Read the article and select the best answer. Article: "Heaven is where the police are English, the cooks are French, the mechanics are German, the lovers are Italian and everything is organized by the Swiss. Hell is where the police are German, the cooks are English, the mechanics are French, the lovers are Swiss, and everything is organized by the Italians." Obviously the national stereotypes in this old joke are generalizations , but such stereotypes are often said to "exist for a reason". Is there actually a sliver of truth in them? Not likely, an international research team now says. "National and cultural stereotypes do play an important role in how people see themselves and others, and being aware that these are not dependable is a useful thing," said study author Robert McCrae of the National Institute on Aging. "These are in fact unfounded stereotypes. They don't come from looking around you," McCrae said. If national stereotypes aren't rooted in real experiences, then where do they come from? One possibility is that they reflect national values, which may become known from historical events. For example, many historians have argued that the spirit of American individualism has its origins in the experiences of the pioneers on the Old West. Social scientists such as psychologist Richard Robins have given several other possible explanations for stereotypes and why they may be incorrect. Robins notes that some stereotypes may have been correct at one point in history and then remained unchanged while the culture changed. We may be _ , to some degree, to keep incorrect stereotypes, since we are less likely to notice and remember information that is different from our stereotypes. Generally, according to Robins, when we meet people who are different from our stereotypes, we see them as unique individuals rather than typical national or cultural groups. Question: National stereotypes are not always correct because _ . Options: A: they are formed by individual historians B: what was true in the past may not be true at the present C: generalizations are made through personal experience D: people tend to have false idea about other cultures
B

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Colleges may try to do a lot to prepare students for study abroad - telling about culture shock, warning about homesickness, recommending books about the country. But when it comes to adjusting to campus life when they return, schools haven't done as much, even though the transition is sometimes almost as difficult. "They can feel disoriented and depressed. They find things are not exactly the way they were when they left," said Antonio Jimenez, director of the Center for International Affairs at California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, California, US. "They find that people don't care much about their experiences." Some colleges are now rethinking their approach to study abroad, recognizing that students might need almost as much help adjusting to life back home as they did getting ready to leave: students experience a sort of reverse culture shock when they return to the US. They might be troubled by the wealth and waste they see back home or they might feel homesick for their new country and its customs. And when they try to talk about their experiences, people quickly lose interest, especially if they haven't lived abroad themselves. Down the road, they also might find it difficult to translate their time abroad into experience that an employer finds attractive. Some California universities have organized conferences to help students make the most of their time abroad. During a one-day event, students learn how to adjust after living abroad, talk about their experiences and incorporate them into their lives and future careers. Blythe Cherney, 22, a senior who has studied in Thailand and Britain, found the _ helpful. "Any experience abroad does have an effect on you," Cherney said. "When you come back, it's important to talk about it, especially with people who know what you've been through." Yet most universities focus more on preparation than reorientation. When students return, they might have a welcome home reception. But for the most part, universities figure students can fend for themselves. Question: The wrier is _ the help colleges offer for the students when they return from studying overseas? Options: A: pleased with B: dissatisfied with C: indifferent with D: proud of
B

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: One of my wonderful memories is about a Christmas gift. Unlike other gifts, it came without wrap . On September 11th, 1958, mum gave birth to Richard. After she brought him home from hospital, she put him in my arms, saying, "I promised you a gift, and here it is." What an honor! I became four years old a month earlier and none of my friends had such a baby doll of their own. I played with it day and night. I sang to it. I told stories. I told it again and again how much I loved it! One morning, however, I found its bed empty. My doll was gone! I cried for it. Mum wept and told me that the poor little thing had been sent to a hospital. It had a fever. For several days, I heard mum and dad whispering such words as "hopeless", "pitiful"and "dying", and all these words sounded _ Christmas was coming. "Don't expect any presents this year," Dad said, pointing at the socks I hung in the living rooms. "If your baby brother lives, that'll be Christmas enough." As he spoke, his eyes filled with tears. I had never seen him cry before. The phone rang early on Christmas morning. Dad jumped out of bed to answer it. From my bedroom I heard him say, "What? He's all right?"He hung up and shouted upstairs. "The hospital said we can bring Richard home!" "Thank God!" I heard mum cry. From the upstairs window, I watched my parents rush out to the car. I had never seen them so happy. And I was also full of joy. What a wonderful day! My baby doll would be home. I ran downstairs. My socks still hung there flat. But I knew they were not empty:they were filled with love! Question: Which word can best describe the feeling of the father when Christmas was coming? Options: A: Excitement. B: Happiness. C: Disappointment. D: Sadness.
A: D

*Question*
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Magic is believed to have begun with the Egyptians, in 1700 BC. A magician named Dedi of Dedsnefu was reported to have performed for the pharaoh, or the king. He was also known to have entertained the slaves who built the pyramids. The "Cups and Balls" trick which he was particularly good at is still performed by magicians all over the world today. The ancient Greeks and Romans were also fascinated by the idea of magic. Actually, one of their main interests was the art of deception . This explains why at that time the priests even built magic devices into their temples. These devices made it possible for doors to open by themselves and wine to flow magically out of statues' mouths. This was done mainly to convince people that the priests were powerful. Magic, however, was not well accepted before the 1800s. Magicians were thought of as freaks and were only allowed to perform in a circus . It was in the 19th century that the magician Robert Houdin came along and changed people's views and attitudes about magic. It was also because of Robert Houdin that many magicians were able to add Dr. or MD to their names. Today magicians try hard to find new ways to show their practiced skills. Magic is now entertainment for families all over the world. Question: Which of the following statements is true? Options: A: Magic began about 3,700 years ago. B: Dedi of Dedsnefu performed magic for kings only. C: Robert Houdin was the first magician to perform magic. D: The "Cups and Balls" trick has been performed for about 1,700 years.
**Answer**
A