The time children spend outdoors could be linked to a reduced risk of being short-sighted, research suggests. An analysis of eight previous studies by University of Cambridge researchers found that for each additional hour spent outside per week, the risk of short-sightedness was reduced by 2%.They said exposure to natural light and time spent looking at distant objects could be key factors . The studies involved more than 10,000 children and adolescents. Dr Justin Sherwin and his research team concluded that short-sighted children spent an average of 3.7 fewer hours per week outdoors than those who either had normal vision or were far-sighted. But they said the reasons were not yet clear.They expected to find that children who spent more time outdoors also spent less time doing activities like reading, studying or playing computer games, but no such link was found in two of the eight studies which looked at this relationship. However, Dr Sherwin said they would now need more precise data to try to understand which factors, such as increased use of distance vision, reduced use of near vision, natural ultraviolet light exposure and physical activity,are most important. "Any increase in time spent outdoors must be weighed against exposure to ultraviolet radiation and the increased risk of skin cancer, cataracts and other cancers."he said."On the other hand, increasing outdoor physical activity could protect against diabetes and obesity, for example." Short-sightedness is a common eye condition that causes distant objects to appear blurred , while close objects can be seen clearly. It is much more common today in the UK and the United States than it was just 30 to 40 years ago. Approximately 1-2% of five-year-olds to seven-year-olds in the UK have short-sightedness.About.five million British people are short-sighted and some 200,000 of them will be seriously short-sighted. In some parts of Asia, more than 80% of the population suffers from short-sightedness. Which of the following is TRUE? A) Students who spent more time outdoors read less B) Only one factor contributes to short-sightedness C) The increase in time spent outdoors means more exposure to ultraviolet radiation D) The less time children spent outdoors, the more short-sighted they are
C
Rafting the GRAND CANYON Welcomes You! For an exciting,fun and challenging white water tours,Rafting the GRAND CANYON is here to help you plan the right tour for you.Whether you want to travel for two days or ten,hike in or not,go on an oar raft or motorized trip,we will help you find the trip that meets your needs. For those who will be vacationing on the offseason a trip on the Native American Red River rafting is available year around or a one day trip is available on the Colorado River from Diamond Creek to Pierce Ferry (about three hours from Las Vegas). Most of the trips depart from Lees Ferry,Arizona (approximately 21/2hours from the south rim of the Grand Canyon).We offer partial trips which allow you to get on or off at Phantom Ranch located at the bottom of the Grand Canyon National Park South Rim.Requiring a hike in or out,with proper planning the horse ride up or down is also an option.Most trips occur between April and October. Since all rafting on the Colorado requires a permit,planning and reserving your trip requires reservations well in advance.Please let us know when you would like to go and we will contact all the river concessionaires to help you find the best trip for you. For planning your trip,questions,concerns or to make your reservations,please email or call the toll free number below.Since these trips are limited we highly recommend you make your reservations months in advance. To talk to a live person call us toll free:18002226966or 7026556060 If you have any questions regarding a trip,please CLICK _ HERE to fill out our form.This will speed up the process of getting you accurate information regarding your trip. If you would like to send us an email other than about an upcoming trip you can contact us at info@raftingthegrandcanyon.com. We look forward to helping you plan your trip!(Please NO Travel Agents) If you don't want to take an all distance trip,you can start at . A) Diamond Creek B) Lees Ferry C) Phantom Ranch D) Pierce Ferry
C
*Question*
Once again, rumors are spreading. Judgment Day, this time, is set to happen on December 21st, 2012. The date originated from the Mayan calendar, but actually gained popularity through the hit movie, "2012". How will the world end? And how do we know the exact date? There are many theories: A meteoroid from outer space; a solar storm; a shift in the earth's poles; bla bla bla. They all supposedly pointed to the date of December 21st, 2012. Unfortunately, none of it is true. Zhu Jin, director of Beijing Planetarium, said, "For earth itself, the end will be billions of years away from now.And for us humans, there is a very small chance that we may be affected by some astronomical factors.However, we don't have the ability to foresee such events so far.So when someone tells you the world is going to end on an exact date, it must be fake." But the truth hasn't stopped people from believing. In the sci-fi movie "2012", the director imagined the end of the world based on the Mayan calendar. The film earned nearly 770 million US dollars worldwide. Ning Hong, Hebei Province, said. "The movie 2012 did get one thing right. There are arks being made in China, But they're not being built secretly inside the mountains.They are constructed here in the courtyard of a factory." In April, Liu Qiyuan quit his furniture business and devoted himself to developing these huge round balls. He doesn't believe the end is near, but he wants to be prepared just in case. Liu Qiyuan, the "Ark" builder, said, "The concept originated twenty years ago. The Tangshan earthquake had flattened our house, so I wanted to build a shelter that wouldn't fall. Then in 2004, I saw the tsunami in Indonesia that killed so many people.Then I realized it should be something that could withstand the earthquake and float on water." Liu is hoping to use his invention as a life boat on the sea.He's planning to test his product on the water next year. It turns out that rumor, though false, is good for business. Doomsday discounts and products are hot on... We can infer from the passage that _ . A) Time and time again people spread rumors about the world's end for one reason or another. B) The Maya's prediction about the world's end has failed. C) Liu Qiyuan was born before 1976 and is at least 36 years old. D) In the movie 2012 big arks were built secretly inside the mountains
**Answer**
D