\nHarcourt Learning Direct offers you a way to get a Specialized Associate Degree in 11 of today's growing fields--without having to go to college full time. With Harcourt, you study at home, in your spare time--so you don't have to give up your present job while you train for a better one. Choose from exciting majors like Business Management, Accounting, Dressmaking &Design, Bookkeeping, Photography, Computer Science, Engineering and more!\nYour training includes everything you need!\nBooks, lessons, learning aids--even professional-quality tools and equipment--everything you need to master your training and move ahead to a new career is included in the low tuition price you pay.\nYour education is nationally recognized!\nNearly 2,000 American companies--including General Electric, IBM, Mobil, General Motors, Ford, and many others--have used our training for their employees. If companies like these recognize the value of our training, you can be sure that employers in your area will, too!\nEarn your degree in as little as two years! Get a career diploma in just six months!\nThe career of your dreams is closer than you think. Even if you have no experience before, you can get valuable job skills in today's hottest fields! Step-by-step lessons make learning easy. Prepare for promotions, pay raise, even start a business of your own!\nSend today for FREE information about Harcourt at-home training!\nSimply fill in your name and address on the coupon above. Then, write in the name and number of the one program you're most interested in, and post it today. We'll rush you free information about how you can take advantage of the opportunities in the field you've chosen. Act today!\nMail coupon today! Or call the number below\n1-800-372-1589\nCall anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week\nwww. .harcourt-learning.com\ne-mail: harcourt@learning.com", "problems": [{"question": "What kind of people will probably answer this advertisement?", "answer": "C", "options": ["College students preparing to work in some big companies.", "college students preparing to study for a degree.", "High school graduates preparing to have at-home training.", "High school graduates preparing for college entrance examinations."]}, {"question": "People can get a Specialized Associate Degree by _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["doing full-time learning at school", "working in some big famous companies", "studying in their spare time", "studying abroad for two years"]}, {"question": "How can you contact Harcourt Learning Direct?", "answer": "A", "options": ["By sending an E-mail.", "By visiting the office on weekdays.", "By making a call on weekdays only.", "By sending a letter not later than today."]}]} -{"article": "A sign is another kind of language. Here are some of them that you see on the roads.\nNumber one is a sign with the number thirty on it. When drivers see this sign, they must not go at more than thirty kilometres an hour. We see this sign when we are getting near a town.\nNumber two is a sign that we're near a crossing. We must drive carefully.\nNumber three is a sign that there is a bend in the road. Again, we must drive slowly and carefully. It is not safe to go round a bend very fast.\nNumber four is a sign that there is another road coming in from the right. There is a junction at this place.\nNumber five is a sign that there is a hill and number six is a sign that the road gets narrow. Drivers must go slowly and carefully.\nNumber seven has the word \"SCHOOL\" on it. This is a sign that there is a school at the side of the street or the road. Perhaps there are children going to or leaving school. So drivers must look carefully and go slowly.\nNumber eight is a sign with the letter \"P\" on it. The letter \"P\"means \"Parking\". At some places, there are the signs \"No parking\" or \"No waiting\". If a driver leaves his car near one of these signs, a policeman may come and write down the number of his car.", "problems": [{"question": "At the places where you see Sign 1, _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["you are already out of a town", "you still have thirty kilometres to go", "there must be a town thirty kilometres away", "there must be many houses and buildings not far away"]}, {"question": "There stands Sign 2 near a place where _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["two roads cross", "people can cross the road", "the roads get narrow", "there are no traffic lights"]}, {"question": "You have to drive not only slowly but also carefully when you find _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["each of the eight signs", "either of Signs 2 and 3", "all of Signs 3, 5, 6 and 7", "any of Signs 3, 5, 6 and 7"]}, {"question": "People put these signs on the roads to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["show drivers the way", "stop cars going too fast", "make driving even safer", "learn another kind of language"]}]} -{"article": "Do you know that girls are seven times more likely than boys to be unhappy and twice more likely to commit suicide and that girls are three times more likely than boys to have a negative attitude?Twenty percent of the girls in the US between the ages of 12 and 17 drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes.\nSo what is mental health?Mental health is how we think,feel,and act in order to face life's problems.\nA young girl's mental health affects her daily life and future. Like physical health,mental health is important at every stage of life. Caring for and protecting a young girl's mental health is important to ensure that she grows up to become the best she can be.\nMany children experience mental health problems that are painful and can be serious. Mental health problems affect at least one in every five young people at any given time. Unluckily,about two thirds of all young people with mental health problems are not getting the help they need. Mental health problems can lead to school failure,alcohol or other drug abuse ,family violence,or even suicide.\nThere are many signs that may point to a possible mental health problem in a child or teenager. If you are worried about a child or have any questions,look for help at once. Talk to your doctor,a school teacher,or other mental health experts who are trained to know whether your child has a mental health problem. You can also call 18007892647 for a list of warning signs.", "problems": [{"question": "In the author's opinion, _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["mental health is more important than physical health", "mental health is important no matter how old you are", "people with mental health problems will never succeed", "it's easier for children to have mental health problems than adults"]}, {"question": "According to the passage,which of the following people would most probably call 18007892647?", "answer": "D", "options": ["People who are sure they have mental health problems.", "Children who have mental health problems and want help.", "Parents who want to know whether their children are doing well at school.", "Parents who want to know whether their children have mental health problems."]}, {"question": "The purpose of this passage is to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["tell parents what to do if they find that their children have mental health problems", "explain why so many children have mental health problems", "tell people how bad it is to have mental health problems", "ask parents to pay more attention to their children's mental health"]}]} -{"article": "When Joan gave birth to the first boy in her family in three generations, she and her husband were overjoyed. So were her parents. Joan expected her elder sister, Sally, to be just as delighted as them. Joan had always admired Sally--the beauty and the star of the family--and felt happy about her achievements.\nBut since the baby's arrival, the sisters have become distant. Joan feels hurt for Sally seems completely uninterested in her baby. Sally, who has no children, claims that her younger sister \"acts as if no one ever had a baby before.\"\nNeither Sally nor Joan understands that the real cause of the current coldness is that their family roles have suddenly changed to the opposite. Finally Joan seems to be better than her elder sister--and Sally doesn't like it! Their distance may be temporary, but it shows that childhood competition don't fade easily as ages grow. It can remain powerful in relationships throughout life.\nIn a study of the University of Cincinnati, 65 men and women between ages 25 and 93 were asked how they felt about their brothers and sisters. Nearly 75 percent admitted having hidden competitive feelings. In a few cases, these emotions were so strong as to have affected their entire lives.\nMany adult brothers and sisters are close, supportive--yet still tend to compete. Two brothers I know turn into killers when on opposite sides of a tennis net. Off the court, they are the best of friends. My own younger sister can't wait to tell me when I've put on weight. However, she's a terrible cook and that pleases me; I tease her when she comes to dinner. Happily, despite these small failings, we have been an important resource for each other.\nIn between the very competitive and the generally supportive children lie those who say that no friendship should survive. _ . Why do these puzzling, unproductive, often painful relationships continue to exist?", "problems": [{"question": "When Joan's son was born, Sally _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["felt very happy", "felt not delighted", "moved away", "admired her a lot"]}, {"question": "What happens to children's desire to compete with their brothers and sisters?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It sometimes will disappear when they grow up.", "It will never disappear throughout life.", "It will improve their relationships when they grow up.", "It will never harm their relationships when they grow up."]}, {"question": "Why does the author's sister often tell her when she's put on weight?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because she wants the author to go on a diet.", "Because she wants the author to stop calling her a bad cook.", "Because she wants to make fun of the author's weight.", "Because she wants to be honest with the author."]}]} -{"article": "A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.\nThis went on daily. The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishment. Of course, the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.\n\"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologise to you.\"\n\"Why?\" asked the bearer. \"What are you ashamed of?\"\n\"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back. And you do no get full value for your efforts\" the pot explained.\nThe water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, \"As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.\"\nAs they went up the hill, the cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it a little.\nThe bearer said, \"Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?\" That is because I have known about you, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walked back from the stream, you have watered them. For two years, I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Why did the cracked pot feel ashamed?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because it didn't hold water.", "Because the water bearer didn't like it.", "It couldn't water the flowers well.", "Because it could only accomplish half of its load."]}, {"question": "How would the cracked pot feel at the end of the story?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Delighted with itself.", "Disappointed with itself.", "Prouder than the other pot.", "Still ashamed of itself."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["There were flowers on both sides of the path.", "The cracked pot was more useful than the perfect one.", "We sometimes don't have to mind too much the way we are.", "The water bearer preferred the perfect pot to the cracked one."]}]} -{"article": "Language changes all the time. The words used by young people in the UK can be very different to those used by adults. These extremely informal words and expressions are known as \"slang\". Here are a few examples:\n*Instead of using different tag question like isn't it? Can't you or don't they? People use \"innit\".e.g. It's hot here, isn't it?=\"It's\" hot here, innit!\n*Instead of saying very, really or completely, they use \"well\". e.g. I'm well tired.\n* \"Whatever\" means \"I don't care\". e.g. A: But the teacher says we can't leave until we've finished. B:Whatever. I'm going.\nNobody uses slang and not everybody likes it. A school in Sheffield, in the north of England, recently instructed its pupils to stop using slang words. The head teacher says that if young people learn to speak 'correctly' this will help them get a good job.\nWhen British people use slang, it's no surprise that some students say they can't understand native speakers. But perhaps learners don't need to worry about communicating with native speakers so much. Research shows that most of the English spoken in the world today is spoken between non-native speakers of the language. In fact, when we think about \"International English\", there is no such thing as a native or non-native speaker.\nHow important is it to understand these slang words and expressions? If you watch films or TV, chat online in English, then understanding slang can be very useful. But you probably won't see much slang in your English exam though. With over seven billion people living on our planet today, it's easy to think one person's actions won't make a difference, however, from personal experience, I can say: each of us is capable of making a difference, however small, to someone's life.", "problems": [{"question": "Based on the slang mentioned above, what is the meaning of \"I think you got me well wrong.\"?", "answer": "B", "options": ["I think you really hurt my feelings", "I think you totally misunderstood me", "I think you found the completely wrong person", "I think you completely brought the wrong thing"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It is essential to learn all the British slang", "Native English speakers cannot understand each other well", "English is used more between non-native speakers currently", "Young people in Britain often use the same slang words as their parents"]}, {"question": "In the author's opinion, why shouldn't English learners be concerned about slangs?", "answer": "D", "options": ["British slangs can hardly come across to English learners", "English learners won't speak with the native speakers", "English learners can make a difference in the world", "There are more people who don't use native slang to communicate"]}, {"question": "The author may agree to the opinion that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["individuals can play a part in others' life", "slang learning is an important part of language learning", "one may express his doubt and disbelief by saying \"Whatever\"", "English learners may feel difficult to communicate without slang"]}]} -{"article": "Before the print was brought to England in 1476, everything was written by hand. The few people who knew how to write were trained in schools set up by the church. Those who made a living by writing for other people were called scribes . \nThe work of scribes was not easy. Much of it had to be done fast in order to meet the needs of the King. the church and traders. Most of the writing was in Latin ,but some of it was in the English of the day. And no one was quite sure how some English words should be spelled.\nOne problem was that several letters were written with short vertical strok that all looked like each other. Among them were the letters , i, u, v, m and n, Thus .five straight lines in a row might stand for uni nui uvi or mii.\nAs a result .reading was sometimes difficult, especially when the writing was done in a hurry.\nThe scribes solved the problem in part, by changing the letter u to o when it came before m. n or v. This is how sum and cum came to be written as some and come.\nAt some point, too, the scribes seemed to have decided that no English word should be ended by u or v. Thus, in time an e was added to such words as live, have, due and true. It was added, but not pronounced.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is true according to the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Everything has been written by hand in English since 1476.", "The church set up schools to train scribes before 1476.", "More than 500 years ago no people made a living by writing for other people.", "Scribes in England worked only for kings and traders."]}, {"question": "Sometimes people couldn't read easily _", "answer": "C", "options": ["because there were too many u's and v's in sonic English words.", "because most of the writing was in Latin.", "When tile writing was done hurriedly.", "when the writing was in English."]}, {"question": "The scribes changed u before m to o because _", "answer": "D", "options": ["the change helped them write faster", "om was the right order", "um and om had the same pronunciation", "the change made reading easier"]}, {"question": "It is believed that some scribes thought _", "answer": "B", "options": ["it important to add an e to every English word", "an English word should be ended neither by n nor by v", "it natural to change the spelling of sonic Latin words", "the letter e at the end of any word shouldn't be pronounced"]}]} -{"article": "You've heard of fast food, but what about slow food?\nSlow food is an international movement. It promotes home cooking, and the use of fresh, unprocessed produce. It was founded as reaction to the popularity of unhealthy fast food. It also encourages people to buy food from local businesses, rather than large supermarkets.\nThe movement began in 1986. at that time, McDonald's wanted to open a restaurant in the centre of Rome (Italy). Food writer Carlo Perini, along with others, was against this. So, the Slow Food Organization was born. Today, it has overt 100,00 members in 132 countries. And its symbol is one of the world's slowest moving creatures, the snail. The organization's website explains, \"The snail was chosen because it moves slowly, and calmly eats its way through life.\"\nBut Slow Food isn't just about the food we eat. It's also about how we eat it. Slow foodies say that in our fast - food world with very little time, we've forgotten that eating should be a social activity. They believe families should eat together and talk, rather than watch TV with their dinner while sitting in front of it. In fact, research has shown that if children grow up in a family that eats together at the table, they are more likely to do well in school, and less likely to have behavioral problems or devel op eating disorders.\nAnd there's more! Slow Food has sparked an entire Slow Food Movement. This encourages people to slow down the pace of their busy lives. And now, within the movement, there's Slow Money, Slow Travel, Slow Parenting, Slow Art and Slow Media, among many others. In 1999 The World Institute of Slowness was formed. One of the Institute's slogans is a quotation by the famous American actress Mae West. She said, \"Everything worth doing in life, is worth doing slowly.\" Do you agree? No need to answer straight away. Have a long hard think about it. Take your time. And get back to us when you can.", "problems": [{"question": "If you are a member of the Slow Food Organization, you may _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["react to fast food slowly", "buy food from large supermarkets", "like to cook at home", "like the animal of snails"]}, {"question": "Why did people start the Slow Food Movement?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because food writers are against fast food restaurant everywhere.", "Because they think eating should be an enjoyable family occasion.", "Because they want to slow down the development of society.", "Because they have plenty of time to enjoy their dinner."]}, {"question": "What can we infer from the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Children growing in slow food families usually behave well.", "Slow Food Movement has little effect on the whole society.", "Mae West thought that everything should be done slowly.", "Slow foodies don't like to watch TV and other entertainment."]}, {"question": "What is the author's purpose in writing this article?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To call on people to object to fast food.", "To call on people to join Slow Food Movement.", "To tell people what Slow Food Movement is about.", "To tell people to think about their life and their food."]}]} -{"article": "In 1993, New York State ordered stores to charge money on beverage containers. Within a year, consumers had returned millions of aluminum cans and glass and plastic bottles. Plenty of companies were eager to accept the aluminum and glass as raw material for new products, but because few could figure out what to do with the plastic, much of it wound end up buried in landfills . The problem was not limited to New York. Unfortunately, there were too few uses for second-hand plastic.\nToday, one out of five plastic soda bottles is recycled in the United States. The reason for the change is that now there are dozens of companies across the country buying discarded plastic soda bottles and turning them into fence post, paint brushes, etc.\nAs the New York experience shows, recycling involves more than simply separating valuable materials from the rest of the rubbish. A discard remains a discard until somebody figures out how to give it a second life -- and until economic arrangements exist to give that second life value. Without enough markets to take in materials collected for recycling, throwaways actually reduce prices for used materials.\nFewer landfill space and rising costs for burying and burning rubbish are forcing local governments to look more closely at recycling. In many areas, the East Coast especially, recycling is already the least expensive waste-management choice. For every ton of waste recycled, a city avoids paying for its disposal (,), which, in parts of New York, amounts to savings of more than $100 per ton. Recycling also stimulates the local economy by creating jobs and reduces the pollution control and energy costs of industries that make recycled products by giving them a better raw material.", "problems": [{"question": "What regulation was issued by New York State concerning beverage containers?", "answer": "C", "options": ["A fee should be charged on used containers for recycling.", "Throwaways should be collected by the state for recycling.", "Consumers had to pay for beverage containers and could get their money back on returning them.", "Beverage companies should be responsible for collecting and reusing discarded plastic soda bottles."]}, {"question": "The returned plastic bottles in New York used to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["be turned into raw materials", "be separated from other rubbish", "have a second-life value", "end up somewhere underground"]}, {"question": "The key problem in dealing with returned plastic beverage containers is _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["how to reduce their recycling costs", "to sell them at a profitable price", "how to turn them into useful things", "to lower the prices for used materials"]}, {"question": "Recycling has become the first choice for the disposal of rubbish because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["recycling causes little pollution", "other methods are more expensive", "recycling has great appeal for the jobless", "local governments find it easy to manage"]}, {"question": "It can be concluded from the passage that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["recycling is to be suggested both economically and environmentally", "local governments in the U. S. can expect big profits from recycling", "rubbish is a potential remedy for the shortage of raw materials", "landfills will still be widely used for waste disposal"]}]} -{"article": "Twenty-three senior high school graduates of 1999 from Wuhan, Hubei Province, have recently left for Germany on a work-study program according to Xi'an Evening Newspaper.\nThey will study hotel management in Bavarian Hotel Management School for a year and then take up two-year practice in Germany. Upon graduation, they will also get diplomas recognized internationally. During their two-year practice, they earn no less than 1 200 Deutsche Marks a month.\nThe program, organized by a company in Wuhan, aims at providing the city's high school graduates with new job chances.\nApplicants must first pass an exam given by the German side and pay 180 000 yuan covering the three year's study and living expenses in Germany. In spite of this, the program still attracted a lot of high school graduates and their parents. And applicants came in a continuous stream.\n\"The change for my child to go to college is small. What's more, it's not easy to find a job. We find the work-study program an equally good way out for him,\" a parent said, \"We don't worry much about the high costs because the total income from the two-year-long practice will be quite enough to clear them.\"", "problems": [{"question": "This text is mainly about _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["a hotel management school in Bavarian, Germany", "students from Wuhan studying in Germany", "students going abroad on work-study program", "new job chances offered in Germany"]}, {"question": "Which of the following words best describes the parents of these 23 students?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Wasteful.", "Wise.", "Sorry.", "Worried."]}, {"question": "We can infer that these applicants found it hard _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["to go to college at home", "to pay for the cost", "to pass the test given by the Germans", "to get a job when they return home"]}]} -{"article": "\"The 13th of June, 1325, Ileft Tangier, my birthplace, with the intention of making the pilgrimage to Mecca...to leave all my friends, to abandon my home as birds abandon their nests.\"So begins an old manuscript in a library in Paris-the travel diary of the Ibn Battuta.\nAlmost two centuries before Columbus, this young Moroccan set off forMecca, returning home three decades later as one of history's great travelers. Driven by curiosity, he journeyed to remote comers of the Islamic world, traveling through 44 modern countries, three times as far as Marco Polo. Little celebrated in the West,his name is well known among Arabs. In his hometown of Tangier, a square, a hotel, a cafe, a ferry boat, and even a hamburger are named after him.\nIbn Battuta stayed in Mecca as a student for several years, but the urge to travel soon took over. In one adventure, he traveled to India seeking profitable employment with the sultan--the Muslim ruler of Delhi. On the way, he described his group being attacked in the open country by 80 men on foot, and two horsemen:\"...I was hit by an arrow and my horse by another, but God in his grace preserved me...\"In Delhi, thesultan gave him the position of judge, based on his previous study at Mecca. But the sultan had an unpredictable character, and Ibn Battutalooked for an opportunity to leave. When the sultan offered to finance a trip to China, he agreed. Ibn Battuta set off in three ships, but misfortune struck while he was still on the shore. Asudden storm grounded and broke up two ships, scattering treasure and drowning many people and horses. As he watched, thethird ships, with all his belongings and slaves-one carrying his child-was carried out to sea and never heard from again.\nAfter a lifetime of amazing adventures, Ibn Battuta was finally ordered by the Sultan of Morocco to return home to share his wisdom with the world. Fortunately, he agreed and wrote a book that has been translated into numerous languages, allowing people everywhereto read about his unparalleled journeys.", "problems": [{"question": "What can we learn about Ibn Battuta from the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["He had great interest in the Islamic world.", "He returned to his homeland to write a book.", "His journeys were less important than Marco Polo's.", "His journeys were very common for people of that time."]}, {"question": "The Sultan of Delhi gave Ibn Battuta a position of judge because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["Ibn Battuta had studied in Mecca", "Ibn Battuta hadbeen a judge before", "Ibn Battuta had worked as a translator", "Ibn Battuta had traveled to many translator"]}, {"question": "Which is the best title for the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The Learned Ibn Battuta", "A Visitor to Mecca", "The Travels of Ibn Battuta", "Desire for Adventures"]}]} -{"article": "A regular drop in the sun's radiation can cause unusually cold winters in parts of North America and Europe, scientists say, a finding that could improve long-range forecasts and help countries prepare for snowstorms.\nScientists have known for a long time that the sun has an 11-year cycle during which radiation measured by sunspots on the surface reaches a peak then falls. But explaining a clear connection to weather is harder.\n\"Our research confirms the observed connection between solar change and regional winter climate,\" lead author Sarah Ineson of the UK Met Office told the reporters in an email. The study was published in the magazine Nature Geoscience on Monday.\nThe researchers found that the reducing of ultraviolet(UV,) radiation from the sun can affect high-altitude wind patterns in the Northern Hemisphere , causing cold winters.\n\"While UV levels won't tell us what the day-to-day weather will do, they show us the bright future of improved forecasts for winter conditions for months and even years ahead. These forecasts play an important role in long-term possibility planning,\" Ineson, a climate scientist, said.\nIneson and colleagues from Imperial College London and the University of Oxford used satellite data that more accurately measures UV radiation from the sun and found a much greater change than previously thought.\nThey found that in years of low activity, unusually cold air forms high in the atmosphere over the tropics. This causes a redistribution of heat in the atmosphere, making easterly winds that bring freezing weather and snowstorms to northern Europe and the United States and milder weather to Canada and the Mediterranean.\nWhen solar UV radiation is stronger, the opposite occurs.\nMore study was needed, though. A key uncertainty in the experiment lay in the satellite data used, because it covers only a few years. \"So questions remain concerning both accuracy and also applicability to other solar cycles,\" she said.", "problems": [{"question": "The new finding claims cold winters in the North Hemisphere can be caused by _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["a sharp rise in the amount of sunspots", "a drop in the sun's UV radiation", "a complex computer model simulation", "a clear link between the sun and the earth"]}, {"question": "It has long been known by scientists that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["UV radiation can affect high-altitude wind patterns", "there's a clear connection between the sun's activity and weather", "the sun's radiation reaches a peak every eleven years", "they can predict day-to-day weather conditions from UV levels"]}, {"question": "What will happen if the sun turns into years of high activity according to the finding?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Canada and the Mediterranean will have milder weather.", "The whole Northern Hemisphere will suffer from extreme winter days.", "Freezing cold weather will appear in northern Europe.", "Burning hot weather will appear in the United States."]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the passage that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["researchers have analyzed the data collected in eleven years", "long-term weather conditions can be accurately predicted depending on UV levels", "the research doesn't seem correct and true enough due to limited satellite data used", "climate scientists have just begun their research in severe weather forecast"]}]} -{"article": "The first time I heard the actual London Bridge was in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, I thought it was a joke. A stupid joke at that. I mean, what sort of _ would take a perfectly good, perfectly famous bridge and move it halfway around the world to some no-name town in northwest Arizona? Back in 1962 when all this started, Lake Havasu City was nothing. A couple of shops, a couple of homes, and no tourism at all.\nIt turns out Robert McCulloch is the moron in question, and he wasn't quite the moron I thought he was. His 2.45 million dollar investment in the 130-year-old bridge--which the British government was selling because it was about to fall into the Thames--ended up being the investment of a lifetime. You see McCulloch was a real businessman, among other things, and his money paid off big. He turned Lake Havasu into one of the most visited tourist attractions in Arizona.\nIt took nine long years to take down the bridge, ship it brick by brick to the middle of nowhere, and build it up again. When it finally did open up in 1971, it was a huge deal covered by the international press.\nThe bridge is now a popular tourist attraction, and there's even a mini \"English Village\" at the foot of the bridge with souvenirs and real British food so you can have a good old time.\nNowadays Lake Havasu is a busy town with a population of about 56,000 citizens and another2.5 million visitors each year. Most of that is during spring break when the town overflows with energetic boys and girls. Even MTV and the Girls Gone Wild people get in on the action. All thanks to that little bridge.\nI don't know about you, but I'm saving my pennies. When the French get sick of that Eiffel Tower, I'll be the first to put money on it. It'll look great in my backyard.", "problems": [{"question": "Why did the British government put the London Bridge up for sale?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It polluted the Thames.", "It was no longer popular.", "It was going to fall down.", "It could bring them the needed money."]}, {"question": "What was Lake Havasu City like before 1962?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It was a good place for investment.", "It was known for its English Village.", "It was a small town with no tourism.", "It had a population of 56,000 citizens."]}]} -{"article": "Are you preparing for a big test? If so, you may want to play some basketball in between hitting the books. Doctors are starting to find more and more information that suggests a connection between exercise and brain development. Judy Cameron, a scientist at Oregon Health and Oregon Health and Science University, studies brain development. According to her research, it seems that exercise can make blood vessels , including those in the brain, stronger and more fully developed. Dr. Cameron claims this allows people who exercise to concentrate better. As she says, \"While we already know that exercise is good for the heart, exercise can really cause physical changes in the brain.\"\nThe effects of exercise on brain development can even be seen in babies. Babies who do activities that require a lot of movement and physical activity show greater brain development than babies who are less physically active. With babies, even a little movement can show big results. Margaret Barnes, a pediatrician , believes in the importance of exercise. She thinks that many learning disabilities that children have in elementary school or high school can be traced back to a lack of movement as babies. \"Babies need movement that stimulates their five senses. They need to establish a connection between motion and memory. In this way, as they get older, children will begin to associate physical activity with higher learning,\" says Margaret.\nOlder people can beef up their brains as well. Scientists from 11 universities studied a group of seniors ranging in age from seventy to seventy-nine. Their study showed a short-term memory increase of up to 40 percent after exercising just three hours a week. The exercise does not have to be very difficult, but it does have to increase the heart rate. Also, just like the motion for infants , exercise for older people should involve some complexity. Learning some new skills or motions, such as with yoga or tai-chi, helps to open up memory paths in the brain that may not have been used for a long time.\nFor most people, any type of physical activity that increases the heart rate is helpful. The main goal is to increase the brain's flow of blood. And your brain can benefit from as little as three hours of exercise a week.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the best title of this passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["How to exercise", "How exercise helps the brain", "How to get good scores on a test", "How the brain can change"]}, {"question": "According to the reading, what is the connection between exercise and brain development?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Exercise makes us stupid.", "The brain needs special mental exercise.", "The more exercise, the bigger the brain.", "Physical exercise helps us think better."]}, {"question": "The mini amount of exercise required to gain any benefit is _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["three hours per week", "40 hours per week", "three hours per day", "40 hours per month"]}, {"question": "Why does the author think that yoga is fit for seniors?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It is easy to learn.", "It can be done in groups.", "It does not increase the heart rate.", "It includes learning new motions."]}]} -{"article": "The high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets many people turn to for weight loss might have potentially harmful long-term effects on the _ , a small study indicates.\n In the study, UK researchers found that a protein-heavy, low-carb diet created certain changes in the colon that could contribute to colon cancer risk. The study itself does not show whether high-protein diets really raise the risk of any colon diseases, but the findings raise that possibility.\n Diets ly high in protein and lower in carbs have been shown to help heavy people lose weight. \"People should not be discouraged from losing weight,\" Dr Flint said. However, he added, they should make sure that any weight loss plan includes adequate amounts of fiber and a high protein intake over months to years might have ill effects on the colon.\n The findings are based on 17 overweight men who followed three short-term diets: a one-week menu plan to keep their weight; a four-week high-protein diet with reasonable amounts of carbohydrates; and a four-week high-protein diet low in carbs.\n On average, the study found when the men were on the high-protein diets, they had higher levels of substances known as N-nitroso compounds and other metabolites that have been linked to cancer. And when they were on the high-protein, low-carb diet, they had lowered amounts of fiber-originated compounds thought to be protective against cancer.\n Exactly what those changes might mean for a person's health is not clear, but Flint said that the findings suggest that people should be cautious about consuming too much protein and too little fiber over a long period. In general, experts recommend that adults get about 28 grams of fiber per day--though it's not known whether that's enough for someone on a high-protein weight-loss diet.", "problems": [{"question": "It can be inferred from the text that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["we shouldn't take the study seriously", "weight problems are hard to solve", "it is better to follow a low-carb diet", "people should be cautious to lose weight"]}, {"question": "The author is intended to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["advise how to lose weight", "introduce a scientific finding", "describe a research process", "talk about healthy diets"]}]} -{"article": "On the first day of the sixth grade, I waited at the bus stop for the school bus. When it arrived, I got on and I noticed one little girl called Amy. She was different from everyone else on the bus.\n \"Don't talk to Amy,\" warned Lauren, who sat beside me. \"Or everybody will make fun of you.\"\n Amy had many physical differences and the other kids always made fun of her. Her eyes weren't straight. Her glasses were an inch thick. And she had really strange teeth. Every day kids shouted insults at Amy. They would say, \"God, what a strange face! Stop looking at me!\" \nFor a while I shouted insults at Amy too, just so I could fit in. After all, I didn't want the other kids treating me the same as they treated Amy. But it made me sad to insult her. I could see that the insults were making her feel ashamed and lonely. I began to pity her. Then I wanted to stand up for her. I didn't know how to stop my schoolmates insulting Amy until the night of our class skating party.\nOur whole class was there, including Amy. Amy didn't know how to skate, but I could see how much she wanted to have fun like the rest of us. So I skated over to her and took her by the hand. Holding her hand, I slowly pulled her, and together we began the journey around the skating rink. I didn't say a word to her, and she didn't speak to me. She just smiled, and every once in a while she would laugh in excitement.\nThe next morning, on the school bus the other kids talked a lot about Amy and me. But nobody insulted her or me. And they didn't do that for the rest of the year. When the school year ended, my family moved away, and I never heard of Amy again. But I've always hoped that I changed her life for the better.\nShe changed my life as well. After becoming her friend, I no longer tried to impress people by trying to act like them or dress like them. I became myself.", "problems": [{"question": "From the story we know _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["Amy was a tiresome girl", "the author's life changed a lot", "Amy was a black girl", "Amy was from a special family"]}, {"question": "Why did the writer change his attitude towards Amy?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because he felt pity for her.", "Because Amy helped him a lot.", "Because his school driver told him to.", "Because he was afraid that he wouldn't fit in."]}, {"question": "The story implies that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["whatever others do can change your life", "nobody can make a difference to others", "everyone can make a difference to himself", "once you dare to do, you can change a person's life"]}, {"question": "The lesson we can learn from the passage is \" _ \".", "answer": "B", "options": ["Follow what others do.", "Give thanks to others.", "Stand up for what you believe in.", "Tell people not to laugh at others."]}, {"question": "Why did Lauren warned me \"Don't talk to Amy\"?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because everybody will make fun of me", "Amy had many physical differences", "Amy will feel ashamed and lonely", "The other kids always made fun of her"]}]} -{"article": "Learning English well is a great challenge, but with the help from technology it can be as easy as a piece of cake.\nAs well as the classroom, teachers and textbooks, the Internet, TV and radio programs can play an active role in helping learn English. The Internet is full of rich and up-to-date information. English learners might wish to try http://www.in2english.com.cn. It provides cultural information about Britain.\nAnother useful website for middle school students and teachers is: Besides reading 21st Century School Edition online, students are also invited to put their views on different topics up on the website.\nCompared with the Internet, TV programs have their own advantages : one does not have to sit at a computer and one can hear and watch the programs much better.\nOne popular English-learning program is called \"Modern English\". This focuses on spoken English in practical situations such as taking photos and shopping.\nIf you watch Beijing Television Channel 8, you might see a program titled \"Study Abroad\". Cartoons are used to explain how to use the word in daily life. Listening to the radio may not be a new way to learn English but it is easy.\nChina Radio International airs a program called \"Studio Classroom\" at 6:30 a.m. every day. This 25-minute program is aimed at middle school students and covers subjects from current news to travel and history, all in simple language.", "problems": [{"question": "The author wants the readers to know that learning English _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["is very difficult for us", "is very easy for us", "is neither easy nor difficult", "can be much easier with the help of technology"]}, {"question": "One can practise spoken English in everyday situations in _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["Studio Classroom", "21st Century School Edition", "Study Abroad", "Modern English"]}, {"question": "According to the author, TV programs are better than programs on the Internet because they _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["can let you hear and watch the programs much better", "cost you nothing", "have more English passages", "have English courses whenever you need them"]}, {"question": "What's the main idea of this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It introduces some websites of learning English", "It introduces some TV and radio programs of learning English", "It gives suggestions on learning English in modern ways", "It explains different English courses"]}]} -{"article": "Little did I know that I was about to see something I would never forget at the Kentucky Association of School Administrators.\nThey introduced the young musician---Mr Patrick Henry Hughes. He was rolled onto the stage in his wheelchair and began to play the piano. His fingers danced across the keys as he made beautiful music.\nAbout ten minutes into Patrick's performance, someone came on the stage and said, \"I'd like to share a seven-minute video about Patrick Hughes.\" Then the lights were turned down.\nPatrick Henry Hughes was born with no eyes and a tightening of the joints , which left him disabled for life. However, he was fitted with artificial eyes and placed in a wheelchair. Before his first birthday, he discovered the piano. His mom said, \"I could hit any note on the piano, and within one or two tries, he'd get it.\" By his second birthday, he was playing records people asked for. His father was _ . \"We might not play baseball, but we can play music together.\"\nToday, Patrick is a junior. His father attends classes with him and he's made nearly all A's. He's also a part of a 214-member marching band . He's a blind, wheelchair-bound trumpet player; he and his father do it together. In order to attend Patrick's classes and every band practice, his father works the night shift at United Parcel Service. Patrick says, \"My dad's my hero.\"\nOn stage, between songs, Patrick talked to the audience about his life and about how blessed he was, \"God made me blind and unable to walk. BIG DEAL! He gave me musical gifts and the great opportunity to meet new people.\"\nWhen his performance was over, the crowd rose to their feet and cheered for over five minutes.", "problems": [{"question": "What do we know about Patrick's father?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He taught Patrick to play the piano.", "He does part-time jobs in the daytime.", "He accompanies Patrick in class and practice.", "He expects Patrick to become a famous musician."]}, {"question": "We know from the text that Patrick Henry Hughes _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["began to play the piano at age two", "is in charge of a marching band", "is now a high school student", "admires his father greatly."]}, {"question": "The story of Patrick Henry Hughes mainly teaches us to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["develop an interest in music", "be grateful for what we have", "be ready to help people in trouble", "work hard to achieve great success"]}]} -{"article": "Money has always complicated our social lives. A question in October from a woman wondering whether she should attend her neighbors' holiday parties broke my heart: \"I am not able to do the same in return, and I just feel like a freeloader to do so,\" she wrote. \"I'm not even in a position this year to take an appropriate thankyou gift with me.\" I told her to go, of course.\nMeanwhile, hosts worried about the costs of entertaining -- the hosts who write to me, anyway. On the other hand, the hosts that guests write to me about have taken some extreme measures to reduce the cost of their hospitality. These range from a dinner party where a relative of the host explained how expensive the steaks were and \"rather pointedly suggested\" that the letter writer \"make a financial contribution\" to the cost of dinner, to some Cape Cod homeowners who invited a couple to spend a weekend with them -- as long as they brought their own food, bottled water, and toilet paper.\nWeddings and other special events always create extra sources of stress, worsened by the fact that people rarely want to talk honestly about their money situations. One couple chose to have only a civil wedding ceremony for financial reasons and wondered how to tell people this without going into too much detail. A sixtysomething couple needed to cut back on Christmas gifts to their children but weren't sure how to tell them about it. People who had been laid off wondered how to notify friends, respond to inquiries about their job search, and compete with former colleagues for positions.\nIf you are searching for the answers to them, write to me--an advice columnist.", "problems": [{"question": "What would you be expected to do if you were invited to spend a weekend with some Cape Cod homeowners?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Ask someone for advice.", "Get your food and water ready.", "Bring a bottle of wine with you.", "Make a financial contribution to the cost."]}, {"question": "What makes the social life even worse?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Weddings and other social events.", "Being laid off and notifying friends.", "Cutting back the costs for lack of money.", "Telling others about their financial troubles."]}]} -{"article": "This charming table lamp is a wonderful way to add customized color and accented lighting to a room. Turn on this light and give your home the soft glow while adding a natural style to your home. The lamp comes with an on/off switch for easy lighting control.\nProduct Features\n* Perfect ambiance with soft glow; an all-in-combining the beauty of decorative lighting.\n* Made with eco-friendly dark stained natural bamboo pole; parchment canvas shade.\n* Designed for a 35 watt bulb (not included); on/off switch for easy lighting control.\n* Measurements: (5.25 inches Wx5.25 inches D x8 inches H )\n* Handcrafted by skilled artisan; light bulb not included.\nList price: $55.00\nOur price: $39.00l\nYou save: $15.05\nYou will love this coffee table with a traditional style. You can place this elegant table in your living room for an instant style update. This beautiful pie-shaped table features a lift top for convenience, in a warm dark walnut finish that will add depth to your room. An angular apron at the base, and silver metal feet complete the fine look. Create a warm and welcoming living room that is great for entertaining, with this excellent cocktail table.\nProduct Features\n* Dark brown pie-shaped coffee table\n* Wooden structure with dark brown walnut finish\n* Unique pie-shaped design\n* Features a lift top that raises the top surface\n* Accented with silver finish legs\nList Price: $1,698\nOur Price: $459.29\nYou Save: $1,238.71\nThe Home Office Desk by Coaster combines clean lines and functionality. Serving as a convenient computer space the wide glass-top desk includes a keyboard tray, two file drawers and two locking drawers to keep your work materials safe. Enjoy your work with this comfortable desk.\nList Price: $919.00\nOur Price: $399.00\nYou Save: $ 520.99", "problems": [{"question": "What is the purpose of writing the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["To make advertisements for the three items.", "To attract more and more tourists.", "To make more money from the goods.", "To make preparations for an auction."]}, {"question": "What's the advantage of the coffee table?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It is worth collection.", "It makes the room more convenient.", "Its top is purely made of silver metal.", "Its shape can be easily adjusted."]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that the Home Office Desk is _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["totally made of dark walnut wood", "meanwhile sold with a personal computer", "designed to protect individual privacy", "only allowed to be used at home"]}, {"question": "Which of the above goods has the least discount?", "answer": "A", "options": ["A charming table lamp.", "The Home Office Desk", "The lovely coffee table.", "None of them"]}]} -{"article": "Wugging, or web-use giving, describes the act of giving to charity at no cost to the user. By using Everyclick.com, which is being added to a number of university computers across the UK, students can raise money every time they search, but it won't cost them a penny.\nResearch shows that students are extremely passionate about supporting charity -- 88% of full time students have used the Internet to give to charity. This figure is high considering this age group is often the least likely to have their own income. 19% of 22 to 24 year olds have short-term debts of more than PS5,000. With rising personal debt levels in this age group, due to university tuition fees or personal loans and a lack of long-term savings, traditional methods of donating to charity are often not appealing or possible.\nBeth Truman, a 21 year old recent university graduate, has used everyclick.com to donate to her chosen charity, the RSPCA, for two years and has seen the \"wugging\" grow in popularity with students. \"When you're at university you become more socially aware, but it's sometimes hard to give to others when you have little money yourself,\" says Beth. \"Wugging is great for people in this age group as it allows them to use the technology on a daily basis to give to charity, without costing them a single penny.\"\nWugging is perfect for people who want to be more socially aware and supportive but don't feel they have the means to do so. Students using the web can raise money for causes they care about without costing them anything in terms of time or money, and charities get a valuable source of funding.\nEveryclick.com works like any other search engine, allowing users to search for information, news and images but users can decide which of the UK's 170,000 charities they would like to support through their clicks. Everyclick.com then makes monthly payments to every registered charity. Launched in June 2005, Everyclick.com is now the eighth largest search engine and one of the busiest charity websites in the UK.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, \"wugging\" is actually _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["a student movement", "a charity-related action", "a school organization", "a website"]}, {"question": "In the case of charity, everyclick.com _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["frees students of the financial worries", "receives much money from students", "offers valuable information to students", "praises students for their money-raising"]}, {"question": "What does Beth Truman think of the \"wugging\" movement?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It makes Everyclick.com popular in the UK.", "It becomes easy to do charity because of it.", "It results in students' more social awareness.", "It helps students to save money."]}, {"question": "From the passage, we can conclude that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["most full time students do charity on the Internet every day", "Everyclick.com helps students pay for the college education", "\"wugging\" is a win-win idea for both students and charities", "Everyclick.com is the most successful search engine in the UK"]}]} -{"article": "Knowing the best way to study will help you to be a better student.By using your time properly,you can do your homework more quickly.Learning to stuady is not difficult.\nThe first thing to remember is that you must be willing to learn.It doesn't mean that you must always like the subject.It does mean,however,that you must be willing to do whatever is necessary to learn.Try to understand why it is important and how it will help you now and later to do and learn other things.Knowing mathematics facts will be useful in your whole life.Knowing how to spell makes any kind of writing easier.Sometimes a subject that you think is going to be uninteresting will be exciting when you begin to work at it and understand it more clearly.Learning things can be fun if you are willing to work with them.\nHere's some advice for you:have a certain time each day and a quiet place with good lighting for study,so that you can concentrate on your study without interruptions(,);have everything ready before you sit down to study--a dictionary,paper,a pen and books;be sure you understand what you should learn before you start;read carefully and pay special attention to the most important things;when memorizing , first find out the main parts and then recite the whole thing;check your homework after you finish it:never forget the importance of review and", "problems": [{"question": "The main idea of the text is _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["to prove that learning is not difficult", "to make the readers be interested in study", "to tell the importance of self-teaching", "to tell the students how to study well"]}, {"question": "The first thing to remember in studying is that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["you must like the subject", "you must follow the teacher", "you must enioy learning", "you must study hard"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT the advice given in the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To put a pen,paper and books beside you before study.", "To study at any possible time and place.", "To review and preview.", "To pay attention to the most important things."]}]} -{"article": "If you want to attend the hottest events of 2014, don't waste your time looking through dozens of hotel options or vacation packages. Instead, look to cruise ships that can ferry you to and from the most expected holiday, sporting, and cultural events of the year.\nHere's a look at the some of the most popular:\nAustralian Open in Melbourne (January 13-26, 2014)\nTennis fans worldwide are eager for the tickets to matches at any one of the four annual Grand Slam events: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open. In January 2014, luxury cruise line Silversea will offer fans a three-night pre-cruise package to the 109th Australian Open in Melbourne. Silversea passengers will attend third round singles matches at Rod Laver Arena on January 17 and 18 before taking the 382-passenger Silver Shadow for a special 15-night Melbourne to Bali voyage.\nCarnival in Rio de Janeiro (February 28-March 4, 2014)\nRio de Janeiro's Carnival is one of the most popular celebrations of its kind in the world, drawing two million visitors each and every day of the festivities that include parades, street fairs, and costume balls. Holland America's Maasdam will spend three days in Rio during Carnival as part of its 26-day Amazon & Carnival Explorer journey.\n2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil (June 12-July 13, 2014)\nIf you're a soccer fan that came up empty in the search for a hotel room for the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Rio de Janeiro, there's still hope. Book MSC Cruises' 18-night Miami to Rio voyage aboard Divina. The ship departs Miami on May 24 and arrives in Rio just in time for the World Cup.\nNew Year's Eve in Hong Kong (December 31, 2014)\nHong Kong is a magical destination and New Year's Eve festivities and fireworks pull out all the stops to make a holiday trip to that city even more attractive. Crystal Cruises' all-inclusive luxury ship, Symphony, will spend two nights in Hong Kong-- and celebrate New Year's Eve Chinese-style--during its 15-night holiday voyage that leaves Bangkok on December 21. This roundtrip voyage also calls on Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in Vietnam.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, which of the following ships will take the longest time of voyage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Silver Shadow.", "Maasadam.", "Divina.", "Symphony."]}, {"question": "The events that will take place in Rio de Janeiro in 2014 are _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["Carnival and FIFA World Cup", "New Year's Eve fireworks and Carnival", "the Australian Open and Grand Slam events", "New Year's Eve fireworks and FIFA"]}, {"question": "Where does this passage probably come from?", "answer": "D", "options": ["In a sports magazine.", "In a textbook.", "In a science report.", "In a travel brochure."]}, {"question": "The main purpose of the passage is to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["give information about the hottest events of 2014", "introduce cruise ships to some big events of 2014", "describe the most popular tourist destinations in 2014", "persuade readers to take cruise ships for 2014 holiday"]}]} -{"article": "Fluency in another language is one of the most important aims of a newcomer to another country. In addition, understanding the culture and learning to communicate comfortably with people of that culture are as important as learning the rules of the language. Language learning and culture learning go together and may take a long time.\nSometimes people feel that they understand a culture after a few weeks or months. People do learn a lot when they first begin living in another culture, but this is only the first stage of learning. It usually involves things like learning everyday activities and some basic customs.\nTo really understand another culture, people have to go beyond the first stage, This is challenge because it is often difficult to know what to learn. Much of what we call \"culture\" is hard to see.\nCulture is like an iceberg. Picture in your mind a huge iceberg in the ocean. The only part of the iceberg that you see is the tip. You don't see the rest of the iceberg because it is hidden from sight in the water. It is easy to forget that it is there. Most of the iceberg is deep within the ocean, just as much of a culture is deep within its people.\nWhen you meet someone from another culture, certain culture differences are obvious: You hear another language or you hear your own language spoken with an accent. You see different foods, clothes and sometimes physical characteristics of people. You observe new customs or habits, such as the use of chopsticks, and, bowing or kissing on both cheeks as a greeting. These differences are interesting and important, but they are usually not too difficult to understand. They are visible so they are seen easily and quickly.\nThe part of culture that is like the underwater part of the iceberg _ assumptions , communication styles, values, and beliefs about what is right and wrong. The hidden part of culture affects much of a person's way of thinking and communicating. It is the meaning behind his or her verbal and nonverbal language. Learning to communicate well with people from another culture involves becoming aware of the hidden part of culture.", "problems": [{"question": "What's the subject of this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Learning about culture.", "Language learning.", "The hidden part of the iceberg.", "Fluency in another language."]}, {"question": "What is learning about culture?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Learning the hidden part of the iceberg, which is underwater.", "Learning everyday activities and some basic customs.", "Learning the culture of an iceberg.", "Learning the visible as well as the hidden differences of culture."]}, {"question": "What's the writer's opinion?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Communication styles can be easily seen and learned.", "Language learning is more important than culture learning.", "Learning about culture is not easy and may take a long time.", "People usually learn a culture after a few weeks or months."]}, {"question": "What conclusion can we draw after reading this passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Values and beliefs are like the tip of the iceberg.", "People often become aware of the hidden part of culture.", "The tip of the iceberg is larger than the hidden part.", "The hidden part of culture has a great effect on people's communication styles."]}]} -{"article": "There is a wonderful story about a young girl who had no family and no one to love her.\nOne day,feeling very sad and lonely,she was walking through a grassland when she noticed a small butterfly caught in a thorn bush. The young girl carefully released the butterfly. Instead of flying away,the little butterfly changed into a beautiful fairy. The young girl rubbed her eyes in disbelief.:\n\"For your wonderful kindness,\" the good fairy said to the girl,\"I will give you any wish you would like.\" The little girl thought for a moment and then replied,\"I want to be happy.\"\nThe fairy leaned toward her and whispered in her ear. Then the fairy disappeared.:\nAs the little girl grew up,there was no one in the land as happy as she. Everyone asked her secret of happiness .She would only smile and answer,\"The secret of my happiness is that I listened to a good fairy when I was a little girl.\":\nWhen she was very old and on her deathbed,the neighbors all gathered around her,and feared that her unbelievable secret of happiness would die with her. \"Tell us,please,\" they begged,\"Tell us what the good fairy said.\" The lovely old woman simply smiled and said,\"She told me that everyone,no matter how secure they seemed,no matter how old or young,how rich or poor,had need of me.\"", "problems": [{"question": "_ the girl felt sad and lonely.:", "answer": "B", "options": ["There were many friends but", "There was nobody to love her so:", "There was nothing to do", "Seeing the butterfly was caught:"]}, {"question": "Noticing the butterfly was caught by the thorn,the orphan girl _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["helped the butterfly escaped from the thorn", "felt sorrow,but she didn't go up to help it", "fell down on it too", "failed to help it release from the thorn"]}, {"question": "The butterfly _ after it was saved by the little girl.", "answer": "C", "options": ["flied away", "still died:", "changed into a fairy", "was more beautiful than before"]}, {"question": "The only thing that the little girl wanted was _ .:", "answer": "D", "options": ["to be rich", "to have her own parents", "to have a lot of friends", "happiness"]}, {"question": "The neighbors all gathered around the old happy woman when she was dying,because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["they loved this woman deeply and they didn't wanted her to die", "the woman had lots of money to be shared as soon as she died:", "they wanted to know the secret of her lifetime happiness:", "they wanted to pray for her after her death"]}]} -{"article": "Sir William Osler has a few words for you: \"In the Life of a young man, the most essential thing for happiness is the gift of friendship.\" Truer words were never spoken. For what more could you ask than comradeship during the peaks and valleys of life? To whom else but a close, valuable friend can you show off your successes and complain about your failures or losses?\nWhat is a \"good friend\"? How is he best described? Well, it has been my observation that although many will cry with you, few can sincerely rejoice with you. Therefore, in my opinion, a good friend is one who can enjoy your successes without envy; one who can say, \"That was wonderful! You can do it again, even better if you want!\" and mean it.\n. Even the closest of friendships often cannot resist such pressure and fail. No wonder many minor friendships go down day by day for the same reason.\nA person of good character and sound moral, of honor and humor, of courage and belief is a friend to be sought and treasured -- for there are few. Too often we hear, \"If you can count your good friends on more than one hand, consider yourself blessed.\"\nWhat makes a friendship last? Well, I don't know all the answers, but one of my observations is that most good friends usually have similar tastes. They generally like and dislike many of the same things. There also usually seems to exist a similarity of personality types -- especially in the fundamental values of life such as honesty, sincerity, loyalty, and dependability. More often than not, birds of a feather do fly together. I don't think it matters a lot whether one prefers jazz or hockey to another's Mozart or ballet. Much other matters far more: relying, sharing, giving, getting, enjoying; a sympathetic ear always there; criticism when it can help; praise -- even if only because it would help. With not many people on this earth will you find this much in common. When you find one, hang on to him, for a good friend found is a rare treasure.", "problems": [{"question": "The function of Paragraph 1 is to introduce _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["a famous saying", "the topic for discussion", "a famous person", "two different attitudes"]}, {"question": "What is the main idea of Paragraph three ?", "answer": "D", "options": ["One is lucky to have many friends.", "A friend should have a good character.", "We should count our friends on more than one hand.", "A true friend should be treasured because there are few."]}, {"question": "According to the passage, which of the following plays the LEAST important role in a long-lasting friendship?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Hobbies.", "Tastes.", "Personality.", "Sympathy."]}]} -{"article": "Kristy, 28, a cook in La Gross, often wondered what she'd do in a life-threatening situation. On August 29, she got her answer. While she was driving on a road, a big truck hit its head on a pickup car. The pickup car burst into flames. Kristy rushed out and ran to the pickup. Two farmers, Dean Berhard, 51, and his brother Donald, 44, were inside.\nWhen she got close, Kristy could see the unconscious driver. The other man was under the passenger seat. Kristy says, \"The smells were sickening. I was afraid the truck would blow up and kill us all.\"\nThe driver of the big truck was struggling to open the passenger door, so Kristy rushed to the driver's side. Finally they opened the door. She reached in, seized the driver and , to her horror, felt her hands sink into his chest. She quickly dragged the man to safety on the roadside, then hurried back. As Kristy stared down the ditch with the passenger, the pickup blew up. She jumped on top of him and they both rolled to safety.\nWhen the police arrived a while later, Kristy started crying, \"I want my mum.\" In fact she cried for the next three months.\nToday the two farmers, each the father of two children, are good friends with Kristy. To show their deep appreciation, they bought her a ring with nine diamonds --one for each member of their immediate families, and ninth for her.", "problems": [{"question": "When coming to save Donald and Dean Bernard, Kristy never thought that she _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["could have any help from others", "would fail to save both of them", "might be killed", "would be tested in a dangerous situation"]}, {"question": "Which of the following best shows Kristy's true heroism ?", "answer": "C", "options": ["She remained calm during and after the accident.", "She protected herself as well as the two brothers from harm.", "She put her life \"on the line\" to save others.", "She was regarded as a member of Dean's and Donald's families."]}, {"question": "Kristy cried because she _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["was badly wounded", "had never experienced such a situation", "was too excited at the result", "regretted not putting out the fire"]}]} -{"article": "BROOKSVILLE -- It's the time of year again, when young bears are on their own for the first time. And that means more sightings where bears usually aren't supposed to be.\nThis weekend, a 258-pound black bear took a brief tour of Brooksville, with police and firefighters chasing.\nAnother black bear, weighing just 100 pounds, was spotted Saturday, crossing busy U. S. 19 near a retirement community in Spring Hill. Several other bear reports have come from Citrus County.\n\" It is really difficult for the younger bears to find their own land around here, \" said Niki Everitt, bear hot line director for the Gulf Coast Conservancy.\nBrooksville's bear first was spotted late Thursday crossing State Road 50, headed toward Tom Varn Park. Police and firefighters tracked the bear through the park and the Brooksville Quarry golf course.\nThe bear then wounded down the middle of Broad Street before being surrounded near Luigi's Pizza. An official with the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission came with a tranquilizer spear .planning to stick the bear by hand. \"The guy saw the size of the bear and figured that wasn't a great idea, \"said Capt. Frank Phillips of the Brooksville Fire Department.\nEmergency officials waited until a tranquilizer gun was brought from Land O' Lakes. The bear then got a free ride to the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area.\nIt is not unusual for bears to move into living areas this time of year, experts say. Mothers give their male baby bears the boot once the youngsters are 2 years old. With living areas growing, the young bears keep finding smaller and smaller areas in which they can set up their own land.\n\"They' re trying to find a land of their own, where they won 't get beat up, \" said Lt. Rip Stalvey, a game commission spokesman.\nEveritt said people should not be too concerned about the recent bear sightings, since\" we have never had a bear attack in Florida.\"\nBlack bears mainly eat the tender and fresh leaves of Sabal palms, as well as acorns and berries. Recent weeks of dry weather likely have reduced their food supply.\n\"If we don't get some relief soon,\" Everitt said,\" we're probably going to see a lot more of it.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What's the main idea of this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Bear sightings in living areas worry people.", "Policemen try hard to get the bears controlled.", "People take up too much land from bears.", "ears come out to disturb people's lives."]}, {"question": "Bear sightings can usually be expected _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["in the cold season", "in the warm season", "near lakes or rivers", "near Luigi's Pizza"]}]} -{"article": "Fear and its companion pain are two of the most useful things that men and animals possess, if they are properly used. If fire did not hurt when it burnt, children would play with it until their hands were burnt away. Similarly, if pain existed but fear didn't, a child would burn himself or herself again and again, because fear would not warn himself or herself to keep away from the fire that had burnt himself or herself before. A really fearless soldier--and some do exist, is not a good soldier because he is soon killed; and a dead soldier is of no use to his army. Fear and pain are therefore two guards without which men and animals might soon die out.\nIn our first sentence we suggested that fear should be properly used. If, for example, you never go out of your house because of the danger of being knocked down and killed in the street by a car, you are letting fear rule you too much. Even in your house you are not absolutely safe: an aeroplane may crash on your house, or ants may eat away some of the beams in your roof so that the latter falls on you, or you may get cancer!\nThe important thing is not to let fear rule you, but instead to use fear as your servant and guide. Fear will warn you of dangers; then you have to decide what action to take.\nIn many cases, you can take quick and successful action to avoid the danger. For example, you see a car coming straight towards you. Fear warns you, you jump out of the way, and all is well.\nIn some cases, however, you decide that there is nothing that you can do to avoid the danger. For example, you can't prevent an aeroplane crashing onto your house. In this case, fear has given you its warning; you have examined it and decided on your course of action, so fear of this particular danger is no longer of any use to you, and you have to try to overcome it.", "problems": [{"question": "Children would play with fire until their hands were burnt away if _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["they were given no warning beforehand", "they had never burnt themselves", "they had no sense of pain", "they were fearful of the fire"]}, {"question": "A really fearless soldier _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["is of great use to the army", "is not a real soldier", "is nothing but a dead soldier", "easily gets killed in a battle"]}, {"question": "People sometimes succeed in timely avoiding the danger because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["they have gained experience", "they jump out of the way in time", "they are calm in the face of danger", "they are warned of the danger by fear and take quick action"]}, {"question": "What's the writer's suggestion when the danger can't be avoided?", "answer": "A", "options": ["You have to try to overcome it.", "Fear can really help you to run away.", "Fear always helps you stay safe.", "Fear is of great use to you."]}]} -{"article": "All parents know that one of their most important tasks is to prepare their children for an independent life, but any parent can tell you that it's hard to let go of your children. That balance between keeping your children safe and allowing them to learn from their own mistakes can be heartbreaking. Years of experience means that parents often do know best, but on the other hand, the young, being less bound by tradition, are often more creative, more able to find new solutions to old problems. _ \nGood teachers make the growth of critical thinking easier in their students, only to find that this can lead to a questioning of the teachers' basic beliefs. Schools encourage parents to become involved, but are often embarrassed when parents have reservations about some of the educational methods being used. Governments encourage unimportant groups to empower themselves in order to participate fully in the development process. And they are often surprised when the new leaders of these groups turn around and attack the policies of that same government. The rebellions young and the newly unimportant groups are important in social development. They are not necessarily representatives of those they want to represent or not realistic in their demands, but their voices must be heard.\nGood parents know that just forbidding particular behaviors does not prevent their children from finding ways to engage in these forbidden activities. Indeed, sometimes the forbidden fruit is more inviting, just because it is not accepted by authority. Parents must work with their children to educate them on the facts, know as much as possible about he lives of their children, provide a good example, encourage more wholesome activities but also support their children when they don't follow what is expected of them. But the most important point is that they also need to learn how to let go.", "problems": [{"question": "In order to educate children well, parents should _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["forbid particular behaviors in their daily life", "know them well and set a good example to them", "educate them with facts and expect much of them", "know as much as possible as their children"]}, {"question": "From the passage we can learn that the author prefers _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["free parenting", "traditional parenting", "critical parenting", "smart parenting"]}, {"question": "What is the best title of the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Letting Go - for Children's Independent Life", "Parents' Tasks - in Children's Development", "Way of Growth - for the Young Groups", "Teaching Methods - for Teachers and Schools"]}]} -{"article": "Sahnun Mohamud has never lived in Somalia,but the 21-year-old student has helped set up an organization that supports aid projects for the east-African country.Sahnun Mohamud is a co-founder and director of a group called Students for Somalia. He is following the humanitarian example of his mother.\n Mr.Mohamud attends William & Mary College in Williamsburg, Virgina.It is a long way from Somalia.However, that coastal nation is home to many of his s. His parents were born there.His mother,Filsan Darman helped start the non-profit agency Aadamiga Somalia,which provided for aid to Somalia in 1987.\n Filsan Darman said the agency provided food and clothing to Somali people,who had fled to the Somali capital Mogadishu to escape contradiction in the North.\n Sahnun Mohamud praised his mother's service,\"She's been helping Somalia since before I was born.\"\n Mr.Mohamud became involved in Humanitarian projects early in life.One of his goals for starting Students for Somalia was to get more non-Somalis to take part in helping Somalia. He noted that many Somali aid organizations have only Somali members.\n \"So my group and my whole motto has been'Let every ethnicity and race help Somalia'.I think it's a huge resource to have non-somali people helping Somalia.\"said Mohamud.\n This year,Students for Somalia and Aadamiga are cooperating on a project to fight poverty and increase education.Mr.Mohamud said the groups lend money to women who have lived a long time in refugee camps in Mogadishu.They use the money to start or support businesses like small food stores.The women must have a child in school in Somalia to receive the money.She also must pay back the loan,but Mr.Mohamud says the woman does not return the loan money to the lender.Instead,she gives it to her child's schoo1.That way,he says,the school can make improvements.", "problems": [{"question": "What do we know about Mohamud according to the text?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He lived in Somalia with his mother.", "He started Students for Somalia on his own.", "He was director of Students for Somalia.", "He helped start the agency Aadamiga Somalia."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is true of Aadamiga Somalia?", "answer": "A", "options": ["It has offered help to Somalia since 1987.", "It alls on every ethnicity and race to help Somalia.", "It appealed to the government to helpl Somalia.", "Its aim was to help the women in poor condition."]}, {"question": "For what purpose did Students for Somalia and Aadamiga cooperate?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To encourage young people to work.", "To get more money from the women.", "To get some benefit from Somalia.", "To fight poverty and increase education."]}, {"question": "Which condition is NOT true for women to get the money from the group?", "answer": "B", "options": ["She must have a child in school in Somalia.", "She must pay back the money to the lender.", "She can use the money to start a business.", "She must pay back the money to her child's schoo1."]}, {"question": "What may be the best title of the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Mother,son team up to fight Somalia poverty", "Mr.Mohamud helped found Humanitarian projects", "Students for Somalia centers its efforts on education", "Mother started the non-profit agency Aadamiga Somalia"]}]} -{"article": "A long time before I was born, my grandma and grandpa had a young family of four little girls. During the Great Depression , work was hard to find, so Grandpa did whatever jobs he could. On weekends he and Grandma dug a garden to grow some of their own food.\nEverybody worked to keep the garden growing. All summer long, the family ate food and enjoyed flowers from the garden. Grandma put up strawberry jam, tomatoes, beans, peppers, pears and peaches in canning jars. They were good to eat through the long winter.\nThe family grew up, and grandparents grew old. It became hard to keep up the garden, so they made it a little smaller. There was still plenty to eat from the garden and lovely flowers to enjoy.\nThen one summer when Grandpa was eighty-nine years old, all he could do was watch from his lawn chair as the vegetables grew and the roses bloomed. Summer slowly faded, and Grandpa died before it was time to bring in the harvest.\nIt was a lonely winter for Grandma. She sat near the window, looking out at the yard and wondering if she could plant a garden in the spring. When spring came, she planted only a little garden.\nOne sunny day in the early summer, Grandma heard a commotion in the front yard and looked out the window to see a frightening sight. A huge swarm of bees filled the air between two tall trees. The buzzing sound was very loud.\nThe bees made their way into a hole up in one of the trees. Before long, every one of those bees had disappeared into its new home. During the next few days, the bees were busy minding their own business. Grandma could always see a few bees buzzing in and out around the opening high in the tree. Before long, she decided the bees weren't bothering anyone, so she didn't give them another thought.\nThat summer, Grandma's little garden grew and grew. _ \nOne day, Grandma's brother Frank visited from Arizona. As Grandma made Frank a delicious lunch of squash cakes and homemade applesauce, she told him the story about the swarm of bees. Frank said, \"In Arizona, the farmers often hired beekeepers to set up beehives near their fields. The bees pollinated the crops and helped them to grow.\"\nThat was when Grandma realized that her bees had helped with her garden all summer. \"So that's why my little garden had such a big crop!\" she exclaimed.\nFrom that time on, Grandma always believed that since Grandpa couldn't be there to help her that summer, he had sent the bees to take his place and make Grandma's little garden grow and grow.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The garden was dug by Grandparents during the Great Depression.", "The garden provided enough food and flowers for the family.", "The garden was made smaller as Grandparents grew older.", "The garden once lay in waste after Grandpa passed away."]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the passage that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Grandma was too busy to hire someone to deal with the bees.", "Grandma felt very lonely and helpless when Grandpa passed away.", "Frank hired beekeepers to help Grandma keep the garden growing.", "Grandpa turned into bees to help Grandma keep up the garden."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is the best title for the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Grandpa's Bees", "Grandparents' Garden", "The Harvest of Summer", "The Secret of the Garden"]}]} -{"article": "Tiny tot's big adventure: Super Baby, a multimedia children's play co-produced by Beijing Children's Art Theater and Yeowoobi Animation Company of South Korea, is running at Beijing's Cultural Palace of Nationalities.\nAdapted from a popular South Korean cartoon book by Korean writer Cho Soo Min , the play tells the story of the boy named Siqing, who sets out in search of adventure with his friend Weiwei, a dinosaur, and a panda to rescue his kidnapped grandfather.\nIn director Hang Cheng's eyes, it is a story of hope, dreams and courage.\nHe says it is a Chinese interpretation of Alice's Adventure in Wonderland, and Cheng hopes it could inspire the young audience members to love one another, treasure friendship and pursue their dreams.\nTime: 7:30pm, until August 26\nPlace: 49 fuxingmen Neidajie Street, Xicheng District\nTel: 400 - 810 - 1887, 5905 - 9082\nLords of the rings: The Chinese Acrobatics Group, established in 1950, will put on a performance that includes traditional acrobatics, circus, magic, old Beijing folk plays and more.\nThe show blends music, dance, local opera and martial arts with acrobatics.\nTime: 7:30pm, daily\nPlace: Tiandi Theater, Dongsi Shitiao, 100 meters north of Poly Theater, Chaoyand District\nTel: 6416 - 9893\nFooling around: dashan is taking to the stage with the otherwise all-Chinese cast of Chaoji Bendan, or Super Idiot. The play is an adaptation of the famous French comedy, Le diner de Cons (The dinner Game).\nDashan, or Mark Rowswell, is a Canadian who became a household name and popular TV host who speaks superb Chinese. He plays the role of Pierre Brochant, a successful Parisian publisher, who attends a weekly \"idiots' dinner\". Each guest must bring along an \"idiot\" for the amusement of the other invitees. At the end of the dinner, the evening's \"champion idiot\" is selected.\nTime: 7:30pm, September 29~30\nPlace: Poly Theater, 14 Dongzhimen Nandajie, Dongcheng District\nTel: 6416 - 9990\nClassic comeback: Chinese drama classic The Top Restaurant (Tianxia diyilou) will be staged by Beijing People's Art theater. Written by He Jiping, the drama has been one of the most popular Chinese theatrical works performed by the renowned Beijing People's Art Theater. It has been staged more than 400 times since the premiere.\nTime: 7:30pm, September 5~14\nPlace: Capital Theater, 22 Wangfujing Dajie\nTel: 6524 - 9847\nOrder now , you can get a 20% discount. More information, please click here", "problems": [{"question": "If you want to enjoy magic on Sunday, you can go to_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["Red Theater", "Tiandi Theater", "Poly Theater", "Capital Theater"]}, {"question": "The advertisements are about\"_\".", "answer": "C", "options": ["exhibitions", "meetings", "stage performances", "western cultures"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Super Baby, a children's play, is performing at Beijing's Cultural Palace of Nationalities.", "The Chinese Acrobatics Group can perform old Beijing folk plays.", "Dashan is a popular TV host who speaks superb Chinese.", "The Top Restaurant will be performed by He Jinping"]}, {"question": "This passage is most probably taken from_.", "answer": "D", "options": ["a textbooks", "a magazine", "a newspaper", "a website"]}]} -{"article": "People from East Asia tend to have more difficulty than those from Europe in distinguishing facial expressions--and a new report published online in Current Biology explains why.\nRachael Jack, University of Glasgow researcher, said that rather than scanning evenly across a face as Westerners do, Easterners fix their attention on the eyes.\n\"We show that Easterners and Westerners look at different face features to read facial expressions,\" Jack said. \"Westerners look at the eyes and the mouth in equal measure, whereas Easterners favor the eyes and neglect the mouth.\"\nAccording to Jack and her colleagues, the discovery shows that human communication of emotion is more complex than previously believed. As a result, facial expressions that had been considered universally recognizable cannot be used to reliably convey emotion in cross-cultural situations.\nThe researchers studied cultural differences in the recognition of facial expressions by recording the eye movements of 13 Western Whites and 13 East Asian people while they observed pictures of expressive faces and put them into categories: happy, sad, surprised, fearful, disgusted, angry, or neutral. They compared how accurately participants read those facial expressions using their particular eye movement strategies.\nIt turned out that Easterners focused much greater attention on the eyes and made significantly more errors than Westerners did. \"The cultural difference in eye movements that _ show is probably a reflection of cultural difference in facial expressions,\" Jack said. \"Our data suggest that whereas Westerners use the whole face to convey emotion, Easterners use the eyes more and mouth less.\"\nIn short, the data show that facial expressions are not universal signals of human emotion. From here on, examining how cultural factors have diversified these basic social skills will help our understanding of human emotion. Otherwise, when it comes to communicating emotions across cultures, Easterners and Westerners will find themselves lost in translation.", "problems": [{"question": "The discovery shows that Westerners _", "answer": "A", "options": ["pay equal attention to the eyes and the mouth", "consider facial expressions universally reliable", "observe the eyes and the mouth in different ways", "have more difficulty in recognizing facial expressions"]}, {"question": "What were the people asked to do in the study?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To make a face at each other.", "To get their faces impressive.", "To classify some face pictures.", "To observe the researchers' faces."]}, {"question": "In comparison with Westerners, Easterners are likely to _", "answer": "C", "options": ["do translation more successfully", "study the mouth more frequently", "examine the eyes more attentively", "read facial expressions more correctly"]}, {"question": "What can be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The Eye as the Window to the Soul", "Cultural Differences in Reading Emotions", "Effective Methods to Develop Social Skills", "How to Increase Cross-cultural Understanding"]}]} -{"article": "Taking a shower is relaxing. You can hum a song, daydream or think about nothing, leaving the real world behind you. But did you know that showering can also benefit your mind?\nA research by Scott Barry Kaufman, a psychologist from Yale University in the US interviewed over 3,000 people around the world. It turned out that nearly two-thirds of the interviewees said they had experienced new ideas in the shower and were more likely to have them in the shower than at work.\nSo why does a simple shower have such magic power? Science can explain it.\nShowering can help to raise our level of dopamine, a hormone closely related to our creativity. \"People vary in terms of their level of creativity according to the activity of dopamine\", explained Alice Flaherty, a famous American neuroscientist. \"Taking a warm shower can make us feel relaxed and therefore make the dopamine level rise and bring 'Aha!' moment to us.\"\nBesides the chemical changes, showering may give you a break from what you feel you have been stuck with. Especially when you have thought hard all day about a problem, jumping into the shower can keep you from the outside world so that you can focus on your inner feelings and memories. In this way, according to American psychologist Shelley H. Carson, author ofYour Creative Brain, \"a showering hour may turn into an 'incubation period' for your ideas.\"\nCompared with sitting in front of a computer, taking a shower is something we do less frequently in our daily life. When showering, we get a fresh experience with the change of location, temperature and humidity. \"New and unexpected experiences can lead to positive changes in thinking,\" explained Kaufman. \"Getting off the couch and jumping in the shower may create a distance and force you to think from a new point of view.\"\nShowering allows us to enjoy the creative juices of our minds, but it needn't just be the bathroom where you get your inspiration. For instance, Gertrude Stein, a female American writer and poet, got new ideas by driving around a farm and stopping at different cows until she found the one that most inspired her. So try to create your own way to free your mind, whether it's a walk near the ocean, a country drive or reading a book at home.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the article, what changes can showering cause?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Bringing the terrible moment to us.", "Increasing the level of dopamine.", "Leading to boredom or tiredness.", "Setting the creative part of the brain free."]}, {"question": "If one has focused on something all day, showering can help _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["turn one's attention inwards", "draw one's attention to the outside world", "one make an important breakthrough", "many chemical changes to take place"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the article that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["changes in the frequency of an action can create a new perspective", "it is a good idea to talk with others about their sources of inspiration", "our lives might feel longer and fuller if we frequently try new things", "it is helpful to try something different rather than stay focused on a difficult task"]}]} -{"article": "Planning your holiday? Whether you're going to Yunnan or UK, it's important to make sure you're well-prepared. Here's a handy checklist to help you.\nLocation\nThe first thing you have to decide is where you want to go. Of course a lot will depend on your time and budget. Do you want to relax on a beach, visit some famous landmarks, or hike through some beautiful scenery? All these things are available in China, but if your budget stretches, why not look at somewhere else in Asia, or even farther.\nPacking\nThere can be such a thing as being over prepared when traveling, but you don't want to forget something important. It can be a good idea to wear pants with zipped pockets. In certain countries local thieves will target unsuspecting tourists for their money. It can also be worth packing some basic medical supplies. If you are going to be moving around a lot, buy a good backpack. Finally, remember to pack clothes that are going to be suitable for the weather.\nAccommodation\nThere are several things to consider when picking where you want to stay. Location is often the most important. When staying in hotels, it is often a good idea to book your first night in a new city. After all, you will not be familiar with the surroundings and will want somewhere to leave your luggage. However, don't spend more than a couple of days at the same hotel. When you get to a new place, you might soon discover there's somewhere better to stay.\nDon't forget\nThe key to a good holiday is detail. When you're traveling, especially in a foreign country, don't forget to change some money before you leave. If you're traveling somewhere tropical, you might need some injections or pills to avoid disease. And it's always worth taking out travel insurance, just in case you find yourself in a spot of bother during the trip. Don't forget to check the exchange rates. The strong yuan has made traveling abroad cheaper recently. It can also be a good idea to write down the phone number of the closest Chinese embassy, in case you need help while abroad.", "problems": [{"question": "You have to take all the following into consideration EXCEPT _ when deciding where to spend your holiday.", "answer": "A", "options": ["culture", "purpose", "money", "time"]}, {"question": "Pants with zipped pockets are recommended mainly because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["it's a good measure in case of emergencies", "you'll be expected to buy a lot of souvenirs", "you'll carry many small things with you", "it will help you guard against local theft"]}, {"question": "As for accommodation, the writer's tip is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["to stay away from the downtown areas to get cheap places", "to book one or two nights in the same hotel in case you don't like it", "to choose your location after you arrive at your destination", "better not to leave your luggage in unfamiliar hotels"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the last part that we should _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["choose the most suitable kind of travel insurance", "use RMB in all foreign countries since the yuan is strong", "check the exchange rates so as to decide what currency to buy", "get in touch with Chinese embassy if we need help when abroad"]}, {"question": "What's the purpose of the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To attract the tourists to travel abroad.", "To tell some travel information to tourists.", "To help the tourists make good preparations for their holidays.", "To remind tourists of the safety during their journey."]}]} -{"article": "If you live in a city where everyone rushes, realize that you don't have to be like everyone else.You can be different.\nI can't give you a step-by-step guide to moving slower, but here are some things to consider and perhaps adopt, if they work for your life.\n1.Do less\nCut back on your projects, on your task list, on how much you try to do each day.Focus not on quantity but on quality.Pick 2 or 3 important things-or even just one important thing- and work on those first.\n2.Have fewer meetings\nMeetings are usually a big waste of time and make you rush.Try to have blocks of time with no interruptions, so you don't have to rush from one meeting to another.\n3.Give yourself time to get ready and get there\nIf you're constantly rushing to appointments or other places you have to be, it's because you don't allot enough time in your schedule for preparing and for traveling.Pad your schedule to allow time for this stuff.If you think it only takes you 10 minutes to get ready for work or a date, perhaps give yourself 30 to 45 minutes so you don't have to shave in a rush or put on makeup in the car.\n4.Practice being comfortable with sitting doing nothing\nWhen people have to wait, they become impatient or uncomfortable.Try standing in a line and just watching and listening w people around you.It takes practice, but after a while, you'll do it with a smile.\n5.Realize that if it doesn't get done, that's Ok.\nThere's always tomorrow.And yes, I know that's a frustrating attitude for some of you who don't like laziness or living without firm deadlines, but it's also reality.The world likely won't end if you don't get that task done today.Your boss might get mad, but the company won't _ and the life will inevitably go on.\nTry these things out.Life is better when unrushed.\nRemember the quote: If nature can get everything done without rushing, so can you.", "problems": [{"question": "Which can be the best title of the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["How not to hurry in our life?", "How to give out our life?", "What to do with our life?", "How to change our life?"]}, {"question": "If you think you need 10 minutes to get ready for the date with your boyfriend, _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["you don't have to put on makeup", "you'd better squeeze about 35 minutes out for it", "you should arrange 10 minutes for it", "you should rush there"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, we can know _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["even if we do as we're told by the author, we can't change anything", "if we follow the author's advice, our life will be better", "we should try to do all the things better on our task list", "there's always tomorrow, so we can put off the thing that must be done today till tomorrow"]}]} -{"article": "Be Happy\nLioyd Morris\n\"The days that make us happy make us wise.\"--John Masefield.\n When I first read this line by England's Poet Laureate ,I was amazed.What did Masefield mean?Without thinking about it much,I had always assumed that the opposite was true.But his calm assurance was remarkable.I could not forget it.\nFinally ,I seemed to grasp his meaning and realized that here was a profound observation.The wisdom that happiness makes possible lies in clear understanding,not fogged by anxiety nor dimmed by despair and boredom,and without the blind spots caused by fear.\nActive happiness-not more satisfaction or contentment-often comes suddenly,like an April shower or the unfolding of a bud .Then you discover what kind of wisdom has accompanied it.The grass is greener;bird songs are sweeter;the shortcomings of your friends are more understandable and more forgivable.Happiness is like a pair of eyeglasses correcting your spiritual vision.\nThe insight of happiness are not limited to what is near around you.Unhappy ,with your thoughts turned in upon your emotional sadness,your vision is cut short as though by a wall.Happy ,the wall crumbles .\nThe long vista is there for the seeing.The ground at your feet,the world about you-people ,thoughts,emotions,pressures-are now fitted into the larger scene.Everything assumes a fairer proportion(, ).\nAnd here is the beginning of wisdom.", "problems": [{"question": "After reading the line by Masefield,the writer felt surprised.Why?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because he didn't expect such a poet would have written such a line", "Because he had never thought about that before", "Because he thought it was impossible to be both happy and wise", "Because he thought it rubbish for Masefield to write something like that"]}, {"question": "what makes being both happy and happy possible?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Significance", "comprehension", "Cooperation", "Responsibility"]}, {"question": "According to the writer ,when does active happiness happen?", "answer": "D", "options": ["happiness occurs when t rains in April spring", "active happiness happens when a bud unfolds", "it occurs when your understanding of everything is better", "it happens out of our expectation"]}, {"question": "What is the beginning of wisdom?", "answer": "A", "options": ["taking a long view of things", "looking at things from different angles", "considering advantages and disadvantages", "sweeping down irresistibly from a commanding height"]}]} -{"article": "Time spent in a bookshop can be most enjoyable, whether you are a book-lover or only there to buy a book as a present. You may even have entered the shop just to hide from a sudden rain. Whatever the reason, you can soon totally unaware of your surroundings. You soon become interested in some books or others, and usually it is only much later that you realize you have spent too much time there and have to rush off to keep some forgotten appointment.\nThis chance to escape the realities of everyday life is the main attraction of a bookshop. A music shop is very much like a bookshop. You can walk around such a place for as long as you like. If it is a good shop, no assistant will come up to you with the greeting \"Can I help you?\"You needn't buy anything you don't want. In a bookshop an assistant should remain in the background until you have finished reading. Then, and only then, are his services necessary.\nOnce a medical student had to read a textbook which was far too expensive for him to buy. He couldn't borrow it from the library and the only copy he could find was in a certain bookshop. Every afternoon, therefore, he would go along to the shop and read a little of the book at a time. One day, however, he was disappointed to find the book missing from his usual place. He was about to leave, when he noticed the owner of the shop beckoning to him. Expecting to be told off, he went towards him. To his surprise, the owner pointed to the book which was put away in a comer. \"I put it there so that nobody would try to buy it !\" He said, and left the delighted student continuing his reading.", "problems": [{"question": "The writer thinks that the assistant in a good bookshop should _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["always greet customers pleasantly and warmly", "help the readers to find what they want to read", "not say a word to the customers while they read", "not stand behind the bookshelf all the time"]}]} -{"article": "Ecotourism:A Different Way to Travel\nAre you attracted to unknown places?Do you prefer to vacation away from other tourists?Are you careful to take only memories and to leave only footprints? If you answered yes to more than one of these questions,you just might be an ecotourist.\nEcotourists are people who want to experience the unspoiled natural world--and leave it that way when they return home. This trend started in the 1990s,and ecotourism is now growing three times faster than the entire tourism industry . The Kapawi Ecolodge in Ecuador's remote Amazon Basin is contributing to that expansion,and it gives a snapshot of what ecotourism looks like.\nAt the Ecolodge,a small group of cabins sits in the middle of the Achuar people's reserve and is only accessible by air. From here,visitors can explore parts of the Amazon rainforest seen by few outsiders. As they do,local Achuar guides explain how the forest is like their supermarket,where they find food,clothing,medicine and tools. As a result,tourists learn to appreciate the local culture as well as the natural environment.\nThe owners of Kapawi pay monthly rent to the Achuar people,but they also train the community to run and manage the lodge. They have agreed on a plan to turn the operation over to the Achuar completely by 2011.The owners are working to make ecotourism benefit and empower the local people.\nYou probably won't start your own ecolodge,but you can be an ecotourist if you follow these guidelines:Protect the environment;Support local businesses;Respect the local customs and traditions.\nThe world is full of fascinating places to visit. As an ecotourist,you can enjoy them yourself and make sure that they remain beautiful for future generations as well.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the text,the ecotourists should be _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["those who like to experience the easilyremembered natural environment", "those who like to go to their travelling places by hiking", "those who prefer an undamaged natural world and remain what it used to be", "those who prefer unique natural environment of cultural relics"]}, {"question": "At the Kapawi ecolodge,visitors can't _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["explore the Amazon rainforest", "reach there by air", "live in the Achuar reserve", "see many travelers from outside"]}, {"question": "We can learn from the passage that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the Kapawi ecolodge will continue to run and manage the lodge after 2011", "the Kapawi ecolodge owners are the Achuar in favor of ecotourism", "the achuar people have benefited a lot by collecting money from ecotourists", "the owners of Kapawi encourage tourists to appreciate the Achuar culture"]}]} -{"article": "Dear Dean,\nIt is my understanding that this college has received a large donation to be used to improve the quality of life for students: expand the bookstore or add computers to the lab. I strongly argue in favor of the addition of more computers.\nWe have to think about a greater goal and a more practical way to enhance the quality of life for students. Do we want our college to be known as a place with a great bookstore where you can find CDs and gifts, or as a place where the students can research in their field using the best tools provided by technology?\nAs a learning institution, this college has the responsibility to offer its students the best technology to help them prepare for their future, since many students will be expected to be familiar with the latest software and other tools when they go on to work.\nWhile they are in college, students find they are expected to use computers. They are asked to create PowerPoint presentations and research many topics on the Internet. Being able to do projects using the computer also gives students the opportunity to find information that without a computer would be much more difficult to find. Since students are competing for good grades, those who have limited access to computers are at a great disadvantage.\nIf there are more new and faster computers accessible, students will be able to complete their work more efficiently. No more will they have to wait in line, paper and disk in hand, while scanning the room for an empty chair and computer. No longer will they have to sit and wait while an outdated computer struggles to follow their commands.\nThe more computers are used in society, the more colleges will depend on them as a tool of teaching and learning. Making computers more accessible to students _ their learning process by making it much easier and more engaging , and eventually improves their quality of life.", "problems": [{"question": "The purpose of the author in writing the passage is _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["to explain why students are in great need of computers", "to tell us what benefits students can gain from computers", "to persuade the Dean to purchase more advanced computers", "to describe the problems caused by lack of computers"]}]} -{"article": "Guinness World Records has long been recording some of the most amazing and astonishing travel and tourism facts. Here we are sharing some of the most unbelievable record-breaking accounts, all fully fact-checked and Guinness-approved.\nLargest Ice Structure--The Ice Hotel in Sweden\nEach year, the ice hotel in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, is rebuilt from blocks of frozen ice from the nearby River Torne. Covering an area of 5,500 square metres, the hotel is unsurprisingly open seasonally, from December to March, when it melts away. In 2015, the hotel celebrated its 25thanniversary, complete with an ice bar, an ice church and ice bedrooms--one even featured a London Tube carriage made entirely of ice.\nTallest Waterfall--Angel Falls, Venezuela\nThe largest waterfall by vertical area may be Victoria Falls, which sit on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, but it's South America that's home to the world's tallest.\nAngel Falls, located in Bolivar, Venezuela, has an impressive, uninterrupted drop of 807 metres.\nIt was actually named after the American pilot, Jimmie Angel, who first recorded it in his logbook on November 16, 1933.\nLargest Area of Glowing Sea--Indian Ocean, near Somalia\nBioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living thing and can be used to explain the surprising phenomenon of \"glowing oceans.\"\nIt was in 1995 that scientists detected glowing sea in the Indian Ocean--just off the coast of Somalia-via satellite, The water was more than 250 kilometres long, and it was all thanks to the bacteria called phytoplankton.\nMost Expensive Hotel Room--The Royal Penthouse Suite at Geneva's Hotel President Wilsom\nThis particular suite is just the ticket, costing as much as US$83,000(PS53,760)per night.\nBut the high price will gain you access to 12 bedrooms and 12 marble bathrooms across 18,000 square feet.", "problems": [{"question": "Where is the tallest waterfall situated?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Between Zimbabwe and Zambia.", "In South America.", "In northern Europe.", "In South Africa."]}, {"question": "What can we learn about the largest area of glowing sea?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It was first recorded in 1933.", "It was named after an American pilot.", "It was first detected by satellite.", "It is the only sea that is glowing."]}, {"question": "What can you experience if you go to the Royal Penthouse Suite at Geneva's Hotel President Wilson?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The most beautiful natural scenery.", "The most expensive and luxurious suite.", "The largest and most powerful waterfall.", "The largest rooms."]}, {"question": "Where might we find this text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["In a cultural book.", "In a travel magazine", "In a fashion magazine.", "In an instruction book"]}]} -{"article": "Beijing is pulling out all stops to make sure that leaders attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting on Nov7 to 8 get a taste and feel of China's rich culture. Here's what you need to know about Beijing's preparations for the summit: Huairou, has been given a major makeover in the past year since its Yanqi Lake was picked to host the APEC summit.\nThe once-quiet place in mountains, which is about 50 km from Beijing's city center, now has a surprising convention center built in traditional Chinese architectural style and a 21-storey scallop-shaped hotel.\nCostumes\nTraditional Chinese-style jackets, or tangzhuang, have been designed for the more than 20 leaders who attend the summit, in keeping with APEC tradition.\nDishes\nA menu including dishes from Beijing and other parts of China is waiting to be served. The menu even includes simple food that is popular with the locals, such as spring rolls, pork dumplings and tanghulu, said the People's Daily.\nSecurity\nSome 1000 surveillance cameras have been set in Beijing's Huairou district to keep safe, where the meetings will be held.\nPollution control\nTo ensure blue skies for the APEC meetings, Beijing made a traffic control system that allows cars to be used in turn, based on whether the licence plate numbers are odd or even.\nThe system took effect on Monday (Nov3,2014) and will last until the next Wednesday (Nov 12,2014). It aims to cut total traffic by 35 percent.", "problems": [{"question": "Where does Yangqi Lake locate?", "answer": "D", "options": ["In Miyun", "In Fangshan", "In Daxing", "In Huairou"]}, {"question": "Which of the following about Huairou is TRUE?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It is always a noisy city.", "It is not convenient.", "It is built in traditional Chinese architectural styles.", "It has a 20-storey scallop-shaped hotel."]}, {"question": "Which of the following can be the best title for the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Costumes", "Preparations for APEC in China", "Pollution control", "APEC is held in China"]}]} -{"article": "Some say every day miracles are predestined ---- All that's necessary is readiness, the right circumstance for the appointed meeting. And it can happen anywhere.\nIn 1999, 11-year-old Kevin Stephan was a bat boy for his younger brother's Little League team in Lancaster, New York. It was an early evening in late July. Kevin was standing on the grass away from the plate, where another youngster was warming up for the next game. Swinging his bat back and forth, and giving it all the power an elementary school kid could give, the boy brought the bat back hard and hit Kevin in the chest. His heart stopped.\nWhen Kevin fell to the ground, the mother of one of the players rushed out of the stands to his aid. Penny Brown hadn't planned to be there that day, but at the last minute,she had changed her shift at the hospital, and she was given the night off. Penny bent over the senseless boy, his face already starting to turn blue, and giving CPR, breathing into his mouth and giving chest compressions . And he came to life.\nAfter his recovery, he became a volunteer junior firefighter, learning some of the emergency first-aid techniques that had saved his life. He studied hard in school and was saving money for college by working as a dishwasher in a local restaurant in his spare time.\nKevin, now 17, was working in the kitchen when he heard people screaming, customers in confusion, employees rushing toward a table. He hurried into the main room and saw a woman there, her face turning blue, her hands at her throat. She was choking .\nQuickly Kevin stepped behind her, wrapped his arms around her and clasped his hands. Then, using skills he'd first learned in Scouts, the food that was trapped in the woman's throat was freed. The color began to return to her face.\n\"The food was stuck. I couldn't breathe,\" she said. She thought she was dying. \"I was very frightened.\"\nWho was the woman?\nPenny Brown.", "problems": [{"question": "Kevin Stephan fell to the ground and fainted probably because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["he stood close to the boy who was swinging his bat", "he suffered from heart attack all of a sudden", "he was too excited when watching the game", "he swung the bat too hard to keep his balance"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is True of Kevin Stephan?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He was hit on the face by a boy and almost lost his life.", "He was a volunteer junior firefighter, teaching the players first-aid skills.", "He worked part-time in a local restaurant to save money for college.", "He saved Penny Brown though he didn't really know how to deal with food choke"]}, {"question": "Why did Penny Brown change her shift and was given the night off that night?", "answer": "D", "options": ["She was there to give her son directions.", "She volunteered to give medical services.", "She was a little worried about her son's safety.", "She came to watch her son's game and cheered him ."]}]} -{"article": "No matter how long your life is, you will, at best, be able to read only a few books of all that have been written, and the few you do read should include the best. It is to be expected that the selections will change with the times. Yet there is a surprising uniformity in the lists which represent the best choices of any period.\nWhat are the signs by which we may recognize a great book? The four I will mention may not be all there are, but they are the ones I've found most useful in explaining my choices over the years.\nGreat books are probably the most widely read. They are not best sellers for a year or two. They are enduring best sellers. GONE WITH THE WIND has had relatively few readers compared to the plays of Shakespeare or DONQUIXOTE. It would be reasonable to estimate that Homer Iliad has been read by at least 25,000,000 people in the last 3000 years.\nGreat books are popular, not pedantic . They are not written by specialists about specialties for specialists. Whether they are philosophy or science, or history or poetry, they treat of human, not academic problems. They are written for men, not professors. To read a textbook for advanced students, you have to read an elementary textbook first. But the great books can be considered elementary in the sense that they treat the elements of any subject matter. They are not related to one another as a series of textbooks, graded in difficulty or in the technicality of the problems with which they deal.\nGreat books are always contemporary, the most readable and instructive.\nGreat books deal with the persistently unsolved problems of human life. There are genuine mysteries in the world that mark the limits of human knowing and thinking. Great minds acknowledge mysteries honestly. Wisdom is fortified , not destroyed, by understanding its limitations.", "problems": [{"question": "Which is NOT the standard in the following when evaluating a great book?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Although not a best seller for a year or two, it must be the most widely read.", "A great book can be read without any effort.", "Great books are never out of date.", "Great books will not disappoint you if you try to read them well."]}, {"question": "According to the author, GONE WITH THE WIND is _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["a best seller", "disgusted by readers who like Shakespeare", "read more often than Don Quixote", "a great book"]}, {"question": "After reading the passage, we can infer that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["different periods have different lists of best books because there are many books for people to choose from", "if you don't read an elementary textbook, you may have difficulty in understanding an advanced one", "Homer Iliad must be a best seller when it came out", "great books often deal with unsolved problems of human life for the writers have confidence in settling them"]}, {"question": "The best title for this passage is _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["Great Books in Your Life", "Great Books in Your Specialty", "How to Find a Great Book?", "What Is a Great Book?"]}]} -{"article": "Mary Masterman hasn't decided where she will attend college, but when she does, she'll have plenty of money to pay for it. The 17-year-old took home a $100,000 scholarship Tuesday as the top winner of the 2007 Intel Science Talent Search.\n\"It was a complete surprise,\" said the senior at Westmoore High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. \"I wasn't expecting it.\" Masterman earned first place at this year's competition by building a low-budget spectrograph -- an instrument that identifies the unique characteristics, or \"fingerprints,\" of different molecules. Spectrographs are used in a variety of fields, including astronomy, medicine, and law enforcement. They can sense the presence of explosives or drugs, and they can also help determine the age of a piece of artwork.\nNormally, the cost of a spectrograph can run as high as $100,000.Mary, however, built her device--which she crafted from lenses, a laser, aluminum tubing, and a camera--for just $300.\"I wanted to build one that was lower-costing so it would be more available to anyone interested in spectrography,\" she said. \nSticking to a budget was only half the battle. Getting the machine to work was another challenge. \"I had to keep coming up with creative ways to adjust or change something,\" Mary admitted. \"It took three months to build and another three months before it actually functioned properly.\"\nMary competed with more than 1,700 other high school seniors in this year's science challenge. Forty finalists were invited to Washington, D.C., where they presented their projects at the National Institute of Science. In all, 10 students took home awards for their innovative projects.", "problems": [{"question": "What's the best title of the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Oklahoma teen comes to a great invention", "Science competition for high school students", "The 2007 Intel Science Talent Search", "Oklahoma teen wins science scholarship"]}, {"question": "_ is the biggest difference between Mary's spectrograph and the normal one?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Use fields", "Function", "The cost", "The size"]}, {"question": "How long did it take Mary to put his spectrograph into use?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Three months.", "Half a year.", "About a year.", "Several years."]}]} -{"article": "\"Sometimes you just get a strict teacher. Instead of letting others know that this isn't your favorite class. Make an effort to show your teacher you are doing your best.\"\n--Jocelyn Howard, 16\n\"Learn to put your activities in order of importance. School comes first, and if you just study as soon as you get home, it's OK. You can also relax and play computers or do the other things you enjoy. But don't settle for just _ Try hard! And don't be afraid to get help from teachers.\"--April Madlangbanyan, 17\n\"If you have trouble getting along with a specific teacher, pray about it. Ask God to help you see that teacher through HIS EYES, not your own. And talk with that teacher. Good communication can strengthen any relationship-even with a hard-to-get-along-with teacher.\" --Lisa Shaw, 21\n\"Being a good student means being organized. Remember to bring all your supplies, everything-to each class every day. Make sure that you'll never skip class. And when you're in class,really pay attention! Don't let yourself daydream or write notes to friends. Completing your homework on time is also important.\" --Victoria Walsh, 16[%~&:*@]\n\"When you're having trouble getting along with a certain teacher, stay calm! You may not agree with him or her, but you've got to remember the teacher is the authority figure. So make sure that you're respectful and open-minded. Ask for a specific time the two of you can talk. Explain yourself and address problem, not the teacher.\"\n--Amanda Baken, 18\n\"Being a good student means studying often, not just cramming before a test. Identify your weak areas. For example, maybe you don't have good reading skills or it's hard for you to take notes. Once you identify what your weakness is, ask for help in these specific areas. Be willing to go in early or stay after school to get extra help. Go into the school year knowing that being a good student will require time and effort!\"\n--Tiffany Irving, 20\n,,. (2,10)", "problems": [{"question": "According to Lisa Shaw, _ if you have trouble getting along with a specific teacher.", "answer": "A", "options": ["you should try to understand him", "you should avoid seeing him again", "you should ask God for help", "you should look on him as God"]}, {"question": "\"Being a good student means being organized.\" Victoria Walsh means _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["sleeping all the time in your class", "not finishing your homework on time", "writing notes to your best friends in your class", "bringing all your study things to each class, not escaping from class, listening carefully in class"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Tiffany Irving advises studying hard before a test.", "Victoria Walsh advises completing your homework on time..", "Amanda Baken thinks that teachers should respect students.", "April Madlangbanyan thinks that a good student should be the first to come to school."]}, {"question": "According to passage, we can infer that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["some students praised their teachers", "some teachers said something about school", "some students talked about something at school", "some teachers talked about specific students\n[:@"]}]} -{"article": "Nowadays, studying abroad gains popularity in China. Many parents would rather send their children abroad to receive education than let them be educated in China.\nEvery coin has two sides and studying abroad is no exception . There are advantages for people to attend school abroad. In the first place, he can use the foreign language in his daily life so that his ability in the second language may be greatly improved, as it is obvious that there is no better opportunity to improve second language skills than living in the country where it is spoken. While studying in a foreign country, he will mostly meet many others from overseas and it is possible to make friends with people from all over the world. This is not only exciting on the social level, but could lead to important overseas contacts in his career as well. He can learn the latest knowledge in science and make use of the first-rate facilities available. In this way, there are many chances for him to widen his horizons and broaden his mind.\nOf course, attending school abroad may bring about a series of problems as well. The most serious problem is language barrier . Not all of the students who plan to go abroad are good at the language spoken there. As a result, on arriving there, they will find it difficult to understand what the teachers say. Besides, for lack of knowledge of the customs of the local people, they may constantly run into trouble in dealing with various situations. Furthermore, the tuition and the cost of living are much higher than those in our country, which may add more burdens to their family.\nTherefore, given an opportunity to attend a school abroad, one must consider both its advantages and its disadvantages carefully before making up his mind.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the passage mainly about?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Students life in the foreign countries.", "The advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad.", "Problems that will be met when we study abroad.", "The reasons why many parents sent their children abroad."]}, {"question": "All the following are the advantages of studying abroad EXCEPT _", "answer": "C", "options": ["the ability in the second language may be greatly improved", "you may make friends from all over the world", "you can learn to live an independent life", "you can get to know the latest knowledge in science."]}, {"question": "The writers attitude towards studying abroad is _", "answer": "C", "options": ["Positive", "Negative", "Neutral", "Not clear"]}]} -{"article": "In a mango orchard outside a village there lived a mischievous monkey. He kept on eating the ripe mangoes. The orchard keeper tried to trap the monkey. But every time, the monkey escaped from the trap.\nOne day, the monkey walked about and went into the nearby town. \"The town people are so busy. It is so crowded here,\" the monkey thought. Soon, the monkey was _ and running away with food. By evening, he had made life quite different for the town people. \"The town is more fun than the orchard. I will stay here,\" he thought. Days went by, and the monkey was considered by the town people as something very frightening. \"Here he comes again!\" they screamed when they saw the monkey.\nOne day, a juggler came to the town. The people of the town went to him. \"We want you to help us get rid of the monkey,\" they said to the juggler. The juggler said in return, \"Do not worry. Get me some jars with narrow necks.\" When the jars were brought to him, he put some peanuts into them and placed them out of a field. The monkey became curious when he saw the peanuts. \"Yummy! Let me quickly get the peanuts and run,\" he thought. He put his hand inside a jar and grabbed a big handful of peanuts. But he could not pull out of his clenched fist , as the neck of the jar was so narrow. If the monkey had dropped some of the peanuts back into the jar, he could have pulled his hand out. But he was greedy. So he didn't drop any of the peanuts. The town people trapped the monkey with his hand inside the jar. They got hold of a rope and tied him to a post. Then the monkey was sold to a zoo. That was the end of the greedy monkey.", "problems": [{"question": "Why did the town people regard the monkey as something frightening?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He was smart and always escaped from the people's traps.", "The orchard keeper told the town people to get rid of him.", "He did something that upset the people's lives.", "He disturbed the town people while they were sleeping."]}, {"question": "What did the juggler do to catch the monkey?", "answer": "D", "options": ["He put some mangoes in a field.", "He used a rope to tie the monkey.", "He called the zookeeper to catch the monkey.", "He put some peanuts into jars with narrow necks."]}]} -{"article": "When it comes to hard, noisy traveling, we've found that sometimes we'd rather read about it than actually go. Here are some bestsellers for _ \nThe Station by Robert Byron. In 1928, the 22-year-old man made a journey to Mount Athos, resulting in one of the best travel books ever written, matched only by Byron's own, much more famous The Road to Osciana.\nIn Darkest Africa by Henry Monton Stanley. It's about his great efforts to save an unlucky German doctor Eduard Schnitzer, who had no desire to be rescued at all.\nA Traveler's Alphabet: Partial Memoirs by Sir Steven Runciman. A to Z and around the world. He provides priceless information of long-gone princesses, priests, and places.\nSouth: A Memoir of the Endurance Voyage by Sir Ernest Shackleton. As the planet started the global war, Shackleton and his brave group of explorers made an unsuccessful but heroic journey to cross Antarctica from 1914 to 1917.\nThe Michelin Red Guide: France 2005 Reading through this final listing of all the nice hotels and wonderful restaurants in France is better than going there, listening to Chirac talk about the poisonous American culture, and spending the price of this book for a tiny cup of tea and a cookie the size of your thumb.\nThe Past Is a Foreign Country by David Lowenthal. This great book of an armchair exploration tells us what has happened in the past and shows the relationship between us and the past travelers.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the books has a very low price according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The Past Is a Foreign Country.", "South: A Memoir to the Endurance Voyage.", "The Michelin Red Guide: France 2005.", "A Traveler's Alphabet: Partial Memoirs."]}, {"question": "What can we learn from the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The Station is more famous than The Road to Osciana", "Henry Monton Stanley, was saved by a German doctor in Africa.", "It took Shackleton and his men 3 years to cross Antarctica.", "In his book, Lowenthal focuses more on history than the present."]}, {"question": "This passage is written _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["to warn readers against traveling", "to sell more books about travels", "as an introduction to famous travelers", "to tell people where to travel"]}]} -{"article": "For many years, I was sure that my suffering was because of my size. I believed that when the weight disappeared, it would take old wounds, hurts, and rejections with it.\nMany obese(overweight)people also mistakenly believe that changing our bodies will fix everything. Perhaps our worst mistake is believing that being thin means being loved, being special, and being cherished. We imagine what it will be like when we reach the long-awaited goal. We work very hard to realize this dream. Then, at last, we find ourselves there.\nBut we often gain back what we have lost. Even so, we continue to believe that next time it will be different. Next time, we will keep it off. Next time, being thin will finally realize its promise of happiness, and of course, love.\nIt took me a long while to know that there was something more for me to learn about beauty. Beauty standards are different with culture. In Somoa a woman is not considered attractive unless she weighs more than 200 pounds. More importantly, if it's happiness that we want, why not put our energy there rather than on the size of our body? Why not look inside? Many of us try hard to change our body, but with no result. We have to find a way to live comfortably inside our body and make friends with and cherish ourselves. When we change our attitudes toward ourselves, the whole world changes.", "problems": [{"question": "The passage tries to tell us the importance of _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["body size", "attitudes toward life", "culture difference", "different beauty standards"]}, {"question": "What can be inferred about the author?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The author is a Samoan.", "The author succeeded in losing weight.", "The author has been troubled by her/his weight.", "The author probably got wounded in wars or accidents."]}, {"question": "According to the author, what is the common view of those who have lost some weight first and gained it back later?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They feel angry about the regained weight.", "They don't care about the regained weight.", "They feel optimistic about future plans on weight control.", "They think they should give up their future plans on weight control."]}]} -{"article": "Erik Weihenmayer was born with an eye disorder. As a child his eyesight became worse and then, at the age of 13, he lost his sight completely. However, he did not lose his determination to lead a full and active life.\nErik became an adventurer. He took up parachuting, wrestling and scuba diving. He competed in long-distance biking, marathons and skiing. His favorite sport, thought, is mountaineering.\nAs a young man, Erik started to climb mountains. He reached the summit of Mount McKinley in 1995 and then climbed the dangerous 1000-metre rock wall of EI Capitan. Two years later, while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya with his girlfriend, they stopped for a time at 13,000 feet above sea level-in order to get married. In 1999, he climbed Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in South America. And then , on May 25, 2001, at the age of 33, Erik successfully completed the greatest mountaineering challenge of all. He climbed Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world.\nErik invented his own method for climbing mountains. He carries two long poles: one to lean on and the other to test the way ahead of him. The climber in front of him wears a bell to guide him. Erik is a good team member. He does his share of the job, such as setting up tents and building snow walls.\nAlthough he could not enjoy the view, Erik felt the excitement of being on the summit of Everest. He hopes that his success will change how people think about the blind. \"When people think about a blind person or blindness, now they will think about a person standing on top of the world.\"", "problems": [{"question": "When was Erik born?", "answer": "A", "options": ["In 1968.", "In 1995.", "In 1967.", "In 1969."]}, {"question": "What was unusual about his wedding?", "answer": "D", "options": ["He got married on the summit of Mount McKinley.", "He got married when climbing Mount Everest.", ".His wedding was held after he prepared a lot.", "His wedding was held at 13,000 feet above sea level."]}, {"question": "What is Erik's special method for climbing a mountain?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He takes his girlfriend with him.", "He does his share of the jobs.", "He uses two long poles to help himself.", "He keeps a good team around him."]}]} -{"article": "8 - year - old Mario spent one day selling lemonade in New Jersey.But he didn't do it for spending money.\"The people in the hospital need more medicine,\" Mario said.\nMario's lemonade stand raised money after a group called Alex' s Lemonade Stand, which is an or-ganization that raises money for research on cancers that affect kids.Their research might one day lead to a cure.The organization is named for Alexandra Scott, a girl who died of cancer eight years ago when she was eight years old.Alex' s Lemonade Stand actually began four years before she died.That's when she\nannounced that she wanted to sell lemonade to raise money for a cancer cure for all kids.\nThis year, thousands of kids across the country are selling lemonade to raise money for Alex's foundation.In Maryland, a group of kids at the Children' s Guild held a fund - raiser for Alex in April.\nAnd in Florida, Harrison began raise money for Alex's Lemonade Stand last year, when he was seven.This year, he raised more than $ 500 dollars.Harrison hoped it could help kids by scientists finding a cure.He also dreamed of finding a cure himself.\"When I grow up, I'm going to invent these little nano bots' that can swallow cancer.They can fight cancer for you with their little mini - lasers and stuff,\" Harrison said.\"To see how that one simple idea grew into this national foundation, it' s really special for me.It' s against my expectation,\" said Liz Scott, Alex' s mother.\nWhat made Mario's lemonade stand even more special and amazing is that he, too, has cancer--six brain tumors.But Mario is not giving up.And he is determined to help other kids like him--in memory of Alex.\" He lost a lot of friends who were in the hospital,\" said Mario' s mon, Anna.\"And he wants to be sure that he doesn't lose any more.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Why did Mario start to run his lemonade stand?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To show he was not afraid of brain tumors.", "To support the research on kids' cancers.", "To help found an organization for kids.", "To collect some spending money."]}, {"question": "Alex' s Lemonade Stand began _ .?", "answer": "B", "options": ["when Mario was eight years old", "when Alex was about four years old", "shortly after Alex died of cancer", "before cancers began to hit kids"]}, {"question": "What do we know about Harrison according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He raised more than $ 500 dollars last year.", "He began raising money when he was six years old.", "He was devoted to helping the kids with cancer.", "He invented a machine to fight against cancer."]}, {"question": "How did Alex' s mother feel about Alex s Lemonade Stand?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Disappointed.", "Fortunate.", "Upset.", "Amazed."]}, {"question": "What' s the passage mainly about?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Kids have a good time in selling lemonade.", "Kids can earn money by selling lemonade.", "Kids sell lemonade to raise money to fight cancer.", "Kids with cancer work hard to show they are special."]}]} -{"article": "Italian Lakes and Greek Islands (12 Days)\nPrices starting from $1,999\nYour tour begins in Milan, Italy, and moves on to the pretty Italian Lake District and the attractive resort of Stresa, your home for two nights. Collette Vacations has carefully chosen the Costa Victoria as your home away from home for your 7-night journey along the waterways of the Mediterranean. The cruise ship is filled with the warmth and culture of Italy and is richly designed with entertainment areas and very good living conditions. It will take you to the places of your dreams.\nYou'll spend 4 days touring Greek cities you've always heard about. In Katakolon, you will have the only unguided tour to nearby Olympia on the whole journey. Then with a local guide you will visit the Greek islands of Santorini, which is often related to the story of the lost city of Atlantis, and Mykonos, a wonderful island with beautiful beaches.\nYour journey ends in Verona, home of the love story Romeo and Juliet, with a fun-filled farewell dinner--a perfect ending to a pleasant journey.\n12 Days, 25Meals: 10 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 9 Dinners\nDay 1------Overnight flight to Italy\nDays 2--3------Regina Palace, Stresa, Italy\nDays 4--10------Costa Victoria (Costa cruises)\nDay 11------Hotel Leopardi, Verona, Italy\nDay12------Leave for home\nPlease Note:\nLeaving date Price for one person\nApril 7 $2,099\nJune 2 $2,199\nOctober 6 $2,099\nNovember 3 $1,999", "problems": [{"question": "Tourists will travel on their own in _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Stresa", "Olympia", "Mykonos", "Verona"]}, {"question": "How is the journey planned?", "answer": "A", "options": ["It starts and ends in Italy.", "It starts and ends in Greece.", "It starts in Italy and ends in Greece.", "It starts in Greece and ends in Italy."]}, {"question": "What we can learn about the travel plan?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The price is the highest in summer.", "The prices include three meals a day.", "The prices include entertainment service.", "The price may get lower than those in the plan."]}]} -{"article": "Dear editor,\n I am Paul , a senior English teacher in Linchuan No. 1 Middle School in Jiangxi Province , China. This letter is written to ask for your opinion.\n The other day, I met with a multiple - choice exercise. We teachers argued heatedly with each other over its answer. Unfortunately, neither side could convince the other. The sentence is to be attached at the end of the letter. There is no doubt that the reference answer C is correct. But I don't think it is the only answer. Personally, I do think A is also a reasonable choice in sense as well as in grammar, if the case is treated from another aspect. \n What puzzles me is why we should deal with so many multiple - choice exercises with not rigorous enough reference keys. But being a teacher, it's very important and necessary to make it clear to students which answer is correct, which is more appropriate, and which is the best one. Regrettably, Multiple - choice test, which is a bit old - fashioned in western countries, seems to be quite popular and covers a rather high percentage in all sorts of English tests in China, especially in NMET.\n Personally speaking, I don't think multiple - choice test form making up more than 75 percent of the total scores in college entrance examination is a very good and effective testing method. Instead, more subjective testing forms depending on one's own thinking and his ability to use the language like key words falling, question answering, paragraph or passage summarizing, English - Chinese or Chinese - English inter - translation, etc. should be applied to English proficiency tests. Through the test forms mentioned above, students' ability to use the language will be better developed. Consequently, more advanced and outstanding English learners could be picked out. In fact, a test paper focusing on multiple - choice test influences, in a sense, students to form their own language thinking, which hinders the development of their language ability as well. Do you think so?\n I am looking forward to your authoritative opinion. Thanks.\nYours sincerely,\nPaul Liao", "problems": [{"question": "What can be learnt from the letter is that the writer _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["writes to argue with the editor over China's present test system", "thinks the reference answer to the sentence is completely wrong", "thinks subjective test forms constitute a rather high percentage in NMET", "doesn't think highly of China's present English proficiency test forms"]}, {"question": "In order to better develop students' ability to use English, the writer suggests _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["dealing with more multiple - choice exercises", "laying stress on the practice of subjective exercises", "arguing hotly with teachers over reference answers", "considering a problem from different aspects"]}, {"question": "Which of the following does NOT belong to subjective exercises in English learning?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Keeping a diary.", "Summarizing a paragraph.", "Copying a test.", "Translating a passage."]}, {"question": "The writer seems to feel _ as to the future development of students' language ability.", "answer": "A", "options": ["concerned", "curious", "confused", "satisfied"]}]} -{"article": "It is evident that there is a close connection between the capacity to use language and the capacities covered by the verb \"to think\". Indeed, some writers have identified thinking with using words: Plato coined the saying, \"In thinking the soul is talking to itself\"; J. B. Watson reduced thinking to inhibited speech located in the minute movements or tensions of the physiological mechanisms involved in speaking; and although Ryle is careful to point out that there are many senses in which a person is said to think and in which words are not in evidence, he has also said that saying something in a specific frame of mind is thinking a thought.\nIs thinking reducible to, or dependent upon, language habits? It would seem that many thinking situations are hardly distinguishable from the skillful use of language, although there are some others in which language is not involved. Thought cannot be simply identified with using language. It may be the case, of course, that the non-linguistic skills involved in thought can only be acquired and developed if the learner is able to use and understand language. However, this question is one which we cannot hope to answer in this book. Obviously being able to use language makes for a considerable development in all one's capacities but how precisely this comes about we cannot say.\nAt the common-sense level it appears that there is often a distinction between thought and the words we employ to communicate with other people. We often have to struggle hard to find words to capture what our thinking has already grasped, and when we do find words we sometimes feel that they fail to do their job properly. Again when we report or describe our thinking to other people we do not merely report unspoken words and sentences. Such sentences do not always occur in thinking, and when they do they are merged with vague imagery and the hint of unconscious or subliminal activities going on just out of rage. Thinking, as it happens, is more like struggling, striving, or searching for something than it is like talking or reading.\nAgain the study of speech disorders due to brain injury disease suggests that patients can think without having adequate control over their language. Some patients, for example, fail to find the names of objects presented to them and are unable to describe simple events which they witness; they even find it difficult to interpret long written notices. But they succeed in playing games of chess or draughts. They can use the concepts needed for chess playing or draught playing but are unable to use many of the concepts in ordinary language. How they manage to do this we do not know. Presumably human beings have various capacities for thinking situations which are likewise independent of language.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the theory of \"thought\" devised by J. B. Watson, thinking is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["talking to the soul", "concealed speech", "speaking nonverbally", "a non-linguistic behavior"]}, {"question": "What does the author think about the relationship between language and thinking?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The ability to use language enhances one's capacity of thinking.", "Words and thinking match more often than not.", "Thinking never goes without language.", "Language and thinking are generally distinguishable."]}, {"question": "According to the author, when we intend to describe our thoughts, we _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["merely report internal speech", "have to search for proper words in the way we read", "are overwhelmed with vague imagery", "sometimes are not able to find appropriate words"]}, {"question": "Why are patients with speech disorders able to think without having adequate control of language?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They use different concepts.", "They do not think linguistically.", "It still remains an unsolved mystery.", "Thinking is independent of language."]}]} -{"article": "At one time, people used to travel to foreign countries because they thought they would be different from home--the building, the food, the national dress. Nowadays, however, one large city is very like another. They all have their Hilton or Sheraton Hotels which look Hilton or Sheraton Hotels everywhere. They all have their McDonald's, their KFCs, their Pizza Huts. Office buildings look the same everywhere, and most city centers are full of office buildings. And, of course, people are driving the same brands of Japanese or European cars, usually wearing the same kinds of clothing and the world's airlines are all flying the same aircraft, Boeings or Airbuses.\nWhat, therefore, is the purpose of foreign travel for people who are not on business? What do tourists hope to experience in a foreign country that they cannot experience at home? Why travel to foreign countries at all? The answer could be that people are very interested in the past. It is a nation's history that is its main attraction. Most of today's tourists travel overseas to find out what foreign countries and cultures used to be like, not what they are like today. The words \" _ \" are now part of the language of tourism, and it is the museums and works of art in many countries that are their main attractions.\nIf they are lucky--and have had sensible, strong governments--many countries also usually have at least a few beautiful places for tourists to visit.\nFinally there is perhaps a nation's greatest attraction: its people. A nation is not just its historical buildings, its works of art or beautiful places, it is also the people who live in it. This is why a country such as Thailand attracts millions of people every year. They come mainly because of the friendliness of the Thai people. It is why the Pacific Islands are also so popular. There may not be much to see or do in Fiji, but there are lots of friendly, smiling people to make visitors feel welcome.", "problems": [{"question": "The passage is mainly about _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the importance of tourism", "different foreign cultures", "how to plan an overseas trip", "why people travel to foreign countries"]}, {"question": "The writer thinks that large cities in foreign countries _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["are similar to one another", "share the same aircraft", "do not have good hotels", "do not offer a warm service to foreigners"]}, {"question": "The writer believes that many tourists are interested in foreign _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["hotels", "history", "cars", "programs"]}]} -{"article": "Selfies have become an increasingly common way to capture memorable moments. When it comes to taking selfies , knowing the following tips can directly affect the quality of your final product. .\nThe use of light is vital to improving image quality. Lights can help avoid shadows and create soft features on your face, so turn your face toward the main light. source. If you want to be creative, play with light angles by turning your body, but make sure the photo is properly exposed and your face is lit from the front or the side. Besides, avoid taking selfies against the main light source or with overhead lighting. Additionally, natural light possesses a warmth that makes you look like you're glowing.\nWhen taking selfies, angles also matter a lot. Hold the camera away from your face, and try to take photos both horizontally and vertically. If not, your face might look bigger than usual. Ideally, the universal selfie angle is 45 degrees above your head. But you should study your face at different angles because finding your best angle requires you having seen all of them.\nOne problem with selfies is that most have distracting backgrounds. You can always do more to show others your best side. Try to simplify the background by taking selfies outdoors or in spacious areas. Document yourself engaging in interesting activities-hiking with family members, visiting landmarks, or working out with friends. At least, you can make the photo appealing by getting rid of your outstretched arm or a background that's too busy.\nYou can also download some photo apps that allow you to adjust the lighting and contrast. Some apps offer useful filters, which can change your skin tone and eliminate pimples on your face.", "problems": [{"question": "To get an image of high quality, you need to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["be under the light source", "be against the main light", "face the main light source", "have the photo fully exposed"]}, {"question": "How can you find the angle that suits you most?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Study your face at different angles.", "Hold the camera far enough from you.", "Keep the camera lower than your face.", "Place the camera 45 degrees above your head."]}, {"question": "Which of the following should be avoided when taking selfies?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The use of natural light.", "A landmark as a background.", "Changes of the skin tone.", "A busy background."]}]} -{"article": "Tu Youyou together with William Campbell and Satoshi Omura won the 2015 Nobel Prize for their work against parasitic diseases. Irish-born Campbell and Japanese Omura won half of the prize for discovering a new drug, avermectin, that has helped the battle against river blindness and lymphatic filariasis, as well as showing effectiveness against other parasitic diseases. The Chinese scientist Tu Youyou, an 85-year-old female scientist, was awarded the other half of the prize for the discovery of artemisinin , a drug cure for malaria that has saved millions of lives all over the world, especially in the developing world.\nWhen the news broke that Tu won the Nobel Prize, there were cheers as well as doubts. It also has highlighted differences in prize-awarding practices between China and the West. Some said the achievement was the result of collective efforts by lots of Chinese scientists, so it was unfair to award the prize only to Tu. Indeed, Chinese science awards are mainly presented to projects, instead of individual scientists. But Western awards tend to honor individual scientists who are the first to come up with a new idea or method. Li Zhenzhen, a researcher of the China Academy of Sciences said that the West believes that the advancement of science comes from individuals' creative minds.\nIn 1969, Tu started to hold a government project aimed at eliminating malaria. Tu and her teammates experimented with 380 extracts in 2,000 candidate recipes before they finally succeeded in getting the pure substance qinghaosu, later known as artemisinin. In 2011, Tu was awarded the Lasker Debakey Clinical Medical Research Award, commonly referred to as \"America's Nobel Prize\". (278 words)", "problems": [{"question": "Why Tu Youyou could be awarded the Nobel Prize for ?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because she discovered the avermectin, a drug cure for malaria", "Because she contributed to the traditional Chinese medicine", "Because she discovered the artemisinin which shows effectiveness against other parasitic diseases", "Because she has saved millions of lives for the discovery of artemisinin."]}, {"question": "What is the difference in prize-awarding practices between China and the West?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Chinese science awards are mainly presented to individual scientists, instead of projects", "Chinese believes that the advancement of science comes from individuals' creative minds", "Western awards tend to honor individual scientists who are the first to come up with a new idea or method", "Western awards are presented to both individual scientists and projects"]}, {"question": "How old was Tu Youyou when she was awarded the \"America's Nobel Prize\".", "answer": "B", "options": ["85", "81", "46", "39"]}, {"question": "What is the best title of the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Why Tu Youyou could be awarded the 2015 Nobel prize", "Why Tu received the \"America's Nobel Prize\".", "Tu Youyou won the 2015 Nobel Prize for the discovery of artemisinin", "The difference in prize-awarding practices between China and the West"]}]} -{"article": "Should we allow modern buildings to- be built next to older buildings in a historic area of a city? In order to answer this question, we must first examine whether people really want to preserve the historic feel of an area. Not all historical buildings are attractive. However, there may be other reasons for example, economic reasons-why they should be preserved. So, let us assume that historical buildings are both attractive and important to the majority of people. What should we do then if a new building is needed?\nIn my view, new architectural styles can exist perfectly well alongside an older style. Indeed, there are many examples in my own home town of Tours where modern designs have been placed very successfully next to old buildings. As long as the building in question is pleasing and does not dominate its surroundings too much, it often improves the attractiveness of the area.\nIt is true that there are examples of new buildings which have spoilt the area they are in, but the same can be said of some old buildings too. Yet people still speak against new buildings in historic areas. I think this is simply because people are naturally conservative and do not like change.\nAlthough we have to respect people's feelings as fellow users of the buildings, I believe that it is the duty of the architect and planner to _ . If we always reproduced what was there before,we would all still be living in caves . Thus , I would argue against copying previous architectural styles and choose something fresh and different , even though that might be the more risky choice.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is true according to the author ?", "answer": "C", "options": ["We should reproduce the same old buildings.", "Buildings should not dominate their surroundings.", "Some old buildings have spoilt the area they are in.", "No one understands why people speak against new buildings."]}, {"question": "What is the main purpose of the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To explain why people dislike change.", "To warn that we could end up living in caves.", "To admit how new buildings have ruined their surroundings.", "To argue that modern buildings can be built in historic areas."]}]} -{"article": "Do you know of anyone who uses the truth to deceive ? When someone tells you something that is true, but leaves out important information that should be included, he can give you a false picture.\nFor example , some might say, \"I just won a hundred dollars on the lottery . It was great. Itook that dollar ticket back to the store and turned it in for one hundred dollars! \"\nThis guy is a winner , right? Maybe , maybe not. We then discover that he bought $200 worth oftickets, and only one was a winner. He's really a big loser!\nHe didn't say anything that was false, but he left out important information on purpose. That's called a half-truth. Half-truths are not technically lies, but they are just as dishonest.\nSome politicians often use this trick. Let's say that during Governor Smith's last term, her state lostone million jobs and gained three million jobs. Then she seeks another term. One of her opponents says, \" During Governor Smith's term, the state lost one million jobs !\" That's true. However, anhonest statement would have been , \"During Governor Smith's term, the state had a net gain of two million jobs. \"\nAdvertisers will sometimes use half-truths. It's against the law to make false statements, so they try to mislead you with the truth. An advertisement might say, \"Nine out of ten doctors advised their patients to take Yucky Pills to cure toothache.\" It fails to mention that they only asked ten doctors and nine of them work for the Yucky Company.\nThis kind of deception happens too often. It's a sad fact of life: Lies are lies, and sometimes the truthcan lie as well.", "problems": [{"question": "We may infer that the author believes people should _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["buy lottery tickets if possible", "make use of half-truths", "be careful about what they are told", "not trust the Yucky Company"]}, {"question": "How many examples does the writer give to show how the truth is used to deceive?", "answer": "C", "options": ["one", "Two", "Three", "Four"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is true according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Using half truths is against the law.", "Technically, half truths are in fact lies.", "Yucky Pills is a very good medicine for toothache.", "Governor Smith did a good job during her last term."]}]} -{"article": "If it really is what's on the inside that counts, then a lot of thin people might be in trouble.\nSome doctors now think that the internal fat surrounding important organs like the heart or liver could be as dangerous as the external fat which can be noticed more easily.\n\"Being thin doesn't surely mean you are not fat,\" said Dr Jimmy Bell at Imperial College. Since 1994, Bell and his team have scanned nearly 800 people with MRI machines to create \"fat maps\" showing where people store fat.\nAccording to the result, people who keep their weight through diet rather than exercise are likely to have major deposits of internal fat, even if they are slim.\nEven people with normal Body Mass Index scores can have surprising levels of fat deposits inside. Of the women, as many as 45 percent of those with normal BMI scores (20 to 25) actually had too high levels of internal fat. Among men, the percentage was nearly 60 percent.\nAccording to Bell, people who are fat on the inside are actually on the edge of being fat. They eat too many fatty and sugary foods, but they are not eating enough to be fat. Scientists believe we naturally store fat around the belly first, but at some point, the body may start storing it elsewhere.\nDoctors are unsure about the exact dangers of internal fat, but some think it has something to do with heart disease and diabetes. They want to prove that internal fat damages the body's communication systems.\nThe good news is that internal fat can be easily burned off through exercise or even by improving your diet. \"If you want to be healthy, there is no _ . Exercise has to be an important part of your lifestyle,\" Bell said.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the pass age, which of the following is WRONG?", "answer": "A", "options": ["People with heart disease all have internal fat.", "People can get rid of internal fat by improving diet.", "Men are more likely to have too much internal fat.", "Exercise can help to reduce the internal fat."]}, {"question": "Doctors have found _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the exact dangers of internal fat", "internal fat is the cause of heart disease and diabetes", "being slim doesn't mean you are not fat inside", "being slim is not dangerous at all"]}]} -{"article": "Compared to night owls , people who rise early feel happier and more satisfied with life overall.\nBut the good news for teenagers is that most people become earlier risers as they age, and this change is also associated with greater feelings of happiness. Researchers at the University of Toronto asked more than 700 people about their preferred time of day and how healthy and happy they generally feel.\nThey then compared the responses of the group of younger adults aged 17 to 38 with older people ages 59 to 79. Only about seven percent of young adults are morning larks , while by age 60 most people preferred to be up with the dawn. Just seven percent of the oldest people in the study described themselves as night owls.\n\"We found that older adults reported greater positive emotion than younger adults, and older adults were more likely to be morning - type people than younger adults,\" study researcher Renee Biss from the University of Toronto reportedly told LiveScience. The \"morningness\" was associated with greater happiness emotions in both age groups.\nMorning trypes also tended to report that they felt healthier than the late risers, according to the study that published in the journal Emition. The researchers said that this apparent health benefit could come from the extra sleep they would enjoy, as their sleeping schedule would fit with society's expectations of rising early for work.\nThis extra sleep could not only make them feel more clear -mined, but may also _ their immune system.\n\"An evening person may go throught their week feeling unhappy because they have to get up earlier than they would like to\". But Ms Biss said there was hope for night owls as it was possible for them to turn themselves into morning people.\n\"One way to do it is to increase your natural light exposure early in the morning, and to wake up earlier and go to bed earlier,\" she said. \"It's easiest if you have a consistent schedule, to make sure you are waking up at the same time every day.\"", "problems": [{"question": "From the text we know that earlier risers _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["like to stay up late and stay happy", "are more associated with positive feelings", "are among the majority among they your", "are healthier than other people"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is not the way to turn evening people to morning people?", "answer": "A", "options": ["To sleep with the light on in the morning.", "To fit their schedule with society's expectations.", "To wake up earlier and go to bed earlier.", "To expose themselves to more natural light."]}]} -{"article": "Women are now as likely to use the Internet as men--about two-thirds of both genders, yet a new study shows that gaps remain in what each sex does online.\nAmerican men who go online are more likely than women to check the weather, the news, sports, political and financial information, the Pew Internet and American Life Project reported Wednesday. They are also more likely to use the Internet to download music and software and to take a class.\nOnline women, meanwhile, are bigger users of e-mail, and they are also more likely to go online for religious information and support for health or personal problems.\n\"For men, it's just, 'give me the facts,'\" said Deborah Fallows, who wrote the report based on six years of Pew surveys, \"For women, its 'Let's talk about this. Are you worried about this problem?' It's keeping in touch and connecting with people in a richer way.\"\nAbout two- thirds of the 6,403 adults surveyed by Pew during 2005 said they use the Internet. By gender, it was 68%of the male respondents, and 66%of the female participants---a statistically insignificant difference given the study's margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2%points. In 2002, by contrast, the gap was slightly larger: 61%vs. 57%.\nThe surveys find that for many activities, such as getting travel information or looking up a phone number, men and women are equally likely to use the Internet.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, which of the following is not what American men who go online do?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Checking the weather and the news.", "Searching for religious information.", "Downloading some music.", "Taking a class."]}, {"question": "What is the probable meaning of the sentence \"gaps remain in what each sex does online\"?", "answer": "B", "options": ["There are some difference between men and women in the US.", "There is a slight difference between the numbers of men and women online in the US.", "Men and women in the US have difference tastes about what they do online.", "Men and women in the US have difference way of surfing the Internet."]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["A small part of women in the US go on line today.", "Women in the US going on line are only concerned with personal problems.", "Men are still more likely to use the Internet than women.", "The gap between both sexes going online in 2002 was slightly larger than that in 2005."]}, {"question": "What's the author's purpose of writing the article?", "answer": "A", "options": ["To tell us the different aims of men and women in the US who go online.", "To show why men and women are equally likely to use the Internet.", "To teach us how to surf the Internet.", "To offer us some information of both sexes' going online in the US."]}]} -{"article": "Since 1989, Dave Thomas , who died at age 69 ,was one of the most recognizable faces on TV . He appeared in more than 800 commercials for the hamburger chain named for his daughter ,\"As long as it works ,\" he said in 1991 , \"I'll continue to do those commercials .\"\n Even though he was successful, Thomas remained troubled by his childhood. \"He still won't let anyone see his feet ,which are out of shape because he never had proper-fitting shoes ,\" Wendy said in 1993. Born to a single mother , he was adopted as a baby by Rex and Auleva Thomas of Kalamazoo in Michigan . After Auleva died when he was 5, Thomas spent years on the road as Rex traveled around seeking construction work .\"He fed me ,\"Thomas said ,\"and if I got out of line , he'd beat me .\"\n Moving out on his own at 15 ,Thomas worked , first as a waiter ,in many restaurants .But he had something much better in mind .\"I thought if I owned a restaurant ,\"he said ,\"I could eat for free.\" A 1956 meeting with Harland Sanders led Thomas to a career as the manager of a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant that made him a millionaire in 1968.\n In 1969, after breaking with Sanders, Thomas started the first Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers , in Columbus ,Ohio ,which set itself apart by serving made-to -order burgers .With 6,000 restaurants worldwide ,the chair now makes $ 6 billion a year in sales .\nAlthough troubled by his own experience with adoption ,Thomas , married since 1954 to Lorraine ,66 ,and with four grown kids besides Wendy ,felt it could offer a future for other children . He started the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption in 1992.\nIn 1993, Thomas ,who had left school at 15, graduated from Coconut Greek High School in Florida . He even took Lorraine to the graduation dance party .The kids voted him Most Likely to Succeed .\n\"The Dave you saw on TV was the real Dave,\" says friends Pat Williams .\"He wasn't a great actor or a great speaker. _ \"", "problems": [{"question": "What is the article mainly about ?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The life of Dave Thomas .", "The dream of Dave Thomas.", "The schooling of Dave Thomas.", "The growth of Dave Thomas's business."]}, {"question": "What do we know about his childhood ?", "answer": "A", "options": ["He lived a poor life", "He had caring parents", "He stayed in one place", "He didn't go to school"]}, {"question": "What is the name of Dave Thomas's business ?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Thomas's", "Wendy's", "Lorraine's", "Rex's"]}]} -{"article": "Drunk driving has become a serious problem in China. According to the Ministry of Public Security , the police caught more than half a million drunk drivers in 2010. On the night of May 9.2011. musician Gao Xiaosong ran his car into three other cars in Beijing because he drank too much wine. He was punished under China's new drunk driving law that came into use on May 1.2011.\n The new law sees drunk driving as a crime . In the west, drunk driving is also a crime. In the US, for example, if the police catch a drunk driver, the driver will pay _ , lose his or her license and even go to prison . If the driver wants to drive again, he or she has to do public service, and take part in educational programs.\n You may think: drunk driving is crime? Isn't this law too unkind? But experts say: not at all. They think it is to protect people's tights to life and health. Drunk driving is very dangerous!", "problems": [{"question": "Mr. Gao ran his car into three other cars because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["he went home too late", "he drank too much wine", "the road was too crowded", "he was sleepy"]}, {"question": "When do experts think of the new law?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The law is to protect people's rights to life and health", "The law is not kind to drunk drivers", "Driving has become a serious problem", "Drunk driving is very dangerous"]}, {"question": "Which of the following sentence is TRUE?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Drunk driving isn't dangerous", "In the US, drunk drivers will lose their licenses", "The police caught less than half a million drunk drivers in 2010", "In China, drunk driving is not a crime"]}]} -{"article": "In the competition of Olympic weightlifting,the athletes try to lift the maximum weight they can. There are special conditions they have to meet in order to compete:body weight,height and strength.\nThe Olympic weightlifting mainly tests the limit of explosive strength .There are not many lifters who really like Olympic weightlifting and the explanation is very simple:they are short of explosive strength.\nThe weights used for Olympic weightlifting are added in kilograms. The order by which the athletes enter the competition is not general,but it is set depending on the event. Usually the athlete with the lowest weight begins. If he/she is not successful,he/she can try later. There is a maximum of three lifts allowed for every competition.\nFor many years Olympic weightlifting was only for men. However,now women also take part in Olympic weightlifting. It was at the beginning of the 21st century that women's competitions entered an organized professional environment. For women,Olympic weightlifting is more difficult because of their different body structure. However,strength training techniques are widely and successfully used by women,too.\nLots of the athletes who've ended up in Olympic weightlifting competitions have started with strength training only to improve their muscle condition and their body power. However,the demarcation line is not still very clear between power training and Olympic weightlifting. This is how so many lifters have got into Olympic weightlifting competition,even if their purpose was different at the beginning.", "problems": [{"question": "In the competition of Olympic weightlifting,athletes need to be all of the following EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the right age", "the right height", "the right weight", "the right strength"]}, {"question": "How many more times can a lifter try if he/she fails for the first time?", "answer": "B", "options": ["One.", "Two.", "Three.", "Four."]}, {"question": "According to the passage,many athletes began to practice weightlifting because they wanted to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["take part in the Olympics", "get a reward in the competition", "strengthen their body power", "test the limit of explosive strength"]}]} -{"article": "New Zealand fishermen caught what may prove to be a world-record-breaking colossal squid .\nIn the cold, dark waters of the Antarctic hides a creature with eight arms, two super long tentacles and eyes as big as dinner plates. Sound like something out of a science fiction movie? Think again.\nOn February 21, New Zealand fishermen landed a colossal squid the length of a school bus. They had been fishing with long lines for Chilean sea bass in the waters off the coast of New Zealand when they caught the rare squid. With two hours of hard work, the crew skillfully pulled the creature into a net and dragged it aboard their ship.\nScientists estimate that the animal weighs about a half ton and is about 40 feet long. That would make this colossal squid the biggest on record.\nFirst identified in 1925 after two tentacles were found in a whale's stomach, the colossal squid has long been a mystery. The animals are not easy to observe because they can go down to ocean depths of 6,500 feet. What scientists do know from studying the bodies of a half dozen colossal squids is that they are fierce hunters.\nThe recently captured colossal squid has been frozen to keep it for scientific study. It will be transported to New Zealand's national museum, Te Papa, in the capital city of Wellington. Experts believe it to be the first adult male ever caught undamaged. Scientists hope to learn more about the colossal squid's diet, behavior and reproductive patterns.\n\"Scientists will be very interested in this amazing creature,\" said New Zealand Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton. \"It adds immeasurably to our understanding of the marine environment.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Why is it usually difficult for experts to observe the squid?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because it moves too fast.", "Because it is too large.", "Because it is very dangerous.", "Because it can go down to deep ocean."]}, {"question": "What can be inferred from the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The squid is from a science fiction story.", "The fishermen often meet colossal squids.", "Scientists know much about the colossal squid.", "The fishermen had some difficulty catching the large squid."]}, {"question": "What's the purpose of catching such a huge squid?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To make it into food.", "To set a world record.", "To do research on it.", "To display it for visitors."]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The biggest squid ever found", "Scientific research on squid", "The lifestyle of the colossal squid", "How the fishermen caught the squid"]}]} -{"article": "3D cinema has been around since the early 20th century, but Hollywood brought the technology back In 2007. Many thought it was just a trick to make more money. But then came Avatar, the first must-see movie in 3D.\nBut since Avatar, 3D cinema has struggled. In 2010, several 3D movies bombed at the box office. And by late 2010, Some people said the technology was dead. Of course, this isn't the first time Hollywood has struggled with new technology. Although sound was added to movies in the late 1920s, it took audiences time to get used to the new technology. But in the end, sound and color became the standard. James Cameron, director of Avatar, thinks we're going through the same process with 3D.\nSome say cinemas are charging too much for 3D movies. In the US, seeing a 3D movie can cost up to $7.5 more than seeing it in 2D. Also, a recent study at California State University found audiences don't actually enjoy movies in 3D any more than in 2D. Walter Murch , a famous movie editor, wrote in 2011 that human beings have no ability to process 3D images. Watching a 3D movie confuses our brain and this is why some people get headaches.\nBut James Cameron disagrees. In fact, he recently predicted that in five years all movies will be in 3D. And there are signs that 3D is fighting back. More 3D movies were put on the market in 2012 than ever before. The Lion King 3D recently made over US $150 million at the box office, and Cameron's Titanic 3D made even more.\nWho knows what the future holds for 3D? Steven Spielberg recently said, 'Tm hoping 3D gets to a point where people dorft notice it. Because then it just becomes another tool and helps tell a story.\"", "problems": [{"question": "The example of sound and color is used mainly to show that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Hollywood tends to absorb what is new", "3D technology takes time to be accepted", "Hollywood struggles with new technology", "high technology helps to make better movies"]}, {"question": "In Walter Murch7S opinion, 3D movies _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["bring moviemakers great profits", "are more expensive than 2D movies", "do great harm to people's health", "are unsuitable for people to watch"]}, {"question": "What can we learn from the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Avatar was the first 3D movie.", "3D cinema has existed for years.", "Titanic 3D has made the most money.", "2012 witnessed the coming of 3D's time."]}]} -{"article": "I can't count how many times people have complained, while shaking their heads in obvious disappointment,\"just don't know what is with teenagers today.\"\nThe other day I was in my car on my way to the farmers market when I passed two teens standing by the side of the road with a car washing sign. My car was _ and my heart was full, so I pulled over. There was a group directing the cars and another group spraying them down. As sponges were wiped over every square inch of my dirty car, I sat enjoying the little water bottles. I was amazed at why forty to fifty teenagers had devoted their Saturday to washing cars.\nAfter I handed them a twenty-dollar bill I asked what they were raising money for. They explained to me that a friend of theirs, C.T.Schmitz, had recently died of cancer. He was only fifteen years old. He had gone to school with a lot of the teenagers who were there that day and each of them had memories of a boy sweeter than any they had known. His friend Kevin had decided to put this car wash together because he wanted to honor his friend and also bring together his classmates with his boy scout troop . He told me that they wanted to plant a tree in front of their school and if they raised enough money they would put a plaque there also. Both would be in memory of their friend C.T.\nThey handed me a bag of homemade cookies with my receipt saying\"Thanks for helping us plant a tree of C.T.\"\nYeah! I don't know what is with teenagers today!", "problems": [{"question": "From the passage we can know that the boys were raising money to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["buy a plaque for their school .", "help those who suffered from cancer.", "first plant a tree in memory of their friend.", "put a plaque near their friend's home"]}, {"question": "From the passage, we can infer that C.T.Schmitz was _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["kind-hearted but lonely", "brave and popular with his classmates", "shy and sensitive", "a boy you can get a good impression of"]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Teenagers Today", "A Special Day", "My view on Teenagers", "An Exciting Experience"]}]} -{"article": "\"Get out of the plane!\" Justin shouted. Teddy and he dropped to the ground...\nWhen Kathy and Victor reached the edge of the meadow, flames of the fire were shooting more than five meters into the air.\nKathy couldn't believe what she was seeing.One glance told her they needed medical attention immediately.She questioned Victor, \"Are you able to find someone nearby for help?\"\n\"There are no farmers, nor villagers nearby,\" he replied.\n\"I'm a distance runner, and I'll go for help.\" Looking at the seriously injured men, Kathy said to Victor, \"It may take me several hours to get out.\" She started out.\nWhen she was 23, Kathy set a women's record in a Marathon of 42 kilometers. _ She had nearly 30 kilometers of hard wilderness to cover to get help.\nKathy had been running for two hours.This was far back into the wilderness.The country path was growing vague.She stopped to take a quick compass reading.Yes, she had run almost for more than 20 kilometers.Her heart fell, her muscle aching.And finally she saw her car in the distance.\nShe jumped into the car and sped away.She reached a holiday house and called the police.\nDuring the wait, she walked around, relaxing her legs and drinking water. It took almost two hours for a police helicopter to reach her at the trail end.They needed her for one more task.", "problems": [{"question": "Who actually had the airplane accident?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Justin and Teddy", "Kathy and Victor", "Justin himself", "Kathy herself"]}, {"question": "Kathy stopped to have a look at her compass because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["she wasn't sure of her own memory", "she had completely lost her way", "the country path was getting vague", "there was only the wilderness"]}, {"question": "What do you think Kathy's final task would be?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Giving the injured food and drinks.", "Showing the police the crash site.", "Going back to put out the big fire.", "Taking the injured to the hospital."]}]} -{"article": "The child of today owes much of its pleasant school life to the work of Maria Montessori and others who felt as she did.\n Maria Montessori was born in 1870 in northern prefix = st1 /Italy. Both her parents were well educated.\n While Maria was a student, she took great interest in the study of the particular nature of the child's mind. It came to her that small children should have freedom to learn.\n Maria became a doctor and a professor at RomeUniversity. In 1907, after working with backward students, she was given a chance to try out her ideas on children. There were sixty children, aged three to six, in the Children's House. The rooms were bright and color1ful. Maria let the children make their own choice of what they wanted to do and work with their own speed. They became busy, peaceful and happy.\n Maria Montessori was one of the world's great teachers. She traveled in Europe, Americaand Far East. She thought that true education, providing for the real needs of the child, would produce wise and happy grown-ups and therefore a peaceful world. Her original way of education has changed our whole idea of what childhood is.\n Maria Montessori died in Hollandat the age of eighty-two.", "problems": [{"question": "The short passage is mainly about .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the education of backward students", "a new idea of education", "the importance of proper education", "the life of Maria Montessori"]}, {"question": "Maria traveled a lot in the world to .", "answer": "C", "options": ["teach the backward students", "enjoy her life in real nature", "spread her ideas of teaching", "study the situation of education"]}, {"question": "In what way did Maria teach the children in the Children's House?", "answer": "B", "options": ["She taught them the best way of learning well.", "She let them learn in a very pleasant way.", "She taught them by showing them how to do things.", "She just let them choose the most interesting subjects."]}, {"question": "We learn from the passage that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["Maria left her homeland in order to study abroad", "Maria didn't get married", "Maria's own parents were her teachers", "Maria fully understood the child's mind"]}, {"question": "Which of the following best explains why Maria was one of the world's great teachers?", "answer": "A", "options": ["She created a new way in teaching, which changed the old idea of children's education.", "She taught the backward students very successfully and produced a peaceful world.", "She showed great love for the children and trained them in a new way.", "She taught backward students in many different countries and let them learn freely."]}]} -{"article": "The sea has always interested man. From it he can get food, minerals, and treasure. For thousands of years, he could sail on it. But he could not go far beneath its surface.\nMan wants to explore deep into the sea. However, he is not a fish. He must breathe air, so he can't stay under the water's surface for any length of time. To explore deep water, man faces even more dangers and problems.\nA diver who wants to stay under water for more than a few minutes must breathe air or a special mixture of gases. He can wear a diving suit and have air pumped to him from above. He can carry a tank of air on his back and breathe through a nose and a mouthpiece. Water weighs 800 times as much as air. Tons of water pushes against a diver deep in the sea. His body is under great pressure.\nWhen a diver is under great pressure, his blood takes in some of the gases he breathes. As he rises to surface, the water pressure becomes less. If the diver rises too quickly, the gases in his blood form bubbles. The diver is then suffering from the bends. The bends can cause a diver to double up in pain. They can even kill him.", "problems": [{"question": "On the whole, this passage is about _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["special mixtures of gases in deep sea", "the problems man faces in deep sea diving", "air pressure under the surface of sea water", "a kind of illness that man suffers in the sea"]}, {"question": "The passage does not say so, but it makes you think that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["deep divers should be in good health", "divers explore the deep sea only for treasure", "diving under the water too quickly causes a kind of illness", "there is a special mixture of gases under the sea"]}, {"question": "From the passage we can see that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the sea began to interest man a few years ago", "man is not at home deep in the sea", "all divers will get the bends sooner or later", "the air in the sea water will kill a diver if he is not careful"]}]} -{"article": "Experts from nearly 200 countries have spent the past two weeks in Warsaw, Poland. More than 9, 000 representatives gathered for a United Nations conference on climate change. Organizers called the meeting to work toward a treaty to fight rising temperatures on our planet. The treaty would be signed in 2015 and take effect after 2020.\n In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency is leading government efforts to fight climate change. The agency just ended a series of public hearings across the country. The EPA was seeking comments as it considers tightening clean air rules for coal burning power plants.\n David Doniger is a climate policy expert. He says it is the duty of the EPA to control carbon as a pollutant. He wants the agency to establish new rules that would move the United States toward a cleaner energy environment.\n \"No one is coming up with standards that would knock out all those power plants. We're talking about a shift from the dirtier ones to the cleaner ones, and from all those fossil fuel- powered ones towards renewable and even nuclear sources of energy. \"\n He says the government is responsible for protecting clean air ,not protecting old and dirty power stations. He says, \"That's the only way that we can continue to have the way of life we want without running into the wall on climate change impacts, which in turn will destroy the quality of life we have.\"\n The EPA is now considering comments from the nationwide hearings. The agency plans to announce proposed rule changes in June.", "problems": [{"question": "The United Nations conference was held to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["gather opinions from the representatives", "make plans for nearly 200 countries", "deal with the warming climate", "call for protection of wildlife"]}, {"question": "What action will the EPA take to fight climate change?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Make more strict rules to limit coal power plants.", "Develop more nuclear sources of energy.", "Accept the opinions of the Americans.", "Close those power plants which pollute the air most."]}]} -{"article": "As the pace of life continues to increase, we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through life,being on the go from morning till night,it is hard to slow down. But relaxation is necessary for a healthy mind and body.\nStress is a natural part of everyday life and there is no way to avoid it. In fact,it is not the bad thing it is often supposed to be. A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation and give purpose to life. It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health.\nThe amount of stress a person can bear depends very much on the individual. Some people are not afraid of stressand such characters are obviously important material for managerial responsibilities. Others lose heart at the first signs of unusual difficulties. When exposed to stressin whatever formwe react both chemically and physically. In fact we make choices between \"fight\" and \"flight\" and in more ancient days the choice made the difference between life and death. The crises we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme,but however little the stress,it involves the same response. It is when _ lasts long,through continued exposure to stressthat health becomes endangered. Such serious conditions as high blood pressure and heart disease have established links with stress. Since we cannot remove stress from our lives(it would be unwise to do so even if we could),we need to find ways to deal with it.", "problems": [{"question": "People are finding less and less time for relaxing themselves because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["they are travelling fast all the time", "they are becoming busier with their work", "they do not know how to enjoy themselves", "they do not believe that relaxation is important for health"]}, {"question": "We can learn from the text that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["stress is always harmful to people", "we can find some ways to avoidstress", "different people can bear different amounts of stress", "it is easy to change the habit of keeping oneself busy with work"]}, {"question": "What would the passage deal with,if it were to continue?", "answer": "C", "options": ["How to keep mentally fit.", "Why we have a tight schedule.", "How to handle stress correctly.", "How we can benefit from stress."]}]} -{"article": "Around four years ago, I received a call from the principal of our school as to the \"Parents View\" talk the next morning. He asked me to speak to the group. After the call, my whole body became feverish and panicky. The time from his call to the next morning seemed like years. The whole night, I could not sleep with many _ in mind. One of them was to call the principal with regret and tell him that I could not come. Finally, I gathered some courage. I thought, \"If I miss this opportunity, surely the school will never invite me again to any of their programs.\"\nI reached the school in time. Before my turn came, my whole body was trembling. When my turn came and I started speaking, my heartbeat increased and my mouth went dry. I wasn't even able to read the written speech properly. I was not aware of where I was standing and what I was reading. That was the day when I realized my biggest weakness, Public Speaking.\nAfter my speech, I met with the principal and explained what happened to me. He told me that this happens to everyone. Even great speaker, faced the same things when they started. He suggested that I come again next time.\nAround one month later, I was invited to refer to a topic on Motivation. This time I was feeling comfortable. My speech was not only appreciated by the principal as well as the teachers, because I was able to get my idea across to them. They encouraged and praised my efforts.\nAfter delivering is successfully, I became more confident .l said to myself, \"If I can speak in front of such a learned audience, like the principal who educates others, I can now speak in front of others too.\"\nI started delivering lectures in my plant, on various topics like Self Motivation, Personality Development, Personal Excellence, Spoken English and Presentation Skills. This has become a passion for me. I learned that everything is possible if we have the courage to take the first step.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is the hest title for the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Practice Makes a Man a Better Speechmaker", "Public Speaking Makes a Man Embarrassed.", "Principal Provides the Best Chances.", "Spoken English Develops in Malting Speeches."]}, {"question": "The author had bad feelings before the speech because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["he disliked the idea of giving a lecture", "he had got a high fever before that", "he regretted accepting the invitation", "he feared he couldn't perform it properly"]}, {"question": "What can we conclude from the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Nothing is to be got without pains but poverty.", "Knowledge makes humble, ignorance makes proud.", "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.", "Necessity is the mother of invention."]}]} -{"article": "The deadliest Ebola outbreak in history that has so far killed almost 1000 people in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria in West Africa has caused fear around the world.\nThe outbreak is unprecedented both in infection numbers and in geographic scope. Officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) said earlier this month the outbreak \"is moving faster than our efforts to control it\", reported CNN. So far, the battle against the virus doesn't appear to be slowing down.\nThe Ebola virus is terrifying no matter where it strikes: It's a disease with no cure that causes headaches and fever, severe diarrhea , vomiting and bleeding and has been known to kill up to 90 percent of its victims.\nIt is understandable for people to be panicked, but those living outside Africa shouldn't be particularly concerned about contracting the virus, says aWashington Postarticle.\nThis is because transmission of Ebola requires direct contact with an infected person's blood, vomit or other bodily fluids during the period that he or she is contagious . It is something that is extremely unlikely for anyone but healthcare workers. The virus is not spread by coughing or sneezing.\nMedia outlets in the US and the UK are using terrifying headlines, wrongly claiming that people infected with the virus have traveled to their countries.\nJames Ball atThe Guardiansays the Ebola outbreak in Africa is tragic, but it is important to _ Other infectious diseases, including common influenza, are far, far deadlier.", "problems": [{"question": "What does the author say about the Ebola outbreak in West Africa?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It has caused thousands of African deaths.", "Its spreading speed is beyond people's imagination.", "It has already traveled to the US and the UK.", "The fight against it is slowing down."]}, {"question": "The Ebola virus is terrifying because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["it cannot be cured at the moment", "it is easily infected", "it spreads faster than any other infectious disease", "it has caused more deaths than other infectious diseases"]}, {"question": "What is the author's attitude towards people's panic?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Objective.", "Supportive.", "Doubtful.", "Understandable."]}]} -{"article": "Occasionally , life can be impossibly difficult , and it can be hard to keep going . But you always have a choice .\nIn 2012 , I got a call from my family to say that my father's cancer had fiercely progressed . He died only six months later . My father was a complete inspiration to me . He was always so strong that I honestly thought he would come back to life . I couldn't believe I would never again hug him .\nShortly after that , my oldest sister complained of a backache . The doctors discovered that she had highly advanced cancer in her bones and that there was nothing they could do . She died a month later . She was my favorite person in the whole world . I never thought I would have to live without her . I was overcome by the shock and extreme heartbreak . Then , something was wrong with my knees and I ended up in the hospital myself .\nI remember lying in the hospital bed , looking up at the ceiling and seeing my sister's beautiful face . I realized that night that I had a choice . I could end my life or I could live it . I looked in my sister's eyes and decided not to go with her just yet . I decided to stay and complete my journey here . I also decided that I would live the life that I ly love .\nI now live in an adorable cottage with an amazing boyfriend . I spend quality time with the rest of my precious family and cherish every moment I have with them . I connect with my heart often to ensure that I am following my joy . I love myself more deeply every day . Not a day goes by when I don't miss my father's huge character or my beloved sister's gentle eyes , but I know that I will be with them one day . What I have now is so precious that I must grasp the joy in every moment I can .\nYou choose life every day . But do you choose the life that you love every day ?", "problems": [{"question": "From the passage we can learn that the author once suffered from _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["a heart attack", "a backache", "a knee problem", "a bone cancer"]}, {"question": "The author finally realizes that the joy in your life is determined by your _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["career", "attitude", "health", "family"]}, {"question": "The author can be best described as _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["lonely but ambitious", "miserable but easy-going", "hopeless but humorous", "unlucky but positive"]}, {"question": "Which of the following can be the best title for the passage ?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Escape the Fate", "Love Your Life", "Make a Living", "Remember Every Moment"]}]} -{"article": "Since we are social beings, the quality of our lives depends in large measure on our interpersonal relationships. One strength of the human condition is our possibility to give and receive support from one another under stressful conditions. Social support makes up of the exchange of resources among people based on their interpersonal ties. Those of us with strong support systems appear better able to deal with major life changes and daily problems. People with strong social ties live longer and have better health than those without such ties. Studies over types of illnesses, from depression to heart disease, show that the presence of social support helps people defend themselves against illness, and the absence of such support makes poor health more likely.\nSocial support cushions stress in a number of ways. First, friends, relatives and co-workers may let us know that they value us. Our self-respect is strengthened when we feel accepted by others in spite of our faults and difficulties. Second, other people often provide us with informational support. They help us to define and understand our problems and find solutions to them. Third, we typically find social companionship supportive. Taking part in free-time activities with others helps us to meet our social needs while at the same time distracting us from our worries and troubles. Finally, other people may give us instrumental support money aid, material resources, and needed services - that reduces stress by helping us resolve and deal with our problems.", "problems": [{"question": "Interpersonal relationships are important because they can _", "answer": "A", "options": ["make people live more easily", "smooth away daily problems", "deal with life changes", "cure types of illnesses"]}, {"question": "The researches show that people's physical and mental health _", "answer": "B", "options": ["lies in the social medical care systems which support them", "has much to do with the amount of support they get from others", "depends on their ability to deal with daily worries and troubles", "is related to their courage for dealing with major life changes"]}, {"question": "Helping a sick neighbor with some repair work in spare time is an example of _", "answer": "C", "options": ["instrumental support", "informational support", "social companionship", "the strengthening of self-respect"]}, {"question": "What is the subject discussed in the text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Effects of stressful condition.", "Kinds of social support.", "Ways to deal with stress.", "Interpersonal relationships."]}]} -{"article": "In much of the world, authority is not challenged either out of respect or out of fear, sometimes, too, because a hierarchy of rank has been fixed for so long that people have been trained for generations never to challenge it.\nIn such countries children are not expected to question their teachers in school, and young scholars or inventive industrial talents are hampered in technical research because they hesitate to disagree with their \"superiors\". Clever researchers may be considered too young to have \"any right\" to present findings that do not agree with knowledge and wisdom of their elders.\nThe American is trained from children to question, analyze and search. \"Go look it up for yourself\", a child will be told. School tasks are designed to demand the use of a wide range of materials. An assignment to \"write a paper on the world's supply of sugar\" will send even a young child in search of completely unfamiliar ideas. Even in the primary grades, children are taught to use libraries, and to search for new ideas. By the time they are 14, 15, and 16, many young scholars are making original and valuable contributions in all fields of science. Industry is so aware of this resource that each year, through national competitions, it offers tremendous awards among teenagers to seek out the brilliant minds across the country.\nAs seen by members of other nations, this emphasis on questioning and searching is bad for young people's \"manners\". Foreigners often feel great \"lack of respect\" in our youth. Foreign visitors are often surprised and frequently annoyed to find junior staff members \"daring\" to challenge older ones or argue points with them; they do not always like it when these young men make detailed but often revolutionary suggestions. One's own plans, reports of analyses may be looked through in detail---perhaps even challenged---by a young person. This is not to be considered a loss of face; nor is it a sign of \"no confidence\". Our whole approach to research is different. Your ideas are being looked at, not you yourself. To us the two are quite separate. This is the way our mind work. We are seeking facts; we are not challenging you as a person. So, too, even in social conversation you will find that people often argue, pick an idea apart, ask for your sources or challenge your conclusions. They do not mean to be rude; they are keenly interested and merely trying to explore the idea in greater depth.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the writer's attitude toward \"hierarchy of rank\"?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Supportive", "Negative", "Uncertain", "Changeable"]}, {"question": "According to the writer, young people challenge older ones' points to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["tell others how talented they are", "get a better understanding of an idea", "show they lack confidence in older people", "make older people lose face"]}, {"question": "What is the main idea of the text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It's necessary to respect superiors and elders.", "Even authority can make mistakes sometimes.", "American school education is quite successful.", "Americans are trained to challenge authority."]}]} -{"article": "Millions of kids in the United States attend some kind of camp each summer. Some go to sleep-away camp for weeks, while others attend day camp in their hometowns. There is one thing all those camps have in common, though. More than nine out of 10 kids said camp helped them make new friends and feel better about themselves.\n _ \nWhat else do kids get out of camp? Plenty!\nKids who want to be stars on the football field or basketball court have their choice of a variety of summer camps. Some, such as the Let Me Play sessions offered by Nike, are free and provide a few hours of instruction by professional athletes. Other summer sports camp opportunities are offered by professional teams or university athletic departments. Players and coaches usually lead those camps, teaching basic skills as well as teamwork and good sports behavior.\nOpen up to fun\nIt's easy to be yourself if you have something in common with your fellow campers, even when that something is a disease.\nA journal entry by one camper describes the camp's high ropes course as a symbol of everyone there and the challenges they face. \"Climbing it and going through that struggle to get up and push yourself is like getting through the sickness we all were faced with at some point,\" she writes. There is another reward that comes once climbers reach the top of the ropes course and hear the words \"good job\" from their fellow campers. It is, \"in a way, coming close to being cured. Even if we aren't, it felt like it,\" the camper says.\nHealthy benefits\nThere are also health and wellness camps for kids who don't have any illnesses. For Erin H. of Oklahoma, the first thoughts she had about going to a weight-loss camp were that it would be embarrassing and a waste of time. But as soon as she arrived at Wellspring Adventure Camp, she knew it would be awesome. \"I had the most fun ever!\" says Erin, who liked Wellspring so much. She stayed for eight weeks instead of the four weeks she'd originally agreed to. \"This camp has helped improve my self-respect 100 percent, and I'm no longer self-conscious.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What is suitable phrase for the blank in the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Setting a goal", "Developing an ability", "Killing time", "Forming a habit"]}, {"question": "The author mentioned the example of high ropes course to prove _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["it was an effective way to cure campers' illness", "it had campers know the difficulty to fight against illness", "it made campers realize the importance of health", "it helped campers feel better about their illness"]}, {"question": "The purpose of writing this passage is to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["give advice on how to choose a suitable camp", "compare sleep-away camps and day camps", "advertise for some famous summer camps", "introduce the benefits of going to a camp"]}]} -{"article": "ChiChi weighs only 13 pounds. \"He's so tiny,I can carry him with one hand,\" says Mary Lane.\"Most people see him and think he's useless.\"\nBut last October,ChiChi proved to be more than just a pretty face. Mary and her husband,Rick,were relaxing on the beach one afternoon while on vacation in North Carolina's Outer Banks.As usual,ChiChi was lying on his blanket in his own little beach chair.\n\"We had our noses buried in books,\"recalls Rick,\"when suddenly the dog became extremely uneasy. His bark was different from anything we had heard before.And he would not let us ignore him.\"\nChiChi ran back and forth in front of his chair as if to run down the beach.The Lanes sat up to see two elderly women in the ocean,about 100 yards down the beach and 10 feet off shore.One was on her back,her head under the waves.The other was struggling hard to keep her friend's head above the surface.\nThe Lanes rushed across the sand and into the surf. Rick went to the woman in danger of drowning,while Mary held fast on to the other one and pulled her up on the beach.\"Then I went back to help Rick,\" Mary says.\"The sand dropped off steeply,and a riptide was beating the woman under. She was completely helpless.\"\nNot getting well from recent knee surgery,the woman had been unable to turn over or push herself up.\"Her friend had been in danger too,\" Mary says.\"The waves were pushing her around. There's no way she could have held on much longer.\"\nThe women hadn't called out for help. \"They were struggling so hard that there was no time for screaming,\" Mary recalls.\"But ChiChi had sensed their danger.\"\nDuty done,ChiChi was back in his chair,asleep,by the time the two women were on dry ground and the Lanes had returned to their blankets.Luckily,the women were fine,though shaken.They thanked the Lanes for saving their lives.\nBack home in Greensboro,North Carolina,the Lanes ordered a special collar with the words \"Hero Dog\" on it.", "problems": [{"question": "How does ChiChi impress the people around it?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It is lovable.", "It is of no use.", "It is very ugly.", "It is too small."]}, {"question": "When the two women were struggling in the ocean,what were the Lanes doing?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They were sleeping soundly.", "They were absorbed in reading.", "They were wiping their noses.", "They were bathing in the sun."]}, {"question": "Why did ChiChi run back and forth in front of his chair?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It sensed that a danger was upon them.", "It smelled there was a storm on the way.", "It was trying to draw its master's attention.", "There was something wrong with its master."]}, {"question": "Why couldn't the woman get out of the water?", "answer": "D", "options": ["She was bitten by a shark.", "Her friend didn't offer help.", "She was too weak to stay awake.", "There was something wrong with her knee."]}, {"question": "What is the text mainly about?", "answer": "A", "options": ["How ChiChi became a \"Hero Dog\".", "A pet dog was saved by two women.", "What is the best place to go on holiday?", "The Lanes helped two strangers out of trouble."]}]} -{"article": "Starting a new school term is always exciting. It is a chance to see all of your friends again. But most exciting of all, the new term is an opportunity to take up new hobbies. As you know, it is common in Britain for students to take up new hobbies after the Christmas holidays. Promising to begin something new is a common New Year resolution for many school teenagers.\nMost schools offer different kinds of hobby classes. Students take them in their free periods or after school. Some classes you have to pay for and others are free of charge. For example, I once took a free Wednesday evening gymnastics class that my school offered. But when I learnt how to play the drum my parents had to pay for the lesson, and they did so, like most parents, without any complaint.\nThe most popular extra classes at my school were piano lessons and drama club: Both classes offered exams students could take. Because the extra classes may take up much time of the students, students with many hobbies sometimes felt more stressed than those without any. But they could enjoy their life better than those who didn't foster any hobbies at school. For example, they could build up good friendship with the persons who shared the common interest with them. Most important of all, the students with hobbies left school with many extra skills.\nFrankly speaking, I haven't continued any of the hobbies I began at school. But I have never regretted taking them. After all, my best friend today is someone whom I met in my gymnastics class. The reason why we are still keeping in close touch with each other is that we have much in common.", "problems": [{"question": "The author's parents' attitude to hobby classes might be that of _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["approval", "doubt", "unconcern", "disapproval"]}, {"question": "What is the biggest benefit children can get from taking up a new hobby?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They can enjoy a good time.", "They can learn extra skills.", "They can make more friends.", "They will have things to share."]}, {"question": "From the author's experience, we can learn that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["free hobby classes are very popular", "hobbies are a way of making friends", "we must be careful when choosing a hobby", "hobby classes may not last a long time"]}, {"question": "What is the purpose of the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To introduce some hobby classes at school.", "To tell readers how to choose hobby classes.", "To encourage readers to take up new hobbies.", "To report a trend among British school children."]}]} -{"article": "Last month my family, my husband and I visited the zoo in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I was afraid I just couldn't hide my excitement as it had been five years since I had been to the zoo. I was especially excited about getting to see the penguin exhibit that was completed since my last visit. I thought it would be just as magical as it was the last time.\nThe Tulsa Zoo is located on Mohawk Park, and covers 84 acres, making it the third largest zoo in the US. The zoo has several highlights, but I have to admit that I found myself rather disappointed. The maintenance is deeply lacking, and most of the exhibits, landscaping, etc. looked like it had not been updated or well kept. Unfortunately, their polar bear died a short time ago. The strangest attraction was the missing-in-action jaguar . We spent several minutes searching for the animal without any luck. In most cases the zoo was good about putting up a sign if the animal was no longer there or was moved to a different location, but it was a different case with the jaguar and likewise the kangaroo.\nAlmost all of the hands-on equipment in the elephant encounter was broken and no longer working. Although the zoo did put up signs as an apology, it continued to add to the feeling that the zoo is approaching death. The one exhibit that did not fail to impress was the African Penguins. Their habitat was well built. The lion, bear, and tiger were also easy to watch. A favorite among the kids was clearly the monkeys who were very active and eager to put on a show.\nThe Tropical Rainforest did a very good job creating a special atmosphere. The cafe served very good food and had lovely indoor and outdoor areas for eating. They are currently re-designing the Sea Lion exhibit, so the Sea Lions were not available for viewing while we were there. All things considered, the Tulsa Zoo is still the best zoo in our area, but I would only award it three out of five stars.", "problems": [{"question": "Seeing several highlights in the Tulsa Zoo, the author _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["felt very excited", "was a little frightened", "was not satisfied with them", "thought it was worth seeing"]}, {"question": "Why did the author think it was a different case with the jaguar?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because the jaguar was friendly to the kangaroo and visitors.", "Because the zoo didn't use a sign to show if the jaguar was there.", "Because the jaguar is very dangerous compared with other animals.", "Because the jaguar had disappeared when the author got there."]}, {"question": "What does the author think of the Tulsa Zoo in general?", "answer": "A", "options": ["It is a first class zoo in her area.", "It is the best zoo in the US.", "She thinks very poorly of it.", "She thinks nothing of it."]}]} -{"article": "Every Sunday morning I take a jog around a park near my home. There's a lake located in one comer of the park. Each time I jog by this lake, I see the same elderly woman sitting at the water's edge with a small metal cage sitting beside her.\nThis past Sunday my curiosity got the best of me, so I stopped jogging and walked over to her. As I got closer, I realized that the metal cage was in fact a small trap. There were three turtles, unharmed, slowly walking around the base of the trap. She had a fourth turtle in her lap that she was carefully scrubbing with a spongy brush.\n\"Hello,\" I said. \"I see you here every Sunday morning. If you don't mind my nosiness , I'd love to know what you're doing with these turtles.\"\n\"I'm cleaning off their shells,\" she replied. \"Anything on a turtle's shell, like algae , reduces the turtle's ability to absorb heat and impedes its ability to swim. It can also corrode and weaken the shell over time.\"\n\"Wow! That's really nice of you!\" I exclaimed.\nShe went on, \"I spend a couple of hours each Sunday morning, relaxing by this lake and helping these little guys out. It's my own strange way of making a difference.\"\n\"But don't most freshwater turtles live their whole lives with algae and scum hanging from their shells?\" I asked.\n\"Yes, sadly, they do,\" she replied.\nI scratched my head. \"Well, don't you think your time could be better spent? I mean, I think your efforts are kind and all, but there are fresh water turtles living in lakes all around the world. And 99% of these turtles don't have kind people like you to help them clean off their shells. So, no offense... but how exactly are your localized efforts here truly making a difference?\"\nThe woman giggled aloud. She then looked down at the turtle in her lap, scrubbed off the last piece of algae from its shell, and said, \"Sweetie, if this little guy could talk, he'd tell you I just made all the difference in the world.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What is the reason for the old woman sitting by the lake?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Doing morning exercises.", "Amusing some turtles.", "Cleaning some turtles.", "Making a difference."]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is TRUE?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The author gets used to jogging every morning.", "The old woman does some household cleaning every Sunday morning.", "The author thinks what the woman has done is meaningful.", "The woman is making a difference in her own way."]}, {"question": "What is the best title for the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Your Charity Would Be Rewarded", "All the Difference in the world", "Little Turtles, Fortunate Creatures", "Where There Is a Will There Is a Way"]}]} -{"article": "LONDON: What could possibly be wrong with planting trees? The advantages are obvious; they firm the soil, soak up extra water and take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.\nHowever, it now turns out that planting trees could add to global warming.\nTree roots do a great job of keeping soil firmly on the ground and out of the wind's power. The problem is that some of those dust clouds play an important part in soaking up carbon dioxide.\nHuge dust storms blow out over the oceans from dry parts of North Africa and central Asia. Tons of dust are lifted and left as a thin film over the ocean surface. The dust fuels oceanic life.\nDust from China is carried east and left in the Pacific Ocean. If a tree-planting programme there is successful and the dust supply reduced, the net result may be that less carbon dioxide gets locked away in the ocean.\nAndy Ridgwell, an environmental scientist from the University of East Anglia, has spent the past few years studying dust and says his work \"shows clearly the complexity of the system and the importance of not tinkering with it without understanding the results. For this reason there is the need to focus on cutting carbon dioxide giving off rather than monkeying about with the land surface.\"\nAn American scientist, Robert Jackson, has shown that when native grassland areas are invaded by trees, carbon is lost from the soil. \"We are studying why the soil carbon disappears, but one theory is that trees do a lot more of their growing above ground compared to grasses, so less carbon goes directly into the soil from trees, \" says Jackson.\nIn wet areas of the world, the gain from trees absorbing carbon dioxide above ground seems to be outweighed by the loss of carbon from the soil below ground. Countries that plan to _ global warming by planting trees may have to think again. Solutions to environmental problems are often more complex than they first appear, and understanding the Earth's climate is a very great challenge.", "problems": [{"question": "People usually hold the opinion that", "answer": "C", "options": ["huge dust storms can destroy carbon dioxide", "huge dust storms can destroy the oceans on the earth", "huge dust storms can't do anything beneficial for man", "planting trees is the only way to control huge dust storms"]}, {"question": "Andy Ridgwell, the environmental scientist, believes that", "answer": "D", "options": ["dust plays a more important part than trees", "trees shouldn't have been planted in dry places", "carbon dioxide is harmful to everything on the earth", "environmental problems are more complex than expected"]}, {"question": "Robert Jackson's experiment proves that", "answer": "B", "options": ["grassland areas should be covered by forests", "trees hold more carbon than grass", "carbon can turn grass into dust", "less carbon can make trees grow faster"]}]} -{"article": "During the years after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, structural engineers have been trying hard to solve a question that would otherwise have been completely unthinkable: Can building be designed to stand catastrophic blasts by terrorists?\n Soon after the terrorist attacks on the twin towers, structural engineers from the University at Buffalo and the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER) traveled to ground zero as part of a project funded by the National Science Foundation. They spent two days beginning the task of formulating ideas about how to design such structures and to search for clues on how to do so in buildings that were damaged, but still are standing.\n \"Our objective in visiting ground zero was to go and look at the buildings surrounding the World Trade Center, those buildings that are still standing, but that sustained damage,\" said M. Bruneau, Ph.D. \"Our immediate hope is that we can develop a better understanding as to why those buildings remain standing, while our long-term goal is to see whether earthquake engineering technologies can be married to existing technologies to achieve enhanced performance of buildings in the event of terrorist attacks,\" he added.\n Photographs taken by the investigators demonstrate the monumental damage to the World Trade Center towers and buildings nearby. One building a block away from the towers remains standing, but was badly damaged. \"This building is many meters away from the World Trade Center and yet we see a column there that used to be part of that building,\" explained A. Whittaker, Ph.D. \"The column became a missile that shot across the road, through the window and through the floor.\"\n The visit to the area also brought some surprises, according to the engineers. For example, the floor framing system in one of the buildings was quite strong , allowing floors that were pierced by tons of falling debris to survive. \"Good framing systems may provide a simple, but reliable strategy for blast resistance,\" he added. Other strategies may include providing alternate paths for gravity loads in the event that a load-bearing column fails. \"We also need a better understanding of the mechanism of collapse,\" said A. Whittaker. \"We need to find out what causes a building to collapse and how you can predict it.\"\n A. Reinhorn, Ph.D. noted that \"earthquake shaking has led to the collapse of buildings in the past. Solutions developed for earthquake-resistant design may apply to blast engineering and terrorist-resistant design. Part of our mission now is to transfer these solutions and to develop new ones where none exist at present.\"", "problems": [{"question": "The column mentioned by Dr. Whittaker _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["was part of the building close to the World Trade Center", "was part of the World Trade Center", "was shot through the window and the floor of the World Trade Center", "damaged many buildings near the World Trade Center"]}, {"question": "A surprising discovery made by the investigators during their visit to ground zero is that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["floors in the faraway buildings remained undamaged", "some floor framing systems demonstrate resistance to explosion", "complex floor framing systems are more blast resistant", "floors in one of the buildings were pierced by tons of debris"]}]} -{"article": "The advertisement appeared in my e-mail--\"1-800-Flowers: Mother's Day Madness --for just $39.99!\" I almost clicked on it, forgetting that those services would not be needed this year. My mother, Margaret Feiddman, died at the age of 89, and so this is my first Mother's Day without my mom.\nIn my childhood, my mom appeared to be a typical suburban housewife of her generation. She sewed many of my sisters' clothes, including both of their wedding dresses and boy's suits for me. And on the side, she won several national bridge tournaments .\nMy mom left many indelible marks on me. The first was to never lose heart and to be independent. My dad died suddenly when I was 19. My mom worked hard for a couple of years. But in1975, I won a scholarship to study in Britain and my mom surprised us all by announcing that she decided to go with me. When I met difficulties, she always said: \"You're a man, so never lose heart, never be knocked down, and try your best to pursue your dreams.\"\nMy mom's other big influence on me is a sense of optimism. She had taken her knocks. But every time life knocked her down, she got up and kept on marching forward, encouraged by the saying that pessimists are usually right, optimists are usually wrong, but most great changes are made by optimists.\nHow I wish to listen to my mother's words, and give my best regards on this Mother's Day, but I have no chance now! My best friends, treasure your mother's love!", "problems": [{"question": "The author mentioned the advertisement to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["show he's tired of the advertisements", "explain he missed his mother very much", "make you believe that he was very kind", "urge the readers to buy the present for their mothers"]}, {"question": "What experience of the author's mother surprised the author?", "answer": "A", "options": ["That she volunteered to go to Britain with her son.", "That she gained knowledge all by herself.", "That she did all the housework by herself.", "That she won several national bridge tournaments."]}, {"question": "We can know about the author's mother that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["She encouraged the author to pursue his dreams", "she felt very lonely in her late life", "She never received a present from her children", "she passed away before the author's father"]}, {"question": "Which can be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["My Great Mother", "Mother and I", "Treasure Mother's Love", "Mother's Day Madness"]}]} -{"article": "A student walks into his first class and realizes he forgot all about the midterm exam. He knows he needs to bring his grades up, and getting a zero will make it nearly impossible. He quickly jots down some notes and shoves them under his lap hoping it will help him pass. Cheating is a major concern in all academic environments. Students are creating new and more outrageous ways of cheating every day; some claim that certain accounts of cheating can be justified, but overall it can always be prevented.\nCheating has been around forever, and millions of ways to cheat have been fashioned. Copying homework and cheat sheets are some of the most basic ways students in all education levels have cheated. Some students think nothing about writing a few answers on their hand, in a gum wrapper, or boldly using a study guide to cheat. Desperate students have even gone as far as to steal the test or scan in bottle wrappers and put answers into the nutrition label. The internet has now become available in almost every location. Computers can be accessed at school, at home, and now even on cell phones. This opens a doorway for even more methods of cheating to be born.\nThere are countless opinions on whether or not cheating can be justified. The truth is this behavior will always be a matter of opinion with each scenario of cheating. Students often rationalize their cheating by claiming they forgot to look over the material or did not understand what the teacher or professor was saying. Some may counter these arguments by saying that the student could have set reminders or asked the teacher to explain the material before the day of the test. Some other reasons students believe cheating is justified are their heavy workloads and trying to find time for school, sports, friends, and family. This may be true in certain instances, however, all students have these problems, and it is unfair to the students refrain from cheating when the student who is dishonest receives a better grade. The majority of students who think cheating is acceptable may believe the reason for this is that sometimes students are unaware they are cheating, there is not enough time given for assignments, or that the information is too much for the course.\nIt may be difficult to accomplish, but cheating can be prevented. Teachers and professors have tried many options to stop cheating. These options can range anywhere from simply spreading test-takers out in a room, to expelling a student, which will most likely hindertheir plans of getting into another college. One simple way to fix the problem is to scold the student when caught. They may be so scared or embarrassed that they never do it again. This is a risky way to prevent cheating in some cases, however, because it can possibly damage self-esteem. Another simple way to avoid cheating is to create many different kinds of the same test. This prohibits students from getting the answers off of a neighbor's test, but students still have the option of using other cheating tactics.\nThere may be a million ways to cheat and get away with it, but there are few times, if any, that it is justified. Cheating never has to be a necessity and is never worth compromising morals and losing years worth of working towards a degree. This problem is spreading throughout America; with everyone's help, it can be stopped.", "problems": [{"question": "Which is the best title of this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["To cheat or not to cheat", "Show your opinion on cheating", "Debates on cheating", "Different ways of cheating"]}, {"question": "The reason that is given by most students who think cheating is understandable is that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["they don't understand their teachers' words", "they bury themselves in a lot of homework", "they don't have enough time to complete the study tasks", "they forget to look over the material"]}, {"question": "What is the disadvantage of scolding the cheating students according to the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They may continue to cheat next time.", "They may be hurt mentally.", "They may use other cheating tactics.", "They may get on badly with their teachers."]}, {"question": "What is the author's attitude towards cheating?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It is reasonable", "It is necessary", "it can be praised", "It must be prevented"]}]} -{"article": "On the evening of June 21, 1992, a tall man with brown hair and blue eyes entered the beautiful hall of the Bell Tower Hotel in Xi'an with his bicycle. The hotel workers received him and telephoned the manager, for they had never seen a bicycle in the hotel ball before though they lived in \"the kingdom of bicycles.\"\nRobert Friedlander, an American, arrived in Xi'an on his bicycle trip across Asia which started last December in New Delhi, India.\nWhen he was 11, he read the book Marco Polo and made up his mind to visit the Silk Road. Now, after 44 years , he was on the Silk Road in Xi'an and his early dreams were coming true.\nRobert Friedlander's next destinations were Lanzhou, Dunhuang, Urumqi, etc. He will complete his trip in Pakistan.", "problems": [{"question": "The best headline for this newspaper article would be _ . .", "answer": "D", "options": ["The Kingdom of Bicycles", "A Beautiful Hotel in Xi'an", "Marco Polo and the Silk Road", "An American Achieving His Aims"]}, {"question": "The hotel workers told the manager about Friedlander coming to the hotel because _ . .", "answer": "B", "options": ["he asked to see the manager", "he entered the hall with a bike", "the manager had to know about all foreign guests", "the manager knew about his trip and was expecting him"]}, {"question": "What made Friedlander want to come to China?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The stories about Marco Polo .", "The famous sights in Xi'an .", "His interest in Chinese silk.", "His childhood dreams about bicycles ."]}, {"question": "Friedlander can be said to be _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["clever", "friendly", "hardworking", "strong--minded"]}]} -{"article": "Witchcraft was not made a capital offence in Britain until 1563 though it was disapproved by Pope Innocent VIII in 1484. From 1484 until around 1750, some 200,000 witches were burnt or hanged in Western Europe.\nMost supposed witches were usually old women, and always poor. Any who were unfortunate enough to be an old woman with broken teeth, sunken cheeks and sockets and a hairy lip were assumed to possess the \"Evil Eye\". It was more the case if they also had a cat. Many unfortunate women were taken away on this sort of evidence and hanged.\nWitch fever held East Anglia for 14 terrible months between 1645--1646. A man called Matthew Hopkins, an unsuccessful lawyer, contributed a lot! He became known as the \"Witchfinder General\". He had 68 people put to death in Bury St. Edmunds alone, and 19 hanged at Chelmsfor in a single day. After Chelmsford he set off for other countries. Much of Matthew Hopkins theories of telling a witch were based on Devil's Marks. He took a small mark to be a Devil's Mark and he used his \"needle\" to see if these marks were insensitive to pain. His \"needle\" was basically a trick so the unfortunate women never felt any pain.\nThere were other tests for witches. Mary Sutton of Bedford was put to the swimming test. With her thumbs tied to opposite big toes she was thrown into the river. If she floated she was guilty; if she sank, innocent. Poor Mary floated!\nThough many of the acts againsts witchcraft were put to an end in 1736, witch hunting still went on. In 1863, a suspected male witch was drowned in a pond in Headingham, Essex and 1945 the body of an elderly farm laborer was found near the village of Meon Hill in Warwickshire. His throat had been cut and his body was pinned to the earth. The murder remains unsolved; however, the man was said, locally, to be a male witch. It seems that belief in witchcraft has not entirely died out.", "problems": [{"question": "A female witch was often found to be _", "answer": "C", "options": ["a young lady", "a lucky woman", "an ugly woman", "a blind girl"]}, {"question": "Matthew Hopkins can be best described as _", "answer": "B", "options": ["kind and smart", "tricky and merciless", "successful and nice", "famous and fortunate"]}, {"question": "Why did people throw Mary into the river?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To take her life.", "To tell if she was a witch", "To test her swimming skills.", "To prove that she was guilty"]}]} -{"article": "One of the big challenges that students face in applying to universities abroad is writing the application essay.\nThe essay topics all have something in common. They attempt to get at what type of person you are, what motivates you,and what you feel passion for. In a single 500-word piece of writing,\nadmissions officers attempt to gather all about you. _ \nYou can try and guess what the admissions officers like. But that won't work.The essay will sound empty and become another dull piece of writing,which admissions officers get thousands of each year.\nIt is true that admissions officers aren't exactly looking for anything. The answer is just as open-ended as the question itself. If they ask for someone who has inspired you, it could be anyone. It could be a grandmother, a teacher, or even a character from a movie. A lot of people will say their dad. But since you really feel it, you'll have a lot to write about.\nThere are some important things to remember.These admissions officers want good writers. You don't have to be Ernest Hemingway, but you have to be able to form an interesting story.That means revision and editing,cutting out stupid grammar mistakes,reading it over several times,leaving it for a few days and looking at it again. Whatever you do, make sure the essay is as good as possible.\nAlso,you should use exciting language and really make the reader feel the same passion as you do. It also means finding something unique about your point of view, something that other people might not think of.For example,if you want to write about your dad, you can focus on a specific anecdote about him .Admissions officers love personal stories that ring true.", "problems": [{"question": "When admissions officers ask who has inspired you,they mean to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["know about your family members", "understand you better", "find out what your father does", "discover your personal affairs"]}, {"question": "According to the writer, it is wise to produce an essay with _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["500 beautiful words", "many funny things", "truthful specific stories", "indirect answers"]}]} -{"article": "Experts have suggested various tools for reducing carbon emissions . But some young people in China have another solution: turn off your personal computer for the weekend and get away from the Internet.\nThe suggestion comes from a group of websites in China behind what they call \"NC63 \". The name is short for \"No Computer 63 Hours\", which means that people should shut down their personal computers (PCs) at 6 p. m. on Friday and not start them up again until 9 a. m. on Monday. You can read about the movement on their website (http:// www. nc63. org/) in Chinese -- but only on weekdays .\nThe NC63 hopes to call everyone to take real action to support a low-carbon, green life, to support environmental protection, and to choose and support the earth, by turning off the computer for the weekend. White-collar workers are advised not to use the computer too much. The organizers hope they can get websites and PC makers to carry warning labels , like cigarettes, saying something like \"Too much internet surfing is harmful to health.\"\\\nShutdown Day is once a year, though. NC63 is every weekend.\nThe group' s first official event, took place on Nov. 29,ahead of the Copenhagen talks. About 100 volunteers gathered at Sanlitun Village, an shopping area in Beijing. They came to Starbucks and other cafes and restaurants to find those using laptops to surf the Internet. People caught using laptops were handed \"tickets\" ( actually small leaflets ( ) explaining NC63' s philosophy ).