The MIT Museum is located near the north shore of the Charles River Basin in Cambridge, MA, a few blocks from the central part of the MIT campus. The MIT Museum is accessible via public transportation, and is within three miles of two major interstate highways. The Museum is approximately a 30 minute walk from downtown Boston or from Harvard Square. BY SUBWAY Take the Red Line to either Central Square Station or Kendall Square/MIT Station. From Central Square: Walk down Mass. Ave. toward Boston and the main MIT campus. The Museum is on the left at the corner of Front St. From Kendall/MIT Station at the east end of campus: Walk down Main St., away from Boston, to Windsor St., turn left, take the second right onto Front St., and continue to the museum entrance. BY BUS The Dudley/Harvard Square bus travels along Massachusetts Ave. between Boston and Harvard Square. The MIT Museum is across the street from Novartis and a gas station. From Harvard Square, get off at either Sidney St. or Albany St. From Boston, get off at Front St. BY CAR For directions from your doorstep to MIT, Google offers excellent mapping services including directions from anywhere in the U.S. and Canada. Recorded Directions to the Museum: (415) 561-0399 Besides, you can go the Museum via Commuter Rail. You can easily connect to the MBTA Red Line from South Station, or take the green line to the red line from North Station and get off at Central or Kendall Square. How many ways to the Museum are mentioned? A) One. B) Two. C) Three. D) Four.
D
(Question)
Over the years, Americans have become used to salt. Most people have no idea how much salt they consume --on average, about 9 to 12 gram per person per day, according to the American Heart Association. That's twice the amount recommended by the government. A new study last week showed eating even a little less salt could greatly help the heart. The scientists said the results would be thirteen percent fewer heart attacks, eight percent fewer strokes , four percent fewer deaths and eleven percent fewer new cases of heart disease. Researchers also found that the benefits would be greatest for African Americans and women. As a group, African Americans tend to have higher blood pressure than the general population, and "many studies suggest that they may be more sensitive to salt," says Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, an epidemiologist at the University of California, San Francisco. Her analysis found that a reduction of 3 gram of salt per day would reduce heart attacks 8% on average; among African Americans, that rate would drop 10%. A similar result was found in women, whose stroke risk dropped 8% with a 3-g reduction in salt intake; in men, the risk fell 5%. They and public health professionals in the United States are interested in a national campaign to persuade people to eat less salt. However, other scientists say such a campaign is an experiment with the health of millions of people. Michael Alderman, a high blood pressure expert and professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, says that eating less salt results in lower blood pressure. But he says studies have not clearly shown that lowering salt means fewer heart attacks or strokes. "Salt has other biological effects. Calling for reductions in the national diet could have good effects, as well as harmful results. There is not enough evidence either way." The author's attitude toward the study is _ . A) cold B) subjective C) objective D) doubtful
(Answer)
C
Ques: To us it seems so natural to put up an umbrella to keep the water off when it rains, But actually the umbrella was not invented as protection against the rain, Its first use was as a shade against the sun! Nobody knows who first invented it, but the umbrella was used in very ancient times. Probably the first to use it were the Chinese in the eleventh century BC. We know that the umbrella was used in ancient Egypt and Babylon as a sunshade. And there was a strange thing connected with its use: it became a symbol of honor. In the Far East in ancient times, the umbrella was allowed to be used only by those in high office. In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade. And the umbrella was in commonly used in ancient Greece. But it is believed that the first persons in Europe to use the umbrella as protection against the rain were the ancient Romans. During the Middle Ages, the use of the umbrella practically disappeared. Then it appeared again in Italy in the late sixteenth century. And again it was considered as a symbol of power. By 1680, the umbrella appeared in France and later in England. By the eighteenth century, the umbrella was used against rain throughout most of Europe. Umbrellas have not changed much in style during all this time, though they have become much lighter in weight. It wasn't until the twentieth century that women's umbrellas began to be made, in a whole variety of colors. Which of the following statements is not true about the umbrella? A) No one exactly knows who the inventor of the umbrella was B) The umbrella was first invented to be used as protection against the sun. C) The umbrella changed much in style in the eighteenth century D) In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade.
Ans: C
Ques: Whether rich or poor, parents who have books in the home increase the level of education their children will attain, according to a 20-year study led by Mariah Evans. For years, educators have thought the strongest predictor of attaining high levels of education was having parents who were highly educated. But, the study showed that the difference between being raised in a bookless home compared to being raised in a home with a 500-book library has as great an effect on the level of education a child will attain as the difference between having parents who are barely literate and having parents who have a university education. Being a sociologist, Evans was particularly interested to find that children of lesser-educated parents benefit the most from having books in the home. What kinds of investments should we make to help these kids get ahead? The results of this study indicate that getting some books into their homes is an inexpensive way that we can help these children succeed. Evans said, "Even a little bit goes a long way. Having as few as 20 books in the home still has a significant impact on _ a child to a higher level of education, and the more books you add, the greater benefit the children get." The researchers were struck by the strong effect having books in the home had on children's educational attainment even above and beyond such factors as education level of the parents, the father's occupation or the economic level of the country. Having books in the home is twice as important as the father's education level, and more important than whether a child was brought up in a developing country or a developed country. Surprisingly, the difference in educational attainment for children born in developed country and children born in developing country was just 2 years, less than two-thirds of the effect that having 500 or more books in the home had on children. In the past educators held a point of view that _ . A) children whose family had a library would possibly attain high levels of education B) children who were born in poor families studied harder than those in rich families C) parents' level of education had nothing to do with their children's levels of education D) children whose parents are highly educated would attain high levels of education
Ans:
D