Read the article and select the best answer. Article: The Winter Palace was built between 1754 and 1762 for Empress Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great. Unfortunately, Elizabeth died before the palace was completed and only Catherine the Great and her successors were able to enjoy the great interior of Elizabeth's home. Many parts of the palace's impressive interior have been remodeled since then, particularly after 1837, when a huge fire destroyed most of the building. Today the Winter Palace, together with four more buildings arranged side by side along the river embankment, houses the extensive collections of the Hermitage. The Hermitage Museum is the largest art gallery in Russia and is among the largest and most respected art museums in the world. The museum was founded in 1764 when Catherine the Great bought a collection of 255 paintings from the German city of Berlin. Today, the Hermitage boasts over 2.7 million exhibits and displays, a diverse range of art and artifacts from all over the world and throughout history (from Ancient Egypt to the early 20th century Europe). The Hermitage's collections include works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian, a collection of Rembrandts and Rubens, many French Impressionist works by Renoir, Cezanne, Monet and Pissarro, and several works by Rodin. The collection is really worth a stop for all those interested in art and history. The experts say that if you were to spend a minute looking at each exhibit on show in the Hermitage, you would need 11 years before you'd seen them all. However, we suggest you choose a guided tour instead! Location: Dvortsovaia Naberezhnaia, 32-38. www.ks5u.com Open: 10:30 am to 5:30 pm, Sunday till 5 pm. Closed: Mondays. Ticket-office closes 1 hour before closing time. Question: According to the passage, the Winter Palace was built for _ . Options: A: Catherine the Great B: Empress Elizabeth C: Peter the Great D: Empress Elizabeth's successors
B

(Question)
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: My husband is a born shopper. He loves to look at things and to touch them. He likes to compare prices between the same items in different shops. He would never think of buying anything without looking around in several different shops. On the other hand, I'm not a shopper. I think shopping is boring and unpleasant. If I like something and I have enough money to take it, I buy it at once. I never look around for a good price or a better deal. Of course my husband and I never go shopping together. Doing shopping together would be too painful for both of us. When it comes to shopping, we go our different ways. Sometimes I ask my son Jimmy to buy some food in the shop not far from our home. But he is always absent-minded. This was his story. One day I said to him, " I hope you won't forget what I have told you to buy." " No," said Jimmy. "I won't forget. You want three oranges , six eggs and a pound of meat." He went running down the street to the shop. As he ran, he said to himself over and over again, "three oranges , six eggs and a pound of meat." In the beginning he remembered everything but he stopped several times. Once he saw two men fighting outside a clothes shop until a policeman stopped them. One of them was badly hurt. Then he stopped to give ten cents to a beggar. Then he met some of his friends and he played with them for a while. When he reached the shop, he had forgotten everything except six eggs. As he walked home, his face became sadder and sadder. When he saw me he said, "I'm sorry, Mum. I have forgotten to buy oranges and the meat. I only remembered to buy six eggs, but I've dropped three of them." Question: Jimmy didn't buy what his mother wanted because _ . Options: A: the shop was closed that day B: the policeman stopped him C: he forgot some of them D: he gave all the money to the beggar
(Answer)
C

Question: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Britons may like to complain a lot, but they rarely do so right now, explains BBC writer Ruth Margolis. They would rather grumble afterward. This is because Britons hate to put someone out and cause any embarrassment. Margolis writes, "For instance, I'm much more comfortable just leaving that piece of raw chicken on my plate instead of complaining to restaurant staff. But beware: if this kind of thing happens when you're dining with an American, they will most likely speak up on your behalf and not understand why you find this ashamed." In a BBC blog post comparing cultural differences between the UK and the US, Margolis mentions a few other things that Americans like to do that are offensive to Britons. * Not making introductions Margolis says most Britons dislike this approach because "talking to strangers without being introduced gives them a stomachache". Americans rarely introduce a new friend to their friends at parties. Strangers are supposed to introduce themselves. * "Quite" good Using "quite" to mean "very" happens a lot in the US. But if you are invited to a dinner party in Britain, don't describe the meal as "quite good" if you want to express high praise. To Britons' ears, "quite" _ the "good": the meal was OK but could have been better. * Money Talk Americans can talk about money subjects for hours without feeling uncomfortable. For Britons, says Margolis, "Talking about how much we make is unthinkable -- even 1ess so than discussing our feelings." * Over-politeness "It's not that I want shop assistants to be actively rude. But neither do I want to expend energy responding to someone who's been paid to ask: 'How are you today?'" says Margolis. In the US, it is not unusual to be greeted by a perfect stranger as "honey" or "sweetie". But Margolis says Britons find put-on friendliness, especially in stores, deeply irritating. Question: Which of the following might Margolis agree with? Options: A: Britons enjoy talking about their feelings. B: Americans introduce themselves at parties. C: Americans dislike talking to strangers at parties. D: Britons feel happy if treated like close friends.
Answer:
B