\nNC63 has a point about PC use. While PC use isn' t generally regarded as a primary contributor ( ) to China' s carbon emissions -- the biggest in the world, some global warming activists argue that it makes a big difference. One U. S. group estimates that a typical desktop PC with a 17-inch monitor could, if left on all day ever)' day for a year, give off over 1.5 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.", "problems": [{"question": "From the passage we can learn that _", "answer": "B", "options": ["NC63 is an expert", "NC63 is an organization", "NC63 is 63 computers", "NC63 is a website"]}, {"question": "You can visit NC63 website _", "answer": "D", "options": ["at 6 a. m. every Monday", "at 9 p. m. every Friday", "on the weekend", "on weekdays"]}, {"question": "Their first event aims at _", "answer": "C", "options": ["asking people to do shopping at Sanlitun Village", "spending the weekend together at Sanlitun Village", "telling people to stay away from computers on weekends", "fining those using laptops on weekends some money"]}, {"question": "Some global warning activists think _", "answer": "A", "options": ["too much PC use contributes to climate change", "too much PC use makes China the biggest carbon emissions in the world", "a 17-inch monitor gives off over 1. 5 tons of carbon dioxide every year", "too much surfing does harm to one' s health"]}]} -{"article": "This is the age of the quick action. We have instant satisfaction, fast food, speed reading, mobile phones; even the stress management books have titles like \"Stress Management in 60 Seconds\".\nCanadian Classics Professor Margaret Visser points out that the perception that we have \"no time\" is one of the most strict concepts of Western culture. Visser says that \"no time\" is used as an excuse and also as a spur ; it both stimulates us and forces us, just as a concept such as 'honour' did for the ancient Greeks. According to Visser, the feeling that Westerners have \"no time\" is abstract, quantitative, amoral , unarguable, bringing pressure on each person as an individual. At the same time, the \"no time\" excuse escapes\nby claiming to be a condition created entirely out of our good fortune.\nLife offers \"so many pleasures, so many choices\".\nThe fact that women now work outside the home has contributed to the \"no time\" trend. But more important, Visser says, is the fact that feeling rushed has become an important component of our economy. Marketing of \"time-saving\" products causes people to buy more and work longer. So we eat out or buy prepared food to save time. The fax-it-to-my-car technology only contributes to the constant hurry. In our rushed and exhausted state, even the obligation to sit down to casual meal with family seems like a pressure. In comparison with the decision to act on a sudden whimz to consume a microwave mug of soup, the act of eating together and not getting up from the table until everyone else has finished seems an incredibly time-consuming event. Being in one's own personal hurry in the West is somehow \"free and preferable\"", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following doesn't contribute to feeling rushed?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Marketing of time-saving products.", "The fax-it-to-me-car technology.", "Eating together and not getting up until everybody has finished", "Longer working hours."]}, {"question": "We can learn from the passage that \"no time\" trend _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["brings pressure on the individual", "is very desirable to the individual", "is not harmful if you have no control of events", "has caused heart diseases and psychological problems"]}]} -{"article": "As a Chinese saying goes, \"Taste is actually a memory of childhood\". Local specialty food may not be popular among all people, but it offers outsiders a glimpse of local culture and history.\nGongcheng \"oil tea\" is such a kind of food that would be considered \"weird\" by many first-time visitors to the remote county in the north of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Many people dislike its bitter and astringent flavor when they take a sip.\n\"It felt like drinking Chinese herbal medicine. I never expected that I would gradually accept it afterwards, and even become addicted to it,\" said a traveler surnamed Zhang who comes from Shijiazhuang in northern China's Hebei province.\nLangshan village is said to be the birthplace of Gongcheng \"oil tea\" whose ideal ingredients are green tea and fermented tea. The village has preserved well its buildings and roads dating back to late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), as well as its traditional way of making the special tea.\nLin Fengyou, 60, introduced the cooking process. She looks younger than her age, and attributes this to the benefits of drinking \"oil tea\" throughout the year.\nThe first procedure is to use a wooden hammer to pound the tea while heating it in an iron pot, and then add edible oil and boiled water afterwards. She filters off the solid residues , and pours the glue-like green tea soup into bowls. Then, she adds salt, caraway seed, green onion, dried rice, fried groundnuts, sliced taro and fried beans.\nThe taste of the \"oil tea\" is a mixture of the distinctive flavors of all its ingredients. Local people usually eat it together with glutinous rice balls, rice dumplings and glutinous rice cake.\nThe villagers consume \"oil tea\" three times a day. The tea soup is a healthy and refreshing food. \"The tea soup to us is coffee to Westerners\", said Lin. \"But it is tastier.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Many first-time visitors may find \"oil tea\" _ when taking a sip.", "answer": "B", "options": ["popular", "strange", "addicted", "beneficial"]}, {"question": "What can we learn about Lin Fengyou according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["She never expected that she would gradually accept \"oil tea\".", "She is one of the reasons why the special tea has been preserved.", "She thinks drinking \"oil tea\" throughout the year makes her look younger.", "She drinks \"oil tea\" three times every day and considers coffee tastier."]}, {"question": "Which column is this passage probably taken from?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Culture & Education", "Entertainment", "Health", "Travel"]}]} -{"article": "Going on a road trip? The St. Louis Arch, Statue of Liberty and Golden Gate Bridge are great tourist sites. But if you prefer _ destinations, check out the following roadside attractions.\nWorld's Largest Ball of Paint\nAlexandria, Ind.\nIn 1977, Michael Carmichael set out to create the biggest ball of paint anywhere. Starting with a baseball as center, he painted layer after layer of paint day after day, year after year. The ball weighs more than 1,300 pounds, with more than 20,000 coats of paint, which is recognized by Guinness World Records. Visitors can paint the ball themselves and become part of history.\nThe Museum of Dirt\nBoston, Mass.\nThe museum is the idea of Glenn Johnson. Labeled glass bottles contain such treasures as dirt from the Great Wall of China, as well as sand from a desert in Saudi Arabia and Omaha Beach in France. Best of all, the cost of seeing this museum is dirt cheap: It's free.\nMount Horeb Mustard Museum\nMount Horeb, Wis.\nIt's heaven for hotdog lovers! This museum claims to have the world's largest collection of prepared mustard . Its more than 4, 100 bottles of spices come from 60 nations, including Turkey and China. Visitors learn the history of mustard, from how it's made to how it's advertised and sold. The museum's creator, Barry Levenson, loves mustard so much that he even puts it on ice cream!\nPaper House\nRockport, Mass.\nSwedish immigrant Ellis Stenman was much ahead of his time in 1922, when he started to build a two-room house almost entirely out of newspaper. At the time, people didn't give much, if any, thought to recycling paper. In fact, \"recycling\" wasn't even a word yet. The house is framed with wood, but the walls are made of 215 layers of newspaper. In all, he used about 100,000 newspapers. ks5u", "problems": [{"question": "If you want to add your own work to what you visit, you may choose _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["World's Largest Ball of Paint.", "The Museum of Dirt.", "Mount Horeb Mustard Museum", "Paper House."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is true of Barry Levenson according to the text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["No spices but mustard can be found in his museum.", "He travels around the world to collect mustard.", "Mustard is advertised and sold in his museum.", "In a way, he shows much preference for mustard."]}, {"question": "What can be inferred from the text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Michael must have the largest ball in the world.", "Glenn must have paid a visit to China.", "Lots of hotdog lovers will travel to Mount Horeb.", "Ellis could be seen as a pioneer in his time."]}, {"question": "According to the text, we know that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Michael will never stop painting the large ball.", "there is no charge at the Museum of Dirt.", "Barry is the owner of the mustard museum.", "Paper House was completely made of paper."]}]} -{"article": "It is never too late to try to make your dreams come true. This could be Mary Moe's motto--the expression that best presents her spirit. Mary Moe has done a lot during the past 91 years. For much of that time, she wanted to fly, but never had the chance--until now. She recently achieved her life-long dream.\nMary just learned how to fly an airplane, a dream she has had since she was a little girl. Growing up, she was inspired by two American pilots: Charles Lindburgh Amelia Earhart. They became her inspiration. Lindbugh made the solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927. Five years later, Earhart became the first woman to make the flight. But Mary Moe could not find time to make her dream come true. At age 34, she was just too busy--busy fighting cancer. She was also busy with her job in advertising and busy raising her family.\nThere was simply no time to think about flying a plane. And it was difficult for her to drive to the airport. Lessons were costly. Everything seemed to be working against Mary.\n\"I had actually gone out to that airport in the 1980s to see about flying lessons and it was such a long drive out and expensive and I thought, 'No, I have to _ for a while.'\" So her dream had to wait. She kept it on the back burner. Then, at age 91, her wish finally came true.\nMs Moe learned about Wish of a lifetime. Wish of a Lifetime is a non-profit organization whose goal is to change the way our society thinks about aging and older adults.\nSally Webster works for the group. Wish of Lifetime helps older people, senior citizens, enjoy a dream. It also sends the message that it is never too late for a dream. So they really try to look for those stories that are inspiring and can show people that older Americans can achieve things just like younger Americans can.", "problems": [{"question": "In her thirties, Mary Moe must have _", "answer": "C", "options": ["lived a smooth life", "been unemployed", "spent a hard time", "learned how to fly"]}, {"question": "Wish of Lifetime is set up in order to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["change people's thought about the old", "improve people's life", "raise money for the old", "help the old live on themselves"]}]} -{"article": "It's never a real problem for us when the weather gets cold. We can put on more clothes, stay next to a fireplace, turn on the air conditioner or simply travel to a warmer city to spend the winter - people have many different ways of dealing with the cold.\nBut things are not as easy for plants. Unlike humans, plants can't move to escape the cold or generate heat ( ) to keep themselves warm. So how do they manage to survive the freezing winter?\nIt turns out that plants have their own strategies too, said a study published on Dec 22 in the journal Nature.\nAccording to researcher Amy Zanne of George Washington University, US, the cold is a big challenge for plants. Their living tissues can be damaged when they freeze. \"It's like a plant's equivalent to frostbite ( ),\" Zanne told Science Daily. Also, the process of freezing and thawing can cause air bubbles to form in the plant's water transport system. \"If enough of these air bubbles come together as water thaws they can block the flow of water from the roots to the leaves and kill the plant,\" she explained.\nTo live through cold weather, plants have developed three traits , according to the study. Some plants, such as oak trees , avoid freezing damage by dropping their leaves before the winter chill sets in - effectively shutting off the flow of water between roots and leaves - and growing new leaves and water transport cells when the warm spring returns.\nOther plants, pine trees for example, protect themselves by narrowing their water transport cells, which makes it easier for cells to travel among air bubbles.\nThe third strategy is also the most extreme - some plants die on the ground in winter and start growing as new plants from seeds when conditions get warmer.\nHowever, the study also found that these smart strategies were developed very slowly - over millions\nof years of evolution ( ). This leads scientists to worry that plants may not be able to deal with human-caused climate change, which has only started occurring over the past few decades.\nScientists are hoping that this study can help people find possible ways to save plants from the threat\nof climate change.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the article mainly about?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Why plants are not afraid of the winter chill.", "The ways that plants survive cold weather.", "Changes in plants' water transport system in winter.", "How plants evolve to keep up with climate change."]}, {"question": "According to the article, if a plant freezes in the winter, _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["it produces more living tissues to stay alive", "its leaves quickly fall out and its roots begin to die", "lots of air bubbles form in its water transport system", "its water transport system could be blocked in the spring"]}, {"question": "What are scientists worried about when it comes to plants according to the article?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Plants may not be able to adapt to the increasingly cold climate.", "Human activities might have a great impact on the pace of plants' evolution.", "Plants may not be able to evolve fast enough to adapt to human-caused climate change.", "The strategies plants develop are not good enough to protect them against cold."]}]} -{"article": "A patient came to see me about the stress in her life. She described all the things she had to do -one was to make her bed-from the moment she woke up until she flew out of the door for work. I suggested she experiment by not making her bed for two weeks. She was shocked, probably thinking I'd been raised by wolves in a forest. However, she went along with my idea.\nTwo weeks later she went into my office beaming. She had left her bed unmade for the first time in 42 years-and nothing bad had happened. \"And you know what?\" she said. \"I don't dry my dishes anymore, either.\"\nThis woman had made two major breakthroughs . One was discovering that she had choices in her life that she had never seen before. The other was giving herself permission to be less that perfect. This story shows an important principle about managing time: No one can do it all. Each of us has to make choices and accept trade - offs. The problem is, many people choose in ways that put themselves and their health last. They take better care of their houses and cars than they do of themselves. They put everyone else's needs ahead of their own.\nSo what is the solution? There's an easy way. Decide what you want in your life, and put that first. On a daily basis, that should include regular meals, enough sleep and time with your family. Exercise, leisure, friendships and hobbies should also be regular aspects of life. The point is to do something for yourself every day. The choice is yours: whatever makes you feel good about yourself and your life. Take a nap. Take a walk. Take time to play the piano. Stop bringing your briefcase home from the office. Stop keeping your house as clean as your mother kept hers. Fill more of your time with want - to - dos instead of have - to - dos.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the solution to the problem of managing time?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Doing more exercises every day.", "Taking time to visit friends regularly.", "Stopping making bed occasionally.", "Doing what you want to do first."]}, {"question": "What is the major problem of most people managing time?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Most people do not take care of their health.", "Most people put others' needs ahead of their own.", "Most people cannot keep balance on managing time.", "Most people do not take time to relax themselves."]}, {"question": "What is the author's attitude toward people's problems in the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Matter - of - fact.", "Negative.", "Indifferent.", "Worried."]}]} -{"article": "An estimated 80 percent of American adults think music lessons, though at times boring and challenging in the eyes of some kids, improve children's ability to learn or their performance in school . They say that the satisfaction for learning to play a new song helps a child express creativity.\nResearchers at Harvard University, however, have found that there's one thing musical training does not do. Samuel Mehr, the leading researcher of the new study, said it is wrong to think that learning to play a musical instrument improves a child's intellectual development. The evidence comes from studies that measured the mental ability of two groups of 4-year-olds and their parents. One group attended music class; the comparison group went to a class that places importance on the _ arts-arts that can be seen.\n\"We found no evidence for any advantage on any of these tests for the kids participating in these music classes,\" said Mehr.\nSamuel Mehr says researchers have carried out many studies in an effort to learn whether musical training can make children smarter. Only one study seems to show a small percentage increase in IQ, intellectual scores among students after one year of music lessons.\nHe does not believe that IQ is a good measure of a child's intelligence. Therefore, the researchers in his study compared how well children in the musical training group did on mental processing tasks, then the results were compared to those of children who did not take lessons.\nMusic lessons may not offer children a fast easy way to gain entry to the best schools later of their life, but the training is still important.\nMr Mehr notes that the works of writer William Shakespeare are not taught , so the children will do better in physics. He says Shakespeare is taught because it is important for cultural reasons.\"And I don't think music needs to be any different than that.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What attitude do most American grown-ups have towards music lessons? _", "answer": "B", "options": ["Uninterested", "Approving", "Doubtful", "Uncertain"]}, {"question": "According to Samuel Mehr, _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["many studies show that music training can improve IQ", "IQ is a good measure of a child's intelligence", "music can enable a child to go to a better school", "music should be taught for cultural reasons"]}, {"question": "The study shows that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["early music training has negative effects", "musical lessons should be stopped at school", "musical training doesn't improve kids' intelligence", "playing musical instrument makes kids more creative"]}]} -{"article": "Wilderness\n\"In wilderness is the preservation of the world.\" This is a famous saying from a writer regarded as one of the fathers of environmentalism. The frequency with which it is borrowed mirrors a heated debate on environmental protection: whether to place wilderness at the heart of what is to be preserved.\nAs John Sauven of Greenpeace UK points out, there is a strong appeal in images of the wild, the untouched; more than anything else, they speak of the nature that many people value most dearly. The urge to leave the subject of such images untouched is strong, and the danger exploitation brings to such landscapes is real. Some of these wildernesses also perform functions that humans need--the rainforests, for example, store carbon in vast quantities. To Mr.Sauven, these \"ecosystem services\" far outweigh the gains from exploitation.\nLee Lane, a visiting fellow at the Hudson Institute, takes the opposing view. He acknowledges that wildernesses do provide useful services, such as water conservation. But that is not, he argues, a reason to avoid all human presence, or indeed commercial and industrial exploitation. There are ever more people on the Earth, and they reasonably and rightfully want to have better lives, rather than merely struggle for survival. While the ways of using resources have improved, there is still a growing need for raw materials, and some wildernesses contain them in abundance. If they can be tapped without reducing the services those wildernesses provide, the argument goes, there is no further reason not to do so. Being untouched is not, in itself, a characteristic worth valuing above all others.\nI look forwards to seeing these views taken further, and to their being challenged by the other participants. One challenge that suggests itself to me is that both cases need to take on the question of spiritual value a little more directly. And there is a practical question as to whether wildernesses can be exploited without harm.\nThis is a topic that calls for not only free expression of feelings, but also the guidance of reason. What position wilderness should enjoy in the preservation of the world obviously deserves much more serious thinking.", "problems": [{"question": "John Sauven holds that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["many people value nature too much", "exploitation of wildernesses is harmful", "wildernesses provide humans with necessities", "the urge to develop the ecosystem services is strong"]}, {"question": "What is the main idea of Para. 3?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The exploitation is necessary for the poor people.", "Wildernesses cannot guarantee better use of raw materials.", "Useful services of wildernesses are not the reason for no exploitation.", "All the characteristics concerning the exploitation should be treated equally."]}, {"question": "What is the author's attitude towards this debate?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Objective.", "Disapproving.", "Sceptical.", "Optimistic."]}]} -{"article": "People like different kinds of vacations. Some go camping. They swim, fish, cook over a fire and sleep outside. Others like to stay at a hotel in an exciting city. They go shopping all day and go dancing all night. Or maybe they go sightseeing to places such as Disneyland, the Tai Mahal or the Louvre.\nSome people are bored with sightseeing trips. They don't want to be \"tourists\". They want to have an adventure-- a surprising and exciting trip. They want to learn something and maybe help people too. How can they do this? Some travel companies and environmental groups are planning special adventures. Sometimes these trips are difficult and full of the world. Some volunteers spend two weeks and study the environment. Others work with animals. Others learn about people of the past.\nWould you like an adventure in the Far North? A team of volunteers is leaving from Murmansk, Russia. The leader of this trip is a professor from Alaska. He's worried about chemicals from factories. He and the volunteers will study this pollution in the environment. If you like exercise and cold weather, this is a good trip for you. Volunteers need ski sixteen kilometers every day. -\nDo you enjoy ocean animals? You can spend two to four weeks in Hawaii. There, you can teach language to dolphins. Dolphins can follow orders such as \"Bring me the large ball\". They also understand opposites. How much more can they understand? It will be exciting to learn about these _ animals. Another study trip goes to Washington State and follows orcas. We call orcas \"Killer Whale\", but they' re really dolphins--the largest kind of dolphin.. These beautiful animals travel together in family groups. They move through the ocean with their mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers. Ocean pollution is chasing their lives. Earthwatch is studying how this happens.\nAre you interested in history? Then Greece is the place for your adventure. Thirty-five hundred years ago a volcano exploded there, on Santorini. This explosion was more terrible than Krakatoa or Mount Saint Helens. But today we know a lot about the way of life of the people from that time. There are houses, kitchens, and paintings as interesting as those in Pompei. Today teams of volunteers are learning more about people from the past.\nDo you want a very different vacation? Do you want to travel far, work hard and learn a lot? Then an Earthwatch vacation is for you.", "problems": [{"question": "The Tai Mabal may be _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["a shopping center", "a hotel", "a dancing ball", "a place of interest"]}, {"question": "From the passage, on an adventure trip, people _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["may not spend much time on sightseeing", "won' t meet some difficulties or hardships", "can't enjoy themselves -", "can't learn something"]}, {"question": "If you want to learn something about people of the past, you can _", "answer": "D", "options": ["join the team to Hawaii", "join the team to the Far North", "join the team to Washington", "join the team to Greece"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is false ?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Some people find sightseeing trips boring.", "Earth watch is planning all these special adventures", "The number orcas is decreasing.", "3 volcano explosions in all broke out 3, 500 years ago in Greece."]}]} -{"article": "Culture and Cuisine\nThe United States is known for jazz and blue jeans.But travel to Paris and ask your average French citizen about American cuisine and he's likely to answer,\" McDonalds.\" Ask the same thing of any American citizen on any American street and I'm afraid you'd get the same answer,or something close to it.\nHamburgers and hotdogs and fries are all fine,but with American malls and other outlets standardizing everything from clothing to food,the sad truth is that American cuisine is becoming more homogeneous--all the same--no matter where you live.True,many Americans are eating more varied foods these days,but these are largely the cuisines of immigrant groups,and they are quite likely to be affected by homogenization of American cuisine.\nSo what exactly is American cuisine? Well,to some extent it is a reflection of our melting pot culture,meaning that Europeans made huge contributions in the form of wheat,dairy products,pork,beef and poultry.But American cuisine also includes products that once were known only to the New World,including potatoes,corn,pumpkin,sweet potatoes,and peanuts.\nThe one region of the country where you still find all these things in daily use is the Deep South.The South lost the Civil War,but children of the southerners are winning the battle to preserve and advance their cooking traditions--and in this case one of the few cuisines can truly be called American,which is why we're pleased to have Low Country cuisine in this issue of food creation.That's right,grits and gravy are back in a big way in cities like Charleston and Savannah.Truth is,they never really left,but up until a decade ago Low Country cuisine was more common at home than in restaurants.\nIn fact,a large number of tourists now go to the lower Atlantic region in order to experience this extraordinary cuisine for themselves.Time will tell whether Low Country cuisine becomes popular in other regions of the country in the way that,say,Italian cuisine has,but it's amazing and heartening to see one of our true cultural treasures enjoying renewed popularity in these increasingly homogeneous times.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage,American cuisine impresses people as being _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["dull and changeless", "rich and various", "popular and delicious", "disagreeable and unpleasant"]}, {"question": "It can be seen that the writer feels regretful that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["cuisines of other countries play a more important role in America", "American cuisine has become increasingly lacking in variety", "American cuisine tends to vary because of immigration", "American cuisine is being changed by foreign cuisines"]}, {"question": "From the passage,we know that grits and gravy _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["were cooked with new materials after the Civil War", "are gaining popularity in the south of America", "were more popular over ten years ago", "are seldom served in restaurants"]}, {"question": "What's the writer's attitude towards the renewal of Low Country cuisine in America?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Concerned and cautious.", "Hopeless and doubtful.", "Positive and supportive.", "Critical and disapproving."]}]} -{"article": "Due to the increasing number of violence acts produced in schools all over the world,more and more parents prefer to have their children educated at home rather than at school. This way they can assure their safety and well-being,although teachers and school representatives are trying to improve the situation in schools by increasing the number of the persons in charge with the safety of the students.\nThe main reason for violence acts are the films and cartoons that fill the children's time.They want to do everything.they watch on TV and never think at the consequences,and they may hurt a classmate or a teacher.\nOn the other hand, parents are not fully satisfied with the children's results obtained in classes and they consider private classes would have better results.\nWhen a teacher has to watch 30 students in class he can't probably see what each of them is doing,how he is writing,or if he understands the explanations.At home the teacher can explain in details everything the child doesn't understand as many times as he considers proper.\nAnd many times.the child grows fond of the teacher at home,who becomes his best friend,and who helps him whenever he needs someone to talk to.\nHowever, the best solution would be a mixture between the education received at school and that at home,because school makes children communicate and socialize.Keeping a child at home for fear there might happen something bad to him.only makes the child's character weak and prevents him from knowing what real life is.Staying in _ only does harm to the child.\nAll in all.schools have been created to help children,not to harm them,so it's best to keep children in these special places,where they learn,laugh,have fun and make new friends.", "problems": [{"question": "The writer's purpose in writing the text is to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["teach parents the ways to keep theft children safe", "show solutions to developing children's character", "explain the main reason for violence acts in schools", "analyze an education problem and give opinions"]}, {"question": "Parents prefer to have their children educated at home because the following EXCEPT that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["More and more violence acts occur in schools", "Parents want to improve their Children's grades", "Parents are concerned about their children's safety", "The education system is far from satisfactory"]}, {"question": "What does\"a crystal ball\"in the passage refer to?", "answer": "B", "options": ["A toy that can be used for entertainment.", "A safe and comfortable environment.", "An object that is made of crystal.", "A setback that is hard to overcome."]}, {"question": "We call infer from the passage that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["violence TV programs have bad effects on children's behavior", "The teacher at home is more patient than the teacher at school", "Children today are weak from lack of sense of right and wrong", "There are too many students in class for a teacher to teach"]}, {"question": "Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Advantages and Disadvantages of Private Classes", "Who is to Blame, Parents or Schools?", "Which is Better, School Study or Home Study", "The Relationship between Teachers and Children"]}]} -{"article": "The Golden Gate Bridge joins the beautiful city of san Francisco with the suburbs to the north. Each day, about one hundred thousand cars cross the bridge, taking people to and from the city. More than half of them cross the bridge during the morning and evening rush hours. As a result, the trip is not pleasant.\nNow, however, there is at least one group of happy commuters . These are the people who travel under the bridge instead of on it. They go to work by boat and enjoy it so much that most of them say they will never go by car again.\nThe boat they take is the large, quiet, comfortable \"Golden Gate\". Commuters can enjoy the sun on the boat. In the morning they can have breakfast in the coffee shop, and in the evening they can have a drink in the bar while they are looking at San Francisco's famous scene and the nearby hills.\nThe trip takes only thirty minutes and is not expensive. But best of all, being on a boat seems to make people feel friendlier towards each other. Two commuters who met on the \"Golden Gate\" have already got married.\nBecause the boat had been so successful, there are plans to use other, still larger boats. There is also a plan for a high-speed boat that will make the trip in only fifteen minutes. Not everyone is happy about that. \"A lot of people don't want to get the trip faster,\" said one commuter, \"They feel that an hour is just enough time to rest.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Over _ cross the Golden Gate Bridge during rush hours every day.", "answer": "D", "options": ["100,000 people", "50,000 people", "100,000 cars", "50,000 cars"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is NOT true? _", "answer": "C", "options": ["Going to work by boat doesn't cost too much.", "Some people like to go to work by boat because they can enjoy the beautiful scene of the city.", "It takes fifteen minutes for people to go to work by boat.", "People can make friends during the trip."]}, {"question": "In the future, _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["larger boats will be used to carry commuters", "a big coffee shop will be built", "more and more people will get married on the boat", "people will all go to work by boat"]}]} -{"article": "Human remains of ancient settlements will be reburied and lost to science under a law that threatens research into the history of humans in Britain, a group of leading archaeologists says. In a letter addressed to the justice secretary, Ken Clarke, 40 archaeologists write of their \"deep and widespread concern\" about the issue. It centers on the law introduced by the Ministry of Justice in 2008 which requires all human remains unearthed in England and Wales to be reburied within two years, regardless of their age. The decision means scientists have too little time to study bones and other human remains of national and cultural significance.\n\"Your current requirement that all archaeologically unearthed human remains should be reburied, whether after a standard period of two years or further special extension, is contrary to basic principles of archaeological and scientific research and of museum practice,\" they write.\nThe law applies to any pieces of bone uncovered at around 400 dig sites, including the remains of 60 or so bodies found at Stonehenge in 2008 that date back to 3,000 BC. Archaeologists have been granted a temporary extension to give them more time, but eventually the bones will have to be returned to the ground.\nThe arrangements may result in the waste of future discoveries at sites such as Happisburgh in Norfolk, where digging is continuing after the discovery of stone tools made by early humans 950,000 years ago. If human remains were found at Happisburgh, they would be the oldest in northern Europe and the first indication of what this species was. Under the current practice of the law those remains would have to be reburied and effectively destroyed.\nBefore 2008, guidelines allowed for the proper preservation and study of bones of sufficient age and historical interest, while the Burial Act 1857 applied to more recent remains. The Ministry of Justice assured archaeologists two years ago that the law was temporary, but has so far failed to revise it.\nMike Parker Pearson, an archaeologist at Sheffield University, said: \"Archaeologists have been extremely patient because we were led to believe the ministry was sorting out this problem, but we feel that we cannot wait any longer.\"\nThe ministry has no guidelines on where or how remains should be reburied, or on what records should be kept.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, scientists are unhappy with the law mainly because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["it is only a temporary measure on the human remains", "it is unreasonable and thus destructive to scientific research", "it was introduced by the government without their knowledge", "it is vague about where and how to rebury human remains"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Temporary extension of two years will guarantee scientists enough time.", "Human remains of the oldest species were dug out at Happisburgh.", "Human remains will have to be reburied despite the extension of time.", "Scientists have been warned that the law can hardly be changed."]}, {"question": "What can be inferred about the British law governing human remains?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The Ministry of Justice did not intend it to protect human remains.", "The Burial Act 1857 only applied to remains uncovered before 1857.", "The law on human remains hasn't changed in recent decades.", "The Ministry of Justice has not done enough about the law."]}, {"question": "Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["New discoveries should be reburied, the government demands.", "Research time should be extended, scientists require.", "Law on human remains needs thorough discussion, authorities say.", "Law could bury ancient secrets for ever, archaeologists warn."]}]} -{"article": "In the last few years the popularity of eBooks has exploded. The advantages are clear: You can carry as many hooks with you as you want. You can simply download ever7 book you like and instantly start reading instead of having to wait for the book to arrive by mail.\nHowever, one thing hadn't changed. If you wanted to rent a book you were still forced to use hardcopy hooks. Until now that is. Amazon. com recently announced the start of a new program where you can rent eBooks.\nWhere to rent eBooks?\nAs mentioned before, Amazon. com is the first and currently the only retailer that has a program in place for renting eBooks. Luckily, Amazon is the largest online retailer in the\nworld and their eBook assortment is massive. They are also the producer of the Kindle, the most popular eReader, which means you can be sure that the eBooks you rent will work.\nYou can currently only rent eTextbooks. But this is likely to change as soon as the word gets out\nthat you can save money by renting eBooks.\nWhy rent eBooks at Amazon?\n~ Save money: Save up t0 80% of the normal price of the eBook.\n~ Decide how long you rent: From 30 days t0 360 days, you decide how long you want it. You\ncan extend the time by as little as a day. Or simply buy the eBook if you want to keep it after all.\n~ Use any device: If you rent an eBook from Amazon, you can read it on your PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android device, Windows Phone 7. Blackberry. or Kindle. .\n~ Keep your notes: Do you like to keep annotations and highlights in your eBooks? Don't worry. You can always revisit your notes and highlights through Amazon. com.\nHow to rent eBooks?\nSimply search for the eBook you want to rent on Amazon. com and select the \"Rent eBooks\" option. After that, a new page will open where you can select how long you'd like to rent the eBook. You can read eBooks for a period of 30 t0 360 days.\nYou decide how long you need the eBook. 1f you later find out you need it for longer. you can simply extend the time. Or buy it for the normal price whenever you want.\nOnce you've chosen the Lime you want to rent the eBook, you simply go to checkout. Or you can use the \"Rent now\" button.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, _", "answer": "D", "options": ["eBooks will be changed into other types by Amazon. com", "eBooks will replace hardcover hooks in the next few years", "readers get a discount of at least 20% of the normal price", "readers are able to rent eBooks only at Amazon. com now"]}, {"question": "To rent an eBook online, which of the following goes last?", "answer": "D", "options": ["open a new page", "select the \"Rent eBooks\" option", "choose a rental date", "press \"Rent now\" button"]}, {"question": "The main purpose of the passage is to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["inform and explain", "discuss and assess", "compare and evaluate", "describe and argue"]}]} -{"article": "Young people can have problems with their minds. Some students become worried because they have to study very hard. Others have trouble getting on well with people like their parents and classmates.\nLi Wen, a student from No.2 High School, could not follow his teachers in class and, therefore, was doing badly in his lessons. He was in such low spirits for a long time that he started to cut his finger with a knife.\nAnother student, 16-year-old Yang Fang from No.1 High School, was afraid of exams. Even though she was well prepared for an exam, when she looked at the exam paper, she couldn't think of anything to write.\nA recent survey from Jiefang Daily says about 18% of Shanghai teenagers have mental problems. Their troubles include being anxious and very unhappy, and having problems in learning and getting on with people.\nLiang Yuezhu, an expert on teenagers from Beijing Friendship Hospital has the following advice for teenagers:\nTalk to your parents or teachers often.\nTake part in group activities and play sports.\nGo to see a doctor if you feel unhappy or unwell.", "problems": [{"question": "The students who often become worried or have trouble getting on with others may have _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["physical problems", "mental problems", "fights with their classmates", "arguments with their parents"]}, {"question": "Li Wen cut his finger with a knife because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["he was afraid of his teacher", "he was so worried about his studies", "he wanted to frighten his parents", "there was something wrong with his finger"]}, {"question": "Liang Yuezhu's advice tells us that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["it's necessary for the students to be with experts", "only group activities and sports can help the students", "it's better for the students who have mental problems to join others", "teachers and parents can't do anything about the students' mental problems"]}]} -{"article": "What makes one person more intelligent than another?What makes one person a genius,like the brilliant Albert Einstein,and another person a fool?Are people born intelligent or stupid,or is intelligence the result of where and how you live?These are very old questions but the answers to them are still not clear.\nWe know,however,that just being born with a good mind is not enough.In some ways,the mind is like a leg or an arm muscle.It needs exercise.Mental exercise is particularly important for young children.Many child psychologists think that parents should play with their children more often and give them problems to think about.The children are then more likely to grow up bright and intelligent.If,on the other hand,children are left alone a great deal with nothing to do,they are more likely to become dull and unintelligent.\nParents should also be careful with what they say to young children.According to some psychologists,if parents are always telling a child that he or she is a fool or an idiot,then the child is more likely to keep doing silly and foolish things.So it is probably better for parents to say very positive things to their children,such as\"That was a very clever thing you did\"or\"You are such a smart child\".", "problems": [{"question": "Why is one person more intelligent than another?", "answer": "D", "options": ["He is born with intelligence.", "Intelligence is the result of where and how one lives.", "He works much harder than others.", "People are still not sure of the answer."]}, {"question": "A person is more likely to become a genius.", "answer": "D", "options": ["whose parents are clever", "often thinking about difficult problems", "often helped by his parents and teachers", "born with a good brain and putting it into active use"]}, {"question": "It is better for parents .", "answer": "A", "options": ["to praise and encourage their children more often", "to be hard on their children", "to leave their children alone with nothing to do", "to give their children as much help as possible"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Parents play an important part in their children's growth.", "The less you use your mind,the duller you may become.", "Intelligence is obviously the result of where you were born.", "What makes a person bright or stupid is still under discussion."]}]} -{"article": "Do you know what couch-potato means? Well, in America, the word is now often used. The American couch-potato becomes maybe even a part of the American tradition! You see, in America, many people often spend their free time sitting on a couch watching TV. As there are many channels to choose, the TV can be quite interesting and very addictive . One may sit and watch TV for hour and hour without stop! Well, these people who do nothing all day except watching TV are called couch-potatoes.\nIn America, when one watches TV, he is most often sitting on a couch. While watching TV, most of these people look so frozen that they almost look dead! Everyone is sitting still with eyes looking right into the same black box. Also because these people are addictive to TV, they don't take exercise and usually get very fat. So in many ways, these people look like real potatoes! Well, because they look so still and fat, and watch TV on a couch, they are all called couch-potatoes. Now you know what couch-potato means. The next time if you see someone watching TV too long, just say, \"What a couch-potato!\"", "problems": [{"question": "The word \"couch-potato\" is often used in _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["China", "America", "Japan", "France"]}, {"question": "If a person is called a couch-potato, he or she _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["likes sitting on a couch watching TV", "does nothing all day", "likes eating potatoes", "only watches TV and eats potatoes"]}, {"question": "Why does a couch-potato look like a real potato? Because he or she _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["almost never moves while watching TV and gets very fat", "is fat and dying and can not take exercise", "likes eating potatoes on a couch while watching TV", "is frozen in front of the black box"]}, {"question": "The passage mainly tells us _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["how to watch TV", "why couch-potatoes are very fat", "what couch-potato means", "where you can find couch-potatoes"]}, {"question": "Which of the following should be the writer's suggestion ?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Take exercise.", "Never watch TV.", "Don't sit on a couch.", "Don't watch TV too much."]}]} -{"article": "City Varieties\nThe Headrow, Leeds.Tel.430808.\nOct 10--11 only.A Night at the Varieties.All the fun of an old music hall with Barry Cryer, Duggle Brown, 6 dancers, Mystina, Jon Barker, Anne Dural and the Tony Harrison Trio; Laugh again at the old jokes and listen to your favorite songs.\nPerformances: 8 pm nightly.\nAdmission: L5; under 16 or over 60: L4.\nYork Theatre Royal\nSt Leonard's Place, York.Tel.223568.\nSept 23--Oct 17 Groping for Words--a comedy by Sue Townsend.Best known for her Adrian Mole Diaries, Townsend now writes about an evening class, which two men and a woman attend.A gentle comedy.\nAdmission: First night, Mon: L2; Tues--Fri: L3.25--5.50; Sat: L3.50--5.75.\nHalifax Playhouse\nKing's Cross Street, Halifax.Tel.365998.\nOct 10--17 On Golden Pond by Ernest Thompson.This is a magical comedy about real people.A beautifully produced, well-acted play for everyone.Don't miss it.\nPerformances: 7:30 pm.\nAdmission: L2.Mon: 2 seats for the price of one.\nGrand Theatre\nOxford Street, Leeds.Tel.502116.\nRestaurant and Cafe.\nOct--17 The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13.Sue Townsend's musical play, based on her best-selling book.\nPerformances: Evenings 7:45.October 10--17, at 2:30 pm.No Monday performances.\nAdmission: Tues--Thurs: L2--5; Fri & Sat: L2--6.", "problems": [{"question": "Which theatre offers the cheapest seat?", "answer": "B", "options": ["City Varieties.", "Halifax Playhouse.", "Grand Theatre.", "York Theatre Royal."]}, {"question": "If you want to see a play with old jokes and songs, which phone number will you ring to book a seat?", "answer": "C", "options": ["502116.", "223568.", "430808.", "365998."]}, {"question": "We may learn from the text that Sue Townsend is _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["a director", "an actress", "a musician", "a writer"]}]} -{"article": "If you take it for granted that to study in university is the same as at middle school and high school, then you will be in for a surprise. \n A change of attitude is involved in many ways when you go up to university. Although the process has been going on since you went to middle school, the biggest change is going to take place. Now, instead of taking several subjects, you have chosen one major subject because you find it interesting and worth exploring further. The choice was yours. You also have before you the goal of getting a degree. The degree, and the stages you have to pass through to achieve it, give you motivation, even though it may become weak from time to time, and not all parts of the course will be exciting; a sure way to lose interest is to do too little work. It is a law of diminishing returns---the less work you do, the less interest you will have and the more bored you will become. So regular work is needed to keep your interest as well as keep pace with new work.\n Another change is in the relationship with those who teach you. This may well have changed during middle school and high school, but now the whole context is different. You are no longer forced to stay in school all day, and you organize your own time and place for studying. You are there to study actively rather than to be taught passively. Your teachers may or may not urge you, but they do want you to share their interest in the subject and they want you to succeed.\n The teacher works as your coach or trainer. If you were becoming a professional tennis player or musician, you would expect your coach to look out for ways of improving your performance, and to criticize your work all the time; you would be silly to feel fed up about this---in fact you would _ your coach if he just said everything was fine. So if you get work back with a poorer mark than you expected and with various criticisms, don't feel discouraged by this. If you don't understand what is wrong and how to improve, then ask your teacher to explain and don't be satisfied until you do understand.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements is TRUE?", "answer": "C", "options": ["You need to study just one subject in university.", "The desire to get a degree is always strong throughout university days.", "How hard-working the students are affects their interest in their study.", "You needn't be taught by teachers in university."]}, {"question": "The teachers in university _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["have to urge you to study hard", "may instruct you how to improve your studies", "never criticize your work", "never help you if you fail to understand a difficult problem"]}, {"question": "The main idea of the passage is that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["students go to university to get a degree", "going to university brings two major changes", "students learn how to study in university", "students learn to understand college life"]}]} -{"article": "What am I going to wear today? That daily question often wastes us time and causes stress. Some people have many clothes and might still think , \"There 's nothing to wear . \"But, what if they have only six items of clothing to choose from and wear for an entire month ? That's the idea behind Six Items or Less.\nSix Items or Less is a social experiment , a gentle way of saying \"no\" to fashion consumerism and the high cost of clothing . Heidi Hackemer came up with the idea . She shared their idea with her friends . And all of a sudden , they had almost 100 people from around the world saying that they wanted to take part in this experiment .\nIt was an interesting month for them . Hackemer was surprised at how few people noticed that she was wearing the same six items the whole month . Having fewer choices reduced stress in her life . \" I learned what's really important and what's really worth stressing . I also found that this simplicity exists in other parts of my life . I realized that physical things that we allow into our world , really blocks our mind . And our mind can be quite a powerful and positive thing if we cleared up a little bit .\"\nKristy Hogue said the experiment inspired her to reexamine her life . With six items , at first she was really excited and everything was working out perfectly and she never got bored . Then she started to feel a little bored . Then she eventually accepted it and started to be more relaxed . \nAlexander was one of the 40 men \"sixers\". The most difficult part for him was having to wash clothes by hand every day . But the experiment changed his opinion on what makes people happy . \"We have many choices for everything . But all those choices don't necessarily lead up to any kind of satisfaction . We are crazy about novelty . In fact , slowing down a little bit and considering your choices a little tightly , actually leads to more time , more happiness and more content .", "problems": [{"question": "Heidi Hackemer began the Six Items or Less experiment because she wanted to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["try something special", "remove the blocks in her mind", "reexamine her life and be happy", "fight the custom of overspending on clothes"]}, {"question": "By having fewer clothes to choose from every day , Hackemer felt _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["strange", "relaxed", "bored", "surprised"]}, {"question": "What influence did the experiment have on Alexander ?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He realized that novelty could bring him more chances .", "He realized that holding on tightly could lead to more content .", "He realized that having fewer choices could bring him more happiness.", "He realized that slowing down his life speed could bring him more content."]}, {"question": "What could be the best title for the passage ? .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Many choices for everything.", "What am I going to wear today ?", "Six items or less can make you feel better .", "People 's craziness about fashion consumerism."]}]} -{"article": "About one-third of a typical home's heat loss occurs through the doors and windows. Energy-efficient doors are insulated and seal tightly to prevent air from leaking through or around them. If your doors are in good shape and you don't want to replace them, make sure they seal tightly and have door sweeps at the bottom to prevent air leaks. Installing insulated storm doors provides an additional barrier to leaking air. Most homes have many more windows than doors. Replacing older windows with new energy-efficient ones can reduce air leaks and utility bills. The best windows shut tightly and are constructed of two or more pieces of glass separated by a gas that does not conduct heat well. If you cannot replace older windows, there are several things you can do to make them more energy efficient. First, caulk(...) any cracks around the windows and make sure they seal tightly. Add storm windows or sheets of clear plastic to the outside to create additional air barriers. You can also hang insulated window curtain on the inside--during the winter, open them on sunny days and close them at night. During the summer, close them during the day to keep out the sun.", "problems": [{"question": "If you don't want to replace the door, you can _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["seal the door tightly", "make door sweeps at the bottom", "do nothing.", "Both A and B"]}, {"question": "If you don't want to replace the windows, you can do except _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["seal the windows cracks tightly.", "installing storm window or sheets of clear plastic outside", "hang insulated window curtain inside", "make windows sweeps at the bottom"]}, {"question": "When in the summer, we should do _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["open the windows on days and close them at night", "seal the door tightly", "close the windows on days and open them at night", "seal the windows cracks tightly"]}, {"question": "What is the purpose of writing this text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["To tell people how to save energy.", "Advertise the Energy-efficient doors and windows.", "To tell people that they should reduce the number of windows.", "Energy-efficient doors and windows are useful to decrease heat loss."]}]} -{"article": "I'm sure your parents love you and would love you even if you didn't live up to their expectations, They are probably setting the bar as high as possible, so that you will aim high , That's right, but you need some confidence that they'll be there to catch you--and love you just the same--if you try and fail to achieve all their goals, Because what they're doing now could lead to some unexpected results .and not good ones.\nGiving you a lecture for achieving an A is a big mistake, Your parents might think they're giving you the motivation for succeeding , but all this pressure is making you feel like you can never be good enough ,The risk is that you'll stop trying anything unless you are sure you'll be the best at it .And that can actually cause your grades to fall downwards, creating the opposite effect than you parents indeed.\nShow your parents this letter that you wrote to me ,Tell them that you love them so much ,and you worry they won't love you if you don't achieve what they want, and how you suspect you may not be up to the challenge , Explain that you have other qualities that you wish they would value you for--such as your kindness, your sense of humor, your willingness to try and try again, and so on.\nHave an honest talk with your parents about how all this pressure to be perfect is affecting you , If he talk doesn't go the way you hope , you might want to schedule a meeting between you , your parents and a counselor at school , The counselor can certainly help your parents understand how this kind of unhealthy pressure can lead to negative results, and give _ advice about how to better encourage you to be all that you can be , at school and outside of it.", "problems": [{"question": "Who does the author intend to write to?", "answer": "C", "options": ["A boy/girl whose school work is not good enough", "A boy/girl who has difficulty in getting along with parents", "A boy/girl whose parents expect too much of him/her", "A boy/girl who needs love from his/her parents"]}, {"question": "According the text, why some parents have high expectations to their children?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Because they hope their children will aim high", "Because they love their children very much", "Because their children are lack of confidence", "Because their children seldom achieve their goals"]}, {"question": "What kind of feeling may a child have if his parents ask him to achieve an A?", "answer": "B", "options": ["He may be more confident about himself", "He may feel that he can never be good enough", "He may feel natural to cheat in the exam", "He may hate his parents and try to make more mistakes"]}, {"question": "What is the advice given by the author?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To apologize to his/her parents for disappointing them", "To let his/her parents know unhealthy pressure can lead to negative results", "To invite his/her teachers to help him/her to get rid of unhealthy pressure", "To try his/her best to achieve what his/her parents expect"]}]} -{"article": "Cheektowage Central Middle School can be a lot of fun. It has game nights and student dances, after-school activities, and sports teams. However, students at the school must earn the right to join in the fun. If they don't do their homework, participate in class, and behave at all times, they're banned from participating in after-school activities.\nStudents and parents say the threat of being excluded appears to be working. Kenny T. of Reno, Nev., says it taught him that actions have consequences: \"I learned that I need to be balanced in both my work and athletics to be rewarded for working hard.\" Parent Sondra LaMacchia told The New York Times that her 14-year-old daughter is learning responsibility at Cheektowaga Central. The teen used to perform poorly in her studies, but then she was banned from a school dance. The message got through loud and clear. \"It's nobody's fault but hers,\" LaMacchia said.\nAlthough exclusion may help teach responsibility, some psychologists say it can also be threatening, especially for students who often cause, or may cause, trouble in school. They might become more aggressive and antisocial, which is exactly what schools like Cheektowaga Central want to prevent.\nShould schools exclude students from activities to get them to behave? I believe teens need school activities and that inclusion can be the answer. For some troubled students, activities can be their motivation to stay in school. \"Activities such as sports may be the only thing keeping certain students in school,\" says Duace Wood, a teacher at Mohonasen High School in Rotterdam, N.Y. Getting involved in after-class activities keeps troublesome students in class. Even if they don't do as well as their classmates, they are still learning. The more time they spend at school, the less time they have to even think about starting trouble. Teams also provide support and role models, and they help build the confidence that students need to succeed. If students who don't behave are banned from activities, they might give up on school altogether.", "problems": [{"question": "Parent Sondra LaMacchia supports the policy of exclusion because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["it provides role models", "her daughter is aggressive", "her daughter hates taking exercise", "it helps teach responsibility"]}, {"question": "What is the author's attitude towards the school's policy of exclusion?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Negative", "Sympathetic", "Satisfied", "Supportive"]}]} -{"article": "Mrs. White lived in a town of England. Her husband died three years ago and one of her children worked in the capital and the other three lived in another town. Her husband didn't leave her much money and she had to live a simple life. Sometimes her children went to see her during their holidays, ubt they stayed with her for only two or three days.\n One winter morning the old woman got up early. She was going to buy some food in a shop. And when she came out, she found there was much snow in the street. She had to sweep it away. And suddenly she found a dying dog at the corner of the house. She picked it up and took it into to house quickly. She put it near the fire and gave it some milk and bread. At first the poor dog ate nothing and that afternoon it drank some milk and three days later it was all right. Now the old woman found it was a beautiful dog. And she liked it very much and took it everywhere she went. A week later she went shopping with her dog. At a bus stop a young man was eating fish and chips. The little dog became very excited at the smell of the man's lunch and began jumping up at him.\n\"Do you mind if I throw it a bit ?\" asked the young man.\n\"Not at all,\" answered Mrs. White.\n Having heard this, he picked up the dog and threw it over the wall.", "problems": [{"question": "Mrs. White lived a simple life because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["she wasn't rich enough", "she hoped to save money for her children", "she had four children", "her children hated her"]}, {"question": "It was _ that morning when Mrs. White went to buy something.", "answer": "B", "options": ["it was beautiful", "it was little", "she spent money on it", "she felt lonely"]}, {"question": "The old woman liked the dog very much because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["it was beautiful", "it was little", "she spent money on it", "she felt lonely"]}, {"question": "The dog hoped _ , so it became excited.", "answer": "A", "options": ["to be given some food", "to leave the bus stop soon", "to bite the young man", "to go as soon as possible"]}]} -{"article": "Knowing how much her own children loved presents at Christmas, Ann Sutton always tried to seek help for one or two poor families. With a social worker mother, the Sutton children. had inherited her commitment to service, and knew never to take their good fortune at Christmas for granted. This year, Kinzie, her seven-year-old daughter was thrilled that Santa Claus would make a special visit to a 22-year-old mother named Ashley who worked in a factory raising her 12-month-old son by herself.\nThe phone rang on Sunday. A representative from a local organization was calling to say that the aid Ann had requested for Ashley had fallen through. No Santa Claus, no presents, nothing.\nAnn saw the cheer fade away from her children's faces at the news. Without a word, Kinzie ran into her bedroom. She returned, her face set with determination.\nOpening up her piggy bank, she put all the coins onto the table: $3.30. Everything she had.\n\"Mom,\" she told Ann, \"I know it's not much. But maybe this will buy a present for the baby.\"\nAt a breakfast meeting the next day, Ann told her coworkers about her daughter story. To her surprise, staff members began to open their purses. and empty their pockets to help Kinzie .On Christmas Eve, Ann drove through the pouring rain to the small trailer where the Ashley's lived. Then she began to unload the gifts from the car, handing them to Ashley one by one.\nAshley was very moved. Reflecting on a little girl's generosity, Ashley says she'll one day be able to do something similar for someone else in need. \"Kinzie could have used that money for herself, but she gave it away,\" Ashley says. \"She's the type of kid I'd like my son to grow up to be.\"", "problems": [{"question": "According to the text, Ann Sutton _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["only cares about poor children", "has possessed a good fortune", "is warm-hearted and ready to help others", "is a single mother with a 12-month-old boy."]}, {"question": "When hearing the aid had fallen through,, Kinzie", "answer": "D", "options": ["was not sad but cheerfu1", "put all her coins away immediately", "told her mother to ask the coworkers for help", "decided to buy a present for the baby with all her allowance"]}, {"question": "From the text we can learn that.", "answer": "C", "options": ["Ann would act as Santa Claus to hand out the Christmas presents", "the Sutton children always got lots of presents at Christmas", "Kinzie's generosity influenced others and they clici something similar", "Ashley was moved and promised to return the money"]}, {"question": "What does the text mainly talk about?", "answer": "B", "options": ["How a warm-hearted mother shows her love to a poor family.", "How a mother and her young daughter helped a poor family.", "Many people make contributions to those in need. '", "What happened to a poor family on Christmas Eve."]}]} -{"article": "Almost every machine with moving parts has wheels,yet no one knows exactly when the first wheel was invented or what it was used for.We do know,however,that they existed over 5,500 years ago in ancient Asia.\nThe oldest known transport wheel was discovered in 2002 in Slovenia.It is over 5,100 years old.Evidence suggests that wheels for transport didn't become popular for a while,though.This could be because animals did a perfectly good job of carrying farming tools and humans around.\nBut it could also be because of a difficult situation.While wheels need to roll on smooth surfaces,roads with smooth surfaces weren't going to be constructed until there was plenty of demand for them.Eventually,road surfaces did become smoother,but this difficult situation appeared again a few centuries later.There had been no important changes in wheel and vehicle design before the arrival of modern road design.\nIn the mid1700s,a Frenchman came up with a new design of road--a base layer of large stones covered with a thin layer of smaller stones.A Scotsman improved on this design in the 1820s and a strong,lasting road surface became a reality.At around the same time,metal hubs (the central part of a wheel)came into being,followed by the pneumatic tyre in 1846.Alloy wheels were invented in 1967,sixty years after the appearance of tarmacked roads .As wheel design took off,vehicles got faster and faster. (2013*,C)", "problems": [{"question": "What might explain why transport wheels didn't become popular for some time?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Few knew how to use transport wheels.", "Humans carried farming tools just as well.", "Animals were a good means of transport.", "The existence of transport wheels was not known."]}, {"question": "What do we know about road design from the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It was easier than wheel design.", "It improved after big changes in vehicle design.", "It was promoted by fastmoving vehicles.", "It provided conditions for wheel design to develop."]}, {"question": "What is the passage mainly about?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The beginning of road design.", "The development of transport wheels.", "The history of public transport.", "The invention of fastmoving vehicles."]}]} -{"article": "On Saturday, Feb 12, 2000, two things happened that changed my life.\nFirst of all, my baby sister got married. She was 26 this day, and yet to me she was still my baby sister.\nI was happy, but also sad. Gone were the days of me bossing her around. My bossy behavior had once earned me the nickname Lucy. If you're a fan of Peanuts, then you can clearly imagine my behavior as an older sister.\nAt one point, I left the wedding reception to get some air. I went outside and walked to a nearby playground. I'm not sure how long I sat there before my sister came and joined me. We talked about how we were both grown up. As she wiped a tear from my eye, she lovingly said, \"You'll always be Lucy to me.\" We hugged.\nThen, my cousin Mike walked over to tell us that it was time to cut the cake, and the second thing that changed my life that day came to pass.\n\"Hey, did you guys hear that Charles Schulz died today?\" he said casually - as if it were no big deal. Then he took my sister's arm and they turned to head back to the reception hall. \"Coming?\" they asked. \"In a minute,\" I replied, and I sat back down on the bench, dizzy from what Mike had just told me.\nHow could Charles Schulz be dead? He was my creator! He was almost like a father to me!\nI had lost so many things on that day. My innocence had slipped away like a thief in the night. It was gone before I could do anything about it, taking with it all the treasures that I had held in my heart. I felt myself grow up in an instant. I saw, for the first time, what I really was - a 30-year-old woman with a husband of my own, and soon, a child of my own.\nI took a deep breath and stood up from the bench. I turned and headed back to the hall, hoping I hadn't missed the cutting of the cake. It was the day that my sister grew wings of her own and left the nest - the day that _ .", "problems": [{"question": "Why did the author feel sad at her sister's wedding?", "answer": "C", "options": ["She was afraid of change.", "Her sister was getting ready to move far away from her.", "Her wonderful childhood with her sister had become a thing of the past.", "She had nobody to turn to for help with housework."]}, {"question": "When the author's cousin told her that Charles Schulz had died, she _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["felt a great sense of loss", "burst into tears", "thought he was joking", "got angry at him for his attitude"]}, {"question": "What is implied when the author says that \"Lucy died, and I was born\"?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The author has realized how her sister must have felt about her and decided to change.", "Lucy no longer matters to the author.", "The author doesn't like the nickname Lucy anymore.", "The author is no longer sad and ready to face the fact that she is an adult."]}, {"question": "The best title of the passage can be _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Two things changing my life", "My baby sister's wedding", "Not Lucy anymore", "Not innocent anymore"]}]} -{"article": "This recently-released documentary had some fantastic footage in it, and a very personal look at many of the astronauts who went to the moon. Overall, that is a very exclusive club; only about a dozen men ever did it in the history of the world and just eight or nine ever stepped foot on it. Most of them are still alive and they discuss their adventures, insights and personal feelings here.\nOne gets the feeling that the rest of us will never know exactly how beautiful the moon is except to take the astronauts's words about it, because even the pictures on this DVD can't convey that.\nSince this documentary is about 100 minutes long, you get a lot of information. You also get reminded how close two of the three men who went up on that historic first walk on the moon almost didn't get home alive.\nAn absence in this documentary is the most famous astronaut of them all: Neil Armstrong, the first man to step foot on the moon! Apparently, he did not want to be part of this film. One of the astronauts mentions something briefly about Armstrong being somewhat of a \"recluse \" now and it \"being understandable with what he's gone through\". From what I've read, a lot of people have tried to make money off him in shady ways and so now he's withdrawn from the public spotlight.\nThis film, a legacy to the Apollo program and the brave men who ran it, should be in every schoolroom. It would make history more interesting to students.", "problems": [{"question": "What can we know from the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["One of the astronauts talks about how beautiful the moon is.", "Two of the three men who went to the moon lost their lives.", "The documentary would make more students interested in history.", "The astronauts talk about their adventures, insights and excitement."]}, {"question": "How many astronauts first flew to the moon?", "answer": "C", "options": ["1", "2", "3.", "4"]}, {"question": "Why was Armstrong absent from the film?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because he didn't like to show in public.", "Because he has been tired of astronaut's life.", "Because someone wanted to make money off him.", "Because he thought what he did was nothing to mention."]}, {"question": "What made Armstrong famous around the world?", "answer": "C", "options": ["That he came back safely to the earth alive.", "That he became an astronaut.", "That he first stepped on the moon.", "That he walked on the moon for 100 minutes."]}]} -{"article": "People in the United States love their dogs and treat them well. They take their dogs for walks, let them play outside and give them good food and medical care. However, dogs without owners to care for lead a different kind of life. The expression, to lead a dog's life, describes a person who has an unhappy existence.\nSome people say we live in a dog-eat-dog world. That means many people are competing for the same things, like good jobs. They say that to be successful, a person has to work like a dog. This means they have to work very, very hard. Such hard work can make people dog-tired. And, the situation would be even worse if they became sick as a dog.\nStill, people say every dog has its day. This means that every person enjoys a successful period during his or her life. To be successful, people often have to learn new skills. Yet, some people say that you can never teach an old dog new tricks. They believe that older people do not like to learn new things and will not change the way they do things.\nSome people are compared to dogs in bad ways. People who are unkind or uncaring can be described meaner than a junkyard dog. Junkyard dogs live in places where people throw away things they do not want. Mean dogs are often used to guard this property. They bark or attack people who try to enter the property. However, sometimes a person who appears to be mean and threatening is really not so bad. We say his bark is worse than his bite.\nHusbands and wives use this doghouse term when they are angry at each other. For example, a woman might get angry at her husband for coming home late or forgetting their wedding anniversary. She might tell him that he is in the doghouse. She may not treat him nicely until he apologizes. However, the husband may decide that it is best to leave things alone and not create more problems. He might decide to let sleeping dogs lie.\nDog expressions also are used to describe the weather. The dog days of summer are the hottest days of the year. A rainstorm may cool the weather. But we do not want it to rain too hard. We do not want it to rain cats and dogs.", "problems": [{"question": "To achieve success, you must _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["feel dog-tired", "work like a dog", "become sick as a dog", "be meaner than a junkyard dog"]}, {"question": "To everyone's surprise, Jack has been employed by a big company, about which we can say, \" _ \".", "answer": "A", "options": ["Every dog has its day", "Jack works like a dog", "His bark is worse than his bite", "Jack really lives in a dog-eat-dog world"]}, {"question": "What kind of people live a difficult life?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Those who are in the doghouse.", "Those who have the dog days.", "Those who lead a dog's life.", "Those whose bark is worse than his bite."]}, {"question": "What does the article mainly talk about?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Dogs' life in America.", "How to treat dogs well.", "Why Americans love dogs.", "Expressions with the word \"dog\"."]}]} -{"article": "Europe loves bicycle\n _ But not even these difficulties can stop Europeans passion for cycling. According to BBC,bicycles outsold cars in 26 of the European Union's 28 states last year.\nIn some European countries just like Denmark and the Netherlands, people really love bicycles.\nBut BBC reported that Spain is also _ bicycling: for the first time on record, bicycles outsold cars in the country in 2012.\nAnd it's becoming a continent-wide phenomenon. \"people ride to work and take their bikes to the grocery\nstore,\" Bill Strickland, executive editor of Bicycling magazine, told Reuters.\nSo what has led to cycling's growing popularity in Europe?\n\"Cycling is a safe, clean, healthy way to get around,\" the Daily Star concluded. \"it not only reduces traffic congestion and pollution, abut also contributes to public health.\"\nBike-friendly policies have also contributed to the phenomenon.\nDozens of cities have joined a European Union initiative to make bicycles on the par with (......) cars as a form of urban transport. Quite a few cities such as Stockholm, London, Florence and Munich now offer extensive networks of well-marked bike lanes.\nCopenhagen take it as a step future by keeping bicycles and motor vehicles physically separate as much as possible. On these routes, stoplights are adjusted to the rhythms of bicycles, not cars. And the routs are lined with bicycle pump stations that are designed to the Daily Star.\nFor people living far from city centers, getting to work by bicycles alone may not be time-efficient. That's why many European countries now allow cyclists to bring their bicycles onto subway trains.\nEuropeans are also creative in solving parking problems. The Daily Star reported that Amsterdam has come up with a high-tech solution: you lock your bike to a rack , which then revolves underground. When you want your bike back, the rack rotates it back to the surface.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the article?", "answer": "B", "options": ["In Denmark, all bike lanes are separated from motorized traffic.", "In Copenhagen, cyclists are given priority over drivers in many traffic situations.", "Bicycles are not allowed to be taken onto subway trains in most European countries.", "Amsterdam's cycling network and underground parking system is the most advanced in the world."]}, {"question": "More and more Europeans prefer bicycles because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["They think cycling is a safe, clean, healthy, inexpensive way to get around.", "Cars are usually caught in traffic jams.", "Governments require them to do so.", "It is convenient to park their bicycles."]}]} -{"article": "Former Hollywood child star Shirley Temple died on Monday at home in Woodside, California, from natural causes. \"She was surrounded by her family and caregivers,\" a statement said.\nWith her adorable charm and blonde curls, she was one of the most popular stars of the 1930s, in hit movies like Bright Eyes and Stand Up and Cheer.Her singing, dancing and acting won over fans worldwide. She was given a special teenager Oscar in 1935, when she was just six years old. To this day, she is still the youngest person to receive an Academy Award.\nAfter retiring from films in 1950 at the age of 21, Temple returned to the spotlight as a politician and diplomat.Shirley Temple started her film career at three years old. Between 1934 and 1938 she appeared in more than 20 feature films and was consistently the top US movie star.The youngster wore a grass skirt and played a Ukulele to promote the musical Captain January, directed by David Butler, in 1936.She attended her first big premiere for her film Wee Willie Winkie in Hollywood on 26 June, 1937.\nAs well as being the youngest ever receiver of an Oscar (at the age of 6 years and 310 days), Temple was also the youngest person to present one of the statuettes. She stood on a chair to give Claudette Colbert the best actress prize for It Happened One Night in 1935.At the age of 12 Temple`s star burnt out - her parents bought out the remainder of her contract and sent her to a girl`s school.Her final film, A Kiss For Corliss, is available to watch online for free. This is star`s final ever moment on the big screen.The actress retired from Hollywood in 1950, but she still appeared occasionally on TV. In 1958 she wore a fairy godmother costume to promote her series of dramatised fairy tales, Shirley Temple`s Storybook. In 2006, she accepted the Life Achievement Award at the 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.", "problems": [{"question": "Shirley Temple's early popularity was due to _", "answer": "B", "options": ["her acting in movies", "her adorable charm and blonde curls", "her wonderful voice", "her role as a politician"]}, {"question": "What can we learn from the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Shirley Temple was the most popular star .", "Shirley Temple was the youngest person to receive the Life Achievement Award.", "Shirley Temple was the youngest person to present statuettes to another actress.", "Shirley Temple was never involved in politics."]}, {"question": "What is the passage mainly about?", "answer": "C", "options": ["An autobiography of Shirley Temple.", "How Shirley Temple became successful.", "The legendary life of Shirley Temple.", "The film career of Shirley Temple."]}]} -{"article": "The sea has always interested us. From it we can get food, minerals and treasures. For thousands of years, we just sailed on it but couldn't go far under its surface.\n We want to explore deep into the sea However, we are not fish. We must breathe, so we can't stay underwater for long. To explore deep water, we face even more dangers and problems.\n A diver trying to stay underwater for a long time must breathe air or a special mixture of gases. He can wear a diving suit and have air pumped to him from above. He can carry a tank of air on his back and breathe through a special pipe. Water weighs 800 times as much as air. Tons of water pushes against a diver deep in the sea. so his body is under great pressure. When a diver is under great pressure, his blood takes in some of the gases he breathes. As he rises to the surface, the water pressure becomes less. If the diver rises too quickly, the gases in his blood form bubbles .The diver is then suffering from a kind of illness. This kind of illness can cause a diver great pains and even kill him", "problems": [{"question": "The text is mainly about _ ?", "answer": "B", "options": ["special mixture of gases in the deep sea", "the problems a diver faces in the sea", "air pressure under the surface of sea water", "a kind of illness that a diver suffers in the sea"]}, {"question": "A diver's body in deep water _ ?", "answer": "A", "options": ["is under great pressure", "is just like a fish", "suffers from illnesses", "weighs very little"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the text that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["deep sea divers should be in good health", "divers usually explore the deep sea for treasure", "diving underwater too quickly causes a kind of illness", "there is a special mixture of gases under the sea"]}, {"question": "Why does a diver get a kind of illness?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because her tries to do exercise under the sea.", "Because his diving suit weighs too much.", "Because he comes to the surface too quickly.", "Because the air in his blood can be used up."]}]} -{"article": "In every school there is a \"top\" crowd that sets the pace, while the others follow their lead. For example,the top crowd decides that it is smart to wear bright red sweaters. Very soon everybody is wearing a brightred sweater.\nThere is nothing wrong with that, except the fact that bright red is not suitable on some peopleat all.\nThe situation can even become dangerous, if the top crowd decides that it is smart to drink or to drivecars at 70 miles an hour. Then the people who follow the lead are causing danger to people's lives. They arelike sheep being led to the slaughterhouse .\nPerhaps you have come across situations like these more than once in your life. In fact, at one time oranother you probably did something you knew to be wrong. You may have excused yourself by saying, \"Thecrowd does it.\" Well, let the crowd do it, but don't do it yourself. Learn to say, \"No.\" Make your own judge . If you know the crowd is planning something with which you disagree, have the courage to leavethem politely. You'll have the satisfaction of standing on your own feet.", "problems": [{"question": "The writer disapproves of wearing red sweaters if _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the crowd is wearing them", "you don't look good in red", "you can't afford them", "your parents disapprove"]}, {"question": "The writer urges the readers to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["obey their parents", "take the advice of their elders", "be independent", "follow the crowd"]}, {"question": "People who blindly follow the \"top\" crowd _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["will make themselves happy", "will lose friends", "sometimes do things against their better judgment", "finally become pace-setters in their own right"]}, {"question": "The main idea of this passage is that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["in every school there is a \"top\" crowd that sets the pace", "it is a mistake to follow the \"top\" crowd blindly", "at one time or another you probably did something you knew to be wrong", "people who follow the \"top\" crowd are endangering their lives"]}, {"question": "Which is the best title for this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["On Being Yourself.", "The \"Top\" Crowd.", "Follow the Leader.", "Rules for Teens."]}]} -{"article": "The food we eat seems to have a great effect on our health. Although science has made big steps in making food more fit to eat, it has, at the same time, made many foods unfit to eat. Some research has shown that perhaps eighty percent of human illness is related to food and forty percent of cancer is related to food as well. That food is related to illness is not a new discovery. In 1945, some researchers realized that things commonly used to keep colour in meats and other food additives caused cancer.\nYet, these additives remain in our food, and it is difficult to know which things on the wrappings of foods are helpful or harmful. The additives which we eat are not all so direct. Farmers often give penicillin to their animals, and because of this, penicillin has been found in the milk of cows. Sometimes similar tings are supplied to animals not for their health, but just to make a profit.\nThe farmers are simply trying to fatten the animals in order to get a higher price on the market. Although some countries have tried to control such things, the practice continues.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is not true?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Some wrappings of food are harmful.", "Farmers try to make more money on the market by fattening their animals.", "\"The practice continues\" means \"things are still going on like that\".", "We needn't take care of what we eat."]}, {"question": "According to this passage, we can know _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["perhaps most of human illness is caused by what we eat", "perhaps most kinds of cancer are related to what people eat", "cancer was discovered in 1945", "science has made food unfit to eat"]}, {"question": "Things that are used to keep colours in meats are _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["harmful", "useless", "helpless", "dangerous"]}, {"question": "All the additives _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["are bright and colourless", "are not bright and colourful", "have indirect effects on our health", "have direct effects on our health"]}]} -{"article": "Dogs have an amazing ability to do whatever needs to be done, and will still wag their tails afterward.The following are some wonderful dog stories to share.\nTeka\nNot too many people know what to do when someone has a heart attack other than call 911.But Teka, an Australian Cattle Dog, skipped the phone call when her owner suffered a severe heart attack.Not only did she bark in his face to bring him back to consciousness and run outside barking to attract attention, but she climbed on his chest and jumped up and down.\nWhen medics arrived, they couldn't say whether or not Teka's unusual version of CPR had any effect, but her owner feels grateful to her.And her efforts didn't go unnoticed: Teka was given a Purple Cross medal for bravery by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. \nZoey\nSize is no barrier to a dog determined to protect her family and Zoey, a 5-pound chihuahua puppy from Colorado, is living proof. She made headlines in 2007 after saving a one-year-old from the bite of a large rattlesnake. \nZoey, who weighed only five pounds, was just 10 months old at the time, but she rose to the occasion when needed.One-year-old Booker West was playing in his grandparent's backyard when a rattlesnake struck at him! Zoey sprang into action, putting herself between the snake and the kid.She got several snakebites and was rushed to an animal hospital.Her head swelled and she almost lost an eye, but with proper treatment, Zoey made a full recovery. \nHachiko \nHachiko, an Akita, was brought to Tokyo in 1924 by Ueno, a college professor. Every day Hachiko waited for him to return from work, meeting him at the train station at four. \nThe following year, Ueno suffered a stroke at work and died.Unaware of his death, the dog still returned to the train station every day to await his owner.He became such a familiar presence there, in fact, that the station master set out food for the dog and gave him a bed in the station.Even so, every day at four, he hopefully waited by the tracks as the train pulled in, searching through the crowd for his master.Every day.For ten years. \nUpon his death in 1935, Hachiko was a national celebrity and a bronze statue of him was installed at Shibuya Station as a tribute. \nStubby \nIn 1917 Stubby was adopted by a soldier, who trained him to drill and salute. His owner developed such a strong connection with him that when he was sent to war in Europe, he took Stubby along, hiding him on the ship bound for France. \nStubby proved a war star.He served 18 months in the front lines and took part in seventeen battles.He kept watch, warned the soldiers of surprise attacks, and saved the wounded in no man's land.He once found a German spy and held him by the seat of the pants until American soldiers arrived. Stubby was eventually a highly decorated dog, winning various medals and awards. A group of French\nwomen made Stubby a blanket decorated with allied flags to display his medals. \nWant to read more about dogs? Click here for more amazing dog stories.", "problems": [{"question": "What did Teka do to save her owner?", "answer": "D", "options": ["She dialed the number of 911.", "She helped doctors perform CPR.", "She fetched the medicine for him.", "She barked to draw attention."]}, {"question": "Zoey in the second story is living proof of the saying that_.", "answer": "A", "options": ["Good things do come in small packages", "When the cat's away, the mice will play", "One good turn deserves another", "Birds of a feather flock together"]}, {"question": "Which of the following can best describe Hachiko in the third story?", "answer": "C", "options": ["sensitive.", "unconcerned.", "loyal.", "courageous."]}, {"question": "Why did his owner take Stubby to the front lines?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Stubby was well trained for the war.", "He was very fond of Stubby.", "Stubby was a highly decorated war dog.", "Stubby was loved by French women."]}, {"question": "Where is the passage taken from?", "answer": "C", "options": ["A newspaper.", "A magazine.", "A website.", "A TV program."]}]} -{"article": "When movie star Scarlett Johansson was photographed naming in Los Angeles recently, she attracted a lot of attention; for the 27-year-old actress was wearing Vibram FiveFingers, so called because they look more like gloves than shoes, with a space for each toe.\nStrange though they may look, these so-called barefoot shoes, which reproduce the effect of barefoot running but with less pain, are just one brand in a range of minimalist footwear. These super-thin sports shoes are causing a stir in the world of running and fitness. Why? Because some experts believe _ could make you a better, more efficient runner and that traditional trainers could be doing you more harm than good.\n\"Wearing a shoe that has lots of cushioning and support affects the way your body naturally moves and studies suggest that this carries a higher risk of injury,\" explains Matt Wallden, an athlete performance expert. \"But with barefoot shoes, the foot can actually feel the firmness and shape of the ground, which allows your body to respond effectively.'\"\nBut before you rush out to invest in minimalist footwear, be careful. These kinds of shoes are not meant for everyone, or at least not straight away.\n\"Ordinary sports shoes with support are good for beginners whose bodies are not used to the impact of running,\" explains Patrick Davoren, former Olympic athlete. \"If you are not in great condition, then running in minimalist footwear may cause injuries and will turn a lot of people off exercise and running.\nIf you are currently injured, and figures show that in any given year 65% of all runners are, it can be tempting to try anything that promises to get you back on the road, trail, or beach. But barefoot running is not a method of treating injury nor is it a magical way of suddenly turning you into a great athlete.\nEven if you're used to running, when you start using minimalist shoes you should build up your distance gradually. Start _ off'by doing just 10% of what you'd normally run and increase the distance by no more than 10% every week. And a word of warning - you may never have soft feet again", "problems": [{"question": "The Vibram FiveFingers are shoes _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["specifically designed for women", "that have lots of cushion inside", "safest for people who enjoy sports", "that are much thinner than normal sports shoes"]}, {"question": "According to Matt Wallden, the new shoes _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["make feet more sensitive to the running surface", "will produce immediate improvements", "force your body to move less naturally", "increase the chances of getting hurt"]}, {"question": "The author suggests that new users of Vibram FiveFingers should _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["run in the shoes every day at top speed", "begin with a shorter running distance than normal", "occasionally run barefooted to harden their feet", "make sure they are already very fit before using them"]}, {"question": "Where would you probably read this article?", "answer": "C", "options": ["A travel book.", "A movie website.", "A sports magazine.", "A science journal."]}]} -{"article": "When I first arrived in Taiwan to teach English, I had already taken several courses in university on Mandarin Chinese. I had done well in those courses and enjoyed them very much. I thought I would be able to have a conversation with Chinese speakers and improve my Chinese in the process.\nHowever, as soon as I settled in Taiwan I became afraid to speak. Seeing all of the signs written in Chinese, constantly overhearing long streams of spoken Chinese, and seeing the effortless fluency of some foreigners who had been there for a while, I began to doubt my own ability to speak Chinese. It's proved that things were different outside of the classroom.\nWhat really happened to me was what happens every day to Chinese language learners. I became afraid and nervous at the foreignness of the language. Something happened a few weeks later. I tried to spend a lot of time in public, and the sound of spoken Chinese was becoming more ordinary to me. Despite the fact that I had not been practicing my Chinese and I had not consulted my vocabulary flashcards. I begin to notice some words that I recognized from my courses in university. At first, I heard only one word. \"dianhua\"- telephone. After that, I begin hearing other words. Sometimes, I would hear a couple of words in one sentence.\nMore and more words began to stand out to me. I started studying Chinese characters and began to be able to read small blocks of text in the advertisements. When I really began speaking in Chinese to Chinese people I met, I began to learn Chinese fast and the smiles that I received in return were a fantastic reward for the work that I had done in learning the language. It was a great feeling to order food from a restaurant in Chinese, or to make a comment about the weather to the lady who works at the bank.", "problems": [{"question": "What can we conclude from the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The author is sharing his Spoken Chinese experience.", "The author is a fearful and cautious man.", "The author didn't get good grades at university.", "The author couldn't adjust to the life of Taiwan."]}, {"question": "According to the passage we know that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Chinese dishes and weather attract the author deeply.", "the author thought he could talk with Chinese in mandarin before he arrived in Taiwan.", "the author failed to improve his spoken Chinese.", "the language in reality is just the same as that taught in classroom."]}, {"question": "Why does the author doubt his ability to speak Chinese at first?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Everything in Taiwan is different from that in America.", "People often misunderstand the author on purpose.", "Other foreigners can't communicate with him.", "He has difficulty understanding the native language."]}, {"question": "What do you know about the author in the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["He only enjoys talking with the local people in Chinese.", "He can speak fluent Chinese when ordering meals at last.", "He loves to make a comment on woman.", "He has been rewarded for speaking Chinese."]}]} -{"article": "CHICAGO ---- For working parents and heavily scheduled school kids, family mealtime is out of fashion. But supermarkets are trying to attract families back to the dinner table.\nThere is a _ if family members have meals apart: research shows that teenagers who don't eat with their parents face a greater risk of drug and alcohol problems.\n\"The more often kids have dinner with their parents, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs,\" said Joseph Califano Jr., head of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, which did the research.\nStores are familiar with the idea and will start telling shoppers about the findings and encouraging them to share meals together at home, instead of separately or at restaurants.\nThe food marketing Institute will give $25,000 to the center and help stores promote the center's Family Day in September.\nMany stores have grab-and-go dinners and recipe cards. Some have kiosks where people can taste a main dish, then pick out side dishes.\n\"Our members have worked hard to try to have easily prepared food either ready to eat or ready to take home,\" said Tim Hammonds, the institute's president and chief executive.\nLos Angeles-based Contessa Premium Foods makes frozen delicious meals, which a family can heat in 10 minutes to 12 minutes. \"That's nearly as fast as a TV dinner,\" said president and chief executive John Z. Blazevich, \"but is healthier and makes people feel like they actually cooked.\"\n\"The preparation is the hardest part, so we try to combine a variety of tastes and flavours from around the world and make it fast and easy,\" he said.\n\"Eating at home helps keep meals healthy and teaches kids how to eat right. If we can get people back to having family dinners, parents back to being engaged with their kids, it will have a surprising impact,\" he said.", "problems": [{"question": "The reasons why family mealtime is out of fashion are the following EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the parents are busy with work", "the children have a little spare time", "the children are not fond of family meal", "it will take much time to cook and eat at home"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, stores are trying to attract families back to the dinner table by the following ways EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["telling the parents the disadvantages of having dinner separately.", "offering various prepared food to make family cooking fast and easy.", "taking part in Family Day activities in September.", "helping housewives prepare their meals at home."]}, {"question": "What is the passage mainly about?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The efforts that are being made to get people back to having family dinners", "The benefits of having family dinners together.", "The changes in American family dinners.", "A research done by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse."]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Family Mealtime is out of Fashion", "Family Day is Promoted in September", "Parents should Cook Meals for Kids", "Supermarkets Urges Families to Dinner Table"]}]} -{"article": "Apple is offering a new tool that lets potential buyers a used iPhone, iPad, and iPod know if the devices were previously stolen.\nThe new Activation Lock Status tool, available through the company's iCloud service, allows users to enter the device's serial number and see if used devices are currently locked down or have ever been locked down by a previous owner, which would indicate the device was stolen. The reason behind the feature? Few customers would buy stolen devices, especially ones they can't use, so thieves will be deterred from stealing them in the first place.\nApple introduced its \"kill switch\" feature with iOS 7 last September. Using the Find My iPhone app and iCloud. corn, users can track their phone's location, in case it was accidentally left somewhere. Or, for those who believe their phone was stolen, they can enable the kill switch, which locks down the phone. The app can also delete all of its data in case the phone contains sensitive information. The only way to re-enable the device once it is locked down is to enter its associated Apple ID and password.\nHackers figured out a way to unlock mobile and tablet devices by tricking the device into using an alternative iCloud server, writes PC World. That's where the new Activation Lock Status tool comes in. Even if hackers are able to trick the device into unlocking, potential customers can check if the device was ever locked from the Find My iPhone feature.\nMobile devices have a high robbery rate. In California, 1 in every 3 robberies includes a mobile device, according to the Federal Communications Commission. For Oakland, Calif. , it's 75 percent of robberies. But Apple's locking feature has been extremely effective. In the months after the kill switch feature was released, iPhone thefts dropped 38 percent in San Francisco, according to a June law enforcement report. The robbery rate of Samsung phones, which don't have a kill switch feature, increased 12 percent.\nIn an attempt to cut down on the number of phones stolen across the state, California passed a law that will require all smartphones to have a kill switch system.\n\"Our efforts will effectively wipe out the incentive to steal smartphones and curb this crime of convenience, which is fueling street crime and violence within our communities,\" Sen. Mark Leno, who introduced the bill, said in a statement.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, Apple is offering a new tool _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["to promote its advanced technology over other brands", "to monitor the function of an iPhone, iPad, and iPod", "to teach its users how to lock down and unlock their devices", "to try to reduce the stealing and selling cases of the devices of Apple"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT the function of \"kill switch\" feature?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Find the phone's position.", "Wipe out the sensitive information in the phone.", "Lock down the phone.", "Enable the stolen phones to find their former owners automatically."]}, {"question": "It can be inferred that in the near future in America the smartphones might _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["have a kill switch system", "have a global position system", "no longer be stolen by the thefts", "all be replaced by the iPhone"]}]} -{"article": "There was once a lonely girl who longed so much for love.One day while she was walking in the woods she found two starving songbirds.She took them home and put them in a small cage,caring them with love.Luckily,the birds grew strong little by little.Every morning they greeted her with a wonderful song.The girl felt great love for the birds.\nOne day the girl left the door to the cage open accidentally.The larger and stronger of the two birds flew from the cage.The girl was so frightened that he would fly away so as he flew close,she grasped him wildly.Her heart felt glad at her success in capturing him.Suddenly,she felt the bird go limp,so she opened her hand and stared in horror at the dead bird.It was her desperate love that had killed him.\nShe noticed the other bird moving back and forth on the edge of the cage.She could feel his strong desire-needing to fly into the clear,blue sky.Unwillingly,she lifted him from the cage and _ him softly into the air.The lucky bird circled once,twice,three times.\nThe girl watched delightedly at the bird.Her heart was no longer concerned with her loss.What she wanted to see was that the bird could fly happily.Suddenly the bird flew closer and landed softly on her shoulder.It sang the sweetest tune that she had ever heard.\nRemember,the fastest way to lose love is to hold on it too tight;the best way to keep love is to give it wings!", "problems": [{"question": "After the girl found the two birds,she _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["became delighted at once", "treated them for a long time", "took them to their home", "fed them and raised them"]}, {"question": "Why did the girl grasp the stronger bird wildly?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because the girl disliked the bird any longer.", "Because the bird wanted to fly alone.", "Because the girl loved the bird deeply.", "Because the bird intended to found some food."]}, {"question": "What can we learn from the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Catch what you can catch on your way to success.", "Going too far is as bad as not going far enough.", "The best things come when you least expect them to.", "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."]}]} -{"article": "Dear Kind-Trustee-Who-Sends-Orphans-to-College,\nHere I am! I traveled yesterday for four hours in a train.It's a funny feeling, isn't it? I never rode in one before.\n College is the biggest, most puzzling place--I get lost whenever I leave my room. I will write you a description later when I'm feeling less confused; also I will tell you about my lessons. Classes don't begin until Monday morning, and this is Saturday night. But I wanted to write a letter first just to get acquainted.\n It seems strange to be writing letters to somebody you don't know. It seems strange for me to be writing letters at all--I've never written more than three or four in my life, so please overlook it if these are not a model kind.\n Before leaving yesterday morning, Mrs. Lippett and I had a very serious talk. She told me how to behave all the rest of my life, and especially how to behave towards the kind gentleman who is doing so much for me. I must take care to be very respectful.\n But how can one be very respectful to a person who wishes to be called John Smith? Why couldn't you have picked out a name with a little personality? I might as well write letters to Dear Flagpole or Dear Clothes-line.\n I have been thinking about you a great deal this summer; having somebody take an interest in me after all these years makes me feel as though I had found a sort of family. It seems as though I belonged to somebody now, and it's a very comfortable feeling. I must say, however, that when I think about you, my imagination has very little to work upon. There are just three things that I know: I, You are tall. II. You are rich. III. You hate girls.\n I suppose I might call you Dear Mr. Girl-Hater. Only that's rather rude to me. Or Dear Mr. Rich-Man, but that's rude to you, as though money were the only important thing about you. Besides, being rich is such a very external quality. Maybe you won't stay rich all your life; lots of very clever men get broke in Wall Street. But at least you will stay tall all your life! So I've decided to call you Dear Daddy-Long-Legs. I hope you won't mind. It's just a private pet name we won't tell Mrs. Lippett.\n The ten o'clock bell is going to ring in two minutes. Our day is divided into sections by bells. We eat and sleep and study by bells. It's very lifeful. There it goes! Lights out. Good night.\n Observe how precisely I obey rules--due to my training in the John Grier Home.\n Yours most respectfully,\n Jerusha Abbott\n to Mr. Daddy-Long-Legs Smith", "problems": [{"question": "Jerusha felt \"confused\" because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["she had never written to the trustee before", "she was not familiar with the college yet", "she could never find the way to her home", "she had never traveled on a train berore"]}, {"question": "Jerusha thought that she couldn't be very respectful to \"John Smith\" because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["he was a total stranger to her", "she was sure it was a false identity", "the name was too common", "nobody would like to be called that name"]}, {"question": "The fact that her day is \"divided into sections by bells\" makes Jerusha feel _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["busy", "restricted by rules", "pressed for time", "full of energy"]}, {"question": "Jerusha decided to call the trustee Dear Daddy-Long-legs _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["in order to show her respect for him", "because it was one of his inner quality", "in older to make them feel closer to each other", "because she had always wanted a father"]}]} -{"article": "The American population was the tallest in the world from about the American Revolution to World WarII -- that's a long time. The U.S. had a very resource rich environment, with _ , fish and wildlife. In fact we have data on disadvantaged people in America, such as slaves. They were obviously among the most mistreated populations in the world, but given the resource abundance,and given the fact that the slave owners needed their work, they had to be fed ly fairly well. So the slaves were taller than European peasants. It's no wonder that Europeans were just flooding to America.\nAmericans today are no longer the tallest people in the world. After World WarII,many Western and Northern European countries began to adopt favorable social policies. There is universal health insurance in most of these societies -- that, of course, makes a difference in health care. You can also consider income inequality in the U.S., since people who are at the low end of the totem pole have considerable adversity making ends meet. I suspect the difference in height between Americans and Europeans is due to both diet and health care.\nAmericans today suffer from an additional problem: obesity . If children are too well nourished, then they're not able to grow best. There are certain hormones that control the start of the adolescent growth and the start of adolescence. Nutrition is one of the factors, along with genetic and hormonal ones which are associated with the start of puberty . And if puberty comes too early, then the youth will peak out sooner, and will not become as tall in adulthood as someone who had better nutrition.Also, the overload of carbohydrates and fats in a fastfood diet may hinder the consumption of micronutrients necessary to growth.", "problems": [{"question": "Slaves in America were taller than European peasants because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["they were badly treated", "they did not do farm work", "they had enough food to eat", "they enjoyed better health care"]}]} -{"article": "Massachusetts became the first state in the nation to ban the dumping (;) of electronic equipment such as computer monitors and television sets. It means people there can no longer put computer monitors, TV sets and other devices containing glass picture tubes out on the street for pickup by garbage cleaners.\nOfficial said much of this equipment is loaded with poisonous heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury. These poisonous heavy metals could go into groundwater or be released into the air.\nThe Boston Globe reports the state has set up a system to recycle _ at state expense through community recycling centers.\nRobin Ingenthron of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection said the state has been trying to get its electronics-recycling program in place 'before the future wave of electronics hits'. The National Safety Council estimates some 300 million computers will enter the nation's waste system in the next few years.\nIn addition, millions of people will be getting rid of their old television sets. New high-quality digital televisions and new rules will make old TV sets no longer in use over the next several years.", "problems": [{"question": "The passage tells us chiefly about _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["forbidding of a certain type of garbage dumping", "new problems of environmental protection", "household problems raised by computers and TV sets", "the handling of garbage"]}, {"question": "Which is NOT a reason that the state enforces a ban on electronic equipment dumping?", "answer": "B", "options": ["This kind of garbage is poisonous.", "Recycling systems are not working well.", "The poisonous heavy metals can go to the underground water and the air.", "There will be much more electronic garbage soon."]}]} -{"article": "Janice Fialka showed a new documentary about her cognitively disabled son at schools across the country. Everyone seemed to enjoy it, but one comment from a teacher proved to Fialka her family's investment was a success. \"In Baltimore an early childhood teacher came up and said 'I have to apologize to the family of a 4 - year - old with Down Syndrome '\" Fialka said. \"She said 'I told them to be more realistic about their dreams for him. Now I have to tell them I'm sorry.'\"\nThe story of Micah Fialka - Feldman, a 22 - year - old prefix = st1 /OaklandUniversitystudent, is meant to show parents, educators and the disabled anything is possible. Micah wrote in an essay titled \"I wanted to go to college and my dream came true.\" A lot of people didn't think he could go to college, but because family and friends believed in him, he learned how to take public transportation to campus and found teachers who helped him pick the best classes. The title of the film \"Through the same door \"came from a day when Micah, who was admitted to a first grade special education program, told his parents he wanted to walk through the same door as the rest of the kids at his school. It led to him becoming the first student with cognitive disabilities in mainstream classrooms inBerkley.\nThough he can't read or write on his own, Micah reached amazing heights with the help of voice recognition computer software.At Berkley High School, Micah won the Social Studies Department Award for civic involvement. In 2004 she received the Michigan \"Yes, I Can\" award for self - advocacy . He finished high school in 2003 with a certificate of attendance, and entered OaklandUniversitythrough the Transitions Program.\nFialka said, \"He's the happiest kid in the world. Everyone should be so happy.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What the early childhood teacher said suggests that_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["disabled people should be realistic about their dreams", "she used to believe we should not expect much from disabled people", "she hadn't given the 4 - year - old with Down Syndrome enough attention", "the documentary about Micah encouraged the disabled"]}, {"question": "The documentary got its title because_.", "answer": "C", "options": ["Micah was not allowed to go through the same door with other kids", "Micah was the only cognitively disabled student in the school", "Micah had a strong desire to do the same thing as other kids", "the rest of kids were kind enough to let him through the same door"]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Disabled man living his dream", "A documentary about Micah", "Don't look down upon the disabled", "Through the same door"]}]} -{"article": "I was in a shopping mall recently, and I decided to go and get a cup of tea. As I was making my way to the coffee shop, I noticed an old gentleman rather poorly dressed sitting on a bench nearby. I knew from the first sight that he was in need of some kind of help. He had a little lunch in front of him and was wholeheartedly enjoying it.\nThere was a young man in front of me in the line also waiting to be served. The young man handed the servant a twenty-dollar bill and asked for an orange juice as well as a _ . The servant looked at the young man with a little surprise, not fully understanding him. The young man asked her to give the juice to the old gentleman eating his lunch outside on the bench. The young man also told her that he would be watching every second so that she would be completely safe at all times. Later, there was a wonderful exchange between the waitress and the old man. I only wished I had taken a photo of the smiles on both of their faces.\nAs I was thinking about this event later on, I wondered why the young man didn't just perform this act of kindness himself. I thought he was hoping that this act of kindness might inspire others to do something for the old man as well. Thinking of the happy smiles on the old man's face, I felt how worthwhile it is to help others.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following can be used to describe the young man?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Kind and considerate", "Generous and proud.", "Rich and friendly.", "Humorous and helpful."]}, {"question": "In the author's opinion, the young man asked the servant to take the juice to the old man so that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the old man could probably accept it", "he would become famous for his good deed", "more people would be inspired to do good deeds", "he would become a friend of the servant"]}]} -{"article": "Located in the northeast part of the Jiayi County in Taiwan Province, Ali Mountain is in fact the general name of the 18 hills including Zhu Hill and Tower Hill. The highest peak of Ali Mountain is Tower Hill with the height of 2,663 meters (about 8,736 feet). Ali Mountain is world famous for its \"five rare sites\" including the Sunrise, the Ali Mountain Forest Railway, the famous Alishan Sacred Tree, the Grand Sea of Clouds, and the Flamboyant Cherry Blossom. It is said that one who has not been to Ali Mountain will never know its wonderful beauty. \nThe sunrise is a must for everyone who travels the Ali Mountain. Many have said, \"To miss viewing the sunrise on Ali Mountain is like returning empty after entering the Golconda, a source of great wealth.\" The best place to view the sunrise is on the top of Zhu Hill. The place and time of the sunrise are different due to the changes of the four seasons. If you plan to view the sunrise, it is best to ask the local people the time of sunrise, so you don't miss this magnificent opportunity. \nThe Ali Mountain Forest Railway is regarded as one of three mountain climbing railways. Traveling along the 72-kilometer-long railway, the train climbs from 30 meters (about 98 feet) to 2,450 meters (about 8,038 feet) above sea level. Its gradient is so great that it is rarely seen in the whole world. From the bottom of Ali Mountain to the top, the train crosses four forest areas--tropical, subtropical, temperate and frigid zones. \nThere is a Chinese juniper within the Ali Mountain forest area, with some 53 meters (about 174 feet) high, and 23 meters (about 75 feet) wide. This juniper is so huge that more than ten people can surround it. It has a history of more than 3,000 years, thus is called Alishan Sacred Tree. The most wondrous tree is a \"three-generation\" tree. The three generations of this tree exist in the same trunk. While the first and second generations have faded, the third generation is still flourishing. This tree is really a wonder of nature.\nThe sea of clouds and the cherry blossom should not be overlooked. If you want to avoid sunstroke, the comfortable climate in mid-summer on Ali Mountain will be a good choice.", "problems": [{"question": "What's the best time to appreciate the sea of clouds and the cherry blossom?", "answer": "C", "options": ["April.", "February.", "August.", "December."]}, {"question": "According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The place and time of the sunrise are the same despite the changes of the four seasons.", "The best place to view the sunrise is on the top of Tower Hill.", "The highest peak of Ali Mountain is Tower Hill with the height of 2,450 meters.", "The juniper has a history of more than 3,000 years, thus it is called Alishan Sacred Tree."]}]} -{"article": "English is the most widely used language in the history of our planet. One in every seven human beings can speak it. More than half of the world's books and three quarters of international mail are in English. Of all languages, English has the largest vocabulary-perhaps as many as two million words.\nHowever, let's face it: English is a crazy language. There is no egg in an eggplant, neither pine nor apple in a pineapple and no ham in a hamburger. Sweet-meats are candy, while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.\nWe take English for granted. But when we explore its paradoxes , we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, public bathrooms have no baths in them.\nAnd why is it that a writer writes, but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce, and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn't the plural of booth be beeth? One goose, two geese -- so one moose, two meese?\nHow can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell the next?\nEnglish was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of human beings. That's why, when stars are out, they are visible ; but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it; but when I _ this essay, I end it.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["sweet-meats and sweetbreads are different things", "there should be egg in an eggplant", "pineapples are the apples on the pine tree", "boxing rings should be round"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is the correct plural?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Beeth.", "Geese.", "Meese.", "Tooth."]}, {"question": "Which of the following includes two items which have the similar meaning?", "answer": "C", "options": ["A wise man and a wise guy.", "Overlook and oversee.", "Quite a lot and quite a few.", "Hot as hell and cold as hell."]}, {"question": "Through the many paradoxes in the English language, the writer wants to show that human beings are _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["clever", "crazy", "lazy", "Dull"]}]} -{"article": "Sleeping in a room with too much light has been linked to an increased risk of piling on the pounds, a study shows. A team at the Institute of Cancer Research in London found women had larger waistlines if their bedroom was \"light enough to see across\" at night. However, they caution there is not enough evidence to advise people to buy thicker curtains or turn off lights.\nThe women were asked to rate the amount of light in their bedrooms at night as: Light enough to read. Light enough to see across the room, but not read. Light enough to see your hand in front of you, but not across the room. Too dark to see your hand or you wear a mask.\nProf Anthony Swerdlow told the BBC: \"In this very large group of people there is an association between reported light exposure at night and overweight and obesity. But there is not sufficient evidence to know if making your room darker would make any difference to your weight. There might be other explanations for the association, but the findings are encouraging enough to guarantee further scientific investigation.\"\nThe light is disrupting the body clock, which stems from our evolutionary past when we were active when it was light in the day and resting when it was dark at night. Light changes mood, physical strength and even the way we process food in a 24-hour cycle. Artificial light is known to disrupt the body clock by delaying the production of the sleep hormone melatonin.\nProf Derk-Jan Dijk said there would be no harm in trying to make bedrooms darker. He told the BBC: \"People in general are not aware of the light present in their bedroom. I think people should assess their bedroom and see how easy it would be to make it darker.\" Street lights, some alarm clocks and standby lights on electrical equipment such as televisions could light a room, he said. \"Overall this study points to the importance of darkness,\" he concluded.", "problems": [{"question": "The passage mainly tells us _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["bright bedrooms link to obesity", "dark bedrooms link to obesity", "people should turn off lights", "people should buy thicker curtains"]}, {"question": "What's Prof Derk-Jan Dijk's attitude towards the dark room?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Unclear.", "Doubtful.", "Negative.", "Favorable."]}]} -{"article": "Frequently Asked Questions\nRappelling in North Carolina\nDo I need to have any experience to take this course?\nIntroduction to rappelling is a course designed for complete beginners. We call this course, \"All the fun without any work\". You spend the day learning to rappel off different cliffs and by the end of the course, you should look like a superhero.\nHow long is the course?\nIt is a one-day course. The course runs from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. you should be back in the parking area for 4:15 p.m.\nWhat is the age restriction for this course?\nThe course is open to adults and children. Children who are under 12 must be accompanied by a participating adult.\nWhat if I don't have a strong upper body? \nRappelling does not require any upper body strength. The equipment holds you so the challenge is more mental than it is physical.\nCan I get a copy of the photos the instructor takes?\nThe photos taken by the instructors are for use in the brochure or website. Due to the high number of requests we are not able to email them to each learner.\nIs it customary to tip my instructor? \nTipping is not required. If you feel that you have received exceptional service and would like to gift the instructors with a tip, they will appreciate your generosity.\nCOMMENTS\n\"The rappelling trip was great. Fred Schuett is very professional. I know that his company does other rock climbing trips as well and they sound quite interesting.\"\n Anusha Shanmugarajah \n\"I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the rappelling course. The instructors were very calm and encouraging. I would definitely do another course with ONE AXE.\"\n Louise Hart", "problems": [{"question": "The one-day rappelling course_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["lasts for eight hours", "is designed for pleasure", "is for advanced learners", "requires some experience"]}, {"question": "The course instructors_.", "answer": "A", "options": ["can accept tips", "work part-time", "can be booked online", "will email photos to the learners"]}]} -{"article": "Two men, Alan and Henry, both seriously ill, shared a hospital room. Alan was allowed to sit up in his bed and his bed was next to the room's only window. Henry had to spend all his time flat on his back.\nThe men talked for hours, of their wives, families, their homes and their jobs. And every afternoon when Alan, in the bed next to the window, could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Lovers walked arm in arm among flowers. Trees and skyline could be seen in the distance. As he described all this, Henry, on the other side of the room, would close his eyes and imagine the scene.\nOne warm afternoon Alan described a parade passing by. Although Henry could not hear the band, he could see it in his mind. Unexpectedly, an _ though: entered his head: why should he have all the pleasure of seeing everything while I never got to see anything? It doesn't seem fair. Henry felt ashamed at first. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sight, his envy grew and soon let him down. He began to find himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window ---- and that thought now controlled his life.\nLate one night, as he lay staring at the ceiling. Alan began to cough. He was choking. Henry watched in the dim room as the struggling man tried hard to reach for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room, he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running. In less than five minutes, the coughing and choking stopped, along with the sound of breathing. Now, there was only silence ---- deathly silence.\nAs soon as it seemed appropriate, Henry asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.\nSlowly, painfully, he struggled to take his first look. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He looked out, but faced a black wall.", "problems": [{"question": "What finally happened to Alan?", "answer": "B", "options": ["He was moved to another room.", "He died.", "He switched his bed with Henry.", "He was very sick."]}, {"question": "Henry, who had his bed switched, had expected _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["to see the blank wall", "to feel the joy of seeing the outside world", "to feel the joy of breathing fresh air", "to see more than Alan"]}, {"question": "Which of following words could be used to describe Alan?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Kind-hearted and imaginative", "Well-informed and humorous", "Talkative and funny", "Cold-hearted and indifferent"]}]} -{"article": "*The Big Cake Show comes to the WestPoint Arena in Exeter, England, March 21-22. Hopefully, cakes of all sizes will be on sale and on show. An impressive list of famous people sharing their great knowledge and skill includes Mary Berry, Paul Hollywood and Gregg Wallace. Tickets, from PS12, are available online (bigcakeshow.com).\n*From January 17 to March 8, RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey, England has some special guests to brighten the winter: beautiful butterflies. Butterflies in the Glasshouse introduces a group of butterflies from other countries feeding on fruit and the juice-rich plants of the Exotic Zone, Tickets for adults are PS13.20, for children are PS6.60. For a family with 2 adults and 2 children, they should pay PS32.75 in total. For groups of more than 10 adults, each should pay PS10.80 (rhs. org.uk/wisley).\n*The week-long London Wine Week starts from May 18. Buy a PS5 wristband to qualify for a pocket-sized guidebook and discounted wine around the capital. Partnering with London' s best bars and restaurants, we will be organizing events such as master classes and meet-the -maker time, plus offering discounts to wristband wearers ( londonwineweek.com ).\n*The World Shakespeare Festival begins in April, with everything from foreign productions of Shakespearean plays at Shakespeare's Globe to Shakespearean plays at the Royal Opera House. Plays will run until the end of the year in London, Birmingham, Newcastle and Gateshead. And there' s a programme of events such as director talks and family workshops, Prices start from PS60 (worldshakespearefestival.org. uk).", "problems": [{"question": "We can infer that Paul Hollywood is most likely to be _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["a ticket dealer", "a professional cook", "the event organizer", "the cake show host"]}, {"question": "Which of the following activities lasts for the longest time?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The Big Cake Show.", "The London Wine Week.", "Butterflies in the Glasshouse.", "The World Shakespeare Festival."]}]} -{"article": "There are little cars that may some day take the place of today's automobiles . If everyone drives such a little car in the future, there will be less pollution in the air, there will be more parking space in cities, and the streets will be less crowded. The space now for one car of the usual size can hold at least three such little cars.\nThe little cars will cost much less to own and to drive. Driving will be safer, too, as these little cars can go only 65 kilometers an hour.\nThe cars of the future will be fine for going around the city, but they will not be useful for going far away. If the car is powered by electricity, it will have two batteries--one battery for the motor and the other for the horn , signals , etc. Little cars which are powered by gas will go 45 kilometers before needing to stop for more gas.\nIf big cars are still used along with the small ones, two sets of roads will be needed to set up in the future. Some roads will be used for the big, fast cars, and other roads will be needed for the small, slower ones.", "problems": [{"question": "What's the advantage of the small cars?", "answer": "D", "options": ["There won't be so much pollution and the small cars won't be so expensive as the big ones.", "It will be safer to drive these small cars.", "There will be more space for cars to park.", "All of the above."]}, {"question": "Two sets of roads are necessary in the future in order to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["prevent car accidents", "make the city more beautiful", "let small cars run fast", "limit the speed of the cars"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is true according to the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["A car of the usual size now is three times as big as the small car.", "The small car with a speed of 65 kilometers an hour is much more useless than a car of the usual size.", "the little car will be safer but cost more.", "The little car will need more gas."]}, {"question": "The best title for this passage should be _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Big Cars and Small Cars", "How to Drive Small Cars", "Cars for Tomorrow", "Cars for Everyone"]}]} -{"article": "Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each horse looks like any other horses. But if you get a more careful look, you will notice something quite amazing.\nOne of the horses is blind. His owner has chosen not to kill it, but has made him a safe and comfortable barn to live in. This alone is very amazing. But if you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell. It is coming from a smaller horse with a small, gold-colored bell. It lets the blind friend know where the other horse is, so he can follow. As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse and makes sure that the blind horse can hear the bell, slowly walk to where he is, and won't get lost.\nWhen the horse with the bell returns to the barn each evening, he will sometimes stop to look back, making sure that the blind friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.\nLike the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect, or because we have problems or challenges. He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in trouble. Sometimes we are the blind horse which is being guided by the little ringing bells. And at other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way.", "problems": [{"question": "If you stand near the two horses and listen, you will be amazed that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["one of the two horses is blind", "the blind horse lives in an uncomfortable barn", "God helps the blind horse", "the blind horse follows the ringing bell"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is compared to God according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The blind horse.", "The gold bell.", "The owners of the horses.", "The guide horse."]}, {"question": "We can learn from the passage that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["we are always the guide horse", "God will help those people in trouble", "the blind horse walks faster", "the guided horse is always with us"]}, {"question": "The best title of the passage is _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["God and the Horses", "God Will Help Those Who Help Themselves", "Help People in Trouble", "The Guide Horse and Guided Horse"]}]} -{"article": "Ever since the global economic recession( ) began in 2008,many Americans have changed their lifestyles by downsizing what they buy and what they possess.\nTammy Strobel and her husband used to own a two-bedroom apartment,two cars and had good incomes. But Tammy wasn't happy.Inspired by a web site,they began donating some of their belongings to charity, and eventually got rid of their cars.Some thought they were crazy,but now they feel much happier.Without debt and working fewer hours,now they have more time to be outdoors and to volunteer.\n\"The idea that you need to go bigger to be happy is false,\"Ms. Strobel says. \"I really believe that the acquisition of material goods doesn't bring about happiness.\"\nDespite the fact that the economy is not as booming as it was,studies have shown that many are feeling happier as they save more and spend less.This mainly happens when they spend money on experiences instead of material objects and when they relish what they plan to buy long before they buy it.\nIt is true that extra cash always makes life a little easier because it lets people meet basic needs.But scholars have found that types of purchases,their size and frequency,and even the timing of the spending all affect long-term happiness.One major finding is that spending money for an experience---concert tickets,French lessons, sushi-rolling classes---produces longer-lasting satisfaction.\nAt the height of the recession in 2008,consumers were doing something different---vacationing in their yards, eating more dinners at home,organizing family game nights .As a result, these leisure activities appeared to make them less lonely and increased their interactions with others.\n\"I think people are realizing they don't need what they had.They're more interested in creating memories,\"says a scholar.\nTo stop purchasing things using credit cards at any time brings happiness,too;in other words,waiting for something and working hard to get it makes it feel more valuable and more stimulating. In fact,scholar have found that anticipation increases happiness. Considering buying an i-Pad?You might want to think about it as long as possible before taking one home.\nMs.Strobel is now an advocate of simple living.\"My lifestyle now would not be possible if I still had a huge two-bedroom apartment filled to the gills with stuff,two cars,and 30 grand in debt,\"she says. \"Give away some of your stuff,\" she advises. \"See how it feels.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is not a purchase of experience?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Enroll in a French course.", "Learn how to make Japanese sushi.", "Get a new Mac.", "Go to a concert."]}, {"question": "It is true that money _", "answer": "D", "options": ["always makes people happier", "enables people to work fewer hours", "makes one a better volunteer", "helps people to meet their basic needs"]}, {"question": "Purchase of experience can make people feel happier because _", "answer": "A", "options": ["They increase the interaction between people", "They are more economical than material goods", "They are unique and can't be obtained again", "They make the participant smarter"]}, {"question": "Why does stopping using a credit card to buy anything at any time bring happiness?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because one has to pay for interest by using a credit card.", "Because the process of saving money and waiting for the thing you want makes it feel more valuable.", "Because it helps stop buying things one actually doesn't need", "Because as one waits, he/she often finds something better to buy"]}]} -{"article": "A lot of the time celebrities have a team of people telling them what to wear for every different occasion. However, a naturally style savvy celebrity is not unheard of.\nKate Moss\nRising to fame in the mid-1990s, Kate Moss is one of the biggest supermodels ever and a fashion veteran . According to Forbes magazine, Moss has since earned more money than ever before.\nEmma Watson\nBorn in 1990,well-known for starring in the Harry Potter films, Emma Watson is known for her beauty, and flawless style and grace on and off the red carpet. An advocate of eco-friendly fashion, Emma's worked with Italian designer Alberta Ferretti in 2011 on a collection of organic clothing featuring a series of environmentally friendly dresses.\nVictoria Beckham\nWell known for being real trendsetter , It's not _ that Victoria Beckham is among the list of style savvy celebrities . Indeed it was only a matter of time for her to start designing her own collection. The former Spice Girl had her own fashion brand, dvb, in 2007. Her designing works, ranging from clothes to fragrances , have been well received.\nJustin Timberlake\nA global music superstar, Justin Timberlake also earned the respect of fashion gurus --not only for being one of the most stylish celebrities but also for being a promising designer. Justin has managed to incorporate his sense of style into the clothing line, which is best known for its jeans.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Kate Moss is a supermodel as well as a singer in the group---Spice Girl.", "Emma Watson worked with Italian designer---Alberta Ferretti when she was 21.", "Justin Timberlake has put his sense of style into the clothing line which is best known for shirts.", "Victoria Beckham is a real trendsetter but has no designing works yet."]}, {"question": "Which of the following word can best replace the underline word \"novel\" in para.4 _", "answer": "C", "options": ["fiction", "normal", "unsual", "common"]}, {"question": "Which might be the best title of the article?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Fashion days", "Learn to be a stylist from some celebrities", "Fashionable pop singers", "Some style savvy celebrities"]}]} -{"article": "The zebra belongs to the horse family. One of nature's great mysteries is why the zebra has stripes . One theory is that the stripes help the zebra cool down. On hot days the black stripes get a lot hotter than the white area of the zebra and under the black stripes there are special layers of fat for protection. Hot air then rises off the black stripes, forcing colder air down around the white areas, cooling the zebra down. This, however, is just a kind of theory. The stripes can also confuse predators(,) when zebras stay with other animals in great numbers. \nZebras have excellent hearing and eyesight and can run at speeds of up to 56 kilometers per hour. They also have a powerful kick that can cause serious injury to a predator, like a lion, or an African wild dog. Usually the lead male of the herd stays at the back of the group to defend against predators if necessary, while the females and youngsters escape danger.\nZebras are herbivores that feed only on plants and live mostly by eating grasses, although they also might eat a bit on the leaves and stems of bushes. They eat grasses for many hours each day, using their strong teeth. Spending so much time chewing wears the zebras' teeth down, so their teeth keep growing all their lives. As the dry season arrives and the grasses die back, zebra herds travel to find more food and water holes for drinking. Most zebras have no specific territories. They travel from place to place, never staying in one area very long.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, herbivores are animals that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["have specific territories", "only eat plants", "kill and eat other animals", "live in groups"]}, {"question": "The zebra has strong teeth all their lives because their teeth _ >", "answer": "C", "options": ["only chew soft grasses", "are used all day", "are always growing", "are kept clean"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements about zebras is TRUE?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They have poor eyesight and hearing.", "A lion can get injured by a kick by a zebra's kick.", "They can run 56 miles per hour.", "They usually stay in one area all their lives."]}, {"question": "Which of the following TV programs might the passage be adapted for?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Hobbies & Leisure", "Everyday Tips", "Digital Stadium", "Discovery"]}]} -{"article": "Men spend more time getting ready to go out than women, according to research.\nOn average, men spend 81 minutes a day on personal preparing before going out, including cleansing(...), toning and using moisturizer , shaving, styling hair and choosing clothes, the study found, while women have their beauty preparation down to a fine art and get hair, clothes and make-up done in just 75 minutes.\nThe research, carried out for Travelodge, found that on an average morning men spend 23 minutes in the shower, compared to 22 minutes for women. Men then take 18 minutes on their shaving work, compared to 14 minutes for women despite them having to shave legs, armpits and bikini line. Men take a bit longer - 10 minutes - on cleansing, toning and using moisturizer.\nChoosing a proper outfit is also a time-consuming operation for men who want to look their best. They take 13 minutes to finish it, compared to 10 minutes for women.\nThe study also found that the average British person does not _ in terms of the true value of their washing bag. When quizzed, the average adult estimated their washing bag with contents to be worthPS52.23, while in reality the bag of essentials is worth nearly three times more at PS156.69.\nA spokeswoman for Travelodge said they had seen a rise in the number of washing bags being left behind in their 487 hotels. In the last 12 months, hotel staffs have spent hundreds of hours uniting 10,000 washing bags with their owners.\nIn one case, a customer paid more thanPS100 for a person to pick up her washing bag, which she had left behind in a London hotel - the designer washing bag had nearly PS1,000 worth of washing items.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of following is the man's preparation work ?", "answer": "A", "options": ["shaving legs", "styling hair", "choosing clothes", "cleansing and toning"]}, {"question": "In terms of choosing proper clothes, how much time do men need?", "answer": "B", "options": ["10mins", "13mins", "14mins", "22mins"]}, {"question": "Which statement is not right according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Men spend more time than women before they go out.", "The average British person does not know the true value of their washing bag.", "More and more people are leaving their washing bags behind in hotels nowadays.", "Women spend more time than men in the shower on average morning."]}]} -{"article": "The quality of drinking water in Shanghai will meet European Union standard soon and, a decade later, citizens in Shanghai will drink the best water in the world.\nThese were the goals set out by the Shanghai Water Authority. With the city's population expected to increase only slightly and the economy to boom by 2020, Chen Yin, an official with the water authority, said Shanghai's water use will not increase from its present amount.\nZhang Yue, director of the Urban Construction Division under the Ministry of Construction, said, \"Shanghai is the first city in the country to publicize these goals. They will not be easy to achieve.\"\nHe said water saving will help keep the sustainable development of China's economy.\nSaving one cubic meter of water means saving the city's infrastructure costs by 10,000 Yuan. Last year, Shanghai saved 300 million cubic meters of water either from readjustment of industrial structure or the use of new technology.\n\"The aim is to arouse public awareness of the seriousness of water shortages,\" Chen said. \"The rich surface water and amount of rain of the city are so misleading that they result in improper use of water.\"\nShanghai lacks drinkable water. The Huangpu River, which supplies 80 percent of the city's drinkable water, is drying up.\nThe city, therefore, has been exploring new sources from the Yangtze River and growing forests along it to hold quality water.\nBesides, the authority is popularizing technology among the public to efficiently cut the amount of water used.\nAt present, the city has 600,000 family toilets, each using 13 liters of water per flush. These are to be renovated to use only 9 liters of water per flush.\nThe authority is renovating the first 200 toilets for households - at a cost of 40 Yuan each.\nIn three years, all the toilets will be renovated, which saves the city nearly 15 million Yuan every year in water use.\nAnother task is the treatment of the waste water to improve the water environment.\nAt present the city can only treat 44 percent of its daily 5.04 million tons of waste water. To meet the total demand, 27 more treatment factories are to be set up with an estimated investment of 18 billion Yuan.", "problems": [{"question": "Some people in Shanghai use water improperly because_.", "answer": "A", "options": ["the rich surface water and large amount of rain mislead them", "their family toilets can save plenty of water", "the waste water has already been treated", "new technology provide people with water as much as possible"]}, {"question": "The authority begins to renovate the toilets for households to_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["make people live more conveniently", "meet people's need of water", "make people's living standards better", "reduce employment pressure"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that_.", "answer": "C", "options": ["Shanghai will need a much larger amount of water in the future", "people in Shanghai can drink the best water in the world today", "not all the people in Shanghai today know water shortage", "all the family toilets will be renovated to save water in 3 years"]}]} -{"article": "Dog Fancy\nCover Price: $ 59.88 Price: $ 12.00 ($ 1.00 / issue) You Save: $ 47.88 (80%)\nIssues: 12 issues / 12 months\nDetails:\nDog Fancy is information driven and provides opportunity for reader interaction. Every issue includes a fold-out four-color poster. Your complete guide to help you better understand, care for and enjoy your dog.\nDog for Kids\nCover Price: $ 23. 94 Price: $ 12.99 ($2.17 / issue) You Save: $ 10.95 (46%)\nIssues: 6 issues / 12 months\nDetails:\nDogs for Kids offers interactive and educational activities, which is intended for children (ages 8 to 12) who love dogs and puppies. Each full-color issue has training tips, fun activities to do with dogs, games, puzzles and posters. Dogs for Kids has received the Maxwell Award for Special Interest Magazines from the Dog Writer's of America for 2 years in a row.\nThe Bark\nCover Price: $ 19.80 Price: $ 15.00 ($ 2.50 /issue) You Save: $ 4.80 (24%)\nIssues: 6 issues / 12 months\nDetails:\nThe Bark magazine is designed to include everything related to dog culture. Each issue includes stories, essays, poetry, reviews, interviews and artwork related to the relationship between humans and dogs. The Bark is not a how-to-care-for-your-dog magazine. It's a magazine about living with dogs, which is your magazine: touching, smart and simply wonderful.\nDog World\nCover Price: $ 48.88 Price: $ 15.00 ($1.25 / issue) You Save: $ 33.88 (69%)\nDetails:\nDog World is written for the dog _ , including professionals in the pet industry. Articles entertain and educate readers about dog health -- care, nutrition, appearance, training and behavior and the law. Dog World is a must-read for its devoted, loyal dog-loving readers.", "problems": [{"question": "Who would be most interested in the above magazines?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Wildlife protectors.", "Story book writers.", "Pet dog owners.", "City zoo managers."]}, {"question": "Which magazine saves most?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Dog Fancy.", "Dogs for Kids.", "The Bark.", "Dog World."]}, {"question": "Which magazine might be the most popular with children?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Dog Fancy.", "Dogs for Kids.", "The Bark.", "Dog World."]}]} -{"article": "Something as simple as a smile can mean friendliness in one culture, but impatience in another. Even silence means different things in different places.\nWhen trying to communicate in a foreign language, it's natural to use gestures as a way of explaining your points.\nTapping your finger to your temple is a gesture to show memory in North America, but suggests insanity in Russia. Even nodding one's head to show \"yes\" or shaking one's head to show \"no\" can be misunderstood abroad. The yes-no gestures are different in countries like Bulgaria and Albania. In Turkey, \"no\" is gestured by nodding the head up and down.\nIt's not just individual gestures that can cause miscommunication, but the rate of gesturing can also cause miscommunication. Some countries, like Italy and Spain, are known for talking with their hands. Others use few body movements as a form of politeness. In parts of East Asia, the gesture is considered unpleasant behavior, and even rude.\nBritain, along with many countries of northern Europe and the Far East, is classed as a \"non-contact\"culture, in which there's very little physical contact in people's daily communication. Even accidentally touching someone's arm is considered rude. By comparison, in the high-contact cultures of the Middle East, Latin America, and southern Europe, physical touch is a big part of socializing.\nNaturally, these different standards of contact can lead to misunderstanding. An Argentinian may see a Scandinavian as cold, while the Scandinavian may see the Argentinian as impolite.\nIn most Western countries, frequent eye contact is a sign of confidence and attentiveness. But in many Asian, African, and Latin American countries, however, unbroken eye contact would be considered rude. These cultures tend to pay more attention to hierarchy , and avoiding eye contact is a sign of respect for bosses and elder. In these parts of the world, children won't look at an adult who is speaking to them, and nor will employees to their bosses.", "problems": [{"question": "What will Turkish people do when they don't agree on something?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Keep silent for a while.", "Shake their heads.", "Tap their fingers to the temple.", "Nod their heads up and down."]}, {"question": "Where is physical touch considered impolite or rude?", "answer": "A", "options": ["In Britain.", "In Russia.", "In Turkey.", "In Bulgaria."]}, {"question": "What will happen when an Argentinian meets a Scandinavian?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They will try to keep each other at a distance.", "The Argentinian will try to contact the Scandinavian.", "The Scandinavian will try to contact the Argentinian.", "They will try to touch each other as much as possible."]}, {"question": "What does the writer intend to tell us in the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Most body language means the same in different cultures.", "It's natural to make mistakes in learning body language.", "Body language can be confusing in different cultures.", "There is no short cut to learning body language."]}]} -{"article": "How would you like an easy way to earn 2,500 dollars? All you have to do is to sit around and wait for your meals.There's catch, however.You have to stay in a chicken cage with a stranger for a whole week.There are no books or television or radio for amusement.You can't leave until the week is up.And a camera will be recording your every move.\nTwo people actually took the job.The idea came from Rob Thompson, a video artist.He wanted to make a film about the way animals are treated.His goal was to raise people's awareness of the living conditions of animals that are raised for food.He decided to pay $ 5000 out of his own savings to two people who were willing to lie like chicken for a week.\nTo Rob's surprise, quite a few people answered his advertisement.He had interviews and selected Eric, a 24-year-old restaurant worker, and Pam, a 27-year-old chemist.The plan was for them to spend seven days together in a chicken cage that was six feet long and three feet wide.A camera would record their experience, which would take place in an art museum.\nThe week was long and difficult.They slept on a hard wooden floor.They couldn't stand up without banging their heads.They ate vegetarian mash and drank water from a garden hosepipe .Their only privacy was a toilet surrounded by a curtain.There were no sinks, mirrors, or toothbrushes in the cage.Their only inspiration was the two framed checks that hung on the wall outside the cage.Visitors who came here were warned, \"Do not food the humans.\"\nFinally it was over, Pam and Eric emerged from their cage.They had survived the week, and they each had a $2,500 check in their hands.When Rob Thompson opened the cage, Eric came out, changed into clean clothes, and ate a chocolate bar right away.\"It's great to be able to stand up,\" he said.Pam just changed her clothes and left.After a week of visitors and reporters watching her, she didn't want to talk to anyone.", "problems": [{"question": "What kind of person is Rob Thompson?", "answer": "B", "options": ["He is curious about people's personal life.", "He is kind-hearted to animals.", "He hates people around.", "He likes to help poor people."]}, {"question": "What made it most difficult for the two to stay in the cage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["They didn't know each other.", "They couldn't lie down to sleep in the cage.", "They didn't have meat to eat.", "They had to do almost everything under others' eyes."]}, {"question": "Rob offered the money because he wanted _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["to see if there were any people who would like to live in a cage", "to show the public how bitter animals' life could be", "to make more money by publishing the recorded video tapes", "to improve housing conditions of working people like Eric"]}, {"question": "Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Easy Way to Earn $ 2 500.", "Do Not Feed the Humans.", "Living Like a Chicken.", "Getting Along Well Anyway."]}]} -{"article": "In the United States, 30 percent of the people have a \"weight problem\". To many people the cause is obvious : they eat too much. But scientific evidence does little to support this idea. Going back to America of 1910, we find that people were thinner than today, yet they at e more food. In those days people worked harder physically, walked more, used machines much less, and didn't watch television.\nSeveral modern studies, moreover, have shown that fatter people don't eat more on average than thinner people. A 1979 study of 3,545 London office workers showed that fat people eat less than slim people.\nStudies also show that slim people are more active than fat people. A study by a research group at Stanford University found the following interesting facts:\nThe more the man ran, the greater loss of the body fat.\nThe more they ran, the greater increase in food intake.\nThus, those who ran the most ate the most, yet lost the greatest amount of body fat.", "problems": [{"question": "Nowadays many Americans have the problem that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["they are too slim", "they work too hard", "they are too fat", "they lose too much body fat"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, how many people in 900 Americans have a \"weight problem\"?", "answer": "D", "options": ["150.", "300.", "600.", "270."]}, {"question": "Is there any scientific evidence to support the idea that eating too much is the cause of a \"weight problem\"?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Yes, there is plenty of evidence.", "Of course, there is some evidence to support this.", "There is hardly any scientific evidence to support this.", "We are not sure."]}, {"question": "The Americans in 1910 _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["ate more food and had more physical activities", "ate less food but had more physical activities", "ate less food and had less physical activities", "had more problems"]}]} -{"article": "Jobs and work do much more than most of us realize to provide happiness and contentment.We're all used to thinking that work provides the material things of life--the goods and services that make our modern civilization possible.But we are much less conscious of the degree to which work provides the more important psychological wellbeing that can make the difference between a full and an empty life.\nHistorically,work has been associated with slavery and sin and punishment.And in our own day we are used to bearing traditional complaints.Against this background,it may well come as a surprise to learn that not only psychologists but other behavioral scientists have come to accept the positive contribution of work to the individual's happiness and sense of personal achievement.Work is more than a necessity for most human beings;it is the focus of their lives,the source of their identity and creativity.\nRather than a punishment of a burden,work is the opportunity to realize one's potential.And the opposite is true,too.For large numbers of people,the absence of work is harmful to their health.Retirement often brings many problems surrounding the \"What do I do with myself?\"question,even though there may be no financial cares.Large numbers of people regularly get headaches and other illnesses on weekends when they don't have their jobs to go to,and must take care of themselves.It has been observed that unemployment,quite apart from financial pressures,brings enormous psychological troubles and that many individuals'conditions become worse rapidly when jobless.\nBut why?Why should work be such a significant source of human satisfaction?A good share of the answer rests in the kind of pride that is stimulated by the job,by the activity of accomplishing.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements can NOT be learned from the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["People feel happier and more content than they realize when working.", "Work is likely to provide you with the chance of achieving your potential.", "Happiness can only be gained through working.", "A lot of people will suffer physically and psychologically without work."]}, {"question": "Traditionally,people are used to believing _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["work is related to negative aspects", "happiness has nothing to do with work", "identity and creativity depend on work", "work is not only a necessity for humans but the focus of their lives"]}, {"question": "Which best describes the author's attitude towards work in the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Doubtful.", "Concerned.", "Approving.", "Neutral."]}]} -{"article": "A university professor recently made several testes with different animals to find out which was the cleverest. He found out that the monkey was cleverer than other animals.\n In one test the professor put a monkey in a room where there were several small boxes. Some boxes were inside other boxes. One small box had some food inside of it. The professor wanted to watch the monkey and to find out how long it would take the monkey to find the food. The professor left the room. He waited a few minutes outside the door. Then he got down on his knees and put his eye to the keyhole. What did he see? To his surprise he found himself looking into the eye of the monkey. The monkey was on the other side of the door and looked at the professor through the keyhole.", "problems": [{"question": "The professor wondered", "answer": "C", "options": ["whether animals were clever.", "how clever a monkey was.", "which animal was the cleverest.", "if the monkey was cleverer than other animals."]}, {"question": "The professor wanted to watch the monkey", "answer": "B", "options": ["look for the small boxes.", "look for the food", "move the boxes.", "eat the food."]}, {"question": "After the professor left the room, the monkey began to", "answer": "D", "options": ["guard the door", "look at the keyhole", "watch the door", "put one of its eyes to the keyhole"]}, {"question": "What was the thing that surprised the professor? The monkey", "answer": "D", "options": ["found the keyhole", "was on the other side of the door", "got down on its knees", "was watching him through the keyhole A"]}, {"question": "What's the best title of the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["A university professor", "A clever monkey", "One test", "We don't know"]}]} -{"article": "For a long time, a boy wondered why his next-desk-pal was always the first in the class, whereas he could only rank the 21st. At home, he asked his mom, \"Am I more stupid than other kids? How come I always lag behind? I just can't come up with an answer.\" Mom was aware that her son's self-respect had been damaged by the ranking system, but she didn't know what to say to help.\nShe was tempted to say that intelligence differs and that yes, her son's friend really was the smarter boy. But that would have so upset her son. Thank goodness she resisted the temptation to say it.\nHer son and his friend went on to high school that year, but despite trying as hard as he could, her son's friend still outdid him. But she was proud of her boy for his hard work, sincerely proud. It was around this time she decided to take him on a trip to the seaside. On the trip, she at last found an answer for him.\nToday her son no longer cares about rankings. He doesn't have to, for he himself is now the top of the class - at the top national university he attends. Invited to speak to his old high school, he mentioned a valuable childhood experience: \"Once, on a trip to the sea, my mother and I were lying on the beach. She pointed to the sea and said to me: 'Do you see the seabirds fighting for food out there? When a wave comes near, the little birds rise quickly. The \"clumsy\" seagulls are far less agile and have to struggle to get away from the wave. But these \"clumsy\" birds prove to have the biggest, strongest wings, which open the widest and allow the bird to travel the furthest. When the season changes, they leave for foreign shores, leaving the little birds behind. Son, I have a feeling that you are one of those seagulls.\"", "problems": [{"question": "The mom was glad she didn't give an answer at first because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["she knew her son would forget his rankings soon", "she felt intelligence doesn't mean everything", "she knew he was not strong enough for the truth", "she wanted to avoid another blow to her son's self-respect"]}]} -{"article": "Attention to detail is something everyone can and should do -- especially in tight job market. Bob Crossley, a human-resources expert notices this in the job applications that come across his desk every day. \"It's amazing how many candidates _ themselves,\" he says.\n\"Resumes arrive with faults. Some candidates don't bother to spell the company's name correctly. Once I see a mistake, I cross out the candidates,\" Crossley concludes. \"If they cannot take care of these details, why should we trust them with a job?\"\nCan we pay too much attention to details? Perfectionists struggle over little things at the cost of something larger they work toward. \"To keep from losing the forest for the trees,\" says Charles Garfield, the professor at the University of California, San Francisco, \"We must constantly ask ourselves how the details we're working on fit into the larger picture. If they don't, we should drop them and move to something else.\"\nGarfield compares this process to his work as a computer scientist at NASA. \"The Apollo II moon launch was slightly off course 90 percent of the time,\" says Garfield. \"But a successful landing was still likely because we knew the exact position of our goal. This allowed us to make adjustments as necessary.\" Knowing where to go helps us judge the importance of every task we undertake.\nToo often we believe what accounts for others' success is some special secret or a lucky break. But rarely is success so mysterious. Again and again, we see that by doing little things within our grasp well, large rewards follow.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, some job applicants were rejected because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["they failed to present resumes that are free of mistakes", "they failed to give a detailed description of their background", "they crossed out their names from the applicants list themselves", "their handwriting on the resume was hard to recognize"]}, {"question": "The example of Apollo II moon launch is given to show that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["minor mistakes can be ignored", "failure is the mother of success", "adjustments are the key to the successful completion of any work", "keeping one's goal in mind helps decide which details can be overlooked"]}]} -{"article": "Evening Workshops\nOptional evening workshops will be held at small restaurants or other meeting places near the conference hotel. Meals and other costs are not included but are also optional. Locations will be announced at the conference site. Workshops are very loosely organized and most represent discussions that have been held at Society for Economic Botany (SEB) meetings over a series of years.\nWorkshop 1: Student Network\nDate: Wednesday evening, Feb. 5th\nChairs: Hugo de Boer and Arika Virapongse\nSponsor: Society for Economic Botany\nDescription: Student members of the SEB hold a networking mixer each year in order to meet each other and to become familiar with a variety of educational programs and faculty advisors . Faculty members who are part of training programs are encouraged to join the mixer to meet and talk with students.\nWorkshop 2: Botanical Film Making\nDate: Wednesday evening, Feb. 5th\nChair: David Strauch\nSponsor: University of Hawaii\nDescription: Digital film making is a particularly useful tool of linking cultural information to recognizable plants. This workshop is aimed towards increasing the quality of material recorded by giving participants greater control over the medium. We will cover technical aspects (e.g. camera settings, audio), technical aspects (framing, lighting, focus), and some ways of presenting the material. Experienced filmmakers are encouraged to attend, and participants are welcome to bring their own camera equipment.\nWorkshop 3: Collections for Botany-- Collections Development and Management\nDate: Friday evening, Feb. 7th\nChair: Jan Salick\nSponsor: Society for Economic Botany\nDescription: SEB is a network of researchers who have been developing standards for the development of collections of artifacts, plant samples and related materials. Participants discuss successes, problems, and funding sources for solving management issues.", "problems": [{"question": "One of the purposes of a networking mixer held each year is to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["provide students with greater control over the media", "help the students to be familiar with educational programs", "help the students to deal with most of the environment issues", "link cultural information to recognizable plants"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is true according to the poster?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Evening workshops will be held at small restaurants with meals included.", "Faculty advisers can join the mixer without training experience.", "Workshops have nothing to do with the discussions held at SEB meetings.", "Participants have more than one option on Feb. 5th than another night."]}, {"question": "You are a college student, interested in plants and good at taking TV pictures. Which of the Evening Workshops is most suitable for you?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Collections for Botany.", "Botanical Film Making.", "Student Network.", "Society for Economic Botany."]}]} -{"article": "Is technology making us unhealthy? Are computers affecting our health? Many people think high--tech products have affected us because we spend more time playing on computers, watching TV and using our mobile phones to talk, text and play games.\nOur bodies: Levels of obesity are rising, especially young children. But this isn't just a problem about what we eat. Many people, especially teenagers, like sitting in front of TV sets or computers for hours, just watching or playing games. As a result, they do less exercise.\nOur brains: Research into the effects on the human brain while playing computer games is ongoing. Recent studies have looked at the impact on beta brainwave activity, which is important for emotional development, planning and self-control. Though we haven't evidence to show how it affects us, researchers think that tiredness may affect the levels of beta brainwave activity, and sitting in front of a TV set or computer for a long time easily causes one to feel tired. So parents who don't want to spoil their children's fun should control the time they spend on the computer.\nCommunication: As leading computer game consumers, are we spending too much time in front of computers? Does it mean that we spend less time communicating with other people? What effect does this have on our lives?\nIt certainly seems that children today are spending more time indoors than their parents did when they were young. Children used to play in the streets or in parks regularly. Today, empty parks clearly show how \"play time\" has changed because of advances in affordable technology like home computers.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?", "answer": "B", "options": ["We can only use computers to play games instead of doing other things.", "Teenagers today take less exercise than their parents when they were young.", "Research has shown how playing computers games affects our brains.", "Parents should keep their children away from computers for their health."]}, {"question": "The writer uses the example of \"empty parks\" to show _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the parks today are not so attractive for people as before", "home computers have taken the place of parks", "technology has affected the children's \"play time\"", "children today spend more time in the streets instead of in parks"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["obesity has nothing to do with what we eat", "parents mustn't allow their children to play computer games for their health", "we should keep away from computers to keep healthy", "parents should limit the time their children spend on computers"]}, {"question": "This passage mainly talks about _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["why some teenagers become very fat", "technology is harmful to young people", "the effects of technology on young people", "parents should encourage children to do more exercise"]}]} -{"article": "Mark Twain (1835-1910) - we've all heard the name, but what makes him \"the father of American literature\" as classic US author William Faulkner once called him?\nMark Twain is someone Americans are taught to love. Older relatives, English teachers and the media always praise him. But when you actually take the time to read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, you find that his work is more wonderful than you could've ever imagined.\nThe novel describes a young boy named Tom Sawyer growing up in a small town along the Mississippi River. He explores the countryside on a riverboat with his friends, falls in love with girls, starts secret clubs and searches for treasure. Twain's idea of childhood is magical - a time of imagination, wonder and, of course, adventure.\nMore importantly, through the eyes of Tom Sawyer, Twain cleverly makes fun of US culture. For example, Tom hates going to church, and Twain uses scenes of Tom there to _ religion and its old traditions. \"Often, the less there is to justify a traditional custom, the harder it is to get rid of it,\" he writes in one chapter.\nTwain's writing is full of these kinds of critical points about culture and politics. That's why he is so loved in the US - he wasn't afraid to state his opinions, and he did so clearly. For instance, Twain didn't like US wars abroad. In 1900, after the US invaded the Philippines, Twain wrote in a newspaper article: \"We do not intend to free, but to subjugate the people of the Philippines... We have gone there to conquer.\" He also believed strongly in women's right to vote in elections and gave a famous speech on the subject, called \"Votes for Women\", in 1901.\n\"Tom was a glittering hero once more - the pet of the old, the envy of the young,\" Twain writes in Tom Sawyer. But he could just as well be describing himself.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the author, after reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, you are likely to think _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["it's even better than you expected", "it's as wonderful as you expected", "it's better to read it with teachers", "it's not worth all the praise"]}, {"question": "Why is Twain so loved in the US according to the article?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He wrote bad things about US wars abroad.", "He supported women's right to vote.", "He criticized American culture and society clearly and cleverly.", "He showed readers a magical childhood that everyone would love."]}]} -{"article": "I vividly remember walking back to my house after collecting the afternoon mails. I saw a credit card statement, another credit card statement and our bank statements. It was in that moment that I felt a deep tension.\nI realized that even though I had married a man who I absolutely loved and adored, I really didn't have a clear sense of how he handled money and how the two of us were going to combine our different approaches to handling money in our marriage. I was more organized and detailed, but he was more of a _ type. I knew that getting on the same financial page was a key factor in creating a successful marriage and financial future.\nI asked my husband if he would be willing to set up a time each week to talk about our finances and develop a plan for getting rid of our credit card debt. My husband said he would be willing to do this. Admittedly, he was skeptical -- but willing.\nWe came to refer to our weekly meetings as our Financial Dates. We didn't really have a clue as to what we were doing. All we knew was that we needed to give our finances serious attention. Some Dates were filled with tense conversations. Other Dates were filled with laughter, joy and creativity. However, we kept showing up for our Dates and we never gave up. What started out as a means for survival became a powerful connecting thread in our relationship. Something shifted within us.\nInstead of our finances becoming a source of divisive tension that pulled us apart, they became\nthe glue that held us together as we became a unified team.\nI still recall the day that we excitedly crossed off our last credit card payment on the chart we had created. We had finally arrived. We were free. We had been given wings to fly.\nNow, whenever I feel huge stress I ask myself, \"How am I contributing to what is happening right now?\" This gives me the ultimate power to take action. Even though my husband and I don't have any guarantee against future challenges, I am left with something deep within that is unshakable and that can never be taken away -- the memory of our past successes and the power to integrate these lessons in my day-to-day life.", "problems": [{"question": "Why did the author feel nervous when collecting the afternoon mails? _", "answer": "C", "options": ["She was not sure about her marriage.", "She didn't know how to handle money.", "She could feel the pressure of the huge debt.", "She was reminded of the quarrels in the family."]}, {"question": "What can we learn from the Financial Dates? _", "answer": "D", "options": ["They showed the couple clear direction at first.", "They left the couple nothing but deep sadness.", "They were once interrupted but quickly continued.", "They strengthened the couple's relationship at last."]}, {"question": "We can infer that when faced with stress the author will _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["try to change the situation", "focus on what contributes to it", "get power from the memory", "feel free to do what she likes"]}]} -{"article": "For millions of Facebook users, choosing which photo to use for an online profile is an important decision. According to a study by researchers at the UT Dallas Center, the photos we select may reflect individual preferences, but they also appear to reflect more deeply rooted, unconscious cultural differences. Previous research has shown that culture can affect not only language and custom, but also how we experience the world and process information. Western cultures,for example,condition people to think of themselves as highly independent entities ( ),whereas East Asian cultures stress collectivism and interdependence.\nDr. Denise Park, co-director of the Center at UT Dallas, and former graduate student Dr. ChihMao Huang of the University of Illinois, were curious about whether these patterns of cultural influence extend to cyberspace. In a paper published in the International Journal of Psychology, they examined the profile photographs of more than 500 active Facebook users from the United States and\nEast Asia. Overall, they found that profile photos of Americans are more likely to focus on the individual's face,while the profiles of East Asians tend to less emphasize the face and include more background features. Americans also show greater smile intensity compared to East Asian Facebook users.\nThe findings show marked cultural differences in the focus of attention among East Asian and American Facebook users. Moreover, they echo previous research on cultural influences on visual perception ,attention, and reasoning in the offline world.\n\"We believe these findings relate to a cultural bias to be more individualistic and independent in the US and more communal and interdependent in Asia,,,said Park.\nThe research also found that cultural influences over our self-presentation online can shift over time and from place to place. In one of the study samples, Americans studying in Japan and Japanese studying in the US both showed a tendency to adjust their profile photos to the general preferences of their host country.\n\" Facebook constitutes an extended social context in which personal profiles mirror various individual characteristics,private thoughts,and social behaviors,\" noted Huang. \" As such,the study presents a new approach to investigate cognition and behaviors across cultures by using Facebook as a data collection platform. \"", "problems": [{"question": "We can know from the passage that Mongolians probably emphasize .", "answer": "D", "options": ["cultural influences", "social behaviors", "independent existence", "collective power"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred that a Korean studying in the US is likely to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["use a picture of his face on Facebook", "adjust to American preferences quickly", "change his profile photos from time to time", "put up a photo of his apartment on Facebook"]}, {"question": "According to Dr. Huang, Facebook can help to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["make up a more extended social context", "study the diversity of worldwide cultures", "promote communication between east and west", "combine different cultures from different aspects"]}]} -{"article": "Coffee grows only in the tropics . The temperature must be between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Coffee must have shade from nearby trees, but it also requires at least two hours of sunlight each day.\nIt was in the 18thand 19thcenturies that coffee seeds from the Middle East were taken to Latin America, the Carribean, and Africa. It spread fast, with demand for the coffee growing in the northern part of the world. Millions of acres of rainforest and jungle were planted with coffee trees. Because of coffee's need for shade and its ability to be grown alongside other crops, the small coffee trees didn't require any forests to be cleared.\nBut this took a bad turn in 1970 when US agricultural scientists decided to develop a new coffee plant that grew only in the full sun. Farmer agreed to grow this new coffee because they could produce five times more coffee than before. With the support of local governments, it isn't difficult to understand why many traditional coffee fields quickly became modern ones. As a result, over the past 40 years, Central America has lost two-thirds of its rainforests at a rate of 40 million acres per year. That figure is similar to Mexico.\nThese modern coffee plantations are very harmful as nothing can grow in the fields besides the coffee bushes. As the rainforests disappear, so do the animals. Sun plantations also contribute to soil erosion . The coffee trees must face not only the heat with no protection, they must also face heavy rains, which slowly washes much of the soil away. Sun coffee field are actually risky for farmers in the long term.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following places has the longest coffee-planting history?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Latin America", "The Carribean", "Africa", "The Middle East"]}, {"question": "We can know that the new coffee plant _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["requires little sunshine", "can not survive heavy rains", "has a much higher production", "produces coffee of a different taste"]}, {"question": "In order to plant the new coffee, farmers _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["need special equipment", "need a new kind of soil", "have to clear many forests", "need to move to Central America"]}]} -{"article": "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful bird, which was very curious about hell. When she was little, her mother always told her that if she didn't _ the flying skills, she would go to hell. She was so curious about hell that she always asked others what hell looked like, but no one was sure, because none of them had ever been there. Some said hell was a place full of water, and others told her that hell was full of burning fire. However, the bird knew they were lying. She wanted to find out what hell was.\nWhen other birds were learning flying skills, she always hid herself and watched them. She thought in this way she could go to hell and see what hell looked like. However, she spent so little time learning flying skills that one day she was caught by a little boy. The little boy gave her to his grandpa in the countryside as a gift. The old man liked her very much. He made a delicate cage and put her in it. The bird was very worried because she thought she couldn't find out what hell was like staying in this small cage. However, she couldn't escape. Day after day, she just stayed in the cage, watching other birds flying. She lost her freedom and she became sadder and sadder. At last, she became ill. The old man finally opened the cage, but she was too weak to fly. Lying on the ground, she thought of the question that she ever asked all the time.\n\"What does hell look like?\"\n\"Hell is a small well-decorated cage.\" Before she closed her eyes forever, she finally answered that question herself.", "problems": [{"question": "Why did the bird hide herself when other birds were learning flying skills?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because she was lazy.", "Because she didn't like learning flying skills.", "Because she thought she could go to hell by doing this.", "Because she thought she didn't have to learn flying skills."]}, {"question": "According to the passage, the bird at last found that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["hell was a place full of water.", "hell was a place full of burning fire", "there was no hell", "hell was a small well-decorated cage"]}]} -{"article": "Most earthquakes occur within the upper 15 miles of the earth's surface. But earthquakes can and do occur at all depths to about 460 miles. Their number decreases as the depth increases. At about 460 miles one earthquake occurs only every few years. Near the surface earthquakes may run as high as 100 in a month, but the yearly average does not vary much. In comparison with the total number of earthquakes each year, the number of disastrous earthquakes is very small.[JP]\nThe extent of the disaster in an earthquake depends on many factors. If you carefully build a toy house with an erect set, it will still stand no matter how much you shake the table. But if you build a toy house with a pack of cards, a slight shake of the table will make it fall. An earthquake in prefix = st1 /Agadir,Morocco, was not strong enough to be recorded on distant instruments, but it completely destroyed the city. Many stronger earthquakes have done comparatively little damage. If a building is well constructed and built on solid ground, it will resist an earthquake. Most deaths in earthquakes have been due to faulty building construction or poor building sites. A third and very serious factor is panic. When people rush out into narrow streets, more deaths will result.\nThe United Nations has played an important part in reducing the damage done by earthquakes. It has sent a team of experts to all countries known to be affected by earthquakes. Working with local geologists and engineers, the experts have studied the nature of the ground and the type of most practical building code for the local area. If followed, these suggestions will make disastrous earthquakes almost a thing of the past.\nThere is one type of earthquake disaster that little can be done about. This is the disaster caused by seismic sea waves, or tsunamis. (These are often called tidal waves, but the name is incorrect. They have nothing to do with tides.) \nIn certain areas, earthquakes take place beneath the sea. These submarine earthquakes sometimes give rise to seismic sea waves. The waves are not noticeable out at sea because of their long wave length. But when they roll into harbors, they pile up into walls of water 6 to 60 feet high. The Japanese call them \"tsunamis\", meaning \"harbor waves\", because they reach a sizable height only in harbors.\nTsunamis travel fairly slowly, at speeds up to 500 miles an hour. An adequate warning system is in use to warn all shores likely to be reached by the waves.\nBut this only enables people to leave the threatened shores for higher ground. There is no way to stop the oncoming wave.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following CANNOT be concluded from the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The number of earthquakes is closely related to depth.", "Roughly the same number of earthquakes occur each year.,", "Earthquakes are impossible at depths over 460 miles.", "Earthquakes are most likely to occur near the surfaces."]}, {"question": "The destruction of Agadir is an example of _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["faulty building construction", "an earthquake's strength", "widespread panic in earthquakes", "ineffective instruments"]}, {"question": "The United Nations' experts are supposed to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["construct strong buildings", "put forward proposals", "detect disastrous earthquakes", "monitor earthquakes"]}, {"question": "The significance of the slow speed of tsunamis is that people may _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["notice them out at sea", "find ways to stop them", "be warned early enough", "develop warning systems"]}]} -{"article": "Geoffery Payne talked for the first time about the night when his wife was killed. The judge thought it was he who killed his wife. Now he wrote to a magazine from the prison about what had happened on the night of 13 October, 2007.\nI had to stay late at the hospital that night to do an operation. I finally left at about 11 p.m. I drove home slowly because the weather was terrible- the wind was blowing and it was raining heavily. I was turning into our road when a man suddenly ran in front of my car. I almost hit him but I stopped just in time. I was frightened and the man looked frightened, too. I got out of the car but he ran away before I could ask if he was all right. It was strange.\nWhen I got home, the lights were on but it was very quiet. I called to my wife but there was no answer. Then I remembered that she was out at a concert.\nI was still very upset about what had happened on the road, so I made myself a drink. Then I went upstairs to have a bath. I saw that the window in the bedroom was open. This was strange because my wife always locked the doors and windows before she went out. She was afraid of burglars . When I went to close the window, I found Ellen. She was lying on the floor. There was blood everywhere. I rushed over and felt her pulse but she was dead. I sat on the floor beside her body. I was too frightened to do anything.\nWhen I gained a bit of consciousness, the sky was getting light. I couldn't remember a thing about the night. In the morning I phoned the police. They arrived about half an hour after I phoned them. But it seemed like hours. During that time I tried hard to recall what had happened the night before. I couldn't stop thinking about the man on the road. What was he doing at that time of night in our quiet neighborhood? Why did he look so frightened? Why did he run away?", "problems": [{"question": "Geoffrey Payne was a _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["doctor", "policeman", "judge", "taxi driver"]}, {"question": "When Payne got home, he found _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["Ellen waiting for him", "the bedroom window closed", "A burglar in his house", "Ellen lying on the floor, blood all over"]}, {"question": "After he found Ellen dead, Payne _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["called the police at once", "tried to find out the murderer", "called out for help", "was so scared that he could do nothing"]}, {"question": "In this passage Payne tried to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["say something about his family", "show he was very sorry for his wife's death", "make people believe the man in the road probably killed his wife", "tell why his wife was killed"]}]} -{"article": "Africa is no longer the continent of apparently endless conflict, hunger, disease and dictatorship that have filled people's brain for decades. Despite the obvious challenges---the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, the threat from terrorists in Nigeria----Africa's major new tendency is of a continent on the rise.\nAccording to the World Bank, sub-Saharan Africa's GDP growth rate of 5% over the past 15 years---almost double the global average--is expected to continue well into the next decade. Consulting film A. T. Kearney predicts that by 2040 sub-Saharan Africa would be \" the biggest, fastest, strongest and the most attractive region for retain in the world.\"\nBut the fruits of Africa's success, if not managed well, could damage this great economic and political awakening. Greater prosperity has meant Africans are living longer and healthier. At the same time, the birthrate remains high, at an average of 5.2 births per woman in Africa, compared with 1.6 in Europe and 2.1 in Asia. The young ages 15-24 make up about 37% of Africa's labor force but occupy 60% of the continent's total jobless, and a quarter of all young people haven't received any education, according to a 2011 report from the African Development Bank.\nThe young could be the engine that drives Africa for good or it could be its downfall if they deny education and opportunities. The World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab reminded Africa that 18 million jobs will have to be created every year just to _ Africa's current job seekers.\nWhat is also required is great investment in both education and employment, so that the young can start building businesses and developing the technologies to provide opportunities for the coming boom generation. They deserve the chance to live without the chaos and conflict that once haunt the continent for years.", "problems": [{"question": "When it comes to population, Africa isn't suffering from the fact that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the birthrate remains high", "the aging process speeds up", "unemployment threats the youth", "poor education characterizes the young"]}, {"question": "What can be inferred from the text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Africa's economy boom will continue", "Controlling the birthrate is people's top concern", "The African young will live without chaos and conflict", "Africa should attach importance to protecting and supporting the young"]}]} -{"article": "Channel Islands\nThe two main islands, Jersey and Guernsey, are remarkable in that they present a combination of enjoyment peace and quiet. Neither island is very big (only ten miles long) and so all parts of these coasts are easily reached from the main centers -- St. Helier and St. Peter Port. In both these towns and particularly in Jersey's St. Helier are concentrated the amusements of really big resorts . The nearness of France gives a continental atmosphere; the weather is far better than that in England. The other three islands, Jethou, Herm and Sark are small and quiet.\nIsles of Scilly\nThe islands are really small and quiet; and the weather is warm but windy. The islands are excellent for those who enjoy exploring small inlets , creeks and bays on foot, or even better in a boat.\nIsle of Wight\nThe island is 24 miles across and therefore quite large. The scenery is good and varied. The resorts are neither overlarge nor showy. The crowds seem content with entertaining but quieter holidays. The island has the best sunshine record in Britain.\nIsle of Man\nAn island with unique atmosphere -- in some indefinable way it is different from England, Scotland or Wales. Thirty miles long, with good roads and good public transport,the mountains,hills and glens are easily reached. Douglas is a major British resort and other resorts are lively.", "problems": [{"question": "Which is the largest of the islands mentioned?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Herm.", "The Isle of Man.", "The Isle of Wight.", "Jersey."]}, {"question": "If you want to be fairly sure you would have a lot of sun on holiday, which island would you choose?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The Channel Islands.", "The Isle of Man.", "The Isle of Wight.", "The Scilly Isle."]}, {"question": "If you are having a holiday on Jersey, where would you go for amusement?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Douglas.", "Sandown.", "St. Helier.", "St. Peter Port."]}, {"question": "In which way are the Channel Islands different from all the other island holiday places", "answer": "D", "options": ["The coasts are easily reached from the main centers.", "There are more islands there.", "There is something French about them.", "The weather is better."]}]} -{"article": "When she returned home after a year in South America, Judith Martin, a North American writer, began to have a problem. People kept interpreting her behavior as aggressive, but that was not right. Fairly soon she figured out what was happening.\nWhen most South Americans talk to each other face-to-face, they stand closer together than North Americans do. Martin had not readjusted to North American distances. Apparently, she had forgotten about the phenomenon known as personal space -- the amount of physical distance people expect during social interaction. Everyone has expectations concerning the use of personal space, but accepted distances for that space are determined by each person's culture.\nObservations about personal space began about twenty years ago. Anthropologist Edward T. Hall was a pioneer in the field. He became very interested in how interpersonal distances affected communication between people. In his book The Hidden Dimension, Hall invented the word \"proxemics\" to describe people's use of space as a means of communication. As Hall's book title indicates, most people are unconscious that interpersonal distances exist.\nPersonal space depends on invisible boundaries. Those boundaries move with people as they interact. Personal space gets larger or smaller depending on the circumstances of the social interaction at any moment. People do not like anyone to trespass on their personal space. As Cooper explains, invasions of personal space bring about negative reactions.\nResearchers working with Hall's data found that accepted interpersonal distances in the United States also depend on other factors. For example, subcultures help determine expectations concerning personal space. Fisher, Bell, and Baum report that groups of Hispanic-Americans generally interact more closely within their subculture than Anglo-Americans do within theirs. They further explain that in general subcultural groups tend to interact at closer distances with members of their own subculture than with nonmembers.\nAge also affects how people use personal space. Cooper reports that North American children seem unaware of boundaries for personal space until the age of four or five. As the children get older they become more aware of standards for personal space. By the time they reach puberty , they have completely adapted to their culture's standards for interpersonal distances.\nGender also influences people's use of personal space. For example, North American males' most negative reaction is reserved for anyone who enters their personal space directly in front of them. Females, on the other hand, feel most negative about approaches from the side. Also, females have smaller interpersonal distances than males do, although pairs of the same sex communicate across larger spaces than do pairs of males and females. The gender factor changes, however, in high-density situations such as crowded subways or elevators in the United States. As Maines observes, when people have some choice about where they stand or sit in crowded settings, they choose people of the same sex.\nAs international travel and commerce increase, intercultural contact is becoming commonplace. Soon, perhaps, cultural differences in expectations for personal space will be as familiar to everyone as are cultural differences in food and dress. Until then, people need to make a special effort to learn one another's expectations concerning personal space. Once people are sensitive to such matters, they will not go either away from or toward a person from another culture.", "problems": [{"question": "Judith Martin's experience tells that interpersonal distance in social interaction is determined by _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["personal preference", "cultural background", "social awareness", "geographical features"]}, {"question": "According to Hall, _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["people are unaware that personal space affects communication", "personal space in social interaction is used quite regularly", "people show not enough interest in learning about interpersonal distances", "people doubt that personal space affects communication"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, which fact makes no contribution to the decision of interpersonal distance?", "answer": "D", "options": ["culture", "gender", "age", "education"]}, {"question": "By \"they will not go either away from or toward a person from another culture\", the writer means _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["people try their best to avoid embarrassment by knowing more about culture", "People are always afraid that they might take a wrong step when talking", "people can keep appropriate personal distance in communication", "people will choose to approach the right person to ask about the culture thing"]}]} -{"article": "A cat with his own Facebook page and Instagram account is taking the Internet by storm thanks to his expressive eyebrows. Curious-looking Sam has racked up 150,000 Instagram followers and 530,000 likes on Facebook since bursting onto the scene in 2012.\nOwner Amanda Collado, 26, from New York, has been handling the large amount of requests from fans and media for the past three years. She said, \"There have definitely been situations where I have had to ignore friends, family or work to take the time to do Sam's posts or answer emails on his behalf. Everyone gets a little annoyed when I'm on my phone and not paying attention to them. I never thought Sam would be so popular.\"\nAmanda's mum, Ivette Rodriguez, noticed the abandoned cat outside her home one evening.\nIvette said, \"I saw a little niche next to the house and there was a cat in there. He willingly gave himself up to me--I guess he was so tired of being outside.\"\nAmanda created an Instagram account for Sam after a friend pointed out his expressive brows. She said, \"I didn't notice his eyebrows initially.\"\n\"He had about 800 followers at first--but in February someone posted his photo on Reddit and he blew up overnight--I woke up with 1600 followers. From there we made a Facebook and all other social media accounts.\"\nAmanda posts pictures to Sam's account every two days, but spends most of her day keeping up with all of his fans. But the effort she puts into her pet's social media has paid off--and she has bigger plans for Sam's future, including merchandise .\n\"Right now we're trying to share him in a free way. Eventually we'll sell Sam merchandise, because I know many people do like having cute little mugs, Sam mugs, or posters, T-shirts.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Why does Amanda sometimes ignore her friends?", "answer": "D", "options": ["She is absorbed in her work.", "She is popular with her fans.", "She gets along badly with her friends.", "She is busy with Sam's business."]}, {"question": "How did Amanda get the cat called Sam?", "answer": "C", "options": ["She bought it from her friend.", "One of her friends gave it to her.", "Her mother found it and adopted it.", "The text didn't mention it."]}, {"question": "What does Amanda plan to do about Sam?", "answer": "D", "options": ["She plans to post Sam's photo on Reddit on the Internet.", "She plans to post pictures to Sam's account every day.", "She plans to buy more cats.", "She plans to sell Sam products."]}]} -{"article": "The engineer Camilla Olivetti was 40 years old when he started the company in 1908. At his factory in Ivrea, he designed and produced the first Italian typewriter. Today the company's head office is still in Ivrea, near Turin, but the company is much larger than it was in those days and there are offices all around the world,\nBy 1930 there was a staff of 700 and the company turned out 13.000 machines a year. Some went to customers in Italy, but Olivetti exported more typewriters to other countries.\nCamillo's son, Adriano, started working for the company in 1924 and later he became the boss. He introduced a standard speed for the production line and he employed technology and design specialist. The company developed new and better typewriters and then calculators . In 1959 it produced the ELEA computer system. This was the first mainframe computer designed and made in Italy.\nAfter Adriano died in 1960, the company had a period of financial problem. Other companies, especially the Japanese, made faster progress in electronic technology than the Italian company.\nIn 1978, Carlo de Benedetti became the new boss. Olivetti increased its marketing and service networks and made agreements with other companies to design and produce more advanced office equipment. Soon it became one of the world's leading companies in information technology and communications. There are now five independent companies in the Olivetti group--one for personal computers, one for other office equipment, one for systems and service, and two for telecommunications.", "problems": [{"question": "From the text we learn that _", "answer": "A", "options": ["by 1930 Olivetti produced 13.000 typewriters a year", "Olivetti earned more in the 1960s than in the 1950s", "some of Olivetti's 700 staff regularly visited customers in Italy", "Olivetti set up offices in other countries from the very beginning"]}, {"question": "What was probably the direct result of Olivetti's falling behind in electronic technology", "answer": "B", "options": ["Adriano's death", "A period of financial problems", "Its faster progress", "Its agreements with other companies."]}, {"question": "What do we know about Olivetti?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It produced the best typewriter in the world.", "It designed the world's first mainframe computer.", "It exported more typewriters than other companies.", "It has five independent companies with its head office in Ivrea."]}, {"question": "The best title for the text would be _", "answer": "C", "options": ["The Origin of Olivetti.", "The Success of Olivetti.", "The History of Olivetti", "The Production of Olivetti."]}]} -{"article": "In my last essay, I wrote briefly about a bathtub in the classroom. What really was the use of that bathtub? \"Guys, it is Reading Workshop time now. When I call your table, get your things, please!\" said Mrs. Toalson. She was holding a cup that had many sticks in it; on every stick was written each student's name and table number.\nWhat does she mean? Probably books, I thought. Mrs. Toalson picked a stick out of the cup and said, \"Okay, Aniqa's table; Table Two, you may get your things. \"Then my four classmates ran for the cushions in the bathtub. Mrs. Toalson kept picking sticks and calling out different table numbers. On hearing their numbers, students would run to get cushions. Because there were not enough cushions for everyone, the last to be called had to go without. Those students sighed, \"Oh! They are the lucky ones.\"\nFinally, Mrs. Toalson picked the last stick ; what is she going to do now?\n\"Kate, you may use the bathtub. \" Mrs. Toalson said. Gosh! Use the bathtub? Is Kate going to take a bath, I wondered. Kate is the girl who had pretty brown hair. She ran happily with her book to the bathtub and lay down in it. As she read, she hugged a teddy bear. I think it must be comfortable reading in a bathtub.\nExcept for lucky Kate, everybody had to read elsewhere. Some were sitting on the seats, some were lying down under the table, and everybody's reading pose was different.\nJust then, my friend found me sitting at my table quietly, not doing anything. She said, \"Mary, let me find you a book. \" I nodded. Then she led me to a comer of the classroom where the book-shelf was and picked a picture book for me.\nRegina thought that it would be more fun to read outside on the grass. What a great idea! The next day our whole class went to the park across the street from our school. As we read, animals such as squirrels ran around us. It was amazing !", "problems": [{"question": "In Mrs. Toalson's Reading Workshop, every student can learn _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["briefly", "comfortably", "quickly", "eagerly"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is TRUE according to this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Mrs. Toalson told the student to sit in the bathtub as a punishment.", "The student who used the bathtub in that class was thought to be unlucky.", "Not every student can get a cushion in Mrs. Toalson's Reading Workshop.", "In Mrs. Toalson's Reading Workshop, only the best student can lie down reading."]}, {"question": "Who got the chance to use the bathtub in that class?", "answer": "A", "options": ["A student whose table was last called.", "The student who sat at the table quietly.", "The student who got the last cushion.", "A student whose table was first called."]}, {"question": "The purpose of the passage is to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["tell us how to use a bathtub in the classroom", "introduce us a new way of teaching style", "teach us how to organize reading activifies in class", "show us the importance of reading poses"]}]} -{"article": "I stood without moving, the door closed behind me, the walls hard and silent on both sides and him in front of me, looking into my face. His empty eyes grew a smile when he realized he would soon have all the money in my wallet. Looking downwards at his hands, I saw him take out a sharp, silvery object. Then in soft, low voice he said, \"Come over here.\" Although I felt a wetness collect on my forehead, a collapsing of feeling in my stomach like a balloon losing air and a shiver of fear in my legs, by now it was impossible to escape , so I fell into a chair beside him. Though as far as I know he would soon cut me, I raised my courage enough to say, \"A little off the sides around my ears and shorten the top.\"", "problems": [{"question": "\"He \" in the passage was a person _", "answer": "D", "options": ["with a small room to live in", "who killed others easily and quickly", "with a soft voice but strange ideas", "who took other's money unlawfully"]}, {"question": "Why did the writer say, \"A little off the sides around my ears and shorten the top\"? Because the writer _", "answer": "C", "options": ["wanted to frighten the man", "tried to give the man lessons", "tried to show he was not frightened", "wanted to tell the man how to kill a person"]}, {"question": "The passage is _", "answer": "D", "options": ["telling us the writer's changing", "to encourage people to struggle against bad persons", "about a humorous story", "about the writer's fearful experience"]}]} -{"article": "30thJune\nDear Aihua,\nHow are you? Sorry I haven't written for so long. I've been quite busy planning my holiday with may older brother, Coin. Do you still remember the trip I told you about? I told you Colin and I would spend a few weeks traveling before he goes to university. Well, now we're ready to go! We're going to visit so many exciting places and do lots of astonishing things. We will go to Africa first. I can't wait! Have you been there?\nWe leave London on 15thJuly, and we'll be flying toprefix = st1 /Morocco, in Northern Africa. We're going to travel on camels through theSaharaDesert. It's the biggest desert in the world-about the size of The US! I expect it will be very hot, dry and dusty _ . We'll be traveling by camel, with local guides, camping in tents and sleeping on the ground in our big, thick sleeping bags. I've heard that we can se beautiful stars on clear nights. I'll bring a torch with me so that I'll be able to see in the dark. The whole trip will take six days. That means I'll have to sit on a came for almost a week-how uncomfortable! I hope my camel likes me!\nAfter the trip by camel, we've going to travel down the River Nile. We'll start at Lake Victoria. A little way down the river from Victoria, the water actually gets quite rough. So, we'll go white-water rafting. It's quite dangerous, but very exciting! We have to wear special clothing, a helmet and a life jacket, just in case the raft gets turned upside down or sinks after white-water rafting, we're going on a trip to see wild animals inKenya. We'll live with the local people in their villages, and eat and drink like they do, including cow's blood! Do you think I should drink it?\nSince we'll be walking every day for almost two weeks, I'll need to buy a large, strong, light backpack to carry my supplies of food and water. During the day, we'll walk across the land, following the footprints of big animals such as elephants, lions and giraffes. We'll try to get as close as possible to the animals, even though they're dangerous, so that I can take some really good photos. But don't worry about me--our Guides will have guns with them to scare the animals away if they come too close. I really want to see an elephant up close. Colin wants to see a giraffe.\nAfter that, we'll be moving on to Tanzania, where we're going to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Mountain climbing can be very tiring, and many people feel sick as the air gets thinner, so Colin and I will make sure that we will get enough rest after sunset. The African part of our trip will take about four weeks. Then we're going to the Himalayas. I'll send you postcards from all the different places we visit!\n Love\n Toby", "problems": [{"question": "According to the letter, Toby enjoys _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["comfortable, expensive holidays", "cultural holidays", "adventure holidays", "staying at home"]}]} -{"article": "It's interesting that technology often works as a servant for us, yet frequently we become a servant to it. E-mail is a useful tool but many feel controlled by this new tool. The average business person is getting about 80e-mails per day and many feel that about 80% of the messages in their \"Inbox\" are of little or no value. So, I have four suggestions to help you to become better at \"Erasing E-mail\".\n1.Get off the lists. The best way to deal with a problem is to never have it. If you are receiving a lot of unwanted e-mails, ask to be removed from the various lists. This would include your inclusion in unwanted lists.\n2.\"Unlisted address\". Just as you keep an \"unlisted\" telephone number that you share only with those whom you want to have direct access to, you might want to get a separate e-mail address only for the important communications you wish to receive.\n3.Check it once or twice per day. Many I speak with are becoming chained to their email server, monitoring incoming email continuously. Maybe this is because e-mail creates its own sense of urgency, but most of thecommunications are not all that urgent. I respond to them a couple of times per day.\n4.Deal with it. As you open each e-mail, do one of the following:\na. If it requires a quick response, respond to it and delete it.\nb. If it requires a response but is not the best use of your time, try to find someone else to do it.\nc. If it is going to take any serious amount of time to respond, schedule it for action in your Day Planner andthen download the message, save it, or print it out for future action.\nI personally receive about 250 e-mails per day and by practicing the suggestions above, I can handle thatvolume in about an hour, taking advantage of this fantastic tool but not being controlled by it to make sure I'mdoing more important tasks in my day.", "problems": [{"question": "For the important communications, the writer suggests that you _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["have a direct access for them", "have several e-mail servers for them", "get a separate e-mail address for them", "get an unlisted phone number for them"]}, {"question": "To avoid being chained by the coming e-mails, what you can do is to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["respond urgent ones only", "reply to all of them at the same time", "handle them a couple of times daily", "keep replying to e-mails all day long"]}, {"question": "To deal with an e-mail you get, you can do the following EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["responding right away if it's urgent", "downloading every e-mail before you reply", "scheduling it for later reply if it takes much time", "asking someone else to reply to it if it's not at your convenience"]}]} -{"article": "Tom studied in our middle school three years ago. Last August his father found a job in another city and his family moved there. He began to study in the new school and we often write to each other. He often tells me something about the city where he lives now and his studies in the school. So I can know what happens to him.\nLast Friday Tom came to our city again. He hopes to accompany his old grandpa during the summer holiday. He's taller and stronger than before. We swim in the river outside the city together or have a picnic on the island. It surprises me that he has learned to cook when we were traveling in the wild forest. He told me his parents were both busy and sometimes he stayed at home alone and he had to look after himself.\n\"How do you like your school?\" I asked.\n\"Wonderful,\" said the young man. \"It has a tall building and there're two chemistry labs, two biology labs and three physics ones. And its library is big and there're plenty of books in it.\"\n\"I can see you are satisfied with it.\"\n\"Yes,\" he answered. \"But our geography teacher often says to himself in class.\"\n\"So does our new history teacher,\" I said. \"But he doesn't notice it. He often talks on and on in a flow of eloquence . But none of us listens to him!\"", "problems": [{"question": "I can know what happens to Tom because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["he lives near to me", "he often calls me", "he often writes to me", "I often visit him"]}, {"question": "_ ,so he learned to cook.", "answer": "D", "options": ["Tom likes all kinds of delicious foods", "Tom often has a picnic with his friends", "Tom found a job in a restaurant", "Tom has to do some cooking when he's in alone"]}, {"question": "Tom came back to our city to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["look after his sick grandpa", "take his summer holiday", "have a picnic on the island", "travel in the wild forest"]}]} -{"article": "One cold January evening in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, America, I went with my father on an oil burner service call. My father was in his forties at that time and I was about twelve years old. He was always working hard trying to support us seven kids. I enjoyed hanging out with him whenever I could -- he taught me so much.\nWe arrived at the call and after walking over snow and ice, we knocked on the customer's door. A senior citizen opened the door and let us into her very cold home. She was wearing an old, worn-out brown coat that went down to her knees. On her head, covering her gray hair, was an old and worn hat. The home wasn't furnished very well and was quite dark, except for a single light bulb over the dining room table. Below the light was an older man counting change from several old coffee cans. He looked up at us as we passed by to get to the kitchen where my dad would fix the oil burner. He didn't say anything. He just looked up at us. He couldn't speak English, nor could his wife. She only pointed to the kitchen and smiled at us.\nAfter a short while, my father had the heater up and running, and it began to heat their cold home. The lady asked my dad in poor English how much she owed him for fixing the heater. My dad looked around the house and said that he had to go out to the truck and write the bill.\nOnce in the truck he marked the bill \"no answer at home, no charge\", so they wouldn't be charged for his work. He looked over at me and said, \"He was counting his change to pay me. They need their money more than I do.\"\nAs usual, my father taught me something important that time, which was to be kind to the poor.", "problems": [{"question": "What can we infer from the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The old couple had no children in America.", "The old man didn't plan to pay money.", "The old woman felt very embarrassed all the time.", "The old couple were not native Americans."]}, {"question": "The writer's father didn't charge for his work because_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["he didn't need that money", "he felt pity for the old couple", "he was not satisfied with his work", "he wanted to set a good example to others"]}]} -{"article": "Vincent Willem van Gogh (30 March, 1853---29 July, 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist artist. He is considered one of the greatest artists with great influence on the greatest artists with great influence on the 20th-century art.\nVan Gogh spent his early adult life working for a firm of art dealers. After a brief period as a teacher, he became a missionary in a very poor mining region. He did not begin his career as an artist until 1880; however, during the last ten years of his life, he produced more than 2,000 pieces, including around 900 paintings and 1,100 drawing and sketches . He worked only with _ colours until he met Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism in Paris. Van Gogh used their bright colours and style of painting in a uniquely recognizable style. Most of his best-known works were produced during his final two years, when he was suffering from serious mental illness.\nIn 1890, at the age of 37, van Gogh shot himself in the chest. He died two days later, with Theo, his brother and his best friend, at his side, who reported his last words as \"The sadness will last forever\". It would not take long before his fame grew higher and higher.\nVan Gogh's mother threw away quite a number of his paintings. The only painting he sold during his lifetime, The Red Vineyard, was created in 1888. It is now on display in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, Russia. Several paintings by van Gogh rank among the most expensive paintings in the world. On March 30, 1987 van Gogh's painting Irises was sold for a record of $53.9 million at Southby's, New York. On May 15, 1990 his Portrait of Doctor Gachet was sold for $83.5 million at Christie's, thus setting a new price record.", "problems": [{"question": "When did van Gogh begin his career as an artist?", "answer": "B", "options": ["At the age of 17.", "At the age of 27.", "In his early adult adult life.", "In his early childhood."]}, {"question": "Which of the following can best describe van Gogh's final two years?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Sand and boring.", "Normal and peaceful.", "Happy but fruitless.", "Painful but productive."]}, {"question": "What can we learn from the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Van Gogh didn't become famous until he dies.", "Van Gogh sold many paintings in his life.", "Van Gogh had become famous as an artist when he was alive.", "Irises was the most expensive among van Gogh's paintings."]}]} -{"article": "Who is more stressed out--the Asian teenager or the American teenager? Surprise! The American teen wins this match.According to a recent study, almost three quarters of American high school students said they felt stress at least once a week, some almost every day.Fewer than half of Japanese and Taiwanese eleventh grade students reported feeling stress that often.\nThe phenomenon of stress is the constant interaction between mind and body.And the influence of one upon the other can be either positive or negative.What can the mind do to the body? Studies have proved that watching funny movies can reduce pain and promote healing .On the contrary worry can give a person an _ , high blood pressure, or even a heart attack.\nThe mind and body work together to produce stress, which is a response to a stimulus , a response that disturbs the body's normal physiological balance.However, stress is not always bad.For example, a stress reaction can sometimes save a person's life by producing hormones that make it possible for a person to react quickly and with greater energy in a dangerous situation.In everyday situations, too, stress can provide that extra push needed to do something difficult.But too much stress often injures both the mind and the body.How can stress be kept under control? Learn to Lighten Up and Live Longer, the best-seller of the month, has several good suggestions.So, get a copy and start learning how you can reduce stress in your life.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the writer's main purpose of writing this passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To find who are the most stressed-out teenagers.", "To explain that stress is a mental problem.", "To inform the reader how to reduce stress.", "To promote a book about reducing stress."]}, {"question": "According to the passage, which of the following is a positive effect of stress?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Reducing pain.", "Reacting quickly in danger.", "Promoting healing.", "Losing weight."]}, {"question": "It can be known from the passage that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["stress is too difficult to be kept under control", "stress is always more positive than harmful to the body", "Learn to Lighten Up and Live Longer is a popular book", "Taiwanese teens experience more stress than American teens"]}]} -{"article": "On a Saturday night at home while relaxing with friends, a dog showed up at the house. In an attempt to find the legal owner and return the dog, we knocked on the door of the legal owner and an old man opened the door. This was the start of an interesting week.\nThe old man sat down, made himself at home, and gifted us the dog. After a brief visit, he left, and we were now the proud owners of this dog. It takes experience and knowledge to know that our lifestyle can't satisfy the needs of this dog; the owner that gifted us the dog was mismatched for him as well.\nThree attempts to return the dog to his old owner failed. (I think he was avoiding us.) Because our lifestyle didn't allow us to give this poor dog the attention he needed, he disturbed the neighbors. They got involved. After we shared the story, they gained a new perspective and wisely stepped in to help us find a solution.\nOne week later it was decided that dog would be picked up from us by the old neighbor. He would then return it to the previous owner who was more equipped to care for it.\nWhen faced with unexpected challenges in life, it helps to see everyone's perspective. We have to look at one another's perspective to solve a problem with honesty, experience and knowledge. That's the sign of a leader. Although the old neighbor typically has little to do with leadership, it did bring a neighborhood together to understand one another and work as a team to solve a problem.", "problems": [{"question": "Why was the dog taken to the author's home?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To find food to eat.", "To seek a proper owner.", "The author was friendly to him.", "The old man couldn't feed him."]}, {"question": "What did the author find after he was gifted with the dog?", "answer": "D", "options": ["He didn't like the dog at all.", "He could deal with dog easily.", "The old neighbor was cheating him.", "It was unsuitable for him to keep the dog."]}, {"question": "What does the author intend to stress in the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The value of team spirit.", "The smartness of the old neighbor.", "The importance of leadership skills.", "The need for calmness in front of challenges."]}]} -{"article": "We can make all the jokes we want about taking baths ourselves, but if we are ill in bed and can't get up, we'll be thankful to the nurses who help us get clean. While I am not a nurse, and have never given anyone a bath, I would imagine that it would take a lot of sympathy and patience to do so.\nYet those who attended the International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems last month were introduced to Cody, a robot that can bathe human beings.\nThe robot has a base that can be turned to all directions, two humanlike arms, and movable wrists . It uses a camera to locate parts of the human body. It then uses bath gloves to clean with a little pressure.\nThe robot was designed at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Charles Kemp of the Healthcare Robotics Lab is the senior researcher for the project. In a test run, Cody was able to remove 96% of a test subject's dirt--not bad for a robot.\nBut don't go asking for Cody yet--he's still a model. Yet researchers believe that one day Cody may take the place of nurses for this task. Researchers say that Cody will give patients dignity and protect their personal information. I suppose that would depend on the patient. I'm not sure whether a robot using a camera would make me feel very dignified.\nEven so, I can appreciate the need. We don't have enough nurses to go around, and those places that are the most shorthanded, for example, nursing homes, are those that have the most patients who are unable to bathe themselves. Still, before I get there, I hope they think of a better way to solve the problem.", "problems": [{"question": "The writer thinks bathing others must _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["be a lot of fun", "make you feel thankful", "take a lot of patience", "make you feel dignified"]}, {"question": "There is a need for Cody because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["people are becoming lazier", "it can bring down the cost of nursing", "there are not enough nurses", "there are too many nursing homes"]}, {"question": "In the writer's opinion, Cody is _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["acceptable but not perfect", "strange but not creative", "clever and strong", "lovely and careful"]}]} -{"article": "\"Mobile phones killed our man,\"screamed one headline last year.Also came statements that an unpublished study had found that mobile phones cause memory loss. And a British newspaper devoted its front page to a picture supposedly showing how mobile phones heat the brain.For anyone who uses a mobile phone,these are worring times.But speak to the scientists whose work is the focus of these scared and you will hear a different story.\nWhat we do have,however,are some results suggesting that mobile phones'emission have a variety of strange effects on living tissue that can't be explained by the general radiation biology.And it's only when the questions raised by these experiments are answered that we'll be able to say for sure what moblie phones might be doing to the brain.\nOne of the strange effects comes from the now famous \"memory loss\" study Alan Preece and his colleagues at the University of Bristol placed a device that copied the microwave emission of mobile phones to the left ear of volunteers.The volunteers were all good at recalling words and pictures they had been shown on a computer screen.Preece says he still can't comment on the effects of using a mobile phone for years on end.But he rules out the suggestion that mobile phones have an immediate effect on our cognitive abilities.\"I'm pretty sure there is no effect on short-term memory,\"he says.\nAnother expert,Tatterasll,remarked that his latest findings have removed fears about memory loss.One result,for instance,suggests that nerve cell synapses exposed to microwaves become more--rather than less--receptive to under--going changes linked to the memory formation.\nIt would be an even happier outcome if microwave turned out to be good for you.It sounds crazy,but a couple of years ago a team led by William Adey at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in California,found that mice exposed to microwave for two hours a day were less likely to develop brain tumours when given a cancer--causing chemical.\nSo should we forget about mobile phone radiation causing brain tumours and making us unable to think clearly or reasonably?\n\"If it doesn't certainly cause cancer in animals and cells, then it probably isn't going to cause cancer in humans,\"says William.And while there's still no absolute evidence that mobile phone does damage your memories or give your cancer,the _ is:Don't panic.", "problems": [{"question": "What worries people who use mobile phones?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Mobile phones will kill them.", "Mobile phones cause memory loss.", "Mobile phones heat the brain.", "All above is right."]}, {"question": "What is the attitude of Preece on the suggestion that mobile phones have an immediate effect on our congnitive abilities?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Doubt.", "Disagree.", "Approve.", "Wait and see."]}]} -{"article": "Everyone becomes a little more forgetful as they get older, but men's minds decline more than women's, according to the results of a worldwide survey.\nCertain differences seem to be _ in male and female brains: Men are better at maintaining and dealing with mental images (useful in mathematical reasoning<;> and spatial <>skills), while women tend to excel at recalling information from their brain's files (helpful with language skills and remembering the locations of objects).\nMany studies have looked for a connection between sex and the amount of mental decline people experience as they age, but the results have been mixed.\nSome studies found more age-related decline in men than in women, while others saw the opposite or even no relationship at all between sex and mental decline. Those results could be improper because the studies involved older people, and women live longer than men: The men tested are the survivors, \"so they're the ones that may not have shown such cognitive(;) decline,\" said study team leader Elizabeth of the University of Warwick in England.\nPeople surveyed completed four tasks that tested sex-related cognitive skills: matching an object to its rotated form, matching lines shown from the same angle, typing as many words in a particular category as possible in the given time, e.g. \"object usually colored gray\", and recalling the location of objects in a line drawing. The first two were tasks at which men usually excel; the latter are typically dominated by women.\nWithin each age group studied, men and women performed better in their separate categories on average. And though performance declined with age for both genders , women showed obviously less decline than men overall .", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, which of the following can Not be typed into the same category?", "answer": "C", "options": ["cloud", "sheep", "trees", "goose"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is true according the article?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Men do better than women when it comes to learning English.", "Women stand out at remembering people's names.", "Men excel at typing as many words in a particular category as possible in the given time.", "Women excel at dealing mathematic problems."]}, {"question": "One important factor that affects the correctness of the results is that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the old men tested may not have shown such cognitive decline", "people surveyed are all old", "people taking part in this test came from all over the world", "women live longer than men"]}, {"question": "The author aims to tell us that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["women's minds perform better than men's", "men's minds decline more with age", "everyone becomes a little more forgetful as they get older", "a survey on human's mind decline was done recently"]}]} -{"article": "I had worried myself sick over Simon's mother coming to see me. I was a new teacher, and I gave an honest account of the students' work. In Simon's case,the grades were awfully low. He couldn't read his own handwriting. But he was a bright student. He discussed adult subjects with nearly adult comprehension. His work in no way reflected his abilities.\nSo when Simon's mother entered the room, my palms were sweating. I was completely unprepared for her kisses on both my cheeks. \"I came to thank you,\" she said, surprising me beyond speech. Because of me, Simon had become a different person. He talked of how he loved me, he had begun to make friends, and for the first time in his twelve years, he had recently spent an afternoon at a friend's house. She wanted to tell me how grateful she was for the self-respect I had developed in her son. She kissed me again and left.\nI sat, stunned, for about half an hour,wondering what had just happened. How did I make such a life changing difference to that boy without even knowing it?What I finally came to remember was one day, several months before,when some students were giving reports in the front of the class, Jeanne spoke quietly,and to encourage her to raise her voice, I had said, \"Speak up. Simon's the expert on this. He is the only one you have to convince, and he can't hear you in the back of the room.\" That was it. From that day on, Simon had sat up straighter, paid more attention, smiled more,and became happy. And it was all because he happened to be the last kid in the last row. The boy who most needed praise was the one who took the last seat that day.\nIt taught me the most valuable lesson over the years of my teaching career, and I'm thankful that it came early and positively. A small kindness can indeed make a difference.", "problems": [{"question": "We can infer that when Simon's mother entered the room, the writer felt _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["nervous", "satisfied", "happy", "surprised"]}, {"question": "Why did Simon's mother come to visit the writer?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because she worried about her son's poor work.", "Because Simon asked her to do so.", "Because she wanted to show her gratitude to the writer.", "Because she wanted to know her son's performance in the school."]}, {"question": "The following words can be used to describe Simon before he met the writer EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["unconfident", "lonely", "clever", "outgoing"]}, {"question": "The purpose of the passage is to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["share a valuable lesson with readers", "tell teachers how to be kind to students", "advise the readers to be kind to others", "tell the story of Simon"]}]} -{"article": "Damage to Ozone layer Gets Worse\n In the middle of winter, when snow is falling in many parts of theprefix = st1 /United States, scientists have sounded a warning to people who plan to spend many hours in the sun this summer. The warning is: The sun's summertime rays are more dangerous than once thought.\n A team of scientists from 80 nations recently reported to the United Nations that a layer of ozone in the atmosphere, which protects humans from harmful levels of ultraviolet radiation, will be thinner over the United States this summer. The thinner layer allows more ultraviolet rays from the sun to reach Earth. The extra amount of ultraviolet radiation could cause an increase in the number of cases of skin cancer.\n Scientists first became concerned about the ozone layer in the mid-1980s when a hole was discovered in the layer above Antarctica during the winter. The hole was caused by chemicals used in refrigerators and air conditioners. When these chemicals are sent out into the atmosphere, they produce gases that destroy the ozone.\n Concern about the protective ozone layer rose more recently when data from satellites and ground stations showed that ozone levels were dropping over areas other than Antarctica. Low ozone levels were recorded in the spring and summer over the United Statesand over other populated areas in the world.\n Although many countries have already begun stopping the use of ozone destroying chemicals, the new findings are expected to advance the timetable for a total ban of the chemicals.", "problems": [{"question": "The ozone layer in the atmosphere can _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["do a lot of good to human beings in many ways", "protect humans from diseases caused by bad weather", "do a lot of harm to human beings in the summer-time", "protect humans from harmful levels of ultraviolet radiation"]}, {"question": "Scientists first found that there was a hole in the ozone layer _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["above Arctic during the winter in the mid-1980s", "above Antarctica during the winter in the mid-1980s", "over somewhere in the north of the equator in 1980", "over the U.S.A in the summertime in the mid-1980s"]}, {"question": "The damage to the ozone layer was caused by _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the changeable weather", "ozone-destroying chemicals", "chemicals from refrigerators", "chemicals from air conditioners"]}]} -{"article": "A mother from Colorado who doctors said had died while giving birth to her son, has said it is a Christmas miracle that both she and the boy are alive.