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high22952.txt

Be sure to book a table if the restaurant you choose is an expensive or a popular one. You will feel embarrassed to show up without booking and having to wait for a table, leaving very bad impression on your friend, especially your girl friend. Also, be sure to check to see if you need to be properly dressed and tell your friend ahead of time what to wear. When your food arrives, proper dining manners make you eat at a right pace so that you have time to talk. A good measure of how fast you should eat is to count 10 seconds between each mouthful and it's bad manners if you eat too fast and then spend the rest of the time watching your friend eat. Don't make noise when having soup and chewing, or chew with your mouth open. Your napkin should be placed on your lap at all times. Don't put it in any other place. If you have to get up, place it neatly on your seat. When eating, put your fork straight in your mouth. Don't place your fork in the side of your mouth as it increases the chances of dropping your food, which could be very embarrassing. If you get food stuck in your mouth, don't pick it out with your fingers or fork at the table. Excuse yourself and go to the restroom and get it out with a toothpick. When dining, keep your eyes on your friend at all times and try to smile between mouthfuls. Sometimes, you should make an effort to show some interest and ask questions like, "How do you like the beef?" If she needs, you are the one who is supposed to flag down the waiter by a gentle wave of the hand until someone notices you.

B

If you want to eat in a popular restaurant, the author of the passage suggests that _ .

high22952.txt

Be sure to book a table if the restaurant you choose is an expensive or a popular one. You will feel embarrassed to show up without booking and having to wait for a table, leaving very bad impression on your friend, especially your girl friend. Also, be sure to check to see if you need to be properly dressed and tell your friend ahead of time what to wear. When your food arrives, proper dining manners make you eat at a right pace so that you have time to talk. A good measure of how fast you should eat is to count 10 seconds between each mouthful and it's bad manners if you eat too fast and then spend the rest of the time watching your friend eat. Don't make noise when having soup and chewing, or chew with your mouth open. Your napkin should be placed on your lap at all times. Don't put it in any other place. If you have to get up, place it neatly on your seat. When eating, put your fork straight in your mouth. Don't place your fork in the side of your mouth as it increases the chances of dropping your food, which could be very embarrassing. If you get food stuck in your mouth, don't pick it out with your fingers or fork at the table. Excuse yourself and go to the restroom and get it out with a toothpick. When dining, keep your eyes on your friend at all times and try to smile between mouthfuls. Sometimes, you should make an effort to show some interest and ask questions like, "How do you like the beef?" If she needs, you are the one who is supposed to flag down the waiter by a gentle wave of the hand until someone notices you.

B

Good eating manners do NOT include _ .

high22952.txt

Be sure to book a table if the restaurant you choose is an expensive or a popular one. You will feel embarrassed to show up without booking and having to wait for a table, leaving very bad impression on your friend, especially your girl friend. Also, be sure to check to see if you need to be properly dressed and tell your friend ahead of time what to wear. When your food arrives, proper dining manners make you eat at a right pace so that you have time to talk. A good measure of how fast you should eat is to count 10 seconds between each mouthful and it's bad manners if you eat too fast and then spend the rest of the time watching your friend eat. Don't make noise when having soup and chewing, or chew with your mouth open. Your napkin should be placed on your lap at all times. Don't put it in any other place. If you have to get up, place it neatly on your seat. When eating, put your fork straight in your mouth. Don't place your fork in the side of your mouth as it increases the chances of dropping your food, which could be very embarrassing. If you get food stuck in your mouth, don't pick it out with your fingers or fork at the table. Excuse yourself and go to the restroom and get it out with a toothpick. When dining, keep your eyes on your friend at all times and try to smile between mouthfuls. Sometimes, you should make an effort to show some interest and ask questions like, "How do you like the beef?" If she needs, you are the one who is supposed to flag down the waiter by a gentle wave of the hand until someone notices you.

A

We can infer from the passage that _ .

high22952.txt

Be sure to book a table if the restaurant you choose is an expensive or a popular one. You will feel embarrassed to show up without booking and having to wait for a table, leaving very bad impression on your friend, especially your girl friend. Also, be sure to check to see if you need to be properly dressed and tell your friend ahead of time what to wear. When your food arrives, proper dining manners make you eat at a right pace so that you have time to talk. A good measure of how fast you should eat is to count 10 seconds between each mouthful and it's bad manners if you eat too fast and then spend the rest of the time watching your friend eat. Don't make noise when having soup and chewing, or chew with your mouth open. Your napkin should be placed on your lap at all times. Don't put it in any other place. If you have to get up, place it neatly on your seat. When eating, put your fork straight in your mouth. Don't place your fork in the side of your mouth as it increases the chances of dropping your food, which could be very embarrassing. If you get food stuck in your mouth, don't pick it out with your fingers or fork at the table. Excuse yourself and go to the restroom and get it out with a toothpick. When dining, keep your eyes on your friend at all times and try to smile between mouthfuls. Sometimes, you should make an effort to show some interest and ask questions like, "How do you like the beef?" If she needs, you are the one who is supposed to flag down the waiter by a gentle wave of the hand until someone notices you.

A

The passage is mainly about _ .

high3995.txt

One of the most difficult questions to answer is how much a job is worth. We naturally expect that a doctor's salary will be higher than a bus conductor's wages. But the question becomes much more difficult to answer when we compare a miner with an engineer, or an unskilled man working on an oil-rig with a teacher in a secondary school. What the doctor, the engineer and the teacher have in common is that they have devoted several years to studying in order to obtain the necessary qualifications for their professions. We feel instinctively that these skills and these years should be rewarded. At the same time we recognize that the work of the miner and the oil-rig laborer is both hard and dangerous, and that they must be highly paid for the risks they take. Another aspect we must take into consideration is how socially useful a man's work is. Most people would agree that looking after the sick or teaching children is more important than, say, selling second-hand cars. Yet it is almost certain that the used-car salesman earns more than the nurse and the schoolteacher. Indeed, this whole question of just rewards can be turned on its head. You can argue that a man who does a job which brings him personal satisfaction is already receiving part of his reward in the form of a so-called "psychic wage", and that it is the man with the boring, repetitive job who needs more money to make up for the soul-destroying repetitiveness of his work. It is significant that the jobs like nursing and teaching continue to be poorly paid, while others, such as those in the world of sport or entertainment, carry financial rewards out of all proportion to their social worth. Although the amount of money that people earn is largely determined by market forces, this should not prevent us from seeking some way to decide what is the right pay for the job. A starting point would be to try to decide the ratio which ought to exist between the highest and the lowest paid. The picture is made more complicated by two factors: firstly by the welfare benefits which every citizen receives, and secondly by the taxation system which is often used as an instrument of social justice by taxing high incomes at a very high rate indeed. Most countries now regard a ratio of 7:1 as socially acceptable. If it is less, the highly-qualified people carrying heavy responsibilities will become disappointed, and might even end up by leaving for another country. If it is more, the difference between rich and poor will be so great that it will lead to social unrest.

D

Why do people naturally expect that doctors should be well-paid?

high3995.txt

One of the most difficult questions to answer is how much a job is worth. We naturally expect that a doctor's salary will be higher than a bus conductor's wages. But the question becomes much more difficult to answer when we compare a miner with an engineer, or an unskilled man working on an oil-rig with a teacher in a secondary school. What the doctor, the engineer and the teacher have in common is that they have devoted several years to studying in order to obtain the necessary qualifications for their professions. We feel instinctively that these skills and these years should be rewarded. At the same time we recognize that the work of the miner and the oil-rig laborer is both hard and dangerous, and that they must be highly paid for the risks they take. Another aspect we must take into consideration is how socially useful a man's work is. Most people would agree that looking after the sick or teaching children is more important than, say, selling second-hand cars. Yet it is almost certain that the used-car salesman earns more than the nurse and the schoolteacher. Indeed, this whole question of just rewards can be turned on its head. You can argue that a man who does a job which brings him personal satisfaction is already receiving part of his reward in the form of a so-called "psychic wage", and that it is the man with the boring, repetitive job who needs more money to make up for the soul-destroying repetitiveness of his work. It is significant that the jobs like nursing and teaching continue to be poorly paid, while others, such as those in the world of sport or entertainment, carry financial rewards out of all proportion to their social worth. Although the amount of money that people earn is largely determined by market forces, this should not prevent us from seeking some way to decide what is the right pay for the job. A starting point would be to try to decide the ratio which ought to exist between the highest and the lowest paid. The picture is made more complicated by two factors: firstly by the welfare benefits which every citizen receives, and secondly by the taxation system which is often used as an instrument of social justice by taxing high incomes at a very high rate indeed. Most countries now regard a ratio of 7:1 as socially acceptable. If it is less, the highly-qualified people carrying heavy responsibilities will become disappointed, and might even end up by leaving for another country. If it is more, the difference between rich and poor will be so great that it will lead to social unrest.

C

Which of the following statements would the author agree?

high10864.txt

It has been said that Lincoln was always ready to join in a laugh at himself. There is one particular story that he always told with great delight. In his early days as a lawyer, Lincoln went from town to town to hear and judge legal cases. During one of these trips, he was sitting in a train when a strange man came up to him. The stranger looked at the tall clumsy lawyer and said that he had something he believed belonging to Lincoln. Lincoln was a bit puzzled. He had never seen the man before. He didn't see how a total stranger could have something of his. Lincoln asked how this could be. The stranger pulled out a penknife and began to explain. Many years before, he had been given the pocketknife. He had been told to keep it until he was able to find a man uglier than himself. Lincoln's eyes always _ when he reached this part of the story. The story always brought smiles to the faces of those who heard it. The tale itself was funny. But even more delightful was the fact that a man as great as Lincoln could still laugh at himself.

B

This passage is about _

high10864.txt

It has been said that Lincoln was always ready to join in a laugh at himself. There is one particular story that he always told with great delight. In his early days as a lawyer, Lincoln went from town to town to hear and judge legal cases. During one of these trips, he was sitting in a train when a strange man came up to him. The stranger looked at the tall clumsy lawyer and said that he had something he believed belonging to Lincoln. Lincoln was a bit puzzled. He had never seen the man before. He didn't see how a total stranger could have something of his. Lincoln asked how this could be. The stranger pulled out a penknife and began to explain. Many years before, he had been given the pocketknife. He had been told to keep it until he was able to find a man uglier than himself. Lincoln's eyes always _ when he reached this part of the story. The story always brought smiles to the faces of those who heard it. The tale itself was funny. But even more delightful was the fact that a man as great as Lincoln could still laugh at himself.

D

From the story we can infer that the stranger in the train _

high10864.txt

It has been said that Lincoln was always ready to join in a laugh at himself. There is one particular story that he always told with great delight. In his early days as a lawyer, Lincoln went from town to town to hear and judge legal cases. During one of these trips, he was sitting in a train when a strange man came up to him. The stranger looked at the tall clumsy lawyer and said that he had something he believed belonging to Lincoln. Lincoln was a bit puzzled. He had never seen the man before. He didn't see how a total stranger could have something of his. Lincoln asked how this could be. The stranger pulled out a penknife and began to explain. Many years before, he had been given the pocketknife. He had been told to keep it until he was able to find a man uglier than himself. Lincoln's eyes always _ when he reached this part of the story. The story always brought smiles to the faces of those who heard it. The tale itself was funny. But even more delightful was the fact that a man as great as Lincoln could still laugh at himself.

A

Lincoln was given the pocketknife for _

high10864.txt

It has been said that Lincoln was always ready to join in a laugh at himself. There is one particular story that he always told with great delight. In his early days as a lawyer, Lincoln went from town to town to hear and judge legal cases. During one of these trips, he was sitting in a train when a strange man came up to him. The stranger looked at the tall clumsy lawyer and said that he had something he believed belonging to Lincoln. Lincoln was a bit puzzled. He had never seen the man before. He didn't see how a total stranger could have something of his. Lincoln asked how this could be. The stranger pulled out a penknife and began to explain. Many years before, he had been given the pocketknife. He had been told to keep it until he was able to find a man uglier than himself. Lincoln's eyes always _ when he reached this part of the story. The story always brought smiles to the faces of those who heard it. The tale itself was funny. But even more delightful was the fact that a man as great as Lincoln could still laugh at himself.

A

Which of the following statements is right?

high6873.txt

There once was a little boy who wanted to meet the king. He set off, walking towards the king's castle. After many years of walking, the king's castle came into his view. However, as the boy drew closer to the outside of the castle, the guards noticed him. "Get out of here!" ordered the guards. Well, _ . He turned...and ran. All he wanted to do was to tell the king wonderful things, and see all the beautiful things in the king's house. But he couldn't even get near the castle! The boy finally stopped running, sat down and cried. A young man happened to be coming down the path at the very moment. He saw the little boy and stopped. "What's wrong, young man?" he asked. "Sir, I walked and walked just to see the king. But these guards made me scared. I wanted to tell the king how lovely everything is and just tell the king that I just wanted to see him.!" The man looked at the little boy thoughtfully. "Look, why don't you try again. I'll come with you this time." The little boy got up and took the man's hand. The king's guards spotted them. "Look, mister, we don't have to do this...I don't want you to get hurt. We can just turn around now." The man held the little boy's hand and went on. The boy really thought the man might be crazy until he looked back up at the guards. They were all smiling now. The little boy was amazed. "Who are you?" asked the little boy in astonishment. "Why, I'm the king's son. You can enter the castle and be with the king." Said the man. The little boy broke into a huge smile.

C

Why did the boy want to see the king?

high6873.txt

There once was a little boy who wanted to meet the king. He set off, walking towards the king's castle. After many years of walking, the king's castle came into his view. However, as the boy drew closer to the outside of the castle, the guards noticed him. "Get out of here!" ordered the guards. Well, _ . He turned...and ran. All he wanted to do was to tell the king wonderful things, and see all the beautiful things in the king's house. But he couldn't even get near the castle! The boy finally stopped running, sat down and cried. A young man happened to be coming down the path at the very moment. He saw the little boy and stopped. "What's wrong, young man?" he asked. "Sir, I walked and walked just to see the king. But these guards made me scared. I wanted to tell the king how lovely everything is and just tell the king that I just wanted to see him.!" The man looked at the little boy thoughtfully. "Look, why don't you try again. I'll come with you this time." The little boy got up and took the man's hand. The king's guards spotted them. "Look, mister, we don't have to do this...I don't want you to get hurt. We can just turn around now." The man held the little boy's hand and went on. The boy really thought the man might be crazy until he looked back up at the guards. They were all smiling now. The little boy was amazed. "Who are you?" asked the little boy in astonishment. "Why, I'm the king's son. You can enter the castle and be with the king." Said the man. The little boy broke into a huge smile.

A

According to the passage, the man is _ .

high5704.txt

Fear is an emotion like others such as happiness, anger, hurt, sadness. We need emotions to process information we receive and decide how to respond. Being afraid of fast cars, for example, is something that might protect us from harm. Being afraid of the consequence of a choice may prevent us getting into trouble. Fears in young children commonly center on certain animals like snakes or big dogs. Fears are caused often because of experiences or ideas expressed by others, and at times, the media. Many normal fears during the early years, like men with beards, or large dogs, disappear with age. Those relating to personal failure and ridicule remain through adulthood and may need special help to overcome. Children's fears are often _ , but that doesn't mean they should be ignored. They need to be recognized and accepted as real for that child. Only when we help children understand their fears can they grow normally in their ability to deal with them. Research shows that as a child grows up, the center of his fears changes a lot. Things like divorce, a teacher who "shouted at me", people with guns, bullies, big boys, or "making fun of me" top the list of childhood fears. We can not always prevent these experiences from happening, but it's essential that children be allowed to freely express their emotions without judgment. Sympathy and a caring listener will help ease the pain of these fears. Read books and stories to your child about children who have experienced similar fears. This helps children talk about their fears and find ways to cope. With all emotions, fears become less of a problem for children as they gain self-confidence and they find that fear is normal and can be dealt with.

