Ques: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: They say money doesn't grow on trees. But it certainly appears to do so on the mysterious coin-studded trunks dotted around the UK's woodland. The strange phenomenon of old trees with coins fixed firmly all over their bark has been spotted on trails from the Peak District to the Scottish Highlands. The coins are usually knocked into felled tree trunks using stones by passers-by, who hope it will bring them good fortune. These fascinating spectacles often have coins from centuries ago buried deep in their bark and warped by the passage of time. The tradition of making offerings to gods at wishing trees dates back hundreds of years, but _ . It used to be believed that god's spirits lived in trees, and they were often decorated with sweets and gifts -- as is still done today at Christmas. The act is like tossing money into ponds for good luck, or the trend for couples to attach "love padlocks" to bridges and fences to symbolize lasting romance. Some pubs, such as the Punch Bowl in Askham, Cumbria, have old timbers with splits in them into which coins are forced for luck. There are seven felled tree trunks with coins pushed into them in the picturesque village of Portmeirion, in Wales. Meurig Jones, an estate manager at the tourist destination, told the BBC, "We had no idea why it was being done when we first noticed the tree trunk was being filled with coins. I did some detective work and discovered that trees were sometimes used as 'wishing trees'. In Britain it dates back to the 1700s -- there is one tree somewhere in Scotland which apparently has an old coin stuck into it. " He said that a sick person could press a coin into a tree and their illness would go away. If someone then takes the coin out though, it's said they then become ill. We haven't made it known at all, it's just happened," he added. "It's quite amazing really." In Scotland, there is also a legend about a kissing tree. If a young man could drive a nail into a tree with one blow, he earned a kiss from his sweetheart. Question: What was the real reason why in UK people knocked coins into the old trees? Options: A: It was hoped that it would bring them good future and make the trees more beautiful. B: Nobody knew why there was such a strange custom that it could make them lucky. C: It might come from the tradition of making offerings to gods hundreds of years ago. D: It was said that god's spirits lived in trees and doing so could please the gods of the trees.
Ans: C

Ques: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: For many people today, reading is no longer relaxation. To keep up with their work they must read letters, reports, trade publications, interoffice communications: a never-ending flood of words. In getting a job or advancing in one, the ability to read and comprehend quickly can mean the difference between success and failure. Yet the unfortunate fact is that most of us are poor readers. Most reading faults can be traced to early school training. According to Dr. Betts, two persons out of five in school were forced to read material too difficult for them to understand at the time, a frustration experience which left them with bad reading habits. Fortunately, almost anyone can learn to read faster and with more comprehension. Age makes little difference. According to a recent study of 138 students at The Reading Laboratory, Inc. , all age groups showed a marked increase in reading rate after training from 93 percent for the 50-90 age group to 142 percent for the 20-29.Dr. Mila Banton Smith, director of New York University's Reading Institute, says that the average adult student, in 28 training hours, nearly triples his reading speed and boosts his comprehension by about 30 percent. The best way to improve your reading, of course, is to enroll in a reading clinic. If there's no clinic handy, you can improve your reading ability yourself--- provided you have no eyes troubles. (if reading tires you easily or makes your eyes or head ache, you should consult a doctor.) Question: Most reading faults are _ Options: A: due to early school training B: a frustrating experience C: made by reading difficult materials D: made by reading carelessly
Ans: A

Ques: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Eat healthier. Exercise twice a week. Read more books. Lose weight. We make the same resolutions every year. But most of us fail, and quit after only a few days or weeks.Even the most successful among us, those who have climbed to the top of their fields, crash and burn when it comes to personal change. For example, President Barack Obama has struggled with his smoking habit. So why is change so challenging? Are we wired in a way that keeps us from making changes? And do we need the support of others to reach our goals, or can we go it alone? Professionals who help people make-changes in their lives suggest that the change is determined not by one's surroundings, but one's mind.Beginning with small goals or steps usually leads to a bigger pay-off later, they say.And trying to make a change is easier with support from a cheery group of friends, family, or co-workers with shared goals.But they caution that the experience is different for everyone. "People are more likely to make positive changes in their lives not only when their friends do, but when their friends of friends do, and when their friends of friends of friends do," said Nicholas Christakis, a professor of medical sociology at Harvard University."Social networks have this interesting property of magnifying everything, and so taking advantage of your social network ties can result in a magnification of your own efforts. Johnny Augustin understands that well.His goal was to reduce 30 pounds from his 237-pound frame.But the change didn't come easily.He said "I'm a huge procrastinator.There is a desire but I just kept putting it off.I didn't get to do it until the summer."However, Augustin got inspired when he saw his older brother working out.Today, Augustin weighs 190 pounds. Having a positive attitude is one of the keys to making a successful change, according to Judy Zerafa, author of several books based on how people can improve their lives.She emphasized the importance of... Question: According to the passage, Nicholas Chirstakis means that _ . Options: A: friendship plays an important role in our daily lives B: people are better able to make changes when they make changes with others C: friends can easily change our minds about something. D: friends' support plays a bigger role in one's success than one's mind
Ans:
B