*Question*
Imagine this situation. You pass a group of people. The people are talking to each other. You cannot hear what they are saying. But suddenly they start laughing. What would you think? Would you think they were laughing at something funny that one of them said? Or -- be honest with yourself -- would you think they were laughing at you? Yes, you. Being laughed at is a common fear. But a major study published in two thousand and nine found that this fear is not the same around the world. It differs from culture to culture. People in Finland were the least likely to believe that people laughing in their presence were making fun of them. Less than ten percent of Finns in the study said they would think that, compared to eighty percent of people in Thailand. Some people in the study said they felt unsure of themselves in social situations but hid their feelings of insecurity. Others said they avoided social situations where they had been laughed at before. The study found that people in Turkmenistan and Cambodia were more likely to be in the first group. They would hide their feelings of insecurity if they were around other people's laughter. But people in Iraq, Egypt and Jordan were more likely to try to avoid such situations if they felt they had been laughed at before. Shy people often avoid situations that would force them into close contact with other people. They worry that something they say or do will make other people laugh at them. But some people worry much more than others. They may have a disorder called gelotophobia. Gelos is a Greek word. It means laughter. Phobia means fear. This fear of laughter can be truly sad for those who live with it. It can affect how they lead their lives. In the study, a team from the University of Zurich led more than ninety researchers from around the world. They wanted to understand the difference between normal shyness and true gelotophobia. Another purpose of the study was to compare the levels of fear of being laughed at in different cultures. The researchers surveyed... What's FALSE of the study led by a team from the University of Zurich? A) They wanted to study the difference between normal shyness and true gelotophobia. B) They wanted to compare the levels of fear of being laughed at in different cultures. C) They did such a survey in order to prevent people from being laughed at in public. D) They surveyed more than 22 thousand people coming from different cultures.
**Answer**
C

*Question*
A good way to pass an examination is to work hard every day in the year. You may fail in an examination if you are lazy for most of the year and then work hard only a few days before the examination. If you are taking an English examination, do not only learn rules of grammar. Try to read stories in English and speak English whenever you can. A few days before the examination you should start going to bed early. Do not stay up late at night studying and learning things. Before you start the examination, read the question paper over carefully. Try to understand the exact meaning of each question before you pick up your pen to write. When you have at last finished your examination, read your answers over. Correct the mistakes if there are any and make sure that you have not _ anything _ . If you want to improve your English, you must _ . A) learn rules of grammar by heart B) speak English all day long C) do a lot of exercises D) practise it as often as possible
**Answer**
D

*Question*
Could a grizzly bear move to your neighborhood? If you live in the U.S. West, the answer may be yes. People and grizzly bears are living closer together now. The grizzly bear is one of the largest meat-eating land animals in North America. In the early 1800s, about 50,000 grizzly bears lived there. Today there're far fewer bears. Settlers built cities and roads where bears lived. Many bears were hunted and killed. Now only 1,200 to 1,400 grizzly bears have remained. In and around Yellowstone National Park, grizzly bears have been making a comeback because of people's efforts to protect them. Some bears are moving to areas where people live. People are also moving into grizzly countries. People there have to learn how to live with their new, furry neighbors peacefully. If someone leaves their barbecue grill out overnight, or leaves their pet food or rubbish where a bear can get it, the bear will learn to come to their house for food. Grizzly bears that learn to eat people's food can become dangerous, and they often have to be killed or moved. Also, it's important not to surprise a grizzly. Besides, if you are hiking in a grizzly country, you should go with others and make a noise to make bears hear your coming and get out of the way. You may not want to invite grizzly bears to your next neighborhood party, but with a little effort, grizzly bears and people can live together peacefully. Compared with the early 1800s, the number of grizzly bears has got smaller by _ . A) exactly 26% B) over 36% C) nearly 64% D) about 96%
**Answer**
D

*Question*
Here's the travel plan for some museums on our "Museums of the World" tour. The Museum of Bad Art (Boston, USA) shows what it describes as "art too bad to be ignored". The museum hopes to bring the worst of art to the widest possible audience and has even published a book of its most "important" works. As part of the visit, we'll be shown some truly awful portraits, landscapes and sculptures. The Washington Banana Museum (Auburn, Washington, USA) contains 4,000 objects related to the history of what the museum describes as "the world's most perfect fruit". We'll be given a guided tour around the museum, during which we'll learn all sorts of interesting things, such as the fact that bananas were introduced to the USA in 1878 in the same exhibition as Alexander Graham Bell's telephone, and that the banana is now the US' number-one selling fruit. The Hair Museum (Avanos, Turkey) is located in a cave in Cappadocia, in Central Anatolia. It contains 160,000 samples of people's hair. You'll be offered a chance to add your own hair to the collection. Later in the year, the museum curator selects 10 donors to attend a pottery workshop. If you're one of them, you'll be invited to stay in his guest house. The museum du Slip (Brussels, Belgium) is devoted to underwear. The idea behind the museum is that everyone is equal in their underwear. You'll be fascinated to know that it has collected samples from all sorts of people, including artists, politicians and pop stars. The Museum de Carrosses Funebres (Barcelona, Spain) is a museum of funeral hearses . It takes a look at how local people have been transported to their funerals since the 19th century. During the tour, we'll be provided with a fascinating insight into how the people of Barcelona viewed death. Among the 1,000 or so exhibits, pride of place goes to a "flap-coffin", which is a reusable coffin from the 18th century. Which of the following words can best describe the museums? A) Well-known B) Traditional C) Ancient D) Unusual
**Answer**
D