D

In dealing with children's fears, the final goal of the parents is to _ .

high5704.txt

Fear is an emotion like others such as happiness, anger, hurt, sadness. We need emotions to process information we receive and decide how to respond. Being afraid of fast cars, for example, is something that might protect us from harm. Being afraid of the consequence of a choice may prevent us getting into trouble. Fears in young children commonly center on certain animals like snakes or big dogs. Fears are caused often because of experiences or ideas expressed by others, and at times, the media. Many normal fears during the early years, like men with beards, or large dogs, disappear with age. Those relating to personal failure and ridicule remain through adulthood and may need special help to overcome. Children's fears are often _ , but that doesn't mean they should be ignored. They need to be recognized and accepted as real for that child. Only when we help children understand their fears can they grow normally in their ability to deal with them. Research shows that as a child grows up, the center of his fears changes a lot. Things like divorce, a teacher who "shouted at me", people with guns, bullies, big boys, or "making fun of me" top the list of childhood fears. We can not always prevent these experiences from happening, but it's essential that children be allowed to freely express their emotions without judgment. Sympathy and a caring listener will help ease the pain of these fears. Read books and stories to your child about children who have experienced similar fears. This helps children talk about their fears and find ways to cope. With all emotions, fears become less of a problem for children as they gain self-confidence and they find that fear is normal and can be dealt with.

A

From the passage we can learn that _ .

high5704.txt

Fear is an emotion like others such as happiness, anger, hurt, sadness. We need emotions to process information we receive and decide how to respond. Being afraid of fast cars, for example, is something that might protect us from harm. Being afraid of the consequence of a choice may prevent us getting into trouble. Fears in young children commonly center on certain animals like snakes or big dogs. Fears are caused often because of experiences or ideas expressed by others, and at times, the media. Many normal fears during the early years, like men with beards, or large dogs, disappear with age. Those relating to personal failure and ridicule remain through adulthood and may need special help to overcome. Children's fears are often _ , but that doesn't mean they should be ignored. They need to be recognized and accepted as real for that child. Only when we help children understand their fears can they grow normally in their ability to deal with them. Research shows that as a child grows up, the center of his fears changes a lot. Things like divorce, a teacher who "shouted at me", people with guns, bullies, big boys, or "making fun of me" top the list of childhood fears. We can not always prevent these experiences from happening, but it's essential that children be allowed to freely express their emotions without judgment. Sympathy and a caring listener will help ease the pain of these fears. Read books and stories to your child about children who have experienced similar fears. This helps children talk about their fears and find ways to cope. With all emotions, fears become less of a problem for children as they gain self-confidence and they find that fear is normal and can be dealt with.

B

What's the best title for this passage?

high14236.txt

While sweet treats can be hard to resist, the World Health Organization(WHO) has set new guidelines for people around the world. The guidelines, released on Wednesday, advise that both adults and children cut back on their sugar intake to stay healthy. In a statement, Francesco Branca, director of the WHO's nutrition department, said there is evidence that reducing daily sugar intake reduces the risk of being overweight and tooth decay . The guidelines do not apply to the sugars in fresh fruit and vegetables or those that are naturally present in milk. According to the WHO, there is no reported evidence of negative effects of consuming those sugars. Instead, the new guidelines focus on "added" or "free" sugars. These include sugars that are added to processed foods and drinks such as candy and soft drinks. Added sugars are sometimes described as " hidden" sugars because they exist in foods we might not think of as sweets, such as honey and ketchup . Health experts advise that consumers look at ingredients on food packages to help make better-informed decisions. The WHO recommends that people in the United States, Europe and other Western societies should cut their average sugar intake by about two-thirds, or down to just 10% of their overall calories. For developing countries, where dental care is less advanced, the WHO recommends that sugar intake be reduced to 5%. Scientist Kieran Clarke, of the University of Oxford, notes that for those people who can't shake their love for sweets, getting more exercise is a good solution. "If you get enough exercise, you can eat almost anything," she said "But it's very hard to avoid large amounts of sugar unless all you're eating is fruit and vegetables."

D

What can we learn from the guidelines released by the World Health Organization?

high14236.txt

While sweet treats can be hard to resist, the World Health Organization(WHO) has set new guidelines for people around the world. The guidelines, released on Wednesday, advise that both adults and children cut back on their sugar intake to stay healthy. In a statement, Francesco Branca, director of the WHO's nutrition department, said there is evidence that reducing daily sugar intake reduces the risk of being overweight and tooth decay . The guidelines do not apply to the sugars in fresh fruit and vegetables or those that are naturally present in milk. According to the WHO, there is no reported evidence of negative effects of consuming those sugars. Instead, the new guidelines focus on "added" or "free" sugars. These include sugars that are added to processed foods and drinks such as candy and soft drinks. Added sugars are sometimes described as " hidden" sugars because they exist in foods we might not think of as sweets, such as honey and ketchup . Health experts advise that consumers look at ingredients on food packages to help make better-informed decisions. The WHO recommends that people in the United States, Europe and other Western societies should cut their average sugar intake by about two-thirds, or down to just 10% of their overall calories. For developing countries, where dental care is less advanced, the WHO recommends that sugar intake be reduced to 5%. Scientist Kieran Clarke, of the University of Oxford, notes that for those people who can't shake their love for sweets, getting more exercise is a good solution. "If you get enough exercise, you can eat almost anything," she said "But it's very hard to avoid large amounts of sugar unless all you're eating is fruit and vegetables."

C

To what level should people in developing countries cut down their sugar intake, according to the WHO?

high14236.txt

While sweet treats can be hard to resist, the World Health Organization(WHO) has set new guidelines for people around the world. The guidelines, released on Wednesday, advise that both adults and children cut back on their sugar intake to stay healthy. In a statement, Francesco Branca, director of the WHO's nutrition department, said there is evidence that reducing daily sugar intake reduces the risk of being overweight and tooth decay . The guidelines do not apply to the sugars in fresh fruit and vegetables or those that are naturally present in milk. According to the WHO, there is no reported evidence of negative effects of consuming those sugars. Instead, the new guidelines focus on "added" or "free" sugars. These include sugars that are added to processed foods and drinks such as candy and soft drinks. Added sugars are sometimes described as " hidden" sugars because they exist in foods we might not think of as sweets, such as honey and ketchup . Health experts advise that consumers look at ingredients on food packages to help make better-informed decisions. The WHO recommends that people in the United States, Europe and other Western societies should cut their average sugar intake by about two-thirds, or down to just 10% of their overall calories. For developing countries, where dental care is less advanced, the WHO recommends that sugar intake be reduced to 5%. Scientist Kieran Clarke, of the University of Oxford, notes that for those people who can't shake their love for sweets, getting more exercise is a good solution. "If you get enough exercise, you can eat almost anything," she said "But it's very hard to avoid large amounts of sugar unless all you're eating is fruit and vegetables."

D

We can learn from the text that _ .

high4051.txt

Jimmy is an automotive mechanic, but he lost his job a few months ago. He has a good heart, but always feared applying for a new job. One day, he gathered up all his strength and decided to attend a job interview. His appointment was at 10 am and it was already 8:30. While waiting for a bus to the office where he was supposed to be interviewed, he saw an elderly man wildly kicking the tyre of his car. Obviously there was something wrong with the car. Jimmy immediately went up to lend him a hand. When Jimmy finished working on the car, the old man asked him how much he should pay for the service. Jimmy said there was no need to pay him; he just helped someone in need, and he had to rush for an interview. Then the old man said, "Well, I could take you to the office for your interview. It's the least I could do. Please, I insist." Jimmy agreed. Upon arrival, Jimmy found a long line of applicants waiting to be interviewed. Jimmy still had some grease on him after the car repair, but he did not have much time to wash it off or have a change of shirt. One by one, the applicants left the interviewer's office with disappointed look on their faces. Finally his name was called. The interviewer was sitting on a large chair facing the office window. Rocking the chair back and forth, he asked, "Do you really need to be interviewed?" Jimmy's heart sank. "With the way I look now, how could I possibly pass this interview?" he thought to himself. Then the interviewer turned the chair and to Jimmy's surprise, it was the old man he helped earlier in the morning. It turned out he was the General Manager of the company. "Sorry I had to keep you waiting, but I was pretty sure I made the right decision to have you as part of our workforce before you even stepped into the office. I just know you'd be a trustworthy worker. Congratulations!" Jimmy sat down and they shared a cup of well-deserved coffee as he landed himself a new job.

A

Why did Jimmy apply for a new job?

high4051.txt

Jimmy is an automotive mechanic, but he lost his job a few months ago. He has a good heart, but always feared applying for a new job. One day, he gathered up all his strength and decided to attend a job interview. His appointment was at 10 am and it was already 8:30. While waiting for a bus to the office where he was supposed to be interviewed, he saw an elderly man wildly kicking the tyre of his car. Obviously there was something wrong with the car. Jimmy immediately went up to lend him a hand. When Jimmy finished working on the car, the old man asked him how much he should pay for the service. Jimmy said there was no need to pay him; he just helped someone in need, and he had to rush for an interview. Then the old man said, "Well, I could take you to the office for your interview. It's the least I could do. Please, I insist." Jimmy agreed. Upon arrival, Jimmy found a long line of applicants waiting to be interviewed. Jimmy still had some grease on him after the car repair, but he did not have much time to wash it off or have a change of shirt. One by one, the applicants left the interviewer's office with disappointed look on their faces. Finally his name was called. The interviewer was sitting on a large chair facing the office window. Rocking the chair back and forth, he asked, "Do you really need to be interviewed?" Jimmy's heart sank. "With the way I look now, how could I possibly pass this interview?" he thought to himself. Then the interviewer turned the chair and to Jimmy's surprise, it was the old man he helped earlier in the morning. It turned out he was the General Manager of the company. "Sorry I had to keep you waiting, but I was pretty sure I made the right decision to have you as part of our workforce before you even stepped into the office. I just know you'd be a trustworthy worker. Congratulations!" Jimmy sat down and they shared a cup of well-deserved coffee as he landed himself a new job.

D

What did Jimmy see on the way to the interview?

high4051.txt

Jimmy is an automotive mechanic, but he lost his job a few months ago. He has a good heart, but always feared applying for a new job. One day, he gathered up all his strength and decided to attend a job interview. His appointment was at 10 am and it was already 8:30. While waiting for a bus to the office where he was supposed to be interviewed, he saw an elderly man wildly kicking the tyre of his car. Obviously there was something wrong with the car. Jimmy immediately went up to lend him a hand. When Jimmy finished working on the car, the old man asked him how much he should pay for the service. Jimmy said there was no need to pay him; he just helped someone in need, and he had to rush for an interview. Then the old man said, "Well, I could take you to the office for your interview. It's the least I could do. Please, I insist." Jimmy agreed. Upon arrival, Jimmy found a long line of applicants waiting to be interviewed. Jimmy still had some grease on him after the car repair, but he did not have much time to wash it off or have a change of shirt. One by one, the applicants left the interviewer's office with disappointed look on their faces. Finally his name was called. The interviewer was sitting on a large chair facing the office window. Rocking the chair back and forth, he asked, "Do you really need to be interviewed?" Jimmy's heart sank. "With the way I look now, how could I possibly pass this interview?" he thought to himself. Then the interviewer turned the chair and to Jimmy's surprise, it was the old man he helped earlier in the morning. It turned out he was the General Manager of the company. "Sorry I had to keep you waiting, but I was pretty sure I made the right decision to have you as part of our workforce before you even stepped into the office. I just know you'd be a trustworthy worker. Congratulations!" Jimmy sat down and they shared a cup of well-deserved coffee as he landed himself a new job.

D

Why did the old man offer Jimmy a ride?

high4051.txt

Jimmy is an automotive mechanic, but he lost his job a few months ago. He has a good heart, but always feared applying for a new job. One day, he gathered up all his strength and decided to attend a job interview. His appointment was at 10 am and it was already 8:30. While waiting for a bus to the office where he was supposed to be interviewed, he saw an elderly man wildly kicking the tyre of his car. Obviously there was something wrong with the car. Jimmy immediately went up to lend him a hand. When Jimmy finished working on the car, the old man asked him how much he should pay for the service. Jimmy said there was no need to pay him; he just helped someone in need, and he had to rush for an interview. Then the old man said, "Well, I could take you to the office for your interview. It's the least I could do. Please, I insist." Jimmy agreed. Upon arrival, Jimmy found a long line of applicants waiting to be interviewed. Jimmy still had some grease on him after the car repair, but he did not have much time to wash it off or have a change of shirt. One by one, the applicants left the interviewer's office with disappointed look on their faces. Finally his name was called. The interviewer was sitting on a large chair facing the office window. Rocking the chair back and forth, he asked, "Do you really need to be interviewed?" Jimmy's heart sank. "With the way I look now, how could I possibly pass this interview?" he thought to himself. Then the interviewer turned the chair and to Jimmy's surprise, it was the old man he helped earlier in the morning. It turned out he was the General Manager of the company. "Sorry I had to keep you waiting, but I was pretty sure I made the right decision to have you as part of our workforce before you even stepped into the office. I just know you'd be a trustworthy worker. Congratulations!" Jimmy sat down and they shared a cup of well-deserved coffee as he landed himself a new job.

B

How did Jimmy feel on hearing the interviewer's question?

high4051.txt

Jimmy is an automotive mechanic, but he lost his job a few months ago. He has a good heart, but always feared applying for a new job. One day, he gathered up all his strength and decided to attend a job interview. His appointment was at 10 am and it was already 8:30. While waiting for a bus to the office where he was supposed to be interviewed, he saw an elderly man wildly kicking the tyre of his car. Obviously there was something wrong with the car. Jimmy immediately went up to lend him a hand. When Jimmy finished working on the car, the old man asked him how much he should pay for the service. Jimmy said there was no need to pay him; he just helped someone in need, and he had to rush for an interview. Then the old man said, "Well, I could take you to the office for your interview. It's the least I could do. Please, I insist." Jimmy agreed. Upon arrival, Jimmy found a long line of applicants waiting to be interviewed. Jimmy still had some grease on him after the car repair, but he did not have much time to wash it off or have a change of shirt. One by one, the applicants left the interviewer's office with disappointed look on their faces. Finally his name was called. The interviewer was sitting on a large chair facing the office window. Rocking the chair back and forth, he asked, "Do you really need to be interviewed?" Jimmy's heart sank. "With the way I look now, how could I possibly pass this interview?" he thought to himself. Then the interviewer turned the chair and to Jimmy's surprise, it was the old man he helped earlier in the morning. It turned out he was the General Manager of the company. "Sorry I had to keep you waiting, but I was pretty sure I made the right decision to have you as part of our workforce before you even stepped into the office. I just know you'd be a trustworthy worker. Congratulations!" Jimmy sat down and they shared a cup of well-deserved coffee as he landed himself a new job.

C

What can we learn from Jimmy's experience?

high6628.txt

When Gretchen Baxter gets home from work as a New York City book editor, she checks her Blackberry at the door. "I think we are attached to these devices in a way that is not always positive," says Baxter, who'd rather focus at home on her husband and 12-year-old daughter. "It's there and it beckons . That's human nature (but)...we kind of get crazy sometimes and we don't know where it should stop." Americans are connected at unprecedented levels--93% now use cell phones or wireless devices; one third of those are "smart phones" that allow users to browse the web and check e-mails, among other things. The benefits are obvious: checking messages on the road, staying in touch with friends and family, efficiently using time once spent waiting around. The _ : often, we're effectively disconnecting from those in the same room. That's why, despite all the technology that makes communicating easier than ever, 2010 was the year we stopped talking to one another. From texting at dinner to posting on Facebook from work or checking e-mails while on a date, the connectivity revolution is creating a lot of divided attention, not to mention social anxiety. Many analysts say it's time to step back and reassess . "What we're going to see in the future is new opportunities for people to be plugged in and connected like never before," says Scott Campbell. "It can be a good thing, but I also see new ways the traditional social construction is getting somewhat torn apart." Our days are filled with beeps and pings--many of which pull us away from tasks at hand or face-to-face conversations. We may feel that the distractions are too much, but we can't seem to stop posting, texting or surfing. "We're going through a period of adjustment and rebalancing, " says Sherry Turkle and she wants to remind people that technology can be turned off. "Our human purposes are to really have connections with people," she says. "We have to reclaim it. It's not going to take place by itself."

