Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: An ATM that spits out cupcakes instead of cash is now filling a popular demand in the American market:late-night desire for freshly baked sweets. In six cities across the country, sugar addicts can now purchase a cupcake for $4.25 from an automatic machine 24 hours every day.The freshly baked goods are made by the California-based cupcake shop Sprinkles. The idea came to the company's co-founders Candace and Charles Nelson when Candace was pregnant with their first child. Candace thought it was ridiculous that she owned cupcake bakeries aad couldn't get a freshly baked treat at an unusual hour.That desire inspired the company's first cupcake ATM in Beverly Hills,Calif.in 2012. Charles said each ATM serves about l,000 cupcakes per day.The machine is so popular that when it appeared in Manhattan, customers were lined up around the block to use _ Yet,inventing the first cupcake ATM was not as easy as convincing customers to use it.When the Nelsons started defigning the machine,they quickly realized nothing existed that could give a fully unbroken cupcake to a customer.The company had to partner with a European firm to develop the technology that could deliver a cupcake without dropping it several feet like a typical machine.After going through a seeond development cycle with the product, the ATMs can now satisfy tlle demand of growing customers and even make as many as four cupcakes at a time. In terms of the company, the-machine allows Sprinkles to do the impossible:increase hours of operation without raising costs.Now the company can sell cupcakes around the clock through the ATM without paying employees. Now the company is partnering with a Middle Eastern company to open 34 new locations abroad. Question: What can we infer from the text? Options: A: The ATM will replace the traditional cake shops. B: The ATM will appear in more cities in the world. C: The company will promote different kinds of products. D: People will get cupcakes through the ATM without paying.
A: B

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: American's genius with high technology may have put men on the moon, but there is growing doubt about its ability to solve human problems closer to home. In fact, a slight but significant change from purely technological solutions is already under way as scientists insist that answers to the world's problems will not come from an attractive exhibition of electronics and machines. Instead, as they see it, solutions must develop from a better understanding of the humans that drive the system and from a fuller appreciation of the limits and potential of the earth's resources. What this means is an increased emphasis on the life and earth sciences, on sociology, psychology, economics and even philosophy. More and more of the best minds in science, particularly young researchers, are being drawn into these developing fields. All this is not to say that technological creativity will not play a critical role in solving energy and food shortages, or that answers to environmental difficulties will not come from further advances in the same technologies that may have helped cause the problems. Where the real challenge lies, in the view of the new generation of scientists, is in finding ways to produce goods and meet the world's needs, using less of the raw materials that are becoming short. Question: Which of the following would the author probably agree with? Options: A: The environment crisis will not be solved unless we stop using virgin materials. B: In scientific research, a higher priority should be given to understanding all living systems. C: Exploration of outer space will finally lead to an improvement on human living conditions. D: U. S. high-technology companies are welcoming this new change in scientific research.
A: B

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Yesterday I went to our local grocery store. I often go to their deli counter, and I understand that it can get a little confused for the workers. So normally none of them ever take the time to smile or seem overly friendly. But yesterday it was completely different. I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted with a very welcoming smile by the young man behind the counter. He never sighed heavily or slumped back and forth like he didn't want to be there. He was all by himself and quite a long line. But not once did he act concerned about it. He just did his job efficiently and acted very kind the entire time. I was so impressed that I approached the manager. I explained to her that I often visit the deli counter and I have never been greeted with such kindness. She agreed with me that he was a wonderful person and she thanked me for sharing my feelings with her. As I was walking away,I could hear her approaching the young man with,"I just got a wonderful compliment(praise) about you." I couldn't hear everything she was saying,but I knew that she did thank him. I couldn't help but smile! Later I had to pass by the deli counter to get onions. There was no one there,except the diligent young man. He didn't say anything,he just smiled at me. I realized that I hadn't done a huge deed that day,but that small deed made a small difference to someone.I love seeing people smile. I just received my smile cards and I wish I had one with me that day. _ It's amazing how good I felt after that. So,friends,the next time you are in a grocery store,retail store,restaurant,or anywhere that someone is working hard,letting them know in some way can mean so much. I hope you get a smile out of it like I did! Question: The passage is mainly about _ . Options: A: friendship between the writer and a young man B: the power of a simple compliment C: a grocery store D: a diligent assistant
A: B

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Once a neighbour stole one of Washington's horses. Washington went with a police officer to the neighbour's farm to get the horse, but the neighbour refused to give the horse up; he claimed that it was his horse. Washington placed both of his hands over the eyes of the horse and said to the neighbour, "If this is your horse, then you must tell us in which eyes he is blind." "In the right eye," the neighbour said. Washington took his hand from the right eye of the horse and showed the police officer that the horse was not blind in the right eye. "Oh, I have made a mistake," said the neighbor. "He is blind in the left eye." Washington then showed that the horse was not blind in the left eye, either. "I have made another mistake," said the neighbor. "Yes," said the police officer, "and you have also proved that the horse does not belong to you. You must return it to Mr. Washington." Question: From the passage, we know _ . Options: A: Washington was a wise man B: Washington's neighbor was cleverer than Washington C: the police officer was the cleverest of the three D: all the three men were not very clever
A: A