\nTracey Hermanstorfer's heart stopped beating and her son Coltyn appeared lifeless after the Caesarean section on Christmas Eve. However a few minutes after he was born, both began breathing again. Dr Stephanie Martin told Good Morning America she could not explain how the pair survived. Mrs Hermanstorfer and her husband Mike told the American television show that their baby was now healthy and that they were doing \"good\" following the drama at Colorado Springs Memorial Hospital.\nThe couple, who already had two children, had to go into the hospital seven weeks earlier than planned. Her husband, 37, said his wife was tired after receiving an epidural during the labour but after closing her eyes, she \"wasn't waking up\".She stopped breathing and she is believed to have suffered a heart attack before her heart stopped beating entirely.\nDr Martin said she was called in and that the outlook was grim since in most situations like this,\"despite the best efforts of the team\", the mother was often unable to be revived. In that case doctors then tried to focus on delivering the baby but when he was born he was \"completely lifeless\".\nMr Hermanstorfer told the Associated Press news agency,\"I had everything in the world taken from me, and in an hour and a half I had everything given to me.\"\nDr Martin said she did not have a \"great explanation\" for why Mrs Hermanstorfer's heartbeat returned. \"Somewhere between four and five minutes she had been without heart rate and had stopped breathing a minute or two prior to her heart stopping,\" she said. The doctors were then able to bring the baby back to life, and the mother was alive after that.\nDespite tests, she said doctors were still not sure about what had happened. However Mrs Hermanstorfer and her husband Mike have said they believed it was down to a miracle. She said:\"I got a second chance in life.\"", "problems": [{"question": "The story happened on _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["December, 24", "December, 25", "December, 31", "January, 1"]}, {"question": "What might have happened to Tracey Hermanstorfer just before her heart stopped beating?", "answer": "D", "options": ["She became unconscious.", "She took a nap.", "She had a bad headache.", "She suffered a heart attack."]}, {"question": "What feelings did Mr Hermanstorfer experience during the incident?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Sad and delighted.", "Disappointed and depressed.", "Sad and angry.", "Touched and regrettable."]}, {"question": "Which of the following words best expresses Dr Martin's attitude towards Tracey Hermanstorfer's coming back to life?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Shocked.", "Puzzled.", "Normal.", "Curious."]}]} -{"article": "Have you ever had a troubling problem that has left you wondering where to turn for help?\n Eve Hobsbawm is a life adviser. She offers advice to people struggling with all kinds of problems, from relationship difficulties to what to cook for dinner.\n She does this through a website inviting people to email her with their problems. There ' s nothing unusual about that, except for the fact that Eve is only eight years old.\nThis junior trouble-shooter, who also goes by the name 'Miss Eve Mouse' , lives in London with her parents. Not only is Miss Mouse willing to lend an ear to her clients, she will also offer them a helping hand, for a fee of course. She charges between 10p for advice on little, everyday worries and 1PS for more complicated problems. Her areas of expert knowledge, if not of experience, are problems about love, life and work-life balance.\n A problem shared is a problem halved, but Eve can' t always help. A note on the site states that she can't answer questions like \"Does space ever end?\" and she won't solve schoolwork-related problems, especially not maths.\n She explained to the Guardian newspaper that she was inspired to set up the company by her father who runs a tech start-up. Eve said, \"As soon as I saw his business and understood the kinds of things businesses do, I thought that' s what I' m going to do.\"\n But since setting up her company in December she has been so overwhelmed( ) with messages that she has had to take a step back.\" There has been a lot of sudden interest in my site, which is nice,\" she says, \" but I need to do my homework too, so I won' t be solving any more problems for a bit.\"ks5u", "problems": [{"question": "Eve Hobsbawm is an unusual adviser because she _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["asks for fees for her advice", "is an expert in work-life balance", "is just a pupil at primary school", "answers questions on the Internet."]}, {"question": "What is people' s attitude towards Eve' s website?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Disapproving.", "Interested.", "Doubtful.", "Unconcerned."]}, {"question": "Which of the following can best describe Eve?", "answer": "A", "options": ["She has a natural talent for business.", "She is very popular among students.", "She has a lot of experience in life.", "She is warm-hearted and ready to help."]}, {"question": "Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?", "answer": "D", "options": ["A book review.", "A speech.", "An advertisement.", "A news report."]}]} -{"article": "Here is the tour that's voted \"3rdbest tour in London\" on the Best Things to Do--TripAdvisor! Hairy Goat is the best and most original tour company in London.\nDo you like walking around a city and discovering something that makes a great photo? London is full of interesting photo chances and maybe you need someone to lead you to them. The tour is perfect for team events,\nfamilies, groups of friends and school or college classes.\nBring: A fully charged camera and plenty of memory cards or film, a drink and wear comfortable walking shoes. Dress for three hours' walking outside.\nPrice: PS45 per adult (18yrs and over), PS40 per child (12-15yrs) and full-time students (student ID required). Some tours to be booked and paid in advance. Please call or email for details. Please follow the links on the website or call Corinna at +44(0)7540832771.\nMeet: Meet in front of the Royal Exchange Building at Bank Underground Station. Take Exit 3 or 4 from the underground station.\nWhen: See the website for scheduled dates.\nDuration: Three hours, at a comfortable walking pace.\nFinish: By an underground station within the city. Location varies daily.", "problems": [{"question": "A family of four, including a son of 19 and a daughter of 13, should pay _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["PS180", "PS175", "PS170", "PS160"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, the tour _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["is intended for individuals only", "takes three hours on a sightseeing vehicle", "has been voted the best tour in London three times", "offers chances to take great photos"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, which statement is NOT true?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Hairy Goat organizes the tour.", "All the tours are not to be booked in advance.", "People can go through the website to find the date.", "The tour finishes at the same location every day."]}, {"question": "The passage is written mainly to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["introduce the best thing to do in London", "show more information about London", "attract people to take the tour in London", "encourage people to walk instead of driving"]}]} -{"article": "It's midnight already, but the lights in Shi Guang's dormitory are still on. He and three other students are sitting back to back. They're all wearing earphones and staring at a computer screen, talking to each other only in words like \"charge\" or \"retreat\". Chen Jiasheng, 22, a senior majoring in electrical engineering and automation at Beijing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics, is a gaming team leader. \" Online gaming is not just about gaming, it's a community in which we communicate with each other using our avatars ,\" said Chen. For university students like Chen, online gaming has become more than a fashion - it's part of life and a way of socializing.\nA 2012 research report on online gamers in China released by 17173.com, the country's leading game information portal, supports this concept. According to the report, university students aged between 19 and 25 make up 58 percent of online gamers, and the proportion is rising every year. \"Many of my friends spend more time hanging out in online gaming worlds than in reality,\" said Wang Jiaming, 21, a junior law major at China University of Political Sciences and Law. \"Personally I feel more powerful in virtual worlds than in real life. I'm more confident.\"\nAccording to Zhang Quan, 20, a student in the second year economics major at Renmin University of China, one of the distinguishing features of online games compared with offline games is the gaming experience. Offline games test a gamer's skill at using a keyboard to beat _ . \"Online games are technically more accessible as you don't have to master these skills,\" said Zhang.\nBut most online games are based on avatars controlled by another human - they are unavoidably more tricky and unpredictable by a computer. \"On the surface we are playing games, but actually it's real people we are dealing with,\" added Zhang. \"The only difference is that in these games we communicate with each other in different settings, like wars, magic battles and fantasy worlds.\"\nBy engaging in this interactive gaming experience, gamers become team players and promote their social skills. Chen has even made friends by playing in a team with strangers online. \"We coordinated our movements and cooperated with each other to win a battle in the cyberspace. The game was virtual but the brotherhood was real. Most of us are good friends in real life,\" said Chen.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, which statement of the following is true?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Online gaming is the only world where the young communicate with each other by using their avatars.", "Online gaming is important to those aged between 19 and 25.", "Online gaming has a bad effect on health as university students usually stay up playing.", "An increasing number of university students play online games."]}, {"question": "The passage is mostly about _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["some interviews to young people about online gaming.", "positive effects from online gaming on university students.", "learning how to co-work with their mates for online gamers", "the differences between online games and offline ones."]}, {"question": "Which can be the best title of this passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Online gaming", "Beyond a virtual reality", "Virtual cooperation", "Real interaction"]}]} -{"article": "My doorbell rings. On the step, I find the elderly Chinese lady, small and slight, holding the hand of a little boy. In her other hand, she holds a paper carrier bag.\nI know this lady. It is not her first visit. She is the boy's grandmother, and her daughter bought the house next door last October.\nHer daughter, Nicole, speaks fluent English. But she is now in Shanghai, and her parents are here with the little boy. Nicole has obviously told her mother that I am having heart surgery soon, so her mother has decided I need more nutrients.\nI know what is inside the bag--a thermos with hot soup and a stainless-steel container with rice, vegetables and either chicken, meat or shrimp, sometimes with a kind of pancake. This has become an almost-daily practice.\nCommunication between us is somewhat affected by the fact that she doesn't speak English and all I can say in Chinese is hello. Once, she brought an iPad as well as the food. She pointed to the screen, which displayed a message from her daughter telling me that her mother wanted to know if the food was all right and whether it was too salty. I am not used to iPads, so she indicated I should go with her to her house. Then, she handed the iPad to her husband and almost immediately I found myself looking at Nicole in Shanghai and discussing her mother's cooking and salt intake. Instantly, tears welled in my eyes.\n\"Your mother just can't be bringing me meals like this all the time,\" I insisted. \"I can hardly do dishes in return.\"\n\"Oh, no, Lucy.\" Nicole said. \"Mum doesn't like western food. Don't worry about it; she has to cook for the three of them anyway, and she wants to do it.\"\nThe doorbell keeps ringing and there is the familiar brown paper carrier bag, handed smilingly to me.\nI am now working on some more Chinese words--it's the least I can do after such display of kindness.\n\"Thank you\" is, of course, the first one. Somehow, it seems inadequate.", "problems": [{"question": "The elderly Chinese lady visits Lucy regularly because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Lucy pays her to deliver food", "Lucy likes cooking Chinese food", "she cares about Lucy's state of health", "she wants to make friends with Lucy"]}, {"question": "Nicole's mum took an iPad to Lucy's home for _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["displaying", "communicating", "cooking", "chatting"]}, {"question": "In this passage Lucy mainly expresses her _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["preference for the Chinese food", "gratitude to the Chinese family", "love of the advanced technology", "affection for the Chinese language"]}]} -{"article": "Changsha,\nHunan Province\nMay 6, 2010\nDear editor,\nUnder China's current educational system, there are those who do nothing but study. They of course are thought to be model students.\nBut I feel that there is another type of student who, perhaps not as diligent as the first type, uses his time more efficiently and achieves a lot academically.\nLast year, a classmate of mine was accepted by a top university. It surprised all of us. It was because, unlike most of us, he didn't spend too much of his time studying.\nWhen I asked him the secret of his success, he said that the key was properly and scientifically arranging his time.\n\" I spent a lot of time keeping fit and as a result, I was able to better concentrate on my class work.\"\nThe moral of the story is: it isn't necessary to sit at your desk all day long to get high academic grades.\nYours,\nZhang Zishu", "problems": [{"question": "What does the letter-writer (a reader) think leads to the fact that many students do nothing but study?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The present educational system.", "People's old ideas.", "The teaching methods.", "The parents of these students."]}, {"question": "It seems that this reader thinks _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the first type of student is our model", "the second type of students is our model", "both types of students are worth learning from", "neither of the two types of students are good"]}, {"question": "The reader wrote the letter in order to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["call on us to work even harder", "cause people to think about how to study more efficiently", "advise people to do research into his classmate's success", "criticize China's educational system"]}, {"question": "What would be the best to stand for the letter-writer's opinion?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Secret of success.", "China's educational system needs changing.", "Work while you work and play while you play.", "Keep fit first."]}]} -{"article": "My brother, Michael, was born one month before his due date and he also had cerebral palsy . He was _ . He never lost his baby teeth, never grew taller than about 30 inches and never weighed more than 28 pounds. They did estimate, however, that he would not live to see his 12th birthday.\nAs a boy I learned to feed and clothe Mike. As a teenager, I babysat for my \"big brother\" and learned use the proper medicine to prevent the seizures that caused him to tremble.\nMany people said he would never walk or talk . He never did learn to walk, but he did learn to talk --not even in complete sentences, but he had the basics down. If he was hungry, thirsty, happy or sad, we knew. He knew names too. I was Kagun, not Kevin. But that changed with a beard I grew during the summer before college. Family members said it was ugly. Mike heard it.\n\"Look who's at home. Who's that?\" they'd say to Mike. \"Ugly,\" he would respond with delight.\nAll of which--to me--was normal, for he was the only brother I knew. The only time I thought of the differences between us was when others pointed them out. \nMy circle of friends widened when I entered high school. One day Mom asked if my new friends would have a problem seeing Mike for the first time. \"If they don't accept Mike, they don't accept me and they aren't welcome,\" I said.\nAnd if I didn't think of him as different, I never thought about him dying either. On a warm fall night in 1998, Mike had a seizure. With this first seizure, Mike's life was beginning to fade. \nOn March 15, 1999, Mike died. Michael Patrick Harter--just 26 years old-- died in Mom's arms. \nWe never had those great talks other brothers have about women, work and parents. We never played catch or talked about our dreams. But Mike taught me compassion and strength. He taught me respect for those less fortunate than myself. And he taught me an appreciation of the beauty in the simplest things.\nPhysically and mentally, I was my brother's keeper. Spiritually, Mike was and is my keeper--a nearly silent guardian angel.", "problems": [{"question": "How much longer did the writer's brother live than expected?", "answer": "D", "options": ["About 26", "About 12", "About 38", "About 14"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is supported by the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It was a great shock to the writer that his disabled brother died in his mother's arms.", "He thought his brother would inspire him forever.", "His brother brought him great shame in his childhood.", "He thought that friendship wasn't that important."]}, {"question": "The best title of this passage might be _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["My Disabled Brother", "A Peaceful Death of My Brother", "My Silent Keeper", "Love to My Brother"]}]} -{"article": "Thunderbird Lodge in Canyon de Chelly\nThe Deal:A onenight stay at the historic lodge starts at $59 for a single room, $65 for a double room, and the lodge offers halfday tours of Canyon de Chelly($41 for adults and $32 for children under 12.)\nDetails:Hotel taxes are an additional 17.1 percent.\nTime:Nov. 1,2006Mary. 31,2007\nContact:800/679-2473, _ \nCALIFORNIA\nZephyr Cove Resort at Lake Tahoe\nThe Deal:The Fall Getaway package includes a threenight stay in a lakeside cabin for two people, an Emerald Bay sightseeing for two, free breakfast and lunch. Rates are $299 per couple--saving of up to $400.\nTime:Through Dec. 15,2006.\nDetail:Hotel taxes are included.\nContact:800/23TAHOE, _ \nNEVADA\nMonteLago Village at Lake Las Vegas\nThe Deal:A onenight stay at the Mediterraneanstyle MonteLago Village, 17 miles from Las Vegas, and coupon tickets for iceskating and skate rentals. Rates start at $65 per person.\nTime: Nov. 17,2006Jan. 15, 2007\nDetails:Hotel taxes are an additional 12 percent.\nContact:866/3992753, _ \nYELLOWSTONE\nMammoth Hot Springs Hotel\nThe Deal:A twonight stay, breakfast daily, fullday ski rental, unlimited iceskating and skates, and a book of Yellowstone photos. Rates start at $ 119 per person.\nTime:Jan. 1Mar. 2,2007\nDetails:Hotel taxes are an additional 8 percent.\nContact:866/4397375, _", "problems": [{"question": "A couple, with their 13yearold son, had a halfday tour of Canyon de Chelly without stay on Nov. 13,2006.They should pay _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["$114", "$189", "$177", "$123"]}, {"question": "If a couple wants to have a cheap 3day trip, they had better contact _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["800/6792473", "866/3992753", "800/23TAHOE", "866/4397375"]}, {"question": "If you are interested in iceskating, you may find more information in _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["_ & _", "_ & _", "_ & _", "_ & _"]}]} -{"article": "Lots of people like a good fright at Halloween . Yet, the most frightening thing of all about the night is that twice as many children are killed while out and about on Halloween compared to any other day of the year, according to a study by Safe Kids Worldwide. It can also be a worrying time for others, especially elderly people living alone. But many people think it's just harmless fun.\nBut is it harmless fun?\nPolice forces across Britain are giving warnings about Halloween night. They are asking all those wishing to celebrate Halloween this year to respect those who don't want to join in.\nSome forces, like West Mercia Police, have produced \"Sorry, No Trick or Treat\"posters which can be downloaded from their website, and put up in windows. They want people to send them to the old or anyone who may be frightened by ghosts knocking on their doors.\nA spokesman said: \"Children should not call on houses where the posters are put up, neither should they call on strangers, as this can put young people at risk and also make some house owners anxious, especially those who are elderly or living alone.\"\nThe police want all trick or treaters to remember that disturbing other people or throwing objects at their homes or cars are all criminal offences . \"What may start off as a bit of fun could end up with someone getting a criminal record,\" they warn. \"Parents may want to consider having a Halloween party at home, instead.\"\nKent Police are warning young people never to go into the home of someone they don't know--and to remember not to frighten people.\nWarwickshire Police are also warning that tricks may seem like harmless fun but can cause trouble to others. They say behaviour such as throwing eggs can quickly cross the line between being anti-social and causing criminal damage. This can result in fines of PS2,500 for small offences.", "problems": [{"question": "The study made by Safe kids Worldwide has found that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["kids are afraid of Halloween", "Halloween brings people no fun", "kids are involved in criminal offences", "Halloween night puts some kids at risk"]}, {"question": "British police forces are making efforts to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["put an end to trick or treat", "control anti-social behaviours", "punish those who frighten others", "make Halloween safe trouble-free"]}, {"question": "\"Sorry, No Trick or Treat \" posters are designed to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["ask people to respect the elderly.", "make some people free from harm", "warn little kids to behave themselves", "express disagreement with Halloween"]}]} -{"article": "Michael Jackson is one of the world's best singers. Michael Jackson was born in the middle west of the city of Gary, Indiana, in 1958. He began singing with his four brothers. They called the group \"The Jackson Five\". The group became very popular after appearing on a television program. They started singing in 1965, and became popular soon. In 1970 the group made their first record with the name of \"I Want You Back\". It was very popular. One of their hit records was \"Never Say Goodbye\".\nMichael was good at dancing as well as singing, such as his dance moves and moon walking. He was asked to act in a film in 1978 for the first time, and in the same year he made a record on his own, which sold eight million _ all over the world.\nMichael nearly didn't go out because he was too famous. Once his fans went off in a faint when they saw him at the concert. No one can do it by now. He lived in a large house and kept lots of animals. He never ate meat. He often raised money for Charity. This made him win the Guinness World Records in 2006. He died on June 25th, 2009, but he would live in our heart forever.", "problems": [{"question": "How many people are there in Michael's group except him?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Three.", "Five.", "Four.", "Six."]}, {"question": "What's the name of their first record?", "answer": "C", "options": ["\"Never Say Goodbye\"", "\"See You, See Me\"", "\"I Want You Back\"", "\"On the World\""]}, {"question": "Michael was good at _ according to the passage.", "answer": "D", "options": ["rock music", "street dance", "playing the piano", "moon walking"]}, {"question": "Why did Michael have to stay at home most of time?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because he had no friends.", "Because he often felt lonely.", "Because he was too famous.", "Because his company asked him to do so."]}]} -{"article": "Located on Turkey's famous, 500 km Lycian Way arid only accessible by water,the 86,000 sqm Butterfly Valley is home to roughly 100 species of butterflies,including the orange,black and white Jersey Tiger.\nThe Turkish government named the valley a preservation area in 1987 to protect the butterflies and local plants-a distinction that lias protected the valley from the fate of its better-known neighbour,Oludeniz,a beach resort 5 km north.\nOludeniz remained actually unknown until travellers began camping there in the 1980s. Today,it's a particularly depressing example of paradise lost .The town is filled with neon lights and English-themed restaurants.The beach is crowded with drunken,sunburned tourists,and the clear skies are polluted with seemingly infinite paraglider from the surrounding green mountains.\nIn contrast,the Anatolia Tourism Development Cooperative bought Butterfly Valley from the villagers of Faralya in 1981 and opened it for tourism in 1984.Three years later,when the government deemed the valley a national preservation area,the Cooperative made the construction of permanent buildings illegal.\nToday,they allow only tents and small houses,and they've focused on natural growth as opposed to commercial.Plants,like olives,pomegranates,lemons,oranges,grapes,walnuts,peaches,apricots,palm,oleander and laurel,all thrive here.\nFor eight months a year-between April and Novembera small and diverse group of hippies and backpackers come over to the valley,where days are marked by sunrise and sunset yoga practices and evenings by music sessions. Once mid-afternoon hits,after the few tour boats are gone for the day,Butterfly Valley belongs to those who are willing to spend the night under the stars,living wonderfully free of the more luxurious conveniences of Oludeniz.", "problems": [{"question": "What can we learn about Butterfly Valley?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It's a preservation area with convenient transportation.", "It's located near Oludeniz,and better known for its natural beauty.", "It's a successful model of natural reserves to protect the butterflies.", "It's a fully-developed destination for sightseeing in Turkey*"]}, {"question": "The Anatolia Tourism Development Cooperative protected the Valley by _ *", "answer": "A", "options": ["attending to its natural growth", "allowing the construction of permanent buildings", "making it a natural preservation area", "organizing various commercial activities"]}, {"question": "The writer implies that Butterfly Valley is _ *", "answer": "C", "options": ["well known for yoga practices and music session", "best for travellers following luxurious conveniences", "not open to travellers all the year around", "famous for its starry night"]}]} -{"article": "Lightning flashed through the darkness over Donald Lubeck's bedroom skylight.The 80-year-old retired worker was shaken by a blast of thunder.It was 11 p.m.The storm had moved directly over his two-story wood home in the rural town of Belchertown, Massachusetts.Then he heard the smoke alarm beeping.Lubeck padded down the stairs barefoot and opened the door to the basement, and flames exploded out.\nLubeck fled back upstairs to call 119 from his bedroom ,but the phone didn't work.Lubeck realized he was trapped.\"I started panicking,\" he says.\nHis daughter and young granddaughters ,who lived with him ,were away for the night.No one will even know I'm home, he thought.His house was three miles off the main road and so well hidden by pines that Lubeck knew calling for help would be fruitless.\nUp a hill about a third of a mile away lived Lubeck's closest neighbors, Jeremie Wentworth and his wife.Wentworth had been lying down, listening to the radio when it occurred to him that the sound was more like a smoke detector.He jumped out of bed ,grabbed a cordless phone and a flashlight, and headed down the hillside toward the noise.\nHe dialed 119\"Is anyone there?\" he called out as he approached the house.Wentworth knew that Lubeck lived in the house.\nThen he heard ,\"Help me! I'm trapped!\" coming from the balcony off Lubeck's bedroom.\n\"I ran in and yelled, 'Don, where are you ?'Then I had to run outside to catch my breath.\"\nAfter one more attempt inside the house, he gave up and circled around back.But there was no way to get to him.\"I shined the flashlight into the woods next to an old shed and noticed a adder,\" says Wentworth.He dragged it over to the balcony and pulled Lubeck down just as the second floor of the house collapsed.\nWentworth and Lubeck don't run into each other regularly, but Lubeck now knows that if he ever needs help ,Wentworth will be there.\nLubeck still chokes up when he tells the story.\"I was alone,\"he says.\"Then I heard the most beautiful sound in my life.It was Jeremie.\"", "problems": [{"question": "According to the text ,Lubeck _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["stayed calm in the fire", "couldn't find a safe way out", "lived on the first floor", "called for help in the fire"]}, {"question": "How did Wentworth help Lubeck escape?", "answer": "D", "options": ["He called 911.", "He went upstairs and took Lubeck out.", "He put out the fire", "He used a ladder and pulled lubeck down."]}, {"question": "Which of the following factors was not mentioned in the text that almost caused Lubeck's life?", "answer": "D", "options": ["He was living in his wood home alone that night.", "The storm was too heavy and the fire was too fierce.", "He lived far from the main road and was surrounded by pines.", "He was too frightened to escape from the danger."]}, {"question": "What does the text mainly talk about?", "answer": "A", "options": ["A near neighbour is better than a distant cousin.", "A good way to get a narrow escape.", "God helps those who help themselves.", "Blood is thicker than water."]}]} -{"article": "Scientists from South Korea are trying to convert sound waves into electricity. The research could lead to charging a cell phone from a conversation or providing energy to the nation's electricity system generated by the noise during rash-hour traffic.\n\"Just as speakers transform electrical signals into sound, the opposite process --turning sound into a source of electrical power -- is possible,\" said Young Jun Park and Sang-Woo Kim, the joint authors of a new article in the journal Advanced Materials.\nHarvesting energy from phone calls and passing cars is based on materials known as piezoelectrics. When bent, piezoelectric materials turn that mechanical energy into electricity. Lots of materials are piezoelectric: cane sugar, quartz and even dried bone which could create an electrical charge when stressed. For decades, scientists have pumped electricity into piezoelectric materials for use in environmental sensors, speakers and other devices.\nOver the past few years, however, scientists have made dramatic advances in getting electricity out of piezoelectric devices. In an experiment, by using sound waves, which at 100 decibels were not quite as loud as a rock concert (a normal conversation is about 60-70 decibels), the South Korean scientists produced a mild electrical current of about 50 millivolts . The average cell phone requires a few volts to function, several times the power this technology can currently produce.\n\"But the real question is whether there is enough surrounding noise to act as a power source as for a cell phone,\" said McAlpine, a leading scientist. A consumer probably wouldn't want to attend a rock concert or stand next to a passing train to charge his cell phone. The South Korean scientists agree but they expect to get a higher power output as they continue their work.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the two South Korean scientists, _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["sound waves can travel faster than electricity", "new materials can send cell phone signals better", "using cell phones adds to heavy traffic in rush hour", "electricity and sound can be transformed into each other"]}, {"question": "We know from the passage that piezoelectric materials _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["can produce electricity when stressed", "are good at changing electricity into sound", "can reduce the noise of passing cars", "have been widely used in phones and cars"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the South Korean scientists' experiment that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["it is hard to change sound into electricity under current conditions", "it is impossible to make use of loud sound", "the technology has a long way to go to have a practical use", "the technology can power cell phones easily"]}, {"question": "What McAlpine doubts about the technology is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the noise pollution", "the sound resource", "the cost of piezoelectrics", "the safety of devices"]}]} -{"article": "For travellers who want to experience some of the history and mystery of the ancient world, here is a list of cool destinations for your next holiday.\nAngkor Wat, Cambodia\nBuilt in the 12th century, Angkor Wat (meaning \"capital monastery\") was a temple in the ancient Khmer capital city of Angkor. It is Cambodia's best-known tourist attraction and is famed for its beautiful architecture and reliefs. You'll need at least three days to fully discover the delights of this magnificent site.\nMachu Picchu, Peru\nMachu Picchu was built high in the Andes Mountains of South America by the Inca in the 15th century. Although well preserved its exact purpose is unknown. It is famous throughout the world not only for its incredible design but also for the natural beauty that surrounds it. Give yourself a week to explore this magnificent site.\nStonehenge, England\nThe entire Stonehenge site was constructed over thousands of years. But why and how it was built remains a mystery. As the weather can be pretty bleak in winter and the crowds huge in summer, we suggest autumn should be the best time to visit these monster rocks.\nPompeii, Italy\nWhen Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D., Pompeii was buried under many layers of ash, preserving the city exactly as it was when the volcano erupted. Because so many objects were preserved, scientists and visitors are able to better understand daily life in the ancient Roman Empire.", "problems": [{"question": "Why may people want to visit Machu Picchu?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To climb the Andes Mountains.", "To discover how it was built.", "To explore both history and nature.", "To learn to speak Spanish."]}, {"question": "When is the best time to visit Stonehenge according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Summer.", "Spring.", "Winter.", "Autumn."]}, {"question": "Which location offers the most direct view into daily life in the ancient world?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Pompeii.", "Stonehenge.", "Ankor Wat.", "Machu Picchu."]}, {"question": "Where would you probably read such an article?", "answer": "A", "options": ["In a travel magazine.", "In a scientific journal.", "In a history textbook.", "In an adventure novel."]}]} -{"article": "As I sat beside the window of our classroom that afternoon, my heart sank further with each passing car. This was a day I'd looked forward to for weeks: Miss Pace's fourth-grade, end-of-the-year party. I had happily volunteered my mother when Miss Pace looked for cookie volunteers. Mom's chocolate chips were well-known, and I knew they'd be a hit with my classmates. But two o'clock passed, and there was no sign of her. Most of the other mothers had already come and gone, dropping off their sweet offerings. The three o'clock bell soon took me away from my thoughts and I took my book bag from my desk. I decided I would slam the front door, and refuse to return her hug.\nBut when I arrived, she wasn't at home. I was lying face-down on my bed upstairs when I heard her come through the front door. \"Robbie,\" she called out a bit urgently. \"Where are you?\" I could then hear her rushing anxiously from room to room, wondering where I could be. I remained silent. Coming through the door, she said: \"I'm so sorry, honey,\" she said. \"I just forgot. I got busy and forgot.\" Then my mother did something completely unexpected. She began to laugh! How could she laugh at a time like this? I rolled over and faced her, ready to let her see my rage . But my mother wasn't laughing at all. She was crying. \"I'm so sorry,\" she said. \"I let you down. I let my little boy down.\"\nI was moved by her tears. I tried to remember her kind words from times past when I'd skinned knees or cut myself, times when she knew just the right thing to say. \"It's okay, Mom. We didn't even need those cookies. There was plenty of stuff to eat. Don't cry. It's all right. Really.\" We didn't say another word. We just held each other. When we came to the point where I would usually pull away, I decided that, this time, I could hold on, perhaps, just a little bit longer.", "problems": [{"question": "The author was pretty down because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["he couldn't go to the party he had been looking forward to", "his mother didn't turn up at the party as she had promised", "his mother had refused to make chocolate chips for the party", "the cookies his mom made was not popular at the party"]}, {"question": "When the author returned home, _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["he was so angry that he slammed the front door.", "he was silent and refused to return his mother's hug.", "he rushed from room to room looking for his mother.", "he was so disappointed that he couldn't express his anger to his mother."]}, {"question": "We can tell from the story that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the mother didn't get to the party because of the traffic jam", "the mother was sorry for her absence and laughed at herself", "the author was a caring and thoughtful boy", "the author was overcome with anger"]}, {"question": "The article conveys the message that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["it is silly to be angry with your family", "everybody should keep his or her promises", "true love is based on understanding", "understanding how to comfort people in low spirits is a true skill"]}]} -{"article": "Oliver Twist was born in a workhouse, and when he arrived in this hard world, it was very doubtful whether he would live beyond the first three minutes. He lay on a hard little bed and struggled to start breathing.\nOliver fought his first battle without much assistance from the two people present at his birth. One was an old woman, who was nearly always drunk, and the other was a busy local doctor, who was not paid enough to be very interested in Oliver's survival. _ \nHowever, Oliver managed to draw his first breath, and then announced his arrival to the rest of the workhouse by crying loudly. His mother raised her pale young face from the pillow and whispered, \"Let me see the child, and die.\"\nThe doctor turned away from the fire, where he had been warming his hands. \"You must not talk about dying yet,\" he said to her kindly. He gave her the child to hold. Lovingly, she kissed the baby on its forehead with her cold white lips, then stared wildly around the room, fell back--and died. \"Poor dear!\" said the nurse, hurriedly putting a green glass bottle back in the pocket of her long skirt.\nThe doctor began to put on his coat. \"The baby is weak and will probably have difficulties,\" he said. \"If so, give it a little milk to keep it quiet.\" Then he looked at the dead woman. \"The mother was a good-looking girl. Where did she come from?\"\n\"She was brought here last night,\" replied the old woman. \"She was found lying in the street. She'd walked some distance, judging by her shoes, which were worn to pieces. Where she came from, where she was going to, or what her name was, nobody knows.\"\nThe doctor lifted the girl's left hand. \"The old story,\" he said sadly, shaking his head. \"No wedding ring, I see. Ah! Good night.\"\nAnd so Oliver was left with only the drunken nurse. Without clothes, under his first blanket, he could have been the child of a king or a beggar. But when the woman dressed him later in rough cotton clothes, yellow with age, he looked exactly what he was--an orphan in a workhouse, ready for a life of misery, hunger, and neglect.\nOliver cried loudly. If he could have known that he was a workhouse orphan, perhaps he would have cried even more loudly.\nThere was no one to look after the baby in the workhouse, so Oliver was sent to a special \"baby farm\" nearby. There, he and thirty other children rolled around the floor all day, without the inconvenience of too much food or too much clothing. Mrs Mann, the old woman who \"looked after\" them, was very experienced. She knew what was good for children, and a full stomach was very dangerous to their health. She also knew what was good for herself, so she kept for her own use the money that she was given for the children's food. The board responsible for the orphans sometimes checked on the health of the children, but they always sent the beadle, a kind of local policeman, to announce their visit the day before. So whenever the board arrived, of course, the children were always neat and clean.\nThis was the way Oliver was brought up. Consequently, at the age of nine he was a pale, thin child and short for his age. But despite frequent beatings by Mrs Mann, his spirit was strong, which was probably the reason why he managed to reach the age of nine at all.\nOn Oliver's ninth birthday, Mr Bumble, the beadle, came to the house to see Mrs Mann. Through the front window Mrs Mann saw him at the gate, and turned quickly to the girl who worked with her.\n\"Quick! Take Oliver and those others upstairs to be washed!\" she said. Then she ran out to unlock the gate which was always kept locked.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, a workhouse was where _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["many women died unexpectedly", "workers helped each other", "the poor and homeless lived", "people were only interested in money"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is true according to the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Oliver was born into the world on a cold day.", "Many people, especially women, drank heavily at that time.", "The children in the baby farm were taken good care of.", "Doctors were usually paid too little for the work they did."]}, {"question": "It can be inferred that the gate of the baby farm was always kept locked in order to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["protect the children inside from dangers outside", "prevent official visitors walking in unexpectedly", "keep the children inside working all the time", "ensure the children were always neat and clean"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, Mrs. Mann _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["was mad keen on looking after children", "provided children with little food and few comforts", "beat children frequently to make them mentally strong", "cared little about Mr Bumble's abrupt appearance"]}, {"question": "What is the passage mainly about?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Oliver's early life.", "Oliver's personality.", "Mother's death.", "People's selfishness."]}]} -{"article": "Nowadays, more and more people prefer to travel by plane. They think air travel is far safer than driving a car on a busy motorway. But still there is a danger that grows every year. Airliners get larger and larger. Some airplanes can carry over 300 passengers. And the air itself becomes more and more crowded. If one large airliner struck into another in mid-air, 600 lives could be lost.\nFrom the moment an airliner takes off to the moment it lands, every movement is watched on radar screens. Air traffic controllers tell the pilot exactly when to turn, when to climb, and when to come down. The air traffic controllers around a busy airport like London-Heathrow may deal with 2,500 planes a day. Not all of them actually land at the airport. Any plane that flies near the airport comes under the orders of the controllers there. Even a small mistake on their part could cause a terrible accident.\n Recently such a disaster almost happened. Two large jets were flying towards the airport. One was carrying 69 passengers from Toronto, the other 176 passengers from Chicago. An air traffic controller noticed on his radar screen that the two planes were too close to each other. He ordered one to turn to the right and to climb. But he made a mistake. He ordered the wrong plane to do this. So, instead of turning away from the second plane, the first plane turned towards it. Fifteen seconds later it flew directly in front of the second plane. They avoided each other by the smallest part of a second. The distance between them was less than that of a large swimming pool. This is an example of the danger that grows every year.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Traveling by air is as safe as by car.", "Traveling by air is not as safe as by car.", "Traveling by car is as dangerous as by air.", "Traveling by car is more dangerous than by air."]}, {"question": "The air traffic controllers of an airport_.", "answer": "D", "options": ["are ordered to handle 2500 planes a day in England", "give orders to planes leaving the airport", "only deal with the planes that want to land there", "control all the planes flying near the airport"]}, {"question": "The danger of air crashes grows every year because_.", "answer": "A", "options": ["airliners are getting larger and air traffic is becoming heavier", "a pilot does not always hear a controller's order", "a controller is likely to make more and more mistakes", "airports can hardly serve the growing number of airplanes"]}, {"question": "The example in the passage is to show that_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["air traffic controllers are often careless", "air traffic controllers should pay much attention to avoiding accidents", "it is difficult for airplanes to avoid terrible accidents", "two planes should not fly too close to each other"]}]} -{"article": "How the iron of tomorrow (the first Self Clean Iron)can change your lifestyle today?\nGeneral Electric introduces the iron of tomorrow. The iron can clean itself, inside where irons get dirty. Because it cleans itself each and every time you empty it.\nHow? With a push of a magic blue button.\nThe magic blue button\nThe first thing you'll notice that's different about this iron is the blue button on the side. It's marked \"Self Clean\". Push this blue button, and you can wash out loose mineral deposits that remain and block up inside. Push this button, and you've made life a lot easier.\nLess chance of brown spots\nSure, Self Cleaning Iron is going to cut down on brown spots. (Those ugly spots that happen on nice, cleanly pressed clothes.) Because a Self Cleaning Iron becomes clean each time you press that magic blue button.\nSteams much longer\nCommon sense tells you that if you've an iron that blocks less often it has to stay younger for a long period of time. In other words, it steams much longer. That's another joy of owning General Electric's Self Cleaning Iron.\nWhat does it mean to you\nToday you are doing so much more than just running a house and running after the kids.\nYou're working. You're going to school. It's all part of your lifestyle. The iron can change that lifestyle. By giving you less trouble before you iron. If we can make it easier for you to be a better wife, a better mother, a better housemaker, we want to. The new Self Cleaning Iron is another one of Home-Makers from General Electric.\nLifestyle.\nWe're with yours.\nGENERAL ELECTRIC", "problems": [{"question": "This passage is _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["an introduction to General Electric", "an operating instruction of Self Cleaning Iron", "an advertisement of Self Cleaning Iron", "a description of the change of lifestyle"]}, {"question": "This iron can clean itself by _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["empting itself", "washing out mineral deposits", "blocking up mineral deposits", "giving off more steam"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, what is most likely to attract the customers?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It is made by General Electric.", "The iron will not produce mineral deposits.", "There will be fewer brown spots on pressed clothes.", "Their clothes will be cleaned at the same time."]}, {"question": "Self Cleaning Iron can help change your lifestyle because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["you can run your house better", "you don't have to run after the kids", "you can use it while you are working", "we want you to be a better housemaker"]}]} -{"article": "Educating girls quite possibly gets a higher rate of return than any other deal available in the developing world.Women's education may be unusual field for economists, but increasing women's contribution to development is actually as much an economic as a social project.And economics, with its emphasis on incentives , provides an explanation for why so many girls lose the chance of education.\nParents in low-income countries don't send their daughters to school because they do not expect them to make an economic contribution to the family: girls grow up only to marry into somebody else's family and bear children.Girls are thus seen as less valuable than boys and are kept at home to do housework while their brothers are sent to school----the prophecy becomes self-fulfilling, trapping women in a vicious circle of abandonment.\nAn educated mother, on the other hand.has greater earning abilities outside the home and faces an entirely different set of choices.She is likely to have fewer but healthier children and can insist on the development of all her children, ensuring that her daughters are given a fair chance.The education of her daughters then makes it much more likely that the next generation of girls, as well as of boys.will be educated and healthy. The vicious circle is thus transformed into a virtuous circle .\nFew will argue that educating women has great social benefits.But it has enormous economic advantages as well.Most obviously, there is the direct effect of education on the wages of female workers.Wages rise by 10 to 20 per cent for each additional year of schooling.Such big returns are impressive by the standard of other available deal, but they are just the beginning.Educating women also has a significant impact on health practices, including family planning.", "problems": [{"question": "The author argues that educating girls in developing countries is _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["expensive", "troublesome", "rewarding", "labor-saving"]}, {"question": "What does the author say about women's education?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It has developed the interest of a growing number of economists", "It is in the first place in many developing countries", "It deserves greater attention than other social project", "It will get greater returns than other known deal"]}, {"question": "The passage mainly discusses _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["unequal treatment of boys and girls in developing countries", "the economic and social benefits of educating women", "the major contributions of educated women to society", "the potential earning power of well-educated women"]}]} -{"article": "I carry a Rubik's Cube in my backpack. Solving it quickly is a terrific conversation starter. I usually ask people to try it first. They just turn the cube over in their hands, not even knowing where to begin. That's exactly what it was like for me to learn how to read. Letters and words were out of order. Nothing made sense because I am dyslexic.\nThe Rubik's Cube has made me believe that sometimes you have to take a few steps back in order to move forward. This was a reflection of my own life when I had to leave public school after the fourth grade. It's embarrassing to admit, but I still couldn't always spell my full name correctly. As a fifth-grader at a new school specializing in what's called \"language-processing disorder\", I had to start over. I then spent the next four years learning how to learn and find strategies that allowed me to return to my district's high school with the ability to communicate my ideas and express my intelligence. \nNow, I can easily solve the 5x5x5. I discover that just before it is solved, a problem can look like a mess, and then suddenly you can find the solution. Early in my Rubik's career, I became so frustrated that I took the cube apart and rebuilt it. I believe that sometimes you have to look deeper and find answers in unexpected places. The Rubik's cube taught me that to accomplish something big, it helps to break it down into small pieces. I learned that it's important to spend a lot of time thinking, to try to find connections and patterns. I believe that there are surprises around the corner.\nLike life itself, the Rubik's cube can be frustrating puzzle. So everyday I carry a Rubik's cube in my backpack as a reminder that I can achieve my goals, no matter what obstacles I face.", "problems": [{"question": "The author took the Rubik's Cube apart because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["he couldn't work out how to solve it", "he hated it and wanted to destroyed it", "he wanted to learn how to rebuild it", "he was eager to find the connections"]}, {"question": "Why did the author leave the public school?", "answer": "A", "options": ["He had to take steps back in order to relearn the basic things at another school.", "He was so crazy about the Rubik's Cube that he wanted to solve it first.", "His interest shifted to learning how to communicate with other people.", "He was afraid to go to the public school because he could not spell his name."]}, {"question": "The author carries a Rubik's Cube in his backpack to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["start conversations with strangers", "compete with others", "take it apart and rebuild it", "encourage him to succeed"]}, {"question": "Which would be the best title for the text?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Unforgettable Lessons About Life", "Approaches to Solving the Rubik's Cube", "Accomplishing Big Things in Small Stages", "Surprises Around the Corner"]}]} -{"article": "One thinks of princes and presidents as some of the most powerful people in the world; however, governments, elected or otherwise, sometimes have had to struggle with the financial powerhouses called tycoons. The word tycoon is relatively new to the English language. It is Chinese in origin but was given as a title to some Japanese generals. The term was brought to the United States, in the late nineteenth century, where it eventually was used to refer to magnates who acquired immense fortunes from sugar and cattle, coal and oil, rubber and steel, and railroads. Some people called these tycoons \"capitals of industry\" and praised them for their contributions to U.S. wealth and international reputation. Others criticized them as cruel \"robber barons\", who would stop at nothing in pursuit of personal wealth.\nThe early tycoons built successful businesses, often taking over smaller companies to eliminate competition. A single company that came to control an entire market was called a monopoly. Monopolies made a few families very wealthy, but they also placed a heavy financial burden on consumers and the economy at large.\nAs the country expanded and railroads linked the East Coast to the West Coast, local monopolies turned into national corporations called trusts. A trust is a group of companies that join together under the control of a board of trustees. Railroad trusts are an excellent example. Railroads were privately owned and operated and often monopolized various routes, setting rates as high as they desired. The financial burden this placed on passengers and businesses increased when railroads formed trusts. Farmers, for example, had no choice but to pay, as railroads were the only means they could use to get their grain to buyers. Exorbitant goods rates put some farmers out of business.\nThere were even accusations that the trusts controlled government itself by buying votes and manipulating elected officials. In 1890 Congress passed the Sherman Antitrust. Act, legislation aimed at breaking the power of such trusts. The Sherman Antitrust Act focused on two main issues. First of all, it made illegal any effort to interfere with the normal conduct of interstate trade. It also made it illegal to monopolize any part of business that operates across state lines.\nOver the next 60 years or so, Congress passed other antitrust laws in an effort to encourage competition and restrict the power of larger corporations.", "problems": [{"question": "The Sherman Antitrust Act _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["affected only the companies doing business within state lines", "sought to eliminate monopolies in favor of competition in the market-place", "promoted trade with a large number of nations", "provides a financial advantage to the buyer"]}, {"question": "One might infer from this passage that lower prices _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["are more likely to exist in a competitive market economy", "usually can be found only in an economy based on monopolies", "matter only to people who are poor and living below the poverty level", "are regulated by the government"]}, {"question": "It seems likely that many Americans _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["believed that the trusts had little influence over government", "expected the wealthy magnates to share money with the poor", "did little to build up American business", "were worried that trusts might manipulate the government"]}]} -{"article": "People have been talking about health for a long time because people know the importance of it. People's understanding of health also becomes deeper with the progress in scientific research. Recently the term \"health\" has come to have a wider meaning than it used to. It no longer means just the absence of illness. Today, health means the well-being of your body, your mind and your relationship with other people. This new concept of health is closely related to another term-quality of life. Quality of life is the degree of overall satisfaction that a person gets from life.\nWhy has the emphasis of health shifted from the absence of disease to a broader focus on the quality of a person's life? One reason for this has to do with the length and conditions of life that people can now expect. Medical advances have made it possible for people today to live longer, healthier lives. Imagine for a moment that you were born in the year 1900. You could have expected on average to live until about the age of 47. In contrast, if you were born in the year 1999, you could expect to live to the age of 75.", "problems": [{"question": "_ leads to people's deeper understanding of health.", "answer": "B", "options": ["Common knowledge", "Progress in scientific research", "Better conditions of living", "Quality of life"]}, {"question": "The emphasis of health has shifted nowadays because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["people enjoy better conditions of living and they can live longer", "people pay more attention to their physical health, not their mental health", "people have realized the importance of mental well-being", "people are inspired by medical advances"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["nowadays the emphasis of health has a broader focus because of improvements in the quality of food", "the overall quality of people's lives improved greatly in the 20th century", "those who never fall ill are the truly healthy people", "those who were born before 1900 could not have lived until now"]}, {"question": "This passage is mainly about _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["different understandings of the term \"health\"", "improving the quality of life", "the importance of quality living", "people's expectations of a long and healthy life"]}]} -{"article": "Last week I was sitting in the hall of a medical building when I heard an elderly woman talking on the phone about her husband. His name was Ed and he dropped her off for her doctor's appointment, and was going to park the car and wait for her. She was so upset because he never came back to get her. As she described her situation to the person on the phone she started to cry and I knew I needed to take action. \nAfter I introduced myself, she told me her name was Helen. She was talking to a local restaurant they were going to have lunch at after her appointment. She called to see if he was there. She explained her husband \"Ed\" was supposed to park the car and wait for her. Then she said,\" My husband has Alzheimer's and he shouldn't be driving without me.\" Numerous thoughts ran through my head. Call the police, call her family, call the doctor's office she had just come from ! I offered to drive to the local restaurant to see if Ed was waiting for her there. \nAfter telling the nurse about the situation we exchanged cell phone numbers in case Ed showed up as I jumped into action searching for him. Once arriving in the parking lot of the restaurant, Helen described she received a call from the nurse, who had found Ed sitting on a bench in front of the hospital a few buildings down waiting for her. What a relief ! Once reunited, we needed to find his car which he forgot where he parked! Fortunately, he parked in the handicapped spot so it was easy to find!\nOnce all this was done, I followed Ed and Helen home to be sure they arrived safely. After I waved goodbye and wished them my best, I thought, \"That is the kind of love in life, simple but deep. \"", "problems": [{"question": "What was Helen's reaction when she couldn't find Ed ?", "answer": "D", "options": ["She was going to telephone the police.", "She asked the doctor and the nurse for help.", "She went to look for him everywhere.", "She was terribly worried about him."]}, {"question": "What do we know about Ed's driving ?", "answer": "B", "options": ["He is often fined by the police.", "He can't drive without Helen's help.", "He always drives very carefully.", "He nver knows where to park."]}, {"question": "Who was it that told the author Ed had been found ?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The nurse.", "The doctor.", "The police.", "Helen."]}, {"question": "Which of the following could be the best title of the passage ?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Driving with Alzheimer's", "Love from strangers.", "Simple but deep love", "The handicapped in trouble."]}]} -{"article": "The average British women's waistline has grown by 2 inches in 10 years, all thanks to the sedentary lifestyle.\nA study conducted by Cancer Research prefix = st1 /UKscientists found that the average waistline of British women has increased from 31.8 inches to 33.5 inches.\nMen are also nowhere behind the fairer sex, for the research found that the average man's waistline has grown by 1.4 inches to 38 inches.\n \"We know high body weight increases the risk of a number of cancers and it is important we get this message out to as many people as possible,\" the Daily Mail quoted Dr Lesley Walker, of Cancer ResearchUK, as saying.\n \"A healthy diet with plenty of fiber, fruit and vegetables, as well as regular exercise can help people lose weight and reduce their risk of cancer,\" he added.\nThe trend was found to be obvious in the under 45s, where the proportion of men with a body mass index over 35, and of women with a BMI of over 40, has grown twice during the decade.\nLead researcher Professor Jane Wardle said it is possible that young people follow a less healthy lifestyle than their elders.\n \"Snacking habits, takeaway meals high in fat and sedentary lifestyles where many people spend both work and leisure time sitting in front of a computer are all likely to contribute to the results.\"\nShe added that genetics also play an important role in the growing rate of getting fat.", "problems": [{"question": "How many reasons did the writer mention for British women's increased waistlines?", "answer": "C", "options": ["1", "2", "3", "4"]}, {"question": "Man's average waistline used to be _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["31.8 inches", "33.5 inches", "36.6 inches", "38 inches"]}, {"question": "Which is the best title of the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["British women's waistlines have grown", "It is easy for the English to get fat", "It is easy for the English to suffer from cancer", "The English have a less healthy lifestyle"]}]} -{"article": "All over the world,libraries have begun the great task of making faithful digital copies of the books and records that protect the mental efforts of mankind*. For armchair schools,the work promises to bring such a wealth of information to desktop that the present Internet may not match. \n Librarians see three clear benefits to going digital. First,it helps them preserve rare and easily broken objects without refusing the demands of those who wish to study them. The British Library, for example,holds the only medieval(middle-aged)manuscript of Beowuif in London. Only quantified scholars were allowed to set and put the images up on the Internet for anyone to use. \n A second benefit is convenience. Once books arc changed to digital form, readers can find them in seconds rather than minutes. Several people can read the same book or view the same picture at the same time. Clerks are spared the chore of reserving. And libraries could use the Internet to lend their collections to those who are unable to visit in person. \n The third advantage of electronic copies is that they occupy millimeters of space on a magnetic disk rather than meters on a shelf. The cost of library buildings is increasingly high. The University of California at prefix = st1 /Berkeleyrecently spent $46 million on all underground addition to house 1. 5 million books at an average cost of $30 per set of them. The price of disk storage on the contrary, has fallen to about $2 per 300-page publication and continues to drop", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is mentioned in the text as a benefit of going digital?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Fewer staff will be required in libraries.", "Libraries will be able to move underground.", "Borrowers need not go to the library buildings.", "Old manuscripts can be moved more easily."]}, {"question": "How does the author develop the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["First the author gives some messages and then explain them.", "First the author presents his opinions and then describes them.", "First the author informs us of main arguments and then compares them.", "First the author makes an introduction and then draws a conclusion."]}]} -{"article": "All over the world people enjoy sports. Sports help people to keep healthy, happy and help them to live longer. Sports change with the seasons. People play different games in winter and summer.\nGames and sports often grow out of people's work and everyday activities. The Arabs use horses or camels in much of their everyday life; they use them in their sports, too.\nSome sports are so interesting that people everywhere go in for them. Football, for example, has spread around the world. Swimming is popular in all countries near the sea or in those with many rivers.\nSome sports or games go back thousands of years, like running or jumping. Chinese boxing, for example, has a very long history. But basketball and volleyball are rather new. Neither one is a hundred years old yet. People are inventing new sports or games all the time.\nPeople from different countries may not be able to understand each other, but after a game they often become good friends. Sports help to train a person's character. One learns to fight hard but fight fair, to win without pride and to lose with grace.", "problems": [{"question": "According to this passage we know that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["people began to play pingpong about one hundred years ago", "about 100 years ago people ran or jumped when they played", "basketball has a longer history than volleyball", "not all the games have a long history"]}, {"question": "The writer didn't tell us in this passage that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["basketball was invented in America", "sports change with the seasons", "games and sports often grow out of people's work and everyday activities", "football is played all over the world"]}, {"question": "According to this passage, which of the following is NOT true?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Sports help to train a person's character.", "People swim only because there are a lot of rivers in their country.", "People from different countries may not be able to understand each other before a game.", "Sports and games can develop the friendship between people all over the world."]}]} -{"article": "This is the front page of the Simple English Wikipedia. Wikipedias are places where people work together to write encyclopedias in different languages. We use simple English words and grammar here. The Simple English Wikipedia is for everyone! That includes children and adults who are learning English.\nThere are 59,298 articles on the Simple English Wikipedia. All of the pages are free to use. They have all been published under both the\nand the\n. You can help here! You may change these pages and make the new pages. Read the help pages and other good pages to learn how to write pages here. If you need help, you may ask questions at Simple talk.\nWhen writing articles here:\nUse easy words and shorter sentences. This lets people who know little English read them.\nWrite good pages. The best encyclopedia pages have useful, well written information.\nUse the pages to learn and teach. These pages can help people learn English. You can also use them to make a new Wikipedia to help other people.\nSimple does not mean little. Writing in Simple English means that simple words are used. It does not mean readers want simple information. Articles do not have to be short to be simple; expand articles, include a lot of information, but use basic vocabulary.\nBe bold! Your article does not have to be perfect, because other editors will fix it and make it better. And most importantly, do not be afraid to start and make articles better yourself.", "problems": [{"question": "Wikipedia is a website for people to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["show their special photos and perfect videos in different languages", "have a chat with different friends who know little English", "see the latest famous films and TV programs", "work together to write all kinds of useful information in different languages"]}, {"question": "If you want to write articles for the Simple English Wikipedia, you should _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["learn how to write pages in a famous university first", "use advanced English grammar and professional terms", "use easy words and shorter sentences to describe valuable information", "write articles only for children"]}, {"question": "According to the text, we know that Simple talk is to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["offer different kinds of friends from all over the world", "talk with the editor who can help you publish your articles", "help you solve questions about writing pages here", "teach you simple English"]}, {"question": "From the text we can learn that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["these pages can be changed to teach others who are learning English", "your articles have to be perfect, or they will be refused", "you can write your articles simply because readers want simple information", "the articles you write are mainly for adults"]}]} -{"article": "Karen,grown up in a very traditional family in the western United States,maintained highmoral standards throughout her youth.In 1984,at the age of 23,she married Bill.They _ two children,a boy and a girl.\nBy 1991 their love had deepened,and they were happy.Later that year,Bill developed a white spot on his tongue.He visited a doctor.\nOne day shortly after that,Bill called Karen to sit beside him.He said with tears in his eyes that he loved her and wanted to live forever with her.The doctor suspected that he had been infected with HIV,the virus that leads to AIDS.\nThe family was tested,Bill and Karen's results were positive.Bill had become infected before he met Karen;then he passed the virus on to Karen.The children's results were negative.Within three years,Bill was dead.\"I don't know how to express what it is like to watch the once handsome man you love and intend to live with forever dying slowly.I cried many nights.He died three months short of ten years of our marriage,\"says Karen.Though a doctor told Karen that she would soon follow her husband into death,she is still alive.The infection has progressed to the early stages of AIDS.\nKaren is but one of about 30 million people now living with HIV/AIDS,a figure larger than the combined populations of Australia,Ireland and Paraguay.According to one UN report,Africa has 21 million of these victims.By the turn of the century that number could reach _ million and the disease will bring on the greatest disaster in human history.Of the world's sexually active adults aged 15 to 49,1 in 100 has already been infected with HIV.Of these,only 1 in 10 realizes that he or she is infected.In some parts of Africa,25 percent of the adults are infected.\nSince the beginning of the spread of AIDS in 1981,about 11.7 million people have died of it.It is roughly calculated that in 1997 alone,about 2.3 million people died of it.Nevertheless,there are fresh reasons for optimism in the battle against AIDS.During the past few years,there has been a drop in new AIDS cases in wealthy nations.In addition,promising drugs hold out hope of better health and longer life.", "problems": [{"question": "By telling the story of Karen,the author intends to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["warn people against high risk behaviors", "stress the importance of medical tests", "express sympathy for AIDS victims", "show the consequences of AIDS"]}, {"question": "Bill was suspected of being infected with HIV after _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["he got married to Karen", "the family members were tested", "Karen persuaded him to see the doctor", "he found something wrong with his tongue"]}, {"question": "It can be concluded from the passage that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["promising drugs will soon stop AIDS", "the spread of AIDS could be controlled", "it is hopeless to win the battle against AIDS", "the death rate of AIDS patients has been reduced"]}]} -{"article": "Long before the white man came to prefix = st1 /America, the land belonged to the American Indian nations. The nation of the Cherokees lived in what is now the southeastern part of theUnited States. After the white man came, the Cherokees copied many of their ways. One Cherokee named Sequoyah saw how important reading and writing was to the white man. He decided to invent a way to write down the spoken Cherokee language. He began by making word pictures. For each word he drew a picture. But that proved impossible -- there were just too many words. Then he took the 85 sounds that made up the language. Using his own imagination and an English spelling book, Sequoyah invented a sign for each sound. His alphabet proved amazingly easy to learn. Before long, many Cherokees knew how to read and write in their own language. By 1828, they were even printing their own newspaper.\nIn 1830, the U.S. Congress passed a law. It allowed the government to remove Indians from their lands. The Cherokees refused to go. They had lived on their lands for centuries. It belonged to them. Why should they go to a strange land far beyond the Mississippi River? \nThe army was sent to drive the Cherokees out. Soldiers surrounded their villages and marched them at gunpoint into the western territory. The sick, the old and the small children went in carts, along with their belongings. The rest of the people marched on foot or rode on horseback. It was November, yet many of them still wore their summer clothes. Cold and hungry, the Cherokees were quickly exhausted by the hardships of the journey. Many dropped dead and were buried by the roadside. When the last group arrived in their new home in March 1839, more than 4,000 had died. It was indeed a march of death.", "problems": [{"question": "The Cherokee Nation used to live _", "answer": "B", "options": ["on the American continent.", "in the southeastern part of theUS.", "beyond the Mississippi River.", "in the western territory."]}, {"question": "One of the ways that Sequoyah copied from the white man is the way of _", "answer": "A", "options": ["writing down the spoken language.", "making word pictures.", "teaching his people reading.", "printing their own newspaper."]}, {"question": "A law was passed in 1830 to _", "answer": "C", "options": ["allow the Cherokees to stay where they were.", "send the army to help the Cherokees.", "force the Cherokees to move westward.", "forbid the Cherokees to read their newspaper."]}, {"question": "When the Cherokees began to leave their lands, _", "answer": "D", "options": ["they went in carts.", "they went on horseback.", "they marched on foot.", "all of the above."]}, {"question": "Many Cherokees died on their way to their new home mainly because", "answer": "C", "options": ["they were not willing to go there.", "the government did not provide transportation.", "they did not have enough food and clothes.", "the journey was long and boring."]}]} -{"article": "Pulling luggage through the airport can be a pain, as any frequent traveler will tell you. A new suitcase called only \"Hop\" is looking to change all of that, though, using signals from your cell phone to go hands-free. \nAccording to Hop's official website, the suitcase uses threesensors to identify the Bluetoothsignal from your phone and pick you out of a crowd. Once it's done that, a microprocessor not only figures out Hop's position as it relates to your phone, but controls the twocaterpillar tracks in the bottom of the unit to get it moving. Hop follows behind the user at a constant distance, so you don't have to worry about it \"stepping\" on your heels, so to speak. If it loses the signal it's following, your phone will vibrate, letting you know that your poor suitcase is lost and alone in a sea of strange people.\nWe can see Hop in action in the video below, and we have to say that it looks like a great little device. There's just one problem: it looks as if you'll have to walk at a ly slow pace to keep the suitcase from losing the signal. Since a walk through an airport is rarely a leisurely experience, that could potentially cause troubles. Also, don't expect TSA agents to just smile and wave as you walk through security with a remote-controlled suitcase tailing you.\nStill, the idea behind Hop is really cool, and we're willing to believe that there are some frequent flyers who would like to put down some money for it right this instant. However, this is just a model at the moment, so don't expect it to be available for sale anytime soon (if it ever is, for that matter). Would you purchase one of these if Hop ever became available commercially?", "problems": [{"question": "What is \"to go hands-free\"?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The new suitcase.", "Your cell phone.", "Signals from your cell phone.", "Frequent travelers."]}, {"question": "The article is probably taken from _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Hop's official website", "a website of worldwide news", "a Western newspaper", "a Chinese newspaper"]}, {"question": "According to the article, Hop may run into trouble because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["your cell phone fails to tell you Hop is lost", "its caterpillar tracks aren't powerful enough", "you usually walk too fast for Hop to follow", "TSA agents won't be patient enough"]}, {"question": "What does the writer think of the invention?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Hop will be in production soon.", "Hop is sure to be popular someday.", "It's silly to have thought of that.", "Hop might never go on sale."]}]} -{"article": "It's said that one can know the nature of both man and woman by their behaviors at table. Indeed table manners are closely related to one's life and one's job. As the saying goes\" When in Rome, do as the Romans do\", English learners should know what the proper table manners are in western countries if invited to a dinner party. The followings are some suggestions that may be helpful to you.\nThe first important thing you need to know is when to begin eating. Before dinner, the hostess usually serves guests first and herself last. So do not eat as soon as you are served but wait until the hostess has also been served and has picked up her fork as the signal to begin. But at a large dinner party where there are many guests, the hostess may ask everyone to begin eating as soon as they are served. If you want to talk while eating, your mouth should certainly not be full of food because it is considered very bad manners. But it is possible to speak with a little food in the mouth. When you have to answer a question, naturally you must wait until the food in your mouth is eaten.\nWhen a dish is passed to you with a fork in the plate, you should use it to take your food. Do not take too much at a time and make sure that the other guests can have enough food.\nAnyway, good table manners are very important and they are not so simple as we thought. But it is necessary for one to know what good table manners are because they can help one succeed in his life!", "problems": [{"question": "what is the first important thing to know at a dinner party?", "answer": "C", "options": ["what to eat", "whether to talk", "when to begin eating", "How to use forks."]}, {"question": "If you have to answer a question while eating, you should _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["refuse to answer it", "answer it immediately", "tell him/her to ask it later", "wait until the food in your mouth is eaten"]}, {"question": "In which section of a newspaper can you find such a passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Sports", "Culture", "Music", "News"]}]} -{"article": "Camp All-Star\nOne of a Kind Summer Camps for Kids\nWelcome to Camp All-Star, your No.1 summer sports camp for kids! Located on the famous Kents Hill School campus by the beautiful lake, Camp All-Star hosts kids from around the world. When thinking about your next overnight summer camp, consider the best--Camp All-Star!\nGreat Sports Summer Camps for Kids\nCamp All-Star stands out among the successful camps in the U.S.We have the best sports fields and courts to make your child's sports camp experience a successful one.Your child can enjoy playing for hours in any of our more than 30 sports and activities each day.Our camper to staff rate is three to one, which makes it possible for children to receive more careful instruction.\nWe have a wide variety of activities and sports to choose from: fishing, dance, basketball, soccer, baseball, and tennis.Boys and girls, aged 8-16, can customize their own schedules in our 2, 3, 4 or 6 week summer camp session for kids.\nThe aim of Camp All-Star is to develop athletic skills, encourage abilities in leadership, fair play and team work, and provide a fun, rewarding and memorable summer sports camp experience.Our staff have the experience and qualified training necessary to ensure that your child has a successful, memorable and enjoyable time at our summer camp.\nCall Today About Our Overnight Summer Camps for Kids\nDon't let your kids waste another summer playing video games and sitting around. Let them enjoy their time and get some exercise at our exciting and friendly summer sports camp.Information for our upcoming camps can be found on our website.For additional information or questions, contact us today.We hope your kids can join us at Camp All-Star!", "problems": [{"question": "Camp All-Star stands out among the others because it _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["is surrounded by a beautiful lake", "provides various activities and sports", "offers timely information on its websit", "allows children to play outside all day long"]}, {"question": "One of the goals of Camp All-star is to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["fire kids' imagination", "build up kids' confidence", "develop kids' leadership skills", "promote kids' self-control"]}, {"question": "This advertisement is intended for _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["parents", "coaches", "staff", "campers"]}]} -{"article": "COVER STORY--Pax's New Life \nBy Michelle Tauber and Mary Green \nThe actress and 3-year-old Pax Thien Jolie, whom she adopted last weekfrom an orphanage in Ho Chi Minh City, left Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport in a private jet on Wednesday, bound for home--and, for Pax, a new life - in the U.S.\n Jolie, 31, understands the challenges her new son will face as the latest addition to the world's most famous multicultural family. \"You can imagine what courage it takes to be in all new surroundings, with new people and a new language,\" she tells PEOPLE in its new issue. \"He is very strong.\" But she is committed to making his transition as smooth as possible. \"It will take him a while to realize he has a family,\" she says, \"and that his new life is permanent and that it won't keep changing.\"\n The boy with the sweetly shy smile and the big brown eyes joins big brother Maddox, 5(adopted from Cambodia), sister Zahara, 2 (adopted from Ethiopia) and 10-month-old Shiloh, the daughter born to Jolie and Brad Pitt, 43, in May. \n As for Dad, because Vietnamese regulations don't allow unmarried couples to co-adopt, Jolie adopted Pax as a single parent while Pitt remained inprefix = st1 /Los Angeles, where he is filmingThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button. \"He has specific days on the movie that couldn't be changed or production would run over,\" says his rep.\n But Jolie still made sure to bring a welcoming committee: Joined by Maddox and Zahara - Shiloh has been on theButtonset every day with her father--the new mom used her first few days with Pax to begin gently bonding with him and to ask her other kids to do the same.\n \"We are slowly beginning to build his trust and bond,\" Jolie says, \"but it will feel complete only when we are all together.\"\nFor exclusive photos - plus details on Angelina and Pax's first moments together, what Pax's life was like at the orphanage and more - pick up this week'sPEOPLE,on newsstands Friday.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, how many children does Jolie have in all?", "answer": "C", "options": ["1", "3", "4", "5"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is TURE?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Pax is the last children that Jolie has.", "Vietnamese laws allow everyone to adapt orphan.", "Pax meet the whole family with the help of Jolie.", "Pitt takes care of Shiloh when he acts in a movie."]}, {"question": "Why does Jolie want to start a gentle relationship with her son Pax?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because Jolie thinks Pax doesn't know he has a family.", "Because Jolie wants to set an example to her other children.", "Because Pax is a strong boy in Jolie's mind.", "Because Pax can't meet his father when he is in America."]}, {"question": "What is the purpose of this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["To attract readers' attention on the new issue of the magazine.", "To introduce Jolie's all family members to readers", "To praise Jolie's generous deeds of adopting children.", "To instruct readers how to adopt a child from Vietnam."]}]} -{"article": "I'm writing this letter slowly because I know you can't read fast. We don't live where we did when you left home. Your dad read in the newspaper that most accidents happened within 20 miles from our home, so we moved.\nI won't be able to send you the address because the last family that lived here took the house numbers when they moved so that they wouldn't have to change their address. This place is really nice. It even has a washing machine. I'm not sure it works so well though: last week I put a load in and pulled the chain and haven't seen them since. The weather isn't bad here. It only rained twice last week; the first time for three days and the second time for four days. About that coat you wanted me to send you, your uncle Stanley said it would be too heavy to send in the mail with the buttons on so we cut them off and put them in the pockets.\nJohn locked his keys in the car yesterday. We were really worried because it took him two hours to get me and your father out. Your sister had a baby this morning, but I haven't found out what _ is yet. The baby looks just like your brother.\nUncle Ted fell in a whiskey vat last week. Some men tried to pull him out, but he fought them off playfully and drowned. We had him cremated and he burned for three days.\nThree of your friends went off a bridge in a pick-up trunk. Ralph was driving. He rolled down the window and swam to safety. You other two friends were in back. They drowned because they couldn't get the tail gate down.\nThere isn't much more news at this time. Nothing much has happened.\nLove,\nMom\nP.S. I was going to send you some money but the envelope was already sealed.", "problems": [{"question": "From the passage, we can infer that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["here is the letter by a son for his father", "here is the letter by a mother for her son", "the family moved to a new and nice place because it is really good there", "the writer's daughter has got a male baby"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The number of the family is four, including the new-born baby.", "The son can't send his parents a letter because the address was taken by the other family.", "The son will receive a coat with the buttons detached .", "None is true."]}, {"question": "What is the reason why the family moved to a new place?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The son asked them to do so .", "The place is really nice and the climate there is not bad, too.", "His dad read in the newspaper most accidents happened within 20 miles from their home.", "His sister had a baby, so they wanted to find a fine place."]}]} -{"article": "For Senior 3 students, choosing which college to attend can be the most exciting and thrilling time in their entire school lives. This is also true for an American girl named Melanie in the film, College Road Trip, which was _ in theprefix = st1 /USon March 7.\nMelanie's dad, James Porter, is the chief of police for a Chicagosuburb. Incredibly security obsessed , he wants Melanie to attend nearby Northwestern University, where she's already been accepted. But Melanie, 17, really wants to go to Georgetown in Washington,D.C., where she's been wait-listed.\nWhen she gets an unexpected interview, she decides to take a road trip with a few close female friends. Melanie believes it is her first step toward adulthood. \nBut despite the fact that this trip is \"girls only\", James isn't comfortable with the prospect of his little princess exploring the world without him. He wants to protect her. \nJames joins the girls and hopes he can convince her to go to Northwestern. While Melanie's father only has the best of intentions, his presence leads to an endless series of comic encounters. \nAfter following their faulty GPS device deep into the backwoods, James and Melanie discover her little brother and his pet pig have been hiding in the spare tire compartment . What should be a simple tire change results in the expensive car rolling down a mountain, forcing them to hike to a nearby hotel. There the pig ruins an outdoor wedding reception after eating an entire bag of coffee beans. \nAll these disasters add spice to their trip while along the way a father and a daughter finally get the chance to really talk to each other. \nThe film explores the parent-child relationship in a comic way: The discrepancy between how close James thinks he is to Melanie and how little he actually knows of her plans makes us laugh first and then think. \nAll parents, whether they have college students or not, can relate to the bittersweet realization that their kids are growing up. Like what Melanie and James have done in the film, we all can find the delicate balance between staying connected and letting go.", "problems": [{"question": "We can infer from the passage that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["their car rolled down the mountain, ruining the wedding reception", "a hotel was destroyed by Melanie's brother and his pet pig", "Melanie and her father got to understand each other better after so many encounters", "the girls had to give up their trip because of the incidents on the way"]}, {"question": "The main purpose of the passage is to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["introduce the newly-released film", "call on parents to learn to balance the relationship with their children", "tell a story which happened between an American girl and her father", "explore the differences in parent-child relationship between the west and the east"]}]} -{"article": "If you're like most teens, you probably spend a lot of time online. The Internet is a great place to do homework, talk to your friends and download your favorite music. But with all of that good stuff , there is also bad stuff. So we've put together some safety tips for you.\nSome people pretend to be your age or a friendly adult so that you will trust them. You can never be certain that people you meet on the Internet are really who they say they are. It's dangerous to get together with someone you met online. We suggest that you never do it. As we said before, they may not be who they say they are. However, if your parents agree to the meeting, they should go with you, and the meeting should be in a public place.\nWhen you are online, never give anyone personal information like your name, address, phone number, the name or location of your school or your parents' names or where they work. Don't put personal information or your picture in your online profile or anywhere else online. Use a screen name that is different from your real name and your e-mail address.\nStay out of chat rooms. Some people in chat rooms often create a _ profile, hoping a teen will trust them. Someone who seems to be a 14-year-old girl from New York who wants to be friends may be a 42-year-old man from California who wants something else.", "problems": [{"question": "Most teens _ at present.", "answer": "B", "options": ["are good at surfing online", "like surfing the Internet", "are tired of the Internet", "have learned a lot from the Internet"]}, {"question": "What's the best title for the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Teen Internet Surfing Tips", "Keep away from the Internet[", "Internet helps Teens to Study", "How to Surf Online"]}]} -{"article": "The sixth book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney will be released November 15th, just in time for the Christmas shopping season.The book is titled Cabin Fever and will continue the funny story of middle school kid Greg Heffley.\nThe story begins with Greg and his friend Rowley being accused of damaging school property.It wasn't really their fault, but the authorities don't see it that way.Just when they are about to get caught, the city gets hit by a giant blizzard .This is a good thing, right? Well, _ Greg is now stuck at home with his family and all this gives him a bad case of cabin fever.\nKinney says that the book is not only about the claustrophobia of being stuck at home for days without being able to leave, but also about getting stuck with an identity.Sometimes we get stuck a certain way when we are young and it's hard to change people's feelings of us.That's some pretty deep stuff , but we expect the book to mostly be full of silly and funny stuff that will make us laugh.\nThe first printing of Cabin Fever will print 6 million copies of the book.Many kids who don't like to read like the Wimpy Kid books because of the combination of cartoons, story, and comedy.Cabin Fever, like the other five, will have 224 pages of cartoons and funny events in the life of Greg Heffley as he sits out his holidays snowbound at home.\n They are generally recommended for kids 8 to 11 years of age, but older kids (even adults) may find them funny as they remember what it was like to be in middle school.", "problems": [{"question": "What can we know about Cabin Fever?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It continues the story of a middle school student Rowley.", "It will appear on the market on Christmas Day.", "It is about an exciting public winter holidays.", "It contains a lot of pictures and funny stuff."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is true according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Jeff Kinney has written six books in all.", "Jeff Kinney intends the book Cabin Fever for kids only.", "Wimpy Kid books are printed 6 million copies altogether.", "Cabin Fever has a lot in common with other Wimpy Kid books."]}, {"question": "The purpose of writing the passage is to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["promote sales", "give opinions", "offer information", "make a comment"]}]} -{"article": "Nations plan next steps to end global warming\nOn December 3,more than 10,000 scientists, environmental activists and government officials from 187 countries met in Bali, Indonesia, which is the largest global warming conference ever held.\nOne of the main goals of the two-week meeting is to develop a replacement for the international treaty called the Kyoto Protocol, which has been signed by 174, countries, calling for limits on the emission of greenhouse gases.\nUnder the Kyoto Protocol, nations were legally bound to reduce greenhouse gases, but since it was signed in 2005, _ have continued to increase worldwide. Of the largest greenhouse gas emitters, only Russia and Japan have agreed to follow me rules. China and India-second and sixth on the list-are making efforts to make cuts.\nThe U.S signed the treaty in 1997 but has not yet agreed to follow the strict rules, which require that greenhouse gas release be reduced by 10% by 2012. U.S. officials are opposed to these mandatory ,or required, cuts in emissions. \"We're worrying that it would be too costly and would hurt the U.S. economy. _ ,\" said Harlan L. Watson, a top U.S. climate official.\nEven if greenhouse gases are reduced, scientists say it will take decades or longer to stop the global warming that is already underway. To help poor countries deal with rising temperatures and climate changes, the UN has developed the \"Adaptation Fund\" to help them improve farming techniques and water systems.\nBut so far, it has only raised $67 million.\n\"The money should come from the countries most responsible and most capable,\" said Kate Raworth, a senior research official from the Oxfam International aid group. She listed the U.S., European Union, Japan, Australia and Canada.", "problems": [{"question": "By saying \"But we're not here to be a roadblock\", Harlan L. Watson wants to say that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the U.S will be a roadblock to the global economy", "the U.S has realized that some action must be taken", "the U.S refused to follow the rules of the Kyoto Protocol", "the U.S thinks this conference of no importance"]}, {"question": "According to Kate Raworth, the \"Adaptation Fund\" should come from all the following EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Japan", "European Union", "India", "Canada"]}, {"question": "Why did U.S officials not agree to make effort to reduce greenhouse gases?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because the greenhouse gases they emitted are not so harmful.", "Because they fear that it would affect the U.S economy.", "Because they shouldn't be responsible for global warming.", "Because they think these gases won't cause global warming _ ."]}, {"question": "We can learn from the passage that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the conference will last a fortnight", "the U.S hasn't signed the Kyoto Protocol.", "many manufacturers attended the conference", "the global warming will be stopped as soon as greenhouse gases are reduced"]}]} -{"article": "Fifteen people were killed and 38 others injured in a road accident early Wednesday morning in Enshi,Central China's Hubei Province.The bus,travelling from Wanzhou in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality to Shenzhen in South China's Guangdong Province,had 53 passengers on board,three more than permitted.\nAt around 1 am on Wednesday,the bus increased speed gradually on a curve and plunged more than 30 metres into a valley below.Thirteen people,including one of the two drivers,died at once.Two others died on the way to hospital.\nAlthough the cause of the accident is still unclear,the local police said the driver paid no attention to the official warning signs on the expressway.It hit a section which had been closed as a result of snow.Because of the freezing weather and icy roads,the expressway had been closed by police since Tuesday morning.But the bus drivers took the dangerous route,paying no attention to the warnings.\nThe rescue team,which included more than 30 medical workers and 120 local villagers,joined together and rushed to the scene at the news of the accident.By 5 am,all of the injured had been sent to three local hospitals for emergency treatment.A hospital source said most of the patients were in a stable condition but a few were still in danger.\nAccording to a 2002 national public opinion poll,traffic accidents ranked as people's third biggest security concern.", "problems": [{"question": "What probably caused the accident?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The bad weather", "too many passengers", "the driver's paying no attention to warnings", "too fast speed"]}, {"question": "When the accident took place, _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the bus was on the way to Shenzhen", "most of the passengers were sound asleep", "all the passengers were given immediate rescue", "it was snowing hard"]}, {"question": "The expressway was closed to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["protect the passengers from being frozen", "make the police have a good rest", "stop cars traveling around", "avoid the happening of traffic accidents"]}, {"question": "The passage is about _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["how a road accident took place", "safety measures", "a terrifying accident", "the basic rules for safety"]}, {"question": "What is the author's attitude towards the accident?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Subjective", "objective", "Sad", "angry"]}]} -{"article": "Knowing that Mrs. Mallard suffered from a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death.\nIt was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences. Her husband's friend Richards was there, too. It was he who had been in the newspaper office when news of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallard's name leading the list of \"killed.\" He had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by a second telegram, and hurried to send the sad message.\nShe did not hear the story as many women have heard the same. She wept at once, with wild abandonment, in her sister's arms. When the storm of sadness had spent itself she went away to her room alone.\nThere stood, facing the open window, a comfortable armchair. Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that held her body and seemed to reach into her soul.\nShe could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. The notes of a distant song which someone was singing reached her, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves .\nThere was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully. What was it? It was too hard to name. But she felt it, coming out of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the smells, the color that filled the air.\nNow her chest rose and fell violently. She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and _ When she gave up trying a little whispered word escaped her lips. She said it over and over under the breath: \"free, free, free!\"\nShe did not stop to ask if it was extreme joy that held her. She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, gentle hands folded in death; the face that had never looked at her except with love, fixed and gray and dead. But she saw beyond that bitter moment many years to come that would belong to her absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome.\nThere would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers.\nAnd yet she had loved him--sometimes. What did it matter! What could love count for in the face of her realization.\n\"Free! Body and soul free!\" she kept whispering.\nJosephine was kneeling before the closed door with her lips to the keyhole. \"Louise, open the door! I beg; open the door--you will make yourself ill.\"\n\"Go away. I am not making myself ill.\"\nHer fancy was running wild along those days ahead of her, all sorts of days that would be her own. She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only yesterday she had thought with a shake that life might be long.\nShe arose after a long time and opened the door to her sister's begging. She carried herself unknowingly like a goddess of Victory. She held her sister's waist, and together they walked down the stairs.\nSomeone was opening the front door with a key. It was Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel-stained, calmly carrying his suitcase and umbrella. He had been far from the scene of the accident, and did not even know there had been one. He stood amazed at Josephine's sharp cry; at Richards' quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife.\nWhen the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills.", "problems": [{"question": "What can we infer about Mr. Mallard?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He was killed in a railroad disaster.", "He survived the railroad accident.", "He was unaware of what was going on.", "He hurried back to comfort his wife."]}, {"question": "What really killed Mrs. Mallard?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The joy of seeing her husband coming back alive.", "The shock of losing her coming freedom.", "The fear of seeing the ghost of her husband.", "The sadness of losing her husband suddenly."]}]} -{"article": "Charles Dickens is often thought of as one of the greatest British writers. February 7 marked the 200th anniversary of his birthday. Yet for many, his language is old-fashioned and his stories often improbable. So why do so many people know and read Dickens today?\nOne reason is the British government's insistence that every child studies a Dickens novel at school. Alongside William Shakespeare, Dickens is on every English literature school reading list.\nHis stories, though often long by today's standards, are great moral tales. They are filled with colorful characters.\nEarlier this month, a ceremony was held in Portsmouth, where Dickens was born. Prince Charles said at the ceremony, \"Dickens used his creative genius to campaign passionately for social justice... His characterization is as fresh today as on the day it was written.\"\nHis books stand out from many other writers because of his insight into human nature. Dickens, like Shakespeare, tells us truths about human behavior. They are as true in the 21st century as they were to his readers in the 19th century.\nReaders have returned to Dickens' books again and again over the years to see what he has to say about their own times.\nNo surprise then that it was Dickens whom Britons turned to during the economic crisis in the last couple of years. Dickens helped them make sense of a world that was rapidly falling apart. The BBC adapted one of his less well-known novels, Little Dorrit, into a popular television drama that introduced many Brits to the novel for the first time. A dark story about greed and money, it was the perfect illustration of bad times.\nAs long as Dickens's novels have something to say to modern audiences, it seems likely that he will remain one of Britain's best-loved writers.", "problems": [{"question": "In the article, the author intends to tell us _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["why Dickens' novels still appeal to readers in modern times", "that Dickens' works are no longer popular among young people", "why the British government puts Dickens on school reading lists", "that Dickens and Shakespeare's works are required for study at school"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the article that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["it's better to read Dickens in time of difficulty", "Dickens was a great social observer of his time", "human nature seems worse during bad times", "Dickens's novels are short and easy to read"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is TRUE?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Little Dorrit is one of Dickens' best-known novels.", "Dickens' novels are of greater value during economic crisis.", "Dickens' works have gained more popularity than Shakespeare's", "Dickens' novels are still of realistic significance to today's world."]}]} -{"article": "It is named a kind of wooden Eiffel Tower, because of the fact that there was a large wooden platform far out in the lake on which stood an improbably high diving board. It was, I'm sure, the county's tallest wooden structure and no one had ever been known to jump from it.\nSo it was quite a shock when our teacher, Mr. David, announced that he would dive off the high board that very afternoon.\nWord of his questionable plan was already spreading through town as Mr. David swam out to the platform. He was just _ when he got there but even from such a distance the high board seemed almost to touch the clouds. Once at the top, he paced the enormously long board, then took some deep breaths and finally stood at edge. He was going to do it.\nSeveral hundred people had gathered at the shore to watch. Mr. David stood for quite a long time, then he raised his arms, took one massive bounce and launched himself into a perfect dive. It was beautiful. He fell with perfect style for what seemed minutes. The crowd fell silent. The only sound to be heard was the faint whistle of his body tearing through the air toward the water far, far below.\nBut about three quarters of the way down he seemed to have second thoughts and began suddenly to panic, waving his arms and legs like someone having a bad dream. When he was perhaps thirty feet above the water, he gave up on waving and spread his arms and legs wide, apparently hoping that it would somehow slow his fall.\nIt didn't.\nHe hit the water at over six hundred miles an hour. The impact was so loud that it made birds fly out of their trees three miles away. I don't think he entered the water at all. He just bounced off it, about fifteen feet back into the air. After that, he lay still on the surface, spinning like an autumn leaf.\nHe was brought to shore by two passing fishermen in a rowboat and placed on an old blanket where he spent the rest of the afternoon. Occasionally he accepted small sips of water, but otherwise was too shocked to speak. From head to toe, he was covered with deep red bruises.\n...\nIt was the best day of my life.", "problems": [{"question": "How did the writer find Mr. David's plan to jump from the diving board?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Heroic.", "Disappointing.", "Crazy.", "Confused."]}, {"question": "Why did Mr. David suddenly start swinging his arms and legs during the dive?", "answer": "D", "options": ["He thought it was the best way to slow his fall.", "He wanted to show his courage.", "He was signalling the crowd for help.", "He lost his confidence and started to panic,"]}, {"question": "Which of the following sentences from the passage is an example of a fact?", "answer": "B", "options": ["He hit the water at over six hundred miles an hour.", "He was brought to shore by two passing fishermen in a rowboat.", "He just bounced off it, about fifteen feet back into the air.", "The impact was so loud that it made birds fly out of trees up to three miles away."]}]} -{"article": "As a high school athletics coach, I gave a speech about football to students and parents, aiming at getting new team members :I talked about how\"everyone can benefit from football. This year, a worried-looking couple approached me. Their son, who had a sickly childhood, really wanted to play football. They'd tried to talk him out of it, but he had his heart set on joining the team.\nWhen they told me his name , my heart sank. Michael was short and thin. He was a lonely kid and the constant target of other kids' jokes. I knew Michael would never make it. But so close to my \"football is for everyone\" speech, I told them we could give it a try.\nOn the opening day of practice, Michael was the first player on the field. We started a one-mile jog around the track. Repeatedly he fell, each time picking himself up. The same thing happened for weeks. But Michael put his whole heart into the training. Cradually, Michael gained strength both socially and physically. He began to laugh and most of the teammates became friendly. By the last week of practice Michael could run the mile without falling. He asked me to add a few more exercises he could work on his own. Soon , Michael ran the opening mile faster than anyone.\nOne day after practice, the team captain, Steve, came up to me. He was talented but lazy.He was popular with students even though he could be heartless. Steve pointed to the field where Michael was jogging all alone and asked me why he was still out there. I told Steve to ask him. The next night, I was surprised to see Steve exercising right next to Michael.\nFinally our big game came-at first we were losing by twelve points. I could see that some kids had already lost heart. But Michael was playing as hard as he could , begging the team to keep trying. Finally we won the game by one point in the final ten seconds.\nAt our celebration dinner, we always gave a big award to the most productive player. Steve had scored the most points that season, and everyone cheered as he received his award. \" There's someone who deserves it more than I do,\" Steve said, \" Everything I accomplished, and everything the team accomplished this season, is thanks to one person-Michael. \" The entire team cheered as Steve turned the prize over to the player who had inspired them all.", "problems": [{"question": "The author gave a speech to the students and parents in order to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["bring in new team members", "teach them how to play football", "tell them about the benefits of playing football", "help those parents who are worried about their children"]}, {"question": "How did the author react after the couple told him their son's name?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He was very excited about accepting Michael on the team.", "He refused to accept Michael because he had no talent for sports.", "He decided to accept Michael though he was unwilling to do so.", "He agreed to accept Michael because he was moved by his determination."]}, {"question": "What happened to Michael after a few weeks' training?", "answer": "D", "options": ["He gave up training.", "He began to laugh at others.", "He often protected others in the football field.", "He became strong both in friendly relations and in body."]}, {"question": "Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The Road to Success", "Heart of a Champion", "Steve, the Real Winner", "A Player of Patience"]}]} -{"article": "ACTeen-Acting for Teens\nThe nation's first on-camera acting program developed for teens(ages 13--15, 16--20). Now celebrating our 30th year. June, July, August, or. Saturday summer academies offer full or part-time curriculum. 14 + electives, including film & television acting, theater, musical theater, auditioning, Shakespeare, speech &voice, movement, script writing.\nWorking grades, small classes(12 maximum per workshop). Safe, convenient location. Application required. Out of town applicants may submit long distance application.\nCost/Week: $500$649\nIndianhead Ranch\nSharpen your H unting Skills over one or two weeks at Indianhead Ranch in Del Rio, Texas. You will experience the outdoors, expand your knowledge in gun safety and learn practical camping hunting and survival skills.\nCost/Week: $1000$1999\nVermont Adventure Camps\nSix-Day Adventure Camps\nWe offer 8 six-day adventure camps for teens l1 to 13. The kids go stay in rustic cabins at our camping site in Andover VT and on adventures each day. A discount of 10%will be given to the team with over 3 persons.\nTwo-Week Adventure Camps\nWe also offer 4 two-week adventure camps for teens 14 to 17. The teens will go on an adventure each day and then come back to our quaint Adventure Lodge.\nCost/Week: $650\nInternational ESL Camp\nThe site is in close proximity to New York, Philadelphia, and Princeton University. Campers will receive three hours per day of English language instruction, a full range of planned activities including sports, arts and crafts, and weekly excursions.\nCost/Week: $650$999", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passages, which camp offers hunting skills?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Vermont Adventure Camps.", "Indianhead Ranch.", "Acting for Teens.", "International ESL Camp."]}, {"question": "If Tom plans to send his 4 children to join Six-Day Adventure Camps, how much should he pay?", "answer": "A", "options": ["2,340.", "2,600.", "260.", "2,860."]}]} -{"article": "Everybody knows that words can carry messages. People communicate with words. Books, magazines, TV, radio and films all help us to communicate with others. They all help us to know what is going on in the world and what other people are thinking about.\nDo you think you can communicate without words? A smile on your face shows you are happy or friendly. Tears in your eyes tell others that you are sad. When you put up your hand in class, the teacher knows you want to say something or ask a question. You shake your head, and people know you are saying \"No\". You nod and people know you are saying \"Yes\".\nOther things can also carry messages. For example, a sign at the bus stop helps you to know which bus to take. A sign on the wall of your school helps you to find the library. Signs with arrows on doors tell you where to go in or out. Have you ever noticed that there are a lot of signs around you and that you receive messages from them all the time?\nPeople can communicate in many ways without words. For example, an artist can use his drawings to tell about beautiful mountains, about the sea and many other things.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements is NOT true?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It is a most popular way for man to communicate with words.", "Words are the only way for man to communicate.", "Using radio is one of the ways for man to communicate.", "TV can help people to know the world better."]}, {"question": "Besides words, which can also be used to express oneself?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Sign language.", "Smile.", "Head shaking.", "Nodding."]}, {"question": "Which of the following signs is usually used to show you the direction?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Picture.", "A number.", "A kind of color.", "An arrow."]}, {"question": "According to the passage, how does an artist often express himself?", "answer": "D", "options": ["He writes articles.", "He gives reports.", "He sings songs.", "He draws pictures."]}]} -{"article": "A report from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences' Commission reveals that, due to a job market which disproportionately rewards graduates in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, more and more students are seeking degrees in business and hard-science subjects.\nSome institutions have responded by cutting budgets in the arts and humanities and directing those funds elsewhere. That's the wrong thing to do. The humanities-the study of languages , literature, history, philosophy, religion, ethics, etc.-and the arts are vital to our future. We should be investing more funds, more time and more expertise, not less, into these endeavors.\nWhat detractors of the \"soft\" subjects miss is that the arts and humanities provide an essential framework and context for understanding the wider world. Studying the humanities strengthens the ability to communicate and work with others. It allows students to develop broad intellectual and cultural understanding; it nurtures creativity and deepens participation in public discourse and modem democracy.\nThe commission's report points out that \"at the very moment when China is seeking to adopt our model of broad education in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences as a stimulus to invention, the United States is instead narrowing our focus and abandoning our sense of what education has been and should continue to be - our sense of what makes America great.\"\nThese are the telling statistics: First, federal funding for helping American students include international training in their education has been cut 41 percent in four years. Second, the National Assessment of Educational Progress test shows that only less than a quarter of eighth- and 12th-grade US students are proficient in reading, writing and civics.\nHow can we possibly equip the US for its leadership role in an increasingly connected world if we are not adequately teaching students to communicate and helping them understand and encounter diverse perspectives? If we fail to invest in the arts and humanities, our country's future leaders will not have the ability to connect on an emotional level with others. This ability is developed by studying the humanities, and in the global community this skill is not optional - it's essential.\nIn a word, we must enthusiastically support and fund the study of the arts and humanities. For anyone concerned with how this translates into a sound economy and a sound financial future, simply recall what Steve Jobs told graduates of Standford University in 2005: One of the most influential experiences in his brief time at Reed College was his exposure to the fine art of calligraphy . It taught him the important lesson of the relationship between discipline and creativity.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is the most suitable title for this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Significance of arts and humanities", "Key qualities of future leaders", "Decline of arts and humanities", "Rise and fall of hard sciences"]}]} -{"article": "Around the world, honeybee groups are dying in huge numbers: About one-third of nests collapse each year. For bees and the plants they pollinate -- as well as for beekeepers, farmers, honey lovers and everyone else who appreciates this marvelous social insect -- this is a catastrophe.\nHoneybee collapse has been particularly worrying because there is no one cause, but rather a thousand little cuts. The main elements include the mixed impact of pesticides applied to fields, as well as pesticides applied directly into nets to control bugs, pests and diseases; nutritional shortages caused by vast acreages of single-crop fields that lack diverse flowering plants; and commercial beekeeping itself, which destroys groups by moving most bees around the country multiple times each year to pollinate crops.\nThe real issue, though, is not the volume of problems, but the interactions among them. Here we find a major lesson from the bees that we ignore at our risk: the concept of synergy , where one plus one equals three, or four, or more. A typical honeybee colony contains remains from more than 120 pesticides. Alone, each represents a benign dose . But together they form a poisonous soup of chemicals whose interplay can greatly reduce the effectiveness of bees' immune systems, making them easier to suffer from diseases.\nObserving the death of honeybees should warn us that our own well-being might be similarly threatened, and the widespread collapse of so many groups presents a clear message: We must demand that our regulatory authorities require studies on how exposure to low dosages of combined chemicals may affect human health before approving compounds.\nBees also provide some clues to how we may build a more collaborative relationship with the services that ecosystems can provide. Bees could offer some of the pollination service needed for agriculture. People discovered that crop harvests, and thus profits, are maximized if some cropland are left uncultivated for bees. Meanwhile a variety of wild plants means a healthier, more diverse bee population, which will then move to the planted fields next door in larger and more active numbers.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is NOT the cause that leads to bees dying?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Lack of nutrition from enough diverse flowering plants.", "The pests and diseases of the bees.", "The beekeepers' destroying without intention", "The pesticides applied to crops."]}, {"question": "The lesson people can learn from bees dying is that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["medicine is as powerful as pesticide", "our health might be threatened by pesticides", "we should protect bees by reducing the usage of pesticides", "medicine may be harmful to us when used together"]}]} -{"article": "Dear Aunt Tara,\nI have a problem with my homework. We have to do it in a group. It has to be finished this Friday, but Gary, the boy in our group, has done nothing helpful. He just keeps _ .\nEvery time we talk about the work with him, he always says, \"Don't worry. I'll do it later.\" But he seldom does his job. And when he does, he does it the wrong way. Someone has to do it for him again. What's worse is when Ms. Lin asks about our group, Gary always tells her that we others don't work hard enough. I'm really mad at Gary about this. We're in the same group. Shouldn't we help each other to do a better job?\nKate\nDear Kate,\nIt is important for students to learn how to work together in a group. Maybe you should talk to Gary about the problem and tell him you all need his help. If he still doesn't change, go talk to your teacher. I believe she can make Gary do his job.\nAunt Tara", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is true about Kate's homework?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It's very easy.", "It's very boring.", "It has to be done by herself.", "It requires teamwork."]}, {"question": "What does \"rocking the boat\" most likely mean in Kate's letter?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Causing trouble.", "Doing easy jobs.", "Telling people what to do.", "Working without thinking."]}, {"question": "Which of the following best describes Gary?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Kind and helpful.", "Lazy and dishonest.", "Tall and strong.", "Honest and popular."]}, {"question": "What do we know from Aunt Tara's letter?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Kate is the leader of Ms. Lin's class.", "Kate should let Gary know how she feels.", "Gary should be put in another group.", "Gary has decided to change himself."]}, {"question": "What's Aunt Tara's advice to Kate?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Do the homework without Gary's help.", "Ask her teacher immediately to make Gary do his job.", "Talk to Gary first and then to Ms. Lin if necessary.", "Ask her teacher to give her a different kind of homework."]}]} -{"article": "Research by sociologists Scott Coltrance Michele Adams looked at national survey data and found that when men increase their share of housework and childcare, their children are happier, healthier and do better at school.What's more, when school-aged children do housework with their fathers, they get along better with their peers and have more friends.And they show more positive behaviors than if they do the same work with their mothers.\"Because fewer men do housework than women,\" said Adams, \"when they share the work,it has more influence on children.\" Fathers model \"co-operative family partnerships\".\nWhen men share housework and childcare, it turns out, their partners are happier.Wives of egalitarian husbands, regardless of class, report the highest levels of marital satisfaction and lowest rates of depression,and are less likely to see therapists .They are also more likely to stay fit, since they probably have more time on their hands.\nAnd the benefits for men are even greater.Men who share housework and childcare are healthier--physically and psychologically.They smoke less, drink less, and take recreational drugs less often.They are more likely to stay in shape and more likely to go to doctors for routine screenings, but less likely to use emergency rooms or miss work due to illness.\nIn both Europe and the United States,Dad is becoming the \"fun parent\".He takes the kids to the park and plays soccer with the kids; she stays home.\"What a great time we had with Dad!\" the kids announce as they burst through the kitchen door to a lunch mum prepared.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is NOT true of a woman whose husband shares housework?", "answer": "D", "options": ["She enjoys a high level of satisfaction at home.", "She is less likely to develop depression.", "She will have more free time.", "She is more likely to gain weight."]}, {"question": "Men who share housework and childcare _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["benefit physically more than psychologically", "will take the place of women", "are less likely to develop bad habits", "don't perform well at work"]}, {"question": "The passage is mainly about _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the new pattern of family relations in Europe and the US", "the benefits of men's participation in housework and childcare", "the problems of men's participation in childcare", "the important role husbands play in the family"]}]} -{"article": "By 2050\nFuturologists predict that life will probably be very different in 2050.\nTV channels will have disappeared. Instead, people will choose a program from a \"menu\" and a computer will send the program directly to the television. Today, we can use the World Wide Web to read newspaper stories and see pictures on a computer thousands of kilometers away. By 2050, music, films, programs, newspapers, and books will come to us by computer.\nCars will run on new, clean fuels and they will go very fast. Cars will have computers to control the speed and there won't be any accidents. Today, many cars have computers that tell drivers exactly where they are. By 2050, the computer will control the car and drive it to your destination. Space planes will take people halfway around the world in 2 hours. Today, the United States Space Shuttle can go into space and land on Earth again. By 2050, space planes will fly all over the world and people will fly from Los Angeles to Tokyo in just 2 hours.\nRobots will have replaced people in factories. Many factories already use robots. Big computers prefer robots--they don't ask for pay rises or go on strike, and they work 24 hours a day. By 2050, we will see robots everywhere--in factories, schools, offices, hospitals, shops and homes.\nMedical technology will have conquered many diseases. Today, there are devices that connect directly to the brain to help people hear. By 2050, we will be able to help blind and deaf people to see and hear again.\nScientist will have discovered how to control genes . Scientists have already produced clones of animals. By 2050, scientists will be able to produce clones of people, and decide how they look, how they behave and how clever they are. Scientists will be able to do these things, but should they?", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, the following can be realized today EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["reading newspapers on a computer", "making a space shuttle go into space and land on Earth again", "creating cloned animals", "choosing TV programs freely from a \"menu\""]}, {"question": "We can learn from the passage that some big companies prefer robots to human workers, because human workers _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["can work 24 hours a day", "often ask for more pay", "are not clever enough", "are often late for work"]}, {"question": "What is the author's attitude towards the cloning technology?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The author does not support the use of cloning technology.", "The author thinks human cloning is impossible.", "The author does not really support the idea of human cloning.", "The author is quite excited about human cloning."]}]} -{"article": "Why don't birds get lost on their long migratory flights? Scientists have puzzled over this question for many years. Now they're beginning to fill in the blanks.\nNot long ago, experiments showed that birds rely on the sun to guide them during daylight hours. But what about birds that fly mainly by night? Tests with artificial stars have proved conclusively that certain night-flying birds are able to follow the stars in their long-distance flights.\nOne such bird, a warbler , had spent its lifetime in a cage and had never flown under a natural sky. Yet it showed an inborn ability to use the stars for guidance. The bird's cage was placed under an artificial star-filled sky at migration time. The bird tried to fly in the same direction as that taken by his outdoor cousins. Any change in the direction of the make-be-live stars caused a change in the direction of his flight. Scientists think that warblers, when flying in daylight, use the sun for guidance. But the stars are apparently their main means of navigation . What do they do when the stars are hidden by clouds? Apparently, they find their way by such landmarks as mountain ranges, coast lines, and river courses. But when it's too dark to see these, the warblers circle helplessly, unable to get their direction.", "problems": [{"question": "The reasons why birds don't get lost on migratory flights _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["have been known to scientists for many years", "are known by everyone", "have only recently been discovered", "will probably remain a mystery"]}, {"question": "Warblers migrate _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["from North America to South America", "using what is apparently an inborn navigational ability", "only once during their lifetime", "when they are freed from their cages"]}, {"question": "When the stars are hidden by clouds, warblers find their way by _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["an artificial star", "some landmarks", "their inborn ability", "A and B"]}, {"question": "This article is a good example of the way scientists _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["discover workable answers to universal questions by studying particular cases", "jump to conclusions", "find a law and then investigate", "are disappointed by the habits of animals"]}]} -{"article": "Cleverness is a gift while kindness is a choice. Gifts are easy--they're given after all. Choices can be hard.\nI got the idea to start Amazon 16 years ago. I came across the fact that the Internet usage was growing at 2,300 percent per year. I'd never seen or heard of anything that grew that fast, and the idea of building an online bookstore with millions of titles was very exciting to me. I had just turned 30 years old, and I'd been married for a year. I told my wife Mac kenzie that I wanted to quit my job and go to do this crazy thing that probably wouldn't work since most start-ups don't and I wasn't sure what to expect. Mac kenzie told me I should go for it. As a young boy, I'd been a garage inventor. I'd always wanted to be an inventor, and she wanted me to follow my passion.\nI was working at a financial firm in New York City with a bunch of very smart people and I had a brilliant boss that I much admired. I went to my boss and told him I wanted to start a company selling books on the Internet. He took me on a long walk in Central Park, listened carefully to me, and finally said, \"That sounds like a really good idea, but it would be an even better idea for someone who didn't already have a good job.\" That logic made some sense to me, and he convinced me to think about it for 48 hours before making a final decision. Seen in that light, it was really a difficult choice, but finally, I decided I had to give it a shot. I didn't think I'd regret trying and failing. _ \nAfter much consideration, I took the less safe path to follow my passion, and I'm proud of that choice. For all of us, in the end, we are our choice.", "problems": [{"question": "What inspired the author with the idea of building an online bookstore?", "answer": "C", "options": ["His dream of being an inventor.", "The support of his wife.", "The greatly increasing usage of the Internet.", "The successful boss that he admired."]}, {"question": "We can know from the passage that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the boss thought the idea was suitable for the author", "the author might not regret if he failed the attempt", "the author wanted someone else to try the idea", "the author might go back to his boss if he failed"]}, {"question": "Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Cleverness and Kindness", "The Starting of Amazon", "Following My Passion", "We Are What We Choose"]}]} -{"article": "SPECIAL EVENTS THIS WEEKEND\nCaptain Goodfellow\nDo your children enjoy interesting stories, funny games, and exciting dances? Captain Goodfellow will be ready to teach all these things to children of all ages at the City Theatre on Saturday morning at 10:00, free.\nWalking Tour of the Town\nForget your worries on Saturday morning. Take a beautiful walk and learn about local history. Meet at the front entrance of City Hall at 9:30. Wear comfortable shoes!\nFilms at the Museum\nTwo European films will be shown on Saturday afternoon at the Museum Theatre. See Broken Window at 1:30. The workers will be at 3:45. For further information, call 4987898\nInternational Picnic\nAre you tired of eating the same food every day? Come to Central Park on Saturday and enjoy food from all over the world. Delicious and not expensive. Noon to 5:00 pm.\nTake me out to the Ballgame\nIt's October, and tonight is your last chance to see the Redbirds this year. Get your tickets at the gate. It might be cold outside. Don't forget sweaters and jackets.\nDo You Want to Hear \"The Zoo\"\n\"The Zoo\", a popular rock group from Australia, will give their first US concert tomorrow night at 8:00 at Rose Hall, City College", "problems": [{"question": "You can probably eat Chinese, Italian, and Arab food _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["at the front entrance of City Hall", "at the Ballgame", "at 5:00 pm", "at Central Park on Saturday"]}, {"question": "You can see movies at _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the City College", "the Museum Theatre", "the City Theatre", "the Central Park"]}, {"question": "If you are going on the Walking Tour, don't forget _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["your worries", "your beautiful walk", "your learning about local history", "your comfortable shoes"]}, {"question": "The Redbirds ballgame _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["is in the afternoon", "is outside", "is at the gate", "might be cold"]}, {"question": "\"The Zoo\" is _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["a park with lots of animals", "US concert", "a music group", "going to give the concert at 8:00 am"]}]} -{"article": "Jason sat on his couch as he normally did, not knowing that his life would change on that beautiful autumn day. As he left his house, he thought of everything that he needed to buy, made a list, and then got into his car. As he began to drive, his mind came to the fight that he had with his girlfriend. When he finally began to focus back on his driving, it was just a moment too late. He had hit a car and there was no way to stop what happened next.\nThe smell of gasoline filled the air, and he knew that he needed to get out of the car. Strong arms began to pull him out and he saw a woman who was screaming. A stranger handed a child to her and the child was injured. Afterwards, they were taken to the hospital.\nBy chance, he was in a room on the same floor as the mother and child. For the first time in his life, he was truly sorry. He made his way to their room, looked at the upset mother straight in the eye and said simply, \"Please forgive me and I didn't mean for this to happen.\" The woman stood there, completely shocked, and said, \"It took a lot of courage for you to ask for forgiveness, and my daughter is always saying to me to just forgive and forget. I will give you forgiveness.\"\nJason began to cry, and not knowing what to do, he threw his arms around the mother of the injured girl and told her that he would do anything they needed. To make it easier for him, the woman told him her and her daughter's names. Then they sat there and talked for hours, watching her daughter sleep. They are now friends and are enjoying the wonderful friendship, all because of forgiveness.", "problems": [{"question": "Jason hit a car because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["he had just started to learn driving.", "the brakes of his car weren't working properly", "he was fighting with his girlfriend", "he was absent-minded while driving"]}, {"question": "When Jason asked for forgiveness, what kind of feeling did the woman have?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Hopeless.", "Surprised.", "Ashamed.", "Regretful."]}, {"question": "What does the author try to tell us?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To forgive is to set yourself free.", "Forgiving doesn't mean forgetting.", "Love is the source of forgiveness.", "Forgiveness benefits both those who give and receive."]}]} -{"article": "Below is a web page from Google. \nOlympic--Modern Olympic Games\nThe completer results archive of summer and winter Olympic Games, with winners lists, statistics, national anthems and flags of all countries since 1896.\nWww. Olympic. it/english/home-16k\nEnvironment\nBeijing steel plants to run at the lowest level of cost during 2008 Olympics [2007-03-11] Beijing able to treat 90 pct of waste water [2007-02-05] *Air quality in Beijing has improved over the past six years [2007-02-01]*Green Olympics dream coming true ...\nen. Beijing2008.com/80/67/column211716780.shtml-52k\nprefix = st1 /Beijing announces planned route of Olympic torch relay\nBeijing announced the 2008 Olympic Games torch relay route and set off the Olympic Games torch on Thursday. ... Green Olympics is one of the three concepts of the Beijing Games. ...\nenglish.china.com/zh _ cn/news/sports/110592227/14069663.html-26k\nEnvironmental Symbol of BeijingOlympics --'Green Olympics'\nEnvironmental Symbol of BeijingOlympics --'Green Olympics', officially announced on Saturday, 24 September 2005. The symbol, created using a calligraphic art form, is composed of human and tree-like shapes, ...\nmy.opera.com/green _ head/blog/show.dml/92155-18k\nGreen Olympics Forum In Beijing 2004\nOn behalf of BOCOC, Wang Wei, executive vice president of BOCOC, gave a presentation about Green Olympics, introduced the environment protection work of BMC and BOCOC, and answered several questions such as protection of cultural relics ...\nen.beijing2008.com/84/91/article211929184.shtml-36k\nOlympic Games Quizzes and Olympic Games Trivia\nWho was the founder of the Modern Olympics? In which cities were the modern Olympic Games due to be held/ scheduled during the 'war years', i.e., 1916, 1940, and 1944? ... In which three years of the Modern Olympic Games were ... More questions ...\nwww.funtrivia.com/quizzes/sports/ olympic _ games.html-12k\nOFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT\n... aimed at young researchers engaged in scholarly research on the Olympic Movement, its history and values, and the impact of the ...[ Full story] SPORT ACCORD[2005-01-23]...\nwww.olympic.org\nAncient Olympic Heritage and Modern Olympic Games in Athens 2004\nAs put forward in the various official texts, the Olympic symbols of ancient Olympia, the Olympic flame and the Marathon race are bridges between the ancient and the modern Olympic Games, ...\nwww.c2008.org/rendanews/knowledge _ detail.asp?id=911-106k", "problems": [{"question": "When was the environmental symbol of Beijing Olympics made public?", "answer": "B", "options": ["On January 23, 2005.", "On September 24, 2005.", "On February 5, 2007.", "On March 11, 2007."]}, {"question": "Which of the following websites is designed for young researchers interested in the Olympics?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Environment", "Green Olympics Forum In Beijing 2004", "Olympic Games Quizzes and Olympic Games Trivia", "OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT"]}, {"question": "Which website provides a complete list of the winners in the Olympic Games?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Olympic--Modern Olympic Games", "Green Olympics Forum In Beijing 2004", "Environmental Symbol ofBeijingOlympics --'Green Olympics'", "Ancient Olympic Heritage and Modern Olympic Games in Athens 2004"]}, {"question": "What do we learn from the above web page?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Beijing has made efforts to improve its air quality.", "The Olympic torch relay route has not been planned.", "The Olympic flag will be on display inAthens.", "A quiz on the Olympics will be held inBeijing."]}]} -{"article": "Earlier this year, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed a stricter nationwide health standard for smog-causing pollutants that would bring substantial benefits to millions of Americans. With a final rule expected by the end of this month, some opponents, mainly from industrial and oil-producing states, are pushing back. They say investments required to produce cleaner air are too expensive and not scientifically justified.\nLisa Jackson, the E.P.A. administrator, needs to stick to her guns. This is only the first of several political tests to come this fall, as she also seeks to tighten rules governing individual pollutants like mercury and global warming gases like carbon dioxide.\nThe health standard she is proposing covers ground-level ozone, commonly known as smog, which is formed when sunlight mixes with pollutants from factories, refineries, power plants and automobiles. Ozone is a major health threat, contributing to heart disease and various respiratory problems.\nMs. Jackson's proposal--to reduce the permitted level of smog in the air from the current 75 parts per billion to between 60 parts per billion and 70 parts per billion--is sensible, no matter what industry's defenders may claim. It had been recommended by the agency's independent scientific panel but rejected by the Bush administration, which proposed a weaker standard.\nIndustry will have to make investments in cleaner power plants, and new technologies may be required. As it is, about half the counties that monitor ozone levels are not yet in compliance with current standards, let alone the proposed standard.\nFears about burdening industry raised by critics like George Voinovich, a Republican of Ohio, and Mary Landrieu, a Democrat of Louisiana, cannot be dismissed out of hand, especially in the middle of a recession . But the health benefits, E.P.A. says, far outweigh the costs, and the time frame for compliance is generous.", "problems": [{"question": "Why are some people strongly against a stricter limitation of smog-caused pollutants?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because they have to live a poorer life.", "Because they think they have to spend more money.", "Because they hold different political view.", "Because they want to make more money."]}, {"question": "What does Ms Jackson propose to do?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To reduce the permitted smog level as much as possible.", "To raise the permitted smog level as much as possible.", "To keep the permitted smog level from 60 to 70 to 75 parts per billion.", "To lower the permitted smog level from 75 to 60 to 70 parts per billion."]}, {"question": "What is the attitude of the author to the smog-controlling issue?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Objective.", "Subjective.", "Critical.", "Unknown."]}, {"question": "Which of the following can serve as the best title of the whole passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Cleaner power plant on the way.", "Say no to smog pollutants.", "Lower smog pollutant, better our life.", "Debate on smog pollutants."]}]} -{"article": "Everything in China is negotiable, so goes the saying, reminding foreign travelers to be on guard and avoid being overcharged. Foreign tourists are often advised to learn some bargaining skills so that they can avoid paying high prices. Generally speaking, bargaining is an art and an important part of people's life in China.\nBut the younger generation is gradually losing interest and the ability to negotiate a better deal. With fatter wallets, young people who never experienced war or shortages seldom bother to spend 10 minutes at a roadside shop cutting the price of a cell phone cover by 1 yuan. Saving for a rainy day and making good use of every penny---values held dear by older generations---no longer seem necessary. Naturally, bargaining is out, in an increasingly rich society. In this sense, bargaining is a product of poverty.\nBut in many countries, where residents' incomes are much lower than those in China, bargaining is not popular at all. I can still remember my failed bargaining attempts in Africa and Indonesia, where vendor looked at me in surprise when I sought something at half the price. They shook their heads and stopped the negotiation. Latter I was told by friends who had been staying there for years that bargaining was not part of local commercial culture.\nDuring the years when the planned economy changed into the market economy, it was difficult for ordinary buyers to get a full picture of the product prices at a time when travel was inconvenient, and information spread slowly, adding to the information asymmetry . Afraid of being overcharged by vendors, buyers turned to the old wisdom of bargaining whenever and wherever they could.\nNowadays, the popularity of e-commerce has improved pricing transparence to the extreme. With the click of a mouse, all kinds of information on a product can be found, with users' comments helping new consumers make decisions. With such transparency, overpricing becomes less frequent and bargaining is not a necessity for shoppers. In this sense, reduced bargaining activity can be seen as a sign of China's progress toward a more mature economy.", "problems": [{"question": "Bargaining is a skill to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["buy high-quality products", "communicate with foreigners", "avoid paying too much", "increase sales"]}, {"question": "In China, the younger generation is losing interest in bargaining as a result of _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["rising incomes", "an increasing number of products", "the value of saving for a raining day", "their fear of losing face"]}, {"question": "What can we infer from the author's experiences in Africa and Indonesia?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Bargaining is always popular in poor countries.", "Vendors there are impolite to foreign travelers.", "It's not avoidable to go abroad without bargaining skills.", "Bargaining is not necessarily related to incomes."]}, {"question": "In terms of price and product information, buyers in China used to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["be kept in the dark", "know better than seller", "show no concern", "be well-informed"]}, {"question": "What's the main theme of this passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Give buyers some tips about how to bargain.", "Bargaining is disappearing with the development of society.", "Make good use of every penny.", "The younger generation is good at bargaining."]}]} -{"article": "While taking pictures of a curious five-month-old fox, photographer Simbn Czapp soon realized his subject had quite an interest in photography herself. The clever fox was so curious about the camera equipment that she climbed ri^it on top of it. And while she was supposed to be the subject of the shoot, the fox stood on the shutter release button and took her own frames.\nMr Czapp visited the New Forest Wildlife Park to capture images of new arrival Jessie. She has been at the animal park in Ashjurst, Hampshire--home to wolves, deer and other animals in 25 acres of ancient woodland--after being abandoned by her mother.\nMr Czapp said, \"Jessie was very playful and curious and not at all camera shy. Soon after I arrived she was chewing my shoes and everything seemed to be a game to her. Then she started exploring the camera I had set up on a tripod .She stood on her back legs to look at the back of the camera. She balanced her front paws on it and at one point knocked it over.\"\nHe put the camera back on the tripod and Jessie soon jumped back up. At one point she had all four paws on the camera and was keeping her balance. Mr Czapp added, \"She jumped up there several times and I realized it could make a good picture. As I was leaving with the public' s viewing window behind me, I thought I heard the camera go off but didn't think much of it. But when I checked the memory card afterwards, I was amazed to see Jessie had actually taken two pictures of me photographing her. I couldn't believe a fox had gained an advantage over me! Jessie is a lovely little fox. There were some lovely photos of her but she obviously thought the photographer was worthy of a picture too!,", "problems": [{"question": "What do we know about Jessie from the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["She arrived at the park five months ago.", "She lives at the park together with some wolves.", "She was sent to the park because her mother left her.", "She loved the life in the park so much that she left her mother,"]}, {"question": "From the passage we can infer that _ . .", "answer": "D", "options": ["sometimes foxes are better at photographing than men", "some foxes are more friendly than humans", "Mr Czapp felt ashamed that the fox gained an advantage over him", "Mr Czapp and Jessie took photos for each other"]}]} -{"article": "A white shark shipped from New York and placed into an outdoor pool for a Kmart commercial in Los Angeles died after showing signs of distress, an official from the animal welfare group that monitored the production said on Thursday.\nThe American Humane Association (AHA), which certifies film and TV productions with animals, says everything possible was done to ensure the 1.5 meter shark's safety.\nThe shark's death follows lots of criticism of the use of animals in Hollywood productions. The animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which said it received details on the shark's death from two whistleblowers\n , criticized the AHA in a letter over the shark's death.\n\"Sharks are sensitive animals who, in captivity , require a highly specialized and controlled environment,\" the PETA letter read. \"Given the delicate nature of this species, why would the AHA approve the transport and use of this animal?\"\nThe shark was placed into a 227- liter outdoor tank in the Van Nuys suburb of Los Angeles, said Karen Rosa, a senior adviser of the AHA. She added that was a good amount of water for it. \"We honestly don't know why the animal died. It was not being mistreated. It was not being harmed,\" Rosa said.\nEarly in the day, the shark seemed to be in good condition, but at one point they noticed it showed signs of distress. \"As far as I know, it was immediately insisted upon that the animal receive specialized aquatic veterinarian care,\" she said.\nOxygen was pumped into the tank and the shark was given a shot to try to stabilize it before it was transferred to an aquatic compound for care, where it died the same day, Rosa said.\nThe shoot was for a Kmart commercial, but a representative for the retailer could not disclose any details.\n\"We take this matter seriously and safety is always our first concern,\" the spokesman for Kmart said in a statement.", "problems": [{"question": "The shark was shipped to Los Angeles for _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["a study by the AHA", "a business activity", "a film about animals", "a project by an animal welfare group"]}, {"question": "From the passage, we can learn that PETA _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["monitor films and TV productions that have animals", "sent a representative to the scene of the shoot", "believed the shark received specialized care", "didn't think the shark was transferred very well"]}, {"question": "What does Karen Rosa think of AHA?", "answer": "A", "options": ["It had done all that it needed to do.", "It was against the rights of the animals.", "It was not connected with the shark's death.", "It should be responsible for the shoot."]}, {"question": "What can we infer from the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The shark died due to a lack of water.", "Kmart was first to notice that the shark was showing signs of distress.", "Kmart claimed to ensure the animals' safety but didn't do it very well.", "The shark was given a highly specialized environment in captivity."]}, {"question": "What is the best title for the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Sharks Should be Forbidden for Commercial", "PETA Tries to Stop Shooting With Animals", "Sharks Are Sensitive Animals in Captivity", "Shark Brought to Los Angeles for Commercial Dies"]}]} -{"article": "Tony Bennett, the American singer recently touring Britain, can't remember how many times he has sung his _ \"I left My Heart in San Fransisco\". He sang it again to his audience at the London Palladium last night.\n\"I never get tired of singing it.\" He said. \"I like it too much . It's a great city and it's a good song.\"\nBennett is to record a TV program with American singer Lens Home while he is here. And a new LP recorded by him in London for Philips titled \"Listen Easy\" will be published in June.. \"I like it here.\" He added quietly over whiskey. \"I would like to live here so many months of the year.\"\nHe already keeps a large flat in Grosenor Square, where he is staying with his actress wife Sandie Grant and their three-year-old daughter Joanna. It has a studio where he likes to paint. Tony plans to have his first exhibition later in the year and he has already sold one picture for $4000. At the end of the year Tony is to star in a musical film , which has been specially written for him called \"Two Bits\", an informal expression for 50 cents. It's about an Italian immigrant who goes to America , but he becomes a failure.\n\"In many ways it's very close to my life the way the story has been written,\" said Bennett. \"My father, an Italian ,was ill and died when I was nine. He always wanted me to sing, but he never lived long enough to be a part of my success.", "problems": [{"question": "What does Tony Bennett want to do?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Buy a house and live in England.", "Stay with his wife and daughter in England.", "Live part of each year in England", "Leave American and settle in England"]}, {"question": "What's Tony's hobby?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Singing", "Drinking", "Playing", "Painting"]}, {"question": "What can we learn about Tony's father from this passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["He liked his son's singing.", "He was born in Italy and died when Tony Bennett was a small boy", "He was a part of Bennett's achievement", "He was glad that his son became famous."]}, {"question": "What kind of man is Tony Bennett?", "answer": "B", "options": ["hardworking and humorous", "family-centered and hardworking", "outgoing and kind", "ambitious and trustworthy"]}]} -{"article": "Although the United States covers so much land and the land produces far more food than the present population needs,its people are by now almost entirely an urban society. Less than a tenth of the people are engaged in agriculture and forestry , and most of the rest live in or around towns,small and large.Here the traditional picture is changing: every small town may still be very like other small towns,and the typical small town may represent a widely accepted view of the country,but most Americans do not live in small towns any more. Half the population now lives in some thirty metropolitan areas(1arge cities with their suburbs, of more than a million people each--a larger proportion than in Germany or England,let alone France). The statistics of urban and rural population should be treated with caution because so many people who live in areas classified as rural travel by car to work in a nearby town each day. As the rush to live out of town continues,rural areas within reach of towns are gradually filled with houses, so that it is hard to say at what moment a piece of country becomes a suburb. But more and more the typical American lives in a metropolitan rather than a small town environment.", "problems": [{"question": "If now America has 250 million people.how many of them are engaged in agriculture and forestry?", "answer": "C", "options": ["About 25 million", "More than 25 million", "Less than 25 million", "Less than 225 million"]}, {"question": "Which of the following four countries has the smallest proportion of people living in metropolitan areas?", "answer": "C", "options": ["United States", "Germany", "France", "England"]}, {"question": "What's the meaning of the word\"metropolitan\"in the middle of the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Of a large city with its suburbs", "Of small and large towns", "Of urban areas", "Of rural areas"]}]} -{"article": "If I were writing a history of my family, some of the darkest moments recorded would be those surrounding Christmas trees. One would certainly think otherwise; selecting and putting up our trees have always been filled with risk.\nFor example, one afternoon dangerously close to Christmas Eve _ , a glorious tree that was so full and tall that we could hardly get it into the house. Once we did, my father immediately realized that we would have to hire a carpenter to build a stand for it.\nAnother December, perhaps the very next one, we bought a tree earlier than we ever had before. We were happy with its shape and delighted that its size was manageable. We easily placed it in a stand, decorated it from top to bottom, and then self-satisfiedly sat back by the fire in its soft light.\nTwo or three days passed and the truth could not be hidden; we had bought a tree cut so long ago that its needles were coming off. There was nothing to do but undecorated it, take it down, and begin tree shopping again.\nOur most recent Christmas tree offered still another difficult task. When we brought it home, once again it seemed larger than it was in the great outdoors. To complicate matters, we had bought a new stand, one whose nuts and bolts worked more mysteriously than those of our old stands. I persuaded two young neighbors to stop playing basketball and to help us get the tree into the house and set it correctly in the stand. Unfortunately, no one noticed the mud on our helpers' shoes, so only after removing several reddish brown sports from the carpet were we able to discuss the question of where the lights and ornaments were stored. Perhaps those who cut their own trees have tales more painful than these. I don't care to hear them, as my family's experiences are enough to cause me to make the following suggestion: \"Let's forget the tree next Christmas. Let's simply hang some flowers on the front door and over the mirror in the hall.\"", "problems": [{"question": "The darkest moments in the writer's family were with the fact that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the family bought big Christmas trees", "they had problems decorating their Christmas trees", "they had problems picking suitable Christmas trees", "they had problems finding carpenters for putting up Christmas trees"]}, {"question": "We can learn from the passage that the writer would like to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["forget about Christmas stories", "get the neighbors to put up their trees", "buy a better tree to celebrate Christmas", "make other decorations rather than Christmas trees"]}, {"question": "When the writer said \"my mother bought what she thought to be a bargain\", he means _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["she bought the tree at a cheap price", "she didn't really want to buy it", "she had to bargain hard with the salesman", "she couldn't afford a more expensive one"]}, {"question": "Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["How to Select a Christmas Tree", "No More Christmas Tree for Us", "Dark Moments of Life", "Christmas Without Trees"]}]} -{"article": "Scientists in Mexico have just begun a new study of one of the world's biggest pyramids: the Pyramid of the Sun, north of Mexico City. They're putting lots of small, high-tech machines under the pyramid to try to unlock some of its secrets. For thousands of years, people have tried to uncover the secrets of the pyramids.\nThe people who built the pyramids made lots of secret doors and rooms to stop robbers from finding the treasures inside. However, there always have been some smart thieves in history. Now, almost all of Egypt's pyramids have been robbed, including the Great Pyramid of Khufu, which is the largest pyramid in the world. It is the only one of the ancient wonders of the world that is still standing.\nIn AD 820, an Arab king named Abdullah AL Manum got a group of workers to dig their way into the Great Pyramid and have a look. Inside the pyramid, they found three rooms --- the Queen's Chamber, the Grand Gallery and the King's Chamber. But to their surprise, the men didn't find the treasures they wanted. The Queen's and King's Chambers were both empty! Where were the King's mummy and his treasures? Had someone already taken them away? The huge stone doors at the pyramid's entrance were still closed when AL Manum's men went inside. How had the thieves got in and out?\nSince then, many people have gone inside the Great Pyramid to have a look or to try to take things. But still, no other chambers or walkways have been found.\nIn 2002, an American team made the most recent visit to the Great Pyramid. Scientists sent a robot into the pyramid, but they only found a mysterious locked stone door.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the purpose of making some secret doors to the pyramids?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To try to unlock some of its secrets.", "To stop robbers from finding the treasures inside.", "To refuse some visitors all over the world into it.", "To tell the truth to the people in the future."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT true to the Great Pyramid of Khufu?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It is the largest pyramid in the world.", "It is the only one of the ancient wonders that is still standing.", "Abdullah AL Manum took the King's mummy and his treasures away.", "Scientists found a mysterious locked stone door to the Great Pyramid."]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for the text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The Pyramid of the Sun", "The Great Pyramid of Khufu", "A Mysterious Locked Stone Door", "Unlocking the Doors of History"]}]} -{"article": "If you're a foreigner looking for a place that has everything, there's only one place to visit, and that's New York. It's a whole world in a city.\nThe World of Theater\nAll of New York is a stage, and it begins with Broadway. Where else can you find so many shows in one place? Only in New York !\nThe World of Music\nSpend an evening with Beethoven at Lincoln Center. Swing to the great jazz of Greenwich Village. Or rock yourself silly at the hottest dance spots found anywhere.\nThe World of Art\nFrom _ to Picasso. From Egyptian tombs to Indian teepees. Whatever kind of art you like, you will find it in New York.\nThe World of Fine Dining\nWhether it is roast Beijing Duck in Chinatown, Lasagna in Little Italy, or the finest French coq au vin(chicken cooked in wine) found anywhere, there is a world of great taste waiting for you in New York.\nThe World of Sights\nWhat other city has a Statue of Liberty? A Rockefeller Center? Or a Bronx Zoo? Where else can you take a horse-drawn carriage through the Central Park? Only in New York!", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following programs can a visitor have only in New York?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To spend an evening with Beethoven.", "To see the Statue of Liberty.", "To taste the finest French coq au vin.", "To enjoy the Beijing roast duck."]}, {"question": "The purpose of writing this text is to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["help the readers get a better understanding of New York", "supply the readers with some information about New York jobs", "try to persuade the readers to visit New York", "tell the readers where New York lies"]}]} -{"article": "Most people will praise many technological gadgets that they use in their everyday lives. Technology is developing at a very fast rate, and what most people did not even think could be real a few years ago is now becoming a reality. Although many will use and advertise modern technology for many of its achievements and advancements, what many don't realize is that it has affected and continues to affect society and people in general in a negative way.\nNewspaper companies, as we all know, have been hit very hard by the advancements in technology. Big newspapers have been forced to either lay off a percentage of their work force or shut down altogether because news is readily available for free on the Internet. Music does not have to be purchased at a music store any more because MP3 files are readily available on the Internet as well, thus causing big music store chains to shut their doors for good. The movie industry has also been hit hard because DVD sales have decreased since people can pay for and download their favorite movies online.\nTechnology has its benefits, but when you take a look at how people communicate with one another, you will quickly see that it has a negative impact. Modern technology has allowed people to communicate with just about anyone they want to at any given time. The fact remains that people do not _ personally with one another as often as they used to. This has created a barrier for face-to-face communication among people because they no longer have to hold a meeting in an office or they no longer have to call friends or family members together to wish them a happy birthday or congratulate them on their recent success.\nAs a result, people don't feel the urgent need to step outside of their home to find entertainment, such as participating in a dynamic game of basketball with friends, meeting a friend at a coffee shop, etc.", "problems": [{"question": "The author shows us the negative effects of the technology by _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["telling some stories", "giving some examples", "listing some figures", "doing some experiments"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is the best title for the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The negative effects of advancing technology", "The benefits of the modern technology", "The development of the modern technology", "The social problems caused by the technology"]}]} -{"article": "Today our lives are changing faster than at any time in history. Here we report on three important changes that will have a big impact on our everyday lives in the future.\nThe cashless society\nCash and bank-notes will disappear almost completely. They will be replaced by smart cards, namely plastic cards: microchip processors loaded with some money. When we pay for goods,the shop assistant will put our smart card into a payment terminal and money will come into his card from our card. When all the money is used up,we will be able to reloadit by putting it into a telephone,dialing our bank account and money will be put into the card from the account.\nInteractive telephones\nTalking computers will play an important part. They will recognize speech, ask us what information we need, look through a database,and put the information into speech.If we want to book a flight or pay a bill by phone, we will interact with a talking computer to do so. Human telephone operators will be used only for more complex operations such as dealing with complaints or solving special problems.\nTraffic jams in cities will be reduced because drivers will use electronic route maps to find the quickest route to their destination. Electronic systems will start changing motorists for driving in cities.As soon as motorists have to pay to drive in cities, they will stop using their cars and use public transport instead. Speed control systems will be built into cars. These systems will automatically regulate the speed of the car to take account of traffic and weather conditions and prevent accidents. It will be many years before these changes bring results but when they do,there will be a _ improvement in road safety.\nWith the development of science and technology, more and more advanced things will be invented or created. Life in the future is undoubtedly different from that at the present.", "problems": [{"question": "Cash and bank-note will disappear because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["they will be out of use sooner or later", "they will be replaced by plastic cards convenient to use", "we can load money from the bank", "they will be rejected by payment terminals"]}, {"question": "What will you do if the money in your card is used up?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Go to the bank to deposit some money.", "Put the card into a telephone and dial the bank account.", "Buy a new card.", "We don't know."]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is NOT true?", "answer": "C", "options": ["When we buy tickets for flying somewhere else, we can have a talk with the computer.", "If you make a complaint, you can use human telephone operation.", "Drivers will stop using their cars and use public transport in order to prevent accidents.", "The help of electronic route maps will decrease traffic jams."]}]} -{"article": "In Victorian times, certain flowers expressed meanings because the flower selection was limited. Therefore, flower as a gift was an effective tool in social communication. With so many choices today, we have no rules in flower choosing. However, people tend to give a certain flower their own personal meaning--- maybe it can remind them of some particular friends or events. Here I would introduce the traditional meanings of some gift flowers as a reference for your flower choosing.\nCarnation is a good gift for your female teacher or mother, but not all kinds of carnations men respect and love. Different colours have different meanings. Generally, carnation means \"fascination and woman love\". Specifically, pink carnation means \"I'll never forget you\" and red carnation says \"I admire you\". But some carnations have very negative meanings. If you want to say goodbye to your girlfriend, you can send her a bunch of striped carnations or yellow ones, because it means \"Sorry I can't be with you. You disappointed me.\"\nRose is no doubt the best gift for girls in love. Basically, it relates to the love between men and women, but roses with different colours stand for different stages of love. Red rose is man's best friend when he wants to show his love to a girl. In the peak of his love, pink rose is more suitable because it means \"perfect happiness and please believe me\". While the love gets into trouble, yellow rose seems to be the best symbol. It means \"the decrease of love and jealousy\".\nThough you are free to choose any kind of flower as long as it is beautiful, I think this breif introduction can help you avoid making mistakes. Besides, the receivers must be happier if he or she gets to know the good will you convey in flowers.", "problems": [{"question": "Why do we choose certain flowers as gifts?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because they are the best gifts for you.", "Because flowers all look beautiful", "Because different flowers smell good.", "Because they can express specific meanings."]}, {"question": "In different stages of love, _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["roses of different colours show love to a girl.", "you can choose red rose at any occasion", "yellow rose is the best symbol for your love", "pink rose implies that your love comes to maturity ."]}, {"question": "What does the passage mainly talk about?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Carnation is better than rose", "Like the carnation, like the rose", "Different flowers have different meanings", "Flowers of different colours"]}]} -{"article": "Scientists today are making greater effort to study ocean currents . Most do it using satellites and other high-tech equipment. However, ocean expert Curtis Ebbesmeyer does it in a special way -- by studying movements of random floating garbage. A scientist with many years' experience, he started this type of research in the early 1990s when he heard about hundreds of athletic shoes washing up on the shores of the northwest coast of the United States. There were so many shoes that people were setting up _ to try and match left and right shoes to sell or wear.\nEbbesmeyer found out in his researches that the shoes -- about 60,000 in total -- fell into the ocean in a shipping accident. He phoned the shoe company and asked if they wanted the shoes back. As expected, the company told him that they didn't. Ebbesmeyer realized this could be a great experiment. If he learned when and where the shoes went into the water and tracked where they landed, he could learn a lot about the patterns of ocean currents.\nThe Pacific Northwest is one of the world's best areas for beachcombing because winds and currents join here, and as a result, there is a group of serious beachcombers in the area. Ebbesmeyer got to know a lot of them and asked for their help in collecting information about where the shoes landed. In a year he collected reliable information on 1, 600 shoes. With this data, he and a colleague were able to test and improve a computer program designed to model ocean currents, and publish the findings of their study.\nAs the result of his work, Ebbesmeyer has become known as the scientist to call with questions about any unusual objects found floating in the ocean. He has even started an association of beachcombers and ocean experts, with 500 subscribers from West Africa to New Zealand. They have recorded all lost objects ranging from potatoes to golf gloves.", "problems": [{"question": "Ebbesmeyer phoned the shoe company to find out _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["what caused the shipping accident", "when and where the shoes went missing", "whether it was all right to use their shoes", "how much they lost in the shipping accident"]}, {"question": "How did Ebbesmeyer prove his assumption?", "answer": "A", "options": ["By collecting information from beachcombers.", "By studying the shoes found by beachcomber.", "By searching the web for ocean currents models.", "By researching ocean currents data in the library."]}, {"question": "Ebbesmeyer is most famous for _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["traveling widely the coastal cities of the world", "making records for any lost objects on the sea", "running a global currents research association", "phoning about any doubtful objects on the sea"]}, {"question": "What is the purpose of the author in writing this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To call people's attention to ocean pollution.", "To warn people of shipping safety in the ocean.", "To explain a unique way of studying ocean currents.", "To give tips on how to search for lost objects on the beach."]}]} -{"article": "Imagine if you could have any house you wanted.Money is no object.You can place the house anywhere in the world and you can build the house from any materials you wish.\nWhat would that house look like? What would be the color1 and texture of the walls, the shape of the rooms, and the quality of the light?\nCarl Jung said: \"When I was a child, I dreamed of a house shaped like a ring.Rooms would be arranged in a ring around a central courtyard, and the courtyard would have a glass roof, a steamy climate, and unusual birds. All windows in this house would look inward at the courtyard.No windows would look outward at the outside world.This was an introverted , perhaps proud, house.\nAs I aged, my dream house reshaped itself.Instead of an inner courtyard, it developed sociable porches and big bay windows.The house of my dreams reflected who I was becoming. \"\nFor the psychologist Carl Jung, building a house was a symbol of building a self.In his autobiographical Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Jung described the gradual evolution of his home on Lake Zurich.Jung spent more than thirty years building this castle - like structure, and he believed that the towers and windows represented his soul.\nClare Cooper Marcus said, \" Can we know more about who we are by looking at where we live?\" Clare Cooper Marcus, a Professor of Architecture at the University of California in Berkeley, has written widely about the relationship between homes and the people who occupy them.Her book House as a Mirror of Self explores the meaning of \" Home\" as a place of self - expression, as a place of growing, and as a place of sociability.Marcus spent years looking at people' s drawings of memorable childhood places.\nIf the houses we live in are so significant, what about the houses we imagine? What do our wishes say about who we are?", "problems": [{"question": "Which question does the writer really try to answer?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Do the houses we imagine reflect who we are?", "What would our imaginative houses look like?", "What kind of houses would you like to live in?", "Do you like to dream of a house of your own?"]}, {"question": "We can learn that when he grew up, Carl Jung liked to", "answer": "B", "options": ["move about", "make friends", "stay alone", "have dreams"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is true?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Carl Jung built a house himself in his childhood.", "Carl Jung's dream house changed as he changed.", "Cooper Marcus can recognize a house's owner easily.", "Cooper Marcus' s book involves people's relationship"]}]} -{"article": "On February 1,1960,I met three of my friends at the North Carolina A & T College Library,and together we walked to Woolworth's.At that time in the South,African Americans weren't allowed to eat with the white people.Woolworth's had a separate lunch counter in the basement for \"negroes\" .My friends and I had agreed that we would sit at the white people's lunch counter and ask to be served.And we did just that.Immediately,spoons stopped halfway to people's mouths.Every eye was on us.Again,we asked the waitress for coffee,and she refused and said it was a custom not to serve the black people.And I asked,\"But you do agree that the custom is wrong,don't you?\"\nWe were very polite -- out goal was to make sure that people did the right thing.So we sat there,waiting.An angry policeman came in and stopped right behind me.I could feel his hot breath on my neck as he stood over me.I said to myself,\"This is it.\"But he just stood there for a minute and then backed away and started pacing up and down.I came to realise:he didn't know what to do.\nAn old white lady sitting farther down the counter finished her sandwich and headed straight for us.I prepared myself for a blast of abuse.Instead,she put her hands on our shoulders and said,\"Boys,I am so proud of you.I only regret that you didn't do this ten years ago.\" That added to my determination to see it through.\nWe went back to that lunch counter every day for six months until African Americans were finally served in every restaurant.", "problems": [{"question": "Why did people focus on the author when he asked to be served?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Because he sat at the white people's lunch counter.", "Because he asked for coffee,which wasn't served there.", "Because he was very loud and was disturbing other people.", "Because he was new to the Woolworth's restaurant."]}, {"question": "Which of the following words best describes the author?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Strange.", "Kindhearted.", "Courageous.", "Stubborn."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is TRUE,according to the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The author's friends were disappointed with him.", "The old lady was in support of the author.", "The old lady called the policeman in to deal with the matter.", "The author's friends stopped the matter from getting worse."]}]} -{"article": "Can storms in Africa cause asthma in the Caribbean ? Islanders point to the desert insects that land on beaches after a 5,000-kilometer flight across the Atlantic. If they can use winds to get from one continent to another, so can clouds of dust that carry disease.\nScientists think that as Africa becomes drier, dust from expanding deserts is being blown away into Caribbean islands. A study in Barbados shows that asthma has increased 17 times since Africa's drought began in 1973.\nOther forms of life are suffering, too. Among them are the Caribbean's famous coral reefs( ), which began dying in large numbers in the 1900s. Eugene Shinn of the U.S. Geiological Sudrvey(USGS) in Florida went to the virgin Islands to study the reefs. The tests he and his colleagues carried out showed that the coral was dying of disease caused by Africa microbes from across the ocean.\nWilliam Sprigg of the University of Arizona is studying the problem as part of a major UN project. He says that dust is causing problems in the U.S., too.\n\"We are just beginning to collect the evidence of airborne dust influences on human health,\" he toldThe Washington Post.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following can be the best title for this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Dangerous Dust", "Dangerous Disease", "Changing Weather", "Developing Technology"]}, {"question": "Where does the dust talked about in this passage come from?", "answer": "B", "options": ["America.", "Africa.", "The Atlantic.", "The Pacific."]}, {"question": "The increase of asthma in the Caribean is probably related to _ according to scientists.", "answer": "C", "options": ["desert insects", "strong winds", "airborne dust", "dry weather"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT true about the Caribbean coral reefs?", "answer": "A", "options": ["They are in Florida.", "They used to be very beautiful.", "They began dying in the past decades.", "The African microbes have bad effect on them."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is TRUE about William Sprigg?", "answer": "B", "options": ["He is a member of UN.", "He thinks African dust also affects the US.", "He has collected enough evidence about dust influences.", "He is a reporter from \nThe Washington Post."]}]} -{"article": "Mrs. Packletide intended to shoot a tiger. Not that the desire to kill had suddenly come to her, or that she felt she would leave India safer with one wild beast less. It was because Loona Bimberton had recently taken a plane to the forest and killed a tiger, and the newspapers showed photographs of Loona Bimberton with a tiger-skin on. In a world supposed to be moved by hunger and by love, Mrs. Packletide's movements were largely governed by dislike of Loona Bimberton.\nCircumstances proved favorable. Mrs. Packletide had offered a thousand rupees for the opportunity of shooting a tiger without risk or effort, and it happened that an old tiger was frequently coming to a neighboring village at night. He was so old that he couldn't kill animals in the wild and just satisfied his appetite to the smaller household animals. The villagers were eager to earn the thousand rupees; children were posted night and day in the jungle to watch the tiger, and the cheap goats were left about to keep him from going elsewhere. The one great fear was that he should die of old age before the day of Mrs. Packletide's shoot.\nThe great night arrived. A platform had been built in a tree, on which sat Mrs. Packletide and her paid companion, Miss Mebbin. A goat with a loud bleat was tied down at the correct distance. With an accurate gun, they waited for the coming of the tiger.\n\"I suppose we are in some danger?\" said Miss Mebbin.\nShe was not actually nervous about the wild beast, but she was unwilling to perform a bit more service than she had been paid for.\n\"It's a very old tiger. It couldn't spring up here even if it wanted to.\" said Mrs. Packletide.\nTheir conversation was cut short by the appearance of the old tiger. He saw the goat, and lay on the earth for a short rest before attacking.\nThe gun fired very loudly, and the great yellow beast jumped to one side and then rolled over in the stillness of death. In a moment a crowd of excited villagers appeared on the scene, and their shouting carried the glad news to the village.\nIt was Miss Mebbin who found that the goat was dying from a bullet-wound, while no wound could be found on the tiger. Evidently the wrong animal had been hit, and the tiger had died of heart-failure, caused by the sudden loud noise of the gun. Mrs. Packletide was annoyed at the discovery; but anyway, she owned a dead tiger, and the villagers, anxious for their thousand rupees, gladly accepted the fiction that she had shot the tiger. And Miss Mebbin was a paid companion. Therefore Mrs. Packletide faced the cameras with a light heart, and her pictures appeared on the newspapers of England and America. As for Loona Bimberton, she refused to look at a newspaper for weeks, and was in a depressed emotion for quite some time.\nMrs. Packletide's tiger-skin was inspected and admired by the neighbors, and Mrs. Packletide went to the Costume Ball in the character of Diana .\n\"How amused everyone would be if they knew what really happened,\" said Miss Mebbin a few days after the ball.\n\"What do you mean?\" asked Mrs. Packletide quickly.\n\"How you shot the goat and frightened the tiger to death,\" said Miss Mebbin, with her unpleasant laugh.\n\"No one would believe it,\" said Mrs. Packletide, her face changing color1 rapidly.\n\"Loona Bimberton would,\" said Miss Mebbin.\nMrs. Packletide's face settled on greenish white. \"You surely wouldn't give me away?\" she asked.\n\"I've seen a weekend cottage near Dorking,\" said Miss Mebbin, \"six hundred and eighty. Quite a bargain, only I don't happen to have the money.\"\nMiss Mebbin possessed the pretty weekend cottage. Mrs. Packletide lost interest in animal-hunting.\n\"The extra expenses are so heavy,\" she said to inquiring friends.", "problems": [{"question": "Mrs. Packletide planned to shoot a tiger because she _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["would leave India safer", "hated the wild animal", "admired her good friend", "disliked a certain person"]}, {"question": "The Indian villagers were afraid that the tiger might _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["eat their goats", "kill their kids", "die of old age", "attack them at night"]}, {"question": "What did Mrs. Packletide want the villagers to arrange for her?", "answer": "D", "options": ["A platform in a tree", "A paid companion.", "An accurate gun.", "A safe shooting."]}, {"question": "What was the result of Mrs. Packletide's shooting?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The old tiger was shot to death.", "Neither the tiger nor the goat was shot.", "The old tiger missed being shot.", "Both the goat and the tiger were shot."]}]} -{"article": "A few years ago my sister moved from her home in Alabama to Buffalo, New York. Since moving to Buffalo she's become a big hockey fan and has encouraged me to start watching it. Unfortunately it's very difficult to find hockey on television here in Alabama. Since hockey games don't air very much on television I've had to look for different ways to watch hockey games.\nI often see websites that claim if you go to their website you can watch television on your computer. I try out many of these websites hoping that one of the television stations is a northern station that airs hockey games. Unfortunately, most of them don't work. Either the site doesn't really give you what they advertise or their video player doesn't work properly. But finally I've found one website that actually works.\nFree Tube is a site that you can go to and watch Television online for free. You don't have to download any kind of special software or pay money or even sign up for anything. All you have to do is go to Free Tube, choose your channel and start watching.\nThe different channels to choose from are separated into different categories like news, business, entertainment, music and sports. You're not going to find channels like NBC or ABC so you can watch the latest episode of Heroes or Grey's Anatomy but it does include some popular channels like Cartoon Network and ESPN.\nThere is also a movie section. Each movie channel airs different sorts of films like adventure, classics, comedy or horror and that channel will always air that kind of movies. The movie section also includes my favorite station called Maxx Trailers . Maxx Trailers airs nothing but movies trailers 24 hours a day. Some of the trailers are for movies coming out and some are for movies that have already been released but already released movies don't go back farther than a couple of months.\nSo far I haven't had any problems with Free Tube's video player either. Whenever I choose a channel, the video almost always works and usually loads every quickly. The only problem I have with Free Tube is that there is currently a _ if you're using Firefox. Once you choose a channel you can't select another channel to change to, your web browser will freeze up. So if you're using Firefox, the only way to switch channels is to leave the site and re-enter the site, when choosing what channel you want to go to. However, Free Tube is aware of this glitch and is working with Mozilla to get it fixed right away.\nIf you're missing some show everyone is talking about like Grey's Anatomy or Heroes, this isn't really a solution for that. But Free Tube is a good way to find channels that you weren't aware of; there are several good stations to be found.", "problems": [{"question": "The author mainly _ in this passage.", "answer": "B", "options": ["tells us his experience in using the Web", "introduces Free Tube to the readers", "shows us the disadvantages of Free Tube", "shows us how to enjoy films online"]}, {"question": "The author got interested in watching hockey games _", "answer": "B", "options": ["because he is a sports fan", "due to his sister's influence", "since everyone enjoys the games", "because he has nothing to do all day long"]}, {"question": "From the passage we can learn that _", "answer": "A", "options": ["the author is also very fond of movies", "Maxx Trailers airs to-be-released movies", "ABC is a very famous TV station in America", "Firefox is the only software used to watch films online"]}]} -{"article": "This past Christmas season, I went to visit my parents. During the visit, I found the letters written by my parents to each other during the war in the attic . The letters were piles high,dirty and had not been touched for decades. I asked Mother and Father if I could take the lettersback to my home. They agreed.As I opened each letter, all of them delicate with age, I discovered a new page in this private part of my parents' lives. My father served in the army. His letters were full of frontline descriptions, and they continued all the way through the battle. Each of my mother's letters was sealed with a lipstick kiss. Father wrote that he sealed his return letters by rekissing her lipstick kiss. How they had been missing each other! I finished reading six months of the letters and discovered there were at least eleven months missing. Maybe they were lost forever.\nNot long after our Christmas visit, Father became very ill and was in hospital. I went to the hospital to see him. As I sat by his bedside, he told me how much receiving those lipstick-kissed letters had meant to him when he had been so far from home.\nLater that evening, Mother and I revisited the attic in search of the lost letters. Finally we dug them out of Mother's old college trunk. The next day was Valentine's Day, and we went to the hospital. At my father's bedside, I showed him an old envelope. His curiosity was aroused.\nWhen he carefully opened the letter, he recognized it and his eyes were filled with tears. He read the love messages that had been delivered years before to my mother in a quavery voice.\nThis Valentine's Day, we were lucky that we had everything.", "problems": [{"question": "What can we learn about the letters found in the attic?", "answer": "C", "options": ["There were a lot of them.", "They were stored carefully.", "They were read every now and then.", "They were written when the author was young."]}, {"question": "How did the author's father feel when he saw the letter in hospital?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Curious", "Touched", "Regretful", "Interested"]}, {"question": "What would be the title for the text?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Christmas Gift", "My Parents", "Love Letters", "The Good Old Days"]}]} -{"article": "After years of study, I have known there are only two types of people in this world: those who get to the airport early and those who arrive when the plane is about to take off.\nIf there were any justice in this world, early-airport people would be rewarded for doing the right thing. And late-airport people would be punished. But early-airport people getulcers , heart attacks and bite their fingernails to the bone. Late-airport people almost don't realize they are flying.\nA guy of that kind once said, \"Don't hurry. If you miss your flight, it's because God doesn't want you to go.\" This is clearly a guy who is never going to get an ulcer.\nEarly-airport people suffer another \"name\". They are called exactly what they are -wimps . I know. I was an early-airport person for years. \"My baggage will get on the plane first,\" I told myself. Indeed it would, which made it the last baggage they took off the plane after landing.\nAnother strange thing: No matter how early I showed up, I was always told that someone had called two or three years ahead of me and asked for the best seat. I thought it was a trick. I thought there was someone in America who called every airline every day and said: \"Is that wimp Simon flying somewhere today? If he is , give me his seat.\"\nAfter a lifetime arguing with my wife over whether I really have to pack 24 hours in advance and set the alarm clock four hours ahead, I have learned another fact about early-airport people and late -airport people:\nThey always marry each other.", "problems": [{"question": "We can learn from the passage that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["late-airport persons are often nervous", "early-airport persons are always at ease during the flight", "early-airport persons get their baggage first after the landing", "late-airport persons always take things easy"]}, {"question": "This passage is written in order to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["give readers tips about taking a plane", "offer suggestions about having a good plane trip", "express the writer's anxiety about taking a plane", "show people's different attitudes toward catching planes"]}, {"question": "It could be inferred that the writer's wife is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["an early-airport woman", "a late-airport woman", "a hot-tempered woman", "a sensitive woman"]}]} -{"article": "To many students, high school is just a basic routine. You go to class in the morning, take a break for lunch and go home in the afternoon.\nThis isn't quite that simple for pupils at Royal West Academy. As if classes and homework weren't already enough, students are also required to complete a range of extracurricular activities, or ECAs.\nThe range of ECAs being offered at the school is various, including everything from guitar and jewelry-making clubs, fund-raising marches, to student committees, swimming and tennis.\n\"I love ECAs. I'm so happy we have them,\" said grade 11 student Adrienne, who is a soccer player and member of the graduation committee. \"They motivate the students, and they're a great bonding experience. I think that without them, not half as many students would be joining up for the soccer team.\"\nRequiring students to complete ECAs is a sign of the times. That's because young people are preparing for the future in ways that weren't considered necessary before. This is an era when ECAs are seen as important. Whether it's for leadership experience, sports, craft skills or volunteer these things are seen as rounding out the individual and improving their future.\nECAs can also help students discover their likes and dislikes. But as the old song says, you can't always get what you want, especially when so many students are all trying to sign up for the most popular activities.\nECAs can cut into study and homework time if you're not careful. You really have to get organized or you'll fall apart.", "problems": [{"question": "The students at Royal West Academy may do the following ECAs except _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["to play musical instruments", "to raise money for an organization", "to attend sports events", "to have classes discussions"]}, {"question": "From what Adirienne said, we know that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["most of his classmates are interested in football", "one can make many new friends in ECAs", "students get encouraged to join in ECAs", "half of his classmates are unwilling to join in ECAs."]}, {"question": "Why are ECAs important now?", "answer": "A", "options": ["They prepare the students for their future.", "They can make students get what they want.", "they can help students find their strong points.", "They can reduce students' learning time."]}]} -{"article": "I am an email user. When I first started to use the email system, I used to read all my email. I didn't have much mail. I gave my friends my email address. Soon I had more mail than I wanted. Some of the mail was junk mail. I was worried. I didn't want my mail to control me.\nI've tried some methods to help me get control of my mail. First, I check my mail at the same time every day. Also I try to allow myself only 15~20 minutes every day to process my email. This doesn't always work, but I try. Sometimes I save the messages. Sometimes I just read them, maybe answer a few, and then delete them.\nSometimes I'm not at all interested in a message, so I don't even open it. I delete it right away. This is very much the way I go through the mail that the postal service delivers to my home.\nThese methods are very simple. I have some friends who are very clever with computers. From time to time, _ teach me new tricks for managing my email. I'm still amazed at what email can do for me! I'm still worried, however, about having too much to read.", "problems": [{"question": "The writer used to read all his email because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["he was forced to do that", "he had nothing else to do", "he didn't know how to read mail", "he didn't have much mail"]}, {"question": "Which of the following does NOT belong to the ways of the writer's dealing with his mail?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Passing some on to his friends.", "Just reading some.", "Deleting some.", "Saving the messages."]}, {"question": "What's the purpose of the writer to write this passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To share happiness in using mail with us.", "To share some methods of using computer with us.", "To share some worries in using mail with us.", "To persuade us out of using mail."]}]} -{"article": "Adaptive Action Sports was founded in 2005 by Amy Purdy and Daniel Gale.\nAmy Purdy was an active snowboarder, until she lost both her legs to bacterial meningitis . She spent three months in the hospital fighting for her life, and doctors gave her a less than two percent chance of survival. Because of meningitis Amy lost circulation in both her legs, and when she came out of the hospital she had prosthetic legs . When she lost her legs, Amy knew she would be active again, but didn't know how or when. She struggled to be active on her new legs, and a little over two years after her amputation she entered the USASA (United States of America Snowboard Association) National Snowboarding Competition and won medals in three events.\nAmy was at an adaptive snowboard workshop in 2002 when she met Daniel Gale. They immediately formed a connection through their enthusiasm for snowboarding, music, and art. Amy's biggest struggle had been obtaining information on how to start snowboarding again with prosthetic legs, and she and Daniel both saw the need to help others like Amy. They \"wanted to create something, a place, a forum, an organization that would enable individuals to find and participate in their enthusiasms without a struggle. Adaptive Action Sports was born.\"\nTheir dream was to help athletes with permanent physical disabilities compete in action sports. Adaptive Action Sports holds camps, clinics, and events to create programs and opportunities for _ \nSince 2000, the USASA has provided opportunities for adaptive athletes to compete in snowboarding competitions. In 2007, the USASA Competition had 17 adaptive athletes compete, the largest number of adaptive athletes in adaptive athlete competition history. Although many competitors were still injured, they recovered quickly and showed how hard they are willing to push themselves.", "problems": [{"question": "We know from the text that Amy Purdy lost the ability to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["help others", "walk", "obtain information", "sing"]}]} -{"article": "However important we may regard school life to be, there is always the fact that children spend more time at home than in the classroom. Therefore, the teacher should realize that parents have a great influence on their children. Parents can become strong allies of the school or they can get in the way of the school education.\nExperts have realized the need to keep parents informed of the newer methods used in schools. Many headmasters have conducted workshops explaining such matters as the reading readiness, program writing and mathematics to parents.\nMoreover, the classroom teacher, with the permission of the supervisors , can also play an important part in giving more knowledge to reporting pupils progress, teachers can help parents a lot in educating their children and parents can give much help to teachers.\nSuppose that a father has been drilling Junior arithmetic lessons night after night. In a friendly talk between the teacher and the father, the teacher can help the parent to make Junior interested in it. He might be persuaded to let Junior join in discussing the family budget, buying the food, using a ruler or measuring cup at home, setting the clock, calculating the distance of a trip and engaging in scores of other activities that have a mathematical basis.\nIf the father follows the advice, it is reasonable to say that he will soon realize that his son is making satisfactory progress in mathematics, and at the same time, enjoying the work.\nToo often, however, teachers' talks with parents are devoted to small accounts of children's misdemeanors . They talk about the laziness and poor work habits of the children.\nWhat is needed is a more creative way in which the teacher, as an adviser, plants ideas in parents' minds to make sure that the child spends the many hours out of the classroom learning something useful.\nIn this way the school and the home join forces in educating children.", "problems": [{"question": "The main idea of the passage is that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["home training is more important than school training", "parents should help their children to do their homework", "there're many ways in which the mathematics program can be carried out at home", "teachers can and should help parents to use better ways to teach their children"]}, {"question": "From this passage we can know that the writer _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["is satisfied with the relationship between school and home", "feels that parent-teacher talks can be made much more constructive", "believes that schools can't teach pupils well", "calls on parents to teach their children mathematics at home"]}, {"question": "What way that the writer doesn't talk about can improve the present situation?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Classes for parents.", "New type of report card.", "Parent-teacher talk.", "Dinner or party."]}, {"question": "The writer implies that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["interesting activities can improve one's achievement", "too many children are lazy and have poor work habits", "teachers should often make home visits to parents", "headmasters do more than teachers in this area"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that the writer does not favor _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["father's helping his son with his study", "written reports to the parents from the teachers", "talking about children's shortcomings", "having the parents help their children with their lessons"]}]} -{"article": "The view over a valley of a tiny village with thatched roof cottages around a church; a drive through a narrow village street lined with thatched cottages painted pink or white; the sight over the rolling hills of a pretty collection of thatched farm buildings _ these are still common sights in parts of England. Most people will agree that the thatched roof is an essential part of the attraction of the English countryside. \nThatching is in fact the oldest of all the building crafts practiced in the British Isles. Although thatch has always been used for cottage and farm buildings, it was once used for castles and churches, too. \nThatching is a solitary craft, which often runs in families. The craft of thatching as it is practiced has today changed very little since the Middle Ages. Over 800 full-time thatchers are employed in England and Wales today, maintaining and renewing the old roofs as well as thatching newer houses. Many property owners choose thatch not only for its beauty but because they know it will keep them cool in summer and warm in winter. \nIn fact, if we look at developing countries, over half the world lives under thatch, but they all do it in different ways. People in developing countries are often unwilling to go back to traditional materials and would prefer modern buildings. However, they may lack the money to allow them to import the necessary materials. Their temporary mud huts with thatched roofs of wild grasses often only last six months. Thatch which has been done the British way lasts from twenty to sixty years, and is an effective defence against the heat.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following remains a unique feature of the English countryside?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Narrow streets lined with pink or white houses.", "Rolling hills with pretty farm buildings.", "Cottages with thatched roofs.", "churches with cottages around them.Ks5u"]}, {"question": "What do we know about thatching as a craft?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It is a collective activity.", "It is practised on farms all over England.Ks5u", "It is quite different from what it used to be.", "It is in most cases handed down among family members."]}, {"question": "Thatched houses are still preferred because of _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["their style and comfort", "their durability", "their easy maintenance", "their cheap and ready-made materials"]}, {"question": "We can learn from the passage that _", "answer": "A", "options": ["thatched cottages in England have been passed down from ancient times", "thatching is a building craft first created by the English people", "the English people have no special liking for thatched houses", "most thatched cottages in England are located on hillsides"]}]} -{"article": "Kompong Phhluk Private Tour\nDepart the city for an unspoiled floating community called Kompong Phhluk which is astonishing for its stilted-house villages and flooded forest.\nStop on the way for the Rolous Market tour. This is a great chance for you to take the photos of locals selling vegetables, different fish species and other local produce.\nAfter this market tour we'll all have a boat trip to the floating community of Kompong Phhluk, visit an island pagoda, a school and houses standing on 8 or 10m high stilts, fish farms and learn about the village life.\nStop and have lunch in a family's house before getting into a row boat and venturing into the flooded forest, the habitat to some famous water-bird species.\nEventually we jump back into the big boat and set off for the largest fresh water lake in SE Asia, Tonle Sap.\nTour Details\n*Departs 8:30am\n*Returns around 2pm\n*A picnic lunch with sandwiches and drinks is provided. We cannot provide local food from the area due to poor sanitation , lack of hygiene standards and refrigeration.\n*No passes required\nRates\n*These rates are based on an English speaking guide.\n*Rates include all transport, water and a picnic lunch.\n*Children 11 years and under are 50%.\n*Children 4 years and below are free.\n*If your group is larger than 5 people, please email us for the best rate.\nNumber of People Price Per Person\n1 Person $65\n2 People $45\n3 People $40\n4 People $35\n5 People $32\nWhat to Wear\n*Please be mindful of your clothing and try to avoid anything too revealing.\n*We strongly recommend a sunglasses, hat and sunscreen.\nGeneral Information\n*This is a poor rural village, please be mindful of the environment.\n* Please do not hand things out to villagers, for this contributes to creating a begging cycle and can create jealousy.\n*We recommend heading to the toilet before you go on this trip as facilities are very basic.", "problems": [{"question": "Kompong Phhluk is famous for its _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["local vegetables and different fish species", "stilted-house villages and flooded forest", "Rolous Market and an island pagoda", "water-bird habitat and fish farms"]}, {"question": "A private trip for two parents and a 3-year-old boy costs _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["$40", "$80", "$90", "$120"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is not included in the rates?", "answer": "D", "options": ["A tourist guide.", "Transport.", "Drinks.", "Local food."]}, {"question": "We can conclude from the passage that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the living standard in the village is quite low", "the tourist facilities along the way are quite good", "revealing clothes are appropriate in the hot weather", "giving local children small gifts is strongly recommended"]}]} -{"article": "Have you ever been stuck for hours on a hard math problem? If you sat there for some time you might eventually solve it, but scientists say that daydreaming might be a much better way to tackle difficult tasks.\nIn fact, daydreaming has long been misunderstood. It's considered to be a bad thing and often associated with laziness. \"We're harsh on ourselves if we catch ourselves mind wandering,\" says Professor Kalina Christoff from the University of British Columbia in Canada.\nBut the truth is that some of the most important scientific discoveries came about because scientists allowed their minds to wander. For example, Albert Einstein began his theory of relativity when he daydreamed about riding a beam of sunlight to the edge of the universe. And now, research has shown that normal people can also improve their problem-solving ability in the same way, reported The Telegraph.\nIn a study, 145 people aged between 19 and 32 were asked to list as many unusual uses as possible for everyday objects. Some of them were given a 12-minute break while the others were not allowed any break from the task. People on the break did not simply relax - some of them were told to carry out a tiring memory task while others did an easier task.\nScientists found that people who did the easier task were daydreaming a lot. They thought about personal issues in the past or in the future because their mind was at ease .\nAfter the break, all participants were asked to return once again to the task of listing unusual uses for everyday objects. It was found that daydreamers improved their performance by 40percent, while all the other people, including those who didn't have a break and who did tiring tasks during the break, performed the same as before.\n\"People assume that when the mind wanders away it just gets turned off - but we show the opposite,\" explained Christoff. \"A more playful attitude might allow you to call in more resources .\" So when you are struggling to solve complicated problems, it might be better off if you switch to a simpler task and let your mind\nAccording to Christoff, people typically spend one-third of their waking time daydreaming. \"It's a big part of our lives, but it's been largely ignored by science.\"", "problems": [{"question": "It was believed that daydreaming _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["was a good way to relax and solve problems", "had something to do with imagination", "had been misunderstood for a long time", "was a waste of time when the mind was shut off"]}, {"question": "What did the scientists discover in the experiment?", "answer": "C", "options": ["People's minds turned off as they daydreamed.", "The group that were given hard memory tasks performed best.", "Daydreaming could improve people's problem-solving abilities.", "People who had a break showed improvement in the task."]}]} -{"article": "She was known to millions as the \"Queen of Crime\" or the \"Duchess of death\". But surprisingly, she hated violence and blood, and knew nothing of the weapons most often used in murder. \"I don't think I dare look at a really horrible and damaged body.\" Agatha Christie once said.\nBut her pen dared travel where her eyes would not. In a 50-year writing career, Christie's murder stories made her the world's best-known mystery writer. She is outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare.\nHer works have been turned into films and TV series, and a line of computer games is to be released over the next six years.\n\"My grandmother liked to use new ways to reach people who wanted to enjoy her work,\" said Christie's grandson, Mathew Pritchard. \"Turning her stories into PC games allows us to introduce classic mysteries to new audiences.\"\nBorn in 1890 in England, Christie was educated at home and began her writing career while working as a nurse during World War I. She went on to produce 79 novels and numerous short stories, dying at the age of 86.\n\"With her knowledge of murder, Christie could have been a teacher at police academies,\" said one fan.", "problems": [{"question": "By saying \"her pen dared travel where her eyes would not\", the writer means", "answer": "C", "options": ["she would like to make a trip with her pen rather than other things", "she couldn't live without her pen", "she could describe anything with her pen that she would not like to face", "she made up stories with her pen"]}, {"question": "By which means can't we learn the works of Christie?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Watching TV.", "Going to the cinema.", "Reading novels.", "Playing computer games."]}, {"question": "Mathew Prichard's words suggest that _", "answer": "B", "options": ["Christie had been trying to write different stories in different styles", "Christie was fond of changing styles while writing", "Christie's works are short of audiences", "People began to lose interest in Christie's works"]}]} -{"article": "An ichthyologist is a scientist who studies fish. Most people who do this job say they love their work because it is very rewarding and varied. They work not only inside a laboratory, but also out in the field. Fieldwork includes traveling to rivers, oceans and lakes in order to collect information and specimens. Reading, writing and speaking are also very important to the job. Fish scientists need to read the research of other scientists. They must be able to write up their own research clearly so that others can follow it. They also need to be able to give lectures about their findings, so that they can spread knowledge.\nIchthyologists who wish to specialize can choose any one of three areas of study. The first area is aquaculture. This involves the study and practice of fish farming and management. Because it is a rather new study, there are very few job opportunities available. However, as there is so much to discover, many see it as an exciting area for a new ichthyologist to enter. The second area is fisheries science, which means working with a team of scientists to find out more about different fish species. The third area is about the protection of natural fish populations. This is very important today, given that many fish species are in danger of dying out because of the actions of humans.\nTo become a successful fish scientist, you need to have a curious mind and be able to work on your own. You also need to be able to handle equipment and perform experiments; but most importantly, you must love fish. To become an ichthyologist, you will need to train at a university to pass a Bachelor of Science degree. For this, you will need to be good at mathematics, physical science and biology. Then, you will need to study for another year to complete an honors degree in ichthyology. This honors degree contains coursework about all aspects of fish. You also need to complete a research paper.", "problems": [{"question": "What makes the jobs of ichthyologists so varied?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They study fish habits and collect information.", "They have to study science and mathematics.", "They work in fields as well as in laboratories.", "They read research papers written by others."]}, {"question": "Who is most likely to become an ichthyologist?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Tom, because he likes fishing and outdoor sports.", "Jack, because he likes to travel and read adventure books.", "Jenny, because she likes science, mathematics and reading about dinosaurs.", "Jane, because she likes mathematics, science, biology and searching rock-pools."]}, {"question": "The passage is probably written for _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["university students", "science researchers", "fisheries experts", "fish farmers"]}]} -{"article": "Mr. Read was born in a small village with high mountains all around it.He has few fields and he can't get enough food for his family.He's often worried about it.So he works harder and harder and tries his best to get more money. \nOne afternoon,Mr. Read went out to look for some grass for his cows.It was very hot and he had to have a swim.Suddenly he saw a big tortoise in the water.He swam there and caught it.The next morning he went to the town to sell it in the markets.When he was walking in the street, a car hit him down and he was hurt.He was sent to hospital at once.The doctors looked him over and had an operation on him.Two weeks later he felt much better.The doctors were satisfied with the operation and said,\"You'll be fully recovered in a week.We're sure you can write when you leave hospital.\" \n\"It's really a miracle \"shouted Mr. Read,\"I could neither read nor write before!\"", "problems": [{"question": "The Reads have little food because _", "answer": "B", "options": ["they live in a small village", "they have few fields", "they're too lazy to work", "nobody would help them to getmoney"]}, {"question": "Mr. Read jumped into the river because _", "answer": "D", "options": ["he wanted to get some grass in the water", "he wanted to look for a tortoise in the water", "he wanted to have a good rest in the water", "he wanted to have a swim"]}, {"question": "Mr. Read's _ was hurt in the traffic accident.", "answer": "C", "options": ["head", "leg", "right hand", "left hand"]}, {"question": "What the doctor said meant that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["he did a very successful operation", "the farmer was lucky enough to write after the operation", "the accident helped the farmer to write", "he taught the farmer to write while he was staying in hospital"]}]} -{"article": "Having a great collection of books at home doesn't really mean that you are a person who has a passion for literature and reading. It can be a family inheritance or it can be just to impress people around you by the fact that you are a person of culture. On the other hand, there are many persons who cannot afford to buy books, because some of them are quite expensive, but who usually go to libraries and spend hours reading something that interests them a lot, or just borrow books to home.\nFrom my point of view, literature is very important in our life. For example, reading is a means of gaining culture and enriching our knowledge in different areas. It can help us have a great imagination and it makes things easier when it comes to make compositions on different themes. It gives you the possibility to speak about science, even if you don't work in this domain, or you can express your opinion about a political aspect, just because you have read something connected to that.\nSecondly, literature offers us the possibility to enter the world of imagination, and to leave the real one for a couple of hours. We come to meet kings and queens many years ago, dream of being in the world of the rich or imagine how life will be in the future. Sometimes, we identify ourselves with the characters in the stories we read and they can give us some clues to solve our problems and how to react in certain circumstances.\nIn conclusion, I would like to say that literature is the perfect means to enrich our culture, to express ourselves correctly, to have a rich vocabulary, to be able to interfere in conversations in different fields of interest and to really be considered an _ person.", "problems": [{"question": "People who are fond of literature are those that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["have much interest in reading", "keep many books", "go to libraries every day", "buy expensive books in the bookstore"]}, {"question": "According to the author we can broaden our knowledge by _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["composing", "imagining", "communicating", "reading"]}, {"question": "What is the author's purpose by writing the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To share his own reading experience.", "To distinguish the true readers.", "To attract people to literature.", "To stress the importance of imagination."]}]} -{"article": "Falling temperatures are no excuse to avoid outdoor exercise with your dog. Along with making sure you are appropriately dressed, your dog should also be properly protected from the elements. Some large breed dogs such as Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds and Huskies can tolerate the colder weather better than others. These dogs may also develop a thicker coat over time as they are exposed to colder weather.\n Smaller breeds, however, like Chihuahuas and Miniature Pinschers, breeds with short coats and puppies should wear some type of protection, i.e, a coat or sweater, if the temperature drops too low. Look for coats or sweaters with high collars or a turtleneck that covers your dog from the base of the tail on top to the belly underneath.\n Dog booties provide good protection from chemicals or salts on the pavement as well as mud. If you don't use the booties, be sure to wipe your dog's paw pads with room temperature water after taking it outside.\n Other tips\nWhen you bathe your dog, dry him completely before taking him out in the cold weather for a walk or exercise. It is especially important to keep your dog well groomed during the winter months to protect him from the elements.\n If your dog frequently participates in outdoor activities during the colder months, increase his food intake, especially protein, to help keep his coat grow thick and healthy. Dogs that are not as active during the winter months may need to have their food consumption reduced.\n The amount of time you spend outside with your dog will depend on his size, breed type and age. Remember that ill or elderly dogs are more sensitive to cold weather. Dogs whom cold weather agrees with can spend hours outside without getting cold but some of the smaller and younger dogs' exercise sessions should be kept shorter. Dogs should not be left outside unattended.\n Another activity to consider is doggie daycare, which is an excellent alternative during cold weather months. It's a great place for your dog to get plenty of physical and mental stimulation while being with other dogs.\n Banfield Pet Hospital", "problems": [{"question": "Dog owners are advised to _ in the text.", "answer": "D", "options": ["bathe their dogs less during the winter months", "avoid outdoor exercise with their dogs in cold weather", "make their dogs wear booties for a walk outside every time", "feed their dogs more food if they're frequently taking them out in winter"]}, {"question": "The author thinks dog owners should _ in the cold weather.", "answer": "B", "options": ["not walk the dog", "protect their dog pets from being hurt", "stop walking the dog", "avoid walking the dog"]}, {"question": "What can we conclude from the text?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Small breed dogs are usually more tolerant of cold weather than larger ones.", "Smaller and younger dogs tend to become less active in cold weather.", "Dogs' paw pads should be thoroughly cleaned after outdoor activities in winter.", "A trip to doggie daycare can get dogs better prepared for outdoor activities."]}, {"question": "What is the best title for this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["How to make your dog exercise in cold weather", "Walk dogs in the cold weather", "Dogs like to take exercise in winter", "Take good care of dogs"]}]} -{"article": "Scientists are developing a new kind of machine to take the place of humans. These machines can do jobs in places that are too dangerous for humans. For example, they are being developed to work in nuclear power center, deep under the oceans and in outer space.\nJohn Marrit, a psychologist in Williamsburg Massachusetts, helped develop the new machine. This is how they work. A machine is placed in an area far away from the person who operates it. The person wears special hard hat with television screens and sound equipment. The screens and sound equipment let the person see and hear exactly what the machine is seeing and hearing. Mr. Marrit says this gives the person the feeling of being in the same place as the machine. The idea, he says, is being there without going there. The person uses an electronic control to make the machine move. The machine copies the person's movements exactly. If the person raises his right arm, the machine raises the right arm, too. This means an expert can do a dangerous job while staying in the safe place. For example, a person can direct the machine to destroy a bomb without going near the bomb himself.", "problems": [{"question": "The new kind of machine being introduced in the passage is _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["in existence", "only an idea", "being tried out", "being researched and developed"]}, {"question": "The machine _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["follows the person's order", "is controlled by a computer", "does exactly what the person does", "is controlled by a television on the person's head"]}, {"question": "The difference between such a new machine and a robot is that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the new machine is more difficult to make than a robot", "the new machine is more difficult to be controlled", "a robot is controlled by man indirectly", "a robot can't be used in places too dangerous or faraway"]}]} -{"article": "There are about a billion bicycles in the world,twice as many as there are cars.But if Karl von Drais.the Baron of Sauerbronn(17851851) hadn't been such a lazy person,the bicycle may never have been invented at all.\n Although he had a very important title (and was also a qualified and skillful engineer),the Baron was in fact a forest ranger,in other words,a gardener with responsibility for a very large garden.He was in charge of several hundred square kilometers of royal garden and forests in Central Germany.\n In 1817.he invented a \"running machine\" that would help him get round the _ more quickly.The machine was made of wood,and had two wheels,which were the same size.The machine had a wooden frame and a leather seat.The rider rode the machine like a horse,but with his feet on the ground.After running for a while,he could then take his feet off the ground and glide along.It was possible to change direction by controlling the front wheel.but there were no brakes! In 1863,a Frenchman called Pierre Lallement attached pedals to the front wheel of a bicycle,and the modern idea of a bicycle was born.\n Every generation sees new designs and new interest in bicycles.Mountain bikes,for example,transformed the way people thought about cycling and introduced a new sport,which was accepted into the Olympics in 1996.\n New materials such as titanium and carbon fiber are now used to build strong,lightweight machines and combined brake and gear systems have been developed.Englishman Chris Boardman astonished the world in the 1990s with his carbon fiber Lotus bicycle,winning Olympic gold in the 4,000 meters track pursuit in Barcelona.More recently,the Great Britain team took several medals at the Athens Olympics\n For most people.however.the bicycle remains what it has always been-a pollution-free way of taking exercise and getting from A to B.", "problems": [{"question": "Karl von Drais invented the first bicycle_.", "answer": "A", "options": ["with wooden wheels and a seat,no pedals", "with two wooden wheels like a wooden horse with pedals", "so he could walk faster around the garden", "to ride downhill with his feet off the ground"]}, {"question": "What kind of gardener does the text suggest the Baron was?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Someone who took care of forests across Germany.", "Someone responsible for a big estate of loyal forests and gardens.", "Someone responsible for the gardens in the whole of Central Germany.", "Someone who was a qualified engineer looking after running machines."]}, {"question": "Changes to the bicycle have occurred over the years because of_.", "answer": "C", "options": ["the need for mountain bikes", "the need for new kinds of bicycles", "the discovery of useful new materials and new ideas", "the Olympics and competitive cycling sports"]}]} -{"article": "My grandfather came from Hungary and was the only one in his family who settled down in the United States. The rest of his family remained in Europe. When World War I broke out, he seemed to have become another man, downhearted. Such obvious change was not born out of concern for his welfare, but out of fear: if his only son, my uncle, had to go to war, it would be cousin fighting against cousin.\nOne day in 1918, my Uncle Milton received his draft notice. My grandparents were very upset. But my mother, at the age of 10, felt on top of the world about her soldier brother going off to war. Realizing how he was regarded by his little sister and all of her friends, my uncle bought them all service pins, which meant that they had a loved one in the service. All the little girls were delighted.\nThe moment came when my uncle and the other soldiers, without any training but all in uniforms, boarded the train. The band played and the crowd cheered. Although no one noticed. I'm sure my grandmother had a tear in her eye for the only son. The train slowly pulled out, but not about a thousand yards when it suddenly paused. Everyone stared in wonder as the train slowly returned to the station. There was a dead silence before the doors opened and the men started to step out. Someone shouted, \"The war is over!\" For a moment, nobody moved, but then the people heard someone bark orders at the soldiers. The men lined up in two lines, walked down the steps, and with the band playing, marched down the street, as returning heroes, to be welcomed home. My mother said it was a great day, but she was just a little disappointed that it didn't last a tiny bit longer.", "problems": [{"question": "What the grandfather was most worried about was _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the spread of the world war", "the safety of his two cousins", "a drop in his living standards", "his relatives killing each other"]}, {"question": "What did the \"service pins\" (in Para. 2) stand for in the eyes of the little girls?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Strength.", "Courage.", "Victory.", "Honor."]}, {"question": "Which of the following words can best describe the ending of the story?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Disappointing.", "Unexpected.", "Uncertain.", "Inspiring."]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is True according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The grandfather felt downhearted because he was afraid of receiving a draft notice.", "The train was traveling fast to the front when the news came that the war was over.", "None of the soldiers who got on the train for the front line had been trained in advance.", "Most people including the mother were disappointed that the war didn't last a bit longer."]}]} -{"article": "\"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.\"\n--Albert Einstein\nIf you have a kid with special needs in the school system, chances are you have come across that saying hanging on a classroom wall. My five-year-old daughter Syona has cerebral palsy (a medical condition affecting someone's control over their movement ) and it means, combined with her communication challenges and sight problems, that standard assessments (and by \"standard\", I mean the ones used to assess kids with special needs ) aren't always an accurate measure of her abilities.\nBy now you have probably heard about Chris Ulmer, the 26-year-old teacher in Jacksonville, Florida, who starts his special education class by calling up each student individually to give them much admiration and a high-five (a gesture of greeting or congratulation). I couldn't help but be reminded of Syona's teacher and how she supports each kid in a very similar way. Ulmer recently shared a video of his teaching experience. \"I have seen their confidence and self-worth increase rapidly, \" he said. All I could think was: How lucky these students are to have such inspirational teachers.\nSyona's teacher has an attitude that can best be summarized in one word: awesome. Her teacher doesn't focus on what can't be done--she focuses on what can be done. Over the past several months, my husband Dilip and I have seen Syona's confidence increase tenfold. She uses words she wouldn't have thought of using before. She recently told me about her classmate's trip to Ecuador and was very proud when I understood her on the first try.\nI actually wonder what the influence would be if we did something similar to what Ulmer does with his students in our home. We've recently started our day by reminding each other of the good qualities we all possess. If we are reminded of our strengths on a regular basis, we will become increasingly confident about progress and success.\nUlmer's reach as a teacher goes far beyond the walls of his classroom. In fact, he teaches all of us to take a moment and truly appreciate the strengths of an important person in our lives.", "problems": [{"question": "What does the author think of Einstein's quote?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Funny.", "True.", "Strange.", "Confusing."]}, {"question": "What can we learn about Chris Ulmer?", "answer": "A", "options": ["He praises his students one by one.", "He is Syona's favorite teacher.", "He use videos to teach his students.", "He asks his students to help each other."]}, {"question": "Syona felt very pleased because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["she has developed a cool attitude", "her progress was appreciated by her parents", "her mother knew what she expressed", "she had been to Ecuador with her classmate"]}, {"question": "What change has taken place in the author's family?", "answer": "D", "options": ["They invite Ulmer's students to their home.", "They visit Umer's classroom regularly.", "They feel grateful to people in their lives", "They give each other praise every day."]}]} -{"article": "Alexis De Tocqueville,the French political scientist,,historian,philosopher and politician.Is most famous for a four-volume book he wrote called Democracy in America.He came to America in 1831 to study the American form of democracy'and what it might mean to the rest of the world.After a visit of only nine months,,he wrote a remarkable book which is regarded as a classic.De Tocqueville had unusual powers of observation.He described not only the democratic system of government and how it operated,but also its effect on how Americans think, feel, and act, Many scholars believe he had a deeper understanding of traditional American beliefs and values than anyone else who has written about. the United States.What is so remarkable is that\nmany of these characteristics which he observed nearly 200years ago are still visible and\nmeaningful today.His observations are also important because the timing of his visit,the 1830s,was before America was industrialized.This was the era of the small farmer,the small businessman,and the settling of the western frontier.It was the period of history when the traditional values of the new country were newly established.In just a generation,some 40 years since the adoption of the U.S:Constitution.the new form of government had--already produced a society of people with unique values.He was,however,a fair observer and saw both the good and bad sides of these qualities.\nThe first part of Democracy m America was written in 1831--32 and published in 1835.A highly positive and optimistic account of American government and society,the book was very well received.He attempted to get a glimpse of the core of American society.all the while promoting his own philosophy:the equaling of the classes and the unavoidable depth of aristocratic privilege The rest of the book he labored on for four years.and in 1840 the second part was published.This was substantially more pessimistic than the first,warning of the dangers despotism and governmental centralization,and applying his ideas and criticisms more directly to France.As a result, it was not received as well as the first part,except in England where it was highly thought of.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the passage primarily about?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Alexis De Tocqueville", "Democracy in America", "The progress achieved in America within about 40 years after adoption of the U.S.Constitution.", "The influence of the book Democracy in America"]}, {"question": "What in the passage is mentioned as being truly remarkable?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Many of his observations are still visible and meaningful today.", "The book was so detailed and thorough after only such a comparatively short visit.", "That the second volume should be so pessimistic in comparison with the first.", "De Tocqueville's powers of observation."]}, {"question": "Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The English don't like the French", "The book was most important because it was the first time that American values had been \nclearly documented.", "De Tocqueville was a slow writer.", "De Tocqueville was primarily motivated by an interest in his own country."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The visit lasted only five months.", "The visit coincided with American industrialization.", "The first part was published in 1835;the second part in 1840.", "The second part was more optimistic than the first."]}]} -{"article": "When hunting for a job in a weak economy, every detail counts. It's no longer good enough to be a qualified applicant, so job clubs can be of much help. \nWhat is a Job Club? Job connection clubs are small groups of people across prefix = st1 /Americawho meet regularly to talk about job searching and career. These clubs support the success of all members. Looking for work chances is made easier when you're not alone. Job clubs are rooted in the belief that each member has something valuable to contribute and that everyone will benefit from the advice and encouragement.http://www.ks5u.com/\nWhy start or join a job club? Job searching can possibly be a lonely and discouraging process, but it doesn't have to be that way. Becoming part of a local job club can offer valuable help. It may also bring a strong sense of confidence that gets you going in the right direction. When you know that your fellow members expect to hear regularly about your progress, you're more likely to have a positive attitude towards the club meeting. To support your success, the club will provide practical suggestions, including specific discussion topics to get you started and keep you encouraged along the way of overcoming the difficulties in a job hunt. \nWhat are the topics of a job club? While the form of club activities may be the same, the varied topics of discussion mean that no two meetings are exactly alike. You'll deal with a number of matters -- where to find proper job directions and how to get your calls returned; preparing for interviews; effectively applying for the right opportunities to satisfy your desire; _ bravely and turning failure into success.