C

Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

high19416.txt

No one really knows how the ancient Egyptians build the pyramids. But Maureen Clemmons has a theory . She thinks the Egyptians may have used kites. "If you look at ht top center of every monument , you see wings," Clemons said. "I think the Egyptians have been trying to tell us in pictures for 3,000 years that this is how they built the pyramids." She thinks that earliest Egyptian workers might make use of kites to lift the stones with the help of the desert wind. She got a team of aeronautic engineers to help her test the theory. Yesterday, in the Mojave Desert, they put their theory to the test using a nylon kite, three pulleys and an obelisk that weighs nearly four tons. The wind speed had to be just right. And amazingly, it worked. "There's ly no evidence for kites in ancient Egypt," said Professor Carol Redmount of the University of California. "There's no evidence of pulleys as we know them today." Redmount says the historical evidence points to the "Charlton Heston method," which basically relies on the theory of the muscle of slaves pushing and pulling huge stone blocks to create the pyramids. But the kite-lifting group will have none that. "All I can remember from history is that Egyptians drank beer for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and as someone who has done field research on drinking beer, I know after I've had two beers and it's really hot. I'm not pushing or pulling anything," Clemmons said. "So, I figured I'd try to think another way."

D

How did Clemmons prove that her idea was reasonable?

high19416.txt

No one really knows how the ancient Egyptians build the pyramids. But Maureen Clemmons has a theory . She thinks the Egyptians may have used kites. "If you look at ht top center of every monument , you see wings," Clemons said. "I think the Egyptians have been trying to tell us in pictures for 3,000 years that this is how they built the pyramids." She thinks that earliest Egyptian workers might make use of kites to lift the stones with the help of the desert wind. She got a team of aeronautic engineers to help her test the theory. Yesterday, in the Mojave Desert, they put their theory to the test using a nylon kite, three pulleys and an obelisk that weighs nearly four tons. The wind speed had to be just right. And amazingly, it worked. "There's ly no evidence for kites in ancient Egypt," said Professor Carol Redmount of the University of California. "There's no evidence of pulleys as we know them today." Redmount says the historical evidence points to the "Charlton Heston method," which basically relies on the theory of the muscle of slaves pushing and pulling huge stone blocks to create the pyramids. But the kite-lifting group will have none that. "All I can remember from history is that Egyptians drank beer for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and as someone who has done field research on drinking beer, I know after I've had two beers and it's really hot. I'm not pushing or pulling anything," Clemmons said. "So, I figured I'd try to think another way."

C

What made Clemmons think of her kite-lifting idea?

high19416.txt

No one really knows how the ancient Egyptians build the pyramids. But Maureen Clemmons has a theory . She thinks the Egyptians may have used kites. "If you look at ht top center of every monument , you see wings," Clemons said. "I think the Egyptians have been trying to tell us in pictures for 3,000 years that this is how they built the pyramids." She thinks that earliest Egyptian workers might make use of kites to lift the stones with the help of the desert wind. She got a team of aeronautic engineers to help her test the theory. Yesterday, in the Mojave Desert, they put their theory to the test using a nylon kite, three pulleys and an obelisk that weighs nearly four tons. The wind speed had to be just right. And amazingly, it worked. "There's ly no evidence for kites in ancient Egypt," said Professor Carol Redmount of the University of California. "There's no evidence of pulleys as we know them today." Redmount says the historical evidence points to the "Charlton Heston method," which basically relies on the theory of the muscle of slaves pushing and pulling huge stone blocks to create the pyramids. But the kite-lifting group will have none that. "All I can remember from history is that Egyptians drank beer for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and as someone who has done field research on drinking beer, I know after I've had two beers and it's really hot. I'm not pushing or pulling anything," Clemmons said. "So, I figured I'd try to think another way."

B

Why did Clemmons NOT agree with the theory of the muscle of slaves pushing and pulling stones to create the pyramids?

high19416.txt

No one really knows how the ancient Egyptians build the pyramids. But Maureen Clemmons has a theory . She thinks the Egyptians may have used kites. "If you look at ht top center of every monument , you see wings," Clemons said. "I think the Egyptians have been trying to tell us in pictures for 3,000 years that this is how they built the pyramids." She thinks that earliest Egyptian workers might make use of kites to lift the stones with the help of the desert wind. She got a team of aeronautic engineers to help her test the theory. Yesterday, in the Mojave Desert, they put their theory to the test using a nylon kite, three pulleys and an obelisk that weighs nearly four tons. The wind speed had to be just right. And amazingly, it worked. "There's ly no evidence for kites in ancient Egypt," said Professor Carol Redmount of the University of California. "There's no evidence of pulleys as we know them today." Redmount says the historical evidence points to the "Charlton Heston method," which basically relies on the theory of the muscle of slaves pushing and pulling huge stone blocks to create the pyramids. But the kite-lifting group will have none that. "All I can remember from history is that Egyptians drank beer for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and as someone who has done field research on drinking beer, I know after I've had two beers and it's really hot. I'm not pushing or pulling anything," Clemmons said. "So, I figured I'd try to think another way."

C

What is the best title for the passage?

high22588.txt

He has lived through various dangers but time may be running out for the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat. On September 11, Israel announced its decision to remove him, following several Palestinian suicide bomb attacks on Israel. "He should be punished for the killings," an Israeli official said, "He has done nothing to stop the terrorist groups." But the decision has angered many other countries. China said that Arafat is the true leader, elected by the Palestinian people, and removing him would harm the peace in the Middle East. Other governments share this idea. Arafat himself said: "They can kill me, but never get me out of my country." He has spent most of his life in danger as the most important aim of Israel. But, just like a cat with nine lives, Arafat escaped every time. For years he has made a practice of sleeping in a different bed each night, thinking a moving person is harder to hit. In 1985, Israel sent fighter planes to kill Arafat. The wild bombing destroyed his office in Tunis but Arafat himself was unhurt. In 1992, the aircraft in which he was flying over North Africa broke in two during a crash landing. The pilot was killed but he managed to remain alive. What is so unbelievable is that he always remains calm in great danger. Israeli tanks and planes attacked his office building in Ram Allah in December 2001. When they saw the attackers coming, Arafat's bodyguards _ his orders to stay still and carried him to safety underground. Seconds later, several bombs were dropped nearby. Though safe, his bodyguards were so frightened that they were wet in sweat. But, Arafat, with Israeli tanks only 200 meters away, showed no fear at all. He stayed in the damaged office, talking by phone with foreign leaders in hope of preventing further attacks from Israel. All these experiences have made him a beloved leader to his people and an enemy to some others. But has he used up the last of his nine lives? Only time will tell.

D

According to the passage, which statement is true?

high22588.txt

He has lived through various dangers but time may be running out for the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat. On September 11, Israel announced its decision to remove him, following several Palestinian suicide bomb attacks on Israel. "He should be punished for the killings," an Israeli official said, "He has done nothing to stop the terrorist groups." But the decision has angered many other countries. China said that Arafat is the true leader, elected by the Palestinian people, and removing him would harm the peace in the Middle East. Other governments share this idea. Arafat himself said: "They can kill me, but never get me out of my country." He has spent most of his life in danger as the most important aim of Israel. But, just like a cat with nine lives, Arafat escaped every time. For years he has made a practice of sleeping in a different bed each night, thinking a moving person is harder to hit. In 1985, Israel sent fighter planes to kill Arafat. The wild bombing destroyed his office in Tunis but Arafat himself was unhurt. In 1992, the aircraft in which he was flying over North Africa broke in two during a crash landing. The pilot was killed but he managed to remain alive. What is so unbelievable is that he always remains calm in great danger. Israeli tanks and planes attacked his office building in Ram Allah in December 2001. When they saw the attackers coming, Arafat's bodyguards _ his orders to stay still and carried him to safety underground. Seconds later, several bombs were dropped nearby. Though safe, his bodyguards were so frightened that they were wet in sweat. But, Arafat, with Israeli tanks only 200 meters away, showed no fear at all. He stayed in the damaged office, talking by phone with foreign leaders in hope of preventing further attacks from Israel. All these experiences have made him a beloved leader to his people and an enemy to some others. But has he used up the last of his nine lives? Only time will tell.

C

What did the author mean by saying "just like a cat has nine lives" when he talked about Arafat?

high22588.txt

He has lived through various dangers but time may be running out for the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat. On September 11, Israel announced its decision to remove him, following several Palestinian suicide bomb attacks on Israel. "He should be punished for the killings," an Israeli official said, "He has done nothing to stop the terrorist groups." But the decision has angered many other countries. China said that Arafat is the true leader, elected by the Palestinian people, and removing him would harm the peace in the Middle East. Other governments share this idea. Arafat himself said: "They can kill me, but never get me out of my country." He has spent most of his life in danger as the most important aim of Israel. But, just like a cat with nine lives, Arafat escaped every time. For years he has made a practice of sleeping in a different bed each night, thinking a moving person is harder to hit. In 1985, Israel sent fighter planes to kill Arafat. The wild bombing destroyed his office in Tunis but Arafat himself was unhurt. In 1992, the aircraft in which he was flying over North Africa broke in two during a crash landing. The pilot was killed but he managed to remain alive. What is so unbelievable is that he always remains calm in great danger. Israeli tanks and planes attacked his office building in Ram Allah in December 2001. When they saw the attackers coming, Arafat's bodyguards _ his orders to stay still and carried him to safety underground. Seconds later, several bombs were dropped nearby. Though safe, his bodyguards were so frightened that they were wet in sweat. But, Arafat, with Israeli tanks only 200 meters away, showed no fear at all. He stayed in the damaged office, talking by phone with foreign leaders in hope of preventing further attacks from Israel. All these experiences have made him a beloved leader to his people and an enemy to some others. But has he used up the last of his nine lives? Only time will tell.

D

What's the writer's attitude towards Arafat's future, judging from the last sentence of the passage?

high19217.txt

The Red Sea is parting again, but this time no one can help. Satellite pictures show that the Arabian plate and the African plate are moving away from each other, stretching the Earth's crust and widening the southern end of the Red Sea. Last September, series of earthquakes started splitting the planet's surface in Ethiopia. Over a period of three weeks, the sides on the rift separated by 26 feet. "We think that the crust is melted slowly at depths greater than 10 kilometers, where it is hotter, forming molten rock," said Tim J Wright. "This molten rock rises through the crust because it is less dense than the surrounding rock." The molten rock collects at depths of 3 to 5 kilometers. Wright explained, "Slowly, the pressure has been building up until last September when it finally cracked, breaking the crust." The entry of molten rock into the gap between continents, rather than the cracking of the crust, is responsible for separation of continent drifts. For the past 30 million years Africa and Arabia have been going through the continental rifting process, the same one that made the Red Sea part again. "The ground is continually moving---much more rapidly now than before," Wright said. "On average, the two sides move apart at about 2 centimeters per year." This latest split, added to the long-term rifting process could eventually create a huge new sea. Although such processes could take millions of years to occur, this event has given scientists an opportunity to examine the break in real time.

B

According to the passage, what caused Arabia separate from Africa?

high19217.txt

The Red Sea is parting again, but this time no one can help. Satellite pictures show that the Arabian plate and the African plate are moving away from each other, stretching the Earth's crust and widening the southern end of the Red Sea. Last September, series of earthquakes started splitting the planet's surface in Ethiopia. Over a period of three weeks, the sides on the rift separated by 26 feet. "We think that the crust is melted slowly at depths greater than 10 kilometers, where it is hotter, forming molten rock," said Tim J Wright. "This molten rock rises through the crust because it is less dense than the surrounding rock." The molten rock collects at depths of 3 to 5 kilometers. Wright explained, "Slowly, the pressure has been building up until last September when it finally cracked, breaking the crust." The entry of molten rock into the gap between continents, rather than the cracking of the crust, is responsible for separation of continent drifts. For the past 30 million years Africa and Arabia have been going through the continental rifting process, the same one that made the Red Sea part again. "The ground is continually moving---much more rapidly now than before," Wright said. "On average, the two sides move apart at about 2 centimeters per year." This latest split, added to the long-term rifting process could eventually create a huge new sea. Although such processes could take millions of years to occur, this event has given scientists an opportunity to examine the break in real time.

C

The passage is mainly about _ .

high1361.txt

In 1918, after four years of war which had left millions of people dead, the people alive began to look for a better and happier world. The cinema supplied an answer. For little money, people could forget their unhappy lives and dream of better ones. In the years between 1918 and 1939, going to the cinema became the most popular family free-time activity. Hollywood in America, made more films than any other film center in the world. The warm climate and long hours of sunlight meant that film-making was easy and quite cheap. This was also a rich part of America and there were many businessmen who wanted to make money from the film industry. At first short cowboy films were popular because they added excitement and adventure to people's lives. Later comedy films were made so that people could laugh and forget their troubles. Charlie Chaplin was probably the most liked of all comedy actors.

D

Cinema became the most popular in people's free time because _ .

high1361.txt

In 1918, after four years of war which had left millions of people dead, the people alive began to look for a better and happier world. The cinema supplied an answer. For little money, people could forget their unhappy lives and dream of better ones. In the years between 1918 and 1939, going to the cinema became the most popular family free-time activity. Hollywood in America, made more films than any other film center in the world. The warm climate and long hours of sunlight meant that film-making was easy and quite cheap. This was also a rich part of America and there were many businessmen who wanted to make money from the film industry. At first short cowboy films were popular because they added excitement and adventure to people's lives. Later comedy films were made so that people could laugh and forget their troubles. Charlie Chaplin was probably the most liked of all comedy actors.

D

Which, according to the writer, is true?

high1361.txt

In 1918, after four years of war which had left millions of people dead, the people alive began to look for a better and happier world. The cinema supplied an answer. For little money, people could forget their unhappy lives and dream of better ones. In the years between 1918 and 1939, going to the cinema became the most popular family free-time activity. Hollywood in America, made more films than any other film center in the world. The warm climate and long hours of sunlight meant that film-making was easy and quite cheap. This was also a rich part of America and there were many businessmen who wanted to make money from the film industry. At first short cowboy films were popular because they added excitement and adventure to people's lives. Later comedy films were made so that people could laugh and forget their troubles. Charlie Chaplin was probably the most liked of all comedy actors.

A

Hollywood became a film center because _ .

high1361.txt

In 1918, after four years of war which had left millions of people dead, the people alive began to look for a better and happier world. The cinema supplied an answer. For little money, people could forget their unhappy lives and dream of better ones. In the years between 1918 and 1939, going to the cinema became the most popular family free-time activity. Hollywood in America, made more films than any other film center in the world. The warm climate and long hours of sunlight meant that film-making was easy and quite cheap. This was also a rich part of America and there were many businessmen who wanted to make money from the film industry. At first short cowboy films were popular because they added excitement and adventure to people's lives. Later comedy films were made so that people could laugh and forget their troubles. Charlie Chaplin was probably the most liked of all comedy actors.

A

A "comedy" is something that is _ .

high14795.txt

Henry had been a journalist for many years. He had worked on many international newspapers and magazines and traveled all over the world. Henry had _ wars and natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes and erupting volcanos . He had reported on serious accidents such as major fires and airline crashes. He had seen every kind of terrible crime and strange event there was. He had met and written about some of the most unusual people in the world. In fact, there wasn't much that Henry had not seen or done. Now he was retired from journalism. He owned a very expensive restaurant and spent his days talking to his wealthy and important customers. He liked to say that nothing surprised him. One day he was sitting at the bar in his restaurant when a big gorilla walked in and asked for a table. Henry showed no surprise. He took the gorilla to a table and handed him a menu. He treated him politely and pretended there was nothing at all strange about having a gorilla in his restaurant. The gorilla looked through the menu and ordered a salad. Henry served the gorilla his salad personally, knowing that his waiters and waitresses would be too frightened. At last the gorilla finished his salad and asked for the bill. Henry wrote out the bill and handed it to the big animal. The gorilla studied it, shook his head sadly, then gave Henry fifty dollars. "Thank you", Henry said, and then to make conversation he added, "We don't get many gorillas in this restaurant." "At fifty dollars for a salad," the gorilla said, "I'm not surprised."

