Allen : I've never been a big fan of the bears ,especially the vacation show .On my last trip to Disneyland (1999) we passed it by ,because we didn't want to spend the time on something we didn't really enjoy. If we'd known it would be closed by our next visit, I'm sure we would have watched it one more time. I was just making the point that it wasn't until Disney announced the closing that this feeling suddenly sprang up for the Country Bear show at Disneyland. But I think the idea of keeping some attractions open forever regardless of the number of visitors it gets is a mistake .We all have great memories of the Bears ,but clearly very few kids today (or I should say families today) are making those same memories from this show . That may be a sad fact ,but it's a fact. For whatever reason, the show doesn't pull in the numbers. Isn't it right to use the Country Bear space to bring in a more popular attraction so that more kids today can make those magic memories of an attraction THEY like? Otherwise aren't we just telling kids today that they "have to" make great memories of the Bears ,when it's obvious that the kids themselves are not enjoying the Bears like we did? Roger: I am very disappointed that they have decided to retire the Country Bear Playhouse. I remember going to the show as a child ,and still enjoyed it as a teenager, and now young adult .It is true that there aren't a lot of shows left at DL and with this one closing even less .Being at DL does require a lot of walking ,and it is nice to have a few attractions that are a place to sit and enjoy a good show. I understand that DL has to develop ,but there has to be some history to the Disneyland that Walt Disney first designed .There should be some parts of DL that just never go away ,and this is one of them . By the time I have children it looks like there won't be any attractions that I can say I went to as a child at the rate they are going. Now the Bears are leaving .What I want to say is : stop trying to compete with... Where can this passage be found? A) In a web discussion zone. B) In a suggestion book. C) In a report on the popularity of the Country Bears. D) In high school students' compositions.
A
A camera and a computer can "see" something that perhaps millions of pairs of eyes failed to see for 480 years: the Mona Lisa's necklace. The discovery about the famous painting was made by an American physicist. The Mona Lisa, painted by the Italian, Leonardo da Vinci, has been on show for many years in Paris. Now a row of white spots on the neck have been "seen". They are said to be the remains of a necklace which the artist later painted over. The painting will be examined further by using infrared scanning techniques. Laser technology can be used to show what lies directly under the surface of the finished work, too. This will help us to understand how the artist drew the picture: Did he begin with a quick-made drawing or have second thoughts as he painted the picture? This kind of knowledge will show us the famous artist at work. It may also help to explain Mona Lisa's smile, which has puzzled art lovers for centuries. In this passage, "the Mona Lisa's lost necklace" suggests that _ . A) Mona Lisa once wore a necklace B) someone stole the necklace from the Mona Lisa C) the artist did not keep the necklace he had painted on the neck D) the artist had a necklace stolen while working on the painting
C
Q: You are enjoying the beautiful scenery in a quiet place, but suddenly the peace and quiet is interrupted by the noisy sound of a cellphone ! Cellphones are everywhere, and some people don't know what the limits of cellphone use are. For me, it's just a matter of education, good manners, and common sense. If I go to a beautiful place, it is because I want to enjoy nature. I can do it, but without bothering other people. Nowadays, that's the biggest problem. People disturb other people, first with the ringing of their cellphones and then with their conversations because they usually speak very loudly. Not everybody in a public place should have to listen to private conversations . Even more annoying, you hear just one part of the conversation. People need to learn how to use cellphones correctly. If there is an emergency ,cellphones are acceptable, but remember that just a few years ago few people had cellphones and the whole society survived! But again, not everybody wants to listen to other people's private conversations. It's like smoking. _ . Our society has to learn to respect other people. Sometimes when you are talking to someone, that person interrupts the conversation because of a cellphone call, without saying "I'm sorry." That is bad manners. They don't know how to respect other people. It's just common sense! But our society is sometimes so "common senseless!" So, we have to write some rules to prohibit cellphone use in some places. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? A) If we interrupt the conversation with a cellphone call, we should say sorry. B) Some of the cellphone users don't have good manners. C) Before using cellphones, we must know how to respect others. D) People who use cellphones are not interested in beautiful scenery at all.
A: D
Q: Humans aren't the only ones getting a buzz from coffee.Caffeine can improve memory among honeybees and lead to better pollination .According to a recent study published in the journal Science. The study was conducted by a team of researchers at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom.They found that the nectar of some flowers,such as those from grapefruit and lemon plants,as well as certain coffee flowers,contains low doses of caffeine.To get bees to feed on these flowers,the team trained the insects to associate food with the smell of the flowers.They also trained another group of bees to feed on nectar from flowers that were sweetened with a sugar, but did not contain caffeine.After 24 hours,the bees trained on caffeinated flowers returned to these plants three times as often as those trained on the sweetened flowers returned to the uncaffeinated plants. Professor Geraldine Wright led the researchers."Remembering floral traits is difficult for bees to perform at a fast pace as they fly from flower to flower and we found that caffeine helps the bee remember where the flowers are,"Wright said in a statement. Improved memory led to the better pollination.That's because once bees sip the caffeine nectar, they continue to look for more coffee plants to pollinate.This also suggests that caffeine plays a role in improving the bees'ability to search for food. Researchers found that caffeine's effect on the bee brain is similar to its effect on mammals."The change is similar to that produced by caffeine in neurons associated with learning and memory in the rat brain,"Wright said. Bee populations have declining since 2007.The dramatic drop in the insects'numbers has serious effects for ecosystems and the farming industry.Bees are needed in the reproduction of crops and spreading wild flower species.Understanding what keeps bees buzzing could help to make sure that the insects are able to remember and pollinate their favorite flowers. Which of the following is mentioned in the passage? A) Caffeine has no effect on the rat brain. B) Bee population has been increasing. C) The nectar of lemon plants contains caffeine. D) Bees dislike nectar from sweetened flowers.
A: C