Watching TV is a very popular pastime in the prefix = st1 /UKbut what kind of programmes do British people like to watch? Well, the most-watched TV programmes every week are very popular dramas that are usually on at least four times every week. They are dramas based in one neighbourhood that try to describe ordinary life in theUK--- we call these dramas 'soap operas' or 'soaps'. In the early days of TV, there were often dramas on during the day. Back in those days, it was traditional for the husband to go out to work and for the wife to stay at home and look after the house and the children. Most of these daytime dramas were aimed at entertaining the housewives who would traditionally be at home, probably doing the washing. Companies selling washing powder would advertise their products at times when these dramas were on, and sometimes those companies would even sponsor the drama. Hence the word 'soap'. So what about the word opera? Well, that's because these dramas are often an exaggeration of real life. They are supposed to represent ordinary life but to make them entertaining, lots of dramatic events like murders, divorces, affairs etc. all happen probably much more regularly than they would in a normal neighbourhood. Most soap operas these days are shown in the evening. Each show will have several different storylines happening at once that continue over several shows. The same _ will appear in every show too. There are lots of different soaps on in theUKon different channels but there are three main popular ones. 'Coronation Street' has been on since 1960. It is set in a suburb of Manchester and it's supposed to represent working class life in the north ofEngland. Then there's 'Eastenders' which started in 1985, set in the East End of London and 'Emmerdale', which is set on a farm in Yorkshire, in the north of England. Which opera should you watch if you want to learn about people's life in London? A) Coronation Street. B) Eastenders. C) Emmerdale. D) None of the above.
B
(Question)
Maupassant(*)was born in 1850 in northern France. His early life was not happy. His parents separated when he was 11. Most of his education came informally from Gustave Flaubert--his mother's friend and his godfather, a journalist and novelist. Often Flaubert would let him take a walk and then ask him to write 100 lines about what he saw. This type of training developed in Maupassant a sense of observation, which he later put to use in his writing. Flaubert also allowed Maupassant to attend his Sunday gatherings with others in his literary circle For a few years, Maupassant was connected with the Ministry of Public Instruction. It is interesting to note that Monsieur Loisel, a poor man character in The Necklace, worked there. He also served in the French army during the Franco-Prussian War. His favorite writing subjects were peasants, servants, in the city, and the Francd-Prussian War. At an early age, Maupassant started writing short stories. In 1880, some of his works were published and he received a wide reputation for Boule de Suif (Ball of Tallow). With this success, he began to work full-time on writing. During the next ten years, he wrote over 300 stories, including six novels, three travel books, and a book of verse. Through them, he earn a lot of money. His writing was classical and simple, avoiding social comments and dirty details. His works often showed a real world and an accurate knowledge of the subject. Although Maupassant wrote in many forms, he received widest recognition for his short stories. By 1890, Maupassant was suffering from the latter staged of syphilis . He died in 1893 in Paris. What can we learn about Maupassant from the text? A) Only in his 30s did he begin to write stories. B) He did not received any formal education. C) He spent his last years happily. D) Boule de Suif was his first success.
(Answer)
D
Question: In November of 2007, NBC Universal launched its first official Green Week. Throughout the week, NBC Universal presented over 150 hours of environmentally themed content through multiple platforms . Now, NBC Universal is proud to present Green Week 2012. With a new theme and message of "Green Your Routine", NBC and NBC.com presents green-themed tips in several of our daytime life, among several other features here on the "Green Your Routine" site. Fashion & Beauty Throw a clothes exchange party! Are you dying for that sweater your friend wore the other day? Well, maybe she'll trade for that old T-shirt you have. Here's a website that helps you organize an exchange party (www.swapstyle.com), or just plan your own! Go natural with organic make-up. Applying unnatural products on your skin wasn't exactly that nature intended. Try switching to a line of organic make-up and cosmetics for a different way to bring out your natural beauty. Home Drop a brick in your toilet tank! Literally! According to the EPA, flushing makes up 30 percent of a household's water use (about three to six gallons per flush). By placing a brick in your toilet tank, you can help to conserve the amount of water used during each flush. Work Print smarter. Printing and copying can be one of the most costly operations in any office. To save on ink and paper costs, print double-sided and try to fit more than one page on a sheet. More printing tips can be found here: lifehacker.com Turn off your computer. Do you leave your computer on over night? If so, you're using up a good amount of electricity. If you can, try turning off your computer and the power strip it's connected to. If you can't, shut off your monitor at least. Transportation Organize a car pool . There are many benefits to carpooling. You save on gas and you get to ride in the HOV lines. Get connected with your neighbors and co-workers to start sharing rides and check out this website for more tips: www.erideshare.com. Lose the car and get a bike. If you live close to where you... The passage is mainly intended to _ . A) call on readers to be environmentally friendly and present some good tips B) tell readers to be environmentally friendly while travelling C) persuade readers to ride bicycles when travelling D) inform readers of measures to improve our environment
Answer:
A