A

According to the story, Henry had _ .

high14795.txt

Henry had been a journalist for many years. He had worked on many international newspapers and magazines and traveled all over the world. Henry had _ wars and natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes and erupting volcanos . He had reported on serious accidents such as major fires and airline crashes. He had seen every kind of terrible crime and strange event there was. He had met and written about some of the most unusual people in the world. In fact, there wasn't much that Henry had not seen or done. Now he was retired from journalism. He owned a very expensive restaurant and spent his days talking to his wealthy and important customers. He liked to say that nothing surprised him. One day he was sitting at the bar in his restaurant when a big gorilla walked in and asked for a table. Henry showed no surprise. He took the gorilla to a table and handed him a menu. He treated him politely and pretended there was nothing at all strange about having a gorilla in his restaurant. The gorilla looked through the menu and ordered a salad. Henry served the gorilla his salad personally, knowing that his waiters and waitresses would be too frightened. At last the gorilla finished his salad and asked for the bill. Henry wrote out the bill and handed it to the big animal. The gorilla studied it, shook his head sadly, then gave Henry fifty dollars. "Thank you", Henry said, and then to make conversation he added, "We don't get many gorillas in this restaurant." "At fifty dollars for a salad," the gorilla said, "I'm not surprised."

B

One day when a gorilla came into the restaurant, Henry was _ .

high14795.txt

Henry had been a journalist for many years. He had worked on many international newspapers and magazines and traveled all over the world. Henry had _ wars and natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes and erupting volcanos . He had reported on serious accidents such as major fires and airline crashes. He had seen every kind of terrible crime and strange event there was. He had met and written about some of the most unusual people in the world. In fact, there wasn't much that Henry had not seen or done. Now he was retired from journalism. He owned a very expensive restaurant and spent his days talking to his wealthy and important customers. He liked to say that nothing surprised him. One day he was sitting at the bar in his restaurant when a big gorilla walked in and asked for a table. Henry showed no surprise. He took the gorilla to a table and handed him a menu. He treated him politely and pretended there was nothing at all strange about having a gorilla in his restaurant. The gorilla looked through the menu and ordered a salad. Henry served the gorilla his salad personally, knowing that his waiters and waitresses would be too frightened. At last the gorilla finished his salad and asked for the bill. Henry wrote out the bill and handed it to the big animal. The gorilla studied it, shook his head sadly, then gave Henry fifty dollars. "Thank you", Henry said, and then to make conversation he added, "We don't get many gorillas in this restaurant." "At fifty dollars for a salad," the gorilla said, "I'm not surprised."

B

From the sentence "Henry served the gorilla his salad personally, knowing that his waiters and waitresses would be too frightened" you learn that: _ .

high14795.txt

Henry had been a journalist for many years. He had worked on many international newspapers and magazines and traveled all over the world. Henry had _ wars and natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes and erupting volcanos . He had reported on serious accidents such as major fires and airline crashes. He had seen every kind of terrible crime and strange event there was. He had met and written about some of the most unusual people in the world. In fact, there wasn't much that Henry had not seen or done. Now he was retired from journalism. He owned a very expensive restaurant and spent his days talking to his wealthy and important customers. He liked to say that nothing surprised him. One day he was sitting at the bar in his restaurant when a big gorilla walked in and asked for a table. Henry showed no surprise. He took the gorilla to a table and handed him a menu. He treated him politely and pretended there was nothing at all strange about having a gorilla in his restaurant. The gorilla looked through the menu and ordered a salad. Henry served the gorilla his salad personally, knowing that his waiters and waitresses would be too frightened. At last the gorilla finished his salad and asked for the bill. Henry wrote out the bill and handed it to the big animal. The gorilla studied it, shook his head sadly, then gave Henry fifty dollars. "Thank you", Henry said, and then to make conversation he added, "We don't get many gorillas in this restaurant." "At fifty dollars for a salad," the gorilla said, "I'm not surprised."

D

The gorilla was _ .

high11382.txt

At the end of eight grade, our class went to Washington, D.C. For a group of 14-year-olds, this was a big deal! The first day was so tiring; we could hardly remember where we were and what we were seeing. The next morning, we were off to seemonuments ,starting with Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson. We walked along the paths through trees. Then the Wall came into view--the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. As I moved slowly closer to the Wall, I heard abagpipe in the distance, which seemed to show respect to the lives lost in the jungles of Vietnam . We continued walking and felt surprised at the number of names carved in the black stone. I was determined to find a soldier with my last name, but my hunt was stopped when a man caught my eyes. He waskneeling at the Wall, a single rose at his feet. His head was bowed and he was rubbing his fingers over one name. I thought how sad he was, and then moved on . After a few minutes I found one with my last name, but my eyes returned to the kneeling man. He was still rubbing his fingers over the same name. He never knew I was watching him, lost in deep sorrow. It was time for me to leave the kneeling man and the Wall. On the way home, I couldn't help thinking of the kneeling man and his sad face. I wasn't sure of the effects of war before, but at that moment I realized how much that man suffered from losing his loved one. Maybe he was the only one of so many families who experienced the same . I never knew the full effects of war until I saw that man. I only know about war from history classes. The kneeling man taught me more about war and the effects it has on people than any history book .

A

Which of the following makes the author feel the suffering that war brings to human beings?

high11382.txt

At the end of eight grade, our class went to Washington, D.C. For a group of 14-year-olds, this was a big deal! The first day was so tiring; we could hardly remember where we were and what we were seeing. The next morning, we were off to seemonuments ,starting with Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson. We walked along the paths through trees. Then the Wall came into view--the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. As I moved slowly closer to the Wall, I heard abagpipe in the distance, which seemed to show respect to the lives lost in the jungles of Vietnam . We continued walking and felt surprised at the number of names carved in the black stone. I was determined to find a soldier with my last name, but my hunt was stopped when a man caught my eyes. He waskneeling at the Wall, a single rose at his feet. His head was bowed and he was rubbing his fingers over one name. I thought how sad he was, and then moved on . After a few minutes I found one with my last name, but my eyes returned to the kneeling man. He was still rubbing his fingers over the same name. He never knew I was watching him, lost in deep sorrow. It was time for me to leave the kneeling man and the Wall. On the way home, I couldn't help thinking of the kneeling man and his sad face. I wasn't sure of the effects of war before, but at that moment I realized how much that man suffered from losing his loved one. Maybe he was the only one of so many families who experienced the same . I never knew the full effects of war until I saw that man. I only know about war from history classes. The kneeling man taught me more about war and the effects it has on people than any history book .

B

The man continued to rub his fingers over the name probably because _ .

high11382.txt

At the end of eight grade, our class went to Washington, D.C. For a group of 14-year-olds, this was a big deal! The first day was so tiring; we could hardly remember where we were and what we were seeing. The next morning, we were off to seemonuments ,starting with Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson. We walked along the paths through trees. Then the Wall came into view--the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. As I moved slowly closer to the Wall, I heard abagpipe in the distance, which seemed to show respect to the lives lost in the jungles of Vietnam . We continued walking and felt surprised at the number of names carved in the black stone. I was determined to find a soldier with my last name, but my hunt was stopped when a man caught my eyes. He waskneeling at the Wall, a single rose at his feet. His head was bowed and he was rubbing his fingers over one name. I thought how sad he was, and then moved on . After a few minutes I found one with my last name, but my eyes returned to the kneeling man. He was still rubbing his fingers over the same name. He never knew I was watching him, lost in deep sorrow. It was time for me to leave the kneeling man and the Wall. On the way home, I couldn't help thinking of the kneeling man and his sad face. I wasn't sure of the effects of war before, but at that moment I realized how much that man suffered from losing his loved one. Maybe he was the only one of so many families who experienced the same . I never knew the full effects of war until I saw that man. I only know about war from history classes. The kneeling man taught me more about war and the effects it has on people than any history book .

C

What did the author learn from the trip?

high2778.txt

The air hostess was in a small kitchen at the back of the plane, preparing the plates for lunch, when a little old lady came and spoke to her, "Could you please tell me," she asked, "where is the ladies' lavatory in the plane?" "Yes, madam," said the air hostess and smiled. "It is right at the other end of the plane---at the front." The little lady went too far. She walked all the way to the front of the plane, opened the door in front of her, and saw the captain of the plane and the other officers. They were all busy with their work and did not see her. She went out again, shut the door and returned to the air hostess. "Oh, didn't you find it, madam?" the girl asked her. "Yes, I did," said the little lady. "But there are four men in the ladies' lavatory watching television."

C

The story happened _ .

high2778.txt

The air hostess was in a small kitchen at the back of the plane, preparing the plates for lunch, when a little old lady came and spoke to her, "Could you please tell me," she asked, "where is the ladies' lavatory in the plane?" "Yes, madam," said the air hostess and smiled. "It is right at the other end of the plane---at the front." The little lady went too far. She walked all the way to the front of the plane, opened the door in front of her, and saw the captain of the plane and the other officers. They were all busy with their work and did not see her. She went out again, shut the door and returned to the air hostess. "Oh, didn't you find it, madam?" the girl asked her. "Yes, I did," said the little lady. "But there are four men in the ladies' lavatory watching television."

A

What were the four men doing when the little old lady opened the door?

high2778.txt

The air hostess was in a small kitchen at the back of the plane, preparing the plates for lunch, when a little old lady came and spoke to her, "Could you please tell me," she asked, "where is the ladies' lavatory in the plane?" "Yes, madam," said the air hostess and smiled. "It is right at the other end of the plane---at the front." The little lady went too far. She walked all the way to the front of the plane, opened the door in front of her, and saw the captain of the plane and the other officers. They were all busy with their work and did not see her. She went out again, shut the door and returned to the air hostess. "Oh, didn't you find it, madam?" the girl asked her. "Yes, I did," said the little lady. "But there are four men in the ladies' lavatory watching television."

B

Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

high15615.txt

Teddy Bears have been a very popular children's toy for many years. Most adults can remember their first stuffed bear, and over the decades these toys have become nearly a symbol of their childhood. However, children are not the only ones with whom these toys have become popular, as many adults make it a habit to collect these toys as well. The Teddy Bear first became popular during the early 20th century and was associated with then President Theodore Roosevelt. The story can date back to a hunting trip that President Roosevelt had taken where he was invited to be the one to shoot a black bear that had been tied to a tree. Being a crazy outdoors lover and hunter, Roosevelt refused to kill the animal because he believed that shooting the helpless bear was unsportsmanlike and wrong. This story quickly spread through newspapers across the country, and in the end inspired the introduction of a stuffed toy called "Teddy's bear". These toys became popular soon after first introduced, and within ten years, they were being produced by dozens of companies around the world. Within a generation, these stuffed bears were "the" toy to have, and have always been within children's toy boxes ever since. They are most often mass-produced in factories in order to keep up with the high demand. However, there are still companies that take great pride in their handmade designs; and while handmade teddy bears are often preferred, they are also generally more expensive than their mass-produced ones. Today, these bears and other similar toys generate well over a billion dollars a year in profits for the companies that make them. Walk through just about any toy store in America and you will find dozens of different teddy bears lining the shelves.

D

According to the passage, we can know President Roosevelt _ .

high15615.txt

Teddy Bears have been a very popular children's toy for many years. Most adults can remember their first stuffed bear, and over the decades these toys have become nearly a symbol of their childhood. However, children are not the only ones with whom these toys have become popular, as many adults make it a habit to collect these toys as well. The Teddy Bear first became popular during the early 20th century and was associated with then President Theodore Roosevelt. The story can date back to a hunting trip that President Roosevelt had taken where he was invited to be the one to shoot a black bear that had been tied to a tree. Being a crazy outdoors lover and hunter, Roosevelt refused to kill the animal because he believed that shooting the helpless bear was unsportsmanlike and wrong. This story quickly spread through newspapers across the country, and in the end inspired the introduction of a stuffed toy called "Teddy's bear". These toys became popular soon after first introduced, and within ten years, they were being produced by dozens of companies around the world. Within a generation, these stuffed bears were "the" toy to have, and have always been within children's toy boxes ever since. They are most often mass-produced in factories in order to keep up with the high demand. However, there are still companies that take great pride in their handmade designs; and while handmade teddy bears are often preferred, they are also generally more expensive than their mass-produced ones. Today, these bears and other similar toys generate well over a billion dollars a year in profits for the companies that make them. Walk through just about any toy store in America and you will find dozens of different teddy bears lining the shelves.

C

Compared with mass-produced teddy bears, the handmade ones _ .

high15615.txt

Teddy Bears have been a very popular children's toy for many years. Most adults can remember their first stuffed bear, and over the decades these toys have become nearly a symbol of their childhood. However, children are not the only ones with whom these toys have become popular, as many adults make it a habit to collect these toys as well. The Teddy Bear first became popular during the early 20th century and was associated with then President Theodore Roosevelt. The story can date back to a hunting trip that President Roosevelt had taken where he was invited to be the one to shoot a black bear that had been tied to a tree. Being a crazy outdoors lover and hunter, Roosevelt refused to kill the animal because he believed that shooting the helpless bear was unsportsmanlike and wrong. This story quickly spread through newspapers across the country, and in the end inspired the introduction of a stuffed toy called "Teddy's bear". These toys became popular soon after first introduced, and within ten years, they were being produced by dozens of companies around the world. Within a generation, these stuffed bears were "the" toy to have, and have always been within children's toy boxes ever since. They are most often mass-produced in factories in order to keep up with the high demand. However, there are still companies that take great pride in their handmade designs; and while handmade teddy bears are often preferred, they are also generally more expensive than their mass-produced ones. Today, these bears and other similar toys generate well over a billion dollars a year in profits for the companies that make them. Walk through just about any toy store in America and you will find dozens of different teddy bears lining the shelves.

B

What is the passage mainly about?

high451.txt

Nowroz: Iranian New Year or Nowroz is celebrated on the first day of spring sometime in March. People sing, dance and parade as in a carnival through the streets with drums and trumpets to spread the news of the coming new year. Rosh Hashanah: The Jewish New Year is called "Rosh Hashanah", and is celebrated in the month of September. It is a holy time when people think of the things they have done wrong in the past, and promise to do better in the future. Special prayers are held, and an instrument called a Shofar is played. Children are given new clothes, and New Year loaves are baked and fruits are served to remind people of harvest time. Shogatsu: In Japan, the New Year (Shogatsu) celebrations are from January 1 to January 3 and most Japanese don't work during these days. In Japan, the New Year is a fresh start. This means that in December all duties should be completed. Parties are held to forget the worries and troubles of the old year. Homes and cars are decorated. On New Year's Eve, most people spend their time with their families. Bahai New Year: The Bahai people have their own calendar consisting of nineteen months of nineteen days plus a couple of extra days between the eighteenth and nineteenth months. They have, however, adopted the Iranian custom of beginning the New Year in the spring equinox . The New Year celebrations are held on the evening of March 20th.

B

During the Jewish New Year, _ .

high451.txt

Nowroz: Iranian New Year or Nowroz is celebrated on the first day of spring sometime in March. People sing, dance and parade as in a carnival through the streets with drums and trumpets to spread the news of the coming new year. Rosh Hashanah: The Jewish New Year is called "Rosh Hashanah", and is celebrated in the month of September. It is a holy time when people think of the things they have done wrong in the past, and promise to do better in the future. Special prayers are held, and an instrument called a Shofar is played. Children are given new clothes, and New Year loaves are baked and fruits are served to remind people of harvest time. Shogatsu: In Japan, the New Year (Shogatsu) celebrations are from January 1 to January 3 and most Japanese don't work during these days. In Japan, the New Year is a fresh start. This means that in December all duties should be completed. Parties are held to forget the worries and troubles of the old year. Homes and cars are decorated. On New Year's Eve, most people spend their time with their families. Bahai New Year: The Bahai people have their own calendar consisting of nineteen months of nineteen days plus a couple of extra days between the eighteenth and nineteenth months. They have, however, adopted the Iranian custom of beginning the New Year in the spring equinox . The New Year celebrations are held on the evening of March 20th.

