*Question*
Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Born in 1936 in Oak Park, Illinois, the American Richard Bach is the direct descendant of J.S. Bach, the famous composer. He attended Long Beach State College in 1955. As an airplane pilot, Bach got married to his first wife and had six children, but divorced later and then left his family because he didn't believe in marriage. Everything concerning airplane was his field, including an aviation technical writer and flight instructor. Though aviation was his true love, Bach always wanted to write. During his high school years, one of his teachers made him realize his potential. In 1959 he had this idea of a bird learning to pass beyond the walls of limitations--Jonathan Livingston Seagull. In almost all his books he used airplanes as a way to pass the message. In Running from Safety, Bach shares with us his childhood: at age 8, he lost one of his brothers: Bobby. In 1970, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a story about a seagull who flew for the sake of flying rather than merely to catch food, was published by Macmillan Publishers after the manuscript was turned down by many other publishers. The book, which included unique photos of seagulls in flight, became a best-seller. In 1973, the book was turned into a movie. It's said that Bach charged the production with changing the movie without his permission. In fact, those who saw the movie noticed that his name wasn't mentioned. Question: What do we know about Jonathan Livingston Seagull? - It took Richard Bach a year to finish it. - It tells about Richard Bach's childhood. - It is about a pilot's experiences in flight. - The idea for the book dates back to 1959.
**Answer**
The idea for the book dates back to 1959.

*Question*
Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: On December 26, a ten-year-old British schoolgirl, Tilly Smith, felt that something was wrong while she was on the beach with her family. Her mind kept going back to the geography lesson Mr. Kearney gave just two weeks before she flew to Thailand with her family. "The water was swelling and kept coming in," said Tilly's mother. "There was froth on it like you get on the top of a beer." The Smiths were celebrating Christmas at Maikhao Beach in southern Thailand. Deadly tsunami waves were already on their way. There had been an earthquake not far away earlier that morning. The beach was getting smaller and smaller. Tilly's parents felt strange but they didn't know what was happening. Then Tilly said she'd just studied this at school. She told her parents that a tsunami was coming. In the end she screamed at everyone to get off the beach. Tilly's parents even didn't know what a tsunami was. Seeing their daughter so frightened, they thought that something serious must have been happening. Her parents soon took her and her seven-year-old sister back to the hotel. Many other tourists also left the beach with them. The family stayed on the third floor of their hotel. Fortunately, the hotel wasn't destroyed during the tsunami. Tilly's mother said that if they had stayed on the beach, they wouldn't have survived. After the disaster, the Smiths met people from nearby resorts who had lost their whole families. More than 100 people were saved because of Tilly's warning. Question: What would have happened if the Smiths had stayed on the beach during the tsunami? - They would have warned more people. - They would have learned more about tsunami. - They would have probably lost their lives. - They would have helped rescue the wounded.
**Answer**
They would have probably lost their lives.

*Question*
Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: "It is a dreadful thing to be poor a fortnight before Christmas, " said Clorinda, with the mournful sigh of seventeen years. Aunt Emmy smiled. Aunt Emmy was sixty, and spent the hours she didn't spend in a bed, on a sofa or in a wheel chair; but Aunt Emmy was never heard to sigh. "The gifts which money can purchase are not the only ones we can give," said Aunt Emmy gently, "nor the best, either." "Oh, I know it's nicer to give something of your own work," agreed Clorinda, "but materials for fancy work cost too. That kind of gift is just as much out of the question for me as any other." "That was not what I meant," said Aunt Emmy. "What did you mean, then?" asked Clorinda, looking puzzled. Aunt Emmy smiled. "Suppose you think out my meaning for yourself," she said. "That would be better than if I explained it. Besides, I don't think I could explain it. Take the beautiful line of a beautiful poem to help you in your thinking out: ' " "I'd put it the other way and say, 'The giver without the gift is bare," said Clorinda. "That is my predicament exactly. Well, I hope by next Christmas I'll not be quite bankrupt. I'm going into Mr. Callender's store down at Murraybridge in February. He has offered me the place, you know." "Won't your aunt miss you terribly?" said Aunt Emmy gravely. "I think she would rather have your companionship than a part of your salary, Clorinda," said Aunt Emmy. "But of course you must decide for yourself, dear." "Well, I must say bye-bye and run home." Clorinda lived just across the road from Aunt Emmy in a tiny white house behind some huge willows. But Aunt Mary lived there too--the only relative Clorinda had, for Aunt Emmy wasn't really her aunt at all. Clorinda had always lived with Aunt Mary ever since she could remember. Clorinda puzzled over Aunt Emmy's meaning for days. Then all at once it came to her. On Christmas Day, Clorinda went over to Aunt Emmy's.Aunt Emmy was lying on the sofa before the fire, and Clorinda sat down beside her. "I've come to tell you all about it," she said.... Question: Clorinda felt anxious before Christmas because _ . - She had to leave Aunt Mary - She didn't know what kind of Christmas gifts she should buy - She had not enough money to buy Christmas gifts - She had no time to make a proper decision
**Answer**
She had not enough money to buy Christmas gifts