\nEach member will update the group on his or her progress, and you'll end each meeting with a suggestion from each member to carry out specific tasks during the week that follows. There's no shortage of topics to talk about.", "problems": [{"question": "The reason to start the job clubs is that they can _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["offer useful suggestions to job hunters", "meet their needs to get together freely", "attract many people with various topics", "provide a suitable job for every member"]}, {"question": "The advantage of job clubs is to make job hunters more _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["confident", "qualified", "local", "valuable"]}, {"question": "Which of the following can be used to replace \" _ \" in the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Defeating difficulties.", "Achieving success.", "Accepting failures.", "Losing face."]}, {"question": "We can find this passage in the following EXCEPT in _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["a newspaper", "a magazine", "a news report", "a guide book"]}]} -{"article": "Wang Chuanfu, chairman of BYD Co.,Ltd., was named China's richest individual this week by Forbes magazine, which stated his wealth is worth $ 5.8 billion.\nWang grew up in a poor family in Anhui Province and had lost his parents for illness when he was a teenager. He went to college only after the encouragement and support of his older siblings , who also helped him.\n\"I was born on a rice farm very, very poor,\" Wang told The Wall Street Journal in an interview last year. \"Both of my parents were farmers and they planted rice. Both passed away when I was still very young. I was about 10 years old when my father died, and I was 15 or so when my mother passed away. \"\nHe developed a fascination with batteries back in his university days in the mid-1980s, when he studied metallurgical physics and chemistry. After receiving a Master's degree, he found a research position at the General Research Institute for Nonferrous Metals in Beijing. It was an easy job, but he grew bored and decided to go out on his own just as China's experiment with capitalism was going on.\nHe established the company that is now BYD in 1995, borrowing $300,000 from a cousin, and started out making batteries for cellphones. Today, the company still makes phone batteries but also produces gasoline- fueled cars that have made BYD a top-10 auto brand in China.\nThe company, listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange since 2002, is also getting ready to sell electric cars to private buyers and launch an all-electric battery car model soon in China. All this has helped BYD attract investors' attention, including from one of Warren Buffett's companies, and has helped enrich Wang as BYD's share price has increased.\nWang's fast climb shows personal struggle is still working in China even as the country faces widening gaps between the haves and the have-nots.\n\"Because I came from a poor background, I knew the only way for me to get ahead was to get good education. I studied very hard.\"", "problems": [{"question": "When did Wang Chuanfu's mother die?", "answer": "D", "options": ["When he was eight.", "When he was ten.", "When he was about eighteen.", "When he was about fifteen."]}, {"question": "Why did Wang Chuanfu decide to give up his job at the General Research Institute for Nonferrous Metals?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He felt the job difficult.", "He felt the job cost too much time.", "He wanted to make his own business.", "He wanted to become a general manager."]}, {"question": "Where did Wang Chuanfu borrow the money to open his first company?", "answer": "B", "options": ["From the bank.", "From a", "From his friend", "From his colleague"]}, {"question": "The best title for this passage is\" _ \".", "answer": "A", "options": ["Wang Chuanfu's road of struggle", "The success of BYD Co., Ltd.", "Wang Chuanfu's great dream.", "Wang Chuanfu's success."]}]} -{"article": "After having exercise in the gym tonight, I just had a shower to relax for a while. While calming myself down with soft music, I started to recall what happened in the daytime and wrote it down.\nThe accident that gave me much thought happened on my way to the gym after work. When I walked about half way, I saw that many people surrounded something on the roadside and they were worried and shocked. I joined them and found there was a man lying on the ground. I noticed that he was a young man around 30 years old. He looked so pale and very thin. From his dressing, I simply judged that he worked in the office. The hospital ambulance came over and some nurses did the regular check for him. A nurse said that there was nothing serious with him but his body was very weak, which should be caused by overwork and less exercise.\nIt's a really sad thing for a young person to fall down in the street. A couple of days ago, I read a magazine mentioning that there is an increasing number of businessmen and white-collar workers with unhealthy bodies. Under huge pressure, they put all their time and energy to work and can't find enough time for a good meal or a good sleep, let alone exercise. But they forget that without health, work is equivalent to zero.\nAs I realize how important it is to put the health matter ahead, I am willing to do more exercise. I know exercise can bring me enjoyment and health. I know without health, even a most successful career and a great quantity of money will lose their meanings. \nWhen I got out of the gym, I felt that every cell in my body was refreshed and I was able to have more energy to write the words above. The feeling in sweat was wonderful!", "problems": [{"question": "The best title for this passage is _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["How Much Exercise We Need", "What Kind of Exercise Is Useful", "Exercise Leads to My Healthy Life", "An Accident Gave Me Much Thought"]}, {"question": "What do we know about the young man who fell down in the street?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He worked in a factory.", "He didn't have lunch that day.", "He didn't do exercise often.", "He was seriously ill that day."]}, {"question": "Some white-collar workers have health problems because they _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["can't balance work and life", "don't have time to see doctors", "don't want to have a good meal", "don't know the importance of exercise"]}, {"question": "After doing exercise in the gym, the author felt _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["breathless", "painful", "sick", "energetic"]}]} -{"article": "The popular song 'Gangnam Style' from South Korean recording artist PSY has just become the most watched video on YouTube ever, getting more than 808 million views on the popular media site.\nThe distinction was previously held by another pop heavyweight, Justin Bieber, whose song 'Baby' had a little more than 804 million views at press time. PSY made the announcement on his Twitter page earlier today.\nSince its release, the song has defeated such other popular videos as Jennifer Lopez's 'On the Floor' and Eminem's 'Love the Way You Lie'. And in September, 'Gangnam Style' also became the most liked video on YouTube, now with nearly 5.4 million thumbs up.\nAt the time of the announcement, the Guinness Book of World Records released a statement saying: \"In years past it was unthinkable that something would be viewed a hundred million times, and now Gangnam Style has achieved more than twice this figure in just three months on YouTube. PSY, your certificate is waiting here at our office, come pick it up any time!\"\nDespite its massive popularity, the video shows no signs of slowing down, and it even has a shot at becoming the first video to get more than one billion views.\nIf it maintains its current rate of around six million new views per day, 'Gangnam Style' would be in line to break that record by the end of the year.\nThe YouTube honors are just the latest in a long list that shows just how popular the song has become. Since it was released in July, the song has seen a meteoric rise through the music industry.\nIt has found its way to the tops of music charts in more than 30 countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain and Canada, while providing material for thousands of parody videos.\nIt became part of the 2012 presidential elections with the now famous 'Mitt Romney Style' video and was even used by the North Korean government in propaganda films promoting their supreme leader.\nMeanwhile, such influential figures as President Obama, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt have all made mention of the hit song.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following about \"Gangnam Style\" is NOT true according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["\"Gangnam Style\" has defeated Justin Bieber's \"Baby\" on You Tube's views.", "\"Gangnam Style\" has been the favorite to at least 5.4 million people.", "\"Gangnam Style\" has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records.", "\"Gangnam Style\" has been the first to get more than 1 billion views."]}, {"question": "What can we infer from this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The influence of \"Gangnam Style\" has spread far and wide", "Obama won the presidential election partly because of the 'Mitt Romney Style' video.", "Despite its massive popularity, the fever of \"Gangnam Style\" has decreased.", "PSY will become one of the greatest musicians due to the popularity of \"Gangnam Style\"."]}]} -{"article": "Robby was 11 when his mother dropped him off for his first piano lesson. I prefer students to begin at an earlier age. Robby said that it had always been his mother's dream to hear him play the piano, so I took him on as a student.\nRobby tried and tried while I listened and encouraged him and gave him more instructions. But he just did not have any inborn ability.\nI only saw his mother from a distance. She always waved and smiled but never came in. Then one day Robby stopped coming to our lessons. I thought about calling him but I guessed he had decided to try something else.\nI was also glad that he stopped coming for the sake of my career. However, several weeks before the recital of my students, Robby came,telling me that he never stopped practicing and begged me to allow him to take part in it. I agreed, but I made him perform last in the program, so I could save his poor performance through my \"curtain closer\".\nI was surprised when he announced that he had chosen one piece of Mozart's. However, never had I heard a piece of Mozart's played so well by someone at his age. \nI ran up and put my arms around Robby in joy. \"I've never heard you play like that, Robby! How could you do it?\"\n\"Well, Miss Hondorf. Do you remember I told you my mom was sick? Actually she died this morning. She was born deaf, so tonight was the first time she could hear me play. I wanted to make it special. I knew I could.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Why might Robby have stopped coming to piano lessons suddenly?", "answer": "B", "options": ["He lost heart and believed that he would never make it.", "His mother might have been seriously ill.", "He thought that his teacher disliked him.", "His mother died and he didn't need to play any longer."]}, {"question": "We can know from the passage that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the writer thought students shouldn't begin playing the piano too early", "the writer thought that Robby had given up his piano lessons", "only by practicing at home did Robby learn to play well", "no one else could play the piece of Mozart's as well as Robby"]}, {"question": "The writer made Robby perform last because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the one who performs last always performs very well", "Robby asked the writer to do so", "she wanted to do something to save a poor performance", "Robby thought his mother would come at last"]}]} -{"article": "Helen Thomas, the pioneering White House reporter known for putting presidents on the hot seat, died at 92.\nTo those who regularly watch presidential press conferences, Helen Thomas is a familiar figure.Usually dressed in red and always seated in the front row, she is always the first or second reporter the president calls upon.It is an honor she has earned.Besides, it affords her the perfect opportunity to do what she does best - challenge the president and other public officials to tell the plain truth.She said, \"We reporters' priority is the people's right to know - without fear or favor.We are the people's servants.\"\nHelen Thomas was born in Kentucky in 1920.All the nine Thomas children were brought up to value education, and all were expected to make something of themselves through working hard.She made up her mind while still in high school to become a reporter after writing for the student newspaper.After receiving her bachelor's degree in 1942, Thomas headed straight for Washington, D.C.in search of a newspaper job.Before long, she landed one at Washington Daily News.Her duty included fetching coffee and doughnuts for the paper's reporters and editors.The eager young woman found the atmosphere exciting and was convinced she had made the right career choice.\nHer big break came when she was sent to Florida to report on the vacation of President-elect John F.Kennedy and his family.Once President Kennedy took office, Thomas changed her focus from the president's family to his policies.She began attending the daily press briefings at the White House as well as presidential press conferences.Thomas has covered every president since Kennedy.Over the years, Thomas found her job \"thrilling and inspiring,\" but never boring.And she took very seriously her duty to \"keep an eye on the president\" and keep American people informed.", "problems": [{"question": "What can we learn about Helen Thomas from the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Her career took off after covering the Kennedys.", "Her first job was to deliver doughnuts to a news agency.", "She was born to a large family in Kentucky in 1942.", "She decided to be a reporter while in college."]}, {"question": "What does Helen Thomas think other work?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Unbearable.", "Exciting.", "Challenging.", "Unforgettable."]}, {"question": "What can be the best title for the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["A reporter sticking to the facts.", "A reporter challenging President Kennedy.", "A reporter from an ordinary family.", "A reporter for Washington Daily News."]}]} -{"article": "Since the beginning of time, man has been interested in the moon.The Romans designed a special day to show admiration and respect to the moon.They called it \"Monday\", or \"Monday\", as we know it today.Later, the great mind of Leonardo da Vinci studied the moon and designed a machine to carry a human to the moon.Leonardo said that one day a great machine bird would take a person to the moon and bring great honour to the home where it was born.\n Four and a half centuries later, Leonardo's idea was realized.Apollo II took three Americans Collins, Aldrin, and Armstrong to the moon.The mission did fill the whole world with great surprise, as Leonardo had said it would.Numerous (many) essays, articles, and books were written about man's first moon mission.But perhaps the most interesting story was one written before the event over 100 years before.\n In 1865, French author Jules Verne wrote a story about the first journey to the moon.His story was very similar to the 1969 Apollo II mission.\n Verne's spacecraft also contained three men--two Americans and a Frenchman.The spacecraft was described as being almost the same size as Apollo II.The launch site in Verne's story was also in Florida.The spacecraft in Verne's story was named the \"Columbiad\".The Apollo II command ship was called \"Columbia\".His account description of sending the spacecraft into the space could easily have been written about how Apollo II was sent into the space.\n Verne's story was the same as the actual event in several other respects .The speed of Verne's spacecraft was 36,000 feet per second; Apollo's was 35,533 feet per second.Verne's spacecraft took 97 hours to reach the moon; Apollo's time was 103 hours.Like Apollo's spacemen, Verne's spacemen took pictures of the moon's surface, relaxed on their seats, cooked with gas, and experienced weightlessness.They two came down in the Pacific and were picked up by an American warship.\n What were the reasons for Jules Verne's extreme accuracy in describing an event 100 years or more before it actually occurred? He based his writings on the laws of physics and astronomy.Nineteenth-century science and the vivid (clear) Verne's imagination gave people an unbelievably accurate (exact) prediction of one of the greatest events of the 20th century.", "problems": [{"question": "Jules Verne wrote his story of a man's visit to the moon about _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["100 years before the Apollo II mission", "10 years before the Apollo II mission", "four and one half centuries ago", "100 years ago"]}, {"question": "Verne's story about the first journey to the moon is very similar to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the second US space mission", "the Apollo II mission", "Leonardo da Vinci's story", "numerous other books on the same subject"]}, {"question": "The passage suggests that Jules Verne _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["developed the laws of physics", "based his writings on the works of Leonardo da Vinci", "was very lucky in what he had described about the future", "knew a great deal about the laws of physics and astronomy"]}, {"question": "The passage mainly describes _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the rapid progress of mankind", "Verne's accurate prediction of the future", "the 1969 Apollo II moon mission", "the 19th century science and technology"]}]} -{"article": "The London Eye 4D Film Experience started in August and is included in the London Eye ticket price. It is a fantastic 4D film to entertain you before your trip on the London Eye. The 4D effects are great.\nNo Extra Cost to You\nThat's right; you buy your ticket for the London Eye and 4D cinema experience. Merlin Entertainments, the London Eye owners, spent 5 million creating the film and building the 4D cinema and wanted to improve the value for money of the London Eye.\nWhat to Expect\nThe 4D Cinema entrance is in the ticket hall. So after buying your ticket, go straight to it, where you'll be given a pair of glasses. About 160 visitors will pass through the 4D cinema every 8 minutes so don't worry about waiting time. People in the bright pink cinema are all standing on four levels. The top level is designed for wheelchairs.\nLondon Eye 4D Film\nPut on your glasses and enjoy yourself. The story is about a little girl visiting London with her father and she wants to be higher to get a better view so she comes to the London Eye. It differs from watching the 3D film for all your senses are involved. When it snows on screen, you feel it snows in the cinema. And when you watch the fireworks, you can really smell them.\nFor a short film, less than four minutes, before the main attraction you think you've come for, you are going to love this free extra. I stood there with my mouth wide open at the end as many others did. It's fantastic! The effects are the Hollywood standard as no expense is spared. I was lucky enough to try the film three times on the first day and I still want to go back again.", "problems": [{"question": "What does the author mainly tell us in this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["He mainly introduces the 4D film of Merlin Entertainments.", "He mainly introduces the London Eye entertainment centre.", "He mainly tells us his experiences while creating the 4D film.", "He mainly introduces to us how to take part in the 4D film."]}, {"question": "Why did the Merlin Entertainments build the 4D film cinema?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because it wanted to attract more visitors to London.", "Because it wanted to increase the value of the London Eye.", "Because it could provide more entertainments for visitors.", "Because it could earn more money from the public in the UK."]}, {"question": "Where could people get into the 4D film cinema?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Under the London Eye.", "In the Hollywood.", "In the ticket hall.", "In the ticket centre."]}, {"question": "While seeing a 4D film, people will feel _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["greatly frightened", "much worried", "sweet smell", "as if they were on the scene"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, a 4D film probably lasts about _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["4 seconds", "8 seconds", "4 minutes", "8 minutes"]}]} -{"article": "Tom was going home at five yesterday. He got on a bus. A mother with her little boy was sitting nearby. Suddenly the boy cried. His mother tried her best to make the boy stop crying. But the boy would not do so. At last Tom said angrily, \"Oh, how that boy cried! Why don't you give him what he wanted?\" \"I would if I could.\" answered the mother quietly,\"But he wanted your cap.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What time was Tom going home yesterday?", "answer": "B", "options": ["At four", "At five", "At six", "At seven"]}, {"question": "Who was sitting near Tom on the bus?", "answer": "C", "options": ["An old man with his little girl", "A young woman", "A woman with her little boy", "A young man"]}, {"question": "The mother tried her best to make the boy _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["wake up", "go to sleep", "not talk much", "stop crying"]}, {"question": "When the boy cried, Tom _", "answer": "A", "options": ["was very angry", "was very hungry", "was very happy", "did not hear this"]}, {"question": "Why was the boy crying?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because he wanted something to eat", "Because he wanted to get off the bus.", "Because he wanted to go home", "Because he wanted Tom's cap"]}]} -{"article": "Why do we call the sounds of birds, whales and insects songs? Because something about what we hear seems to have beauty, and some mellifluous structure that touches us more than any possible message. Though for many years science has cautioned against hearing too much of what we humans would like to hear when we are trying to understand animal sounds, the musicality in some sounds is now starting to have an effect on the science of animal communication itself.\nMany specific animal sounds express aggression , warning, or food, but such practical explanations are tough to apply to the long songs. Some whale songs can go on for up to 24 hours. The usual explanation for birdsong is that the birds are singing to attract mates or to announce the limits of their area. But the audience is not always evident for these long love songs, which have many of the elements related to human music: rhythm, melody , themes, repeating patterns, organization, variety, interest -- all adding up to something humans have found beautiful for thousands of years. \"Birds taught man,\" wrote Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius, \"and taught them songs before their art began.\"\nWhat is the scientific value of such sounds? The advantage of hearing music in nature and trying to reach out to nature through music is that though we don't fully understand it, it is so accessible.\nMusic refuses explanation, but it clearly expresses something deep and important, which humans can't live without. Finding music in the sound of birds, whales and other animals makes the farther frontiers of nature see much closer to us.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?", "answer": "D", "options": ["We call the songs of birds' sounds because there is beauty that sounds pleasant to the ears.", "It is believed that birds are singing to attract mates or to warn the limits of their areas.", "The songs of a bird really carry an emotional message such as \"aggression and caring\".", "It is not very long for people to know that birdsong does have something beautiful."]}, {"question": "By saying \"Birds taught man\", what did Lucretius mean?", "answer": "D", "options": ["People teach rhythm, melody, themes, repeating patterns to birds.", "Birds can teach people how to go on singing a song up to 24 hours.", "Human music has, in fact, come from the sounds of birds in nature.", "Humans learned something beautiful from the sounds of many animals."]}, {"question": "From the passage we know that music in nature _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["can't be explained at all", "is very easy to pick up and listen to", "can't be understood at all", "is of no scientific value"]}]} -{"article": "Three more cattle farms in Andong,North Gyeongsang Province,were found to have been infected with the deadly foot-and-mouth disease,Nov.2 2010,Thursday.People fear that livestock farms in other parts of the country could be hit by the virus soon.\nOn Monday,the disease was first detected on two pig farms in Andong,about half a year after the last disease broke out in Korea.A cattle farm in the area also fell victim to the animal disease the following day.\nThe Ministry for Food,Agriculture,Forestry and Fisheries made sure that three more cases of foot-and-mouth disease appeared on Thursday and decided to kill all the animals at the farms and others at nearby places to stop the spread of the virus to other regions.Over 800 cows and pigs within a 500 meter range of the infected farms were killed and buried underground.\n\"Three suspected cases were reported Wednesday,near the pig farms where the first outbreak was reported.The laboratory tests today showed that all three cattle farms were infected with the disease,\" a ministry official said.Two newly infected cattle farms were less than 4 kilometers away from the two pig farms,while the third one was only 2.5 kilometers away.\nThe ministry also said another cattle farm in Andong reported suspected cases of foot-and-mouth disease on its livestock Thursday,indicating the disease will likely continue to spread across the city and possibly beyond.\nThe government has culled more than 33,000 animals near the affected farms Monday alone under its disease prevention program.Additionally,all 84 livestock markets across the nation were closed Wednesday for a period to prevent spread of the disease.\nNo suspected cases have been reported outside of Andong,but the government Thursday decided to destroy an additional 22,000 pigs at two farms in Boryeong,South Chungcheong Province.", "problems": [{"question": "Last time foot and mouth disease_.", "answer": "C", "options": ["broke out in North cattle farms", "was controlled as soon as possible", "happened in June,2010", "destroyed almost all cattle in cattle farms"]}, {"question": "How did the government deal with the disease?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The government controlled only the two farms.", "The government had more animals killed.", "The government tried to cure the sick animals.", "The government hated to kill animals."]}, {"question": "In which part of a newspaper can you most probably read the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Today's News", "History and Culture", "Entertainment", "Science"]}]} -{"article": "Bark\nCover Price: $19.80 Price: $15.00($2.50 / issue )\nYou save: $4.80 (24%) Review: By Pat Kane\nI absolutely love Bark magazine! I love the \"smiling\" pages and the tips on every issue. I am a dog lover and have saved all of my dogs from either death row or from people who were going to put them down. Everyone should have a chance to live and Bark stresses that with its articles. This magazine is a MUST HAVE for any dog lover!!\nDog Fancy\nCover Price: $54.00 Price: $14.99 ($1.25 / issue)\nYou save: $39.01 (72%) Review: By Berner Mom\nDon't waste your money on this magazine. 60-70 percent of it are advertisements, and the articles offer little useful information. It might be suitable for children, but not adults who are serious about educating themselves about dogs.\nDog World\nCover Price: $48.88 Price: $14.99 ($1.25 / issue)\nYou save: $33.89 (69%) Review: By one critic\nDog World has many very interesting and thought-provoking articles for people involved in dog showing, breeding , performance events, etc. However,over half of the magazine is devoted to breeder ads, which is boring. Still, as a whole, I recommend it for the articles. Good articles, but tons of ads.\nModern Dog\nCover Price: $45.00 Price: $15.00 ($3.75 / issue)\nYou save: $30.00 (24%) Review: By Dinah\nMy new favorite magazine! Beautiful photos, smart and amusing articles, fashion, art, interviews with famous people... all with a dog focus!Cover models range from Paris Hilton and Tinkerbell to Virginia Madsen and her dogs. Thanks to Modern Dog I now know how to give a dog-friendly cocktail party and how to actually get my dog to come when she's called. Surely worth checking out.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following magazines saves the most money?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Bark", "Dog Fancy", "Dog World", "Modern Dog"]}, {"question": "Dog world is recommended for its _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["wonderful articles", "fashionable cover", "low price", "good paper quality"]}, {"question": "According to the text, Modern Dog _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["has lovely dog pictures on the cover", "is interesting but not helpful", "has some photos but no articles", "has interviews with famous people"]}, {"question": "The purpose of the text is to introduce _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["some cheap magazines", "different magazines for different readers", "some magazines about dogs", "information on raising dogs"]}]} -{"article": "The Beatles were the most influential band in pop history. In their 8year, 12album history, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr altered popular culture dramatically. And it wasn't just the suits and changing lengths of hair the four Liverpool boys wore that had such an impact, but what they seemed to stand for. The world saw them as the voice of a new generation, one with a very different attitude to life.\n Their influence was at its height in the 1960s, but their music continues to stir listeners today. However, up until recently one aspect of the Beatles was struck in Yesterday: The music had never been remastered . But on September 9 that situation came to an end, with the release of the entire band's music in a digital makeover. It is probably the biggest reissue in pop music history, said British newspaper theFinancialTimes.\n The albums were remastered at Abbey Road Studios in London, the location where the band produced much of their work. The cover of their last album, AbbeyRoadof1969, featured the four young men striding across a zebra crossing on Abbey Road itself. It is one of the most famous of all Beatles images.\n Recently, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the album, hundreds of Beatles lovers gathered there to show their appreciation.\n Pop groups come and go. The boy band pursued by screaming fans one year will be forgotten the next. But the Beatles are one of the few groups whose music seems to have endured . Why? Paul McCartney's biographer Barry Miles has an explanation: \"They were the first rock band... and they just happened to be the best. They were the first band to play stadiums, to have their own products. They were groundbreaking in every way,\" he says.", "problems": [{"question": "Why did the Beatles change popular culture?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because of the suits of the four Liverpool boys.", "Because of changing lengths of hair the four Liverpool boys wore.", "Because of their albums.", "Because of their different attitude to life."]}, {"question": "What's the main idea of the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["What is the Beatles?", "Legendary band stays on top in digital times.", "The origin of the Beatles.", "Why is the Beatles popular with people?"]}]} -{"article": "NASA's Mars detector , Opportunity, succeeded in finding signs that water once existed on the planet. Opportunity landed on Mars in January. Scientists now believe that the planet could once have supported life.\nThis discovery was chosen by Science, one of the world's leading magazines, as the most important scientific achievement of 2004 last Friday.\n\"This little, wheeled, one-armed box went around another planet and has done something no human has ever managed,\" according to Science. \"It has discovered another place in the universe where life could once have existed.\"\n\"Although we still can't say that life could have existed in this environment, it is now certain that there was water on Mars,\" said Steve Squyres, one of the scientists working on the Mars mission. The evidence comes from pictures and chemical readings taken by Opportunity. It includes marks on rocks like those caused by flowing water on Earth and salty chemicals like those found in dried-out sea-beds. Scientists said the new evidence proved beyond doubt that water has existed on Mars. But it is still unknown whether the water on Mars was like an ocean or just ice.\nWhile Opportunity has not found any signs of life, the presence of water means life is possible. \"In everything we know about life on Earth, there is no example without liquid water,\" Squyres said. \"So water is important for the search for life on Mars.\"\nResearchers agree that a future mission should bring back physical samples . But some scientists worry about the risk that this could introduce dangerous foreign creatures to Earth. \"The problem here is how to get the samples back,\" Squyres replied. \"I think it is our responsibility to limit any risk.\"", "problems": [{"question": "_ prove that water existed on Mars.", "answer": "B", "options": ["The physical samples with salty chemicals", "The marks on rocks and salty chemicals", "Scientific achievements of 2004", "Creatures from Mars"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is TURE according to the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["It is now certain that there was water on Mars.", "The water on Mars was like an ocean.", "Evidence of life on Mars has been found.", "Search for life on Mars is a great risk to humans."]}, {"question": "How did scientists draw the conclusion that there was water on Mars?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The world's leading magazine has announced the fact.", "Scientists have taken many pictures and chemical readings on the Mars.", "Astronauts have got some rocks from Mars.", "Scientists have made a study of the pictures and readings sent back by Mars detector."]}, {"question": "It can be inferred that, if the creatures from Mars came to Earth, _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["they would be kind to humans", "they would be cruel to humans", "they would be a great danger to Earth", "it would be hard to say whether it would be a good news or bad new"]}]} -{"article": "I'm a pig, and my son is a rabbit. I have snakes for daughters, and my wife, believe it or not, is a dragon! Do I live in a zoo? No, of course not! I am talking about Chinese zodiac signs . Depending on the year of your birth, each person has an animal for a sign. That's why I am a pig and my wife is a dragon. If you, like me, were born in the year of the pig, then you are brave, thoughtful and loyal. The year of the pig is filled with good fortune.\nNow let's take a closer look at this interesting animal.\nPigs were first raised by man about 9,000 years ago, and are still a very common farm animal in many parts of the world. We don't just use pigs for their meat -- almost every part of the animal is used. The hair is used for artists' brushes. The fat is used to make floor wax, rubber and plastics.\nPigs have also been important in the world of entertainment. In 1995 the film 'Babe' starred a loveable talking pig as its main character. The film won an Oscar and was nominated for 6 more. In England you can even go to watch pig racing. A farmer, Rob Shepherd, has been raising money for charity by holding pig races on his farm. The events have been very successful. People don't just want to eat pigs, it seems!\nPigs also play an important role in the English language. For example, if someone says that he will travel to the sun one day, you can say \" _ !\" to him. Hungry? Well then, you can \"pig out\" and eat lots of food. And what if someone rescues you? Well, you can say that they \"saved your bacon\".", "problems": [{"question": "We may know from the passage that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["people in England like pigs more than other animals", "pigs are more useful than ordinary people imagine", "pigs are the first animals raised by man", "more people don't want to eat pigs now"]}]} -{"article": "Tanzania Tarangire is a national park in Tanzania. The park itself covers an area of around 2,850 square kilometers, making it the sixth largest park of its kind in the country. I recently visited it to see what it was like.\nOne of the first sightings upon entering the park I found was a huge group of elephants. Our guide told us Tarangire was probably the best place in Tanzania to find large groups of elephants. We continued to watch the elephants as they stood under trees and scratched themselves against the trees to hit the spot of an itch .\nTo the right of the elephant group, we noticed a big tree. Our guide informed us that this was a baobab tree and that Tarangire was one of the best national parks in Africa to see so many baobab trees.\nAs we continued our drive through the park, we finally reached a watering hole. Our guide warned us there were lions all around us. Most of them were resting in the shade under bushes, but there was one that was drinking from the watering hole directly in front of us. We then noticed there were a couple of fresh zebra corpses --it seemed as if the resting lions had killed them!\nOur final big sighting was one that none of us were expecting to see!We pulled over to where there was a large gathering of cars, with a sleeping leopard there!We took photos happily and excitedly and observed its surprising body before returning to our hotel as it was getting late.\nSo I hope you enjoyed my description of Tarangire,and that I've inspired you to add this amazing park to your very own Tanzania travel plan.", "problems": [{"question": "we can learn from the passage that Tanzania Tarangire _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["is the sixth largest park in Tanzania", "is one of the best places to hunt animals.", "is famous for its amazing animals and plants", "has the largest number of elephants in the world"]}, {"question": "Elephants scratched themselves against the trees because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["they felt uncomfortable", "the weather was too hot", "they were angry about something", "they were playing with each other"]}, {"question": "How did the author travel in Tanzania Tarangire?", "answer": "D", "options": ["By bicycle.", "By train.", "On foot.", "By car."]}, {"question": "What does the author think of his trip in Tanzania Tarangire?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Boring.", "Enjoyable.", "Dangerous.", "Challenging."]}]} -{"article": "The twentieth century saw greater changes than any century before. Changes for the better, changes for the worse, changes that brought a lot of benefits to human beings, changes that put man in danger. Many things caused the changes, but, in my opinion, the most important was the progress in science.\nScientific research in physics and biology has vastly broadened our views. It has given us a deeper knowledge of the structure of matter and of the universe. It has brought us a better understanding of the nature of life and of its continuous development. Technology in the application of science has made big advances that have benefited us in nearly every part of life.\nThe continuation of such activities in the twenty-first century will result in even greater advantages to human beings; in pure science--a wider and deeper knowledge in all fields of learning; in applied science--- a more reasonable sharing of material benefits, and better protection of the environment.\nSadly, however, there is another side to the picture. The creativity of science has been employed in doing damage to mankind. The application of science and technology to the development and production of weapons of mass destruction has created a real danger to the continued existence of the human race on this planet. We have seen this happen in the case of nuclear weapons. Although their actual use has so far occurred only in the Second World War, the number of nuclear weapons that were produced and made ready for use was so large that if the weapons had actually been used, the result could have been the ruin of the human race, as well as of many kinds of animals.\nWilliam Shakespeare said, \"The web of our life is of a _ yarn, good and ill together.\" The above brief review the application of only one part of human activities--science seems to prove what Shakespeare said. But does it have to be so? Must the ill always go together with the good? Are we biologically programmed for war?", "problems": [{"question": "What do you think the author is most likely to suggest if he continues to write?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Further application of science to war.", "More reading of William Shakespeare.", "Proper use of science in the new century.", "Effective ways to separate the good from the ill."]}]} -{"article": "Each time a city building is set up, the grass in that spot and trees that once reached up to the sky are replaced by a tar roof. In addition to that, roads, parking lots, and yet more buildings are being constructed. The total lost green space can have a very real effect on a city's air temperature, air quality and energy costs. On a summer day in most American cities, a tar roof can feel like the inside of an oven. But what if we could replace the hot roof of each skyscraper or building in a city with grass or a garden?\nWhether it holds vegetable gardens, wildflowers, or meadow grasses, a green roof can lower the temperature above a building by 60 degrees, which can reduce the building's energy costs. If used more widely, green roofs could decrease a city's total energy costs, reduce polluted air from power plant , and improve air quality and public health. But that's not all -- green roofs are a great way to deal with water management in urban areas with overwhelmed sewerage systems, and actually extend the life time of the roof itself. And green roofs do something else: They beautify the city -- whether you're on the 3rd floor or the 30th. Now that's a great achievement.\nThe environmental nonprofit group Earth Pledge is promoting a Green Roofs progamme. To learn more about how to create a green roof -- and the benefits it will provide -- visit its website at EarthPledge.com.", "problems": [{"question": "This passage is most likely to appear in \" _ \" in a webpage.", "answer": "A", "options": ["City Environment", "True Stories", "Home and Garden", "Family Health"]}, {"question": "The construction of more city buildings leads to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["fewer energy costs", "increase of gardens", "poor quality of air", "loss of parking space"]}, {"question": "What en tar roofs are replaced with green ones, _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["low temperature improves one's health", "everyone tends to plant vegetables in roof gardens", "people need more sewerage systems", "the greenness adds to the beauty of city environment"]}, {"question": "You can visit EarthPledge.com with the purpose of _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["building a home garden", "offering money to the group", "understanding green roofs better", "creating a website of Green Roofs"]}]} -{"article": "It is common to consider learning as something that takes place in school, but much of human learning occurs outside the classroom, even from birth and people continue to learn throughout their lives.\nEven before they enter school, young children learn to walk, to talk, and to use their hands to use toys, food, and other objects. They use all of their senses to learn about the sights,sounds,tastes, and smells in their environments. They learn how to communicate with their parents, grandparents,\nfriends, and other people important to their world. When they enter school, children learn basic academic subjects such as reading, writing, and mathematics, They also continue to learn a great deal outside the classroom. They learn which behaviors are likely to be rewarded and which are likely to be punished. They learn social skills for communicating with other children. After they finish school, people must learn to deal with the many major changes that affect their lives, such as getting married, raising children, and finding and keeping a job.\nBecause learning continues throughout our lives and affects almost everything we do, the study of learning is important in many different fields. Teachers need to understand the best ways to educate children. Psychologists, social workers, criminologists, and other human-service workers need to understand how certain experiences change people's behaviors. Employers, politicians, and advertisers make use of the principles of learning to affect the behavior of workers, voters, and consumers.\nLearning is closely related to memory, which is the storage of information in the brain. Psychologists who study memory are interested in how the brain stores knowledge, where this storage takes place and how the brain later outputs knowledge when we need it. In contrast, psychologists who study learning are more interested in behavior and how behavior changes as a result of a person's experiences.", "problems": [{"question": "The author thinks \"Learning\" in the passage most refers to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["life-long learning", "family learning", "learning after graduation", "behavior learning"]}, {"question": "Which period of children's life do they begin to learn how to behave well according to the passage? _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["After they go into society", "Before they enter school", "When they are at school", "Before they are born"]}]} -{"article": "Every night I have to go over the books he has learned from in class, signing each page to show the teacher that I have understood what the children have already done. \nMy child waits for me to play with him while I have my nose buried in his books. \n\"Have you done your homework yet, mom?\"\nAt least once a week we are handed fliers about various events going on, while the homework keeps piling up. \nAnd while my son throws his books in his bag every day quite happily, it's my responsibility to check he has everything he needs, that his lunchbox is washed and dry, that his water bottle is clean and full. \nMy child is sailing through the classes, especially, of course, English, in which they have been asked to choose an English name and decorate a nameplate for lessons. \nMy son, who already has an English name, has chosen another one, Harry. \nWu Shenhao, a little boy from my child's kindergarten, has chosen Helen. The girl who sits next to him has chosen Peter. \nEnglish is the one lesson I am not trapped with illegible requests and homework. The kind teacher has decided to let us off this one. \nWith 42 children in a class I have piles of respect for the teachers who sustain their devoted, detailed training of these young minds. \nPerhaps with the homework load they are causing some kind of revenge on the parents who have produced these little charges, and in doing so have caused them all this work. \nTo my little boy, it's all good fun with a bit of writing and numbers thrown in. \nHe loves most of it, especially the weekly flagraising ceremony, which, while a little surprising to the little ones, is at least accompanied by lively music and bright red flags.", "problems": [{"question": "Who asks mother to go over what the child has learned?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The teacher.", "The husband.", "The son.", "The neighbor."]}, {"question": "What can we learn from the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The son is satisfied with his homework.", "The teacher gives homework for parents.", "Parents should learn the book well.", "English is a lesson that can be easy to learn."]}, {"question": "How do the children feel about homework?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They feel it's heavy and don't finish willingly.", "They are glad to finish their homework and get rewards.", "They hate the teachers to give them so much work.", "Some of them treat some homework as good fun."]}]} -{"article": "Have you grasped the information taught by your teacher in class? Have you understood what you saw on the screen? Maybe everyone has their own learning style.\nGenerally speaking, we gather information with our minds and bodies in different ways, such as seeing, hearing and doing. Then our brains deals with that information, organizing it and connecting it to things we are already aware of. In other words, our brains will deal with the information in different ways. Sometimes we think in pictures or words. Sometimes we remember details or the big pictures.\nFor different people, their learning styles are different too. One person may find it hard to make out the information in written forms but easy to know it immediately in an oral description. However, another person might find difficulties with the picture but the written message.\nNow scientists say there exist seven basic learning styles.\n*Linguistic: These people learn through listening, reading, speaking and writing.\n*Logical: These people learn with formula and principles .\n*Visual: These people learn by seeing what they are studying.\n*Musical: These people learn well when information is presented through music.\n*Kinesthetic: These people learn from movement and physical activities.\n*Intrapersonal: These people learn best by linking new information directly with their own experiences.\n*Interpersonal: These people learn well by working with others.\nTherefore, if you know what learning style is your strength, you can balance your weakness, and get a more successful learning experience.", "problems": [{"question": "From the passage, we know that our brains _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["organize information with our bodies", "send out the information in the same way", "deal with the information in different ways", "gather information in the same way"]}, {"question": "A visual learner usually learns _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["through listening and speaking", "by linking new information with his experience", "from movement and physical activities", "by seeing what he is learning"]}, {"question": "A musical learner will find it easy to learn _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["through music he hears", "by working with others", "through reading and writing", "with formulas and principles"]}, {"question": "The purpose of the passage is to tell us to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["gather more information", "learn more successfully", "understand more quickly", "exchange information better"]}]} -{"article": "When I recall my experiences of feeling heard and deeply understood by someone, I know how much the experiences helped me to cope With whatever I was dealing with at the time. Caring people who I have turned to in difficult times helped me the most by listening and asking about my feelings.\nDuring one of my volunteer jobs at a local HIV and cancer clinic, I found the helpfulness of empathic listening. As a volunteer I was providing emotional support for people with health related problems. Empathic listening really made a difference on how patients felt about their health problems. By sharing about their pain and suffering and my willingness to listen, they felt less alone.\nWe can make life easier for each other by becoming a better listener and encouraging each other to share our feelings. We can become a better listener by avoiding giving advice and trying to solve problems unless we are asked to do so. Pressuring others to solve their life problems--\"our ways\"-- is not helpful. Most people intuitively know how to solve their own problems. As a listener it's important to be patient and not to interrupt the speaker. Let them know it's OK to talk about their feelings and support them in feeling their feelings.\nWhen one neither shares nor reaches out for support, he or she can remain a lonely mystery. Life can feel lonely when one keeps everything inside. Feeling alone with life problems can be worse than the problem itself. When we let a caring person listen to our life struggle, we will no longer feel alone with our struggle. Don't be afraid to ask your loved ones to take time to hear you out .Sometimes you have to ask for it. People cannot read your mind. Confiding in others can have a positive effect on our mood.", "problems": [{"question": "What made the author comfortable in difficult times?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Persuading", "Sharing", "Apologizing", "Complaining"]}, {"question": "What's the main idea of this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Listening and sharing can make you happier.", "People know how to solve their own problems.", "It is wrong to give advice to solve problems.", "You should learn to believe in other people."]}]} -{"article": "I've always known that dogs are clever, but even I was surprised when I heard about a dog called Red, at the Battersea Dog's Home in London.\nThe home has been caring for lost and unwanted animals for over 140 years. Recently, the staff there got a shock when they came to work in the morning. They found that some of the dogs had got out of their kennels during the night, opened cupboards and taken out food and toys. And it happened again and again. The manager described how as many as nine dogs were escaping every night. \" When we came in, dogs were running around having fun and causing a lot of mess. \"\nSomeone or something was unlocking the kennels during the night. The manager decided to put in cameras to record how the dogs were getting out.\nWhen she and her staff played back the recording, they saw Red, a three-year-old dog, put his nose through the bars of his kennel and use his teeth to press the button that opened his door. That was clever enough, but Red did more: he unlocked the kennels next to his and let the dogs out too. The group broke into cupboards and stole dog biscuits and toys to play with.\nThe manager said, \" It's surprising that Red _ how to open his own kennel and let all his friends out.\" I suppose, Red didn't like to party alone.\nThe story has a happy ending: after Red was shown on TV, several people came and offered to give him a new home as a family pet.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the author's purpose in writing the text?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To ask people to look after unwanted dogs.", "To describe dogs escaping from the Dog's Home.", "To give an example of how clever a dog can be.", "To introduce the work done by the Battersea Dog's Home."]}, {"question": "What did Red do after he got out of his kennel at night?", "answer": "B", "options": ["He slept in a cupboard.", "He let the other dogs out.", "He took biscuits and toys back to the other dogs.", "He showed the other dogs how to unlock their doors."]}, {"question": "What can we learn from the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Red didn't like being at the Dog's Home.", "Red and his friends had a good time when they escaped.", "Red and his friends enjoyed being recorded by the cameras.", "Red and the other dogs escaped because they were hungry."]}, {"question": "Which of the following was the topic of the TV program about Red?", "answer": "A", "options": ["A dog that can unlock doors.", "A night when kennels were unlocked.", "Parties for the missing dogs.", "Battersea Dog's Home."]}]} -{"article": "Everyone has some opinion about history, no matter how ill-informed. Walking through a parking lot in a university in Miami, I noticed a bumper sticker that said, \"Ruin a Liberal's Day--Recite Historical Fact!\" But Marwick thinks this sort of opinion is just fine; it is unavoidable that we all feel a sense of ownership of history.\nHistory never stands still, as Marwick says at the beginning of The Nature of History, \"The shape and content of history, too, vary according to the methods and materials available to different generations.\" Marwick's goal is to explain, in plain language, the changes in the way history is done up to the present; one method is to connect history with advances in the physical sciences. Marwick examines a number of case studies toward the end of the book. He ends the book with a refreshing collection of aphorisms about history. History truly belongs to each and every man and we all belong to history; with the proper education, history can be made more accessible to everyone.\nMarwick relates how inventions and the physical sciences have driven historical changes. Dropping a ball in a vacuum will reveal the same properties each time the experiment is conducted, providing the conditions are the same. But historians obviously do not have the luxury of reproducing such conditions; historians view the past through the present which depends on invention and science.\nBy looking at the changing nature of history, Marwick feels the study progressing. Although Marwick suspects some people would accuse a historian of creating job security with the endless views of the past, he insists it is imperative based on the philosophy, science, and new materials of the age. History, according to Marwick, must be for everyone and not remain locked behind the walls of academia.", "problems": [{"question": "The author mentions the bumper sticker in order to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["show his own opinion about history", "introduce the readers to Marwick", "explain the freedom of understanding history", "make the readers know about the argument between historians"]}, {"question": "Which of the following best describes the statement \"History never stands still\"?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Marwick explains the changes in the way history is done up to the present.", "Marwick connects history with advances in the physical sciences.", "He ends the book with a refreshing collection of aphorisms about history.", "The shape and content of history vary according to the methods and materials available."]}, {"question": "The text is intended to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["state a historian's ideas", "argue against a historian", "attract readers to study history", "describe the story of a historian"]}]} -{"article": "Most people go to a doctor in their own town or suburb . But people in the Australian outback can't get to a doctor quickly. The nearest doctor is sometimes hundreds of kilometers away so they have to call him on a two-way radio. This special doctor is called the \"flying doctor\". He visits sick people by plane.\nWhen someone is very sick, the doctor has to fly to the person's home. His plane lands on a flat piece of ground near the person's house. Sometimes the doctor has to take the patient to hospital. Flying doctors take about 8,600 people to hospital each year.\nHowever, most of the time the person isn't very sick, and the doctor doesn't have to visit. He can give advice on the radio from the office at the flying doctor center. He can tell the patient to use some medicine from a special medicine chest . There is one of these chests in every home in the outback. Each bottle, tube and packet in the chest has a number. The doctor often says something like this,\" take two tablets from bottle 5 every four hours.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Some people in the Australian outback can't get to a doctor quickly. Because _", "answer": "B", "options": ["there are few doctors there", "the nearest doctor is sometimes very far away from them", "there is always heavy traffic on the road", "they don't want to see a doctor"]}, {"question": "The doctor there usually goes to visit his patient _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["by sea", "in a car", "on foot", "by air"]}, {"question": "From the passage we know that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["every family in the outback has a special medicine chest", "people in Australia are seldom ill", "a \"flying doctor\" is a man who flies people to hospital", "there are very few hospitals in Australia"]}]} -{"article": "The bar-tailed godwit has just broken its own record for the world's longest non-stop flight, including humans in planes, according to a report made by Lund University Press. The bird can fly non-stop for eight days, while the most impressive man-made airplane can only remain in the sky for 82 hours without a stop.\nThe bar-tailed godwit's journey, from Alaska to New Zealand, covers over 6,835 miles. It completes this trip twice a year, in autumn going to New Zealand, and in spring back to Alaska. The tireless bird ends the trip without stopping once for food or rest. All other birds can only finish trips that are twice as short as what the bar-tailed godwit travels.\nOne reason for the bar-tailed godwit's success is that it has made the best use of its fuel, which is only 0.41 percent of its body weight over each hour of any given long flight. Hedenstrom, a professor from Lund University, says, \"This figure is extremely low compared with other birds.\" The bird also has a special body shape that helps it fly easily. It stores body fat and protein to manage its trips. It also travels fast, compared to other birds and animals.\nMany questions remain about this bird record holder that never gets lost in the air. Researchers wonder whether it has an inside compass that helps it to know the direction. Please watch how beautiful bar-tailed godwits look as they come in for a landing, along with other birds.", "problems": [{"question": "For the flight from Alaska to New Zealand, the bar-tailed godwit _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["doesn't need to stop to eat", "is afraid of hot weather", "seems very tired at last", "should fly less than 7000 metres"]}, {"question": "The main reason why the bar-tailed godwit can break the record is that it _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["eats little food every hour", "has a special body shape", "stores much water in its body", "has very light body weight"]}, {"question": "What is the text mainly about?", "answer": "A", "options": ["A bird that breaks the record for the longest non-stop flight.", "Birds and airplanes that can fly over a long distance.", "Reasons for the bar-tailed godwit's long-distance flight.", "An introduction to long-distance flights of birds and humans."]}]} -{"article": "There was a man who worked all of his life and saved all of his money.He was a real miser when it came to his money.He loved money more than just about anything, and just before he died, he said to his wife, \"Now listen, when I die, I want you to take all my money and place it in the casket with me.I wanna take my money to the afterlife.\"\nSo he got his wife to promise him with all her heart that when he died, she would put all the money in the casket with him.\nWell, one day he died.He was stretched out in the casket, the wife was sitting there in black next to her closest friend.When they finished the ceremony, just before the undertakers got ready to close the casket, the wife said \"Wait just a minute!\"\nShe had a shoe box with her, she came over with the box and placed it in the casket.Then the undertakers locked the casket down and rolled it away.Her friend said, \"I hope you weren't crazy enough to put all that money in the casket.\"\n\"Yes,\" the wife said, \"I promised.I'm a good Christian, I can't lie.I promised him that I was going to put that money in that casket with him.\"\n\"You mean to tell me you put every cent of his money in the casket with him?\"\n\"I sure did.I got it all together, put it into my account and I wrote him a check.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What was the woman's reaction to her husband's last words?", "answer": "C", "options": ["She remained silent.", "she said no.", "She said yes.", "She was annoyed."]}, {"question": "The woman's friend believed that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["she shouldn't put all the money in the casket", "she should put all the money in the casket.", "she should give his husband a promise.", "she should not break her promise."]}, {"question": "Which word can best describe the woman?", "answer": "B", "options": ["attractive", "clever", "dishonest", "lazy"]}, {"question": "What might be the best title of the story ?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Take All My Money With Me", "A Promise Cleverly Kept", "A Loving Wife", "Miser and his Wife"]}]} -{"article": "Some people may say a hero is someone older than you, someone you personally know, someone who has done something everyone knows about, etc. I don't think a hero necessarily has to be an older person or a close friend or a family member. My hero is younger than me, but we are related. His name is Marcus. He is my cousin. He isn't necessarily a wise person or someone who does something great every day, but he has taught me to appreciate some of the simple things in life.\nI am now in 11th grade. When I was in 8th grade, Marcus had a brain tumor which had to be removed. Thankfully the tumor was benign . When the doctors removed it, Marcus lost his sight. He felt down only once. Ever since then, he has been an extremely happy second-grader. He is very typical of a nine-year-old. He likes to tell jokes, play new games, and he likes to play tricks on people, just like children at his age. I love spending time with him. We go to movies whenever there is a good one and look after him every chance I get.\nI say that Marcus helps to appreciate the simple thing in life. He doesn't have his sight and that causes me to realize how lucky I am to be able to see, to walk, and to talk. I can do everything I need to. If everyone could see how happy and satisfied Marcus is and how much he makes everyone around him happy, then they might just be able to better appreciate the simple things in life.", "problems": [{"question": "It can be inferred that the author has _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the same idea about heroes as others", "the idea that a hero must be a close friend", "the idea that a hero must be older", "a different idea about heroes from others"]}, {"question": "Why does the author consider his cousin as a hero?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Because his cousin teaches him how to enjoy a simple life.", "Because his cousin does great things every day.", "Because his cousin is a very wise person.", "Because his cousin teaches him to live a rich life."]}, {"question": "What makes the author think himself lucky?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Marcus' simple life.", "Marcus' blindness.", "Marcus' serious illness.", "Marcus' recovery."]}]} -{"article": "Boredom and Creativity\nMost of us think of being bored at work as a negative experience, but a new study suggests it can have positive results including an increase in creativity because it gives us time to daydream.\nThat is the finding of Dr. Sandi Mann from the University of Central Lancashire. Dr. Mann conducted two studies. In the first experiment, 40 people were asked to carry out a boring task. They were told to copy numbers out of a telephone directory for 15 minutes. After that they were asked to complete another task. A pair of cups were given to each of them. Everyone tried to come up with different uses of the cups, and was given a chance to display their creativity. Meanwhile, another group of 40 people were just asked to come up with uses for the cups without doing any boring tasks before. It turned out that the 40 people who had first copied out the telephone numbers were more creative than the control group .\nTo see if daydreaming was a factor in this effect, a second boring task was introduced that allowed even more daydreaming than the boring writing task. This second study saw 30 people copying out the numbers as before, but also included a second group of 30 reading rather than writing them.\nAgain the researchers found that the people in the control group were least creative, but the people who had just read the names were more creative than those who had to write them out. This suggests that more passive boring activities, like reading or perhaps attending meetings, can lead to more creativity. Compared with reading, writing reduced the scope for daydreaming. As a result, it reduces the effects of boredom on creativity.\nDr. Mann says: \"Boredom at work has always been seen as something to be avoided, but perhaps we should accept it in order to promote our creativity. What we want to do next is to see what the practical implications of this finding are. Do people who are bored at work become more creative in other areas of their work--or do they go home and write novels?\"", "problems": [{"question": "Who proved to be the most creative in the two studies?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The people who attended meetings.", "The people who invented uses for cups.", "The people who did the reading task", "The people who copied telephone numbers."]}, {"question": "The studies conducted by Dr. Mann indicate that creativity results from _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["creative tasks", "the range of daydreaming", "controlled activities", "reading and writing ability"]}, {"question": "What is Dr. Mann's attitude towards boredom at work?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Subjective", "Skeptical", "Positive", "Disapproving"]}, {"question": "What will Dr. Mann probably continue to research in their study?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The actual use of boredom.", "The real causes of creativity.", "The practical reasons of boredom.", "The writing ability improved by boredom."]}]} -{"article": "Many Chinese people are confused with the two nations: one is known for its cheese and watches; the other for IKEA and Volvo.\nThe problem largely stems from the fact that both nation's names are written similarly in Mandarin---Ruidian(Sweden) and Ruishi (Switzerland)------which begin with the same symbol, according to the Swedish Consul General Victoria Liu in China.\nIn an effort to put an end to the mix-up, the Swedish and Swiss governments have launched a competition on a website, asking Chinese people to come up with funny ways to help differentiate the two countries. Submissions can be accepted as a blog post, cartoon, photo, short film or in any other format.\nThe winner with the best submission will receive a 12-day trip to Sweden and Switzerland and will be expected to report back on his/her impressions of both countries following the trip, the website states. Entries will be accepted until November 20.\nThe organizers have also _ a humorous campaign logo with objects and people associated with Sweden and Switzerland on separate maps of each country. Sweden's map features meatballs, a Viking, as well as two male cartoon figures with a heart between them symbolizing gay marriage, which remains illegal in Switzerland. Switzerland's map features cheese, the Alps and a picture of Roger Federer.\nChina may not be the only country struggling to tell Sweden and Switzerland apart. Residents of Spanish-speaking countries also fall victim to the confusion as Sweden is spelt \"Suecia\" in Spanish while Switzerland is called \"Suiza\".\nSweden and Switzerland aren't the only places that have caused confusion among people. Last month, , a British holidaymaker hoped to explore the architecture of the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain, but instead mistakenly caught a flight across the Atlantic to the tropical Caribbean island of Grenada following a confusing booking blunder. Earlier this summer, two US holidaymakers were flown to the wrong continent after an airline confused two airport codes.", "problems": [{"question": "What can we learn about the competition launched by the two governments?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The winner of the competition will receive a 24-day trip altogether to both of the countries.", "The winner will report his/her impressions on the two countries in his/her submission.", "The competition is held among all people around the world.", "The competition is held in order to stop people's confusion about the two countries."]}, {"question": "Why does the author mention the British holidaymaker?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To show us many people are confused by Sweden and Switzerland.", "To prove airports make mistakes about people's places too.", "To explain Spanish-speaking people make mistakes too.", "To prove many people are confused about some places."]}, {"question": "In which part of a newspaper could you probably find the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Tourism", "News review", "Business", "Culture"]}]} -{"article": "The vast, rural stretches of the United States have, in many ways, defined the American spirit. Up until the 20th century, the majority of Americans lived in the countryside, in what's called --Middle America or the Heartland.\nBut research has shown that growing up in America's Heartland can put students at a disadvantage when it comes to their college education. This, in turn, can hinder (to make it difficult for something to develop or succeed) their social mobility.\nA 2015 study released by the US Department of Education investigated the gap between urban and rural college students, by concentrating on a group of high school graduates from Indiana.\nUS' national statistics had previously shown that only 27 percent of rural students enroll in college, compared to 37 percent of city kids.\nWhat the study found was that urban and rural students left high school with similar academic backgrounds. Yet, the rural students were more inclined to settle for two-year colleges or less selective universities, even though they had the potential to attend to better schools.\nThe researchers say distance heavily influenced the students' decisions. The farther rural graduates high schools were from colleges, the more likely rural graduates were to enroll in a two-year college or to undermatch with a college, the report read. Many of the rural students indicated that living close to family was a priority.\nBut the researchers also noted that resources were scarcer for the rural students. Selective universities tended to concentrate their recruitment efforts on dense, urban centers, where there were more students to meet.\nA rural teen's educational opportunities may also depend on gender. Casey Quinlan, writing for The Atlantic, notes that rural women are more likely to marry sooner. Early marriage occurs most frequently among young adults with low educational background, Quinlan said, citing a 2010 study.\nBut the problem of social mobility isn't limited to the rural population. The United States has one of the highest rates of income inequality among developed nations. And by some measures, rural residents might have an advantage.\nStanford University's 2015 Poverty and Inequality Report found that poverty was hardest to escape in the American South, and in places with high racial segregation. It concluded that urban areas actually--tend to have lower rates of social mobility than rural areas.\nThe successful children growing up in rural areas do not just ' _ ' but also generally move out. That is, they typically move to large metropolitan areas, often out of their state of birth, the report explained.\nRural areas are also hoping to give their residents a boost up the social ladder. In Kansas, graduates can get $15,000 (95,297 yuan) to pay off their student debt if they move to a rural county. They keep more money in their pockets and get to enjoy more economic freedom as a result.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the main reason that the rural graduates choose to enter two-year college or to undermatch with a college?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The graduates in the rural areas start a family as early as possible.", "Many of the graduates regard living close to family as a priority.", "A rural teen's educational opportunities may also depend on gender.", "Most young adults with low educational backgrounds lose the chance easily."]}, {"question": "From the research released by the US Department of Education, we know that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the gender gap might hinder the development of the graduates in the rural area", "the distance outweighs the academic backgrounds in graduates decision making", "the social ladder gap might stop graduates from being enrolled into better colleges", "the racial segregation stops the graduates in the rural area getting high salary"]}]} -{"article": "Would the world be more peaceful if women were in charge? A challenging new book by the Harvard University psychologist Steven Pinker says that the answer is \"yes\".\nIn The Better Angels of Our Nature, Pinker presents data showing that human violence, while still very much with us today, has been gradually declining. Moreover, he says, \"over the long sweep of history, women have been and will be a peaceful force. Traditional war is a man's game: tribal women never band together to attack neighboring villages.\" As mothers, women tend to maintain peaceful conditions in which to bring up their children.\nSkeptics immediately reply that women have not made war simply because they have rarely been in power. If they were empowered as leaders, the disorder of the world would force them to make the same warlike decisions that men do. Margaret Thatcher,Golda Meir, and Indira Gandhi were powerful women; all of them led their countries to war.\nBut it is also true that these women rose to leadership by playing according to the political rules of \"a man's world.\" It was their success consistent with male values that enabled their rise to leadership in the first place. In a world in which women were in the majority of leadership positions, they might behave differently in power.\nSo we are left with the broader question: does gender really matter in leadership? In terms of traditional opinion, various psychological studies show that men tend towards the hard power of command, while women are cooperative and naturally understand the soft power of attraction and persuasion.\nThe key choices about war and peace in our future will depend not on gender, but on how leaders combine hard and soft power skills to produce smart policies. Both men and women will make those decisions.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following does Pinker agree?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Human violence has been increasing.", "Men play a vital role in traditional war.", "Women have not made war due to their powerlessness.", "Women prefer to take care of their babies at home."]}, {"question": "The author mentions Margaret Thatcher, Golda Meir, and Indira Gandhi to say _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["they were all women", "they also acted as leaders", "they were all heroes", "they also made war"]}, {"question": "How did these women rise to leadership?", "answer": "B", "options": ["By entering a famous university.", "By following values similar to men's.", "By showing their good character.", "By playing political games."]}, {"question": "In terms of traditional opinion, _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["men prefer cooperation", "men are wiser than women", "women know well about soft power", "women are excellent leaders."]}, {"question": "What does the writer intend to tell us?", "answer": "A", "options": ["War and peace depend on wise policies made by men or women.", "We had better choose women as our leaders if we want peace.", "Women are more likely to make smart policies than men.", "Men tend to lead their countries to war."]}]} -{"article": "Digital Trend: BOOKLESS LIBRARIES\nWhat if you could fit all of a library's collection in the palm of your hand? That's part of the idea behind an upcoming bookless public library in San Antonio. Called Biblio Tech, the system will lend out e-readers loaded with 10,000 titles for two-to-three -week periods. But don't bother holding on to the device longer than that because it's programmed to go dead.\nOther libraries have tried similar programs: In 2002, the Santa Rosa Branch Library in Tucson, Arizona, launched a digital-only facility, and a bookless project was proposed last year in Newport Beach, California. Those digital-only projects _ --residents wanted their paperbacks--but Stanford University maintains a successful bookless engineering library with over 65,000 titles. Officials say digital libraries are a low-cost way to educate the masses and argue their rise is inevitable.\nStill, some insist print isn't doomed. A recent Wall Street Journal article notes that e-book purchases skew heavily toward the sort of \"light entertainment\" novels you can pick up at the grocery store. A survey from the Pew Research Center shows that about 90 percent of digital readers still crack open physical books.( After all, there are only four Twilight books. How hard is it to drag those around?)", "problems": [{"question": "The following statements are true except that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the Santa Rosa Branch Library lend out e-readers with 10,000 books.", "the physical books are still popular despite those bookless projects.", "Stanford University sets a successful example of bookless engineering.", "some officials agree that digital libraries are educative and unavoidable."]}, {"question": "Some people insist that print will not disappear because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["e-books are mainly sort of \"light entertainment\" novels.", "most of the digital readers prefer books about physics.", "a majority of e-reader users still choose to read paperbacks.", "it is easy to take 4 Twilight books everywhere."]}]} -{"article": "While you may be doing everything right, ignoring just one or two steps in the process may keep you from getting a job, especially in this fierce market. Here is a checklist that covers some of the major links in the job-search chain.\nTHE RESUME --- Make sure it is up-to-date and tailored to the types of jobs you are seeking for. Have someone else look at your resume. If you cannot afford a career coach, give your resume to friends or family members to _ Have copies of your resume printed so that you are ready to hand them out at interviews.\nCOVERING LETTERS --- Maybe you've set up a few basic styles in advance, but that's not enough. Each covering letter should be designed to suit the job for which you are applying.\nTHE WARDROBE --- Check your wardrobe to ensure that you have the appropriate professional dress, including shoes, ready for interview.\nNETWORKING --- Don't isolate yourself from others for days. Network through e-mail messages, phone calls, appointments and meetings keep you in touch with the outside world and prevent you from becoming depressed.\nAPPLICATION --- A glance at huge online job sites isn't usually the best way to find a job. You are more likely to succeed through the people you know via networking.\nTHE FOLLOW--UP --- It is quite common to apply for job and never hear back from the company. Take measures, such as following up with a phone call a week or so after you apply. If you know someone at the company, check whether that person will put in a good word for you.\nINTERVIEWS --- If you've got plenty of interviews but no return calls or job offers, take a look at your interviewing skills. This is one area where investing in a career coach may pay off. But if you can't afford one, try to find a job group or service that conducts free mock interviews.\nSUPPORT SYSTEMS --- Finally, recognize that looking for job is rather difficult. Even at the best of times, a job hunt is often about rejection, and that can be hard to endure. Staying in touch with family, friends, professional networks and fellow job seekers can help you to maintain a positive attitude and a sense of perspective.", "problems": [{"question": "The author's purpose of writing this text is to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["suggest graduates should find suitable jobs", "tell people how to improve their interview skills", "teach people how to get ready for an interview", "give people some tips on searching for jobs"]}, {"question": "Which of the following methods is wrong according to the text?", "answer": "C", "options": ["You should have your resume read by your friends after finishing it.", "You should create different covering letters for the different jobs you apply for.", "Searching online is the most effective way to look for a job.", "You should wear professional clothes and shoes for the interview."]}, {"question": "What should you do if you don't receive any calls after lots of interviews?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Ask a fellow job seeker to help you", "Carefully review your interviewing skills.", "Rewrite your resume as soon as possible", "Go to the managers' offices to find out why."]}, {"question": "It is implied in the text that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["people often pay no attention to writing their resume", "the interview is the most difficult step for interviewees", "your social network may help you a lot in your job hunt", "a career coach often offers free mock interviews to interviewees"]}]} -{"article": "Kids who receive special education are, without doubt, the hardest working children in any school. When they are having difficulty learning basic literacy and number concepts, when they break rules, when they need more services, support and adult attention than their peers, then they are struggling the hardest. In psychology, we are trained to think that if we are feeling angry or confused when sitting with a patient, then we are probably feeling just what our patient is feeling. The same is true for students with disabilities. Whatever we feel when we work with them, they are probably feeling as they work with us.\n If you have a disability that affects your education, then you have a brain disorder. Because education, even in mathematics, is largely verbal , most brain disorders responsible for educational disabilities affect language, and how you process words and ideas in written and oral form. To imagine how much effort a child with a language disability spends each school day, imagine yourself attending a school today taught in a language you had a basic understanding of. Imagine though, that while you seem fluent to others, you have trouble when people talk too fast, use idioms or expressions.\n When adults and classmates blame, or criticize kids who receive special education, they are struggling with their own confusion. It is difficult to imagine the world as it is lived by someone with an educational disability. It is difficult to understand how someone who can be so \"normal\" can have so many problems. It is so easy to imagine that if they just tried harder... without understanding that just to do the ordinary, kids with disabilities are making an extraordinary effort.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the purpose of the author by writing the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["to introduce how hard to be a special education teacher.", "to think highly of the children with disabilities.", "to show the disabled have much trouble in understanding.", "to call on the society to care for the disabled."]}, {"question": "If a disabled kid learns number concepts, he _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["won't work as hard as a normal.", "will work double as hard as a normal.", "will be as patient as the normal.", "will think of his disability first."]}, {"question": "If a kid has a disability affecting his education, he will _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["have a hard time using the language.", "be too foolish to learn maths .", "not understand what others are saying.", "have a lot of trouble in remembering words."]}, {"question": "Before you intend to blame a kid receiving special education, _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["you should try to understand what he is saying.", "you should imagine the world he lives in.", "you should imagine yourself in his shoes.", "you should think of the education he has received."]}]} -{"article": "Make the best of graduation secondhand market\nThe hottest items at graduation sales are secondhand textbooks and class notes from graduating upperclassmen. Some even sell guidelines for exams. Books used by upperclassmen will surely help you study.\nClassics ranging from The Romance of Three KingdomsandA Dream of the Red Mansionto English novels such asPride and Prejudice,Da Vinci Codehave price tags much lower than their market price.\nSenior women students sell off clothes for job interviews and dates with their boy friends. Some even sell fashion hair straighteners and hairdryers. Most of them are in good condition. Secondhand bicycles are always the stars of the sale. The tip is to buy a lock which matches the price of the bike.\nElectronic devices such as MP4 players, recorders and PCs are also popular. But be careful when choosing because dorm electric devices can be in poor condition because of overuse.", "problems": [{"question": "What are the favorite things sold at the graduation sales?", "answer": "B", "options": ["MP4 players and fashion clothes.", "Secondhand textbooks and class notes.", "Classics and secondhand bikes.", "PCs and fashion hair straighteners."]}, {"question": "According to the text, what should be taken into account when you buy a used bike?", "answer": "D", "options": ["A good quality hairdryer.", "An electronic device.", "A fashion hair straightener.", "A well-matched lock."]}, {"question": "Why should electric devices be carefully chosen at the market?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because they are practical at a low price.", "Because they are bargains in good quality.", "Because they have already been overused.", "Because they will do harm to your health."]}]} -{"article": "During the 19th century, women's education was not considered important in the United States. Supporters of advanced education for women faced many problems. States did require each town to provide a school for children, but teachers were often poorly prepared. Most young women were not able to continue on with their education in private schools. If they did, they often were not taught much except the French language, how to sew clothing, and music.\nMary Lyon felt that women's education was extremely important. Through her lifelong work for education she became the most famous woman in the 19th century America. She believed that women were teachers both at home and in the classroom. And she believed that efforts to better educate young women also served God. If women were better educated, she felt, they could teach in local schools throughout the United States and in foreign countries.\nIn 1837, Mary Lyon opened Mount Holyoke Seminary for Women. Only four teachers and the first class of eighty young women lived and studied in the building when the school opened. But Mary knew the importance of what had been established -- the first independent school for the higher education of women. The school continued to grow. In 1893, under a state law, Mount Holyoke Female Seminary became a college. Mount Holyoke College was the first college to offer women the same education as was offered to men.\nPeople who have studied Mary Lyon say she was not fighting a battle of equality between men and women, yet she knew she wanted more for women. Her efforts led to the spread of higher education for women in the United States. Historians say she was the strongest influence on the education of American young people during the middle of the 19th century.", "problems": [{"question": "What did Mary Lyon think would be a result of better education for women?", "answer": "A", "options": ["They could be teachers in local schools in the USA and in foreign countries.", "They could help their children with the homework.", "They could help their husbands with the work.", "They could help their parents with the housework."]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the text?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Teachers were poorly prepared in the 19th century.", "Mount Holyoke Seminary for Women was the first independent school for the higher education of women in the United States.", "Mount Holyoke College only taught women French.", "Young women studied French, sewing and music in private schools in the 19th century."]}]} -{"article": "\"Have you ever found a treasure?\" I once asked my father.He smiled a big smile and told me this story.\n\"Once when I was about ten years old,\" my father told me, \"I went treasure hunting with my older sister.She had heard some people talking about a treasure box hidden in a hillside cave.One day we went there and spent two or three hours looking for the entrance to the cave.Then, as I was trying to squeeze between two big stones, I suddenly fell into a hole.It was the mouth of a tunnel that led to the cave.My sister and I crawled through into it.It was very dark but we had brought a flashlight and we were shocked to see that there was a large wooden box ahead of us.We ran to the box and pulled it open.It was filled with silver and gold coins.I started to count them but my sister told me to stop.\"This is only money ,\"she said,\"This is not a real treasure.If you want money , all you have to do is to work for it\".\nI was going to argue with her when I suddenly noticed a big metal box on the other side of the cave.The box was filled with statues.Some statues were made of ivory or gold, with diamonds for eyes and rubies for lips.I took one of the gold statues out of the box.'Don't do that!' yelled my sister.'This is only beauty and art.It is not a real treasure.There must be something better here.'\nWe searched and searched, but there was nothing else in the cave.Then the battery in the flashlight started to die.We got scared and crawled back.I wiggled through but my sister got stuck half way between the stones.I tried to pull her out but I couldn't.I ran up and down the street knocking on doors but nobody would come.\nThe only one who would help was a girl about my age.She got a rope and a spade and a water bottle.About an hour later, we got my sister out of the stones.I became good friends with the girl who had helped us.She was very responsible, faithful, kind and loving.When we finished college I realized that she was the woman I wanted to marry.That's your mom.I thought I had found the best treasure in the world.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Why did the father knock on doors on the street?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To beg for water.", "To beg for help.", "To tell people about the treasure.", "To warn people of the danger."]}, {"question": "What can we learn from the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The loss of flashlight drove them to crawl back.", "Most people in the town were not supportive and helpful.", "The sister got stuck between the stones when she was trying to squeeze into the cave..", "The second box was filled with famous pictures."]}, {"question": "Which of the following could best describe the sister?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Rude", "Greedy", "Wise", "Lazy"]}, {"question": "Which of the following could be the best title of the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["A Real Treasure", "An Exciting Experience", "A Helpful Girl", "A Terrible Trip"]}]} -{"article": "Welcome to the 2015 Winter Camp\nThe 2015 Winter Camp opens between 9: 30 a m and 11:30 a. m .from Feb.5thto Feb. 15th. A11 children aged 8-14 are welcome. Each child can take part in only one of the following activities and needs to pay,Y=150 for it\n1. Sports (basketball, football, table tennis, etc )\n2. Internet Groups (painting online, piano-learning, computer study, etc. )\n3. English World (English songs/games/plays, English speaking contest etc.)\nSome American children are coming to the camp. If you really want to spend an interesting winter holiday, please join us for learning with fun. Act now! Book your seat as soon as possible either by phone or by e-mail Pay before Jan. 25th, then you can have a Mickey T-shirt as a member of the camp,\nBeijing Children's Palace\nNo. 23, Fu Xing Road, Beijing City\nTel: 010-888093445\nE-mail: Children's Palace@163. com", "problems": [{"question": "This Winter Camp is intended for", "answer": "C", "options": ["parents", "teachers", "students", "English learners"]}, {"question": "The participants can do the following things except _ ;", "answer": "B", "options": ["making friends with American children", "playing computer games", "learning English songs", "having basketball matches"]}, {"question": "What should you do if you want to get a T-shirt?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Book the seats as soon as possible.", "Phone the Palace in advance.", "Pay money before Jan. 25th", "Ask some others to join in,"]}]} -{"article": "Anyone who has experienced the joy of driving through a rainstorm with the sunroof open understands how airflow around the moving vehicles can keep him dry despite the exposure. Now a similar principle is being employed to create an umbrella that protects people from the rain using nothing more than an invisible air force field.\nAir Umbrella, developed by a Chinese company and recently funded by Kickstarter, uses forced air rather than fabric to create a protective canopy that keeps people from getting wet in the rain.\nIt's a clever concept and designers have done a good job of answering several questions about the product. For instance, the sound generated by the device is minimal, especially when compared to the pitter-patter of the falling rain. It can create a protective canopy wide enough for two people to fit under and it performs well even in the heavy rain. The air shield can be cut through by high winds, but given that regular umbrellas typically fold over in similar windy conditions, the air umbrella is still an upgrade.\nA few concerns do remain, however. For instance, the battery life is only about 15-30 minutes depending on the model, so you'll still want to walk briskly to your next destination when it's raining. Also, while the air shield might keep the rain away from you, it's likely to splash all that blown-away water onto anyone else like a sprinkler . So the device might draw the _ of anyone else walking with you, or any helpless bystanders.\nThere are currently three different types to choose from if you're interested in investing. Air Umbrella-A is the lightest model, and is apparently designed specifically for females, according to the Chinese developers. It is about 12 inches in length and weighs a little over a pound, and it runs for 15 minutes per charge. Air Umbrella-B measures nearly 20 inches long and weighs 1.7 pounds, and lasts 30 minutes per charge. Finally, Air Umbrella-C also lasts 30 minutes, but is scalable between 20 and 32 inches depending on your needs.", "problems": [{"question": "The Air Umbrella fails to work when _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["there is little rain", "there is no wind", "it rains heavily", "the wind is strong"]}, {"question": "How does the author present concerns about the Air Umbrella?", "answer": "B", "options": ["By giving figures.", "By giving examples.", "By making experiments.", "By making comparisons."]}]} -{"article": "Happiness can mean different things to different people. For example, for one person, it may mean being in a relationship, while for someone else it may mean feeling you have the ability to handle whatever life throws at you.\n While you might think that there are certain things that make you happy (or could make you happy if you had them), research has shown that there are certain common qualities among happy people--and it isn't necessarily what you might have thought.\n You might think that happy people have lots of money, are physically attractive or have great jobs. Or, you might just think happy people are simply lucky, and are bom that way.\n Research suggests, however, that there are a number of variables that make a far greater contribution to happiness than outer and more superficial factors .\n That doesn't mean that if you have a lot of money you won't be happy, or that having a lot of money is bad, it just means that other factors are more important in determining happiness. In fact, a strong positive relationship between wealth and happiness only exists for those who live below the poverty line and/or who are unemployed.\n What makes happy people different from the others is that they have a different attitude-a different way of thinking about things and doing things. They _ the world in a different way, and go about their lives in a different way.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the text, which of the following contributes most to happiness?", "answer": "D", "options": ["A certain number of outer and more social factors.", "A different ability to handle whatever life throws at you.", "A strong positive relation between wealth and happiness.", "A strong positive attitude to considering and doing things."]}, {"question": "The author presents this passage by _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["testing an argument", "reasoning with evidence", "describing a research", "introducing a method"]}, {"question": "Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Money Is Not Everything", "What Makes Happy People Happy?", "What Is Happiness?", "How to Live a Different Life"]}, {"question": "Which of the following words best describes the author's attitude in writing this passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Doubtful", "Negative", "Casual", "Persuasive"]}]} -{"article": "A 400-pound adult male gorilla escaped from his cage at the Buffalo Zoo on Monday. He bit a female zookeeper before being caught. The 24-year-old gorilla came out of his living quarters through an unlocked door on Monday morning. He ran into the space which was used by zoo workers but closed to the public.\nA keeper who has cared for Koga since he arrived in 2007 was bitten on her hand and leg. Zoo officials said it was an act of excitement. \"He was probably just as surprised coming face to face with her as she was with him,\" Buffalo Zoo President Donna Fernandes said.\nThe keeper took refuge inside the habitat of a female gorilla and her newborn baby. The keeper's decision to lock herself inside the separate habitat likely kept her from being further harmed. The keeper had a good relationship with the mother who, like Koga, is a west lowland gorilla, native to West Africa and the Congo River Basin, according to Fernandes.\nSeveral locked doors prevented Koga from running wildly through the zoo and beyond. The police sent in a team to make sure the area was safe while a vet used a pipe to sedate (......) Koga. The gorilla was dragged by the zoo staff back to his cage once the drugs took hold.\nVisitors to the zoo were moved indoors and stayed there for about 45 minutes while the team was trying to catch the gorilla and send it back to his cage. \"That was the scariest thing I've ever done in my career,\" said the team's captain Mark Maraschiello. \"It's a 400-pound gorilla. Nobody knew what harm he could do to us. He could have bitten my arm off easily,\" Maraschiello added.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the main idea of this passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["A zoo keeper was injured while working at the zoo.", "A zoo keeper forgot to lock the door of a gorilla's cage.", "A 400-pound gorilla ran wildly in the zoo after breaking his cage.", "A 400-pound gorilla bit a zoo keeper after escaping from his cage."]}, {"question": "According to Donna Fernandes, the gorilla bit the zoo keeper because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["he was too angry to see the zoo keeper", "he was too excited to see the zoo keeper", "he didn't want to be sent back to the cage", "he wanted to find some delicious food"]}, {"question": "What did the zoo keeper do after being bitten by the gorilla?", "answer": "C", "options": ["She asked another gorilla to protect her.", "She tried her best to comfort him.", "She locked herself in a cage of another gorilla.", "She called the police and asked them to rescue her."]}]} -{"article": "In the 1960s, medical researchers Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe developed a checklist of stressful events. They appreciated the tricky point that any major change can be stressful. Bad events like \"serious illness of a family member\" were high on the list, but so were some helpful life-changing events like marriage.\nWhen you take the Holmes-Rahe test you must remember that the score does not show how you deal with stress ---it only shows how much you have to deal with. And we now know that the way you deal with these events dramatically affects your chances of staying healthy. By the early 1970s, hundreds of similar studies had followed Holmes and Rahe. And millions of Americans who work and live under stress worried over the reports. Somehow the research got boiled down to a memorable message. Women's magazines ran titles like \"Stress causes illness\".\nIf you want to stay physically and mentally healthy the articles said avoid stressful events. But such simplistic advice is impossible to follow. Even if stressful events are dangerous, many -- like the death of a loved one -- are impossible to avoid. Moreover, any warning to avoid all stressful events is a prescription for staying away from chances as well as trouble. Since any change can be stressful, a person who wanted to be completely free of stress would never marry, have a child, take a new job or move. The idea that all stress makes you sick also takes no notice of a lot of what we know about people. It supposes we're not active in the face of the difficult situation. But what about human ability and creativity? Many come through periods of stress with more physical and mental strength than they had before. We also know that a long time without change or challenge can lead to boredom and physical and mental pressure.", "problems": [{"question": "The result of Holmes-Rahe's medical research tells us _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the way you deal with major events may cause stress", "what should be done to avoid stress", "what kind of event would cause stress", "how to deal with sudden changes in life"]}, {"question": "The score of the Holmes-Rahe test shows _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["how you can deal with life-changing events", "how helpful events can change your life", "how stressful a major event can be", "how much pressure you are unde"]}, {"question": "Why is \"such simplistic advice\" impossible to follow according to the author?", "answer": "B", "options": ["No one can stay on the same job for long.", "No prescription is effective in reducing stress.", "People are sure to get married.", "You could reduce stress by doing nothing."]}, {"question": "According to the passage people who have experienced ups and downs may become _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["nervous when faced with difficulties", "physically and mentally tired", "more able to deal with difficulties", "cold toward what happens to them"]}]} -{"article": "Eleven-year-old Evan Green doesn't want to save just one tree-he wants to save a whole rainforest!\nIn the Redwood City, Calif, a boy started a group called the Red Dragon Conservation Team four years ago to do just that. So far, the team's members have raised $4,500. That's enough to purchase and protect more than 16 acres of rainforest in Costa Rica through the Center for Ecosystem survival.\nEvery year, thousands of square miles of rainforest are destroyed worldwide. Logging and farming are mostly likely to blame, scientists say. The loss is terrible news for animals and people. Even though rainforests cover less than 2 percent of the earth, they are home to half the world's plants and animals. Rainforests also provide water and help control the earth's climate.\nEvan's work to save the rainforests recently earned him a Barron prize for Young Heroes. The prizes are given to children or teenagers who have made a positive difference in the world. Evan's goal is \"to save enough rainforests to last forever\". He won't have to do it alone. His actions have already inspired other kids to chip in. One girl asked for donations instead of presents on her birthday. She raised $850. Other kids are starting their own conservation teams.\nEvan says everyone can help the planet-even by taking small steps such as recycling. He and his family try to make a difference every day. \"We recycle, we try to limit our garbage... we've been walking a little more, and we buy local food,\" Evan said.", "problems": [{"question": "Evan started the group _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["to help the poor", "to make himself well-known", "to win the Barron prize", "to save the rainforest"]}, {"question": "How much does it cost to buy and protect an acre of rainforest in Costa Rica?", "answer": "D", "options": ["About $4,500.", "About $850.", "About $1,000.", "About $280."]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Evan Green-a famous teenager", "The Red Dragon Conservation Team", "Boy gathers support for rainforests", "Rainforests are being destroyed"]}]} -{"article": "New data from NASA's Curiosity rover indicate Mars Crater once held an enormous lake. This discovery suggests that the red planet may have been much wetter than scientists thought and raises the possibility that the planet was once habitable.\n\"The size of the lake and the length of time and series that water was showing up implies that there may have been sufficient time for life to develop.\" NASA's Mars Exploration Program scientist Dr. Michael Meyer told Reuters.\nCuriosity collected the new data on its five-mile drive to Mount Sharp, the prime destination on its mission to study Mars' climate and geography. The rover landed in Gale Crater in August 2012.\nAfter reaching Mount Sharp in September, the rover spent two months studying rocks at the base of the three-mile-high mountain, discovering fine layers of mudstone--which tend to collect at the bottom of lakes. This shows how a mountain inside a Mars' Gale Crater might have formed.\n\"If our assumption for Mount Sharp holds up, it challenges the idea that warm and wet conditions were passing, local, or only underground on Mars,\" Dr. Ashwin Vasavada said in a written statement. \"A more radical explanation is that Mars' ancient, thicker atmosphere raised temperatures above freezing globally, but so far we don't know how the atmosphere did that.\"\nVasavada said Curiosity will continue to study changes in the rock formation as it climbs Mount Sharp in the next few months, which should test the team's hypothesis.\n\"We'll also look at the chemistry of the rocks to see if the water that was once present would've been of the kind that could support microbial life, if it ever was present,\" he said in a video released by NASA. \"With only 30 vertical feet of the mountain behind us, we're sure there's a lot more to discover.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What does this text mainly talk about?", "answer": "D", "options": ["How scientists explored Mars.", "The ways Curiosity used to explore Mount Sharp.", "Some data about Gale Crater.", "The discovery of Curiosity rover on Mars."]}, {"question": "The discovery of the lake proves that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["early Mars was ripe and ready for life", "the climate on early Mars was hot", "life once existed on Mars", "humans can live on Mars"]}, {"question": "What is the height of Mount Sharp?", "answer": "C", "options": ["5 miles", "30 miles", "3 miles", "22miles"]}, {"question": "Where does this text probably come from?", "answer": "B", "options": ["A science fiction.", "A science report.", "An environment report.", "An official announcement."]}]} -{"article": "Thousands of people began pouring into Pennsylvania from other states. They wanted to buy lottery tickets. The tickets cost only $0.9 each. But that small spending could bring them a reward of $90 million. That was the second largest lottery jackpot in history.\nMore than 87 million tickets were bought for the Pennsylvania lottery drawing. Those who bought tickets had to choose seven numbers from 1 to 80. The chance of winning was one in 9.6 million. But that little chance certainly didn't affect ticket sales. In the last few days before the drawing, tickets were selling at the unbelievable rate of 500 per second.\nExperts say many people buy lottery tickets because they just want to have a piece of the action. Others say the lottery is a stock market for poor people. It allows them to dream about wealth they'll probably never have.\nBut many people believe lotteries are no better than legalized gambling. Some critics note that most people who play are poor and may not be able to afford the tickets. There are also many addicts who take the game seriously. They may pour their life savings into lottery tickets. Some clubs have been formed to help them kick the habit.\nPoliticians like lotteries because they provide money that would otherwise have to come from new taxes. The profits from lotteries are usually used to pay for education or programs for senior citizens. But critics say this arrangement just allows states to legalize vice , under the name of social progress.\nNo matter whether you regard state lotteries right or not, you cannot refuse to accept their extreme popularity with many Americans.", "problems": [{"question": "The main idea of the passage is that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["lotteries are of great benefit to everyone who buys them", "playing a lottery is just like investing in the stock market", "a lot of people buy lottery tickets, but lotteries cause disagreement", "lotteries are just legalized vice"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Politicians like lotteries because they don't have to pay extra tax.", "The popularity of lotteries in America actually is social progress.", "Some critics don't like lotteries because many poor people waste their money on them.", "People love the lottery because it is a stock market."]}, {"question": "In just one hour in the last few days, the Pennsylvania lottery sold tickets totaling _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["$1.62 million", "$90 million", "$9.6 million", "$87 million"]}, {"question": "People who are addicted to playing lotteries should _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["join a club", "kick the habit", "win the Pennsylvania", "save every cent"]}]} -{"article": "Every time I passed boys who were playing basketball, I stopped silently to watch them. I really envied them. But as a girl, I once thought that I could never play basketball.\nI like playing basketball though I'm not good at it. I've had a basketball since I was a child. At first, I could play freely because no one cared when I was just a kid. But as I grew up it seemed harder and harder for me to enjoy basketball.\nAt school, it was always the boys who played basketball during P.E. classes. The girls were only allowed to play volleyball or badminton.\nMy parents did not let me play basketball at home. \"Basketball is not for girls,\" they said. Even when I went to play basketball with my friends, boys stared at me on the court as if I were an alien.\nI was feeling down and had hope of playing basketball. Unexpectedly, something changed the first day of high school. I made some friends who also enjoyed playing basketball. They encouraged me to get back on the court.\nOne of them told me with a smile, \"Go your own way, let others talk.\" This girl would always play basketball with me. Even the boy who sat next to me in class talked about basketball with me almost every day.\nI was inspired by them. Confidence and passion returned to my heart. I am ready to stand up and play. I will play as well as I can, and for me, even the sky is boundless.\nBasketball has become an important part of my life. I am interested in it. I watch and play almost every day. Through basketball, not only do I feel happy and confident, but also learn a lot.\nI have heard the NBA star Tracy McGrady say \"Nothing is impossible.\" It is from an advertisement on TV. I have come to realize that life is just like playing basketball. You should have an aim. After that, just be confident and keep going. Never give up and you will _ sooner or later.\nI love the motto of the NBA. It can express my strong feelings for basketball, \"I love this game!\"", "problems": [{"question": "The writer often stopped to watch the boys playing basketball because", "answer": "D", "options": ["she envied them.", "the boys were top players.", "the boys were her classmates.", "she liked to play basketball."]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the text that", "answer": "B", "options": ["P.E. teachers think girls are good at playing volleyball and badminton.", "parents and teachers think basketball is not suitable for girls.", "parents and teachers think girls hate basketball.", "parents and teachers think only basketball is suitable for boys."]}]} -{"article": "First Lady Michelle Obama is on a five-day trip to Asia.She is visiting Japan and Cambodia to help publicize a program called \"Let Girls Learn\".Administration officials set up the campaign to support the education of millions of girls worldwide.\nBefore her trip, Mrs.Obama and her husband noted the inability of an estimated 62-million girls to attend school.They said educating the girls should be a foreign policy goal.\nThis week, Mrs.Obama criticized the fact that tens of millions of girls are not receiving a satisfactory education.In her opinion piece, she wrote this failure to educate girls was more than \"a tragic waste of potential.\" It is both a serious public health issue and a problem for the economic health of nations and the world.She also said it was \"a threat to the security of countries around the world\".\nThe First Lady noted by 2012, every part of the developing world was educating both girls and boys in primary schools.But this is not the case in secondary education.She wrote in some areas girls face \"the cultural values and practices that limit the prospects of women in their societies \".\nThe Obama administration launched the \"Let Girls Learn\" campaign earlier this month.At the time, Mrs.Obama noted plans to involve the U.S.Peace Corps, and the Volunteer Development Agency.\n\"This effort will draw on the talent and energy of the nearly 7,000 Peace Corps volunteers serving in more than 60 countries.Through this effort, Peace Corps will be supporting hundreds of new community projects to help girls go to school and stay in school.And, I want to emphasize that these programs will be community-generated and community-led.They will be based on solutions devised by local leaders, families and yes, even the girls themselves.\"\nPresident Obama also spoke at the same White House event, saying that campaign is important to his administration.", "problems": [{"question": "Why did Michelle Obama make the trip to Asia?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To get help from Peace Corps.", "To set up the \"Let Girls Learn\" program.", "To promote an educational program.", "To develop Japan-US relationship."]}, {"question": "These statements may be Michelle Obama's opinion EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["girls in developing countries have greater potential than boys", "girls have the same right to receive higher education", "having girls educated should be a foreign policy goal", "failing to educate girls affects the world's economic"]}]} -{"article": "Kodak's decision to file for bankruptcy protection is a sad, though not unexpected, turning point for a leading American corporation that pioneered consumer photography and dominated the film market for decades, but ultimately failed to adapt to the digital revolution.\nAlthough many attribute Kodak's downfall to \"complacency ,\" that explanation doesn't acknowledge the lengths to which the company went to reinvent itself. Decades ago, Kodak predicted that digital photography would overtake film -- and in fact, Kodak invented the first digital camera in 1975 -- but in a fateful decision, the company chose to shelf its new discovery to focus on its traditional film business.\n\"It wasn't that Kodak was blind to the future\", said Rebecca Henderson, a professor at Harvard Business School, but rather that it failed to execute on a strategy to confront it. By the time the company realized its mistake, it was too late.\nKodak is an example of a firm that was very much aware that they had to adapt, and spent a lot of money trying to do so, but ultimately failed. Large companies have a difficult time switching into new markets because there is a temptation to put existing assets into the new businesses.\nAlthough Kodak predicted the unavoidable rise of digital photography, its corporate culture was too rooted in the successes of the past for it to make the clean break necessary to fully embrace the future. They were a company stuck in time. Their history was so important to them. Now their history has become a liability.\nKodak's downfall over the last several decades was dramatic. In 1976, the company commanded 90% of the market for photographic film and 85% of the market for cameras. But the 1980s brought new competition from Japanese film company Fuji Photo, which undermined Kodak by offering lower prices for film and photo supplies. Kodak's decision not to pursue the role of official film for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics was a major miscalculation. The bid went instead to Fuji, which exploited its sponsorship to win a permanent foothold in the marketplace.", "problems": [{"question": "What do we learn about Kodak?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It went bankrupt all of a sudden.", "It is approaching its downfall.", "It initiated the digital revolution in the film industry.", "It is playing a dominant role in the film market."]}, {"question": "Why does the author mention Kodak's invention of the first digital camera?", "answer": "A", "options": ["To show its early attempt to reinvent itself.", "To show its effort to overcome complacency.", "To show its quick adaptation to the digital revolution.", "To show its will to compete with Japan's Fuji photo."]}, {"question": "Why do large companies have difficulty switching to new markets?", "answer": "D", "options": ["They find it costly to give up their existing assets.", "They tend to be slow in confronting new challenges.", "They are unwilling to invest in new technology.", "They are deeply stuck in their glorious past."]}, {"question": "What does the author say Kodak's history has become?", "answer": "A", "options": ["A burden.", "A mirror.", "A joke.", "A challenge."]}]} -{"article": "When I was struggling with cancer a few years ago,my wife and I formed our own \"couple caution circle\".Anytime a doctor came with news of my progress,my wife would give me a big hug. The reports were seldom good during the early stages of my illness,and one day a doctor brought particularly frightening news.Staring at my reports,he said in a low voice,\"It doesn't look like you're going to make it.\"\nBefore I could ask him a question,my wife stood up,handed me my clothes,adjusted the tubes fastened to my body and said,\"Let's get out of here.This man is a risk to your health.\" As she helped me struggle to the door,the doctor came near us.\"Stay back,\" demanded my wife.\"Stay away from us.\"\nAs we walked together down the hall,the doctor attempted to catch up with us.\"Keep going,\" said my wife,pushing the intravenous stand.\"We're going to talk to someone who really knows what is going on.\" Then she held up her hand to the doctor.\"Don't come any closer to us.\"\nThe two of us moved as one.We escaped to the safety and hope of a doctor who did not confuse diagnosis with conclusion. I could never have made that walk toward wellness alone.", "problems": [{"question": "From the passage we know _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["hearing that the husband was not going to make it,the wife went out of her mind", "the wife's decision in crisis contributed to the husband's wellness", "the husband was diagnosed with cancer by mistake", "the husband became weaker and weaker as a result of the treatment conducted by the doctor"]}, {"question": "What's the author's feeling when writing the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Angry.", "Thankful.", "Excited.", "Sad."]}, {"question": "What can be inferred from the passage ?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The wife was a woman hard to get along with.", "The doctor was a dangerous man.", "The wife loved her husband very much.", "The husband was a man who believed everything would be OK."]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for the passage ?", "answer": "C", "options": ["A Happy Couple In Crisis", "Struggle With Cancer", "In Crisis,Become As One", "Don't Believe The Doctor"]}]} -{"article": "As a tour guide, Ali is trying his best to introduce this unique land to us, with his rich knowledge and solid historical background. Whether in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, or at the well-known underground city, a strong sense of pride in Turkey can be found everywhere in his descriptions and explanations.\nTurkey's location in the Middle East brings many concerns, especially relating to security, for foreign tourists. And every time foreign tourists change their fixed and somewhat negative views about Turkey on his tour, Ali feels that all his efforts have paid off.\nAli Dede Coskuner, Tour Guide, said, \"Guide makes bridge of peace, tourism brings peace to the world.\"\nAside from work, the biggest comfort for Ali is his happy family, with three sons and a loving wife. But as a tour guide, his time with his family is destined to be very limited.\nAli Dede Coskuner said, \"Tour guide is no timing; you don't have fixed time to work. Sometimes, you have to work for 14--15 hours; sometimes, even more than 18 hours, and you can't say 'I am tired.'\"\nDespite these challenges, Ali always sees the beauty of the job that he does. And his smiling face always makes him an _ host for his guests.\nAccording to Ali, there are about 10 thousand tour guides throughout Turkey, with only five thousand who are active. Because of certain legal loopholes , not all the tour guides are licensed professionals, which results in some unfair competition. At the same time, tour guiding in Turkey is still not recognized as a profession, so guides are not included in the country's insurance system.", "problems": [{"question": "Ali is always taking pride in _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["his rich knowledge and solid historical background", "changing foreign tourists'fixed and negative views about his country on his tour", "spending little time with his family", "his loving wife bringing his three sons up"]}, {"question": "Ali is not satisfied with _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["his descriptions and explanations about the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations", "his job as a guide", "the policy that guides are not included in the country's insurance system", "his working for 14--15 hours sometimes"]}]} -{"article": "How cool can libraries be in an era of iPods and Kindles? More than you think.Only if you know where to go.\nCentral Library: Seattle, Washington, United States\nThe Central Library in Seattle is modern and fashionable and has tourists from around the world paying visits and taking tours.It was designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and American designer Joshua Ramus.Tours began in 2006, two years after its opening.The library holds various art exhibitions, book signings and other events, while visitors can stop by the Chocolate cart for a coffee and scan through the gift shop anytime\nTrinity College Library: Dublin, Ireland\nThe Trinity College Library in Dublin is the oldest library in Ireland, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I.It is the largest single library in the world, also known as the Long Room, which contains more than 200,000 0fthe library's oldest books.The Long Room houses one of the oldest harps in Ireland.Dating to the 15th century, the old harp is the model for the symbol foreland.\nGeisel Library, University of California: San Diego, United States\nAt first glance, it looks like a spaceship.Architect William Pereira, who helped design actual space launch facilities at Cape Canaveral in Houston, Texas, designed the library in 1970.It has been featured in sci-fi films, short stories and novels.The library hosts \"Dinner in the Library,\" which invites readers for cocktails, and also a special speech from distinguished authors.\nTU Delft Library: The Netherlands\nThe library at the Delft University of Technology was constructed in 1997 and has more than 862,000 books, 16,000 magazine subscriptions and its own museum.The building itself exists beneath the ground, so you can't really see the actual Library.What makes it interesting is the roof, which is a grassy hill.The roof covers 5,500 square meters.And it has become one of the most striking and greenest structures in the area.[:]", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the four libraries has the longest history?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Central Library.", "Trinity College Library.", "Geisel Library.", "TU Delft Library."]}, {"question": "What makes Geisel Library different from the others is that", "answer": "A", "options": ["famous writers often deliver speeches there", "it has a reoffer grassy hill", "Queen Elizabeth I founded the library", "it is the largest single library in the world"]}, {"question": "In Central Library, you can", "answer": "A", "options": ["buy souvenirs", "drink cocktails", "enjoy sci-fi films", "see the old harp"]}]} -{"article": "The Worst Part\nMom is usually home on Sunday but this week she was going to a big golf game and I was all alone in the house. I was mad at Mom for divorcing Dad.\nI kept looking at the telephone until I couldn't stand it any longer. I picked up the receiver and dialed Dad's number over in Bakersfield. I even remembered to dial 1 first because it was long distance. \"You promised to phone me this week but you didn't,\" I said, feeling I had to talk to him.\n\"Take it easy, kid,\" he said. \"I just didn't get around to it. I was going to call this evening. The week isn't over yet.\"\nI thought about that.www.ks5u.com\n\"Something on your mind?\" he asked.\n\"I hoped you would call, so I waited and waited.\" Then I was sorry I said it.\n\"There was heavy snow in the morning,\" he said, \"I had to chain up on highway 80 and lost time.\"\nI know putting chains on eight big wheels in the snow is no fun.I felt a little better, as long as we were talking. \"How is Bandit?\" I asked.\nThere was a funny silence. For a minute I thought the line was dead. Then I knew something must have happened to my dog.\n\"Well, kid--\", he began. \"My name is Leigh!\" I almost yelled. \"I'm not just some kid you met on the street!\"\n\"Keep your shirt on, Leigh,\" he said. \"When I had to stop along with some other truckers to put on chains, I left Bandit out of the cab, I thought he would get back ... I have sent out a call to CB radio, but I didn't get an answer yet.\" I was about to say I understood when there came the bad part, the really bad part. I heard a boy's voice say, \"Hey, Bill, Mom wants to know when we're going out to get the pizza?\"www.ks5u.com", "problems": [{"question": "From the story we know that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Leigh's dad never had a rest on Sundays", "Leigh's dad lived in another city", "Leigh was a deserted boy", "Leigh's mother often went to golf games"]}, {"question": "What happened to Bandit?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It was frozen to death.", "It ran off Highway 80 and into the mountain.", "It was killed by a truck.", "It was let out of the cab and got lost."]}, {"question": "The worst part in Leigh's eyes may be that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["his dad didn't love him", "his parents got divorced", "his dad got remarried", "his mom didn't take him to pizza"]}]} -{"article": "Robots that can chat,find misplaced glasses,draw aeroplanes and play with your children are drawing thousands of visitors' attention during an expo in Tokyo as Japan adapts to changes in society.\nRobots,such as the soundsensitive Chapit,answer simple questions and even joke with people to help the lonely fight loneliness and stay active in old age.\n\"Many older people in Japan live alone and have no one to talk to,\" said Kazuya Kitamura,a representative of the expo organizer.\"Communication robots accompany people and don't mind listening to the same stories over and over again.\"\nWhile Chapit,a relatively simple robot,managed to _ a corporate partner,many researchers,such as Kiyoshi Matsumoto,a professor at the University of Tokyo,struggle to interest sponsors for more expensive projects.\nMatsumoto's \"Personal Mobility Robot\",equipped with four cameras and a sensor to recognize the user's centre of gravity,is designed to help the elderly move around without pressing buttons,using joysticks or rotating wheels as in traditional wheelchairs.\nThe robot can also help find misplaced glasses by identifying them with a sensor.\n\"We have developed a robot that can assist many people,but because of the high cost,we still haven't found a sponsor,\"said Matsumoto,who added that the cost of the machine,if massproduced,would be comparable to that of a car.\n\"In the current economic environment there are few companies willing to invest in such a costly project,\" he said.\nOther robots,such as the awardwinning \"DiGRO\" can support busy parents who have little time to play with their children.\nThe robot can use the Internet to find a simple image and then draw pictures,keeping children company while their parents work.\nJapan has one of the world's fastestageing societies and the government predicts that by 2050 the proportion of people over 65 will reach 40 percent.", "problems": [{"question": "Personal Mobility Robot can help people _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["find misplaced glasses", "move around with pressing buttons", "use joysticks", "rotate wheels"]}, {"question": "It is difficult to find sponsors for the robots because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Japan is suffering economy depression", "the robots are of poor design", "the production of robots costs a lot", "the future market is worrying"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the text that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["many children lack love from parents", "robots helpful to the old will be in great demand", "robots are the most useful to children", "robots do better than people in healthcare"]}]} -{"article": "It would have been a success story if Fullerton High School senior Fernando Rojas, the son of Mexican immigrants whose schooling stopped in the eighth grade, was accepted to college. But the 17-year-o1d achieved a surprising clean sweep--he was accepted to every Ivy League school.\n\"I didn't think I could get into any,\" Rojas told The Orange County Register on Saturday. \"When I got all eight, it was a blessing and a curse because I had to choose. I was excited and scared and everything at the same time.\"\nThe first call came from Yale University in February. Within weeks calls, emails and letters followed from Dartmouth College, Brown University, the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, Columbia University, Harvard University and Princeton University. Rojas also was accepted by Stanford University and two nearby schools, the University of California, Irvine, and California State University, Fullerton.\nHe is one of four children of Raul Rojas and Mafia, who moved to Fullerton from Jalisco, Mexico in the early 1980s.\nA national speech and debate champion, Rojas reasoned that if he applied to the eight Ivy League schools, he might get into one. Sal Tinajero, Rojas'speech and debate coach at Fullerton, told the newspaper that Rojas is a hardworking self-starter who thrives on competition. _ Tinajero said.\nAfter visiting several campuses, he settled on Yale, which costs $64, 000 a year with room and board. He is responsible for $6,000; Yale scholarships and federal grant money cover the rest.\nHe'll mostly take it easy during the summer before heading to Yale in late August. He's considering majoring in Latin American studies and perhaps a career as a lawyer or in international affairs.", "problems": [{"question": "How many universities accepted Rojas altogether?", "answer": "D", "options": ["8.", "9.", "10.", "11."]}, {"question": "What does the author want to tell?", "answer": "A", "options": ["God blesses the hard-working.", "Detail is the key to success.", "All roads lead to Rome.", "Every dog has its day."]}]} -{"article": "Becoming more popular in North America is Iceberg Water, which is harvested from icebergs off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.\nArthur von Wiesenberger is one of the few water critics in North America.As a boy, he spent time in the larger cities of Italy, France and Switzerland, where bottled water is consumed daily.Even then, he kept a record of the brands he liked best.\"My dog could tell the difference between bottled and tap water,\" He says.\nBut is plain tap water all that bad? Not at all.In fact.New York's drinking water for more than a century was called the champagne of tap water and until recently considered among the best in the world in terms of both taste and purity.Similarly, a magazine in England found that tap water from the Thames River tasted better than several leading brands of bottled water that were 400 times more expensive.\nHowever, soft-drink companies view bottled water as the next battle-ground for market share, as bottlers and restaurateurs are longing for the profits from it.A restaurant's typical mark-up on wine is 100 to 150 percent, while on bottled water it's often 300 to 500 percent.As a result, some restaurants are trying to sell more bottled water.Some of the more shameless tactics include putting attractive bottles on the table for a visual sell, listing brands on the menu without prices, and pouring bottled water without even asking the diners whether they want it.\nRegardless of how it's sold, the popularity of bottled water taps into our desire for better health, our wish to appear educated, and even a longing for lost purity.", "problems": [{"question": "By saying \"My dog could tell the difference between bottled and tap water\", Arthur von Wiesenberger suggests that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["bottled water is superior to tap water", "plain tap water is certainly unfit for drinking", "bottled water often appeals more to dogs' taste", "dogs can usually distinguish a fine difference in taste"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, why is bottled water so popular?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It is much cheaper than wine.", "It is more widely promoted in the market.", "It appeals to well educated people.", "It is considered healthier."]}, {"question": "Why are some restaurants willing to sell bottled water?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Bottled water brings in huge profits.", "Competition from the wine industry is fierce.", "Most diners find bottled water affordable.", "Bottled water satisfied diners' desire to be fashionable."]}]} -{"article": "What will higher education look like in 2050? That was the question addressed Tuesday night by Michael Crow, president of Arizona State University.\n\"We're at the end of the fourth wave of change in higher education,\" Crow began, arguing that research universities followed the initial establishment of higher education, public colleges, and land-grant schools in the timeline of America.\nIn less than a half-century, he said, global market competition will be at its fastest rates of change ever, with several multitrillion-dollar economies worldwide. According to a recent projection, the nation's population could reach 435 million, with a large percentage of those residents economically disadvantaged. In addition, climate change will be \"meaningfully uncontrollable\" in many parts of the world.\nThe everyday trends seen today, such as declining performance of students at all levels, particularly in math and science, and declining wages and employment among the less educated, will only continue, Crow maintained, and are, to say the least, not contributing to fulfilling the dream of climbing the social ladder mobility, quality of life, sustainable environment, and longer life spans that most Americans share.\n\"How is it that we can have these great research universities and have negative-trending outcomes?\" Crow said in a talk \"I hold the universities accountable. ... We are part of the problem.\"\nAmong the \"things that we do that make the things that we teach less learnable,\" Crow said, are the strict separation of disciplines, academic rigidity, and conservatism, the desire of universities to imitate schools at the top of the social ranks, and the lack of the computer system ability that would allow a large number of students to be educated for a small amount of money.\nSince 2002, when Crow started being in charge at Arizona State -- which he calls the \"new American university\" -- he has led more than three dozen initiatives that aim to make the school \"inclusive, scalable, fast, adaptive, challenge-focused, and willing to take risks.\"\nAmong those initiatives were a restructuring of the engineering and life sciences schools to create more linkages between disciplines; the launch of the School of Earth and Space Exploration and the School of Sustainability; the start of a Teachers College to address K-12 performance and increase the status of the Education Department at the university; and broadened access, increasing the freshman class size by 42 percent and the enrollment of students living below the poverty line by 500 percent.\nUniversities must start, Crow noted, \"by becoming self-reflective _ figuring out what we have and what we actually need instead of what legend tells us we have to be.\" Research universities today have \"run their course,\" he added. \"Now is the time for variety.\"\nDuring a discussion afterward, Crow clarified and expanded on some of his points. He discussed, for example, the school's distance-learning program. \"Nearly 40 percent of undergraduates are taking at least one course online,\" he said, which helps the school to keep costs down while advancing interactive learning technologies.\nHe said that Arizona State is working to increase the transfer and completion rates of community-college students, of whom only about 15 percent, historically, complete their later degrees. \"We've built a system that will allow them to track into universities,\" particularly where \"culturally complex barriers\" beyond finances limit even the most gifted students.", "problems": [{"question": "The fourth wave of change in America's higher education refers to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["public colleges", "land-grant schools", "research universities", "initial higher education"]}, {"question": "Which is NOT part of the American dream most people share?", "answer": "C", "options": ["People enjoy a quality life.", "People live longer and longer.", "The freedom to move around.", "An environment that is sustainable."]}, {"question": "Which is an initiative adopted by Crow at Arizona State University?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Restructuring the teachers College.", "Launching the School of Life Sciences.", "Ignoring the linkages between disciplines.", "Enrolling more students from poor families."]}, {"question": "With the distance-learning program, Arizona State University is able to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["enroll 40% of its students online", "keep costs down without a loss of quality", "provide an even greater number of courses", "attract the most gifted students all over the world"]}]} -{"article": "Governments all over the world make public reports about the condition of their economies. Most countries, including the United States, have used a measure called the gross national product or GNP. It includes all goods and services produced by citizens of the country anywhere in the world.\nRecently the American Commerce Department has started using a new method to measure production. It is known as the gross domestic product or GDP. It counts only goods and services that have been produced within the nation's borders. Money earned by foreign companies operating in the United States is included in the GDP, but money earned by American companies operating in other countries is not.\nEconomic experts generally approve of the change. They say that the gross domestic product provides a truer measure of the economy. They also note that most other industrial countries use this method. Therefore it will be easier to study the economies of different countries. Some officials also hope the new system will help them make better economic policy decisions. It will provide them with a clearer understanding of economic activity in the U.S. . The new measure is less likely to be affected by sudden changes in foreign oil prices or in the value of the American dollar in other countries.\nEconomic experts believe that the change from GNP to GDP will immediately reduce the value of American production by at least 40,000 million dollars a year. But that is really a very small change in the American economy - less than 1% . The Commerce Department reports the unofficial gross domestic product once every three months. The government also continues to report GNP as it has four times a year since 1941.", "problems": [{"question": "To report the American GNP, the government should not consider goods and services produced _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["by American companies at home", "by American companies in China", "by American companies in Singapore", "by Japanese companies in the United States"]}, {"question": "To report the American GDP, the Commerce Department should count money earned _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["by both American and foreign companies in America", "by American companies within its own borders", "by foreign companies in the United States", "by American companies in its foreign markets"]}, {"question": "GDP is considered better than GNP by some economists because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["it is something new", "it is used by most countries", "it is easier to calculate", "it is less likely to be affected by the foreign market"]}, {"question": "What will happen to the value of American economy if GDP is used to replace GNP?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It will be seriously affected.", "It will not be affected.", "It will come down a little.", "It will slightly go up."]}, {"question": "How often are the reports of GDP issued by the American Commerce Department?", "answer": "B", "options": ["once every four months", "once every three months", "once every six months", "once a year"]}]} -{"article": "The movies just wouldn't be the same without the warm buttery taste of popcorn. Amazingly, this delicious treat started its life as a corn kernel , not just from any corn. Popcorn is a type of sweet corn that was originally grown in Mexico and spread to China, India and elsewhere. It is the only kind of corn that will pop. Today, most of the world's popcorn is grown in the United States.\nEvery popcorn kernel contains a tiny drop of water,surrounded by soft starch . When the popcorn is heated, the water turns into steam. This puts pressure on the surrounding hard kernel, forcing it to explode. The soft starch increases about 40 times in size as the corn kernel turns itself inside out.\nIn the 1500s popcorn was an important food source for the Aztec Indians of central and southern Mexico. But it wasn't only food. It was also used in ceremonies or on red dresses and in necklaces. By the time the Europeans arrived in America,popcorn had spread through most of the American Indians.\nSome early American settlers ate popcorn with cream and sugar for breakfast. But it wasn't until the late 1800s that popcorn became popular. The demand for popcorn increased and farmers began farming popcorn. The first mobile popping machine was invented in 1885, and popcorn was sold by street sellers much like hot dogs that are sold today.\nDuring the Great Depression of the 1930s, the popcorn business still _ as people could still afford it. Then in the 1950s television arrived and popcorn consumption decreased. People stayed home and stopped going to the theatre. But the link between movies and popcorn had already existed. Soon people began making popcorn at home on the stove and, later,microwave popcorn was introduced. Today the movies have regained popularity and popcorn has once again become the favorite.", "problems": [{"question": "Popcorn was first planted in _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["China", "America", "India", "Mexico"]}, {"question": "Why does the corn kernel pop when heated?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because it is covered with soft starch.", "Because the pressure inside is too big.", "Because the starch becomes bigger in size.", "Because there is water inside the kernel."]}, {"question": "We can know from the passage that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["popcorn began to be farmed in the late 1800s", "popcorn was only a kind of food in the 1500s", "hot dogs used to be sold by street sellers", "people stop eating popcorn while watching movies now"]}]} -{"article": "Gossip moves so quickly that few people have time to cover their ears, even if they want to.\n\"I hate it when others gossip about me,\" said Mandy Miraglia, 16, a high school student from California, \"but to be honest, gossip about my friends makes me feel I am trusted and belong to the group.\" Miraglia is not the only person feeling like that.\nGossip has long been looked down on as little more than nonsense and bad manners. But recent research has shown that gossip has many positive effects on your social life.\n\"There has been a trend among people to dislike gossip,\" said David Sloan Wilson, Professor from the State University of New York in Binghamton, US, \"but gossip appears to be a very important form of behavior in a group of friends, defining their group membership.\"\nFor 18 months, Kevin Kniffin, from the University of Wisconsin, US, researched the behavior of 50 people. He found that gossip levels peaked when a sports team included a _ , someone who regularly missed practices or showed up late. Other members of the team would soon start to joke about the slacker's shortcomings behind his back, because they thought they were bad for the whole team.\nGossip about the mistakes of senior members helps newcomers rebuild their confidence after a failure.\nIt also helps relieve social and professional anxiety. Long-term studies show that people around the world devote from a fifth to two-thirds or more of their daily conversation to gossip, and men appear to be just as eager for gossip as women.\nIt is hard to judge gossip, but it is more powerful than you think.", "problems": [{"question": "The author would probably agree that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["gossip is bad manners", "gossip has many good effects", "gossip is somewhat like nonsense", "gossip is more powerful than advice"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Gossip is a useful way of building group membership.", "Gossip can possibly make someone confident.", "Generally, women are fonder of gossip than men.", "Actually, everyone gossips to some degree in their daily conversation."]}]} -{"article": "On a particular Monday morning I was standing waiting for the train and suddenly felt dizzy. I didn't eat much over the weekend because I moved into a new place and was very busy. It looked as if I had drunk too much wine, and suddenly the world began to sway and then went black. All I heard was \"Oh my god, she's falling.\" The next thing I remembered was that the EMT was asking me my name. I was taken to the hospital by an ambulance. It turned out that I was too tired. The EMT came to check on me before I left. \n He told me that a gentleman at the station waiting for the train saw me fall on the track when the train was coming in. He immediately got to my side and made sure that everyone kept back. He got the conductor's attention and the train stopped, and told others in the station to call 911. I was told that he stayed with me until the ambulance arrived. I asked the EMT if he had the gentleman's name or address but he said no, he said the gentleman left the hospital without a word.\n I don't know who this gentleman is but if he reads this article and remembers a young lady fainting at the train station, I'd like him to get in touch with me and I will say \"Thank you\" to him to his face. Whenever I meet with such a thing I will do the same as he did for me and I'll pass on the kindness to others.", "problems": [{"question": "The author fell down because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["she was seriously ill.", "she was full of sadness", "she was hungry and too tired", "she had drunk too much wine"]}, {"question": "In which part of the newspaper are you most likely to find this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Real life story.", "Drivers' world", "Health Report.", "School Experience."]}, {"question": "All the following are what the author wants to do EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["get in touch with the gentleman", "pass on the kindness to other people", "say \"Thank you\" to the gentleman", "give some money to the gentleman"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the author had moved into a beautiful house", "the author won't know the gentleman's name", "the gentleman went to the hospital with the author", "at last the gentleman caught his train"]}]} -{"article": "Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan sees an epidemic sweeping across America's farmland. It has little to do with the usual challenges, such as flood, rising fuel prices and crop-eating insects. The country's farmers are getting older, and there are fewer people standing in line to take their place. National agricultural census figures show that the fastest-growing group of farmers is the part over 65. Merrigan is afraid the average age will be even higher when the 2012 statistics are completed.\nMerrigan, a former college professor, is making stops at universities across the country in hopes of encouraging more students to think about careers in agriculture. Aside from trying to stop the graying of America's farmers, her work is made tougher by a recent blog posting that put agriculture at No. 1 on a list of \"useless\" college degrees. Top federal agriculture officials are talking about the posting, and it has the attention of agricultural organizations across the country.\n\"There couldn't be anything that's more incorrect,\" Merrigan said. \"We know that there aren't enough qualified graduates to fill the jobs that are out there in American agriculture.\"\nIn addition, a growing world population that some experts predict will require 70% more food production by 2050, she said.\n\"I truly believe we're at a golden age of agriculture. Global demand is at an all-time record high, and global supplies are at all-time record lows,\" said Matt Rush, director of the Texas Farm Bureau. \"Production costs are going to be valuable enough that younger people are going to have the opportunity to be involved in agriculture. \"\nThe Department of Agriculture has programs aimed at developing more farmers and at increasing interest in locally grown food. The National Young Farmers' Coalition has also been pushing for state and federal policy changes to make it easier for new farmers.\nRyan Best, president of Future Farmers of America, has been living out of a suitcase, traveling the country and visiting with high school students about careers in agriculture. The 21-year-old Best hopes his message --that this is a new time in agriculture-- will motivate the next generation\n. \"Never before have we had the innovations in technology which have led to agriculture in this country being the most efficient it has ever been,\" he said. \"There's really a place for everybody to fit in. \"", "problems": [{"question": "What is the new challenge to American agriculture?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Fewer and older farmers.", "Higher fuel prices.", "More natural disasters.", "Lower agricultural output."]}, {"question": "Why is Merrigan visiting universities across the country?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To draw federal agriculture officials' attention.", "To select qualified agriculture graduates.", "To clarify a recent blog posting.", "To talk more students into farming careers."]}, {"question": "According to Matt Rush, American agriculture will provide opportunities for younger people because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the government will cover production costs", "global food supplies will be even lower", "investment in agriculture will be profitable", "America will increase its food export"]}]} -{"article": "Are you willing to work for a robot boss? Sorry if your answer is \"no\", because it will be common in the near future, according to the researchers from the Oxford.\nA third of British jobs are at \"high risk\" of being replaced by robots in the next 20 years, the research by Deloitte, the Oxford Martin School and the University of Oxford found.\nWired magazine went further. \"It may be hard to believe, but before the end of this century, 70 percent of today's jobs will be replaced by automation ,\" said the magazine in 2012.\nOf course, people being replaced by robots is not recent news. Robots have been taking over labor work in factories and on farms for some time, lifting heavy boxes and picking fruit and vegetables. Next, cleaning jobs in offices and schools will be taken over by late-night robots, starting with easy-to-do floors and windows and eventually moving to toilets, Wired predicted.\nBut that's just the beginning. Even white-collar jobs are not safe. Any jobs dealing with sales and services or lots of paperwork could be taken over by robots in the future. For example, in the UK, library assistants have decreased by 48 percent since 2001, sales-related jobs have fallen by 40 percent, and travel agents by 44 percent, the Daily Mail reported.\nBut that doesn't mean that human beings will have nothing to do in the future. Instead, we need to update our skills. Digital know-how, management and creativity will be in greater need in the future, said British Consulting Company Deloitte.", "problems": [{"question": "From the passage, we know the following jobs are disappearing except _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["workers in factories and farms", "library assistants", "salesmen", "architect"]}]} -{"article": "For many people, leisure time is an opportunity to get outdoors, have some fun and meet interesting people. Add two pieces of advanced 21stcentury technology -- global positioning system (GPS) devices and the Internet -- to get \"geocaching\".\nThe word geocaching comes from \"geo\" (earth) and \"cache\" (hidden storage). Geocachers log onto a website to find information about the location of a cache -- usually a waterproof plastic box containing small items such as toys and CDs -- along with a notebook where \"finders\" can enter comments and learn about the cache \"owner\", the person who created and hid the cache. Finders may take any of the items in the cache but are expected to replace them with something of similar value. They then visit the website again and write a message to the owner.\nGeocaching became possible on May 1, 2000, when a satellite system developed by the U.S. Department of Defense was made public. Using an inexpensive GPS device, anyone on earth can send a signal to the satellites and receive information about their position. This is basically a high-tech version of orienteering, the traditional pastime which uses maps and compasses instead of GPS to determine one's location.\nGeocachers are a very considerate group. Owners carefully choose a cache's location to give finders an enjoyable experience, such as a beautiful view or a good campsite. They also consider the environmental impact of their cache since it could result in an increased number of visitors to an area. As for the content of the caches, owners and finders must only use items that are suitable for the whole family, as caches are found by geocachers of all ages.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, geocaching is _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["an outdoor leisure activity", "a new type of technology", "a game used to teach geography", "a program to protect environment"]}, {"question": "How can finders learn about the cache owners?", "answer": "C", "options": ["By meeting them.", "By going to a website.", "From the notebook.", "From the satellite."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT used in geocaching?", "answer": "B", "options": ["A GPS device.", "A compass.", "A plastic container.", "The Internet."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is true according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Most geocachers are adults.", "Any item can be placed in the caches.", "The caches should be put in a remote place.", "Geocachers try to avoid damaging the environment."]}]} -{"article": "Lawmakers in the United States have expanded an investigation into the use of location-tracking systems on mobile devices. The action follows recent reports about the storing of information on the Apple iPhone. Some people consider location tracking to be a threat to personal privacy and security.\nAllan Friedman, the research director, says, \"All wireless companies do some location tracking as part of their networks. This information is usually stored by the companies, not the devices, and there are laws to protect it. Law enforcement agencies, for example, have to have a fairly high standard before it can access that data. And the phone company is also prohibited from selling that information.\nNow, two researchers report that location tracking information is being stored directly on Apple devices. They said Apple's newest operating systems gather global positioning system and timestamp information. The information is stored on the device in a file that is also uploaded to any computer that the device is connected to. The researchers say the information is available to anyone who has access to the device or computer.\nAllan Friedman says, \"This raises additional concerns. There's the idea that because it's on my phone and on my computer, rogue applications that I pay for or that I'm tricked into downloading may be able to access this data and somehow misuse it.\"\nApple says it is \"not tracking the location of your iPhone\". It is simply keeping a database of Wi-Fi hotspots and cell phone towers near the user's location. This information is meant to help the iPhone quickly find its location when needed.\nLetters have been sent to some of the leading mobile device developers, including Apple and Google. The letters asked for more information about their location tracking systems. Allan Friedman calls this an important start to strengthening privacy laws. He says, \"There aren't strong controls over things like location information, what they are doing with it, how long they are keeping it. And perhaps the most important question is, is my location data with other facts about me?\"", "problems": [{"question": "Why did American lawmakers investigate the use of location-tracking systems on cell-phones?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because the systems can store users' information", "Because many users have suffered loss after using them.", "Because it is thought to threaten users' privacy.", "Because many reporters have shown the problem of the systems."]}, {"question": "Allan Friedman believes that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["wireless companies focus on personal privacy.", "people are forbidden to get access to private data at will", "phone companies may sell private information secretly", "customers may ask wireless companies to locate their tracking"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Apple denies that it tracks the location of users.", "The researchers may misunderstand the Apple's systems.", "The global positioning system is to blame for rogue applications.", "The iPhone can quickly find its location by using its user's information."]}]} -{"article": "Thursday, December 30, 2004 (prefix = st1 /New Delhi):\nThe international aid agency, Red Cross has warned that the toll in the tsunami disaster could go up to 1,00,000. \nThe official figures of those confirmed dead is 80,000. Of these Indonesia accounts for the most at 45,268, followed by Sri Lanka with the toll at 22,493. \nAs many as 6,974 people have been killed in India, with 1,829 dead inThailand, 100 inSomalia, 90 inMyanmar, 67 inMaldives, 65 inMalaysia, 10 inTanzania, three inSeychelles, two inBangladeshand one person killed inKenya. \nRising figures\nAccording to unofficial estimates, the death toll could be over 10,000 in India. \nThe hardest hit has been the Andaman and Nicobar islands, with over 3,000 dead. \nThough the official government figure for Car Nicobar is 124, that number could go up dramatically with thousands more still missing. \nIn Tamil Nadu, according to official estimates, over 6000 are dead, with 3500 in Nagapattinam alone.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the news, the second largest number of those confirmed death is in _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Indonesia", "Malaysia", "Sri Lanka", "Thailand"]}, {"question": "In this report, there are _ countries suffering from this tsunami disaster.", "answer": "C", "options": ["ten", "eleven", "twelve", "eight"]}, {"question": "Which of the following about the news is true?", "answer": "D", "options": ["According to the official estimates, over 10,000 people died in this tsunami in India.", "According to the unofficial estimates, 100 people died in this tsunami in Somalia.", "According to the official estimates, 100,000 people died in this tsunami.", "According to the news, the death toll could go up in this tsunami."]}]} -{"article": "It's been called the \"hardest word,\" but some women seem to use the word \"sorry\" as everything from a way to interject their thoughts into a conversation to a way of prefacing any request for help. Yesterday, Pantene even released a video about how often women apologize in everyday situations.\nApologizing unnecessarily puts women in a subservient position and makes people lose respect for them, says executive coach and radio host Bonnie Marcus. Sylvia Ann Hewlett, founder of the Manhattan-based think tank, Center for Talent Innovation and author of Executive Presence: The Missing Link Between Talent and Success, says using \"sorry\" frequently undermines our gravitas and makes them appear unfit for leadership.\nIt's not like women don't know it's a bad habit. So, why do they do it?\nBusiness consultant Kathryn D. Cramer, author of Lead Positive: What Highly Effective Leaders See, Say, and Do, says women are socialized from an early age to focus on relationships and nurturing. Any sign of strength can be off-putting, so they're conditioned to soften communication that can be construed as assertive or aggressive. Apologizing before speaking--or in any situation where women must show strength or where there is potential for conflict--is one way of doing _ .\nShe adds that workplace culture contributes to its use, too. In many cases, strong women need to find ways to temper their personalities or risk being called \"rude,\" \"abrasive,\" or even risk their jobs if they don't find ways to soften others' perception, she says. But saying \"sorry\" too often can be more career-killing than being disliked. So, it's time to purge the word unless you really have something to be sorry about.\nMarcus suggests keeping a log of when you \"sorry,\" what the situation was, and how you felt. Sometimes, \"sorry\" is just a verbal tic , but some usage patterns may indicate a situation or person who makes you feel insecure, she says. Being aware of those triggers and how they influence your language can help you be more vigilant in \"changing your communication so you're coming from a position of strength and equality,\" she says.\nTrusted friends can help you break the habit by quietly letting you know when you're using \"sorry\" inappropriately, Cramer says. Knowing that you're under another watchful eye is also going to make you more aware of your speech, she says.\nSometimes, saying \"sorry\" is easier than thinking about the word you really want to say, or becomes a way of softening your words or opinion before they're even out of your mouth, Cramer says. If either is the case, be more careful to choose the word or phrase you really mean to say. \"Start your statement with, 'Let me say this...' or some other word or phrase that reflects your meaning better than saying 'sorry,'\" she says.\nSometimes, instead of saying \"sorry,\" it's best to not say anything at all. Hewlett encourages women to embrace the power of silence. Using silence deliberately makes people uncomfortable, but not in an aggressive way,\" she says.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, women's habitual apologies _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["make it hard for them to start a new conversation", "are a barrier to displaying their hidden talents", "prove it is brave of them to admit mistakes", "show they are in socially inferior positions"]}, {"question": "Which would be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Why are women always apologizing?", "What are the techniques for apologizing?", "Women should have a place in the modern world", "I'm sorry, but women really need to stop apologizing"]}]} -{"article": "Suppose you don't need your car today.And suppose,as it happens that a stranger in your area does need a car.Would you be willing to rent yours out?\nSeveral carsharing startups,including Getaround,RelayRides and JustSharelt,are eager to connect car owners with renters this way.The companies have different rules,but participating owners receive,generally speaking,about twothirds of the rental earnings.RelayRides says an owner of a midsize,latemodel _ who rents out a car for 10 hours a week could expect to clear about $ 3,000 a year.\nPeertopeer carsharing remains in the trial stage;it can be found in San Francisco and a few other places.It has a long way to go before it becomes the auto equivalent of Airbnb,the surprise success story for peertopeer sharing of space in apartments and houses.\nShelby Clark,founder of RelayRides,says potential investors in his company have been concerned that owners will be afraid to hand their car over to strangers.To address that,he points to Airbnb,saying,\"Letting people sleep in your living room is much more of a disturbance into your personal space than letting someone use your car.\"\nAll of these companies offer their own insurance coverage for their renters,which are supposed to put owners' minds at ease.But only two states--California and Oregon--have passed laws to clarify that an owner will not suffer any consequences should a carsharing renter have an accident.\n\"In all the other states,legal ambiguity remains,\" Shelby Clark says.\"If a renter should be involved in a serious accident in those states,the victim can be expected to go after every party possible,including the car's owner.\"\nAlso to remove the worries of car owners,the driving records of renters are checked for recent serious violations..", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is true of Aribnb?", "answer": "A", "options": ["It cares little about personal privacy.", "It deals with housesharing successfully.", "It is a very popular carsharing company.", "Its ideas are being tried out in some states."]}, {"question": "If a carsharing renter should have an accident in California,the car's owner _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["has to take legal responsibility", "will not suffer the consequence", "is not covered by health insurance", "must pay the insurance for the renter"]}, {"question": "According to the text,more carowners will participate in the service,if _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["legal ambiguity is clarified in all the states", "renters are warned not to violate traffic rules", "more money is given to participating owners", "people are aware of the importance of sharing"]}, {"question": "It can be learned from the text that carsharing _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["makes no profit", "remains in popularity", "is against the state law", "is a new business model"]}]} -{"article": "2009 sees the 800th anniversary of the prefix = st1 /UniversityofCambridge. Thousands of people have taken part in global celebrations marking the 800th year of CambridgeUniversity. The city of Cambridge has been decorated in a series of color1ful streetlight banners to recognize the University's 800th anniversary.\nCambridge University was founded in 1209 after scholars from OxfordUniversitygathered to study at the ancient Roman trading post Of Cambridge. Although academics were not sure of the exact date of the founding,they felt it was best to start the birthday celebrations when the students returned from their spring holidays this year.With the about 83 Nobel prizewinners who studied at\nCambridge University,Cambridge now plays host to 18,000 students.Outstanding former Cambridge students include Oliver Cromwell,Isaac Newton, Charles\nDarwin and Stephen Hawking.For example,Charles Darwin,who transformed the way we think about the natural world,was born 200 years ago on February 12,1809.\nMeanwhile,church bell--ringers around the world also played a new piece composed for the celebrations.Other events include an Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin festival and a science festival;A Festival of ideas of Creativities is planned for October,while a closing ceremony will be held the following month.\nThe Cambridge Science Festival is the largest free science festival among all of the celebrations in the UKand 25,000 people attend it .It encourages the general public, and particularly young people, to take an interest in science and its application in society.\nMany of our anniversary events are free and open to the public .However ,due to space limitations, some events will require advance booking .Ticketing information for most events is available .For further information ,please contact on 800@admin .cam.ac.uk or(0)1223761672.", "problems": [{"question": "It can be concluded from the passage that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["Newton,Darwin,Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein all graduated from Cambridge University.", "The year of 2009 is also the 200th anniversary of Isaac Newton.", "Cambridge brought up about 83 Nobel prizewinners,ranking top of the world.", "Cambridge University is younger than OxfordUniversity."]}, {"question": "How long will the celebrations of the 800th Cambridgeanniversary 1ast?", "answer": "C", "options": ["1 month or so.", "About 3 months.", "Nearly l year.", "One and a half years."]}, {"question": "What dose the author want to express most when mentioning Newton,Darwin and Hawking?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They were all former graduates of Cambridge University.", "Cambridge University takes great pride in them.", "They were and are famous scientists in UKthat have great influence on modern science.", "They are all Nobel prizewinners in the world."]}]} -{"article": "Passage 1\nThe information Highway is the road that links computer users to a large number of on-line services; the Web, e-mail, and software, to mention just a few. Not long ago, the information Highway was a new road, with not many users. Now, everyone seems to want to take a drive, with over 30 million families connected worldwide. Not surprisingly, this well-traveled highway is starting to look like a well-traveled highway. Traffic jams can cause many serious problems, forcing the system to close down for repair. Naturally, accidents will happen on such a crowed road, and usually victims are some files, gone forever. Then, of course, there's Mr. Cool, with his new broad-band connection, who speeds down the highway faster than most of us can go. But don't trick yourself; he pays for that speeding.\nPassage 2\nWant to know more about global warming and how you can help prevent it? Doctor Herman Friedman, who is considered a leading expert on the subject, will speak at Grayson Hall next Friday. Friedman studied environmental science at three well-known universities around the world before becoming a professor in the subject. He has also traveled around the world observing environmental concerns. The gradual bleaching of the Grate Barrier Reef, which came into the public eye in 2002, in his latest interest. Signed copies of his colorful book, which was published just last month, will be on sale after his talk.", "problems": [{"question": "The Information Highway _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["appeals to a large number of users", "is crowded with car drivers", "offers just a few on-line services]", "is free from traffic accidents"]}, {"question": "How does MR .Cool manage to travel the Information Highway so fast?", "answer": "C", "options": ["By storing fewer files.", "By repair the system.", "By using a broad-band connection.", "By buying a better computer."]}, {"question": "What can be learned from Passage 2?", "answer": "B", "options": ["There will be a book show at Grayson Hall", "Friedman is now studying the Great Barrier Reef.", "Friedman is a leading expert on computer science.", "There will be a talk on global warming this week."]}, {"question": "Passage 2 is most probably _", "answer": "B", "options": ["An ad for a new book.", "A poster about a lecture.", "A note to a doctor in a university.", "An introduction to a professor."]}, {"question": "According to the passage, which of the following statement is not true?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Doctor Herman Friedman is a famous expert on environmental science.", "A new book has been published recently by Doctor Herman Friedman.", "The colorful new book, signed by him, will be sold before the talk.", "Doctor Herman Friedman has studied the changes of the Grate Barrier Reef."]}]} -{"article": "I once thought that outer beauty is the only factor to become a great person.When I was young, I read many kinds of books, most of which described characters who are handsome or beautiful. So I think that being beautiful is the only way to become a success.\nAs I grew up,the story of my best friend made me realize that outer beauty was not so important to make a person successful. She is so beautiful a girl that every classmate liked to chat with her, but she was very arrogant .In her opinion, she could get all she wanted because of her beauty, but all of her friends left her one by one! Only then did she come to know the importance of the beauty in a person's heart, which changed her attitude and she made friends again.\nTurning on TV,we can see many advertisements, most of which seem to give us a feeling that, physical attractiveness is the most important thing.T _ .It is surprising that more and more people,especially girls and women, try it like the first man-made beauty in China, Hao Lulu. It is a common sense that attractive people can easily find work. Most good looking guys, usually get higher scores in the job interviews. But, what is real beauty? I want to say that is inner beauty because those who have beauty in their soul are really beautiful persons.\nAs is known, the beauty judged with eyes is temporary, so we should concentrate on inner beauty. And if we make the efforts to make our minds beautiful, we'll live a happier life.", "problems": [{"question": "Why did the author want to have a good appearance when she was young?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because she wanted to be one of the characters in the book.", "Because she wanted to get higher scores in the job interviews.", "Because she wanted to follow the example of her friend", "Because the successful characters in the books she read were attractive."]}, {"question": "Why did the writer refer to her friend's story?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To show how important outer beauty is.", "To show how terrible to be a beautiful girl.", "To show the importance of the beauty in a person's heart.", "To show how beautiful her friend was."]}, {"question": "Which of the following covers the passage best?", "answer": "B", "options": ["How do attractive persons become successful?", "Inner beauty is the real beauty.", "The key factor to find a good job is being attractive.", "Plastic surgery is the best way to make a person more beautiful."]}, {"question": "What do we know from the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["If you are too beautiful,all your friends will leave you out of envy.", "If you have a good appearance, you must get higher scores in the job interviews.", "Without the TV advertisements, there wouldn't have been a boom in plastic surgery.", "Those who have good appearances should also develop the beauty in their hearts."]}]} -{"article": "In Egyptian myth, Apophis was the ancient spirit of evil and destruction, a demon that was determined to throw the world into darkness forever. A fitting name, astronomers reasoned, for a threat now rushing towards Earth from outer space. Scientists are monitoring the progress of a 390-metere wide asteroid discovered last year, which is potentially on a collision course with the planet.\nNASA has estimated that Apophis has an outside chance of hitting the Earth in 2036. If it did hit us, thousands of square kilometers would be directly affected by the explosion but the whole of the Earth would see the effects of the dust sent into the atmosphere. At a recent meeting of experts in Near-Earth objects (NEOs) in London, scientists said it could take decades to design, test and build the required technology to _ the asteroid.\nThe Apophis asteroid is placed at four out of ten on the Torino scale--a measure of the threat caused by an NEO where 10 is a certain collision which could cause a global disaster. This is the most possible danger of any asteroid in recorded history and it has a 1 in 37 chance of hitting the Earth.\nAlan Fitzsimmons, an astronomer from Queen's University Belfast, said, \"When it does pass close to us on April 13, 2029, the Earth will deflect it and change its orbit. There is a small possibility that if it passes through a particular point in space, the so-called keyhole, the Earth's gravity will change things so that when it comes back around again in 2036, it will collide with us.\" The chance of Apophis passing through the keyhole, a 600-meter patch of space, is 1 in 5,500, based on current information.\nThere is no shortage of ideas on how to deflect asteroids. The Advanced Concepts Team at the European Space Agency has led the effort in designing a range of satellites and rockets to nudge asteroids that are on a collision course for Earth into a different orbit.", "problems": [{"question": "The best title for this passage would be _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["Apophis Asteroid, a Possible Destroyer of Earth", "Apophis, a Good Name for Dangerous Asteroid", "Our Planet Will Be Ruined in 2036", "Scientists Study Apophis Asteroid"]}, {"question": "The name Apophis mentioned in the passage indicates that the asteroid is _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["powerful", "mysterious", "boring", "destructive"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT true?", "answer": "C", "options": ["If Apophis hit the earth, its impact would be enormous.", "No way to deal with Apophis is available at present.", "Apophis is the first dangerous asteroid in recorded history.", "It is uncertain whether Apophis will hit the earth in 2036."]}, {"question": "What would the passage talk about if it continued?", "answer": "D", "options": ["An Egyptian myth about Apophis.", "NASA's study on NEOs.", "How the keyhole influences Apophis.", "What methods can be used to deflect the asteroid."]}]} -{"article": "Being a victim of schoolyard violence can help pupils learn how to manage argument and develop their ability to get along with others, it was claimed.\nHelene Guldberg, associate lecturer in child development at the Open University, said trying to stop the \"supposedly terrible dangers of bullying \" can do more harm than good. She insisted teachers should not break up \"everyday playground argument\", saying children should be left to deal with it themselves.\nIn an on-line article, Dr. Guldberg said that bullying was \"an experience that children need to develop\". But the comments were strongly criticized by anti-bullying campaigners.\nAccording to official figures, almost half of children claim they are bullied at school. One of the biggest studies of its kind by Ofsted showed 48 percent of young people had been orally or physically _ in the last year. It comes despite a number of government measures designed to crack down on the threats.\nWriting on a website, Dr. Guldberg said: \"Teachers are increasingly taking the task of looking after children's health and well-being rather than being allowed to get on with the task of educating them. Children are encouraged to assume their relationships with other children are damaging, and encouraged to look upon their classmates with suspicion.\" She added: \"If we treat children as if they cannot possibly cope with hurtful experiences, then we will likely to weaken their confidence and make them less likely to cope with difficult events in the future. In effect, we will prevent them from growing up.\"\nThe comments echo remarks made by teachers in recent years who claim the education system has been too focused on developing children's social skills at the expense of academic learning. But Sue Steel, national manager of the Anti-Bullying Alliance, said: \"Children who are being bullied often find it difficult to tell anyone. Teachers can help by giving appropriate attention.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is TURE according to Helene Guldberg?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Teachers should take the task of dealing with children's argument.", "Children should be left to cope with their argument themselves.", "Children will gain their confidence if teachers manage their argument for them.", "Children can't cope with difficult events after dealing with hurtful experiences themselves."]}, {"question": "Anti-bullying campaigners think that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["teachers should help deal with children's argument in a proper way", "the government should take measures to stop children from being bullied", "children will be prevented from growing up with too much school violence", "teachers should develop children's academic learning rather than social skills"]}, {"question": "The passage mainly tells us that schoolyard violence is _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["difficult to get rid of", "common among young people", "not necessarily bad for children", "harmful to children's academic learning"]}]} -{"article": "Visit any junior high or high school and you will experience the power of influence. Clothing, hairstyles, attitudes and even the language are all gained by some amount of influence, whether it is from commercials, fashion, trends, celebrities or music. Teens and preteen children are influenced by these various factors. However, a child's friends are the No. 1 influence.\nBefore you think your children's friends could never lead one another astray , think again. A child may experience an event that has caused overwhelming stress or may have problems at home or school, which causes negative behavior. Negative influences of a child's friends can come without warning.\n\"Parents who ask their children where they are going, who they are going with and request a meeting with their children's friends and the friends' parents have already taken the first step,\" says Mara Berkley, family therapist and professor at Bristol University in Rhode Island.\nLynn Rexroat of Chillicothe, Illinois, uses this method to _ her children. \"My oldest son knows that in order for him to go anywhere with a friend, especially one I haven't met before, I have to speak with that friend's parent to make sure the arrangements are agreeable with us both,\" she says. \"I don't interrogate them by asking about their private life. I just want to know that the parents of the other child know what the boys are planning to do. I feel that by my wanting to know I am protecting my son.\"\nWhen a parent suspects that their child is hanging out with \"the wrong crowd\", the last thing on their mind should be discipline. Instead, Berkley says a parent should be more interested in finding out the reasons behind the behaviors and the child's choice to keep company with these types of friends.", "problems": [{"question": "Mara Berkley probably agrees that you _ when your child is going out with his friends.", "answer": "D", "options": ["should track him secretly", "should not ask him", "can stop him going out", "do something to interfere"]}, {"question": "How does Lynn Rexroat protect her son according to the text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["She questions his son directly.", "She meets his son's friends herself.", "She makes arrangements with the parents of his son's friends.", "She communicates with the parents of his son's friends."]}]} -{"article": "Windbreaks are barriers formed by trees and other plants.Farmers plant these barriers around their fields,which help prevent the loss of soil,and stop the wind from blowing soil away.They also keep the wind from damaging or destroying crops.Besides,extra trees and plants can be cut down and used or sold for wood.\nWindbreaks can be highly valuable for protecting grain crops.For example,in parts of West Africa grain harvests were as much as twenty percent higher in fields protected by windbreaks compared with fields without them.\nBut here is something interesting about windbreaks.They seem to work best when they allow some wind to pass through the barrier of trees or plants around a field.If not,then the movement of air close to the ground will lift the soil.Then the soil will be blown away.For this reason,a windbreak works best if it contains only 60 to 80 percent of the trees and plants that would be needed to make a solid line.An easy rule to remember is that windbreaks can protect areas up to 10 times the height of the tallest trees in the windbreak.\nThere should be at least two lines in each windbreak.One line should be large trees.The second line,right next to it,can be shorter trees or other plants with leaves.Locally grown trees and plants are considered the best choices for windbreaks.Trees reduce the damaging effects of wind and rain.Their roots help protect soil from being washed away.And trees can provide animals outdoors with shade from the sun.", "problems": [{"question": "The advantages of building a windbreak are as follows except _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["providing humans with shade from the sun", "increasing the production of grain harvests", "keeping the wind from destroying grain crops", "reducing the damaging effects of wind and rain"]}, {"question": "The author thinks windbreaks are interesting because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["windbreaks can stop the wind getting through", "the movement of air lifts the soil", "large trees are lined with short ones", "windbreaks allow some wind to pass through"]}, {"question": "If the trees grow to a height of 30 feet, the areas the windbreak can protect are _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["150 square feet", "100 square feet", "300 square feet", "240 square feet"]}, {"question": "What can be inferred from the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The environment is going from bad to worse.", "Windbreaks can contribute to agriculture harvests. .", "Trees and plants from abroad are the best for windbreaks.", "Extra trees and plants can be cut down for wood"]}]} -{"article": "Remember how great exercise was when you were a little kid? Back then,racing around the playground or skipping rope for hours,you weren't thinking fitness,you were thinking entertainment.But in this age of high-tech home equipment and underused gym memberships,the simple joy of jumping rope has been forgotten.Rediscovering it will give you a total-body exercise you can find.\nAlthough considered an excellent form of exercise,jumping rope has never gained widespread acceptance because of two fundamental reasons.First,most people recognize jumping rope as an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise,but they also believe that it is simply too difficult.In other words,they don't think they'll be able to continue jumping for the near 20 minutes that it takes to achieve a beneficial physical result.Second, many view it as somewhat boring and too repetitive-not as something fun or enjoyable.\nAs a matter of fact,jumping rope can be great fun if you find a proper way to practise it.Instead of doing the usual two-foot bounce over and over again,people good at rope-jumping often change their pattern every 10 or 20 jumps.A single bounce,a double bounce,a skip,a knee-up,side swings,as well as a variety of other easy-to-learn free-style rope-jumping.\nNow researchers are learning that jumping rope also prepares the brain for learning.It is an exercise allowing both brain hemispheres to perform in parallel to each other.In short,jumping rope can be a life-long activity requiring little equipment,time and space,yet leading to a much healthier life.", "problems": [{"question": "Rope jumping has not spread widely because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["it benefits the cardiovascular system", "it requires little equipment,time and space", "it is neither easy nor enjoyable", "it is considered boring"]}, {"question": "According to the researchers, jumping rope _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["only prepares the brain for learning.", "is suitable for students only", "helps both brain hemispheres work together", "can be dangerous for old people"]}, {"question": "What is the author's attitude towards rope jumping?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He is arguing against it.", "He is sitting on the fence of it.", "He is in favor of it.", "He is not clear about it."]}]} -{"article": "The British National Health Service (NHS) was set up in 1948 and was designed to provide equal basic health care, free of charge, for everybody in the country. Before this time health care had to be paid for by individuals.\nNowadays central government is directly responsible for the NHS although it is administered by local health authorities. About 83 percent of the cost of the health service is paid for by general taxation and the rest is met from the National Insurance contributions paid by those in work. There are charges for prescription and dental care but many people, such as children, pregnant women, pensioners, and those on Income Support, are exempt from payment.\nMost people are registered with a local doctor (a GP, or General Practitioner) who is increasingly likely to be part of a health centre which serves the community.\nAs the population of Britain gets older, the hospital service now treats more patients than before, although patients spend less time in hospital. NHS hospitals--many of which were built in the nineteenth century--provide nearly half a million beds and have over 480, 000 medical staff. The NHS is the biggest employer in Europe although Britain actually spends less per person on health care than most of her European neighbours.\nDuring the 1980s there was considerable restructuring of the Health Service with an increased emphasis on managerial efficiency and the privatization of some services (for example, cleaning). At the end of the 1980s the government introduced proposals for further reform of the NHS, including allowing some hospitals to be self-governing, and encouraging GPs to compete for patients. Patients would be able to choose and change their family doctor more easily and GPs would have more financial responsibility. The political questions continue of how much money should be provided to support the NHS and where it should come from.", "problems": [{"question": "What do we know about the NHS?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It's managed by the central government.", "Its cost is mainly paid for by the National Insurance contributions.", "It hires more people than any other unit in Europe.", "Fewer patients go to its hospitals than before because they spend less on health care."]}, {"question": "All the following statements about GPs are true except that they _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["take care of the local people's health", "often take part in competitions to see who is the best", "work under high pressure nowadays", "have more responsibilities than before"]}, {"question": "The biggest problem for the NHS is _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["many hospitals are too old to be used", "some services are in the charge of individuals", "more and more patients go to GPs for treatment", "there is not enough money for further reform"]}]} -{"article": "Attempt a guess at the following question: In the English-speaking world, which country has the least affordable homes? You are wrong if you guessed the US, even with the housing bubble and main sadness. Nor is it the UK, where prices have risen because demand is far from supply. According to a recent survey of 227 cities around the globe, you must go south of the equator to Australia to find the priciest homes.\nThe report measured a city's housing market along the following guidelines. An \"affordable\" home required three times or less of the average family's income to purchase. At four times earnings, a home fell into the \"unaffordable\" category. And a \"seriously unaffordable\" home needed five times a family's income. In Australia, homes in the least affordable city cost just about 9.5 times the average income. Sydney, Perth, and Melbourne were only a little under this figure.\nAustralian officials offered little comment, apart from a general statement on the _ findings. These prices make the possibility that many Australians will one day own a home largely unbelievable. Land rationing and excessive development charges have raised prices, and the problem will only be solved through urgent action by the Rudd government.\nSome American cities were also included on the least affordable list, four of which were in California. America is still involved in a mortgage crisis, though, affecting the affordability of homes. Yet a number of US cities garnered \"affordable\" status, namely Dallas and Kansas. Australia had no cities listed in the top fifty places with affordable homes.\nThe survey suggests that you can find affordable homes in most places, just not if you're Australian and choose to live down under.", "problems": [{"question": "To buy an affordable house, you should pay _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["3 times or less of the average family's income", "4 times or less of the average family's income", "5 times or less of the average family's income", "9.5 times or less of the average family's income"]}, {"question": "What caused the prices of houses to increase in Australia?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The rising family's income.", "The demand over supply.", "The excessive development charges.", "The decrease of land."]}, {"question": "What might be the most suitable title for the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Affordable Houses", "A House is a Dream First", "Housing Bubble", "Homes Too Expensive"]}]} -{"article": "The World Health Organization says obesity rates are rising in Pacific island countries. So, too, are health problems linked to being overweight.\nThe WHO says a major reason for the rising obesity rates is an increase in imported foods. It says many Pacific islanders have replaced their traditional diets of vegetables and fruits with imported processed foods.\nDr.Temu Waqanivalu is with the World Health Organization's South Pacific office in Suva, Fiji.He says many of the imported products lack nutritional value.\nTemu Waqanivalu said: \"In some of the places, you'd be amazed to see how a bottle of Coke is cheaper than a bottle of water. I think that represents the kind of offenvironment we've created that doesn't really encourage or make lifestyle choices an easy choice for the population.\"\nAnd a lack of physical activity among many Pacific islanders only adds to the obesity problem.\nThe WHO says more than 50 percent of the population is overweight in at least ten Pacific island countries. The rate is as high as 80 percent among women in the territory of American Samoa. Fiji had the lowest obesity rate at 30 percent.\nIn all, almost ten million people live in Pacific island countries. The WHO estimates that about 40 percent of them have health disorders related to diet and nutrition.\nDiabetes rates are among the highest in the world. Forty-seven percent of the people in American Samoa have diabetes. So do 44 percent of the people in Tokelau, a territory of New Zealand.\nBy comparison, the diabetes rate is 13 percent in the United States, a country that has its own problems with rising obesity.\nOfficials also note an increase in nutritional problems like anemia and not enough vitamin A in the diets of Pacific islanders. Dr. Waqanivalu says treating conditions related to obesity and diet puts pressure on limited health resources and budgets.", "problems": [{"question": "The main reason why obesity rates are rising in many Pacific islanders is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the change of society", "the change of eating habits", "the change of life style", "lack of exercise"]}, {"question": "Imported products lack nutritional value but people love to buy them because they are _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["cheap", "popular", "tasty", "convenient to get"]}, {"question": "How many people living in Pacific island countries have health disorders?", "answer": "B", "options": ["1 million.", "4 million.", "6 million.", "10 million."]}, {"question": "The percentage of diabetes rates in American Samoa is _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["optimistic", "steady", "worrying", "low"]}]} -{"article": "The Greatest Navigational Journey\nIn 1787 Captain Bligh was given command of \"The Bounty\", a three-year-old merchant ship. His mission was to transport breadfruit plants from the island of Tahiti to the West Indies. We know the popular story of this voyage and the rebellion, in which Bligh has been presented as hard, violent and thoroughly unpleasant captain. However, there is quite a lot of evidence to suggest that this picture is far from being true. He seems to have been unusually thoughtful about the health and welfare of his men. For example he made sure that his crew got exercise, insisted on cleanliness on his ship, and adopted the practice of giving them a drink which prevented scurvy every day.\nWhen Captain Bligh arrived in Tahiti, it became clear that it would be some months before the breadfruit trees were ready to be taken to the West Indies. Instead of going off right away, he gave his crew extended shore leave. This may have been a mistake as many were unhappy about leaving when the time came. Finally, on the return journey the rebellion took place. The ship was under the command of the rebels and Captain Bligh had to leave in a small boat.\nCaptain Bligh's achievement was to get to dry land successfully. It is one of the supreme examples of seamanship. Apart from Bligh there were 18 members of his crew sailing in an open boat about 23 feet long and 7 feet wide. They took with them 25 gallons of water, 150 pounds of bread and 30 pounds of pork. They had no guns or other weapons. The boat was so low in the water that it seemed likely to sink at any time. On one occasion Captain Bligh tried to land on an island to get more water. He and his men were attacked by hostile natives and one of the crew was killed. At this point Bligh decided to sail directly to the Dutch settlement on the island of Timor without stopping. The distance was about 4,000 miles. The voyage took about 42 days and he had no advanced navigational equipment. However, his skill and commitment proved equal to the task and amazingly no one else died. It was truly a remarkable achievement.", "problems": [{"question": "It may have been a mistake that Bligh gave his crew extended shore leave because it caused _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the lack of drink", "the death of the tress", "the unhappiness about leaving", "the challenges facing the small boat"]}, {"question": "What problem did Bligh and his 18 men face after the rebellion?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The threat from the rebels.", "Conflicts with local people.", "Attacks from marine animals.", "The possible sinking of the boat."]}, {"question": "What made Bligh's 4000-mile voyage successful?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The rebels' abuse.", "His great seamanship.", "The crew's decision.", "Modern navigational equipment."]}]} -{"article": "John Russell, aged 83, got on a Chicago bus and saw a sign saying that senior citizens could ride (or take buses) for half fare . When he dropped his three quarters in the box, the driver demanded (or asked for) identification . John took out an ID card. \"You need a special CTA card,\" said the driver. John did not have the Chicago Transit Authority card because he lives in New York and was in Chicago visiting his two sons.\n\"Put in another three quarters,\" said the driver, \"or get off the bus.\"\nOne privilege(;) of old age is being stubborn . John said, \" Give me back my quarters, and I'll get off.\"\n\"I can't -- it's in the box. If you don't get off, I'll call the police,\" said he, which he did. Two police cars pulled up.\n\"I'm the criminal ,\" said John Russell. Then he and the driver told their stories.\n\"That's what you called me for?\" one policeman asked the driver. Another police!man then said to John, \"I'll give you three quarters.\"\nJohn shook his head, \"Why should you give me the quarters? He has to give me my quarters.\"\n\"Where are you going?\" asked the policemen.\n\"Downtown to have lunch with friends,\" John said.\n\"Come on,\" the policemen said. \"We'll get you your card.\" So they took him down!town to the CTA office. But the people there wouldn't give him a CTA card --- he needed a picture.\n\"What about his quarters?\" one policeman asked. The officials discussed, and the decision was made to give John's quarters back.\nWhen John got downstairs, the policemen asked where he was going.\n\"To see my friends,\" John said.\n\"How are you going to get there?\"\n\"On the bus. And all I'm going to pay is 75 cents.\"\n\"Good luck,\" the policemen said.\nJohn got on a bus, dropped three quarters in the box, and said, \"I'm a senior citizen...\" The driver looked at John and nodded. He didn't know how lucky he was to be a sensible man.", "problems": [{"question": "With a Chicago Transit Authority card _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["men of authority can ride on a bus for half fare", "senior citizens can pay only half fare for a bus ride", "men of authority can ride on a bus paying only three quarters", "senior citizens can pay only three quarters for a bus ride"]}, {"question": "John Russell needs a special CTA card most probably because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["he is not a senior citizen", "he is not a citizen of Chicago", "he is only visiting his two sons", "he has lost his ID card"]}, {"question": "The decision made by the CTA office was _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["to give John a CTA card then and there", "to refuse to give John's quarters back", "to return the three quarters to John", "to declare that John was a criminal"]}, {"question": "The second driver let John ride on his bus because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["now John produced his CTA card", "he knew John was a very difficult man", "he was kind enough to help the aged", "the policemen were with John"]}, {"question": "The suitable title for the above passage is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Giving No Quarters", "Giving No More Quarters", "A Sensible Driver", "A Senior Citizen"]}]} -{"article": "Although the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have English as an official language, the United States does not have an official language. This is why it's possible to become a US citizen without speaking English. Canada also has French as an official language, though it is mostly spoken in the province of Quebec. Because many of the English speakers who originally lived in Canada came from the US, there is little difference in American and Canadian English. Similarly, Australian English and New Zealand English have few differences, except Australia was originally settled as a penal colony and New Zealand was not. New Zealanders were more attached to the Received Pronunciation of the upper class in England, so their dialect is considered closer to British English.\nBritish colonialism has spread English all over the world, and it is still popular in South Africa, India, and Singapore, among other nations. In South Africa, English became an official language, along with Afrikaans and 9 African languages, in the 1996 constitution. However, only 3% of the country's 30 million people are native English speakers. Twenty percent are descendants of Dutch farmers who speak Afrikaans, and the rest are native Africans.\nIndia became independent from Britain in 1947. However, today English and Hindi are the official languages. Indian English is characterized by treating mass nouns as count nouns, frequent use of the \"isn't it?\" tag, use of more compounds, and a different use of prepositions. In Singapore, Chinese, Malay and Indian languages all influence the form of English spoken. Everyone is taught English in the school system, but there are a few differences from British English as well. Mass nouns are treated as count nouns, \"use to\" means usually, and no articles are used before occupations.", "problems": [{"question": "Why can people become a US citizen without speaking English?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They can learn English there.", "Different languages are spoken in the US.", "The US doesn't have an official language.", "They can speak their own language there."]}, {"question": "What do we know about South Africa?", "answer": "B", "options": ["English is its only official language.", "It has 11 different official languages.", "English is becoming less important there.", "20 percent of its population are native English speakers."]}, {"question": "What is the text mainly about?", "answer": "C", "options": ["British colonialism.", "The wide use of English.", "English around the world.", "The history of the English language."]}]} -{"article": "A caring mother is the most important single factor in preventing teenagers from abusing drugs and alcohol, researchers said on Friday. An international study showed that teenagers living with both parents are less likely to suffer from alcohol and drug problems, and a strong _ is the most effective way to fight against them.\n\"These findings suggest that living with both parents may prevent drug use,\" said Dr. McArdle, of Newcastle University in northern prefix = st1 /England, who led the study. \"They also suggest that attachment, particularly to mothers, is a more effective factor and that this is truly across cultures and substances.\"\nThe report, which is published in the journal Addiction, involved nearly 4,000 teenagers in England,Ireland,Italy,Germanyand theNetherlands. They were questioned about their use of several kinds of drugs and alcohol. The teenagers also filled in questionnaires about their relationship with their parents and grandparents, how well they were supervised after school and whether they were allowed to meet friends at home.\n\"Both the quality of family relationships and the structure of families have significant influences on youth drug use,\" McArdle said in a statement. But he added a strong maternal bond offered the greatest protection against developing drug habits.\nThe rate of drug abuse among teenagers living with both parents and who bad a good relationship with their mother was 16.6 percent. If either factor was missing the drug abuse rate rose to 32 percent. More than 42 percent of teenagers living in one parent families who did not have a strong bond with their mother used drugs.\nDrug prevention campaigns in British schools and on television warn teenagers about the danger of drugs and alcohol but McArdle said no one is undertaking the issue of their parents' responsibility.\n(http://edu.china.com/zh _ cn/elearn/english/news/512/20020516/11254954.html)", "problems": [{"question": "The phrase \"maternal bond\" refers to_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["the education of mothers", "the supervision of mothers on children", "whether the mother uses drugs", "the guidance of schools on mothers"]}, {"question": "According to McArdle, which is most likely to have the drug abuse problem?", "answer": "C", "options": ["16-year-old Tom from a happy big family.", "17-year-old Kate supervised by her single mother.", "18-year-old Juliet living with her single father.", "19-year-old Mark cared for by his parents."]}]} -{"article": "Most young people enjoy some form of physical activity. It may be walking, cycling or swimming, or in winter, skating or skiing. It may be a game of some kind: football, hockey, golf, or tennis. It may be mountaineering.\nThose who have a passion for climbing high and steep mountains are often looked upon with astonishment. Why are men and women are willing to suffer cold and hardship, and to take risks on high mountains? This astonishment is caused probably by the difference between mountaineering and other forms of activity to which men give their leisure.\nMountaineering is a sport, not a game. There are no man-made rules, as there are for such games as tennis and football. There are, of course, rules of a different kind which it would be dangerous to ignore, but it is this freedom from man-made rules that makes mountaineering attractive to many people. Those who climb mountains are free to use their own methods.\nIf we compare mountaineering and other more familiar sports, we might think that one big difference is that mountaineering is not a \"team sport\". Then we are mistaken in this. There are, it is true, no \"matches\" between \"teams\" of climbers, but when climbers are on a rock surface linked by a rope on which their lives may depend, there is obviously teamwork.\nA mountain climber knows that he may have to fight forces that are stronger and more powerful than man. He has to fight the forces of nature. This sport requires high mental and physical qualities.\nA mountain climber continues to improve his skills year after year. A skier is probably past his best by the age of thirty, and most international tennis champions are in their early twenties. But it is not unusual for a man of fifty or sixty to climb the highest mountains in Alps. They may take more time than younger men, but they probably climb with more skills than waste less effort.", "problems": [{"question": "Why is mountaineering not a game?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because it is dangerous.", "Because it has no man-made rules.", "Because it is unfamiliar to many people.", "Because so few people go in for this sport."]}, {"question": "Mountaineering can be called a team sport because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["it is an Olympic event", "teams compete against each other", "there are five climbers on each team", "mountaineering may depend on their opponents when in danger"]}, {"question": "Mountaineers compete against _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["nature", "high mountains", "other mountaineers", "international standards"]}, {"question": "In this passage the author intends to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["tell us to have sports", "introduce us to sports", "tell us to go mountaineering", "introduce us to mountaineering"]}]} -{"article": "Keeping pace with teachers is a fine way to study English.Teachers are experienced and their plans are systematic.But remember to work in a way that suits you.It's important to learn from past mistakes as well.Keep a notebook to make a record of the mistakes you make-it'll help you avoid making the same ones later.\nThe time of life may be hard,but you're not alone.You may be busy studying,but you can show your care by calling your friends or sending short messages.Don't let your friendships die.\nIt's as important to live well as it is to study well.Going to bed no later than 11:30 pm is vital.It puts you in the right mood for the next day.You needn't follow a special diet,but make sure you are eating nutritious meals each day.\nThe person who plays well,studies well.Having a lot of schoolwork doesn't mean having to give up other activities.Playing basketball or having a talk with your classmates can relax yourself. _ is not a waste of time but helps you study more efficiently.\nBesides taking the big exam,you have other choices for college.I took the independent enrollment exam held by Peking University and some other students even were preparing to study abroad.Pay attention to any relevant information you can find,whether it's from school,the news media or other sources.", "problems": [{"question": "What should you do if you want to keep your friendship fresh?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Have frequent talks with them.", "Always have lunch with them.", "Remain them at some distance.", "Keep connection by some ways."]}, {"question": "The passage is mainly written by a(n) _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["editor", "student", "teacher", "Parent"]}]} -{"article": "Well-known as gourmets ,the French spend more time sleeping and eating than anyone else among the world's rich nations,according to a study published on Monday.\nThe average French person sleeps almost 9 hours every night,more than an hour longer than Japanese and Korean,who sleep the least in a survey of 18 members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Despite their siesta habit,Spanish rank only third after Americans, who sleep more than 8.5 hours. And while more and more French people prefer fast-food chains these days or wolf down a sandwich at their desk, they still spend more than two hour's a day eating.\nThat means their meals are twice as long as those of the average Mexican, who spends just an hour a day on food,the OECD's \"Society at a Glance\" report on work, health and leisure in Asia, Europe and North and South America found. The Japanese manage to spend close to 2 hours a day eating and drinking, placing them third behind New Zealanders.\nDespite the limited time, Americans spend eating each day---about an hour and a quarter---U.S.obesity rates are the highest in the 30 members of OECD. The Japanese like to spend their rare free time watching TV or listening to the radio. This takes up 47 percent of leisure time in Japan. Norwegians spend the most time at leisure,just over a quarter of their day,while at the low end,Mexicans spend just 16 percent of their time having fun.\nThe OECD has 30 members. The survey covers only the countries for which proper figures were available.", "problems": [{"question": "As to eating time,the CORRECT order is _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["The French > New Zealanders> Japanese> Mexicans", "Mexicans> The Japanese > New Zealanders > The French", "The French > The Japanese > New Zealanders > Mexicans", "New Zealanders > The Japanese >Mexicans> The French"]}, {"question": "In the 30 members of OECD,U.S ranks first at _", "answer": "D", "options": ["sleeping time", "leisure", "eating time", "obesity-rates"]}, {"question": "The main purpose of the text is _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["to show which country spends the least time on sleeping", "to tell us the French is leisure-loving gourmets", "to show a survey about the time of leisure,sleeping,eating in some countries", "to make a comparison to find out the best living styles of OECD countries"]}, {"question": "How does the author develop the whole text ?", "answer": "B", "options": ["By analysing cause and effect.", "By making comparisons.", "By making predictions.", "By following the time order."]}]} -{"article": "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 & 25,000 prize, managed to trace him, and handed over the cash. \nThe 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 prefix = st1 /Italy. \nThe 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. _ 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 winner. Please meet me. Anonymity guaranteed.\" \nProfessor 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, _ the thief's offer of a reward.", "problems": [{"question": "Hundreds of people phoned professor Sabbatucci because they _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["wanted to make fun of him", "hoped to get the money", "knew who the robber was", "lost the lottery ticket"]}, {"question": "What might be the headline for the news _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["A Robber's Lucky Day", "A Popular Maths Professor", "A Magic Lottery", "A Reward of Honesty"]}]} -{"article": "Scientists are trying to make the deserts into good land again.They want to bring water to the deserts,so people can live and grow food.They are learning a lot about the deserts.But more and more of the earth is becoming desert all the time.Scientists may not be able to change the desert in time.\nWhy is more and more land becoming desert?Scientists think that people make deserts.People are doing bad things to the earth.\nSome places on the earth don't get much rain. But they still don't become deserts. This is because some green plants are growing there. Small green plants and grass are very important to dry places. Plants don't let the sun make the earth even drier. Plants do not let the wind blow the dirt away. When a bit of rain falls, the plants hold the water. Without plants, the land can become desert more easily.", "problems": [{"question": "Deserts _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["never have any plants or animals in them", "can all be turned into good land before long", "are becoming smaller and smaller", "get very little rain"]}, {"question": "Small green plants are very important to dry places because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["they don't let the sun make the earth even drier", "they don't let the wind blow the soil away", "they hold water", "All of the above."]}, {"question": "Land is becoming desert little by little because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["plants can't grow there", "there is not enough rain", "people haven't done what scientists wish them to do", "scientists know little about the deserts"]}, {"question": "Why is more and more land becoming desert according to this passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Earthquakes make deserts.", "Wind makes deserts.", "Lack of water makes deserts.", "People make deserts."]}]} -{"article": "The man sitting opposite Robert was the Financial Controller. Everybody called him \"the FC\" for short. He made all the decisions about money. Robert needed some more. That was why he had to see him. The two men did not get on very well. In fact, they had always disliked each other.\n\"Your request is out of the question,\" the FC said. Robert had difficulty in controlling himself, but he managed somehow. He explained that he wanted the money in order to make more programmes.\n\"And why do you want to do that?\" the FC asked sharply. Again, Robert almost lost his temper. \"Because more and more people are listening to my department's programmes. There's great demand for them,\" he answered.\nThe FC did not seem to believe him. But Robert had a report on the numbers of listeners to all EBC programmes. The FC became less confident. Robert threw the report down on the table and told him to read it.\nThe FC looked at it in silence. The figures proved that he had been wrong, but he did not want to admit it. \"Well,\" he finally said, \"I may have made a small mistake.\" Robert noticed the word \"may.\" He got up to leave. But he had the feeling that he would get the money after all.", "problems": [{"question": "In the story the Financial Controller was a person who was in charge of", "answer": "C", "options": ["Robert's department's programmes", "EBC programmes", "EBC money", "both B and C"]}, {"question": "\"Your request is out of the question.\"Here \"out of the question\"means", "answer": "C", "options": ["without any question", "with some question", "impossible", "possible"]}, {"question": "Robert decided to make more programmes because", "answer": "A", "options": ["he wanted to meet the needs of the listeners", "\"the FC\" disliked him", "the members of his department wanted him to do so", "he wanted to show himself off"]}, {"question": "Why were more and more people listening to Robert's programmes?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because he always lost his temper", "Because he disliked \"the FC\"", "Because the programmes were rich and to the taste of the listeners", "We don't know"]}, {"question": "Who do you think won the argument in the end?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The Financial Controller", "Robert", "Nobody", "The listeners"]}]} -{"article": "I don't want to upset you, but nobody can ever find out what day is going to be the last. And so it's better to live each day of your life as if it is the last. I'm not telling you to quit your job and spend all your money on traveling. But you can live your life to its fullest by adding some simple things to each day. It doesn't matter what is going on, but it does matter how you feel about it. Here is my recipe for the best day on Earth!\nA Handful of Happiness\nWhere can you find it? Take a look inside of yourself! Happiness doesn't come from the outside, it is within you. Each moment your life gives you a lot of opportunities to be happy. If you want to see them, you will. If you don't, it's up to you.\nA Handful of Love\nLove is the harmony of your soul. A little love can make a big difference to the whole world. We are one. Everyone and everything deserve your love as well as you do.\nA Handful of Dreams\nFeel free to dream big dreams and make small steps towards them. You are the creator of your life. Every time you are doing something to achieve your goals you are growing.\nA Handful of Creativity\nTry to be creative in everything you do. Try to do your best every time you are doing something. Do not be afraid to use your imagination. It's such a pleasure to do something new. Feel the joy of creation!\nA Handful of Magic\nDo you believe in magic? Well, you should. Life is full of miracles. In fact, life itself is a big miracle. There are so many things that are beyond our understanding.\n-- Albert Einstein\nCelebrate every day of your life! Let the spirit of holiday fill each corner of your heart. Why not? You live your life to its fullest and move towards your dreams!", "problems": [{"question": "What does the author advise people to do?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Spend all your money on traveling.", "Find happiness inside yourself.", "Love others more than yourself.", "Do not use much imagination."]}, {"question": "It can be concluded that to realize your big dreams, you need _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["to keep trying step by step", "to grow up", "to feel free", "to create your life"]}, {"question": "Which can be the best title of the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["How to know your last day?", "How to live a best day?", "How to make your life miracle?", "How to realize your dreams?"]}]} -{"article": "Hot words on the Internet don't stay hot for long. \"Geili\" and \"fuyun\", last year's biggest linguistic innovations, are practically prehistoric in Internet terms. What's buzzing now is \"hold steady\"\nThe term comes from a segment on the Taiwanese TV show\nwhich features Miss Lin(Xie Yilin) giving a lecture on how to behave like a fashion queen at parties or on the bus. The extremely funny lecture is mainly an over-the-top mockery of the fashion world, but Miss Lin makes a point: We need to hold steady in pressure-filled or embarrassing situations.\nHolding steady, Internet slang for \"staying poised\", is one of the qualities the public has been looking for lately as pressures on marriage, work and money can easily drive people crazy. The quality was demonstrated by a girl named Su Miaoling this year. The contestant in the TV singing competition\ncarried herself with an air of confidence on stage and kept her cool when others got anxious. \"I like your poise . Very few contestants on this stage can keep calm like you do,\" said one of the show's judges, Hu Haiquan, to Su. Internet users dubbed Su \"Sister Poise\".\nPoise is also appreciated in Western culture as an essential quality of a well-mannered person. Each year, the National League of Junior Cotillions of the US releases a list of the Ten Best Mannered People. Kate Middleton made it onto the list in 2011 \"for the poise and dignity with which she conducts herself in the public spotlight\". The Duchess of Cambridge was also acclaimed earlier this year for her remarkable poise at the royal wedding.\nGood news for many, poise is not genetic----it can be acquired with a bit of effort. A personal growth guidance gives tips on how to stay poised. \"Take a few deep breaths when you are facing a situation that tests your patience; practice yoga regularly to calm your nerves; use self-affirmation by saying 'I choose to be calm in any situation'; write down your affirmation daily to imprint the goal,\" reads the site.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, what does \"hold steady\" mean?", "answer": "D", "options": ["well balanced", "hold still", "remain stable", "keep calm"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is NOT true?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Poise isn't born with people, so it can be acquired.", "Under different pressures, people hope to keep calm.", "\"Hold steady\" comes from a lecture given by a fashion queen.", "In western culture, holding steady is a quality of well-mannered people."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT the way to hold steady?", "answer": "B", "options": ["learn to use self-encouragement.", "Write the goals to be achieved", "Practice yoga regularly to calm your nerves.", "Take deep breaths when facing difficult situations."]}, {"question": "The purpose of this passage is to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["introduce the Internet hot term \"hold steady\"", "tell funny stories about how to hold steady", "demonstrate how to keep calm under pressure", "give advice on how to keep cool in daily life"]}]} -{"article": "Faced with a life-changing tragedy, it would be easy for Martha Clements to focus on the negative. But that's not her way. Five years after losing her vision, Clements is back doing what she loves. \n\"It is long, Kathy,\" Clements says, running her hands down the length of her client's hair. Kathy Braga is letting it grow. It now hangs below her shoulders and down her back, and all she wants is a trim , so she asks Clements to show her how much an inch would be. Clements pulls a ruler from a drawer and holds it up to Braga's hair in front near her face. \"Right here. An inch will be right here at your chin.\"\nClements was in this career for about 10 years before losing her vision. Now, when she begins cutting, it's easy to forget that Clements is completely blind. She carefully compares the length of each strand of hair. Though confident of her sense of touch, she at times asks her client to be her eyes and check her work.\nAfter a careful inspection, Braga gives her approval. And after Clements blows her hair dry, she remarks, \"You made me younger. I love it.\"\nClements had been doing Braga's hair for years before she became blind. Braga is proud to say she was Clements' first customer after she lost her vision.\n\"She sat me in the kitchen. It was dark, and she said ,' Are you ready?' I said, 'I'm ready.' And that is when she took this thing, and she said, ' Look and see if there is hair on the ground,' and I said ,' Yes, there is .' And she said, 'Okay, I have the right end of the thing.\" \nClements was 42 years old when she suffered a pulmonary embolism that cost her sight. \"I was dead for 20 minutes first and then half an hour, and the lack of oxygen killed my optical nerve.\" The last thing Clements remembered that day was the ambulance coming to get her. \"I couldn't breathe. The next thing I remembered was waking up three days later, blind, in the hospital.\"\nHer ribs had been broken, when they treated her. Her shoulder was dislocated. She had to undergo nine months of physical treatment.\n\"It was the hardest time in my life,\" she says. \"Everything changed in my life: distance, smell, and sound. My kids didn't sound the same. My husband didn't sound the same too. I didn't know my home. It took me three months to find the coffee table.\"\n Once a month, a teacher from the Virginia Center for the Blind came to her home in Woodbridge, about 40 kilometers from Washington. But Clements was eager to learn more. So in 2008, she left her husband and sons, to go to the Virginia School for the Blind in Richmond for a nine-month program. \"My plan was to be able to do for my family again, to do what I like to do, cook, clean, make phone calls.\"\n She learned basic skills like how to walk with a cane, how to listen and how to eat different foods. There were classes in Braille, computer skills and using different gadgets designed for the blind. Graduates of the program are expected to leave with not only life skills, but a marketable skill as well.\n\"My teacher asked me why I wouldn't do hair. I said, ' Hello. Blind. No, no, no.' I was scared to think I could even do it.\"\nBut gradually, Clements gained confidence and by the time she graduated, had styled 100 heads of hair at the school. \"People from headquarters came, people from the library, students, secretaries, teachers, and friends came. Everybody came and let me do their hair,\" Clements says.\nThree days a week she leaves home to volunteer at the House of Mercy, a Catholic service organization that provides clothing, food and other support to the poor.\nKellie Ross, executive director of the House of Mercy, remembered when Clements first showed up with her friend, Kathy Braga, to offer her help.\nAt first, she had no idea Clements was blind. \"As she started to walk I realized she couldn't see, \" Ross recalls. \"She could have taken that tragic experience of losing her sight and gone inward, but instead she used that experience to help other people who are suffering.\"\nClements says she feels blessed to day, five years after her brush with death. \"I thank the Lord every day for my blindness, because I'm alive,\" she says. \"I could have been dead. I'm alive. I'm healthy, and that is what matters.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What was Clements before she lost her sight?", "answer": "B", "options": ["A teacher.", "A hairstylist.", "An engineer.", "A volunteer.\n:,,regular"]}, {"question": "To judge the length of the hair of her clients, Clements mainly depends on _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["some handy tools", "their detailed descriptions", "her sense of touch", "Kathy Braga's guidance\n:"]}, {"question": "What can we learn about Kathy Braga?", "answer": "A", "options": ["She used to be a regular client of Clements.", "She follows Clements to do volunteering work every week.", "She was the first to encourage Clements to try hairstyling.", "She always pretends to be satisfied with Clements' skill.\n:"]}, {"question": "When she lost her sight, Clements found that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["her family became hopeless and discouraged", "her other senses had also been affected", "her kids and husband began to treat her differently", "she lost interest in speaking to her family members\n:"]}, {"question": "What would be the best title of the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Brave woman expresses her gratitude for life.", "After going blind, hairstylist returns to work.", "Programs for the blind give them new hope for life.", "Blind hairstylist finds pleasure in volunteering work.\n:,"]}]} -{"article": "Grandparents might be known for spoiling grandchildren, but a new study says they might also be helping the kids improve their social skills and behavior.\nSpending time with grandma and grandpa especially appears to help children from single-parent, divorced/separated or stepfamily households, according to the report, published in the February Journal of Family Psychology.\n\"Grandparents are a positive force for all families but play a significant role in families undergoing difficulties,\" the study's lead author, Shalhevet Attar-Schwartz, of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said in an American Psychological Association news release. \"They can reduce the negative influence of parents separating and be a resource for children who are going through these family changes.\"\nIn interviewing 11- to 16-year olds from England and Wales, Attar-Schwartz and her team found that the more conversations the youths had with a grandparent, including asking for advice or even money, the better they got along with their peers and the fewer problems they had, such as hyperactivity and disruptive behavior.\n\"This was found across all three family structures,\" she said. \"But adolescents in single-parent households and stepfamilies benefited the most. The effect of their grandparents' involvement was stronger compared to children from two biological parent families.\"\nThe study did not look at children who lived solely with their grandparents, though.\nThe findings have great implications for people in the United States, the authors said, because American grandparents are increasingly sharing living space with their grandchildren. A 2004 U.S. Census Bureau survey found that more than 5 million households include a grandparent and a grandchild under 18, up 30 percent since 1990, according to background information in the news release.", "problems": [{"question": "It is generally believed that a grandmother _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["can help a child through hard times", "can help kids develop social skills", "can spoil a child", "is a positive force for all families"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, grandparents will be of least benefit to a child _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["from two biological parent families", "from a single--parent household", "from a divorced household", "from a stepfamily household"]}, {"question": "A child who asks his grandmother for money will _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["have difficulty in getting along with his peers", "still get along well with his peers", "be easier to be spoiled than his peers", "not be popular with peers"]}, {"question": "The passage implies that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["children who live solely with their grandparents may benefit the most", "grandparents are a source of comfort to children from families undergoing difficulties", "grandparents play a more positive role than parents in children's growth", "all families should leave their children to be brought up by grandparents"]}]} -{"article": "Is language, like food, a basic human need without which a child at a critical period of life can be starved and damaged? Judging from the experiment of Frederick in the thirteenth century, it may be. Hoping to discover what language a child would speak if he heard no mother tongue, he told the nurses to keep silent.\nAll the infants died before the first year. But clearly there was more than lack of language here. What was missing was mothering. Without good mothering, in the first year of life especially, the capacity to survive is seriously affected.\nToday no such severe lack exists as that ordered by Frederick. Nevertheless, some children are still backward in speaking. Most often the reason for this is that the mother is insensitive to the signals of the infant, whose brain is programmed to learn language rapidly. If there sensitive periods are neglected, the ideal time for acquiring skills passes and they might never be learned so easily again. A bird learns to sing and to fly at the right time, but the process is slow and hard once the critical stage has passed.\nExperts suggest that speech stages are reached in a fixed order and at a constant age, but there are cases where speech has started late in a child who eventually turns out to be of high IQ. At twelve weeks a baby smiles and makes vowel-like sounds; at twelve months they can speak simple words and understand simple commands; at eighteen months he has a vocabulary of three to five words. At three he knows about 1,000 words, which he can put into sentences, and at four his language differs from that of his parents in style rather than grammar.\nRecent evidence suggests that an infant is born with the capacity to speak. What is special about man's brain, compared with that of the monkey, is the complex system which enables a child to connect the sight and feel of, say, a toy-bear with the sound pattern \"toy bear\". And even more incredible is the young brain's ability to pick out an order in language from the mixture of sound around him, to analyze, to combine and recombine the parts of a language in new ways.\nBut speech has to be induced(,), and this depends on interaction between the mother and the child, where the mother recognizes the signals in the children's babbling ,grasping and smiling, and responds to them. Insensitivity of the mother to these signals dulls the interaction because the child gets discouraged and sends out only the obvious signals. Sensitivity to the child's nonverbal signals is essential to the growth and development of language.", "problems": [{"question": "The writer mentioned the experiment of Frederick to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["support his idea", "introduce his topic", "describe a new finding", "give an example of his theory"]}, {"question": "The purpose of Frederick's experiment was to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["prove that children are born with the ability to speak", "discover what language a child would speak without hearing any human speech", "find out what role careful nursing would play in teaching a child to speak", "prove that a child could be damaged without learning a language"]}, {"question": "The reason why some children are backward in speaking is most probably that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["they are not able to learn language rapidly", "they are exposed to too much language at once", "their mothers do not respond enough to their attempts to speak", "their mothers are not clever enough to help them"]}, {"question": "If a child starts to speak later than others, he will _ in future.", "answer": "D", "options": ["have a high IQ", "be less intelligent", "be insensitive to verbal signals", "not necessarily be backward"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["A child is born with the ability to speak.", "A child's brain has a complex system which helps to connect the sight and feel of an object.", "A child can produce his own sentences.", "A child owes his speech ability to good nursing."]}, {"question": "According to the passage, the writer agrees that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the infants will certainly die because of lack of language.", "all children learn their language in fixed stages", "the child's brain is highly selective", "insensitivity to the child's non-verbal signals will not affect the development of the child's language"]}]} -{"article": "Fixed or growth mindset -- which do you have?\nWe live in an uncertain world with all the technological advances we are experiencing, which meanse is a requirement for a change in midset . In order to be on top of our game both personally and organizationally, we need to develop a growth mindset.\nA fixed mindset supposes that you have native abilities and are naturally clever or skilled in certain areas of life. When you receive infonnation about how you have performed in a test or set of tasks t you may worry about how you are judged. Our parents probably said to us when we were young,\"Since you scored really well in the test, you must be clever.\" However, by being repeatedly told \"You arc clever\" or \"You are really ga*al al your job\",a person's self-respect is actually dainagcd.\nThe growlh - mindest persona view life as a series of exciting challenges and want t o constantly learn. Brain activity occurs in this mindset when they receive information about what they could do belter or improve. They do not view their abilities as fixed or us failure. Learning is king and the more they practice , the more they know they will succeed.\nWhat is important is giving praise around process and not around ability. For example , instead of saying\"Since you got a great score, you must be clever\" f say \" You got a great score, and you must have tried really hard\". This creates challenge in indivicluats and [:Z&xx&k.Com]\nThe meaning of mindsets is massive for business. Fixed-mindset managers are not fans of giving feedback . They do not want to stretch themselves or others because they fear failure. Therefore their business may stand still because there is no risk or innovation occurring.\nListen from your own fixed mindset for example ,\" I can't do that\" and answer with a growth-mindset response \"I can't do that yet!\" Remember there is no such thing as failure and there is s only learning. If you don't fail occasionally ,you will never learn to change and grow.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the author's opinion of people' s mindsets?", "answer": "D", "options": ["A growth mindstet means no failure.", "People need develop a fixed mindset.", "A fixed mindset focuses more on process.", "People should develop a growth mindest."]}, {"question": "Which judgment seems more encouraging?", "answer": "C", "options": ["You are clever.", "You are skillful.", "You have worked hard.", "You arc great at your job."]}, {"question": "What do the growth-mindset persons most advocate?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Keeping on learning.", "Viewing ability as failure.", "Giving praise around ability.", "Learning from the fixed mindset."]}]} -{"article": "How Good Are US Drivers?\nThe CBS-TV\"National Drivers' Test\",showed that many US drivers have a lot to learn.Here's why.