Chinese people first encountered the term "empty nest"in a work of famous writer Bing Xin in 1980. In the past three decades, it has become a widespread social phenomenon. And with society and the economy developing at a faster pace, the condition of elderly couples has worsened. Data shows that over half of the families in China are "empty nest" households, with the figure being as high as 70 percent in some big cities. There were 41.5 million "empty nest" old people aged 65 or above in 2010.Experts even say that "empty nest" families will become the major pattern in Chinese cities and rural areas, dealing a blow to the traditional family support system and requiring the government to take greater care of the material and spiritual needs of senior citizens and to provide them better psychological comfort, proper healthcare and legal aid. After retirement, people tend to participate in fewer social activities, spending more time at home reading newspapers or watching television. "Empty nest" people, who are not taken proper care of by their children, are bound to feel lonely, and are usually unwilling to engage in recreational activities, which leads to psychological problems. A survey shows that over half of the "empty nest" old suffer from mental problems to different degrees. Loneliness, anxiety and depression are the most common. Grown-up children are to take care of not only their parents, but also to respect their feelings, by having more heart-to-heart conversations with them. Family love plays an important role in providing mental comfort for the elderly. They should undertake the responsibility of visiting aged parents more often and making them feel wanted. There is a lot more communities could do to help make senior citizens' life better. To begin with, they could recruitcommunity volunteers, from warm-hearted university students to helpful and devoted middle-aged citizens. Senior citizens, too, should make an effort to release tension and prepare for a happy life in their twilight years. They... Which of the following are true according to the passage? A) The elderly take part in the social and entertainment activities actively nowadays. B) More than half families in big cities are "empty nest". C) Empty nest families have become the major pattern in China. D) "Empty nest" people refer to people who are treated badly by their children
B
(Question)
Arts and culture is lived and breathed in every corner of Canada.Due to a racial and immigrant population,the variety and richness of art and sports is very evident. Since World War II,Canada has produced an impressive amount of writing.From novels to poetry,the selection is wide.Native writers are also becoming better known across Canada in recent years. Musicians are reaching a higher level of recognition in the world music scene.Everything from country to pop,classical to heavy rock can be found across Canada and across the globe performed by Canadian artists. The National Film Board,a film crew in Canada,is the primary producer of movies in Canada.However,many Hollywood studios are turning to Canada as a source for locations and as an alternative to the more expensive US.Many wellknown actors,directors,screen writers and movies come from Canada and often scoop awards for their work. French art was the first to appear in Canada along the St Lawrence in and around Quebec.Since then the volume of art and artists has increased.Canadian photography as well as painting by Canadians is not wellknown outside of Canada but recognition is increasing. Sport is a major part of today's society in Canada.Hockey is the most popular spectator sport with more participants taking part in curling.American style football and baseball are also very popular and all of these sports are played across Canada. Which of the following statements about Canada is NOT true? A) Canadian arts have been much influenced by French people. B) Canadian people love sports very much. C) There are many big filmmaking companies in Canada. D) Canadian arts and artists are becoming better known.
(Answer)
C
Ques: Australian cities can keep their native wildlife -- but only if they can kick their habit of urban sprawl . That's the finding of a new study by leading Australian environmental researchers Jessica Sushinsky, Professor Hugh Possingham and Dr Richard Fuller of The University of Queensland. "While urban development usually reduces the number of birds in a city, building more compact cities and avoiding urban sprawl can slow these reductions greatly," says lead author Jessica Sushinsky. "Compact housing development leaves birds' homes untouched, leading to fewer losses of birds." The researchers surveyed native and wild birds in Brisbane's urban areas, including living and industrial areas, public parks and gardens, major roadways and airports. They then used statistical modeling to find out what will happen to the birds as the city grows. The first setting was compact growth -- where multiple homes are built on land that previously had only one house. The second setting was sprawling growth -- a familiar pattern where homes are built here and there beyond the city's current boundaries. The team's forecasts showed that a much greater diversity of species was lost over 20 years in the sprawling setting compared to the more compact setting. "Urban sprawl resulted in the disappearance of many urban-sensitive birds -- birds that only live in areas where there is native vegetation , such as parklands and woodlands," Ms Sushinsky says. "On the other hand, we found the city with the compact development attracted more birds because it kept more of its parks and green areas." Now the Queensland Government has adopted the more compact urban growth strategy, which, Dr Richard Fuller says, is good news for Australia's native birds. These birds are environmental specialists -- they need a particular environment to do well. "While compact development means smaller backyards, it can also make our entire cities more biodiverse," according to Dr Fuller. "The study shows that we should hold on to our green spaces instead of... The study deals with the relationship between _ . A) city development and birds B) the environment and birds C) humans and wildlife D) climate and wildlife
Ans: A
Question: Some people believe that international sport brings about good will between the nations and that if countries play games together they will learn to live together. Others say that the opposite is true: that international contests encourage false national pride and lead to misunderstanding and hatred. There is probably some truth in both arguments, but in recent years the Olympic Games have done little to support the view that sport encourages international brotherhood. Not only was there the terrible incident with the murder of athletes, but the Games were also ruined by those incidents caused mainly by minor national contests. One country received its second - place medal with great anger after the hockey final. There had been noisy scenes at the end of the hockey match, the losers objecting to the final decisions. They were certain that one of their goals should not have been dismissed and that the opposite side's victory was unfair. Their manager was angry when he said: "This wasn't hockey. Hockey and the International Hockey Society are finished. "The president of the society said later that such words could result in the pause of the team for at least three years. The American basketball team announced that they would not give away first place to prefix = st1 /Russia, after a fighting end to their contest. The game had ended in quarrel. It was thought at first that theUnited Stateshad won, by a single point, but it was announced that there were three seconds still to play, A Russian player then threw the ball from one end of the court to the other, and another player beat it into the basket. It was the first time theUSAhad ever lost an Olympic basketball match. The judges discussed the matter for four and a half hours before announcing that the result would stand. The American players then decided not to receive the silver medals. Incidents of this kind will continue as long as sport is played for honors or money rather than for the love of the game. The suggestion that sportsmen should compete as... What conclusion can be drawn from the passage? _ . A) The organization of the Olympic Games must be improved B) Athletes should compete as individuals in the Olympic Games C) Sport should be played competitively rather than for the love of the game D) International contests lead to misunderstanding between nations.
Answer:
A