D

Which of the following festivals are celebrated in the same month?

high2106.txt

Kids Fishing Photo Contest It certainly isn't hard to " picture it", that is - smiles, laughs, looks of anticipation and excitement. So, join in the fun, catch the excitement of your child on film while fishing and enter his or her picture in the yearly Kids Fishing Photo Contest! The contest is sponsored by Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) in celebration of National Fishing Week! The winning pictures are those that best catch the theme "kids enjoying fishing". Children in the first through third place photographs of each category will receive different fishing-related prizes. Winning pictures will also be posted on the VDGIF website and may be used in all kinds of VDGIF publications. There is no need to be a professional photographer. Any photo will do. Contest Rules *Children in the photographs must fall into one of the following age groups when the picture is taken: 1--4, 6--10. *Photos must not be more than 1 year old. *Photos must be taken in Virginia. *Children in a boat must be wearing a life jacket. *Only one photo submission per child. *Submit the photo on photograph quality paper, no CD's accepted. *Photos must not be bigger than "4x6" size. *Please stick a piece of paper to the back of the photo including: name, age, address, phone number and location where the photograph was taken. *A Photo Contest Release Form (PDF) must be submitted along with the photograph. *Photos must be postmarked on or before April 19, 2013. *Judging will take place in May and winners will be posted on the VDGIF website. *Prizes will be sent directly to the winning children. *This contest isn't open to immediate family of VDGIF employees and sponsors. Immediate family members refer to children, siblings or others living in the same household with a VDGIF or sponsor employee. To Enter: Send your photo, with the child's name, age, phone number and address, along with the Photo Contest Release Form (PDF), to: Kids Fishing Photo Contest Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries P.O. Box 11104 Richmond, VA 23230-1104

B

The advertisement is intended for _ .

high2106.txt

Kids Fishing Photo Contest It certainly isn't hard to " picture it", that is - smiles, laughs, looks of anticipation and excitement. So, join in the fun, catch the excitement of your child on film while fishing and enter his or her picture in the yearly Kids Fishing Photo Contest! The contest is sponsored by Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) in celebration of National Fishing Week! The winning pictures are those that best catch the theme "kids enjoying fishing". Children in the first through third place photographs of each category will receive different fishing-related prizes. Winning pictures will also be posted on the VDGIF website and may be used in all kinds of VDGIF publications. There is no need to be a professional photographer. Any photo will do. Contest Rules *Children in the photographs must fall into one of the following age groups when the picture is taken: 1--4, 6--10. *Photos must not be more than 1 year old. *Photos must be taken in Virginia. *Children in a boat must be wearing a life jacket. *Only one photo submission per child. *Submit the photo on photograph quality paper, no CD's accepted. *Photos must not be bigger than "4x6" size. *Please stick a piece of paper to the back of the photo including: name, age, address, phone number and location where the photograph was taken. *A Photo Contest Release Form (PDF) must be submitted along with the photograph. *Photos must be postmarked on or before April 19, 2013. *Judging will take place in May and winners will be posted on the VDGIF website. *Prizes will be sent directly to the winning children. *This contest isn't open to immediate family of VDGIF employees and sponsors. Immediate family members refer to children, siblings or others living in the same household with a VDGIF or sponsor employee. To Enter: Send your photo, with the child's name, age, phone number and address, along with the Photo Contest Release Form (PDF), to: Kids Fishing Photo Contest Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries P.O. Box 11104 Richmond, VA 23230-1104

C

The purpose of the contest is to _ .

high7711.txt

Every autumn, as families across the United States get ready to send their kids to college, the economics of higher education receive renewed attention. College is expensive and becoming more so in the U. S. The situation raises two questions: Why does it cost so much, and how can students and their families afford it? Several studies published in the past few weeks reflect on these questions. The findings provide comfort to poor families. First, it appears that only the minority actually pay the "high price". A study by the US Education Department's National Center for Education Statistics found that 55 percent of college students last year received some forms of help--scholarships, loans or jobs. Other factors are also at work. The government has increased the size of its grants to lower-income students. Grants, unlike loans, don't have to he repaid and are awarded only to college students who have not earned a bachelor's or professional degree. At the same time, most colleges are spending more on undergraduate education than they are collecting in tuition fees. A study, which is part of the Williams College Project on the Economics of Higher Education, reaches the conclusion that on average colleges "subsidize " their students. The results of these studies, however, leave unanswered the questions of whether educational costs are higher than they need to be. Some experts argue that much of the college cost results from educational competition for fame, students and facilities. This puts upward pressure on tuition, hut many colleges feel that good fame will enable them to attract students even if they charge them more. Therefore, until something important changes in the marketplace, costs seem likely to continue rising. And American families will continue to beat down the doors of the high price "college in the end.

C

In the writer's opinion, for students from lower-income families, the best way is _ .

high7711.txt

Every autumn, as families across the United States get ready to send their kids to college, the economics of higher education receive renewed attention. College is expensive and becoming more so in the U. S. The situation raises two questions: Why does it cost so much, and how can students and their families afford it? Several studies published in the past few weeks reflect on these questions. The findings provide comfort to poor families. First, it appears that only the minority actually pay the "high price". A study by the US Education Department's National Center for Education Statistics found that 55 percent of college students last year received some forms of help--scholarships, loans or jobs. Other factors are also at work. The government has increased the size of its grants to lower-income students. Grants, unlike loans, don't have to he repaid and are awarded only to college students who have not earned a bachelor's or professional degree. At the same time, most colleges are spending more on undergraduate education than they are collecting in tuition fees. A study, which is part of the Williams College Project on the Economics of Higher Education, reaches the conclusion that on average colleges "subsidize " their students. The results of these studies, however, leave unanswered the questions of whether educational costs are higher than they need to be. Some experts argue that much of the college cost results from educational competition for fame, students and facilities. This puts upward pressure on tuition, hut many colleges feel that good fame will enable them to attract students even if they charge them more. Therefore, until something important changes in the marketplace, costs seem likely to continue rising. And American families will continue to beat down the doors of the high price "college in the end.

B

It can be inferred that in America _ .

high7711.txt

Every autumn, as families across the United States get ready to send their kids to college, the economics of higher education receive renewed attention. College is expensive and becoming more so in the U. S. The situation raises two questions: Why does it cost so much, and how can students and their families afford it? Several studies published in the past few weeks reflect on these questions. The findings provide comfort to poor families. First, it appears that only the minority actually pay the "high price". A study by the US Education Department's National Center for Education Statistics found that 55 percent of college students last year received some forms of help--scholarships, loans or jobs. Other factors are also at work. The government has increased the size of its grants to lower-income students. Grants, unlike loans, don't have to he repaid and are awarded only to college students who have not earned a bachelor's or professional degree. At the same time, most colleges are spending more on undergraduate education than they are collecting in tuition fees. A study, which is part of the Williams College Project on the Economics of Higher Education, reaches the conclusion that on average colleges "subsidize " their students. The results of these studies, however, leave unanswered the questions of whether educational costs are higher than they need to be. Some experts argue that much of the college cost results from educational competition for fame, students and facilities. This puts upward pressure on tuition, hut many colleges feel that good fame will enable them to attract students even if they charge them more. Therefore, until something important changes in the marketplace, costs seem likely to continue rising. And American families will continue to beat down the doors of the high price "college in the end.

A

The writer of this passage seems to hold the opinion that _ .

high21705.txt

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the guestroom. Instead the angels were given some space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied,"Things aren't always what they seem." The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer. After sharing a little food they had, the farmer and his wife let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning, the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their only income, lay dead in the field. The younger angel was very angry and asked the older angel, "How could this happen?" "Why didn't you watch out for the cow? The first family had everything, yet you watched over his house," she accused . "The second family had little but was willing to share everything, you didn't help." "Things aren't always what they seem," the angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so greedy and unwilling to share his good fortune, I asked God if I could seal the wall so he wouldn't find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmer's bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I asked God if the angel could take the cow instead. So things aren't always what they seem."

A

Why did the older angel repair the hole for the rich family?

high21705.txt

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the guestroom. Instead the angels were given some space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied,"Things aren't always what they seem." The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer. After sharing a little food they had, the farmer and his wife let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning, the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their only income, lay dead in the field. The younger angel was very angry and asked the older angel, "How could this happen?" "Why didn't you watch out for the cow? The first family had everything, yet you watched over his house," she accused . "The second family had little but was willing to share everything, you didn't help." "Things aren't always what they seem," the angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so greedy and unwilling to share his good fortune, I asked God if I could seal the wall so he wouldn't find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmer's bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I asked God if the angel could take the cow instead. So things aren't always what they seem."

B

The younger angel was very angry because _ .

high21705.txt

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the guestroom. Instead the angels were given some space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied,"Things aren't always what they seem." The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer. After sharing a little food they had, the farmer and his wife let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning, the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their only income, lay dead in the field. The younger angel was very angry and asked the older angel, "How could this happen?" "Why didn't you watch out for the cow? The first family had everything, yet you watched over his house," she accused . "The second family had little but was willing to share everything, you didn't help." "Things aren't always what they seem," the angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so greedy and unwilling to share his good fortune, I asked God if I could seal the wall so he wouldn't find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmer's bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I asked God if the angel could take the cow instead. So things aren't always what they seem."

C

Why did the older angel let the farmer's cow die?

high2705.txt

Doris Lessing was born in 1919 in Persia, moving as a child with her family to southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, where she stayed in school only to the age of 14. A year after moving to London, she published her first novel in 1950.The Grass is Singingexamines unbridgeable racial conflict in colonial Africa through the eyes of a white farmer's wife and her black servant. Her literary breakthrough came in 1962 with publication ofThe Golden Notebook, seen by many, though not necessarily Lessing, as a pioneering work of modern feminism . A separated study of the mind of the main character, Amma Wulf, the novel explores her thoughts about Africa, politics and relationships with men and sex. Lessing's themes changed to psychology in her works from the 1960s, and by the 1970s the was extremely interested in the Islamic mystic tradition of Sufism . Her turn toward science fiction with theCanopusseries in the early 1980s was not warmly received by traditionalist critics, but she has continued to win new readers and numerous literary awards, including the David Cohen British Literary Prize and the Companion of Honour from the Royal Society of Literature, both in 2001. Following the announcement, the Horace Engdahl told VOA why he was personally so pleased with Lessing's selection. "She is one of the truly great writers-of novels, short stories, fiction and non-fiction," Engdahl said. "She is one of the few writers who have had the courage to uphold the principle of equality between the male and female experience, and she has given the impulse to numbers of other women writers. And she is really the mother of a school that is one of the most important in our contemporary literature." At 87, Doris Lessing is the oldest Nobel Literature winner sine the first prizes were awarded in 1901.

C

What would be the best title for this passage?

high2705.txt

Doris Lessing was born in 1919 in Persia, moving as a child with her family to southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, where she stayed in school only to the age of 14. A year after moving to London, she published her first novel in 1950.The Grass is Singingexamines unbridgeable racial conflict in colonial Africa through the eyes of a white farmer's wife and her black servant. Her literary breakthrough came in 1962 with publication ofThe Golden Notebook, seen by many, though not necessarily Lessing, as a pioneering work of modern feminism . A separated study of the mind of the main character, Amma Wulf, the novel explores her thoughts about Africa, politics and relationships with men and sex. Lessing's themes changed to psychology in her works from the 1960s, and by the 1970s the was extremely interested in the Islamic mystic tradition of Sufism . Her turn toward science fiction with theCanopusseries in the early 1980s was not warmly received by traditionalist critics, but she has continued to win new readers and numerous literary awards, including the David Cohen British Literary Prize and the Companion of Honour from the Royal Society of Literature, both in 2001. Following the announcement, the Horace Engdahl told VOA why he was personally so pleased with Lessing's selection. "She is one of the truly great writers-of novels, short stories, fiction and non-fiction," Engdahl said. "She is one of the few writers who have had the courage to uphold the principle of equality between the male and female experience, and she has given the impulse to numbers of other women writers. And she is really the mother of a school that is one of the most important in our contemporary literature." At 87, Doris Lessing is the oldest Nobel Literature winner sine the first prizes were awarded in 1901.

C

It can be inferred from the passage that _ .

high2705.txt

Doris Lessing was born in 1919 in Persia, moving as a child with her family to southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, where she stayed in school only to the age of 14. A year after moving to London, she published her first novel in 1950.The Grass is Singingexamines unbridgeable racial conflict in colonial Africa through the eyes of a white farmer's wife and her black servant. Her literary breakthrough came in 1962 with publication ofThe Golden Notebook, seen by many, though not necessarily Lessing, as a pioneering work of modern feminism . A separated study of the mind of the main character, Amma Wulf, the novel explores her thoughts about Africa, politics and relationships with men and sex. Lessing's themes changed to psychology in her works from the 1960s, and by the 1970s the was extremely interested in the Islamic mystic tradition of Sufism . Her turn toward science fiction with theCanopusseries in the early 1980s was not warmly received by traditionalist critics, but she has continued to win new readers and numerous literary awards, including the David Cohen British Literary Prize and the Companion of Honour from the Royal Society of Literature, both in 2001. Following the announcement, the Horace Engdahl told VOA why he was personally so pleased with Lessing's selection. "She is one of the truly great writers-of novels, short stories, fiction and non-fiction," Engdahl said. "She is one of the few writers who have had the courage to uphold the principle of equality between the male and female experience, and she has given the impulse to numbers of other women writers. And she is really the mother of a school that is one of the most important in our contemporary literature." At 87, Doris Lessing is the oldest Nobel Literature winner sine the first prizes were awarded in 1901.

D

According to the Horace Engdahl, Lessing wins Nobel Prize mainly because _ .

high4663.txt

Different exercise types have different purposes and different benefits. One type of exercise may not accomplish all goals of being physically fit: a healthy heart, strong muscles and bones, and safety from injury. As a result, it is important to do enough types of exercise to have all the physical benefits. Here is a quick check sheet. Aerobic Exercise: To have a strong and healthy heart, you need to do aerobic exercise. This means that you need to exercise yourself enough so that your heart rate, while exercising, is 65 percent to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. If you don't get your heart rate up within this level--you just aren't working hard enough. Whatever you do, your heart rate needs to be 65 percent to 85 percent of your MHR for 20 to 30 minutes, at least 3 times a week. Typical types include: * Running * Walking (at least 4 to 4.5 mph) * Swimming * Bikingk3s5u * Elliptical Training * Yoga Strength Training: To keep your muscles and bones strong, you need to do strength training. This comes in a variety of forms. Whatever you do, however, you need to train your muscles enough so that they are really tired by the end of each _ . To see real benefits, make sure you are strength training 2 to 3 times a week for about 30 to 40 minutes. Typical types of strength training include: * Weight Training * Yoga * Resistance Training * Plyometrics Flexibility Training: To keep your body flexible, reducing risk of injuries and pain in your joints and muscles, you need to do flexibility training. You should always aim to stretch every muscle after any exercise routine. Typical types of flexibility training include: * Stretching * Yoga * Pilates So next time you think that yoga 5 times a week will be enough, think about what it is really doing. Is it getting your heart rate up? Are you making up your strength? Are you keeping your muscles flexible?

A

If your purpose is to _ , you can choose swimming as your exercise form.

high4663.txt

Different exercise types have different purposes and different benefits. One type of exercise may not accomplish all goals of being physically fit: a healthy heart, strong muscles and bones, and safety from injury. As a result, it is important to do enough types of exercise to have all the physical benefits. Here is a quick check sheet. Aerobic Exercise: To have a strong and healthy heart, you need to do aerobic exercise. This means that you need to exercise yourself enough so that your heart rate, while exercising, is 65 percent to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. If you don't get your heart rate up within this level--you just aren't working hard enough. Whatever you do, your heart rate needs to be 65 percent to 85 percent of your MHR for 20 to 30 minutes, at least 3 times a week. Typical types include: * Running * Walking (at least 4 to 4.5 mph) * Swimming * Bikingk3s5u * Elliptical Training * Yoga Strength Training: To keep your muscles and bones strong, you need to do strength training. This comes in a variety of forms. Whatever you do, however, you need to train your muscles enough so that they are really tired by the end of each _ . To see real benefits, make sure you are strength training 2 to 3 times a week for about 30 to 40 minutes. Typical types of strength training include: * Weight Training * Yoga * Resistance Training * Plyometrics Flexibility Training: To keep your body flexible, reducing risk of injuries and pain in your joints and muscles, you need to do flexibility training. You should always aim to stretch every muscle after any exercise routine. Typical types of flexibility training include: * Stretching * Yoga * Pilates So next time you think that yoga 5 times a week will be enough, think about what it is really doing. Is it getting your heart rate up? Are you making up your strength? Are you keeping your muscles flexible?