\nCBS picked 1799 sample drivers to take the test in TV studios in New York,Philadelphia,Chicago,and Los Angeles.More than two out of five of the drivers failed the test.And the average score was the lowest passing mark--51 points out of a possible 80.\nChicago drivers did best with an average of 53 points.Los Angeles drivers came next with 52 points.New York and Philadelphia drivers got 50 points--a failing score.Drivers with 50 points or less were rated\"poorly informed\"by the judges.\nHere are some of the test results:\n1.Are men drivers better informed than women ones?\nYes.Men averaged 52 points.Women got an average of 49.\n2.Are older drivers better informed than younger drivers?\nNo.Drivers under 26 averaged 52 points.Drivers from 27 to 45 averaged 51.Drives over 45 failed with a 48-point average.\n3.Does education make a difference?\nYes.College graduates averaged 52 points.High school graduates averaged 50.Those without high school diplomas got 48.And people who had taken driver education courses scored an average of 53 points--three more than those who hadn't.\n4.Does driving experience make a difference?\nYes.Drivers with three or more years of experience averaged 51 points.Drivers with less experience averaged 49.\nHere are some surprising facts brought out by the test:\n1.More than one out of three drivers did not know that a blinking red light means a full stop.\n2.Three out of ten drivers did not know that an octagonal(eight-sided)sign means stop.\n3.More than two out of three drivers did not know what to do when being\"tailgated \".\nThe answer:slow down,drive to the right,and let the driver behind pass.\nThe results of the test were turned over to the National Safety Council .They will help future safety planning.", "problems": [{"question": "The author's purpose is to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["prove that men are better drivers than women", "give you safe driving directions", "tell you the results of a national drivers' test", "require you to get an education"]}, {"question": "From the information in this article,which of the following is TRUE?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Older drivers are better informed than younger drivers.", "Experience makes a difference among drivers.", "Most drivers failed the test.", "Most people don' t know what a blinking red light means."]}, {"question": "The test covered the following areas about drivers except _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["education", "years of driving experience", "sex", "health"]}, {"question": "Which of the following as a group was rated\"poorly informed\"by the judges?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Men.", "High school graduated drivers.", "Drivers from 27-45 years of age.", "Drivers with 3 or more years of experience."]}]} -{"article": "When you first meet a disabled person, what is your first reaction? Curiosity? Sympathy? If you experience any of these emotions, you are not alone.Chances are that you don't regularly associate with someone who is disabled.Here are four points to keep in mind if you should happen to meet a disabled person.\nDisabled people can lead active lives\nWith few exceptions, a disability does not prevent someone from working, raising a family, or taking part in social activities.Many sports and recreation programs have been adapted to a person with a disability.Instead of concentrating on the disability, look at the person the same way you would look at any normal person.\nIt's all right to ask questions\nMany people are afraid of offending someone by asking about their disability.When meeting them for the first time, it's natural to be curious about who he or she is, and where they're from.Asking questions is usually acceptable, as long as you use common sense.Don't, for example, ask a blind person how he feeds and bathes himself.\nOffer help when necessary\nYou see a woman in a wheelchair having trouble entering a building.It's usually appropriate to lend a hand if someone is having obvious difficulty, but keep in mind that not everyone will be willing to accept your help.Unless the woman in the wheelchair is in danger, you do your part.\nRemember that we all have obstacles to overcome\nNo matter who we are, each of us has a weakness or challenge to face.Like you, a disabled person would much rather be accepted for who they are, rather than be pitied.Many friends have said to me, \"I often forget that you are blind.\" To me, that is the top compliment.", "problems": [{"question": "Why are you curious when you first see disabled people?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They can't live normally.", "You seldom deal with them.", "You look down upon them.", "They look quite different."]}, {"question": "What should you do if you find a disabled person can manage it?", "answer": "D", "options": ["You had better lend him or her a hand.", "You pretend that you haven't seen him or her.", "You should encourage him or her to try.", "You had better leave him or her alone."]}, {"question": "From this passage we learn that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the author is blind himself", "a disabled person needs pitying", "not everyone has a weakness", "some people have no difficulty"]}]} -{"article": "A\nLike many other parts of our lives today, education has become a global enterprise. In microcosm , my school is proof of just how global. Monkseaton High School is an ordinary state-funded school of 850 students in the unfashionable part of northeastern England. Over the past seven years it has sent 12 students to American universities --- two of them to Harvard. Monkseaton has, in turn, attracted students from other countries, including Germany and Latvia. Monkseaton now almost routinely receives inquiries from students in Eastern European countries. Obviously, learning English is a big draw, but his pattern of student movement was unheard of five years ago.\nThe brain drain is a universal phenomenon, and countries that don't face up to the new reality will be losing some of their most precious resources. The northeast of England is its poorest region, and has experienced a severe loss of highly qualified professionals-to-be. Some of the most able 18-year-olds are going to other parts of Britain, even to other countries. What is happening here is happening to Britain as a whole. Most noticeably, there is a growing trend of British students taking degrees in American universities. This year the number will break the psychological barrier of 1,000 students for the first time.\nAnd what is happening at the secondary-school level is happening to higher education. Wherever they come from, today's students have a very different perspective on education from their parents. Because of television, the Internet and their travels, these students see the world as a much smaller place than their parents once did. They are more confident in accepting the challenge of moving from one country to another, from one culture to another; in many cases they can even apply to schools over the Internet. Students are also more aware of the overall cost of education and are looking for value for money. Plus, for many, education linked to travel is a better option than education at home.", "problems": [{"question": "Why does the author say education has become a global enterprise?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Monkseaton High School used to be a very unfashionable school in the Northeast England.", "Monkseaton High School is now one of the state-funded middle schools in England.", "Monkseaton High School has sent two top students to the Harvard University in U.S.", "There is now an extensive exchange of students among different countries."]}, {"question": "What can we infer about northeast England from the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It is one of the poorest regions in England.", "It has experienced a severe loss of professionals.", "It will face a more serious brain drain in the near future.", "It is losing its young talents to other parts of the world."]}, {"question": "According to the passage, students today have different perspective from their parents on the following EXCEPT that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["education linked to travel is much better than education at home", "overall cost of education should be considered against money value", "moving from one culture to another is a welcomed challenge", "the Internet is more popular and easier to access in the near future"]}, {"question": "The students today tend to see the world as a much smaller place NOT because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["they are having more exposure to the television programs", "they are having easier access to the Internet", "they are having frequent travels to the other parts of the world", "they are having better communication with their parents"]}, {"question": "The purpose of the author in writing this passage is to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["tell us the benefit of globalization of education", "analyze the causes for students' moving trend in Great Britain", "criticize the universal phenomenon of brain drain worldwide", "draw attention to students' moving from one country to another"]}]} -{"article": "Starting high school means many changes in your life.Most teenagers look forward to the first day of high school,but still feel a little bit nervous.In order to make your high school life easier, you can follow these tips.\nLearn all you can about your first day before the first day.Take part in some activities that are held at the school for new students to know the school better.If parents are invited to these activities, take yours with you.Carefully look over all the materials you receive.Be sure you know where the school's buildings are.\nGet the things you will need for class.Buy the things suggested on your teachers' supply lists and place your materials for each class separately.\nKeep up with your high school workload .If you fmd you're not doing well in a subject,make use of after-school study groups or ask your teacher to help you with your schoolwork.Consider private tutoring to get you through a difficult time.\nThere're more extracurricular activities in high school than in middle school,such as clubs,music and theater groups,student government,and sports teams. Make friends and be seen at such school activities.Join a club or other organizations to meet people and develop friendships.Ask someone in school activities if you don't know how.This is a good time to do what you like doing and an opportunity to try new things.Whe said school has to be aH work and no play?\nSince you'll attend more activities in high school than in middle school,you'll have to learn how to manage your time.", "problems": [{"question": "The writer wrote this passage to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["advise us to study hard in high school", "tell us how to live an easier life in high school", "show that we may live a hard life in high school", "explain why there will be many changes in high school"]}, {"question": "What will the Writer most probably talk about next?", "answer": "A", "options": ["How to manage time well in high school.", "Why we need to learn how to manage time.", "How to attend more activities in high school.", "Why middle school is difierent from high school."]}]} -{"article": "Weekends are normally a time for shopping and last Saturday was no exception. My son Henry and I were shopping in a neighborhood market. Henry was busy weighing each new bag of vegetables I selected. I gave him a bag of potatoes and he walked over to the scale and waited in line. Suddenly, a man rushed over from behind, and stepped before him, hitting him out of the way. Henry looked shocked and scared. Seeing this I left my shopping cart and walked over to Henry, saying loudly, \"Are you OK, honey? I saw what that man did to you. That was very, very wrong.\"\nWhen the man finished weighing his bag, his sudden turning around made all his onions fall to the ground. The three of us stood there, frozen for a moment. And then I bent down on my hands and knees and started collecting onions. After I handed the onions to the man, he accepted them and put them into his bag. After Henry and I picked up all the onions, the man walked away without saying anything. We didn't discuss the event until we got back in the car.\nOn the way back home, Henry said through tears, \"Mommy, I've a frustrating day. That man cut right in front of me. And we had to help him pick up his onions! Why did we do that? That didn't make any sense!\"\nI took a deep breath and said, \"Henry, that man seemed to have a very bad mood today. We should forgive him. I was also angry with the man for treating you rudely. I really wanted to kick him. But doing that doesn't make any sense. If we hadn't helped him, we might have felt good for a moment, but then I bet we would have felt really sorry for a long time. You and I have a lot of love to share. Maybe that man doesn't have much. People who behave badly still need love.\"\nA cheerful smile appeared on Henry's face. It was a smile of promise kept. It was the best smile I had ever seen. It was a good moment. It may have been my best mommy moment ever.", "problems": [{"question": "What did the man do?", "answer": "A", "options": ["He cut in the line.", "He hit Henry on the head.", "He hurried away without paying.", "He ran into Henry suddenly."]}, {"question": "What can we infer from the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The author was not angry at all with what the man had done.", "The man was very sorry for what he had done to Henry.", "At last, Henry learned a very valuable life lesson from the event.", "Henry didn't help the author pick up the onions for the man."]}, {"question": "Which of the following word can best describe the author?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Narrow-minded.", "Broad-minded.", "Strong-willed.", "Bad-tempered."]}]} -{"article": "I stood at the wqindow and watched the neighborhood children flying their kites on the hill behind our house. Next to me, my four-year-old son, Michael, pressed his face against the glass. Then, looking up at me with pleading eyes, he again asked if he could have a kite.\n Ever since he had first seen the children on the hill, Michael had been asking the same question, and had been given the same answer: \"Wait till you are a little older.\" Michael hid his face in my skirt, something he always did when he was going to cry and didn't want me to see.\n I felt like crying myself. Because of my health I simply didn't have the strength or energy to fly a kite with Michael, and Michael was too young to fly a kite all by himself. My husband worked long, irregular hours, and even so we kept going deeper in debt. As a result, a tension had grown between us.\n Michael was the one spark of life left for me. As I put him into bed that evening, he said, \"Mummy, may I pray to God to send me a yellow kite?\"\n \"Yes,\" I said. \"We will leave it up to him.\" I was tired of the whole thing and hoped that maybe this would make Michae stop talking about it. \n The next morning I raised the shade in the kitchen, and stared at the sight that met my eyes--a string hanging down in front of the window. I ran out of the back door. There was a kite, a yellow one.\n Michael clapped his hands and jumped up and down. \"Mummy, I knew God would answer my prayer!\" I didn't believed. We asked all over the neighborhood but twe never found the kite's former owner.\n My depression left me, and as my health improved, so did my relationship with my husband. All I needed was comfort; no matter what it is, the kindness always exists in my heart.", "problems": [{"question": "When the author's son was about to cry he _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["always went out to fly his kite with his friends", "always hid his face in his mother' s skirt", "always pressed his face against the glass", "was always angry and ignored his mother."]}, {"question": "Why didn't the author buy her son a kite?", "answer": "C", "options": ["She thought it was unsafe to fly a kite on the hill.", "She was too busy to fly a kite with her son.", "She didn't have enough energy and money.", "She didn't want to spend the money."]}, {"question": "Which of the following would be the reason for the author not giving herself up?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Her son's birth and growing up.", "Her husband's deep love for her.", "Her dream of rich life.", "Her belief in God who would help her."]}, {"question": "What can we learn about the author's husband according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["He bought the yellow kite for his son.", "He had a very good job but earned a little.", "He didn't love his wife and son any more.", "He couldn't earn enough money to support his family."]}, {"question": "From the text we can conclude that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["it's important to give a child what he wants", "there are many unhappy families in the world", "a kindness helps change a person and a family", "sometimes good luck will come to anybody"]}]} -{"article": "Hundreds of thousands of women develop breo bravely battle the disease. However, last month, Soraya Lamilla died, after givinast cancer each year. Latino musician Soraya was among those women who countless other women hope for recovery. She was 37. Soraya Lamilla was born in the state of New Jersey in 1969. Her parents had come to the United States from Colombia. Soraya discovered her interest in music early in life. She began studying the guitar when she was five. She was playing the violin at the age of eight. Her family often traveled between Colombia and the United States. Soraya's music was a mix of those cultures. In fact, she released both Spanish and English versions of her first two albums. This Latin Grammy winner had big plans for her musical career in June of 2000. She had released her third album and was about to launch a two-year tour to promote it. But when she found a lump in her breast, none of those plans mattered. She had a new mission --to take care of her health and help other women understand the cancer that had already taken her mother, aunt and grandmother. Soraya began to work as a spokeswoman for the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, giving hope to women who, like herself, suffered from this illness. Soraya also spent much of her time spreading the message of the importance of breast examination and treatment. In a letter to her fans posted on her Internet site, Soraya wrote, \"I have not lost this battle, because I know the fight was not in vain. Instead, it will help end a larger battle: early detection to prevent this terrible disease.\"", "problems": [{"question": "From Soraya's story, we know this Latino musician was a _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["strong-minded woman who was willing to help others", "strong-willed artist with courage to promote her new album", "warm-hearted musician who relieved people's suffering with her songs", "wise person with many famous sayings"]}, {"question": "It can be concluded that the passage is most probably part of a _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["brief biography of the famous Latino musician Soraya Lamilla", "review of the life of Latino musician Soraya Lamilla", "story about how Latino musician Soraya Lamilla became famous", "news report about the death of Latino musician Soraya Lamilla"]}]} -{"article": "Among the Boys is a unique after-school program for boys living in the Highland Park neighborhood of our city. The organizational task is to provide males living in low-income and public housing with opportunities to discover their ability to change challenges into possibilities. The program includes an academic part as well as specific plans for supporting the overall development of the participants. Among the Boys uses painting as an instrument for helping boys examine their world, discuss it, and develop positive ways of handling the challenges they face daily. Young men present personal challenges to the group, such as a recent fight or the long-term drug abuse they observe in their neighborhood. After guided discussion, the youth work as a team, determining how to best represent the issue at hand in a painting. The resulting paintings and explanations of these paintings provided by the young people suggest that something profound occurs through this process. These young men are learning a healthy way to express and cope with the pain and suffering they feel. Art serves as a healing process and a structured method of teaching teamwork, nonviolent values, conflict handling and problem-solving skills.\nActivities in Among the Boys are in agreement with the best practices in the prevention of high-risk behavior. First, community-based youth development programs are considered important parts of a comprehensive prevention method, particularly in high-risk neighborhoods. Second, compensatory education that targets at risk youth for academic failure is also considered an effective prevention method. Third, interventions aimed at improving youth's moral reasoning, social problem-solving, and thinking skills are reported to be effective methods for reducing violence in high-risk populations, especially when carried out with elementary school-aged boys. Finally, Among the Boys has an adapted tutoring part, considered an effective prevention tool. Tutoring is typically a one-to-one match between a tutor and a youth, but Among the Boys employs what is referred to as \"group tutoring.\" Among the Boys makes up for its high student-tutor ratio with quality and quantity of time, as the program meets after school, on Saturdays, and all day during the summer, and is staffed primarily by males, an unusual quality among educational programs.\nAmong the Boys is rare and successful form of grassroots program, and represents the dream of a successful male who grew up in the Highland Park neighborhood and has returned to make a valuable contribution to his community.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements is implied in the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Art programs can promote painting but cannot prevent school failure.", "Social problem-solving skills are not important for high school-age youth.", "Most educational programs have some female staff members.", "Teamwork produces better paintings than does independent work."]}, {"question": "In discussing Among the Boys' tutoring part, the author implies that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["Among the Boys employs a traditional tutoring model", "tutoring is effective only with elementary school-age boys", "tutoring prevents the youth's attention from wandering off", "increased hours with a group can be as effective as a one-to-one tutoring relationship"]}, {"question": "The founder of the program described in the passage _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["sought contributions to make his program successful", "designed the program for the same neighborhood in which he grew up", "is seeking reelection for the Highland Park community school board", "was a successful graduate of Among the Boys when he was a youth"]}, {"question": "The attitude of the author of the passage toward Among the Boys is _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["forgiving", "doubtful", "praising", "ignorant"]}]} -{"article": "Last year, I lived in Chile for half a year. I lived with a Chilean family and had the responsibilities of any Chilean teenager. I had good days and bad days I didn't understand.\nChuquicamata, my host community, is a mining camp. When I arrived there, I was scared. It was so different from what I was used to. There were lots of dogs in the streets, and there was no downtown, few smoothly paved streets, and little to do for entertainment. Rain was not seen very often, earthquakes and windstorms were frequent.\nI had studied Spanish for two and a half years and was always one of the best students in my class. But in my first week in Chile I was only able to communicate and needed one person to whom I could explain my shock. I couldn't speak the thoughts in my head and there were so many.\nMost exchange students experienced this like me. Culture shock presents itself in everything from increased aggression towards the people to lack of appetite . I was required to overcome all difficulties.\nAs time passed, everything changed. I began to forget words in English and to dream in Spanish and love Chilean food. I got used to not depending on expensive things for fun. Fun in Chuquicamata was being with people. And I took math, physics, chemistry, biology, Spanish, art, and philosophy.\nBut the sacrifices were nothing compared to the gain. I learned how to accept and to succeed in another culture. I now have a deeper understanding of both myself and others.", "problems": [{"question": "The author came to Chile last year with the purpose of _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["paying a visit to Chile as a tourist", "experiencing Chilean life as a teacher", "studying Chilean culture as a college student", "studying knowledge as an exchange student"]}, {"question": "On arriving in Chile, why did the author feel frightened?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because he did not know how to get along with the local people.", "Because it was full of dangers like earthquakes and windstorms.", "Because its living conditions were worse than what he was used to.", "Because it was not convenient for him to shop there."]}, {"question": "What did the author most probably think of his life in Chile?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Wonderful and worthwhile", "Difficult but meaningful", "Difficult and meaningless", "Boring and disappointing"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, which of the following statements about Chile is TRUE?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Its official language is Spanish and English.", "It is a developing country without foreign students.", "It seldom rains and natural disasters often happen.", "Most Chileans are not friendly to foreigners."]}]} -{"article": "The weather predictions for Asia in 2050 read like a story from a _ movie.\nMany experts and green groups fear they will come true unless there is a united global effort to hold back greenhouse gas outpouring.In the decades to come, Asia--home to more than half the world's 63 billion people--will change from one climate extreme to another, with tired farmers battling droughts, floods, disease, food shortages and rising sea levels.\n\"It's not a pretty picture,\" said Steve Sawyer, climate policy adviser with Greenpeace in Amsterdam.Global warming and changes of weather patterns are already occurring and there is more than enough carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to drive climate change for decades to come.\nAlready, changes are being felt in Asia but worse is likely to come.Sawyer and top climate bodies say, and could lead to mass migration and widespread human disasters.According to predictions, icebergs will melt faster, some Pacific and Indian Ocean islands will have to evacuate or build sea defenses, storms will become stronger and insects and water-borne diseases will move into new areas as the world warms.\nAll this comes on top of rising populations and demand for food, water and other resources.Experts say environmental worsening such as deforestation and pollution will likely enlarge the results of climate change.\nIn what could be a sign of the future, Japan was hit by a record of 10 typhoons and tropical storms this year, while two - thirds of Bangladesh, parts of Nepal and large areas of northeastern India were flooded, affecting 50 million people, destroying livelihoods and making tens of thousands ill.\nThe year before, a winter cold strike and a summer heat wave killed more than 2,000 people in India.", "problems": [{"question": "This passage is mainly about _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["present situation and predictions of environmental problems in Asia.", "the weather predictions for Asia in the future and the reasons", "how to improve our environment", "reasons why the world will no longer be suitable for us to live in"]}, {"question": "In the future the Asian farmers will have to face the following except _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["food shortages", "droughts", "wars", "floods"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Asian climate will change greatly.", "Some islands may be flooded in the future.", "More than 50 million people have been ill in Asia the year before.", "People may meet with some new diseases borne from water."]}]} -{"article": "Get a FREE YEAR!Order NOW and get a FREE YEAR of Parents(r)magazine!That's 2 full years(24 issues) for the regular 1year rate--just $12. But HURRY,this offer won't last!(U. S. orders only,please).\nEvery issue of PARENTS is filled with practical advice from leading doctors and child experts. . . toys and games that develop readertested products and more!\n100% MoneyBack Guarantee:You must be pleased,or you may cancel any time during the life of your subscription and get all your money back--no questions asked. Parents(r)magazine is published 12 times per year. Savings are based on $12. 00 annual subscription rate. State taxes may apply to your order.\nEmail address required to access your account and member benefits online. We will not share your email address with anyone. Click here:www. parents. com/privacy to view our privacy policy.", "problems": [{"question": "The purpose of the advertisement is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["to help parents with their daily life", "to attract more subscribers", "to collect more money for charity", "to introduce a new product"]}, {"question": "Where can we most probably read the ad?", "answer": "B", "options": ["In the newspaper.", "On a website.", "In a supermarket.", "In a library."]}, {"question": "A reader subscribed Parents(r)3 months ago,but now he finds the magazinedissatisfying. What can he do?", "answer": "D", "options": ["He can cancel without getting his money back.", "He can cancel after answering a series of questions.", "He can email them to access his bank account to get all his money back.", "He can cancel and get all his money back without answering any questions."]}, {"question": "From Parents(r)magazine,we can get the following things EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["advice from child experts", "toys developing readertested products", "tips on good habits of children's learning English", "suggestions on taking care of the children from doctors"]}]} -{"article": "Zhang Yineng, a freshman at prefix = st1 /HangzhouUniversity, earned his first pot of gold by designing websites for American companies. Zhang never even met the people who hired him. Instead, all the necessary transactions were done through myTino.com, a Hangzhou based online outsourcing network. Zhang has already earned enough money to pay for two semesters of university tuition. \nZhang is one of the growing number of college students tasting the fruit of globalization. They search for outsourcing projects in fields like programming, art design, translating and writing from both Western and domestic businesses. \nThis way of making money is becoming common among college students with free time, especially among those who are tech-savvy . The payment for such work is rather high, partly because the tasks demand more skills than many other \"traditional\" part-time jobs do. For instance, creating a website for foreign companies pays $2,000 to $5,000, which is rather high. \nThe good money is just one benefit. These outsourcing jobs \"can also help us to use the knowledge we gained in university,\" said Zhang. \"Through the tasks assigned by the companies, I can easily find the key hot spots in my field, and what abilities I am lacking. By doing the tasks, I can improve my skills and gain experience.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Zhang Yineng earned his first pot of gold by working for _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["myTino.com", "an online outsourcing network", "American websites", "American companies"]}, {"question": "Doing outsourcing jobs, the students _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["are paid 2,000 to 5,000", "get the chance to meet their bosses", "learn skills in many fields", "are enjoying the advantages of globalization"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT mentioned as one of the benefits of outsourcing jobs?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Making good money.", "Making better use of their free time.", "Finding hot spots in their fields.", "Gaining experience"]}, {"question": "The writer wrote this passage _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["to teach college students how to earn their first pot of gold", "to introduce to us a new way through which students do part-time jobs", "to advertise for an on-line outsourcing network", "to attract more students to outsourcing jobs."]}]} -{"article": "Do you ever wonder why the English have one word for some animals and a different one for their meat? Why do they use pig and pork, cow and beef, and sheep and mutton? To find it out, we have to go back to 1066, when the Norman French invaded England and put a French king on the English throne , which not only changed the government but also changed the language. French became the language of the upper classes of society. And it remained that way for 300 years. Only these high society people could afford to eat meat. As a result, French words like porc (pork) and beouf (beef) came into the English language. However, poor English farmers raised the animals. So the English language _ the words pig and cow from the Native Anglo-Saxon.\nThe Norman French added about 10,000 French words to the English language. Seventy-five percent of them are still in use today.\nIn French grammar, nouns have either a male or female gender , so adjectives take different forms for each. English has only one adjective that does this, and it came from French. The word \"blond\" describes someone with light-colored hair. \"Blond\" is used for men, and \"blonde\" describes women. And they are also nouns.\nSome French words that entered the English language have taken on completely different meanings. The French phrase \"a la mode\" means \"in style\". In English, the phrase means \"with the ice cream\". Someone must have decided something eaten with ice cream was in style!\nNow, as you learn English, you're on your way to learning French!", "problems": [{"question": "French was once popular among the upper classes of the UK because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["too many French moved to Britain", "French brought animals with them", "the king and his officials spoke French", "the king allowed French to be spoken"]}, {"question": "Why does an English speaker find French easy to learn?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because English and French share similar pronunciations.", "Because English grammar and French grammar are similar.", "Because a large number of English words have French origins.", "Because English has great influences on the French language."]}, {"question": "French grammar is very different from English grammar because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["no words have the same pronunciation", "all words have the same pronunciation", "English nouns have a male or female gender", "French nouns have different adjective forms"]}, {"question": "What conclusion can we draw from the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Language is closely related to history and culture.", "French and English words have nothing in common.", "Language is controlled by the upper classes of society.", "English combines French and the Native Anglo-Saxon."]}]} -{"article": "In high school, George Lucas didn't do much work because he spent all his time dreaming about racing cars.\nJust a few days before graduation, George was driving home from the library in his Fiat; he prepared for a left turn by looking in the minor. But as he started the turn, he heard the sound of another car, a blowing horn , and the speeding Chevy hit the driver side of his car. The little Fiat turned over four or five times before it was stopped by a big tree. Luckily, George did not die in the accident, but his recovery was slow and he needed months of physical treatment. He would never be able to race ears now.\nThe accident really changed George's life. He decided there must be some reason he survived, and made up his mind to get his act together and make something out of his life. He decided to go to university and developed an interest in reading and writing. He got on quite well in his studies. He didn't quite forget about racing cars. At that time instead of driving race cars, he began filming them.\nYou may have seen one or all of George Lucas's most famous films from the Star Wars series or the Indiana Jones trilogy. Not only has George produced movies, but also he has helped invent and develop new technologies to modernize the movie industry.\nToday, Lucas, who earns as much as $3.0 billion, is one of the American film industry's most successful directors and producers.", "problems": [{"question": "What was George Lueas's life like in high school?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He was the best race ear driver.", "He did very well in his school subjects.", "He didn't spend much time on his studies.", "He was one of the worst students in school."]}, {"question": "We can learn from this passage that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["George's Fiat was not seriously damaged", "the Chevy driver didn't break the traffic law", "George was seriously injured in the accident", "the Chevy driver wasn't injured in the accident"]}, {"question": "The greatness of George Lucas mainly lies in his _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["earning a great deal of money", "directing several famous movies", "making movies about racing cars", "making the film industry more modern"]}]} -{"article": "The world's richest man might seem to have it all,but Bill Gates has one regret.The self-made billionaire said he felt stupid for not knowing any foreign languages.\nSpeaking in his third Ask Me Anything question-and-answer session for online forum Reddit ,the Microsoft founder said that he wished he spoke French,Arabic or Chinese.\nHe said:\"I took Latin and Greek in high school and got A's and I guess it helps my vocabulary.I keep hoping to get time to study one of these--probably French because it is the easiest.I did Duolingo for a while but didn't keep it up.\"\nGates,who is worth $79.3 billion,praised Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg for surprising an audience in Beijing when he spoke fluent Chinese.\"Mark Zuckerberg amazingly leamed Chinese and did a Q&A with Chinese students--unbelievable,isn't it?\"he said.\nThis isn't the first time for Gates to admit his regret over language.He also showed his habits at home and personal insights.\nLast February, Gates said he likes to do the dishes himself--to his own special standards every night and also told the interviewer that his wife,Melinda,would likely want Samuel L.Jackson to play her husband in a biopic .\nHe also admitted that he would pick up a $100 bill if he found it on the street.\nAs he took the top spot on Forbes 28th Annual Billionaires list last year for the fourth time,he said _ ,but that he enjoys investing in shoes and racquets when he plays tennis.\nWhen asked a life lesson he had to learn the hard way,the billionaire said staying up too late is a habit he is still trying to break.''Don't stay up too late even if the book is really exciting.You will regret it in the morning.Pam still working on this problem,\"he said.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["An Interview with Bill Gates", "How Bill Gates Succeeded", "Bill Gates'Regret", "The Richest Billionaire"]}, {"question": "What advice did Bill Gates give?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Avoid staying up too late.", "Be a good language learner.", "Do the dishes yourself at home.", "Pick up the $100 bills in the streets."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is true according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Bill Gates is also the founder of Facebook", "Bill Gates topped the list of Forbes 28 times.", "Bill Gates was good at learning languages in high schoo1.", "Bill Gates'wife wants Samuel to play a game with Gates."]}]} -{"article": "WHAT'S the most important thing of life?\nPeople's answers vary greatly. For British scientist Robert Edwards,the answer is having a child.\"Nothing is more special than a child,\"he told the BBC.\nEdwards,the inventor of the In Vitro Fertilization(IVF)technology--more commonly known as\"testtube baby\"technology--passed away on April 10 ,2013 at the age of 87.\nEdwards changed the lives of millions of ordinary people who now rejoice in the gift of their own child,\"said Peter Braude,professor at King's College London.\"He leaves the world a much better place.\"\nEdwards started his experiments as early as the 1950s,when he had just finished his PhD in genetics. At that time,much of the public viewed test-tube babies as\"scary\",according to Mark Sauer,professor at Columbia University,US.\nEdwards and his colleague Patrick Steptoe faced _ from churches,governments and media,not to mention attacks from many of their fellow scientists.\"People said that we should not play God and we should not interfere with nature,\"Edwards once told Times. He said that he felt \"quite alone\" at the time.\n\"But Edwards was a fighter,and he believed in what he was doing,\"said Sauer. Without support from the government,the two struggled to raise funds to carry on. And in 1968 they finally developed a method to successfully fertilize human eggs outside the body.\nThe first test-tube baby was born on July 25,1978.Her name was Louise Brown. Despite people's safety concerns,Brown was just as healthy as other children.\n\"IVF had moved from vision to reality and a new era in medicine had begun,\"BBC commented.\nEver since then,public opinion has evolved considerably. Couples who were unable to have babies began thronging to Edwards' clinic. Nowadays,Reuters reports,some 4.3 million other\"test-tube\" children exist. Edwards received a Nobel Prize in 2010 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II the following year.\nBefore his death,Edwards was still in touch with Louise.\"He is like a granddad to me,\"she said in an interview with the Daily Mail.\nHe is a granddad to millions, in fact.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the article mainly about?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The first test-tube baby.", "A new era in medicine.", "The inventor of IVF technology.", "The changes IVF technology has brought."]}, {"question": "The writer quoted Peter Braude to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["show how difficult it was for Edwards to do his work", "describe what kind of person Edwards was", "explain why he is loved by all children", "comment on his achievement"]}]} -{"article": "Before I came to China, I had heard that, although North Americans eat more than Chinese, Chinese eat better. Since I have come to China, I have been able to experience these differences first-hand. A whole new world of food has been opened up to me.\n Along with these new experiences came the quite unexpected introduction to the rituals associated with eating. For example, shortly after arriving, I was gently criticized for filling somebody's teacup all the way up instead of half way. This was a signal to the person that I desired that he leave.\n There may be mixed messages about what it means when you do something associated with food. But the fact is that there may be a message contained in the preparation, serving and consumption of food in China. This was an idea that was totally new to me!\n More than one Chinese has made the comment to me that they were unhappy with the results of inviting a foreigner to a meal. They told me that the foreigner was not appreciative of the meal that was served to him or her and was hard to please.\n Having played the part of the foreigner at more than one Chinese _ , I can understand where the misunderstandings come from. I myself have felt very uncomfortable during some of the dinners I have been invited to.\n One time I was invited to a dinner in a famous restaurant in Tianjin. Its menu was based on seafood. I was still ly new to the concept that your fish would be brought live to your table. In Canada you are never introduced to your meal before hand. Something we don't like is considering what our food looks before the actual consumption.\n However, having been in China for one year, I went along and helped point out some of the selections for the evening's meal. I hesitated at the scorpions , but swallowed my distaste and indeed found later that they were tasty.\n The meal was winding its way along without any problems. Then they brought out the lobster . I looked at it and then looked at it again and noticed that it was still moving! It had been brought out live to show that our raw lobster was indeed very fresh.\n At that point, I nearly lost it. It took all my composure for me to stay seated at the table and hurl myself in the bathroom and bring up the contents of the previous dishes. \n Now the interesting thing is that when I tell that story to a foreigner, the reaction is always the same: Horror, sympathy, shock. When I tell the same story to Chinese, they don't understand my point of view. In fact, I often think that they believe that there is something truly wrong with me and not with the fact a lobster had been served live at the table.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the author of the passage, it is the Chinese custom _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["to fill somebody's teacup all the way up", "not to fill somebody's teacup full", "not to fill somebody's teacup half way", "not to desire the guest to leave"]}, {"question": "The author felt very uncomfortable during some of the dinners because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["she disliked scorpions and lobster", "the service in the restaurants were not good enough", "she disliked that the things were brought live to the table", "she thought the food was not fresh enough"]}]} -{"article": "With around 100 students scheduled to be in that 9:00 am Monday morning lecture, it is no surprise that almost 20 people actually make it to the class and only 10 of them are still awake after the first 15 minutes; it is not even a surprise that most of them are still in their pajama's . Obviously, students are terrible at adjusting their sleep cycles to their daily schedule.\nAll human beings possess a body clock. Along with other alerting systems, this governs the sleep/wake cycle and is therefore one of the main processes which govern sleep behaviour. Typically, the preferred sleep/wake cycle is delayed in adolescents, which leads to many students not feeling sleepy until much later in the evenings. This typical sleep pattern is usually referred to as the \"night owl\" schedule of sleep.\nThis is opposed to the \"early bird\" schedule, and is a kind of disorder where the individual tends to stay up much past midnight. Such a person has great difficulty in waking up in the mornings. Research suggests that night owls feel most alert and function best in the evenings and at night. Research findings have shown that about 20 percent of people can be _ as \"night owls\" and only 10 percent can be classified as \"early birds\" ------ the other 70 percent are in the middle. Although this is clearly not true for all students, for the ones who are true night owls, this gives them an excellent excuse for missing their lectures which unfortunately fall before midday.", "problems": [{"question": "What does the text mainly talk about?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Functions of the body clock.", "The \"night owl\" phenomenon.", "Human beings' sleep behaviour.", "The school schedule of \"early birds\"."]}]} -{"article": "A growing number of students in the United States are studying Mandarin . It is the official language of China. More and more people speak Mandarin than those who speak other languages in the world.\nSchools that teach Mandarin want to prepare students for a future in which they are likely to work with people from China. Business in China is booming , and that trend is expected to grow.\nThe US government is trying to encourage even more public schools to teach Mandarin. Officials are considering spending about $1 billion on Mandarin programs in schools. China is getting involved too. The Chinese government has _ Mandarin textbooks to US schools. Some schools are also taking part in teacher exchange programs with China.\n\"It is important for students to learn Mandarin and Chinese culture,\" said Mary Patterson, a school principal in Portland, Oregon. \"Students who do so will have wider opportunities when they become adults.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Why are US schools teaching Mandarin?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To help students communicate with Chinese students.", "To encourage students to move to China,", "To prepare students for the future.", "To get students interested in business."]}, {"question": "What is the best title for this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Why US students learn Mandarin", "Schools in China", "How to speak Mandarin", "China today"]}]} -{"article": "It's official, not making your bed keeps you healthy. Dust mites present in everyone's home can cause asthma, but they can not live in the dry conditions of an unmade bed.\nThe average bed is home to one and a half million mites, and they cause a number of common allergies , as they chomp away on human skin in the night; and then produce the allergens which we inhale .\nDust mites grow in the warm humid conditions prevalent in the occupied bed, but they cannot multiply without moisture. So leaving the bed unmade during the day means that the water is not retained by the sheets, which means that the mites dehydrate and die.\nResearcher Dr. Stephen Pretlove who has developed a computer model to track how changes in the home can reduce a numbers of dust mites said, \"We know that mites can only survive by taking in water from the atmosphere using small glands on the outside of their body.\"\nIn the next stage of their research, the scientists are putting mite pockets into beds in 36 houses around the United Kingdom. This will test the _ of the computer model and will investigate how people's daily routines affect mite populations.\nBuilding features such as heating ventilation and insulation will also be adjustable to monitor how the mites cope and react to different atmospheres.\nDr. Pretlove said the research had potential to reduce the PS700 million spent treating mite-induced illnesses each year in the UK.\n\"Our findings could help building designers create healthy homes and health care workers point out environments most at risk from mites.\"\nDr. Matt Hallsworth, of the charity Asthma UK, said, \"House-dust mite allergen can be an important trigger for many people with asthma, but at present many people find they are inevitable.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What is the best title of the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The Causes of Asthma", "Research on Allergies", "Don't make your bed and stay healthy", "The Bad Effects of Mites"]}, {"question": "Which statement is not true according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Building features can affect the growth of mites.", "The research carried out will save a lot of money spent on treating mite-related illnesses.", "At present it is impossible for people to get rid of house-dust mites related asthma.", "Dust mites can survive in all kinds of conditions."]}, {"question": "What can not be inferred from the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Traditionally, people think that making bed can make one healthy.", "Mites can not survive in humid atmosphere.", "people in many fields will benefit from the research.", "The research will change much in people's concept on mites."]}, {"question": "Which one will not benefit from the research according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The patient with asthma.", "The health-care worker.", "The income of the hospital.", "The building designer."]}]} -{"article": "Global warming happens when greenhouse gases trap heat and light from the sun in the earths atmosphere, which increases the temperature. This is like when heat is trapped in a car. On a hot day, the car gets hotter when it is out in the parking lot. This is because the heat and light from the sun can get into the car, by going through the windows,but it can't get back out. This is what the greenhouse effect does to the earth .The heat and light can get through the atmosphere, but it can't get out. As a result,the temperature rises.\nSometimes the temperature can change in a way that helps us. The greenhouse effect makes the earth appropriate for people to live on. Without _ ,the earth would be freezing,or it would be burning hot. It would be freezing at night because we would not get the sun's heat and light .During the day, especially during the summer, it would be burning because the sun would be up with no atmosphere to filter it,so people,plants,and animals would be exposed to all the light and heat.\nAlthough the greenhouse effect makes the earth able to have people living on it,if there gets to be too many gases,the each can get unusually warmer, and many plants,animals.and people will die. Plants would die because they would not be able to take the heat .This would cause us to have less food to eat,and it would also limit the food that animals have. With less food for the animals that we need to survive we would even have less food. Gradually,people,plants,and animals would all die of hunger.\nPeople are doing many things to try to stop global warming .One thing is carpooling--driving with someone to a place that you are both going to. Another thing is being more careful about leaving electrical devices turned on. Now,more people are even riding buses or bikes to lower the amount of greenhouse gases in the air .Although adults do many things to help stop global warming,kids call do just as much.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the effect of atmosphere?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It only traps the heat of the sun.", "It does great harm to humans.", "It makes the earth neither too hot nor too cold.", "It prevents all the light from the sun shining on the earth."]}]} -{"article": "I am a music store owner. One day, when I was cleaning the instruments in my store, I saw an old man come in. His short steps dragged on the carpet. \"Is 77 too old to learn the banjo ?\" he asked.\n\"You can learn to play it well,\" I replied, holding back my doubts. My mind told me I was giving false encouragement. I reached the instructor's schedule and gave the rates, the available time and the additional information that he would need. To my surprise and delight, the old man, Carl, began banjo lessons three days later with my most patient teacher.\nWith nothing to do at home but practice, Carl made surprising progress. After breakfast he practiced for his required half hour. While waiting for lunch he picked up his banjo again for just a couple of minutes. Since TV was difficult for him to see and hear, he often played the banjo in the evenings. Carl was always early for lessons so it was a surprise that he didn't arrive one Tuesday.\nThe next morning I listened to the answering machine with sadness. \"Carl's in hospital,\" the voice recorded.\nTwo months later, I shared the newspaper _ with the banjo teacher. We both shed tears for a surprisingly clever banjo student.\nSeveral months later, a woman came into the store carrying a plant. \"This is for Carl's banjo teacher,\" she said. \"I'm his wife, Mary.\"\n\"Why did Carl want to play the banjo?\" I asked. Mary took a deep breath and let it out slowly. \"Carl was at some show when he was 10 years old. He came close to the stage to watch the performers. When they were packing up their instruments, the banjo player said to Carl, 'You want to see this up close?' Carl climbed up on the stage and from then on he wanted to play the banjo.\" Carl had waited 67 years to realize a dream! Mary gave the plant to Carl's banjo teacher. \"Thank you for the best six months of his life,\" she said.", "problems": [{"question": "How did Carl learn to play the banjo well?", "answer": "A", "options": ["By working hard.", "By taking short cuts.", "By asking his wife to help him.", "By finding the best teacher."]}, {"question": "Why did Carl want to learn banjo?", "answer": "B", "options": ["He wanted to become a banjo performer.", "He wanted to make his dream of his young age come true.", "His wife encouraged him to learn it.", "He wanted to spend the last best six months of his life."]}]} -{"article": "Due to success and exciting expansion plans, Protocol Education is seeking to recruit a motivated and enthusiastic trainee consultant to work within our secondary team.\nAs a Trainee recruitment consultant, you will either be a recent Graduate or an individual looking to take your first steps into a fast paced recruitment environment. If you bring the drive, enthusiasm and a passion to succeed, we will provide you with the skills and knowledge to do so. After undergoing an initial training program you will be partnered with your own nominated consultant for support and instruction who will work closely with you while you begin to build your desk.\nWorking within a busy environment alongside other team members to gain an understanding of the role which involves interviewing candidates, contacting with schools, matching carefully skills and attributes to vacancy requirements, accompanying consultants on visits and adhering to all safeguarding criteria. The trainee will gain over time increasing exposure to targeted sales activity, face to face Client meetings and strategic business development, while receiving support and training from the manager and team.\nSuccessful applicants will be expected to work or participate in schools to gain greater understanding of how their schools are structured and propose suitable candidate matches. \n You must hold a full UK licence and own your own vehicle.\nBenefits and incentives include: \n*25 days annual holiday increasing with the length of service\n*Full and thorough Company Induction\n* Reduced working hours over school holiday periods (9am-4pm) \n*A Good Competitive Commission Scheme\n* Dress down Fridays, team breakfasts and lunch, team nights out and team building days. \n* Annual Company conference with an awards ceremony. \nHours: Shift Work and reduced hours during the School Holidays (9am-4pm) \nSalary: OTE PS18-24K depending on experience.", "problems": [{"question": "If you are recruited as a consultant, _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["you'll need to experience a training first", "you'll find the pace tough to follow", "you'll have to work alone", "you can go to work by bus"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, we know the working environment is _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["flexible", "comfortable", "busy", "various"]}, {"question": "The passage is mainly aimed at _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["foreign graduates", "job seekers", "models", "experienced photographers"]}, {"question": "The passage is likely to appear _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["in a biography", "in a magazine", "on an ad", "in a textbook"]}]} -{"article": "There are three types of student visas: F-1 (Student Visa), J-1 (Exchange Visitor Visa), M-1( Nonacademic Trade Schools).\nOf these, the F-1 and the J-1 are the most common for international students. The J-1 visa obligates the student to return to their hime country for a minimun of two years after the end of their studied in the US.\nThe B-2 visa(Tourist Visa) is not considered a student visa for full time study. As a general rule, if you intend to enter the prefix = st1 /USas a student, you should get a F-1 or J-1 visa.\nTo get a visa approved, you will need to show that you have enough funds to pay for the first year of study and that you have resources available to cover the rest of your educational program. The information you provide on the I-20 form (F-1) or IAP-66 form (J-1) will be examined very carefully by both the foreign student adviser at the school and the INS. If you don't have the resources necessary for study in the US, you will not get a visa.\nIf the foreign student adviser believes you have the resources necessary for study in the US, he or she will send you a Form I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Non-immigrant (F-1) Student Status). You will need to submit this form with your application for a student visa to the American embassy . \nIf your education will be sponsored by a US citizen (e.g., a ), the will need to fill out a Form I-134 (Affidavit of Support) .This form requires them to pay your expenses if you can not. _", "problems": [{"question": "What is the best title for the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Easy to Get your Visa", "Visa Information", "Enough Funds for Visa Application", "Importance to Get a Relative in the US"]}, {"question": "If you want to get F-1 visa, you have to fill out _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the IAP -66 Form", "the I-134 Form", "the I-20 Form", "none of the above"]}, {"question": "If you want to pay a short visit to the States, you should get a _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["F-1 visa", "M-1 visa", "B-2 visa", "J-1 visa"]}, {"question": "To get a student visa approved, you have to prove that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["you have enough money for your study", "you have the ability to work there", "you have enough funds for one year", "your sponsor will support your study for one year"]}, {"question": "From the last sentence, we can infer that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["The person applying for the visa can also fill out the sponsor form", "Non- s are more important in getting a visa.", "The government thinks s are more reliable to act as a guarantee", "s are not allowed to ask someone else to fill out the form"]}]} -{"article": "Advertising gives useful information about which products to buy . But modern advertising does more than gives news about products and services . Today's advertisements , or ads , try to get consumers to buy certain brands . Writers of advertising are so skillful that they can sometimes persuade a consumer to wear a certain kind of clothing , eat a special kind of cereal , or see a movie . Consumers might never even want a product if they did not see or hear advertisement for it . For example , you probably do not need the newest cereal in the supermarket . There are probably many cereal brands on your kitchen shelves . You may not have space on your shelf for another . But if you see ads about a new cereal that is your extratasty and has a free prize in the box , you may want it . Advertising must get attention . To be effective , it must be exciting , entertaining , or provide pleasure . The secret of writing good advertising copy is to offer a good idea as well as a product . The idea is what the ad is really selling . One example is an ad that says eating a certain cereal will make a person do well in sports . That cereal brand may sell better if consumers think it offers strength and energy .", "problems": [{"question": "What is discussed in this passage ?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The content of modern advertising .", "The skills of modern advertising .", "The results of modern advertising .", "The writing of modern advertising ."]}, {"question": "According to the passage , a good advertisement should _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["be both persuasive and effective", "give people useful information", "show people a product", "show people a new idea of a product"]}, {"question": "From the passage , we can infer that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["modern advertising has less effect on customers", "once customers see ads about a new cereal , they are sure to buy it", "cereal can make people strong", "cereal is a kind of food which is popular among people"]}, {"question": "What can we infer from the passage ? ks5u", "answer": "A", "options": ["Customers can easily be persuaded by advertisements .", "Customers should be persuaded by advertisements .", "It's impossible for customers to buy a product without advertisement .", "Customers buy products according to their demands rather than the advertisements"]}]} -{"article": "_ A poor attitude gets more people fired than any other single factor, and a good attitude gets people jobs and helps them keep those jobs more than any other factor.\nYour attitude affects many people, from your family to the stranger on the street corner. Your attitude is particularly important when you face seemingly hopeless situations. Losing a job or a friend because of a poor attitude is unfortunate--especially because a bad attitude can be fixed.\nYou can find at least two ways to look at everything. A pessimist looks for difficulty in the opportunity, while an optimist looks for opportunity in the difficulty. A poet of long ago put the difference between optimism and pessimism this way: two men looked out of the prison bars--one saw mud while the other saw stars.\nUnfortunately, many people look only at the problem and not at the opportunity that lies within the problem. Many employees complain about the difficulty of their jobs, for example, not realizing that if the job was simple, the employer would hire someone with less ability at a lower wage. A small coin can hide even the sun if you hold the coin close enough to your eye. So when you get too close to your problems, to think objectively about them, try to keep in mind how your vision can be _ . Take a step back, and look at the situation from a new angle.\nYou can't do anything to change the fact that a problem exists, but you can do a great deal to find the opportunity within that problem. You're guaranteed a better tomorrow by doing your best today and developing a plan of action for the tomorrows that lie ahead. Just remember to maintain a positive mental attitude.", "problems": [{"question": "Who can be the target readers of the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["teachers", "students", "bosses", "Officers"]}]} -{"article": "Fucheng Garden Villas is situated along the North 4 th Ring Road , just 2 kilometres east away from the Asian Games Village with easy traffic connection. It is 5 kilometres from the Beijing Lufthansa Centre.\nFucheng Garden Villas occupies an area of 34.7 hectares, over 80% of which is covered by trees and green, just like a garden in the city.\nAll the 108 villas were designed by American Company IDI, in American style, luxurious besides comfortable.\nAll materials of the construction and decoration as well as equipment are famous American products.\nFrom now to July 31st, preferential prices for sale and rent are offered. You can move into Fucheng Garden Villas on signing an agreement.\nBank will provide a 50% mortgage for 5 years.\nOverseas sales License: NO. 124.\nDeveloper: Beijing Hongda Read Estate Co. Ltd.\n60East, North 4th Ring Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing.\nTel:(8610)64967050 64967049\nFax:(8610)64933575\n(From Wednesday, June 25, 1997 CHINA DAILY)", "problems": [{"question": "The advertiser is _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Fucheng Garden Villas", "American Company--IDI", "Beijing Hongda Road Estate Co. Lid", "The Beijing Luftthansa"]}, {"question": "How many hectares is Fucheng Garden Villas covered by trees and greens?", "answer": "B", "options": ["6.94", "More than 27.76", "27.76", "80%"]}, {"question": "According to the advertisement, which of the following statements is NOT true?", "answer": "C", "options": ["From June 25 to July 31, 1997, you can buy or rent the Fucheng Garden Villas with a low price.", "You can't move into Fucheng Garden Villas before signing agreement", "If you haven't got enough money at the moment, you can't buy the Villas", "Not only equipment but also all materials of the construction and the decoration are made in America"]}]} -{"article": "Silence is unnatural to man. He begins life with a cry and ends it in stillness. In between he does all he can to make a noise in the world, and he fears silence more than anything else. Even his conversation is an attempt to prevent a fearful silence. If he is introduced to another person, and a number of pauses occur in the conversation, he regards himself as a failure, a worthless person, and is full of envy of the emptiest- headed chatterbox . He knows that ninety-nine percent of human conversation means no more than _ , but he is anxious to join in the buzz and to prove that he is a man and not a waxwork figure .\nThe aim of conversation is not, for the most part, to communicate ideas; it is to keep up the buzzing sound. There are, it must be admitted, different qualities of buzz; there is even a buzz that is as annoying as the continuous noise made by a mosquito ? But at a dinner party one would rather be a mosquito than a quiet person. Most buzzing, fortunately, is pleasant to the ear, and some of it is pleasant even to the mind. He would be a foolish man if he waited until he had a wise thought to take part in the buzzing with his neighbors.\nThose who hate to pick up the weather as a conversational opening seem to me not to know the reason why human beings wish to talk. Very few human beings join in a conversation in the hope of learning anything new. Some of them are satisfied if they are only allowed to go on making a noise into other people's ears, though they have nothing to tell them except that they have seen two or three new plays or that they had food in a Swiss hotel. At the end of an evening during which they have said nothing meaningful for a long time, they just prove themselves to be successful conservationists.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the author, people make conversation to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["exchange ideas", "prove their value", "achieve success in life", "overcome their fear of silence"]}, {"question": "By \"the buzzing of a fly\" (Para.1), the author means \" _ \".", "answer": "C", "options": ["the noise of an insect", "a low sound", "meaningless talks", "the voice of a chatterbox"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, people usually talk to their neighbors _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["about whatever they have prepared", "about whatever they want to", "in the hope of learning something new", "in the hope of getting on well"]}, {"question": "What is the author's purpose in writing the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To discuss why people like talking about weather.", "To encourage people to join in conversations.", "To persuade people to stop making noises.", "To explain why people keep talking."]}]} -{"article": "Students in American schools learn from an early age to give presentations as part of their regular classroom activities. Children as young as five years old often give brief talks about objects they bring in to school - called \"show and tell,\" and this training is a basis for later public speaking. Even so, many native English-speaking adults are afraid to speak or give presentations in front of a large group.\nSpeaking English in public meetings is necessary for many students and employees. The best way to improve is to practice public speaking in a friendly environment. Learners need to receive feedback about what they are doing well and about their mistakes. One group that gives members the chance to practice is Toastmasters. Toastmasters is an international organization that holds weekly meetings. At the meetings, members each give a speech and give others advice about their speeches and speaking style.\nCharles LeBeau is a public speaking professor and consultant. He began his career in Japan in 1982. Currently, he teaches at two universities and at the Toshiba International Training Center. He has also written books on the subject.\nEnglish language learners around the world use his book Speaking of Speech. Speaking of Speech tells about a method of teaching public speaking for non-native speakers. Mr. LeBeau says a simple approach helps English learners.\n\"The approach that I've taken is to simplify and break it down. First if we look at a presentation, what's going on, there are basically three messages that the presenter is giving the audience, all simultaneously . There's what I call the physical message. Physical message is basically body language. It's the way that my body, as a speaker, is talking to the audience. And then there's also the visual message. The visual messages are the slides that we now make and show the audience. The third message is the story message. The story message is the content of our presentation. So another way we can think of the story messages is that it's the verbal message, and it's what we say to the audience. The story message also includes how we organize our ideas to present to the audience,\" LeBeau said.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements is true?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The best way to improve is to practice public speaking in an unfriendly environment.", "Toastmasters is an international organization that holds meetings every two weeks.", "Only non-native English-speaking adults are afraid to give presentations in front of a large group.", "At the meetings of Toastmasters, members give not only a speech but also advice."]}, {"question": "The book Speaking of Speech by Charles LeBeau is mainly intended for _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["children as young as five years old", "non-native English speakers", "native English speakers only", "students in American schools"]}, {"question": "Which could be the best title for this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Necessity of Speaking English in Public Meetings", "Toastmasters, an international organization", "Tips for Public Speaking", "Charles LeBeau, a public speaking professor and consultant"]}]} -{"article": "The 4G mobile phones have been made available for some time and are now on hot sale. Quite a few customers are attracted by the much quicker access to the Internet and some new fancy features or functions and some people just want to keep pace with fashion.\nBy today's standards, my mobile phone is pretty rubbish. It's a Nokia 1616. If that doesn't mean much to you (it's not the kind of phone you see advertised on television), all you need to know is that it's a small, not very heavy device with which you can send and receive telephone calls and text messages. It also has a very handy flashlight on the top for when you can't find your keys, or when you drop something on the floor in the cinema. Other than that, my phone doesn't do much. Well, it has an alarm, and it probably has a calculator and things like that, but it's nothing compared to a smartphone. Why would I want one of those?\nI have often been told that the big advantage of having a smartphone is that \"you can do everything with them!\" But when was the last time you saw someone doing \"everything\" with a smartphone? Okay, so they may have an endless list of functions, but generally they are used for checking social networking sites, playing games, and receiving and replying to emails. I'm happy just doing all of those things at home on my laptop.\nAs far as I can tell, the best thing about having a smartphone is that you can be connected to the internet all the time. Don't get me wrong. I love the internet, but I just don't see the point of constantly being online. I can't remember the last time I received a Facebook update which was so urgent that I had to read it as soon as it appeared, and I can't imagine ever having a job which was so important that I would need to read work-related emails immediately. I would think that if someone needed me urgently, they would just ring me rather than send an email. And my trusty Nokia can manage that.\nOne of the most peculiar effects of the smartphone is, in my opinion, the newly-found addiction to maps and navigation systems. Is there anything more boring than knowing exactly where you are all of the time? How do you get to know an area if you don't get lost there a few times? And if you are dependant on online maps, what happens to those great places you find just by chance? You can't exactly find out from Google maps the journey from\"here\"to \"that hidden cafe with the tasty-looking cakes\", or to \"that pond next to the church which looks really pretty in the evening sun. \" It is, of course, true that we all occasionally need to be pointed in the right direction, but I find that there are often real life humans you can ask.\nThere are many benefits of having a very basic mobile phone, like the fact that it cost me about twenty pounds, and that I don't have to worry too much about it being stolen. But the main benefit has to be the fact that it provides me with the word \"greatest excuse for my bad habits\". Whether it's turning up late to events, or getting lost on a trip, or missing buses or trains, or forgetting about an appointment at work, I'm pretty sure I'm covered with the following explanation \"I'm really, sorry I don't have a smartphone.\"", "problems": [{"question": "The writer uses his Nokia 1616 mainly to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["play online games", "do calculating work", "make calls and text messages", "check social network sites"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the above passage that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["work-related emails should be answered immediately", "a Facebook update is usually very important", "smartphones should always be connected to the net", "a laptop and a smartphone share many functions"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, if you use navigation systems, you may _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["find a boring trip actually exciting", "miss some really wonderful places", "be persuaded to eat in a certain cafe", "be misled to a totally wrong place"]}, {"question": "To the writer, one benefit of having a basic mobile phone is that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["it can be used as an excuse for his bad habits", "it can often be found back after it is stolen", "it can remind him of important appointments", "it can save him the trouble of catching trains"]}]} -{"article": "If you have to miss a meal a day, which meal will cause you fewest health problems if you don't eat it? If you have to make a decision of this type, most people (especially very busy people) will choose to skip breakfast.\nHowever, many experts in the field of health consider breakfast ( the meal which \"break\" you \"fast\" ) to be the most important t meal of the day. If we eat a good breakfast, they say, we will have the energy and nutrients we need to begin our working day with vigor and stay hopeful with good honor. However, many people skip breakfast or _ . What happens if we ignore the importance of breakfast?\nOne recent study conducted in the United States tested a large number of people. Participants included both males and females who ranged in age from 12 to 83. The results showed that if a person eats an adequate breakfast, he or she will work more efficiently and more productively than if he or she skips breakfast or eats a very poor breakfast. This fact appears to be especially true if a person's work involves mental activities. The study showed that if school-children eat fruit, eggs, bread and milk before going to school, they will learn more quickly and will be able to concentrate on their lessons for a longer period of time than if their breakfast is inadequate.\nThe study also showed that contrary to what people believe, if you skip breakfast, you will not lose weight. This is because people become so hungry if they skip breakfast that they eat too much for lunch and end up gaining weight instead of losing. So remember, if you want to lose weight, skipping breakfast will not help you. You will likely lose more weight if you decrease your other meals.", "problems": [{"question": "According to experts, breakfast is the most important meal of the day because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["a good breakfast breaks you down fast", "you'll lose weight quickly if you skip breakfast", "breakfast provides what a person needs to work", "after a long night, you'll feel very hungry"]}, {"question": "The example of school-children in para.3 shows that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["school-children will be quick and attentive all day if they eat breakfast", "a proper breakfast will make mental workers more efficient", "fruit, eggs, bread and milk are the best breakfast for mental workers", "school-children who have breakfast are much brighter than those who don't"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT true according to Para. 4?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Some people skip breakfast because they want to be slimmer.", "Most people who skip breakfast actually eat more for lunch.", "People put on weight because they eat too much breakfast.", "Skipping breakfast won't help people who want to lose weight."]}, {"question": "The best title of the passage is _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["How to Lose Weight", "What's a Healthy Diet", "Surprising Results of a Study", "Breakfast - A Meal That Breaks You Fast"]}]} -{"article": "I like watching butterflies. Sometimes I think I'm the only girl who notices these quiet but beautiful things. But if it hadn't been for a crowded restaurant, I wouldn't have ever noticed Valeri.\nValeri was a new student. She walked to class with her books against her chest and her head down. She talked only when the teacher asked her a question. After a month at our school, she hadn't made any friend.\nOne day at lunch, most tables being full, I had nowhere to sit. Valeri sat alone, book in hand. I walked over to her, \"Is that a good book?\" Valeri gave a small nod and went back to reading. \"What's it about?\" I asked. After seconds of silence, she looked at me, her eyes shining, \"Well, it's about a dragon! This boy, Eragon, finds this dragon egg when he goes playing one day. He thinks it's a rock! The egg hatches and Eragon hides the dragon from his cousin and uncle until it gets too big .\"\nTwo weeks later, I was sitting in the auditorium enjoying the talent show. Then a shy girl walked on stage. I recognized her immediately. Valeri held a violin in one hand and a bow in the other. She started to play. The notes formed a soft, sweet tune . The auditorium fell completely silent until we realized the music was finished. I smiled to myself. Valeri wasn't just \"a quiet girl\". She knew about wonderful books and could play the violin like nothing I'd ever heard. Like a butterfly, she was beautiful and amazing when you looked closely.", "problems": [{"question": "The author went to sit beside Valeri because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Valeri invited her to sit ther", "Valeri's book drew her attention", "no more empty seats were left", "she wanted to make friends with Valeri"]}, {"question": "In the book Valeri was reading, _ raised the dragon.", "answer": "B", "options": ["Eragon' father", "Eragon", "Eragon's cousin", "Eragon's uncle"]}, {"question": "Butterflies are mentioned in the text to show _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the beauty of butterflies", "the author's interest", "the character of Valeri", "the qualities of friends"]}, {"question": "Which of the following words can best describe Valeri?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Quiet and talented.", "Friendly and active.", "Careful and talkative.", "Kind and enthusiastic."]}]} -{"article": "Around the World by Wheelchair\nRick Hansen was always an active kid and loved to fish. When returning in a truck one day from a fishing trip, he had an accident and suffered injuries to his spine . This 15-year-old young man awoke to find that he had lost the use of his legs. However, he didn't give up. Many months later he began to compete in wheelchair sports. At the age of 27, he decided to wheel around the world to raise awareness and money for spinal cord research. His tour took him through 34 countries around the world between 1985 and 1987. In this Man of Motion World Tour, he wheeled 24,901.55 miles, which is equal to the distance around the earth.\nBad weather and difficult, rocky roads often provided challenges for Rick, but he continued to push himself to complete the trip. He was determined to succeed. Even mountains did not stop Rick Hansen. He wheeled himself up the Rocky Mountains and several other major mountains in the world. He even wheeled himself along the Great Wall of China!\n\"Never Give Up On Your Dreams\" was his motto and he hasn't given up yet. He completed his world tour raising $24 million. He continues to work to increase knowledge of spinal cord injury. He is a true Canadian hero who shows what determination can achieve.", "problems": [{"question": "What happened to Rick after the accident?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He lost the ability of living.", "He had to spend his life in hospital.", "He couldn't walk any more.", "He couldn't do sports any more."]}, {"question": "When did Rick begin his tour around the world?", "answer": "D", "options": ["At the age of 15.", "Soon after the accident.", "A year after the accident.", "At the age of 27."]}, {"question": "Why did Rick take his tour around the world in his wheelchair?", "answer": "A", "options": ["To gather money for the spinal cord research.", "To learn about the people of other countries.", "To travel to different countries for fun.", "To take photos of beautiful mountains."]}, {"question": "From the passage we can see Rick is a(n) _ person.", "answer": "B", "options": ["unhappy", "determined", "careful", "quiet"]}]} -{"article": "My three-year-old granddaughter, Tegan, went with her parents to a family gathering at the home of her other grandparents. Everyone was having a wonderful time visiting and catching up on all the latest family news.\nLike most children, Tegan was having a good time playing with all the toys that were different from her own and that were kept for children to play with at her grandparents' house. In particular, Tegan had found a little tea set and had begun pretending that she was having a tea party. She set up all the place settings and arranged her table with the great care and elegance that only a three-year-old can create. Meanwhile, her Daddy _ conversation, and as he continued to chat with his family, Tegan would hand him a cup of \"tea\". Her Daddy, who always tries to participate in her games, would pause for a few seconds from his conversation, and say all the proper words and gestures for her tea party which would thrill Tegan. He would request two lumps of sugar. He would tell her how wonderful her tea tasted, and then he would continue his adult conversation with his family.\nAfter going through this routine several times, her Daddy suddenly awoke to reality as he had a flash of concern in his mind: \"She is only three years old, where is she getting this 'tea' that I've been dutifully drinking?\" He quietly followed her, without her knowing, and his fears were growing stronger as he saw her turn and go through the bathroom door. Sure enough, there she was stretching up on her tippy toes reaching up to get her 'tea' water -- out of the container of water that grandpa used to soak his false teeth!", "problems": [{"question": "At the family gathering, the adults _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["watched their favorite TV programs", "talked about what happened at home", "drank tea while chatting", "arranged tables for children's games"]}, {"question": "What can be learned from the text ?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Tegan was unhappy to be left alone at the gathering.", "Tegan's father often played with her in games.", "Tegan refused to apologize for what she had done.", "Tegan's father cared nothing about what she was doing."]}, {"question": "Tegan's Dad followed her secretly to find out _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["whether there was any tea left", "how she made tea so wonderful", "where she got the sugar for tea", "what kind of tea he had drunk"]}]} -{"article": "A few weeks ago a group of scientists produced a report about global warming and the natural world.They wanted to find out if global warming was dangerous for plants and animals.The scientists were surprised by what they found.They say that during the next 50 years about 25% of land animals and plants will become extinct .More than 1 million plant and animal species will become extinct by 2050.\nThe head of the research team, Christ Thomas, who is professor of conservation biology at Leeds University, said the results of their research were frightening.More than 10% of all plants and animals will become extinct.It is too late to save many plants and animals because of the greenhouse gases that are already in the atmosphere.But the scientists say if we control greenhouse gases now, we could save many more plants and animals from extinction.\nThe scientists studied some areas of the world with a very rich biology.These areas were Europe, Australia, Central and South America, and South Africa.Their studies showed that species living in mountainous areas had a better chance of survival because they could move uphill to get cooler.In flat areas, such as deserts, plants and animals would have to move very long distances to get cooler, so they are in greater danger of extinction.The scientists found many surprising things.For example, they found that half of the 24 species of butterfly they studied in Australia would soon become extinct.", "problems": [{"question": "According to this passage, global warming could be best described as _ to many plants and animals.", "answer": "A", "options": ["deadly", "surprising", "disappointing", "frightening"]}, {"question": "What's the purpose of the research led by Christ Thomas?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To protect animals and plants from global warming.", "To call on people to control greenhouse gases.", "To warn us of the extinction of many animals and plants.", "To study the effects of global warming on animals and plants."]}, {"question": "Why did species living in mountainous areas have a better chance of survival?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Mountains helped keep them out of more heating.", "Global warming had no effect on mountainous areas.", "There were no greenhouse gases in mountainous areas.", "There were more water in mountains than in deserts."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT true?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It is certain that many plants and animals will die out.", "Half of the Australian butterflies would die out.", "Many more animals and plants still can be saved.", "Europe is one area which has a very rich biology."]}, {"question": "What can be the best title of this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Greenhouse effect and global warming", "Extinct animals in the world", "A terrifying discovery concerning global warming", "Disappearance of butterflies"]}]} -{"article": "You never played the video dance game? Now such games are used to help lose weight!\nLike many other teenage boys, Jones loves sports. But at 5 feet, 175 pounds, he found his weight in trouble. His doctor wanted him to lose 50 pounds so that he may be a good football game player by the end of the summer.\nJones chose the popular Dance Revolution video game at home to increase his activity. He had lost about 10 pounds by changing his diet. Now, after two weeks' playing the game, he has lost another 10!\nA health study is being done by an insurance company. The company hopes that the game will lead to better health and lower costs. \"Obesity claims last year cost us $ 77 million. We have to cut those costs,\" said a member of the insurance group. The company provides a game console , a dance mat and software for the six-month, $ 60,000 study.\n _ It is widely supported by physical education and health professionals.\nIn West Virginia, 43% of the nearly 6,000 children examined for heart disease risk were considered over-weighted; more than 25% were too fat. \"We are in a crisis of childhood obesity not only in West Virginia but in America,\" said a researcher.\nResearchers are now looking at the potential for improving effects by using the game. A teacher in West Virginia has been using the video games in her classes since last fall. She reported that the game does improve heart health as well as eye-hand coordination , and her students take the video game as a great alternative to jumping rope or ball games.\nThe US Education Department is putting the game in 20 schools to control childhood obesity. Well, are you going to try such to dance away your extra weight?", "problems": [{"question": "It can be inferred that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the government thinks highly of the dance game", "in West Virginia, more than 25 % of the adults were too fat", "a teacher is a failure in using the video game in her classes", "the US Education Department isn't interested in the game"]}, {"question": "The most suitable title of the passage is _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["Dance Away Your Weight", "Play the Video Dance Game", "Solve the Problem of Obesity", "Cut the Cost of Obesity Claims"]}]} -{"article": "Dads are different in handling emotions from moms.In most cases, moms tend to be emotional and feeling the hurt themselves when a child is hurt.However, dads are more _ from emotions.Thus, kids need to learn them both.This is how dads teach their kids in handling emotions.It tells the kids that emotions are all fight but they do not need to be our masters as we can master our emotions.Challenges are very important for kids' way as moms usually inspire their to take risks.It's truly a different way of learning from a mom's way as moms usually inspire their kids to protect themselves.If the kids are not willing to learn to take risks, they character in them will help their kids to explore their potential as well as well as challenge them to grow.What's more, a dad also plays a part in teaching their kids to take responsibility.It involves taking on a personal commitment to carry out a task and not blaming circumstances or others for one's failures.It means being diligent, honest and courageous enough to stand by principles.We know moms generally teach their kids to stick to a routine but dads inspire their kids to be mote flexible.But, dads teach kids to the duty for making sure the house is clean, dinner is serves and the kids are on schedule.But dads teach kids to take life less seriously and have some serious frn.", "problems": [{"question": "How many roles of dads are teach their children to be _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["three", "four", "five", "six"]}, {"question": "According to the text, dads teach their children to be _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["emotional, brave and diligent", "responsible, adventurous and emotionless", "fearless, flexible and dutiful", "responsible, brave and changeable"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["dads are more important than moms in kids' lives", "kids should take as many risks as possible", "it's the nature of moms to avoid responsibilites", "kids need the inspiration from both moms and dads"]}]} -{"article": "It was evening when my parents and I ventured across Nemeiben Lake, in Northern Saskatchewan. This vast lake had a unique reputation as being the best fishing and tourist resort.\nWith the boat undocked and the gear and luggage stored beneath the security of the seats, we set off into the setting sun at 8:30.\nUnlike my parents , I had never been on a fishing boat before and was captivated by the speed and grace in which it traveled through the waves. The lake was deserted as the sky began to darken and looked more threatening by the minute.\nSuddenly the boat hit something with such a force that we all fell over in our seats. The whole boat shook for a moment, before water started to trickle slowly over stern. My father went to the back and after many attempts to start the engine, he began to look very worried. The water was now rushing in at a much faster rate, tipping the boat at an awkward angle.\nWe tried our best to hold on to something. The worst was yet to come. With our life jackets secured and fastened, we waited as the boat sank deeper into the water. We were soon immersed in the chilly depths. The biting cold was more terrifying than anyone could imagine.\nMy parents, who were dressed in floater jackets, clung desperately to each other, trying to keep their heads above water. I, on the other hand, wasn't so fortunate. A strong gust of wind blew briskly across the lake, bringing with it, torrential rain and threatening thunderstorms. The strong waves carried me on into the night. The waves continued to pound violently, forcing me underwater.\nThe following morning a fisherman found us. By that time, our body temperatures were twenty-four degrees, which meant we were nearly dead. Later investigation showed that we had been in the water for fifteen hours.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the main idea of the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["An exciting experience my parents and I had", "A disappointing experience my parents and I had", "An adventurous experience my parents and I had", "A strong experience my parents and I had"]}, {"question": "Unlike the other lakes in Northern Saskatchewan, the Nemeiben Lake _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["was the most dangerous and threatening lake", "was most famous for fishing and tourism", "was the largest and deepest in this area", "had a good reputation for its wildlife"]}, {"question": "What is the reason which caused the accident?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because of the thunderstorms", "Because the boat sank.", "Because the boat hit something with force.", "Because we had no life jackets"]}]} -{"article": "June came and the hay was almost ready for cutting. On Midsummer's Eve, which was a Saturday, Mr. Jones went into Willington and got so drunk at the Red Lion that he did not come back until midday on Sunday. His men had milked the cows in the early morning and then had gone out chatting without bothering to feed the animals. When Mr. Jones got back, he immediately went to sleep on the living-room sofa with the \"News of the World\" over his face. When evening came, the animals were still not fed. At last, they could stand no longer. One of the cows broke into the door of the storehouse with her horns and all the animals began to help themselves to the grains. \nIt was just then that Mr. Jones woke up. The next moment he and his four men were in the storehouse with whips in their hands, whipping in all directions. This was more than the hungry animals would bear. Together though nothing of the kind had been planned beforehand, they jumped upon their makers. Mr. Jones and his men suddenly found themselves being struck with the horns and kicked from all sides. The situation was quite out of their control. They had never seen these animals act like this before. This sudden rebellion of the creatures, which they were used to beating and whipping just as they chose, frightened them After only a moment or two, they gave up trying to defend themselves. A minute later all five of them were in full _ down the road with the animals running after them joyfully.", "problems": [{"question": "The four men did not feed the cows because", "answer": "B", "options": ["they had not cut the hay yet", "Mr. Jones wasn't at home", "they did not have time to feed them", "the cows had fed themselves"]}, {"question": "The cows broke into the storehouse because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["they did not like their masters", "Mr. Jones forgot to lock the door", "they were kept in the cow-house too long", "they were too hungry to wait for the feed"]}, {"question": "What did the five men finally do with the cows?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They chased and drove the cows away.", "They continued beating the cows.", "They gave up defense and ran away.", "They gave in and fed the cows."]}, {"question": "We can learn from the passage that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the cows often ran out to look for food", "the cows often had fights with their masters", "Mr. Jones and his men often beat the cows", "Mr. Jones and his men often forgot to feed the cows"]}]} -{"article": "Kids undergo a large amount of pressure and stress during their school exams, which can often become quite overwhelming (to much) for them. It may be the first experience of stress, at this level, they have ever experienced and therefore quite frightening. Yes, you may say that it's all a part of growing up and therefore good lessons for them to learn, and to an extent I agree with you. However, it's important to learn how to prepare for life's challenges so that they aren't overwhelming or scary and so that we are able to manage them the best we can.\nHere are some tips you can use during your kids exam time.\nBreak their revision plan down into small parts. Doing this will help transform what once seemed like a huge impossible task into a more manageable one.\nHelp them arrange properly so that the subjects they like the least (perhaps ones that require more time and effort) are worked on first; once they are out of the way, it will help reduce the worry.\nPlan week on week to make sure they are on track. Ticking items of a list each week will help them to feel good about themselves and their progress.\nCreate rewards for all the ticks - a favourite TV programme, a delicious snack, an hour's surfing the Internet, computer games or whatever it was that they enjoy the most. This will encourage them to carry on and make them feel good.\nThink of strategies on how to deal with exams calmly so their anxieties don't _ et the better _ them.\nTalk about times in their lives when they had been successful at something and look at the qualities they used to get them there - determination, persistence, hard work, patience, positivity, dedication - discuss how they can apply these skills to their exams.\nAcknowledge that if they do their best that is good enough.\nEnsure they realize that this period in their lives will pass and that exams are only a temporary time in their lives; nothing can and does last forever.\nEnsure they keep their eye on the prize: enjoying their long summer holiday when the exams are finished; giving them something to look forward to will help to motivate them and provide a positive end in sight.", "problems": [{"question": "Which subjects should be worked on first?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Their best ones.", "Their favourite ones.", "the easiest ones", "the most difficult ones"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, which of the following is true?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Kid should become aware of the importance of exams.", "Kids should learn to deal with exam pressure independently.", "Parents should keep their kids away from entertainment.", "Parents should care about the psychological development of children."]}]} -{"article": "Quit while you're ahead\nI am one of those people who are terrible at saying no.I take on too many projects at once, and spend too much of my time doing things I'd rather not be doing.I get work done, but it's not always the best I can do, or the best way I could spend my time.\nThat's why my newest goal, both as a professional and a person, is to be a quitter.\nBeing a quitter isn't being someone who gives up, who doesn't see important things through to the end.I aspire to be the opposite of that.The quitter I want to be is someone who gets out when there's no value in what he's doing, or when that value comes at the expense of something more important.\nA friend of mine once told me, \"I knew I was an adult when I could stop reading a book, even after getting 500 pages into it.\" Strange though it sounds, we all tend to do this.We get involved in something, realize we don't want to be a part of it, but keep on going.We say \"Well, I've already invested so much time in this, I might as well stick it out.\"\nI propose the opposite: quit as often as possible, regardless of project status or time invested.If you're reading a book, and don't like it, stop reading.Cut your losses, realize that the smartest thing to do is to stop before your losses grow even more, and quit.Instead of reading an entire book you hate, read half of a bad one and half of a good one.Isn't that a better use of your time?\nStep back for a second.Let's learn how to say \"no\" at the beginning, or in the middle, and free up more of our time to do the things we'd like to be doing, and the things actually worth doing. Saying no is hard, and admitting a mistaken yes is even harder.If we do both, we'll start to make sure that we're spending our time creating value, rather than increasing our losses.Let's be quitters together.", "problems": [{"question": "The author wants to be a quitter, because he _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["hopes to improve his personality", "wishes to have more time for relaxation", "expects to make more efficient use of his time", "has found it hard to do several things at one time"]}, {"question": "In what circumstances does the author suggest quitting is a good idea?", "answer": "D", "options": ["When you feel tired and need a rest.", "When you know a task cannot be finished.", "When you meet with difficulties along the way in your life.", "When you realize what you are doing is not worth the time."]}, {"question": "If you stop reading a book you hate, the author might think that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["you are wise to cut your losses", "it's a pity that you have wasted so much time", "you should finish a book that you have started", "you should regret choosing the wrong book"]}, {"question": "The message the author tries to convey is to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["learn to say no", "live your life to the fullest", "create more value", "stop doing many things at once"]}]} -{"article": "Carlos had been in New York for five months now, and he _ it. He would never forget the day when the plane landed. His parents had big smiles on their faces as they discussed the wonderful new life they would have in this great city. His older sister and brother looked in wonder and excitement at the buildings. Uncle Miguel and Aunt Esperanza thought of the good jobs they would get. Grandmother and Grandfather told him what a lucky boy he was to come to this wonderful city. But Carlos was lonely. The city looked big, cold and dirty to him.\nThey lived in an apartment in Manhattan. There were stores and cinemas close to their home. But Carlos didn't want these things. He loved his home in the country in Puerto Rico; he loved the green fields, the hot sun, and the lovely beaches.\nHe didn't want to go to school because it made him think of his friends at home. And he didn't want to learn a new language that he could never describe the world as beautifully as his own.\nHe began to go the dock , because this made him feel closer to Puerto Rico. He sat down and watched the ships. He would often find a man also sitting there looking at the sea. The man was Eric--a taxi driver who came there to escape from the noisy traffic.\nEric noticed the young boy and felt his sadness. One day he said, \"Yes, it's hard to leave your homeland. I remember when I left Norway 15 years ago. I know it's hard to start a new life in a new country, but let's face it. I did it, and you can do it, too.\"\nFrom then on the taxi driver and the young boy began to develop a deep friendship.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the text, _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Carlos' grandparents were afraid of the traffic in New York", "Carlos' parents were looking forward to the life in New York", "Carlos' uncle and aunt found it hard to get jobs in New York", "Carlos' brother and sister got excited at the schools in New York"]}, {"question": "Why did Carlos feel lonely?", "answer": "D", "options": ["He knew nobody around his apartment.", "No one went to the movies with him.", "His parents left him alone at home.", "He missed the life in Puerto Rico."]}, {"question": "Eric and Carlos became friends because they _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["came from the same country", "faced the same problems", "were the same age", "both hated noise"]}]} -{"article": "Lohri is an agricultural festival, filled with merrymaking. It is celebrated in the state of Punjab on the 13th of January, which falls one day before Makar Sankranti. While Lohri is essentially a Punjabi festival, it is celebrated in some other states of North India as well. In cities like Delhi, which has a large population, Lohri is celebrated to show the end of the coldest days of winter. The last week of December and the first two weeks of January are usually the coldest period in Punjab and other areas of North India. However, after Lohri, the temperature starts to rise. \nDuring the day, children go from door to door singing songs in praise of Dulha Bhatti, the Punjabi translation of Robin Hood, a thief who helped the poor and fought for their rights. These children are given sweets and food, and sometimes they are also given money. These munchies that the children collect are known as Lohri, and they are distributed at night during the festival. \nThe festival of Lohri is celebrated outdoors. As it is usually very cold on the 13th of January, a bonfire is lit, and friends and s gather around. If there has been a happy occasion in the family, like the birth of a child or a marriage, Lohri is celebrated with much greater happiness. The happy family usually hosts a party to celebrate the first Lohri of the new child or couple. \nSinging and dancing form an important part of the celebrations. People wear their brightest clothes and come to dance the bhangra and gidda to the best of the dhol . Punjabi songs are sung, and everybody is happy.", "problems": [{"question": "All of following are true about Dulha Bhatti EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["he often helped poor people", "he was a different kind of thief", "he was the actor who played Robin Hood", "he is respected by people in Punjab"]}, {"question": "We know from the passage that Lohri _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["has nothing to do with agriculture", "is celebrated both indoors and outdoors", "is only celebrated in big cities of Punjab and other states", "has the same name as the munchies that the children collect"]}, {"question": "What do the Punjabis do on Lohri?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Family members get together and have a big dinner.", "People gather around a bonfire singing and dancing.", "People usually wear new clothes for the celebration.", "People celebrate the birth of a child or a marriage."]}]} -{"article": "Did you know that the first documented use of OMG(oh my god)was in 1917, or that LOL was once a common term meaning little old ladies in 1960? That's what the world learned when OMG, LOL, and FYI (for your information) were added to the Oxford English Dictionary last week. This dictionary is considered by many to be the reference book that defines the English language.\nWords added to the Oxford English Dictionary are truly considered new members of the language. People invent new words all the time, but only a few become popular enough to get defined in dictionaries.\nTyped online or in text messages, LOL, FYI, and OMG are _ which can be said aloud letter by letter, like LOL, which now stands for Laugh Out Loud.Faster to type than the full phrases, initialisms like these have been used online since the 1990s. But these three online terms are now spoken outside the Internet too, making them different from other online lingo( ). Dictionary editors decided the words are used so commonly that they had to be defined this year.\nAnother important addition to the dictionary this year was , as in \"I NY.\" This is the first graphic ( ) symbol ever defined in the Oxford English Dictionary.The editors added as a verb under the definition of \"heart\", meaning \"to love\".\nSome slang words -- informal language used more commonly in speech than in writing -- were also added, like wassup, a shortened way to say \"What's up\". Even words that have been in use for many years like biker and happy camper were finally added to the dictionary.\nThe Oxford English Dictionary now defines more than 600,000 words.That adds up to more than 21,730 pages! Guinness World Records calls it the longest dictionary in the world.The Oxford English Dictionary is known for recording words of all kinds--popular, outdated, and even foreign words used by English speakers throughout the language's long history.", "problems": [{"question": "The text is mainly about that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["expressions like LOL and FYI have been added to the Oxford English Dictionary", "English words change their meaning as time goes by", "English language is becoming more and more difficult to learn", "the Oxford English Dictionary breaks the Guinness World Record"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT included in the facts that the Oxford English Dictionary has been updated?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Some online terms are added to it.", "A graphic symbol is first introduced into it.", "Some slang words are collected in it.", "Some old words are left out."]}, {"question": "Before any new word is added to the Oxford English Dictionary, it must be _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["spread widely across the Internet", "used commonly by the dictionary editors", "used commonly in either spoken or written language", "a short word"]}]} -{"article": "Office workers should know that long periods of sitting at your desk may be a killer. Scientists have shown a new threat from this lifestyle that they call \"muscular inactivity \".\nSitting still for long periods of time leads to the buildup of substances in the blood that are harmful to health. And exercise alone won't drive them away.\nMillions of people spend their days between car,office desk and the sofa in front of the TV. While the bad influences are well rocognized,it has been thought that they can be changed by regular trips to the gym or swimming pool.\nNow researchers say that is not enough. In addition to regular exercise,office workers need to keep moving while they work,by making regular trips to the printer,coffee machine or to chat with workmates.\nElin EkblomBak,an expert on health,says research shows long periods of sitting and lack of \"whole body muscular movement\" are strongly linked to obesity,heart disease and cancer,and a higher risk of death,regardless of whether they take enough exercise.\n\"Everyone knows about the health benefits of regular exercise. But what we haven't realized before is that longperiod sitting down carries an extra risk that cannot be dealt with by taking exercise,\" Dr EkblomBak said,adding that sitting still should be recognized as a risk to health.\n\"It is important to have a fiveminute break from desk work every 45 minutes. Don't email workmates--walk across the office to give them the message. Take a coffee break or put the printer in the next room. I am a desk worker and I try to do it. It is not difficult but sometimes you get lost in your work and you forget about it.\"\nHowever,more studies are needed to confirm the ill effects of sitting for too long and ways of fighting them. But at present they conclude that \"keep moving\" should be added to the advice to \"keep exercising.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Nowadays,many office workers wrongly think that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["long periods of sitting has bad influences on them", "regular exercise benefits them after long periods of sitting", "they are living a lifestyle called \"muscular inactivity\"", "it's unfair for them to sit in the office for too long"]}, {"question": "What does the author suggest office workers should do?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Chat with workmates often.", "Send emails instead of chatting.", "Keep moving in the office regularly.", "Take more exercise after work."]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["A new threat :longperiod sitting", "Office workers should keep exercising", "Taking exercise benefits a lot", "Keep moving,it could save your life"]}]} -{"article": "Listening, really listening, can improve communication and build respect with others. Communication begins by listening and then suggesting that you hear what the person is saying.\nThis can be recognized by focus or eye contact, body language, and reflective listening.\nFocus (Eye Contact)--Focus means that you are looking directly at the person speaking and not looking off to one side or continuing to do something else. You are focused on what is being said; the speaker is the center of attention. Listening attentively is essential for positive communication.\nListening Without Interrupting--Does your body acknowledge that you are listening? Use smiles, nods, and expressions of understanding to communicate to the speaker that you are listening. It is not necessary that you agree or disagree at this time. It is more important for the person speaking to know that his or her words are respected. This strengthens communication.\nReflective Listening--Reflective listening involves hearing the feelings and meanings of the speaker. It is a re-statement (in different words) of what the speaker said. You, in essence, mirror the words of the speaker and rephrase them back to the speaker, checking for accuracy of understanding. This process affirms the speaker, indicates a respect of the person, and shows that you understand the speaker's message. Through careful reflection of the speaker's words, you can make clear the message and build mutual understanding. Through reflective listening and the careful exchange of words, we learn that other people have important feelings and opinions which we need to consider. Learning to understand the importance of all ideas, not just our own, can lead to successful resolution of problems and mutual respect.", "problems": [{"question": "The best way to build respect with others is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["to look directly at the person speaking", "to listen to the speaker attentively", "to interrupt the speaker when necessary", "to use expressions of understanding"]}, {"question": "What strengthens communication with the person speaking?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Making him or her know that his or her words are respected.", "Expressing agreement or disagreement in time when listening.", "Repeating his or her words from time to time.", "Listening instead of saying anything."]}, {"question": "Reflective Listening is aimed to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["show you are not absent in mind", "make sure the speaker's words are correct", "checking for accuracy of understanding", "express your own ideas without delay"]}]} -{"article": "The famous movie star Audrey Hepburn has been honored as the most beautiful woman ever.She has natural beauty, character and figure, but there is something about Hepburn's smile that is specially striking and beautiful.\nAudrey Hepburn was born on May 4, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium.After her parents divorced , Audrey went to London with her mother where she went to a private girl school.After the liberation, Audrey went to a ballet school in London and later began life as a model.She did well as a model until the film producers came calling.Discovered by a producer, she was given a small part in a European film in 1948.Later, she went to America to try her luck there.Audrey became popular in the US with her role in Roman Holiday in 1953.This film turned out to be a success and she won an Oscar for Best Actress.The film was followed by another similarly wonderful performance in the 1957 Funny Face.In 1959, she received yet another nomination for her role in Nun's Story.Audrey reached the highest level when she played Holly Golightly in the film Breakfast at Tiffany's in 1961.For this she received another nomination.One of Audrey's most wonderful roles was in the fine production of My Fair Lady in 1964.Her co--star Rex Harrison once was asked to name his favorite leading lady.Without hesitation, he replied, \"Audrey Hpburn in My Fair Lady\".At the end of the sixties, Audrey decided to stop acting while she was on top.In 1988, Audrey became a special ambassador of UNICEF , helping children in Latin America and Africa, a position she kept until 1993.She was named in People magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world.Her last film was Always in 1989.Audrey Hepburn died on January 20,1993, in Switzerland.\nShe had made a total of 31 high quality movies.Her style will always be remembered in the film history.", "problems": [{"question": "How many film names are mentioned in this passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["four", "five", "six", "seven"]}, {"question": "Hepburn used to be a _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["nurse", "model", "teacher", "writer"]}]} -{"article": "The chimp didn't feel well. She fell over, ignoring the other wild chimps. Finally, the sick chimp crawled over to a bush, picked some leaves and swallowed them. By the next afternoon, the chimp was as good as new!\nBiologists watching the chimp were surprised. Somehow, the plant had cured the chimp! Did the chimp know the plant would make her feel better? Or was it just a lucky accident?\nMany scientists don't think it has anything to do with luck. They're discovering that some animals seem to use plants to cure themselves. And these animals are leading scientists to new plants that could cure humans!\nDr. Richard Wrangham, an anthropologist at Harvard University, agrees that animals may know something we don't know about forest plants.\nWrangham got to know chimps and their diets while studying them for three years in Tanzania. \"You must know a lot about an animal's feeding habits to know what it doesn't consider food,\" Wrangham explains. Every morning, he saw that most chimps ate fruit near their nests. Later on, they ate on leaves.\nWhen he noticed chimps eating the leaves of a plant they usually ignored, Wrangham thought something interesting was going on---especially when he saw that they'd sometimes walk for 20 minutes to find the plant. Another strange thing that caught his eye was how they ate the bitter leaves.\n\"They swallowed the leaves whole,\" explains Wrangham, noting that chimps usually chew their food well. \"They seemed to rub the leaves around the roofs of their mouths. They closed their eyes, wrinkled their noses and swallowed slowly. \"\nWrangham wondered what could be so good about something tasting so bad. He had a chemist analyze the leaves. He discovered that the leaves contain a red oil that kills different viruses . Later tests showed that the oil might even fight cancer and the AIDS virus!\nWhy don't the chimps chew the leaves? \"Rubbing the leaves between the tongue and the inside of the mouth might allow the chemicals to enter the bloodstream directly,\" he suggests, \"instead of going to the stomach, where they might get destroyed by acids. The chimps seem to know what they're doing.\"", "problems": [{"question": "We can learn from the passage that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["chemicals in plants help cure animals", "chimps cure themselves by chewing plants", "scientists live with chimps to study their diets", "Dr. Wrangham knows a lot about forest plants"]}, {"question": "How can Dr. Wrangham tell which plants are medicine for chimps?", "answer": "C", "options": ["By talking with the biologists.", "By analyzing the chimps' favorite food.", "By studying the chimps' feeding habits.", "By comparing other scientists' discoveries."]}, {"question": "The author wrote the passage to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["present a finding", "test a theory", "provide a solution", "describe an experiment"]}, {"question": "What does the passage mainly talk about?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Forest plants.", "Animal doctors.", "Chimp's diets.", "A cure for cancer."]}]} -{"article": "They say that Mexico is a country no one ever leaves. Every year, millions of tourists pass through. And Mexicans happily warn that a part of them will remain behind forever. Most visitors are vacationing North Americans who go up on the brilliant beaches of Cancun, Acapulco, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. The beaches, of course, are among the world's best ----but those who venture inland are rewarded with the true soul of Mexico.\nAnd it is a big soul. The Republic of Mexico is vast, consisting of nearly two million square miles of coastline, desert, rain forest, mountains, and rich plains. From the American borderlands of the wide, agriculturally rich north, the country narrows gently as it sweeps south and east. The two main mountain ranges , the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Sierra Madre Oriental, hug the west and east, finally merging into the volcanically active central highlands and the capital, Mexico City - the most populous city in the world. Further south, the country narrows to only 100 miles, then broadens again before reaching the Guatemalan border. There are two major peninsulas in Mexico: the Baja Peninsula to the west and the Yucatan peninsular to the east.\nThe population is about 106 million. and the generosity of the Mexican people is _ . Knowing a few simple sentences in Spanish will win hearts.\nMexico has been blessed with an unusually temperate climate year-round. The most important thing to remember is that the Mexican summer is also the rainy season, although the rain rarely lasts more than a few hours, and typically arrives in the late afternoon. Extremes are present only in the North and in Baja, both of which have deserts where the temperature leaps above 100F. Mexico City has a year-round temperature in the high 80s. while the coasts usually stay in the mid-90s. Night time temperatures fall somewhat, but rarely break down below a comfortable 60F.", "problems": [{"question": "All of the following are names of beaches EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Puerto Vallarta", "Cancun", "Guatemalan", "Mazatlan"]}, {"question": "The Republic of Mexico _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["has two peninsulas altogether", "has a population of about 106 million", "has more than 2 million square miles of coastline", "has two main mountain ranges going from west to east"]}, {"question": "You may suffer extreme temperatures if you go to _ . .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the east", "the west", "the south", "the north"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Geography.", "History.", "Language.", "Climate."]}]} -{"article": "Travel to China is a lifetime experience and a better way to understand China. Only when you are there, you may start to appreciate and understand what a difference to live in a nation with a population of 1.3 billion.\nChina offers variety choices for visitors. If you are interested in Chinese history, Chinese culture and Chinese scenery, your trip will be very fulfilled and very interesting. If you want to enjoy a peaceful sunshine beach holiday, there are plenty of tourist areas along the coastal line, which have unspoiled beaches and luxury hotels for visitors. In Hainan Island, the beautiful Sanya beaches are opened the whole year around and there is no winter in this island. If you want excitements and nightlife, stay in big cities. There are many places every night for international gathering. If you are adventurers, go to remote areas to watch wild life or visit minorities to see how they live in the hillsides or desert. If you are sporty, take a cycle trip along the countryside, enjoy the rural life and meet with Chinese people long the route.\nYou may have heard or read a lot about China from books, newspapers, magazines and TV programs. Some of them are true but most of them are out of date, incorrect or even false. China is different from many of your previous experiences and may shock you in many ways. This is what China is!\nThis country is changing and progressing every day. Yet it is still a developing country. After the economic reform, most of the developments concentrate in major cities and remote areas are still very backward. China is a very populated nation and people have to cope with the crowded environment. Foreign visitors may not get used to the mentality of the people and sometimes become frustrated with the situation, which they never experienced before. Basically Chinese are reserve, peaceful and nice. They are very polite too but in their own way. When a foreigner is willing to take a more positive attitude to recognize the difference, the trip will become worthwhile or you may ruin your trip completely by unreasonable expectation and misjudgment of the people in general.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, if you go to China, you can enjoy all but _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["mountain climbing", "sunshine beach", "rural life", "watching wild life"]}, {"question": "After economic reform, most remote areas in China now _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["also develop fast", "are very rich", "still need developing", "are very forward"]}, {"question": "This passage might be from _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["advertising", "newspaper", "novel", "newsreport"]}, {"question": "Sometimes,foreigners in China may become frustrated(,).Which of the following statement is NOT true?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They are not used to the crowded environment.", "Sometimes, Chinese are not polite enough in foreigners' eyes.", "They don't think there are good sceneries in China.", "Chinese are reserve."]}]} -{"article": "The key to a good interpersonal relationship is simple once you understand the role that needs play in making a relationship weak, moderate, average, or strong.\nA person who fails in a relationship is someone who neglects the needs of his or her partner. So the first step to establish a successful relationship is to find out what needs the other person has. It is also very important to understand your own needs so that you can help the other person in the relationship to meet your needs.\nUnfortunately, not only do many people fail to see or to understand their partner's needs, but they do not understand their own. Children have wonderful relationships with their parents as long as their needs are being satisfied. When the needs are not satisfied, the relationship changes and problems arise. As a child grows, needs change; it is necessary that parents recognize these changes. As it is with the child to the parents, it is also with the parents to the child.\nThe way to recognize the needs of other people is by their responses to you. When you do or say something and you get a positive response, you are well on the way to being recognized. The same goes for you. What is it that you respond to in a positive manner? What do you feel good about getting and about doing? What are you totally guiltless about? What can you do with complete confidence and fearlessness? What emotional scene can you control without fear or guilt? Look in these areas for your needs and you will in all probability find your answers.\nAs stated, our own needs are often hidden. The techniques covered in the power of self-mind control will allow you to discover your needs and show you who you are in regard to interpersonal relationships. Your effectiveness in influencing and dealing with people will greatly increase the power of self-mind control.", "problems": [{"question": "From the passage we learn that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["it is hard to make good interpersonal relationships", "there are several levels of relationships among people", "the success of different interpersonal relationships can be measured by needs", "the first step to establish a successful relationship is to know your own needs"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is NOT mentioned in the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["A child's needs change with his growth.", "A child should also know his parents' needs.", "It's easier to find your own needs than to find others'.", "You can learn what others need by their responses to you."]}]} -{"article": "After the examination, the doctor told my parents my sight would get worse and that I would lose my sight finally. On the way home from hospital, no one said a word. One day, would I only imagine the scenery beyond the glass rather than see it?\nThat September, I entered middle school. Most nights I had homework that included an armful of books to read. To keep up with other children, I took great trouble to finish the task. With my nose a couple of inches from the page, I was tired easily. What's worse, after I had read several pages on my own, the words slipped off the page into inky pools.\nHowever, then I did not have audio books and electronic devices like kids do now. Instead, Mom volunteered to read out loud. Mom worked part-time, cleaned the house, cooked and spent time with Grandma. In spite of being so busy, she showed up in my room like clockwork. She put on her reading glasses. Mom always thought those glasses made her look old. To me, she looked like a teacher.\nIn my room, Mom's voice competed with the ticking of the clock. Being forced to focus on listening, I found a way to keep my marks up and compete with the other kids. When the teacher asked a question, I raised my hand with confidence. Teachers praised me for having a good memory. Reading removed my fear for my failing sight, reading also made me curious about other people's challenges and how they managed. Though I could not use my eyes to fix on each passage, my mind lit up with every new book.\nTrue to what the doctor said, the worst came, but thanks to Mom, my sense of hearing now allows me to \"see\". This was the most precious gift from a mother to her child.", "problems": [{"question": "Why did the author and his parents keep silent on their way back home from hospital?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They all wanted to have a good rest.", "The author didn't do well in the exam.", "What the doctor said made them worried.", "They focused on the scenery along the road"]}, {"question": "How did the author manage to get high marks?", "answer": "B", "options": ["By being confident", "By listening carefully.", "By getting help from his classmates.", "By reading as many books as possible."]}, {"question": "We can learn from the text that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the author's sight recovered finally", "reading made the author more sensitive", "the author's mother didn't work to look after him", "reading made the author not worry about his sight"]}, {"question": "Which of the following could be the title of the text?", "answer": "C", "options": ["My eyesight trouble", "An unforgettable experience", "With ears wide open", "About Mother's love"]}]} -{"article": "Methods of training animals have changed greatly in recent years. Zoo keepers have always had problems getting the animals to leave their cages in order for the cages to be cleaned, and also training them to move indoors when appropriate. Another problem was that many of the large animals became _ and bored. In the last twenty years, scientists have done research on dolphins and whales, training them to obey commands. The scientists found they could get animals to obey by rewarding them with food and affection when they responded correctly.\nProper training allows the animals to receive the care they need. It was very difficult to get untrained animals, especially the larger ones, to stay still when they needed medical attention. Now they can be trained, on command, to remain still and even to allow blood samples to be taken and shots administered. All this is accomplished through positive reinforcement, without the use of any force. Affection training, as this process is called, has been used with great success on a wide variety of zoo animals. Animal behavior experts have taught zoo keepers to train bears, tigers, monkeys, and many other species to behave in a way that provides for better animal-keeper interaction. This training also keeps the animals from becoming bored and inactive.\nAlthough some people proclaim that this training is inhumance and cruel to animals, results have shown that captive animals who previously were not doing well flourish under the new training procedures.", "problems": [{"question": "The word \"listless\" means _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["countless", "obedient", "inactive", "mysterious"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is valid conclusion based on this passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It is safe to pet any animal.", "Many animals respond favorably to rewards and affection.", "Animals in the wild can be trained.", "Animals should not be kept in zoos."]}, {"question": "The writer's purpose is to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["persuade people not to feed animals in the zoo", "show how easy it is to train animals", "explain method of training animals through rewards", "criticize zoo keepers"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is an opinion?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Zoo keepers had problems in getting animals to leave their cages.", "Training is cruel to animals.", "Animals obey commands if they are trained to do so.", "Many animals can be trained, on commands, to remain still."]}]} -{"article": "When learning a second language,it is important to study the culture of the language you're learning.Anyone can learn another language's grammar from a textbook,but what good is this learning if you don't understand the culture of the person you're speaking to? Only in learning another language and its culture will you be able to proficiently communicate with a person in that language.There are many ways to enhance your language studies by studying the country's culture;this can include reading literature,watching movies,or listening to popular music.\nMany schools in the United States emphasize the importance of culture understanding in language classes.Instead of memorizing only vocabulary words and grammar patterns,classes from elementary schools to universities are teaching literature,pop songs,and films in their classes.From these various mediums students can learn a great deal about the culture of a language they study.These different forms of media can teach various characteristics about the language,culture,and history of a society.\nLiterature can allow you to understand the history and current debates confronting a culture.For example,if you read John Steinbeck's GraPes of Wrath you can understand the history and problems of ordinary American farmers in the Great Depression.In watching films one can learn about what is popular in a society, and also slang phrases one definitely won't find in a textbook.In pop songs one can understand what the current craze in a culture is;what kind of music people like to listen to,what that culture finds romantic,and even what the contemporary\"cool\"viewpoint in that society is.\nIf you truly are interested in learning a language,don't underestimate the importance of learning about the language's home culture.Of course one must learn a language's grammar and vocabulary, but this will only get you so far in actually being able to communicate effectively.So if you are learning a language,take the time to also study the culture.", "problems": [{"question": "The best title for this passage would be _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Important Factors in Learning a Second Language", "The Importance of Culture in Learning a Language", "Effectively Communicating in a Second Language", "Why You Should Watch Films and Listen to Music When Learning a Foreign Language"]}, {"question": "In the above passage literature is described as an important way to learn _ about a culture.", "answer": "D", "options": ["history", "political issues", "social issues", "all of the above"]}, {"question": "Which of the following opinions was NOT expressed in the passage above?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Language learning needs to be supplemented by cultural learning.", "Cultural learning can give key insights into a society's history, language,and current trends.", "A majority of time should be given to cultural learning while learning a second language.", "The key to effective communication is language and cultural proficiency."]}]} -{"article": "Mobile phone users will be able to charge their devices wirelessly for the first time from 2015.\nFujitsu, the Japanese technology company, has created a system capable of charging quite a few portable electronic devices in the meanwhile, such as mobile phones, digital cameras and laptop computers without the need for cable connections. Electric cars users may also eventually be able to charge their vehicles wirelessly using the same technology according to Fujitsu, which presented a system at an Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers Conference at Osaka Prefecture University.\nClaiming to be the world's first of its kind, the technology works on the basis of the transmission of electricity using magnetic fields between the charger and the electronic device. The system enables wireless charging at distances of up to several metres, with the final aim of installing public \"charging spots\" on the streets in order to enable easy charging around the clock.\nScientists at Fujitsu Laboratories are planning to commercially sell products including the new wireless charging system as early as 2012 but did not make it clear how much they would cost. \"This technology makes it possible to add compact wireless charging functions into mobile phones and enabling several portable devices to be charged at the same time without any restrictions on their position in association with the charger,\" the company said in a statement.\nThe growing popularity of portable electronic devices ranging from iPads to e-readers is expected to fuel a boom in wireless recharging technology developments over the coming decade. \nMobile phone users in Japan can currently fill up their batteries using disposable portable plug-in battery-operated devices -- available at most train stations and convenience stores -- although phone companies warn any use for too long can damage the phones.\nThe new system displayed by Fujitsu, however, is significantly advanced and represents the next generation of portable recharging systems using highly tuned wireless technology. The company added, \"We are also looking at applying the results of this work to fields other than portable electronics, including power transmission between circuit boards or computer chips, and providing mobile charging systems for electric cars.\"", "problems": [{"question": "The writer's purpose of writing the passage is_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["to analyze the current international situation", "to introduce a new technology applied to charging wirelessly", "to encourage customers to purchase the new charging devices", "to warn people against using disposable portable plug-in battery-operated devices"]}, {"question": "According to the new technology, electricity can be transmitted by_.", "answer": "C", "options": ["using batteries", "using the electronic devices", "using magnetic fields", "using disposable portable plug-in battery-operated devices"]}, {"question": "What is certain according to the passage is that_.", "answer": "C", "options": ["the charging system can serve one portable electronic device at a time", "all the convenience stores in Japan can provide the charging service now", "wireless charging works within a distance of up to several metres", "the new product doesn't look promising"]}]} -{"article": "Much of the water we use comes from snow. Melting snow provides water for rivers, electric power centers and agricultural crops. In the western United States, mountain snow provides up to 75% of all surface water supplies.\nSnowfall helps to protect plants and some wild animals from cold, winter weather. Fresh snow is made largely of air trapped among the snow crystals. Because the air has trouble moving, the movement of heat is greatly reduced.\nSnow also is known to influence the movement of sound waves. When there is fresh snow on the ground, the surface of the snow takes in, or absorbs, sound waves. However, snow can become hard and flat as it becomes older or if there have been strong winds. Then the snow's surface will help to send back sound waves. Under these conditions, sounds may seem clearer and travel farther.\nGenerally, the color of snow and ice appears white. This is because the light we see from the sun is white. Most natural materials take in some sunlight. This gives them their color. However, when light travels from air to snow, some light is sent back, or reflected. Snow crystals have many surfaces to reflect sunlight. Yet the snow does take in a little sunlight. It is this light that gives snow its white appearance.\nSometimes, snow or ice may appear to be blue. The blue light is the product of a long travel path through the snow or ice. In simple terms, think of snow or ice as a filter. A filter is designed to reject some substances, while permitting others to pass through. In the case of snow, all the light makes it through if the snow is only a centimeter thick. If it is a meter or more thick, however, blue light often can be seen.", "problems": [{"question": "How many functions of snow are discussed in the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["One", "Two", "Three", "Four"]}, {"question": "Why does snowfall help to protect plants from cold?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because snow crystals contain heat.", "Because snow crystals have air in them.", "Because snow crystals are easy to blow away.", "Because snow crystals send out heat when melting."]}, {"question": "It can be inferred that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["hard snow is better in protecting wild animals than fresh snow", "fresh snow is better in sending sound waves than hard snow", "fresh snow is better in taking in sound waves than hard snow", "hard snow provides less water than fresh snow"]}, {"question": "The color of snow and ice appears white because snow crystals _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["send back none of the sunlight", "send back all of the sunlight", "take in most of the sunlight", "take in some of the sunlight"]}]} -{"article": "The Siemens Foundation holds a Mathematics,Science and Technology Competition for high school students every year.The Foundation created the competition to improve student. Performance in mathematics and science.The contest is open to any student who is an American citizen or permitted to live in the United States The Siemens Foundation joined the College Board and six universities to create the competition.More than 1,600 students took part in the contest last year.\n Experts from the universities judge competitions in six parts of the country.Individual and team winners from those events then compete nationally.They demonstrate their projects to university professors and scientists.A winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics,Joseph Taylor,led the judging group for the latest contest.\n The results from that judging group produced a first in the history of the competition It was the first time in which girls won both the individual and the team prizes.Forty-eight percent of those who entered the latest contest were young women.\n The individual winner was Isha Jain of Bethlehem,Pennsylvania.She received 100,000 dollars toward her college education for her studies of bone growth in zebra fish.The Siemens judges said she was the first to discover that bone grows in many short periods of time.They also said her work was equal to that of a student who had completed four years of college.\n The top team winners were two seventeen year olds from Plainview,New York.Janelle Schloss berger and Amanda Harin off shared a prize of 100,000 dollars for their college educations.The young women studied bacteria responsible for the disease tuberculosis(,TB).They created substances that kill tuberculosis by attacking a protein.The Siemens\n Foundation says their discovery could lead to a new treatment for drug resistant TB.", "problems": [{"question": "The Siemens Foundation holds the science competitions for American hi.gh school students in order to_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["encourage them to complete their schoolwork", "improve their knowledge of science", "earn enough money for college", "show them the importance of science"]}, {"question": "Isha Jain of Bethlehem won her prize because_.", "answer": "D", "options": ["she had finished her college study", "she had studied the disease tuberculosis", "she had worked equally with boys", "she had obtained a result about bone growth"]}, {"question": "The competitors show their talent by_.", "answer": "A", "options": ["presenting their projects to the judging group", "taking part in an examination", "handing in the whole of their projects", "designing a project on the spot"]}, {"question": "From this passage we learn that_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["only American citizens take part in the competition", "fewer girls used to take part in the competition", "more than half girls took part in the recent competition", "all winners' prizes are for their college educations"]}, {"question": "What is a good title for the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Preparations for High School Students Before College", "A Chance to Demonstrate Their Knowledge of Science", "Distinguished Meeting of prefix = st1 /AmericanHigh SchoolStudents", "Young Women's Great Contributions to Science"]}]} -{"article": "For most people, Christmas is a time to relax in the company of family and friends. But for Santa Claus, and the thousands of fake Santas who impersonate him every year, the Christmas season is time to get to work.\nAlthough Santa Claus waits until Christmas Eve to take his famous sleigh ride, Santa impersonators can be found at shopping malls around America throughout the six weeks leading up to December 25. \"When you see Santa talking with kids at your local mall, that's when you know Christmas really is on the way,\" says Mary Lewine of New York City.\nWith the excitement of Christmas, people often forget about the real people behind the red robes and white beards, but being a mall Santa. is a tough job. \"There is more to it than just sitting in a chair. There is more to it than just a red suit,\" said Timothy Connaghan, who has worked as a Santa for.38 years. \"Children can really put the wear and tear on you.\"\nA recent survey showed some of the challenges that mall Santas face every year. About 90 percent of Santas claimed that children pulled their beards to see if they were real, and 60 percent said that up to ten kids cough or sneeze on them every day. Even more disturbing, one-third of the Santas admit to having children wet themselves while sitting on their laps.\nSo why would anyone take this job? For Ben Brauch, a retired high school teacher who has worked as a Santa for the last six years, the answer is simple-the children. \"I see maybe 12,000 kids in a six-week period.\nIt's hard work, but it's worth it because you get to play with kids.\" In fact, Brauch loves his job so much that he keeps his white beard long all year.", "problems": [{"question": "According to Timothy Connaghan, we can conclude that _", "answer": "C", "options": ["all children are moved to tears when seeing Santa", "a mall Santa is always sitting in a chair", "a mall Santa tolerates a lot during Christmas", "Santa impersonators are greatly admired"]}, {"question": "Why does Ben Brauch love his job of Santa impersonator?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because he can keep his white beard long all year.", "Because he as nothing else to do after retiring.", "Because he can earn a large sum of money.", "Because he enjoys playing with children."]}, {"question": "What is the best title of the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Santa impersonators during Christmas", "The coming Christmas", "Shopping malls in America", "A disturbing job"]}]} -{"article": "On December 8, Xinhua News Agency published a list of news keywords that it believes sum up the year 2009.\nThe phrase \"low-carbon life\" had been heard in China before 2009, but in 2009, it has become popular among young Chinese who are concerned about the environment. It comes as world leaders are talking about fighting global warming in Copenhagen, Denmark. Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, are the main cause of global warming, which leads to extreme weather and other conditions.\nLiving a low carbon life means trying to cut carbon dioxide emissions in one's daily life. For example, burning less coal and oil, which produce CO\n. It means walking, biking or taking buses, rather than using a private car.\n\"A(H1N1) flu\" is also on Xinhua's list. Since April, 2009 the virus has made over 100,000 people ill on the Chinese mainland and 325 people had died of it as of December 9. But as US magazine\npointed out recently, the best evidence suggests it is no more dangerous than a bad seasonal flu.\nThe year 2009 saw the growing impact of the Internet on society, with the word \"duomaomao\", meaning hide-and-seek, becoming a hit on the web. On February 12, Li Qiaoming died of brain injuries several days after being detained by police in Jinning county, Yunnan Province. Police said it was an accident sustained while he was playing hide-and-seek with his fellow prisoners.\ncast doubt on this explanation and called for an investigation. It turned out that Li had been beaten to death by other prisoners.\nAnother phrase connected with the Internet on the list is \"Net Addiction Camps\". Many parents send children obsessed with the web to \"Net Addiction Camps\" for treatment. But some camps use physical punishment or electrical shocks. In 2009, some young people died as a result of the extreme methods, which led to a nationwide discussion. In November, the Ministry of Health banned the use of physical punishment to keep children off the net and dropped the term \"net addiction \". It did not say that excessive net use is a mental illness either.", "problems": [{"question": "The purpose of the passage is to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["call on the public to live a low-carbon life", "show the great effect of the Internet", "introduce some news keywords of the year 2009", "warn people not to be addicted to the Internet"]}, {"question": "What can be inferred from the incident of \"duomaomao\"?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Hide-and-seek is a dangerous game.", "Li was beaten to death by other prisoners.", "Police did a great job in the investigation .", "It was the influence of the Internet that led to the truth."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The phrase \"low-carbon life\" had been popular among young people before 2009.", "Global warming mainly results from greenhouse gases.", "A (H1N1) flu is more dangerous than a bad seasonal flu.", "Li Qiaoming died of an accident while playing hide-and-seek with his fellow prisoners."]}, {"question": "Which of the following doesn't mean a low-carbon life ?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Using a private car.", "Using efficient light bulbs.", "Walking, biking or taking buses.", "Turning your air-conditioner one degree higher."]}]} -{"article": "About a year ago, a couple with three children moved into the apartment next door to me. I never heard any noise from the children, but the parents were always _ at them.\nWe often met. I always spoke, but the only answer I ever got was a hello from a four-year-old girl. One day when I returned, they were just coming back to their apartment and the little girl was holding the door in the hall open for the others. I remained in the car doing unnecessary things. The parents were telling her to hurry. I looked up and saw the little girl was still holding the door open, waiting for me. I hurried as much as I could and thanked her. She was smiling from ear to ear.\nThat afternoon I was at the K-Mart and saw a white teddy bear. I thought of the little girl and said to myself, \"I bet she would like it.\" So I bought it for her.\nThe next day there was a knock on the door and it was the little girl and her father. She was so proud of her bear and thanked me. Then I noticed her mother and the other children were there in the hall, too.\nNow when we meet in the hall, we all speak in a friendly manner. Last night we had about four inches of snow. The temperature was below zero. When I opened the outside door, there was my car with all the snow removed. The man next door was the only person I knew in the whole building, so when I saw him the next day, I asked him if he was the nice person that removed the snow. He said NO. He wanted to, but his wife said she wanted to do it.\nIsn't it amazing that the small kind act of a four-year-old girl can change so many things for the better?", "problems": [{"question": "Why did the author do unnecessary things in his car?", "answer": "D", "options": ["His neighbor yelled at him.", "He did not know how to kill time.", "The weather was cold outside.", "He did not wanted to be embarrassed."]}, {"question": "What the four-year-old girl did made the author feel _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["warm", "sad", "upset", "angry"]}, {"question": "The passage mainly tells us _ .?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Children should be polite to their neighbors.", "People should be kind and communicate with each other.", "Your neighbors are not as bad as you think.", "Things can be changed by removing snow."]}]} -{"article": "My father's family is not a musical family.They are a family of words.My brother has my father's dark hair,his love of a good argument.I take after my mother.From her I inherited a curious nature,a sense of adventure,bright red hair.I did not,contrary to her hopes,inherit a talent for the piano.That fact was established beyond doubt after unsuccessful attempts to draw music from me.\nThe piano lessons began when I was four.My mother was convinced that I would be a child Mozart.She found the ideal teacher-Madame Oblenka,a strict Russian woman,whose pursed lips were enough to frighten a wild horse into submission.Madame Oblenka,who expected a little Mozart,was not very delighted to find a little girl banging her fists on the keys.\nI tried to please her.\"Feel the music,\"she urged.I\"felt\"it and winced my ears-for what is more unpleasant than a series of wrong notes played continuously?She\"felt\"my music,too,which is why she always left with an angrier expression than when she came.\nOnce,when I was ten,I managed to record one of my own rehearsals .In order to escape my practice sessions,I would close myself behind the door of the piano room,put on the tape recording,and read until the tape had finished.That method worked for a week,until my mother began to wonder why I always missed the same B-sharp.She knocked on the door,and,receiving no answer,came in to check on me and found that I had fallen asleep while the tape of my performance played on and on.\nI was twelve when my parents finally acknowledged that my hidden talent was not about to emerge any time soon.My mother,refusing to admit defeat,told me to pick another instrument.\"Choose anything you want,Honey,\"she said,assuming that freedom of choice would inspire devotion.I thought long and hard and chose the drums.My parents,sensitive to noise,would be less than overjoyed by a daily bombardment of playing.I imagined my father in his study,cotton wads in his ears.\nI worked my way through several other instruments before my mother hit on another idea.Maybe I wasn't meant to be an instrumentalist.Realizing that drama might be more suited to my talents,Mom took me to a drama teacher.However,he put me backstage,painting scenery.Once I recovered from my sense of injury,I realized the wisdom of his choice.I loved the active,practical backstage world,and I discovered that I had a knack for constructing and painting.I loved the challenge of taking our scanty supplies and using them to make something beautiful.Imagining a scene and then seeing it emerge before me-this,to me,was close to magic.\nI'm a sculptor now,and every day I experience afresh the joy of being fully absorbed in the act of artistic creation.It's a wonderful,blissful feeling.I realize that my parents,in their misguided attempts to interest me in music,were trying to give me this feeling.And now I feel grateful.Perhaps they went about it in the wrong way,but their hearts were in the right place.", "problems": [{"question": "Madame Oblenka always felt angry because .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the author was too young to play the piano well", "the author often pointed out the wrong notes of her", "the author kept banging on the keys unconsciously", "the author's performance was far from satisfactory"]}, {"question": "Which of the following best reveals the author's attitude towards piano practice?", "answer": "C", "options": ["She tried to make the piano teacher pleased.", "She recorded her performance for improvement.", "She played the recording instead of practising.", "She repeated the same mistake in practising."]}, {"question": "Why did the author choose the drums as a musical instrument?", "answer": "B", "options": ["She was eager to free herself from piano lessons.", "She was reluctant to play an instrument.", "She was confident of handling them.", "She was fond of beating drums."]}, {"question": "The author's mother can be best described as .", "answer": "A", "options": ["devoted and stubborn", "encouraging and independent", "helpful and considerate", "hardworking and generous"]}, {"question": "We can learn from the passage .", "answer": "D", "options": ["parents should encourage their children to create art", "the ordinary backstage work can help one succeed", "you can only get better at something if you practice", "art should be treated as a joy rather than a burden."]}]} -{"article": "Everyday Food\nby Martha Stewart\nNo matter how busy you are, at the end of the day you want meals that are easy toprepare. And you want lots of choices and variations. You'll find all of that in this book:\n250 simple recipes for delicious meals that bring freshness and nutrition.\nPaperback, published by Random House,$16.79\nZeroes\nby Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, Deborah Biancotti\nNew York Timesbestselling author Scott Westerfeld teams up with Margo Lanagan and\nDeborah Biancotti in the book about six teenagers with amazing abilities. These teenagers have powers that set them apart. They can do things ordinary people can't.\nPaperback, published by Simon&Schuster,$12.99\nMrghty Jack\nby Ben Hatke\nJaek dislikes summer. But he's got a good reason: summer is when his single mom takes a second job and leaves him at home to watch his sister, Maddy. It's lots of responsibility, and it's boring, too, because Maddy doesn't talk. Ever. But one day, at the market,Maddy does talk to tell Jack to trade their mom's car for a box of mysterious seeds. It'sthe best mistake Jack has ever made.\nHardcover, published by First Second,$14.15\nOnly Daughter\nby Anna Snoekstra\nShe's caught stealing. She's homeless and on the run. But she happens to look the same asa girl who went missing a decade ago, Rebecca Winter. She assumes Rebecca's identity,using it as a way out. Little does she know her new life as Rebecca is itself a prison and itlooks like a killer might be after her.\nKindle edition, published by Harlequin Enterprises,$8.88", "problems": [{"question": "Who wrote a book to help you cook a meal?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Martha Stewart.", "Anna Snoekstra.", "Ben Hatke.", "Scott Westerfeld."]}, {"question": "How isZeroesdifferent from the rest books?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It tells a story.", "It's in paperback.", "It's quite popular.", "It's a co-written book."]}, {"question": "What do we know aboutOnly Daughter?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Its heroine enjoys her life on the run.", "Its heroine lives with a false identity.", "It provides different kinds of editions.", "It is written by Harlequin Enterprises."]}]} -{"article": "Dear Jorge,\nAre you enjoying your break from school? My family are now in Sacramento, California. We are here paying a visit to visit to my aunt Gloria. We have been to the California State Capital Building, the nature center, and the zoo. I have seen many interesting things, but one stands out above the rest. This morning we drove from my aunt's home to Calistoga to see California's Old Faithful Geyser . I had read about it in my book, Sightseeing in California; Where You Should Go.You have probably heard of Old Faithful, the geyser father north in Yellowstone National Park. This California geyser is sometimes called\" Little Old Faithful.\"\nWhen we arrived California's Old Faithful was only a calm pool of water. The geyser didn't look very deep. \" What's the big deal?\" I wondered. As I turned, I saw some steam rising from the water. Before I knew it, there was hot water shooting up about 60 feet into the air. We could not believe our eyes! It continued for almost three minutes.\nAunt Gloria told me that the water came from an underground river. She also said that the water temperature was about 95degC. This water can sometimes shoot 170 feet into the air.\nMy aunt said that other geysers around the world reach hotter temperatures and shoot water even higher than California's Old Faithful Geyser. I'd love to learn more about this geyser and other geysers in different countries when I get home. I'll see you soon!\nYour friend,\nBennetto", "problems": [{"question": "According to the text, Bennetto _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["visited his aunt Gloria by himself.", "had never heard of Old Faithful Geyser.", "thought nothing of Old Faithful Geyser at first.", "flew all the way from Sacramento to Calistoga."]}, {"question": "The water Bennetto saw high in the sky _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["disappeared at once.", "was too hot to touch.", "came from a deep sea.", "was 170 feet in height."]}, {"question": "What was expressed in Bennetto's letter?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Anger", "Doubt", "Courage", "Excitement"]}, {"question": "Bennetto wrote the letter mainly to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["talk about his holiday experiences.", "ask Jorge to visit Old Faithful Geyser.", "express his thankfulness to Aunt Gloria.", "give Yellowstone National Park some advice."]}]} -{"article": "Expensive perfumes come in tiny bottles, but many hide a whale-sized secret.\nTo perfect a particular smell, perfume-makers often use an ingredient that comes from sperm whales, called ambergris . But using ambergris, which helps a perfume last longer, is strongly opposed by many people who think it is wrong to kill whales just so we can smell sweet. Joerg Bohlmann is neither a perfumer nor a whale expert. He's a plant biologist at the University of British Columbia in Canada. But his discovery of a new plant gene might push whales out of the perfume business.\nThe gene comes from fir trees, found throughout North America and commonly used as Christmas trees. The trees produce a chemical that can be used in perfume in place of ambergris-but _ . \"There's a problem that many people wouldn't consider. In the tree, the chemical is mixed with many others. That makes separation a challenge,\" Bohlmann says. \"lt's like trying to isolate sugar from a biscuit. \"\nThis is where science becomes useful. When Bohlmann learned that fir trees produce the ambergris-like chemical, he decided to use his gene know-how to find the instructions for how to make the ambergris-substitute.\nBohlmann found that gene and took it out of the tree cells. Then he did something that might sound strange to someone who doesn't work in genetics: Bohlmann put the gene from the tree into yeast cells.\nYeast may sound familiar because it's used to make things like bread, wine and beer. Biologists like to work with yeast because it easily adopts new genes and changes its features and behaviour. When Bohlmann put the fir tree gene into the yeast, the yeast started making the same chemical that had been produced by the tree.\nPerfumers pay big money for ambergris because it is a fixative, which means it holds a smell in place on a person's body.\n\"Cheap perfumes smell good in the first hour or so and then everything is gone,\" explains Bohlmann. \"But expensive perfumes are much more stable. Their smell lasts much longer, for hours or even a day after you apply them. \"\nThe new chemical, made from the tree genes, can be used as a fixative, too. And using yeast to make it is far cheaper than acquiring ambergris.\nBohlmann admits he never thought he'd get into the perfume business. But now, he says, producers have been calling to find out how to use his technology in new perfumes.", "problems": [{"question": "It can be inferred from the passage that if a perfume contains ambergris, _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["its user probably supports whale hunting", "it is probably very expensive", "its smell will last for about an hour", "there will be a whale symbol on the bottle"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, why are yeast cells often used in genetic research?", "answer": "D", "options": ["They're much cheaper to use than ambergris.", "They can reproduce much faster than other cells.", "They share some of the qualities of plant genes.", "They can take on the characteristics of other genes."]}, {"question": "What can we learn about Joerg Bohlmann from the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["He is opposed to whale hunting.", "He made his discovery during Christmas.", "He has worked in the perfume industry for many years.", "He has previously done genetic research."]}]} -{"article": "Stories in Boxes: Britain performing artist Bobby Baker will present Box Story to conclude the UK performing Arts Festival.\n Her performances cover various aspects of life: including health, shopping, and educating children. She explores these themes with originality and \"outside the square\".\n Time: 7:30 pm, December 3-5\n Place: North Theater, Beibingmasi Lane, Jiaodaokou, Dongcheng District\n Tel: 8602-4898\n Elvis Story: Le Caoitole De Quebee will bring its production The Elvis Storyto Beijing audiences this month.\n This remarkable musical production relates the best moments of Elvis Preeley's life and his career. The show is a musical reconstitution of the life of a singer who revolutionized American popular music and become the most famous rock star of the 20th century.\n Time: 7:30 pm, November 25-28\n Place: Poly Theater, Dongsishitiao\n Tel: 6506-5343, 6413-1321\n Soldier's musical: A Soldier's Diary, a Chinese musical describing the life of contemporary soldiers in China, is to be staged for 12 performances by the Song and Dance Essembles of the Political of the Chinese People Liberation Army .\n Time: 7:30 pm, November 29-December15\n Place: China Theatre, Xisanhuan Beilu, Handian District\n Tel: 6843-0560\n Social tolerance: The Italian opera Pagliacci, by Ruggero Leoneavallo ( 1856--1919), is to premiere , performed by Chinese opera singers from China's Central Opera Theatre.\n A violent opera exploring the limits of social tolerance, the opera premiered in 1892 and gained popularity throughout Europe and America. Within two years, it had been translated into all major European languages including Swedish, Serbo-Croatian and Hebrew.\n Leoneavallo was a prolific writer, yet none of his other works ever matched the popularity of this opera.\n Chinese vocal artists include Huang Yuefeng, Wang Feng, Sun Xiewei, Gao Lei and Shen Na, Li Wei is to conduct..\n Time: 7:30 pm, November 27\n Place: Peking University Concert Hall, Peking University\n Tel: 6275-1278, 6551-4787", "problems": [{"question": "If you want to see Bobby Baker's performance you should phone _ to book a seat.", "answer": "A", "options": ["8602-4898", "6413-1321", "6843-0506", "6551-4787"]}, {"question": "Which performance covers the life of contemporary soldiers in China?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Pagliacci", "Box Story", "The Elvis Story", "A Soldier's Diary"]}, {"question": "From the passage we can learn that Leoneavallo was _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["an actor", "a writer", "a pop singer", "an opera singer"]}, {"question": "If Peter is a soldier, which place perhaps would he like to go on November 29?", "answer": "D", "options": ["North Theatre", "Peking University", "Poly Theatre", "China Theatre"]}]} -{"article": "Any list of the world's top ten most famous paintings will surely include da Vinci's Mona Lisa.Part of the painting's attraction is its mystery .\nThose lucky enough to have a view of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre often stare in awe , surprised by the smile that seems to flicker .Staring at a reproduction of the work produces the same effect.Now she's smiling, then she's not.\nWhat's the deal with Mona Lisa's smile?\nHarvard scientist Margaret Livingstone is pretty sure she's solved the puzzle.After careful studies on human brains, Livingstone reasoned that the famous painting's flickering smile is caused by the way human beings see.\nOur eyes use two separate regions to see.One is central vision(;), used to see colors and pick out details such as fine print.The other is the vision around, used to observe lights, shadows, black and white contrasts.\nWhen we look at a person's face, according to Livingstone, we usually focus centrally on the eyes.Staring at Mona Lisa's eyes, our less accurate vision notices the mouth, picking up shadows from the cheekbones.The shadows play tricks, looking like a smile.But when we look directly at the mouth, our central vision doesn't see the shadows, and so the smile suddenly disappears.As our eyes observe different parts of the painting, Mona's smile seems to show up or disappear.\nDid da Vinci intend to create this flickering smile effect? Perhaps.In any case, he was talented enough to paint shadows so good as to puzzle viewers for centuries.Meanwhile, Mona Lisa will keep smiling.And not.", "problems": [{"question": "Staring at Mona Lisa, people are amazed because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["it is one of the world's top ten most famous paintings", "Mona Lisa's smile seems to disappear sometimes", "they are lucky enough to have a view at the Louvre", "the reproduction of the work produces the same effect"]}, {"question": "The central vision is used to see _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["colors and pick out details", "black and white contrasts", "lights and shadows", "fine paintings"]}, {"question": "While looking at a person's face, the first we focus on is _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["eyes", "brains", "mouth", "cheekbone"]}, {"question": "What can you infer from the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Da Vinci created the flickering smile effect by design.", "The flickering smile effect is caused by the shadows.", "Our eyes use many separate regions to see paintings.", "Mona Lisa is the most famous painting in the world."]}]} -{"article": "Key responsibilities:\n* Manage the whole marketing activities, i.e. brand building, market research and integrated-marketing functions.\n* Develop and evaluate brand activities including the development of promotional activities, advertising and merchandising.\n* Obtain market share by developing marketing plans and programs for key brands.\n* Conduct market and product research; maintain data base by identifying and gathering marketing information.\n* Understand market/competitor intelligence and cooperate with the sales teams in developing the appropriate marketing strategies.\n* Keep contacts and exchange of information with regional operations on marketing issues.\n* Participate in and contribute to the budget and business planning cycle.\n* Supervise the project to establish company websites.\n* Complete marketing department operational requirements by scheduling and assigning employees; develop, maintain, evaluate and lead the marketing team of pan-China.\n* Serve as a member of the senior management team providing input and direction on the company's strategic and operational goals and objects.\nRequirements:\n* University degree or above, MBA is a plus.\n* At least Bi-lingual: Chinese and English, any other language is a plus.\n* Strong wits and oral communication skills; analytic skill; active listening.\n* Good at day to day lead and coach.\n* More than 10 years working experience in sales and marketing of _ industry, including at least 5 years management experience; professional in marketing function.\nEmployer introduction:\nSummergate was established in 1999 to import, distribute and market some of the world's best wines to the Chinese market. Today Summergate represents more than 60 wineries from 12 countries around the world.\nWith offices in Beijing, Shanghai; Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Macau and now Hong Kong, Summergate services the entire China market. We distribute and market our brands to all the major food and beverage operators in China, establishing solid business partnerships with national hotel groups as well as all China retail chains and fine dining western and Chinese restaurants.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, the key responsibilities include _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["taking charge of production work", "working on training programs", "maintaining data base of marketing information.", "serving as a network technician"]}, {"question": "What is the meaning of \"F&B\"?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Football and basketball.", "Festival and business.", "Fine and brand.", "Food and beverage."]}, {"question": "The passage is that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Summergate promotes its brand", "a company markets wines to Chinese", "Summergate advertises for marketing manager", "a company introduces its products to retail shops"]}]} -{"article": "It's cool, and it's hot, and everyone is doing it. People talk about it often, and friends tell other friends how good they look. Sound like a fashion? It's actually another trend : \"blog\". What's a blog? A blog is a personal online diary. The word \"blogger\" means a person who writes diaries online.\nMany bloggers are teens who've been logging onto sites to discuss anything in their lives. Many of today's teenagers are not afraid to openly discuss everything in their lives. Teens complain about parents and homework. They share diaries, post songs from the latest bands and show pictures of theirs. They write their own poems, say something about their girlfriends or boyfriends and complain to each other or offer support. But mostly they just write down what they do every day.\nHowever, many parents are afraid of these young bloggers. Parents see the kids talking about how they got drunk last weekend and how they don't like studying. They are using language that is surprising to their parents. Besides hearing from their friends, teen bloggers also get message from strangers. Most of the time, it's older men asking to meet teenage girls. \"These strange men are dangerous for my kids. They sometimes teach my kids bad words, \" said Cara Cabral, a mother of two.\nMany teens and young adults know it's not safe to use blogs on the Internet. They know they are putting information about themselves in a place they can be seen by anyone. But teens are unlikely to give up these new communication tools that have becomes a way of life for many of them.\nAre you a bloggers? What do you think of the blog?", "problems": [{"question": "A blogger is a person _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["who teaches kids bad words", "who posts songs from the latest bands", "who got drunk last weekend", "who writes diaries online"]}, {"question": "According to this passage, teen bloggers mostly _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["complain about parents and homework", "write down what they do every day", "offer support to each other", "share diaries and show pictures of theirs"]}, {"question": "Parents think it's dangerous for their kids to use blogs because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["their kids use a surprising language", "their kids talk about how they don't like studying", "teen bloggers got messages from strangers", "their kids talk about their girlfriends or boyfriends"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Many teens know it's not safe to use the blog on the Internet.", "Most of today's teenagers aren't afraid to openly discuss everything in their lives.", "A blogger's information about himself can be seen by anyone on the Internet.", "It's easy for teenagers to give up blogging."]}]} -{"article": "Teenagers are more selfish than adults because they use different part of their brain to make decisions, new research suggests. Previous work has shown that when children reach puberty , there is an increase in connections between nerves in the brain. This occurs particularly in the area involved in decision-making and awareness of other people's feelings, called the \"mentalising network\".\nNow Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, a cognitive neuroscientist from the University College London, UK, has used Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging to scan the brains of 19 adolescents (aged 11 to 17) and 11 adults (aged 21 to 37) while they were asked questions relating to decision-making. Questions such as: \"You're going to the cinema, where do you look for film times?\"\nBlakemore found that unlike adults, teenagers rely on the rear part of the mentalising network to make their decisions, an area of the brain called the superior temporal sulcus. The superior temporal sulcus is involved in processing very basic behavioral actions while the front part, called prefrontal cortex, is involved in more complex functions such as processing how decisions affect others. The prefrontal cortex makes adults more able to understand the consequences of their actions.\nIn a separate experiment, Blakemore asked 112 participants (aged from 8 to 37) questions and timed how long it took them to respond. Questions such as: \"How would your friend feel if she wasn't invited to your party?\" She found that the response time got shorter as the participants got older, suggesting that the older people found it easier to put themselves in other people's shoes.\n\"Teenagers' brains are a work in progress and profoundly different from adults' brains. If you're making decisions about the responsibilities given to teenagers and how to treat teenagers in terms of the law, you need to take this new research into account,\" said Blakemore.", "problems": [{"question": "Using the rear part of the brain to make decisions, teenagers are _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["less able to think about the results of their decisions", "more likely to make some funny decisions", "more able to make decisions that please others", "less likely to make the right decisions"]}, {"question": "In the separate experiment, the 112 participants were asked questions about _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["their main hobbies", "their awareness of other people's feelings", "their personal habits", "their knowledge of other people's lives"]}]} -{"article": "Chuck Berry, the man often called the \"father of rock and roll\" is still performing at 85. Another music great, Smokey Robinson, has described Chuck Berry as \"the inspiration for all of today's rock 'n' roll guitarists.\" And, Anthony Kiedis calls him \"a musical scientist who discovered a cure for the blues.\"\n On stage, he became known for his wild performances, and his \"duck walk\" that many musicians copied. But his songwriting skills -- some call him a rock and roll poet -- and his guitar work really set him apart. Early in his career he played mostly blues for black audiences in clubs in St. Louis, Missouri. But the most popular music in the area was country. So this musical scientist mixed country and blues. \n Chuck Berry was born on October 18th, 1926, in St. Louis, where he still lives. His mother, Martha, was a high school principal. He was born the fourth of six children. He started singing in church when he was six years old. His interest in music stuck with him. \n A lot of Chuck Berry's material is about teenage life, especially school. Chuck Berry and two friends were arrested after they used a gun to steal a car . He was released from prison four years later. But that would not be the last of his legal problems over the years.\nFilmmaker Taylor Hackford made a documentary called \"Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll,\" named for a Chuck Berry song. It centered on the making of a concert to honor the musician on his sixtieth birthday in 1986. More than seventy-five artists and bands have done their own versions of Chuck Berry songs. Many have done several, including the Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, Conway Twitty and Bruce Springsteen.\nThe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, included Chuck Berry in its first year of honors in 1986. The Hall of Fame had this to say: \"While no individual can be said to have invented rock and roll, Chuck Berry comes the closest of any single figure to being the one who put all the essential pieces together.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following makes Chuck Berry different from other musicians?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Wild performance and duck walk.", "skills of creating songs and guitar work", "Duck walk and skills of creating songs.", "Guitar work and wild performance."]}, {"question": "According to the text, Chuck Berry _ . .", "answer": "C", "options": ["was influenced by the education of his mother.", "wrote most of his songs that reflected his teenage life.", "show his musical talent at an early age.", "didn't have legal problems after he became a successful musician."]}, {"question": "From the text we can learn that Chuck Berry _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["has a great influence on many famous musicians.", "is also interested in performing in movies.", "had a lot of music used in filmmaking.", "had a concert to celebrate his sixties birthday."]}, {"question": "The Hall of Fame tends to think that Chuck Berry _ . ,", "answer": "B", "options": ["was the actual inventor of rock and roll.", "has played a vital role in creating rock and roll.", "achieved most of his honors in the early stage.", "is the closest to the top single figure ever in history."]}]} -{"article": "\"Time is a problem for children,\" states a news report for a new Swiss watch. Children in some countries \"learn time slowly\" because \"they don't wear watches\" and \"parents don't really know how to teach them time.\" The children grow up with this _ and become adults-and then can't get to work on time. Is there an answer to this problem? Of course-it's the Flick Flak, made by a famous Swiss watch company.\nThe Flick Flak is being marketed as something teaching watch for children aged 4 to 10. The watch itself does not teach children how to tell time, of course; it merely \"takes their imagination\" by presenting the \"hour\" hand as a beautiful red girl named Flak and the \"minute\" hand as a tall blue boy named Flick. Flick points to related \"blue\" minutes on the dial, while Flak points to \"red\" hour numbers. The characters and colors combined with parental help, are supposed to teach young children how to tell time.\nThe watch comes equipped with a standard battery and a nylon band . Peter Lipkin, the United States sales manager for the Flick Flak, calls it \"childproof: if it gets dirty you can throw the whole watch in the washing machine.\" The product is being sold in select department stores in Europe, Asia and the United States for a suggested price of $25. Parents who buy the watch may discover that it is one thing to tell time; it's quite another for them to be on time.", "problems": [{"question": "From the news report we know that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["parents are patient when teaching children time", "parents have little idea of how to teach children time", "children are likely to learn time quickly", "children enjoy wearing the Flick Flak watch"]}, {"question": "The author doesn't seem to believe _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["children will be on time if they have not learnt how to tell time", "a Flick Flak can help parents teach their children how to tell time", "the Flick Flak can take children's imagination", "children usually have trouble telling time if they don't wear watches"]}, {"question": "The United State sales manager calls the new watch \"childproof\" because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["it is designed to teach children to be on time", "it proves to be effective in teaching children time", "it is made so as not to be easily damaged by children", "it is the children's favorite watch"]}]} -{"article": "Children start out as natural scientists, eager to look into the world around them. Helping them enjoy science can be easy; there is no need for a lot of scientific terms or expensive lab equipment. You only have to share your children's curiosity. Firstly, listen to their questions. I once visited a classroom of seven -year- olds to talk about science as a job. The children asked me \"textbook questions\" about schooling, salary and whether I liked my job. When I finished answering, we sat facing one another in science. Finally I said,\" Now that we've finished with your lists, do you have questions of your own about science?\"\nAfter a long pause, a boy raised his hand, \"have you ever seen a grasshopper eat? When I try eating leaves like that, I get a stomachache. Why?\"\nThis began a set of questions that lasted nearly two hours.\nSecondly, give them time to think. Studies over the past 30 years have shown that. After asking a question, adults typically wait only one second or less for an answer, no time for a child to think. When adults increase their \"wait time\" to three seconds or more, children give more logical, complete and creative answers.\nThirdly, watch your language. Once you have a child involved in a science discussion, don't jump in with \"That's right\" or \"very good\". These words work well when it comes to encouraging good behavior. But in talking about science, quick praise can signal that discussion is over. Instead, keep things going by saying, \"That's interesting\" or \"I'd never thought of it that way before', or coming up with more questions or ideas.\nNever push a child to \"think\". It doesn't make sense; children are always thinking, without your telling them to. What's more, this can turn a conversation into a performance. The child will try to find the answer you want, in as few words as possible, so that he will be a small target for your disagreement.\nLastly, show; don't tell. Real-life impressions of nature are far more impressive than any lesson children can learn from a book or a television program. Let children look at their fingertips through a magnifying glass, and they'll understand why you want them to wash before dinner. Rather than saying that water evaporates, set a pot of water to boil and let them watch the water level drop.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, children are natural scientist, and to raise their interest, the most important thing for adults to do is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["to let them see the world around", "to share the children's curiosity", "to explain difficult phrases about science", "to supply the children with lab equipment"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, children can answer questions in a more logical, complete and creative way if adults _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["ask them to answer quickly", "wait for one or two seconds after a question", "tell them to answer the next day", "wait at least for three seconds after a question"]}, {"question": "The author mentions all of the following techniques for adults to share with their children's curiosity except that adults should _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["tell their children stories instead of reciting facts", "offer their children chances to see things for themselves", "be patient enough when their children answer questions", "encourage their children to ask questions of their own"]}]} -{"article": "We know that many animals do not stay in one place. Birds, fish and other animals move from one place to another at a certain time. They move for different reasons: most of them move to find food more easily, but others move to get away from places that are too crowded.\n When cold weather comes, many birds move to warmer places to find food. Some fishes give birth in warm water and move to cold water to feed. The most famous migration is probably the migration of the fish, which is called \"salmon\". This fish is born in fresh water but it travels many miles to salt water. There it spends its life. When it is old, it returns to its birthplace in fresh water. Then it gives birth and dies there. In northern Europe, there is a kind of mouse. They leave their mountain homes when they become too crowded. They move down to the low land. Sometimes they move all the way to the seaside, and many of them are killed when they fall into the sea.\n Recently, scientists have studied the migration of a kind of lobster . Every year, when the season of bad weather arrives, the lobster get into a long line and start to walk across the floor of the ocean. Nobody knows why they do this, and nobody knows where they go.\n So, sometimes we know why humans and animals move from one place to another, but at other times we don't. Maybe living things just like travel.", "problems": [{"question": "Most animals move from one place to another at a certain time to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["find food more easily", "enjoy warmer weather", "give birth", "find beautiful places"]}, {"question": "The mice in northern Europe move when _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["they need fresh water", "the weather is bad", "the place gets too crowded", "they haven't enough food"]}, {"question": "This passage is mainly about _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["why animals move from one place to another", "how animals can find food easily", "new discoveries of animals traveling", "some problems with traveling"]}]} -{"article": "Jean Francis Grander was perhaps the most daring man who ever lived and perhaps the craziest. His greatest desire was to entertain and amaze people. He measured his success by the number of people who fainted dead away after witnessing his death-defying feats. \nGrander,a blond Frenchman,toured North America in 1850,billing himself as \"Blondin\". Blondin's gift was excellent balance. This talent. coupled with a great desire to surprise and shock his audiences,made Blondin an incomparable performer. \nHis most famous _ was walking acrossprefix = st1 /Niagara Fallson a tightrope. Blondin's \"stage\" consisted of a rope tied 1,100 feet across the falls. The rope hung some 160 feet above the rocks and boiling water below the falls. \nSimply walking across the falls was not exciting enough for Blondin;he later had to ride across on a bicycle. Then,in another performance,he calmly walked across blindfolded . At still another time,he carried his terrified manager on his back and walked over the falls before thousands of breathless audience. \nBut Blondin was undoubtedly his own worst critic. He was never satisfied with hfs act and always tried to attract his audience with his balancing feat. One of his most daring walks was made in the darkness of night. Blondin became so famous on his tour through North America that his last performance was attended by an admiring Prince of Wales.", "problems": [{"question": "Why does the author think that Grander may be the craziest man in the world?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Because he enjoyed entertaining people by terrifying them.", "Because many people died after seeing his feats.", "Because his greatest desire was to entertain people.", "Because he was an incomparable performer."]}, {"question": "The author's attitude towards\"Blondin\"is_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["critical", "admiring", "negative", "depressed"]}, {"question": "Which of the following can NOT be drawn from the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Blondin's success had something to do with his character.", "In order to be Successful,one should be a critic of himself.", "Blondin conquered his audience simply by his talent.", "People can get pleasure from a terrifying experience."]}]} -{"article": "Computers.Love them or hate them, it is impossible to escape from them in the modern age.They are so much a part of our everyday lives--from instant messaging to e-mails.With many people preferring to use e-mail rather than traditional regular mail, it has become very important to be aware of how we express ourselves when using e-mail.The requirement of etiquette is obviously needed.\n Grammar and spelling\n Firstly, if you are dealing with a formal e-mail, pay close attention to grammar and spelling.Don't forget to run your spell-check (program) at the end of the document, but don't treat it as the final word.Carefully re-read it yourself, as sometimes even spell and grammar checking programs come up with some strange explanations.Remember, your first e-mail to a potential employer or college could be your last -- you won't want to spoil your first impression by making basic errors.\n E-mail addresses\n Also, for official e-mails, carefully consider your existing e-mail address.A funny e-mail address (such as pinkfluffycutiepie@...com) may be fine for using with your friends, but what impression do you think this address might give to an employer or college admissions officer? Consider using one address for personal e-mails and a different one for formal use.\nUpper case \n Take care also NOT TO TYPE UNNECESSARILY IN UPPER CASE, as this is the e-mail version of shouting.\nPersonal information\n You should _ too about giving away too much personal information over the Internet.It may feel much more comfortable to \"talk\" using instant messages as there are no uncomfortable silences or awkward moments, but never forget that--unless the person you are speaking to is a friend or family member--you really know nothing about them, so be careful.Further to this, NEVER agree to meet a stranger that you have spoken to online, as it can be extremely dangerous.\nMy final message though is--have fun! The Internet is exciting, useful and informative.But, as with so many things that we believe we can't live without, it is a much better servant than a master.", "problems": [{"question": "The text is mainly about _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["how to express ourselves when using e-mail", "computers, so much a part of our everyday lives", "the Internet, a much better servant than a master", "paying close attention to grammar and spelling when dealing with a formal e-mail"]}, {"question": "If you use all capital letters, it looks like you are _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["yelling", "careful", "unprofessional", "childish"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements would the writer agree to?", "answer": "C", "options": ["As time goes by, many people prefer to use traditional regular mail again.", "It's fun to meet a stranger that you have spoken to online.", "If you want to apply for a job, you can't use a funny e-mail address when writing e-mails.", "Grammar and spelling are not important when you write e-mails."]}]} -{"article": "Businesses put lots of time and money into new plans, programs and excellent employees with the hope things will change. Yet, at the end of the effort, not much changes. What happens?\nIn most cases, those new plans, programs and employees enter a company with an existing culture . And plans, programs and new employees have a way of conforming to the existing culture. The culture of your business is the result of a particular mindset, or a particular way of thinking and the general feelings about certain things. Most often, it is the mindset of the founder or people managing the business.\nThe founder has gotten to where he is because of his skill sets, knowledge base and personal beliefs, which unfortunately all come with inherent limits. Why Skills, knowledge and beliefs come from what he or she already knows or has experienced. In other words, it comes from the past. We (people) try to make the past fit the future. Just because something worked in the past, doesn't mean it is suitable for the future. As the saying goes, if you do and think what you have always done and thought, you will have what you have always had.\nTherefore, lasting changes have to start with the way people think. To make changes in the way you think, you will be required to set goals beyond your basic abilities and continuously think them through. It is a way to train yourself and people to get out of the comfort zone where you feel happy with your knowledge and skills.", "problems": [{"question": "Which question does the author try to answer?", "answer": "C", "options": ["What past experience is useful for businesses", "How much time is needed for making plans", "How can changes be made in businesses", "What kinds of employees are the best"]}, {"question": "Where does the business culture mainly come from?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The founder", "The progress", "The new employees", "The collective effort"]}, {"question": "What does the author think about the mindset of the company leader?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It can prevent the enrichment of experience", "It is useful far skill and knowledge learning", "It is important for personal beliefs build-up", "It may limit the company's development"]}]} -{"article": "On Sept 18, they arrived before polling stations even opened, dressed in school uniforms, with book bags over their shoulders--and, for the first time in British history, ballot cards in hands.\nMore than 109,000 Scottish teenagers aged 16 to 17 took part in the Scottish independence referendum , in which Scotland eventually decided not to become independent.\nThe age group only made up a small part of the 4.29 million total voters, but they have \"demonstrated how the youngest voters can be some of the most enthusiastic in a mature democracy\", commented The Associated Press. Casting their ballots, they were \"proud and passionate\" to help their nation decide whether to break away from the UK after 307 years in union.\n\"You feel like you've got a say, because it is going to be you. You are going to decide what it is like when you're older,\" 16-year-old Erin Cheshire in Glasgow, who voted \"yes\", told The Wall Street Journal.\nAt age 16, Scottish residents are allowed to join the military, get married, and work. Eighteen is the legal drinking age, as well as the UK's voting age. But in 2013, Scottish law was changed to allow 16- and 17-year-olds in Scotland to vote in the referendum. The government pushed for the change because \"younger voters are more likely to vote with their hearts, not their heads--and _ fundamental change by voting for the pro-independence Yes Scotland campaign\", NBC News said.\nBut when the decision was handed down, some worried that high school students might not be as informed as adult voters. However, many experts said that assumption was wrong.\nProfessor Jan Eichhorn of the University of Edinburgh insisted that Scottish teenagers were as likely to read newspaper articles and campaign materials as their parents. They would simply get these resources through social media.\n\"There's no evidence to suggest that they're less capable than adults of voting, from a research point of view,\" Eichhorn told NPR.\nScotland's move to let younger teenagers vote in the referendum has led to a discussion about whether the voting age ought to be lowered to 16, both in the UK and the US.\n\"By 16, most people have about as stable an ideology as they are going to get,\" Professor Jason Brennan of Georgetown University wrote for CNN, arguing that the US should also think about allowing younger US citizens to vote.", "problems": [{"question": "The Scottish independence referendum was held on Sept. 18 _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["to encourage youngsters to be concerned with politics", "to lower the minimum voting age to 16 for the referendum", "to elect who would be the new leader of Scotland", "to decide whether Scotland would become independent from the UK"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, we can learn _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["It is possible for the USA to lower the voting age to 16 in the future.", "Scotland gained its independence from the UK eventually.", "All the people in Scotland thought highly of the government's decision to lower the voting age to 16.", "Scottish teenagers aged 16 are allowed to join the military, get married, work and drink alcohol now."]}, {"question": "What is Jan Eichhorn's opinion of the Scottish teenagers aged 16 to 17?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They are too enthusiastic to make informed decisions.", "They make no difference to the voting result.", "They are as informed and capable as adults of voting.", "They are unwilling to be involved in the decision of the country's future."]}]} -{"article": "\"S. H.E. is going to sing at the CCTV annual Spring Festival Evening Party, is that true?\" cried out Peng Weiye, a Senior 2 girl in Shanghai and die-hard S. H.E. fan.\nAfter checking it on the Internet, Peng quickly phoned friends to spread the news. For fans like her, S. H. E. 's performance is perhaps the only part of the old fashioned evening to get excited about.\nThe Taiwanese band is made up of Selina, Hebe and Ella. Their name comes from the first letter of each of the singers' English names.\nLast week S. H. E. announced they would perform in Las Vegas, US, over Christmas and then in Guangzhou on January 15.\nAt their Shanghai show on October 30, hundreds of parents waited outside the Hongkou Stadium. Inside, thousands of teenagers sang, cried and shouted as the band performed.\n\"I love their music, healthy image and everything related to them. Thank God that, although my parents don't understand why I love them so much, they still bought me a ticket for that show,\" said Peng about the Shanghai performance.\nIt is not just on the mainland that the three girls have made audiences much excited. In the past year the band has passed through Taiwan, Hong Kong and even Singapore and Malaysia.\nWhen the three high school girls entered a singing contest in Taiwan in 2000, none of them ever dreamed of being a superstar. \"We had never met before, and we didn't talk at all at the beginning,\" recalled Ella.\nWhen asked about the secret of their success, she said, \"Our average looks and not-so-expensive clothes keep us close to our fans. We are happy to be the girls next door, your singing sisters.\"\n\"It's really a magical journey, from day-dreaming high school girls to singers performing on the same stage as our idols . Nothing but magical,\" she said.", "problems": [{"question": "Why was Peng Weiye, a Senior 2 girl, so excited?", "answer": "D", "options": ["S.H.E. band will get the old fashioned evening exciting.", "S. H.E. will perform in Las Vegas over Christmas.", "Her parents bought her a ticket for S. H. E. Is Shanghai show.", "S. H.E. will perform on the CCTV Spring Festival Evening Party."]}, {"question": "How did the Taiwanese band get the name?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Their fans gave the name to them.", "Their idols had a deep influence on them.", "A singing contest gave their idea of the band name.", "The first letters of Selina, Hebe and Ella form the band name."]}, {"question": "What do you know about Peng Weiye?", "answer": "C", "options": ["She stayed outside the Hongkou Stadium to listen to S. H. E. 's performance.", "She will watch the performance in Guangzhou on January 15.", "She pays close attention to everything about S. H. E.", "She was grateful that her parents understood and supported her."]}, {"question": "Which is true about S. H. E. ?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The secret to their success is their pretty faces and lovely clothes.", "They were close friends when they entered a singing contest.", "They caused a storm of excitement in Southeast Asia.", "They have well prepared to perform with their idols."]}, {"question": "Which do you think is NOT the reason for S. H. E's popularity among their fans?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Their music and their healthy image.", "Their success meets their fans' day dream of becoming others' idols.", "They can make audience much excited", "Their average looks and not-so-expensive clothes keep them close to their fans."]}]} -{"article": "Sicily, an island of Italy, is home to beautiful beaches, outstanding food, and a bit of Italian history on every corner. It's located just southwest of the Italian mainland and it's the largest Mediterranean island.\nInvaded by many armies over the centuries, it became the site of Roman and Greek colonies. Those cultures remain to this day.\nAlthough they have a rich culture and history, Sicilian people lead a simple life. Living on land with fertile soil, most of them work in agriculture, fishing and mining, and of course tourism.\nIn Sicily, most stores and businesses are closed from one to four in the afternoon. Street become crowded around five as people start to go out and engage in a variety of activities. They may take a walk to the shops, enjoy a pastry or just meet up with friends.\nFood is one of the great pleasures of Sicilian people. There is an old Sicilian saying:\"With a contented stomach, your heart is forgiving. With an empty stomach you forgive nothing.\" People will go miles out their way to eat fresh seafood. Pasta is the main food Each region has its seasonal pasta dishes, and every family cook their own specialty. Bread is common too. As another Sicilian saying goes, \"A table without bread is like a day without sunshine.\" In Sicily, bread is always freshly baked or bought, and usually twice a day.", "problems": [{"question": "Invaders from Rome and Greece came to Sicily _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["by bike", "by ship", "on foot", "by train"]}, {"question": "According the author, Pasta changes with _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["weather", "age", "social position", "season"]}, {"question": "The best title of this passage might be _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["Sicily--an Island of Italy", "Sicily--the Site of Roman and Greek Colonies", "Italy's most Beautiful Island", "SiTALY'S Tasty Island Culture"]}]} -{"article": "Another man-made wonder of the US was built long before the nation was established. About 900 years ago, the Ancestral Puebloan people built villages high in the walls of canyons in Colorado, where 600 cliff dwellings are now part of the Mesa Verde National Park.\nVisitors can stand at the top and look into the dwellings almost hidden in openings of the rock walls.The Puebloan people cut small steps into the rock, which connected buildings containing hundreds of rooms.\nThe rock walls have protected the buildings from severe weather in the area; therefore, they remain mostly unchanged in the hundreds of years since they were built.\nOur final man-made wonder is in the northwestern city of Seattle, Washington. The Space Needle was built as the central structure for the 1962 World's Fair.\nThe 184-meter-tall structure was designed by Edward Carlson, which has a wide base on the ground, with its middle narrow and a large ring-like structure on top.The structure was meant to look like a \"flying saucer,\" a vehicle that was popular in science fiction space travel stories. The saucer includes an observation area and eating place.The restaurant slowly turns to provide visitors with a 360 degree view of Seattle.\nThe Space Needle was not very costly, and was designed and completed in about a year and opened on the first day of the World's Fair.\nToday, the Space Needle is the most popular place for visitors to Seattle. And it remains the internationally known symbol of the city.", "problems": [{"question": "What can be talked about before the text?", "answer": "C", "options": ["American geography.", "Touring in the USA.", "Other US artificial wonders.", "World natural wonders."]}, {"question": "The buildings in the rock stay almost unchanged because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the weather there is severe", "they were well built", "people look after them well", "the rock walls protect them"]}, {"question": "Which is true of the Space Needle?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It remains a symbol of the US.", "Edward Carlson built the structure.", "It has a ring-like structure on top.", "It is a man-made wonder in Colorado."]}, {"question": "What is the best title of the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Cultural Relics", "Artificial Wonders in the US", "Symbols of Cities", "Natural Places in the US"]}]} -{"article": "On a number of drives throughout my childhood, my mother would suddenly pull over the car to examine a flower by the side of the road or rescue a beetle from tragedy while I, in my late teens and early twenties, sat impatiently in the car.\nThough Mother's Day follows Earth Day, for me, they have always been related to each other. My mom has been \"green\" since she became concerned about the environment. Part of this habit was born of thrift . Like her mother and her grandmother before her, mom saves glass jars, empty cheese containers and reuses her plastic bags.\nMom creates a kind of harmonious relationship with wildlife in her yard. She knows to pick the apples on her trees a little early to avoid the bears and that if she leaves the bird feeders out at night, it is likely that they will be knocked down by a family of raccoons . Spiders that make their way into the house and are caught in juice glasses will be set loose in the garden.\nI try to teach my children that looking out for the environment starts with being aware of the environment. On busy streets, we look for dandelions to fly in the wind; we say hello to neighborhood cats and pick up plastic cups and paper bags. This teaching comes easily, I realize, because I was taught so well by example. Mom didn't need to lecture; she didn't need to beat a drum to change the world. She simply slowed down enough to enjoy living in it and with that joy came mercy and an instinct for protection.\nI am slowing down and it isn't because of the weight of my nearly forty years on the planet, it is out of my concern for the planet itself. I've begun to save glass jars and reuse packing envelopes. I pause in my daily tasks to watch the squirrels race each other in the trees above my house.\nLast summer, in the company of my son and daughter, I planted tomatoes in my yard. With the heat of August around me, I ate the first while sitting on my low wall with dirt on my hands. Warm from the sun, it burst on my tongue with sweetness. I immediately wanted to share with my mom.", "problems": [{"question": "Why does the author say Earth Day is connected with Mother's Day?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because Mother's Day falls shortly after Earth Day.", "To show that all the older women in her family are environmentalists.", "To show how much her mother cares about the environment.", "Because her mother shows her how to be friendly to nature on Mother's Day."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT related to Mom's \"green life\"?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Rescuing a beetle from a certain tragedy.", "Saving glass jars, empty cheese containers.", "Setting a caught spider free in the garden", "Picking dandelions on busy streets."]}, {"question": "We can infer from the article that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the author realizes that she should teach her children by example as well", "the author's mother knows how to get rid of the wildlife in her yard", "the author believes that only by learning to slow down can we enjoy life", "the author's mother used to lecture her to protect the environment."]}, {"question": "The writer's attitude towards her mom's behavior changed in the order of _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["understanding -- negative-- supporting", "supporting -- doubtful -- negative", "negative -- understanding -- supporting", "doubtful-- negative-- supporting"]}]} -{"article": "Summer is the most popular season to visit Texas since there is so much to see and to do. While visiting _ this summer, don't miss visiting some of these attractions and taking part in some of Texas' best summer vacation activities.\nVisit SeaWorld\nThere are sea life shows, adventure camps, thrilling rides and a water park. A great many activities are waiting for you at SeaWorld. \nWindsurf at South Padre\nWith miles of shallow , calm water in the Lower Laguna Madre and strong winds coming off the Gulf of Mexico, South Padre Island is a windsurfer's dream. \nSwim at Barton Springs\nBarton Springs is in the famous Zilker Park. It was formed when Barton Creek was built. Since its opening, Barton Springs has become one of the most popular swimming pools in the state. \nTake part in an outdoor adventure\nIn the scenic Texas Hill Country, Lake Buchanan Adventures offers different kinds of activities, including boating, hiking, camping and more.\nCamp and hike in Big Bend Park\nBig Bend offers a great number of outdoor activities in an old way. Backpacking, mountain biking, fishing, boating, hiking, nature watching and camping--you name it. If it can be done outdoors, it can be done in Big Bend.\nEnjoy saltwater fishing\nSaltwater fishing in Texas is as good as anywhere else in the USA. More and more fishermen have been discovering this in recent years and packing their bags and rods to make good use of Texas' world-class saltwater fishery.", "problems": [{"question": "When you visit SeaWorld, you can enjoy the following EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["sea life shows", "adventure camps", "climbing", "exciting rides"]}, {"question": "Where can you go if you want your windsurfer's dream to come true?", "answer": "B", "options": ["San Antonio.", "South Padre.", "Barton Springs.", "Texas Hill Country."]}, {"question": "From the text you know that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["Barton Springs is the most popular in the USA", "Lake Buchanan Adventures offers indoor activities", "fishermen may get the best salt fish when fishing in Texas", "Big Bend provides outdoor activities in an ancient way"]}, {"question": "How many of the places provide fishing service?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Two.", "Three.", "Four.", "Five."]}]} -{"article": "If you come across the news of the death of Mr. Bean (actor Rowan Atkinson) on your Facebook account and you are curious to know more by opening a link, then think twice. Because the news is fake, a message about his suicide.\nThe fake news created tense moments for the fans of Atkinson who were curious to know why the actor took the step. Apparently, rumours said that the 58-year-old actor took his life after a producer dropped him from Johnny English 3. Later, it was found that both the news were fake. Such rumours have their origins in social platforms, where it is not easy to track who made them.\nTrishneet Arora, ethical hacker from the city, said: \"Culprits are aware that Facebook does not store data on its servers, so the chances of getting tracked are less with such platforms. Many rumours have been spread using such platforms. Since one cannot stop the culprits, users should always cross-check the news with news websites, and only then believe these. On platforms like Facebook, one should resist clicking on any links, because it can pass on your login and password details to the hackers. Besides, one should forward news links only after checking out from reputed news websites.\"\nSo, if you click on his so-called \"suicide video\", you could unwittingly install malware in your system through which the hacker can access your personal details like logins and passwords.\nAnkit Aggarwal, a resident of Tagore Nagar, said: \"I have also been a great fan of actor Rowan Atkinson, so the news of his death was quite shocking for me. The moment I read it, I shared the same on my wall. Later, through a friend, who had done her research well on the news, I got to know the news was false. So, I immediately removed the post from my wall and also asked my friends on Facebook not to forward the same news.\"\nMany stars in the past, including Jackie Chan, Will Smith, Angelina Jolie, and Miley Cyrus, have become victims to such death hoaxes . No police official was available for any comment.", "problems": [{"question": "The news that Mr. Bean committed suicide _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["was to play a joke on Rowan Atkinson", "disclosed the dark side of movies", "made the fans of Atkinson worried", "intended to destroy computer system"]}, {"question": "According to the rumours we can know _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Mr. Bean wasn't satisfied with Johnny English 3", "the producer decided not to use Mr. Bean in a film", "Mr. Bean failed to act well on the social platforms", "the audiences liked making fun of the famous comedian"]}, {"question": "When you open a link of fake news _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["you will feel disappointed at the news", "you will be deeply hurt by the hackers", "your computer system will be changed in no time", "your personal information will be given away"]}, {"question": "Ankit Aggarwal immediately removed the post _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["because he thought the news aimed to trick readers", "as soon as he read the news on his Facebook account", "after he had done a lot of research about the news", "when he was told that the news was false"]}]} -{"article": "St. Paul's Cathedral\nLudgate Hill, EC4\nUnderground: St. Paul's; Bus: 6, 8, 11, 15, 22, 25\nOpen: Daily 8:00-19:00 (17:00 from Oct. to Mar.)\nEntrance free\nDesigned by the great architect, Sir Christopher Wren, St. Paul's Cathedral was built following the Great Fire of London of 1666, which destroyed the gothic cathedral on the site at that time. It is an inescapable attraction for all travellers to this great city and the most recognisable gothic cathedral in England. Its choir is internationally famous. Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer were married here in 1981.\nBuckingham Palace\nSouth end of the Mall (SW1)\nUnderground: St. James's Park, Victoria, Hyde Park Corner, Green Park; Bus: 2, 11, 14, 16, 19, 22, 24, 29, 30, 38, 52, 73, 74, 137\nBuckingham Palace is Queen Elisabeth II's official residence , and has been the official residence of Britain's monarch since 1837. The State Rooms at Buckingham Palace have been opening to the public for the Annual Summer Opening, in August and September, since 1993. The Queen is not at Buckingham Palace when it is open to the public; she goes to one of her country residences. The State Rooms are extremely grand. You can see many of the treasures of the Royal Collection: paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens and Canaletto; and beautiful examples of English and French furniture.\nThe Tower of London\nTower Hill, EC3\nUnderground: Tower Hill; Bus: 42, 78\nOpen: Mon.-- Sat.9:00-18:00; Sun.8:00-19:00\nParts of the Tower of London are over nine centuries old, as building began under William the Conqueror in 1078. Famous as a prison in the distant past, the Tower has also been a royal residence, a zoo and an observatory . It is now a museum and many thousands of people visit it every year in particular to see the Crown Jewels. Only by going inside can you experience nearly a thousand years of history and hear the myths and legends that make it \"a day out to die for\".\nWestminster Abbey\nBroad Sanctuary, SW1\nUnderground: Westminster, St James's Park; Bus: 3, 11, 12, 24, 29, 39, 53, 59, 76, 77, 88, 109, 155, 168, 170, 172, 184, 503\nOpen: Daily 8:00-18:00 (Mar. -- Dec., Tuesday till 20:00)\nEntrance free\nLocated next to the Houses of Parliament in the heart of London, Westminster Abbey is a gothic church and place of worship. The building of the present Abbey was started by King Henry III in 1245. The oldest parts of the building date back to 1050. Westminster Abbey has hosted many royal weddings including the wedding of The Queen and Prince Philip in 1947 and the wedding of Prince William and Kate in 2011. It is a traditional place of coronation and burial for English monarchs--38 monarchs have been crowned at the Abbey. There are many tombs there, including those of Queen Elizabeth I, \"Bloody\" Queen Mary, naturalist Charles Darwin, many poets and writers.", "problems": [{"question": "You can see the inside of all the buildings all the year around except _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["St. Paul's Cathedral", "the Tower of London", "Westminster Abbey", "Buckingham Palace"]}, {"question": "The two places you can visit by getting off at the same underground station are _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey", "Buckingham Palace and St. Paul's Cathedral", "Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London", "the Tower of London and St. Paul's Cathedral"]}, {"question": "Where is the text most probably taken from?", "answer": "B", "options": ["A history book about London.", "A guidebook for visitors to London.", "A book about London's development.", "A book about London's churches."]}]} -{"article": "The very first capsule hotel to be opened in Shanghai has attracted many budget travelers with its prices, even though it is not fully operational yet.\nThe hotel consists of 68 \"capsules\", each 1.1-meters high, 1.1-meters wide and 2.2-meters long. The basic rate is 28 Yuan ($4.22) per person, plus an additional 4 Yuan an hour. The hotel also offers a package of 68 Yuan for 10 hours and 88 Yuan for 24 hours.\nAll of the capsules are imported from Japan where capsule hotels originated,and each is equipped with independent sockets, clocks, lights, TV and wireless Internet service. The hotel also has a public lavatory ,shower room, smoking room and shared guest room.\n\"This is a huge bargain compared with other budget hotels in Shanghai,\" said Ta Zan, the owner of the hotel. Ta used to stay at capsule hotels in Tokyo during his undergraduate years and worked at a capsule hotel while he was doing his MBA in Japan in 2005, so he knows how they work and how to make guests feel comfortable.\nHe based the hotel on capsule hotels in Japan but he has made some special changes based on Chinese guests' habits. \"In Japan capsule hotels are usually equipped with bathtubs, but in China people are more willing to take a shower, so we have the shower room,\" he said. He has also separated the capsules into three snoring zones so that guests who often snore won't disturb others. Like most of capsule hotels in Japan, the one in Shanghai is for men only.\nBut the idea of staying in such a _ space is not appealing to everyone. \"I feel the idea is like putting a person in a coffin , and the price is also not that appealing. A bed at a youth hostel in Shanghai costs about 60 Yuan per night,\" said Wang Lei, a student from Beijing.", "problems": [{"question": "The first capsule hotels in the world appeared in _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Shanghai", "Japan", "Beijing", "America"]}, {"question": "If you stay in the capsule hotel in Shanghai for 8 hours, you will have to pay _ yuan.", "answer": "B", "options": ["28", "60", "68", "88"]}, {"question": "The capsule hotel in Shanghai differs from those in Japan in that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["it serves men as well as women", "its capsule is much larger", "it has a shower room", "it has no snoring zones"]}, {"question": "We can know from the passage that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["everybody considers the capsule hotel a nice place to stay", "all the capsules of the hotel were made in China", "each capsule of the hotel has a private lavatory", "no guest has ever stayed in the capsule hotel in Shanghai"]}]} -{"article": "BEIJING, Nov. 26 - U. S. dollar hit another record low against the euro on Friday, with the European currency climbing above $1.32 for the first time. The _ fell to its lowest in nearly five years against the yen the same day.\nBy 1943 EST, the dollar was trading at US$1.3265 per euro, compared with US$1.3270 in thin late New York trade. It was at 102.55 yen, little changed from New York after touching 102.37, a level not seen since March 2000, in London.\nJapanese Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki repeated his warning against dollar weakness, threatening to take action against sudden moves, but market participants said such verbal intervention had long lost its clout.\nTraders were expecting market liquidity to remain thin on Friday because of the extended U. S. holiday.\nIn such thin trading, many said a fall in the dollar past 102 yenand US$1.33 per euro was a real possibility.\nReferring to recent currency movements as \" _ \", European Central Bank chief Jean-Claude Trichet, who is the most vocal European policymaker on dollar weakness, is due to make comments in Rio de Janeiro, along with ECB council member and Spanish central bank governor Jaime Caruana.\nIntroduced in 1999 as the common currency for 12 European countries, the euro initially dropped against the dollar but has risen some 60 percent since hitting an all-time low of 82 U. S. cents in October 2000.", "problems": [{"question": "How did Sadakazu Tanigaki feel about dollar weakness?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Excited", "Puzzled", "worried", "Disappointed."]}, {"question": "According to some people, it was possible for the dollar to trade _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["at 1.3265 per euro", "at 1.32 per euro", "at 1.3270 per euro", "at 1.331 per euro"]}]} -{"article": "Poverty is not first thing that comes to mind when you think of Japan. After all, there are no children begging on the streets in major cities here. You do not often see Japanese citizens publicly letting out their complaints over the country's economic decline. But senior government researcher Aya Abe says Japan has the fourth highest rate of child poverty among developed countries.\nShe says she sees that poverty in schools where students admit to only bathing once a week. Some cannot afford to buy pencils for class.\n\"They may not be on the streets begging or they may not be turning into criminals, but it's there. It's just that we have to open our eyes and see,\" Abe said.\nAbe owes the increase in child poverty to the country's changing demographics , struggling economy and high social security premiums . She says fewer people live in three-generation households, where the parents and grandparents work. The number of single mothers has increased. The salary for young fathers has declined with the economic downturn. Social security premiums have increased in the last 20 years, putting families on the edge of poverty.\nAbe says studies conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD ) point to rising poverty in Japan before the global economic crises in 2008. But the Japanese government and the public refused to acknowledge it until then partly because of the shame associated with poverty.\n\"It was very unpopular for Japanese media to say anything about Japanese poverty,\" said Abe. \"Even though OECD Japan announced it in Japanese, Japanese media didn't make it into the articles.\"\nAbe says new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has taken one important step to help alleviate the problem. Next year, his Democratic Party of Japan plans to double monthly child care allowances given to families.\nBut Abe wants the government to expand its financial help even more. She wants it to simplify the process to apply for public assistance and provide educational grants for students struggling to pay for tuition at high schools and colleges. The country now only offers loans.\nAbe also says the government must act quickly because she says the problem will only get worse in the next few years.", "problems": [{"question": "The passage is intended to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["report the result of the studies conducted by OECD", "tell us about the increase in Japanese child poverty", "prove that Japan is no longer a developed country", "introduce Aya Abe, a senior government researcher"]}, {"question": "It seems to be hard to associate Japan with poverty because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["no children are seen begging in the streets of main cities in Japan", "its citizens never complain about the country's economic decline", "it is one of the few wealthiest countries in the world", "its government and public refused to acknowledge it"]}, {"question": "According to Abe, several things contribute to the rising child poverty except _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["high social security premiums", "the increase of the number of single mothers", "the decrease of the salary for young fathers", "the expansion of three-generation households"]}, {"question": "Why was it unpopular for Japanese media to say anything about Japanese poverty?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The Japanese public didn't think it true.", "It was forbidden by the Japanese government.", "The Japanese public regarded it shameful to be poor.", "OECD Japan had already announced it in Japanese."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT the author's suggestion for alleviating this problem?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Doubling monthly child care allowances given to families.", "Expanding government's financial help even more.", "Providing educational grants for poor students.", "Simplifying the process to apply for public assistance."]}]} -{"article": "People are always looking for lost cities and occasionally one is found: Borobudur in Indonesia, for example. But perhaps some of the places people look for never existed-- or did they? Here are just a few famous mythical cities.\nEl Dorado.\nEl Dorado is a story that began in 1537, when Spanish explorers found the Muisca people in the mountains of what is now Colombia. They heard the story of a man who covered himself with gold and dived into a lake. Then people began to talk of El Dorado -'the golden man'Soon people started to think of El Dorado as a place, too a city of gold and amazing riches. Nowadays, the name 'El Dorado' is still used to mean'a place where you can get rich quickly.'\nAtlantis\nThere was once an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. It was the mythical island of Atlantis. The people of the island were very rich, thanks to the natural resources on their island. For hundreds of years, they lived simple lives. But slowly they began to change. They started to want power. So the gods decided to destroy Atlantis. Suddenly, the island and its people were swallowed by the sea and were never seen again.\nShambhala\nIn Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Shambhala is a mystical country that is hidden somewhere behind the Himalayas. Shambhala is a word from an old language that means'place of peace'or'place of happiness'. It is said that there is no war in Shambhala, and in the future , when the world is full of war, a huge army will come out of Shambhala, destroy the world's bad rulers, and start a new Golden Age. Some people say this will happen in 2424.", "problems": [{"question": "Nowadays,'El Dorado'means' _ '", "answer": "C", "options": ["Colombia.", "the golden man.", "a place of great wealth.", "the city with mountains."]}, {"question": "Atlantis was destroyed by _", "answer": "A", "options": ["the gods.", "its people.", "its powerful enemies.", "its neighboring country."]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Rich lands .", "Mythical cities", "Famous tourist attractions.", "Newly-found ancient countries."]}]} -{"article": "In one way of thinking, failure is a part of life. In another way, failure may be a way towards success. The \"spider story\" is often told. Robert Bruce, leader of the Scots in the 13th century, was hiding in a cave from the English. He watched a spider spinning a web . The spider tried to reach across a rough place in the rock. He tried six times without success. On the seventh time he _ and went on to spin his web. Bruce is said to have taken heart and to have gone on to defeat the English... Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, made hundreds of models that failed before he found the right way to make one.\nSo what? First, always think about your failure. What caused it? Were conditions right? Were you in top from yourself? What can you change so things will go right next time?\nSecond, is the goal you're trying to reach the right one? Try to do some thinking about what your real goals may be. Think about his question, \"If I do succeed in this, where will it get me?\" This may help you prevent failure in things you shouldn't be doing anyway.\nThe third thing to bear in mind about failure is that it's a part of life. Learn to \"live with yourself\" even though you may have failed. Remember, \"You can't win them all.\"", "problems": [{"question": "The lesson the spider taught Robert Bruce seems _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["productive", "straight forward", "sorrowful", "deep"]}, {"question": "The author tells you to do all things except _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["to think about the cause of your failure", "to check out whether your goals are right for you", "to consider failure as a part or life", "to bear in mind that you will never fail in your life"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT true?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Bruce and Edison were successful examples.", "Failure may be regarded as a way toward success.", "Edison learned a lot from the lesson the spider taught Robert Bruce.", "One may often raise a question whether his goals are worth attempting."]}]} -{"article": "Toddler Teacher Wanted\nWarwick Child Care Center, Inc. Malvern, PA 6/23/2014\nToddler Teacher--Education--Early Childhood Education\nJob Description\nWarwick Child Care Center, Inc. is a private child care center corporation in 1986 with nine child care centers located in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Warwick Child Care Centers offer early childhood education along with before and after school care in a warm, secure environment that offers a loving and nurturing environment. We are currently interviewing for an early childhood educator to join our dedicated staff as a Toddler Teacher in the Malvern area. \nJob Responsibilities\nAs a Toddler Teacher, you will be responsible for instructing toddler aged children in activities designed to promote social, physical and intellectual growth.\nAdditional responsibilities of the Toddler Teacher include:\n* Establishing and enforcing rules to promote positive behavior\n* Creating developmentally appropriate weekly lesson plans, writing monthly incident records and assessments\n* Organizing and leading activities designed to promote physical, mental and social development \n* Observing and evaluating children's performance, behavior, social development and physical health\n* Attending to children's basic needs including supervising meal times, playground times and free play\n* Providing a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, control and use both in learning activities and in imaginative play\n* Interact with children in a manner that clearly conveys love and acceptance\nJob Requirements\nTo qualify for the Toddler Teacher, you must be energetic, with a positive attitude and creative personality with excellent classroom management skills.\nAdditional requirements of the Toddler Teacher include:\n Bachelor's or Associates degree in Early Childhood Education or a CDA\n Strong organizational and problem solving skills\n Solid attention to detail\n Patient and flexible\n Basic computer proficiency\nBenefits package\n* Health insurance\n* 401(k) Plan\n* Flexible spending account\n* Paid holidays, personal, vacation and sick days \n* Life insurance policy", "problems": [{"question": "What is the purpose of this article?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To tell us the importance of early education.", "To attract parents to send their children there.", "To employ teachers to work for the child care center.", "To make an introduction of Warwick Child Care Center, Inc."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT the responsibility of a toddler teacher in the child care center?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Making sure to watch over the children when they are eating or playing.", "Creating lessons to develop the children's ability to compete.", "Helping the children develop their abilities to imagine.", "Interacting with children in their learning activities."]}, {"question": "What can we infer from the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Children should be taught to tell right from wrong.", "A teacher in the care center has a lot of time to travel.", "The teacher wanted should have good education in early ages.", "Love and acceptance are very important in children's education."]}, {"question": "What characters can meet the requirements of a toddler teacher?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Courageous and careful.", "Patient and creative.", "Strong and energetic.", "Generous and determined."]}, {"question": "What can be most appealing to someone applying for a job?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Paid vacations.", "Job requirements.", "Academic degrees.", "Clear responsibilities."]}]} -{"article": "Summer vacation is just around the corner! It's time to throw your pencils in the air, your book bags onto the floor and give yourself a break after a year of hard work. How about a movie or two? Teens have picked some hot films that will come out this summer. So get yourself some popcorn, sit back and enjoy!\n Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D, July 11\n Trevor is a science professor with radical theories and many crazy ideas. While backpacking across Iceland with his nephew Sean, the two explorers find a cave that leads them deep down into the bowels of the planet. There, they discover a fantastic and dangerous lost world. They even meet dinosaurs and many animals that have disappeared from the earth.\n However, the burst of a volcano causes the temperature to rise. They have to make a bravery escape before the heat and other dangers can beat them.\n Space Chimps, July 18\n Ham III is not an ordinary chimp . He is the grandson of the first chimpanzee in space. When a NASA probe disappears into a galaxy , Ham III is recruited to help bring back the craft. But Ham is a free-spirited performer who is more interested in having fun than stepping into grandpa's shoes. But the lazy chimp does become a hero at last. He learns the true meaning of courage as he and his workmates go to a lot of trouble to save the peaceful people of a distant planet from an evil king.\n The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, August 8\n Based on Ann Brashares' best-selling series of novels, four girls------Tibby, Carmen, Bridget and Lena------continue their journey into adulthood that began with The Sisterhod of the Traveling Pants three years ago. Now, these lifelong friends embark on separate paths for their first year of college and the summer beyond. But they remain in touch by sharing their experiences with each other with honesty and humor. They discover their individual strengths, fears, talents and capacity for love. Through the choices they make, they come to value more than the bond they share and the power of their friendship.", "problems": [{"question": "Where does this passage most probably appear?", "answer": "A", "options": ["A newspaper.", "A magazine.", "A textbook.", "A story book."]}, {"question": "Which of the following isn't advised to do in the summer vacation?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Throwing away the pencils.", "Don't use school bags.", "Hard work.", "Seeing a film or two."]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is true?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Journey to the Centre of the Earth 3D will be on show on July 17.", "The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants is on show on August 18.", "All these films have something to do with science.", "It introduces only one hot film in August."]}, {"question": "What is the best title of this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Hot Summer Movies", "Summer Vacation", "Space Chimps", "Sit Back and Enjoy"]}]} -{"article": "(China Daily,,)\nA winner of the 2011 L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards, Professor Vivian Wing-wah Yam says she could not have done it without the backing of her family. \nThe road to scientific discovery is tougher for women than for men and Professor Vivian Wing-wah Yam says she couldn't have succeeded without such a supportive family. The 47-year-old from Hong Kong University was one of five women scientists, from each continent, to receive the 2011 L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards at a ceremony on March 3, at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. It is the 13th edition of the award since 1998.\nYam's long and fruitful research on solving the energy problem won her the prize for Asia and the Pacific. There are several renewable and sustainable energy solutions, like solar power, which could provide an unlimited source of energy. Some problems must be resolved, however, such as the low efficiency of solar cells and their high supply costs. Yam and her colleagues hope to overcome these problems by developing and testing new photoactive materials.\nShe became the third Chinese women scientist honored with the so-called \"woman's Nobel Prize\" award, after Professor Li Fanghua from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2003, and Professor Ye Ruyu from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 2004.