user: Q: Do you want to have a friend whom you could tell everything to, like your deepest feelings and thoughts? Or are you afraid that your friend would laugh at you, or just can't understand what you are going through? Anne Frank chose the first kind. She lived in Amsterdam during World War II. Her family was Jewish   so they had to hide, or they would be caught by the German soldiers. She and her family hid away for two years before they were discovered. During this time the only true friend was her diary, which she called Kitty. In a diary dated on Thursday 15 June, 1944, she wrote, "Dear Kitty, I wonder if it's because I haven't been able to be outdoors for so long that I've grown so mad about everything to do with nature. I can well remember that there was a time when a blue sky, the song of the birds, moonlight and flowers could never have kept me puzzled. That's changed since I was here for a year and a half." In Anne's opinion, the best friend is one who  _  . A) knows everything B) likes to talk with you C) can read your diary D) can understand you
A: D


Q: Many of the old sayings using animals to predict the weather are folklore , but not all. It's still unknown how animals can predict the weather, but limited research and acute observations have proved the animal kingdom's ability to notice changes before we do. Through their highly developed sense of hearing, smell and awareness of changes in atmospheric conditions, animals do appear to have a sixth sense that does allow them to predict certain weather conditions, earthquakes and tsunamis. Lying cows are one of the most well-known natural weather indicators. If a cow lies in a field, it means rain is on the way, because cows sense the moisture  in the air and are making sure hay have somewhere dry to lie down. Fish are known to eat more before a storm. Some say cats increase their grooming  activities when extra static electricity  is in the air, and horses are known to run fast before a violent storm or when windy conditions are coming.  Meteorologist Randy Rauch of WTSP-TV in Clearwater confirms that animals can serve as severe weather barometers . "It's actually been long believed that animals have a sixth sense when it comes to severe weather," Rauch said. " It's long been talked about in folklore. You'll hear all kinds of stories that dogs, cats, cows, crickets---all have some sort of knowing power before severe weather."  That theory was put to the test during the massive tsunami in 2004. It has been said that the actions of animals were one of the main reasons that residents in the area knew to take cover. "Many of the elephants scattered to higher places 5 to 10 minutes before the first wave hit the shoreline," Rauch said. "This has been a long story with animals in the wild and somehow knowing that weather or some kind of terrible event is going to occur." What is the main idea of the passage? A) In folklore, animals were used to predict the weather. B) Animals can predict extreme weather or terrible events. C) Humans could rely on animals to avoid terrible events. D) Different animals display different actions before a storm.
A: B


Q: People often view the "last" moments of an event positively simply because they signal the end of an experience, say experts. University of Michigan researchers found that even if an experience is painful or negative, but ends on a good note, people will consider it to be positive. "Endings are powerful," said Ed O'Brien, a graduate student in the Department of Psychology at the University of Michigan. O'Brien and colleague Phoebe Ellsworth, the Frank Murphy Distinguished Professor of Law and Psychology, conducted a chocolate tasting experiment with 52 college students to test the theory. Volunteers could taste five different Hershey's Kisses chocolates--milk, dark, cream, caramel and almond - but did not know in advance how many pieces they would eat or the type. Participants rated how much they enjoyed the chocolate and described each flavor so that the researchers could record the order in which the randomly   selected treats were eaten. Volunteers were assigned to the "next" or the "last " condition by chance. In the "next" condition, the experimenter said "Here is your next chocolate" before offering each chocolate, including the fifth. For the "last" condition, the experimenter said "Here is your last chocolate" before offering  the fifth chocolate. These participants rated the fifth chocolate more enjoyable than volunteers in the "next" condition. As predicted, participants who knew they were eating the final chocolate of a taste test enjoyed it more. In fact, when asked to pick their favorite chocolate, the majority of "last" participants chose the fifth - even though the flavor of the fifth was randomly chosen. They also rated the overall experience as more enjoyable than volunteers who thought they were just eating one more chocolate in a series. O'Brien says these findings may have far-reaching implications. For example, the last book or film in a series or the last speaker in a symposium   may receive _ praise. The last job applicant, meanwhile, may look more qualified. Which of the following is TRUE about the experiment? A) The majority of "last" participants chose the almond flavor as their favorite. B) Some participants enjoyed the experiment more because the last flavor tasted better. C) The result would be different if researchers had used another brand of chocolate. D) Some participants didn't know it was their last chocolate when offered the fifth one.
A: D


Q: I came across an old country guide the other day. It listed all the tradesmen in each village in my part of the country and it was impressive to see the great variety of services which were available on one's own doorstep in the late Victorian countryside.        Nowadays a superficial traveler in ruralprefix = st1 /Englandmight conclude that the village tradesmen still flourishing were either selling frozen food to the residents or selling old things to visitors. Nevertheless. This would really be a false impression. There has been smaller village commerce ,but its vigor is still remarkable.        Our local grocer's shop, for example, is actually expanding in spite of the competition from supermarkets in the nearest town. Women prefer to go there and exchange the local news while purchasing, instead of purchasing up at a supermarket. And the shop owner knows well that personal service has a substantial cash value.        His prices may be a bit higher than those in the town, but he will deliver anything at any time. His assistants think nothing of bicycling down the village street in their lunch hour to take a piece of cheese to an aged woman who sent her order by word of mouth with a friend who happened to be passing. The wealthier customers telephone their shopping lists and the goods are on their doorsteps within an hour. I also find it satisfactory because a village shop offers one of the few ways in which a modest individualist can still get along in the world without attaching himself to the big groups of industry or commerce.        Most of the village shopkeepers I know, are individualists in their ways. For example, our shoemaker stares with a cold look at the pairs of cheap, mass-produced shoes taken to him for repair. Has it come to this, he seems to be saying, that he, a craftsman , work upon them. And he makes beautiful shoes for those who can afford such luxury . What is the village shoemaker's reaction to mass-produced shoes? A) He considers they are not worth the effort of mending properly. B) He is angry with the customer for bringing in such rubbish. C) He looks down upon the low quality of industrialized products D) He hates those people who do not buy his handmade shoes.


assistant: A: C