user: (Question)
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Have you ever listened to young children talking in the playground? They are always boasting. They say things like, "My Dad's car is bigger than your Dad's," and "My Mom is smarter than yours." They particularly like to boast about their families. There were three little boys, Harry, Ted and Gavin, who were always boasting. Gavin was the worst. Everything about his family was always the best or the biggest or the most expensive. Whatever the others said, he could always go on better. One day when they were walking to school, Harry said, "My father had a bath twice a week," Ted spoke next. "That's nothing," he said. "Having a bath twice a week is dirty. My father has a bath every day, sometimes twice a day." Ted looked at Gavin. Now it was his turn. But what could he say? "This time," Ted thought, "I'm going to win." Gavin didn't know what to say. He couldn't say that his father had a bath three times a day. That was silly. He walked on in silence. Ted smiled at Harry, and Harry smiled back. They were sure that for once they had beaten Gavin. They reached the school gates. Still Gavin said nothing. "We've won," Ted said to Harry, but he spoke too soon. On the way home, Gavin said, "My Dad is so clean that he doesn't have to bathe at all." Question: According to the passage, the meaning of the word "boast" is   _  . Options: A: to sing a nice song B: to talk big C: to go on better D: to have a bath three times a day
(Answer)
B


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Read the article and select the best answer. Article: I was very sympathetic with world leaders burdened with resolving conflicts between nations. When my three children were young, in most days it was hard to keep my house from becoming a war zone. It got worse as they grew older. Three years ago, Zack, then 16, couldn't make it through a day without playing tricks on his sisters, Alex and Taryn, then 11 and 9. My husband and I tried to understand his adolescent moodiness. We begged, reasoned, punished, and left heartfelt notes on his bed about how his behavior was hurting our family. His response was a shrug and "I say it because it's true". I even tried telling the girls to fight back. But it was a bad idea. Now I had three kids at war. At wit's end, I poured my heart out to my sister in an e-mail. She wrote back, "Don't e-mail me. E-mail him." Our son was online every day, mailing and instantly messaging his friends. So what if I was within shouting distance? Maybe he would actually hear me this way. There'd be no yelling or door slamming . Zack wouldn't feel under attack. And with a few simple keystrokes, he could respond. Or not. Zack didn't reply for days. When he finally did, his entire message was four words. I expected the worst, but then smiled when I read them, "You are right. I'm sorry." The kids still fought, of course, but Zack scaled back the abuse  . Best of all, I now have an effective way to communicate with not one but three easily annoyed teens. They don't tune me out as much. They don't like to listen to me nag   .Or as Alex says, "You're so much nicer online." All I know is that the house is quiet, and we're talking. In fact, Taryn just instantly messaged me from upstairs. It's time to take her to softball practice. Question: The purpose of this passage is to tell us   _   . Options: A: how to solve family problems B: how a mother shows her love to her children C: how to treat kids in a more sensible way D: the value of understanding between parents and children
(Answer)
C


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Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Sitting on a chair all day in school can make anyone want to move around. So, more and more teachers are letting students have a ball. By sitting on exercise balls instead of chairs , teachers find students' posture  and attention improve. Dottie Pownall, a fifth-grade teacher in West Virginia, USA, has been using balls as chairs since December 2008. "The students love them", she says. Pownall took a survey  of her students. She found that 80% of the students thought sitting on the balls helped them pay more attention to what they were learning. The teacher, Pisa Witt, felt so strongly about the use of balls as chairs, she started Witt Fitt. This company encourages the use of the balls. And the company educates not only teachers but also students on how to use them. "Our products are used in 24 states, three provinces in Canada, Puerto Rico   and Japan," says Witt, " Research shows that sitting on the balls makes them sit up straighter . You can slouch on a ball," says Witt, "but it feels bad." Because the students are moving, their blood   increases. That carries more oxygen( ) to the brain , so the kids have more energy and can pay attention longer. "Besides, they're fun." says Pownall. Question: What will happen if a student sits on a chair all day in school? The student will  _  . Options: A: pay more attention to his lessons B: be fun C: like to move around D: sit up straighter
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assistant: C