Read the article and select the best answer. Article: The joys of reading are the ones I've known since childhood, and they continue to this day. And the benefits of reading, for me, are immeasurable. Loving the written words was what led me to journalism. But not every child has the chance to enjoy these pleasures and benefits. In Buffalo---one of the poorest cities in the nation---this is particularly true. Over a third of Buffalo's children are living in poverty. Families who struggle for food and clothing certainly don't have the money for books. That's where a Buffalo news-sponsored program called "Books for Kids" steps in. Through an unusual book drive and collection of cash donations, the effort places books into the hands of needy local children, usually through community organizations that serve children. Since it began in 1995 ---the _ of Rose Ciotta, then a Buffalo news reporter, along with two wonderful local Buffalo State college professors, Geraldine Bard and Elizabeth Cappella ---the effort has distributed more than 1.5 million books to children. Returning to the personal side, both of my children know the value of putting books in the hands of children. Successful students themselves became interested from an early age. My sons, Alex, now a college senior, founded the Books for Kids High School Coalition as a Canisius High School student. He handed it down to his sister, Grace, a Nardin Academy senior this year, who has carried on the tradition of organizing book drives in local high schools. It's been one of the great satisfactions of my life that both of my children have been deeply involved in the program. Question: What is main purpose of "Books for Kids"? Options: A: To encourage students to read more books. B: To inspire youths to help the poor. C: To help children develop good reading habits. D: To provide books for poor children.
D

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: At dawn on Friday, May 19, 1780, farmers in New England stopped to wonder at the pink color of the sun. By noon the sky had darkened to midnight blackness, causing Americans, still in the painful struggle of a prolonged war of independence, to light candles and tremble at thoughts of the Last Judgment. As the birds quieted and no storm accompanied the darkness, men and women crowded into churches, where one minister commented that "The people were very attentive." John Greenleaf Whittier later wrote that "Men prayed, and women wept; all ears grew sharp . . ." A recent study of researchers, led by Richard Guyette from the University of Missouri's Tree Ring Laboratory, has shown that vast forest fires in the Algonquin Highlands of southern Ontario and elsewhere in Canada brought this event upon New England. The scientists have discovered "fire scars" on the rings for that year, left when the heat of a wildfire has killed a part of a tree's cambium . Evidence collected also points to a drought that year. An easterly wind and low barometric pressure helped force smoke into the upper atmosphere. "The record fits pretty close," says Guyette. "We had the right fuel, the drought. The conditions were all there." Lacking the ability to communicate quickly over long distances, Americans in 1780 remained in the dark about the event, which had disappeared by the next day. Over the next several months, the papers carried heated debates about what brought the darkness. Some were the voices of angry prediction, such as one Massachusetts farmer who wrote, "Oh! Backsliding New-England, attend now to the things which belong to your peace before they are forever hid from your eyes." Others gave different answers. One stated that a "flaming star" had passed between the earth and the sun. Ash, argued another commentator. The debate, carried on throughout New England, where there were no scientific journals or academies yet, reflected an unfolding culture of scientific enquiry already sweeping the Western world, a revolution... Question: According to the researchers, the origin of the event was _ . Options: A: an east wind B: a severe drought C: some burning fuel D: low barometric pressure
B

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: The date was like any other day in his life. After school, Michael walked past the shop on the street corner. He stopped to look at the front row of shoes, and he felt sorry for himself. He really wanted to have them for his birthday. He sadly walked away and thought of what to tell his mother. He knew she would give him anything he liked if she could. But he also knew very well she had little money. He decided not to go home immediately, as he looked worried and his mother would notice it. So he went to the park and there he sat on the grass. Then he saw a boy in a wheelchair. He noticed that the boy moved the wheels with his hands. Michael looked at him carefully and was surprised to see the boy had no feet. He looked down at his own feet. "It is much better to be without shoes than without feet," he thought. There was no reason for him to feel so sorry and sad. He went away and smiled, thinking he was luckier in life. Question: Why did Michael decide not to go home immediately? Options: A: Because it was still early B: Because he didn't want to give his mother any trouble. C: Because he wanted to go to the park to have a rest. D: Because his mother was not at home yet at that time.
A: B

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Everyone knows how the story of Cinderella ends, but did you ever really think about how she spent her days before she met the prince? Her daily routine was not fascinating.She did everything from sweeping the floor to cooking the meals.If someone had asked Cinderella, "Are there any kinds of household work that you particularly hate?" she probably would have answered, "Why, none, of course.Housework is my duty!" In the real world, however, most people have definite dislikes for certain sorts of household work.Two of these tasks are ironing clothes and washing dishes. Ironing clothes is most hated because it is not a task that can be completed quickly or thoughtlessly. Each piece of clothing must be handled individually, so ironing a basket of laundry can take hours! After ironing a piece of clothing with great caution, which-requires smoothing out the fabric, and following the seams ,you need to place it on a hanger as soon as possible.If you do not follow these directions carefully, it might become wrinkled and you have to start over.Perhaps that is why ironing is not a favorite thing to do.It calls for extreme attention to detail from beginning to end. Another household job that many people dislike is washing dishes.Of course, some people claim that this work is no longer a problem because we have dishwashers now! However, no one would argue that dishes, silverware, and especially pots and pans washed in a dishwasher don't come out as clean as they do when washed by hand.For this reason, many of us continues to wash our dishes by hand, but we are not necessarily happy doing it.Cleaning dishes is a job that not only takes a lot of energy but also requires the patience to wash and dry them.In addition, unlike ironing clothes, washing dishes is a thing that usually must be done every day.I don't know how Cinderella felt about this particular task, but I believe that most people hate it as much as I do. Question: To avoid ironing the clothes over again, one should _ . Options: A: know how to iron certain clothes material B: spare no care through all the procedures C: find some proper hangers for the ironed D: pay special attention to the seams
A: B