Amy Pankratz spent a few nights in the hospital with her daughter, Isabella, who caught a bad flu. "Lying in bed beside Isabella, I could hear the cries of children in pain, "says Amy. "It completely broke my heart." When Isabella was getting well and could leave her room, she wore her prized possession--a "superhero cape " Amy had sewn to encourage her--and walked into the hallway. The pink cape was an instant hit with the other young patients, who were doing exercise around the nursing station. "Then, all the kidswere taking turns wearing the cape, giggling, "Amy says. "These were some of the same children I had heard crying the night before, and here they were playing and having fun--kids just being kids!" From that moment on, Amy began making Comfort Capes for little ones battling with serious illnesses. "I felt God presenting an opportunity, "she says. "I hoped Comfort Capes can help these kids feel brave, to lift some of the fear away. " Since then, Amy has made and donated more than 5, 000 capes in the United States. Amy usually pays for materials herself, although she accepts donations. The capes she makes for kids in treatment are different from those her own children have. Before Amy starts to sew she learns what image or character the little boy or girl connects with. "I choose the pattern, color and theme specially for each child," explains Amy. When she is not sewing, Amy is raising awareness of childhood cancers and looking into ways to get Comfort Capes to more kids who need them, "If a cape can help a child, even only for a moment, forget his illness, it's worth the time spent sewing," she says. What made Amy feel sad when she was staying with her daughter in the hospital? A) Her daughter's serious illness. B) The cries of children in pain. C) The tiredness from sewing the cape. D) The illness of children in her daughter's room.
B
Nobody knows for certainty all the details of the life of Aesop. However, scholars have been working to established some facts and this is the brief story of Aesop as it is accepted today. Aesop was born a slave around the year 620 B.C. InAncient Greece, it was a privilege and tradition of freedmen to be interested in public affairs, so Aesop worked hard to raise himself from a servile slave's position to a high position of renown. He was a thinker and philosopher and eventually became widely admired. Aesop was a smart man and a good speaker. He liked to learn and to also teach people, so he traveled through many countries. He came to Sardis, the capital of the famous king Croesus of Lydia who was a patron of learning and learned men. Croesus was so impressed by Aesop that he invited Aesop to permanently reside at Sardis. The king hired Aesop to do diplomatic government work such as trying to establish peace between the various republics of Greece. Aesop reconciled the inhabitants of these cities by telling his wise fables. It was on one of these ambassadorial missions that Aesop was killed. Croesus had sent him to Delphi with lots of gold which was to be distributed among the citizens. After talking with the people of Delphi, Aesop got so mad at the citizens because of their covetousness. He refused to divide the money and instead sent it back to his master. The Delphians were so mad they executed Aesop as a public criminal. As it often happens in Greek history, the Delphians were visited by a series of calamities as a sort of retribution for Aesop's death. This is where the phrase "the blood of Aesop" originated. The saying means "wrongful deeds will not go unpunished". In memory of Aesop, a statue was erected in Athens. The statue was created by the famous Greek sculptor, Lysippus. Croesus hired Aesop to _ . A) establish relations with other republics B) handle interal affairs of Lydia C) be in charge of his wealth D) publish the neighboring republics of Greece
A
Q: A carefree summer vacation can be yours with these easy tips. 1.Fly into Alternate Airports Most major destinations are served by more than one airport.Flying into a less popular one can result in cheaper tickets.Another added _ of quieter airports? Shorter check-in and security lines,and less waiting around. 2.Use Public Transportation for City Travel to Save Time and Money When possible,take public transportation from the airport to your hotel.For example,the London-Heathrow express train takes just 15 minutes to get from airport to city and costs under 20 pounds.By contrast,"A taxi costs about 70 pounds and takes 40 minutes,"reports DiScala. 3.Eat Smart,Explore...and Save Look for ways to take your order in pricey restaurants and you can avoid "Are we about to run out of money?""Don't order an appetizer.Don't drink a lot of booze," says DiScala. Also,cover more ground by spreading out your snack places."Have dessert at a cafe or ice cream stand, instead of at the dinner restaurant," suggests DiScala.You'll see more of the city and decisions about where to go for dinner will be less worrying. 4.Hit the Market Much like reading the local newspaper,visiting a market gives context to a foreign country. Even the smallest villages tend to have a weekly open-air market(often on Saturday mornings) , while in larger towns and cities,expect additional market days,as well as big supermarkets. Markets also sell amazing,wallet-friendly souvenirs.Think about sea salt,local spices or sauces,and regional oils and vinegars. Eatable gifts are almost always appreciated,saving you the stress of finding the"perfect"gift for each person on your list. The passage aims to tell the readers how to _ . A) take a plane without waiting for long B) spend your holidays abroad economically C) eat in a pricey restaurant at the smallest expense D) save money to buy eatable gifts in a foreign market
A: B
*Question*
If you are a fruit grower--or would like to become one--take advantage of Apple Day to see what's around. It's called Apple Day but in practice it's more like Apple Month. The day itself is on October 21, but sinceit has caught on, events now spread out over most of October around Britain. Visiting an apple event is a good chance to see, and often taste, a wide variety of apples. To people who are used to the limited choice of apples such as Golden Delicious and Royal Gala in supermarkets, it can be quite an eye opener to see the range of classical apples still in existence, such as Decio which was grown by the Romans. Although it doesn't taste of anything special, it's still worth a try, as is the knobbly Cat's Head which is more of a curiosity than anything else. There are also varieties developed to suit specific local conditions. One of the very best varieties for eating quality is Orleans Reinette, but you'll need a warm, sheltered place with perfect soil to grow it, so it's _ for most apple lovers who fall for it. At the events, you can meet expert growers and discuss which ones will best suit your conditions, and because these are family affairs, children are well catered for with apple-themed fun and games. Apple Days are being held at all sorts of places with an interest in fruit, including stately gardens and commercial orchards .If you want to have a real orchard experience, try visiting the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale, near Faversham in Kent. What can people do at the apple events? A) Attend experts' lectures. B) Visit fruit-loving families. C) Plant fruit trees in an orchard. D) Taste many kinds of apples.
**Answer**
D