\n\"People think chemists are bad guys, but we are the good guys,\" Yam said in a humorous aside before explaining her research project on photoactive materials in an earlier speech at L'Institut de France. For Yam, chemistry is science, but also an art. Amazed by the universe, nature and color1 in her childhood, Yam decided on a career in chemistry. \"One of the beauties of chemistry is the ability to create new molecules and chemical species. I have always associated chemists with artists, creating new things with innovative ideas,\" Yam said.\nAs a mother of two daughters, 12 and 14, Yam said she is lucky to have been supported by her family. She was inspired as a child by her father, a professor in the Civil Engineering Faculty at Hong Kong University. Yam added her husband, Mak Shingtat, a PhD in chemistry, who accompanied Yam to the awards ceremony, was also fully supportive of her work. \"I can't imagine how my career could move on without his understanding and support,\" she said. \"I often stay late at night in the laboratory. He always waits for me outside.\"\nYam received her bachelor and PhD degrees from the University of Hong Kong (HKU). She taught at City Polytechnic of Hong Kong before joining HKU as a faculty member, and headed the chemistry department for two terms from 2000 to 2005. At 38, she was the youngest member elected to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. She is also a Fellow of TWAS, the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World, and was awarded the State Natural Science Award and the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Centenary Medal. 2011 is the 100th anniversary of Marie Curie's second Nobel Prize, coinciding with the International Year of Chemistry. Today, Curie is still a role model for women in science.\nAlthough the participation of women in science, is promoted by UNESCO, notably through L'Oreal-UNESCO, there are still too few women doing high-level science, says UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. The latest UNESCO report shows less than 40 percent of countries provide girls and boys equal access to education.\nEach year, the L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award _ 15 young women from all over the world, especially developing countries, to encourage and finance their studies. More than 200 young women scientists are currently supported. \"I do not think there is a difference between men and women in terms of their intellectual abilities and research capabilities ,\" Yam said. \"As long as one has the passion, dedication and determination to pursue research wholeheartedly, one can excel regardless of one's gender or background.\"\nYam said some young women, who require stability and security, often have to give up their research because of family pressures. \"The only way for women to succeed in science is to get the mental and material support from family and society. There is a day-care center at my university, and my husband and mother-in-law help a lot with the housework, so I am able to spend my time on research,\" she said. \"I have two young daughters, and it is too early to tell whether or not they want to pursue careers in science. But, I will encourage them to always defend their ideas. To remain determined, and to never be afraid of failure - this is the advice that they will need to succeed in realizing their dreams.\" \nYam also acknowledged her colleague's support, at the awards ceremony. \"This (award) not only recognizes me, but my colleagues and students and my country, China.\"", "problems": [{"question": "L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards is_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["an award for the developing world", "equal to Women's Nobel Prize", "held for more than 14 times", "only to in honour of Marie Curie"]}, {"question": "Why did Yam become a chemist? _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["When she was young, she thought chemists were good.", "She was amazed by the universe, nature and color1 in her childhood.", "She wanted to find the beauties of chemistry.", "She was encouraged by her supportive family."]}, {"question": "What's Yam's view on men and women? _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["Their intellectual abilities and research capabilities are the same.", "Their passion, dedication and determination are the same.", "Women require stability and security.", "Women can't get the mental and material support from family and society."]}, {"question": "Yam wins the award of UNESCO For Women in Sciencefor _ . www.jsgaokao.net", "answer": "D", "options": ["her fruitful research on solving the environmental problem", "doing research and test on new photoactive materials", "inventing an unlimited resource", "finding solutionsonrenewable and sustainable energy"]}, {"question": "The word \"recognize\" in the passage means _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["admit or be aware of", "be willing to accept sb/sth as valid or approve", "show appreciation by giving an honor or award", "know sb/sth again"]}, {"question": "For Yam, her winning the award mainly thanks to _ . www.jsgaokao.net", "answer": "D", "options": ["her hard work", "the co-work from her students.", "the help from her colleagues", "the support from her family"]}]} -{"article": "One day Bill went to eat at a restaurant in London.Suddenly a young woman sat down beside him.Bill could not think what she wanted.She did not look very happy.Bill asked her what was wrong.\"The problem is,\" she began.But then she stopped.She didn't find it easy to tell Bill about it, it seemed.\n\"My husband and I wanted to meet here for lunch at 12,\" she said at last, \"but he hasn't come.\"\n\"Well, don't you know where he is? Can you ring him up?\"\n\"No, I can't.\" said the woman, \"And I have had lunch now and I can't pay the bill.Because I haven't got any money with me.\"\n\"Never mind, I'll pay the bill for you.You can pay me back later.\" Bill said.\"If you give me your address, I'll send you the money as soon as I get home.\" With these words she left the restaurant.\nA few weeks later, when Bill was having lunch at another restaurant, he suddenly heard a familiar voice, \"Excuse me.May I just sit here for a moment?\" Bill turned round.It was the same young woman again.This time she was talking to a man with gray hair at a table not far from the gate.Bill smiled at the woman and got up from his chair and walked across the room.", "problems": [{"question": "One day Bill came to eat at a restaurant _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["to meet a young woman", "to help a woman", "to have lunch", "to have the last meal of the day"]}, {"question": "The woman said she would _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["return Bill's money as early as possible", "go to Bill's home to return the money", "give Bill's money back the next day", "return Bill's money at the restaurant"]}, {"question": "Bill walked across the room _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["to pay the woman's bill", "to say hello to the man with gray hair", "to meet the woman", "to go away from the woman"]}]} -{"article": "When I first told people I was going to work in Cameroon, the most common reaction was: \"Why?\" The second was: \"It's in Africa; you'll die!\" The third: \"Where is that?\"\nSo let me give some answers. I was offered a job that looked interesting in a part of the world I'd never been to before. I'd also long had an interest in Africa, so I decided it was time to find out the reality.\nA small amount of research showed that in more than 40 years since gaining independence, Cameroon has been a peaceful country with no wars. Not only are there no wars, but Cameroon is a food exporter to the region.\nNow, after three years, I can say that these have been the healthiest years of my life! No malaria or any of the other frightening diseases you read about when Africa is mentioned. The worst thing that ever happened to me was a bout of food poisoning -- once.\nSo what is it like to teach here? Well surprisingly not so different from teaching anywhere else.\nMost students come to us with a bit of English in their heads. Cameroon is a bilingual country with French and English as official languages, while there are also close to 200 local ethnic languages in a country of 16 million people. French is the _ language, spoken by about 80% of the population.\nThe local school system is very traditional and somewhat strict. Perhaps not surprisingly when there can be up to 150 students in the classroom (of which maybe 30 have the books, and there are probably seats for 70).\nLike anywhere else, students appreciate it if you know a bit about their country, and not just Roger Milla (the top scorer of the 1990 World Cup, in case you're wondering). It helps if you know the names of the ten provinces, know who the first president was, or can say a word in a local language.\nSo in conclusion: Cameroon isn't just football. Not is it war, poverty and disease. It's just life and people, like anywhere else.", "problems": [{"question": "On hearing the writer's decision, most people _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["didn't understand him", "considered it as a joke", "admired him", "laughed at him"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, Cameroon is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["a country full of diseases", "peaceful after liberation", "a poor country, especially lack of food", "quite different from others in education"]}, {"question": "What can we infer from the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Food export may lead to many frightening diseases.", "Most students in Cameroon do not need books", "Cameroon is not as bad as people commonly believed", "There must be a lot of people suffering from food poisoning."]}]} -{"article": "Tobacco is the second major cause of death in the world. It is responsible for the death of one in ten adults worldwide (about 5 million deaths each year). If current smoking patterns continue, it will cause some 10 million deaths each year by 2020. Half the people that smoke today, which is about 650 million people, will eventually be killed by tobacco.\nTobacco is the fourth most common risk factor for disease worldwide. The economic costs of tobacco use are equally devastating . In addition to the high public health costs of treating tobacco-caused diseases, tobacco kills people at the height of their productivity, depriving families of breadwinners and nations of a healthy workforce. Tobacco users are also less productive while they are alive due to increased sickness. A 1994 report estimated that the use of tobacco resulted in an annual global net loss of 200 thousand million US dollars, a third of this loss being in developing countries.\nTobacco and poverty are closely linked. Many studies have shown that in the poorest households in some low-income countries as much as 10% of total household expenditure is on tobacco. This means that these families have less money to spend on basic items such as food, education and health care. It contributes to a higher _ rate, since money that could have been used for education is spent on tobacco instead.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, tobacco affects a family in the following aspects EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["relationship", "education", "health", "economy"]}, {"question": "The text uses a lot of figures to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["show we shouldn't smoke too much", "tell people exactly the number", "warn people of the harm of smoking", "indicate the writer had a careful investigation"]}, {"question": "What is the best title of the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Tobacco Should Be Banned.", "Why Is Tobacco a Major Threat to Public Health.", "Tobacco and Poverty Go Hand in Hand.", "Tobacco May Cause Death."]}]} -{"article": "People around the world have their own ways of celebrating weddings. Now let's compare Eastern and Western weddings.\nChinese and Indian brides normally wear red dresses and most of the wedding decorations are of the same color. This is because the color red is said to bring good fortune. In many Eastern weddings, especially Chinese weddings, the bride will change into a different dress after the ceremony. White dresses only arrived in modern times because of the influence of Western wedding dress designs.\nWestern wedding dresses are different. Brides usually wear a wedding dress that is white in color and wear it throughout the whole wedding. Wearing white wedding dresses is said to have started in the 1840s, beginning with Queen Victoria, Queen of Great Britain. There are occasions when brides dress into more comfortable clothing so that they will be able to move more freely during the wedding reception.\nTraditional practices are strictly followed for most Western weddings. The couple follow up with any plans they have agreed and decided on to make their special wedding day unique and memorable. Wedding receptions and other celebrations differ among the East and the West, but the concept is still the same. They are held to show gratitude towards family members, friends and guests for being a part of the wedding ceremony.\nAnother common custom that weddings of the East and the West have is the wearing of the wedding veil . According to superstitious beliefs, the bride wears a veil to protect her from being seen by evil spirits and the bridesmaids are decoys . This is still followed even today.", "problems": [{"question": "Queen Victoria is said to be the first woman in Britain to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["have a bridesmaid", "wear a veil as a bride", "wear a white wedding dress", "wear a casual dress for the reception"]}, {"question": "According to superstitious beliefs, having bridesmaids is to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["protect guests", "comfort brides", "trick evil spirits", "bring good fortune"]}, {"question": "The passage is mainly developed _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["by time", "by space", "by process", "by comparison"]}]} -{"article": "When someone says , \"Well , I guess I'll have to go to face the music,\" It doesn't mean he is planning to go to a concert . It is something far less pleasant , like being called in by your boss to explain why you did this or that , and why you did not do this or that . Sour music , indeed , but it has to be faced .\nThe phrase \"to face the music\" is familiar to every American , young and old . It is at least 100 years old . Where did the expression come from ?\nThe first information comes from the American writer James Fenimore Cooper . He said--in 1851--that the expression was first used by actors while waiting in the wings to go on stage . After they got their clue to go on , they often said , \"It's time to go to face the music.\" And that is exactly what they did --face the orchestra which was just below the stage .\nAn actor might be frightened or nervous as he moved on to the stage in front of the audience that might be friendly or perhaps unfriendly , especially if he forgot his lines. But he had to go out .\nSo, \"to face the music\" came to mean : having to go through something , no matter how unpleasant the experience might be , because you knew you had no choice .\nThe other explanation comes from the army . Men had to face inspection by their leader . The soldiers worried about how well they looked . Was their equipment clean--shiny enough to pass inspection ? Still , the men had to go out , and face the music of the band , as well as the inspection . What else could they do ?", "problems": [{"question": "The phrase \"to face the music\" was first used by_.", "answer": "C", "options": ["all the Americans", "the American writer James Fenimore Cooper", "American actors", "the American orchestra"]}, {"question": "An actor might feel frightened or nervous when going on stage .One of the reasons is that_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["his performance might not satisfy most of the audience", "he might not remember what he should say on stage", "he had to face the unfriendly audience", "the audience might be mostly his friends"]}, {"question": "\"To face the music\" is also used to mean that soldiers were not willing_.", "answer": "D", "options": ["to be examined about their equipment", "to be found weak", "to show themselves by their leader", "to be inspected by their leader"]}, {"question": "This passage is mainly about_.", "answer": "C", "options": ["the meaning of the phrase \"to face the music\"", "how to deal with something unpleasant", "the origin of the phrase", "how to go through difficulty"]}]} -{"article": "I ALMOST failed out of college and it nearly broke my self-confidence. I had been at the top of my high school class, the total golden child. So when I decided that I wanted to attend Columbia University for graduate school, I was sure it would be close to impossible.\nMy goals were to prove to myself that my years of academic success in secondary school had not happened by chance and prepare for a career in children's media. But first I had to get in.\nSo I enrolled in a GRE test prep course and threw myself into the class. The first part was pretty scary and by the third, I knew it wasn't going to get any easier. I reconsidered my plan to take the GRE.\nFor the first time in my life, I considered how I should go about getting into graduate school. What were my special skills? Would any of them get me into graduate school?\nI got a job working on a project sponsored by the dean's office on campus and enrolled in a class. I had a new plan: Be a top student in the class while working on campus, get letters of recommendation from my boss and my professor, then hope that _ like writing interesting papers would be enough for my application.\nI worked my butt off that semester. With finals approaching, I felt confident I would get an \"A\" in the course, so it was time for step two. I asked my boss to write a letter of recommendation. She immediately agreed. But my professor said no. She did not know me well enough and the semester was not completed. However, I decided I just would not take no for an answer. I asked if she would least write a short note unofficially supporting my application. After some uncomfortable conversations, she finally agreed. In the end, I got in!\nI revisit that moment of persistence again and again. I have leapt into many other opportunities since then. Now I am starting a company born out of my graduate school research in children's media. Our first product is a mobile game for teen girls that breaks down major life milestones into missions . On its surface, the product helps girls connect with each other. But it also helps them develop the tools to live life without limits.", "problems": [{"question": "The writer stopped taking the GRE prep course because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the beginning of the GRE course was really frightening", "she realized by the third part of her GRE class that her plan wouldn't work", "Columbia University would not accept the GRE test", "she didn't put all her efforts into the GRE course at first"]}, {"question": "One of the reasons why the professor refused to write a letter of recommendation was that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the author had almost failed out of college", "the author was not a top student in high school", "the author was not her favorite student in the class", "the professor did not know enough about the author"]}, {"question": "The writer succeeded in getting into the graduate school because of _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["her \"A\" grade", "her strong letters of recommendation", "her strong determination and her good plan to make herself stand out", "her interest in children's media and outstanding skills in writing interesting papers"]}]} -{"article": "Children who read for pleasure at the age of 10 have far higher vocabulary scores by the age of 42.\nResearchers at the Institute of Education(IOE)have found that the most crazy childhood readers score far higher on vocabulary tests 30 years later.The new study suggests that children who read for pleasure carry the intellectual benefits with them far into adulthood.\n\"The long-term influence of reading for pleasure on vocabulary that we have identified may be because the frequent childhood readers continued to read throughout their twenties and thirties,\"says lead author Professor Alice Sullivan at the IOE.Researchers followed 9,400 British people from the age of 10 up to 42.Their vocabulary was tested using a simple quiz which asked participants to match up words to the most similar meaning.\nThose who had regularly read for pleasure at 10 scored 67 percent at the age of 42,while infrequent childhood readers scored only 51 percent.\nThe IOE study also found that what people chose to read as adults mattered as much as how often they read.The greatest improvements between ages 16 and 42 were made by readers of 'elegant' fictions such as Booker Prize winning novels.And they found that readers of quality newspapers,including online versions,made more progress in vocabulary throughout their lives than those who read _ .\nIn addition,generally speaking,the adult readers who especially read broadsheets scored 76 percent on the assessment compared to 57 percent amongst those who didn't.", "problems": [{"question": "Why did frequent childhood readers have higher vocabulary scores?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because they are born intelligent.", "Because they formed the consistent reading habit.", "Because they were crazy about pleasure.", "Because they had a comfortable childhood."]}, {"question": "What may not affect the adult readers' vocabulary scores?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The contents of reading.", "The design of the page.", "Versions online or not.", "The frequency of reading."]}, {"question": "What does the text mainly tell us?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Intelligence has a great influence on vocabulary.", "Reading materials matter much for children.", "Broadsheet newspapers are best for boosting vocabulary.", "Children who read for pleasure have larger vocabulary when they grow up."]}]} -{"article": "In addition to seeing wonderful films, one of the joys of coming to the Quad Cinema is to hang out in the area. The Quad is located right in the heart of Greenwich Village, perhaps the most charming and interesting neighborhood in the city. Here are some attractions we recommend, all within a comfortable walk from the Quad:\nWashington Square\nAs one of the best-known of New York City's 1,900 public parks, it is a landmark in the Manhattan neighborhood of Greenwich Village, as well as a meeting place and center for cultural activity. Come on a Sunday when it's most lively and festive.\nNew York University\nIt surrounds Washington Square. See the impressive Bobst Library and visit the amazing bookstore. NYU is now considered one of the most powerful universities in the world.\nJudson Memorial Church\nLocated on Washington Square south between Thompson Street and Sullivan Street, opposite Washington Square Park, this beautiful church was completed in 1892. The Judson is most famous for its vocal participation in social events.\nWashington Mews\nIt is a hidden, private street in New York City between Fifth Avenue and University Place just north of Washington Square Park. It was first developed as a mews (row of stables) that serviced horses from homes in the area. Since the 1950s the former stables have served as housing, offices and other facilities for New York University.\nJefferson Market Courthouse\nBuilt in 1833 as a market, it was later changed to a courthouse, and in the 1950s it was emptied and close to being destroyed. It was saved and turned into a library. Many consider it to be the most beautiful building in the village.", "problems": [{"question": "What does the author want to tell in the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["To introduce some attractions in the Quad.", "To suggest the Quad Cinema is the best place.", "To imply the Quad attracts a lot of visitors.", "To tell readers to enjoy their life fully."]}, {"question": "The author mentions Washington Square because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["it is in the center of Greenwich Village", "it has a history of more than 100 years", "it is a landmark in the Manhattan", "it has witnessed so many incidents"]}, {"question": "Where is Judson Memorial Church?", "answer": "A", "options": ["To the south of Washington Square.", "Behind Washington Square Park.", "Opposite Thompson Street.", "Close to New York University."]}, {"question": "When Washington Mews came into being _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["it was designed for a university", "it was intended for keeping horses", "it was filled with free facilities", "it was used as a park for horses"]}]} -{"article": "As the Labor Day public holiday starts this year, Chinese travel agencies have a new right: to blacklist poorly-behaved tourists in an effort to prevent ill manners. Tourists will be blacklisted for uncivilized behaviors such as acting antisocially on public transport, damaging private or public property, disrespecting local customs, or _ historical exhibits. According to the regulations issued by the China National Tourism Administration (NTA), tour guides and leaders have the right to report on bad behaviors to the government. The new regulations mainly come from the growing concern about the ill manners of Chinese tourists abroad.\nIn 2015, more than 83 million Chinese people traveled overseas, up 18 percent from the year 2014, according to the China Tourism Academy. But even as they travel farther, the Chinese tourists continue to take bad habits with them. From damaging ancient Egyptian temples to letting children defecate in the middle of airports, Chinese tourists have earned a bad fame. Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Yang even stressed the need for Chinese tourists to behave better while traveling overseas so as to protect China's image abroad.\nNow with the latest regulations, Chinese travelers should have no excuse for rude behavior. According to the guidelines issued by NTA, when using the restroom, Chinese tourists are asked not to forget to flush the toilet after using it.\nThe guidelines also remind tourists of not fighting with others when they want to take pictures at tourist attractions. When flying, the guidelines advise travelers not to take life vests away from airplanes. Chinese tourists are also encouraged to be respectful of local customs wherever they travel.\nYet, with a very short history of traveling overseas, it is not surprising that many Chinese tourists behave badly on their foreign trips. We should give them time to change.", "problems": [{"question": "What's the main purpose of the new regulations?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To blacklist poorly-behaved tourists.", "To guide the Chinese tourists how to travel farther.", "To introduce the famous places of interest all over the world.", "To improve the Chinese tourists' behavior abroad."]}, {"question": "Which of the following behavior is NOT mentioned in the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Damaging ancient Egyptian temples.", "Taking life vests away from airplanes.", "Taking photos in areas marked\"No photos\".", "Fighting with others when taking pictures."]}, {"question": "What can be concluded from the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Respect local customs whenever we travel abroad.", "Chinese tourists' ill manners will be improved.", "More Chinese will go abroad to travel.", "More Chinese will be blacklisted in the future."]}]} -{"article": "Books are a high cost of higher education. But the Global Text Project hopes to create a free library of one thousand electronic textbooks for students in developing countries.\n The aim is to offer subjects that students may take in their first few years at university. The books could be printed or read on a computer or copied onto a CD or DVD.\n Richard Watson is the acting head of the department of management information systems at the University of Georgia,who says the idea goes back several years. He was teaching a computer programming class but did not have a good textbook. So he asked his students each to write part of the book that he would organize and edit. By the end of the term, Professor Watson had a finished product. Since then he has used it for other classes. Now, Professor Watson is seeking volunteers to supervise the creation of books for the library. He is looking for professors or other professionals.\n The Global Text Project is similar in technology to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (a reference work containing articles on a wide range of subjects) that anyone can edit on the Internet. But only one or two people will be able to make the final edits in texts. \n The project includes a committee of scholars, mostly from developing countries, to advise on required textbooks and their contents.\n The group's first book on information systems is being tested in Ethiopia and Indonesia. The plan is to offer about ten free books within the next year, including an English grammar text. Project organizers also want to offer textbooks in Arabic, Chinese and Spanish. They are working with a translation company and students could also get involved. For example, a student learning English in an Arab country could translate part of a book into Arabic. Then another student and the class professor could check the translation.", "problems": [{"question": "The main subject discussed in the passage is _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["E-books for colleges in developing nations", "how to create a free library", "how to edit textbooks on the Internet", "volunteers in the Global Text Project"]}, {"question": "The committee of the Global Text Project definitely consists of _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["volunteers who are learning foreign languages", "scholars from developing countries", "some professors or other professionals from developing countries", "students from developing countries"]}]} -{"article": "Scientists have long understood the key role that oceans play in controlling the Earth's climate. Oceans cover 70 per cent of the surface of the globe and store a thousand times more heat than the atmosphere does. What's newer is the understanding of how this key component of our climate system responds to global warming.\nA brake on global warming--for now\nOne of the oceans' most important climate functions is absorbing heat and carbon dioxide(CO2), one of the gases that causes global warming. Acting as something absorbing heat, the oceans have absorbed huge amounts of heat and CO2 in the last forty years.\nFujita explains, \"the oceans are saving us from faster climate change--they are putting a brake on the climate system.\"\n\"That's the good news,\" he adds. \"The bad news is that the oceans only slow the atmospheric warming. Once the oceans come to balance with a greenhouse-gas warmed earth, the extreme heat will remain in the atmosphere and things will get much hotter.\" But where and how the oceans release this slowly increased heat is uncertain. And as the ocean stores heat, fragile underwater ecosystems are struggling.\nThe most recent scientific report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) also notes with concern that the ocean is acidifying because of increased absorption of atmospheric CO2. and thus causing a threat to shell-forming species. Sharp increase in CO2 levels will cause further acidification of the ocean.\nCurrents distributing heat\nAnother important role the oceans play is that of distributor . Oceans deliver heat and life-sustaining nutrition around the globe. Just as blood tube bring oxygen and nutrition to cells in the human body, the ocean's currents carry oxygen, nutrients and heat throughout the Earth. The ocean distributes 25 to 50 per cent of energy the planet receives from the sun. For example, the Gulf Stream carries heat across the Atlantic. This warm current gives northwestern European a milder climate that it would normally have so far north. A change to the ocean's circulation patterns could throw Europe into a colder period, even as the rest of the world is experiencing warmer temperatures.", "problems": [{"question": "We can infer from the passage that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the oceans cause global warming", "the oceans stop global warming", "the oceans release nutrients and heat", "the ocean ecosystems face more dangers"]}, {"question": "If the ocean's circulation pattern changed, _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["Asia would suffer a hotter climate.", "Europe would become hotter", "the rest of the world would become warmer.", "the climate of Europe would become colder."]}]} -{"article": "Many of us don't like what we see around us but the last thing we do is to change it. I think that is the beginning of failure and that is why what we hate remains around us. If you don't want to see things around you, don't just hope it'll change.\nWe have such an amazing power of creativity inside us to change the way things work around us. Only lazy people go about and say that is the way things have been working. I've come to discover that things around us depend on our actions and inactions. What I mean is that the circumstances that we like depend only on the things we do and the things we don't do.\nDo you want your country to change? Start by changing the small things around you. Before you think too far about any small thing to change, your habit should be the first thing to change. Change what you think about and talk about. Can you remember how difficult it was for you to break a habit that you desired to break some years back? If so, then you must accept that things aren't just going to change by a magic thought. If it isn't so easy to change yourself when you want to, it isn't going to be so easy to change the people around you.\nI think the best way I've changed people around me is that I changed myself. When you change, they'll change. Just change yourself and see how many people will tell you later that you are the one who changes them. That's one simple way young people can change their nations.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the text, why do we fail to change what we don't like? _", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because we lack the power of creativity.", "Because we never plan to change them.", "Because they cannot be changed.", "Because we don't have the ability."]}, {"question": "The author can change people around him because he has realized that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["things around us decide what we do", "the further you think, the better", "his actions can affect things around him", "he has to change the nation first"]}, {"question": "What can we learn from the text? _", "answer": "D", "options": ["Circumstance creates a person.", "It is never too late to change your habits.", "A long journey begins with the first step.", "Changing ourselves means changing others."]}]} -{"article": "Do you realize that every time you take a step, the bones in your hip are subjected to forces between four and five times your body weight? When you are running, this force is increased further still. What happens if through disease a hip-joint ceases to be able to resist such forces? For many years hip-joints and other body joints have been replaceable either partially or completely. It is after all a simple ball and socket joint; it has certain loads imposed on it; it needs reliability over a defined life; it must contain materials suitable for the working environment. Any engineer will recognize these as characteristic of a typical engineering problem, which doctors and engineers have worked together to solve, in order to bring a fresh lease of life to people who would otherwise be disabled.\nThis typifies the way in which engineers work to help people and create a better quality of life. The fact that this country has the most efficient agricultural industry in the world is another good example. Mechanical engineers have worked with farmers and biologists to produce fertilizers, machinery and harvesting systems. This team effort has now produced crops uniformly waist high or less so that they are better suited to mechanical harvesting. Similar advances with other crops have released people from hard and boring jobs for more creative work, whilst machines harvest crops more efficiently with less waste. Providing more food for the rapidly increasing population is yet another role for the mechanical engineer.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, when would most weight be imposed on hip-joints?", "answer": "B", "options": ["When one is walking.", "When one is running.", "When one is standing.", "When one is lying down."]}, {"question": "Engineers regard the replacement of hip-joints as a(n) _ Problem.", "answer": "A", "options": ["mechanical", "medical", "health", "agricultural"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, how do engineers contribute to increasing efficiency of the agricultural industry?", "answer": "D", "options": ["By working with farmers.", "By working in teams.", "By growing crops of the same height.", "By making agricultural machinery."]}]} -{"article": "Being sociable looks like a good way to add years to your life.Relationships with family, friends, neighbours, even pets, will all do the trick, but the biggest longevity boost seems to come from marriage or an equivalent relationship.The effect was first noted in 1858 by William Fair, who wrote that widows and widowers were at a much higher risk of dying than their married peers.Studies since then suggest that marriage could and as much as seven years to a man's life and two to a woman's.The effect holds for all rouses of death, whether illness, accident or self-harm.\nEven if the odds are stacked against you, marriage can more than compensate.Linda Waite from the University of Chicago has found that .I married older man with heart disease can expect to live nearly four years longer than an unmarried man with a healthy heart.Likewise, a married man who smokes more than a pack a day is likely to live as long as a divorced man who doesn't smoke.There's a _ , however, as partners are more likely to become ill or die in the couple of years following their spouse's death, and caring for a spouse with mental disorder can leave you with some of the same severe problems.\nEven so, the odds favour marriage.In a 30 - year study of more than 10,000 people, Nicholas Christakis of Harvard Medical School describes how all kinds of social networks have similar effects.\nSo how does it work? The effects are complex, affected by socio - economic factors, health - service provision, emotional support and other more physiological mechanisms.For example, social contact can boost development of die brain and immune system, leading to better health and less chance of depression ?later in life.People in supportive relationships may handle stress better.Then there are the psychological 9 benefits of a supportive partner.\nA life partner, children and good friends arc all recommended if you aim to live to 100.The ultimate social network is still being mapped out, hut Christakis says: \"People are interconnected, so their health\nis interconnected.", "problems": [{"question": "William Fair's study and other studies show that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["social life provides an effective cure for illness", "being sociable helps improve one' s quality of life", "women benefit more than men from marriage", "marriage contributes a great deal to longevity"]}, {"question": "Linda Waite's studies support the idea that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["older men should quit smoking to stay healthy", "marriage can help make up for ill health", "the married are happier than the unmarried", "unmarried people are likely to suffer in later life"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the context that the \"Hip side\" (Line 4.Para.2) refers to _", "answer": "A", "options": ["the disadvantages of being married", "the emotional problems arising from marriage", "the responsibility of taking care of one's family", "the consequence of a broken marriage"]}, {"question": "What does the minor say about social networks?", "answer": "A", "options": ["They have effects similar to those of a marriage.", "They help develop people's community spirit.", "They provide timely support for those in need.", "They help relieve people of their life's burdens."]}]} -{"article": "Like many other small boys, I was fascinated by cars, especially because my oldest brother was a bit of a car guy and subscribed to cool magazines like Car and Driver and Motor Trend. Every so often, one of those magazines would run an article on the \"Car of the Future\". They featured unconventional things like small nuclear reactors as power sources. Yet, frankly, my car doesn't do anything that my brother's Studebaker didn't do. It goes, it stops, it burns gasoline. I still have to steer it, and it still runs into things if I don't steer it carefully.\nBut guess what? All of these things are likely to change in the not-so-distant future. It may not burn gasoline, I may not have to steer it, and it may be a lot better at not running into things.\nAirbags aren't the be-all and end-all in safety. In fact, considering the recent news about people occasionally being killed by their airbags in low-speed crashes, they obviously still need some development. But they aren't going away, and in fact, you can expect to see cars appearing with additional, side-impact airbags, something some European car manufacturers already offer.\nBetter than systems to minimize injury in the event of an accident, however, are systems that minimize the likelihood of an accident happening in the first place? Future cars may be able to remove many of the major causes of accidents, including drunk-driving, and tailgating . Cars could be equipped with sensors that can detect alcohol in a driver's system and prevent the car from being started, for example. As early as next year, you'll be able to buy cars with radar-equipped control systems. If the radar determines you're closing too quickly with the car in front, it will ease up on the throttle . \nScientists are now working on a system that can brake, accelerate and steer a vehicle down a highway on its own. Will cars eventually be able to drive themselves?", "problems": [{"question": "The author was fascinated by cars because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["other small boys liked to own a car of their own, too", "he read untraditional things about cars in his brother's magazines", "his oldest brother loved to take him to places in his car", "he often booked cool car magazines himself"]}, {"question": "By saying \"my car doesn't do anything that my brother's Studebaker didn't do\", the author means that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["my car is far better than my brother's", "my car is not as good as my brother's", "much improvement has been made in the design of cars recently", "not much has changed in the performance of cars so far"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is true of airbags?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They are going to disappear gradually.", "They are in need of further improvement.", "They are a standard feature of European cars.", "They kill people instead of protecting them in low-speed crashes."]}, {"question": "According to the author, what will future cars do if the sensors detect alcohol in the driver's system?", "answer": "A", "options": ["They will not start.", "They will ease up on the throttle.", "They will brake automatically.", "They will give a warning in advance."]}]} -{"article": "It is never too early for young children to compete in athletic activities. It is true that children used to take part in outdoor sports and games. Today many young people stay inside watching television, playing computer games, or surfing the Internet. Rarely can people see children today, enjoying themselves outdoors, on playgrounds or even in neighborhoods.\n Young people who join in after-school sports activities will be out of the house. They will be on the move, running and jumping, which is great exercise. They will learn discipline and the importance of being a team player, whey they are part of an organized sport. They also learn about good sportsmanship, teamwork and gaining confidence. There are even sports that young athletes do better in school. Outdoor sports give children, teens and young adults the opportunity for fresh air and sunshine, which improve their over-all health. They will obtain Vitamin D from the sun, and burn extra calories which will help prevent obesity . It is important that a child enjoy what he or she is doing.\n Children do better in sports events, when they have a healthy desire and a natural ability for a particular activity. While track and field events may not be some small children's cup of tea, there were other children who enjoyed themselves and received rewards. The Rhodes family joined in the Subway Commonwealth Games for the first time. The 3 siblings took home 2 medals each, for a total of 6. Eight-year-old Jerel Rhodes II, won gold medals for the shot put , and the discus throw. Seven-year-old Jadyn Rhodes, received a silver medal fro the shot put, and a bronze medal in the 400-meter race. Five-year-old Jase Rhodes took home the gold medal in the 800-meter race, as well as the discuss throw.\n There is a down side to athletic activities. Not everyone will go home as a winner. If your child does not win a medal, you should not complain about him or her. You should be proud of him or her just for taking part. If a child feels bad about his or her performance, he or she may be teased by other children, or his or her parents may express disappointment. All these can have an effect on self-esteem. The bottom line is to get your children out of the house, and to be involved in activities that keep them moving. Playing on the playground or playing games such as hide and seek can be fun for all. If your child is indeed a young athlete in the making, encourage --but do not push -- him or her to take advantage of organized competitive sports.\nThe Mayo Clinic, an internationally famous medical research group, says that all children should be encouraged to be active in sports. Pushing boys and girls into areas where they are not comfortable, or they do not have the athletic ability could have the worst effect on them. If you encourage those like the Rhodes family, who have the desire to play sports, they just might bring home a gold, silver or bronze medal.", "problems": [{"question": "In the author's opinion today's children _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["frequently play on the playground", "stay up watching TV or surfing the Internet", "often take part in outdoor sports and games", "are rarely seen enjoying themselves outdoors"]}, {"question": "What is the main advice that the author gives parents?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Making children take advantage of organized competitive sports.", "The earlier children take part in sports activities, the better they are.", "Encouraging their children to join in sports instead of pushing them", "Forcing children to take part in sports activities if they don't want to."]}]} -{"article": "Copenhagen, one of the world's most bicycle-friendly cities, has begun turning its extensive network of cycle paths into bike highways in an effort to push more commuters to leave their cars at home.\nConsidered one of Europe's two \"bicycle capitals\" along with Amsterdam, Copenhagen counts more bicycles than people and cycling is so popular that its numerous bike paths can become jammed. Two-wheeler traffic jams are especially regular on the main Noerrebrogade thoroughfare used by around 36,000 cyclists a day. \"You have to elbow your way to go forward and some cyclists aren't always thoughtful,\" complains 22-year-old university student Lea Bresell.\nThe creation of bike highways \"comes right on time\", says Danish Cyclist Federation spokesman Frits Bredal. \"Copenhagen's roads are overloaded with people who want to ride their bicycles in all kinds of weather,\" he says. If in the 1960s Danes viewed the car as the symbol of freedom, the bicycle has assumed that role today, Bredal says. \"It's a means of transportation used by all social classes, and even politicians ride bikes,\" he says.\nIt is on crowded Noerrebrogade -- the busiest bicycle street in Europe -- that city planners have decided to build the first of Copenhagen's environmentally friendly streets. The jammed bike paths will be widened up to four meters on either side of the road, which will itself be reserved for bikes only. The idea is to make Noerrebrogade \"Europe's great cycling street\", says Andreas Roehl, the Copenhagen city's bicycle program manager who is also known as \"Mister Bike\". But Roehl is not content with making life easier for Copenhagen's inner city cyclists: He wants to get suburbanites out of their cars and onto two wheels as well. His goal is to increase the percentage of suburban commuters cycling to and from the city from the 33 percent it is today to more than 50 percent by 2015. Within the city, 55 percent of all commuters already travel by bike.\nAlready Copenhagen stands out among other European capitals for its cycling infrastructure, counting more than 390 kilometers of bike paths.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the main idea of the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Copenhagen is planning to build bicycle-friendly highways.", "Copenhagen is planning to build thoroughfares.", "Copenhagen is one of Europe's two \"bicycle capitals\".", "Two-wheeler traffic jams are especially common in Copenhagen."]}, {"question": "What does Lea Bresell think of the present bike traffic on the main Noerrebrogade thoroughfare?", "answer": "A", "options": ["It is crowded and unpleasant", "Going forward is extremely easy.", "Cyclists are considerate", "Bike paths are not made full use of"]}, {"question": "We can infer that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["most of people in Copenhagen can't afford to buy cars", "hiking is very common in Copenhagen", "cars will not be allowed to run on the widened Noerrebrogade thoroughfare", "Noerrebrogade thoroughfare will be deserted"]}, {"question": "How do suburban commuters travel to and from the city in Copenhagen at present?", "answer": "D", "options": ["More than half of the suburban commuters travel by bike.", "Almost all the suburban commuters take buses.", "Few suburban commuters travel by car.", "About one third of the suburban commuters travel by bike."]}]} -{"article": "People have been listening to music to get in the mood for hundreds of years. Recently, there is scientific research to _ what we have always known about music. The studies have shown that when people are excited or happy they are more helpful. The opposite happens when people feel aggressive or under stress. The use of music can influence how helpful people can be.\nDr Adrian North made a study with 256 university students. Half the group took exercise in the gymnasium listening to music which can bring happiness and the other half exercised to aggressive music. When leaving the gym, the students were asked to hand out flyers in support of the local disabled athlete's foundation.\nThe results showed that nearly half of the group that listened to happy music were willing to hand out flyers. But in the group that heard the aggressive music, less than 20% were willing. This study suggests that our choice of music can influence our willingness to cooperate .\nWhile a study also shows that productivity can increase with the right choice of background music in the workplace. As music stimulates workers' minds, job satisfaction is often positively influenced. Other studies have shown that workers who are in a good mood report more job satisfaction than those in a bad mood.\nThese studies show that music can have a powerful influence on a person's ability to cooperate. Moods have a direct influence on cooperation and job satisfaction, etc. These factors also have a direct relationship to the success of a business.", "problems": [{"question": "In the studies mentioned in the passage, music is used to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["express people's ideas", "change people's moods", "improve people's health", "show people's love of arts"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, people who are in a good mood _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["can understand the music", "have a good taste in music", "might do well in their work", "are influenced by others"]}, {"question": "The passage is mainly about _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["effort and success", "music and science", "work and life", "music and mood"]}]} -{"article": "On March 15.Dunes View Middle School held a contest for school bands.\nStudent bands tried out for the opportunity to perform at the school picnic,which will be held at the end of June.The winner of the contest was the band called Four Square.\n\"We're very proud that we won the contest and are excited to perform at the picnic,\" says Peter Zandt,who plays guitar in the band.\"And since we hope to perform someday at other local places,like restaurants and parks,this will be a great first step.\"\nThe contest was the creation of music teacher Mr.Lopez and drama teacher Ms.Cho. The two thought of the idea while discussing recent years' school picnics.\"The picnic is one of the biggest events of the year,but it has become a bit _ ,\"said Ms.Cho.\"The activities are the same every year .We thought that a performance by a student band would make the school picnic more interesting and fun.\"\nMr.Lopez,Ms.Cho,and three other teachers judged the contest,which took place in the gym. To see if the bands could present a wide range of musical skills,the teachers asked them each to prepare two songs:one song with original words,and another in which students played instrumental music only.The judges finally chose the band Four Square as the winner of the contest.Four Square is a rock band with an unusual twist:it includes a violin player! The members of Four Square write their own songs and practice three times a week after schoo1.\nStudents and teachers agreed that the band competition was:a big success.All are looking forward to the school picnic in June.", "problems": [{"question": "What can be the best title for the article?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Famous Band Visits Schoo1.", "Teachers Give Music Lessons.", "Students Have Fun at School Picnic.", "School Holds Student Band Contest."]}, {"question": "Why did the teachers ask each band to play two songs?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To decide which songs to play at the picnic.", "To see if the bands could play a variety of songs.", "To make sure the contest did not go on too long.", "To make the concert more enjoyable for students."]}, {"question": "According to the article,what is unusual about the band Four Square?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It is named after a popular children's game.", "Its members practice several times a week.", "It is a rock band with a violinist.", "Its members all play guitar."]}, {"question": "According to the article,what does the band Four Square hope to do in the future?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Perform at the school picnic every year.", "Perform in many different places.", "Buy new instruments.", "Record an album."]}]} -{"article": "Dear NMAI(National Museum of the American Indian) Supporter,\nOld stereotypes die hard. And when it comes to the way Native Americans have been viewed throughout history and continue to be viewed today, the stories about life in Indian Country are sadly overshadowing the truths. Most Native Americans don't live in tipis , and we don't greet one another by saying, \"How.\"\nTo combat misconceptions like these, I need help from people who understand there's more to Native American cultures than the offensive cartoons that you see in movies and television.\nI think that you might be one of these people.\nPlease join NMAI today and enjoy exclusive benefits like our full-color quarterly magazine American Indian, and Members-only discounts at all Smithsonian, NMAI Museum Stores, and at our Zagat-rated Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe.\nPlus, through this email, you can take advantage of our special price of $22-more than 10% off our regular membership charge.\nWith your support, the National Museum of the American Indian can tell the story both past and present of Native life and culture in North, Central, and South America.\nIn just one visit to either of our Museums in Washington, DC, or New York City, you can watch a performance by traditional Native dancers... attend a lecture by a leading voice from the world of Native literature... spend an afternoon taking an informative audio tour of the Museum's distinctive grounds... and try your hand at Native crafts like pottery and beadwork. And for those who are unable to visit the museums in person, much of our extensive collection of more than 800,000 objects is cateloged on our website.\nOnly with your generosity can we share the Native story, awaken children to an interest in Native culture, and bring the Museum experience to people who can't travel to our Museums in person.\nBy joining the Museum today, you will take the first step in putting an end to the old stereotypes and long-held prejudices that have contributed to an incomplete picture of Native traditions and accomplishments.\nSincerely,\nKevin Gover\nDirector", "problems": [{"question": "What is the author's intention in writing this letter?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To call for more people to join in volunteer work.", "To carry out researches on Native Americans.", "To invite more people to be members of the museum.", "To raise more donations for the museum."]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements describes the life and culture of Native Americans correctly?", "answer": "A", "options": ["They are good at pottery and beadwork.", "Most of them live in tipis.", "They greet others by saying, \"How.\"", "They like designing offensive cartoons."]}, {"question": "If you join NMAI, you can enjoy the following benefits except _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["free full-color quarterly magazine American Indian", "Members-only discounts at all Smithsonian", "Members-only discounts for buying in NMAI Museum Stores", "a free meal at Zagat-rated Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe"]}, {"question": "Regular membership fee of the NMAI is about _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["$30", "$20", "$15", "$25"]}]} -{"article": "Washington Sightseeing Guide\nWhite House - Public tours of the White House have been offered since Thomas Jefferson was president, but you can't just drop in. Visits to the White House are in high demand, and you must make your request through your member of Congress up to six months, and no fewer than 21 days, before your visit. Be sure to check the White House tour-info Web site to make sure about the personal identification you'll need. And before the day of your visit, call 202-456-7041 to confirm the tour schedule.\nLincoln's Cottage - Lincoln's Cottage, the hilltop home where President Lincoln lived during part of the Civil War, is simply furnished but features lighting effects and actors' recordings that reveal Lincoln's thoughts on slavery and the war. \"In the library you can actually see the ghost lines of where the library shelves would have been,\" says cottage director Erin Carlson Mast. \"We haven't re-created the bookshelves because that was such an amazing moment of discovery for us that we wanted to preserve that so people can have that moment of discovery themselves.\" \nLibrary of Congress - The Library of Congress is housed in three buildings: the Thomas Jefferson Building, James Madison Memorial Building and the John Adams Building. Although trying to see all of it in one day is possible, it's probably best to do a little thinking ahead and figure out which areas you'd really like to explore (i.e. when your feet start to hurt, you won't feel so bad about not catching everything). The most popular visitor destination is the Thomas Jefferson Building, but there are things worth seeing - murals , sculptures, performances - elsewhere in the complex.", "problems": [{"question": "Which is true about the White House?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It is a new tourist attraction.", "It is open only to members of Congress.", "A reservation for a visit is required.", "You should call 202-456-7041 during your visit."]}, {"question": "In Lincoln's Cottage, you can _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["see actors giving performances", "see the bookshelves in the study", "hear the recorded voice of Lincoln", "learn about Lincoln's opinions on slavery"]}]} -{"article": "Now scientists have discovered the first evidence that the animals actually behave like their masters. Just like children, they adopt a \"look and learn\" approach which means they can mimic human's actions when going about their tasks.\nBiologists and psychologists at the universities of Vienna and Oxford designed an experiment to test the theory that dogs do have the ability to copy what they see, using a simple wooden box. In the study, ten owners showed their dogs how to open the wooden box, sometimes using their heads to push a handle and sometimes using their hands.\nIn the first part of the test, five dogs were rewarded with a piece of sausage for copying their owners' actions. The other five were rewarded with food for not copying, and using other methods. With each dog the experiment was repeated hundreds of times, and the time taken for a dog to get it \"right\" on 85 percent of attempts (17 goes out of 20) was recorded. The dogs encouraged to mirror their owners reached this point almost three times sooner on average than those rewarded for not copying them. In the second part of the test, all the dogs were only rewarded for copying the method their owners used. The five dogs previously rewarded for copying their owners reached the 85 percent mark more than twice as the other five.\nIn a paper published in Proceeding of the Royal Society, _ concluded, \"Like humans, dogs can't help imitating actions they see.\" Going further, they said, \"The results suggest the imitative behavior of dogs is shaped more by their developmental interactions with humans than by their evolutionary history of domestication .\"\nCaroline Kisko, from the Kennel club, said, \"A dog's behavior is influenced much like that of a child learning right from wrong and adopting similar patterns of behavior. We hope that owners understand the importance of their actions and use this knowledge to set good examples and therefore positively influence the behavior of their pets.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What's the best title of the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Dogs Are Intelligent Animals", "Dogs Are like Children Most", "Dogs Behave like Their Masters", "Dogs Can Complete Simple Tasks"]}, {"question": "The researchers believe dogs' imitative behavior comes mainly from _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["domestication", "human rewards", "evolution", "human-dog interactions"]}]} -{"article": "A beautiful and very successful actress was the star of a new musical show. Her home was in the country, but she didn't want to have to go back there every night, so she rented an expensive flat in the centre of the city, bought some beautiful furniture and hired a man to paint the rooms in new colours.\n It was very difficult to get tickets for her show because everybody wanted to see it, so she decided to give the painter two of the best seats. She hoped that this would make him work better and more willingly for her. He took the tickets without saying anything, and she heard no more about them until the end of the month, when she got the painter's bill. At the bottom of it were the words \"Four hours watching Miss Hall sing and dance,PS3,\" with this note: \"After 5 p.m. I get fifteen shillings an hour instead of ten shillings.\"", "problems": [{"question": "In the article, \"Miss Hall\" was the name of _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["a place where people sang and danced", "an unmarried woman", "a hall", "a street"]}, {"question": "The woman's flat was situated _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["near the city", "near her home", "in the middle of the city", "by the side of the country road"]}, {"question": "The actress gave the painter two tickets, hoping he would _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["be pleased", "ask less money for his work", "charge more money for his work", "say a good word for her musical show"]}, {"question": "After the painter got the tickets from the actress, he _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["sold them for PS3", "went to watch the musical show", "paid PS3 for them", "was very thankful to her"]}, {"question": "In the story , _ made a mistake.", "answer": "A", "options": ["both the actress and the painter", "neither the actress nor the painter", "the painter", "the actress"]}]} -{"article": "Birds don't need lessons in building nests. Fish don't need coaching to learn how to swim. All animals have _ . They're born with natural abilities to do certain things. Wild animals also learn by copying their parents and practicing. And pets learn through training.\nBut instincts and training aren't the only keys to animals' behavior. Scientists say animals' thoughts and feelings also influence their actions. Animals often make choices, plans, and sensible changes. They can help others and solve problems. Some even make and use tools! \nIf animals could talk, what would they say about their thoughts and feelings? A gorilla born in captivity has helped answer that question. Koko, a gorilla, was taught to use sign language . She has learned hundreds of words! \nKoko once had a pet cat she named All Ball. \"Koko love Ball,\" she signed. \"Soft good cat.\" One time, she blamed the cat for biting her by signing \"You bad dirty toilet!\" When her pet died, Koko cried. \"Sad for sleeping cat,\" she signed. \nKoko calls herself \"fine animal gorilla\". She uses sign language to argue, joke, and ask and answer questions. \n\"Most animals can't use words to tell us their thoughts,\" says Dr. Jonathan Balcombe. \"But Koko shows us that animals have their own ideas and feelings.\" Dr. Balcombe is a scientist at the Humane Society of the United States. He says there's even more to discover about animals through field studies. In field studies, people watch animals in their natural environment. \n\"Scientists who study animals' natural behaviors learn how animals live and think,\" Balcombe says. \"That knowledge can help others respect every animal who shares the planet with us.\"", "problems": [{"question": "The example of Koko shows that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["an animal likes to have its own pet", "an animal can learn to speak through training", "an animal has the natural ability to speak", "an animal can speak its mind"]}, {"question": "According to Balcombe, learning how animals live and think can _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["help people care for animals", "teach animals to use words", "train animals to use tools", "train animals to be cleverer"]}, {"question": "What might be the most suitable title for the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Raising animals as pets", "Understanding animals", "Training animals to speak", "Protecting animals from danger"]}]} -{"article": "Special Story Time for All Lower Primary Pupils\nSCHOOL LIBRARY\nREADING ROOM\nJune 6, 2 p. m--3 p. m,\nMr. Stephen Keene will impress you with stories from his famousNew Kids Next Blockseries.\nFREE ADMISSION\nLEARN HOW TO PLAY THE GUITAR IN 4 EASY LESSONS!\nVenue: Music Room\nTime: 9 a. m--12 p. m\nDates: June 6, 13, 20, 27\nInstructor: Miss Katsumi from Japan\nFees: $40 for 4 lessons *\n($20 for members of the school band and school choir)\nRegister with Mrs. Mary Mi, the Choir Mistress, NOW.\n*It is compulsory for students who sing up to attend ALL four lessons.\nJOIN THE GEOGRAPHY CLUB'S TWILIGHT CRUISE \nJune 19, 5 p. m--8 p. m\n.View Singapore's wonderful skyline by night.\n.Cruise past Kusu Island and Pulau Tekukor (Dove Island)\n.Enjoy a great dinner under the starlit sky.\nHURRY! VACANCIES ONLY FOR THE 1ST 20 PUPILS WHO SING UP.\nGet your consent forms from Miss Yu and return the forms with your payment($20) by 30 May.\n* If there are more than 20 pupils interested in the cruise, priority will be given to Geography Club*", "problems": [{"question": "A pupil who prefers not to spend any money can go for _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the cruise", "the guitar lessons", "story time", "the school choir"]}, {"question": "Who will conduct the guitar lessons?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The band instructor.", "The choir mistress.", "Mr. Stephen Keene.", "An invited guest."]}, {"question": "To go for the cruise, pupils need to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["be Geography Club members", "pay $30", "know how to swim", "have some forms filled"]}, {"question": "If a pupil is going away for the holidays with his /her family from June 1 to June 7, he/she can still go for _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["story time", "the cruise", "the school band", "the guitar lessons"]}]} -{"article": "Cell phones with cameras are really a popular way to capture a moment in time, but some \"clever\" students found another use--capturing tests as a way to cheat.\nThe Magnolia Independent School District in Montgomery County has added camera phones to a list of electronic devices students are _ at school.\nSchool officials said the move was made as a preventative measure to stop potential test cheaters, since students could use the phones to snap pictures of test questions. Another concern was that students might take inappropriate pictures of classmates to later share or post on a website. Cell phones without cameras are allowed on campus, but must be turned off. Camera cell phones will be taken away from students if found on campus, and disciplinary action will be taken, officials said.\nSome students were unhappy to hear about the ban. \"I'd be lost without my phone,\" said Kendall Paul, a Magnolia High School student. \"All my numbers are in it. I've never used it to cheat and I don't know anyone who has at our school, so I think it's kind of stupid. \" But other students said they saw _ all the time at their school.\n\"You would take a picture of the test and then send it to the next person taking the test,\" said Melissa Sparks, a student.\n\"They would send the question and the answer, or just the number of the question and the answer. It's quicker that way,\" another student said.\nParents often provide their children with cell phones for use in emergencies and to keep in better touch with them. \"My Mom wants me to have my phone with me all the time for emergency purpose. So, it goes with me wherever I go,\" Paul said.", "problems": [{"question": "According to this passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Cell phones can't be taken into the school.", "Students' parents are in favor of the ban.", "Students have different opinions about the ban.", "Students can use cell phones without camera freely at school."]}, {"question": "What does the writer think of the ban?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The writer thinks every coin has two sides.", "The writer thinks that the ban is right.", "The writer thinks schools shouldn't invade students' rights.", "The writer's opinion is not mentioned in the passage."]}]} -{"article": "Little Tom down the street calls our dog \"The keep dog\". Zip is a sheep dog. But when Tom tries to say \" Sheep\", it comes out \"keep\". And in a way Tom is right. Zip is always bringing things home for us to keep! I'll tell you about some of them. Zip's first present was a shoe. It was made of green silk. We didn't know how Zip found the shoe. But after a moment, Mary, my big sister, told me the shoe had a strange smell. I nodded and held my nose. \"What do you think it is?\" \"It smells like something for cleaning. I think someone tried to clean a spot off the shoe. Then he put it at the door to dry.\" Along came Zip. And good-bye shoe!\" I said. \"We should take it back.\" \"We can't\".said my sister. \"Maybe little Tom is right,\" Mary said. \"Maybe Zip is a _ dog!\"", "problems": [{"question": "The writer and Mary didn't know _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["how Zip carried its first present home", "what Zip's first present was", "what Zip's first present was made of", "who owned Zip's first present"]}, {"question": "Tom calls Zip \"the keep dog\" because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["he doesn't know the dog's name", "the dog likes playing with shoes", "the dog likes keeping things", "he can't pronounce the word \"sheep\" well"]}, {"question": "What made the shoe strange was _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["its smell", "its color", "that it was a silk one", "its size"]}, {"question": "The word \"keep\" in the last sentence means \" _ \".", "answer": "C", "options": ["bringing things for others to keep", "taking care of a small child", "keeping things for itself", "not letting it run about"]}, {"question": "We can know from the reading that the dog _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["likes to give presents to people", "likes to be called \"the keep dog\"", "has brought some trouble", "has been kept in at the writer's home"]}]} -{"article": "Confidence Comes From Treating Others As Equals\nThere's been recent discussion over Chinese attitudes toward foreigners,caused by another quarrel between a foreigner and a taxi driver.According to the studies described in the Oxford Handbook of Chinese Psychology,Chinese have lower self-confidence compared to Westerners.Yet does the result still apply to the Chinese people today?\nYes and no.For the moment,different attitudes toward foreigners can still be found in China's society,with some displaying low self-confidence like\"Foreigners are awesome ,and Western countries are awesome.We should respect them and be as polite as possible,and shouldn't let them look down on us,\"and a few unfriendly opinions such as\"Some foreigners are rude and disrespectful,and their level of civility is far behind China.\"\nChinese used to be lacking in self-confidence.It might start from the modern history,after the failure in the Opium wars,and the following humiliation of being bullied and brought to their knees by Western guns.And the dark history is still to some extent affecting our mentality today.\nFor some time,the Western world represents the best of everything in some Chinese eyes.But our state of mind is gradually changing.When asked\"What makes you feel proud of your country?\"in school classes in China,answers vary from the World Expo to the Olympic Games,from athletes to astronauts,from the mushrooming skyscrapers to busy metropolises,which have all filled us with growing self-confidence.\nWhile answering the question\"Since China is so good today and Chinese people are more confident,why are an increasing number of Chinese emigrating abroad?\"Zhang Weiwei,a professor at Fudan University,replied that at least 70percent of Chinese migrants become more patriotic after leaving their home country,no matter whether they have become a naturalized citizen of another nation or not.Such result and experiences are much more convincing and have better effect than dozens of\"patriotic education\"classes.\nThere is no reason for us not to be self-confident.We live in the world's second-largest economy.Chinese net financial assets per capita and the purchasing power of people have seen a sharp rise,with more and more people starting to purchase works of art,instead of only necessities.These all indicate a rising standard of life and self-confidence.\nNevertheless,the point of the changing attitudes toward ourselves or other countries is not realizing other nations are better or worse than China,but treating them like how we treat our fellow Chinese.That is what confidence means,not being condescending ,not worshiping,but looking each other in the eye with trust and respect.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the text,what are the Chinese attitudes toward foreigners today?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They think the foreigners are always rude.", "They have various attitudes toward foreigners.", "They always speak highly of the foreigners.", "They believe foreigners are just common people."]}, {"question": "Chinese used to lack self-confidence because .", "answer": "D", "options": ["They thought the foreigners were mysterious.", "They used to think themselves less powerful.", "They once believed foreigners were awesome.", "They were deeply influenced by the dark history."]}, {"question": "According to Zhang Weiwei,most Chinese migrants .", "answer": "C", "options": ["desire to be a citizen of another nation", "are unwilling to return to their motherland", "develop a stronger love for their home country", "serve as bad examples in patriotic education"]}, {"question": "What's the main idea of the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Chinese should be confident and take the foreigners as equals.", "Chinese have enough confidence to make greater progress.", "Chinese have a lower self-confidence faced with foreigners.", "Chinese should be proud of the great achievement of their country."]}]} -{"article": "Whatever field we are involved in,we always have to look for ways to expand our knowledge.An increase in knowledge in a particular subject can lead to a better understanding,grasp,judgment,intelligence and ability in that area.So how do we go about gaining knowledge?\nI think people are the biggest source of knowledge for anybody.Right from childhood,we have learned things by watching others.Whatever field you want to gain knowledge in,there must be many who have experience in that field.So make use of this valuable source of information by learning from the experience,success,mistakes and skills of others. Study carefully and associate with people who are experts in the field you want to gain knowledge in.\nThe next best source of knowledge should be books.There are millions and millions of books in every language and on almost any topic imaginable.Whatever problem you are facing must have been faced by somebody else before,and its solution is likely to have been preserved in the form of a book.If you are serious about gaining knowledge about a topic,then read any book,magazine,article etc.You can lay your hands on the books related to that topic.Read as much as you can.\nIt is said that experience is a great teacher,so learn from your past experience and the experience of others.Learn from your and others' past and present achievements as well as mistakes.\nExperimenting with new things and observing new things can help you learn very quickly. Keep in mind,though,that while experimenting,you may encounter a few failures , too.Do not become discouraged as failures are a part of the learning curve,especially while attempting something new.Try to earn from failures instead of becoming disheartened.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements is TRUE according to this text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Books are the biggest source of knowledge.", "An expert can teach people everything useful.", "Mistakes are the best source of knowledge.", "People from an early age have learned things from others."]}, {"question": "If a person decides to learn about a topic,he or she should _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["prepare well for the coming problems", "experiment or observe as much as possible", "read as many books related to that topic as possible", "make friends with as many experts in that field as possible"]}, {"question": "The author would NOT agree that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["experimenting with new things is the quickest way to learn", "people can learn from their own experience and others'", "people can learn from both achievements and mistakes", "failures teach people something"]}, {"question": "This text mainly talks about _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the importance of learning", "means of gaining knowledge", "ways to become successful", "the advantages of reading"]}]} -{"article": "Demands for stronger protection for wildlife in prefix = st1 /Britainsometimes hide the fact that similar needs are felt in the rest of Europe. Studies by the Council of Europe, of which 21 countries are members, have shown that 45 per cent of reptile species and 24 per cent of butterflies are in danger or dying out.\nEuropean concern for wildlife was outlined by Dr Peter Baum, an expert in the environment and natural resources division of the council, when he spoke at a conference arranged by the administrators of a British national park. The park is one of the few areas in Europe to hold the council's diploma for nature reserves of the highest quality, and Dr Baum had come to present it to the park once again. He was afraid that public opinion was turning against national parks, and that those set up in the 1960s and 1970s could not be set up today. But Dr Baum clearly remained a strong supporter of the view that natural environments needed to be allowed to survive in peace in their own right.\n\"No area could be expected to survive both as a true nature reserve and as a tourist attraction,\" he went on. The shortsighted view that reserves had to serve immediate human demands for outdoor recreation should be replaced by full acceptance of their importance as places to preserve nature for the future.\n\"We forget that they are the guarantee of life systems, on which any built-up area depends,\" Dr Baum went on. \"We could manage without most industrial products, but we could not manage without nature. However, our natural environment areas, which are the original parts of our countryside, have become mere islands in a spoiled and highly polluted land.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Recent studies by the Council of Europe have declared that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["wildlife needs more protection only in Britain", "all species of wildlife in Europe are in danger of dying out", "there are fewer species of reptiles and butterflies in Europe than elsewhere", "many species of reptiles and butterflies in Europe need protecting"]}, {"question": "Why did Dr Baum come to a British national park?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Because he needed to present it with a council's diploma.", "Because he was concerned about its management.", "Because it was the only national park of its kind in Europe.", "Because it was the only park that had ever received a diploma from the council."]}]} -{"article": "Rats that eat high levels of a natural sugar, known as fructose, seem to age faster than other rats, and the same could be true for people who eat too much sweet junk food, Israeli researchers said Monday.\nFructose, found naturally in honey and fruit, is used widely in foods ranging from soft drinks to yogurt.But while its sweet taste is popular, the sugar could cause wrinkles and do harm to health, the researchers said.\nDr.Moshe Werman and Boaz Levi fed large amounts of fructose to laboratory rats.They said the fructose-fed rats showed changes in the collagen of their skin and bones.\nCollagen, a fibrous protein found in connective tissue, bone and cartilage, basically holds the body together.The loss of collagen is what causes loose and deep wrinkles in older people.\nThe process affected, Werman's team said, is known as \"cross linking\".\"Too much cross-linking reduces elasticity and makes the skin stiff , and these are the conditions that encourage wrinkled skin,\" Werman said in a statement.He said the same could be true of people, although this has not been shown.\"Americans are eating more and more processed foods such as carbonated drinks, baked foods, canned fruits, jams and dairy products that contain fructose,\" Werman said.\nOther studies have shown that high fructose intake can affect how the body handles glucose and increases insulin resistance--which can both be important measures of the tendency toward diabetes.\nThe rats Werman worked with were fed much more than the average adult person might eat in a day, which is standard in such experiments.The rats were fed on 12.5 grams fructose per kg (2.2 pounds) of weight every day for a year.To compare, a person weighing 154 pounds (70kg) who drinks a liter of cola consumes about 60 grams of fructose, or 0.8 grams per kg of body weight.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following foods probably both contain fructose?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Beer and coffee.", "Apple and egg.", "Cola and yogurt.", "Cake and potato."]}, {"question": "According to the passage, what's the effect of losing collagen?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It may increases insulin resistance.", "It can lead to wrinkles in older people.", "It will cause people to gain weight.", "It may make you suffer from toothache."]}, {"question": "The important measures of the tendency to diabetes are _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["how the body handles glucose and increases insulin resistance", "whether cross-linking is much enough to reduce elasticity and make the skin stiff", "the changes in the collagen of their skin and bones", "the amount of fructose and fat that people take in"]}, {"question": "If a person weighing 70kg takes in 2.4 grams fructose per kg of body weight, then how much cola does he drink?", "answer": "B", "options": ["4 liters.", "3 liters.", "2 liters.", "1 liter"]}]} -{"article": "Ali, who was working a long way from home, wanted to send a letter to his wife, but he could neither read nor write, and he had to work all day, so he could only look for somebody to write his letter late at night .At last he found the house of a letter writer whose name was Nasreddin.\n Nasreddin was already in bed. \"It is late,\"he said. \"What do you want?\" \"I want you to write a letter to my wife , \"said Ali , Nasreddin was not pleased. He thought for a few seconds and then said, \"Has the letter got to go far?\" \"What does that matter?\" answered Ali.\n \"Well, my writing is so strange that only I can read it, and if I have to travel a long way to read your letter to your wife, it will cost you a lot of money.\" Ali went away quickly.", "problems": [{"question": "Ali wanted to _ to his wife.", "answer": "B", "options": ["get something", "have a letter written", ".bring a flower", "say good-bye"]}, {"question": "At last he found the house of _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["a writer", "a seller", "an old man", "a letter-writer"]}, {"question": "When Ali told what he wanted to do Nasreddin was _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["pleased", "pleased", "excited", "angry"]}, {"question": "Nasreddin said that his writing was _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["easy for anyone to read", "strange but everyone can read", "too strange for anyone to write", "too difficult for anyone to read"]}, {"question": "This story tells us _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["not to ask anybody for help", "not to trouble others at night", "not to ask for help without money", "not to believe others"]}]} -{"article": "Could radar be the answer to keeping an eye on elderly people without invading their privacy? That's what the researchers are aiming to prove with their experiment. They say using radar could keep track of older s and even detect when they fall over.\nRight now, 40 million Americans are over the age of 65, and the Census Bureau predicts that by the year 2030, 80 million Americans will be 65 or older. Due to these rising statistics, families, communities and health care providers are at a cross-road in terms of how to best serve this growing aging population.\nMany elderly individuals choose to live alone, which causes a great risk as falls and other illnesses become more likely as a person ages. In order to increase the safety and security of an elderly person living alone, researchers are examining the use of through-the-wall radar technology to detect falls and monitor the elderly in their individual living spaces.\nGraduate students were trained in walking, falling, and functioning like an elderly person and experiments were conducted in the radar-imaging lab on the campus. A clinical instructor and an expert educated and trained the students on how the elderly carry themselves and walk--with or without the assistance of canes or walkers.\nTheir research focuses on various applications for radar imaging, including search and rescue, defense, and law enforcement. Dr Amin and his team, through a grant from Qatar University, are now developing a series of algorithms to identify the patterns and routines of an elderly person in his or her home.\nThe radar, with the help of these algorithms, can detect when a person is sitting, standing, walking and so on. They say detection of motion, and even classification of what sort of motion it is (such as walking or falling), can be achieved in all rooms inside a home with just one or a few radar units.\n\"Radar has become a mature technology,\" explains Dr Amin. \"So people have started thinking about transitioning this technology into healthcare.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What is the purpose of the researchers doing experiments with radar?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To look after elderly people when they walk around.", "To watch over elderly people when they fall over.", "To predict when elderly people will fall over at home.", "To protect elderly people when they become sick."]}, {"question": "How does the radar keep track of the elderly people?", "answer": "A", "options": ["It uses algorithms to classify the motion of a person.", "It recognizes an elderly person by using algorithms.", "It uses its searching system to locate the elderly person.", "It monitors the elderly person by recognizing his behaviors."]}, {"question": "Where can you most probably read this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["In a science fiction.", "In a handbook.", "In a science journal.", "In directions."]}]} -{"article": "\"People are ruder today because they are rushed and more 'time poor' than ever before, \" says Patsy Rowe, \" Manners have fallen off the radar . \" Due to our strong attraction to electronic equipment it is a wonder more people don't wake up each morning and greet the singing birds with a complaint about the noise. Here are some examples of rudeness.\nSome people prefer to do almost everything over the internet. To them, dealing with an actual human is like an evolutionary step backward. It feels very slow because humans don, t work at 4G speeds. When you have dinner with friends, you will often notice someone paying more attention to his mobile phone. We have programmed ourselves to think that every new message brings life-changing news, so taking calls and checking our texts are more important than talking to the people we are with. What is worse, some people even tend to send anonymous rude messages by email.\nHowever, rudeness is never acceptable, Don, t assume it is OK to be rude if the person you, re in touch with won, t recognize you. If you have something awful to say, have the courage to face the person and say it, write a letter or email and sign it, or forget it. Upsetting people with unsigned messages is cruel and disgusting.\nWe shouldn't blame technology for our shortcomings. Technology is here to help us, but we should not allow it to take over our lives. An important step is acknowledging our shortcomings. People spend a lot of time pointing out bad manners but it would be even more help if we'd publicly acknowledge good manners when we see them.", "problems": [{"question": "Some people are less willing to deal with humans because", "answer": "A", "options": ["they are becoming less patient", "they are growing too independent", "they have to handle many important messages", "they have to follow an evolutionary step backward."]}, {"question": "The author thinks sending unsigned awful messages is", "answer": "B", "options": ["Ridiculous", "disgusting", "acceptable", "reasonable"]}]} -{"article": "Many of us are interested in time travel and shuttling back and forth to the past or the future. Who wouldn't be _ by returning to the past or seeing the future? But time travel seems to be possible only in our imagination or in science fiction .\nScience fiction is a world where impossible things can become possible and that's why most of us like it. But science fiction is not entirely fiction since it is based on science theories . Time travel, for instance, is a theme used by sci-fi writers. Readers may sometimes think writers have first-hand experience of it. I have collected some of the popular ways in which time travel is made possible in science fiction:\n* Through the wormhole -- A wormhole is a path between points in space-time. According to Einstein, an object can pass through a wormhole if it can travel at the speed of light. An example of a wormhole is described in Riddle of the Red Bible.\n* Through a black hole -- A black hole is a vacuum in space where light cannot even escape or pass through. In some sci-fi movies, like Star Trek, black holes became the means to travel through time.\n* Through time machines -- In science fiction, time machines are vehicles that can travel faster than light. It can be a strange vehicle like the TARDIS in Doctor Who or a special car like the one used in Back to the Future. But these special vehicles would need a wormhole to travel to the past or the future.\n* Through parallel universe -- Another popular way to travel through time is to be able to get into a parallel universe where one can go back to a point in time and see a different reality.\nThough we know time travel may not be possible, it is still an entertaining subject and a heated topic for most of us. And in science fiction, where reality is always in the imagination, time does not really matter.", "problems": [{"question": "What can we learn from the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Time travel might become possible in the far future.", "Time machines can't travel to the past or the future without a wormhole.", "Sci-fi writers have similar experiences to those they describe in their fiction.", "An object can travel to the past or the future when its speed is faster than light."]}, {"question": "What is the author's purpose in writing this passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To arouse the heated topic of time travel among readers.", "To introduce how humans travel through time in science fiction.", "To introduce the author's knowledge of time travel to the readers.", "To compare different ways of time travel mentioned in some science fictions."]}]} -{"article": "About ten years ago when I was an undergraduate in college, I was working as a practice student at my University's Museum of Natural History. One day while working at the cash register in the gift shop, I saw an elderly couple come in with a little girl in a wheelchair.\nAs I looked closer at this girl, I saw that she was kind of set on her chair. I then realized she had no arms or legs, just a head, neck and main body. She was wearing a little white dress with red dots.\nAs the couple wheeled her up to me I was looking down at the register. I turned my head toward the girl and gave her a wink. As I took the money from her grandparents, I looked back at the girl, who was giving me the cutest, largest smile I have ever seen.\nAll of a sudden her _ was gone and all I saw was this beautiful girl, whose smile just melted me and almost instantly gave me a completely new sense of what life is all about. She took me from a poor, unhappy college student and brought me into her world: a world of smiles, love and warmth.\nThat was ten years ago. I'm a successful business person now and whenever I get down and think about the troubles of the world, I think about that little girl and the remarkable lesson about life that she taught me.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is TRUE about the writer?", "answer": "A", "options": ["He is a success in his business.", "He was good at natural history at university.", "He ran a gift shop in the university.", "He graduated from Natural History University."]}, {"question": "At a second sight, the writer found the little girl _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["was badly injured", "was unable to move", "was only able to smile", "was tied on the wheelchair"]}, {"question": "In the writer's opinion, the little girl was not disabled at all because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["she gave him an important lesson", "she had the cutest and biggest smile", "she had a healthier heart than many other people", "she offered him the courage in business"]}, {"question": "Which of the following can be the best title for this text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["A World of Smiles", "The Smile of a Girl", "A Badly Disabled Girl", "The Secret of a Businessman"]}]} -{"article": "If we want to deal with the association between boys and girls properly, here are some \"dos and don'ts\" for you to follow.\nKeep a normal and healthy state of mind. Our schools and classes are made up of boys and girls. It is very natural for the boys and girls to make friends with each other. We should make as many friends as possible. We should keep in touch with the other sex in public instead of in secret.\nDon't be too nervous or too shy. If you are a shy person, you can also find a way out. First of all, you can make friends with the students who have the same interest and hobby as you. As both of you have much in common, you may have much to talk about. If you keep doing like that, little by little, you will gladly find you are also as free to express yourself as others.\nDon't fall into the _ of early love. The boys and girls at adolescence are rich in feeling. They are easy to regard the friendship as a sign of love and fall in love with each other at an early age. In my opinion, early love is a green apple that can't be eaten. An apple won't taste sweet until it is fully ripe. Boys and girls at middle school are too young to carry the heavy duty of love. Do keep out of early love.", "problems": [{"question": "The main idea of the passage is to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["tell students to keep away from early love", "give some advice on how to associate between boys and girls", "tell students how to make friends", "teach boys how to talk with girls"]}, {"question": "We should keep in touch with the other sex in the following EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["with a good state of mind", "in real friendship", "in public", "in secret"]}, {"question": "If you are a shy person, you can _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["find friends with the same interest and hobby first", "only have a few friends of the same sex", "not make friends with the other sex", "not fail in love with other students easily"]}]} -{"article": "Daily life can be made happier. It is a matter of choice. It is our attitude that makes us feel happy or unhappy. It is true, we meet all kinds of situations during the day, and some of them may not be conductive to happiness. We can choose to refuse to think about the unhappy events. If we let outer events influence our moods, we become their slaves. On the other hand, we can free ourselves from outer influences. We can choose to be happy, and we can do a lot to add happiness to our lives.\nWhat is happiness? It is a feeling of inner peace and satisfaction. It is usually experienced when there are no worries, fears or confused thoughts, and this usually happens when we do something we love to do or when we win, gain or achieve something that we value. It seems to be the outcome of positive events, but it actually comes from the inside, triggered by outer events.\nFor most people happiness seems passing quickly. One of the best ways to keep it, is by gaining inner peace through daily meditation . As the mind becomes more peaceful, it becomes easier to choose the happiness habit.\nHere are a few tips for increasing happiness in daily life:\nTry hard to change the way you look at things. Always look at the bright side.\nThink of solutions, not problems.\nListen to relaxing, uplifting music.\nWatch funny comedies that make you laugh.\nEach day, devote some time to reading a few pages of an inspiring book or article.\nWhenever you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts, start thinking of pleasant things.", "problems": [{"question": "For most people happiness seems passing quickly because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["they let changing outer circumstances affect them", "they hope that even greater happiness will come", "they have no friends to share happiness with them", "they don't want to achieve any greater happiness"]}, {"question": "We can learn from the passage that our happiness is _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["that we own a great deal of money", "to achieve the goal we have been seeking", "a feeling of inner peace and satisfaction", "the feeling that we are admired by others"]}, {"question": "According to the author happiness depends on _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["outer circumstances", "our attitude toward it", "the conditions we have", "the objective world"]}, {"question": "Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Happiness Is the Goal in Daily Life.", "Happiness Exists in Everyone's Mind.", "Happiness Can Be Chosen by Us.", "Tips for happiness in Daily Life."]}]} -{"article": "The Convention concerning the protection of world cultural and natural heritage appeared from a need to call for international cooperation to protect the world's natural and scenic areas and historic sites for present and the future generations.\nIn 1959 there was international concern over the flooding of the Abu Simbel temples, a treasure of ancient Egyptian civilization, to build the Aswan High Dam in Egypt. Through an international campaign by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) on the request of Egypt and Sudan, resources were found to move the temples to a new site. In 1965,a conference at the White House in Washington DC, USA called for a \"World Heritage Trust\" and international cooperation to protect \"the world's superb natural and scenic areas and historic sites for the present and the future\". In 1969, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) developed similar proposals for its members .Therefore, the Convention was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO in 1972. By regarding heritage as both cultural and natural, the Convention reminds us of the ways in which people interact with nature , and of the basic need to keep the balance between the two.\nThe Convention identifies the natural or cultural sites on the World Heritage List, and sets out their role in protecting them .Although the emphasis has been on sites and natural features of \"outstanding universal value\", each country promises not only to _ the World Heritage sites situated in its country, but also to protect and conserve its cultural and natural heritage.\nThere is also a \"List of World Heritage in Danger\" which are sites threatened by serious and specific dangers caused by changes in the use or ownership of the land , wars or natural disasters.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the purpose of the World Heritage Convention according to the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To call for international cooperation to help poor people.", "To protect the world's natural and cultural heritage.", "To save the natural resouces for next generation in the world.", "To raise money for the endangered heritage in the world."]}]} -{"article": "There was a gardener who looked after his garden with great care. To water his flowers, he used two buckets. One was a shiny and new bucket. The other was a very old and _ one, which had seen many years of service, but was now past its best.\nEvery morning, the gardener would fill up the two buckets. Then he would carry them along the path, one on each side, to the flowerbeds. The new bucket was very proud of itself. It could carry a full bucket of water without a single drop spilled . The old bucket felt very ashamed because of its holes: before it reached the flowerbeds, much water had leaked along the path.\nSometimes the new bucket would say, \"See how great I am! How good it is that the gardener has me to water the flowers every day! I don't know why he still bothers with you. What a waste of space you are!\"\nAnd all that the old bucket could say was. \"I know I am not very useful, but I can only do my best. I am happy that the gardener still finds a little bit of use in me, at least.\"\nOne day, the gardener heard that kind of conversation. After watering the flowers as usual, he said, \"You both have done your work very well. Now I am going to carry you back. I want you to look carefully along the path.\"\nThen the two buckets did so. All along the path, they noticed, on the side where the new bucket was carried, there was just bare earth; on the other side where the old bucket was carried, there was a joyous row of wild flowers, leading all the way to the garden.", "problems": [{"question": "What was the old bucket ashamed of?", "answer": "A", "options": ["His leaking.", "His aging.", "His manner.", "His past."]}, {"question": "The new bucket made conversations with the old one mainly to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["show off its beautiful looks", "feel sorry about the old one", "laugh at the old one", "praise the gardener's kindness"]}, {"question": "Why was the old bucket still kept by the gardener?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because it was used to keep balance", "Because it stayed in its best condition", "Because it had its own value", "Because it was treated as a treasure"]}]} -{"article": "More than half of rich Americans have not shown their full wealth to their children, a new survey showed last Tuesday.\nThe survey, published by the Bank of America, studied the rich with$3 million or more in possessions. It found that \"surprisingly few of those surveyed have well-developed plans to preserve and pass on their possessions to their children\".\nThe majority of the 457 people surveyed are self-made, first-generation rich. Fifty-two percent of parents have not chosen not to tell their children just how wealthy they are,and 15 percent have given away nothing about the family wealth. One in three parents said they had never thought to do it.\nThey are worried that their children would become lazy, spend money freely,make bad decisions and even become a target for attractive women who use their looks to get money from rich men.\nOnly 34 percent strongly agreed that their children would be able to handle any inheritance they plan to leave them.\n\"There is an expectation about the wealthy parents that _ have a responsibility to pass down their fortune to the next generation,\" said Sallie Krawcheck,president of the Global Wealth and Investment Management of the Bank of America. \"Our research, however, uncovered changing views of what one generation owes the next.\"\nThe trend is led by the world's richest man Bill Gates, who promised in 2008 that he would leave his $58 billion fortune to the charity started by him and his wife, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation ,and not to his children.\n\" We want to give it back to society in the way that it will have the most positive effect,\" he said.\nOf his plans for his children , Gates said: \"I will give the kids some money but not a meaningful percentage... they will need to work but they will feel reasonably taken care of.\"", "problems": [{"question": "We can learn from the passage that _", "answer": "B", "options": ["rich parents may not know how to manage their inheritance", "rich parents don't equal rich kids, at least in the US", "American children don't get to inherit their parents' wealth", "poor children don't expect themselves to be as rich as their parents"]}, {"question": "According to the survey, most rich Americans _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["think they owe their children nothing", "think it best to give their money back to society", "doubt their children's ability to handle wealth", "are confident of their children's ability to handle wealth"]}]} -{"article": "Wednesday night 7: 30 p. m. at the Chuckle Bar!\nStarring Rodney Mann, Pedro Mendez and Larry Dunne!\nNext Wednesday night at the Chuckle Bar we have an all star line up of comedians. Three of the world's best known comedians are coming together for one night only. Book your tickets by calling 1 900 555 6565 or be at the door early to buy them before the show begins.\nRodney Mann\nMann is famous for his jokes about average people and their life. Many of his jokes are social commentaries on everyday things. He loves to set his jokes in New York, the city where he grew up.\nMann's most famous opening line, \"You know, I was walking down the street the other day. . . \" is known all over the world. He is just back from his tour of Europe, and is appearing at the Chuckle Bar for one night only. Don't miss it!\nPedro Mendez\nPedro Mendez grew up on a small farm in Panama. He moved to the USA with his parents when he was ten, and has been telling jokes and making people laugh ever since. Recently, the 30 year old comedian began to film a new TV programme that he will both act in and produce.\nExperience Mendez's unique Latin style humor for yourself. His routine, \"I had a farm in Panama\", is a classic that should not be missed.\nLarry Dunne\nLarry Dunne has been making people laugh all over the world for more than five decades. He began his career by performing for soldiers in Hawaii in the 1950s, and since then, he has been the host of his own late night TV programme. The videos and DVDs of his performances are the best sellers of any stand-up acts out there. As an old style comedian, Dunne uses lots of singing and dancing as part of his routines.\nDunne is best known for his jokes about life in the USA and how it has changed during his lifetime. This will be Dunne's last show before he retires, so don't miss it.\nCall 1-900-555-6565 to reserve your tickets or be at the door by 7: 00 p. m. .", "problems": [{"question": "Rodney Mann grew up in _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the USA", "Panama", "Hawaii", "New York"]}, {"question": "The show begins _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["at lunch time", "at 7: 30 p. m.", "at 7: 00 p.m", "at 7: 30 a. m."]}, {"question": "Pedro Mendez has lived in _ for _ years.", "answer": "D", "options": ["the USA; thirty-four", "the USA;", "Panama; thirty-four", "the USA; twenty"]}, {"question": "The oldest comedian is probably _ , and has been performing _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Rodney Mann; for over fifty years", "Larry Dunne; since the 1970s", "Larry Dunne; for over fifty years", "Pedro Mendez; for over fifty years"]}, {"question": "The comedy show will have _ comedians on _ night.", "answer": "A", "options": ["three; one", "three; two", "one; three", "one; two"]}]} -{"article": "The person behind you constantly kicks the back of your seat.Your talkative seatmate doesn't understand your need for sleep.And the aircraft's bathroom is a total mess.These situations can make even a short flight unbearable.Hopefully you don't cause these unpleasant experiences for others.Instead,you can set an example by following these common airplane _ .\nAlways recline your seat slowly.There's nothing worse than suddenly being slammed in the knees by the seat in front of you.In addition,don't keep your seat reclined for the entire flight.Always keep it upright position before going to the restroom(or anytime you leave your seat).\nAvoid going to the bathroom during mealtime.Wait until the meal is done and all the food trays have been collected.It's hard for passengers to stand up to let you pass when they still have their food trays.And when using the bathroom,always clean up after your-self-the next user will be grateful!\nKeep your body--and your possessions-to yourself as much as possible so as not to crowd your in-flight seatmate(s).Share the armrest,especially on a long flight.Also,be careful not to kick or push on the seat in front of you,and don't allow your children to do so either.\nWhile some people enjoy chatting with other passengers during a flight,not everyone does.Some people may want to nap,read or work.If the conversation seems one--sided,take the hint.\nIf you are traveling with someone and want to chat,keep your voices low.If using electronic gadgets,keep the volume down.People can still hear through your headphones if the volume is too high.\nWhen exiting the plane,if others are having trouble with their carry-on luggage,help them if you can.If you can't help,wait patiently,and don't push past people to get off the airplane.\nOn your next flight,remember that it all boils down to the golden rule.Treat others the way you want to be treated !", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following manners we should follow while flying?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Always keep your seat upright during meal time.", "Keep your belongings to yourself as much as possible.", "Use your headphones and keep the volume down.", "All the above."]}, {"question": "Where do we most probably read this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["a text book", "a newspaper", "a magazine", "a science book"]}, {"question": "Which of the following word has the closest meaning with the word _ ?", "answer": "B", "options": ["golden rules", "manners", "experiences", "passengers"]}, {"question": "What is the best title of this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Manners in the sky.", "Bad manners in the sky.", "Behave yourself in the sky.", "Treat others the way you want to be treated."]}]} -{"article": "Popeye the Sailor first became a popular cartoon in the 1930s.The sailor in that cartoon ate lots of spinach to make him strong. People watched him, and they began to buy and eat a lot more spinach. Popeye helped sell 33 percent more spinach than before! Spinach became a necessary part of many people's diets. Even some children who hated the taste began to eat the vegetable.\nMany people thought that the iron in spinach made Popeye strong, but this is not true. Spinach does not have any more iron than any other green vegetable. People only thought spinach had a lot of iron because the people who studied the food made a mistake. In the 1890s, a group of people studied what was inside vegetables. This group said that spinach had ten times more iron than it did. The group wrote the number wrong, and everyone accepted it.\nToday, we know that the little iron there is in spinach cannot make a difference in how strong a person is. However, spinach does have something else which the body needs--folic acid.\nIt is interesting to point out that folic acid can help make a person strong. Maybe it was really the folic acid that made Popeye strong all along.", "problems": [{"question": "A good title for this reading passage is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Popeye the Sailor", "The Truth About Spinach", "A Mistake with Numbers", "Folic Acid Makes You Strong"]}, {"question": "Why did many people eat spinach after they saw Popeye the Sailor?", "answer": "A", "options": ["They thought spinach made them strong.", "They thought Popeye was funny.", "Spinach had a lot of iron.", "People liked folic acid."]}, {"question": "A research group told people that spinach _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["made Popeye strong", "was a green vegetable", "had less iron than other green vegetables", "had more iron than other green vegetables"]}, {"question": "The reading passage says that perhaps Popeye got his strength from _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["iron", "folic acid", "spinach", "exercise"]}, {"question": "Folic acid is _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["something in food", "a vegetable", "dangerous", "a certain kind of spinach"]}]} -{"article": "In a class this past December, after I wrote some directions on the board for students about their final examination, one young woman quickly took a picture of the board using her smart phone. When I looked in her direction, she apologized: \"Sorry. Was it wrong to take a picture?\"\n\"I can't read my own handwriting ,\"the young woman explained.\"It's best if I take a picture of your writing so I can understand the notes.\"\nThat remark started a class-wide conversation about taking a picture instead of taking notes. For those in the photo-taking camp, motivations extended beyond their inability to comprehend their own handwriting. Some took pictures of notes because they knew their phone was a safe place to store material. They might lose paper, they reasoned, but they wouldn't lose their phones. Some took photos because they wanted to record exactly the manner in which I had noted information on the board. Others told me that during class they liked to be able to listen to the discussion attentively.\nYet the use of cameras as note takers, though it may be convenient, does raise significant questions for the classroom. Is a picture an effective replacement for the process of note-taking?\nInstructors encourage students to take notes because the act of doing so is more than merely recording necessary information--it helps prepare the way for understanding. Encouraging students to take notes may be an old-fashioned instructional method, but just because a method has a long history doesn't mean it's out of date. Writing things down engages a student's brain in listening, visual, and kinesthetic learning--a view supported by a longstanding research. The act of writing down information enables a person to begin committing it to memory, and to process and combine it, establishing the building blocks of learning new concepts.\nTaking a picture does indeed record the information, but it deletes some of the necessary mental engagement that taking notes employs. So can the two be equally effective?\nI'm not sure how to measure the effectiveness of either method. For now, I allow students to take notes however they see fit--handwritten or photographed--because I figure that some notes, no matter the method of note-taking, are better than none.", "problems": [{"question": "The woman apologized in the class because she _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["took a picture of the board", "missed the teachers' directions", "had the bad handwriting", "disturbed other students' learning"]}, {"question": "Students refuse to take notes by hand because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["they are unable to take notes", "they are more likely to lose notes", "they are interested in using their phones", "they have a good memory of teachers' instructions"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, taking notes by hand _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["requires students to think independently", "is unsuitable for students to learn new ideas", "helps students actively participate in learning", "proves to be an old and useless learning method"]}, {"question": "What's the author's opinion towards taking notes by phones?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Supportive.", "Neutral.", "Doubtful.", "Disapproving."]}]} -{"article": "I am ex-navy officer and now working as a primary school volunteer teacher in Chiang Rai. Our school is located in the most northern part of Thailand.\nI used to teach according to my plan and in addition I had to take care of students` safety. Early this month(November) we all needed to put on our light jacket to prevent cool weather. One morning during the first break I saw a group of primary level boys were playing police and thief game. They were a playing with a plastic pistol , which can shoot with plastic balls. It seemed to me very dangerous for their eyes. Immediately I called them and ask to hand over their toy gun. I placed it between my back bone and waist belt. No one can see it because it is under my light jacket.\nIn the afternoon I needed to pay my house electric bill and I had to _ some money from Kung Thai Bank. I walked into the bank and sat in waiting chair with other customers. I relaxed my back to the seat and then I realized that toy gun in my body. Oh, God! I made a big mistake because it is gun forbidden area. I looked around and my eyes met with the guard's eyes.\nI became sweating and couldn`t move from my seat until my turn announced from public addresser. As soon as I received my money and I shouted without voice \" I will never make the same mistake again\". The following period before I taught my lesson to class I told them what happened to me today. All my students enjoyed laughing without end.", "problems": [{"question": "Why did the author take away their toy gun?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because the children are too young to play with toy gun.", "Because the teacher wanted to play himself.", "Because the teacher must take care of the students` safety.", "It is against the school rules to play with toy guns."]}, {"question": "Why did the writer say he made a big mistake when in bank?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because he forgot the password of his bank account.", "Because he took the gun into the gun forbidden area.", "Because his eyes met with the guard's eyes.", "Because he forgot to return the toy gun to the children"]}, {"question": "From the end of the story, we can infer that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["The teacher is getting on well with his students.", "The students hate their teacher because he took away their toy gun.", "The students laugh at their teacher because he is very silly.", "The teacher is careless because he often makes mistakes."]}]} -{"article": "Children love playing games. That is a well-known fact. Kids learn how to play games at a very early age, and once they find a game they love, they can play for hours and hours. In fact, games for kids are so popular that there is an entire industry dedicated to designing and selling them. There seems to be a fun game for kids for every occasion. Christmas and birthday are often celebrated with the family tradition of gifting a new game.\nIn recent years, however, Internet games and gaming system seem to have taken kids' world by storm. Online games for kids have quickly become a very popular way to pass the time with small children and teens alike. Online games are a great way to have fun, and they can be quite educational as well. Many online games created for specific age groups encourage grade-appropriate development and educational skills.\nHundreds of websites offer fun and educational games to kids. Many of these sites are created by big names, such as National Geographic, which we can trust. They offer free games that parents know are proper for children. Parents are encouraged to go online and research online games proper for their children's age before allowing their kids to play these games. Parents want to look for parental controls such as the ability to set or monitor their children's playtime.\nWith so many options to choose from, parents and children will find it easy to find fun games and activities on the Internet. And nowadays, being able to use a computer is a very important skill for children to learn, so playing on the computer is definitely both educational and fun. Children are sure to learn new skills about any subject with the right, trusted website.", "problems": [{"question": "The industry of games for kids is fast growing probably because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the workers are good at designing", "children are mostly crazy about games", "people would like to celebrate birthdays", "kids don't like to do their homework"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is TRUE of National Geographic Games?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The news is updated every day.", "There is a large amount of information.", "It can help parents to control kids' playtime.", "The games on it are good for kids' mental and physical health."]}, {"question": "What's the author's attitude to children's playing computer games?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Supportive.", "Worried.", "Negative.", "Doubtful."]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for this passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Traditional games and modern games", "Computer games harmful to the youth", "Games for kids changing a lot ever since", "Internet games with fun and education"]}]} -{"article": "When I was a kid, I used to spend hours listening to Adam Carolla and Dr. Drew Pinsky on their Sunday night radio showLoveline.I listened so often that I began to use one of their well-known phrases--\"good times\"--in my daily conversations. Scientists have a name for this phenomenon: behavioral _ .\nYou've probably experienced this before: after spending enough time with another person, you might start to pick up on his or her behavior or speech habits. You might even start to develop your friend's habits without realizing it. There is a large body of literature concerning this sort of phenomenon, and it regularly happens for everything from body postures to accents to drink patterns. For example, one study found that young adults were more likely to drink their drink directly after their same-sex drinking partners, than for the two individuals to drink at their own paces.\nAnd the effect isn't limited to real-life face-to-face activities. Another study found that the same you-drink-then-I-drink pattern held even when watching a movie! In other words, people were more likely to take a drink of their drinks in a theater after watching the actors on the screen enjoy a drink. At least I don't feel so strange anymore, having picked up on Adam Carolla's \"good times\".\nNew research published today in the journalPLOS ONEindicates that the same sort of behavioral mimicry is responsible for social eating, at least among university-age women of normal weight. That's right: the young women were more likely to adjust their eating according to the eating pace of their same-sex dining companion.\nAs with most experiments, these results raise a whole new set of questions. Still, the finding that behavioral mimicry may at least partly account for eating behavior is important, and has real effects on health. The researchers note that \"as long as people don't fully recognize such important influences on intake, it will be difficult to make healthy food choices and keep a healthy diet, especially when people are exposed to the eating behavior of others\".", "problems": [{"question": "The author takes his own example of using \"good times\" to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["express his love for radio shows", "prove the popularity of the show", "show the influence of the hosts' words", "introduce the topic of the passage"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT an example of behavioral mimicry?", "answer": "B", "options": ["A boy eats his popcorn after watching the actor eat.", "A boy buys a Nike shirt when he finds his desk-mate has one.", "A girl unconsciously sits straight just as others do.", "A girl takes on the Yorkshire accent after a month's stay."]}, {"question": "What is probably the author's purpose of writing this passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To draw readers' attention to popular radio shows.", "To introduce behavioral mimicry and its influence.", "To appeal to readers not to fall into others' habits.", "To advocate healthy food choices among readers."]}]} -{"article": "Shu Pulong has helped at least l000 people bitted by snakes. \"It was seeing people with snake bites that led me to this career\" he said.\nIn l963, after his army service, Shu entered a medical school and later became a doctor of Chinese medicine. As part of his studies he had to work in the mountains. There he often heard of people who had their arms and legs cut off after a snake bite in order to save their lives.\n\"I was greatly upset by the story of an old farmer I met. It was a very hot afternoon. The old man was pulling grass in his fields when he felt a pain in his left hand. He at once realized he had been bitten by a poisonous snake. In no time wrapped a cloth tightly around his arm to stop the poison spreading to his heart. Rushing home he shouted 'bring me the knife!' Minutes later the man lost his arm forever.\"\n\"The sad story touched me so much that I decided to devote myself to helping people bitten by snakes,\" Shu said.", "problems": [{"question": "The best headline fot this newspaper article is _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["Astonishing Medicine", "Farmer Loses Arm", "Dangerous Bites", "Snake Doctor"]}, {"question": "The farmer lost his arm because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the cloth was wrapped too tightl", "he cut it off to save his life", "Shu wasn't there to help him", "he was alone in the fields"]}, {"question": "Shu decided to devote himself to snake medicine because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["he wanted to save people's arms and legs", "he had studied it at a medical school", "he had seen snakes biting people", "his army service had finished."]}, {"question": "Why did Shu go into the mountains?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He wanted to study snake bites.", "He wanted to help the farmers.", "He was being trained to be a doctor.", "He was expected to serve in the army."]}]} -{"article": "A learning style is a way of learning. The styles which are often talked about are the Audio , Visual, and Tactile learning styles. Read about each of following learning styles to decide what your learning style is. \nAre you an Auditory Learner?\nAuditory learners learn best when information appears as sounds. Do you seem to learn best in classes where teachers speak more? Does listening to tapes help you learn better? Do you find yourself reading out loud or talking things out to gain a better understanding? If so, you are probably an auditory learner.\nAre you a Visual Learner? \nVisual learners learn best when information is presented as something such as a picture or a drawing. Do you do best in classes in which teachers do a lot of writing on the blackboard and make full use of the TV? Do you take written notes from your textbooks and in class? If so, you are probably a visual learner.\nAre you a Tactile Learner? \nTactile learners learn best in hands-on learning settings in which they can use something or play with it in order to learn about it. Do you learn better when you touch or handle things? Do you do well in lab classes? If so, you are probably a tactile learner.\nYour learning style is your strength. Go with it whenever you can. When you can choose a class, try to choose one that works best with your learning style. When you can choose a teacher, try to choose one whose teaching methods are the best match for your learning style.", "problems": [{"question": "If you do well in lab classes, you are probably _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["a Visual Learner", "an Auditory Learner", "a Tactile Learner", "an Active Learner"]}]} -{"article": "8:30 PM----Outlook\nOutlook is back with a new series of reports to keep you informed of all that's new in the world of entertainment. Stories go all the way from the technical to the romantic, from stage to screen. There will be reports of the stars of the moment, the stars of the future and the stars of the past. The director with his new film, the designer with the latest fashion, and the musician with the popular songs are part of the new Outlook. The program is introduced by Fran Levine.\n9:00 PM----Discovery\nWhen a 10-year-old boy gets a first class degree in mathematics or an 8-year-old boy plays chess like a future grand master, they are considered as geniuses. Where does the quality of genius come from? Is it all in the genes or can any child be turned into a genius? And if parents do have a child who might become a genius in the future, what should they do? In this 30-minute film, Barry Johnson, the professor at School of Medicine, New York University will help you discover the answer.\n10:00 PM----Science& Health\nIs it possible to beat high blood pressure without drugs? The answer is \"yes\", according to the researchers at Johns Hopkins and three other medical centers. After a study of 800 persons with high blood pressure, they found that after 6 months, those devoted to weight loss, exercise and eating a low-salt, low-fat food lost about 13 pounds and became fitter. Plus, 35% of them dropped into the \"normal\" category . This week, Dr. Alan Duckworth will tell you how these people reduce their blood pressure to a level similar to what's achieved with Hypertension drugs.", "problems": [{"question": "The main purpose of writing these three texts is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["to invite people to see films", "to attract more people to watch TV programs", "to attract more students to attend lectures", "to invite people to topic discussions"]}, {"question": "From Outlook, you can get a great deal of information about _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["story tellers", "music fans", "film companies", "famous stars"]}, {"question": "Who will be most probably interested in Discovery?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Parents who want to send their children to a school of medicine.", "Children who are good at mathematics.", "Parents who want their child to become another Albert Einstein.", "Children who are interested in playing chess."]}, {"question": "In Science &Health, \"Johns Hopkins\" is _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["a medical center", "a famous university", "a well-known doctor", "a drug company"]}, {"question": "According to the third text, which of the following has almost the same effect as Hypertension drug?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Six months of exercise without drugs.", "Loss of thirteen pounds in weight.", "Exercise plus a healthy diet.", "Low-salt and low-fat food."]}]} -{"article": "New Zealand\nWhat can you see? Mountains, volcanoes, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, forests, beaches. Both islands are mountainous. In fact, only 30% of New Zealand is flat.\nThe Maoris\nWhen the Maoris first arrived in New Zealand, they lived in villages and were excellent fishermen, hunters and farmers. About 50 years ago many Maoris started to live and work in the large cities and took jobs in government, industries, medicine and education. They are proud of their culture and are determined to keep many of the customs which are part of their way of life.\nWho can you meet? Most people live on North Island. Eighty-five percent of New Zealanders are \"pakeha\" (\"white men\"), which means their \"great grandfathers\" came from Europe. Ten percent are Maoris. The Maoris came to New Zealand from the Polynesian islands probably around the tenth century. The \"pakeha\" started to arrive in New Zealand from Europe about 200 years ago as farmers and traders.\nFact box: New Zealand\nPosition: South of the Equator ; Nearest neighbor: Australia, 1600 km away.\nSize: Two main islands -- North Island and South Island: together they are 268.680 sq. km.\nPopulation: 4 million\nCapital: Wellington\nLanguages: English and Maori", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is a fact about New Zealand?", "answer": "D", "options": ["20% of the population being Maoris.", "Four million white people.", "About 1600 km south of the Equator.", "Nearly 1/3 of the country being plains."]}, {"question": "The country's population is mainly made up of _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the white people and the Polynesians", "the white people and the \"pakeha\"", "the Maoris and the white people", "the Maoris and the Polynesians"]}, {"question": "When did the white people begin to live in New Zealand?", "answer": "B", "options": ["1000 years ago.", "200 years ago.", "85 years ago.", "50 years ago."]}, {"question": "What do the Maoris value most in life?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Living in small villages.", "Developing farming skills.", "Keeping their own culture.", "Taking up government jobs."]}]} -{"article": "ANIMALS have always been used to represent certain human characteristics. Countries also use animals as symbols. From eagles to lions, many countries use an animal to show its national spirit and character.\nThe image of an eagle is on the US President's flag, and on the one-dollar bill. The bald eagle is a large, powerful, brown bird with a white head and tail. The term \"bald\" does not mean that this bird lacks feathers. Instead, it comes from the old word piebald, that menas, \"marked with white\".\nThe US declared that the eagle was its national bird in 1782. It was chosen because of \"its long life, great strength, and noble looks\".\nA few eagles have even become American heroes. An eagle named \"Old Abe\", the mascot of a Wisconsin troop of soldiers during the Civil War, traveled 14,000 miles with its men. He was often shot at by the enemy, but survived 42 battles.\nBut, one of the Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin didn't agree with the choice. \"The bald eagle ... is a bird of bad moral character, like those among men who live by robbing, he is generally poor, and often very messy,\" he argued. Franklin wanted the turkey as the country's national bird.\nIf Americans chose their national symbol deliberately, the symbol of England arose out of history.\nKing Herry I(1068-1135) was a brave warrior but also wise. His appreciation for the rule of law earned him the nickname the Lion of Justice. He was the first English King to use a lion as a royal symbol, which is popularly known as the \"king of the jungle\". By the year Richard I, known as \"The Lionheart\" for his bravery, came to the throne in 1189, the famous Three Lions badge had been formed. Now it can be seen on the shirts of England's sports teams.\nAlthough people might not think of lions when they think of England, everyone knows about the Australian kangaroo. Legend has it that the kangaroo gets its name from an early meeting between local aborigines and white settlers. When asked by the Europeans what these strange-looking animals were, a native replied \"kangaroo\", meaning \"I don't understand you.\"\nThe kangaroo is an individualistic animal. Although it does gather in groups, the kangaroo is not a herd animal. If a group is attacked, individuals run off in different directions. Australians think the kangaroo represents positive values, such as individual responsibility and pride.", "problems": [{"question": "The general idea of this passage should probably be _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["animals are friends of human beings", "nearly all the countries have an animal as their national animal", "animals' good values are always used to show a country's national spirit and character", "certain human characteristics are the same as some animals, so some countries love animals"]}, {"question": "The reason why the lion was made as the national animal of the United Kingdom was that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["it could always be used to represent certain human characteristics of England", "the Kings of England loved lions", "there are many lions in England", "lions are \"king of the jungle\""]}, {"question": "What good values can the kangaroo show as national spirits?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Group.", "Respect of others.", "Not understanding", "Positive values."]}]} -{"article": "Unbelievable view appealed to me by accident.Just then, I checked once again: the somewhat tiny wood was having a leaf.Could I trust my own eyes? Had the hot sun annoyed me? After all, it as summer in Costa Rica, a country in Central America.\nI left off, wiping sweat from my eyes.Then I moved the wood with my finger.It stopped.It looked up at me with big triangular eyes.Surprise! It was a mantid, a kind of insect, instead of a piece of wood.\nThe mantid was hanging upside down on a branch.Its wings made it look like a piece of tree bark.Then I noticed something else.The leaf wasn't a leaf at all.The hungry mantid was really eating another insect--a katydid.By now, all that was left of the katydid was a pair of wings.A few moments later, the wings dropped to the ground.The mantid folded its long legs.It sat still.Now it looked even more like a piece of wood than when I had first seen it.\nI thought about how I had been fooled by these clever animals.Then I thought about how the two insects go about trying to trick each other.Both mantids and katydids are masters of make-up.Katydids are particularly good at it.Many look like something they are not.Katydids often look like plants.Many seem to be leaves.Others look like leaves of grass.All day, the bugs try to stay perfectly still.Because their bodies look like plants, most animals interested in killing them don't bother them while katydids eat plants.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the main topic of the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["An experience of watching insects.", "The fake image of mantids and katydids.", "The fight between mantids and katydids.", "The living habits of mantids and katydids."]}, {"question": "What caused the author amazed at first?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The hot sun in summer.'", "The quick moving of the wood.", "The sight of wood eating a leaf.", "The fight for food between mantids and katydids-"]}, {"question": "When the mantid was hanging upside down on a branch, it was _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["waiting for its other food", "enjoying its food- katydid", "eating a leaf from the branch", "having a break under the tree"]}, {"question": "Based on the passage, it can be inferred that the mantid _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["is a kind of meat-eafer", "is easy to be found by a katydid", "looks more like a green leaf", "mainly lives on the green leaves"]}]} -{"article": "Winter is coming. It's time for the arctic ground squirrel to get her underground home ready. She chooses a quiet spot, hidden from wolves and foxes. She gathers grass and fur to keep her home warm.\nWinter is long and cold in northern Canada. Many days, the air is colder than the air in your freezer. Plants can't grow, so there are no leaves or grass for animals to eat. They must find other ways to live. The arctic ground squirrel \"sleeps\" the winter away.\nFor months the ground squirrel has been eating lots of seeds, mushrooms, and berries. Now she is fat. The extra fat will keep her alive through the winter.\nAt last she crawls through a tunnel into the nest she has made. She curls up, wraps her tail around herself, and goes to \"sleep\". Only she won't really be sleeping. She will be hibernating .\nThe ground squirrel's body is usually as warm as yours. When she hibernates, her body becomes just colder than ice, but she doesn't freeze. In the warm season, when the ground squirrel is active, she uses most of the food she eats to make heat to stay warm. When she hibernates, she doesn't need much food.\nHer heart beats just one or two times each minute. She will take only about three breaths each minute. She won't move, even if someone touches her or shines a light into her eyes.\nThese changes in the ground squirrel's body let her live through the winter.\nThe ground squirrel will not stay in hibernation all winter. Her body warms up and becomes active for a few hours once every few weeks. Over the winter, these active times use up more than half of the energy that she worked so hard to store. Why does she do this?\nScientists aren't sure. Some think arctic ground squirrels must warm up in case their bodies\nneed to fight off any germs that would make them sick.\nIn April or May the arctic ground squirrel will stop hibernating. She will be skinny because she did not eat anything during the winter. Now she will have just a few months to have babies and fatten up before winter comes again.", "problems": [{"question": "The Arctic ground squirrel must hibernate in winter because she_.", "answer": "D", "options": ["needs to have a comfortable rest", "can keep warm while hibernating", "must hide from wolves and foxes", "doesn't have enough food in winter"]}, {"question": "While hibernating, the Arctic ground squirrel's body _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["freezes up completely", "is as warm as usual", "drops just below 0degC", "makes heat to stay warm"]}, {"question": "In winter, the Arctic ground squirrel_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["doesn't breathe at all", "becomes active sometimes", "stays in hibernation all the time", "won't move unless touched"]}, {"question": "The Arctic ground squirrel is very thin usually when _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["winter comes to an end", "she starts to hibernate", "autumn is approaching", "she has young babies"]}]} -{"article": "Stores, farmer markets, gas stations and restaurants have been interested in the organic food. However, it can be difficult to tell natural foods from organic foods. Most people don't know that there is a major difference between the two foods. No one seems to be able to determine which is which, creating a lot of confusion for people who are truly concerned with buying the best and healthiest products.\nIn 2000, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) published its official position on organic foods and made its production controlled by a strict law. While there are several standards for organic foods, foods must be grown without the use of antibiotics ,growth hormones ,chemical things and so on. The leaves of plants are one of the best choices.\nOn the other hand, natural foods have no legal rules, and are not controlled by any law. The USDA does require that seller should list the parts of natural foods, but there are no official rules for the amount of natural parts a food must contain. A natural food is usually considered to contain less chemical things, though there is no way to keep an eye on the product.\nThe USDA has guidelines for organic production. When considering buying organic foods, you must take into consideration that the organic meat, eggs and milk products must come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.\nDue to higher labor costs, organic products cost 40% to 120% more compared with their natural foods. The most important thing to remember is to eat a variety of healthy foods, organic or natural foods. Eating more fruits, vegetables, low-fat and whole grains will be good for our health.", "problems": [{"question": "What can be used in growing organic foods?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Chemical things.", "Antibiotics.", "The leaves of trees.", "Growth hormones."]}, {"question": "What is the attitude of the author towards the quality of natural foods?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Worried.", "Interested.", "Unconcerned.", "positive."]}, {"question": "The passage is developed _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["by space", "by comparison", "by process", "by time"]}, {"question": "What may be the main idea of the text?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The advantages of organic foods.", "The function of organic foods.", "The differences between natural foods and organic foods.", "The importance of organic foods and natural foods."]}]} -{"article": "If you are a traditional traveller who believes cameras are irreplaceable,here are some things you should pay attention to when looking for the perfect camera.\nSensor size\nAlong with the megapixel count,the size of the sensor dictates the general image quality as well as the camera's performance in low light. It also determines whether the camera can electronically put the details it captures bigger enough to see--which is what makes the pictures not clear enough to see when you view the photos on a bigger screen.\nPortability\n\"The important thing is that the camera isn't too big or heavy,and that you have a good zoom range for both wide-angle and telephoto shots ,\"Atherton told CNN.A good choice would be a slim,light pocket camera with a high-qualified built-in optical zoom. \"These are very popular for travel as they are light,but built with a telephoto lens that can zoom up to 60 times,\" Atherton said.\nZoom and shutter speed\nFor action or crowd shots,a fast shutter speed is a key factor. \"When dealing with anything that's active--wildlife or people in action on the street--faces change within a tiny part of a second,\" said Arnold,\"a fast shutter speed is helpful in shooting the several hundred photos you might need to get that single winning shot.\"", "problems": [{"question": "According to Atherton,what isn't a requirement for an ideal camera?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Portable shape.", "Wide-ranged zoom.", "Good telephoto lens.", "Reasonable sensor size."]}, {"question": "What will contribute to a satisfactory photo of a running lion in the wild?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The sensor size.", "The zoom range.", "The shutter speed.", "The megapixel."]}, {"question": "Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["How to choose ideal travel cameras?", "How to put a camera into good use?", "A fashionable camera--up for sale", "A high-quality camera--a modern life's must"]}]} -{"article": "She once said: \"When people ask me if writing has been a hard or easy road I always answer with the famous saying, \"the end is nothing; the road is all.'\" That is what I mean when I say writing has been a pleasure. I have never faced the type-writer with the thought that one more task had to be done. \"\nLike most writers, Willa Cather did not write books for the money that they brought her, but rather for the pleasure that came in their writing. Her works were, like her, simple and full of the vigor of her days in Nebraska, where she grew from childhood to young womanhood and where she developed a deep love for the treeless land of the Great Plains with its wild flowers, wheat fields and rivers.\n\"It's a rather strange thing about the flat country,\" she wrote later. \"It takes hold of you, or it leaves you perfectly cold. A great many people find it very dull; they like a church tower, an old factory, a waterfall country all made to look like a German, Christmas card... But when I come to the open plains, something happens. I'm home. I breathe differently. \"", "problems": [{"question": "What did Cather mean by \"the end is nothing; the road is all\"?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Writing is the only path to success.", "I feel happy when I finish writing a book.", "I enjoy writing whether it is hard or easy.", "Writing itself, not its result, is important."]}, {"question": "What was the place like where Cather grew up?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It was cold, plain and without a church.", "It was a color1ful world of wild flowers.", "It was like a German Christmas card", "It was vast, open, flat and wild."]}, {"question": "What happens when Cather comes to the open plains?", "answer": "D", "options": ["She breathes differently from others:", "She wants to make the place her home.", "She finds the place similar to her home.", "She feels completely comfortable"]}]} -{"article": "To win an Oscar is an achievement at any age. To do so at 22, like Jennifer Lawrence, is just amazing. Recently, the American star won Best Actress at this year's Academy Awards for her role in the film Silver Linings Playbook. According to time magazine's Richard Corliss, Lawrence is a rare young actress who lends mature intelligence to any role.\nThough Lawrence has found great success through her big screen work, she wasn't sure what she really liked doing before the age of 14. She thought she'd go to college and maybe find a career as a doctor or a travel agent.\nLawrence's two brothers were star athletes and one of them was a straight-A student. Unlike them, she suffered through school, never finding where she belonged. However, during a trip to New York, Lawrence suddenly realized that she wanted to be an actress. When she was enjoying the beautiful city, a model seeker asked if he could take her picture, and the next day he called her in for an audition .\n\"I read the script and it was the first time I had that feeling like I understand this,\" Lawrence said. \"Within 20 minutes in the cab ride from the hotel, I decided I didn't want to be a model. In fact, I wanted to be an actress.\" Having appreciated this young lady's performance, the agency was so impressed with her reading that they signed her on the spot. But she insisted on finishing high school so she could pay her full attention to her acting career.\nLawrence burst onto the Hollywood scene last year with The Hunger Games, which established her as the highest-grossing female action hero of all time. Rolling Stone called her \"the most talented young actress in America\" .", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is true of Jennifer Lawrence?", "answer": "C", "options": ["She achieved her dream by chance.", "She used to be a well-known model.", "She was awarded by the Academy Awards.", "She wanted to be an actress at an early age."]}, {"question": "Lawrence made up her mind to be an actress because of_.", "answer": "A", "options": ["a model interview", "her brothers' examples", "the taxi ride to her hotel.", "the beautiful scenery of New York"]}, {"question": "From the text we can know that Lawrence is an actress of great_.", "answer": "D", "options": ["confidence", "ambition", "independence", "talent"]}]} -{"article": "The discovery of an ancient giant panda skull has confirmed its bamboo diet dates back more than 2 million years and may have played a key part in its survival.[:\nA Chinese-US research team reports its results today following studies on a fossil skull found in south China's Cuangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in 2001.\nThe six fossils unearthed in Jinyin Cave are dated between 2.4 and 2 million years ago, according to the report in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, an influential US journal.\nJin Changzhu, of the chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and lead author of the paper, said the smaller fossil skull indicates the giant pandas were about a third smaller than today's pandas.\nResearchers knew the panda reached its maximum size about 500,000 years ago, when it peaked ,and then gradually became smaller.\nJin, a paleontologist at the Institute of Vertebrate paleontology and Paleoanthropology attached to the CAS, said the size _ was a basic rule of evolution.\n\"A species tends to grow bigger when it reaches the peak of its population , but becomes smaller when numbers decline,\" he said.\nThe dental remains of the skull, which is the oldest giant panda skull ever found, are similar to today's pandas, indicating the type of teeth that could munch mountains of bamboo. A panda can eat up to 40kg of bamboo per day.\nPaleoanthropologist Russell Ciochon, the US co-author at the University of lowa, said the panda's focus on bamboo could have helped it survive all these years.\n\"Once an animal begins to rely on a common and stable food source, such as bamboo, it tends to evolve a larger body size,\" he said. \"As individuals of the evolving species grow bigger, they have a better chance not to be eaten by predators due to their larger body size.\"", "problems": [{"question": "According to the research of the CAS , there were most pandas in the world _", "answer": "C", "options": ["2 million years ago", "between 2.4 and 2 million years ago", "500,000 years ago", "Nowadays"]}, {"question": "From the passage, we can learn _", "answer": "B", "options": ["pandas began to eat bamboo 2 million years ago", "a species tends to grow smaller when numbers decline", "the giant pandas were about a third the size of today's pandas", "pandas' bamboo has played an important role in its development"]}, {"question": "The passage mainly tells us that _", "answer": "C", "options": ["pandas are endangered", "pandas had a long history", "pandas had bamboo to beat predators", "today's Pandas are similar to the oldest ones"]}]} -{"article": "A nameless British millionaire is currently putting people to the test by handing out PS1,000 to those he randomly meets in the street.All he'd ask is that they'd do something positive with the cash.The reactions are varied,from the surprised to the suspicious to the simply delighted.He has given away close to PS100,000 to people he has met around the world.He hands those that he chooses a card explaining his project and allows them 48 hours to get in touch.\n\"Mr.Lucky\" is from London,in his late thirties and appears wearing rolled-up jeans and with a camera around his neck.Working for an insurance company abroad,he earned his fortune and resigned last year after having realized he had more money than he knew what to do with.\n\"I once booked myself a flight into space;I thought I'd fulfill my childhood dream.Then I told my friends and when the conversation changed to what they would do if they had that amount of money,I felt embarrassed.Their ideas were much more generous,interesting and responsible than mine,\" said Mr.Lucky.After canceling his space flight and struggling to choose a worthy cause for his cash,he decided to set up the WeAreLucky project.\"I didn't want to just pass on my luck;I also wanted to share the responsibility.I decided to give away PS1,000 every day.I'd asked the receivers to fill in a brief questionnaire to explain their intentions in using the money.\"\nBut is handing over the responsibility to others really a responsible thing to do? How does he know the money will be used properly? \"I'm not going to judge or start checking up on them.Sometimes what we need to do is just believing others,\" he said with nearly childlike enthusiasm.", "problems": [{"question": "How do people feel when offered PS1,000 by \"Mr.Lucky\"?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Shocked.", "Cheerful.", "Embarrassed.", "Stressful."]}, {"question": "How did Mr.Lucky get so much money?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Flying into space.", "Giving out some questionnaires to people.", "Setting up a web site.", "Working in an insurance company."]}, {"question": "Why did Mr.Lucky hand out his money?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He was easy-going and rich.", "He wanted to help the poor.", "He believed people could use it properly.", "He needed people to share his responsibility."]}]} -{"article": "It came as something of a surprise when Diana, Princess of Wales, made a trip to Angola in 1997, to support the Red Cross's campaign for a total ban on all anti-personnel landmines. Within hours of arriving in Angola, television screens around the world were filled with images of her comforting victims injured in explosions caused by landmines. \"I knew the statistics,\"she said. \"But putting a face to those figures brought the reality home to me; like when I met Sandra, a 13- year-old girl who had lost her leg, and people like her. \"\nThe Princess concluded with a simple message. \"We must stop landmines.\" And she used every opportunity during her visit to repeat this message. \nBut, back in London, her views were not shared by some members of the British government, which refused to support a ban on these weapons. Angry politicians launched an attack on the Princess in the press. They described her as very \"ill-informed\"and \" a loose cannon .\" \nThe Princess responded by brushing aside the criticisms,\" This is a distraction we do not need. All I'm trying to do is help.\" \nOpposition parties, the media and the public immediately voiced their support for the Princess. To make matters worse for the government, it soon emerged that the Princess's trip had been approved by the Foreign Office, and that she was in fact very well-informed about both the situation in Angola and the British government's policy regarding landmines. The result was a severe embarrassment for the government. \nTo try and limit the damage, the Foreign Secretary, Malcolm Rifkidnd, claimed that the Princess's views on landmines were not very different from government policy, and that it was working towards a worldwide ban. The Defence Secretary, Michael Portillo, claimed the matter was a misinterpretation or misunderstanding. \nFor the Princess, the trip to this war-torn country was an excellent opportunity to use her popularity to show the world how much destruction and suffering landmines can cause. She said that the experience had also given her the chance to get closer to people and their problems.", "problems": [{"question": "Princess Diana paid a visit to Angola in 1997 _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["to voice her support for a total ban of landmines", "to clarify the British government's stand on landmines", "to investigate the sufferings of landmine victims there", "to establish her image as a friend of landmine victims"]}, {"question": "What did Diana mean when she said ... putting a face to those figures brought the reality home to me (Line 5, Para.1)?", "answer": "D", "options": ["She just couldn't bear to meet the landmine victims face to face.", "The actual situation in Angola made her feel like going back home.", "Meeting the landmine victims in person made her believe the statistics.", "Seeing the pain of the victims made her realize the seriousness of the situation."]}, {"question": "Some members of the British government criticized Diana because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["she was ill-informed of the government's policy", "they were actually opposed to banning landmines", "she had not consulted the government before the visit", "they believed that she had misinterpreted the situation in Angola"]}, {"question": "How did Diana respond to the criticisms?", "answer": "A", "options": ["She paid no attention to them.", "She made more appearances on TV.", "She met the 13-year-old girl as planned.", "She rose to argue with her opponents."]}, {"question": "What did Princess Diana think of her visit to Angola?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It had caused embarrassment to the British government.", "It had brought her closer to the ordinary people.", "It had greatly promoted her popularity.", "It had affected her relations with the British government."]}]} -{"article": "When the lazy days of summer arrive and the schedule is filled with swimming,camp,and family vacations,it can be a challenge to find time for learning. But kids' reading skills don't have to grow cold once school's out. Here are some ways to make reading a natural part of their summer fun:\nExplore your library. Visit your local library to borrow books and magazines that your kids haven't seen before. Many libraries have summer reading programs, book clubs, and reading contests for even the youngest borrowers. With a new library card,a child will feel extra grownup by borrowing books.\nRead on the road. Going on a long car trip?Make sure there are some books at the back seat. When you stop driving,read the books aloud. Get some audio books in libraries and listen to them together during driving time.\nMake your own books. Pick one of your family's favorite parts of summer--whether it's baseball,ice cream, or the pool--and have your child draw pictures of it or cut out pictures from magazines. Stick the pictures onto paper to make a booklet and write text for it. When you're done,read the book together. Reread it whenever you like!\nKeep in touch. Kids don't have to go away to write about summer vacation. Even if your family stays home,they can send postcards to tell friends and relatives about their adventures . Ask a relative to be your child's pen pal and encourage them to write each week.\nKeep up the reading habits. Even if everything else changes during the summer,keep up the reading habits around your house. Read with your kids every day--whether it's just before bedtime or under a shady tree on a lazy afternoon. And don't forget to take a book to the beach!Just brush the sand off the pages -- it's no sweat!", "problems": [{"question": "The purpose of the passage is to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["encourage parents to read", "give advice on raising kids", "raise a good summer reader", "suggest places for vacations"]}, {"question": "If you drive on a long trip in summer,you can _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["visit the local library and join book clubs", "borrow some audio books to listen to", "keep in touch with friends by sending postcards", "read your own picture books with your son"]}, {"question": "By saying \"Just brush the sand off the pages--it's no sweat\",the author means _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["taking away the sand on the book is very difficult", "a special book is needed when you're reading on the beach", "one can remove the sand on the book with a brush easily", "there's no trouble reading even on the beach"]}, {"question": "Who are the possible readers of the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Parents.", "Students.", "Teachers.", "Editors."]}, {"question": "Which statement is true according to the text?", "answer": "C", "options": ["During summer vocation, kids' reading skills must grow cold.", "Kids have to go away to write about summer vacation.", "With a library card,a child will feel extra grownup by borrowing books.", "Because everything else changes during the summer,it is hard to keep up the reading habits."]}]} -{"article": "There are two things I can count on my dad asking every time he calls me: \"Is there anything I can do for you?\" and \"How's the car?\" I guess he asks what he can do for me because his dad (an air force officer) was never really there for him, and he's determined to provide me with the support he lacked. During my youth he never missed a school play or softball game. In fact, he wasso supportive that I sometimes longed for one of those dads who dressed better and cared less. But my dad would forever be the guy wearing shorts with dress shoes and black socks, cheering me on, expecting greatness. \nHis other standard question - How's the car? - used to strike me as a waste of long-distance dollars from a man who once suggested making a list of what you want to talk about before calling someone out of state. What I now realize is that \"How's the car?\" is not about the car. It's a father's way of asking his adult daughter how she is doing. The advantage is that if there's something wrong with the car, he knows what to do about it and how much it will cost, whereas if you're having problems about marriage or doubting a career choice, he might have to act Mom on the line. \nAt age thirty I finally took the plunge into adulthood by renting a car without my dad's help or advice. I'm sure my dad was hurt rather than proud. Though a daughter's independence is evidence of a job well done, it still implies the job's done, and many fathers are unwilling to retire. Even when my dad was overworked, he'd happily jump on a plane if I said I needed help. His frequent question \"Is there anything I can do for you?\" underlines the fact that he wishes there was still something he could provide. It's interesting: even though we're tied by blood and I love him no matter what, he still seems to need a concrete function - suggesting stocks, finding the cheapest plane fare - to feel he has a role in my life.", "problems": [{"question": "The author's father always showed up in his daughter's school activities to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["watch them out of his own curiosity", "guarantee she would perform well", "support her in all possible ways", "show his own lack of fatherly love"]}, {"question": "The author has learned that by asking \"How is the car?\", her father is actually _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["asking his daughter if the car breaks down or not", "reminding her not to waste money", "expressing his concern for her daughter's safety", "asking how his daughter is getting along"]}, {"question": "According to the author, her father is unwilling to retire probably because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["he wants to continue to earn money", "he is doubtful of her independence", "he fears to lose his function as a dad", "he is not sure of the love from her"]}, {"question": "We can safely draw a conclusion from the story that in the author's eye her father _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["has a strong passion for his work", "has the deepest love for his daughter", "has great interest in his daughter's car", "has too much control over his daughter"]}]} -{"article": "Often people use laptops on trains and airplanes, in airports and hotels. These laptops connect people to their workplace. In the United States today, laptops also connect students to their classrooms.\nWestlake College in Virginia will start a laptop computer program that allows students to do schoolwork anywhere they want. Within five years, each of the 1,500 students at the college will receive a laptop. The laptops are part of a $10 million computer program at Westlake, a 110yearold college. The students with laptops will also have connection with the Internet. Besides, they will be able to use email to \"speak\" with their teachers, their classmates, and their families. However, the most important part of the laptop program is that students will be able to use computers without going to computer labs. They can work with it at home, in a fast-food restaurant or under the trees--anywhere at all!\nBecause of the many changes in computer technology, laptop use in higher education, such as colleges and universities, is workable . As laptops become more powerful, they become more similar to desktop computers. Also, the portable computers can connect students to not only the Internet, but also libraries and other resources. State higher education officials are studying how laptops can help students. State officials are also testing laptop programs at other universities, too.", "problems": [{"question": "What does this passage mainly talk about?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Laptops are very popular in universities of America.", "More laptops are being used in universities of America.", "People like using laptops everywhere, including in universities.", "Laptops will be used in Westlake College in Virginia."]}, {"question": "The main purpose of the laptop program is to give each student a laptop to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["do their schoolwork", "have access to the Internet", "send emails", "connect them to libraries"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is TRUE about Westlake College?", "answer": "A", "options": ["It is an old college in America.", "1,500 students have laptops.", "All students use computers.", "Students there can do everything."]}]} -{"article": "People in Britain often talk about their homes: their mortgages , the interest rates, and rising prices. Here's a guide to some of the words and phrases you might come across.\nIt's a good idea in the UK to arrange a mortgage with a bank before you start looking. This is when the bank tells you how much money they will lend you so you have a good idea of how much you can afford.\nThe next step is to go to an estate agent and see what sort of properties they have available in your budget range and in your area. If you see something you like, the estate agent will arrange for you to view the property, so that you can see the house or flat for yourself.\nIf you see something that takes your eye, you put in an offer. The vendor can accept or decline this offer, and if the vendor accepts it, you can move forward with the sale. However, as you don't pay any money at this point, the offer isn't legally binding , and in theory, you can pull out of the offer at any time that you like.\nYour next step will probably be to get a structural survey done. A qualified surveyor will inspect the house and write a report that illustrates any structural problems, like damp or drainage problems.\nIf you still want to go ahead with the sale, you need to appoint a lawyer to do the legal paperwork, if you already own a house you might also be busy trying to sell it Many house owners prefer to sell to first-time buyers (those people who don't already own a home), as they are not in a chain (waiting for other people to buyer house before they can buy their next house).\nFinally, once the contracts are signed and exchanged, you complete on your house. You get the keys and you can move in whenever you want. Then you might want to throw a house-warming party. Congratulation!", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, these statements are correct EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["After getting the keys, the owners sometimes have a party.", "People care for mortgages, interest rates and the prices &house.", "The sellers are more interested in the first-time buyers.", "People can borrow the whole money for a new house from a bank."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Collectors.", "Owners.", "Lawyers.", "Surveyors."]}, {"question": "The passage is maybe one that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["give some advice on the house", "give some tips to buyers", "introduces a book on travelers", "introduces a guide to visitors"]}]} -{"article": "Emily Dickinson was born on December 10, 1830, in Amherst, Massachusetts. She attended Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in South Hadley, but only for one year. Throughout her life, she seldom left her home and visitors were few. The people with whom she did come in contact, however, had an enormous impact on her poetry. She was particularly stirred by the Reverend Charles Wadsworth, whom she first met on a trip to Philadelphia. While it is certain that he was an important figure in her life, it is not clear that their relationship was romantic--she called him \"my closest earthly friend.\" \nBy the 1860s, Dickinson lived in almost complete isolation from the outside world, but actively maintained many correspondences and read widely. She spent a great deal of this time with her family. Her father, Edward Dickinson, was actively involved in state and national politics, serving in Congress for one term. Her brother, Austin, who attended law school and became an attorney , lived next door with his wife, Susan Gilbert. Dickinson's younger sister, Lavinia, also lived at home for her entire life in similar isolation. Lavinia and Austin were not only family, but intellectual companions for Dickinson during her lifetime. \nWhile Dickinson was a prolific private poet, fewer than a dozen of her nearly eighteen hundred poems were published during her lifetime. Dickinson's poems are unique for the era in which she wrote; they contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation. Many of her poems deal with themes of death and immortality, two recurring topics in letters to her friends.\nHer first collection of poetry was published in 1890. A complete and mostly unaltered collection of her poetry became available for the first time in 1955. Despite some unfavorable reviews and some skepticism during the late 19th and early 20th century as to Dickinson's literary techniques, she is now almost universally considered to be one of the most important American poets.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is right according to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Emily Dickson never left her home.", "Emily Dickinson spent many years in school.", "\"My closest earthly friend\" was Emily Dickinson's husband.", "Reverend Charles Wadsworth had great influence on her and her poetry."]}, {"question": "What can we know about Emily Dickinson's family?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Her father was a lawyer.", "Her brother was actively involved in politics.", "Her sister was in close relationship with her.", "Her siblings didn't like her poetry."]}, {"question": "According to the passage, what do we know about Emily Dickinson's Poetry?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Love and death are two vital themes of her many poems.", "A collection of poems was published during her lifetime.", "Her poems appealed to the public of her era.", "Her poems contain no titles."]}, {"question": "What's the passage mainly about?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Emily Dickinson's life story", "Emily Dickinson's historical influence", "Emily Dickinson's artistic ambition", "Emily Dickinson's literary achievements"]}]} -{"article": "Young visitors to museums often complain about having museum feet,the\ntired feeling one gets after spending too much time in a museum.A case of museum feet\nmakes one feel like saying:\"This is boring.I could have done the painting myself.\nWhen can we sit down? What time is it?\nStudies of museum behavior show that the average visitor spends about four seconds looking at one object.For young visitors,the time call be even shorter.Children are more interested in smells,sounds,and the \"feel'' of a place than looking at a work of art.If they stay in a museum too long,they will feel tired and become impatient.\nTo avoid museum feet,try not to have children look at too many things in one visit.It is reported that young visitors get more out of a visit if they focus on no more than nine objects.One and a half hours is the ideal time to keep their eyes and minds sharp,and their feet happy.", "problems": [{"question": "When a child gets \"museum feet\", he or she feels _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["bored", "interested", "pleased", "angry"]}, {"question": "To attract more children,museums should offer more _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["reading materials", "works of art", "1ively things", "comfortable shoes"]}, {"question": "Children can benefit most from a visit to a museum if they spend _", "answer": "D", "options": ["1ess than 4 seconds looking at 1 object", "a whole morning focusing on 19 objects", "the time together with their parents", "1.5 hours focusing on 9 objects"]}, {"question": "What's the passage mainly about?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The cause of museum feet and how to avoid them.", "How to build better museums for children.", "How to prevent children from getting museum feet.", "Why more children get museum feet than adults."]}]} -{"article": "A dog, it is said, is a man's best friend. Put a dog, a kid and a book together, and you have a struggling reader's best friend.\nThe therapy dogs of R.E.A.D. - Reading Education Assistance Dogs - have been helping children improve their reading skills since 1999, when Intermountain Therapy Animals (ITA) began the program in Salt Lake City, Utah.\nToday, tens of thousands of R.E.A.D. teams - dogs and their owners - volunteer to spend time with youngsters in schools and libraries across the United States and around the world. The idea is that sharing a book with a nonjudgmental partner encourages students' confidence and helps develop a love of reading.\nIzzy, a Havanese therapy dog, is a regular visitor to Public School 57 in East Harlem, New York. Students meet him in the library, pick out a book and sit down on the carpet. Izzy snuggles up to them and gets ready to hear a story.\n\"I love reading to Izzy because he listens to me, and he doesn't make fun of me when I make a mistake,\" says third-grader Aelane Vasquez. The 9-year-old, whose parents are from Mexico, is one of 15 Latin-American students at the school who were selected for the program.\n\"All the students that we work with in the R.E.A.D. program were behind reading levels at the beginning of the year,\" Bridget McElroy, who teaches English as a Second Language, explained. \"Now most of them have reached the average level, if not above it.\" That's important, because achieving proficiency in reading is vital for kids to succeed. Studies have shown that students who can't read at grade level by the end of third grade are four times less likely to graduate high school by the age of 19.\nThe R.E.A.D. teams from New York Therapy Animals work with 175 kids at Public School 57 and nine other schools.\nMcElroy said she sees a marked difference in Aelane and her classmates, and not just in study. \"Not only do the kids have time to practice reading, what we are really seeing is that they are excited to read and practice even when Izzy is not here,\" she said.", "problems": [{"question": "According to this passage, dogs are the best friend of kids because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["they keep kids company through therapy", "they can protect kids from danger", "they are helpful to encourage kids to read", "they are struggling and work hard"]}]} -{"article": "An old problem is getting new attention in the United States--bullying. Recent cases included the tragic case of a 15-year-old girl whose family moved from Ireland. She hanged herself in Massachusetts following months of bullying. Her parents criticized her school for failing to protect her. Officials have brought criminal charges against several teenagers.\nJudy Kuczynski is president of an anti-bullying group called Bully Police USA. Her daughter Tina was also the victim of severe bullying starting in middle school in the state of Minnesota. She said,\"Our daughter was a very outgoing child. She was involved in all kinds of things and had lots of friends. And over a period of time her grades fell completely. She started having health issues. She couldn't sleep. She wasn't eating. She had terrible stomach pains and didn't want to go to school.\"\nBullying is defined as negative behavior repeated over time against the same person. It can involve physical violence, or it can be verbal--for example, insults or threats. Spreading lies about someone or excluding a person from a group is known as social or relational bullying.\nAnd now there is cyber-bullying, which uses the Internet, e-mail or text messages. It has easy appeal for the bully because it does not involve face-to-face contact and it can be done at any time.\nThe first serious research studies into bullying were done in Norway in the late 1970s. The latest government study in the United States was released last year. It found that about one-third of students age twelve to eighteen were bullied at school.\nSusan Swearer is a psychologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and co-director of the Bullying Research Network. She says schools should treat bullying as a mental health problem to get bullies and victims the help they need. She says bullying is connected to depression, anxiety and anti-social behavior and bullies are often victims themselves.", "problems": [{"question": "From the case of Tina, we can know that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["bullying is rare", "victims suffer a lot", "schools are to blame", "personalities are related"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT bullying?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To beat someone repeatedly.", "To threaten someone verbally.", "To isolate someone from friends.", "To refuse to help someone in need."]}, {"question": "Why is cyber-bullying appealing to the bully?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because it can involve more people.", "Because it can create worse effects.", "Because it is more convenient.", "Because it can avoid cheating."]}, {"question": "According to Susan Swearer, _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["bullies are antisocial", "bullies should give victims help", "students are not equally treated", "bullies themselves also need help"]}]} -{"article": "What do Tom Sawyer and Jumping Frogs have in common? Stories about both of them were created by one man: Mark Twain. Twain was four years old when his family moved to Hannibal, Missouri, located on the west bank of the Mississippi. Twain grew up there and was fascinated with (......) life along the river----the steamboats, the giant lumber rafts, and the people who worked on them.\nThe Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County is one of Twain's best loved short stories, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is one of his most famous novels. Both these works are celebrated by events held during National Tom Sawyer Days, which originated in the late 1950s and became national in the 1960s. Children enter their frogs in the jumping contest during National Tom Sawyer Days. There's also a fence painting contest to see who can paint the fastest. The idea for this contest comes from a scene in Tom Sawyer, in which Tom has been told to paint the fence in front of the house he lives in. It's a beautiful day, and he would rather be doing anything else. As his friends walk by, he makes them believe that it's fun to paint, and they join in the \"fun\". By the end of the day, the fence has three coats of paint!\nAlthough the story of Tom Sawyer is a fiction, it's based on facts. If you go to Hannibal, you'll see the white fence, which still stands at Twain's boyhood home.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements about Mark Twain is TRUE?", "answer": "B", "options": ["He was born in Hannibal.", "He enjoyed his life in Hannibal.", "He spent most of his childhood on the Mississippi.", "He often went rafting on the Mississippi with his parents."]}, {"question": "Tom Sawyer Days were created _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["about forty years ago", "in memory of a great writer", "shortly after Twain's death", "to improve kids' interest in reading"]}, {"question": "Who will win the fence painting contest?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Bob, painting the longest.", "Julia, painting most carefully.", "Jim, painting in the newest way.", "John, painting in the shortest time."]}, {"question": "From the white fence at Twain's boyhood home, we know that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the story of Tom Sawyer is based partly on Twain's experiences.", "the story of Tom Sawyer is based totally on Twain's imagination.", "Twain's old house is painted by the fence painting competitors.", "Twain's old house is visited by people from all over the country."]}]} -{"article": "The dyed bun scandal deals another blow to shoppers' confidence in buying food products, as well as the reputation of local sellers. Li Zhen reports on shoppers' reactions in Shanghai.\nAn investigation by the municipal government revealed that Shanghai Shenglu Food Company produced more than 3,000 steamed buns daily. These were then sold across the city, including large supermarkets such as Hualian, Lianhua and Dia.\nFewer steamed buns were for sale at this Lianhua Supermarket. More than 32,000 buns were taken off store shelves when the scandal emerged.\nMr. Wang, Sales Manager of Lianhua Supermarket, said, \"We removed the dyed steamed buns produced by Shenglu as soon as we learned of the incident. We gave customers who had bought the steamed buns from our outlets refunds with their receipts. Despite the scandal, our sales volume has been fine so far.\"\nHowever, most customers we met remained concerned about food safety. Steamed buns are a regular breakfast food for Ms. Gao. She used to buy them mostly from supermarkets because she felt it was in a clean and safe environment.\nBut now, she has second thoughts about buying the popular snack.\nMs. Gao, Shanghai shopper, said, \"I can't believe that even steamed buns from the supermarkets are no longer safe. The only places I trusted to shop at were major supermarkets and specialist shops. But now even there, product quality cannot be guaranteed. I really don't know where to buy my goods from in the future.\nShoppers at supermarkets who still bought steamed buns said they had few _ . \"I feel like giving up supermarkets. But I really don't know where to do my food shopping. I can't make these things myself.\" said Ms. Tang, Shanghai shopper.", "problems": [{"question": "The colored buns were sold in some large supermarkets EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Hualian", "Lianhua", "Shenglu", "Dia"]}, {"question": "What Ms. Gao and Ms. Tang said suggests that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["they still trust major supermarkets when shopping", "they will make food by themselves", "they will never go to supermarkets", "they feel confused about where to buy safe food"]}, {"question": "What is the main idea of this passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Major supermarkets removed the dyed steamed buns.", "Dyed steamed buns brought great loss to major supermarkets.", "Famous supermarkets are involved in the bun scandal.", "Dyed bun scandal hurts consumers' confidence."]}, {"question": "Where can you most probably read the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["In a fashion magazine.", "In a newspaper.", "In a guideline book.", "In an official document."]}]} -{"article": "David's Haircut\nWhen David steps out of the front door he is blinded for a moment by the white, strong sunlight and reaches for his dad's hand automatically. It's the first really warm day of the year, an unexpected heat that bridges the gap between spring and summer. Father and son are on their way to the barbershop, something they have always done together.\nAlways, the routine is the same. \"It's about time we got that mop of yours cut,\" David's dad will say, pointing at him with two fingers, a cigarette caught between them. \"Perhaps I should do it. Where are those scissors, Janet?\" Sometimes his dad runs after him round the living room, pretending to cut off his ears. When he was young, David used to get too excited and start crying, scared that maybe he really would lose his ears, but he has long since grown out of that.\nMr Samuels' barbershop is in a long room above the chip shop, reached by a steep and worn flight of stairs. David follows his father. He loves the barbershop -- it's like nowhere else he goes. It smells of cigarettes and men and hair oil. Sometimes the smell of chips will climb the stairs along with a customer and when the door opens the waiting men lift their noses together. Black and white photographs of men with various out-of-fashion hairstyles hang above a picture rail at the end of the room, where two barber's chairs are fixed to the floor. They are heavy, old-fashioned chairs with foot pumps that screams as Mr Samuels adjusts the height of the seat. In front of the chairs are deep sinks with a showerhead and long metal pipe attached to the taps, not that anyone seems to use them. Behind the sinks are mirrors and on either side of these, shelves overflowing with all types of plastic combs, shaving mugs, scissors, cut throat razors, hair brushes and, 10 bright red bottles of Brylcreem , piled neatly in a pyramid. At the back of the room sit the customers, silent for most of the time, except when Mr Samuels breaks off from cutting and smoke his cigarette, sending a stream of grey-blue smoke like the tail of kite twisting into the air.\nWhen it is David's turn for a cut, Mr Samuels places a wooden board covered with a piece of red leather across the arms of the chair, so that the barber doesn't have to bend to cut the boy's hair. David scrambles up onto the bench.\n\"Hey, young man, you're shooting up, you won't need this soon, you'll be able to sit in the chair,\" the barber says.\n\"Wow,\" says David, turning round to look at his dad, forgetting that he can see him through the mirror. \"Dad, Mr Samuels said I could be sitting in the chair soon, not just on the board!\"\n\"So I hear,\" his father replies, not looking up from the paper. _ \n\"At least double the price,\" said Mr Samuels, winking at David.\nFinally David's dad looks up from his newspaper and glances into the mirror, seeing his son looking back at him. He smiles.\n\"Wasn't so long ago when I had to lift you onto that board because you couldn't climb up there yourself,\" he says.\n\"They don't stay young for long do they, kids\", Mr Samuels declares. All the men in the shop nod in agreement. David nods too.\nIn the mirror he sees a little head sticking out of a long nylon cape. Occasionally he steals glances at the barber as he works. He smells a mixture of smelly sweat and aftershave as the barber moves around him, combing and cutting, combing and cutting.\nDavid feels like he is in another world, noiseless except for the sound of the barber's shoes rubbing on the plastic carpet and the click of his scissors. In the reflection from the window he could see through the window, a few small clouds moved slowly through the frame, moving to the sound of the scissors' click.\nSleepily, his eyes dropping to the front of the cape where his hair falls softly as snow and he imagines sitting in the chair just like the men and older boys, the special bench left leaning against the wall in the corner. He thinks about the picture book of Bible stories his aunt gave him for Christmas, the one of Samson having his hair cut by Delilah. David wonders if his strength will go like Samson's.\nWhen Mr Samuels has finished, David hops down from the seat, rubbing the itchy hair from his face. Looking down he sees his own thick, blonde hair mixed among the browns, greys and blacks of the men who have sat in the chair before him. _ \nThey reach the pavement outside the shop. \"I tell you what, boy, let's get some fish and chips to take home, save your mum from cooking tea,\" says David's dad and turns up the street.\nThe youngster is excited and catches his dad's hand. The thick-skinned fingers close gently around his and David is surprised to find, warming in his father's palm, a handful of his own hair.", "problems": [{"question": "How old is David most probably age according to the context?", "answer": "C", "options": ["2", "4", "10", "17"]}, {"question": "Saying \"I expect Mr Samuels will start charging me more for your hair then\", David's dad is _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["showing his proudness of his son's growth", "complaining about the price of the haircut", "expressing his thanks to the shopowner's kindness", "counting his expense on his son's haircut"]}, {"question": "Which detail from the story best shows the deep love that father gives son?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Dad runs after his son round the living room.", "Dad buys his son some fish and chips.", "Dad sees his son through the mirror.", "Dad holds some of his son's hair in his palm."]}, {"question": "What is the author's tone of writing this passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["serious", "light-hearted", "critical", "persuasive"]}]} -{"article": "In 1752, three years after two Scotsmen, Alexander Wilson and Thomas Melville, fastened thermometers to kites to record the temperature of clouds, Benjamin Franklin made his famous experiment with a kite, a string, and a key. Franklin hoped to show that nature's tremendous displays of electricity in lightning were the same thing as the feeble electric sparks scientists of the day were producing in their laboratories. He built a square kite to which he attached an iron wire. He flew the kite with a hemp string , and near the base of the string he tied a large brass key. The kite rose into a dark thundercloud, where the iron wire picked up electrical charges. Franklin noticed that the strands of the string were beginning to stand up with electricity. As rain wet the string, it conducted more electricity. Standing in the shelter of a shed, Franklin cautiously reached out his finger to touch the brass key. A series of sparks jumped from the key to his finger. He thus proved that lightning and electricity are the same. We now know that this experiment was a dangerous one, for Franklin might have been killed by a bolt of lighting.", "problems": [{"question": "The best title for this passage is _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["The Discover of Electricity", "The kite and Science", "Franklin, a Great Scientist", "Franklin's Experiment with Lightning"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, Benjamin Franklin _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["recorded the temperature of clouds", "was killed by a bolt of lightning", "proved that lightning and electricity have the same essential nature", "proved that lightning can be controlled by man"]}, {"question": "Two Scotsmen experimented with kites in _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["1752", "1746", "1749", "1755"]}, {"question": "Franklin did not use a _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["string", "wire", "thermometer", "key"]}, {"question": "The fact that Franklin was not injured was apparently due to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["wisdom", "luck", "the materials", "the shed's protection"]}]} -{"article": "Tiger Mom, ks5u\n You've been criticized a lot since you published your memoir , Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. One problem is that some people don't get your humor. They think you're serious about all things, and they think Lulu and I are oppressed by our ill mother. That is not true.\n But for real, it's not their fault. No outsider can know what our family is really like. They don't hear us laughing over each other's jokes. They don't see us eating our hamburgers with fried rice. They don't know how much fun we have when the six of us -- dogs included -- squeeze into one bed and argue about what movies to download from Netflix.\n I admit: Having you as a mother was no tea party. There were some play dates I wish I'd gone to and some piano camps I wish I'd skipped. But now that I'm 18 and about to leave the tiger den , I'm glad you and Daddy raised me the way you did. \n A lot of people have accused you of producing robot kids who can't think for themselves. Well, that's funny. I think your strict parenting forced me to be more independent. Early on, I decided to be an easy child to raise. Maybe I got it from Daddy -- he taught me not to care what people think and to make my own choices -- but I also decided to be who I want to be. \n Everybody's talking about the birthday cards we once made for you, which you rejected because they weren't good enough. Funny how some people are convinced that Lulu and I are scarred for life. Maybe if I had poured my heart into it, I would have been upset. But let's face it: It took me 30 second; I didn't even sharpen the pencil. That's why, when you rejected it, I didn't feel you were rejecting me. If I actually tried my best at something, you'd never throw it back in my face.\n ...And for that, Tiger Mom, thank you.\n Yours, \n Sophia", "problems": [{"question": "In the author's opinion, why do some people criticize her mother?", "answer": "A", "options": ["They don't know the truth.", "They have a different culture.", "They aren't strict with their children.", "They don't have a good sense of humor."]}, {"question": "Many people think that the author _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["is a robot kid", "has a happy family", "has a humorous mother", "is an easy child to raise"]}, {"question": "The author is satisfied with her parents' way of raising her because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["she has learned to obey others", "she has become more independent", "she is about to leave the tiger den", "she has never been disturbed by tea parties"]}]} -{"article": "Ms Petoskey, my seventh grade teacher at Queen of Apostles was, and still is, the greatest teacher. She was creative with her teaching styles; every new day she brought a new way of leaning literature, by using a game rap song, and other things.\nI must say, the kids in my class sometimes didn't listen to the teachers carefully, but Ms Petoskey was able to attract their attention. Her literature classroom had bean bags and fun chairs to sit in while we read, and our desks were always set up in special positions--all around the room. It looked messy when you walked in the room, but we liked it! She let us choose who we sat next to, but once we talked too much, she would move us. She allowed us to make her classroom our home.\nShe was passionate about her job. She let us choose the books we wanted to read next, which made me more interested in books. It wasn't what we had to read, but what we wanted to read. Whenever we would present ideas about literature or poems, her eyes would light up and she would become excited.\nShe always made sure everyone was having fun in her class and brought cakes to the classroom every Friday for our silent reading time. She was patient when we got out of hand (,). She was always cheerful, which made me enjoy coming to school. Ms Petoskey is the teacher I still visit and chat with (even after five years). She is the teacher I can thank for making me enjoy reading!", "problems": [{"question": "The writer used all of the following words to describe Ms Petoskey EXCEPT \" _ \".", "answer": "D", "options": ["creative", "passionate", "patient", "humorous"]}, {"question": "We can learn from the passage that Ms Petoskey _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["often has classes outside the classroom", "usually begins her class either with a game or a rap song", "allows students to read the books that they really want to read", "often encourages students to read books as loudly as possible"]}, {"question": "The best title for this passage is \" _ \".", "answer": "D", "options": ["A literature lover", "My interest in literature", "My wonderful school life", "An unforgettable teacher"]}]} -{"article": "Warren Buffett , probably the world's most successful investor , has said that anything good that happened to him could be traced back to the fact that he was born in the right country , the United States , at the right time (1930) . In 1988 , when The World light-heartedly ranked 50 countries according to where would be the best place to be born in 1988 , America indeed came top . But which country will be the best for a baby born in 2015 ?\nTo answer this , the Economist Intelligence Unit ( EIU ) , has this time turned deadly serious . It attempts to measure which country will provide the best opportunities for a healthy , safe and prosperous life in the years ahead . Its quality-of-life index links the results of subjective life-satisfaction surveys - how happy people say they are - to objective determinants of the quality of life . Being rich helps more than anything else , but it is not all that counts ; things like crime , trust in public institutions and the health of family life matter too . In all , the index takes 11 significant factors into account .\nDespite the global economic crisis , times have in certain respects never been so good . Output growth rates have been decreasing across the world , but income levels are at or near historic highs , Life expectancy continues to increase steadily and political freedoms have become better known across the globe .\nWhat does all this mean for where a baby might be luckiest to be born in 2015 ? After calculation , the EIU has Switzerland comfortably in the top spot , with Australia second . Small economies occupy the top ten . Half of these are European , but only one , the Netherlands , is from the euro zone . The largest European economies ( Germany , France and Britain ) do not do particularly well . America , where babies will inherit the large debts of the boomer generation , stays in 16th place . Among the 80 countries covered , Nigeria comes last .\nSome people will , of course , find more holes in all this than there are in a big Swiss cheese . For example , in the film \" The Third Man \" , Harry Lime famously says that Italy for 30 years had war , terror and murder under the Borgias but in that time produced Michelangelo , Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance ; Switzerland had 500 yeas of peace and democracy -- and produced clocks and watches .\nHowever , there is surely a lot to be said for birth stability in today's uncertain times .", "problems": [{"question": "The author uses the example of Warren Buffett to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["make a contrast between past and present", "introduce the topic of the passage", "prove the birthplace's importance", "present a light-hearted picture for readers"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Nigeria is the most unfortunate birthplace in the world", "The World took the survey seriously in 1988 and so did the EIU this time", "a good birthplace may not be the decisive factor for a person's success", "11 significant factors have been taken into consideration in the index"]}, {"question": "The author's attitude towards the birthplace is _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["supportive", "critical", "doubtful", "objective"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage ?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The world's present economic environment is perfect .", "In the index , being rich plays as important a part as trust in public institutions .", "If a baby is born in the euro zone in 2015 , he will be definitely the luckiest one .", "In Harry Lime's opinion , Switzerland produced no masters despite its peace and democracy ."]}]} -{"article": "Museum fans with limited time should consider a visit to Ueno Park where a variety of first class museums are concentrated closely together, including the impressive Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, the National Science Museum and Ueno Zoo along with some smaller museums.\nMuseums in Tokyo are typically closed on one day of the week (usually Mondays) and during the New Year holidays (typically December 29 to January 4). If the regular weekly closing day falls on a national holiday, most museums will open on the holiday and close the next day instead.\nSome museums have extended hours on certain days (typically Fridays), and some offer free entrance to selected exhibitions or on certain days of the month. Most museums allow entry until 30 minutes before closing time.\nTokyo National Museum\nHours: 9:30 to 17:00 (extended hours on some Fridays and weekends)\nClosed: Mondays (or following day if Monday is a holiday), New Year holidays\nAdmission: 600 yen\nAs the oldest and largest museum in Japan, it is made up of five buildings, each like a separate museum in itself. They house the largest collection of national treasures and important cultural items in the country.\nNational Museum of Western Art\nHours: 9:30 to 17:30 (until 17:00 in winter, until 20:00 on Fridays)\nClosed: Mondays (or following day if Monday is a holiday), Dec 28 to Jan 1\nAdmission: 420 yen, special exhibitions extra\nThis museum displays western art, primarily by European artists. There is no permanent gallery and the rotating exhibits are mostly from the museum's collection. Admission is free on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month.\nTokyo Metropolitan Art Museum\nHours: 9:30 to 17:30 (until 20:00 on Fridays)\nClosed: First and third Monday of each month, New Year holidays\nAdmission: Varies by exhibition\nReopened in April 2012, this museum displays all types of art in its six galleries. There is no permanent collection, but there are multiple temporary exhibitions by various art groups.\nNational Science Museum\nHours: 9:00 to 17:00 (until 20:00 on Fridays)\nClosed: Mondays (or following day if Monday is a holiday), Dec 28 to Jan 1\nAdmission: 600 yen\nThis museum covers both science and natural history with hands-on physics and robotics experiments and a 360 degree virtual theater relocated from the Aichi Expo.", "problems": [{"question": "Visitors are advised to go to Ueno Park mainly because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["there are many great museums there", "it has one of the best parks in Japan", "it is a landmark building in Tokyo", "it is free of charge throughout the year"]}, {"question": "We can learn from the text that the Tokyo National Museum _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["is the oldest and largest museum in Asia", "has the largest collection of artwork in Japan", "has a 360 degree virtual theater", "is full of Japan's national treasures"]}, {"question": "According to the text, you can visit the _ for free on certain days.", "answer": "B", "options": ["Tokyo National Museum", "National Museum of Western Art", "Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum", "National Science Museum"]}, {"question": "The passage is most likely taken from _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["a tourist guide", "a geographic report", "a travel journal", "a science textbook"]}]} -{"article": "The \"Give It Up for Earth Day\" encourages people to commit to giving up actions that are harmful to the environment, such as using poisonous cleaners.\nThroughout the month of April, Canadians are being asked to \"Give It Up for Earth Day!\" Earth Day has been celebrated every year on April 22 since 1970. Earth Day Canada president Jed Goldberg says that as people become more environmentally aware, They want to find ways to reduce their environmental influence ,not just celebrate one special event\n\"Earth Day is a great launching pad for thinking about environmental action every day,\" said Goldberg. \"Choosing healthier options, even for the short term, can lead to thinking about the influence of our decisions for a lifetime. \"\nThat5S the reason behind the \"Give It Up for Earth Day\" campaign. It9S designed to encourage healthy habits that benefit people and the planet It challenges everyone to help create a healthier world by making changes in their daily routine.\n\" We wanted to plan an action-targeted campaign that will give people a chance to act > is widely considered the best Chinese version so far. \nYang Jiang, whose original name was Yang Jikang, was born in Beijing and grew up in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province. She got her master's degree in foreign languages and literature at Tsinghua University, where she met her husband Qian Zhongshu, whose later work, the satirical novel Fortress Besieged <<>> is famous around the world. The couple married in 1935 and during 1935 to 1938, they went to Oxford University for further study. They returned to China in 1938 and both of them went into academia and made important contributions to the development of Chinese culture. Yang and Qian were known for having the perfect love story in Chinese literary circles. Qian once commented that Yang was \"the most virtuous wife and most talented lady\". Apart from her own achievements in literature, she made a great contribution to Qian's works after his death. More than 70,000 letters and drafts by her husband were collected by her for the publication Qian Zhongshu's Manuscript Collection in 2003. \nYang loved reading and encouraged the younger generation to read more books. She donated millions of yuan that she earned through sales of her works to Tsinghua University and set up the \"Love Reading\" scholarship in the name of her family after her husband and daughter passed away.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following literature works is NOT written by Yang Jiang?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Don Quixote de la Mancha.", "Baptism.", "We Three.", "Six Chapters from My life."]}, {"question": "What did YangJiang do after Qian Zhongshu died?", "answer": "A", "options": ["She collected more than 70,000 letters and drafts by her husband.", "She returned to China and went into academia.", "She went to Oxford University for further study.", "She got her master's degree in foreign languages."]}, {"question": "What's the best title of this passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Yang Jiang's works.", "Young people should read more books.", "Yang Jiang and her husband.", "Yang Jiang, Chinese writer died at 105."]}]} -{"article": "Two workers was rescued 188 hours after they trapped in a coal mine collapse in the south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region The two were among 18 miners trapped after the mine, collapsed midday on July 2 because of days of heavy rain.\nA total of 71 miners were working underground when the accident occurred on July 2---49 managed to escape. Rescuers have got eight bodies so far.\nYe Fangyong, commander of the rescue headquarters, said that the place where the survi- vors were found was at 320 meters underground. It was filled with mud after the collapse, but there was still room for fresh air. He said three more miners trapped at a work platform390 meters underground may survive because the place also have some space for fresh air.\nRescuers had believed that four other miners would be found with the rescued two, but the chances of the remaining 12 being found alive are not good due to the conditions in the mine.\nHowever, the rescuers have not given up. They are using scientific measures such as a water-proof radar device to help find the exact locations of trapped workers. Moreover, rescuers have been offered 2 million yuan for each miner they pull out alive.\nThe two survivors have been identified a) 41-year-old Liu Jiagan and 35-year-old Qin Hongdang. They are in safe condition.\nBefore they were rushed to Heshan People's Hospital for treatment, they told rescuers in weak voices that they survived under the mine by drinking spring water that seeped through the top of the shaft .", "problems": [{"question": "The local mine coal accident was probably reported on.", "answer": "B", "options": ["July8", "Julylo", "July2", "July3"]}, {"question": "What caused the coal mine break down?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Workers abnormal xvc}rking", "Typhoonn.", "Days of heavy rajp", "Shock of the ca:thquake"]}, {"question": "According to the passage,th. e rrmPrs could be alive unaerground if .", "answer": "A", "options": ["there is some space for fresh air", "they are equippeci with water-proof raciar device", "they drink enough water", "there is enough food"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is TRUE accoraing to the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Scien\n _ ific measures are used to help rescue the trapped workers.", "Each miners being pulled out alive will be offered 2 miliion yuan.", "Officials offered to give the continuing rescuers higher rank", "Water-proof radar- will be puf down to give light."]}]} -{"article": "Strange stones of prefix = st1 /Costa Rica\nOne of the strangest mysteries in archaeology was discovered in the Diquis River Delta, in southern Costa Rica. Since the 1930s, hundereds of stone balls have been found. They range in size from a few centimetres to over two metres. Who made these perfect spheres and how they made them remains a mystery. Some researchers believe the stones were made by extreme heating followed by cooling. People could have _ the spheres with sand or leather. The ancient Costa Ricans had no written language so there is no written record of just how they made the spheres, Almost all are made of granite , a hard stone created by volcanoes. The granite quarries were 25 to 30 miles away from the largest stones, which weigh more than 10 tons each. Nobody knows how people moved them. Many of the stones have been found near the remains of houses or graves. Some believed that the stones contained hidden treasures and a few have been smashed but nothing has been found inside. Despite these losses, the National Museum of Costa Rica has recorded 130 spheres. However, many stones are not included because they have been removed from their original sites and used as ornaments in homes, gardens and churches. Clearly, there are also many stones that lie undiscovered.", "problems": [{"question": "The stones were discovered _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["near the volcanoes", "in the southCosta Rica", "in a grave", "in churches"]}, {"question": "The writer _ in this passage.", "answer": "C", "options": ["admires the spheres very much", "doesn't believe the spheres were once made by humans", "tells us a discovery", "thinks highly of the spheres"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The stone balls found in the Diquis River Delta are all very huge.", "The stone balls were unearthed in the graves.", "The local people show great interest in the stone balls.", "There are a lot of treasures in the stone balls."]}, {"question": "The passage mainly tells us _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the stones are of great value", "the stones proved to be made by non-humans", "the stones are a mystery", "the stones are ornaments"]}]} -{"article": "The Oxford Mal, England\nMost prisons are the kind of place you'd be desperate to escape from, not somewhere you'd possibly conceive of escaping to.\nBut this former Oxford prison has been converted into a boutique hotel by the fashionable Malmaison chain and offers the kind of luxurious living that former convicts could only have dreamed of.\nRates: Double room PS140 (US$233). Breakfast PS12.95 per person\nJules' Undersea Lodge, United States\nOriginally a research laboratory, the world's only underwater hotel sits at the bottom of the Emerald Lagoon in Florida, and can only be reached by scuba diving down six meters.\nThe lodge can accommodate two couples and is kitted out with showers, a microwave and a fridge.\nThe real attractions are the fish; the lodge is like a goldfish bowl in reverse, where you sit and watch angelfish, parrotfish, barracuda and snappers peering in at you through the window.\nRates: From US$400\nDas Park Hotel, Austria\nStay overnight in a concrete sewer pipe on the banks of the River Danube.\nThe drainpipes are two meters in diameter and two and a half meters long, with a porthole to look out of, a front door to close and a cozy nest to snuggle into, which includes a low-slung futon, bedside lamp, woolly blanket and light sleeping bag.\nRates: You pay as much, or as little, as you want.\nSant` Angelo Luxury Resort, Italy\n\"Four-star boutique cave-hotel\" is the proud boast of the Sant'Angelo in the city of Matera, which is famous for its sassi-houses dug into the rock. Matera is the only place in the world where people can boast to be still living in the same houses as their ancestors did 9,000 years ago. The rooms have been fashioned from old sassi stables and workshops. There are two restaurants, a bar and an art gallery.\nRates: A three-night package costs from US$560 per person including some meals, a walking tour and car hire, but not flights.\nLa Balade Des Gnomes, Belgium\nA truly out-of-this-world experience, this hotel makes you feel like you're on the moon.\nYou can sleep in a moon buggy, bathe in a lunar capsule, and the walls and ceilings are covered in twinkling stars and planets.\nOther themed rooms include a newly opened Trojan Horse, a Troll Forest, a South Seas sailing ship and a Wine Room.\nRates: From EUR115 (US$170) per double", "problems": [{"question": "Das Park Hotel is different from the other hotels in that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["it is underwater", "you decide the pay", "it used to be a prison", "it is not in Europe"]}, {"question": "If you want to experience the life on the moon, most probably you will choose to stay in _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Jules' Undersea Lodge, United States", "La Balade Des Gnomes, Belgium", "Das Park Hotel, Austria", "The Oxford Mal, England"]}, {"question": "If Mr. and Mrs Smith put up at the Oxford Mal for one night and have breakfast there, they will have to pay at least _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["PS165.9", "PS152.95", "PS258.9", "PS305.9"]}]} -{"article": "At least 371people were killed and over 750 others injured Saturday in two earthquakes that hit Pakistan's southwest Balochistan Province , officials said.\nSaif-ur-Rehman, spokesperson of Provincial Disaster Management Authority said that a total of 359 people were killed and 750 others injured up till Saturday in the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that hit the province on Thursday, while the second earthquake measuring 7.2 at the Richter scale, which struck the area on Saturday afternoon, killed 12 people.\nHe said that the Thursday 's quake affected six districts with Awaran as the worst hit area, where 312 people were killed and 525 others injured when thousands of houses collapsed in various towns and villages of the district.\nThe spokesman said that Kech area of the province was also badly affected, where 46 people died and 240 injured in various villages.\nThe Saturday's earthquake hit Nokjo area of Awaran, killing 12 people, injuring dozens others and destroying many houses.\nThe spokesperson said that the condition of the injured and affected people is not yet known, as it happened in a far area where it would take several hours for the rescue teams to reach.\nOverall the two quakes affected a population of 185,000 and 37, 000 families, said the spokesperson.\nThe Chinese government has sent three flights carrying relief assistance, including medicines, emergency medical equipment, water purifiers, blankets, tents weighing 260 tons in total.\nIt is said that the Chinese government will also be handing over cash grant worth 1.5 million U.S. dollars to Pakistan's Economic Affairs Division on Sept.30 for the quake victims.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the text, up till Saturday, the deaths in the earthquake that hit the province on Thursday reached _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["371", "359", "383", "312"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT true according to the text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["More than 750 people were injured on Saturday in the two earthquakes.", "Five hundred and twenty-five people were injured in Awaran in the Thursday 's quake.", "Six districts were affected by the 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Pakistan.", "No more than one of the two earthquakes struck Awaran, Balochistan Province."]}, {"question": "We can know from the text that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the condition of the injured people in the two earthquakes was not knownon Saturday", "the two quakes affected a population of 37, 000 and a total of 185,000 families", "the Chinese government would send 260-ton relief materials to Pakistan on Sept.30", "the Chinese government showed great concern for the earthquake-hit areas"]}, {"question": "What can be the best title for the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Earthquakes Hit Pakistan", "Balochistan Province Manages Disasters", "More Relief Assistance is Needed", "Pakistan Faces Great Loss"]}]} -{"article": "Survey Studies Internet Use in China\nA typical Chinese Internet user is a young male who prefers instant messaging to e-mail, seldom makes online purchases and favors news, music and games sites. According to a study, about two-thirds of survey participants use the Internet for news -- often entertainment-related -- or for online games. About half download music and movies.\nThey also tend to prefer instant messaging to e-mail, and they are depending on the Internet more frequently than before to communicate with others who have the same professions, hobbies and political interests. Online purchases still remain unpopular in China. Three-quarters of users surveyed have never bought anything over the Internet, and only 10 percent make purchases even once a month. Among those who do buy online, most pay for entertainment while others buy phone cards, or computer hardware or software.\n\"Many people don't trust the quality of goods bought online,\" Guo said Wednesday. \"If they buy it in a store and don't like it, they can easily bring it back.\"\nThe survey was done in five major cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Changsha. Results do not necessarily project countrywide because Internet use in rural areas is lower than in cities. Guo describes the typical netizen in the five cities surveyed as young, male, richer and more highly educated. Males make up two-thirds of the Internet community, and more than 80 percent of users are under. Among people ages 25 to 29, 60 percent to 80 percent go online.\nChina has more than 100 million people online, second in the world to the United States.", "problems": [{"question": "A typical Chinese Internet user will be the one who _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["likes to buy goods online", "likes the games sites", "likes to pay for entertainment", "likes to send e-mails"]}, {"question": "Online purchases still remain unpopular in China mainly because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["goods bought online are of low quality", "people can't have a look at the goods", "it is more difficult for sales returns", "people haven't computers"]}, {"question": "Which of the following words fails to describe the typical netizens in the five cities?", "answer": "B", "options": ["young", "female", "well educated", "richer"]}]} -{"article": "I'm Mary.I have a piece of good news to tell you.My parents bought a new flat in the centre of the city.The rooms are not big, but they are all comfortable.There are more rooms than our old flat. I am excited because I have my own bedroom.In the old flat, I share the bedroom with my sister.\nMy favourite room in the new flat is my bedroom.I can be alone in it.It is my own small world.I can listen to music, read comics and chat with my friends on the phone.I can also look for things on the internet and send e-mails to my e-friends.\nKitchen is my favourite room, too.I like helping my mother with the cooking.She is not only a good teacher but also a good cook.She often teaches me how to make some different dishes.She lived in Sichuan when she was a child.So she likes hot food and she can cook very delicious hot food.", "problems": [{"question": "What's Mary's new flat like?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Big and comfortable", "Small and not comfortable", "Big but not comfortable", "Small but comfortable"]}, {"question": "Mary can do the following things in the bedroom except _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["play the piano", "chat with her friends", "send e-mails", "listen to music"]}, {"question": "Which room does Mary like best?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The kitchen", "Her bedroom", "The sitting room", "Both A and B"]}, {"question": "What does Mary's mother do?", "answer": "A", "options": ["A teacher", "A cook", "A housewife", "A worker"]}]} -{"article": "Jenny was a pretty five-year-old girl. One day when she and her mother were checking out at the grocery store, Jenny saw a plastic pearl necklace priced at $2.50. Her mother bought the necklace for her on condition that she had to do some homework to pay it off. Jenny agreed. She worked very hard every day, and soon Jenny paid off the necklace. Jenny loved it so much that she wore it everywhere except when she was in the shower. Her mother had told her it would turn her neck green!\nJenny had a very loving daddy. When Jenny went to bed, he would read Jenny her favorite story.\nOne night when he finished the story, he said, \"Jenny, could you give me your necklace?\"\n\"Oh! Daddy, not my necklace!\" Jenny said. \"But you can have Rosy, my favorite doll. Remember her? You gave her to me last year for my birthday. Okay? \"\n\"Oh no, darling, that's okay.\" Her father brushed her cheek with a kiss. \"Good night, little one.\nA week later, her father once again asked Jenny for the necklace after her favorite story. \"Oh, Daddy, not my necklace! But you can have Ribbons, my toy horse. Do you remember her? She's my favorite.\"\n\"No, that's okay,\" her father said and brushed her cheek again with a kiss. \"God bless you, little one. Sweet dreams. \"\nSeveral days later, when Jenny's father came in to read her a story, Jenny was sitting on her bed and her lip was trembling. \"Here, Daddy,\" she said, holding out her hand. She opened it and her beloved pearl necklace was inside. She let it slip into her father's hand.\nWith one hand her father held the plastic pearl necklace and with the other he pulled out of his pocket a blue box. Inside the box was a real, beautiful pearl necklace. He had had it all along. He was waiting for Jenny to give up the cheap necklace so he could give her a real one.", "problems": [{"question": "What did Jenny have to do to get the plastic pearl necklace?", "answer": "A", "options": ["She had to help her mother do some housework.", "She had to listen to her father tell a story every night.", "She had to ask her father to pay for the necklace.", "She had to give away her favorite toys to the poor children."]}, {"question": "From the text we know that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["Jenny's mother paid a lot for the plastic pearl necklace", "Jenny wore the necklace everywhere even in the shower", "Jenny didn't like Rosy and Ribbons any longer", "Jenny got a real pearl necklace from her father"]}, {"question": "Jenny's father asked for her plastic pearl necklace repeatedly in order to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["get it for himself", "donate it", "train her character", "put it away"]}, {"question": "What can be the best title for the text?", "answer": "C", "options": ["A Lovely Girl", "Father and Daughter", "A Pearl Necklace", "An Unforgettable Childhood"]}]} -{"article": "When you are invited to attend a party in the West, the first important thing you need to know is that you should arrive late.\nIt is a great embarrassment to arrive at a party early or even on time. Therefore, unless you are the host of the party, you never want to be the first person present at a party. Why? Because others may think that you have no life or nothing better to do than wait for a party to start. Many people try to project an image of always being busy, which, whether true or not, has something to do with success. So, by arriving late, you are implying: \"I live a full life and it's really exciting.\"\nTherefore, an 8 o'clock party usually doesn't really start until maybe 9 o'clock, as everyone wants to be thought of as a busy and important person with lots of things to do. In other words, a party is one of those rare occasions in which your _ can actually hurt you. It's quite a strange thing, isn't it? Anyhow, remember to be late!", "problems": [{"question": "The passage is most likely to have been taken from a book about _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["life in the West", "health and medicine", "politics in the West", "behavioral science"]}, {"question": "What is the reason that people want to be late for parties?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They are not the host of the party.", "They are too busy to arrive on time.", "They want others to think they are busy.", "They don't want to wait for a party to start."]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["Sometimes people pretend to be what they want to be.", "Lateness is not a problem when you are attending a meeting.", "You need to be late on every occasion.", "Going to a party can be a waste of time."]}]} -{"article": "Sherlock Holmes is considered by many people as the greatest detective in fictional literature. He is, in fact, more famous than his own creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In the popular series of stories, Holmes is described as \"tall and lean, pope-smoking, always in his cape and speaks in a splendid manner\". Doyle gave Holmes' address as 221-B Baker Street, London, and to this day some visitors to London still go to Baker Street to search for 221-B. Of course, there never was really any such address. Holmes' flat was supposed to be shared by the lovable, but sometimes clumsy Doctor Watson who went around with Holmes trying to solve crimes before Holmes did. Poor Dr Watson lost out to Holmes every time.\nDoyle gave Holmes a masterly skill of deduction---the ability to come up with interesting conclusion from the simplest clues found at the scene of a crime. Doyle said that the description of Holmes was modeled on one of his lecturers at Edinburgh University where he studied medicine. That man was Dr Joseph Bell. Sherlock Holmes first appeared in Doyle's A Study in Scarlet published in 1887. Holmes was so loved by all that when his author killed him off in one of his stories, readers wrote in anger to complain. They refused to allow Holmes to die! Holmes was brought back to \"life\" and appeared in further stories.\nThe stories of Sherlock Holmes have been reprinted many times ever since then. Today we can watch Holmes at work on cinema and television screens as well as on stage.", "problems": [{"question": "Sherlock Holmes was _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the greatest detective who ever lived", "Dr Joseph Bell", "Arthur Conan Doyle", "only a character made up by Arthur Conan Dolye"]}, {"question": "Dr Watson was _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["tall and learn", "lovable but always clumsy", "lovable but sometimes clumsy", "lovable and never clumsy"]}, {"question": "Holmes was supposed to have lived _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["with Dr Watson", "with Dr Joseph Bell", "with the greatest detective", "with Doyle"]}, {"question": "Doyle made up the description of Holmes _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["from his own imagination", "based on a famous London doctor", "based on Dr Joseph Bell at Edinburgh University", "based on a model of Holmes"]}]} -{"article": "Helen Thayer,one of the greatest explorers of the 20th century,loves challenges. She says,\"I like to see what's on the other side of the hill.\" She has gone almost everywhere to do that.\nIn 1988,at the age of 50,she became the first woman to travel alone to the North Pole. She pulled her own sled piled with 160 pounds of supplies,and during her trip no one brought her fresh supplies. Accompanied only by her dog Charlie,she survived cold weather and meetings with polar bears. In fact,Charlie saved her life when one of them attacked her. Near the end of her trip,a forceful wind blew away the majority of her supplies. The last week of the trip,she survived on a handful of nuts and a little water each day.\nHelen goes to challenging places not only for adventure,but also for education. Before her Arctic journey,she started a website called Adventure Classroom. On the site,she shares her adventures in order to motivate students. She explains,\"Although kids often see the world in a negative way,without hope for their future,we work to inspire them to set goals,plan for success and never give up...\"\nHelen grew up in New Zealand. Her parents were athletes and mountain climbers. Following her parents' example,she climbed her first mountain at 9. Later,she climbed the highest mountains in North and South America,the former USSR and New Zealand.\nIn 1996,she took on another challenge--the Sahara Desert. She and her husband,Bill,walked 2,400 miles across it!In 2001,she and Bill traveled on foot from west to east through the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. They hope to travel in mainland China into Sichuan and Tibet to study pandas this year.\nHelen plans to continue taking trips. She'll use her explorations,writing,photography and environmental work to create programs for her Adventure Classroom website. She wants to inspire her students never to stop facing challenges!", "problems": [{"question": "Why does Helen travel to different places worldwide?", "answer": "A", "options": ["For education.", "For fun.", "For money.", "For fame."]}, {"question": "Which is the best title for the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The Woman Who Loves Adventure", "A Famous Woman", "A Woman Mountain Climber", "The Owner of Adventure Classroom"]}, {"question": "Which of the following places has Helen not visited yet?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The North Pole", "The Sahara Desert", "The Gobi Desert", "Sichuan and Tibet"]}]} -{"article": "To me,life without music would not be exciting.I realize that this is not true for everybody.Many people get along quite well without going to the concert,and listening to the record. But music plays an important part in everyone's life,whether he realizes it or not.Try to imagine,for example,what films or TV plays would be like without music.Would the feelings,the moving plot,and the greatest interests,be so interesting or dramatic? I'm not sure about it.\nNow we have been speaking of music in its more common meaning--the kind of music we hear in the concert hall.We discover them in our everyday life too--in the rhythm of the sea,the _ of a bird in the woods and so on.So music surely has meaning for everyone,in some way or other. And,of course,it has special meaning for those who have spent all their lives working on playing or writing music.\nIt is well said,\"Through music a child enters a world of beauty,expresses himself from his heart,feels the joy of doing things alone,learns to take care of others,develops his mind and makes his body strong.\"", "problems": [{"question": "From the text, we learn that many people _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["don't realize the importance of music", "get along quite well without music", "go to the concert instead of enjoying music", "think music would be less exciting than moving plot"]}, {"question": "In the writer's opinion,if there was no music in the films or TV plays, _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the cinema and theatre would be quiet", "we would lose some of the audience", "everything would be as exciting as before", "it would be hard to imagine the result"]}]} -{"article": "Egypt: Bridging the Gap between School English and Real English\nTeaching English in Egypt in general and in my town Damietta in particular, is mainly directed towards helping students to pass their final exams. Unfortunately, most teachers do not adopt a long -term approach that guarantees that their students will be able to use English outside the classroom. So students only concentrate on one skill which is writing. Thus their listening and speaking skills are disabled. What is important to them is to pass the exam which is primarily based on writing .Teachers are not only concentrated with providing their students with questions that are similar to those of the final exam, particularly General Secondary Education Certificate (GSEC) Examination, so students spend most of their time answering typical exam questions.\nMost students' scores are high; a lot of students get full marks. However, few students are able to communicate in English because their role plays. As a result, a lot of students complain that they are unable to understand and talk fluently with native speakers of English.\nTo enable students to communicate freely and spontaneously in English, I bring features of real communication into language practice, I always ask students about their own experiences, and suggest groups of students practice what they have learned outside the classroom. This helps lower-achieving students absorb language. Furthermore, role play is a very effective way to improve speaking skills particularly if it is connected to the experience of the students.", "problems": [{"question": "Who probably write this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["a teacher", "a governor", "a student", "a reporter"]}, {"question": "In Egypt, the students only concentrate on ------", "answer": "D", "options": ["listening skill", "speaking skill", "reading skill", "writing skill"]}, {"question": "The teachers question their students based on -------", "answer": "C", "options": ["what they learn in the class", "What their parents expect", "The questions that are similar to those of GSEC", "The ability that will be used outside the classroom"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Most of the students can't get high marks but can communicate with the native speakers of English.", "Communicating skill is more important than writing skill.", "Role play connected to the speaker's experience is more effective \nin improving his skill.", "The lower--achieving students can do better in speaking skill than the upper achieving students."]}, {"question": "Who will responsible for the gap between school English and real English?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Their parents", "The students", "The school", "The education sys tem"]}]} -{"article": "Summer in Europe is very nice for us to visit one of our favourite cities for a break. Below we have put together a short list of our favourite summer break locations that offer a great balance of culture, sunshine and fun.\nBerlin, the second most populous city in the European Union, gets the third place on our list. It has three famous airports: Tegel International Airport, Tempelhof International Airport, and Schonefeld International Airport.\nThe capital of Germany is on this list not only because it is a fantastic place to go on holiday but also since it teaches a very important lesson to humanity(,). The Berlin Wall, the better part of which still remains well kept for educational and amusement aims, reminds us of the extra costs paid by everyone. Today, the undamaged part of the Wall, known as the East Side Gallery, shows striking murals ;if you are interested in this chapter of the city's history, there is also a Berlin Wall Memorial you would want to visit. The Potsdamer Platz, divided into two by the Wall, is a newly developed area that is famous for a large shopping center and movie theatre complexes , and adds a bit of modern colour to Berlin's historical value.\nMuch like the other places that made the list, Berlin is also a city of art. The city has over one hundred and fifty museums in all, and a few of the ones providing an extraordinary experience include the Art Center Berlin Friedrichstrabe, the Museum of Indian Art, and the Museum of East Asian Art. Appreciating Berlin's art is much like taking a university course in itself and it can only be truly appreciated in several trips.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements is NOT mentioned in this passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Berlin is a city with a large population in Europe.", "Berlin has many parks and bridges.", "Berlin is a city with many museums.", "Berlin is the capital city of Germany."]}, {"question": "From the passage, visitors can enjoy _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["beautiful sights", "striking murals", "art museums", "all the above"]}, {"question": "If Peter is interested in German history, he should visit _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the Art Center Berlin Friedrichstrabe", "the Museum of Indian Art", "the Berlin Wall Memorial", "movie theatre complexes"]}]} -{"article": "Have you ever wondered how a popular food or dessert was first created? Read on and find out about several of them.\nChewing gum--Although ancient Greeks,Mayans,and early American settlers chewed sap from trees, the first commercial chewing gum was made and sold by John B. Curtis in 1848. In 1850, Curtis began selling flavored gums.\nPizza--In Italy in the early 1700s, flat breads, called pizzas, were made without toppings.These tasty,filling breads were sold to the poor in Naples.When Maria Carolina, the queen of Naples, tasted one, she persuaded her husband, King Ferdinand IV, to allow this peasant dish to be made in the royal kitchen.Almost 200 years later,during her travels around the country, Italy's queen Margherita saw Italian peasants eating pizza breads.She had a taste and fell in love with pizza. She ordered the most famous pizza cook of the day, Raffaele Esposito, to create for her a pizza made of tomato, basil, and cheese to look like the color1s of the Italian flag. This remains the basis of the American version of the pizza.\nThe ice-cream-cone--In 1904, Italo Marchiony got a patent to produce ice-cream cones. The same year at the ST. Louis World's Fair, a Syrian waffle seller Ernest Hamwi heard that a nearby ice-cream seller had run out of dishes to serve his cream. Hamwi rolled some of his waffles into a cone shape and offered them to his neighbor, who put ice-cream in the cones and sold them. This first fully eatable, portable treat was a hit with customers immediately.\nM&Ms--During the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s, Forrest Mars, Sr., saw soldiers eating pieces of chocolate covered with a hard sugary coating, which kept the chocolate from melting in the sun. Using this idea, Mars developed M&Ms in 1941. In 1954, Mars ntroduced M&Ms Peanut Chocolate Candies, along with the now famous slogan, \"The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Who helped to create the American version of Pizza?", "answer": "C", "options": ["John", "Maria Carolina and Ernest Hamwi.", "Raffaele Esposito and Margherita.", "Ernest Hamwi and Forrest Mars, Sr."]}, {"question": "Why did the ice-cream become popular?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It was a cone--shape.", "It looked like the Italian flag.", "It was eatable and could be taken away.", "It was covered with a hard sugary coating."]}, {"question": "What does the slogan of M&Ms mean?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The chocolate is not easy to melt in the sun.", "The chocolate can not be held in your hand.", "The chocolate is made by hand.", "The chocolate tastes delicious."]}]} -{"article": "In Europe ,many people make friends between their countries through town twinning .Town or city twinning means two towns in different countries agree and decide to become \"twins\"with a sister relationship .\nThe people find pen friends in the twin town .They exchange newspapers and stamps .The school teachers discuss teaching methods with the teachers in the twin town .Officials visit the twin town for celebrations .Ordinary people travel to the twin town ,too,but not very often if it is far away .\nSometimes ,school even exchange their classes for two or three weeks !For example ,German middle school students study for a while at the school in their twin town in Britain ,staying with British families .A few months later ,their British friends come to study in Germany .\nMany British towns are so pleased with the results of the twinning that they set out to find more than one twin town !\nTonbridge ,a small town in Kent ,for example ,has twin towns in both Germany and France .Richmond near London has relationships with Germany ,France and even a town in a Balkan country .\nTown twinning can help make friends .It helps students improve their language skills ,and also helps people to understand the differences between nations .", "problems": [{"question": "Which is the best title for the passage ?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Town Twinning", "Friendly Town", "Exchanging Teachers and Students", "Peace and Understanding"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is Not mentioned in the passage ?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Twin towns exchange newspapers and stamps .", "Twin towns exchange business skills .", "Schools in twin towns exchange classes for a period of time .", "Ordinary people travel to the twin towns ."]}, {"question": "Twin towns develop _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["between European countries and China", "in the English-speaking countries only", "in the same country", "between different countries"]}, {"question": "How many countries are mentioned in this passage ?", "answer": "D", "options": ["7", "6", "3", "4"]}]} -{"article": "A shopping center is a place where many different shops and stores are collected under one roof. You can buy everything there and there are also banks, restaurants and, sometimes, a post office.