Experts say the temperature in Eyjafjallajokull's hole appears to have fallen to 100C, meaning it is now producing steam, not magma . But officials warned that it was too early to say whether the eruption was over completely. Ash clouds from the volcano grounded thousands of flights last month. Steinunn Jakobsdottir, a geophysicist from the Icelandic Meteorological Office, told the BBC that the volcano was "kind of not active for the moment". "The history of the volcano is such that it calms down and then it gets energy again," she said. "There are still earthquakes under the volcano, and the small earthquake is still not quite down to what it was before the eruption." 'Difficult to say' Magnus Gudmundsson, of Iceland University, flew over the volcano on Sunday and said information from heat cameras showed the temperatures at the crater had fallen below 100C. But he told the AFP news agency that nothing was promised and that the previous eruption at the volcano had lasted 13 months, from 1821-23. "It stopped and started again several times with different intervals , so it's difficult to say, difficult to give a timeline," he said. He also said it was impossible to say whether the neighbouring Katla volcano - a much larger mountain - might also erupt. At the height of its activity, the volcano sent out huge clouds of ash, which led to airlines grounding their planes for fear it could _ plane engines. It was the biggest action of closing airspace in Europe since World War II, and affected at least 10 million passengers worldwide. What do you think the main idea is? A) the biggest action of closing airspace in Europe B) the temperature in Eyjafjallajokull's hole C) The Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland D) The earthquake in Iceland
C
(Question)
Liu Qian, a magician from Taiwan, cast his spell over an audience of thousands on the CCTV Spring Festival Show. Die-hard fans are still trying to work out the secrets behind many of the tricks he performed. But Liu, 32, when asked, laughed off the idea that there might be an "answer" to his magic. "The most fascinating things about magic is the puzzling process. People enjoy how magicians make the impossible come true," said Liu. Few people today believe in the possibility of real magic. They also often fail to consider magicians' devotion to their art. It can take a magician years' of practice to perfect a trick before he performs it on stage. Part of Liu's star appeal is his astonishing skill. However, when he began in the industry, he was embarrassingly clumsy. "I could practice thousands of times for one single act. It wasn't much fun," he said. No magician's supernatural powers on stage extend to their life off stage. Liu says his life was no easier or funnier because he was a magician. He developed an interest in magic at a young age, but didn't consider making a living out of it until he graduated from university. He had studied Japanese language and found himself unable to find a job. "My parents never considered being a magician as a proper job. To begin with, I had little confidence I would be doing this in the long term," he said. Yet Liu felt a powerful calling to become a magician. "For many people, magic somehow means a miracle, which is something we all secretly wish for no matter how hard-bitten or cynical we become," he said. Liu may be right. A popular modern dream is of the fairy godmother, who waves her magic wand and makes our dreams come true. But according to Liu, we all have the power to create magic in our lives. As Liu puts it: it's not the magic that makes it work;it's the way we work that makes it magic. What is the best title for the passage? A) Magic in our lives B) The answer to magic C) A popular magician from Taiwan D) The way to become a successful magician
(Answer)
C
Ques: It may be one of Britain's most successful exports - Miss World. This 53-year-old event took place in China last week and attracted over 120 women worldwide with knockout looks in a mad struggle for the crown. Traditional values have long kept the Chinese, especially women, from displaying beauty. But Chinese people have now changed their attitude toward beauty contest, although some men will still be shouting that the winner is no more beautiful than his wife or his former girl friend or even his mother in a sour tone. But such men are not shouting for the right reason. The question to be asked is : Why isn't there a Mr. World Beauty Contest? And a further question to be asked is: Does taking part in a beauty contest show a woman's courage, wisdom and liberation or rather the opposite - a forced choice and a revolting act made under conditions of long-term discrimination? Organizers of such beauty contests claim that the contestants are judged on qualities other than just their physical appearance. But still no answer is given to why there isn't a Mr. Beauty or a Mr. World Contest? Or at least, why isn't that kind of contest popular? Why is it that only women's "qualities" need to be recognized but not men's? Think about who is always standing beside a fancy car on show? Is it a boy or a girl? And this is how "qualities" are judged: if the girl looks good, there is little reason why the car beside her is not of high quality. The beauty contests go on year after year, with winners enjoying fame which quickly disappears. While such events go on and on, what never changes is the routine practice that in every fancy car show, a girl stands beside a fancy car. What never changes is the need to hold a women's conference every year to appeal for the promotion of respect for and improvement of women. What never changes is the fate of women as a class. So let's put more time and resources into trying to change all this rather than holding beauty contests. According to the writer, _ . A) Chinese women are not allowed to display beauty B) the winner of Miss World is not as beautiful as his wife C) some men are not shouting for the right person D) people can accept a beauty contest in China now
Ans: D
Question: Friendship and friends continue to be the centre of our life. The relationship that we share with our friends is grounded in mutual care as our friends help us in _ our personalities as well. Even in this age of online social networking and e-cards, the need of keeping the network of friends, whether online or offline remains a primary concern for people. We may not completely understand what makes a friend but we all want to have a good number of friends around us. The first step to make friends with someone is to make them like you. If they don't like you in the first place, it is unlikely that they'll be eager to become your friends. To let someone know that you are specially interested in them, simple gestures like a little smile and calling them by their names can lay the basic foundation. To make the other person feel important to you, you need to be a good listener and encourage the other person to talk. Give your honest and sincere opinion but do not directly criticize or make fun of him or her. The second step of making someone your friend is to develop a mutual understanding. You need to share his or her experiences and it is necessary for you to develop a habit to see things from the other person's point of view. The third or final step towards friendship is to show your unconditional support and encouragement towards your friend. Moreover, you also need to be very clear about your expectations from your friend. If what you expect from the person you want to make friends with matches with what that person can give, the developing friendship between you and your friend is sure to be successful. If you want to make friends with someone, you can _ . A) show your interest with a smile to him or her B) make him or her feel more important than you C) never expect him or her to support you D) have your own ways of seeing things
Answer:
A