Read the article and select the best answer. Article: No one knows yet the _ number of lives which have been lost in this terrible fire .But reports suggest that it is more than one hundred . A wall of flames fifty feet high and at least one hundred and fifty miles wide is now racing towards the forests and rich farmlands of southern Victoria . Towns less than one hundred miles from Melbourne will be in danger unless the wind changes . People are rushing excitedly into the streets . The police have warned them not to see the fire but many people are doing so . The cause of the fire is unknown . No rain has fallen in this part of Australia for three months , and the hot , north-west wind from the great central desert is blowing at more than thirty miles an hour . The firefighters are travelling to the fire by road , rail and air . But it is not easy to get there . Flames and fallen trees have cut off or blocked roads and railway lines . The thick smoke often prevents them from finding the air strips . It is said that the fire has brought the greater danger to the country since the Second World War . Question: By the time the article was written , the fire _ . Options: A: had just broken out B: had been put out C: was spreading violently D: was coming to an end
C

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: One day a teacher was giving her young students a lesson on how the government works . She was trying to explain the principle of income tax . "You see ," she began , speaking slowly and carefully , "each person who works must pay part of his or her salary to the government . If you make a high salary , your taxes are high . If you don't make much money , your taxes are low ." "Is that clear ?" she asked . "Does everyone understand the meaning of income tax ?" The students nodded. "Are there any questions ?" she asked . The students shook their heads . "Very good !" she said . "Now ,I would like you to take a piece of paper and write a short paragraph on the subject of income tax ." Little Joey was a slow learner . He had lots of problems with spelling and grammar , but this time he at least seemed to understand the task . He took his pen and after a few minutes , he handed the teacher the following composition : Once I had a dog . His name was Tax . I opened the door and in come Tax . Question: The students were asked _ . Options: A: to say something about income tax B: to answer some questions on income tax C: to write a composition on "income tax" D: to explain the principle of income tax
C

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Weird Homes We All Wish We Live in Your home is one of the biggest purchases you're going to make in your entire life, but that doesn't mean you can't live somewhere you enjoy. If you're looking for the weird, the wonderful, or just odd, then these houses are the top of the list. Upside Down Like the previous upside down home, this is the type of concrete house that is more interesting to really see from the outside than it is to actually live there. The door is near the top. If you want to live here, you are going to have to deal with the crowds exploring daily. Satellite Home Having an entire side of your house made of glass is just asking for a rock to be thrown by the local children. However, it also offers the best view surrounding the scenic home. The inside appeared to be separated into multiple tiers, with each tier broken down into various rooms. UFO House This home is located within Taiwan at present. For those who have wondered what it would be like to be _ by aliens and forced to live within their ship for a few years, this house should offer some similar experience. New Age Tree Fort If you grew up a flower child, then chances are you either adapted that lifestyle into your own or would prefer to forget it. If it's the former, then the tree fort-style home would be perfect to live within. It's centered perfectly in the middle of a forested area, supported by metal beams, and built from strong wood. Question: Why can Satellite Home offer the best view around itself? Options: A: Because its outside is very interesting. B: Because one side of this house is made of glass. C: Because viewers can stand on its door near the top of the house. D: Because it is centered in the middle of a forest.
B

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: World leaders from nearly 200 countries have signed an important historic agreement to fight global climate change. The agreement came after two weeks of talks between the leaders at the 21st Conference in Paris, France. As part of the Paris agreement, countries said they would cut down on pollution However, according to the terms of the deal, countries that don't do this will not be punished, or fined. Instead,the document is meant to show that governments around the world take climate change seriously and are willing to work together to fight global warming. World leaders have met many times to discuss climate change. But, the 21st Conference of Parties, or COP21, which began on November 30 in Paris, was the first time they agreed on a global, legal pact . Before the conference, each nation was asked to create plans on how to reach the shared goal. The pact that was signed allows countries to decide the best way to cut down their gas pollution. No matter how they decide to go green, each country must report honestly on all of their efforts. Every five years, nations must look at the work they've done and submit new plans on how they will improve over the next five years. In the pact, the countries pledge to limit the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by human activity to the levels that trees,soil and oceans can absorb naturally. It urges countries to spend trillions of dollars on creating new energy sources, like solar and wind power. It also requires countries to raise at least $ 100 billion each year to help developing countries. However, critics of the pact say it is not detailed enough, and doesn't include specifics about how the plan will be enforced and how improvements will be measured. The pact does include one large, specific goal: how countries will aim to keep global temperatures from rising more than 3. 60degF(20degC) by 2100. Nonetheless,the agreement is considered by many world leaders to be a major victory. The U. N. has been working more than two decades to convince governments to work... Question: The pact is thought to be imperfect because _ . Options: A: it doesn't consider developing countries B: it is not detailed enough C: it is not attractive to all countries D: it only benefits some countries
B