\nThere are other places in the United States which are called five-and -ten-cent stores because they used to sell things for 5 to 10 cents. Today they sell almost anything and some of the things cost several dollars. Supermarkets are found in all the cities. They sell food and many other goods. You walk around the supermarket, choose the things you want, put them into a special basket prepared by the store and pay for them all together at the door. Supermarkets often stay open later than other stores.\nStores are usually open every day of the week except on Sunday. Some close on Saturdays in July and August.", "problems": [{"question": "The shops and stores in a shopping center are _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["in the same building", "on the top of a big roof", "close to your house", "near banks and restaurants"]}, {"question": "A five-and-ten-cent store usually sells _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["expensive things", "small and cheap things", "things worth many dollars", "everything you need in the house"]}, {"question": "_ have baskets ready for people to carry the things they are going to buy.", "answer": "D", "options": ["Shopping centers", "Fine stores in America", "Five-and-ten-cent stores", "Supermarkets"]}, {"question": "Which of the following can be the topic of the article?", "answer": "C", "options": ["What a shopping Center is?", "Why people like supermarkets?", "Three types of places for shopping.", "Old and new stores."]}]} -{"article": "I hated dinner parties. But I decided to give them another _ because I'm in London. And my friend Mallery invited me. And because dinner parties in London are very different from those back in New York. There, \"I'm having a dinner party\" means \"I'm booking a table for 12 at a restaurant you can't afford and we'll be sharing the cheque evenly, no matter what you eat.\"\nWorse, in Manhattan there is always someone who leaves before the bill arrives. They'll throw down cash, half of what they owe, and then people like me, who don't drink, end up paying even more. But if I try to use the same trick, the hostess will shout \"Where are you going?\" And it's not like I can say I have somewhere to go : everyone knows I have nowhere to go.\nBut in London, dinner parties are in people's homes. Not only that, the guests are an interesting mix. The last time I went to one, the guests were from France, India, Denmark and Nigeria; it was like a gathering at the United Nations. In New York, the mix is less striking. It's like a gathering at Bloomingdale's, a well-known department store.\nFor New Yorkers, talking about other parts of the world means Brooklyn and Queens in New York. But at Mallery's, when I said that I had been to Myanmar recently, people knew where it was. In New York people would think it was a usual new club.", "problems": [{"question": "What does the author dislike most about dinner parties in New York?", "answer": "C", "options": ["There is a strange mix of people.", "The restaurant are expensive.", "The bill is not fairly shared.", "People have to pay cash."]}, {"question": "What does the author think of the parties in London?", "answer": "D", "options": ["A bit unusual.", "Full of tricks.", "Less costly.", "More interesting."]}, {"question": "What is the author's opinion of some New Yorkers from her experience?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Easygoing..", "Self-centred.", "Generous.", "Conservative."]}, {"question": "What is the main idea of this article?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The author hated dinner parties.", "The author prefer dinner parties in London to those in New York.", "The difference between London and New York.", "Mallery invited the author to a party."]}]} -{"article": "The Pew report---which was based on surveys carried out in Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Greece, Poland and the Czech Republic --- concluded that the European Union was \" the new sick man of Europe\".\nThe percentage of Europeans with a favorable view of the EU has plunged from 60 percent last year to 45 percent now.\nThe UK may be considered the most Eurosceptic country, but its support for the union has barely changed in the past 12 months, slipping only two points to 43 percent.\nBy contrast, France's backing for the EU has slipped sharply, from 60 percent last year to 41 percent today.\nOn the question of whether to remain in the EU, 46 percent of the British want to leave the union and surprisingly, the same percentage went to stay.\nThe Pew report's authors said, \"The long-drawn economic crisis has created bad forces that are pulling European public opinion apart, separating the French from the Germans and Germans from everyone else.\"\nThey added, \"The effort over the past half century to create a more united Europe is now the main disaster of the euro crisis. The European project now stands in a bad reputation across much of Europe.\"\nThe only European leader rated highly by their own voters was the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, with 74 percent voters in favor of her.\nPrime Minister David Cameron was the next highest with a positive score of 37 percent among the British public, although he can take some comfort from the fact that 58 percent of Poles and half of all French people think he is doing a good job.\nIn spite of the dark economic future and growing doubt of the EU, there were strong majorities of more than 60 percent in favor of keeping the euro in the five countries surveyed that use the single currency.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is TRUE about the recent Pew report?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The UK has the smallest number of people against the EU.", "There's a slight change of the UK's support for the EU.", "More than half the Germans raise doubt about the EU.", "A vast majority of French people are in favor of the EU."]}, {"question": "As to whether to remain in the EU, _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["The British are divided equally", "few British want to stay", "half British want to leave", "many British don't care about it"]}, {"question": "What's the Pew report's authors' attitude towards the relation between France and Germany?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Enthusiastic.", "Optimistic.", "Negative.", "Neutral."]}, {"question": "Why does Prim Minister David Cameron feel a little bit comfortable?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Only a score of 37 percent of Britons go against him.", "Many of the Poles and French think well of him.", "More than 60 percent of the Europeans are in favor of keeping the euro.", "Angela Merkel has 74 percent voters supporting her."]}]} -{"article": "I never got along with Dad. But when he was dying. I set off for Nebraska to be with him and my family. I stopped for the night at a hotel with a pool, hoping it would relax me.\nThe pool area was empty as I walked into the still water. A man in a bathing suit appeared. He sat on the edge of the pool with his legs moving up and down in the water. He had dark hair and deep brown eyes and smiled. \"Where are you going?\" he asked. When I told him about my father, he asked how we got along. I tried to change the subject, but then for some reason, I told him everything.\nFinally the man said, \"Even with all the trouble, remember, your father still loves you.\" All at once, warm and clear childhood memories came flooding back: Dad running alongside my wobbling bicycle, the proud hug he gave me at my high school graduation, his laugh when I caught him off guard with a tickle . \"Yes, I know he does, \" I heard myself say. And for the first time in years I believed it. The man left, leaving me alone with my comforting thoughts.\nBack in my room, as I went to bed, I decided it was time to forgive my father. Then I wished he'd forgive me too. The phone bell woke me up at 3 am. My sister's voice sent a shiver through me: Dad had just died. I had wanted to see him and make peace. But as sadness was beginning to surround me, I remembered that the man by the pool had already brought Dad and me together.", "problems": [{"question": "From the passage we learn that the author _", "answer": "D", "options": ["didn't know his father was seriously ill", "always thought highly of his father", "lived in Nebraska far away from his family", "was going to see his father"]}, {"question": "When the author was in the pool, _", "answer": "B", "options": ["many other people were there too", "he talked a lot with the man by the pool", "he greeted the may by the pool first", "the man by the pool told him everything about his family"]}, {"question": "What made the author change his original idea about his father?", "answer": "A", "options": ["That he was reminded that his father actually loved him", "That the man by the pool mentioned his interesting childhood", "That he remembered his father had taught him to ride a bike", "That he knew his father would leave him forever"]}]} -{"article": "How Much to Tip\nYou're out to dinner. The food is delicious and the service is fine. You decide to leave a big fat tip. Why? The answer may not be as simple as you think.\nTipping, psychologists have found, is not just about service. Instead, studies have shown that tipping can be affected by psychological reactions to a series of different factors from the waiter's choice of words, to how they carry themselves while taking orders, to the bill's total. Even how much waiters remind customers of themselves can determine how much change they pocket by the end of the night.\n\"Studies before have shown that mimicry brings into positive feelings for the mimicker,\" wrote Rick van Baaren, a social psychology professor. \"These studies show that people who are being mimicked become more generous toward the person who mimics them.\"\nSo Rick van Baaren divided 59 waiters into two groups. He requested that half serve with a phrase such as, \"Coming up!\" Those in the other half were instructed to repeat the orders and preferences back to the customers. Rick van Baaren then compared their take-home. The results were clear -- it pays to mimic your customer. The copycat waiters earned almost double the amount of tips to the other group.\nLeonard Green and Joel Myerson, psychologists at Washington University in St. Louis, found the generosity of a tipper may be limited by his bill. After research on the 1,000 tips left for waiters, cabdrivers, hair stylists, they found tip percentages in these three areas dropped as customers' bills went up. In fact, tip percentages appear to plateau when bills topped $100 and a bill for $200 made the worker gain no bigger percentage tip than a bill for $100.\n\"That's also a point of tipping,\" Green says. \"You have to give a little extra to the cab driver for being there to pick you up and something to the waiter for being there to serve you. If they weren't there, you'd never get any service. So part of the idea of a tip is for just being there.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Apart from service, how many other factors affecting the customers' tipping are mentioned in the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["1.", "2.", "3.", "4."]}, {"question": "These studies show that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["tipping can be affected by physical reactions to many different waiter's factors", "people who are being mimicked usually tip less to the person who mimics them", "the mimic waiters can get almost twice as much money as the other group", "mimicry makes the mimicker feel bad"]}, {"question": "We know from the passage that the writer seems to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["object to Mr. Green's idea about tipping", "think part of Mr. Green's explanation is reasonable", "give his generous tip to waiters very often", "support the opinions of Mr. Green and Rick van Baaren about tipping"]}]} -{"article": "Most people think of zoos as safe heavens for animals, where problems such as difficulty finding food and avoiding predators don't exist. Therefore, animals in zoos should live to a ripe old age.\nBut that may not be true for the largest land animals on earth. Scientists have known that elephants in zoos often suffer from poor health. They develop diseases and they are even unable to have babies.\nTo learn more about how captivity affects elephants, a team of international scientists compared the lifespans of the zoo-born elephants with the lifespans of thousands of wild elephants. They also compared some Asian elephants living in zoos with some Asian elephants which work in logging camp , over almost the same time period.\nThe team found that elephants born in zoos lived an average of 16.9 years, but elephants that died of natural causes lived an average of 56 years. Asian elephants followed a similar pattern. In zoos, they lived 18.9 years, while those in the logging camp lived 41.7 years.\nScientists don't yet know why wild elephants seem to live so much better than their zoo-raised counterparts . Georgia Mason, a biologist at the University of Guelph in Canada, who led the study, thinks stress and obesity may be to blame. Zoo elephants don't get the same kind of exercise they would in the wild. Elephants' social lives are also much different in zoos than in the wild, where they live in large family groups.", "problems": [{"question": "Most people believe that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["animals in zoos should live a longer life", "zoos are not good for animals to live in", "zoos are not suitable for large animals", "captivity can affect animals in many ways"]}, {"question": "The purpose of the international scientists is _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["to compare the lifespans of different animals", "to find out how captivity affects elephants", "to learn the lifespans of male and female elephants", "to compare the lifespans of elephants in different places"]}, {"question": "Which elephants live the longest according to the study?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Elephants born in zoos.", "Elephants that live in the wild.", "Elephants that work in logging camps.", "Female Asian elephants in logging camps."]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["elephants in zoos suffer less stress than those in the wild", "elephants in zoos live an easy life", "social lives are not important to elephants", "zoo life can be stressful to elephants"]}, {"question": "What are the advantages to elephants in the wild according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They face fewer problems.", "They can find food more easily.", "They live in large social groups.", "They are freer to move."]}]} -{"article": "Having parked near the car wash beside the supermarket, I came away to wait for my wife to come from work. Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum . From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered . This was one of those \"don't want to be bothered times.\"\n\"I hope he doesn't ask me for any money,\" I thought. He didn't. He came and sat on the seat by the bus stop but he didn't look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus. After a few minutes he spoke, \"That's a very pretty car\". He was ragged but he had an air of dignity around him. I said, \"thanks,\" without taking a look at him.\nHe sat there quietly for a moment. The expected begging for money never came. As the silence between us widened something inside said, \"Ask him if he needs any help.\" I was sure that he would say \"yes\". So I asked, \"Do you need any help?\" He answered in three simple words that I shall never forget. The three words shook me. \"Don't we all?\" he said.\nI was feeling successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me. Don't we all? I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day. Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, you need help too. However, no matter how little you have, you can give help too.", "problems": [{"question": "The author walked away from the car wash to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["go to work", "wash his car", "go shopping", "meet his wife"]}, {"question": "When the author first saw the bum, he planned to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["ignore his difficulty", "give him a lesson", "offer him some help", "make friends with him"]}, {"question": "When the bum said \"Don't we all?\", the author felt _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["satisfied", "shy", "sad", "shocked"]}, {"question": "What is the best title for the text?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The clever bum", "Never lose your dignity", "Don't we all need help?", "To give or not?"]}]} -{"article": "I have a friend who lives by a three-word philosophy : Seize the moment. Just possibly, she may be the wisest woman on this planet. Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, don't know it is coming or are too strict to depart from their routine.\nI can't count the times I called my sister and said, \"How about going to lunch in half an hour?\" She would gasp and stammer , \"I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known it yesterday, I had a late breakfast, and it looks like rain.\" And my personal favorite response: \" _ .\" She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together. From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible.\nLife has a way of going faster as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises made to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all have to show for our lives is repetition of \"I'm going to\" , \"I plan on\" and \"Someday, when things are settled down a bit.\"\nWhen anyone calls my \"seize the moment\" friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is _ . You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Rollerblades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord.\nMy lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happily.\nNow ... go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to ... not something on your SHOULD DO list.", "problems": [{"question": "The example of the writer's sister serves as _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["an argument", "an introduction", "a support", "a conclusion"]}, {"question": "The writer thinks that the excuse \"It's just Monday.\" is acceptable, because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["it is still likely that they can have lunch together some time later", "it sounds most reasonable of all the excuses", "it shows respect for the writer's suggestion", "it indicates the time when they can have lunch together"]}, {"question": "What is the purpose of the writer by writing this passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To suggest how time flies in our life.", "To persuade busy people to relax after work.", "To advise people to keep their promise to ourselves.", "To persuade readers to be flexible on their schedule for practical joy."]}]} -{"article": "What do a l5-year-old high school student named Vogt and Thomas Paine have in common? The answer is that both inspired major changes in their societies by writing an essay. In October,a student at west Milford high school in New Jersey read an article in her local newspaper that disturbed her. The article reported that the board of education had decided to use _ tray in the lunchroom because they were less expensive than paper one's.\n Vogt knew from her science class that polystyrene can have harmful effects on the environment in the first place. It is not biodegradable,meaning that it can't be broken down by natural biological processes. in addition,some polystyrene products give off gases called chloroflulrocarbons(CFCs)into the air. Scientific evidence indicates that these CFCs break down the protective ozone layer of the atmosphere. \n Vogt decided to write a paper for her social studies class on the issue of polystyrene. Her teacher, Carl Stehle,read her paper to the class. After reminding students that Thomas Paine had had to persuade many hesitant colonists to support the American Revolution,Stehle challenged his class to do something about the polystyrene problem. \n Vogt and her classmates immediately conducted a survey in the high school and middle school . They discovered that a large majority of students said they wanted to switch back to paper goods in the cafeteria. When they presented their findings to the board of education,the boards business administrator did a survey of his own. He found that roughly 80 percent of the students in the two schools would be willing to pay extra 5 cents to eat their lunch from paper trays. As a result,the board voted in December to change to paper trays in all the townships schools.", "problems": [{"question": "Why does the author mention Thomas Paine in the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Vogt and Thomas Paine live in the same period.", "Both Vogt and Thomas Paine are concerned about environment.", "They both conducted a survey to find a solution.", "They both did something to make a change in society."]}, {"question": "All the following questions are answered in the article except_.", "answer": "D", "options": ["How did vogt get interested in the polystyrene problem?", "How is polystyrene harmful to the environment?", "Do most students in two schools want to use paper trays?", "How did Vogt react towards the board's vote?"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is the best title of the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The Advantage of Paper Trays", "A Survey in a High School", "Making a Difference", "The Disadvantage of polyztyrene Trays"]}]} -{"article": "Dear Water--Use It Wisely,\nMore and more water is getting wasted each day. I want to help out and teach people how to conserve water. Please continue reading because your organization is very influential. I had an idea that you could send some workers from your organization to schools all around the world, and they could inform the students about water usage.\nDid you know that every minute, 1,000,000,000(one billion) tons of water falls to the earth from rain? We are lucky to have rainwater. It helps fill up our lakes. There is about 326,000,000,000,000,000,000 gallons of water on Earth. Yes, this is tons, but it is getting wasted.\nEveryone needs water. So why waste it? I think it is very irresponsible to let the water run when you are not at home. We can use water with respect by making good choices. Take a shower instead of a bath, use an automatic dishwasher instead of hand washing. You can buy Earthfriendly cleaner spray, so that our drinking water will not be polluted. If your washer isn't full, then don't start it. With water being wasted every day, by the time we get to the 3000s we are going to have to survive on milk and juice! Won't that be boring? That means we will have to give our dogs a bowl of juice instead of water with their food. I mean, come on,we're talking real life here!\nWater wasting needs to come to a stop and without delay. Water-Use It Wisely, PLEASE inform people about their water usage! It plays a big role in my life. It would be really great if you take part in spreading the news about this! Thanks tons!\nAn impatient fourth grader waiting for a reply,\nMya Oleksiak", "problems": [{"question": "Water--Use It Wisely is most probably _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["a person's name", "an organization", "the title of a magazine", "a government department"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, what is a proper way to save water?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Washing dishes by hand.", "Feeding our pets with juice and milk.", "Starting the washer with a full load.", "Encouraging people to use cleaner spray."]}]} -{"article": "In the US, people prefer waiting for a table to sitting with people they don't know. If you are sitting at a table with people you don't know, it is impolite to light up a cigarette without asking if it will trouble them.\nAt American restaurant and coffee shops you are usually served cold water before you order. You may find the bread and butter is free, and if you order coffee, you may get a free refill .\nMost cities and towns have no rules about opening and closing time for stores or restaurants, though they usually do make rules for bars. Especially in large cities, stores may be open 24 hours a day.\nServing in restaurant is often large, too large for many people. If you can't finish your meal but would like to enjoy the food later, ask your waitress or waiter for a \"doggie bag\". It may have a picture of a dog on it, but everyone knows you're taking the food for yourself. Supper and dinner are both words for the evening meal. Some people have \"Sunday dinner\". This is an especially big noon meal.\nTips are not usually added to the check. They are not included in the price of the meal, either. A tip of about 15% of the price of a meal is expected and you should leave it on the table when you leave. In some restaurants, a check is brought on a plate and you put your money there. Then the waiter or waitress brings you your change.", "problems": [{"question": "If you are walking in New York, you will find that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["you can go to the bars any time you like", "stores may be open for the customers a day", "restaurants have some rules about foreigners", "closing time is often decided by the managers"]}, {"question": "When you are taking a \"doggie bag\" on the street, we know that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["you have bought some food for your dogs", "you are taking the rest of food for your dogs", "you will take the food home and enjoy it later", "you have put a dog in the bag and take it home"]}]} -{"article": "How could we tell time if there were no watches or clocks anywhere in the world?\nThe sun was probably the world's first \"clock\", except in the far north, where the Eskimos live. There it's dark most of the winter, and light most of the summer. But in most of the world, people have used the sun for a clock. Even today if you don't have a clock that shows time, you still know that when the sun shines, it's day; and when it's dark, it's night. The sun can not only tell you whether it's day or night but also it's morning, noon, or afternoon. When the sun is almost directly overhead, it's noon.\nPeople who live near the sea can tell time from the _ . In the daytime, for about six hours, the water rises higher and higher on the beach. And then it goes down and down for another six hours. The same thing happens again at night. There are two high tides and two low tides every 24 hours.\nSeamen on a ship learn how to tell time by looking at the moon and the stars .The whole sky is their clock.\nIn some places in the world the wind comes up at about the same time every day or changes direction or stops blowing. In these places, the wind can be the clock.\nA sand clock is an even better clock. If you had fine dry sand in a glass shaped like the one in the picture above, you would have what is called an hourglass. The sand in the hourglass goes from the top part to the bottom part in exactly one hour. When the hourglass it turned over, the sand will take another hour to go back again.", "problems": [{"question": "The Eskimos in the far north can't use the sun for a clock because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["they know very little about the sun", "the sun there never goes down in winter.", "it's too cold for them to go out to watch the sun", "there are long dark winters and long light summers in the far north"]}, {"question": "In which part of the newspaper can you probably read this passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["News", "Science", "Business", "Advertisement"]}, {"question": "What's the best title for the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Different Ways to Tell Time", "Useful Machine to Tell Time", "The History of the Clock", "The Development of the Clock"]}, {"question": "How many ways are mentioned in the passage to tell time?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Five", "Four", "Six", "Three"]}]} -{"article": "They should be Britain's gilded youth, enjoying opportunities to study, travel and start exciting careers in a way older generations could only dream about. But instead they are the \"Ipod\" generation --\"Insecure, Pressured, Over-taxed and Debt-ridden\"--according to a study by a group of experts who provide advice and ideas on social issues.\n\"We thought that each generation would be better off than its predecessors ,\" said Professor Nick Bosanquet of Imperial College London, one of its authors. \"But young people today have more duties and it is much more difficult for them to raise their incomes and create wealth. This really is a very big issue for the country.\"\nAccording to the report, today's youth don't have enough confidence and ability to build on the economic foundations created by post-war baby boomers . Because they are in debt, they are also _ to take risks. Levels of entrepreneurship among Britain's youth are lower than in America, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland and have fallen over the past decade. Many choose the jobs which offer a good amount of money after they retire. Others have to take any job that is available to try to pay off their debts.\n\"I borrowed a lot of money from the bank to pay for my education at university, which is the biggest chain around my neck now,\" said Phil Grech, 22, from Cumbria, who has a degree in maths from the University of Reading. \"I'm only doing a temporary job at the moment to pay the mounting bills. I haven't really thought about the long term. Many people think that when you leave university you can get a good job, but it's no longer like that.\"\nWhile older generations enjoyed higher education funded by taxpayers, young people today face university tuition fees and a decreasing \"return\" in the salary advantage they will get from their degrees.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the text mainly about?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Britain's gilded youth.", "The \"Ipod\" generation in Britain.", "The challenges faced by the British today.", "The career choices Britain's youth have."]}, {"question": "What's the biggest problem in Phil Grech's life?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Low income.", "The debt.", "Not having a good college degree.", "Not having job opportunities."]}, {"question": "We can infer from the text that the \"Ipod\" generation _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["doesn't have much determination", "doesn't want to have a full-time job", "lives a harder life than the older generations", "hasn't realized the importance of saving money"]}]} -{"article": "Lynn is the publisher of Indiana Living Green magazine, a local Indiana-based publication focusing on all issues related to leading a sustainable lifestyle. Her knowledge, passion and unwavering dedication to this cause are both inspiring and admirable and are the reasons I nominate her for the Heart of Green Local Hero.\nLynn's interest in sustainable living has expanded over the years from simple recycling and wildlife gardening to encouraging others to appreciate nature and do what each can to protect the environment. The creation of Indiana Living Green comes from her belief that most individuals have an inner desire to do what is best for our environment and that each individual act truly does make a difference.\nLynn has been instrumental in bringing her green consciousness to Indiana by way of Indiana Living Green magazine over the past two years. Indiana Living Green is the only local publication _ focused on green living and sustainability. In addition, Lynn's pioneering efforts also provide public educational forums via \"Green Scenes\" -- a series of three hour events, each focusing on specific topics teaching Hoosiers how to lead greener lifestyles. She is a sought-after speaker, delivering topics such as \"Greening Your Outdoor Space,\" \"Updating Your Home to Green\" and \"Greening Your Lifestyle\" to various businesses and organizations throughout Central Indiana. In addition, Lynn has appeared regularly on Indianapolis Fox 59 morning show's \"Living Green\" segment, discussing various topics of interest ranging from grilling green and green baby buys to composting and recycling.\nIn addition to her role as publisher of Indiana Living Green magazine, Lynn is also a Habitat Steward Host for National Wildlife Federation, editor of Hoosier Organic Gardener, the newsletter of the Indiana Organic Gardeners Association, and a member of Garden Writers Association.\nLynn Jenkins deserves to be publicly recognized for all that she is and all that she has done and continues to do to educate and empower each of us to improve our individual lives, communities and our Earth.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is NOT true of Lynn Jenkins?", "answer": "C", "options": ["She is the publisher of the magazine Indiana Living Green.", "She is a member of Garden Writers Association.", "She won the award the Heart of Green Local Hero.", "She encourages people to love and protect nature."]}, {"question": "Indiana Living Green was probably _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["a book on modern life style", "a magazine on fashion", "a journal on travel", "a magazine on green living"]}, {"question": "What can we learn about \"Green Scenes\"?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It is a scene set in a three-hour film.", "It is a series of events focusing on green life.", "It is a film set in Central Indiana.", "It is a forum focusing on green lifestyle."]}, {"question": "What is the purpose of the writing?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To call on readers to protect the environment and live green.", "To nominate Lynn Jenkins for the Heart of Green Local Hero.", "To introduce the readers to the Heart of Green Local Hero.", "To advertise for Indiana Living Green and its publisher."]}]} -{"article": "The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, the largest business bank in Hong Kong was set up in Hong Kong in 1864 when Hong Kong was British Empire' s colony. HSBC is a founding member of HSBC Group, one of the largest banking and financial service organizations in the world that is operating around 10000 branches in 83 countries and regions.\n After the Opium Wars, Hong Kong became a colony of British Empire. With the increasing trade between China and Europe, there occurred an urge need for a bank to finance trade. Under this circumstance, a Scottish Thomas Sutherland decided to establish a bank with Scottish Banking standards. Therefore, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited Board was officially founded on I Queen' s Road Central, Hong Kong and started business on 3 March 1865. The bank was running according to the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank Ordinance 1866 and accepted a special permission from the British Treasury in 1866. In the same year, a branch was also opened in Shanghai. Both banks began to release local banknote directed by the local govemment. Other services at that time included international exchange, deposits and loans etc. Over the few years, branches opened gradually in Tianjin, Beijing, Hankou, Chongqing and other places. Under the leadership of Sir Thomas Jackson, the bank became increasingly important in Asia and grew in both size and status.\n In its nearly 150 years of operation and development, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited have invested over $5 billion on self-development and in purchasing shares in Chinese financial organizations and became one of the largest investors among the foreign banks to have invested in mainland China. It holds lg% share in Bank of Communications, 16% share in Ping An Insurance and 8% share in Bank of Shanghai etc.\n On 2 April 2007, Shanghai-based HSBC Bank(China) Company Limited started operation. It was a foreign bank that operated in mainland China. It is also a part of HSBC Group but is wholly owned by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited.", "problems": [{"question": "The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Group _", "answer": "D", "options": ["is the largest business bank in the world.", "was set up in Hong Kong China in 1864 .", "is a banking and financial service organization in Hong Kong.", "is operating around 10000 branches in 83 countries and regions."]}, {"question": "What was not the business in HSBC in 1866?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Releasing local banknote.", "Doing international exchange.", "Making bank savings.", "Purchasing shares."]}, {"question": "The biggest percentage of shares HSBC holds is in _ as stated in the passage.", "answer": "B", "options": ["Ping an Insurance", "Bank of Communications", "Bank of Shanghai", "Bank of China"]}]} -{"article": "Many deaths from home fires are the result of burns and panic, but most are caused by deadly smoke and gases. These fatal fires are often caused by such careless acts as throwing away a lighted match or cigarette, allowing rubbish to pile up, overloading electrical wires, or misuse of healing and cooking equipment.\nFew families go to bed at night without first checking to make sure that the doors and windows are locked, but they overlook a very basic fire safety rule. This rule states that people should sleep with their bedroom doors closed. Nighttime fires are most serious because the family is asleep and the discovery of fire is usually too late.\nA closed bedroom door gives extra protected by delaying the gases and fire, thus giving the family a few minutes to escape.\nAt the first sight of fire in a home, it is necessary for everyone to get out of the house, especially children and elderly persons who may need help. Not everyone flees quickly from a burning home. Children often panic and hide in closets or under beds. Being prepared or knowing what to do in case fire breaks out can mean the difference between life and death. All members of the family should know certain basic steps.\nEveryone should know an escape route and second route from each room in the house. Very young children and old persons should receive careful thought when mapping out family escape plans. Both groups will need special help in escaping from home fires. A family should determine a way in which any members can sound an alarm. It is likely that fire may block hallways and prevent a person from reaching other bedrooms : Family members should be taught not to waste time getting dressed or collecting valuable possessions. Speed is necessary in escaping from fire.", "problems": [{"question": "Most deaths from fire are caused by_.", "answer": "C", "options": ["burns", "fright", "smoke", "panic"]}, {"question": "During a fire children often_.", "answer": "A", "options": ["panic", "jump from windows", "cry", "know certain steps"]}, {"question": "The most serious fires happen during_.", "answer": "D", "options": ["the afternoon", "the morning", "the evening", "the night"]}, {"question": "The article advise the readers_.", "answer": "A", "options": ["not to collect valuable possession if a fire breaks out", "not to call the fire department for small fires", "not to run away at once", "not to buy a house with closets"]}]} -{"article": "Going to the beach is many American's favorite activity. They went swimming in the ocean without giving a thought to what was underwater. But those days are long gone. In the summer of 1988, many of the beaches had to be closed because garbage from hospitals was found in the water. The garbage included glass bottles with samples of blood, and people were afraid they might get AIDS from the blood. At some beaches, sewage was found in the water. Americans were shocked by this state of affairs. People didn't think of the underwater garbage because it was out of sight.\nSome of the most polluted waters still look beautiful. San Francisco Bay is a good example of a beautiful bay that's full of chemicals. Scientists discovered pollution in some lakes and rivers when they found fish with rotting skin. People are told not to eat too much fish because of pollution. Most American cities put their garbage in the ground. But New York and a few other cities put their garbage in the ocean. Boston Harbor is so polluted that scientists say it won't recover until the next century. The government has ordered the city to build a sewage treatment plant, Cleaning up oceans won't be easy, but people can no longer ignore this challenge.", "problems": [{"question": "The main idea of the article is that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["ocean waters around America have become polluted.", "Americans are bringing too much garbage to the beach.", "beaches were closed because Americans were shocked.", "going to the beach is many American's favorite activity."]}, {"question": "The oceans are polluted by _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["swimmers, AIDS patients and fish.", "Boston, San Francisco and New York only.", "garbage, sewage and medical waste and so on.", "swimmers and fishes"]}, {"question": "Many polluted waters are beautiful because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["chemicals can be beautiful.", "they have been cleaned up.", "pollution is underwater or hard to see.", "there are still many fish in them"]}, {"question": "More people can go to the beaches near Boston if _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the city puts its garbage in the ground", "a sewage plant is built", "they don't eat too much fish", "they stop polluting the water"]}]} -{"article": "Some fifty years ago , I was studying in a middle school in New York . One day , Mrs. O'Neil gave a maths test to our class . When the papers were marked , she found that twelve boys had made exactly the same mistakes in the test .\nThere is nothing new about cheating in exams . Perhaps that was why Mrs. O'Neil didn't even say one word about it . She only asked the twelve boys to stay after class . I was one of the twelve .\nMrs. O'Neil asked no questions , and she didn't scold us , either . Instead , she wrote the following words on the blackboard : On your way home you find some money and you're completely sure that you will never be found out . Later someone comes to ask you if you have found some money he lost . What will you do ?\nShe then ordered us to write down the question , and asked us to take our whole lives to try to find out our own answer to it .\nI don't know about the other eleven children . Speaking for myself I can say : it was the most important single thing of my life. From then on , I have been asking this question to myself when I have to make a decision .\nBecause of this , Mrs . O'Neil has become the most unforgettable teacher for me in my whole life . I often think of this : if Mrs . O'Neil had scolded us as many other teachers often did , would I go on cheating every day ?", "problems": [{"question": "Who wrote this story ?", "answer": "A", "options": ["A student in New York who is not interested in maths .", "Mrs. O'Neil from New York who found some money on her way home .", "An old maths teacher in a middle school .", "An old person who once lived in New York when he was young ."]}, {"question": "When did the story happen?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Over sixty years ago .", "Over fifty years ago .", "Over seventy years ago .", "Over eighty years ago ."]}, {"question": "When Mrs. O'Neil found twelve boys made exactly the same mistakes in the test , she_.", "answer": "D", "options": ["became very , very angry and shouted at the children for an hour", "thought maybe she made some mistakes in her teaching", "tried to find out who made the mistakes first", "wanted to teach the twelve boys to stop cheating"]}, {"question": "Why did the writer think Mrs. O'Neil unforgettable ?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because Mrs. O'Neil often gave her student maths tests .", "Because Mrs. O'Neil taught maths very well .", "Because Mrs. O'Neil loved her students as she loved her own children .", "Because Mrs. O'Neil taught a very important lesson to the writer ."]}]} -{"article": "My new teacher is cool. Her name is Paula so we call her Miss Paula.\nThe first time we met her she said we are going to be good friends and that good friends are always nice to each other.\nMiss Paula has been teaching us a lot of things. Some of us used to get in trouble for talking in the hallway. Miss Paula says she can't change the rule that we can't make noise in the hallway but we can still talk to each other. She is teaching us sign language. I already know how to say \"hello\" and \"how are you\" with my hands. Now we love it when we have to walk somewhere and we are always quiet except for a laugh or two.\nMiss Paula likes everybody even Sam and nobody likes Sam. He never does what he's told but now he is doing better. Miss Paula says every single one of us is perfect and beautiful just the way we are. I guess that includes Sam.\nThis week at school was really the best ever. I didn't even get in trouble when I thought I would, because I spilled milk on my homework and had to hand it in when it was still wet. Miss Paula just smiled and asked, \"What's this?\" So I told her what happened. Miss Paula put it near the window to make it dry. She said the sun had been waiting for such an important job as this and would be happy to help us.\nWell, I have to go and get ready for bed now. I have school in the morning and I want to wake up early so I will have time to pick Miss Paula some flowers.", "problems": [{"question": "What do we know about Miss Paula?", "answer": "B", "options": ["She changed the school rules.", "She is very kind to her students.", "She is strict with the writer.", "She uses sign language in class."]}, {"question": "How did the writer probably feel when he handed in his homework?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Worried.", "Bored.", "Excited.", "Relaxed."]}, {"question": "We can learn from the passage that the writer _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["is a bit afraid of her new teacher", "always picked her teacher some flowers", "wrote this article in the morning", "loves and respects her new teacher"]}]} -{"article": "All over the world people enjoy sports, Sports help to keep people healthy and happy, and to live longer.\nMany people like to watch others play games. They buy tickets or turn on their TVs to watch the games. Often they get very excited when \"their\" player or team wins.\nSome sports are so interesting that people everywhere go in for them. Football, for example, has spread around the world. Swimming is popular in all countries near the sea or in those with many rivers. What fun it is to jump into a pool or lake, whether in China, Egypt or Italy! And think of people in cold countries. Think how many love to skate or ski in Japan, Norway or Canada.\nSome sports or games go back thousands of years, like running or jumping. Chinese wushu, for example, has a very long history. But basketball and volleyball are rather new. Neither one is a hundred years old yet. People are inventing new sports or games all the time. Water-skiing is one of the newest in the family of sports.\nPeople from different countries may not be able to understand each other, but after a game together they often become good friends. Sports help to train a person's character. One learns to fight hard but fight fair, to win without pride and to lose with grace(,).", "problems": [{"question": "Why do people all over the world enjoy sports?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because they are healthy.", "Because they are happy.", "Because they want to live longer.", "All the above."]}, {"question": "Why do some people get excited when they watch a game? Because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["their favourite team wins", "they win the game", "they get the good news", "they can't help themselves"]}, {"question": "Why do people from different countries often become friends after a game together? Because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["they train their character in the game", "they understand each other", "they are friendly to each other", "they help each other"]}]} -{"article": "As my dad unwrapped the new bicycle helmet that I got him for his birthday, I realized that a number of people ride their bicycles every day without the protection of a helmet.\nDue to cold winters across the country, riding has become increasingly dangerous as many roads have potholes and are torn-up . Not everyone realizes that there are laws requiring the wearing of helmets in many places.\nWhere I live, there has been a law in place since October 1, 1992 stating that cyclists of all ages are required to wear helmets. Unfortunately, accidents can happen to the best of riders. My dad has been a cyclist for many years, and he often rides around my county and to Rockland Lake State Park.\nOne afternoon, as he was just entering the park, he lost control of his bicycle and flew off and landed on a nearby patch of grass, breaking his helmet into pieces and losing consciousness . When he was just awakening, a lovely couple found him and brought him back to our house, where he attempted to recap the events leading up to his fall. Later that day, a CAT scan showed that he had a concussion . That evening, while my dad was showing me the pieces of his broken helmet, _ .\nIf he had not worn his helmet, he probably would have cracked his skull and perhaps died. Today, when my dad and I go out cycling, the wearing of our helmets is not even a question. Regardless of age, everyone should wear a helmet whenever they get on a bicycle.", "problems": [{"question": "In the writer's opinion, why should people wear bicycle helmets?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because a law requires them to do so.", "Because many people like wearing bicycle helmets.", "Because people have realized the importance of wearing helmets.", "Because the conditions of roads are very poor and it is dangerous to ride on them."]}, {"question": "From the accident that happened to the writer's dad, we can infer that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the cyclists should follow the law", "his dad was not worried about this accident", "it is necessary for cyclists to wear helmets", "everyone should care about life"]}]} -{"article": "Food waste has been a chronic problem for restaurants and grocery stores -- with millions of tons lost along the way as crops are hauled hundreds of miles, stored for weeks in refrigerators and prepared on busy restaurant assembly lines. But the historically high price of products is making it an even bigger drag on the bottom line.\nRestaurants, colleges, hospitals and other institutions are compensating for the rising costs of waste in novel ways. Some are tracking their trash with software systems, making food in smaller packages or trying to compost (......) and cut down on trash-hauling costs.\n\"We have all come to work with this big elephant in the middle of kitchen, and the elephant is this 'It's okay to waste' belief system,\" said Andrew Shackman, president of LeanPath, a company that helps restaurants cut back food waste.\nThe interest in cutting food waste \"has just rocketed in the last six to nine months,\" he said.\nRoughly 30 percent of food in the United States goes to waste, costing some $48 billion annually, according to a Stockholm International Water Institute study. A University of Arizona study estimated that 40 to 50 percent of food in the United States is wasted. Wholesale food costs have risen more than 8 percent this year, the biggest jump in decades, according to the National Restaurant Association.\nFreshman students at Virginia Tech were surprised this year when the two of the campus' biggest dining halls to find there were no trays.\n\"You have to go back and get your dishware and your drink, but it's not that different,\" said Caitlin Mewborn, a freshman. \"It's not a big trouble. You take less food, and you don't eat more than you should.\"\nGetting rid of trays has cut food waste by 38 percent at the dining halls, said Denny Cochrane, manager of Virginia Tech's sustainability program. Before the program began, students often grabbed whatever looked good at the buffet , only to find at the table that their eyes were bigger than their stomachs, he said.", "problems": [{"question": "High price of products makes the problem of food waste _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["less challenging", "more unbelievable", "less noticeable", "more unsolvable"]}, {"question": "What does Caitlin Mewborn most probably think about the fact that no trays are provided in the campus' dining halls?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It doesn't help cut food waste much.", "It causes much trouble for students.", "It isn't well-received by the freshmen.", "It is efficient for cutting food waste."]}, {"question": "The author mentions Virginia Tech as an example to support the idea that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["food waste has been a long-lasting chronic problem", "novel ways are being applied to cutting food waste", "colleges are truly the biggest source of food waste", "the \"It's okay to waste\" belief system is influential"]}]} -{"article": "Tom was a clever boy, but his parents were poor, so he had to work in his spare time and during his holidays to pay for his education. In spite of this, he managed to get to the university, but it was so expensive to study there that during the holiday he found it necessary to get two jobs at the same time so as to make enough money to pay for his studies.\nOne summer he managed to get a job in a butcher's shop during the day-time, and another in a hospital at night. In the shop, he learnt to cut meat quite nicely, so the butcher often left him to do all the serving while he went to the back room to do the accounts . In the hospital , on the other hand, he was , of course , allowed to do the simplest jobs, like helping to lift people and to carry them from one part of the hospital to another. Both at the butcher's shop and at the hospital, Tom had to wear white clothes.\nOne evening at the hospital, Tom had to carry a woman from her bed to the place where she was to have an operation. The woman was already feeling frightened at the thought of the operation before he came to get her, but when she saw Tom, that finished her.\n\"No! No!\" she cried. \"Not my butcher! I won't be operated on by my butcher!\" and fainted away .", "problems": [{"question": "Tom made enough money by _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["studying in the university", "working in a butcher's shop", "doing two jobs", "cutting meat well"]}, {"question": "Tom was a student, but at the same time he was _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["a butcher and a doctor", "a manager and a doctor", "an assistant", "a manager"]}, {"question": "The woman patient recognized Tom because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["he was wearing white clothes", "he had sold meat to her", "he was now working in the hospital", "he was going to operate on her"]}, {"question": "When she saw Tom, that finished her, the sight of Tom _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["plunged her into deep sorrow", "made her decide not to have an operation", "broke her heart", "took all her strength and courage away"]}]} -{"article": "When I met him,I had a lot of anger inside of me. I've lived my whole life in Spanish Harlem,but in my neighborhood,there are shoot-ups all the time. I know kids who have been shot or beaten up. I have friends who ended up in prison. I could have ended up that way,too,but Mr. Clark wouldn't let that happen.\nMr. Clark worked long hours,making sure I did my work. My grades rose. In fact,the scores of our whole class rose. One day,he took our class to see The Phantom of the Opera,and it was the first time some kids had ever been out of Harlem. Before the show,he treated us to dinner at a restaurant and taught us not to talk with our mouths full. We did not want to let him down. Mr. Clark was selected as Disney's 2000 Teacher of the Year. He said he would draw three names out of a hat;those students would go with him to Los Angeles to get the award. But when the time came to draw names,Mr. Clark said,\"You're all going.\"\nOn graduation day,there were a lot of tears. We didn't want his class to end. In 2001,he moved to Atlanta,but we always kept in touch. He started giving lectures about education,and wrote a bestselling book based on his classroom rules,The Essential. In 2003,Mr. Clark took some of us on a trip to South Africa to deliver school supplies and visit the orphanages .It was the most amazing experience of my life. It's now my dream to one day start a group of women's clubs,helping people from all backgrounds.", "problems": [{"question": "Without Mr. Clark,the writer _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["might have been put into prison", "might not have won the prize", "might have joined a women's club", "might not have moved to Atlanta"]}, {"question": "How many students' names were finally drawn out of a hat by Mr. Clark?", "answer": "A", "options": ["None.", "Three.", "Fiftyfive.", "All."]}, {"question": "What can we learn from the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It was in Harlem that we saw The Phantom of the Opera for the first time.", "Mr. Clark taught us not to talk with our mouths full,and we did.", "Mr. Clark was selected as Disney's 2000 Teacher of the Year in Los Angeles.", "In 2003,Mr. Clark moved to Atlanta,and he always kept in touch with us."]}]} -{"article": "Healthy knees aren't the main consideration in choosing high heels,but new research says chunky heels are just as bad for the knees as spindly stilettos .\"It takes a long time to feel the effects of knee osteoarthritis --and once you do it,it is too late,\"said Dr.Casey Kerrigan,leading researcher of the study and associate professor at Harvard Medical School's department of physical medicine.\"I compare it to smoking--one cigarette is not painful,but over a lifetime it is.Wide-heeled shoes feel comfortable,so women wear them all day long,\"Kerrigan said.\"They are better for your feet than stiletto heels,but just as bad for your knees.\"\nIn the study,researchers had twenty women wear two pairs of shoes with three-inch heels,one with a narrow heel and the other with a thick one.The scientists compared how much pressure was put on the women's knees by both types of shoes.The women also walked bare-foot to test normal pressure.The scientists found that both types of shoes applied equal amounts of pressure to the knees.Compared with walking barefoot,the heels increased pressure on the inside of the knee by 26 percent.Increased pressure on the knee eventually leads to arthritis,experts say.\nThe idea that high heels are bad for your health isn't new--scientists have warned women for years that they contribute to problems ranging from corns to hammer toes,tendonitis,knee pain,sprained ankles and back problems.But in 1998,Kerrigan and a team of Harvard researchers were the first to link high heels and knee osteoarthritis,a painful joint disease that destroys cartilage surrounding the knee.The first study looked only at stiletto heels,and Kerrigan said she wanted to study the chunky high-heeled shoes she noticed many women wearing.\"This study confirms what we all intuitively know that high-heeled shoes of any kind are not good for our health,\"said Dr.Glem Pfeffer,a San Francisco doctor and member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons who was not connected to the study.", "problems": [{"question": "We learn from the passage that women choose chunky heels because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["they want to walk comfortably", "chunky heeled shoes are cheaper than stiletto heeled pairs", "chunky heels do less harm to knees", "chunky heels are not painful at all"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the passage that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["people got to know the high heels are bad for health recently", "people have known the high heels are bad for health for years", "people haven't known the high heels are bad for health yet", "people will be warned that the high heels are bad for health soon"]}, {"question": "Kerrigan's late study looked at the chunky high-heeled shoes because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["they feel more comfortable", "they are related to knee osteoarthritis", "they are worn by many women", "they are different from stiletto heels"]}, {"question": "The best title for the passage may be _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Talking Healthy Knees into Consideration", "High-heels Do Harm to Knees", "Chunky Heels and Stiletto Heels", "When Wearing High-heels"]}]} -{"article": "The organizers of the Beijing Olympics have predicted every aspect of the preparatory work and are making every effort to fulfill their task for 2007.\nCompetition schedule finalized\nThe competition schedule for the 28 sports and 302 events has been settled already.The detailed daily schedule will be made in the final three months before the Olympics,due to the arrangements to be made for TV broadcasters.\n1,000 cultural events expected\nBeijing is expected to hold as many as 1,000 Olympicsrelated cultural activities,including highlevel exhibitions and art performances,presentations of foreign art troops,community cultural squares,and promotions by sponsors and cohost cities.\n30,000 journalists to cover the Olympics\nMore than 30,000 journalists are expected to come to Beijing during the Games.They pose a great challenge to the organizers in terms of how to meet their specific news coverage demands.\nTwo million visitors to test Beijing's services\nAt least two million Chinese and half a million foreign tourists are expected to visit Beijing during the Olympics.Taking into account another 50,000 athletes and media,accommodation is a big challenge,too.122 Beijingbased starclass hotels were signed for the purpose in 2006.But how can they make 10,000 rooms available for _ and 160,000--180,000 rooms for overseas visitors?The organizers are trying to find solutions to the problem in 2007.\nHot tickets,low prices\nIn previous Olympics,onethird of the tickets were hot,another one third were breakeven and the remaining one third were unwillingly received.In contrast,most of the Beijing Olympic tickets have been hot,according to the ticketing program so far.The most expensive ticket for the opening ceremony stands only at 5,000 yuan--the lowest prices seen in recent editions of the Olympics.", "problems": [{"question": "This passage aims to tell the readers _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the challenges the Beijing Olympics are facing", "the preparatory work that the organizers are doing", "the difficulties of organizing the Olympics", "the information about the Beijing Olympics"]}, {"question": "Which of the following may not be considered when making the daily schedule?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The TV broadcasting.", "The audience's presentation.", "The weather condition.", "The athletes' competing habits."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The cultural activities will be held shortly after the Olympic Games.", "Some foreign art communities will also give performances in Beijing.", "The number of journalists coming to the Games will be largest.", "Cultural activities won't be held in cohost cities."]}]} -{"article": "The three biggest lies in prefix = st1 /Americaare : (1) \"The check is in the mail.\" (2) \"Of course I'll respect you in the morning .\" (3) \"It was a computer error.\"\nOf these three little white lies , the worst of the lot by far is the third . It's the only one that can never be true . Today , if a bank statement cheats you out of $ 900 that way , you know what the clerk is sure to say : \"It was a computer error .\" Nonsense . The computer is reporting nothing more than what the clerk typed into it .\nThe most annoying case of all is when the computerized cash register in the grocery store shows that an item costs more than it actually does . If the innocent buyer points out the mistake, the checker , bagger and manager all come together and offer the familiar explanation : \"It was a computer error .\"\nIt wasn't, of course . That high-tech cash register is really nothing more than an electric eye . The eye reads the Universal Product Code--that ribbon of black and white lines on the package --and then checks the code against a price list stored in memory . If the price list is right , you'll be charged accurately .\nGrocery stores update the price list each day--that is , somebody sits at a keyboard and types in the prices . If the price they type in is too high , there are only two explanations : carelessness or dishonesty . But somehow \"a computer error\" is supposed to excuse everything .\nOne reason we let people hide behind a computer is the common misunderstanding that huge , modern computers are \"electric brains\" with \"artificial intelligence.\" At some point there might be a machine with intelligence , but none exists today . The smartest computer on earth right now is no more \"intelligent\" than your average screwdriver . At this point in the development of computers the only thing any machine can do is what a human has instructed it to do .", "problems": [{"question": "We are told that a high-tech cash register is really just_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["a simple adding machine", "an electric instrument of sight", "a way to keep employees honest", "an expensive piece of window dressing"]}, {"question": "Grocery store price lists are updated by_.", "answer": "A", "options": ["an employee", "a telephone receiver", "an adding machine", "a typewriter"]}, {"question": "According to the passage , which of the following statements is true ?", "answer": "C", "options": ["That high-tech cash register is anything but an electric eye .", "The grocery stores update the price list every other day .", "There is no machine with intelligence today.", "There are four biggest lies in America."]}, {"question": "Which of the following describes the main idea of the passage ?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Computers are stupid and inefficient .", "Computer errors are basically human errors .", "Computers can help department stores update the price list .", "Supermarket price errors are often made through dishonesty ."]}]} -{"article": "Water goes around and around Earth in a never ending journey called the water cycle . The sun heats up lakes, oceans, and other wet places on Earth. When the water gets warm enough, it changes into vapour. Plants also give off lots of water vapour. Some of this water vapour cools off high in the sky and becomes clouds. Then it falls back to Earth in a new place as rain or snow. This cycle happens over and over again.\nThe ground can absorb water like a sponge . If you could see this groundwater, it wouldn't look like a lake or river. The groundwater is mixed in with the rocks and sand that lie in layers below Earth's surface.\nGroundwater moves along slowly. How slowly? Maybe 1.5 kilometres in one century. Some of this water has been underground for thousands of years. And once groundwater is pumpedout of the ground from a deep well by people, it may take hundreds of years for another water to take its place.", "problems": [{"question": "The groundwater seems to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["be just on the ground", "be pure water like that in a lake or river", "exist in rocks and sand", "flow along like rivers or streams"]}, {"question": "What conclusion can we draw from the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Groundwater can be quickly replaced by other water once pumped out.", "Groundwater is very valuable.", "Groundwater has nothing to do with human beings.", "Groundwater travel in an unknown way."]}]} -{"article": "Many of us already know about several American superstitions . Having a black cat cross your path, walking under a ladder, and breaking a mirror are all bad luck. In addition to these, there are many other superstitions that are worth knowing. Understanding them will keep you safe from evil spirits--if you believe in such things--and impress your American friends when you mention them.\nLike the superstitions in other cultures, American superstitions often involve the things important in daily life, such as health, numbers, and marriage. For example, have you ever had a cough that would not go away? According to one American superstition, you should take a piece of your hair and put it between two slices of buttered bread. Next, feed this hair sandwich to a dog and say, \"Eat well, you hound, may you be sick and I be sound.\"This will trick the evil spirits and help your cough. _ .\nIn American superstitions, the number three is very important. Often, Americans will say, \"All things come in threes.\" Three is lucky because it represents the traditional family: mother, father, and child. Therefore, gifts, letters, and guests will often arrive at your home in groups of three. However, it is also possible for bad events, like accidents and funerals, to come in threes as well.\nAnother time people pay attention to superstitions is when they get married. During a wedding, brides must wear or carry\"something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.\"The old and borrowed things will bring luck to the person who gives them to the bride. The new and blue things will bring good fortune to the bride herself. The next time someone you know is getting married, be sure to recite this phrase.\nAs it would be unlucky to discuss one more superstition, we will wind things up here. Keep your fingers crossed, and stay lucky!", "problems": [{"question": "The passage is most probably entitled \" _ \".", "answer": "C", "options": ["American's Bad Luck", "Cross-culture and Superstitions", "American Superstitions", "Daily Life in Superstitions"]}, {"question": "In American's view, the number three is a(n) _ number.", "answer": "C", "options": ["lucky", "unlucky", "special", "ordinary"]}, {"question": "On the wedding, the bride often uses old and borrowed things so as to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["save some money for the wedding", "bring good luck to the people who give them to the bride", "give the good luck to the bride herself", "pass the bad luck to others"]}]} -{"article": "As teachers, most of us have been taught that tests are the best way to assess our students' learning and the effectiveness of our teaching. But when a student scores poorly on a test, how does he or she benefit? The student loses confidence and ends up feeling \"stupid\". I believe we can use tests to improve learning, not just check what our students have memorized. \nI recently attended a conference where the speaker, Thomas Guskey, challenged us to consider how we might change the culture of classroom testing. Guskey asked, \"What happens to these tests? What educational purpose do they serve?\" His point was that teachers typically grade test papers, give them back, and then move on. Students put their test papers away and never look at them again. Some students will even make a show of walking leisurely to the trash to crumple and toss their test papers into the bin. If a student feels like he or she studied hard for a test and still got a bad grade, he or she can become disheartened with the classroom cycle that consists of teaching and testing, teaching and testing. \nMany times, testing simply feels like a winning or losing game between students and their teachers. I'll never forget the day my son and I were discussing testing in one of his least favorite classes (and with his least favorite teacher) and he looked me square in the eyes and said, \"Mom, I refuse to play the game.\" My son was in honors classes, yet he felt this way! Would it be regarded as less of a game if students had a chance to retake the test, or work out where they'd gone wrong?\nThere is an argument for the exam as the final assessment: if students don't have the knowledge by the time they're tested, that's unfortunate, but it's time to move on -- there's only so much time to teach the material. \"What about surgeons ? Do they 'test' their learning on a genuine patient?\" Guskey asked. \"Or do they get to check their learning on a dead body to make sure they've got it worked out?\" You wouldn't show a surgeon a heart bypass in a textbook and then send him or her straight into the operating room!\nBy moving on immediately after giving an exam, we're missing a valuable opportunity to teach our students exactly what they need to learn! Rather than a game in which students either win or lose, we can turn testing into a win-win classroom experience by giving students the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. We can change the culture in our classrooms by using tests as a tool to improve learning rather than marking the end of the learning process.", "problems": [{"question": "According to what Guskey said, the culture of classroom testing makes _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["teachers focus on students' mistakes", "students dissatisfied with their teachers", "students not take tests seriously at all", "teachers lose confidence in their students"]}, {"question": "The writer seems to support the statement that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["tests are a wining or losing game between students and teachers", "tests should help students find areas where they are struggling", "tests are a tool to check what students have memorized", "tests should be a mark to end a learning course"]}]} -{"article": "In countries around the world, food has been used to celebrate at our holidays, our rituals and our family gatherings. The food eaten at holiday time has made the deepest impact on our culture and memories. Different holidays bring different types of food. Much of the food we eat during the holidays comes from old traditions handed down for hundreds of years.\nNew Year's Eve always brings parties and get-togethers, but where you live in the world may determine what food graces your table. In the southern US, partiers eat black eyed peas, which are thought to bring good luck and prosperity . The Japanese also eat food for good luck on New Year's, but their choice is red snapper, the color red being considered good luck in Japan. The Jewish celebrate New Year by eating apples dipped in honey and in Madrid, Spain the last minutes of the New Year are counted down with the popping of grapes into the mouth. A pet is a cake prepared by the Greek with a coin baked into it. The person who gets the slice of cake with the coin in it should have good luck in the upcoming year.\nIn the United States, a typical Christmas feast can contain a variety of foods ranging from turkey to chicken, from ham to goose, but other countries celebrate this holiday differently. Perhaps these choices have been taken from the traditions of our heritage . In Denmark, a traditional Christmas meal is roast goose, Greece, leg of lamb. Traditionally, Italians keep their Christmas Eve meal meatless. The traditional Christmas dinner in New Zealand is a picnic eaten on the beach.\nThough holidays around the world are celebrated in different ways, it is food, feast and family that bring us together.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, in different holidays people usually _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["have different kinds of food to eat", "recall the interesting life when they were young", "have a wide variety of parties.", "get together to play games."]}, {"question": "All the following can bring people good luck except _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["a cake with a coin", "red snapper", "black eyed peas", "apples dipped in honey."]}, {"question": "Which of the following can be the main idea of the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Holiday foods vary from culture to culture.", "Different countries have different cultures.", "People have a good appetite during holiday.", "Different foods are served during Christmas."]}]} -{"article": "\" Can we go now, Momma?\" little Susie asked, pulling on her mom's arm. Her mother did not answer, only stared blankly at the scene below. Crowds of people marched about with what looked like picket signs. Other people gathered around them, shouting angry words that she couldn't make out from this distance. This relatively small town in Missouri had never seen so much action. She and Susie were standing at the top of the only high rise building in town for Susie loved to try to find their house among the rows and rows of little boxes.\n\"Momma? \" Susie said in a frightened voice, two seconds before a gun shot went off, making her scream at the top of her lungs. Her mom grabbed her and held her over her shoulder as the tears started pouring. \"What was that? I'm scared, Momma!!\"\n\"Sh Sh Sh,\" her momma whispered in a soothing tone, rubbing her daughter's hair. \"It's just a bad dream, baby. She said both to herself and Susie.\nSusie looked at her with confused eyes at the same time a fight broke out among some members of each group. The little girl gasped in surprise. \"Why are those ants fighting , Momma?\"\n\"Those aren't ants, sweetie; they're people, or, at least they're supposed to be.\"\n\"I don't understand what's going on! I'm scared!!\" the four-year-old child clung to her momma. \"It looks like they're dancing, momma.\"\n\"Yeah, it sort of does, doesn't it?\" her mother said with an air of disbelief. How could the expression of heated anger be so beautiful? It was so wondrously unexpected that it brought soft tears to her eyes.\n\"Why are you scared, Momma? It's just bugs dancing,\" Susie said with an innocent smile, wiping away her mother's tears.", "problems": [{"question": "What could be happening below the tall building?", "answer": "B", "options": ["A large number of bugs have gathered dancing.", "There was a fighting between different groups of people", "A group of ants were fighting out there.", "A crowd of people were giving performances."]}, {"question": "Why did Susie and her mum come to the top of the high building?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because they could see beautiful sights there.", "Because there were plenty of boxes for Susie to choose.", "Because Susie liked to pick out their own house among other house.", "Because Susie loved to watch people gathering below the building."]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Susie's mum cried because of scare.", "Susie's mum always liked lying to Susie", "Suisie really believed there were bugs down there", "Susie had a poor sight so that she couldn't that she couldn't see things clearly"]}, {"question": "The purpose of the passage is to tell us _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["as humans, we should love peace and avoid fighting as much as we can.", "a little girl is easy to make misjudgments on common things.", "it's hard for a mother to explain to a small child why people fight sometimes.", "a fighting may have lasting harmful effect on a small child's child."]}]} -{"article": "Cultural differences in business entertaining include problems such as whom one entertains and where and how one entertains. In countries where status is important, it is not advisable to invite people of different statuses to the same dinner party. Americans will often invite people to their homes. However, in some societies the home is considered too personal, unworthy, or too small to serve as a proper place for business entertaining. In some countries there is a \"help yourself\" method of entertaining done in the home. This method does not work well when entertaining people whose culture teaches them to wait to be asked three times before accepting an offer of food. For example, a Chinese guest went hungry all the evening without eating though he was quite hungry because he was too shy to take food after only being asked to do so once. In another case, an American woman executive was being entertained in London. After having the tea served, the American woman helped herself to cream and sugar rather than waiting to be served. The English hostess was upset by the thought that she was not serving quickly enough.\nAs a general rule, a small gift from your home country is OK. A gift that is tied to the particular interest of the person is especially good. Gifts for children are also well received. Be careful that the \"hometown\" gift you are bringing to Singapore is not made in Hong Kong. Because many gifts carry symbolic meanings, it is always best to seek the advice of a cultural information before selecting gifts. The giving of large gifts, or payments for special service, should only be carried out after talking with legal department in the home and host culture.", "problems": [{"question": "It is no good inviting people of different social positions to the same party in the country where _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["people don't pay any attention to your positions", "people care much about their statuses", "entertainment is important", "entertainment is not advisable"]}, {"question": "The Chinese guest is taken for an example to show _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["that offering food should not be made too early", "a \"help yourself\" method works well in this case", "that accepting an offer of food should be made later", "a \"help yourself\" method does not work well in some cases"]}, {"question": "The passage infers that American women like _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["a \"help yourself\" method", "waiting to be served", "a slow service", "cream and sugar"]}, {"question": "_ is especially proper, when you are invited to a dinner party.", "answer": "C", "options": ["A big gift", "Large payment as a gift", "A small gift from one's home", "A gift form Singapore"]}]} -{"article": "Tourism has the power to bring jobs and economic development to popular destination , but how should travelers decide where to spend their money? Are some countries more deserving of visitors' dollars than others?\nThat's the idea behind the 10-destination list put together by San Francisco-based non-profit Ethical Traveler, which since 2006,has published an annual guide to the World's Best Ethical Destinations in the developing world.\n\"Instead of publishing countries for doing bad things,\" said Jeff Greenwald, executive director of Ethical Traveler, \"we're trying to offer a favor, rewarding countries in the developing world that are really trying to do the right thing.\"\nSo which countries are the most ethical? For 2013,the winners are Barbados, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Ghana, Latvia ,Lithuania, Mauritius, Palau, Samoa and Uruguay.\nThose 10 countries scored highest in three main areas: social welfare, environmental protection and human rights.\nGreenwald explained that countries must have a good tourism infrastructure to make the list, but the non-profit Ethical Traveler also uses the list to promote some under-visited places that can be a role model for other countries in their region. For example, Latvia earned high marks for improving its environmental efforts and strong human rights record, and the country's parks and nature reserves make for a great off-the-beaten-path ecotourism trip.\nIn addition to just visiting these countries, travelers should aim to spend their money in locally-owned business, Greenwald said, to ensure their financial support stays in the country they're visiting. However, that requires a well-maneged tourism infrastructure. While one could argue those poor places need the money even more, tourism can put pressure on countries that face such challenges.\nErica Avrami, research and education director at the World Monuments Fund(WMF) said that a list of ethical destinations is \"a wonderful idea\", the idea of being ethical goes both ways. \"There's also a certain responsibility on the part of the traveler to make sure their own footprint is as minimal as possible,\" she said.", "problems": [{"question": "The passage mainly aims to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["promote ethical destinations", "encourage ecotourism trips", "speed up the development of tourism", "discuss which countries are ethical destinations"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Tourism fails to help develop local economy and provide jobs.", "All the destinations should equally share the money spent by visitors.", "Ethical Traveler punishes the developing countries for doing wrong things.", "Ethical Traveler rewards the developing countries for doing the right thing."]}, {"question": "In the eyes of Erica Avrami _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["being ethical is not actually a wonderful idea", "being ethical depends on both travelers and destinations", "travelers are advised to travel as far as possible", "travelers should leave as much footprint as possible"]}]} -{"article": "More than 1.5 billion people around the world live without electricity. Finding better ways to bring light to the poor is the goal of researchers like Professor Irvine. In the late 1990s, he was working in Nepal when his return flight was canceled. A delay gave him time to take a fourteen-day hiking trip in the Himalayas.\nOne day he looked in the window of a school and noticed how dark it was. This is a common problem for millions of children around the world. Many families use kerosene oil lamps. There are many problems with these lamps. They produce only a small amount of light. They are dangerous to breathe. And they are a big fire danger, causing many injuries and deaths each year. Kerosene costs less than other forms of lighting, but it is still costly in poor countries. Professor Irvine says many people spend over 100 dollars a year on the fuel.\nWhen he returned to Canada, he began researching ways to provide safe and clean lighting. He began experimenting with light-emitting diodes , LEDs, at his lab. As a professor of renewable energy, he already knew about the technology. Light-emitting diodes are small glass lamps that use much less electricity than traditional bulbs and last much longer. He used a one-watt bright white LED made in Japan. He found it on the Internet and connected it to a bicycle-powered generator . He remembers thinking it was so bright that a child could read by the light of a single diode.\nIn 2000, after much research and many experiments, he returned to Nepal to put the systems into homes. Now the homes of 25,000 people in 51 countries have been equipped with it. \"The one-time cost of our system which basically lives forever, as well as the solar panel -- is less than one hundred dollars. So, one year of kerosene would pay for a solid-state lighting system,\" he said. Now his aim is to develop a lower-cost lighting system. In January, Irvine is leaving the University of Calgary. He has also decided to start his own company in India.", "problems": [{"question": "Irvine connected a white LED to a bicycle-powered generator to prove _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["whether it can work without electricity", "whether it can work well with less electricity", "whether it can last longer than a generator", "whether it is brighter than a traditional bulb"]}, {"question": "We can learn from the text that Irvine _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["likes India rather than Nepal", "is good at making new kinds of bulbs", "is giving up his job in the university", "is to earn much money from his company"]}]} -{"article": "China Daily---Last week, the Beijing municipal government released a list of 192 areas in the capital where spring blooms, including peach, magnolia, apricot and winter jasmine, can be enjoyed from March to May. The recommended spots cover an area of 22 square kilometers. Apart from admiring blooms, folklore performances, botany exhibitions and other activities will be put on. 20 travel routes for tourists looking to appreciate floral beauty in the countryside are issued in Hubei, too.\nSouth Korean drama Descendants of the Sun<<>> has collected more than 200 million views on iQiyi, the Chinese streaming website said Tuesday.\n\"Descendants of the Sun\", the first Korean show to premiere simultaneously in South Korea and China , is a love story between an Army captain (Song Joong-ki) and a doctor (Song Hye-kyo) who find themselves in a fictional war-torn country called Uruk, where both try to save lives.\n\"The show has become the talk of the town everywhere. Some shows even had live phone conversations with viewers to discuss its popularity,\" a Chinese entertainment official said.\nTo put things into perspective, a f ifth of South Korea's population is 10 million people. Just a little over that number tuned in to watch Descendants of the Sun.\nEnthusiastic customers snapped up the first batch of tickets in just five minutes on Monday for the opening day of the Shanghai Disneyland park on June 16, temporarily crashing the official website.\n\"Within half an hour, clicks on the website (www.shanghaidisneyresort.com) reached more than 5 million. The massive volume resulted in our ticketing system temporarily malfunctioning.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements is true according to the information above?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Tourists can enjoy flowers in 192 areas.", "The spots cover an area of 22 square kilometers.", "During the spring blooms, visitors are only allowed to admire flowers", "Hubei Government also issued some travel routes for visitors"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the information about drama Descendants of the Sun", "answer": "C", "options": ["It is the first Korean show broadcast in China.", "It is more popular in Korea than in China.", "It is a romantic story between a captain and a doctor r.", "Korea has a population of 10 million people"]}, {"question": "What topic do the three pieces of information belong to?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Society", "Astronomy", "Economy", "Entertainment"]}]} -{"article": "A man walked into a restaurant and asked for a glass of water. Then the girl in the restaurant pulled out a gun and shot him dead. Why? People asked to give reasonable explanation for the strange happening. All kinds of suggestions were made.\nShe was able to recognize him as a dangerous prisoner who ran away from the prison; she thought he was to rob her; she misheard what he said; asking for a glass of water had a special meaning for her and so on. All these explanations showed that the gun was used on purpose to harm the man. The idea was easily accepted.\nIn fact, the explanation was that the man had an attack of hiccups . It so happened that the girl in the restaurant knew that a great and sudden fear could get rid of hiccups. But she didn't know the gun happened to be loaded that day.", "problems": [{"question": "The man asked for a glass of water because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["he was having an attack of hiccups", "he was walked into a restaurant", "he wanted to kill himself", "he was too thirsty"]}, {"question": "The girl used a gun to the man because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["she wanted to kill him", "she hated him", "what the man said had a special meaning", "she wanted to give him a sudden and great fear"]}, {"question": "Why did the man have an attack of hiccups?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because he ate too much.", "Because he was too old.", "Because he ate too fast.", "The passage didn't tell us."]}, {"question": "Which is TRUE to the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The man just ran away from a prison.", "The man wanted to rob the girl.", "The girl misheard what the man said.", "It is the girl's kind help that happened to kill the man."]}]} -{"article": "Putting in water fountains at schools, and teaching children about the health benefits of water, could reduce their risk of getting extra pounds, reports a new study that is published in the latest issue of the journal pediatrics.\nThe findings are based on a survey in 32 elementary schools of two German cities, Dortmund and Essen. The researchers, led by Rebecca Muckelbauer, a nutrionist at the Research Institute of Child Nutrition Dortmund, weighed about 3,000 children, and asked them about their beverage consumption.\nAt the beginning of the school year, the experts had water fountains added to 17 of the schools. The scientists also worked with teachers to carry out educational programs that promote the benefits of drinking water. In contrast to schools in the United States, there are very few schools in Germany that have water fountains.\nAt the beginning of the study, there were no big differences in the number of overweight children in different groups. But by the end of the school year, children in the schools with water fountains were 31 percent less likely to gain extra pounds, compared to kids who went to other schools, where water drinking was not encouraged.[:\nChildren in the schools with fountains, increased their water consumption from about 3 up to 4 glasses a day, while those in the other schools continued to drink an average of 3 glasses. Over the research, the number of overweight kids upped from 384 to 385 out of 1,641 at the schools with water fountains. In comparison, the number of overweight kids at the other schools increased from 339 to 364 out of 1,309, Dr. Muckelbauer said.\nThe experts cannot make any final conclusions and explain why the students who were encouraged to drink water were less likely to gain extra weight. Dr. Muckelbauer noted that according to a few other studies, drinking of water increases the rate at which calories are burned, while some other research suggested that water may temporarily decrease appetite.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the text, the journal Pediatrics _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["may cover the subject of the health of children", "mainly deals with the water drinking problem", "is mainly about the mental health of kids", "must be a journal entitled by a school"]}, {"question": "What do we know about the survey from the text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The teacher were also encouraged to drink water.", "The students surveyed were all overweight.", "It surveyed children in the countryside.", "It lasted for a whole school year."]}]} -{"article": "For Teens Currently in 6th to 12th Grades\nLELAND HIGH SNOW PLAY -- Class # 8389\nSaturday, February 12, 2011\n8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.\nMeet at THE UNDERGROUND (Veteran's Building -- 2203 Central Avenue)\nCost per person: $50 ($60 after January 22, 2011) Includes Lunch, Admission and Transportation\nWith a 4,000 sq. Ft. day-use lodge, the Leland High Snow Play has a huge supply of tubes to choose from, along with awesome tows that will tow you up to the top of the hill! Our varied terrains have something for everyone, while the lodge provides a snack bar, video games, pool tables, five indoor rest rooms, a warm fire, and a sun deck with plenty of tables and chairs overlooking the play area outside. ADDITIONAL LIABILITY FORM REQUIRED FOR THIS TRIP.\nBe sure to bring warm clothing and prepare for the cold, but dress in layers in case it warms up. Wear dry boots, socks, and sunscreen. If possible, bring a mobile phone in case of emergency, as well as money for snacks and a light dinner: or bring your own food and drinks.\nMeet at The Underground (Veteran's Building -- 2203 Central Avenue) -- don't be late!\nDo not bring electronic or fragile items during the trip. The ARPD is not responsible for your personal belongings or money. REFUNDS ARE ISSUED ONLY IF THE ARPD CANCELS THIS TRIP DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS.\nClick here to download \"2011 Leland High Snow Play\" flyers and the registration form (PDF, 261KB)\nClick here to download \"Leland High Snow Play Liability Form\" (PDF, 14KB)\n1. You may register in person, or mail the completed form to Leland High Snow Play, Inc.\nSend the liability form and payment to the ARPD Office, 2226 Santa Clara Avenue, Alameda, 94501.\n2. Faxed registration and liability forms accepted with MasterCard/VISA, (510) 747--7566.\n3. Online registrations available atwww.arpdeplay.com. Make sure you bring your completed liability form on the trip.", "problems": [{"question": "The purpose of the text is to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["explain the details of a school activity", "introduce a famous tour agency", "urge teenagers to climb a snowy mountain", "advertise a trip to the Leland High Snow Play"]}, {"question": "People who want to take part in the activity need to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["pay for dinner themselves", "climb the hill themselves", "wear hats to protect themselves from the sun", "pay for tows individually"]}, {"question": "From the text we can infer that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the weather at the hill is changeable", "the activity is very dangerous", "12-year-old children are not allowed on the trip", "the trip will involve outdoor activities only."]}, {"question": "To save money people should _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["climb the hills instead of taking tows", "bring extra clothing", "register for the activity before January 22", "register on the Internet after January 22"]}]} -{"article": "There's no doubt that our character has a profound effect on our future. What we must remember, however, is not merely how powerful character is in influencing our fate , but how powerful we are in shaping our own character and, therefore, our own fate. Character may determine our fate, but character is not determined by fate.\nIt's a common mistake to think of character as something that is fully formed and fixed very early in life. It calls to mind old proverbs like \"A leopard can't change its spots\" and \"You can't teach an old dog new tricks.\"\nThis perspective that our character is \"etched in stone\" is supported by a great deal of modern psychology emphasizing self-acceptance. As Popeye says, \"I am what I am.\" The hidden message is:Don't expect me to be more, better, or different.\nUltimately, these views of humanity totally undervalue the lifelong potential for growth that comes with the power of reflection and choice.\nHow depressing it would be to believe that we can't choose to be better, more honest, more respectful, more responsible, and more caring. None of us should give up the personal seeking to improve our character. Not because we're bad, we don't have to be sick to get better , but because we're not as good as we could be.\nThere are so many things in life we can't control, whether we're beautiful or smart, whether we had good parents or bad, whether we grew up with affirmation or negation. It's inspiring to remember that nothing but moral will power is needed to make us better.\nNo, it isn't easy. But if we make a great effort to become more aware of the habits of heart and mind that drive our behavior, we can begin to place new emphasis on our higher values so that we become what we want our children to think we are.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the best title of the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["We shape our own character.", "Character determines our fate.", "Character is fully formed and fixed.", "We must meet what our children need."]}, {"question": "The author agrees that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["a leopard can't change its spots", "in life we must attach importance to self-acceptance", "we shouldn't expect us to be more different", "character is not fully formed and fixed very early"]}, {"question": "In the author's opinion, which of the following is TRUE?", "answer": "C", "options": ["We can't choose to be better.", "We should seek to improve our character for we're bad enough.", "We should value our lifelong potential for growth.", "We should make choices constantly."]}, {"question": "What do we need to improve ourselves according to the author?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Our smartness.", "Our will power.", "Our fate.", "Our character."]}, {"question": "What can we infer from the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It is not difficult to improve ourselves.", "We must try our best to be as good as possible.", "Our children should copy our behavior.", "We should control as many things as possible in life."]}]} -{"article": "Two new electronic book products (the SoftBook and the PocketBook) have gathered extensive press coverage, including articles in ABC News, the New York Times, San Jose Mercury News, and WIRED. \nAn electronic book (e-book) is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, and produced on, published through, and readable on computers or other electronic devices. Different from a traditional printed book, e-books are born digital. \nBeing a firm believer in tablet computers for many tasks not involving heavy data entry, I applaud these new designs of the products. In particular, the SoftBook has nice leather binding , going far beyond the traditional (and boring) industrial design used for other portable computers. The PocketBook has a more traditional industrial design, typical of leading electronic gadgets . \nUnfortunately, neither company mentions their product's screen resolution . Low-resolution monitors (including all computer screens until now) have poor readability: people read about 25% slower from computer screens than from printed paper. Scientists believe that only the screen with 300 dpi displays has the same reading speed as print. So unless they have much better screens, electronic books will have a problem. \nA project called \"the last book\" is getting much attention, which aims at producing a computer in the form of a folio : a set of pages using \"digital ink\". Users would move forward in the information by turning pages just as they do in a printed book. Hopefully, the scientists will eventually invent a way to make the \"digital ink\" display characters at a high enough resolution to gain the same reading speed as print. \nEven when e-books gain the same reading speed as print, they will still be a bad idea. Page turning remains a bad interface , even when it can be done more conveniently than by clicking the mouse on a \"next page\" button. \nAnother problem is that most e-book publishers do not warn their customers about the real meaning of the digital rights management (DRM) tied to their products. Generally they claim that it is meant to prevent copying of the e-book. However, in many cases it is also possible that it will result in the complete denial of access by the purchaser to the e-book. The e-book is tied to a specific computer or device. In these cases, the DRM will usually let the purchaser move the book a limited number of times after which they cannot use it on any additional devices. If the purchaser upgrades or replaces their devices, they may lose access to their purchase. Some forms of the DRM depend on the existence of online services to authenticate the purchasers. When the company that provides the service goes out of business or decides to stop providing the service, the purchaser will no longer be able to access the e-book.", "problems": [{"question": "We can learn from the passage that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["born digital, e-books can only be read on computers", "\"digital ink\" has gained the same reading speed as print", "now all the computers are using the screens with 300 dpi displays", "e-books may have slower reading speed compared with printed books"]}, {"question": "Due to the digital rights management, _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the e-book should be tied to a specific device", "people should upgrade their devices regularly", "readers are likely to lose access to their purchase", "only purchasers can download the book without limit"]}, {"question": "This passage mainly talks about _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the disadvantages of electronic books", "the future of electronic books", "the designs of electronic books", "two new electronic books"]}]} -{"article": "It would be hard to argue that there is anyone more powerful in Hollywood today than Steven Spielberg. Since his first major success Jaws in 1975, he has made one hit movie after another. These include the wildly popular series Indiana Jones, Jaws and ET.\nThose films are fun and lighthearted. But Steven Spielberg has also made serious films that were well received by critics and movie audiences alike. The movie Saving Private Ryan is a good example. It is an American war movie in the traditional sense. But, the director's close attention to detail and historical facts also increased public interest in America's efforts during World War Two.\nThe film Schindler's List also takes place during World War Two. It tells the powerful story of a German businessman who worked to save Jews from Nazi Germany.\nSteven Spielberg was born in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio in 1946.His mother owned a restaurant and was also a musician. His father was an electrical engineer. Steven started making movies while he was growing up. He required his family and friends to pay twentyfive cents to see his films when they were completed. Steven Spielberg said this experience led him to produce the film Super Eight. It tells about a group of teenagers who join together to make a movie and uncover a mystery in the process.\nSteven Spielberg is one of the top directors in the film industry and also has many fans in China. When asked about the secret of his success, Steven Spielberg said that he owes much of his success and happiness to his wife and children. He met Cate Capshaw, who is an actress, when he was working on one of his films. After that it still took seven years before they finally got married. The couple has seven children in all.", "problems": [{"question": "What can we learn about the film Jaws?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It failed to attract public interest.", "It was regarded as a serious film.", "It was made after Indiana Jones.", "It was made by Steven Spielberg at 29."]}, {"question": "What's the similarity between Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They are both humorous.", "They were released at the same time.", "They both happen during World War Two.", "They are both traditional American movies."]}, {"question": "According to the text, Steven, Spielberg _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["lived a poor life when he was young", "believed hard work led to his success", "has got seven children in total", "had musical parents"]}]} -{"article": "What did your school smell like? Was it noisy or peaceful? It might not seem important, but a growing body of research suggests that smells and sounds can have an impact on learning, performance and creativity.\nBridget Shield has been conducting studies and advising people on the effects of all sorts of noises, such as traffic and sirens, as well as noise made by the children themselves. \"Everything points to a harmful impact of the noise on children's performance, in numeracy, in literacy, and in spelling,\" says Shield.\nShield says the sound of \"babble\" -the chatter of other children, is particularly distracting in the classroom.. People are very distracted by speech-particularly if it is understandable, but you're not involved in it.\" This phenomenon is also known as the irrelevant speech effect, she says, adding that \"it's a very common finding in open-plan offices as well.''\nIn a series of studies published last year, Ravi Mehta found that people were more creative when the background noises were played at a medium level than when volume was low. Loud background noise, however, damaged their creativity. Ravi Mehta suggests there maybe some benefit to playing music or other sounds in an art class or other situations where creativity is the key.\nMany teachers all over the world already play music to students in class. Many are inspired by the belief that hearing music can boost IQ in their tasks, the so-called Mozart effect. While the evidence actually suggests it's a guess to say classical music boosts brainpower, researchers do think pleasant sounds before a task can sometimes lift your mood and help you perform well, says Ravi Mehta,\" If you like the music or you like the sound-even listening to a Stephen King novel-then you did better. It didn't matter about the music,\" he says.\nHowever, it's worth considering that music is not always helpful while you're trying to work. Trying to perform a task which involves serial recall - for instance, doing mental mathematics-will be distracted by sounds with audio variation, says Ravi Mehta. Songs with lyrics, on the other hand, are more likely to interfere with tasks that involve languages-such as reading comprehension.\nThis isn't the only sense being related to affecting learning.", "problems": [{"question": "The irrelevant speech effect refers to the fact that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["you don't understand what others are talking", "you are interrupted by the chatting of others", "you are unwilling to chat with other people", "you find what others are talking irrelevant to you"]}, {"question": "According to the text, Ravi Mehta believes that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["music matters when you want to do better.", "music will help you do mental arithmetic.", "any music can be beneficial as long as you like it.", "songs with lyrics will improve your reading comprehension."]}]} -{"article": "I was raised on a farm in the Fraser Valley along with five sisters and one brother. When I was 15, I got addicted to drinking at weekends and then dropped out of school. By the time I was 17, I continued to drink heavily. I couldn't find a job to support myself. So, I had no other choice but to join the army. I retired and went back home three years later, still a heavy drinker. When I was 22, I met Sue whose father was also a heavy drinker, so my behavior didn't surprise her. We were soon married and later had two daughters.\nI started my first business when I was in my mid-twenties. A few years later, I bought a large chicken farm. Even with this success, though, my drinking was always a problem. It affected my marriage and family so much that I knew I had to make up my mind to stop drinking. So I tried great efforts. But two years later, I began drinking again.\nWhen I was in my mid-thirties, I sold both of my businesses, and bought the big house on the hill. I was not at all happy, although I had everything that was supposed to make me happy. I sold our big house on the hill and bought a large land, where I built a new house. Our marriage was in big trouble, and my finances would _ . For the first time in many years, I had to go to work for someone as an employee. I took a job as a heavy equipment operator in a road building camp.\nMy marriage still came apart when I was 38, and my kids had to go through our divorce. I spent 6 months in giving up drinking on a school camp. Nearly a year later, I met my childhood neighbor girl, June. We were married not long afterwards. My kids learned to trust me again and I have two stepchildren that also love me.\nHappy life continued about ten years. Everything was going so well when I felt there was something wrong with my body. I went to see a doctor, and the medical examination came out that I had ALS . Record shows that people with ALS generally survive between two to five years after symptoms appear. I've probably had the symptoms for one-and-a-half years already, so I don't know how much time I have left....God knows...", "problems": [{"question": "What can we know about the author?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He began drinking at the age of 17.", "He ended his army life at the age of 19.", "He was not happy, although he lived in the big house at the age of 35.", "He bought the big house on the hill when he was 25."]}, {"question": "What can we infer about the author's marriage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["His two kids didn't trust him before he remarried.", "His finance was the first thing that led to the failure of his first marriage.", "His first wife didn't know about his drinking before marriage.", "He gave birth to two children in his 40s."]}]} -{"article": "According to the American Automobile Association , since 1964 all cars sold in the United States have been equipped with seat belts (These are also called safety belts.) . Many studies of automobile accidents have shown that safety belts can save lives. One study showed that forty percent of those killed in auto accidents could have been saved if they had been wearing seat belts.\nUnfortunately, belts are worn only by a small percentage of drivers and passengers -- about fifteen percent in cities, and only nine percent in small towns. And safety belts cannot protect people who do not wear them.\nIn order to find out what kinds of people do wear seat belts, a study was made in several cities of the United States. The following facts were about those who use their safety belts:\n1. They do not smoke while driving.\n2. They have had more education than non-users.\n3. They know someone who was injured (but not killed) in an automobile accident.\nAdvertisements based on these facts have been printed in newspapers and magazines in order to teach people the importance of using seat belts. But these advertisements have not helped much. Some people believe there should be a law requiring drivers and passengers to use safety belts. In Australia, where there is such a law, deaths in auto accidents have decreased twenty-four percent.", "problems": [{"question": "The passage is mainly about _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["automobiles in the United States", "accidents involving cars", "safety belts for drivers and passengers", "traffic jams"]}, {"question": "The passage tells us that in Australia _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["a law requires drivers and passengers to use seat belts", "about 50% of the drivers wear seat belts", "the importance of seat belts is advertised in newspapers and magazines", "the auto accidents have kept the same percent as in the US"]}, {"question": "People who live in small towns _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["have fewer accidents than those who live in cities", "are less likely to use seat belts than those who live in cities", "welcome the passing of a law to require the use of seat belts", "are against the law that requires people to use seat belts"]}, {"question": "Many studies have shown that seat belts can save lives of those who _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["never wear seat belts", "seldom wear seat belts", "are wearing seat belts when the accidents happen", "sit at the back of the cars"]}]} -{"article": "Amazon just released its list of the 10 best-selling books of 2014,and chances all you've already seen people reading them on the train.It's not too late to read--or reread--the bestsellers of the year.The following are the top four of them.\n\"The Invention of Wings\"by Sue Monk Kid\nSet in the south in the early 1800s,this Oprah Book Club book follows the complicated relationship between Handful,a slave,and Sarah,her owner,as they grow up together from childhood.Their confusing friendship,in the face of politics and societal norms,becomes a beautiful and difficult thing to watch as it changes over time.\n\"Gray Mountain\"by John Grisham\nWhen the economic recession causes Samantha Kofer to lose her Wall Street law firm job.she takes a job at a legal aid clinic in Virginia until she can hopefully get back to big law.But while her new job,for the first time,puts her front and center in the court room,it also puts her in terrible danger.\n\"All the Light We Cannot See\"by Anthony Doerr\nThis National Book Award Finalist follows both Marie--Laure,a blind French girl living with her father during World War II,and Werner,a German orphan with a skill for building and fixing radios.As their paths cross,this moving story will question how life and art are influenced by war.\n\"Twenty Seconds Ago(Jack Reacher,#19)\"by Lee Child\nAfter years of being out of the Army,Jack Reacher is pulled back into service at the CIA and State Department after someone tried to shoot the president of France.In Child's latest Jack Reacher installment ,Reacher finds himself face to face with all old enemy and old memories.", "problems": [{"question": "If you prefer emotional stories,you'll choose _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["The Invention of Wings and Gray Mountain", "All the Light We Cannot See and Twenty Seconds Ago", "The Invention of Wings and All the Light We Cannot See", "Twenty Seconds Ago and Gray Mountain"]}, {"question": "What is Samantha Kofer?", "answer": "A", "options": ["A lawyer.", "A doctor.", "A merchant.", "An official."]}, {"question": "Which book has won the top honor?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The Invention of Wings", "All the Light We Cannot See", "Gray Mountain", "Twenty Seconds Ago"]}, {"question": "What type of writing is this text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["A test report.", "An announcement.", "A book review.", "Introduction of books."]}]} -{"article": "Notice\nDear Degree-doing International Students,\nAccording to the University's regulations governing the Curriculums of General Education, the curriculum-choosing procedures are as follows:\nWho\nAll degree-doing international students are required to choose the curriculums related to Chinese Language and Culture. Refer to Item 3 for different arrangements for undergraduate students ,master and doctor students.\nWhat curriculum to choose\nYou are required to choose two curriculums related to Chinese Language and Culture that suit your own level and program. The curriculum consists of Elementary Chinese, Intermediate Chinese, and Chinese Culture (Taught in Chinese and English ). Please refer to Attachment 1 for details.\nHow many credits\nYou are required to complete 6 credits for each curriculum within a term.\nWhen and How\nA. Undergraduate students: you are required to complete the curriculum selection process (The system will be reopened next week) by 5:00 p.m. on June 22, 2013. About how to choose the courses, you can refer to Attachment 2 (It is in Chinese; turn to your Chinese friends or teachers for help if you cannot follow the procedures of the attachment) for the instructions.\nB. Master and Doctor Students: you won't have to complete the curriculum selection until early September; please wait for further notice on the arrangement.\nYour cooperation will be highly appreciated.\nAttachment 1: Chinese Language & Culture for International Students\nAttachment 2: Handbook for Curriculum Selection\nSchool of International Education\nChongqing University\nJune 13, 2013", "problems": [{"question": "This notice is mainly about _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["course selection", "how to study elective courses", "regulations of learning Chinese", "Learning arrangements for elective courses"]}, {"question": "The courses which can be chosen don't include _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Chinese Culture", "Advanced Chinese", "Elementary Chinese", "Intermediate Chinese"]}, {"question": "According to the arrangement, who must finish choosing curriculums in June?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Doctor students", "Master students", "Undergraduate students", "International students"]}, {"question": "You can learn the instructions in the course selection from _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["your friends", "your teachers", "Attachment One", "Attachment Two"]}]} -{"article": "Need to relax after a few stressful months? Perhaps you need to go to a spa.\nFirst of all, what exactly is a spa? Traditionally, spas were places with a natural spring producing warm waters that could be used in hydrotherapy treatments. They were places where you \"took the waters\" --- meaning you drank some of the water or bathed in it.\nBut nowadays, a \"spa\" can mean a variety of things. In general, the term is often used to refer to commercial establishment that provides many services for health, fitness, weight loss, beauty and relaxation. This may include exercise classes, mud baths, body treatment, facials , etc.\nIn Japan, traditional hot springs have attracted visitors for centuries. And thermal baths have been found in the ruins of the Cretan Palace of Knossos (2000-1400 B.C.). It was the Romans who made spas popular in Europe. They established a number of towns around thermal waters. These include the English town of Aquae Sulis (which is called Bath today), and the Belgian town of Aquae Spadanae (which is known as Spa these days).\nIn the 18\ncentury, spas became the fashionable places to go on holiday. Bath and Harrogate in the UK were popular with British rich people. And in Europe Carsbad (now called Larlovy Vary), Marienbad and Franzensbsf were Europe's most important holiday centers.\nA typical day in Carsbad in the 19\ncentury went as follows. Visitors got up at 6:00 a.m. to take the waters and listen to music by a band. Next, came a light breakfast, a bath in the waters, and then lunch. In the afternoon, visitors went sightseeing, walked or attended concerts. After dinner, there were theatrical performances. Guests returned to their hotels at about 9 p.m. to rest until six the following morning. Visitors would stay for as long as a month. Some of the more famous patients at these spas included the composers Beethoven and Chopin, and the Russian writer Turgnev.\nMarienbad was the best spa town. It was popular with the inventor Thomas Edison, the writer Johann Goethe, and many famous people and European emperors.\nToday, although taking the waters isn't as common as it used to be, spa treatments are more popular than ever.", "problems": [{"question": "What can we learn about a spa?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It makes profits mainly on facials.", "It is a center for rich people to relax.", "It provides more services than before.", "It is where one can get medical treatment."]}, {"question": "From Paragraph 4, we can infer that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["spas have a history of about 200 years", "Japan has more spas than any other countries", "the Romans played a positive part in the popularity of spas", "ordinary people could enjoy thermal baths in 18"]}, {"question": "At the spas in Carlsbad, _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["many visitors had facials", "guests often stayed for at least a month", "Thomas Edison was a regular guest", "guests had a bath between breakfast and lunch"]}, {"question": "What can we learn from the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The former name of Larlovy Vary was Carlsbad.", "Spa treatments are not so popular as before.", "Chopin visited Marienbad frequently.", "Marienbad is located in the UK."]}]} -{"article": "A three-mile-long fishhook-shaped piece of land in the middle of Chesapeake Bay, Tangier Island has always been a community set apart from the mainland.\nThese days, the island's 500-plus residents, who mostly use golf cars as transportation on the village's narrow roads and who don't allow the public consumption of alcohol, have managed to preserve their traditional culture.\nProbably the most striking example of their heritage is the islanders' unique way of speaking.\nDavid L.Shores, a linguist who was born on Tangier Island, has found out the reason why the speech of Tangier Island strikes outsiders as strange.\nAccording to Shores, the islanders pronounce their vowels louder and longer, which causes common words to sound different when spoken by Tangier natives.\nSome, scholars have said the natives of Tangier speak an old form of English that goes back to the time of Queen F.Elizabeth I.Shores doesn't buy into that theory. \"It's not Eliza- bethan English by any means,\" he says.\" I doubt if anyone could trace it to that, because the variety of English at that time were great.\" \nBruce Gordy, a Tangier native and a former teacher at the island's only school, has made a list of 350 strange expressions and words that he says are used and undertook only by the islanders.But Gordy clones' think it's the strange vocabulary that puzzles outsiders most when hearing Tangier residents speak.\n\"I think what confuses t.hem is the fact that we are ' talking backwards a lot.,\" he say's.\nHe offers an example.\"If somebody's stupid, you know what I say?\" Gordy says.\" I'm saying he's smart, but the way I say it makes everyone know I'm emphasizing he's stupid\nBoth Gordy and Shores believe Tangier's isolation has led to the islanders' unusual way of speaking.\nNow, the economy of Tangier Island is moving away from its tradition of crabbing and fishing as the number of crabs and oysters in the bay declines.More residents are finding work on tugboats or looking for jobs on the mainland.\n\" Of course the sons and daughters went with their dad out crabbing. You don't go with your dad on the tugboat.That's not going to preserve Tangier culture, \"Gordy says.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the text, Tangier Island", "answer": "D", "options": ["has been discovered recently", "is a fast developing x-pillage", "is a land of golf lovers", "has a small population"]}, {"question": "In Shores' opinion, the language the islanders speak", "answer": "B", "options": ["can't be called English in fact", "is unique in its pronunciation system", "can never be understood by outsiders", "shares some similarities with Elizabethan English"]}, {"question": "What's Gordy's attitude towards the preservation of Tangier culture'?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Confident.", "Satisfied", "Concerned.", "Angry."]}]} -{"article": "When is the right time to get kids involved in teamwork and what does it mean to be part of a team? There are many great ways to introduce kids to team building. Use team building games and activities to get kids to understand the meaning of being in a team.\nTry to find some games that have kids work together on some kind of problem solving. Children naturally have a shorter attention span than adults so present it in a funny way. Create a reward system for teams that are able to work together in order to reach a common goal. When they solve the problem and receive a reward, it gives them initiative to keep working hard and cooperating with others. The best games are those that require direct communication between team members.\nOrganize a game of 20 questions for the kids to play while building a team. Draw up a series of cards with different questions on each. Have each child select a card and then ask another question on it casually. It's a great way for the kids to share and discover common interests. Kids need to be entertained and social when in a large group. This will lighten the mood greatly and help the quieter team members to come out of their shells.\nHave the kids sit in a circle or around a table and share their favorite things. Start with something like movies or books and move on to anything from toys to animals. Sharing interests creates discussion. When you share interests with someone, it is easier to relate to them. Kids finally want to be friends with most other kids. Encouraging them to get along socially is always positive. By sharing interests they can form valuable bonds that will serve them as both individuals and as a team.", "problems": [{"question": "What's the main idea of the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["How to be active in a game.", "How to share common interests with others.", "A game for the kids to play", "Ways to get kids to understand the meaning of being a team."]}, {"question": "Who is the passage meant for?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Teenagers.", "Parents.", "Teachers.", "Managers."]}]} -{"article": "Eight in 10 Americans eat fast food at least once a month and half eat it every week according, to a Gallup Poll. Yet most people who eat fast food know it's bad for them. So why do they keep eating it?\nThe answer is simple: the benefits of eating fast food outweigh the long-term implications for most people. However, once you read these reasons why all those trips to the drive through may be slowly killing you, you may just want to stop eating fast food after all.\n1. Fast food makes you fat.\nA 15-year study of over 3,000 people found that eating fast food is linked to weight gain and insulin resistance. In others words, fast food makes you fat and increases your risk of type 2 diabetes. You probably know this already. But here's something you may not know.\n2. Fast food is addictive.\nThe more you eat fast food, the more you crave it. One study found that fast food is \"a potentially addictive substance that is most likely to create dependence in vulnerable populations.\" If you eat fast food once a week or more, you may be addicted to it.\n3. Fast food is affecting your kids.\nAccording to the CDC, childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. Kids have an amazing ability to recall ads they've seen. Fast food marketers know this, and design ads accordingly. Research shows strong associations between increases in advertising for non-nutritious foods and rates of childhood obesity.\n4. Fast food \"burgers\" don't have much burger in them.\nOne study found that most fast food burgers are composed of about 50 percent water and the actual meat content is only 2.1 to 14.8 percent. So what makes up the rest of it, you ask? Chemical fillers and preservatives, mostly. That's why we see read horror stories about burgers that don't go bad.\n5. Even \"healthy\" fast food isn't that healthy.\nFast food restaurants are catering to consumer demands to produce healthier options. The problem is, their definition of \"healthy\" is quite lax. One of the healthiest dishes at Burger King, the Garden Fresh Salad Chicken Caesar with TENDERGRILL Chicken and dressing, still has almost 500 calories and 28 grams of fat, and nearly a day's worth of sodium.\n6. Fast food is inhumane to animals.\nOkay, this one may not be a reason why fast is killing you, but it's still a compelling reason to stop eating fast food. 9 billion animals were slaughtered in the US alone in 2012 and much of that meat is for your fast food burgers and chicken sandwiches. Large factory farms resemble more of a \"business\" than a \"farm.\" Animals suffer in crowded spaces where they rarely have access to the outdoors or sunlight. They are pumped full of antibiotics to combat disease, which runs rampant in these conditions. Livestock is one of the biggest sources of pollution and environmental negligence, according to the UN.\n7. Fast food sodas are loaded with sugar.\nHigh fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is the cheap sweetener most fast food restaurants use in their sodas, desserts, and many other products. Princeton University researchers linked HFCS consumption to obesity in an animal study. Rats given HFCS gained more weight and body fat than those given table sugar.", "problems": [{"question": "How many factors are mentioned which can account for the reason why fast food is slowly killing you?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Seven.", "Three.", "Four.", "Five."]}, {"question": "According to the text, we know that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["many people keep eating fast food because they know nothing about the harm which fast food will bring them", "fast food plays a key role in children's growth", "eating fast food is connected to weight gain and insulin resistance.", "many fast food restaurants are can offer a good and healthy meal to consumer"]}, {"question": "What is the purpose of the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To help us make right decisions", "To advise us to stop eating fast food", "To tell us how to keep fit", "To encourage us to be humane to animals"]}]} -{"article": "Sarah Alexander celebrated the start of her last year at Wells College the way many other seniors before her had. She ran across the picturesque campus to the shores of Cayuga Lake, where she jumped into the water. \nSo did many of her fellow seniors. But dozens of students decided to stay away, especially the ly few newly arrived male students. \nWells College, which since 1868 had educated only women, began accepting men this year in hopes of supporting its decreasing enrollment. \nFor many students and alumnae, it was a crushing decision. After the college announced last October that it would go co-educational, about half of the students protested and two filed a lawsuit, which they later dropped. \nThe students--33 men and 383 women--came to campus late last month. Both sexes are now trying to navigate the new social landscape. Mr. Phillips said \"You can't do guy stuff. Every time you want to sit and watch sports or a game, it turns into a movie.\" \nThe women were \"somewhat nasty.\" \"I could see the dirty looks in their eyes,\" he said. \"But I was not going to let that stop me from coming.\"\nWells was a place where women did not have to fuss over their appearance or fight to be taken seriously by their professors. They could enjoy the friendship of their campus sisters and their playful traditions. Besides jumping into the lake, the women dance around the maypole each May and kiss the feet of the statue of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, before exams. \nMs. Alexander said, \"People told us we wouldn't notice a difference, but from the moment men arrived on campus you could notice a difference. Women are waking up early to put on makeup, and that's odd,\" she said. \nHenry Wells, a founder of Wells Fargo and a friend of Cornell's donator, Ezra Cornell established this college, when women were not considered capable of higher learning. \"Give her the opportunity,\" he wrote.\nThe news that the college would go coed created ripples far beyond campus. One alumna wrote a letter to the college's president, Lisa Marsh Ryerson, saying the founder would haunt her. \"I believe Henry Wells would have haunted me if I let Wells College close,\" said Ms. Marsh Ryerson, a Wells alumna herself. \nThe great-great-great-great granddaughter of Henry Wells, Stephanie Redmond, 18, of Washington State, said that earlier this year a Wells student had tracked her down and asked her to support the protest. But Ms. Redmond said the move to admit men had encouraged her to enroll at Wells this year as a freshman. She plans on a career in engineering, a male-dominated field, and said attending an all-women's college might have put her at a disadvantage.", "problems": [{"question": "The primary reason for the Wells College to accept men is that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the campus is lack of vigor and vitality", "it will face the destiny of being closed down", "its enrollment rate is in decline", "all-women's college might put a woman at a disadvantage"]}, {"question": "A typical behavior for seniors to do is that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["they switch sports programs to a movie", "they swim in Cayuga Lake accompanied by friends", "they jog along the picturesque campus", "they celebrate their fourth year by jumping into a lake"]}, {"question": "The change after turning into a coed college is that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["dirty looks in women's eyes have disappeared", "women get up early to make up", "women are waking up early to study", "women dance with men around the maypole"]}, {"question": "The attitude of the author is that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["she objectively describes the new and uneasy coeducation", "she dislikes the change and hopes to file a lawsuit", "she calls on women in support of the protest", "she hates a tradition of all-women schools"]}]} -{"article": "America is losing its moral values at an alarming rate.There was a time,not too long ago,when most young Americans had a common goal,which was to get a good job,own a home and raise a family.That was considered happiness.People knew what they could afford and stayed within their means.Children were taught to respect authority.Parents were role models for their children.\nThey would never let their children associate with another child that they considered to be a bad influence.And instead of just allowing them to grow up,they actually raised them with strong morals and beliefs,instilling the values of God,family,and country.\nBut today, America is full of exhausted dads and single moms who,instead of taking on their role as a parent,instilling moral character and values in their children,have lots of debt upon themselves.As a result,they are too busy working to pay these debts,rather than focus on the real needs of their children.Instead of giving their children the parental guidance they need,they shower them with expensive electronic gadgets .Most of the time,especially in single parent homes,the children are completely unsupervised.\nWithout proper guidance and supervision ,a child simply wanders aimlessly through their childhood,learning their values from only God knows who.Is it any wonder then that America is losing its moral values?The children are our future leaders.How can they lead if they don't know the way?Even animals teach their young.\nTherefore,the young people of today need to listen to the older generation and start making some adjustments.Your children should be your primary concern.They need far more than mere food and shelter.They need careful guidance.Moral values need to be instilled while they are young.", "problems": [{"question": "Americans used to give their children _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["much freedom", "proper guidance", "1ots of money", "expensive toys"]}, {"question": "Why are American parents exhausted today?", "answer": "A", "options": ["They bear a heavy debt burden.", "They are under great work pressure.", "They are tired with raising children.", "They have fierce competition in their work."]}, {"question": "What tone(,)does the author use in talking about today's American parents?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Grateful.", "Humorous.", "Disapproving.", "Guilty."]}]} -{"article": "Make a five-minute film and win !\nDo you love the summer holidays but hate being bored ? Then why don't you enter the Film Street Summer Shorts Competition by making a short film this summer with your family and friends ?\nWhat you have to do\nTo enter the competition , you have to make a short film that is around 5 minutes long (It can be shorter but not longer !) on a digital camera , or mobile phone .\nAwards\nThe best short film entered into our competition will be shown in Film Street's Cinema and you'll win a Cineworld Cinemas pass for yourself and three more for other members of your filmmaking crew . If you have a Cineworld Cinema pass , you can watch as many films as you like for a year, for free , at any Cineworld Cinema !\nRules\n* We can't show films that tell others about either your , or any other kid's name or address\n* We can't show films that hurt , harm or insult other people .\n* We can't show films that have bad language .\nCopyright checklist \nGetting permission to use someone else's work in your film can be expensive , so check your film to\nmake sure that :\n* Your film is _ and you haven't copied someone else .\n* There are no scenes of branding on shop sights , books , magazines or CDs .\n* There are no scenes of someone else's artwork\nAddress and Date\nPost your finished film on tape , CD or DVD by Monday , October 1st, 2007 to :\nFilm Street Summer Shorts Competition\nFirst Light Movies\nUnit 6 , Third Floor , The Bond\n180-182 Fazeley Street\nBirmingham B5 5SE\nSo what's stopping you ? Start making your Film Street Summer short now !", "problems": [{"question": "Who is the passage written for ?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Children", "Parents", "Teachers", "Actors"]}, {"question": "How many Cineworld Cinemas passes will the winner of the awarded in all ?", "answer": "D", "options": ["One", "Two", "Three", "Four"]}]} -{"article": "Disney's cartoon, Finding Nemo, tells a touching story of a father called Martin and his son Nemo.\nMartin loses his wife and an entire family of unhatched eggs to a huge shark. Only one fish egg remains, Nemo. Martin promises his dead wife that he will protect his young son at any cost. So, Martin becomes fearful of almost everything in the ocean. That makes him over protective-he hopes to keep his kid safe from the challenges that life presents. Martin's nagging makes Nemo feel that he doesn't need his dad telling him what to do.\nSo on his first day of school, Nemo and some friends swim to the edge of their coral reef, a place Martin always thinks is very dangerous. When Martin shouts at Nemo come back, Nemo refuses to listen to him and swim out to a boat in the distance. Suddenly, he gets caught by some divers. So begins Martin's journey to find Nemo, who ends up in an aquarium in an office in Australia. Soon the worried father runs into Dory, a forgetful blue fish, who helps Martin find his son. Meanwhile, Nemo misses his father terribly. He soon hears that he will be given to an eight-year-old girl who likes to kill fish.\nCan Martin find his son before it is too late?\nFinding Nemo is a physical and mental journey. Martin overcomes his shyness and anxieties and Nemo discovers his own and his father's hidden strengths. It celebrates the relationship between fathers and their sons.\nThe cartoon paints a sea world that is alive with color. All the characters are very human-like and have their own personalities.\nFinding Nemo was released in the US on may 30, earning about US $70.6 million in just three days, it has set a new opening records for a cartoon.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the passage mainly about?", "answer": "C", "options": ["How a father finds his son", "How to get home when getting lost", "A brief introduction to a cartoon film", "The love between a father and his son"]}, {"question": "It can be concluded according to the cartoon that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Nemo has a wonderful journey after leaving his father.", "Martin has met a lot of difficulties finding his son.", "Nemo is really independent after leaving his father.", "Nemo never needs any protection from his father."]}, {"question": "What is the theme of the cartoon?", "answer": "D", "options": ["We should always listen to our parents.", "Parents should let their children have an independent life.", "Parent should take care of their children in case they get lost.", "Parental love is the greatest love in the world."]}]} -{"article": "The summer beach season is prime time for shark attacks. It seems like sharks are attacking all the time .But that is something of an illusion. The number of attacks is very small.\nHow does a shark hunt? Muscles and fins give the shark its speed and maneuverability in the water. A shark's front fins act like the wings of a plane and let it \"fly\" through the water. The tail acts like a high-power propeller .\nBut the big thing that gives the shark its edge in the ocean is its sensory package. The package includes the shark' eyes ,ears ,skin, nose and mouth, as well as electric sensing.\nA shark' nose is probably its most important sense. If you were to put a single drop of blood in a swimming pool ,a great white shark could smell that. And they can tell the direction that the smell is coming from.\nSharks handle their electric sensing using cell located in the head .Whenever something moves using its muscles , a shark can detect the electrical impulses flowing to those muscles. A shark can electrically \"see\" anything that has muscles even if it is hiding or the water is not clear.\nSharks even have vibration sensors in their skin. Even something moves near the shark ,tubes pick up the pressure changes and hairs inside the tubes send signals to the brain . This extra sense allows a shark to turn quickly and attack again.\nWhen you put all these different senses together ,it makes the shark a nearly ideal hunter. A shark can detect prey from miles away and then use eyes ,electrosensing and movement sensing to home in .\nStrangely, sharks do not seem to use these senses to\npeople. The very low number of sharks tells us that sharks do not hunt people on a regular basis. On the other hand , people love to hunt sharks. Millions of sharks die every year. Without protection ,extinction is a definite possibility.", "problems": [{"question": "From the text ,we can know that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["it is true that sharks are attacking all the time .", "a shark can see anything that has muscles even if it is hiding", "sharks deal with their electric sensing using cell located in the skin .", "what gives the shark its speed and maneuverability is fins and muscles."]}, {"question": "What gives the shark its edge in the ocean according to the text?", "answer": "C", "options": ["its muscles", "its nose", "Its sensory package", "Its fins"]}, {"question": "In this text ,the writer implies that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["there are many shark attacks.", "humans beings should protect sharks", "human beings dislike hunting sharks.", "shark's nose is very important."]}]} -{"article": "I studied engineering after enjoying top marks, as high school came relatively easy. Then university life came!\nI thought that I must have some learning disorder, as it seemed that everyone else was absorbing the material and making progress while to me it was an insurmountable struggle. There were never enough hours in the day and weekend to attend the lectures, study the lessons and then do the assignment.\nDuring my darkest hour I called home to speak to my father: \"Dad, I don't think I can handle this.\" My father then said something, which cut through me like a knife: \"There is no returning home. If you quit, then you are on your own.\"\nI hung up thinking what a terrible heartless thing to say. Then, I determined to somehow gut it out . There seemed to be no other choices available! Soon afterwards, I noticed a sigh posted in a campus common area stating: \"Studying Skills\" with a place & time to meet. It said that \"there is help available\". I attended that meeting! I soon discovered there were several others in a similar situation and that everyone wanted to help each other get through this challenging first term. I soon found a study partner, who helped me a lot, and I was grateful to him for his kind help.\nYes, it was still a very challenging first year, but I found the needed strength and support to get through it. In fact my father has been helping me since then, but he has done it in another way. I know now in my heart that he did the very best help he could to help me fly. Thanks Dad for the push!", "problems": [{"question": "The story happened when the author _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["just came to the new high school", "was in his first term in university", "was in the last year of high school", "had been in the university for one year"]}, {"question": "What was the author's problem?", "answer": "C", "options": ["His father refused his request of returning home.", "His father said some terrible words to him.", "He found the course difficult to understand.", "He could not understand his teachers."]}, {"question": "How did the author get through his challenge successfully?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He got help from his father in another way.", "He changed the place and time for study.", "He joined those who helped each other.", "He paid more attention to study."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is the most suitable title for the text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Differences between high school and university", "My time in university", "The importance of being strict with children", "Push from my father"]}]} -{"article": "Dogs and millionaires have a lot in common. They are absolute opportunists (especially when it comes to rewards). They defend their territory . And in general, they don't like cats. Perhaps that explains a new survey showing that millionaires are far more dog-friendly than the rest of Americans.\nAccording to a study by Spectrem Group, 58% of millionaire pet owners have a dog. Only 37% own a cat. Only 3% keep fish, 2% birds and 2% have a horse. Similarly, 39% of U. S. households own a dog, compared to 33% of households owning a cat, released by the Humane Society.\nJennifer Cona, a trust and estates attorney and partner with Genser Subow Genser & Cona in New York, does a lot of work on pet trusts. She said of all the pet trusts she's worked on, 90% are for dogs and only 10% are for cats.\nShe said dogs provide one thing especially important for the wealthy: unconditional love.\n\"You don't get that from a cat,\" she said, \"Dogs are like children for some families, except that they don't mess up in college or run off with money. Sometimes it's easy to see why dogs are the favorite children.\"\nMillionaires show their love for their dogs in part by their spending. One quarter of millionaire pet owners spend more than $1, 000 a year on their pets, the Spectrem study said, while more than half spend more than $500 a year.\nMany would say those numbers are understated, given all the diamond-dog collars, dog foods and booming dog spas in evidence these days, not to mention the medical bills.\nThe survey showed 34% of pet owners spend money on decorating, while 6% spend on \"sweaters, outfits and costumes.\"\nMore than half of millionaire pet owners spend money on teeth cleaning for their pets. More than 16%, meanwhile, said they would spend money on reconstructive surgeries and \"anti-anxiety, anti-depression\" medication for their pets.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the passage mainly about?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Millionaires like dogs more than other Americans.", "Keeping dogs as pets is quite popular among Americans.", "Pet dogs help relieve their owners' anxiety and depression.", "Millionaires spend much money on teeth cleaning for their pets."]}, {"question": "From the survey by Spectrem Group, we can learn _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["about one third of American households own a cat", "more than half of millionaire pet owners have a dog", "millionaire pet owners spend $1, 000 on their pets daily", "34% of pet owners spend money on dog clothing"]}, {"question": "What's the main reason why millionaires show great love for their dogs?", "answer": "D", "options": ["They can afford the high expense to raise pet dogs.", "Pet dogs have never made a mess of things around.", "Millionaires feel more secure in company of dogs.", "Pet dogs show unconditional love for their owners."]}, {"question": "What does Jennifer Cona probably think of millionaires owning pet dogs ?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Ridiculous.", "Acceptable.", "Negative.", "Indifferent."]}]} -{"article": "There are about 15,000--20,000 species of butterflies all over the world.They can be found on every continent except Antarctica.\nTo go to sleep,butterflies look for a safe place like the underside of a leaf or a branch,for example.Most butterflies sleep alone,but there are also species sleeping in groups.Poisonous butterflies have a particular smell that probably protects them better when they sleep together.It is also useful not to change the group'S sleeping place because a predator who attacked a poisonous butterfly one time won't do this again.There is only a limited number of predators in an area so there is only a limited number to\" educate\" if the sleeping place stays the same.\nOne species from Costa Rica whose scientific name is Marpesia berania sleeps in groups on a leaf.If one butterfly of the group is disturbed,it opens its wings and touches its neighbors.Being touched,they open their wings as well and so the whole group is informed about the danger and Can escape together.\nThe speed of their flight depends on the way the butterfly flies:Blues and Whites normally have speeds under 8 km/h,the speed of Fritillaries is between 16 to 40 km/h and some Skippers reach speeds up to 60 km/h.\nBesides warning and scaring predators with color1s butterflies fly in a special way.The direction of their amazing flight is hard to predict.When they hear the sounds of a bat,the ones flying at night start a zigzag flight in all directions:up and down,left and right.So it gets hard for the bat to catch them.\nIn the dark when color1s don't function,some poisonous butterflies make clicking noises to warn bats that they are poisonous.Of course other species copy this sound to produce the protective effect,too.", "problems": [{"question": "The reason why butterflies don't change the group'S sleeping place is that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["a predator would attack them again in the same place", "few other predators would attack them in this fixed area", "the predators would know they are poisonous", "there are more predators in other places"]}, {"question": "The author takes Marpesia berania for example in order to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["introduce where butterflies sleep at night", "tell us how butterflies work together to defeat predators", "introduce how butterflies sleeping in groups escape from danger", "tell us that Marpesia berania is the most clever butterflies"]}, {"question": "It'S hard for bats to catch butterflies because butterflies fly _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["much faster than bats", "aimlessly", "at different speeds", "in a zigzag way"]}, {"question": "Some poisonous butterflies warn predators in the dark by _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["scaring predators with color1s", "touching their neighbors with their wings", "making clicking noises", "copying bats'sound to confuse predators"]}]} -{"article": "When we walk on a street or sit down to have a cup of coffee in a small cafe in Shanghai, we will often see foreign faces at every turn. Today, foreigners do not come to Shanghai to seek adventures, as they did in the old days, or arrive in the city for a short visit, as some did when China just carried out the opening-up. Instead, many foreigners come to Shanghai to settle in the city. They are attracted by the life in Shanghai and choose to stay in the city. Their stay has made Shanghai more like an international city.\nEarly in the 1990s, a group of Western-style buildings _ at the Gubei New District in the southwestern part of the Hongqiao Development Zone in Shanghai. The Western-style buildings, marked by their great arches and the typical flavors of the unique European style, appealed to many foreigners and become their favorite choice when they came to live or work in Shanghai. Foreigners gathered in the zone, enjoying their quiet life there.\nAs the city further develops, more and more foreigners choose to live in the downtown area where most native Shanghai people live. They live close to local residents and gradually become interated into the local life--they learn to cook local dishes, they learn to speak the Shanghai dialect and they celebrate traditional Chinese holidays together with native people. Their lifestyle is becoming more and more similar to that of local residents.\nIn the past, foreigners that came to Shanghai were mostly representatives sent to work in the city. Today, however, many foreigners that live in the city are students, business starters or ordinary people. Related information shows that there are more than 50,000 foreigners living and working in Shanghai.", "problems": [{"question": "Foreigners used to come to Shanghai to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["start small cafes", "help build houses", "have a short visit", "learn the Shanghai dialect"]}, {"question": "In the past, most of the foreigners coming to Shanghai were _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["business starters", "students", "ordinary people", "representatives"]}, {"question": "Which of the following can be inferred from the text?", "answer": "C", "options": ["There are fewer foreigners in Beijing than in Shanghai.", "It is the foreigners who make Shanghai an international city.", "Many foreigners enjoy the traditional Chinese festivals.", "The foreigners came to Shanghai to seek for money in the past."]}, {"question": "The best title for this text would be _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["Foreigners Settling in Shanghai", "The Development of Shanghai", "The Lifestyle of Shanghai People", "Contributions of Foreigners in Shanghai"]}]} -{"article": "According to the most recent count, more than 6,500 homeless people sleep on the street or in shelters in San Francisco, and there are only eight shower facilities specifically available to the homeless, and most of these have just one or two stalls and aren't open every day. Now San Francisco-based company Lava Mae, is trying to change that with a simple but smart idea--turning retired city buses into mobile showers for the homeless. The idea known as Lava Mae, is a response to the need of the homeless in the city.\nIt all started two years ago when Sandoval got in a cab after a meeting in the SoMa district of San Francisco, where the homeless mainly lived. \"My driver turned around and said, 'Welcome to the land of broken dreams.' \" Then Sandoval awoke from her imagination and started really look at the people around her. \" A woman I passed was crying and saying that she would never be clean\", Sandoval said. She took what the woman said as a sign that she should focus on the problem of hygiene , one of the most pressing needs for the homeless. \nAfter doing some research, Sandoval hit on the idea of a mobile unit that could be equipped with shower facilities. According to the company's founder Doniece Sandoval, every bus will be renewed and equipped with two separate private areas, each with a shower stall, sink, changing areas, toilet and bench. Sandoval says that if everyone sticks to a five-minute shower, a single Lava Mae bus could provide service for about 100 people during each 8- to 10-hour shift. \nThe project has been several years in the making as it has not been easy to get officials to agree. In addition, it is also difficult to ask the bus company to donate buses. Now she has reached an agreement with a bus company, which will donate the buses being retired in the next four years. \nWhile Lava Mae is now focused on the city of San Francisco, there is no reason that the idea cannot be spread all over the world.", "problems": [{"question": "The main idea of this passage is that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the homeless lived a comfortable life in San Francisco", "the bus company shows great support to Lava Mae", "Lava Mae creates shower service to help the homeless", "Sandoval made great achievements in her career."]}, {"question": "_ contributed to Sandoval's idea of creating mobile shower service to help the homeless.", "answer": "C", "options": ["The benefit of her company", "The requirement of the government", "The poor woman that she met in SoMa district", "The meeting she had in the SoMa district of San Francisco"]}, {"question": "What is TRUE about the project of Lava Mae?", "answer": "B", "options": ["A single Lava Mae bus could provide service for 100 people at a time.", "The project has met a lot of difficulties.", "The officials strongly support the project.", "The idea of Lava Mae will not be spread all over the world."]}, {"question": "What is the author's attitude about Lava Mae's development?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Positive.", "Negative.", "Objective.", "Uncertain."]}]} -{"article": "They crossed in front of me as I was driving out of the store parking lot.My first reaction was filled with anger at being delayed for a whole ten seconds.But I quickly became patient when I realized that this was an elderly couple.\nThe man leaned on his wife who walked in front of him.He not only used her for support but it was obvious that he was blind.The two of them worked as one--each needing the other to function in this fast-changing world.\nThat little example of true strength changed my whole personal perception of life that day.Suddenly I wasn't so mad about having to work a few extra hours on Saturdays.I had my strength,and I was still relatively young.\nThat picture of those two elderly people walking with dignity and strength stayed with me the entire week.My life wasn't so bad after all.I had my health and a good job.I had a wonderful,supportive wife.I started to think--not only was I lucky to have these all, but also was that wonderful old couple,who,despite the trials and sufferings of a long life,still had the love and support of each other to carry them through this world.\nThere are so many people out there just like that couple.My wife and I sometimes picture ourselves in our old age, walking arm in arm into the sunset.That image always gives us a warm feeling of comfort.Just remember,none of us would be here if it wasn't for our elders.We all should spend a little extra time and patience when it comes to helping our elder friends.", "problems": [{"question": "When the author was about to drive away,the couple _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["entered the store", "hit his car", "got in his way", "asked him for help"]}, {"question": "What did the author think of the couple?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They lived a happier life than he", "They were admirable for their lasting love", "They didn't live a life without hardships", "They wouldn't be respected for walking together."]}, {"question": "From the passage,we learn _", "answer": "B", "options": ["the author hated working on Sundays", "the author is satisfied with his life", "old couples were advised to walk in the sunset", "many people like that couple because they are blind"]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Spend an Extra Minute", "Stay with Your Wife", "Be Careful When Driving", "Respect the Blind,Please"]}]} -{"article": "Beer and fried chicken -- Thanks to a South Korean drama currently on air, Man From the Stars, this new mix-and-match junk food trend has become popular among young audiences, despite its unhealthy nature. Indeed, South Korean TV dramas, or K-drama for short, have been a major force in the South Korean pop-culture wave that has captured the hearts of young Chinese audiences. According to iQiyi, a video website that features Man From the Stars, by Feb 15, the number of views for the TV drama hit 370 million in China.\n\"It is interesting to explore what elements of those dramas appeal to audiences. It's obviously more than just pretty faces,\" says Yan Feng, a professor of Chinese literature at Fudan University. Reflected by audiences, culture critics and insiders of the industry, youth fantasy, creative storylines, cultural _ , and well-organized production all add up to K-drama's success, along with, of course, those handsome and cute faces dressed in the latest fashion trends.\n\"Everyone fancies a perfect partner, handsome or beautiful,\" says Zhou Ying, a professor at Chongqing Technology and Business University. \"The South Korean TV industry is feeding this need.\" After Lee Min-ho appeared on CCTV's annual Spring Festival gala, he became the most famous South Korean in China. Only weeks later, Kim Soo-hyun, lead actor in Man From the Stars, swept the country. Apart from pretty faces, fashion is another highlight of the series. Each time actors from the series wear a new set of outfits, similar clothes experience a sales boom online, according to Xiao Yi, a Taobao store owner.\nAs is known, with love triangles, incurable diseases, and Cinderella tales, storylines in South Korean dramas may seem a bit commonplace. While The Man From the Stars challenges this by putting aliens and time travel into these existing stories, Peng Sanyuan, a screenwriter, says a focus on detail is a key factor in the success of these dramas. \"In order to accurately target audiences and find emotional reflections with them, more and more female writers are working in the industry,\" says Peng about her experience of exchanging ideas with South Korean colleagues. According the experts, South Korean writers somehow make sense of these plots, no matter how unlikely it seems.", "problems": [{"question": "Why has beer and fried chicken become so popular among Chinese young people at present?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because the food tastes very great.", "Because they want to change the trend.", "Because the food is good for their health.", "Because they are deeply affected by the Korean TV drama."]}, {"question": "According to the whole passage, how many elements can lead to the appeal of Korean dramas?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Two", "Four", "Six", "Seven"]}]} -{"article": "The Pacific island nation of Nauru used to be a beautiful place. Now it is an ecological disaster area. Nauru's heartbreaking story could have one good consequence -- other countries might learn from its mistakes.\nFor thousands of years, Polynesian people lived the remote island of Nauru, far from western civilization. The first European to arrive was John Fearn in 1798. He was the British captain of the Hunter, a whaling ship. He called the island Pleasant Island.\nHowever, because it was very remote, Nauru had little communication with Europeans at first. The whaling ships and other traders began to visit, bringing guns and alcohol. These elements destroyed the social balance of the twelve family groups on the island. A ten-year civil war started, which reduced the population from 1,400 to 900.\nNauru's real troubles began in 1899 when a British mining company discovered phosphate on the island. In fact, it found that the island of Nauru was nearly all phosphate, which a very important fertilizer for farming. The company began mining the phosphate.\nA phosphate mine is not a hole in the ground; it is a strip mine. When a company strip-mines, it removes the top layer of soil. Then it takes away the material it wants. Strip mining totally destroys the land. Gradually, the lovely island of Nauru started to look like the moon.\nIn 1968, Nauru became one of the richest countries in the world. Every year the government received millions and millions of dollars for its phosphate.\nUnfortunately, the leaders invested the money unwisely and lost millions of dollars. In addition, they used millions more dollars for personal expenses. Soon people realized that they had a terrible problem -- their phosphate was running out. Ninety percent of their island was destroyed and they had nothing. By 2000, Nauru was financially ruined. Experts say that it would take approximately $433,600,000 and more than 20 years to repair the island. This will probably never happen.", "problems": [{"question": "What might be the author's purpose in writing the text?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To seek help for Nauru's problems.", "To give a warning to other countries", "To show the importance of money", "To tell a heartbreaking story of a war."]}, {"question": "What was Nauru like before the Europeans came?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Rich and powerful", "Modern and open", "Peaceful and attractive", "Greedy and aggressive"]}, {"question": "The ecological disaster in Nauru resulted from _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["soil pollution", "phosphate overmining", "farming activity", "whale hunting"]}, {"question": "Which of the following was a cause of Nauru's financial problem?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Its leaders misused the money", "It spent too much repairing the island", "Its phosphate mining cost much money", "It lost millions of dollars in the civil war."]}]} -{"article": "He's not just a pretty face! Famous actor Josh Duhamel leads a group of youngsters in a two-mile charity beach run. He may be an attractive movie star, but there's more to Josh Duhamel than a pretty face. The 40-year-old actor led a youth charity fun run for the third year running on Sunday, in aid of the Red Cross giving a hand to countries and places suffering natural disasters.\nJosh sported the charity's T-shirt and black baseball cap with black jogging bottoms as he joined a group of youngsters in the two-mile effort on Santa Monica Beach. Josh was clearly enjoying himself today, sprinting across the finish line raising both arms in a victory salute.\nIn March last year and January of 2010, Josh led thousands of runners and raised over $200,000 for both Japanese and Haitian earthquake relief efforts. And donations collected at this year's Youth Run will go towards the American Red Cross PrepareSoCal campaign which helps Southern Californians get ready for disasters.\n\"I do the youth run because I feel that younger people may not be able to donate a lot of money but that doesn't mean that they can't contribute and make a difference,\" Josh told the Red Cross website. \"Bringing students of L. A. together for these events not only raises a lot of money, but also raises the spirits of those affected by any disaster and helps everyone young and old.\"\nDuhamel had won the title of Male Model of the Year in an International Modeling and Talent Association competition in 1997. Duhamel began his acting career as an extra in the music videos for Donna Summer's song, \"I Will Go With You\" in 1998. Later that year, he won the role of Leo Pres on the ABC soap opera \"All My Children\". He then began appearing in films, and his acting in the film \"Transformers\" as well as its sequels was so successful that he became a pop film star.", "problems": [{"question": "Josh Duhamel led the beach run to help the Red Cross _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["raise money for places suffering from disasters", "raise money for people suffering from diseases", "find more young volunteers especially teenagers", "build up a fame of having the spirit of entertainment"]}, {"question": "How did Josh Duhamel feel about his joining in the beach run?", "answer": "D", "options": ["He felt it the best way to kill time especially on weekends.", "He disliked it when there were reporters coming here.", "He thought it a best chance to make himself famous.", "He found it enjoyable and exciting to be a member."]}, {"question": "What will the received donations of this year be used for?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Helping Japanese and Haitian defeat earthquakes.", "Helping Southern Californians get ready for disasters.", "Helping Northern Californians get ready for disasters.", "Helping relieve Southern Californians defeat earthquakes."]}, {"question": "What is the aim of the youth run of L. A.?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To persuade more young people to keep the earth green.", "To make the young realize the influence of famous people.", "To inspire those affected by disasters and give them a hand.", "To raise as much money as possible to help the old and young."]}]} -{"article": "When you grow up, could you imagine your parents choosing your husband or wife for you? Besides, can you imagine not setting eyes on him or her until your wedding day? This situation is common in India, the Middle East and many parts of Africa. Marriage customs around the world often differ from our own. We don't realize that people in other places often get married in very different ways--and with different motives.\nIn many countries, marriage is a practical matter. A marriage provides a safe and stable home for the husband and wife. It also joins two families, which benefits the couple's parents and makes them happy. Marriage also brings children, making sure the couple will be taken care of in old age. Because marriage is important for the whole family, some cultures don't let young people choose whom to marry.\nJust as there are many different reasons for marriage, there are also many different wedding _ . Every culture has its own ways of bringing good luck to the happy couple. In a typical Western wedding, the bride seeks good luck by wearing \"something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.\" Something old represents the past. Something new represents success in the future. Something borrowed reminds the bride she can get help from her friends and family. And something blue reminds her to be true to her husband.\nIn Poland, one wedding tradition is not only lucky, but also very practical. The wedding guests pin money to the bride's dress while she is dancing. The money is meant to bring luck and to help the young couple build their new life. In Bermuda, the young couple plant a tree in the yard of their new home. Once they move in, they take good care of the tree and make it grow. The planting of the tree is a good metaphor for marriage. A truly good marriage is something that grows with care.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements does NOT support the idea \"marriage is a practical matter\"?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The husband or wife may have a safe and stable home.", "A marriage brings children to take care of the couple when they are old.", "A marriage benefits both the couple's families.", "Parents have no duty to help their children get married."]}, {"question": "What can be the subject of this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["People across the world get married in different ways and for different reasons.", "Every culture had its own ways of bringing good luck to the young couple.", "A truly good marriage is something that grows with care.", "In many countries, marriage is a practical matter."]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is NOT true?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Parents choose a husband or wife for their child in India.", "In many countries, some cultures don't let young people choose whom to marry.", "In Bermuda, the wedding guests pin money to the bride's dress while she is dancing.", "Something blue reminds the bride to be true to her husband in western wedding."]}]} -{"article": "Four million children are caught up in the war in Syria. Thirteen-year-old Rabia is one of them. Tall and thin, she sits shaking in a yellow T-shirt at the Al Marj settlement, close to the Lebanese-Syrian border.\nHome for Rabia was once a two-story house near Damascus. Now it is a tent shared with her nine family members.\nRabia's face is covered with dirt, and she is tired and cold. She has just finished work, picking up potatoes that fell from a truck. Her typical day starts at 4 a.m., and she works a double _ that lasts about 16 hours, putting potatoes into bags. The only choice for her is that she can choose the first eight hours or the second eight hours. For this, she gets paid about $8 a day.\nWorking means Rabia misses school. Back in her village, she was the best in her class and good at everything. Her favorite subjects were Arabic literature and math. But, like many children now living in the settlements -- there are no official refugee camps in Lebanon -- that was Rabia's old life. Life before war, before her family moved five times to escape the bombs, before leaving behind her bedroom, her toys and her friends without packing a bag, before \"half the people I know\" were dead.\nThe old life was full of laughter with her sister, Wala. But Wala, 14, got married two days ago to an 18-year-old Lebanese. Rabia is happy for her sister. Life in the settlement is tough -- the children have nowhere to play, the bathing is poor and sexual abuse is out of control. You can't blame parents -- often confused, illiterate and poor -- who want to marry off their daughters. They fear for their safety.\nIncreasing numbers of Rabia's girlfriends are getting married. Once in rural Syria, a girl got married at 16. According to UNICEF, the age is now dropping to 12 or 13. It is no secret that Lebanese men want to marry Syrian refugee girls, who work hard and don't ask for anything.", "problems": [{"question": "Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?", "answer": "A", "options": ["A news report.", "A book review.", "A history book.", "A travel magazine."]}, {"question": "The writer's purpose for writing Para. 4 is to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["present the dream of Rabia", "show the damage of the war", "predict the future of Syrian girls", "compare the life before war and now"]}]} -{"article": "Are you single and dreaming of an exciting voyage vacation, but unsure of the next step? You're not alone! Many single travelers wonder which voyage will have the most singles on board, how they'll meet other singles, what the voyage will cost and whether they'll enjoy themselves.\nOur hosted singles voyage is ideal for singles of all ages. No other form of travel affords as many opportunities to meet people and make friends. In fact, our Singles Division can help you find a singles voyage on a ship that's just right for you and make sure you meet many other singles on board.\nWe've scheduled singles voyage on sailings throughout 2005, to all of the world's greatest destinations. And we've selected popular itineraries on large, newer ships for different audiences, so you can find one that suits your tastes.\nIf you're looking for a roommate to cut costs, our Match Program can pair you with a samesex single in one stateroom(on hosted sailings only),enabling us to offer you the same perperson pricing that couples receive. We guarantee to find you a roommate, whenever you signup before the cutoff date. If we don't, you only need pay the perperson, doubleoccupancy rate. If you prefer the privacy of your own stateroom, the single supplement rates will apply.\nEither way, we'll provide our own onboard host to organize singles cocktail parties, mixers, games, singlemingle dining and more. Once you've booked your voyage, we'll also give you private access to our singles chat site where you can get to know other singles before you depart.\nWe expect our staterooms on these sailings will fill quickly, so please book early to avoid disappointment. To get started, click on any singles voyage in the calendar to the left. Hope to see you onboard!\nNote: If you can't take advantage of one of our hosted singles cruises but still wish to travel as a single, click here for more information.", "problems": [{"question": "The voyage which is strongly recommended in the text is for _", "answer": "B", "options": ["young singles", "singles of all ages who want to meet people and make friend", "single travelers", "singles who intend to go to the world's greatest destinations"]}, {"question": "What can Match Program do for travelers according to the text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To match a single man with a proper woman.", "To match a single woman with a proper man.", "To have a match between samesex singles in one room.", "To pair a willing person with a samesex single in one room."]}, {"question": "Which activity is NOT included in the voyage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Having singles cocktail parties.", "Having private access to our singles chat site.", "Mixers, games, singlemingle dining etc.", "Finding a roommate."]}, {"question": "The text probably comes from _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["a guide book", "an ad on newspaper", "a website", "a magazine"]}]} -{"article": "I've cheated in school when I thought that I could get away with it. I'm not proud of it and I don't usually feel very good about myself afterwards, but sometimes it's the only way possible to survive in a pressure cooker. My parents are really set on my getting good grades. They study my report card the same way they examine the newspaper's stock market page. And they make me feel that I've got to live up to their expectations.\nBut often it's like each teacher acts as if his is the only subject we have. They think nothing of piling on our homework or giving surprise quizzes. Sometimes we have to take two or three tests in different subjects on the same day. I'd like to see a lot of adults I know preparing for that.\nWhen the pressure becomes too high, some kids may resort to cheating. If you have three or four subjects to study for, you're not going to be able to devote enough time to each subject in order to be well prepared for each class. Besides, it may be the only way left to live up to your parents' expectations and compete with the top students in the class.\nEverybody knows that if you cheat, it's important not to get caught. Few things can cause more of chaos. Once, my elder brother got caught cheating on a math final. My parents acted as though he'd committed a federal crime. The assistant principal called them to school, but although the incident caused several conferences, I don't think that anybody ever really understood what my brother was going through. We're just supposed to perform outstandingly as well as always act honestly, but how many adults can actually live up to the standards they set for us?\nMy father has gotten countless traffic tickets for parking in no parking zones or for not coming to a full stop at stop signs. And you've always hearing about people who don't file their incomes tax honestly. How about all the corruption in government? Successful adults often accept dishonesty in order to achieve their business goals. Are kids the only ones who are supposed to be perfect?\nMost of my friends have cheated on tests in school at one time or another. The kids who never cheated are usually either afraid of getting caught or just don't know how to do it safely. Nobody wants to cheat. But if it's a choice of being honest or of getting a better grade, most kids will try for the latter. That may sound wrong, but we didn't make the rules, we're just trying to get by.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the best title of this passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Everyone can fight a cheat!", "Everyone likes to cheat!", "Cheating is reasonable!", "No one wants to cheat!"]}, {"question": "The author owes children's cheat to the following EXPECT _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["parents", "children", "teacher", "examinations"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is true according to this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The author thinks it is children's right to cheat in school.", "Most of the author's friends like cheating on the tests in school.", "The author thinks it wrong to cheat in school.", "The author shows a positive attitude towards a surprise quiz in school."]}]} -{"article": "One year our family decided to have a special celebration of Mother's Day, as a token of appreciations for all the sacrifices that Mother had made for us. After breakfast we had arranged, as a surprise, to hire a car and take her for a beautiful drive in the country. Mother was rarely able to have a treat like that, because she was busy in the house nearly all the time.\nBut on the very morning of the day, we changed the plan a little, because it occurred to Father that it would be even better to take Mother fishing. As the car was hired and paid for, we might as well use it to drive up into the hills where the streams are. As Father said, if you just go driving without object, you have a sense of aimlessness, but if you are going to fish there is a definite purpose that heightens the enjoyment.\nSo we all felt it would be nicer for Mother to have a definite purpose . Father had just got a fishing rod the day before, which he said mother could use if she wanted to. Only Mother said she would much rather watch him fish than try to fish herself.\nSo we got her to make up a sandwich lunch in case we got hungry, though we were to come home again to a big festive dinner.\nWell, when the car came to the door, it turned out that there was not as much space in it as we had supposed. It was plain that we couldn't all get in.\nFather said that he could just stay home and put in the time working in the garden. He said that there was a lot of rough dirty work that he could do, like digging a trench for the garbage, which would save hiring a man, and so he said that he'd stay home; he said that we were not to let the fact that he had not had a real holiday for three years stand in our way. He wanted us to go right ahead and not to mind him.\nBut of course we all felt that it would never do to let Father stay home, especially as we knew he would make trouble if he did. The two girls, Anne and Mary, would have stayed and helped the maid get dinner, only it seemed such a pity,for the two girls were eager to show their new hats on a lovely day like this. But they said that Mother had only to say the word and they'd gladly stay home and work. Will and I would have dropped out, but unfortunately we wouldn't have been any use in preparing the dinner.", "problems": [{"question": "The author's family decided to celebrate Mother's Day specially to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["show love for their mother", "show gratitude to their mother", "show respect for their mother", "to make up for a previous appointment"]}, {"question": "What problem did we find when the car arrived?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The car was too old to drive on mountain roads.", "The car was larger than we expected.", "The car was too small to accommodate us all.", "The car was too plain looking."]}, {"question": "Why didn't the author drop out of the activity?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because his sisters didn't join in.", "Because he needed to have dinner.", "Because he couldn't cook the dinner.", "Because he hadn't had a real holiday for three years."]}, {"question": "Which of the following proverbs describes the text best?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Everything comes to him who waits.", "Changes always go beyond plans.", "Better late than never.", "Once on shore, one prays no more."]}]} -{"article": "It's a tradition that dates back to the 1930s' and it's designed to give all children in Finland, no matter what background they're from, an equal start in life.\nThe maternity package -- a gift from the government -- is available to all expectant mothers. It contains bodysuits, a sleeping bag, outdoor gear, bathing products for the baby as well as nappies, bedding and a small mattress.\nWith the mattress at the bottom, the box becomes a baby's first bed. Many children, from all social backgrounds, have their first naps within the safety of the box's four cardboard walls.\nThe tradition dates back to 1938. At first, the scheme was only available to families on low incomes, but that changed in 1949. In the 1930s Finland was a poor country and the infant death rate was high -- 65 out of 1,000 babies died. But the figure decreased rapidly in the decades that followed. Over 75 years, the box has been an established part of the Finnish rite of a passage to motherhood, uniting generations of women.\nReija Klemetti, a 49-year-old woman from Helsinki, remembers going to the post office to receive a box for one of her children. \"My partner Milla and I were living in London when we had our first child, Jasper, so we weren't eligible for a free box. But Milla's parents didn't want us to miss out, so they bought one and put it in the post office. We couldn't wait to open the box. There were all the clothes I had expected, with the addition of a snowsuit for Finland's cold winter.\"\n\"We now live in Helsinki and have just had our second child, Annika. She did get a free box, from the Finnish government. This felt to me like evidence that someone cared -- someone wanted our baby to have a good start in life,\" Reija Klemetti said.", "problems": [{"question": "In Finland the maternity package is probably seen as a symbol of _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["wealth", "equality", "pride", "fame"]}, {"question": "Why couldn't Reija Klemetti get a free box when her first child was born?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They were not citizens of Finland.", "They lived outside Finland.", "They didn't apply for the box.", "They had got one from their neighbors."]}, {"question": "How did Reija Klemetti feel when she received the box from the post office?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Worried.", "Disappointed.", "Puzzled.", "Excited."]}]} -{"article": "All Eskimos live most of their lives close to sea or fresh water. They may follow game inland for several hundred miles, but they always return to the shores of rivers, lakes, or seas. Eskimo land has a bare look. Large rocks, pebbles, and sand cover much of the surface. Plants called lichen grow on the rocks, and where there is enough soil, grass, flowers, and even small bushes manage to live. No trees can grow on Eskimo land, so geographers sometimes call it the Arctic plains. There are some animals in Eskimo land, such as rabbits, which eat the plants. Other animals, like the white fox and the gray wolf, eat the rabbits. The Eskimo is a meat-eater, too, and may even eat a wolf when food is scarce.\nThe Eskimo year has two main parts: a long, cold winter and a short, cool summer. Spring and fall are almost too short to be noticed. Summer is the best time, as food is usually plentiful. But it is also the time when Eskimos are very busy. Winter is never far away, and the men must bring home extra meat for the women to prepare and store, for seldom can enough animals be killed in winter to feed a family.\nThe Far North is sometimes called the land of the midnight sun. This is true in the middle of summer, for between April 21st and August 21st the sun never sets in Northern Greenland. But in midwinter the Far North is a land with no sunshine at all. Around Oct. 21st the Eskimos of Northern Greenland see the sun set directly south of them, and they don't see it again until February 22nd. All places on earth get about the same amount of daylight during a year. As a result, if summer is lighter, winter has to be darker.\nWinter nights in the Far North are seldom _ . As in the rest of the world, the stars and moon provide a little light. The northern lights also help the Eskimo to see. And with the ground covered with snow, even a little light is reflected back to the Eskimo's eyes.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements is NOT true?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Eskimos do not usually eat wolves.", "Eskimos like to chase one another.", "Eskimos depend heavily on water.", "Eskimos are meat-eaters."]}, {"question": "From the passage, we can infer all of the following EXCEPT that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["Eskimos are more likely to eat wolves in summer", "Eskimo women are responsible for housework", "meat is the main source of food for the Eskimo", "hunting is an important part of Eskimo life"]}]} -{"article": "In 2010, 700 million people huddled together in front of their television sets to watch the World Cup final between the Netherlands and Spain. Even more are expected to tune in to this year's contest, which kicks off on June 12th with a match between Brazil and Croatia in Sao Paulo. Brazil are the runaway favourites to win the tournament, with bookmakers offering odds of less than three to one on the home team winning the championship.Many experts agree that the country will benefit from a strong home advantage, as local crowds roar on the Seleqao.How much does playing on home turf fealty affect a team's performance?\nSports scientists have come up with all sorts of theories to explain why playing at home helps. In 2007 a study investigated the influence of crowd noise on referees in the English football Premier League. It showed that _ were more likely to flash yellow cards and award penalties against touring players than the hosts, because they relied on the split-second rise in the home crowd's roar as a reminder to determine if a tackle deserved punishment. In the most recent season of the Spanish football Riga, two-thirds of all penalty kicks were awarded to the home team.\nIn the latest English football season, the top 20 clubs enjoyed a home success rate of 50%, while their victory rate on the road was 32%. In 12 of the past 19 World Cups the host nation has made it to the semi-finals and six times it has gone on to win. The effect can be seen in other sports too. _ Before the start of the London Olympics in 2012, UK Sport, a government agency, studied the results of more than 100 big tournaments across 14 Olympic sports. _ As it turned out, Britain bettered its 2008 performance by winning 18 more medals(10 of them gold), an improvement of 38% _ At the Beijing games, China won 59% more medals than it had done at the 2004 Athens games. _ Russia topped the medal table in Sochi:in the previous winter Olympics it had come sixth.\nGiven these numbers, it is not surprising that teams have poured money into maximizing their home advantage. For example, Brazil has spent a considerable fortune on, if somewhat leisurely, a programme of stadium construction and renovation. In all its home advantage is worth the equivalent of a 0.6-goal headstart in every match, according to Goldman Sachs, an investment bank. Like most others, Goldman predicts that Brazil will triumph this year. Other countries' fans will have to hope for a miracle-and perhaps bid to stage the Cup on their own home turf next time.", "problems": [{"question": "What can be inferred from the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Fans may raise their noise levels to cheer their teams up.", "Brazil will win because of its strong ability.", "It is a waste of time and effort for countries to hold sports games.", "The visiting teams have a good chance of winning."]}]} -{"article": "BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- China's economic planning agency Thursday announced a rise in minimum rice purchase prices this year to encourage farmers to grow more grain.\nA statement on the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) website said the government would continue the policy of minimum purchase prices in major rice-growing regions in 2011. The rises in the minimum rice purchase price had been approved by the State Council, China's Cabinet, said the statement.\nThe purchase prices for japonica rice will rise 21.9 percent to 128 yuan (19.4 U.S. dollars) per 50 kilograms, while prices for early and middle-late rice will increase 9.7 percent and 10.3 percent to 102 yuan and 107 yuan per 50 kg respectively.\nRice and wheat are two major grain crops in China.\nThe State Council pledged Wednesday to step up efforts to boost grain production as drought continues to wreak havoc in north China's wheat growing regions.\nChina's main wheat-growing regions, including Shandong, Henan, Hebei, Anhui, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu and Jiangsu provinces, have been plagued by drought since October last year.\nDrought has affected about 7.73 million hectares, or 42.4 percent, of the total winter wheat crop area in the country's eight key producing provinces, the Ministry of Agriculture said Wednesday.\nChina's grain output rose 2.9 percent last year to 546.41 million tons, marking the seventh consecutive year of growth.", "problems": [{"question": "When was this news probably written?", "answer": "C", "options": ["In 2011", "In 2010", "In February, 2011", "On Wednesday, 2011"]}, {"question": "What is the purchase price for japonica rice before it wise according to the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["105 yuan per 50 kilograms", "128 yuan per 50 kilograms", "102 yuan per 50 kilograms", "107 yuan per 50 kilograms"]}, {"question": "Which of the following sentences is true according to the passage.", "answer": "A", "options": ["A raised purchase price will encourage farmers to grow more rice.", "The plan hasn't been approved by the State Council, China's Cabinet.", "Drought continues to hit the wheat growing regions in the north of China.", "There are 8 grain producing provinces affected by the drought."]}, {"question": "Which may be the headline of this news?", "answer": "A", "options": ["China's minimum rice purchase prices raised to boost production", "A Steady rice purchase prices to ensure rice production", "The Chinese government pays more attention on rice production", "China's grain output steadily increases"]}]} -{"article": "There is a growing number of kidults---or adults who wear the mask of maturity but prefer to pander to their inner child.\nThey feel ill equipped for parenthood, because they don't see what values or lessons they could honestly pass on to their young, besides self-centeredness and a passion for the good things in life. They are trying to live by not acting their age.\nAs Ms Jane put it in her letter: I'm married, in my late 20s and enjoy a lifestyle other married graduate couples enjoy: winning and dining, tasteful clothes, travel and a career. Why give up all these for a baby?\nIt is reported that when asked whether they were adults, most people in their 20s answered they were not sure. This reflected a global economy in which people chased more _ to get better jobs that would comfortably support middle class living.\nBeing a kidult is not all about being selfish, though. With the untold uncertainties of war, fluctuating markets, disease and terrorism, many see this world as a poor place to live in--let alone bring kids up in. This seems especially so in urban living. All anyone wants after a long, hard day at work is some peace and quiet.\nMy classmate, Jenny, mused recently how our friends living in small Malaysian towns were onto their second or third kids. Maybe they just loved having children around. Or maybe, in their own way, they wanted to leave the world a better place than they found it.\nThat's how you, I and everyone know we have the chance to breathe air, touch grass and see sky. I think out parents understand that just being alive is an experience worth passing on.", "problems": [{"question": "What is a kidult in the writer's opinion?", "answer": "B", "options": ["A person who doesn't have a child", "An adult who actually has a psychology of a child", "A child who doesn't want to grow up", "A person who doesn't know that what values he has"]}, {"question": "The author explains the kidult phenomenon by _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["presenting research findings", "making comparison", "showing her own experience", "using examples"]}, {"question": "We can learn from the text that kidults _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["know little what they can pass on to their children", "are sure of their abilities for good life", "living in urban can enjoy more peace", "living in small towns know well what they're living for"]}]} -{"article": "What the weather looks like today? Harmful rays are dangerous even on cold, cloudy days.Sunscreen is important year-round protection no matter where you are.\nRemember, you're being struck by the sun's powerful rays when you are\n*walking on the street\n*playing on the ground\n*relaxing on the beach or pool\n*taking part in outdoor activities\nSun Veil Sunscreen can reduce the harmful effects of the sun.\nSun Veil Sunscreen is guaranteed 100% effective or your money back. Sun Veil Sunscreen provides long-lasting waterproof protection from the sun's burning rays that will last for a full 6 hours in or out of water.\nInstructions:\nApply Sun Veil's disappearing blue-color1ed sunscreen to all exposed skin. The blue color1\ndisappears as you rub Sun Veil Sunscreen onto the skin. The color1ing is safe and easily washes from most clothing. For best results, allow Sun Veil Sunscreen to dry for 15-30 minutes before exposure to the sun.\nWarning:\nDiscontinue use immediately, if the skin becomes painful or there are some red spots.\nSun Veil Sunscreen is not recommended for pregnant women and babies under the age of six months.\nIf you're interested in our product, just order now! $20.00 for one bottle. There will be a 10% discount if you buy two at one time, and a 15% discount for three or more!", "problems": [{"question": "Different activities are mentioned to show that Sun Veil Sunscreen is", "answer": "D", "options": ["popular with all the ages", "available wherever you are", "better than others on the market", "necessary whatever you do"]}, {"question": "Sun Veil Sunscreen is a product which", "answer": "C", "options": ["is suitable for people of all ages", "can protect the skin for a whole day", "will be difficult to damage once applied", "can be bought only online"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is true about Sun Veil Sunscreen?", "answer": "A", "options": ["When you rub this sunscreen onto your skin, the blue color1 will disappear.", "It must be dry for one hour before you go outdoors.", "It's popular with all color1ed people.", "If this sunscreen is ineffective, you can get half of your money."]}, {"question": "How much should you pay for Sun Veil Sunscreen in all, four pieces of it at first and one more piece a week later?", "answer": "D", "options": ["$51.00", "1, 100.00", "$69.00", "$88.00"]}]} -{"article": "Doctor and Robber\nOne night about nine o'clock, Dr. Eyck, a surgeon , had a phone call from Dr. Haydon at the hospital in Clens Falls. The surgeon was asked to go there at once to operate on a very sick boy who shot himself while playing with a gun. The doctor was soon on his way to Clens Falls. It was 60 miles away. And it was snowing heavily in the city. The surgeon thought he could get there before 12 o'clock.A few minutes later, the doctor was stopped by a man in an old black coat. Gun in hand, the man ordered the doctor to get out. Then the man drove the car down the road, leaving the doctor in the falling snow.\nIt was after two o'clock in the morning when the doctor arrived at the hospital in Clens Falls.Dr. Haydon told him that the boy had died an hour before.The two doctors walked by the door of the hospital waiting room. There sat the man in the old black coat with his head in his hands.\n\"MR. Cunningham,\" said Dr. Haydon to the man, \"This is Dr. Eyck. He is the surgeon who came all the way from Albany to save your boy.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Dr. Haydon asked Dr. Eyck to come to Clens Falls because _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the boy wounded by a shot was Dr. Eyck' patient", "the boy needed his help", "Dr. Haydon was not a surgeon", "Dr. Eyck was his assistant"]}, {"question": "The surgeon was late because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["he was stopped by a beggar", "the weather was rather terrible", "Clens Falls was far away from Albany", "His car was taken away"]}, {"question": "The boy died because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["he was too far away from hospital", "Dr. Haydon didn't do anything to save him", "Dr. Eyck was not able to arrive at the hospital in time", "something was wrong with Dr. Eyck's car"]}, {"question": "Who should be responsible for (......) the boy's death", "answer": "A", "options": ["The boy's father.", "The hospital.", "Dr. Eyck.", "Dr. Haydon."]}]} -{"article": "My first day of high school was like any other first day: registering? finding new classmates, meeting new teachers, and seeking new friends.\nDuring lunch, I ran into my first snag of the day.At the dining hall, as the checkout lady asked for my money, I realized that I had forgotten my lunch money .When I told her about it, I heard a voice behind me.I turned around and there stood a teacher telling her he would pay for my lunch.He told me his name, Mr.Pete Walker, and said, \"If you get a chance, you should take my history class.\" I recognized his name, and told him I was in his class later that day.Mr.Walker befriended me on the.very first clay of school at a very crucial time of the day--lunch !\nHe always told us we should do more than we ever thought.he pushes us to clod all things better.He coached many sports, and sponsored many after-class activities.If we were interested in something, he would find a way to expose us to it by inviting speakers, taking us on field trips, or obtaining information for us.\nTwo years later, my junior year in school was clicking along nicely when one day I was riding my motorcycle and I was hit by a car. I spent six days in hospital and was at home in bed for two weeks before returning to school.Mr.Walker stopped by the hospital each day with my work from my teachers. Once I was at home, he would bring my work too.\nAfter high school, I attended the United States Army Airborne School in Fort I3enning, Georgia.I knew my parents woolly be there the day I graduates, but they brought an unexpected guest.They came across Mr.Walker at lunch several days before and told him I was about to graduate.His visit, however, was not a surprise to me.", "problems": [{"question": "At the dining hall,", "answer": "C", "options": ["the lady didn't want to charge the author for his lunch", "the author knew Mr.Walker was right behind him", "Mr.Walker didn't know the author was his student", "the author decided to invite Mr Walker to lunch"]}, {"question": "What happened on the author's graduation day?", "answer": "D", "options": ["His parents met Mr.Walker by chance.", "His family invited Mr.Walker to lunch.", "Mr.Walker brought an unexpected guest.", "His parents came together with Mr.Walker."]}, {"question": "What can we infer from the last sentence?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The author had invited Mr.Walker to his graduation ceremony.", "The author's parents had informed him of Mr.Walker's visit.", "Mr.Walker had a very close relationship with his students.", "Mr.Walker went to visit the author frequently."]}]} -{"article": "Today, we are told, children don't spend enough time in the fresh air. Many of them are addicted to a screen either on a computer or a TV -- they seem to be living in a virtual world. They have lost touch with nature.\nBut now 400 organizations in the UK, from playgroups to the National Health Service, are encouraging children to have some \"wild time\". They want kids to swap at least 30 minutes of watching TV or playing computer games for time playing outside. Activities such as building dens, climbing trees and playing hide and seek are just some of the things kids can do. Even if they live in a city, they can go on adventures in the garden or the park.\nChildren often need a helping hand from mum and dad. They need to be shown what to do and where to go. Andy Simpson from National Health Service says, \"We want parents to see what this magical wonder product does for their kids' development, independence and creativity, by giving wild time a go\".\nSo despite the complicated world that young people grow up in now, it seems that going back to basics and experiencing \"nature's playground\" is what modern children need. David Bond from Project Wild Thing says, \"We need to make more space for wild time in children's daily routine, freeing this generation of kids to have the sort of experiences that many of us took for granted\".\nThis might sound a bit old fashioned to you, or maybe, like me, it made you think about sticking on your boots, getting outdoors and reliving your childhood. There's no age limit on enjoying yourself!", "problems": [{"question": "What is the best title of the text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Adventures of children", "Benefits of wild time", "More space for children", "Wild time for children"]}, {"question": "Children are encouraged to do the following activities except _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["watching TV", "climbing trees", "playing hide and seek", "building dens"]}, {"question": "According to Andy Simpson, we know that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["wild time is hard to design", "wild time is beneficial for children", "parents know the importance of wild time", "parents like keeping their children indoors"]}]} -{"article": "For many years, no one could communicate with people who had been born without learning. These deaf people were not able to use a spoken language.\nBut, beginning in the 1700s, the deaf were taught a special language. Using this language, they could share thoughts and ideas with others. The language they used was a language without sound. It was a sign language.\nHow did this sign language work? The deaf were taught to make certain movements with their hands, faces and bodies. These movements stood for things and ideas. A man might move his finger across his lips. This meant, \"You are not telling the truth.\" He might tap his chin (, )with three fingers. This meant \"my uncle\".\nThe deaf were also taught to use a finger alphabet . They used their fingers to make letters of the alphabet. In this way, they spelled out words. Some deaf people could spell out words at a speed of 130 words per minute.\nSign language and finger spelling are not used as much as they once could. Today, the deaf are taught to understand others by watching their lips. They are also taught how to speak.", "problems": [{"question": "The passage is mainly about _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["how the deaf communicate with others", "teaching the deaf to speak with their mouths", "learning how to spell words with one's hands", "how sign languages came into being"]}, {"question": "From the passage we can infer that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["there is still no way to communicate with the deaf", "the deaf must have special teachers to teach them", "in order to make a living, deaf people must make signs", "it is not very difficult for the deaf to learn sign language"]}, {"question": "How did sign languages help the deaf?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It helped them learn to read", "The deaf could understand sign languages even if they had not learned them", "It helped them to communicate with other people", "It helped them speak with their mouths"]}, {"question": "Which of the following sentences do you think is right according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Deaf people draw signs", "Deaf people read with their fingers", "Many deaf people now can speak", "Deaf people can hear what others say now"]}]} -{"article": "So you're between the ages of 13 and 24. What makes you happy?\n A worried, weary parent might imagine the answer to sound something like this: Sex, drugs, a little rock 'n' roll . Maybe some cash, or at least the car keys.\n It turns out the real answer is quite different. Spending time with family is the top answer to that open-ended question, according to an extensive survey--more than 100 questions asked of 1,280 people ages 13-24 -- conducted by The Associated Press and MTV on the nature of happiness among America's young people.\n Next is spending time with friends, followed by time with a significant other. And even better for parents: Nearly three quarters of young people say their relationship with their parents makes them happy.\n \"They're my foundation,\" says Kristiana St.John, 17, a high-school student from Queens in New York. \"My mom tells me that even if I do something stupid, she's still going to love me no matter what. Just knowing that makes me feel very happy and blessed.\"\n You might think money would be clearly tied to a general sense of happiness. But almost no one says \"money\" when asked what makes them happy, though people with the highest family incomes are generally happier with life. However, having highly educated parents is a stronger predictor of happiness than income.\n From the body to the soul: Close to half say religion and spirituality are very important. And more than half say they believe there is a higher power that has an influence over things that make them happy. Beyond religion, simply belonging to an organized religious group makes people happier.\nAnd parents, here's some more for you: Most young people in school say it makes them happy. Overwhelmingly , young people think marriage would make them happy and want to be married some day. Most also want to have kids.\nFinally, when asked to name their heroes, nearly half of respondents mentioned one or both of their parents. The winner, by a nose: Mom.", "problems": [{"question": "In America, it is essential that young people should _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["make some money", "enjoy rock'n'roll", "stay with parents", "have their own cars"]}, {"question": "What Kristiana St.John says shows that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["her mother is clever as other mothers", "her mother loves her unconditionally", "she is stupid and often does foolish things", "she takes it a happy thing to cheat her mother"]}, {"question": "To a general sense of happiness, the survey indicates _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["money is the most concerned.", "work condition is the key factor.", "parents' quality is vital.", "friends' quality is decisive."]}]} -{"article": "Soon Tommy's parents, who had recently separated, would arrive for a conference on his failing schoolwork and bad behavior. Neither parent knew that I had called the other.\nTommy, an only child, had always been happy, cooperative and an excellent student. How could I convince his father and mother that his recent failing grades represented a broken-hearted child's reaction to his parents' separation and pending divorce?\nTommy's mother entered and took one of the chairs. Soon the father arrived. Good! At least they were concerned enough to be here in time. They ignored each other.\nAs I gave a detailed account of Tommy's behavior and schoolwork, I prayed for the right words to bring these two together to help them see what they were doing to their son. But somehow the words wouldn't come. Perhaps if they saw one of his dirty, carelessly done papers?\nI found a sheet in the back of his desk. Writing covered both sides: not the assignment, but a single sentence scribbled over and over.\nSilently I gave it to Tommy's mother. She read it and then handed it to her husband. Then his face softened.\nAt last he folded the paper carefully, placed it in his pocket, and reached for his wife's hand. She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled up at him. He helped her with her coat and they left together.\nIn his own way God had given me the words to reunite that family. He had guided me to the sheet of yellow copy paper covered with the pain out pouring of a small boy's troubled heart.\nThe words are \"Dear Mom...Dear Daddy... I love you...\"", "problems": [{"question": "The author called Tommy's parents in order to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["solve the couple's problem", "scold them for their divorce", "help them realize their influence on Tommy", "blame Tommy for his failing grades"]}, {"question": "This passage is most probably written by _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["a teacher", "a journalist", "a lawyer", "a doctor"]}, {"question": "How did Tommy's parents feel after seeing the words?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Satisfied.", "Troubled.", "Depressed", "Moved"]}, {"question": "We can learn from the passage that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the author knew Tommy often wrote to his parents", "the author said a lot to make Tommy's parents reunite", "Tommy hated his parents divorcing", "Tommy was greatly influenced by his parents"]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for this passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["A separate family", "Tommy's essay", "Never divorce", "A good teacher"]}]} -{"article": "There are only about 1,000 Hawaiian monk seals left and its population is going down 4% a year. Hawaiian monk seals are found in the northwest part of the Hawaiian Islands. They spend a lot of time at sea. They are able to dive 600 feet deep, and can stay under water for up to 20 minutes. Adults grow up to seven feet long, and weigh between 400 and 600 pounds. They can live as long as 30 years.\nThese seals are born on land. Every year, usually in May or June, females find sandy beaches and give birth to a single baby. The female seals avoid beaches where the water becomes deep very quickly because this lets sharks swim close to land and catch the seals.\nMothers stay with their babies for six weeks. During that entire time, they do not leave the beach even to eat. Instead, they live off fat that they have stored up over the previous year and feed their babies with fat-rich milk. After six weeks, mothers go back to the sea. The young have to live on their own.\nHuman disturbance has been regarded as the important factor in the decrease of the monk seals. In fact, if human come too near a mother seal too often, she will go out to the sea. Unfortunately, this usually means death for the baby. It is now against the law for people to come within 100 yards of a seal on a beach.\nRecent research has shown that the decrease in the Hawaiian monk seal population is due to lack of survival of these seals at one of the most important breeding beaches at French Frigate Shoals. Also, seals often get trapped in fishermen and by changes in weather patterns. If these threats were not enough, during the breeding season, males will attack females until they are badly injured or finally killed.", "problems": [{"question": "What can we learn about Hawaiian monk seals?", "answer": "A", "options": ["They are in danger of dying out.", "They spend most of the time on the beach.", "They are the largest animals on the Hawaiian Islands.", "They can stay under water as long as they like."]}, {"question": "According to the text, a seal baby _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["is born at sea", "is fed on fat by the mother", "stays with its parents all life", "is looked after by its mother for 6 weeks"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the text that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["sharks are a threat to Hawaiian monk seals", "male monk seals fight each other for females in the breeding season", "when disturbed by people, the mother seal will protect the baby seal", "Hawaiian monk seals give birth usually in July"]}]} -{"article": "Maybe you know some well-known buildings, such as the Great Wall, the Great Hall of the People, the Leaning Tower of Pisa. But do you know the Royal Academy of Arts ?\nLying in the heart of London, the Royal Academy of Arts is an independent fine arts institution which supports modem artists and promotes interest in the arts through all kinds of exhibition programs. The Academy is completely independent. It is a self-funded , organization which is governed by the Royal Academicians--eminent practicing, painters, printmakers, sculptors and architects who are elected to the position. The Academy has a long history and was founded in 1768 with Sir Joshua Reynolds as its first President. The Academy lies in Burlington House which itself has a long colorful history with parts of the original structure dating back to1664. Today, the Academy attracts over one million visitors each year, making it one of London's top 10 attractions for paying visitors.\nAir: London's City Airport. Gatwick Airport, Heathrow Airport, Luton Airport and Stansted Airport.\nRail: Underground: Piccadilly and Green Park or a short walk from Oxford Circus and Bond Street.\nRoad: Bus: Public services.\nContact Addresses:\nRoyal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London WIJ OBD\nTelephone: 020 7300 8000\nWebsite: www.royalacademy.org.uk", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is TRUE about the Academy of Art?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It dates back to 1664.", "You can't get there by underground.", "It is one of London's top 10 attractions.", "It is much older than Burlington House."]}, {"question": "You can contact the Academy of Arts by all the following EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["writing a letter", "sending an e-mail", "visiting the website", "making a call"]}, {"question": "The main purpose of this passage is to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["attract more visitors to the Royal Academy of Arts", "introduce the well-known building of England", "show the long history of England", "introduce the arts of England"]}]} -{"article": "Hello everybody.You can use this website to learn English and other languages.Click the links below to explore our language learning resources.\nFind an English conversation partner\nYou can speak English online with another person or practice any other language on our Live English Conversation Linkup service through Skype,Google Talk,MSN,etc.You can use the service to get information about travel,language,food,customs,climate,travel,business,work,study etc.Or,you can speak any foreign language on our Live Language Linkup page.\nWorld English course\nLearn English with our free World English Course.Listen,speak,read,write and understand English through our free weekly online activities and linkups.Join the English Classroom!\nEnglish courses\nTake a look at some of the courses we offer.\n*Be Aware:Use this free English course to brush up your grammar,vocabulary,and writing skills.\n*Interactive Stories:Learn a new technique for learning languages by using stories with this free English training course.\n*The Business Trip:Develop your business English with this unique free business English course.\n*The Water Car:A full-length interactive story English course for intermediate level leamers.\n*The Children of Kenji Takeuchi:A full-length interactive story English course for upper- intermediate level learners.\n*World English:A free English course designed for topic-based discussions.\nEnglish dialogues\nFollow a story in English through free English dialogues.There are three levels:\n*Lower Intermediate:Hiromi's Trip to Thailand\n*Intermediate:Miyako's Education\n*Upper Intermediate:A New Life in Mosquito City\nReal conversations\nWe provide recordings of real conversations and interviews,with transcripts of the conversations so you can read and listen at the same time.It is a good way to learn real English.", "problems": [{"question": "This website mainly provides users with _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["free courses on traveling abroad", "plenty of language resources", "interesting conversations", "1ots of amazing stories"]}, {"question": "If one wants to enrich his grammar and words,he should click _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["Be Aware", "The Water Car", "The Business Trip", "Interactive Stories"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is designed for intermediate level learners?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The Children of Kenji Takeuehi.", "A New Life in Mosquito City", "Hiromi's Trip to Thailand.", "Miyako's Education."]}, {"question": "Real conversations is a good may to learn real English because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["you can read while listening", "you can see a native speaker", "you can record your own voice and listen to it", "you can transcript every word of real speakers"]}]} -{"article": "Body language is a very powerful tool of a communication, not only between people but in the animal world as well.\nIn many instances, we produce idioms which are all understandable by borrowing examples from animal communication.\nFor example, we know that a frightened cat will arch . From this starting-point we might hear the expression. \"He gets my back up!\" meaning \"He makes me angry.\"\nIn the same manner, we know that many animals, if challenged by attackers, will not turn and run away because this will encourage the attackers to attack them more forcefully. Instead, they will move backwards slowly to get out of harm's way, always facing their attacker. We call this action \"backing off\" and it can be used as well with humans as with animals.\nIn the case of humans, however, the back-off may not be physical but oral, as in using a kinder tone of voice and gentle words instead of fighting against the attackers.", "problems": [{"question": "When a cat arches its back high in a rigid curve, it shows that it is_.", "answer": "A", "options": ["angry", "pleased", "frightened", "defeated"]}, {"question": "In the article \"back off\" means_.", "answer": "A", "options": ["to escape from the attackers", "to get away quickly", "to keep out the attackers", "to avoid the attackers in words"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is wrong according to the article?", "answer": "A", "options": ["To learn knowledge, humans must learn from animals.", "Both humans and animals have the body language.", "Both humans and animals have ways of getting out of harm.", "\"Face your attackers\" means to encourage yourself."]}, {"question": "What is mentioned in this article belongs to study of English_.", "answer": "B", "options": ["grammar", "idioms", "expression", "communication"]}]} -{"article": "Long, long ago there were a lot of donkeys. The donkeys worked hard every day. They had no time to play or to relax, but they never felt appreciated for the work they did.\nOne day two donkeys got bored. They wanted to live a comfortable life, So the donkeys went to see a wise old man. They told him their problem. The wise old man agreed that they worked too hard, and he wanted to help the donkeys.\" I have an idea,\" he said.\n\"What is your idea?\" asked the donkeys.\n\"I will paint you and no one will know you are donkeys\" said the man.\nThe man went off to find some paint and he returned in just a matter of minutes. He had two pots of paint. One pot was filled with white paint, and the other black paint.\nThe old man first painted them white, and then painted black stripes over the white paint. When he finished, the donkeys did not look at all like donkeys.\" You no longer look like donkeys\" the old man said.\" Everyone will be fooled. I will call you something else, zebras.\"\nThe zebras went to a field to eat grass. Now they did not have to work.\nSoon, other donkeys saw the zebras. They asked the zebras where they came from. When the zebras told the donkeys their secret, the donkeys all rushed to see the old man.\n\"Make us into zebras, too,\" they pleaded. So the wise old man painted more donkeys. As he did, more and more donkeys came.\nThe old man could not paint fast enough. Soon the donkeys became impatient. They began to kick about, and they knocked over the paint pots.\nThere was no more paint. The painted donkeys ran off to become zebras. The unpainted donkeys, because of their impatience, had to return to work.\nThis is why it is important to be patient.", "problems": [{"question": "The text was written to", "answer": "A", "options": ["tell an important truth about things", "explain how donkeys became zebras", "tell a good way to avoid hard work", "explain how zebras got their stripes"]}, {"question": "The two donkeys went to see a wise old man in order to", "answer": "B", "options": ["tell him their problem", "ask him for help", "change into zebras", "get some grass"]}, {"question": "When the two donkeys returned, why did they no longer have to work?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They didn't eat enough grass.", "They didn't want to work.", "No one knew they were donkeys.", "They were no longer donkeys."]}, {"question": "Many donkeys were not painted by the old man because", "answer": "A", "options": ["no more paint was left", "all the paint was used up", "they couldn't wait any longer", "he was too tired to paint"]}]} -{"article": "In a recent study, participants were asked to drink beer from either a straight-sided glass, or a curved \"beer glass\". People took about almost twice as long to finish when drinking alcohol from the straight-sided glass, compared with the curved glass. There was no difference in drinking rates from the glasses when the drink was nonalcoholic.\nPeople may drink their alcohol faster from curved glasses because it is more difficult to accurately judge the halfway point of these glasses, the researchers concluded. As a result, drinkers may be less able to measure how much they have consumed. \"People often talk of 'pacing themselves' when drinking alcohol as a means of controlling levels of drunkenness, but I think the important point to take from our research is that the ability to pace effectively may be compromised when drinking from certain types of glasses,\" said study researcher Angela Attwood of the University of Bristol's School of Experimental Psychology in the United Kingdom.\nIn another experiment, participants completed a computer task in which they were shown pictures of two glasses containing varying volumes of liquid, and asked to judge whether each glass was more, or less, than half-full. The researchers found people made greater errors in judging the halfway point of the curved glass.\n\"The participants who showed the greatest error in these judgments also tended to show the greatest changes in their drinking rates,\" the researchers said. \"The speed at which people drink alcohol influences their level of intoxication , and the number of drinks they consume on an occasion. Therefore, slowing down is likely to have a positive impact for the individual, and also at a population level.\"", "problems": [{"question": "If a man finishes drinking alcohol from a curved glass in 30 minutes, from a same-volumed straight glass, he will spend _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["about 15 minutes", "about 60 minutes", "about 45 minutes", "about 25 minutes"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, the experiment shows that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["curved glasses mislead people's judgment", "people differ greatly when judging the same glass", "people do computer tasks poorly after drinking", "the type of liquid influences people's thinking"]}, {"question": "What advice do the researchers give drinkers?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Use a curved \"beer glass\".", "Drink at a slower pace.", "Drink with positive people.", "Try different types of alcohol."]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Shape may influence your drinking", "Curved glass is out of date", "Drink less for your health", "Drinkers favor a different type of glass"]}]} -{"article": "Email Announcement Weekly\nUniversity libraries to be closed for day on Friday\nAll university libraries will be closed from 8 a. m. to 1 p. m. on Friday (Aug.10). The closure will allow librarians to complete various tasks to prepare for the coming fall term. Library users are asked to change their study or research plans around this short closure.\nBring your old films to Home Movie Day\nFind your old home movies and bring them to Home Movie Day from 1-5 p. m. Saturday (Aug.11). The free event at Will's Campbell Hall, 300 N. Goodwin, includes a clinic on caring for old films and continuous showing of movies brought in by students like you. Sponsors are WILL and the U of C Library.\nIreland garden tour set for June 2008\nThe public is invited to join Illinois Master Gardeners on a trip to visit popular public gardens and castles in Ireland. The tour (June 2-12, 2008) also includes several personal gardens as well as free time to find more. Bookings due Sept. 15. For trip introduction and booking information, please visit travels.", "problems": [{"question": "To whom is the first email announcement probably sent?", "answer": "B", "options": ["International tourist", "University people", "The general public", "Movie lovers"]}, {"question": "What do people do on Home Movie Day?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They watch old movies at home", "They give away old movies for free", "They share home movies with others", "They show movies at the U of C library"]}, {"question": "People need to book the Ireland trip _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["by Sep 15, 2007", "on Sep 15, 2007", "between June 2-12, 2008", "after June 12, 2008"]}, {"question": "What can people do at Campbell Hall?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Learn how to take care of old movie", "Visit a clinic to get advice on health", "Get information for free event", "Plan their study and research"]}]} -{"article": "Have you ever played the video dance game? Now such games are used to help lose weight!\nLike many other teenage boys, Jones loved sports. But at 5 feet, 175 pounds, he found his weight a trouble. His doctor wanted him to lose 50 pounds so that he may catch up with the football game by the end of summer.\nJones chose the popular dance Revolution video game at home to increase his activity. He had lost about 10 pounds by changing his diet. Now, after two weeks playing the game, he has lost another 10!\nIn West Virginia, 43% of the nearly 6,000 children examined for heart disease risk were considered over-weighted; more than 25% were too fat. \"we are in a crisis of childhood _ not only in West Virginia but in America,\" said a researcher.\nResearchers are looking at the potential for improving effects by using the game. A teacher in West Virginia has been using the video game in her classes since last fall. She reported that the game does improve heart health as well as eye-hand coordination, and her students take the video game as a great alternative to jumping rope or ball games.\nThe US Education Department is putting the game in 20 schools to control childhood obesity. Well, are you going to try such a game to dance away your extra weight?", "problems": [{"question": "Jones' main problem was that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["he was too short", "he was over-weighted", "he lacked the skill in football", "he didn't keep a healthy diet"]}, {"question": "It can be learned that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["in West Virginia 25% of the children were too fat", "after playing the game, Jones has lost weight", "the teacher is a failure in using the video game", "the US Education Department is promoting the game all over the country"]}, {"question": "The most suitable title for the passage is _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["Dance Away Your Weight", "Play the Video Dance Game", "Solve the Problem of Obesity", "A Magic Video Dance Game"]}]} -{"article": "Mainland couples who give birth to a second child in Hong Kong will be fined for breaking the family planning policy,a senior official has warned.\nAs more women flock to Hong Kong to give birth to their second child,Zhang Feng,family planning department director of Guangdong Province,stressed that this _ China's policies.\n\"And those who are government employees will even be dismissed from their posts.\"he said.\n\"It doesn't matter if they give birth to their second child on the mainland or in other countries and regions , they have violated the country's policies and the probince's regulations\".\nHe said that some families had been punished in the past few months after having a second in Hong Kong , but gave no details .\nZhang made his remarks when a Hong Kong newspaper carried a controversial notice claiming residents' medical services had been affected by the growing number of mainland women who arrive in the city to give birth and gain fight of abode there.\nAccording to statistics revealed by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government,about 88,000 babies were born in Hong Kong in 2010,but more than 41,000 or 47 percent,were to mainland couples,including a large number from Guangdong.\nHong Kong has limited the number of mainland women permitted to give birth in the city at 34,000 this year.\nThe issue also has caused calls for an amendment to Hong Kong's Basic Law so that babies born to mainland women are no longer granted permanent fight of abode.\n\"I support Hong Kong government's decision to reduce or limit the number for mainland women giving birth in Hong Kong.\"Zhang said.\nChina introduced its family planning policy in 1979 to limit births in the world's most populous nation,although the rules have been relaxed in recent years.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is true?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Those who give birth to a second child in Hong Kong will be fined.", "Many government employees have been dismissed from their posts.", "Zhang Feng is family planning department director of Guangdong Province.", "It doesn't matter if they give birth to their second child on the mainland."]}, {"question": "Zhang Feng said that _", "answer": "D", "options": ["few families had been punished after having a second child in China", "about 88,000 babies were born in Hong Kong in 2010", "the residents' medical services in Hong Kong had been affected", "he agreed to reduce or limit the number for mainland women giving birth in Hong Kong"]}, {"question": "From the passage we can infer _", "answer": "B", "options": ["in 2010 most of the babies born in Hong Kong belonged to mainland couples", "the number of mainland women permitted to give birth in Hong Kong has been reduced", "babies born to mainland women in Hong Kong can't get permanent right of abode now", "the family planning policy in China is as strict as before"]}, {"question": "Which is NOT the reason why some people want to give birth to a second child in Hong Kong?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They want to gain right of abode there for their babies.", "They want to escape being punished for breaking the family planning policy.", "They want to cause calls for an amendment to Hong Kong's Basic Law.", "They want their babies to enjoy the good medical services in Hong Kong."]}]} -{"article": "In 1789 the prefix = st1 /U.S.government passed a law which said that the land of the American Indians could never be taken from them without their agreement. One hundred years later, however, the Indians only had a very small part of the land that originally belonged to them. How did this great injustice occur?\nAfter 1812 white settlers began to move west across North America. At first, the settlers and the Indians lived in peace. However, the number of settlers increased greatly every year, and slowly the Indians began to see the white settlers as a danger to their survival. To feed themselves, the settlers killed more and more wild animals. The Indians, who depended on these animals for food, had to struggle against starvation. The settlers also brought with them many diseases which were common in white society, but which were new for the Indians. Great numbers of Indians became sick and died. Between 1843 and 1854 the Indian population in one area of the country went down from 100,000 to 30,000.\nMore land was needed for the increasing number of white settlers. In Washington, the old respect for the rights of the Indians disappeared. The old promises to the Indians were broken; the government began to move groups of Indians from their original homelands to other poorer parts of the country. Some Indians reacted angrily and violently to this treatment. They began to attack white settlers, and the Indian war began. For 30 years, until the late 1880s, different groups of Indians fought against the injustices of the white man. They had a few famous successes, but the result of the struggle was never in doubt. There were too many white soldiers, and they were too powerful. Many Indians were killed; the survivors were moved from their homelands to different areas of the country. It was a terrible chapter in the history of a country that promised freedom and equality to everyone.", "problems": [{"question": "It can be inferred form the passage that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["in the U.S.there were many laws that provided the rights of American Indians", "the law which was passed in 1789 by the U.S.government was not successfully carried out", "in the 19thcentury no injustices were done against the Indians by theU.S.government", "the majority of white settlers were openly opposed to the law passed in 1789"]}, {"question": "According to the passage which of the following is TRUE?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The Indians believed that killing too many wild animals had disturbed the balance of nature.", "The government began to have a better understanding of the Indians in the fifties of the nineteenth century.", "Between 1843 and 1854 about 70,000 Indians were killed in the battle.", "The whites carried serious diseases into where the Indians lived."]}, {"question": "It is implied in the passage that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the Indians had many great successes in the Indians wars", "the Indians had no doubt that they would win the wars", "after the war the Indians stayed where they were before", "the Indians were too weak to win the struggle"]}, {"question": "What is the writer's opinion about the treatment that the Indians received from the U.S.government?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He believed that the government always respected the rights of the Indians.", "He believed that the government can't be criticized for its treatment to theIndians.", "He believed that the government treated the Indians unjustly.", "He believed that the government's unfair treatment against the Indians was not on purpose."]}]} -{"article": "Birds Can \"Read\" Human Gaze\nWe all know that people sometimes change their behavior when someone is looking their way. Now, a new study reported online on April 2nd in Current Biology shows that jackdaws--birds related to crows with eyes that appear similar to human eyes--can do the same.\n\"Jackdaws seem to recognize the eye's role in visual perception, or at the very least they are extremely sensitive to the way that human eyes are oriented ,\" said Auguste von Bayern, formerly of the University of Cambridge and now at the University of Oxford.\nWhen presented with a preferred food, hand-raised jackdaws took significantly longer to get the reward when a person was directing his eyes towards the food than when he was looking away, according to the research team led by Nathan Emery of the University of Cambridge and Queen Mary University of London. The birds hesitated only when the person was unfamiliar and thus potentially threatening.\nIn addition, the birds were able to interpret human communicative gestures, such as gaze alternation and pointing, to help them find hidden food, they found. The birds were unsuccessful in using unmoving cues, including eye gaze or head orientation.\nUnlike most birds, jackdaws' eyes have a dark pupil surrounded by a silvery white iris. The researchers said they believe jackdaws are probably sensitive to human eyes because, as in humans, eyes are an important means of communication for them. The hand-raised birds examined in the study may be even better than wild jackdaws at attending to human gaze and responding to the gestures of the people who have raised them.\nThe findings are particularly notable given that most other species investigated so far, including our closest s the chimpanzee and \"man's best friend,\" the dog, are not particularly sensitive to eye orientation and eye gaze, von Bayern said. Rather, she continued, chimps and dogs seem to rely on other cues such as head or body orientation in determining the looking direction of others. The results suggest that birds may deserve more respect for their mental abilities. \n\"We may have understated the psychological world of birds,\" von Bayern said. \"Jackdaws, among many other birds, form pair ties for life and need to have much in common and work together with their partner, which requires an efficient way of communicating and sensitivity to their partner's viewpoint.\"", "problems": [{"question": "A hand-raised jackdaw hesitates to take a preferred food when the feeder _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["is looking away from the food", "is unfamiliar to the bird", "holds the food in his hand", "is looking at the food"]}, {"question": "According to the researchers, jackdaws can notice human eye orientation probably because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["like humans, they also use eyes to communicate", "they are far more intelligent than other birds", "they are mostly hand-raised by humans", "their eyes also have a dark pupil"]}, {"question": "Why does the author refer to chimpanzees and dogs?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To suggest that they are much better at interpreting gaze alternation.", "To reflect how unique jackdaws are in being able to notice gaze orientation.", "To show that they communicate more frequently with humans than jackdaws.", "To make clear that they rely on other means in determining people's intention."]}, {"question": "What does the research finding suggest?", "answer": "A", "options": ["We may have understated jackdaws' mental abilities.", "Not all jackdaws are good at attending to human gaze.", "We know embarrassingly less about birds than we assume.", "The closer we communicate with animals, the better we understand them."]}]} -{"article": "WHAT can help you make a fortune in the future? Graduating from a top university might not be enough. A new study from the University of Essex in Britain has shown that the more friends you have in school, the more money you'll earn later.\nThe idea that popularity could have a serious influence on one's earning potential shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. The researchers noted that if you want to get ahead in life, social skills and networking are easily as powerful as talent and hard work.\n\"If a person has lots of friends, it means that he or she has the ability to get along with others in all kinds of different situations,\" said Xu Yanchun, 17, from Nantou High School in Shenzhen, who totally agreed with the recent finding. \"Also, friends always help each other. They not only create wider social circles for you but lift your mood when you are occasionally in low spirits,\" said Xu. She believed that all this helps you \"earn a higher salary.\"\nMaybe that's why some people think the younger generations are in the age of Friendalholism . A woman even complained that the networking website Facebook's 5,000-friend limit was too low for her large reserve of social contacts.\nBut what does a friend mean? Should friends be regarded as a form of currency?\n\"Call me uncool, but I think of a friend as an actual person with whom I have an actual history and whom I enjoy actually seeing. It seems, however, that this is no longer the definition of friend\", said Meghan Daum, who works with The Los Angeles Times in the US.\nDaum dislikes the idea that quantity _ quality in the age of Friendaholism. She thought the idea of friendship, at least among the growing population of Internet social networkers, was to get as many of not-really-friends as possible. For example, a friend might be someone you might know personally but who could just as easily be the friend of a friend of some other Facebook friend you don't actually know. Although she agreed that social ties grease the wheels of life, she also warned. \"Too bad one thing money can't buy is a real friend.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What will be needed if you are to achieve success according to the researchers?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Social skills, friends, good mood and fortune.", "Social skills, networking, talent and hard work.", "Social skills, networking, potential and fortune.", "Social skills, talent, hard work and the facebook."]}, {"question": "What can friends do in the eyes of Xu Yanchun?", "answer": "C", "options": ["They can help you with your schoolwork.", "They teach you how to make more money.", "They help you get rid of sadness and cheer up.", "They always get on well with you."]}, {"question": "We learn that Meghan Daum's attitude towards friends is somewhat _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["up-to-date", "optimistic", "confused", "traditional"]}]} -{"article": "The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the waters close to Japan have not held many fish for decades. So fishing boats went farther than ever.but If the return trip took more than a few days, the fish were not fresh. The Japanese did not like the taste.