user: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: For 11 months of every year, I am without doubt, a dedicated lover of shopping. During my lunch breaks, you'll often find me wandering through a nearby department store, sandwich in hand. On the weekends, I'll likely be searching the stores of my local markets and fairs. Come December however, it's an entirely different story. The time of year generally connected with joy and cheer can be unbelievably stressful. From buying Christmas presents to ransacking grocery stores in preparation for family gatherings, December is a month that traditionally includes spending a lot of time and money in overcrowded shopping centers and supermarkets. What's worse than this pre-Christmas rush are the sales that happen in its wake. Every year in Britain, Canada and Australia, Boxing Day sales bring thousands of shoppers to malls and department stores. Attracted by the promise of impressive price reductions, some people start lining up outside stores the night before sales even begin. This year, during the US' post-Thanksgiving "Black Friday" sales, 20 were injured after a woman, too eager for a discounted Xbox video game, squirted pepper spray  inside a Walmart. It's madness like this that has now driven me to the world of online shopping. Not only can I avoid having my personal space invaded by crowds of crazy shoppers, but nowadays, most brands and online stores offer their own sales and special deals. Say goodbye to human rushes and bad department store music. While websites like eBay are great for general items and secondhand goods, the Internet now offers a huge variety of specialty stores . For clothes and accessories, ASOS.com (UK) and Shopbop.com (US) are personal favorites. Both of these offer a range of great designers, discounted prices and free worldwide shipping. In terms of brand-name makeup and beauty products, strawberrynet.com (US) is my go-to site, with its large collection and heavily reduced prices. When shopping online, it's important to stick to safe websites, so be sure to read the privacy and safety... Question: Which of the following can be the best title of the passage? Options: A: Shopping in December. B: A dedicated lover of shopping. C: Never to shop in department stores. D: Websites for shopping.
B
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: When officials in Richmond, B. C., Canada, told Stephen Covey about plans to participate in local citizens in their fight against youth crime, the leadership consultant   was doubtful. He was sure the city's problems would prove "too complex" for ordinary people to make a difference.      But Covey forgot about the trim-tabbers-people who solve scaring problems through small acts. By arranging safe and fun places for youths to go, residents have lowered Richmond's under-18 crime rate 32% in the last year. Police in 53 countries are now studying the Richmond model.     What impresses Covey is that the people in Richmond chose to do something rather than sit back and complain. And that, he says, is how everyday people can exhibit "everyday greatness".     A man going through a painful divorce chose to look outside himself and found a meaningful project where he could make a difference. Working with local businesses, he launched a program that helps disabled soldiers. Muriel Thomas Summers, the principal of A. B. Combs Elementary School in Raleigh, North Carolina, told parents and teachers on the concept of "character" education, stressing that academic achievement can't be separated from principles of responsibility and purpose. In recent tests, 94% of her students performed at or above grade level, compared to 67% eight years ago. To Covey, these everyday people are models because they weren't afraid to take on scaring challenges. No matter how difficult it was, they chose to act. Question: Stephen Covey was doubtful at first because he thought   _   . Options: A: the city's problems were too serious for local people to solve B: youth crime was too complex for ordinary citizens to solve C: local people would solve youth crime properly D: local people would complain about the city's problems
B
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Read the article and select the best answer. Article: We use an average of 158 liters of water a day in Britain, for which we pay a bargain price of 28p a liter, but much of this is just cash down the drain, according to water companies. Most are campaigning to cut the amount we use. And the frontline weapon in their campaign is the water meter  . They want us all to have one and one company is seeking powers to make this compulsory. The Government is anxious for us to use less water, too. Elliot Morley, the Environment Minister, says he is impressed by the savings when a meter is installed. In most homes, consumption drops by 20 percent. He also thinks consumers get a good deal from meters. He said, "Most people would find that they would either be exactly the same or better off with water meters and it is a fairer way of paying for water." At present, only 25% of households have meters and most of those are in East Anglia. They are installed by water companies, and households then have about PS43 added to each bill to cover the cost of installing and reading the meter. Barrie Clarke, a spokesman for Water UK, said, "We want everyone to be more water wise--to think about the amount of water they use. But with our climate change and different weather patterns, over time it will make economic and environmental sense to think how we use water. This may mean meters." Mr. Clarke believes the easiest way to save water is to use less in the garden. In one hour, a sprinkler uses the same amount of water as the average family of four uses in a day--about 632 liters. He said that gardeners should water in the evening so that it dose not _ in the heat of the day and that every household should have a water butt to collect rainwater for use in the garden. Question: How many liters of water does an average family of four use in a day after installing a meter in Britain? Options: A: about 126 liters B: about 158 liters C: about 506 liters D: about 632 liters
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assistant: C