D

After reading this passage, we know that _ .

high14663.txt

"Beating is a sign of affection, cursing is a sign of love." Many may not expect to hear the words of the old Chinese saying in these modern Times-- with parents wealthier and better educated than they have ever been--but experts say they still ring true. Today,it seems,Chinese parents are more likely to send their children to precollege military academies in the United States in the hope that some tough love will pave the way to success. "Good education doesn't mean letting your children enjoy privileges, especially our boys." said Song Wenming,an entrepreneur in Jinhua,East China's Zhejiang province. "They should be raised in tough conditions to know what to fight for in the future." In August,Song sent his 17yearold son to Valley Forge Military Academy (VFMA) in Pennsylvania. _ . Statistics show that an increasing number of Chinese students have been registering with such academies. A few years ago, there were no Chinese students at Valley Forge. Today,there are 28."All of the Chinese students at Valley Forge came from wealthy families;some of them were spoiled." said Jennifer Myers, director of marketing and communications at the school. Song's only son, Song Siyu, had a rocky start during his first six weeks at the school. The teenager said he went to the school voluntarily but did not expect it to be as difficult. Now, three months later, he has perfected the art of taking a bath in 35 seconds, finishing a meal without looking at his food, and making his bed with precision. He can even take criticism,no matter how unreasonable. "The training is hard but I know it is good for selfdevelopment of individuals." said SongSiyu. "The endless training and scolding are just ways to build up our character;they are not personal." But his enthusiasm is not universal. Ten of the 13 Chinese students who joined the academy this year have transferred to other schools. But for those who stick to it, there is a reward for all the hard work.

D

How many Chinese students are there at Valley Forge before this year?

high13851.txt

Some 30,000 years ago, artists who lived in caves in Europe painted pictures of the animals around them: panthers, hyenas, rhinos, cave lions, mammoths and other creatures which have been extinct for a long time. The paintings were highly realistic. Some even showed movement. The artwork, more than a thousand drawings, is considered the oldest group of human cave drawings which have ever been discovered. They were preserved because the cave was sealed---closed off--for more or less 23,000 years. Fast forward to December 18, 1994, a group of French cave scientists were exploring caves in southern France. Jean Marie Chauvet, who led the group then, describes the process of discovering the cave paintings. "At that time I was in the front, Eliette just walked behind me, Christian behind. Eliette said she saw two marks with red ochre and she said, 'They came here.' And at this very moment everything began. The drawings and everything linked to the parietal art . That is where it is tarted." Cave art expert Jean Clotttes reviewed the paintings. "I was amazed at the number of paintings there were and paintings of their quality and particularly in front of the panel of the horses." Scientific analysis confirmed the prehistoric date of the artwork. Studies showed the drawings were created tens of thousands of years ago, before human history was written. The United Nations' cultural agency UNESCO lists the cave as a World Heritage Site. They say that the drawings form a remarkable expression of early human artistic creation of grand excellence and variety. The Chauvet Cave has been named after the explorer who first entered it. However, its environment and drawings are too fragile to be visited by human beings. So the cave is closed, and only people there for scientific purposes can go inside and see the artwork. However, French authorities asked experts to create an exact copy of the cave, called Pont d'Arc Cavern. The copy, which we also called replica, cost more than 59 million dollars to build. It opened at the end of April in France. Pascal Terrasse is the president of the cavern. He says everyone will be able to experience the thrill of looking at drawings made by the first humans in Europe. He says the place is magic because it is done so well. Authorities say they think as many as 400,000 people will be allowed to visit Pont d'Arc Cavern every year.

C

Which of the follow statements is TRUE about the Chauvet Cave?

high13851.txt

Some 30,000 years ago, artists who lived in caves in Europe painted pictures of the animals around them: panthers, hyenas, rhinos, cave lions, mammoths and other creatures which have been extinct for a long time. The paintings were highly realistic. Some even showed movement. The artwork, more than a thousand drawings, is considered the oldest group of human cave drawings which have ever been discovered. They were preserved because the cave was sealed---closed off--for more or less 23,000 years. Fast forward to December 18, 1994, a group of French cave scientists were exploring caves in southern France. Jean Marie Chauvet, who led the group then, describes the process of discovering the cave paintings. "At that time I was in the front, Eliette just walked behind me, Christian behind. Eliette said she saw two marks with red ochre and she said, 'They came here.' And at this very moment everything began. The drawings and everything linked to the parietal art . That is where it is tarted." Cave art expert Jean Clotttes reviewed the paintings. "I was amazed at the number of paintings there were and paintings of their quality and particularly in front of the panel of the horses." Scientific analysis confirmed the prehistoric date of the artwork. Studies showed the drawings were created tens of thousands of years ago, before human history was written. The United Nations' cultural agency UNESCO lists the cave as a World Heritage Site. They say that the drawings form a remarkable expression of early human artistic creation of grand excellence and variety. The Chauvet Cave has been named after the explorer who first entered it. However, its environment and drawings are too fragile to be visited by human beings. So the cave is closed, and only people there for scientific purposes can go inside and see the artwork. However, French authorities asked experts to create an exact copy of the cave, called Pont d'Arc Cavern. The copy, which we also called replica, cost more than 59 million dollars to build. It opened at the end of April in France. Pascal Terrasse is the president of the cavern. He says everyone will be able to experience the thrill of looking at drawings made by the first humans in Europe. He says the place is magic because it is done so well. Authorities say they think as many as 400,000 people will be allowed to visit Pont d'Arc Cavern every year.

C

The purpose of creating Pndt d'Arc Cavern is to _ .

high12203.txt

About 21,000 young people in 17 American states do not attend classes in school buildings. Instead, they receive their elementary and high school education by working at home on computers.The Center for Education Reform says the United States has 67 public "cyberschools."and that is about twice as many as two years ago. The money for students to attend a cyberschool comes from the governments of the states where they live. Some educators say cyberschools receive money that should support traditional public schools. They also say it is difficult to know if students are learning well. Other educators praise this new form of education for letting students work at their own speed. These people say cyberschools help students who were unhappy or unsuccessful in traditional schools. They say learning at home by computer ends long bus rides for children who live far from school. Whatever the judgement of cyberschools,they are getting more and more popular. For example, a new cyberschool called Commonwealth Connections Academy will take in students this fall. It will serve children in the state of Pennsylvania from ages five through thirteen. Children get free equipment for their online education. This includes a computer,a printer,books and technical services. Parents and students talk with teachers by telephone or by sending emails through their computers when necessary. Students at cyberschools usually do not know one another. But 56 such students who finished studies at Western Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School recently met for the first time. They were guests of honor at their graduation.

B

What do we know from the text about students of a cyberschool?

high12203.txt

About 21,000 young people in 17 American states do not attend classes in school buildings. Instead, they receive their elementary and high school education by working at home on computers.The Center for Education Reform says the United States has 67 public "cyberschools."and that is about twice as many as two years ago. The money for students to attend a cyberschool comes from the governments of the states where they live. Some educators say cyberschools receive money that should support traditional public schools. They also say it is difficult to know if students are learning well. Other educators praise this new form of education for letting students work at their own speed. These people say cyberschools help students who were unhappy or unsuccessful in traditional schools. They say learning at home by computer ends long bus rides for children who live far from school. Whatever the judgement of cyberschools,they are getting more and more popular. For example, a new cyberschool called Commonwealth Connections Academy will take in students this fall. It will serve children in the state of Pennsylvania from ages five through thirteen. Children get free equipment for their online education. This includes a computer,a printer,books and technical services. Parents and students talk with teachers by telephone or by sending emails through their computers when necessary. Students at cyberschools usually do not know one another. But 56 such students who finished studies at Western Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School recently met for the first time. They were guests of honor at their graduation.

C

What is a problem with cyberschools?

high12203.txt

About 21,000 young people in 17 American states do not attend classes in school buildings. Instead, they receive their elementary and high school education by working at home on computers.The Center for Education Reform says the United States has 67 public "cyberschools."and that is about twice as many as two years ago. The money for students to attend a cyberschool comes from the governments of the states where they live. Some educators say cyberschools receive money that should support traditional public schools. They also say it is difficult to know if students are learning well. Other educators praise this new form of education for letting students work at their own speed. These people say cyberschools help students who were unhappy or unsuccessful in traditional schools. They say learning at home by computer ends long bus rides for children who live far from school. Whatever the judgement of cyberschools,they are getting more and more popular. For example, a new cyberschool called Commonwealth Connections Academy will take in students this fall. It will serve children in the state of Pennsylvania from ages five through thirteen. Children get free equipment for their online education. This includes a computer,a printer,books and technical services. Parents and students talk with teachers by telephone or by sending emails through their computers when necessary. Students at cyberschools usually do not know one another. But 56 such students who finished studies at Western Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School recently met for the first time. They were guests of honor at their graduation.

B

Cyberschools are getting popular became

high12203.txt

About 21,000 young people in 17 American states do not attend classes in school buildings. Instead, they receive their elementary and high school education by working at home on computers.The Center for Education Reform says the United States has 67 public "cyberschools."and that is about twice as many as two years ago. The money for students to attend a cyberschool comes from the governments of the states where they live. Some educators say cyberschools receive money that should support traditional public schools. They also say it is difficult to know if students are learning well. Other educators praise this new form of education for letting students work at their own speed. These people say cyberschools help students who were unhappy or unsuccessful in traditional schools. They say learning at home by computer ends long bus rides for children who live far from school. Whatever the judgement of cyberschools,they are getting more and more popular. For example, a new cyberschool called Commonwealth Connections Academy will take in students this fall. It will serve children in the state of Pennsylvania from ages five through thirteen. Children get free equipment for their online education. This includes a computer,a printer,books and technical services. Parents and students talk with teachers by telephone or by sending emails through their computers when necessary. Students at cyberschools usually do not know one another. But 56 such students who finished studies at Western Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School recently met for the first time. They were guests of honor at their graduation.

A

We can infer that the author of the text is .

high12296.txt

The worst earthquake in 40 years shook South Asia on Sunday, starting with horrible waves that swept entire villages into the sea. At least 20,000 people in six countries were killed in the disaster, and millions were left homeless. The quake shook deep beneath the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It was felt more than 3000 miles away in East Africa, where heavy tides kept fishermen at home and resorts closed. It was as if the sea had struck the land. Residents of Sri Lanka, a small island country off the coast of India, ran to the hills to find safety from the tsunami. Many took their radios, televisions, and other valuables with them. The disaster hit Sri Lanka hardest. Of its 20million people, 1 million lost their homes, and 10000 died. "The water simply raised itself up and huge waves came ashore," wrote eye-witness Peter Thomas from India. "It was moving very fast. The force broke the glass walls of a restaurant on the beach here and damaged hundreds of boats." In some places, the _ struck with no warning. "The weather was fine with no clouds," wrote an eye-witness in Indonesia. "Suddenly the seawater just hit the city. In some parts the water was up to chest level." A massive effort to help the affected countries is already underway. Leaders from around the world have promised to help, and teams of aid workers and doctors are rushing to the sea. "The United States stands ready to offer all the help to those nations most affected." Said White House spokesman Trent Duffy. Organizations from the Red Cross to the International Monetary Fund have started fund-raising drives to make up the costs of rebuilding.

A

Which of the following is NOT true when this disaster happened?

high12296.txt

The worst earthquake in 40 years shook South Asia on Sunday, starting with horrible waves that swept entire villages into the sea. At least 20,000 people in six countries were killed in the disaster, and millions were left homeless. The quake shook deep beneath the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It was felt more than 3000 miles away in East Africa, where heavy tides kept fishermen at home and resorts closed. It was as if the sea had struck the land. Residents of Sri Lanka, a small island country off the coast of India, ran to the hills to find safety from the tsunami. Many took their radios, televisions, and other valuables with them. The disaster hit Sri Lanka hardest. Of its 20million people, 1 million lost their homes, and 10000 died. "The water simply raised itself up and huge waves came ashore," wrote eye-witness Peter Thomas from India. "It was moving very fast. The force broke the glass walls of a restaurant on the beach here and damaged hundreds of boats." In some places, the _ struck with no warning. "The weather was fine with no clouds," wrote an eye-witness in Indonesia. "Suddenly the seawater just hit the city. In some parts the water was up to chest level." A massive effort to help the affected countries is already underway. Leaders from around the world have promised to help, and teams of aid workers and doctors are rushing to the sea. "The United States stands ready to offer all the help to those nations most affected." Said White House spokesman Trent Duffy. Organizations from the Red Cross to the International Monetary Fund have started fund-raising drives to make up the costs of rebuilding.

C

What's the best title of the passage?

high12296.txt

The worst earthquake in 40 years shook South Asia on Sunday, starting with horrible waves that swept entire villages into the sea. At least 20,000 people in six countries were killed in the disaster, and millions were left homeless. The quake shook deep beneath the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It was felt more than 3000 miles away in East Africa, where heavy tides kept fishermen at home and resorts closed. It was as if the sea had struck the land. Residents of Sri Lanka, a small island country off the coast of India, ran to the hills to find safety from the tsunami. Many took their radios, televisions, and other valuables with them. The disaster hit Sri Lanka hardest. Of its 20million people, 1 million lost their homes, and 10000 died. "The water simply raised itself up and huge waves came ashore," wrote eye-witness Peter Thomas from India. "It was moving very fast. The force broke the glass walls of a restaurant on the beach here and damaged hundreds of boats." In some places, the _ struck with no warning. "The weather was fine with no clouds," wrote an eye-witness in Indonesia. "Suddenly the seawater just hit the city. In some parts the water was up to chest level." A massive effort to help the affected countries is already underway. Leaders from around the world have promised to help, and teams of aid workers and doctors are rushing to the sea. "The United States stands ready to offer all the help to those nations most affected." Said White House spokesman Trent Duffy. Organizations from the Red Cross to the International Monetary Fund have started fund-raising drives to make up the costs of rebuilding.

B

Where would you probably see this passage?

high23669.txt

Researchers designing the 'classroom of the future' have found that multi-touch, multi-user desks can improve skills in mathematics. New results from a 3-year project working with over 400 pupils, mostly 8-10 year olds, show that cooperation learning increases both fluency and flexibility in maths.It also shows that using an interactive 'smart' desk can have Benefits over doing mathematics on paper. Using multi-touch desks in the new classroom, the children were able to work together in new ways to solve problems using inventive solutions.Seeing what your friends are doing, and being able to fully participate in group activities, offers new ways of working in class, the researchers say.The 'Star Trek classroom' could also help learning and teaching in other subjects. Lead researcher, Professor Liz Burd, said: "Our aim was to encourage far higher levels Of active student engagement, where knowledge is obtained by sharing, problem-solving and creating, rather than by passive listening.This classroom enables both active engagement and equal access." "We found our tables encouraged students to cooperate more effectively.We were delighted to observe groups of students improving their understanding of mathematical concepts.Such cooperation just did not happen when students used paper-based approaches." The teacher plays a key role in the classroom and can send tasks to different tables to individuals and groups.The teacher can also send one group's answers on to the next group to work on and add to, or to the board for a class discussion.A live feedback of the desks goes directly to the teacher who can come quickly to help an individual while allowing the group work to continue. Such a classroom may be some way off being a regular feature of schools across the.World due to the costs in setting it up.However, in just 3 years the project team have noted major improvements in the technology, and a reduction in costs.

