There are many thoughts on the origins of civilization. One of the major factors involved was the increase in population. The development of techniques, primarily irrigation and flood control, which permitted agriculture in special areas such as the flood plain of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, made possible the support of large population. Once populations reach a certain number, the older pattern of social organization breaks down and new ones develop. Specifically the older system, whereby each individual participated in food production and maintained a similar standard of living and whereby kinship served as the basic method of social organization, was replaced by the occupational division of labor, political and religious hierarchies , public works such as road and public building construction, class systems, codes of law, markets, new forms of warfare, and urban centres. Allied with these important sociological traits are material traits, such as monumental architecture and the development of science and, in many cases, metallurgy and writing systems. The earliest civilization, Sumer, developed in the Middle East. This was the Bronze Age of the Old World, during which people first developed the art of metallurgy, civilization also arose in other parts of the Old World, first in Egypt, China, and India, and later in Europe and Africa. At this time, civilization also developed independently in the New World, in the Mexican area and in Peru and its adjacent areas. In the Old World the Bronze Age was followed by the Iron Age, which saw the rise and fall of great empires and the shift of power from the Middle East to Greece and Rome and then to Western Europe. In the 1700s the Industrial Age began, leading directly to the modern civilization of today. The author of this passage _ . A) gives a comparison between ancient civilization and modern civilization B) suggests that population increase is most important in the development of civilization C) tries to explain how civilization developed in human history D) explore the relation between agriculture and industry
C
Many of us dream of having thousands and thousands of dollar to spend on what we desire We can buy lottery tickets, enter contests or spend hours building a business or invest in the stock market. We are sure that when we have plenty of money, we will be happy. While having some money does have an impact on our level of happiness, having a lot of money does not. It is reported that Americans whose income goes from $20,000 a year to $50,000 a year are more likely to be happy. But beyond $50,000, happiness does not increase as salaries go up. It is because we are never satisfied. Catherine Sanderson, a psychology professor at Amherst College says, "We always think if we just had a little more money, we'd be happier. But when we get there, we are not." Daniel Gilbert, a psychology professor at Harvard notes,"The more you make, the more you want. The more you have, the less it brings you joy. We incorrectly assume we'Il get more pleasure from more, and we don't." The things money can buy don't make you happy either. A lot of research suggests that you won't find the "good life" buying expensive "toys". You finally buy that BMW you've always wanted and it soon loses its appeal. Then, instead of wondering if a new car is what really makes you happy, you decide you just need a different new car. It is an endless cycle. To really be happy, you need to understand what makes you happy in the first place. One secret of happiness is people. Surveys have found that people need people. Those who have five or more close friends are 50% more likely to describe themselves as "very happy". Good relationships have a far greater effect on happiness than larger salary. Andrew Oswald, an economist at England's University of Warwick says, "B you are looking for happiness in life, find the right husband or wife rather than trying to double your salary." So invest your time and energy in people. The reward is much bigger in terms of happiness! Which of the following statements would the author agree to? A) Having some money brings happiness to some degree. B) The more money one earns, the sadder one becomes C) Buying expensive things will surely bring pleasure D) We get nothing from buying expensive things we want.
A
Q: When we walked into Papillon Bleu, a Chinese restaurant around the corner from Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal's Old Port, the sole waiter on duty looked surprised to see us. At 7:45 on a Saturday night, at the height of tourist season, just one young white family sat in the dining room. We walked past them to a table in the back, Chopin drifting quietly from the speakers into the certain shade of dim light that only Chinese restaurants seem to have. At our seats, bright yellow napkins, folded into fans, rested on a blue tablecloth next to cutlery . Sometime in the last 18 years of operation, Papillon Bleu stopped bothering with chopsticks. "How did you find out about us?"our waiter politely asked. I told him that my family used to own a Chinese restaurant that served peanut butter dumplings and I wanted to taste them again. Papillon Bleu came up when I googled"Best Peanut Butter Dumplings in Montreal". He shook his head and told us that while it might have been the case a few years ago, they had switched peanut butter brands to cut costs. But the significance for me wasn't which brand they used, it was that they served peanut butter dumplings. Commonly known as Hunan dumplings, this specialty exists neither in China, nor anywhere else in North America. Instead, Hunan dumplings are a unique Quebecois tradition, and a slowly dying one, found in the second-generation Chinese family restaurants. Peanut butter dumplings taste exactly how they sound, but also unlike anything else. It is a kind of dumpling that coats your mouth with a distinct store-brand quality, a little too sweet, but buttery, and luxuriously warm, perfectly suited to resist the bone-chilling effects of the Montreal winter. What does the author think of the Montreal winter? A) Freezing. B) Mild. C) Cool. D) Warm.
A: A
*Question*
Some of my friends are making big decisions in their life: Which universities should they apply to? I also notice that many high school students in China are thinking of studying at universities abroad. Unluckily, from what I've seen, the information given by some websites and other media about studying abroad is very limited and sometimes even wrong. There was once a Chinese girl who hoped that she could go to Columbia University in the US because she wanted to major in journalism. However, they have no journalism program at the undergraduate level! What's more, in both Canada and the US, it's not suggested that students throw themselves into journalism right after high school. School say that students should take in more knowledge about the world and writing before entering that field. The University of Waterloo, a Canadian university famous for its engineering program, is another example. The emphasis of engineering in this school may go beyond your expectations. According to our teachers, this university spent millions of dollars building a library just for engineering students. The school's computer science, mathematics and accounting are also great programs for students. But, to be honest, according to my friends who have visited this university, the campus and the food are not very nice. Maybe this is because the school stresses its academic( )strengths too much, thereby paying little attention to personal comforts. Now you see, choosing a university is really not that easy. We need to do good research and consult as many people as possible before making a decision. For high school students it's very important to _ . A) choose a proper university B) study at American universities C) learn the information about websites D) supply the information about studying abroad
**Answer**
A