Question: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Cooking is an important skill with an interesting history. Every culture has their own types of foods and methods of cooking. Most cities and towns have local specialties and dishes. Families often have special recipes and meals that nobody else knows how to cook. Food comes in almost as many shapes, sizes, and varieties as people do. And behind every meal and every dish there is a cook. In many cultures, especially in the West, cooking has traditionally been a task more often performed by women than by men. Today, however, it would be foolish to say cooking is only for females. Even though people are becoming busier and busier with their jobs, more and more people are cooking, including men. People cook to relax, to save money, to eat healthier foods, or just to eat tastier foods. This activity has become so popular that in the United States there is a television channel that does nothing but teach you how to cook. The internet has made it easier and easier to get all kinds of recipes. Because of globalization more types of spices and ingredients are available to more people at cheaper prices. This has helped contribute to new types of foods, dishes, and styles of cooking. Simply put, cooking is on the rise. In most places you can survive without knowing how to cook. But in my opinion if you don't know how to cook, you had better know somebody else that can cook, or life just won't be as enjoyable. Question: What is the author's opinion of cooking? Options: A: It is necessary for survival. B: If you don't know how to cook, you are not smart. C: Cooking is something that only women should do. D: If you cook, life is more interesting.
Answer: D

Question: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: If I see one more article about how wonderful alternative energy is compared to oil, I will flip . Alternative energy sources can be good---- very good in fact. And it's pretty obvious that we're going to need them, and that our dependence on oil is a Bad Thing. But accepting that does not mean accepting that any kind of alternative energy is a good thing. To be a good thing, it has to have three properties: 1) It has to help reduce our dependence on oil, 2) It has to be no worse for the environment, and 3) It has to be economically practical. Many of the things praised meet one or even two of those properties. Solar panels, for example. They can reduce our need for oil, at least in certain regions, and they're certainly not bad for the environment. But they're expensive. If you spend the money to make your home solar-powered, you probably won't get back your costs for at least 15 years, which approaches the lifespan of the panels. Certainly we need to clean up our act big time and find workable sources of alternative energy. But we also have to keep in mind that every one of these alternative-energy sources comes at a cost, which is something people seem to forget. They hear the phrase "alternative energy" and automatically assume it's got to be good. But green isn't always good, and oil isn't always bad. One seemingly "green" technology that pops up again and again is electric cars. It is praised by well-meaning people as good for the environment and a way to reduce our oil dependence, especially as oil prices continue to rise. Electric cars are dirty. In fact, not only are they dirty, they might even be more dirty than their gasoline-powered cousins. People in California love to talk about " zero-emissions vehicles", but people in California seem to be clueless about where electricity comes from. Power plants mostly use fire to make it. Aside from the new folks who have their roofs covered with solar cells, we get our electricity from generators. Generators are fueled by something---- usually coal, oil,... Question: According to the text, electric cars _ . Options: A: are more environmentally friendly B: burn more fuel than gas-powered ones C: are very good at cleaning up when things are not too concentrated D: are poisonous for a long time and will eventually end up in a landfill
Answer: B

Question: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: People seem to have a natural need for friends and with good reasons. Friends increase your enjoyment of life and relieve feelings of loneliness. They even can help reduce stress and improve your health. Having good friends is especially helpful when you are going through any kind of hard time such as when you are experiencing anxiety, panic attacks, or depression. When you are with good friends you feel good about yourself, and you are glad to be with them. A fiend is someone who-- l you like, respect, and trust, and who likes, respects and trusts you l doesn't always understand you, but accepts and likes you as you are, even as you grow and change l allows you the space to change, grow, make decisions, and even make mistakes l listens to you and shares with you both the good times and the bad times l respects your need for secrets, so you can tell them anything l lets you freely express your feelings and emotions without judging, teasing, or criticizing you l accepts the limitations you have put on yourself and helps you to remove them A person once said, "Friendship is a continuing source of bonding ,releasing, and creating in yourself and with the other person. There is an emotional bond between the two people." A good friend or supporter may or may not be the same age or the same sex as you, and may not have the same educational, cultural, or religious background, or share interests that are similar to yours. Friendships also have different depths. Some are closer to the heart and some more superficial, but they're all useful and good. Question: Which of the following is NOT true? Options: A: A good friend or supporter may or may not be the same age or the same sex as you. B: A friend is someone who respects your need for secrets, so you can tell them anything. C: A friend is someone who doesn't allow you the space to change and make mistakes. D: Some friendships are closer to the heart and some are shallower.
Answer:
C