\nThen fishing companies equipped their boats with freezers. They would freeze them at sea. Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer. However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen and they did not like frozen fish.\nSo fishing boats were equipped with fish tanks. They would stuff fish in the tanks ,fin( )to fin .After a little thrashing around, the fish stopped moving. They were tired and dull, but alive. Unfortunately, the Japanese could still taste the difference. The Japanese preferred the lively taste of fresh fish, not _ fish.\nTo keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks. But now they add a small shark to each tank. The shark eats a few fish, but most of the fish arrive in a very lively state. The fish are challenged.\nHave you realized that some of us are also living in a tank but most of the time tired & dull, so we need a Shark in our life to keep us awake and moving. If your challenges are the correct size, and if you are regularly defeating those challenges, you are Conqueror. You think of your challenges and get energized. You are excited to try new solutions. You are alive! Here is some advice for you :\n1. Instead of avoiding challenges, jump into them and enjoy the game. If your challenges are too large or too numerous, do not give up. Instead, reorganize. Find more determination, more knowledge, more help.\n2. God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but he did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears and light for the way.\n3. Disappointments are like road blocks, they slow you down a bit but you enjoy the smooth road afterwards. Don't stay on the bumps too long. Move on!", "problems": [{"question": "Why did fishing companies equip their boats with freezers?", "answer": "A", "options": ["to keep the fish taste fresh", "to increase the price of the fish", "to avoid challenges in the market", "to keep the fish alive"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is right?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The Japanese don't like sluggish fish, so the Japanese fishing companies won't put the fish in the tanks", "Since the waters close to Japan have not held many fish for decades, they have to go farther to catch fish.", "Road blocks slow you down and stop you going on .", "If your challenges are too large or too numerous, give it up first."]}, {"question": "The topic of the passage may be _", "answer": "B", "options": ["avoid challenges", "keep your life active", "ways to keep fish fresh", "some advice for you"]}, {"question": "\"we need a Shark in our life to keep us awake and moving\"means _", "answer": "D", "options": ["we need challenges of too large or too numerous to make us energized.", "we have to accept being beaten by those challenges in life.", "You are excited to try new solutions.", "The society we live in is like the fish tank,we need some challenges to keep us energized."]}]} -{"article": "In today's world of cellphones, mini laptops and MP3 players, most people have at least one timetelling tool with them. Since these devices are so common, is time running out for the 500yearold watch? According to some consumers, yes. New Jersey teenager Charlie Wollman says a watch is \"an extra piece of equipment with no necessary function\". Many young adults agree -- and use their cellphones to tell time. Louis Galie, a senior vice president at Timex, said that fewer young people wear watches today than five years ago. As a result, some people claim that _ .\nHowever, watchmakers optimistically say that watches regain popularity when consumers reach their 20s and 30s. By then, they are willing to spend money on a quality timepiece that doesn't just keep good time. Fifty years ago, watchmakers boasted about their products' accuracy. But in recent years, the watch industry has transformed itself into an accessory business. And for many today, the image a watch communicates has become more important than the time it tells.\n\"Complications\" -- features that go beyond simple timekeeping -- are an important part of a watch's image. Today's watches offer a lot of features that suit almost any personality. These features include altitude trackers, compasses, lunar calendars, USB drives, and even devices that measure the effectiveness of golf swings!\nCreativity is also a key element in today's watches. For example, Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash makes watches that don't even look like watches. The company's popular Shinshoku model uses different color lights to tell time. It looks more like a futuristic bracelet than a watch. Another Japanese watchmaker, EleeNo, makes a \"handless\" watch. Using a ring of circles to keep time, this watch makes an excellent conversation piece.\nWhether a watch communicates fashion sense, creative flair or a love of sports, consumers want their timepieces to stand out. Nowadays, everyone has the same kind of gadget in their bags, so people want to make a statement with what's on their wrists. Will this interest in wrist fashion last? Only time will tell!", "problems": [{"question": "Why aren't watches popular with young people as before?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Because watches cannot keep good time as cellphones, mini laptops and MP3 players.", "Because watches are featured by the disadvantages of simple function.", "Because watches are too expensive to afford.", "Because watches don't have beautiful appearance as other modern timetelling tools."]}, {"question": "It can be implied that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["people will gradually lose interest in watches as they grow older", "watchmakers scarcely change the development strategy for watches", "today's watches are better than those in the past in quality", "customers used to be more concerned with the quality of a watch than with its image"]}, {"question": "The following qualities can make a watch popular EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["multifunction", "accuracy", "nice design", "low price"]}]} -{"article": "Bad teeth can be painful -- and worse. They can even be deadly. Infections of the gums and the teeth can cause bacteria to go into the blood system. Those bacteria can increase the chance of a heart attack and worsen the effects of other diseases. And adults are not the only ones at risk.\nFor example, in 2007, doctors in the Washington area said a boy died when a tooth infection spread to his brain. They said it might have been prevented had he received the dental care he needed. He was twelve years old.\nExperts at the National Institutes of Health say good dental care starts at birth. Breast milk, they say, is the best food for the healthy development of teeth. Breast milk can help slow the growth of bacteria and acid production in the mouth.\nBut dentists say a baby's gums and early teeth should be cleaned after each feeding. Use a cloth with a little warm water. Do the same if a baby is fed with a bottle. Experts say if you decide to put your baby to sleep with a bottle, only give the child water.\nWhen baby teeth begin to appear, you can clean them with a wet toothbrush. Dentists say it is important to find soft toothbrushes made especially for babies and to use them very gently.\nThe use of fluoride to protect teeth is common in many parts of the world. For example, it is often added to drinking water supplies. The fluoride mixes with enamel , the hard surface on teeth, to help prevent holes from forming.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following can be used as the title of the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Concerns for Healthy Teeth of the Young", "Causes of Teeth Problem", "Importance of Healthy Teeth of All", "Solutions to Teeth Problem"]}, {"question": "The passage indicates that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Enamel is most widely used to protect teeth in the world", "Breast milk can cure babies' bad teeth", "Bad teeth may affect the health of adults and the young", "Babies' teeth should be brushed once per day"]}, {"question": "The writer uses the boy's death as an example to show that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["not only adults but the young may suffer from teeth problem", "the doctors should be responsible for the case", "babies with bad teeth can easily die", "the boy was not fed with his breast milk"]}]} -{"article": "Televisions, stereos, telephones, and computers have changed the way we spend our time and what we know about the world. Some of the changes brought about by these material possessions have improved our way of life, but others have made it worse. Our young teenagers turn on the television, play the stereo, play games on the computer, talk on the telephone, and eat all the same time. This drives me right up the wall to instant insanity .\nHowever, teens of today place too great an importance on material property. They spend an average of several hours a day watching television, listening to stereos, playing on the computer, playing video games, and talking on the telephone. Families no longer watch television together and there is great lack of communication. Materialism is evident when an otherwise intelligent teenager drives their parents crazy, and into debt, when misusing communication equipment. Teens judge and admire other teens for what they own and have, rather than for what they are or what they can do. They no longer care about values, like honesty, integrity , freedom, talent, quality and other values and morals.\nHowever, good or bad, communication devices are here to stay. It is up to us, as parents, to stop our beloved teenagers from misusing and abusing our communication equipment and devices. We need to avoid the problems they present and to make the most of their opportunities they possess and hold for us all.", "problems": [{"question": "The writer's attitude toward the modern material possessions is generally _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["positive", "negative", "neutral", "indifferent"]}, {"question": "According to the writer, teens' overuse of communication equipment can do harm to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["their own health", "their own study", "their own morality", "their neighbors' life"]}, {"question": "The writer attributes the unsatisfactory behavior of teens to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["teens' too much free time", "parents' non-interference", "inadequate school education", "material property"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the passage that the writer seems to be most annoyed at _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["all the modern material possession", "eating while talking on the phone", "the decline in teens' morality", "all the communication equipment"]}]} -{"article": "The porter brings your bags to your room and helpfully explains all you want to know. Then he points to the phone and says, \"If there's anything else you need, just call.\" All this time you have been thinking one thing, \"How much should I tip him?\" To make your next trip a little easier, here's a guide to tipping across some Asian countries.\nBangkok\nIn general, the more Westernized the place is, the more likely you will be expected to leave a tip. Some top-end restaurants will add a 10% service charge to the bill. If not, waiters will appreciate you tacking on the 10% yourself. However, if you're eating at a lower-end restaurant a tip is not necessary. If you're staying at one of Bangkok's many five-star hotels, expect to tip the porter 20 to 50 baht , depending on how many bags you have. Taxis are now metered in Bangkok. Local custom is to round the fare up to the nearest five baht.\nHong Kong\nTipping is customary in this money-mad metropolis . Most restaurants add a 10% service charge to the bill, but the extra money often ends up in the pocket of the owner. If the service is good, add another 10% to the bill, up to HK $100 in an especially nice restaurant. For HK $10 hotel porters should do it at all but the nicest hotels where a new HK $20 bill may be more acceptable. When in a taxi, round up to the nearest dollar.\nKuala Lumpur\nTipping in Malaysia is limited to the expensive Westernized hotels, which often add a 10% service charge to your meal or hotel room. If you are at a hotel restaurant, expect a 10% service charge. But at local restaurants, there's no need to add a tip. At five-star hotels, one or two ringgit will content a porter. At lower-end buildings don't feel you have to tip. Like Bangkok, many taxis are now metered so you can just round up to the nearest ringgit.\nSeoul\nTipping is not part of Korean culture, although it has become a matter of course in international hotels where a 10% service charge is often added. If you're at a Korean barbecue joint , there's no need to add anything extra. But a nice Italian restaurant may require a 10% contribution. If you're at a top-end hotel, so expect to pay 500~1 000 won per bag. Taxi drivers don't accept a tip. Keep the change for yourself.", "problems": [{"question": "In which of the following cities is it unnecessary to tip the taxi-drivers?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Bangkok.", "Hong Kong.", "Seoul..", "Kuala Lumpur"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT the unit of money?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Baht", "Charge.", "Won.", "Ringgit."]}, {"question": "From the text, we can infer tipping comes from _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the west", "Hong Kong", "Asian countries", "Bangkok"]}, {"question": "If you stay at a five-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur, how much will you pay the porter at least?", "answer": "A", "options": ["one ringgit.", "10% of service charge", "half a ringgit.", "two ringgit."]}, {"question": "The writer seems _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["to give the readers some advice on how to tip", "to tell the readers how to travel", "to ask the readers to go on a travel to Asian cities", "to make the trip more pleasant"]}]} -{"article": "In side their one-storey, metal-roofed house on Vancouver Island's west coast,Janet Schwartz and her domesticated deer, Bimbo,are returning to their normal lives. The law--represented by men and women dressed in black uniforms and carrying guns -- is no longer threatening to forcibly separate Schwartz and Bimbo,freeing the l0-year-old deer to the fates of the surrounding rainforest and its hungry wolves and black bears.\n\"We love each other,\"said Schwartz who turned 70 on Saturday. \"she'll come up to me and she'll kiss me right on the lips,1ike a man kisses a woman''\nFor four days last week,Schwartz' life turned as rocky as the rough logging road that connected her life to the outside world. Conservation officers had arrived with orders to 1oose Bimbo. Schwartz was to1d she wasn't allowed to touch Bimbo any more It seemed somebody had complained,said Environment Minister Terry Lake earlier in the week, noting it's illegal to keep wild animals as pets.\nDuring those tense days,sleepless nights were made even more restless by nightmares,said Schwartz. There were news stories and Facebook pages which supported Schwartz and by Friday,the government had changed its mind. Schwartz could keep her pet with the help of a veterinarian and conservation officers.\n\"It makes me feel good,\"said Schwartz of the announcement.\"She is my life.and I've had her since the day she's been born.\"\nThe relationship began when a friend found the orphaned fawn along a nearby logging road,more than a kilometer away from her current home,said Schwartz. The friend brought the fawn over because she knew Schwartz had raised a deer before.\nSchwartz named the fawn Bimbo,based on a Gene Autry song that was playing inside her home at the time,and began feeding the animal goat's milk.\nDays turned into months and years, and now Bimbo's a part of the family.", "problems": [{"question": "Why didn't Schwartz want to loose the deer?", "answer": "C", "options": ["It was the only companion in her house", "She wanted to study the lifestyle of the deer.", "The deer had become part of her life.", "She had a veterinarian to help her."]}, {"question": "Conservation officers ordered Janet to loose Bimbo because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the deer was not properly taken care of", "the deer brought harm to the neighborhood", "it was against the law to keep the deer as a pet", "the deer made too much noise"]}, {"question": "What made the government change its mind?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Schwartz's love for the deer.", "The threat to the deer in the wild.", "The change of the law.", "The influence from the press and the Web."]}, {"question": "What can we conclude from the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Bimbo will continue to stay with Schwartz.", "Bimbo will be loosed to the wild.", "A professional worker will take over Bimbo.", "Bimbo will stay m a nearby Zoo."]}]} -{"article": "\"The more you learn, the more you earn,\" said the pop singer Cyndi Lauper as she accepted her high school diploma , at the age of 35 ! Although Cyndi made it without a high school degree, most people don't. In the USA today, about 75% of jobs need some education or technical training further than high school. The lowest wage earners in the USA are those without high school degrees; college graduates _ those without a college education. People with master's degrees outearn those with only a bachelor ; and the highest incomes of all are earned by people with advanced professional or academic degrees. These generalizations explain why most of young Americans go to college. However, despite the averages, more diplomas don't always mean more money. Many skilled blue-collar workers, salespeople, business executives, and entrepreneurs outearn college professors and scientific researchers. And great athletes and entertainers outearn everyone else!", "problems": [{"question": "Cyndi Lauper _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["had been studying in high school before she was thirty-five", "wasn't clever because she graduated from high school too late", "got her high school diploma when she was already thirty-five", "didn't like studying"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["high school diploma and high school degree are the same thing", "people can't get both high school diploma and degree", "people must get both high school diploma and degree", "people can get both high school diploma and degree or either"]}, {"question": "Why do most American young people go to college?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because their parents force them to go to college.", "Because they can't get a job if they don't go to college.", "Because the situation of the society make them go to college.", "Because they like studying."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is right?", "answer": "D", "options": ["If you don't have a diploma, you can't earn money.", "Those who have diplomas always earn more money than those who don't have diplomas.", "Less diplomas always mean less money.", "Great athletes may earn more money than other people."]}]} -{"article": "\"Image is everything.\" An entire industry has been built upon the assumption that image is everything, but when it comes down to it, an appealing image is not enough.If there is no substance behind the image, the product, service or person will fail eventually.\nFirst of all, one should consider how important image is in the selling of products and services.Advertising agencies have raised the art of creating an image to a state of near perfection.Public concept of that product or service is certainly managed by the images created by the advertising agencies.But if the product or service does not live up to the image that was created, the customer will be very dissatisfied and possibly ask for their money back.For example, the Arthur Andersen accounting firm had spent decades building up an image of trustworthiness.But the recent scandal showed that behind that image, it cheated in business practices.Despite the previous positive image, the firm is being accused of criminal actions and it will probably not survive as a business unit.Although the image had been nearly perfect, the reality behind the image has led to the downfall of the world famous accounting firm.\nSimilarly, personal advisers can build up a public image for politicians and movie stars.Putting out positive news releases, making sure that only the best photographs are published, and ensuring that the person is seen in all the right places can build up a very positive image in the view of the general commons.But once again, history is filled with examples of both politicians and movie stars that fell from grace like the story of the Hollywood actor giving in to the pressures of fame and fortune.With people, just as with products and services, image is certainly important, but without positive substance behind the image, failure is close.\nTo summarize, it is clear that an appealing image is extremely important to success, whether that image is related to selling a product or service or to the \"selling\" of a person.But image is only half of the equation.What lies behind that image is every bit as important as the image itself ---- the person or product must deliver on that image or there is little chance for long-term success.", "problems": [{"question": "The downfall of the Arthur Andersen accounting firm is due to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["its dishonesty in business", "its previous images", "its bad management", "its poor service"]}, {"question": "Why did some famous people fall from grace?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Their images were not well built up", "They failed to live up to their images.", "They felt much pressure from the public", "They paid little attention to fame and fortune."]}, {"question": "The author tries to argue that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["image creates everything", "image is the key to success", "truth is unlikely ever to be equaled", "truth and image are equally important"]}]} -{"article": "Some of the world's most well-known brands, including Ericsson, Volvo and Ikea, all originated from Sweden.The country also brought us the zipper, used by many men in the world on a daily basis, according to Swedish Wire, a news website.\nWith a population of barely over 9 million and gross domestic production (GDP) at about $538 billion in 2011-just a thirteenth that of China-Sweden seems like an unlikely candidate for a leader of innovation .Yet, for the past three years, it has consistently topped the European Commission's Regional Innovation Scoreboard, coming first in 2010 and 2012, and second in 2011.\nSweden's neighbors, including Denmark ?famous for such brands as Nokia and Lego, are also known for their innovative cultures.\n How have these Scandinavian countries managed to make these achievements?\n Pasi Sahlerrg, Director General of the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture's Centre for International Mobility, believes the education system is central to the success of Scandinavian countries.A key feature of tins system is that every child's education is personalized and teachers are highly trained.\n \"In Finland, 'School-readiness' means getting the school ready to meet the needs of its students, rather than getting the students ready for school,\" said Sahlerrg.\n Limited homework, no standardized tests and the absence of a national curriculum are intended to teach students how to manage themselves independently and to organize their time creatively -both vital for encouraging innovation.\n Of course, there are factors beyond the education system that also determine the rate of innovation.So how to imitate Scandinavia's success in innovation? Foster a well-educated generation, provide it with the necessary financial resources, establish a supportive policy environment for it to turn the innovative ideas it generates into success.", "problems": [{"question": "As a leading country in innovation, Sweden _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["was Number One in innovation over the past three years", "is well-known for its innovative cultures", "presents to the world such brands as Nokia and Lego", "had a very high GDP in 2011"]}, {"question": "According to Pasi Sahlerrg, Scandinavia's success in innovation lies in _", "answer": "B", "options": ["school-readiness", "the system of education", "teacher training", "personalized teaching"]}, {"question": "What is a feature of Scandinavia's education?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Loads of homework.", "Strict examinations.", "No national curriculum.", "Necessary financial resources."]}]} -{"article": "For my brother and I, mowing yards during the summer is a good way to earn pocket change. Dad was our salesman. He traded our service to neighbors at a low price they could not refuse. My brother and I got $10 per yard. However, I later found out our competitors were charging $ 20 or more for the same amount of work.\nOne afternoon we were cutting our neighbor's yard. When I was finishing up, I was tired and sweaty. I pictured the tall glass of icy drink I would have to cool down soon. I was just about to cut off the lawn mower when I saw Dad pointing to one piece. I thought about the poor change I was getting paid for cutting grass so high that it almost broke the mower. I ignored him and kept walking. Dad called me out, \"You missed a piece.\"\nI frowned , hoping he would let me slide and go home. He kept pointing. So angry, I went back to cut that piece of grass. I said to myself, \"That one piece isn't hurting anyone. Why won't he just let it go?\"\nBut when I became an adult, I understood his message: When you are running a business, the work you do says a great deal about you. If you want to be seen as a businessman with honesty, you must deliver a quality product. That single piece of grass meant the job was not done.\nOther neighbors took notice of the good work we did and we soon got more business. We started out with one client , but by the end of the summer we had five.\nThe lesson my dad taught me stayed with me: If you say you are going to perform a job at a certain time, keep your word. Give your customers the kind of service you would like to receive. It shows how sincere you are and how much pride you take in your work.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statement is true?", "answer": "C", "options": ["His father was not a good businessman.", "His father charged more for his service.", "His father's service was good but cheap.", "His neighbors thought their service was poor."]}, {"question": "When Dad asked the writer to go back, the writer felt _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["doubtful", "surprised", "terrified", "annoyed"]}, {"question": "The best title for the passage may be _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["The Memory of My Childhood", "The Lesson from My Dad", "The Yard of Our Neighbor", "The Grass Cutting days"]}]} -{"article": "Olav Brutolsen was the most terrible of all the Vikings . With just his bare hands he could defeat a bull in a matter of seconds . To make sure people knew just who he was , his helmet and cloak were decorated with his victory souvenirs . On his helmet were over a hundred horns , and on his cloak were a thousand precious stones ; one stone for each enemy he had defeated .\nIn his city everyone would make way for him as he went by , but one day a young man who was absent-mindedly reading as he walked , bumped into Olav . Olav was furious . He scolded the young man and challenged him to a fight to the death . The skinny young man had no choice ; all he could do was accept on one condition :\n\" I can't see very well , and i don't know you , so I'll need you keep your helmet and cloak on during the fight so i can make you out . \"\nOlav laughed a hearty laugh and accepted the young man's stupid condition , before launching himself at the youth . The boy was swift , and he only just managed to slip through Olav's hands . The same happened each time Olav attacked , and as the fight went on it became easier for the young man to evade the attacks . Although no one could believe how the boy did it , they all expected him to fall down dead as soon as Olav landed the first blow .\nBut that blow never came . Olav had been attacking for more than five minutes , and after ten minutes he fell to the ground , as if dead .\nMany onlookers thought the young man must be some kind of wizard , but the boy , who was a medical student by the name of Virtensen , had demonstrated to everyone how Olav's pride had been enough to make him fall under the weight of his helmet and cloak . When Olav came to , like a good warrior he accepted his defeat . From that day he got rid of the useless souvenirs on his helmet and cloak , and returned to simple clothing . Now wherever he walked he was just like anyone else . Everywhere , that is , except for when he walked on the battlefield , where he came to be recognized not for his many horns or his bejeweled cloak , but for his unparalleled force .", "problems": [{"question": "Olav put souvenirs on his helmets and cloaks in order to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["scare off all his opponents", "stick to his different dressing style", "demonstrate his great achievements", "show his unparalleled fighting skills"]}, {"question": "Why did the young man win the fight ?", "answer": "A", "options": ["He took advantage of Olav's pride .", "He was a stronger warrior than Olav .", "He used wizard magic against Olav in the fight .", "He was experienced in fighting men of bigger size ."]}, {"question": "What do we know about Olav ?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The young man took all of Olav's souvenirs .", "Olav fell to the ground out of embarrassment .", "No enemy can match Olav's strength in battles .", "People always got in Olav's way after the fight ."]}]} -{"article": "It goes without saying that human intelligence is very advanced as opposed to plants and other living creatures. People's capacity to fully understand, reason, organize, solve problems, display emotional intelligence, learn, communicate and think abstractly is outstanding. It is believed to be much more emphasized nowadays, when bright folks are normally one level higher than everyone else.\nNowadays many people are of the view that a high intelligence quotient (IQ) is an excellent assistance in pulling through life. Statistics reveal that whatever activity enabling the brain to function and operate, no matter whether in the form of difficulties or other obstacles that can be overcome by this specific body area, has a positive effect on it.\nSo every time you are making full use of your mind for right answers in a quick crossword or if you are answering difficult riddles, you might be, in fact, raising the probabilities of increasing your intelligence. You could play effective brain games like crosswords, chess, riddles, puzzles, Internet games, word games and other games. These are useful in raising your intelligence primarily because they let you think in a different way as you make an effort to uncover answers to certain problems. Aside from this, this form of brain training continually encourages the brain to function and widen its capacity to concentrate and learn.\nNeedless to say, you've to make sure that you make the most of these brain exercises by not cheating yourself. Lastly, if you progress to a much more complicated level, try your best to answer difficult problems with no hints or clues so that you are able to further force your brain to work on its own.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the author, many people increase their IQ in order to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["be one level higher than others", "deal with difficulties in life", "play games such as riddles", "enable the brain to function"]}, {"question": "According to the text, through continuous brain training, people can _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["learn a certain skill quickly", "become a confident person", "communicate with others well", "concentrate in their class"]}, {"question": "What does the author mainly advise in the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Making good use of brain exercises to increase your intelligence.", "Playing brain games to prevent brain disease.", "Solving difficult problems on your own.", "Getting rid of Internet games."]}]} -{"article": "Filmmakers Michele dive into an eerie world. The usually colorful corals are a ghostly white. Most of the fish, crabs, and other animals have disappeared. The reef is sick and dying.\nCoral reefs are often called \"the rainforests of the sea\" because of their abundance of life forms. A great diversity of animals finds food and shelter in every crack and crevice.\nToday's reefs are about 10,000 years old. Found in sunny, shallow water in warm seas all over the world, reefs are made up of the hard shells of millions of corals. As corals live and die, they create a giant, rocky honeycomb. Only a thin top layer is living coral.\nA reef grows only about as fast as your fingernails--three-quarters of an inch a year. But coral reefs are huge, and in time a healthy reef can be thousands of miles long.\nMillions of people around the world rely on reef fish and other animals for food. And reefs provide protection from storms at sea. Without thousands of miles of reefs surrounding coastal areas, many beaches and even whole islands could be destroyed by the pounding of powerful ocean waves.\n\"Let's say a grazing animal like the parrot fish is overfished,\" Michele explains. \"Without them, the kind of algae that the fish feed on could grow like weeds and take over the reef. The competition for space and sunlight could then starve the coral.\"\nNearly 27 percent of the world's coral reefs have been lost or damaged. But there is hope. Many reefs around the world--including the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the reefs off the Florida Keys in the United States--are now protected areas where scientists study how to keep reefs healthy. They determine how many and which kinds of fish can be taken for food without hurting the reef's delicate balance.\nThere is hope, too, that people will learn to be good partners to the reefs. \"We want our film to inspire people to help coral reefs,\" says Michele. \"For me, even though I may not go back to the South Pacific, just knowing the reefs are there and thriving brings a sense of contentment to my spirit.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What is the main purpose of the author in writing the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["To describe what coral reefs are.", "To tell people to protect coral reefs.", "To introduce a film to people.", "To ask people to visit coral reefs."]}, {"question": "From the passage we can infer that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["coral reefs grow very fast", "there are few huge coral reefs", "coral reefs appear mostly in deep water", "it takes a long time to make a coral reef"]}, {"question": "By mentioning the parrot fish, Michel wants to tell us _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["coral reefs need sunlight to survive", "the biggest enemies of reefs are weeds", "the parrot fish feed on a kind of algae", "it is easy to destroy coral reefs"]}, {"question": "What is the author's attitude towards the protection of reefs?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Optimistic", "Disappointed.", "Uncertain.", "Pessimistic ."]}]} -{"article": "An earthquake is one of the most common natural disasters. It may cause great damage. So it is wise to learn some simple safety tips to protect yourself or your family members.\n _ items, like those made of glass are easily broken and should usually be placed on a lower surface, near the ground instead of placing them on cupboards higher up. Never place them near your bed, sofas and other furniture where you would be sitting or lying down. When there is a strong movement, these pieces will fall on the floor directly and not on you.\nThere is a strong chance of short circuits and fire breakouts during an earthquake. Make sure you turn off electrical connections and gas immediately when an earthquake happens.\nDuring an earthquake, lie beneath an object that is not easily damaged. Do not go near objects that could directly fall on you. Never use the elevator to go down. Stay inside until the shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Research has shown that most injuries happen when people inside buildings try to go out. Use the staircases at all times.\nIf you are outdoors, do not take shelter under a tree, streetlights, electric poles or tall buildings. If you are driving, stop your car and stay in a safe place. Do not park your car under a tree or any tall object.\nIf trapped in debris , cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing. Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can find you. Use a whistle if one is available. Never shout for help. Shouting can cause you to breathe in dangerous amounts of dust. Do not light a match because you may burn yourself. Do not move about or kick up dust.", "problems": [{"question": "The purpose of the passage is to tell readers _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the damage caused by earthquakes", "the rescue work after earthquakes", "what to do about earthquakes", "how to prevent earthquakes"]}, {"question": "To reduce the injury from the earthquake, items made of glass should be put _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["on cupboards", "in the bedroom", "on a lower surface", "where children can't reach them"]}, {"question": "During the earthquake, people are advised to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["go out the building at once", "turn off electricity and gas immediately", "take shelter under a tree", "drive to a safe place quickly"]}, {"question": "What should people NOT do when they are trapped in debris?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Cover their mouth with a handkerchief.", "Tap on a pipe or wall for help.", "Use a whistle for help.", "Light a match for help."]}]} -{"article": "When a friend is sad about a tragedy ,it's hard to know how to comfort him/ her. But the worst thing you can do is say nothing. It could mean that you don't care. You don't have to say much.. A single supportive phrase doesn't require absolutely perfect words to break the ice. Here are some conversation starters when life difficult situations\n1. A friend loses his baby.\nDon't say: \"Don't worry. You're so young. You'll have another baby.\" Do say: \" I'm so sorry. I can't begin to imagine what you are going through, but if you want to talk about it, call me anytime.\"\n2. A guy deserts your friend.\nDon't say: \"I never liked that rat bastard anyway!\" ( If the couple winds up reconciling , you could end up losing your friend.) Do say: \"Breaking up is always hard to deal with, but I'm here for you, whatever you need.\"\n3. A friend has a death in the family.\nDon't say: \"It's God's will.\" or \"I know exactly how you feel.\" Do say: \"I'm sorry about your loss. What can I do to help?\"\n4. A friend loses a job suddenly.\nDon't say: \"Work is always boring. Those bosses didn't suit you!\" Do say: \"I'm sorry for that, but I know there's an even better job waiting for you there. Let's think about possibilities.\"\n5. Someone's pet dies.\nDon't say: \"Gee! It was only a cat!\" or \"My roommate doesn't like her dog and she is getting rid of her dog. Do you want it?\" Do say: \"I'm sorry, she was such a great cat. How long did you have it?\"", "problems": [{"question": "As a whole, what's the suitable way to comfort your friend troubled with a tragedy?", "answer": "A", "options": ["To show your sorrow and offer your help.", "To try to make the tragedy less serious.", "To tell your friend not to think about it any more.", "To do your best to make him/her cheerful again."]}, {"question": "Though your friend is deserted, you'd better not say dirty words about her/ his friend because _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["they might get along well again and you might be deserted", "your friend might not like you to say that against her / his friend", "it may be a sign that you don't care for your friend", "your friend might hate you in the future"]}, {"question": "Which of the following might be suitable words when your friend's dog dies?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Don't worry too much. I'll give you a good one.", "I'm sorry to hear that. It was such a good dog.", "I' m sorry you lost your dog. But it was at its ripe age.", "You must be sad about it. That's enough."]}]} -{"article": "Knowing about yourself means not only that you find out what you're good at and what you like, it also means discovering what you're not good at and what you don't like. Both help you to see your aim in life.\nAlthough most students would be unhappy if they found that they had failed a very difficult physics examination, they have in fact learned a lot about themselves. They know that they should not become engineers or physical scientists. So failing can help a student to live a much happier life if he or she draws something out of the failing. They may then decide on their aims and choose the kind of work they would be fit for and they would like to do.\nIt is impossible to decide whether or not you like something until you have tried it. If you decide that you would like to play the piano, you need to take more than one lesson before you can know whether you are really interested in it or you are able to do well. It is not enough to want to be\na great pianist. You also have to like the hard practice and long training before you become one. If you would enjoy being a great pianist but hate the work, forget it.\nIt's a good plan to try as many ideas as possible when you are still young. And then you will be able to find out what your true interests are.", "problems": [{"question": "If you say you really know yourself,_.", "answer": "D", "options": ["you know what you don't like", "you know what you are good at", "you have no interest in your work", "you've got the whole picture of yourself"]}, {"question": "Failing can turn into something good_.", "answer": "D", "options": ["if you have aim in life", "if your decision is right", "if you lead a happier life", "if you learn something from it"]}, {"question": "The writer suggests_.", "answer": "A", "options": ["failure is a better mirror", "success is more helpful", "pianists often don't like their job", "physics can help students live a better life"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Test ideas, compare and then decide.", "People always make decisions in a hurry.", "The more experiences, the better decision you will have.", "You have enough time before you come to a wise decision"]}]} -{"article": "Address: 7700 Bull Run Drive\nPhone: (703)352-5900\nE-mail: Bull _ run@nvrpa.org\nWebsite: www.atlantisbullrun.com\nAtlantis Waterpark is a great day of fun featuring pools, a giant dumping bucket, hair raising waterslides, great food, cool souvenirs and fun-filled activities for kids and adults of all ages! atlantis is open annually from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Our snack bar, Neptune Reef, features all the food, beverages and sweets you would hope to find.\nAddress: 34574 Smiths Ferry Road\nPhone: (757)516-8774\nE-mail: bearpathacres@aol.com\nWebsite: www.bearpathacres.com\nBear Path Acres Zoo is a non-profit exotic animal shelter. You get to meet the animals up close and personal. We take pride in working with each animal to make it a wonderful learning experience. We are conveniently located in Southampton County, just nine miles south of Franklin. Spend an hour or pack your lunch (you are in the country, no convenience store or fast food) and spend the day!\nAddress: 1410 Belvedere Drive\nPhone: (540)371-8494\nE-mail: info@BelvederePlantation.com\nWebsite: www.belvedereplantation.com\nBelvedere Plantation is a 645-acre heritage farm built in the 1760s on the historic Rappahannock River near Fredericksburg, Virginia. It is a working farm with grain crops such as corn, wheat and soybeans. Come for picnics and parties. Enjoy fall harvest time with pumpkin picking, bonfires, and even a cornfield maze. Group and Educational programs are available.\nAddress:2388 London Bridge Rd\nPhone:(757)427-9520\nE-mail: info@huntclubfarm.com\nWebsite: huntclubfarm.com\nCome out to Hunt Club's petting Farm for a day of family fun. Visit everyone's favorite place where you can spend all day feeding and petting our goats, sheep, chickens and more. Take the time to explore the farm, so you don't miss the pigs, rabbits, donkeys and cows. Our guests love to get to know the animals and we encourage it!", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following is TRUE about Bear Path Acres Zoo?", "answer": "C", "options": ["There are many native animals.", "Visitors can volunteer to help animals.", "Visitors should take their own lunch.", "It's located 9 miles north of Franklin."]}, {"question": "Where should you go if you want to feed animals?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Atlantis Waterpark.", "Bear Path Acres Zoo.", "Belvedere Plantation.", "Hunt Club's Petting Farm."]}, {"question": "In which part of the Internet can you find this ad?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Sports", "Travel.", "Health.", "Diet."]}]} -{"article": "Professional footballers have worryingly poor teeth that could be affecting their performance on the football ground, say dentists. Their study on players at eight clubs in England and Wales, in the British Journal o f Sports Medicine, showed nearly 4 out of 10 had cavities and that athletes often had worse teeth than the general population. Regularly taking sugary foods is one possible explanation.\nThe dentists, from the International Centre for Evidence-Based Oral Health at University College London, examined 187 players' sets of teeth. They found 53% had dental erosion , 45% were bothered by the state of their teeth and 7% said it affected their ability to train or play. Around 40% had cavities, compared with 30% of people of a similar age in the general population.\nProf Ian Needleman, one of the researchers, said: \"These are individuals who otherwise invest so much in themselves so it's a surprising finding.\n\"There are two main groups - some have a catastrophic effect, they have very serious disease that stops them in their tracks and they cannot play or train.\n\"There Il be others experiencing pain affecting sleep or sensitivity every time they take a drink. \"\nAt this level of athlete, even small differences can be quite telling.\nNutrition is one of the primary suspects with having too many sugary or acidic foods during training potentially accounting for cavities and erosion. A lot of air in the mouth during exercise can also dry it out so there is less protection.\nWhile these findings are worrying, clubs are attaching greater importance to dental health and educating their players. According to Stijin Vandenbroucke, head of medicine and sports science at West Ham United, oral health is an area where many athletes have greater problems than the general population and there are clear benefits of oral disease prevention for athletes and clubs.", "problems": [{"question": "What does the passage tell us about professional footballers teeth?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Nearly 4 out of 10 players in the UK suffer from toothaches.", "They have been invested a great deal by individual players.", "Many players' poor teeth bother their career and daily life.", "British footballers teeth are examined regularly."]}, {"question": "What mainly results in professional footballers' poor teeth?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Experiencing too much training.", "Eating food with too much sugar.", "Breathing in lots of air during exercise.", "Having little education of oral disease prevention."]}, {"question": "These findings are worrying clubs because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["footballers aren't willing to give up sugary or acidic food", "they've spent much on their players' oral disease prevention", "footballers have more serious tooth problems than the public", "players' oral disease may lead to bad performance in games"]}, {"question": "This passage is most probably taken from _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["a dentist's diary", "a sports newspaper", "a medicine magazine", "a science report"]}]} -{"article": "My husband had just bought a new washing machine for me. I decided to use it and I washed a lot of things.\n Everything worked well, but I found one of my husband's socks missing. I looked everywhere for it, but I couldn't find it anywhere.\n The next morning, I got ready for school as usual. When the bell rang, the students came in. I greeted them first and then told them what we were going to do that day. When I turned around to write on the blackboard, the class broke out a roar! They laughed and laughed. They laughed so much, in fact, that I was afraid the headmaster would be into seeing all this.\n I asked the class to stop, but the more I talked, the more they laughed. I decided to pay no attention to them and I continued to write on the blackboard. When I did this, they roared even more.\n Finally, the teacher who had the room next to mine came in to see what all the laughter was about. When he came in, he started laughing, too!\n \"Good heavens,\" I said. \"Will someone please tell me what is so funny?'\n \"Oh, God,\" said the teacher. \"You have a brown sock to the back of your skirt!\"\n So that's how I found my husband's missing sock.\n \"Oh, well,\" I said to the class. \"Let's just say you have had an unforgettable lesson on static electricity.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What happened when the writer turned around to write on the blackboard?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The class roared with anger.", "The class began to laugh loudly.", "Another teacher came in.", "There was a loud noise outside the room."]}, {"question": "Why couldn't she find one of her husband's socks?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because some students had hidden it.", "Because her husband had taken it away.", "Because she had left it in the classroom.", "Because she never expected that it would stick to her skirt."]}, {"question": "Why did the teacher from the next room laugh?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because the whole class laughed.", "Because he saw the writer fooled by the class.", "Because he saw some of the students making faces.", "Because he found a sock on the back of the writer's skirt."]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is WRONG?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The writer's husband had just bought a new washing machine.", "The writer found one of her husband's socks missing.", "The students told her about the laughing.", "She was afraid of being seen by the headmaster."]}]} -{"article": "It was an afternoon Truman would never forget.\nRayburn and his friend were talking in the office before Truman arrived. The telephone rang. It was a call from the White House asking whether Vice-President Truman had arrived yet. No, Rayburn replied. The caller asked to have him telephone the White House as soon as he arrived.\nTruman entered a minute later. He immediately called the White House. As he talked, his face became white. He put down the phone and raced out of the door to his car.\nTruman arrived at the White House within minutes. An assistant took him to the president's private living area. Eleanor Roosevelt, the president's wife, was waiting for him there. \"Harry,\" she said, \"the president is dead.\" Truman was shocked. He asked Mrs. Roosevelt if there was anything he could do to help her. But her reply made clear to him that his own life had suddenly changed. \"Is there anything we can do for you ?\" Mrs. Roosevelt asked the new president, \" _ .\"\nTruman had been a surprise choice for vice-president at the Democratic Party nominating convention in nineteen forty-four. Delegates considered several other candidates before they chose him as Roosevelt's running mate. That was at a time when presidential candidates did not make their own choices for vice-president.\nHarry Truman lacked the fame,the rich family and the strong speech-making skills of Franklin Roosevelt.He was a much simpler man.He grew up in the Midwestern state of Missouri.Truman only studied through high school but took some nighttime law school classes.He worked for many years as a farmer and a small businessman,but without much success.\nTruman had long been interested in politics.When he was almost forty,he finally won several low-level positions in his home state.By nineteen thirty-four,he was popular enough in Missouri to be nominated and elected to the United States Senate. And he won re-election six years later.\nMost Americans, however, knew little about Harry Truman when he became president.They knew he had close ties to the Democratic Party political machine in his home state.But they had also heard that he was a very honest man.They could see that Truman had strongly supported President Roosevelt's New Deal programs.But they could not be sure what kind of president Truman would become.\nAt the center of all the action was Harry Truman.It was not long before he showed Americans and the world that he had the ability to be a good president.He was honest,strong and willing to make decisions.", "problems": [{"question": "When Mrs. Roosevelt said\"You are the one in trouble now\",she really meant that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Truman's life had suddenly changed", "Truman was at the center of all the action", "Truman was a surprise choice for vice-president", "Truman had close ties to the Democratic Party"]}, {"question": "According to the passage,of Truman's day,the president's running mate was _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["decided by delegates", "recommended by presidential candidates", "chosen by the Democratic Party", "elected by vice-president"]}, {"question": "Truman served as the U.S.Senator _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["for ten years", "before he was forty", "before 1943", "for two terms"]}, {"question": "What's the best title of the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["An Unforgettable Afternoon", "Vital Telephone Call Makes a Difference", "Truman Makes His Decisions", "Roosevelt's Death Makes Truman President"]}]} -{"article": "From the very beginning of school we make books and reading a constant source of possible failure and public humiliation. When children are little we make them read aloud, before the teacher and other children, so that we can be sure they \"know\" all the words they are reading. This means that when they don't know a word, they are going to make a mistake, right in front of everyone. After having taught fifth-grade classes for four years, I decided to try at all costs to rid them of their fear and dislike of books, and to get them to read oftener and more adventurously.\nOne day soon after school had started, I said to them, \"Now I'm going to say something about reading that you have probably never heard a teacher say before. I would like you to read a lot of books this year, but I want you to read them only for pleasure. I am not going to ask you questions to find out whether you understand the books or not. If you understand enough of a book to enjoy it and want to go on reading it, that's enough for me. Also I'm not going to ask you what words mean. \"\nThe children sat stunned and silent. Was this a teacher talking? One girl, who had just come to us from a school where she had had a very hard time, looked at me steadily for a long time after I had finished. Then, still looking at me, she said slowly and seriously, Mr Holt, do you really mean that?\" I said just as seriously, \"I mean every word of it.\nDuring the spring she really astonished me. One day, she was reading at her desk, From a glimpse of the illustrations I thought I knew what the book was. I said to myself, \"It can't be,\" and went to take a closer look. Sure enough, she was reading Moby Dick , in edition with woodcuts. I said, \"Don't you find parts of it rather heavy going?\" She answered, Oh, sure, but I just skip over those parts and go on to the next good part. \"\nThis is exactly what reading should be and in school so seldom is, an exciting, joyous adventure. Find something, dive into it, take the good parts, skip the bad parts, get what you can out of it, go on to something else. How different is our mean-spirited, picky insistence that every child get every last little scrap of \"understanding\" that can be dug out of a book.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, children's fear and dislike of books may result from _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["reading little and thinking little", "reading often and adventurously", "being made to read too much", "being made to read aloud before others"]}, {"question": "The teacher told his students to read _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["for enjoyment", "for knowledge", "for a larger vocabulary", "for higher scores in exams"]}, {"question": "Upon hearing the teacher's talk, the children probably felt that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["it sounded stupid", "it was not surprising at all", "it sounded too good to be true", "it was no different from other teachers' talk"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements about the girl is TRUE according to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["She skipped over those easy parts while reading.", "She had a hard time finishing the required reading tasks.", "She learned to appreciate some parts of the difficult books.", "She turned out to be a top student after coming to this school."]}, {"question": "From the teacher's point of view, _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["children cannot tell good parts from bad parts while reading", "children should be left to decide what to read and how to read", "reading is never a pleasant and inspiring experience in school", "reading involves understanding every little piece of information"]}]} -{"article": "Ever driven into a traffic jam just after the guy on the radio said the road was all clear? Or prepared yourself for the crowdedness he warned about only to zip right through?\n A large number of private companies say they have the one thing that can ease such frustrations: better information.\n Now one of those companies, SpeedInfo Inc., has fixed 50 solar--powered, wireless radar sensors along main roads in theprefix = st1 /District of Columbiathat take readings of average traffic speeds twice a minute in both directions.\n The company says the sensors provide a far more accurate picture of road conditions than can be collected from helicopters or highway patrol alerts.\n In a business model that SpeedInfo hopes will develope around the country, the San Jose, California--based company is letting the city use the data for traffic planning free of charge, in exchange for access to the side of the road. Speedlnfo plans to sell the information to paying customers, including broadcasters and companies that provide information for in--car navigation equipment.\nThe problem with traditional traffic reports is that in most of the country, they rely on highway patrol accident reports that come 30 to 40 minutes late and a few helicopters that get into the sky during rush hour, SpeedInfo Chief Executive Doug Finlay said.\n \"Chopper Bill gets in the sky and says, 'Oh, I'm looking at the road and the cars are going slow, \"' Finlay said. \"Chopper Bill is the best data you got.\"\n Tim Lomax, a researcher at the Texas Transportation Institute, said a recent increase of high--tech traffic data systems is good for drivers.\n \"Even if it doesn't get rid of traffic crowdedness, they at least give people an idea of what sort of choices they're facing and more control over their destiny, which is part of the frustrating element of traffic crowdedness,\" Lomax said.", "problems": [{"question": "The author uses two questions at the beginning of the passage for the purpose of _", "answer": "D", "options": ["expecting the readers' reply", "gathering readers' information", "asking the readers' for help", "introducing the theme"]}, {"question": "SpeedIn{o Inc. has fixed radar sensors in Columbia _", "answer": "A", "options": ["to provide more accurate road conditions quickly", "to have a better idea of passers--byes privacy", "to protect the capital from being attacked", "to keep an eye on helicopters or highways"]}, {"question": "According to Tim Lomax, _", "answer": "C", "options": ["the high--tech traffic data systems is of little use for traffic jam", "the Solar--powered sensors can get rid of all traffic problems", "the system can cause drivers to be more aware of road conditions", "the facilities can change a person's fortune in the near future"]}, {"question": "All the following are true EXCEPT that _", "answer": "B", "options": ["the city ofWashingtonuses the data for traffic planning for free", "broadcasters and companies get the information without pay", "highway patrol accident reports often come 30 to 40 minutes late", "Finlay tries to persuade people to use their collected data"]}, {"question": "The passage is mainly concerned with _", "answer": "A", "options": ["solar--powered sensors that provide traffic data", "Speedlnfo Inc. that produces radar sensors", "a business model that will develope around U. S", "the problem that traditional traffic reports ever have"]}]} -{"article": "It is true that people with better education are usually able to get better paying jobs. In other words, they have more chances to choose a good job while people with little or no education don't. It seems that the purpose of education is to make people get jobs. But this isn't accepted by all people.\nSome people may think that a person should spend the best years of his life to get education only for a way of living. This was probably one of the earliest reasons of education. In fact, if education is just a way of making a living, people don't need to spend so much time in school. People can get education for a living in a short time. Subjects like history and geography need not be taught to everyone. Even language and mathematics need not be taught in detail , either. Here it is clear that education is much more than teaching a man to get a way of living.\nEducation is well-rounded and it is mainly for improving a man. It is not only to teach him to speak, read and write, but also to develop his creative thinking and other abilities. After that, it is to make him a wise man and thankfully enjoy the achievements of human. Education is to make a man lead a better life. Educated people are expected to be able to listen to good music, read good books, watch plays and most of them take an interest in the world.\nI would agree that making a good living is an important reason for education, but certainly not the most important or the main reason.", "problems": [{"question": "People with little education usually _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["spend a long time in school", "have a good chance to get a job", "spend the best years to choose jobs", "have fewer chances to get a good job"]}, {"question": "The earliest education was probably to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["make a man lead a better life", "teach a man to write and think", "make people get a way of living", "teach people to read good books"]}, {"question": "It is expected that educated people will be able to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["accept education as a way of living", "take an interest in the whole world", "develop their abilities to make plays", "learn subjects like language and math"]}]} -{"article": "If man's best friend is a dog, then who is a dog's best friend? That would be Rover, Glow, Ivan or Raina. They recently donated blood to other dogs. And they did it without having to travel far from home: they visited an animal bloodmobile.\nLike the Red Cross vehicles for humans, the University of Pennsylvania's traveling vet lab goes to where the donors are to make it easier to give. The bloodmobile makes weekly rounds through Philadelphia and New Jersey.\nLike humans, not every dog is qualified to donate blood. The dogs are examined for health first. Dogs must have the correct blood type, weigh at least 55 pounds and be under 8 year old. About 150 dogs take part in the program. Each donates three or four pints a year, which can help animals suffering from illness like cancer or an accident like being hit by a car.\nSandy Lucas brought her 7-year-old dog, Raina, to the bloodmobile last week. She said she wouldn't have taken the dog to Penn Vet's animal hospital in downtown Philadelphia, which is twice as far from her home. \"I was very, very excited that she had the right blood that was needed to help another dog out,\" said Lucas. \"We'll surely do it again.\"\nJust like people, the donors get a snack and a heart-shaped sticker immediately after giving. What's more, they receive dog food to take home.\nIf dogs are doing what they can to save other dogs, why can't we do it to save other people? Next time you hesitate over whether to donate blood or not, think of the dogs.", "problems": [{"question": "The writer mentions Rover, Glow, Ivan and Raina in Para. 1 mainly because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["they are man's best friends.", "they are common names for dogs.", "they get along well with other dogs.", "they have donated blood to other dogs."]}, {"question": "What do we know about the traveling vet lab?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It is a Red Cross vehicle.", "It collects dogs' blood for other dogs.", "It travels through Philadelphia every day.", "It was donated by the University of Pennsylvania."]}, {"question": "What can we learn from Para.4?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Sandy Lucas is unwilling to let her dog donate blood.", "The bloodmobile welcomes dogs from anywhere in the city.", "Penn Vet's animal hospital in downtown Philadelphia is popular.", "The animal bloodmobile has made it easier for dogs to donate blood."]}]} -{"article": "Accepting and understanding other cultures is something that everyone needs to learn. Think of the world as a giant pizza. Without all the different vegetables, cheeses and meats, all you get is a tasteless pizza crust . But when you put them all together, you get something very interesting, tasty, and good. So let's break down the walls between cultures.\nOne way to help break down the walls between us is to understand that many of our ancestors may come from the same place. Do you know what cultures you are from? Are you part Irish or mostly German? Did your grandparents or great-grandparents immigrate to your country? \nThere is really no way to be completely sure where your first ancestors came from, but some scientists think that all people came from Africa. So how did they get all over the world? Well, back then there was a land bridge connecting Asia and North America, so they walked to Asia, Europe, and the Americas! Over time, the land bridge split up, and there was no way for people like Columbus to know that the Americas existed. Isn't it cool thinking that maybe we're all from the same continent? Even though we all came from the same place, now there are differences in the way we look depending on where our recent ancestors came from and who our parents are. If you find out where your parents and grandparents came from, you just might discover that you are from the same culture that you might be trying to avoid!", "problems": [{"question": "The author tries to prove that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["we should respect people from other cultures", "all the continents were connected a long time ago", "Columbus found the new continent", "the land bridge did exist"]}, {"question": "The author takes a pizza for example in order to show that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["we need different materials to make a pizza", "the differences of cultures make our world beautiful", "people from different cultures all like eating pizza", "a pizza will be tasteless without vegetables"]}, {"question": "What does the text mainly talk about?", "answer": "C", "options": ["How to make a pizza.", "How to break down the walls between us.", "How to understand and accept other cultures.", "Where our ancestors came from."]}]} -{"article": "Next Thursday, November 27th(the fourth Thursday in November), Americans will gather with family and friends to share a big meal to celebrate Thanksgiving. They might play games, tell stories or watch football on television together.\nAngelo Rosa has more Thanksgiving memories than most people. From Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, the 100-year-old man lives in the same house where he celebrated a great number of Thanksgiving.\nBut he says it was different when he was a child. Mr. Rosa was just three when his family came to America. \"When we were small children, Thanksgiving was never a very big holiday because at the time we actually didn't pay too much attention to it.\" But, also, he says, his parents faced a language difficulty. \"They were from Italy and spoke very broken English, because they were the first generation that came over here.\"\nAnd the family had little money. There were six children. Mr. Rosa's father was a coal miner in Pennsylvania. The family was not able to have big, costly dinners, especially during the hard time of the 1930's. But Mr. Rosa says Thanksgiving dinners became a tradition in his own family after he married and had children.\nThis Thanksgiving, Angelo Rosa will go to the home of his daughter about twenty minutes away. He will celebrate the day with loved ones, including his great-grandchildren.\nOn the other side of the country, Cathie Dahlstrom is preparing dishes for a group of 35 to 40 people in Concord, California. We asked Ms Dahlstrom what she is thankful for this year; her first answer is \"The election.\" She said she is also deeply grateful for her very large family. Ms Dahlstrom has one daughter. She has five younger brothers and sisters. She also has eight stepbrothers and stepsisters. Many of them and their families will be at the Thanksgiving dinner.", "problems": [{"question": "At Mr. Rosa's childhood, Thanksgiving was not a big holiday for the following reasons EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the family couldn't afford expensive dinners", "the family couldn't communicate well with the local people", "the family didn't recognize it as an important holiday", "during the 1930's no one could afford expensive dinners"]}, {"question": "From Ms Dahlstrom's words, we can infer that _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["she is content with both her family, relatives and the society", "she is thankful for her effort in the election and her family", "she has always been celebrating Thanksgiving this way", "her daughter has a large family with stepbrothers and stepsisters"]}, {"question": "As a whole, Thanksgiving in America is _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["a happy gathering with family members, relatives and friends", "a grand family dinner party as well as a tourist holiday", "a great social gathering of entertainment and achievement", "a large gathering of people of different generations"]}, {"question": "Who probably wrote the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["A close friend of Mr. Rosa.", "A journalist for a radio or TV station.", "A university student who majors in history.", "An actress who wants to experience real life."]}]} -{"article": "Do you blank out, freeze up or feel so nervous in exams that you have trouble writing answers to questions that you knew just last night? If so, you likely have a case of test anxiety.\nBut, don't panic. By recognizing the problem, you are taking the first step towards overcoming it.\nBelieve it or not, a touch of nervousness can sharpen your mind, allowing you to perform more quickly. This is because under stress, the body releases the hormone adrenaline , which prepares it for something important that will happen. However, too much anxiety can result in sleeplessness, loss of appetite before tests, and poor performances. Some people might feel shaky, hot, or even sick.\nIf you worry a lot or are a perfectionist, you are more likely to have trouble with test anxiety. Those who have prepared poorly for a test or have had negative experiences taking tests may also experience test anxiety.\nWhen you feel a storm of anxiety coming on, stop what you are doing and make your mind a blank. If possible, actually tell yourself to \"STOP\". This will get your mind off the stress.\nThen think of being at a place of comfort and let your body relax. As you continue the test, find questions you know the answers to and answer them first. This will help restore your confidence.\nTalk to yourself using positive language. Make it a habit to replace each negative thought with a logical reason. For example:\" I've studied hard and I know the material, so I'm ready to do the best I can.\"\nAnother thing you can do is to learn to accept mistakes. In fact, they can be valuable learning opportunities.\nLast but not least, start test preparation early---three to five days ahead of the quiz or test. After all, good study habits and skills ---for example, time management and note-taking - will give you the feeling that your are in control.", "problems": [{"question": "_ are more likely to feel very nervous in tests.", "answer": "C", "options": ["People who feel a touch of nervousness in tests.", "People who haven't prepared very well.", "People who require that everything must be perfect.", "People who have recognized their problems."]}]} -{"article": "The first time my father and I ever went fishing became a family legend . We spent hours waiting for a bite. The sun was bursting with fire. We were hot, sticky, and mad that the fish refused to suck up our night crawlers .\nBeing only seven years old, I observed that perhaps the worms were the problem. Maybe the night crawlers only moved at night, and now they were just lying there motionless on the hook. Dad ignored my assessment of the situation.\nWe began to pack up to leave. As we headed back to our truck, we heard tires spinning in the distance. Getting into our truck was tough. Having sat in the boiling sun for six hours, the seats were blistering. Naturally, I was wearing shorts.\nI shifted from side to side in the seat so as not to cook my bottom. While driving out we saw a truck with a boat trailer and boat that was stuck in the mud. That explained the sound of spinning tires we'd heard.\nBeing a nice guy, my dad helped pull the man from the mud. In return, this fellow gave Dad some fish for being a Good Samaritan. As Dad climbed back into our truck with a brown bag full of fish, we waved goodbye to our newfound friend.\nOn the drive home, we agreed to take in the fish as if we had caught them. We were sure there was no way for Mom to know the difference. It was just a little white lie.\nWe arrived home hot, sweaty, and smelly, and went to clean up while Mom prepared the fish. We made a big deal out of the fact that we had already cleaned them and put them in the bag so as not to make a mess.\nAfter showering, Dad and I met in the hall and exchanged conspiratorial grins . Sitting down to freshly fried fish, we started eating happily and went on about how good something tasted that we had actually caught ourselves. Mother looked suitably impressed.\nAs we got up to do the dishes, Mom cleared her throat. \"I just have one question of you two great fishermen,\" she said. We looked at her expectantly, thinking we had another opportunity to delight her with our great fishing ability. With a tiny smile, Mom asked, \"How was it again that you two managed to not only clean your fish, but also freeze them before you got home.\"", "problems": [{"question": "Why didn't the fish eat our night crawlers?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The weather was too hot.", "The reason was not clear.", "The fish were not hungry.", "The fish only ate night crawlers alive."]}, {"question": "Dad was called a Good Samaritan for _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["taking in the fish", "helping a stranger", "showing great strength", "making friends with a stranger"]}, {"question": "Mom smiled at the end because she _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["was amused by the little white lie", "was satisfied with their fishing ability", "was impressed that the fish were clean and frozen", "was delighted that she did not need to deal with the mess"]}, {"question": "Why did the fishing become a family legend?", "answer": "D", "options": ["They caught a lot of fish.", "They cooperated well in telling the lie.", "They chose to benefit a stranger rather than themselves.", "They make themselves a fool in front of the mother since they lied."]}]} -{"article": "Researchers have developed new software using smart phones'GPS and imaging abilities that determine the exact location of distant objects as well as monitor the speed and direction of moving objects.The software could eventually allow smart phone-armed soldiers to target the location of their enemies.On the home front,the software could be used by everyone,including golfers judging distance to the green and biologists documenting the location of a rare animal without disturbing it.\n\"The great advantage of a Smartphone is that it provides so many tools in a single,readily available,relatively inexpensive package,\"said Qia Wang,a doctoral student who led the development of the software.\"For example,on the battlefield,a soldier needs a rangefinder,compass,GPS and other tools to get information before calling in an air strike.With our software,the soldier can have all those instruments in one device that can be purchased off the shelf.When that soldier returns from War,she can use the same Software to protect her family by clocking a speeder near her children's school and catching the criminal on video.\"\nWang and his colleagues developed their software to locate and track:\nTargets of known size--when the size of the target is known.a single image is enough to pinpoint the target's location.\nTargets of unknown size--If the exact size of a target is unknown,the software uses two images to triangulate the location of the target*\nMoving targets--By taking a short video of a moving target,the smartphone software can calculate how fast the target is moving and in what direction it is going.\n\"Currently,our software is limited by the physical abilities of smartphone hardware,but the devices are improving rapidly,\"Wang said.\"We expect that improvements in GPS accuracy,battery life and camera resolution will allow our software to make even more accurate observations.\"", "problems": [{"question": "The example given by Qia Wang is meant to .", "answer": "C", "options": ["make an advertisement", "describe the software briefly", "show the benefits of the software", "present the functions of smartphones"]}, {"question": "How does the software calculate the speed of a moving object?", "answer": "A", "options": ["By taking a short video.", "By locating its position.", "By taking a single image.", "By measuring real-life size."]}, {"question": "What's Qia Wang's attitude towards the future of the software?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Casual.", "Optimistic.", "Cautious.", "Flexible"]}, {"question": "What is the best title of the text?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Qia Wang,a Talented Doctoral Student", "Use Smartphones to Their Full Potential", "Targeting and Tracking With Smartphones", "Smartphone-armed Soldiers on the Battlefield"]}]} -{"article": "1. Penguins Mate for Life\nDuring the mid-2000s, films like \"Happy Feet\" made penguins all the rage, and young lovers went around spreading the facts like \"penguins mate for life.\" While the idea is sweet, it's not exactly true.\nPenguins usually stick with their partners through the mating season, but when it's time to mate again, they choose whomever is convenient, not necessarily their old flame.\n2. Vincent Van Gogh Cut Off His Entire Ear\nThis is not entirely true. It was not his entire ear - just the tip of the lobe - and some say he didn't even do it. Van Gogh lived with artist Paul Gauguin, who had quite a violent temper, and many believe Gauguin actually did the cutting.\nEither way, Van Gogh did reportedly send the tip to a prostitute.\n3. Napoleon Bonaparte was Short\nEveryone knows Napoleon Bonaparte was a tiny man - after all, his nickname was \"le Petit Corporal.\" His reputation for being short even inspired the phenomenon known as the \"Napoleon complex.\"\nIn reality, Napoleon stood around 5 feet and 7 inches tall, which was very average back in the day. Many believe his nickname was meant as a term of endearment, not a reference to his height.\n4. Ben Franklin Preferred a Turkey to a Bald Eagle\nThe bald eagle is certainly a well-known representation of America, but legend has it that if Ben Franklin had his way, a turkey would have been much better. In reality, Franklin wrote a letter to his daughter mocking the eagle symbol used in a seal by the Society of the Cincinnati, a private military group.\nHe said it looked like a turkey and may as well be one.\n5. You Have Five Senses\nIf you remember learning about the senses in elementary school, you know humans possess five: sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste. Most scientists agree, however, that you have more like 10-20 senses, including pain, hunger, thirst, temperature, and more.\n6. George Washington had Wooden Teeth\nGeorge Washington is known for three things: being the first president, chopping down a cherry tree, and having wooden teeth. At least one of these is certainly not true. While Washington did have bad teeth, his dentures were not wooden.\n7. Einstein was a Bad Student\nIf you ever made bad grades and pulled the old \"Albert Einstein used to make bad grades\" card with your parents or teachers, you are lucky you got away with it. In reality, Einstein was at the top of his class and mastered calculus when he was barely a teenager.\nThe reputation he developed for being a bad student had more to do with his behavior. He liked to talk back to his teachers.", "problems": [{"question": "Which is the true fact according to the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Penguins usually stick with their partners through their whole lives.", "Franklin laughed at the eagle symbol used in a seal and said it looked like a turkey.", "Napoleon was much shorter than average.", "George Washington's false teeth were made of wooden."]}, {"question": "Why do most people hold the idea that Albert Einstein used to make bad grades?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because he used to like to talk with his teachers.", "Because he used to be criticized by his parents.", "Because he used to be different from other students.", "Because he used to behave badly and usually didn't respect his teachers."]}]} -{"article": "Most musicians agree that the best violins were made in Cremona, Italy, about 200 years ago. They even sound better than violins made today. Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments like the old Italian violins. But they aren't the same. Why are these old Italian violins so special? Many people think they have an answer.\nSome people think it is the age of the violins. But there is a problem here. Not all old violins sound wonderful. Only those from Cremona are special. So age cannot be the answer.\nOther people think the secret to those violins is the wood. The wood of the violin is very important. It must be from certain kinds of trees. It must not be too young or too old. Perhaps the violin makers of Cremona knew something special about wood for violins.\nBut the kind of wood may not be so important. It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way. Wood for a violin must be cut very carefully. It has to be the right size and shape. The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin. Musicians sometimes think that this is the secret of the Italians.\nSize and shape may not be the answer either. Scientists make new violins that are exactly the same size and shape. But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old one. Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish , which covers the wood of the violin and makes it look shiny. It also helps the sound of the instrument. Since no one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish, no one can make the same varnish today.\nThere may never be other violins like the violins of Cremona. And there are not many of the old violins left. So these old violins are becoming more and more precious.", "problems": [{"question": "What would be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The Secrets of Cremona Violins", "The History of Italian Violins", "Special Musical Instruments", "How to Make the Best Violins"]}, {"question": "What is still unclear about Cremona violins according to the writer?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The shape.", "The size.", "The wood.", "The varnish."]}, {"question": "Which of the following words can best describe Cremona violins?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Light.", "Shining.", "Valuable.", "Modern"]}, {"question": "What can we learn from this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Modem things are always better than ancient ones", "Ancient things are always better than modem ones", "Once a cultural relic is lost.it Can never be recovered", "Varnish for violins will become more and more precious"]}]} -{"article": "Disappointed with delays in Sacramento (the capital of California), Bay Area officials said Thursday they planned to take matters into their own hands to regulate the region's growing piles of electronic waste.\nA San Jose council woman and a San Francisco supervisor said they would propose new local plans aimed at controlling electronic waste if the California law-making body fails to act on two bills delayed in the Assembly. They are among a growing number of California cities and countries that have expressed the same intention\nEnvironmentalists and local governments are increasingly concerned about the danger caused by old electronic devices and the cost of safely recycling those products. An estimated 6 million televisions and computers are stocked in California homes, and an additional 6,000 to 7,000 computers become outdated every day. The machines contain high levels of lead and other dangerous substances, and are already banned from California landfills.\nA bill by Senator Byron Sher would require consumers to pay a recycling fee of up to $30 on every new machine containing a cathode ray tube. Used in almost all video monitors and televisions, those devices contain four to eight pounds of lead each. The fees would go toward setting up recycling programs, providing grants to non-profit agencies that reuse the tubes and rewarding manufacturers that encourage recycling.\nA separate bill by Los Angeles-area Senator Gloria Romero would require high-tech manufacturers to develop programs to recycle so-called e-waste. If passed, the measures would put California at the forefront of national efforts to manage the refuse of the electronic age.\nBut high-tech groups, including the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group and the American Electronics Association, oppose the measures, arguing that fees of up to $30 will drive consumers to online, out-of-state shops.\n\"What really needs to occur is consumer education. Most consumers are unaware they're not supposed to throw computers in the dust bin,\" said Roxanne Gould, vice president of government relations for the electronics association.\nComputer recycling should be a local effort and part of residential waste collection programs, she added. Recycling electronic waste is a dangerous and specialized matter, and environmentalists maintain the state must support recycling efforts and ensure that the job isn't contracted to junk dealers who send the poisonous parts overseas.\n\"The graveyard of the high-tech revolution is ending up in rural China,\" said Ted Smith, director of the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition. His group is pushing for some refinement to Sher's bill that would prevent the export of e-waste.", "problems": [{"question": "How would Bay Area officials deal with the problem of e-waste? _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["To get enough support to pass the delayed bills.", "To persuade the lawmakers of the California Assembly.", "To make relevant local regulations by themselves.", "To put pressure on manufacturers of electronic devices."]}, {"question": "What do the two bills delayed in the California Assembly both concern? _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["The reprocessing of the huge amounts of electronic waste in the state.", "The regulations on dumping dangerous substances into landfills.", "The funding of local initiatives to reuse waste electronic devices.", "The sales of the second-hand electronic devices to foreign countries."]}, {"question": "High-tech groups believe that if an extra fee is charged on every TV or computer purchased in California, consumers will _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["hesitate to upgrade their computers", "abandon online shopping", "strongly protest against such a charge", "buy them from other states"]}, {"question": "We learn from the passage that much of California's electronic waste has been _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["dumped into local landfills", "exported to foreign countries", "collected by non-profit agencies", "recycled by computer manufacturers"]}]} -{"article": "The Flamingo Las Vegas is one of the oldest Las Vegas hotels. There are lots of wonderful Las Vegas shows that will leave a good impression on you. Here are the Las Vegas shows being performed at the hotel.\nDonny and Marie\nDonny and Marie is a family-friendly variety show. It is performed by well-known Donny and Marie Osmond on all weekdays except on Sundays and Mondays. The show follows the winning formula of their 1970s TV program, incorporating dancing, humor and all of their hit songs. It starts at 7:30 pm and each ticket costs at least $91.25.\nOlivia Newton-John\nGrammy award-winning singer Olivia Newton-John is \"hopelessly devoted\" to perform many of her fans, opening \"Summer Nights\" to perform many of her best-loved songs during her four decades long career. Alongside an eight-piece band, Newton-John will share stories about her career and sing many songs. Concert-goers can buy meet and greet tickets at $249. Regular price tickets start from $78.5. The show starts at 7:30 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.\nVinnie Favorito\nVinnie Favorito is a famous actor who is known to make people laugh. His jokes are very popular. Unlike other comedians who use pre-developed material, Vinnie Farorito gets his comedy from his interaction with people in the audience. The tickets start from $68.95. Performance days are six days per week except Sundays. Show time is 8 pm..\nX Burlesque\nX Burlesque is a wonderful show performed by six dancing ladies. The show is filled with popular music that suits everyone's taste from rock to country and a variety of dancing styles that allow each dancer to showcase her unique talents. The tickets start from $50.26. It is a daily show at 10:00 pm.", "problems": [{"question": "What do these shows have in common?", "answer": "D", "options": ["They are free to children.", "They are hosted by a woman.", "They are performed every day.", "They are performed in the Flamingo Las Vegas."]}, {"question": "If a young couple wants to see Olivia Newton-John in the flesh, they have to pay _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["78.5 dollars", "157 dollars", "249 dollars", "498 dollars"]}, {"question": "From the passage we can learn that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["Vinnie Favorito comes to perform every day.", "Olivia Newton-John often holds concerts in summer.", "Children are not allowed to see Donny and Marie show.", "Vinnie Favorito's jokes come from communicating with the audience."]}]} -{"article": "As I was reading a recent story in Slate on 20-somethings complaining about how the economy was ruining their life plans, I couldn't help but think the 20-somethings sounded like a bunch of spoiled children who grew up expecting everything to be easy for them. As a 20-something myself, I certainly share their disappointment: my husband and I probably won't be able to buy a house until we're in our 40s, and we too are burdened by student loans . But why should it be any different? Being young persons in America, shouldn't they take up all of the challenges and opportunities that this country offers?\nConsider some of these views shared in the Slate story: Jennifer, 29, owner of a two-bedroom apartment with her husband, worries that she won't be able to have children for at least a decade because they can't afford to buy a house yet.\nI read that, and I thought, what planet is she living on where you need to own a house in order to have kids? Has she ever visited a developing country, or even downtown areas in this one? Home ownership is a luxury , not a fertility requirement.\nA 26-year-old in the story despairs that he can't afford to get a Ph.D. in literature. Well, that sounds a bit like expressing disappointment that no one will pay you to write poetry on the beach in Thailand for five years.\nYes, it's sad that these young people feel so lost. But I think the problem is their extremely high expectations, not economic reality. Beth Kobliner, author of Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties, says that she thinks people's expectations are slowly adjusting, but today's 20-somethings grew up at a time when everyone's wealth appeared to be expanding. Their parents probably saw their home values rise along with their investments. \"So you have people who have grown up in an environment where people had great expectations of what living well means,\" says Kobliner.\nThis recession will certainly play a role in forcing those expectations into more realistic group. In the meantime, it seems a lot better for our mental health to focus on being grateful-for our one-bedroom apartments, for living in modern cities, or perhaps just for being able to eat three meals a day-than on longing for some kind of luxury life.", "problems": [{"question": "What makes the author think the 20-somethings sound like a bunch of spoiled children?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They expect everything to be easy for them.", "They complain that the economy is spoiling their life plans.", "They are reluctant to face all of the challenges.", "They are burdened by student loans."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is not one of the complaints of the 20-somethings?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They can't have children for at least a decade to buy a house.", "They have only one-bedroom apartment to live in.", "They can't buy a house until 40 because of student loans.", "in literature."]}, {"question": "What is the best title for this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["How Young People Afford to Continue Their Study", "Why Young People Can't Afford to Buy a House", "When Young People's High Hopes Create Despair", "What the 20-somethings' High Expectations Are"]}]} -{"article": "Kevin DuBmw,the lead singer of the popular 1980s US heavy metal band Quiet Riot,has been found dead from unknown causes at his home in Los Vegas.\nThe body of DuBrow was discovered on Sunday afternoon,a spokeswoman for the Clark County Coroner's Office said.An examination of his body conducted on Monday didn't lead to a result and more related tests were scheduled to establish a cause of his death.Police proved that DuBrow'S body was found at his home after they were called together by friends and neighbors who could not find the rocker.\nA Las Vegas police spokeswoman refused to say whether there were signs of violence. \"I can't even find the words to say,\"Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali said on his Web site. \"Please respect my privacy as I mourn the passing and honor the memory of my dearest friend,Kevin DuBrow.\"\nFounded in Los Angeles in the mid-1970s,Quiet Riot shot to the top of the Billboard charts with their 1983 album \"Metal Health\".It sold more than 6 million copies and is considered by many to be the first heavy metal record to top the pop charts.The album's sales were improved by the quartet's monster hit \"Cum Oil Feel the Noize,\" featuring DuBrow's powerhouse vocals , and the song's video.which was played in heavy rotation on MTV.\nQuiet Riot's following albums did not sell nearly as well and DuBrow was fired from the band among the following feeling of hatred.DuBrow regrouped Quiet Riot in the 1990s and the band has played occasionally,last releasing an album in October 2006.", "problems": [{"question": "DuBrow's body was found _", "answer": "D", "options": ["on the date of his death", "on Sunday morning", "by his relatives", "at his home"]}, {"question": "Frankie Banali's words suggest _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["he Was amazed at DuBrow's death", "he wasn't good at expressing himself", "he felt very sad at the moment", "he was recalling what had happened"]}, {"question": "What's the best title for the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Quiet Riot's Lead Singer Was Found Dead in Las Vegas.", "DuBrow's Death Shocked the Public.", "Quiet Riot--a Famous Band.", "Police Looked for DuBrow's Death."]}]} -{"article": "A few years ago, I took a sightseeing trip to Washington D.C. I saw many of our nation's treasures, and I also saw a lot of unfortunate people like beggars and homeless folks in the streets.\nStanding outside the Ronald Reagan Center, I heard a voice say, \"Can you help me?\" When I turned around, I saw an elderly blind woman with her hand extended . In a natural reaction, I reached into my pocket, pulled out all of my loose change and placed it in her hand. I didn't even look at her. I was annoyed at being bothered by a beggar.\nBut the blind woman smiled and said, \"I don't want your money. I just need help finding the post office.\"\nImmediately, I realized what I had done. I acted with prejudice --I judged another person simply for what I thought she was.\nThe thing I had forgotten about myself is that I am an immigrant. I left Honduras and arrived in America at the age of 15. Through the years, I have been a dishwasher, cashier, mechanic and pizza delivery driver among many other jobs, and finally I became a network engineer.\nIn my own life, I have experienced many open acts of prejudice. I remember a time, at age 17-- I was a busboy, and I heard a father tell his little boy that if he did not do well at school, he would end up like me.\nBut now, living in my American middle-class lifestyle, it is too easy to forget my past, to forget who I am and where I have been, and to lose sight of where I want to be going. That blind woman on the street of Washington D.C. cured me of my blindness. She reminded me to always keep my eyes and heart open.", "problems": [{"question": "When the author came to America at first _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["he usually did some work with a little payment.", "he used to beg for some money on the street.", "he lived a comfortable life as a network engineer.", "he was respected by others all the time."]}, {"question": "The father mentioned in the passage wanted _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["to encourage his son to make a living by himself", "his son to become a busboy in the future", "his son to work harder at school", "to remind his son to depend on himself at school"]}, {"question": "We can infer all of the following statements from the passage EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["He disliked being bothered by beggars.", "He was delighted to give away his money to beggars.", "He once suffered a lot.", "The blind woman didn't beg for money at that time."]}, {"question": "What does the author want to tell us through this story?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Don't dream up ways to get what you want.", "Money is the root of all evils.", "An easy life makes a person forgetful.", "Be good to others all the time."]}]} -{"article": "If you get a cellphone call, your sleeve will soon be able to answer it. If you want to know how far you've run, your trousers will be able to tell you. Can't decide what to wear? Wish your clothes were smart enough to decide for you? A new computer science technology may be able to help your clothing to do just that.\nMark Jones, a computer scientist, says, \"We view electronic textiles as, sort of, where computing meets the fabric .\"\nThis high-tech _ is bringing up the wearable computers, like trousers that can interpret movement and let a computer know your every move.\nA loom helps make the wires and fabric together. Then special equipment in the fabric can measure the speed. Signals are then sent from the trousers to a computer to show the process.\nTom Martin also says, \"E-textiles are a way for us to build wearable computers that look like normal clothing and can fit in fully with the environment.\"\nResearchers also hope wearable computers will help save lives. \"We will be able to tell what activity a person is doing. That sort of information is highly valuable when we're trying to monitor someone with a long-term illness such as heart disease,\" Jones says. Monitoring your every step is something that clever clothing can do a little easier. Researchers plan on developing more smart clothes to integrate computers into shirts, hats and gloves.", "problems": [{"question": "How will smart clothes be able to know the wearer's every movement?", "answer": "D", "options": ["There are the wires and fabric together.", "There are signals in the smart clothes.", "The computer built into them will control their every movement.", "The clothing will have special equipment fixed into the fabric."]}, {"question": "The reason that people need smart clothes is that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["people are too lazy to decide what to wear", "scientists want to prove their intelligence", "smart clothes can provide information about the wearer's health", "smart clothes are as cheap as normal clothes"]}, {"question": "What is the best title for the passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Connecting Clothes with High Technology", "New Ways to Discover Illnesses Early", "How to Use a Computer", "Smart Clothes and Exercise"]}]} -{"article": "Articles in magazines and newspapers and special reports on radio and television reflect the concern of many Americans about the increasing dropout rate in our junior and senior high schools.Coupled with this fact is the warning that soon we will no longer have workforce to fill the many jobs that require properly-educated personnel.\nThe highest student dropout rate is not a recent development.Ten years ago, many urban schools were reporting dropout rates between 35 and 50 percent.Some administrators believe that dropout remains the single greatest problem in their schools.\nConsequently, much effort has been spent on identifying students with problems in order to give them more attention before they become failures.Since the dropout problem doesn't only start in senior high school, special programs in junior high school focus on students who show promise but have a record of truancy, that is, staying away from school without permission.Under the guidance of counselors , these students are placed in classes with teachers who have had success in working with similar young people.Ways to motivate students in high school include rewarding academic excellence by electing scholars of the month, or by giving out clothing, such as school letter jackets formally given only to athletes.No one working with these students claims to know how to keep all students in school.Counselors, teachers, and administrators are in the frontlines of what seems at times to be a losing battle.Actually, this problem should be everyone's concern, since uneducated, unemployed citizens affect us all.", "problems": [{"question": "In junior high schools, much attention is paid to students who .", "answer": "D", "options": ["do not show any interest in study", "always behave badly during school time", "seem not to be hardworking in study", "are absent from school although promising"]}, {"question": "Which of the following can NOT help solve the dropout problem in schools?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Guidance of counselors.", "Keeping them in school all day.", "Rewarding academic excellence.", "Experienced teachers in dealing with such students."]}, {"question": "What can we infer from the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Dropout problems only exist in senior high schools in America.", "Despite the high dropout rates, America will not lack educated personnel.", "Educators are not confident in keeping students from dropping out.", "Dropout rates in many urban schools reached 35 to 50 percent ten years ago."]}, {"question": "What is the passage mainly about?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Dropout problem in America.", "National concern over high schools.", "Workforce shortage in America.", "High school dropout problem."]}]} -{"article": "Want to be perfect at a holiday dinner party? Follow these tips on good manners, and your dinner companions are sure to be thankful.\n*Arrive no earlier than the time the host has announced and no later than half an hour after the time.\n*Plan to stay about an hour after dinner unless travel plans or sleepy children which make you leave a bit earlier.\n*Bring a gift and write a note of thanks afterwards.\n*Offer to help set up for dinner and to clean afterwards.\n*Tell the host of any special dietary needs---if you are a vegetarian, diabetic or allergic to common foods. You can tell the host how to prepare a dish you can eat, or even better, offer to bring that dish yourself.\n*If you're going to a potluck dinner, bring a serving dish with you as an offer. Remember, the best potluck dishes are those that need little preparation in the host's kitchen, can be served at room temperature and need only a fork to eat.", "problems": [{"question": "To be a perfect guest, you should _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["never be late for a holiday dinner party", "leave right away after meal if necessary", "bring a gift with some words of thanks on", "help to make table and clean afterwards"]}, {"question": "\"Diabetic or allergic\" here refers to people who _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["have some special needs for certain foods", "are more important than other dinner companions", "never try some common foods served at dinner", "always bring dishes to dinner themselves"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, potluck dinner dishes are those _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["usually given by the guests", "carefully prepared in the kitchen", "served only at room temperature", "eaten only with a fork and knife"]}, {"question": "The passage is mainly written for _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["holiday makers", "companions", "dinner hosts", "dinner guests"]}]} -{"article": "Why do people travel? Well, many people travel because they want to see other countries and visit places that are famous, interesting or beautiful. People also travel to meet new friends, to try new kind of food, to experience life in other parts of the world or simply to get away from cold weather. Yet there are other reasons why people travel. Many of today's travelers are looking for an unusual experience and adventure travel is becoming more and more popular. Here is a quick look at two popular activities: hiking and rafting.\nHIKING\nHiking is a great way to travel. You will get close to nature and take exercise at the same time. Hiking is easy to do and doesn't have to be very expensive. You can hike close to home or travel to other places. The basic equipment you need for hiking is simple: good shoes, clothes and a backpack. You can hike in the mountains, in a forest or along a river. You can also go for a hike in the city.\nHiking is fun and exciting, but you shouldn't forget safety. Here are some basic tips for successful hiking: 1. Don't hike alone. 2. Tell someone where you are going; 3. Bring water and a good map; 4. Watch out for dangers, such as spiders, snakes, or poisonous plants; 5. Wear a hat to protect yourself from the sun; 6.Bring a mobile phone if you have one.\nRAFTING\nAnother exciting adventure is rafting. A raft is a small boat that you can use to paddle down rivers and streams. Rafting is a good way to experience nature. If you want a normal rafting trip, choose a quiet stream or river that is wide and has few trees and other dangers. The name \"whitewater\" comes from the fact that the water in these streams and rivers looks white when it moves quickly.\nAs with hiking, you should always think about your safety and wear good clothes. You also need to learn the basic skills of rafting, such as how to handle the raft, how to paddle and how to get in and out of the raft. You should not go rafting unless you know how to swim, and you should always wear a life jacket.", "problems": [{"question": "Adventure travelers want to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["experience fun and excitement", "meet new friends.", "try new kinds of food", "visit famous sites or beautiful places"]}, {"question": "Hiking is a kind of adventure travel because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["it is not expensive", "you will often put yourself in danger.", "you need a lot of equipment for it", "it is not only exciting but inexpensive"]}, {"question": "While hiking or rafting, it is important to think about _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["cost", "excitement", "safety", "fun"]}, {"question": "While you go rafting, you have to _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["have rafting skills", "know how to swim", "wear leather shoes", "put on a life jacket."]}]} -{"article": "Inventors are always looking for ways to make our lives easier, greener and a whole lot more fun. Take a look at the following breakthroughs in science and technology. What in the world will inventors dream up next?\nSuperhero Suit\nHave you ever dreamed of becoming a superhero? Dream no more. There's a real Iron Man suit, XOS 2, which instantly transforms the person wearing it. The suit provides the power to lift 200 pounds with ease and break slabs of wood with a single karate chop. It was designed to help the military with heavy lifting. One person in the suit could do the work of three soldiers.\nUp, Up and Away!\nIt took him 30 years to develop it, and now Glen Martin's invention is ready to take off. The Martin Jetpack allows its operator to fly 8,000 feet into the air. Unfortunately, you can't soar through the skies too long. The jetpack holds only 30 minutes' worth of fuel. The aircraft will sell for $100,000.\nHardworking Robot\nThe EMIEW2 robot is the perfect office helper. Need a document delivered? No problem! It can also guide visitors to their destinations. The three-foot-tall robot can identify different human voices and respond to commands. One day, it may serve as a receptionist or a security guard.\nGreen Machine\nSay goodbye to gasoline! The AirPod car runs on air power. That means this car won't pollute the environment. A high-pressure air tank can fill the car in minutes. The three-wheeler can travel about 130 miles between fill-ups.\nBeef Power\nAll aboard the beef train! Amtrak's Heartland Flyer runs partly on fuel that is made from cow fat. The goal is to reduce carbon emissions by 10%. The train travels between Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Fort Worth, Texas.\nRobo-Guard\nEMILY is a robotic, four-foot-long buoy . She can swim through riptides at up to 24 miles per hour. Her inventor, Tony Mulligan, says that's 15 times as fast as human lifeguards! EMILY is powered by a tiny electric pump and operated by remote control.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the disadvantage of Glen Martin's invention?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It uses large amounts of fuel.", "It only flies at low altitudes.", "It needs a big landing field.", "It has a small gas tank."]}, {"question": "Which of the following inventions may be popular with modern companies?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The EMIEW2 robot.", "EMILY.", "XOS 2.", "The Martin Jetpack."]}, {"question": "How many environment-friendly inventions are mentioned in the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["One.", "Two.", "Three.", "Four."]}, {"question": "From the passage we learn that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the Superhero Suit is designed for fun", "the EMIEW2 robot can tell different human voices", "Robo-Guard may serve as a security guard", "the AirPod car travels far with a little gas"]}]} -{"article": "Singapore was just a sleepy city in Southeast Asia more than 50 years ago. But the small dot on the world map has since developed into one of the richest nations thanks to its founder and first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, the father of the state, who passed away on March 23, 2015 at the age of 91.\nLee grew up in a Singapore that was part of the British Empire. As a law major who graduated from Cambridge University and the founder of the People's Action Party, he became Singapore's first prime minister in 1959 when British agreed to the island's self-rule.\nLee was a leader with vision . He knew that without agriculture and natural resources, Singapore could only find a way out by developing itself into a place perfect for business. So he began with a few simple ideas: Singapore needed respect for elders and the law, hard work, and the idea that the needs of society are greater than the individual's. He united Chinese, Indians and Malays, making English a common language. He fought corruption and even banned chewing gum. That helped change Singapore from a poor city in the 1950s to a world business center with a GDP per-capita of $ 55,000, reported the Financial Times.\nLee left the office of prime minister in 1990 but remained a member of parliament. He resigned as \"Minister Mentor\" in 2011. He was happy with his work: \"I have no regrets. I have spent my life, so much of it, building up this country. There's nothing more that I need to do.\"\nTo the world, Lee was one of Asia's most popular politicians. He was one of the first to spot the potential of China under a former leader Deng Xiaoping and contributed to China's reform and opening up. \"No small number of this and past generations of world leaders have asked for his advice on governances and development,\" said US President Obama. \"Lee is a visionary and a true giant of history.\"", "problems": [{"question": "How long did Lee Kuan Yew serve as Singapore's prime minister?", "answer": "B", "options": ["52 years", "31 years", "56 years", "50 years"]}, {"question": "According to the passage, which of the following statements is Not true?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Singapore is abundant in oil and natural gas.", "Chewing gum is forbidden in Singapore.", "Many world leaders consulted Lee about development.", "In history, Singapore was once ruled by the British Empire ."]}, {"question": "From the passage, we can see Lee Kuan Yew was a _ person.", "answer": "C", "options": ["confident and hard-working", "honest and determined", "wise and devoted", "modest and optimistic"]}, {"question": "We can draw a conclusion from the passage that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["Under British rule, Singapore developed very fast.", "Lee made no difference to China's development.", "Lee foresaw that China would rise and become powerful.", "Lee wasn't very content with his efforts and achievements."]}]} -{"article": "Before a new type airplane goes service, every part of it is tested again and again. But there are two tests that are more of into important than the others.\nThe first is called the \"tank test\". A modern airplane must fly very high in the sky. Air must be pumped into the plane so that the passengers can breathe. The metal structure of the plane has to be very strong for this reason. When the plane is filled with air, the air presses against the skin of the plane inside. The pressure on a small window is like a huge foot that is trying to get out. If a small part of the plane were to fail, the plane would explode in the sky. To test the structure of the plane, the plane is lowered into a huge tank or container of water. Then it is filled with air. The pressure inside the plane is greater than it ever will be when it is high up in the air. Finally, there is an explosion. This does not cause so much damage inside the water tank as it would anywhere else. Engineers can discover which part of the plane has broken. Then that part is made stronger.\nThe most dangerous test happens when the new plane is going through test flights in the air. The test must find out exactly what happens when the engines are all shut off at once. The plane begins to fall like a stone. It is the pilot's job to find out how he can get control of the plane again. These two tests are examples of how planes are made safe before they ever carry passengers.", "problems": [{"question": "By doing the \"tank test\", the engineers can find out _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the amount of air in the plane", "the strength of the plane structure", "the pressure inside and outside the plane", "the power of the airplane engines"]}, {"question": "What will happen to the plane under the \"tank test\"?", "answer": "A", "options": ["It will be broken", "It will be made stronger.", "It will be filled with water.", "It will be tested by pilots."]}, {"question": "According to the text, why are test flights most dangerous?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The plane may explode in the air", "The pilot may lose control of the plane.", "The engines may be damaged.", "Too much air may get into the plane."]}, {"question": "What might be the most suitable title for the text?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Two Important Tests on Airplane", "The Importance of Flying Safety", "The Danger of Testing Airplanes", "How Airplanes Are made and Tested"]}]} -{"article": "I will be the first to say that I am not materialistic. My friends regard me as a goody-goody; my parents say I am conservative and modest when it comes to clothes. None of my skirts or shorts end above my knees.\nSo why, why did I feel so invited? My family and I were in Target, and there it was, waiting. A skirt, specifically designed not to cover anything. It looked like something that one of those modern schoolgirls would wear.\nI checked my purse. The skirt cost $10. I had the money. I could buy it. I imagined walking into school and my friends' jaws dropping. Guys would ask me out, and I would be happy. _ .\nI showed my mother. She was surprised but said it was my decision. My sister looked on enviously.\nI went into the dressing room to try it on. So sure was I that this skirt would change me, somehow make me not what I am but what I wished to be. I slid my jeans off and put it on. I looked in the mirror. There I was -- a terrible girl in a Superman T-shirt and sneakers. My glasses fogged up as I started to cry. www.zxxk.com\nThe skirt did not change me. Though it fit well and might make me look good in the eyes of today's world, it was not me. I am not a girl who wears cool clothes to fit in.\nI took the thing off and slid back into the comfort of modesty. My mom knocked on the door. \"Emily, are you okay?\"\nI wiped away my tears. \"I'm fine.\" I looked in the mirror again and saw a slim girl with funny glasses. I saw myself.", "problems": [{"question": "In the author's eyes the skirt that interested her was _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["not modern", "very short", "too expensive", "poorly designed"]}, {"question": "The author thought if she went to school in this skirt her schoolmates would be _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["shocked", "hurt", "confused", "happier"]}, {"question": "The author cried because _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["she found that she looked ugly in the skirt", "she was aware the skirt didn't fit her well", "she realized it's a wrong decision to make a change", "she was disappointed the skirt failed to change her"]}]} -{"article": "Instead of hitting the beach, fourteen high school students traded swimming suits for lab coats last summer and turned their attention to scientific experiments.\nThe High School Research Program offers high school students guidance with researchers in Texas A&M's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Jennifer Funkhouser, academic adviser for the Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management, directs this four-week summer program designed to increase understanding of research and its career potential.\nSeveral considerations go into selecting students, including grades, school involvement and interest in science and agriculture. And many students come from poorer school districts, Funkhouser says, \"This is their chance to learn techniques and do experiments they never would have a chance to do in high school.\"\nWarner Ervin of Houston is interested in animal science and learned how to tell male from female mosquitoes .His adviser, Craig Coates, studies the genes of mosquitoes that allow them to fight against malaria and yellow fever. Coates thought this experience would be fun and helpful to the high school students.\nThe agricultural research at A&M differs from stereotypes. It's \"molecular science _ ,\" Funkhouser says. The program broadened students' knowledge. Victor Garcia of Rio Grande City hopes to become a biology teacher and says he learned a lot about chemistry from the program.\nAt the end of the program, the students presented papers on their research. They're also paid $600 for their work-another way this program differs from others, which often charge a fee.\nFourteen students got paid to learn that science is fun, that agriculture is a lot more than milking and plowing and that research can open many doors.", "problems": [{"question": "The research program is chiefly designed for _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["high school advisers from Houston", "college students majoring in agriculture", "high school students from different places", "researchers at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences"]}, {"question": "It can be inferred from the text that the students in poorer areas _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["had little chance to go to college", "could often take part in the program", "found the program useful to their future", "showed much interest in their high school experiments"]}, {"question": "When the program was over, the students _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["entered that college", "wrote research reports", "paid for their research", "found way to make money"]}]} -{"article": "High school graduation is indeed important for the person concerned. It is usually marked by a party where friends and family present the person with gifts as a celebration. Below are some good choices for those who will go to college.\nYou can buy a folding bike. It is a good choice for a high school graduate going to college who may not have room to store a traditional bike. He or she will love moving around the school. It can be easily folded and carried, which would be great for those who often trip back home on weekends. You can also buy a Walkman. It is not expensive. The person can enjoy music while walking, exercising or studying. It can help improve one's mood.\nCollege is an important time for a person's career. Many high school graduates know little about the fields they will enter. So why not buy the person a book on what to expect in college life? That way the person would be fully prepared for college. Also he or she can tell something about it to his or her classmates. It is a reality that knowledge is something that cannot be taken away. Healthy food is a major issue in college. Some students have to put up with the bad-taste food in the college dining hall. A refrigerator which can keep food fresh is an excellent choice.\nIn short, there are so many you can choose from as high school graduation gifts. So what gift are you planning to give to the bright young person?", "problems": [{"question": "Why is a folding bike a good gift? _", "answer": "A", "options": ["Because it is convenient and takes up little space.", "Because it can help students save more time.", "Because it is environmentally friendly and cheap.", "Because it is much lighter than traditional bikes."]}, {"question": "How many great choices are mentioned in the text? _", "answer": "B", "options": ["3.", "4.", "5.", "6."]}, {"question": "Gifts for people who will go to college should be _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["useful", "cheap", "lovely", "fashionable"]}, {"question": "What's the text mainly about? _", "answer": "D", "options": ["How to celebrate high school graduation.", "How to make college life easy.", "What a good gift means to high school graduates.", "What to buy for people who will go to college."]}]} -{"article": "Recently, many people have begun to try a new way of doing shopping through the Internet. They are very interested in it. Why is it becoming more and more popular now? There are some reasons. First, more and more people have their own computers and their computers can be joined with the Internet. So it is possible for many of them to do shopping through the Internet. Second, shopping through the Internet can save them some money and a lot of time. Third, they don't need to go to the shop themselves. Because of these good facts, few people refuse it.\nOn the other hand, some people don't like this new way of shopping. They are worried about the safety of shopping online. Customers can only see the pictures of a product on the Internet. And they can't enjoy the pleasure of buying things in a large supermarket or a wonderful shopping center. These are the reasons why they do not like it. But I think more and more people will like this new kind of shopping in the future.", "problems": [{"question": "People like doing shopping on the Internet because it can _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["help them make a lot of money", "save their money and time", "be very easy", "help them save time"]}, {"question": "Some people don't like shopping online because they _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["have to pay more money", "must send their money first online", "don't have enough time", "are worried about the safety of shopping online"]}]} -{"article": "Launched in 1935, Social Security is a federal program that provides money for retirees, the disabled and living family members of workers who have died.\n Social Security benefits are funded through a Social Security tax that most U.S. employees pay. However, the money that employees pay is not held in a personal account that they can later draw from. Instead, the tax they pay now is being used to pay people who are currently receiving benefits.\n Although most of the people receiving Social Security are retirees, many others are _ for assistance. These recipients include the disabled, a spouse or child of someone who gets Social Security, a spouse or child of a worker who died, or a dependent parent of a worker who died.\n Depending on circumstances, people may be eligible for Social Security benefits at any age. According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, 85 cents of every dollar Social Security is used for current retires and their families, as well as surviving spouses and children of workers who have died. The other 15 cents is used for people with disabilities and their families.\n When employees are ready to receiver their Social Security, payments are based on how much they earned during their career, with higher lifetime earnings resulting in higher monthly benefits. \n Benefits amounts are also affected by the age at which an employee decides to retire. Payments are available as early as age 62, but the value would be about 25 percent lower than what's collected by those who wait until full retirement age, which ranges from 66 to 67 years old depending on the year in which they were born. \n Today, about 159 million people work and pay Social Security taxes, and roughly 55 million receive monthly benefits.", "problems": [{"question": "Most of the Social Security benefits are intended for _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the retirees", "the disabled", "workers' family", "workers who have died"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["all U.S. citizens should pay Social Security tax", "Social Security benefits can be got when people get married", "Social Security reflects the problems of America's economy", "the earlier people retire, the less Social Security benefits they get"]}, {"question": "What is the purpose of this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To show the government's care for the disabled.", "To introduce the importance of Social Security.", "To introduce how Social Security works in America.", "To call on U.S. employees to pay Social Security tax."]}]} -{"article": "Blogs are the place where young people go to show their hearts, to express their anger, sorrow or disappointment, and even to gossip .\nMany people enjoy the freedom in blogging. Some, however, find that putting one's life online can have a price. The blogs of some students in America were stopped by the government for some time because they posted threatening words to their teachers on their blogs.\nA recent study finds that nearly a fifth of teens who surf the Internet have their own blogs. And 38 % of teens say they read other people's blogs. By comparison, about a tenth of adults have their own blogs and a quarter say they read other people's online magazines.\nWith the development of the Internet, more and more people will be attracted by blogging.\nIn another study, 79% of teens agree that people at their age aren't careful enough when giving out information about themselves online. Besides, careless blogging can also influence blog readers. When you are angry or unhappy, your blog is the first place you turn to. The words you post then may not be _ which you may regret later. To minimize the negative influence, change the safety setting and make such posts \"personal\" so that only you can read them.\nAs long as you are careful with what you post, blogging is a great means of staying in touch with friends and displaying one's creative works.", "problems": [{"question": "Blogs are the place where people _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["go online to have a chat", "go online to enjoy freedom", "exchange their views online", "go online to express themselves freely"]}, {"question": "The fact that some American students' blogs were stopped is used to show that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["people should not put their life online", "American students are limited in blogging", "anyone who gets on the Web has his blog", "people should be careful with what they write"]}, {"question": "The passage is mainly about _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the use people make of blogs", "the number of people who have blogs", "advantages and disadvantages of blogs", "the author's suggestions about blogging"]}]} -{"article": "Pushing children too hard is a really big social problem that seems to be getting worse. Now we have 6montholds in music classes and swimming classes. Parents fear that if other children are attending these classes,they will be holding their own children back if they do not enroll,too.\nThe other extreme,simply taking a laissez-faire approach and letting children do--or refuse to do--whatever they want,is not the answer either,of course.\nDr Taylor emphasizes that parents need to push their children based on what is best for the children,not what is best for themselves. If children understand that an activity is in their best interests,then they will accept it,he finds.\nDr Taylor and other family experts remain pessimistic about the possibilities for widespread social change. \"The force of our popular culture,driven by money and superficial values,cannot be resisted,\" he says. But change can take place at a \"microlevel\",in families and schools.\nWhen changes do occur,the rewards can benefit everyone in the family. One mother supporting this new approach toward parenting mentions the advantages her family experienced after her children cut back on activities. \"The biggest thing is that since we have done this,we are rested,\" she says. \"Not only are our kids rested,because they're not in a ton of stuff,but my husband and I are rested,because we're not driving them everywhere. We weren't living in the moment when we were always busy. We were living by the schedule. The return on our investment of spending time together has been enormous.\"", "problems": [{"question": "One of the reasons why parents push children so hard is that they _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["believe in early development in children", "are too busy to take care of their children", "don't want their children to lag behind", "want to repeat what their parents did to them"]}, {"question": "The best way to encourage children to work hard is _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["to make them believe it's in their best interests", "to consider the matter from parents' standpoint", "to emphasize the importance of hard work from time to time", "to make it interesting and enjoyable to them"]}, {"question": "The new approach toward parenting mentioned in the passage most likely refers to _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["reducing children's hard work and unnecessary activities", "resisting the superficial values of pop culture", "reducing more activity off their school schedule", "spending more time with their children"]}]} -{"article": "Barack Obama defeated John McCain in the longest and most costly presidential campaign in American history. The election results were widely seen as a strong statement by voters on economy. A public opinion study reported by the Wall Street Journal found that about sixty percent of voters considered the economy as the top issue.\n Mr. Obama faces the deepest economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The Dow Jones Industrial Average of leading stocks has lost nearly thirty of its value. The government seized the nation's two largest home financing companies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. It also took control of the huge insurance company, A. I. G. The government is now a share holder in nine of the country's largest banks. That will expand to small banks , too. The amount spent on these rescue plans has been close to one trillion dollars. That amount could increase.\n Another problem the new administration faces is the budget deficit . Some experts predict the deficit for next year's budget could be close to one trillion dollars. Some observers predict that the deficit will limit speeding in economic programs.\n Barack Obama has promised a tax cut for middle income Americans. He is seeking fifty billion dollars in aid for states and job creation programs. Mr. Obama has put forward a health care reform plan that costs fifty to sixty-five billion dollars. Obama is also seeking to spend one hundred and fifty billion dollars on new energy technologies over the next ten years.\n In addition, Mr. Obama has been discussing a program worth one hundred billion dollars. It includes spending in public works projects and aid to American states, cities and citizens.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, the election results suggested _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["how fierce the presidential campaign was", "the significance of the election in American history", "Obama promised to devote himself to economic development", "how much money was spent during the presidential campaign"]}, {"question": "The Dow Jones Industrial Average is mentioned to show _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["how serious the economic crisis is", "the value of all America's stocks", "the economy was considered as the top issue", "what percentage of shares Obama has in leading stocks"]}, {"question": "We know from the passage that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are insurance companies", "the government will become a share holder in small banks", "money spent on the government's rescue plan will be decreased", "the budget deficit will not affect the economic programs"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements does NOT belong to Obama's rescue plans?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Cutting taxes for middle income Americans.", "Seeking money for job creation programs.", "Putting forward a health care reform plan.", "Stopping spending on new energy technologies."]}, {"question": "The passage mainly tells us _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the deepest economic crisis in the 1930's", "the result of the presidential election", "America tries to save the country's economy", "how Americans think of the newly-elected president"]}]} -{"article": "It was in 1865 that two Frenchmen were looking into the future. Edouard de Laboulaye, who studied history, admired the United States greatly. Frederic Auguste Bartholdi was a famous artist. De Laboulaye was thinking about 1876, when the country he respected so much would celebrate its 100th birthday. What gift would be good enough for the people of France to give? Right away, Bartholdi thought of a giant statue.\nBartholdi kept thinking about a statue for several years. Then, in 1871, he visited the United States and saw the perfect place for a huge statue. It was Bedloe's Island in New York.\nThe project -- the Statue of Liberty -- got started almost immediately, and Bartholdi went home to France to begin work. However, the statue was not finished in time for the 100th birthday. The United States Congress approved the use of Bedloe's Island on February 22, 1877. During the 100th celebration in 1876, the arm of the statue that would hold the torch was shown in Philadelphia. In 1879 the huge head was put on display in France. For the face of the statue, Bartholdi used his mother as a model.\nThe statue was finally completed in 1884. The work had been difficult enough, but then some really hard work began. The statue had to be taken apart and packed into boxes. It was not until May 1885 that the statue -- in pieces -- left France for its new home.\nThe statue arrived in June. However, the Americans fell behind on their part of the project. They hadn't raised enough money for building the base of the statue. People wondered if the country really needed or wanted such a gift. Finally, though, the money was raised and the base was completed. The last piece of the statue was put in place on October 28, 1886.", "problems": [{"question": "When did the work on the statue begin?", "answer": "C", "options": ["As soon as Bartholdi thought of it.", "After the United States Congress agreed to it.", "After Bartholdi saw Bedloe's Island.", "Not until the US had raised enough money."]}, {"question": "What happened after the Statue of Liberty was completed?", "answer": "B", "options": ["It was put together for shipping.", "It was taken apart and packed for shipping.", "It was cleaned up for shipping.", "It was put in place on its base in France."]}, {"question": "How many years did it take for the Statue of Liberty to be put in place on its base after it was completed?", "answer": "D", "options": ["nineteen.", "fifteen.", "one.", "two."]}]} -{"article": "You have two eyes and they are set close together on the front of your face. Have you wondered why? The reasons are simple and important to the way you see the rest of your world.\nYour eyes are like two small cameras. A camera catches an image of an object and records it on film. Similarly, when you look at something, each eye takes in what it sees and sends this image to the back of the eyeball. Because your eyes are set close together, they view the world from about the same height but from slightly different angles. Working as a team, the eyes send the images to your brain, which puts them together into a single, centered image.\nSeeing in stereo means seeing with two eyes working together, which is called stereoscopic sight. This allows you to view the world in three dimensions, or 3-D. Seeing depth helps you to judge the distance between you and the objects you see and to adjust to the changing angle at which you see something as you move closer to or farther away from it. If images are coming from only one eye, however, only two of these dimensions----height and width----can be _ . A world seen with one eye is thus two-dimensional, as in a photograph.\nNow consider why your two eyes are on the front of your face. Think of other animals with the same arrangement. They are all animals that hunt, like lions and wolves. Their eyes face directly in front of them. This provides a field of sight about 180 degrees wide, which is called binocular sight. On the other hand, animals that are hunted have eyes on the sides of the head, which provides nearly360-degree field of sight. In order to stay alive, they need to see things coming from the sides and from behind. However, without stereoscopic sight, they have difficulty determining how far a danger is.\nWith sight both stereoscopic and binocular, humans share with animal hunters the ability to see from side to side and to accurately determine the distance. If you think it would be great to have another type of sight, perhaps with hundreds of tiny eyes like many insects do, think again! Each tiny insect eye sees only a tiny part. Besides, what if you needed glasses? Be glad for the eyesight that you have.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, the similarity of an eye and a camera is that they both _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["can imagine objects", "can record images", "provide centered images", "work at the same height"]}, {"question": "Stereoscopic sight is a result of having _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["two eyes close to each other that work together", "hundreds of eyes, all seeing tiny parts of an image", "a three-hundred-sixty-degree field of sight", "one eye on either side of the head, each seeing a different image"]}]} -{"article": "China improved the quality health care to its population, but observers say continued reforms are still needed to solve the problems caused by high costs and uneven ( ) spread.\nO'Leary, a Britain-based medical researcher who focuses on China, is \"greatly impressed\" by Being's success in making sure the insurance programmers cover a very large percentage of the population. But he says medical costs are still high, even for _ .\"So when health care costs are higher there are still out-of-pocket expenses, and that remains a major challenge,\" he says.Observers say out-of-pocket expenses are not affordable for many in rural areas, where a serious illness can make lower-income residents fall into poverty.\nAnother challenge is the uneven spread of China's health care reform.Compared with the urban areas many rural areas are still served by medical workers with little training.\"At the village level rural doctors are often people who don't have regular medical training.But they're often providing all the services for the poorest people.\" says O'Leary.\nHigh drug prices, a lack of qualified doctors and nurses, and an aging population are still the problems as China improves its health care system.\nChina says that its healthcare system still fall far short of the public's demands for healthcare as well as the requirements of economic and social development.But many observers, including O'Leary, agree that China is making steady and positive progress toward providing quality health care for its citizens.\"They are moving in the right direction,\" says O'Leary.\"Trying to provide a universal health care system for 1.3 billion people is a huge task.But China will surely do better with its continuous efforts.\"", "problems": [{"question": "O'Leary expressed satisfaction with the _ of the insurance programmes of China.", "answer": "C", "options": ["rules", "costs", "coverage", "challenge"]}, {"question": "According to O'Leary, China faces many problems in improving health care system except _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["high drug prices", "lack of qualified medical staff", "an aging population", "lack of support of the people"]}, {"question": "From the passage we can learn, that Chinese health care _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["has improved, but more reforms are needed", "seems an impossible project", "has achieved the greatest success", "are often criticized by foreigners"]}]} -{"article": "These days we are all conditioned to accept newness, whatever it costs. Very soon, there is no doubt that Apple's tablet will seem as a vital tool of modern living to us as sewing machine did to our grandparents. At least, it will until someone produces an even smarter, thinner and more essential tablet, which, if recent history is any guide, will be in approximately six months' time. Turn your back for a moment and you find that every electronic item in your possession is as old as a tombstone. Why should you care if people laugh just because you use an old mobile phone? But try getting the thing repaired when it goes wrong. It's like walking into a pub and asking for an orange juice. You will be made to feel like some sort of time-traveler from the 1970s. \"Why not buy a new one?\" you will get asked.\nAnd so the mountain of electrical rubbish grows. An average British person was believed to get rid of quite a number of electronic goods in a lifetime. They weighed three tons, stood 7 feet high, and included five fridges, six microwaves, seven PCs, six TVs, 12 kettles, 35 mobile phones and so on. Even then, the calculation seemed to be conservative. Only 35 mobiles in a lifetime? The huge number of electronic items now regularly thrown away by British families is clearly one big problem. But this has other consequences. It contributes greatly to the uneasy feeling that modem technology is going by faster than we can keep up. By the time I've learnt how to use a tool it's already broken or lost. I've lost count of the number of TV remote-controls that I've bought, mislaid and replaced without working out what most of the buttons did.\nAnd the technology changes so unbelievably fast. It was less than years ago that I spotted an energetic businessman friend pulling what seemed to be either a large container or a small nuclear bomb on wheels through a railway station. I asked. \"What have you got in there? Your money or your wife?\" \"Neither,\" he replied, with the satisfied look of a man who knew he was keeping pace with the latest technology, no matter how ridiculous he looked. \"This is what everyone will have soon--even you. It's called a mobile telephone.\"\nI don't feel sorry for the pace of change. On the contrary, I'm amazed by those high-tech designers who can somehow fit a camera, music-player, computer and phone into a plastic box no bigger than a packet of cigarette. If those geniuses could also find a way to keep the underground trains running on the first snowy day of winter, they would be making real progress for human beings. What I do regret, however, is that so many household items fall behind so soon. My parents bought a wooden wireless radio in 1947, the year they were married. In 1973, the year I went to university, it was still working. It sat in the kitchen like an old friend--which, in a way, it was. It certainly spoke to us more than we spoke to each other on some mornings. When my mum replaced it with a new-style radio that could also play cassette-tapes, I felt a real sense of loss.\nSuch is the over-excited change of 21st-century technology that there's no time to satisfy our emotional needs. Even if Apple's new products turn out to be the most significant tablets I very much doubt if they will resist this trend.", "problems": [{"question": "When you try getting an old mobile phone repaired, _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["you are travelling through time", "you are thought to be out of date", "you will find everything wrong", "you have got to buy a new one"]}, {"question": "Throwing away so much electronic rubbish makes the writer feel quite _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["lost and upset", "unbelievably fast", "broken or lost", "regularly wasteful"]}, {"question": "The example of the businessman implies that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the businessman mastered the latest technology", "mobile phones used to be quite big just years ago", "the businessman was a very ridiculous person", "the writer failed to follow modern technology"]}, {"question": "The passage is organized in the pattern of _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["time and events", "comparison and contrast", "cause and effect", "examples and analysis"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is conveyed in the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The fast pace of change brings us no good.", "We have to keep up with new technology.", "Household items should be upgraded quickly.", "We should hold on for new technology to last."]}]} -{"article": "It has become the modern substitute of glancing at your watch--the furtive look at a phone screen to check for new messages or have a quick look at Facebook.Researchers have now found why we often feel such a strong urge to glance at our handset.Using your mobile,they say,is easily affected by other people.\nA University of Michigan team say people are twice as likely to pull out their phones to check their messages or emails if they're with someone who has just done the same.It also found that females were more likely to use their mobile than men because it was more 'consistent' with the daily lives of women.\nThe team watched students in dining halls and coffee shops around campus,observing pairs of students sitting at tables for as long as 20 minutes and recorded their cellphone use at 1 0-second intervals.\n\"What we found most interesting was just how often people were using their mobile phones,\" Dr Daniel Kruger, the study's co-author, said.\"Every person we observed used his/her phone at least once while one woman was on hers about half of the time.You may see others checking their incoming messages and be encouraged to check your own.''\nOverall,the students used their cellphones in an average of 24 percent,the researchers found.But they were significantly more likely to use their phones(39.5 percent)when their companion had just done so in the previous 10-second interval than without the social clue,the researchers said,adding that _ was often repeated.\nCell phones create an alternative way for one's attention and may both promote and interrupt ongoing social activities,the researchers wrote.\nKruger believes this pattern could be related to the effects of social acceptance and rejection.If one person in a pair engages in another conversation through their phone,his or her companion may feel rejected.That companion then might be forced to connect with others from outside so as not to feel left out.", "problems": [{"question": "People's strong desire to check their messages partly results from _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the modern substitute of their watches", "the new messages of their handsets", "the same behavior of other people", "the update service of Facebook"]}, {"question": "Why do women use their phones more frequently?", "answer": "B", "options": ["They want to show off their modern mobiles.", "They are more likely to be influenced by others.", "They try to set a good example for others.", "They desire to meet the demands of society."]}, {"question": "How might one feel when his companion is busy checking messages?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Relaxed.", "Ashamed.", "Surprised.", "Ignored."]}, {"question": "Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Social Acceptance And Rejection", "Females Use Mobiles More than Men", "How Do People Check Messages?", "Cellphone Use Is Spreading"]}]} -{"article": "In the tenth grade,I began working for free at a vet's that was run by a friend. I wanted to get experience for what I thought would be my future job. However,on one particular Saturday morning I learnt something perhaps more important.\nThe hospital was in the middle of one of the poorer sections of the city and some people could only pay for the most basic treatments. On this Saturday,a man and his young son,who was probably about 7 years old,walked in with a small cat in a cardboard box. There was something wrong with the cat's left eye. But the man could not afford to pay for the cost of the medicine. He kept quiet for a while,and then he asked where the nearest animal shelter was. Hearing this,his son cried and started to argue with him. All of a sudden,an older woman who was sitting in the waiting room stood up,walked up to the counter,and told the man that she would pay for the cost. The man thanked her and the son got to keep a healthy cat.\nI always thought it was the right thing to help out a needy person,but I only saw people do acts of kindness on TV or in movies. What the woman did made me believe that these things do happen in real life,and quite often.\nNow,when I can't decide whether to help someone who is in need,I remember this woman,and then I have the courage to step up to the plate. Sometimes other people follow.", "problems": [{"question": "We can infer that a vet's is most probably a hospital for _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["kids", "the poor", "animals", "women"]}, {"question": "For what purpose did the writer work at the vet's?", "answer": "C", "options": ["To help out his friend", "To make some pocket money", "To gain some work experience", "To learn more about society"]}, {"question": "What would the man probably do with the cat if the woman didn't help him?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Take it home without treatment.", "Give it to someone on the street.", "Give it to the woman.", "Give it up."]}, {"question": "We can learn from this passage that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the man doesn't like keeping a cat", "the older woman often helps people out", "the man's son didn't agree to the man's first decision", "the hospital often asks for too much money"]}]} -{"article": "English nowadays is widely used in science, business, the media and popular culture. For example, 80% of e-mails on the internet are in English. But where will English be at the end of the 21stcentury?\nOne view is that English is going to become even more important as a global language, being most widely used in trade and media while some other languages will become less important or just disappear. Another view is that English is already breaking up into several separate languages. There are already dictionaries of the \"New Englishes\", such as Australian English, full of words that a British English speaker would not recognize.\nHopefully, neither of these things will happen. Although different varieties of English will continue to develop around the world, standard English will survive for international communication. However, it is impossible for one language to totally control the world. Already, other languages are fighting back against the control of English on the net. Governments around the world are also starting to protect smaller languages and recognize the importance of keeping a variety of cultures and languages. English will probably stay in control for a long time, but it certainly won't become the only language in the world.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the situation, how many people do you think speak English now?", "answer": "D", "options": ["200 million", "300 million", "500 million", "a billion"]}, {"question": "At present, what is the most important language in the world?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Chinese", "English", "French", "German"]}, {"question": "What is the best title of the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The Change of English", "Different Varieties of English", "The Future of English", "The Cause of English Change"]}]} -{"article": "Australia has passed regulations that will enable more international students to further their education in the country.\nThe new measures were released by the Australian Department of Tertiary Education,Skills,Jobs and Workplace Relations in September and will take effect in mid-2012.\nAs a result,the student visa application process for overseas students has been simplified,and the deposit required to study in Australia has been reduced.Language requirements for overseas students have also been eased.\nAlso,overseas students receiving a higher education in Australia will be granted a working visa lasting from two to four years after graduation,as long as they meet the basic IELTS requirement.\n\"This change will definitely make Australia a more attractive destination for Chinese students planning to study overseas,\" says Wang Lan,a consultant from Education International Cooperation Group (EIC),a Beijing-based company that provides services to students wishing to study overseas.\nHowever,in the past few years,many of Wang's student clients could not start studies in Australia because they did not meet the language requirements,visa processing took a long time and deposit regulations were tough.The change in policy is good news for the parents of students wishing to study in Australia,Wang says.\nA 22-year-old female student surnamed Li,in Beijing,who is planning to do her postgraduate studies in Australia,learned about the policy change several weeks ago.\n\"According to the previous deposit requirement for my student visa,my family was required to put down 550,000 yuan ($86,850).Now we only need to prepare 410,000 yuan.This is a relief for my parents,\" Li says.\nShe also says that the two to four years working visa makes her feel much clearer about her study plans.\n\"I believe several years of working experience abroad will strengthen my competitiveness when I return to China,\" she says.\nGaining a competitive advantage is the major reason for Chinese students to study abroad,according to the report by EIC.", "problems": [{"question": "What's the main idea of the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Language requirement for overseas students have been eased in Australia.", "Australia is a most attractive place for students in China.", "Australia widens window of opportunity for international students.", "More students will work in Australia after their graduation."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is NOT the content of the new regulations?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The student visa application process for overseas students has been simplified.", "The deposit required to study in Australia has been reduced.", "Language requirements for overseas students have been more difficult.", "After graduation,some overseas students can get a working visa in Australia."]}, {"question": "After the new regulations are passed, _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["more students will come to Australia to work", "more Chinese students will choose to live in Australia.", "the opportunities to work in Australia decrease for overseas students", "more Chinese students will choose to further their education in Australia"]}, {"question": "How much can Li's parents save according to the new regulations?", "answer": "B", "options": ["550,000 yuan", "140, 000 yuan", "410,000 yuan", "86,850 yuan"]}, {"question": "Why do many students want to work in Australia after their graduation?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The working experience abroad will strengthen their competitiveness.", "They can earn more money in Australia.", "Their working experience can make them stay in Australia forever.", "They have to do so according to the new regulations."]}]} -{"article": "A man, who sometimes takes my bus, is in rags. His life seems different from that of the others. He looks exhausted and carries nothing. He appears along a downtown street, seemingly out of nowhere. We sometimes want to know where he sleeps at night.\nA few weeks ago he boarded the bus. A few stops later, a young woman boarded. She swiped her bus-card, only to find the machine would not accept it. The driver told her to pay the $2.25 fare. \"I just bought this card,\" she said. \"I paid the money...\"\nThe driver said she could take the card back to the sales office and explain the problem. In the meantime she would have to pay the fare for that day. The woman became confused and _ . The rest of us just watched, wondering how the problem would be solved. Suddenly the man rose from his seat, dropped a few coins into the fare box.\n\"You're lucky,\" the bus driver said quietly. \"He paid for you.\" Silence fell over the bus. The rest of us had watched the woman's discomfort, but he felt it. We lawyers, journalists and business people headed downtown to help fix the world. He fixed her world.\nI haven't seen him since that day. Some people believe angels occasionally drop down and move among us. All I know is that I have a new respect for the simple act of kindness. It speeds us along on our way.", "problems": [{"question": "What did the writer learn from the man?", "answer": "A", "options": ["to show concern for other people.", "to lead a happy life like the man.", "to share what he has with us.", "to believe that people are born kind."]}]} -{"article": "\"Birds are not as loyal to their partners as you might think, with divorce, child abandonment and remarriage a common part of birds' life,\" a new book has shown. Author and biology professor Bridge Stutchbury, _ the love-bird belief that birds pair up for life. \"In terms of the top 10 beliefs about birds, the lasting pair bonds that we think about, do occur in some birds, but in most of the little songbirds that we studied, no,\" the professor from York University in Toronto said. The divorce rate among greater flamingos is 99 percent.\nStutchbury's book, The Private Lives of Birds, based on 20 years of research from radio filming and DNA testing shows male Acadian flycatchers fertilize females far away from their home nests, \" The main discovery is that so many birds do divorce for what humans would describe as selfish reasons,\" Professor Stutchbury said. She noted that females may seek out males that are more colorful and better singers, or look to \"step up in the world\" and move to areas that are safer and have more food. \"Females are looking for the highest quality male so that their children will be of high quality,\" she added.\nProfessor Stutchbury said shorter summers may drive females to leave their nests before their young are fully grown up so they can quickly find new mates and lay more eggs, leaving the males to feed the hungry chicks on their own.\nMales can double their success in producing children by fertilizing neighboring females, but only \"mates\" care for the young, and some are none the wiser. \" They can't tell when the egg comes out and whether it's theirs or not,\" She said. \"They have no way to know.\"\nDivorce is surprisingly common among birds, and most live with one partner for only a few months or years. Divorce rates range from 99 percent in the greater flamingo to zero in the wandering albatross .", "problems": [{"question": "What does the underline word \"dispels\" mean?", "answer": "D", "options": ["States", "Doubts", "Confirms", "Removes"]}, {"question": "The book The Private Lives of Birds _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["shows the kind of male birds females seek out.", "indicates the wandering albatross is the most faithful.", "is based on Professor Stutchbury's 20 years' research.", "suggests that female birds select males near their home."]}, {"question": "According to the passage, we can infer that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["young birds' quality depends on their feather.", "some male birds care for others' young as their own.", "female birds go to find males as soon as autumn comes.", "female birds are responsible for feeding the hungry babies."]}, {"question": "What is the passage mainly about?", "answer": "C", "options": ["A book about love-birds.", "Birds' living habits and love life", "The fact that birds don't love their mates forever.", "The factors that influence birds to look for another mate."]}]} -{"article": "We might like to think we're not influenced by other people, but a new study into the group-buying mechanisms - like those used on coupon sites such as Groupon and LivingSocial - reveals that telling buyers who come later to the offer how many have already signed up increases the number of purchasers.\nResearchers at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management wanted to understand why group buying sites that have entered the market recently have enjoyed greater success than those operating a decade ago, such as Mercata and MobShop.\nEarlier attempts typically left potential buyers waiting for days before confirming whether or not they had got the offer they had signed up for.\n\"We think one of the reasons group-buying has been successful recently is because of the short time horizon,\" says Rotman Professor Ming Hu, who co-wrote the study with Professor Mengze Shi and PhD student Jiahua Wu. \"It allows for a herding effect.\"\nAnother reason is the use of an information structure that discloses to later arrivals how many have already signed onto the deal.\nResearchers looked at two ways of designing the purchasing mechanism for a group buy:a simultaneous mechanism, where no one knows how many buyers have come before them, and asequential mechanism, where a second group of buyers has the advantage of knowing the size of the first group.\nThe researchers' analytical model shows the most successful mechanism is the sequential one because it _ uncertainty for those coming later to the deal, and improves the confidence of those who sign on early, as they're able to track the numbers of those who come after them.\n\"That boosts confidence,\" says Professor Hu, who teaches operations management. Deals for \"luxury\" services, versus everyday items, work better in a group buy scenario because they offer consumers a greater benefit.", "problems": [{"question": "It can be learned from the text that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["the short time horizon is the reason why group-buying has been successful.", "a simultaneous mechanism is where a group of buyers has the advantage of knowing how many people have signed up.", "a sequential mechanism allows a herding effect which boosts the confidence of the buyers.", "researchers at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management carried out an experiment about why group buying sites entered the market successfully, such as Mercata and MobShop."]}, {"question": "What can be the best title for the passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Secret for marketing success - boosting confidence.", "Secret for group-buying mechanism--herding effect.", "Comparison between a simultaneous mechanism and a sequential mechanism.", "What others do influences our decisions."]}]} -{"article": "One of the most common complaints of people living in the city is annoying neighbors. Here are some ways to handle noisy neighbors. \nAccept Some Degree of Apartment Noise\nBefore getting worked up over the noisy neighbors in the apartment, make sure to have \nrealistic expectations. Everyone living in an apartment building is bound to hear noise from other units' televisions, music, and children occasionally. \nUnderstand Noisy Neighbors from their point of view\nIt's probably the case that the neighbor who is driving everyone crazy doesn't realize how \nfar his noise is carrying. Remember that noise level is difficult to control with children. Babies \nunavoidably cry in the middle of the night. \nMeet the Neighbors and Be Friendly \nMaking a friendly gesture will surprisingly reduce apartment noise. Neighbors who know\n each other will probably be much more careful not to bother each other. \n Address Noise Calmly and Face-to-Face \n If a loud noise needs to be addressed, go to the offending apartment personally and knock politely on the door. Being polite will usually bring a polite \nresponse \nReport Noisy Neighbors to the Landlord \nIf a noise issue becomes a constant problem or doesn't improve after a personal request,\n it's time to bring it up to management. Make sure to be objective and fair in your report, and be \nable to record the frequency of the problem and provide details about it. \nThings to Avoid when Dealing with a Loud Neighbor \nThere are some \"don't\"s when it comes to dealing life with a loud apartment \nneighbor. Don't \n*Seek revenge or try to \"outdo\" a noisy neighbor \n* Complain to them face to face repeatedly about the same issue \n* Suffer in silence \nDoing these things may work for some time, but they're never good long-term solutions. \nInstead, they will probably only exacerbate the situation.", "problems": [{"question": "The author agrees that _ . .", "answer": "C", "options": ["we could seek revenge on noisy neighbors", "families with children can control the noise level easily", "friendly gesture has a good effect on reducing apartment noise", "people are aware that their noise has a great effect on their neighbors"]}, {"question": "What should we do if a noise issue becomes a constant problem?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Warn the noisy neighbor of the problem.", "Complain to the noisy neighbors repeatedly.", "Report the situation to the landlord objectively.", "Talk to the noisy neighbors face to face politely."]}, {"question": "What would be the best title for this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Who are your apartment neighbors?", "How to be a popular apartment neighbor?", "How to deal with noisy apartment neighbors?", "How to make friends with apartment neighbors?"]}]} -{"article": "American and British use different greetings. In the USA the commonest greeting is \"Hi\". In Britain it is \"Hello!\" or \"How are you?\". \"Hi!\" is creeping into British, too. When they are introduced to someone, the Americans say, \"Glad to know you.\" The British say, \"How do you do?\" or \"Pleased to meet you.\" When Americans say \"Goodbye\", they nearly always add, \"Have a good day,\" or \"Have a good trip,\" etc. to friends and strangers alike. Britons are already beginning to use \"Have a good day\". \nThe British usually use \"got\"in the sense of \"have\". The Americans hardly ever do.\nAm.E: Do you have a car, room,etc.?Yes, I do.\nBr.E: Have you got a car, room, etc.? Yes, I have.\nFinally, there are a number of differences between American and British English in the spelling of words, e.g.check(US)/cheque(UK); center(US)/centre(UK). Many American words ending in \"or\", e.g. honor, vigor, labor are spelt in British English with an \"our\", e.g. honour, vigour, labour. Many verbs in American English with \"ize\"or \"izing\" forms, e.g. organize, realizing are spelt in Br.E \"ise\"or \"ising\",e.g.organise,realising.In American English, \"practice\"is used both for the verb and noun.In Br.E, the verb is spelt \"practise\", and the noun \"practice\". In the main, American English avoids the doubling up of consonants in nouns and verbs while British English does not.In American English, for example, one writes \"travel, traveled, traveling, traveler,\" while in British English, one writes \"travel, travelled, travelling, traveller\".\nIt was once predicted that British and American English would became separate languages finally. But the opposite has happened. The links between the two countries are so strong that linguistically , and probably culturally too, they are closer together than ever.", "problems": [{"question": "The Americans hardly say _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["Goodbye.Have a good day!", "Glad to know you!", "Hi!", "Have you got a car?"]}, {"question": "A British writes _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["cheque;center", "honor;organise", "traveled;practice", "labour;traveller"]}, {"question": "Which of the following is TRUE?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The two languages will become separate languages.", "American English will be used more and more.", "The two languages will be closer and closer.", "British English will be used more and more."]}]} -{"article": "Cultural Center Adds Classes for Young Adults\nThe Allendale Cultural Center has expanded its arts program to include classes for young adults. Director Leah Martin announced Monday that beginning in September, three new classes will be offered to the Allendale community. The course titles will be Yoga for Teenagers; Hip Hop Dance: Learning the Latest Moves; and Creative Journaling for Teens: Discovering the Writer Within. The latter course will not be held at the Allendale Cultural Center but instead will meet at the Allendale Public Library.\nStaff member Tricia Cousins will teach the yoga and hip hop classes. Ms. Cousins is an accomplished choreographer as well as an experienced dance educator. She has an MA in dance education from Teachers College, Columbia University, where she wrote a thesis on the pedagogical effectiveness of dance education. The journaling class will be taught by Betsy Milford. Ms. Milford is the head librarian at the Allendale Public Library as well as a columnist for the professional journal Library Focus.\nThe courses are part of the Allendale Cultural Center's Project Teen, which was initiated by Leah Martin, Director of the Cultural Center. According to Martin, this project is a direct result of her efforts to make the center a more essential part of the Allendale community. Over the last several years, the number of people who have visited the cultural center for classes or events has steadily declined. Project Teen is primarily funded by a generous grant from The McGee Arts Foundation, an organization devoted to bringing arts programs to young adults. Martin oversees the Project Teen board, which consists of five board members. Two board members are students at Allendale's Brookdale High School; the other three are adults with backgrounds in education and the arts.\nThe creative journaling class will be cosponsored by Brookdale High School, and students who complete the class will be given the opportunity to publish one of their journal entries in Pulse, Brookdale's student literary magazine. Students who complete the hip hop class will be eligible to participate in the Allendale Review, an annual concert sponsored by the cultural center that features local actors, musicians, and dancers. All classes are scheduled to begin immediately following school dismissal, and transportation will be available from Brookdale High School to the Allendale Cultural Center and the Allendale Public Library. For more information about Project Teen, contact the cultural center's programming office at 988-0099 or drop by the office after June 1 to pick up a fall course catalog. The office is located on the third floor of the Allendale Town Hall.", "problems": [{"question": "Which of the following statements is correct?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Tricia Cousins will teach two of the new classes.", "The new classes will begin on June 1.", "People who want a complete fall catalogue should stop by the Allendale Public Library.", "The cultural center's annual concert is called Pulse."]}, {"question": "According to Leah Martin, what was the direct cause of Project Teen?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Tricia Cousins was available to teach courses in the fall.", "Community organizations were ignoring local teenagers.", "The McGee Arts Foundation wanted to be more involved in Allendale's arts programming.", "She wanted to make the cultural center a more important part of the Allendale community."]}, {"question": "Which of the following factors is implied as another reason for Project Teen?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The number of people visiting the cultural center has declined over the last several years.", "The cultural center wanted a grant from The McGee Arts Foundation.", "The young people of Allendale have complained about the cultural center's offerings.", "Leah Martin thinks classes for teenagers are more important than classes for adults."]}, {"question": "This article is organized in which of the following ways?", "answer": "B", "options": ["In time order, from the past to the future.", "Most important information first, followed by background and details.", "Background first, followed by the most important information and details.", "As sensational news, with the most controversial topic first."]}]} -{"article": "Many of our favorite travel destinations are in danger of being changed badly by increased temperatures and rising seas. The following are some of the places that may be in danger and some that are already experiencing the effects of global warming.\nThe Everglades, Florida: Perhaps no region of the country is as unprotected to climate change as Florida. Even a slight increase in temperature and water level could\npopular destinations like the Everglades, Miami Beach and the Keys.\nAustralia's Great Barrier Reef: One of the most impressive natural habitats in the world, the Great Barrier Reef could be killed by increased water temperatures and the resulting coral bleaching . Australia is particularly easily damaged by global warming because of its large number of fragile ecosystems, uncertain water sources and a large group of people gathering on the coast.\nDalian, China: Fast-growing China, shown here during a heat wave last year, is opening about one coal factory every day this year. Along with the U.S., China is one of the world's leading contributors to the greenhouse gases , which can lead to the increase in the Earth's temperature.\nVenice, Italy:\n, Venice has invested $4.5 billion in a floodgate system that is due to open in 2012. But the frequent changing ocean levels have made people question the floodgates' ability to hold out the rising waters.\nLondon, England: Designed to protect London from storms and extremely high tides, the Thames Barrier was opened in 1984. Some analysts fear that rising oceans will create conditions beyond the capabilities the barrier was designed to meet.", "problems": [{"question": "What can endanger Great Barrier Reef directly?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Fragile ecosystem", "Uncertain water sources.", "The large group of people.", "Increased water temperatures and the coral bleaching"]}, {"question": "The subject discussed in the text is that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["the dangerous destinations", "the most popular destinations", "the fascinating destinations", "the endangered destinations"]}]} -{"article": "What do you think of advertising such as TV commercials and magazine advertisements?\n Oh Yoon Kwon from Korea: Nowadays, we can see so many advertisements. Some people say it is just a waste. However, I don't agree. Sometimes, I think there are too many on TV, but sometimes I like to watch just the advertisements . I think they are so funny. I like to watch them when I am bored. Another reason why I like advertisements is I like Internet games. Some Internet games are free because of the advertisements.\n Inna Ignatovich from Russia: Advertising is an important part of marketing. You can't escape it. Sometimes it bothers me a lot. But also, sometimes I enjoy it. Some commercials are created so professionally that they become a piece of TV art. Unfortunately, it is a rare situation. Some years ago, I couldn't imagine the interruption of an interesting movie by advertising. Now it is reality, and we understand its necessary.\n Christine Le Prince from France: In my opinion, advertisements are part of our economic system. We can't do without it. Sometimes commercials are very useful; they can inform you on a new product which you wouldn't know about otherwise. However, I think that we are bombarded with too many advertisements, especially on TV. When you want to watch a movie, you are interrupted every five minutes. It is so boring. And what about junk mail? I personally don't pay attention to it. It goes directly in the garbage, so what a waste of paper!", "problems": [{"question": "Oh Yoon Kwon likes ads because he thinks they are _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["paid", "useful", "interesting", "necessary"]}, {"question": "In the opinion of Inna Ignatovich, advertising is _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["an important part of marketing.", "really a kind of TV art.", "his favorite program", "always bothering him"]}, {"question": "What most people hate about advertising is probably that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["advertisements waste too much time", "advertisements force them to buy some necessary things", "advertisements are short of arts.", "advertisements interrupt them watching movies"]}, {"question": "We can infer from the passage that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["no advertisements are interesting", "you have to pay for all internet games", "many people can accept advertisements", "Tv advertisements are becoming more and more"]}]} -{"article": "Four out of ten parents in the UK spend between PS100 and PS500 on their children's birthday parties, according to a survey. Four in ten parents of children under 18, who were questioned in a survey, admitted that they felt pressured into organizing more expensive birthday parties for their children than they would like to.\nHow much parents spend on their children's birthday parties is one of the most frequently discussed topics on parenting websites. Here is one comment on Mumsnet summing up the thoughts of many parents: \"Where we live everyone hires places, entertainers and so on. I don't want to compare with my rich neighbors, but I want my son to have what all his classmates have.\"\nThe research was carried out on behalf of the children's charity, Lumos, set up by the author JK Rowling. Just 13 percent of parents spent PS50 or less in the past year on their children's parties.\nMany children's clowns or entertainers charge PS150 or more for an hour, and parents often feel it necessary to book a special place. Even without these, the cost of plates, the cake and party bags can _ . Party Pieces, a company set up by Carole and Michael Middleton, charge about PS16 for a birthday cake for a party with 16 guests, PS22 for table decorations and up to PS48 for party bags.\nMany children of famous people have increasingly expensive parties, often seen in famous magazines. Suri Cruise, the daughter of actor Tom Cruise and actress Katie Holmes, enjoyed a PS100,000 birthday party according to a report.\nGeorgette Mulheir of Lumos, said,\"Parents in the UK are under increasing pressure to spend more and more money on birthday parties for their children and their children's friends.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What's the main idea of this passage?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Children's birthday parties put their parents under financial pressure in the UK.", "Many parents are willing to spend more on their children's birthday parties.", "Parents pay more and more attention to their children's birthday parties.", "Children in the UK hope for more and more expensive birthday parties."]}, {"question": "By the example of the birthday party for Suri Cruise, the writer probably wants to show that _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["famous people love their children very much", "children of famous people can get whatever they want", "some children of famous people have really expensive birthday parties", "holding expensive birthday parties is common nowadays"]}, {"question": "In which of the following sections would you most probably read this passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Business", "Education", "Science", "Family"]}]} -{"article": "On a cold winter day in Denver, I waited in line to see my hero, Jack Canfield, the co-author of the best-selling Chicken Soup for the Soul series and the author of The Success Principles. What Jack had become was a version of what I wanted to be.\nDuring his talk, Jack 1 his wallet, pulled out a hundred-dollar bill, and said, \"Who wants this?\"\nHnads shot up in the audience; people leaned forward to see whom Jack would choose. But I\nran up the stairs to the stage and grabbed the bill from his hand. He turned to me and said, \"Yes, that's it! Instead of waiting around for opportunities, simply take the initiative and create what we want!\"\nAfter this week, I asked for his personal e-mail address and sent him e-mail sharing my views and dreams. He kindly e-mailed back simple encouragement such as \"Keep thinking and playing bigger; it's much more fun that way. Love, Jack.\" Then I got occupied with other things in life and I stopped e-mail Jack.\nA year later, my dream gradually faded. I had this idea if I got back in touch with Jack. I e-mailed him again and again but got no response. As I sat down at my computer to check my e-mail for the fifth time in 15 minutes, an inspiration came like lighting: What was I doing? Was I waiting for the prize of life? I knew I needed to do something about all this waiting. I was going to write a book, which I would call \"Waiting for Jack\"!\nIt all sounded good, but then reality hit. Some nights I cried and wanted to give up. I wrote and rewrote. Even though I could feel the fear, I did it anyway. Fortunately, three years later, Waiting for Jack turns out a best-seller on Amazon!\nWe all have a \"Jack\" for whom we wait--whether it's a person, a place or a thing. Now I would like to ask you: what are you waiting for?", "problems": [{"question": "It can be inferred from the passage that Jack Canfield is probably a person who _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["enjoys playing a lot", "likes showing off his wealth", "seldom takes risks", "welcomes challenges in life"]}, {"question": "How did the author lose contact with Jack?", "answer": "B", "options": ["She and Jack had an argument", "She had no time to contact Jack", "Jack was too proud to get along with", "She was too upset with her broken dream"]}, {"question": "What might be the theme of the book Waiting for Jack?", "answer": "C", "options": ["The disappointment of waiting for her hero Jack", "The need to keep waiting for the prize of our life", "The importance of taking action to achieve a goal", "The harm of blindly worshipping others as heroes"]}]} -{"article": "Can you imagine a world without chocolate? It's not something I'd like to do, so I was relieved to read that there's a university with a programme to safeguard the future of chocolate!\nThe University of Reading, in England, has just opened a new clearing house for all the world's new cocoa varieties. They must be quarantined before they can be grown. Why? Cocoa production hit a record high of 4.4 million tons last year but about 30% of the precious crop is regularly lost to pests and diseases. Now we don't want that, do we?\nDemand for chocolate has been increasing faster than the world supply of cocoa and researchers think that new varieties are key to solving this problem.\nThe University of Reading has been protecting the quality of the new crop since 1985, after it took over the task from the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, London. And it has improved its facilities. The leader of the institution's cocoa project, Professor Paul Hadley, says, \"One of the main issues concerning cocoa improvement is the supply of reliably clean, healthy, interesting cocoa material.\"\nThe cocoa centre has a collection of 400 plant varieties and their greenhouse uses a lot of energy to keep them in tropical conditions. After up to two years in quarantine, clean and safe seeds are sent to some 20 countries, including several in West Africa. That's where 75% of the cocoa used for chocolate worldwide comes from. The crop is extremely important for the local economy: it employs about two million people.\nProfessor Paul Hadley says he works with a small team of skilled technicians who look after the collection. And more of us seem to count on them now.\nThe scientist says, \"There is some concern within the industry that demand is increasing constantly, particularly in countries like China, where the standard of living is increasing and people are getting a taste for different chocolates.\"", "problems": [{"question": "What is the text mainly about?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Safeguarding cocoa seeds.", "Planting cocoa seeds worldwide.", "Keeping cocoa seeds in the greenhouse.", "Finding the new market for cocoa."]}, {"question": "The institution's cocoa project is to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["have cocoa skin removed", "offer more jobs to people", "ensure the quality of cocoa", "supply cocoa to two million people"]}, {"question": "What's the purpose of the text?", "answer": "D", "options": ["To educate.", "To advertise.", "To warn.", "To inform."]}]} -{"article": "As early as 1894, the newly-formed International Olympic Committee (IOC) considered ice skating as a possibility for the first modern Olympic Games which would be held in 1896.\nIn 1911, a member of the IOC suggested that winter sports should be staged as part of the 1912 Olympics in Helsinki. Some were against the idea. At last, the IOC decided to hold Winter Olympic Games in 1916. However, World War I broke out in 1914. After 1920, the national governing bodies for winter sports in several countries began talking about the possibility of a separate Winter Olympics.\nThe town of Chamonix, in the French Alps, planned to hold a winter sports festival in 1924, at the same time Paris was to host the Olympics. The Marquis de Polignac, a member of the IOC, suggested that the festival be formally recognized as the Winter Olympic Games. The IOC didn't go that far, but did agree that Chamonix could call its festival an \"Olympic winter carnival\".\nThe festival drew 258 athletes from 16 countries to compete in bobsledding , figure skating, hockey, Nordic skiing and speed skating. Charles Jewtraw from the United States won the first gold medal, in the 500-meter speed skating, but the festival's hero was Claus Thunberg from Finland. He won five medals, three of which were gold, in speed skating.\nWeather has often been a major story at the Winter Olympics, and so it was at Chamonix. The festival opened with rain and unseasonably warm temperature that turned snow and ice to mud. Then temperature dropped as far as 25 below zero and the mud became ice.\nDespite the weather, more than 10,000 people showed up. At its yearly meeting in 1925, the IOC recognized the Chamonix festival as the first Winter Olympics and decided that the Winter Games would be held every four years, just like the Summer Olympics.", "problems": [{"question": "Why was the first Winter Olympic Games not held in 1916?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Because the IOC didn't agree to it.", "Because it was still under discussion.", "Because some people were against the idea.", "Because World War I broke out in 1914."]}, {"question": "We can know from the passage that_.", "answer": "D", "options": ["the weather destroyed the first Winter Olympics", "people from 16 countries watched the first Winter Olympics", "Charles Jewtraw won the most medals in the first Winter Olympics", "Finland got at least 3 gold medals in speed skating in the first Winter Olympics"]}, {"question": "What's the best title for the passage?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The development of the Olympics", "The importance of weather in the Olympics", "The story of the first Winter Olympic Games", "How did the Winter Olympics come into being?"]}]} -{"article": "When you are admitted to a local university, especially one without accommodation, perhaps you'll live at home and become a commuting student which benefits you. It's cheaper and you can have a comfortable and familiar situation, which means you'll enjoy home meals you're used to instead of the changeless food in the university cafe.\nHowever, commuting students need to try their best to get involved in the life of their college and to take special steps to meet their fellow students. Often, this means you should be active to seek out and talk to people in your classes whom you think you might like.\nOne problem that commuting students sometimes face is their parents' unwillingness to recognize that they're adults. The change from high school to college is a big one, and if you live at home you need to develop the same kind of independence you'd have when you were living away. Home rules that might have been appropriate when you were in high school don't apply. If your parents are reluctant to renegotiate, you can speed the process along by letting your behavior show that you have the responsibility that goes with maturity. Parents are more willing to acknowledge their children as adults when they behave like adults. If, however, there's so much friction at home that it disturbs your academic work, you might want to consider sharing an apartment with one or more friends. Sometimes this is a happy solution when family tensions make everyone miserable.", "problems": [{"question": "Why is it not easy for commuting students to be accepted as adults?", "answer": "D", "options": ["They are independent enough.", "Home rules don't take full effect.", "They have strong responsibility.", "They behave like children."]}, {"question": "What's the best solution if commuting students conflict with their parents?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Having a negotiation with parents.", "Having cold war with parents.", "Talking with their best friends.", "Moving out to live with friends."]}, {"question": "What does the passage mainly talk about?", "answer": "B", "options": ["The relationship between commuting students and classmates", "The advantages and disadvantages of commuting students.", "The problems between commuting students and their parents.", "The college life of Commuting students involved in."]}]} -{"article": "prefix = st1 /Wuthering Heights has a difficult narrative structure. The story begins in 1801. It is first narrated by Lockwood, a visitor staying in Thrushcross Grange, one of the two houses, where we can meet different characters in the novel. Lockwood is a narrow, dull man who is basically afraid of feeling; as a result, he is a bad man who lives emotionally through a dirty interest in the lives of others. It is this side of his character that leads into the main narrative stream of the novel. His interest in what he sees and experiences on his visits to Wuthering Heights leads him to encourage Nelly Dean, the house-keeper at the Grange, to provide him with the information concerning the people that he has met: Heathcliff, Cathy, Hareton, Joseph and, of course, the ghost of Catherine.\nNelly Dean's story forms the major part of the narrative. While Nelly is meant to be an objective narrator, she has a lot to do with what has happened over the past twenty-five years that have led to the present state of affairs. Therefore, as readers, we need to realize how Nelly presents events and characters and her own role in determining the course of events.\nThe final part of the novel concerns the immediate future and provides us with the results of Lockwood's visit to the Heights and the appearance of Catherine's ghost. It is narrated by both Lockwood and Nelly.\nFinally, Isabella, the one time wife of Heathcliff, through a letter, narrates one middle part of the novel.\nAlthough this narrative structure may, at first, be very difficult, it is necessary because in the world of the novel, time order of the years is not so important; the events of twenty-five years ago are as much a part of the present as those in which Lockwood finds himself in 1801.", "problems": [{"question": "The house-keeper at the Grange satisfies Lockwood's dirty desire by _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["telling him the story of the ghost of Catherine", "providing him with the information of Wuthering Height", "encouraging him to know more about the people he has met", "showing him around the place he is visiting"]}, {"question": "What is special about the middle part of the novel?", "answer": "A", "options": ["One part of it is narrated in the form of a letter.", "It describes how Isabella and Heathcliff got separated.", "It is the most difficult part in the novel.", "One part of it suggests Catherine has been dead"]}, {"question": "This passage is quite probably _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["a piece of news", "a reading guide", "a writing guide", "an advertisement of a novel"]}]} -{"article": "Attitudes to AIDS Now\nMost people say that the USA is making progress in fighting AIDS, but they don't know there's no cure and strongly disagree that \"the AIDS epidemic is over,\" a new survey finds.\nThe findings, released Thursday by the Kaiser Family Foundation, reassure activists who have worried that public concern about AIDS might disappear in light of recent news about advances in treatment and declines in deaths.\n \"While people are very optimistic about the advances, they're still realistic about the fact that there is no cure\" says Sophia Chang, director of HIV programs at the foundation.\n The Kaiser survey, like a recent USA TODAY Gallup Poll, does find that the number of people ranking AIDS as the country's top health problem has fallen. In the Kaiser Poll, 38% say it's the top concern, down from 44% in a 1996 poll; in the Gallup Poll, 29% say AIDS in No.1, down from 41% in 1992 and 67% in 1987.\n Other findings from Kaiser, which polled more than 1,200 adults in September and October and asked additional questions of another 1,000 adults in November:\n 52% say the country is making progress against AIDS, up from 32% in 1995.\n 52% say the government spends too little on AIDS.\n 86% correctly say AIDS drugs can now lengthen lives; an equal number correctly say that the drugs are not cures.\n 67% incorrectly say that AIDS deaths increased or stayed the same in the past year; 24% know deaths fell.\n Daniel Zingale, director of AIDS Action Council, says, \"I'm encouraged that the American people are getting the message that the AIDS epidemic isn't over. I hope the decision-makers in Washington are getting the same message... We have seen signs of complacency .", "problems": [{"question": "According to the Kaiser Poll, which of the following is NOT correct?", "answer": "D", "options": ["The country is making progress against AIDS.", "AIDS drugs still cannot save people's lives.", "AIDS drugs can now make people live longer.", "More and more people die of AIDS now."]}, {"question": "What do activists worry about?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Recent news about AIDS is not true.", "People may stop worrying about AIDS.", "Deaths caused by AIDS may not decline.", "Advances in AIDS treatment are too slow."]}, {"question": "According to the passage, people's attitude toward the cure of AIDS is _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["optimistic.", "hopeless.", "pessimistic", "realistic."]}, {"question": "The Gallup Poll shows that the number of people _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["who suffer from the worst disease--- AIDS has fallen.", "who think AIDS threatens the countryside has fallen.", "who worry about AIDS and health problems has fallen.", "who think AIDS is the country's top health killer has fallen."]}]} -{"article": "Alice Kwak\n2551 Lancey Street, Toronto\nOntario M2O 2R5\nP. (566) 734-4470\nE-mail: akwak@cvva.ca\nMs. Rory Saunders\nHuman Resources Manager\nTrinity Client Publications\n881 Second Avenue\nToronto, Ontario M20 3K2\nDear Ms. Saunders,\nI am writing in regard to the Administrative Assistant position that is available at Trinity Client Publications.\nI have just completed the Office Administration program at Frayer College and am excited to try my skills in the real world. I have a good knowledge of basic computer programs, and have writing, editing, and critical thinking skills. I work well with tight deadlines, and am a highly-motivated self-starter.\nAt past jobs I have checked and corrected letters, taken notes, and made plans. I also communicated with customers. I am efficient and accurate in all my work. Please consult the enclosed resume for additional information about my work experience.\nThank you for taking the time to consider my application. If you have any questions you can reach me at (566) 734-4470 or at akwak@cvva.ca.\nSincerely,\nAlice Kwak", "problems": [{"question": "Who is Rory Saunders?", "answer": "C", "options": ["A copy editor.", "A Job Center employee.", "A human resources manager.", "A teacher at Frayer College."]}, {"question": "In which of the areas does Alice Kwak claim to have experience?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Using database.", "Editing letters.", "Arranging travel.", "Organizing meetings."]}, {"question": "How does Alice describe herself?", "answer": "D", "options": ["A creative manager.", "A famous writer.", "A team player.", "A self-starter."]}]} -{"article": "The young people who talk of the village as being \"dead\" are talking nothing but nonsense,as in their hearts they must surely know.\nNo,the village is not dead.There is more life in it now than there ever was.But it seems that\"village lire\".is dead.Gone for ever.It began to decline about a hundred years ago.When many girls left home to go into service in town many miles away,and men also left home-in increasing numbers in search of work, and home was where work was.There are still a number of people alive today who can remember what \"village life\" meant in the early years of the last century.It meant finding.your entertainment in the village of within walking distance of it.It meant housewives tied to the home all day and every day.It meant going to bed early to save lamp-oil and coal.\nThen came the First World War and the Second World War.After each war. new ideas,now attitudes.new trades and occupations were brought to villagers.The long-established order of society was no longer taken for granted.Electricity and the motorcar were steadily operating to make\"village life\"and\"town life\"almost alike.Now with the highly developed science and technology and high-level social welfare for all,there is no point whatever in talking any longer about\"village life.\".It is just life.and a better life.\nFinally, if we have any doubts about the future, or about the many changes which we have seen in our lives.we have only to look in at the school playground any midmorning;or see the children as they walk home fn little groups.Obviously there children ale better fed, better clothed,better educated,healthier.prettier and happier than any generation of children that ever before.walked the village street.", "problems": [{"question": "By saying that village is not dead,but\"village life\"is dead.the writer suggests that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["those who talk of the village as being\"dead\"are wrong", "the two statements are against each other", "\"village fife\"today is rather uninteresting", "\"village life\"today is no longer like what it used to be"]}, {"question": "When did\"village life\"begin to take a sharp turn?", "answer": "B", "options": ["About a century ago.", "In the second half of last century.", "During the two world wars.", "Only in recent years."]}, {"question": "What is the writer's attitude toward\"village life\"according.to the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He is fond of traditional\"village life\".", "He feels sad about the disappearing of\"village life\".", "He thinks\"village life\"is changing better now.", "He doesn't show any attitude toward\"village life\"."]}]} -{"article": "A study of English learning problems was carried out among a total of 106 foreign students. It shows that most students considered understanding spoken English to be their biggest problem on arrival. This was followed by speaking. Writing increased as a problem as students discovered difficulties in writing papers that they were now expected to hand in. Reading remained as a big problem.\nInformation gained helped us in determining where special attention should be paid in our course. Although many students have chosen to join the course with a reasonable motivation, we considered it important to note what seemed to encourage interest. Nearly all the students have experienced some kind of grammar-based English teaching in their own country. To use the same method would be self-defeating because it might reduce motivation, especially if it has failed in the past. Therefore a different method may help because it is different.\nVariety of activity was also seen as a way of maintaining or increasing motivation. Several years ago we had one timetable that operated throughout, but we soon found that both the students and the teachers lost interest about halfway through the ten weeks. This led us to a major re-think, so in the end we brought it into line with the expressed language needs of the students.", "problems": [{"question": "What does the passage want to tell us?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Foreign students have more problems.", "There are many ways to improve English.", "Teaching should meet students' needs.", "English learning problems should be studied again."]}, {"question": "Writing became a bigger problem when foreign students _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["had to write their papers", "became better at speaking", "became less interested in reading", "had fewer problems with listening"]}]} -{"article": "The world was mysterious when I was a child, so miracles were welcome wonders. Now, there doesn't seem to be space for them in this world I so intelligently understand.\nPerhaps it's from years of working around sick and often dying children, watching time and time again as a child slips away from the arms of a begging mother. I have stopped hoping as the parents around me hope.\nI recently cared for a patient near the end of his life. Medically speaking, his situation was hopeless, which made me feel helpless and defeated.\nHis mother came in to see him. I had prepared myself to support her, imagining she would crumble into a pile of tears.\n\"Our God is faithful,\" she said, with a smile on her face and the sunshine of hope in her eyes.\n\"Cancer is faithful,\" I muttered in my mind.\n\"We still believe he can heal him,\" she continued, as if she had heard what I was thinking.\nI provided updates on his body. In a laundry list of updates, perhaps two things were positive. She thanked me for the information, repeating back the minor positive notes I had given.\nI brcame kind of angry. And I wanted to sak, \"Do you really not understand the gravity of this illness?\"\nAnd then, yet again, as if she had heard me, she replied with this: A positive attitude gives us power over our circumstances, rather than allowing our circumstances to have power over us.\nI was shocked. Here I was, judging her positive attitude as a fault. I completely disregarded the choice to believe in something more powerful than me, more healing than the doctors on our team. It wasn't blind faith. It was strength and devotion.\nWhen I came out of the room, tears welling in my eyes, I sat at my computer and looked\ndown at a small plate of candies she must have left for me on her way into the room. A hand\nwritten note was laid above them: Kate, your devotion is so appreciated, S.\nS, it is your devotion that I am appreciating today. Because of you, I am begging again to\nbelieve in miracles.", "problems": [{"question": "The author is probably a _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["nurse", "patient", "teacher", "mother"]}, {"question": "Before seeing the patient's mother, the author thought that the patient _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["would recover soon", "had got much better", "was going to die of cancer", "might make a miraculous recovery"]}, {"question": "Why was the author angry with the patient's mother?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Because of her optimism.", "Because of her impoliteness.", "Because she couldn't stop crying.", "Because she was always complaining."]}, {"question": "Finally, the patient's mother made the author become _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["more patient", "more positive", "more aggressive", "more sympathetic"]}]} -{"article": "Last Sunday I made a visit to some new neighbors down the block. No specific purpose in mind, just an opportunity to sit at the kitchen table, have some tea and chat. As I did so, it occurred to me how rare the Sunday visit has become.\nWhen I was a kid in the New Jersey of the 1960s, Sunday visits were routine. Most stores were closed and almost nobody worked. My family normally traveled eight city blocks to the home of my grandmother, where adults would sit on the front porch and chat while we children played hide-and-seek.\nThe Sunday visit was something to desire strongly. It was the repetition to church, our reward for and hour of devotion, and opportunity to take advantage of the fact that Dad was not at work, we were not in school, and there were no chores that couldn't wait until Monday. Sunday was, indeed, which means that there was one day when everyone seemed to have time for everybody else.\nSunday as a day of rest is, or was, so deeply rooted in the culture that it's surprising to consider that, in a short span of time, it has almost entirely lost this association.1In my childhood, it was assumed that everyone would either be home or visit someone else's home on Sunday. But now the question is, \"What do you plan to Do this Sunday?\" The answer can range from going to the mall to participating in a road to jetting to Montreal for lunch. _ \nI suppose I should be grateful to live in Maine, a state of small towns, abundant land tight relationships. Even though folks work as hard here as they do anywhere else, the state's powerfully rural cast still harbors at least remnants of the ethic of yesterday's America, where people had to depend on one another in the face of economic vagaries and a challenging environment.2", "problems": [{"question": "The writer's general impression of the Sunday in the past was a day when _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["everyone would pay a visit to some relative far away", "everyone seemed to be free and could have some leisure", "Dad was not at work while Mom was busy cleaning the house", "nearly every adult would go to church and children were not at school"]}, {"question": "What is the writer's attitude towards the Sunday today?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Unsatisfied", "confused", "Respectful", "Thankful"]}]} -{"article": "It was the summer of 1936.The Olympic Games were being held in Berlin.I had trained, sweated and disciplined myself for 6 years on the running broad jump.A year before, as a college student at the Ohio State, I'd set the world's record of 26 feet 8 1/4 inches.Nearly everyone expected me to win.\n _ When the time came for the broad-jump trials , I was shocked to see a tall boy hitting the pit at almost 26 feet on his practice leaps.He turned out to be a German named Luz Long.He had easily qualified for the finals on his first attempt.\nA nervous athlete is an athlete who will make mistakes.I fouled twice on my qualifying jumps.Walking a few yards from the pit, I kicked at the dirt disgustedly.Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder.I turned to look into the friendly blue eyes of Luz Long.\"Hi, I'm Luz Long.I don't think we've met.\" \"Glad to meet you,\" I said.Then, trying to hide my nervousness, I added, \"How are you?\" \"I'm fine.Something must be eating you.You should be able to qualify with your eyes closed.\" He said.\nHe seemed to understand my nervousness, and took pains to reassure me.Finally, seeing that I had calmed down somewhat, he said, \"What does it matter if you're not the first in the trials? Tomorrow is what counts.\" All the tension left my body as the truth of what he said hit me.Confidently I qualified with almost a foot to spare.\nLuz broke his own record and pushed me on to a peak performance.The instant I landed from my final jump--the one which set the Olympic record of 26 feet 5 1/16 inches--he was at my side, congratulating me.", "problems": [{"question": "What can we learn about the author from the passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["He remained confident in the Olympic Games.", "He had qualified for the finals on his first attempt.", "He broke the world record of the running broad jump.", "He had prepared for Berlin Olympics in Ohio State."]}, {"question": "What is the passage mainly about?", "answer": "A", "options": ["A memorable experience in the Olympics.", "A reliable man in the Olympic Games.", "A surprising result in the Olympic Games.", "A good suggestion on how to win in the Olympics"]}]} -{"article": "Yosemite is a national park in California. It is very beautiful and big. The park includes more than 760,000 acres in the California Mountains. Most of the park is wilderness.\nThe part of Yosemite that everyone likes is Yosemite Valley. It is a tiny valley that is 7 miles long and less than 1 mile wide. It has tall rock walls and streams that splash down in waterfalls. More than two million visitors come to the valley each year.\nOne ranger says the number of visitors is more than the land can handle. The valley has 4,500 camping spots. It has a hotel that can hold 4,000 families. This is still not enough to handle all of the visitors. The valley has grown so big that it has a lot of traffic and crime.\nA worker says the park is trying to keep the beauty of the park and let everyone visit. Some areas have been fenced off from people and planted with seeds to try to keep them beautiful.\nA former worker thinks Yosemite should get more money to take better care of the park. He would also like to teach people what the park service is trying to do.\nSome people are trying to save Yosemite Valley. A plan has been made to get rid of some buildings. There will be fewer cars allowed inside the park. More buses will help get people around.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, which of the following should be got rid of?", "answer": "D", "options": ["Some of the trees.", "Some of the water.", "Some of the families.", "Some of the buildings."]}, {"question": "Which of the following is TRUE?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Yosemite is a national park located in the California desert.", "Some people think the amount of visitors is more than the land can handle.", "The valley has 4,500 parking spots and some hotels.", "Most of Yosemite park is full of traffic and crime."]}, {"question": "There are parts of the park that are closed _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["so some visitors can stay there alone", "in order to supply an area for camping", "so visitors can go fishing and barbecuing", "and workers will plant seeds"]}, {"question": "The passage mainly tells us _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Yosemite is a beautiful national park", "Yosemite is faced with a new problem", "Yosemite is wilderness", "Yosemite attracts a great many visitors each year"]}]} -{"article": "If you are planning to learn a foreign language, here are some suggestions about language learning. I hope these suggestions can help improve your learning of a foreign language\nTry to set aside some time every day for your study when your brain is at the most time for receiving information. It's better to study for 30 minutes every day than for 3 hours once a week. If you can spare two or three hours a day, break them up into some periods to avoid brain getting tired.\nGo over each lesson several times, perhaps once in the morning, once in the evening and once several days later. Give your brain time to understand the material, but the break between periods of study shouldn't be too long, or you will forget most of what you've learned.\nMake sure you're comfortable with the bases of the language before learning the more advanced knowledge. Without full understanding of basic knowledge such as words pronunciation and spelling, you'll find it very difficult to learn more.\nSetting proper targets is a good way to encourage yourself. You could set yourself a time limit or aim for a certain level.\nOnce you have mastered the bases of the language, learn to apply them to the things that you're interested in. In this way you are more likely to remember the words, phrases and grammatical constructions you meet.\nYou will find that at times you're making rapid progress, while sometimes you seem to stand still or even go backwards. This is normal when learning a language, so don't be discouraged.\nMaking mistakes in a foreign language is nothing to worry about. What matters is getting your message across, not whether you use all the right words, tenses, cases, etc. If you cannot think of the exact words, try using other ones.", "problems": [{"question": "What is the best time plan for studying a foreign language ?", "answer": "B", "options": ["A long period every day.", "Several short periods every day.", "A long period once a week.", "Several short periods a week."]}, {"question": "The break between periods of study shouldn't be too long, because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["you will be unable to go over a lesson for several times", "you will be too tired to continue your study", "you will waste a lot of time for study", "you will forget what you are trying to learn easily"]}, {"question": "If you don't fully understand the basic knowledge, you will _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["be unable to go on with your study", "be uncomfortable with yourself", "feel it very difficult to learn more", "stop learning more in a short time"]}, {"question": "According to the author, which of the following is NOT true ?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Setting a goal can help you make rapid progress.", "you should use what you've learned frequently to remember them.", "Sometimes you may not make any progress.", "Mistakes are quite normal in learning a language."]}, {"question": "The purpose of this passage is _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["to give some advice on foreign language learning", "to help students get high marks in foreign language exam", "to encourage more people to learn foreign languages", "to comfort those who don't learn foreign languages well"]}]} -{"article": "The next morning Alex was waiting in the FMA president's suite when Jerome Patterton arrived. Alex filled him in quickly on the Jax report. Then he said, \"I want you to give an order to the trust department to sell every share of Supranational we're holding.\"\n\"I won't!\" Patterton's voice rose. \"Who do you think you are, giving orders-----\" \"I'll tell you who I am, Jerome. I'm the guy who warned the board against in-depth involvement with SuNatCo. I fought against heavy trust department buying of the stock, but no one-----including you -----would listen. Now Supranational is caving in.\" Alex leaned across the desk and slammed a fist down hard. \"Don't you understand? Supranational can bring this bank down with it.\"\nPatterton was shaken. \"But is SuNatCo in real trouble? Are you sure?\"\n\"If I weren't, do you think I'd be here? I'm giving you a chance to salvage something at least.\" He pointed to his wristwatch. \"It's an hour since the New York stock market opened. Jerome, get on the phone and give that order!\"\nMuscles around the bank president's mouth twitched nervously. Never decisive, strong influence often swayed him. He hesitated, then picked up the telephone.\n\"Get me Mitchell in the trust department... Mitch? This is Jerome. Listen carefully. I want you to give a sell order immediately on all the Supranational stock we hold... Yes, sell every share.\" Patterton listened, then said impatiently, \"Yes, I know what it'll do to the market. And I know it's irregular.\" His eyes sought Alex's for reassurance. The hand holding the telephone trembled as he said, \"There's no time to hold meetings. So do it! Yes, I accept responsibility.\"\nHe hung up and reached for a glass of water. \"The stock is already down. Our selling will depress it more. We'll be taking a big beating.\"\n\"It's our clients-----people who trusted us-----who will take the beating. And they'd have taken a bigger one still, if we'd waited. Even now we're not out of the woods. A week from now the SEC may disallow those sales. They may rule we had inside knowledge that Supranational was about to be bankrupt, which we should have reported and which would have halted trading in the stock.", "problems": [{"question": "Alex filled him in quickly on the Jax report. The sentence means:", "answer": "C", "options": ["He filled his name on the Jax report quickly.", "Alex signed his name to the Jax report quickly.", "He offered the FMA president the Jax report smartly.", "He prepared the Jax report for Patterton to sign smartly."]}, {"question": "From the context we can infer that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["SuNatCo would bring the stock market down if it sold all the Supranational stock they held.", "The president was stubborn and would never listen to others.", "Alex will take the place of Patterton in the future.", "the clients would take a bigger beating than the bank"]}, {"question": "The New York stock market is the place where _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["the old stock can be bought and sold", "shares can be bought and sold", "paper stock can be bought and sold", "some of the stock can be taken without being paid for"]}, {"question": "In the sentence \"Even now we're not out the woods.\" The phrase \"out of the woods\" means _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["free from danger", "short of wood", "running out of wood", "set free"]}, {"question": "In the writer's opinion, the president is _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["good leader of the U.S.A", "a good manager of a company", "headmaster", "banker, an indecisive sort of person"]}]} -{"article": "Some unfortunate people are rather attractive to mosquitoes, while the smell of some lucky people drives the blood-suckers away. Now the smelly chemicals from the sweat of these lucky people have been identified by researchers, who are testing its effectiveness as a natural mosquito repellent .\nEverybody produces a mixture of chemicals with smells in their sweat, some of which attract biting insects. But people who do not get bitten also produce smelly chemicals that appear to mask the smells of the attractive chemicals.\nThis masking is very effective in avoiding a mosquito's bite, explains James Logan, a scientist who carried out the research with his colleagues.\nThese helpful chemicals probably occur naturally in everybody's sweat but some people have a much higher ratio than others.\n\"It's very exciting,\" prefix = st1 /Logansays, \"because these are totally natural chemicals with an effectiveness that compares favorably to other chemicals such as DEET, which is the best repellent available but has unwanted side effects.\"\nA key chemical identified by Loganas a repellent is also \"a natural food additive which has been proven safe\". He says, \"And because it can be made by plants, it may one day be possible to mass-produce it cheaply.\"\nThe repellent is currently being tested by 16 volunteers in Africa. Meanwhile, the researchers are testing the repellent against other biting insects.", "problems": [{"question": "Which can be concluded from this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Mosquitoes like to suck attractive people.", "Only some people produce a smelly substance in their sweat", "The cost of plant-related products can be low.", "Some chemicals contained in people's sweat can be eaten as food."]}, {"question": "What is the main idea of this passage?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Some people are luckier than other people", "Scientists help us to avoid the inconvenience of the biting insects", "Scientists have found a natural anti-biting substance in people's bodies.", "The natural mosquito repellent is good for people."]}, {"question": "Why are some people less attractive to mosquitoes?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Because they have less sweat", "Because their sweat contains a particular chemical.", "Because the ratio of their natural mosquito repellent is much higher", "Because they are less attractive"]}, {"question": "Which of the following statements is NOT true according to this passage?", "answer": "B", "options": ["Scientists are doing experiments with volunteers in Africa.", "The natural mosquito repellent is only used to deal with mosquitoes", "DEET is the best repellent available now", "All people might produce chemicals that can mask the mosquito-attracting substance."]}]} -{"article": "Most people I meet want to develop more harmonious and satisfying relationships. But we may not realize that this can only be achieved by partnering with two new and strange allies : uncertainty and confusion. Most of us aren't trained to like confusion or to admit we feel hesitant and uncertain. In our schools and organizations, we place value on sounding certain and confident.\nAs life continues to speed up, I believe our changing world requires less certainty and far more curiosity. I'm not suggesting we let go of our beliefs, but that we become curious about what someone else believes. As we become open to the disturbing differences, sometimes we discover that another's way of interpreting the world is actually essential to our survival.\nFor me, the first step in becoming curious is to admit that I'm not succeeding in figuring things out by myself. If my solutions don't work as well as I'd like, I take these as signs that it's time to begin asking others what they think. I try to become a conscious listener, actively listening for differences.\nThere are many ways to listen for differences. Lately, I've been listening for what surprises me. This isn't easy -- I'm accustomed to sitting there, nodding my head as someone voices his opinions. But when I notice what surprises me, I'm able to see my own views more clearly, including my assumptions.\nIf you're willing to be disturbed and confused, I recommend you begin a conversation with someone who thinks differently from you. Listen for what's different and what surprises you. Try to stop the voice of judgment or opinion and just listen. At the end, notice whether you've learned something new.\nWe have the opportunity many times a day to be the one who listens to others and the one who is curious rather than certain. When we listen with fewer judgments, we always develop better relationships with each other. _ . Curiosity and good listening bring us back together.\nAs I consider partnering with confusion and uncertainty, I'm learning that we don't have to agree with each other in order to think well together. There is no need for us to be joined at the head. We are already joined by our hearts.", "problems": [{"question": "According to the passage, when communicating with others, most of us try to behave _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["hesitantly and confusedly", "honestly and harmoniously", "responsibly and actively", "confidently and convincingly"]}, {"question": "According to the author, in order to cope with our changing world, we should _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["reconsider traditional beliefs before accepting them.", "learn to interpret other people's behavior.", "become more curious about other people's opinions.", "try to develop more harmonious relationships with others."]}, {"question": "What does the passage advise you to do when you hear different ideas?", "answer": "D", "options": ["We should let go of our beliefs.", "We should admit that we are not succeeding in figuring out things.", "We should be accustomed to sitting there and listening.", "We should listen and find out the valuable points"]}, {"question": "Which of the following best describes the author's attitude to uncertainty and confusion?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Favorable.", "Resistant.", "Curious.", "Doubtful."]}]} -{"article": "The old-fashioned general store is fast disappearing, This is, perhaps, a pity, because shopping today seems to lack that personal element which existed when the shopkeeper knew all his regular customers personally. He could, for instance, remember which brand of tea Mrs. Smith usually bought or what sort of washing-powder Mrs. Jones preferred. Not only was the shop a center of buying and selling, but also a social meeting place.\nA prosperous general store might have employed four or five assistants, and so there were very few problems in management as far as the staff was concerned. But now that the supermarket has replaced the general store, the job of the manager has changed completely. The modern supermarket manager has to cope with a staff as many as a hundred, apart from all the other everyday problems of running a large business.\nEvery morning, the manager must, like the commander of an army division, carry out an inspection of his store to make sure that everything is ready for the business of the day. He must see that everything is running smoothly. He will have to give advice and make decisions as problems arise, and he must know how to get his huge staff to work efficiently with their respective responsibilities.\nNo matter what he has to do throughout the day, however, the supermarket manager must be ready for any emergency that may arise. People in the trade say that you are not really an experienced supermarket manager until you have dealt with a flood, a fire, a birth and a death in your store.", "problems": [{"question": "In the author's opinion, it is a pity that there are fewer old general stores now because _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["there is less trading business", "there used to be more social activities in the old days", "the supermarket manager has more problems than before", "there is less personal contact between manager and customer."]}, {"question": "In what way has the job of the store manager changed?", "answer": "B", "options": ["He doesn't sell tea and washing-powder any more.", "He has a much larger staff to take care of , to say nothing of all the other daily problems of running the store.", "He must try hard to remember the names of his regular customers.", "He has to give advice and make decisions when problems arise."]}, {"question": "The supermarket manager is compared to _ by the author.", "answer": "C", "options": ["an orchestra conductor", "a traffic supervisor", "a military leader", "a school inspector"]}]} -{"article": "Do you like going to a theater to watch live performances? If you do, I'm not alone.\nLive performances at theaters interest different groups of people from rich people to office workers. If you go to any theater and look at its audience, you will find it is made up of teenagers, the elderly and anyone in between. One part of it is due to the marketing and the show itself. For example, Hair isn't going to interest the same audience as My Fair Lady. Another part of it is due to the area in which you live. The Palace Theater in Manchester, for example, interests a more urban crowd than the Leddy Center in Epping. All of these people have an interest in the magic of live performances and they go to the theater for different reasons.\nThere is nothing better than live theatre performances to increase your cultural awareness When you go to see a live theater performance, no matter whether it is a musical or a play, you are improving your knowledge of the world around you. Some people go to the theater to have fun and escape their troubles; others, particularly rich people, go to the theater to develop their knowledge of the world around them. Both of them are very good reasons for going to see live theater performances. However, personally, I often go to the theater more to have fun than anything else.\nEveryone has the right to enjoy any performance, whether it's a world-famous performance by the New Hampshire Ballet or a second-rate performance by your local community theater. The main thing to remember is whether you are there to heighten your awareness of the culture or to get away from your problems. You should appreciate the performance for what it is, because too many people these days don't know enough about the arts.", "problems": [{"question": "What does the author mean by saying she is not alone?", "answer": "D", "options": ["She no longer feels lonely.", "She loves watching popular performances.", "She often visits a theater with a friend.", "She likes going to the theater."]}, {"question": "The example of Hair and My Fair Lady shows that _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["many shows have a lot in common", "some shows are better than others", "not all shows are attractive to the audience", "different shows interest different people"]}, {"question": "According to the author, going to the theater is helpful because of the following reasons EXCEPT _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["improving the ability to read others' feelings", "being a way of learning something", "being a way of entertainment", "improving people's understanding of their own or other cultures"]}]} -{"article": "Georgia Aquarium is open 365 days a year. Please note that hours of operation do vary. Last ticket sold and entry is 30 minutes before closing time.\nRegular Hours\nSunday--Friday: 10 a.m.--5 p.m.\nSaturday: 9 a.m.--6 p.m.\nSummer Hours: May 27-August 16\nMonday-Saturday: 9 a.m.--9 p.m.\nSunday: 9 a.m.--6 p.m.\nFull Price Total Ticket\nAdult(ages 13-64):$38.95\nChild(ages 3-12):$32.95\nSenior(age 65+):$34.95\nTotal Ticket Online Discount\nAdult(ages 13-64):$35.95\nChild(ages 3-12):$29.95\nSenior(age 65+):$31.95\nAnimal Encounters:$59.95\nBeluga&Friends Interactive Program: $179.95\nJourney with Gentle Giants Immersion Program: $234.95\nAT&T Dolphin Tales\nOur new dolphin gallery, theater and show are now open. The gallery and viewing window are open to general admission guests periodically throughout the day. Show times vary each day, so check for times when you are purchasing general admission tickets. Don't forget-AT&T Dolphin Tales is included in Total Ticket general admission, so don't miss this spectacular show!\n4D Theater--Deepo's Undersea 3D Wondershow Presented by AT&T\nWith multiple shows throughout the day, be sure to catch this unique experience at Georgia Aquarium. Admission to the 4D Theater is included in Total Ticket general admission! \nJourney with Gentle Giants Immersion Program\nSwim or scuba dive in the Ocean Voyager exhibit, built by The Home Depot. Swims are daily at 4:30 p.m., and scuba dives are daily at 3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at ll a.m. Spots are limited, so it's best to book in advance.\nBeluga & Friends Interactive Program \nInteract with belugas and harbor seals in the Georgia-Pacific Cold Water Quest gallery.This animal interaction occurs daily at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Spots are limited, so it's best to book in advance.\nAnimal Encounters\nInteract with a penguin daily at l1:30 a.m. and l:45 p.m. You can also experience a special encounter with a dolphin. Spots are limited, so it's best to book in advance.", "problems": [{"question": "How much can they save if grandparents in their seventies with a 10-year-old boy visit Georgia Aquarium with online tickets?", "answer": "A", "options": ["$9.", "$6.", "$3.", "$12."]}, {"question": "Which of the following about AT&T Dolphin Tales is TRUE?", "answer": "D", "options": ["It is open all day long to visitors.", "Visitors should book their tickets in advance.", "Visitors have to pay extra money to watch it.", "It is really worth watching for visitors."]}, {"question": "With a Total Ticket, visitors are allowed to visit _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["Animal Encounters", "4D Theater-Deepo's Undersea 3D Wondershow", "Beluga & Friends Interactive Program", "Journey with Gentle Giants Immersion Program"]}]} -{"article": "A few years ago, I felt like a true failure.I was doing Weight Watchers for the third time in order to lose weight but not making progress.\nAt that time, I spent hours every day working out to my videos and was still overweight.I decided that there was no point in fighting it.I thought I was meant to be fat forever.I needed a change of heart and mind.That change came in the most unexpected way.It came with running.\nAfter dinner on Thanksgiving, I went out for a walk with my family.I had turned my little MP3 player on and was enjoying the music when my favorite song came on.I felt like dancing, but that was out of the question (I had two teenagers with me).So I caught the speed a bit and started to run slowly.I was quite pleased with my burst of activity.\nWhat was more surprising was that I got up the next morning and went out again.After running, I felt strong and calm at the same time.I recalled the good feelings I felt when I used to run 20 years ago and decided that I wanted more of that.I signed up for a spring race and practiced hard for it.\nEven though my weight is still heavier than what I would like, I no longer care about it.I try to stay more focused on my life.Most importantly, my workouts are less than an hour per day and I take Sundays off completely.My goal is to keep exercising in my life but not let it take over my life.After all, I am so much more than my weight.", "problems": [{"question": "What was the author's biggest change after she started running?", "answer": "A", "options": ["That she changed her attitude towards losing weight.", "That she no longer wanted to lose weight.", "That she spent more time in working out.", "That she lost more weight than expected."]}]} -{"article": "Everybody in this world is different from one another.But do you know that understanding differences can help you better manage your money?\nAs we grow up,we gradually develop a set of our own values or beliefs.These are influenced by society,our family,the education we receive and so on.Once this value system is set up,it's not easy to change later in life.\nFinancial experts say that everyone also has their own belief of how to manage their finances.This is part of our value system and it has a great impact on the way we look after our money.\nAccording to our different values,experts put us in three categories.They are:the ant,the cricket and the snail.\nThe ant-works first\nJust like ants who work heart and soul in summer in order to store food for winter,these people don't care about enjoying the moment.They work very hard and save money they earn so that they can enjoy life when they get old and retire.The ant loves to save but they could make more out of their money if they were willing to invest in some funds and stocks with low risk.\nThe cricket-fun first\nThe cricket wants to enjoy everything now and doesn't think too much about the future.They even borrow money when they really want something.Many young people now belong to this group.These people have little savings.When they get old,they might have problems.They should learn to save and buy insurance.\nThe snail-lives under pressure\nThe snail refers to people who make life difficult for themselves.They take big long-term loans from the bank in order to buy things such as luxury houses.They are happy to take big loans even though they are not sure whether they can afford it.This can cause problems in the future.They should plan more carefully.", "problems": [{"question": "People with the character of the snail would like to _ .", "answer": "C", "options": ["enjoy life at the moment without thinking much about the future", "put work before everything else", "live a luxury life at all costs", "take the risk of investing a large sum of money"]}, {"question": "Our beliefs and values are affected by the following except _ .", "answer": "D", "options": ["society", "our family", "education", "money"]}, {"question": "This passage mainly talks about _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["the spending nature of people", "the relation between man and insects", "the insects in nature", "the problems with dealing with money"]}, {"question": "Which of the following has the character that the author prefers?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The ant", "The cricket", "The snail", "None of the above"]}]} -{"article": "Letter One\n 21 July, 2008\nDear Sirs,\nOur foreman, Mr. Li Ming, had an accident on July 6, 2008. He crushed his forefinger when operating a machine. At that time, we didn't think the accident was serious enough to report, but Mr. Li has returned to his work after an absence of two weeks and is still unable to carry on his normal duties. We therefore wish to make a claim under the above policy and shall appreciate your sending us the necessary claim form.\n Yours faithfully,\n (Signature) \nLetter Two\n27 July, 2008\nDear Sirs,\n We have received your letter of July 21 and noted that you made a claim for the accident of Mr. Li Ming. We would, however, remind you of the terms of the policy that this claim should have been submitted within three days after the accident. More than two weeks have now passed. Consequently, your claim to compensation under the policy has been forfeited (, ).\nNevertheless, as an exceptional measure, we have decided to overlook its late submission, though we are bound to say that it should have been clear from Mr. Li's absence from work that this accident was more serious than you had supposed and that there seems to be no good reason why this claim should not have been made earlier.\nWe are enclosing a claim form as requested, but must emphasize that future claims cannot be entertained if you cannot comply with the terms of the policy.\n Yours faithfully,\n (Signature)", "problems": [{"question": "What is the main idea of these two letters?", "answer": "C", "options": ["Mr. Li crushed his forefinger when operating a machine.", "Mr. Li can't work after an absence of two weeks.", "Asking for a claim for injury.", "The insurer compensates Mr. Li."]}, {"question": "What happened to Li Ming on July 6?", "answer": "A", "options": ["He crushed his forefinger while working.", "He was hurt by a car accident.", "He was ill.", "He didn't go to work."]}, {"question": "The reason why they didn't report the accident to the insurer in time is that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["they didn't think of the claim", "they didn't think it was serious enough to report", "they didn't insure in the company", "they want more compensation"]}, {"question": "What's the attitude of the insurer to this injury?", "answer": "D", "options": ["He doesn't want to compensate.", "He compensated in time when they received the letter for claim.", "He thinks it doesn't matter to tell him a little late.", "He thinks that the accident should be informed in time."]}]} -{"article": "How come it seems like every kid today is a winner of something, when we know every kid can't be a star? These days. Kids are first divided by age, then by achievement, and often by the type of performance.\nAmerican culture in general has increasingly accepted prizes and awards. The winner-take-all prize tradition that characterizes American culture started in the early 20th century along with the development of organized American sporting culture. In the second half of the 20th century, the attention on competition, and rankings in general, grew rapidly. The 1970s had the most prize creations, including the addition of even more prizes to fields such as film and literature. Music competitions, including the introduction of the American Music Awards, saw similar growth in this time period. Since then, prizes have become increasingly fashionable, along with children's competitive activities. \nWhile awards may help people set goals and practice their activity, awards may also be a business practice. Trophies help make sure that customers return year after year. Keeping kids, parents, teachers and coaches happy with lots of recognition keeps the money flowing to the organizers of the competitions.\nTrophies may keep kids coming back, and their parents paying, but research finds that giving kids trophies for doing an activity means lower levels of encouragement. High levels of encouragement are exactly what we want to foster among kids to help them get long-term success and take pride in a well-earned achievement. So parents need to be careful when trying to get titles for their young kids, and make sure the honor created is for their kids and not for praise from anyone else in their children's lives.", "problems": [{"question": "What does the writer think of the trophies?", "answer": "A", "options": ["Businessmen benefit a lot from it.", "Parents pay too much for it.", "They help kids get long-term success.", "They mean nothing at all to kids."]}, {"question": "In the passage, parents are advised to _ .", "answer": "A", "options": ["choose competitions for kids wisely.", "stop kids taking part in any competition.", "invite kids to join in more outdoor activities", "let kids face violent competition by themselves."]}]} -{"article": "I clearly remember my mom telling me to drink milk every day--one glass in the morning and another at night. I also remember loving it while my sister thought quite the opposite--she would _ pour her milk into the sink or water the plants with it! I guess I should thank my mom for making us drink a lot of milk, so rich in calcium , during those important years.\nToday, calcium shortage is one of the main concerns of women in their 30s or even early 20s. The great fear is that when we reach our 50s or 60s, osteoprosis will set in. That is why you can see a lot of advertisements for products supposedly containing a lot of calcium.\nBecause calcium is not that easy to acquire from the food we normally eat, busy women these days should take calcium supplements . There are a lot of different forms of these---calcium carbonate ,oyster shell or bone-meal-based calcium supplements.\nYou have to be careful when choosing which kind to take. This is because calcium is not easily absorbed by the body. So the fact that you are taking supplements doesn't mean that the body is actually benefiting from them. Different supplements may have different instructions on dosage and manner of intake. You can ask your doctor to help you determine which supplement is the best for your needs.", "problems": [{"question": "From what the author's mother did we may infer that _ .", "answer": "B", "options": ["her children had osteoporosis", "she knew her children would benefit from milk", "she must have suffered from osteorosis", "she didn't like her daughter who didn't obey her order"]}, {"question": "Based on the passage, which of the following is NOT true?", "answer": "A", "options": ["The author's sister will suffer from osteoprosis when reaches her 50s or 60s", "Many businessmen have already been selling products supposedly containing calcium.", "We can't get enough calcium only from food we eat every day", "Women as young as their 20s should be concerned about calcium shortage"]}]}