London's newest skyscraper is called the Shard and it cost about 430 million pounds to build. At a height of almost 310 metres, it is the tallest building in Europe. The Shard has completely changed the appearance of London. However, not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better. The Shard was designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. When he began designing the Shard for London, Piano wanted a very tall building that looked like a spire * He wanted the glass surfaces to reflect the sky and the city. The sides of the building aren't regular. So the building has an unusual shape. It looks like a very thin,sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name: the Shard. Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition. The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts of the ships that were once on the river Thames. The Shard has 87 floors. At the top, there is an observatory. At the moment the building is empty, but eventually there will be a five-star hotel. There will also be top quality restaurants, apartments and offices. Before building work began, a lot of people didn't want the Shard though the plans were approved. Now they are still unhappy about the Shard. Some critics say that such a tall skyscraper might be good in a city like New York, but not in London. They say that the best thing about the Shard is its spire shape. But that is the only thing. There is no decoration, only flat surfaces. The Egyptians did that 4,500 years ago. They also think the Shard is too big for London. It destroys the beauty of the city. Other critics don't like what the Shard seems to represent. They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal. Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel. But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London. So the Shard seems a symbol of the division in society between the very rich and the poor. The... The critics who refer to social division think the Shard _ . A) is only preferred by the rich B) is intended for wealthy people C) is far away from the poor area D) is popular only with Londoners
B
(Question)
The most important use of drifting bottles is to find ocean currents. When the position and direction of currents are known, ships can use the forward movement of a current or stay away from currents that would carry them off their course. Benjamin Franklin was one of the first to use bottles in the study of currents. He wondered why British mall ships needed a week or two longer than U.S. ships needed in order to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Franklin thought the Gulf Stream might explain this difference. Franklin talked with captains of U.S. ships. He found that they knew each turn of the Gulf Stream. They used the current in every possible way. From his talks with the captains. Franklin made his first map of the Gulf Stream. Then he checked his map by using sealed bottles. The map that he finally made is still used, with only a few changes, today. Why are drifting bottles used? A) To determine the position of a ship B) To carry message across the ocean C) To predict the direction of a ship. D) To find the direction of a current
(Answer)
D
Ques: Here are some tips on how to relax after a long day's work. This will not only make sure you don't notice the cleaning you should do, but also make you more relaxed. When the light is weak, you will be more likely to relax your eyes. Use candles instead of electric lights! They can help you feel comfortable and relaxed. When it comes to relaxing, it is important for you to enjoy a good meal. Cook some food yourself. Enjoy _ when you are cooking as the process can help you relax. Make the food as delicious as you can! If you're too tired, you should think about ordering food just for this night, but don't make it a habit! Nothing can take your mind off work as a good friend can! Make sure you don't talk about work all night but do something fun together! After work, your friend is probably tired too, so don't plan on doing everything at once and save the exciting and fun activities for future. Have a cup of tea, play a game or watch your favorite TV series. It's good for you to be social after a long day of work. It is important to get a good night's sleep if you are planning to work better the next day and have the energy to do something nice after work. If you are working hard for a long period of time, enough sleep is necessary for keeping you going. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Make your body relax and let go. According to the author, in order to feel relaxed, we should _ . A) stay under brighter lighting B) turn down the lights and light some candles C) do the cleaning in the daytime D) relax our eyes by using electric lights
Ans: B
Ques: Scientists around the world have been studying the warming of waters in the Pacific Ocean known as El Nino . The appearance of El Nino is known to affect the weather around the world. Scientists still do not completely understand it. Yet they now find they can use it to tell about the future in different areas of the world. One example is the work of two scientists at Columbia University in New York, Mark Cane and Gordon Eshel. A scientist of Zimbabwe , Roger Buckland worked with them. They have found that when El Nino appears, Zimbabwe has little or no rain. This means corn crops in Zimbabwe are poor. The last El Nino was in 1991 to 1993. That was when southeastern Africa suffered a serious lack of rain. The scientists wrote about their recent work in the publication Nature. Their computer program can tell when an El Nino will develop up to a year before it does. They suggest that this could provide an effective early warning system for southern Africa, and could prevent many people from starving. Scientists study El Nino in order that _ . A) they can provide a kind of early warning to the place that will suffer from drought B) they can tell why Zimbabwe has little or no rain C) they can do some research work in this field. D) they can put all this information into their computers.
Ans:
A