Steve Fossett did not really look like an adventurer, but he reached some of the most difficult goals in sailing and flying. Fossett was most proud of being the first person to fly around the world alone in a hot-air balloon. To make a trip around the world alone, it was necessary to have an improvedautopilot device. Fossett had one of his team members develop a more advanced balloon autopilot that would allow him to sleep and do other tasks while flying safely. Steve Fossett attempted the hot-air balloon trip around the world six times. This was not easy to do. He flew in the balloon'scapsule that was too small to stand upright. During his fourth attempt in 1998, he was almost killed during a storm off the coast of Australia. He fell 9,000 meters into the Coral Sea with his balloon's capsule on fire. He was later rescued at sea. Fossett successfully made the trip in 2002. The trip started and ended in Australia. He traveled more than 33,000 kilometers for more than 14 days. On this flight, Fossett set other records including a speed record of 322 kilometers per hour. One main problem with earlier balloon flights was the threat of dangerous storms. A team of weather experts e-mailed and talked to Fossett by a satellite telephone to help him avoid such weather. Steve Fossett's hot-air balloon is now at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. It is there as an example for other people to try and succeed in doing something important to them. Steve Fossett solved the problem of bad weather on his trip by _ . A) communicating with experts B) using his rich experience C) inventing a satellite phone D) consulting other adventurers
A
(Question)
Have you ever looked toward the sky on a fall day and witnessed a group of migrating birds? If so, you probably noted the V-shaped formation of the birds or the birds flying in a ball-like formation. Why do birds fly this way? Many theories have been developed to explain the formation patterns of different types of birds. One theory is that birds fly in certain formations to take advantage of the laws of nature. The birds know that flying in a V-shaped pattern will save energy. Like the lead cyclist in a race who decreases wind force for the cyclists who follow, the lead bird cuts wind force for the birds that follow. This decrease in wind force means that the birds use up to 70 percent less energy during their flight. When the lead bird becomes tired, a more rested bird takes over that position. But saving energy is important for more than one reason. Sometimes food is short during migration flights. Keeping energy enables the birds to fly longer distances between meals. When food is sighted, the birds guide one another in a different way. When a bird identifies a familiar feeding area, it might turn around in order to signal the group to change direction. Then, this bird becomes the new leader. It helps guarantee that other birds will know exactly where it is going. Then the whole group makes a change in direction, gently streaming from the sky down to the ground. This formation is like an arrow pointing to the location of food. Scientists have also studied the birds that sometimes fly in a ball-like formation. Researchers believe that the birds come together if a predator is spotted. The predator may then become impatient waiting for a single bird to fly away from the group. The birds will often dip and dive as a group, frustrating even the most persistent enemy. Scientists report that this is a very effective method of defense against an attack. The birds care for their fellow fliers through teamwork. As transportation expert Henry Ford once said, "If everyone is moving forward together, then... Which is the best title for the passage? A) A Bird's-Eye View of Teamwork. B) Success Takes Care of Itself. C) The Strongest Will Survive. D) A Science Behind Flying.
(Answer)
A
Ques: Many people take it for granted that black is a color of bad things while white should always mean something good. This may be because, in their opinion, black is related to darkness and white to purity. However, that is not always the case. Did you know that the same one color may mean something differently in different places of the world? In the English-speaking world, black is the color of mourning--people wear black at the funeral. Red is concerned with danger or bloodshed . Yellow is the word for fear. If you are afraid, you are yellow. Yet none of these sayings is true outside the English-speaking world. In China and Korea white is the color of mourning. In Russia, China and some other countries, red stands for beauty, life and excellence. In Italy and Germany, you are yellow with anger, not with fear. Even within the English-speaking area, it is not difficult to find color contradictions .A redcap in the United States is a porter in a railway station. In Britain, however, a redcap is a military policeman. Both names are logical, because both men wear red caps. Similarly, the British term for an American white-collar worker is sometimes called a black-coated worker. One does not have to cross an area to find color differences. Would you rather be red-blooded or a blue-blooded? If we go back to the origin, we find that both terms are logical as both names suggest. The expression "blueblood" comes from Spain, where some noble families proudly told the world that they had "blue blood". Actually they meant that they had no Moorish or Jewish blood. But then why "blue" blood? Because they were fair-skinned, and it is only natural that their blood vessels stood out appearing blue. In Britain , a redcap is a _ A) porter B) nobleman C) clerk D) military policeman
Ans: D
Listed here are four of the thousands of impressive museums around the world. The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Bilbao, Spain Built in 1997, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is one of the newest in the world. It has transformed the industrial city of Bilbao into a travelers' desired destination. The beautiful architecture of the museum has provided a dramatic background for movies and commercials. The Louvre in Paris, France Probably the most famous Louvre also holds the most famous painting in the world, the"Mona Lisa"by Leonardo da Vinci. Crowds can be found any day surrounding the small, but mysterious painting of the smiling woman. But, the Louvre is much more than a home to the"Mona Lisa". The Louvre is visited by more people each year than any other museum in the world. The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, America Just opened in its new downtown location in 2012, the Barnes Foundation is unique in that it is a completely reproduced display from one man's private collection. Dr. Albert C. Barnes started collecting art in the early 20th century and collected, among others, the largest number of original Renoir paintings in the world. The Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy Walking on the marbled floors feels like stepping back in time. The building itself is a beautiful palace-like structure with frescoes decorating the ceilings and walls. Viewers are bowled over by the works by Botticelli, such as"The Birth of Venus". Classic artworks from nearly 1,000 years ago describe religious events of the time. What makes the Barnes Foundation particular? A) Its structure. B) Its collection. C) Its location. D) Its history.
B