C

What improves students' fluency and flexibility in the new classroom?

high23669.txt

Researchers designing the 'classroom of the future' have found that multi-touch, multi-user desks can improve skills in mathematics. New results from a 3-year project working with over 400 pupils, mostly 8-10 year olds, show that cooperation learning increases both fluency and flexibility in maths.It also shows that using an interactive 'smart' desk can have Benefits over doing mathematics on paper. Using multi-touch desks in the new classroom, the children were able to work together in new ways to solve problems using inventive solutions.Seeing what your friends are doing, and being able to fully participate in group activities, offers new ways of working in class, the researchers say.The 'Star Trek classroom' could also help learning and teaching in other subjects. Lead researcher, Professor Liz Burd, said: "Our aim was to encourage far higher levels Of active student engagement, where knowledge is obtained by sharing, problem-solving and creating, rather than by passive listening.This classroom enables both active engagement and equal access." "We found our tables encouraged students to cooperate more effectively.We were delighted to observe groups of students improving their understanding of mathematical concepts.Such cooperation just did not happen when students used paper-based approaches." The teacher plays a key role in the classroom and can send tasks to different tables to individuals and groups.The teacher can also send one group's answers on to the next group to work on and add to, or to the board for a class discussion.A live feedback of the desks goes directly to the teacher who can come quickly to help an individual while allowing the group work to continue. Such a classroom may be some way off being a regular feature of schools across the.World due to the costs in setting it up.However, in just 3 years the project team have noted major improvements in the technology, and a reduction in costs.

B

What can we learn about 'Star Trek classroom' from the text?

high23669.txt

Researchers designing the 'classroom of the future' have found that multi-touch, multi-user desks can improve skills in mathematics. New results from a 3-year project working with over 400 pupils, mostly 8-10 year olds, show that cooperation learning increases both fluency and flexibility in maths.It also shows that using an interactive 'smart' desk can have Benefits over doing mathematics on paper. Using multi-touch desks in the new classroom, the children were able to work together in new ways to solve problems using inventive solutions.Seeing what your friends are doing, and being able to fully participate in group activities, offers new ways of working in class, the researchers say.The 'Star Trek classroom' could also help learning and teaching in other subjects. Lead researcher, Professor Liz Burd, said: "Our aim was to encourage far higher levels Of active student engagement, where knowledge is obtained by sharing, problem-solving and creating, rather than by passive listening.This classroom enables both active engagement and equal access." "We found our tables encouraged students to cooperate more effectively.We were delighted to observe groups of students improving their understanding of mathematical concepts.Such cooperation just did not happen when students used paper-based approaches." The teacher plays a key role in the classroom and can send tasks to different tables to individuals and groups.The teacher can also send one group's answers on to the next group to work on and add to, or to the board for a class discussion.A live feedback of the desks goes directly to the teacher who can come quickly to help an individual while allowing the group work to continue. Such a classroom may be some way off being a regular feature of schools across the.World due to the costs in setting it up.However, in just 3 years the project team have noted major improvements in the technology, and a reduction in costs.

C

The classroom with multi-touch desks can help students _ .

high23669.txt

Researchers designing the 'classroom of the future' have found that multi-touch, multi-user desks can improve skills in mathematics. New results from a 3-year project working with over 400 pupils, mostly 8-10 year olds, show that cooperation learning increases both fluency and flexibility in maths.It also shows that using an interactive 'smart' desk can have Benefits over doing mathematics on paper. Using multi-touch desks in the new classroom, the children were able to work together in new ways to solve problems using inventive solutions.Seeing what your friends are doing, and being able to fully participate in group activities, offers new ways of working in class, the researchers say.The 'Star Trek classroom' could also help learning and teaching in other subjects. Lead researcher, Professor Liz Burd, said: "Our aim was to encourage far higher levels Of active student engagement, where knowledge is obtained by sharing, problem-solving and creating, rather than by passive listening.This classroom enables both active engagement and equal access." "We found our tables encouraged students to cooperate more effectively.We were delighted to observe groups of students improving their understanding of mathematical concepts.Such cooperation just did not happen when students used paper-based approaches." The teacher plays a key role in the classroom and can send tasks to different tables to individuals and groups.The teacher can also send one group's answers on to the next group to work on and add to, or to the board for a class discussion.A live feedback of the desks goes directly to the teacher who can come quickly to help an individual while allowing the group work to continue. Such a classroom may be some way off being a regular feature of schools across the.World due to the costs in setting it up.However, in just 3 years the project team have noted major improvements in the technology, and a reduction in costs.

A

The author's attitude to cooperation learning in 'Star Trek classroom' is _ .

high666.txt

Today just as technology changed the face of industry, farmers have undergone an "agricultural revolution". On the farm of today, machines provide all the power. One of the most important benefits will be the farm computer. A few forward-looking farmers are already using computers to help them run their farms more efficiently. The computers help them keep more accurate records so they can make better decisions on what crops to plant, how much livestock to buy, when to sell their products, and how much profit they can expect. Many computer companies have been developing special computer programs just for farmers. Programs are being written for hog producers, grain farmers, potato farmers, and dairy farmers. In the future, farmers will be able to purchase computer programs made to their needs. Because of the growing importance of computers on the farm, students at agricultural colleges are required to take computer classes in addition to their normal agricultural courses. There can be no doubt that farmers will rely on computers even more in the future. While the old-time farm depended on horse power, and modern farms depend on machine power, farms of the future will depend on computer power. Another technological advance which is still in the experimental stage is the robot, a real "mechanized hired hand" that will be able to move and, in some ways, think like a human being. Unlike farmers of the present, farmers of the future will find that many day-to-day tasks will be done for them. Scientists are now developing robots that will be able to shear sheep, drive tractors, and harvest fruit. Even complex jobs will be done by robots. For example, in order to milk their cows, farmers must first drive them into the special barn , then connect them to the milking machines, watch the machines, and disconnect them when they are finished. In the future, this will all be done by robots. In addition, when the milking is completed, the robots will automatically check to make sure that the milk is pure. The complete mobilization of the farm is far in the future, but engineers expect that some robots will be used before long.

A

Which sentence carries the main idea of the whole passage?

high666.txt

Today just as technology changed the face of industry, farmers have undergone an "agricultural revolution". On the farm of today, machines provide all the power. One of the most important benefits will be the farm computer. A few forward-looking farmers are already using computers to help them run their farms more efficiently. The computers help them keep more accurate records so they can make better decisions on what crops to plant, how much livestock to buy, when to sell their products, and how much profit they can expect. Many computer companies have been developing special computer programs just for farmers. Programs are being written for hog producers, grain farmers, potato farmers, and dairy farmers. In the future, farmers will be able to purchase computer programs made to their needs. Because of the growing importance of computers on the farm, students at agricultural colleges are required to take computer classes in addition to their normal agricultural courses. There can be no doubt that farmers will rely on computers even more in the future. While the old-time farm depended on horse power, and modern farms depend on machine power, farms of the future will depend on computer power. Another technological advance which is still in the experimental stage is the robot, a real "mechanized hired hand" that will be able to move and, in some ways, think like a human being. Unlike farmers of the present, farmers of the future will find that many day-to-day tasks will be done for them. Scientists are now developing robots that will be able to shear sheep, drive tractors, and harvest fruit. Even complex jobs will be done by robots. For example, in order to milk their cows, farmers must first drive them into the special barn , then connect them to the milking machines, watch the machines, and disconnect them when they are finished. In the future, this will all be done by robots. In addition, when the milking is completed, the robots will automatically check to make sure that the milk is pure. The complete mobilization of the farm is far in the future, but engineers expect that some robots will be used before long.

C

Which of the following statements is true?

high666.txt

Today just as technology changed the face of industry, farmers have undergone an "agricultural revolution". On the farm of today, machines provide all the power. One of the most important benefits will be the farm computer. A few forward-looking farmers are already using computers to help them run their farms more efficiently. The computers help them keep more accurate records so they can make better decisions on what crops to plant, how much livestock to buy, when to sell their products, and how much profit they can expect. Many computer companies have been developing special computer programs just for farmers. Programs are being written for hog producers, grain farmers, potato farmers, and dairy farmers. In the future, farmers will be able to purchase computer programs made to their needs. Because of the growing importance of computers on the farm, students at agricultural colleges are required to take computer classes in addition to their normal agricultural courses. There can be no doubt that farmers will rely on computers even more in the future. While the old-time farm depended on horse power, and modern farms depend on machine power, farms of the future will depend on computer power. Another technological advance which is still in the experimental stage is the robot, a real "mechanized hired hand" that will be able to move and, in some ways, think like a human being. Unlike farmers of the present, farmers of the future will find that many day-to-day tasks will be done for them. Scientists are now developing robots that will be able to shear sheep, drive tractors, and harvest fruit. Even complex jobs will be done by robots. For example, in order to milk their cows, farmers must first drive them into the special barn , then connect them to the milking machines, watch the machines, and disconnect them when they are finished. In the future, this will all be done by robots. In addition, when the milking is completed, the robots will automatically check to make sure that the milk is pure. The complete mobilization of the farm is far in the future, but engineers expect that some robots will be used before long.

B

According to the engineers, _ will be done by robots in the near future.

high666.txt

Today just as technology changed the face of industry, farmers have undergone an "agricultural revolution". On the farm of today, machines provide all the power. One of the most important benefits will be the farm computer. A few forward-looking farmers are already using computers to help them run their farms more efficiently. The computers help them keep more accurate records so they can make better decisions on what crops to plant, how much livestock to buy, when to sell their products, and how much profit they can expect. Many computer companies have been developing special computer programs just for farmers. Programs are being written for hog producers, grain farmers, potato farmers, and dairy farmers. In the future, farmers will be able to purchase computer programs made to their needs. Because of the growing importance of computers on the farm, students at agricultural colleges are required to take computer classes in addition to their normal agricultural courses. There can be no doubt that farmers will rely on computers even more in the future. While the old-time farm depended on horse power, and modern farms depend on machine power, farms of the future will depend on computer power. Another technological advance which is still in the experimental stage is the robot, a real "mechanized hired hand" that will be able to move and, in some ways, think like a human being. Unlike farmers of the present, farmers of the future will find that many day-to-day tasks will be done for them. Scientists are now developing robots that will be able to shear sheep, drive tractors, and harvest fruit. Even complex jobs will be done by robots. For example, in order to milk their cows, farmers must first drive them into the special barn , then connect them to the milking machines, watch the machines, and disconnect them when they are finished. In the future, this will all be done by robots. In addition, when the milking is completed, the robots will automatically check to make sure that the milk is pure. The complete mobilization of the farm is far in the future, but engineers expect that some robots will be used before long.

D

What is the best title for the passage?

high1671.txt

To what degree can a computer achieve intelligence?The answer to this question may lie in a newly-developed US computer program called Smarter Child and the Internet. If you ran into Smarter Child online, you would be surprised at this kid's huge memory. It can recite many facts. For example, Smarter Child knows every baseball player in every team this season. He knows every word in the dictionary and the weather in every major city areas across the US. However, if you ask Smarter Child other questions, you get strange answers. A question about Smarter Child's age returns, "One year, 11 days, 16 hours, 7 minutes, and 47 seconds!" Asking where he lives gets, "In a clean room in a high-tech building in California." Smarter Child uses the vast information on the World Wide Web as his memory bank. To answer questions about spelling, for instance, Smarter Child goes to American Heritage Dictionary online. For the weather, he visits www.intellicast.com. Some scientists believe that by joining the many systems of the Internet, an artificial being with the combined knowledge of, say, Albert Einstein, Richard Nixon and Britney Spears could be born. However, if Smarter Child wants to think and learn on his own like the boy-computer David in the movie A. I. Artificial Intelligence, he must solve two problems. The first is that computers find it difficult to read web pages because the files are sorted in different ways. That's why programmers need to tell Smarter Child where to look for the weather. It would be a much more difficult task to let him find it himself. Another problem is that while Smarter Child can process information more exactly and faster than any human, he lacks common sense--a basic grounding of knowledge that is obvious to any young child.

C

From the text we can infer that www.intellicast.com is a website_.

high1671.txt

To what degree can a computer achieve intelligence?The answer to this question may lie in a newly-developed US computer program called Smarter Child and the Internet. If you ran into Smarter Child online, you would be surprised at this kid's huge memory. It can recite many facts. For example, Smarter Child knows every baseball player in every team this season. He knows every word in the dictionary and the weather in every major city areas across the US. However, if you ask Smarter Child other questions, you get strange answers. A question about Smarter Child's age returns, "One year, 11 days, 16 hours, 7 minutes, and 47 seconds!" Asking where he lives gets, "In a clean room in a high-tech building in California." Smarter Child uses the vast information on the World Wide Web as his memory bank. To answer questions about spelling, for instance, Smarter Child goes to American Heritage Dictionary online. For the weather, he visits www.intellicast.com. Some scientists believe that by joining the many systems of the Internet, an artificial being with the combined knowledge of, say, Albert Einstein, Richard Nixon and Britney Spears could be born. However, if Smarter Child wants to think and learn on his own like the boy-computer David in the movie A. I. Artificial Intelligence, he must solve two problems. The first is that computers find it difficult to read web pages because the files are sorted in different ways. That's why programmers need to tell Smarter Child where to look for the weather. It would be a much more difficult task to let him find it himself. Another problem is that while Smarter Child can process information more exactly and faster than any human, he lacks common sense--a basic grounding of knowledge that is obvious to any young child.

D

It is probably most difficult for Smarter Child to_.

high1671.txt

To what degree can a computer achieve intelligence?The answer to this question may lie in a newly-developed US computer program called Smarter Child and the Internet. If you ran into Smarter Child online, you would be surprised at this kid's huge memory. It can recite many facts. For example, Smarter Child knows every baseball player in every team this season. He knows every word in the dictionary and the weather in every major city areas across the US. However, if you ask Smarter Child other questions, you get strange answers. A question about Smarter Child's age returns, "One year, 11 days, 16 hours, 7 minutes, and 47 seconds!" Asking where he lives gets, "In a clean room in a high-tech building in California." Smarter Child uses the vast information on the World Wide Web as his memory bank. To answer questions about spelling, for instance, Smarter Child goes to American Heritage Dictionary online. For the weather, he visits www.intellicast.com. Some scientists believe that by joining the many systems of the Internet, an artificial being with the combined knowledge of, say, Albert Einstein, Richard Nixon and Britney Spears could be born. However, if Smarter Child wants to think and learn on his own like the boy-computer David in the movie A. I. Artificial Intelligence, he must solve two problems. The first is that computers find it difficult to read web pages because the files are sorted in different ways. That's why programmers need to tell Smarter Child where to look for the weather. It would be a much more difficult task to let him find it himself. Another problem is that while Smarter Child can process information more exactly and faster than any human, he lacks common sense--a basic grounding of knowledge that is obvious to any young child.

B

Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

high5245.txt

Friendships can be difficult -- because often people aren't as honest and open as they should be. Sometimes, people finally get hurt. Most problems with friendships come up because people are just too selfish to care about the things that their friends need. They care about their own needs much more, which makes it hard for friendships to work. However, being selfish is part of human nature. A person is put together in order to take care of themselves and their own needs, not necessarily those needs of other people. Even though being selfish is something that all humans are born with, it is something that everyone should be against. The best thing to remember when you are a friend to anyone is that you need to treat your friends the same way that you'd like to be treated . This is wonderful advice for a friendship, because it is really the only way to make sure that you are giving your friends everything you would want to be given in a friendship. Whenever you have a question about how you should treat a friend, it is easy to find an answer simply by asking yourself what you would like your friend to do for you, if he or she was in your shoes. Even if you're always thinking about how you'd like to be treated, and your friends are too, there are problems that come up from time to time in each friendship, and it is important to understand how to deal with these problems so that you can build stronger and healthier friendships. Problems like friends getting boyfriends or girlfriends and not spending enough time with their friends, or even friends finding new friends and leaving old friends behind are problems that will probably come up with one or more of your friendships. It is important to know how to deal with these friend problems so that you can keep your friends and make new ones. No one wants to have a broken friendship.

C

This passage mainly talks about _ .

high5245.txt

Friendships can be difficult -- because often people aren't as honest and open as they should be. Sometimes, people finally get hurt. Most problems with friendships come up because people are just too selfish to care about the things that their friends need. They care about their own needs much more, which makes it hard for friendships to work. However, being selfish is part of human nature. A person is put together in order to take care of themselves and their own needs, not necessarily those needs of other people. Even though being selfish is something that all humans are born with, it is something that everyone should be against. The best thing to remember when you are a friend to anyone is that you need to treat your friends the same way that you'd like to be treated . This is wonderful advice for a friendship, because it is really the only way to make sure that you are giving your friends everything you would want to be given in a friendship. Whenever you have a question about how you should treat a friend, it is easy to find an answer simply by asking yourself what you would like your friend to do for you, if he or she was in your shoes. Even if you're always thinking about how you'd like to be treated, and your friends are too, there are problems that come up from time to time in each friendship, and it is important to understand how to deal with these problems so that you can build stronger and healthier friendships. Problems like friends getting boyfriends or girlfriends and not spending enough time with their friends, or even friends finding new friends and leaving old friends behind are problems that will probably come up with one or more of your friendships. It is important to know how to deal with these friend problems so that you can keep your friends and make new ones. No one wants to have a broken friendship.

B

According to the writer, problems with friendship may appear when _ .

high5245.txt

Friendships can be difficult -- because often people aren't as honest and open as they should be. Sometimes, people finally get hurt. Most problems with friendships come up because people are just too selfish to care about the things that their friends need. They care about their own needs much more, which makes it hard for friendships to work. However, being selfish is part of human nature. A person is put together in order to take care of themselves and their own needs, not necessarily those needs of other people. Even though being selfish is something that all humans are born with, it is something that everyone should be against. The best thing to remember when you are a friend to anyone is that you need to treat your friends the same way that you'd like to be treated . This is wonderful advice for a friendship, because it is really the only way to make sure that you are giving your friends everything you would want to be given in a friendship. Whenever you have a question about how you should treat a friend, it is easy to find an answer simply by asking yourself what you would like your friend to do for you, if he or she was in your shoes. Even if you're always thinking about how you'd like to be treated, and your friends are too, there are problems that come up from time to time in each friendship, and it is important to understand how to deal with these problems so that you can build stronger and healthier friendships. Problems like friends getting boyfriends or girlfriends and not spending enough time with their friends, or even friends finding new friends and leaving old friends behind are problems that will probably come up with one or more of your friendships. It is important to know how to deal with these friend problems so that you can keep your friends and make new ones. No one wants to have a broken friendship.

A

According to the passage, the first and most important thing to be other people's friend is _ .

high5245.txt

Friendships can be difficult -- because often people aren't as honest and open as they should be. Sometimes, people finally get hurt. Most problems with friendships come up because people are just too selfish to care about the things that their friends need. They care about their own needs much more, which makes it hard for friendships to work. However, being selfish is part of human nature. A person is put together in order to take care of themselves and their own needs, not necessarily those needs of other people. Even though being selfish is something that all humans are born with, it is something that everyone should be against. The best thing to remember when you are a friend to anyone is that you need to treat your friends the same way that you'd like to be treated . This is wonderful advice for a friendship, because it is really the only way to make sure that you are giving your friends everything you would want to be given in a friendship. Whenever you have a question about how you should treat a friend, it is easy to find an answer simply by asking yourself what you would like your friend to do for you, if he or she was in your shoes. Even if you're always thinking about how you'd like to be treated, and your friends are too, there are problems that come up from time to time in each friendship, and it is important to understand how to deal with these problems so that you can build stronger and healthier friendships. Problems like friends getting boyfriends or girlfriends and not spending enough time with their friends, or even friends finding new friends and leaving old friends behind are problems that will probably come up with one or more of your friendships. It is important to know how to deal with these friend problems so that you can keep your friends and make new ones. No one wants to have a broken friendship.

B

What's the purpose of understanding how to deal with friendship problems?

high20632.txt

The campaign is over. The celebrations have ended. And the work for US president-elect Barack Obama has begun. The 47-year-old politician rose to the highest post because of his stand against the war in Iraq and his plans to fix a weak economy. But what will the first 47-year-old African-American president do for race relations? Obama's victory appears to have given blacks and other minorities a true national role model. For years, many looked to athletes and musicians for inspiration. As Darius Turner, an African-American high school student in Los Angeles, told the Los Angeles Times, "Kobe doesn't have to be everybody's role model anymore." Recent polls also suggest that Obama's victory has given Americans new optimism about race relations. For example, a USA Today poll found that two-thirds of Americans believe relations between blacks and whites "will finally be worked out". This is the most hopeful response since the question was first asked during the civil rights revolution in 1963. However, it's still too early to tell whether Obama's presidency will begin to solve many of the social problems facing low-income black communities. Although blacks make up only 13 percent of the US population, 55 percent of all prisoners are African-American. Such numbers can be blamed on any number of factors on America's racist past, a failure of government policy and the collapse of the family unit in black communities. It is unlikely that Obama will be able to reverse such trends overnight. However, Bill Bank, an expert of African-American Studies, says that eventually young blacks need to find role models in their own communities. "That's not Martin Luther King, and not Barack Obama," he told the Los Angeles Times. "It's actually the people closest to them. Barack only has so much influence." In the opinion of black British politician Trevor Phillips, Obama's rise will contribute more to multiculturalism than to race relations in the US. "When the G8 meets, the four most important people in the room will be the president of China, the prime minister of India, the prime minister of Japan and Barak Obama," he told London's The Times newspaper. "It will be the first time we've seen that on our television screens. That will be a huge psychological shift for both the white people and the color1ed ones in the world."

A

For years, before Obama was elected president of the US, _ .

high20632.txt

The campaign is over. The celebrations have ended. And the work for US president-elect Barack Obama has begun. The 47-year-old politician rose to the highest post because of his stand against the war in Iraq and his plans to fix a weak economy. But what will the first 47-year-old African-American president do for race relations? Obama's victory appears to have given blacks and other minorities a true national role model. For years, many looked to athletes and musicians for inspiration. As Darius Turner, an African-American high school student in Los Angeles, told the Los Angeles Times, "Kobe doesn't have to be everybody's role model anymore." Recent polls also suggest that Obama's victory has given Americans new optimism about race relations. For example, a USA Today poll found that two-thirds of Americans believe relations between blacks and whites "will finally be worked out". This is the most hopeful response since the question was first asked during the civil rights revolution in 1963. However, it's still too early to tell whether Obama's presidency will begin to solve many of the social problems facing low-income black communities. Although blacks make up only 13 percent of the US population, 55 percent of all prisoners are African-American. Such numbers can be blamed on any number of factors on America's racist past, a failure of government policy and the collapse of the family unit in black communities. It is unlikely that Obama will be able to reverse such trends overnight. However, Bill Bank, an expert of African-American Studies, says that eventually young blacks need to find role models in their own communities. "That's not Martin Luther King, and not Barack Obama," he told the Los Angeles Times. "It's actually the people closest to them. Barack only has so much influence." In the opinion of black British politician Trevor Phillips, Obama's rise will contribute more to multiculturalism than to race relations in the US. "When the G8 meets, the four most important people in the room will be the president of China, the prime minister of India, the prime minister of Japan and Barak Obama," he told London's The Times newspaper. "It will be the first time we've seen that on our television screens. That will be a huge psychological shift for both the white people and the color1ed ones in the world."

A

According to Bill Bank, _ .

high20632.txt

The campaign is over. The celebrations have ended. And the work for US president-elect Barack Obama has begun. The 47-year-old politician rose to the highest post because of his stand against the war in Iraq and his plans to fix a weak economy. But what will the first 47-year-old African-American president do for race relations? Obama's victory appears to have given blacks and other minorities a true national role model. For years, many looked to athletes and musicians for inspiration. As Darius Turner, an African-American high school student in Los Angeles, told the Los Angeles Times, "Kobe doesn't have to be everybody's role model anymore." Recent polls also suggest that Obama's victory has given Americans new optimism about race relations. For example, a USA Today poll found that two-thirds of Americans believe relations between blacks and whites "will finally be worked out". This is the most hopeful response since the question was first asked during the civil rights revolution in 1963. However, it's still too early to tell whether Obama's presidency will begin to solve many of the social problems facing low-income black communities. Although blacks make up only 13 percent of the US population, 55 percent of all prisoners are African-American. Such numbers can be blamed on any number of factors on America's racist past, a failure of government policy and the collapse of the family unit in black communities. It is unlikely that Obama will be able to reverse such trends overnight. However, Bill Bank, an expert of African-American Studies, says that eventually young blacks need to find role models in their own communities. "That's not Martin Luther King, and not Barack Obama," he told the Los Angeles Times. "It's actually the people closest to them. Barack only has so much influence." In the opinion of black British politician Trevor Phillips, Obama's rise will contribute more to multiculturalism than to race relations in the US. "When the G8 meets, the four most important people in the room will be the president of China, the prime minister of India, the prime minister of Japan and Barak Obama," he told London's The Times newspaper. "It will be the first time we've seen that on our television screens. That will be a huge psychological shift for both the white people and the color1ed ones in the world."

A

What would be the best title for this passage?

high20632.txt

The campaign is over. The celebrations have ended. And the work for US president-elect Barack Obama has begun. The 47-year-old politician rose to the highest post because of his stand against the war in Iraq and his plans to fix a weak economy. But what will the first 47-year-old African-American president do for race relations? Obama's victory appears to have given blacks and other minorities a true national role model. For years, many looked to athletes and musicians for inspiration. As Darius Turner, an African-American high school student in Los Angeles, told the Los Angeles Times, "Kobe doesn't have to be everybody's role model anymore." Recent polls also suggest that Obama's victory has given Americans new optimism about race relations. For example, a USA Today poll found that two-thirds of Americans believe relations between blacks and whites "will finally be worked out". This is the most hopeful response since the question was first asked during the civil rights revolution in 1963. However, it's still too early to tell whether Obama's presidency will begin to solve many of the social problems facing low-income black communities. Although blacks make up only 13 percent of the US population, 55 percent of all prisoners are African-American. Such numbers can be blamed on any number of factors on America's racist past, a failure of government policy and the collapse of the family unit in black communities. It is unlikely that Obama will be able to reverse such trends overnight. However, Bill Bank, an expert of African-American Studies, says that eventually young blacks need to find role models in their own communities. "That's not Martin Luther King, and not Barack Obama," he told the Los Angeles Times. "It's actually the people closest to them. Barack only has so much influence." In the opinion of black British politician Trevor Phillips, Obama's rise will contribute more to multiculturalism than to race relations in the US. "When the G8 meets, the four most important people in the room will be the president of China, the prime minister of India, the prime minister of Japan and Barak Obama," he told London's The Times newspaper. "It will be the first time we've seen that on our television screens. That will be a huge psychological shift for both the white people and the color1ed ones in the world."

A

What will be the huge psychological shift Trevor mentioned at the end of the passage?

high23580.txt

I'm beginning to think whether my grandmother was right when she complains, as she frequently does, that children nowadays aren't as well-behaved as they used to be. She recounts in detail how she used to be told to respect her elders and betters. She was taught to speak when she went out on her own, she was reminded to say please and thank you. Children in her days, she continues, were expected to be seen and not heard , but these days you are lucky if you ever hear parents telling their children to mind her manners. If you give her the chance she then takes out of her writing desk the old photograph album which she keeps there, and which she never tires of displaying. Of course when you look at pictures of her parents you feel sure that , with a father as strict looking as that , you too would have been "seen and not heard". Besides him sits his wife , with their children around her, Granny and her elder brothers. It always occurs to me that perhaps those long, stiff, black clothes were so burdensome to a little girl that she hadn't enough breath left to be talkative, let alone mischievous . It must have been a dull and lonely life too, for she stayed mainly at home during her childhood, while her brothers were sent to school from an early age. However, my childhood was much freer than Granny's. I went to school with my brother. I played football with him and his friends . We all spoke a common language , and we got up to the same mischief. I would have dies if I had to stay indoors , wearing tight , stiff clothes.

D

The writer thinks that her grandmother _ .

high23580.txt

I'm beginning to think whether my grandmother was right when she complains, as she frequently does, that children nowadays aren't as well-behaved as they used to be. She recounts in detail how she used to be told to respect her elders and betters. She was taught to speak when she went out on her own, she was reminded to say please and thank you. Children in her days, she continues, were expected to be seen and not heard , but these days you are lucky if you ever hear parents telling their children to mind her manners. If you give her the chance she then takes out of her writing desk the old photograph album which she keeps there, and which she never tires of displaying. Of course when you look at pictures of her parents you feel sure that , with a father as strict looking as that , you too would have been "seen and not heard". Besides him sits his wife , with their children around her, Granny and her elder brothers. It always occurs to me that perhaps those long, stiff, black clothes were so burdensome to a little girl that she hadn't enough breath left to be talkative, let alone mischievous . It must have been a dull and lonely life too, for she stayed mainly at home during her childhood, while her brothers were sent to school from an early age. However, my childhood was much freer than Granny's. I went to school with my brother. I played football with him and his friends . We all spoke a common language , and we got up to the same mischief. I would have dies if I had to stay indoors , wearing tight , stiff clothes.

C

When Granny was young , children were expected _ .

high23580.txt

I'm beginning to think whether my grandmother was right when she complains, as she frequently does, that children nowadays aren't as well-behaved as they used to be. She recounts in detail how she used to be told to respect her elders and betters. She was taught to speak when she went out on her own, she was reminded to say please and thank you. Children in her days, she continues, were expected to be seen and not heard , but these days you are lucky if you ever hear parents telling their children to mind her manners. If you give her the chance she then takes out of her writing desk the old photograph album which she keeps there, and which she never tires of displaying. Of course when you look at pictures of her parents you feel sure that , with a father as strict looking as that , you too would have been "seen and not heard". Besides him sits his wife , with their children around her, Granny and her elder brothers. It always occurs to me that perhaps those long, stiff, black clothes were so burdensome to a little girl that she hadn't enough breath left to be talkative, let alone mischievous . It must have been a dull and lonely life too, for she stayed mainly at home during her childhood, while her brothers were sent to school from an early age. However, my childhood was much freer than Granny's. I went to school with my brother. I played football with him and his friends . We all spoke a common language , and we got up to the same mischief. I would have dies if I had to stay indoors , wearing tight , stiff clothes.

D

This passage is mainly about _ .

high3156.txt

A great French writer has said that we should help everyone as much as we can because we often need help ourselves. The small even can help the great. About this, he told the following story. An ant was drinking at a small river and fell in. she tried her best to reach the side, but she couldn't move at all. The poor ant got too tired but was still doing her best when a big bird saw her. With a pity, the bird threw a piece of wood. With it the ant reached the bank again. While she was resting and drying herself in grass she heard a man coming up. He was walking without shoes on his feet and carrying a gun in his hand. As soon as he saw the bird, he wished to kill her, and he would certainly do so, but the ant bit him in one of his feet and at that moment the bird flew away at once. It was an animal much weaker and smaller than the bird herself that had saved her life.

A

According to the French writer, we often need help from others, so we should _ .

high3156.txt

A great French writer has said that we should help everyone as much as we can because we often need help ourselves. The small even can help the great. About this, he told the following story. An ant was drinking at a small river and fell in. she tried her best to reach the side, but she couldn't move at all. The poor ant got too tired but was still doing her best when a big bird saw her. With a pity, the bird threw a piece of wood. With it the ant reached the bank again. While she was resting and drying herself in grass she heard a man coming up. He was walking without shoes on his feet and carrying a gun in his hand. As soon as he saw the bird, he wished to kill her, and he would certainly do so, but the ant bit him in one of his feet and at that moment the bird flew away at once. It was an animal much weaker and smaller than the bird herself that had saved her life.

D

Why could the bird fly away at once?

high3156.txt

A great French writer has said that we should help everyone as much as we can because we often need help ourselves. The small even can help the great. About this, he told the following story. An ant was drinking at a small river and fell in. she tried her best to reach the side, but she couldn't move at all. The poor ant got too tired but was still doing her best when a big bird saw her. With a pity, the bird threw a piece of wood. With it the ant reached the bank again. While she was resting and drying herself in grass she heard a man coming up. He was walking without shoes on his feet and carrying a gun in his hand. As soon as he saw the bird, he wished to kill her, and he would certainly do so, but the ant bit him in one of his feet and at that moment the bird flew away at once. It was an animal much weaker and smaller than the bird herself that had saved her life.

B

The writer tells this story to show _ .