So far, educationists have still failed to design anything more efficient and reliable than examinations. Some people say examinations test what you know. 71 . They may be a good means of testing memory, or the skills of working rapidly under extreme pressure, but they can tell you nothing about a person's true ability and talent. Educationists, of course, should take the responsibility to face the challenge and come up with wise solutions. A) The answer is ly yes. B) In a word, it's not a good education. C) Your whole future may be decided on one fateful day. D) Because they deprive the teacher of all freedoms. E. However, it is common knowledge that they more often do the exact opposite. F. A good education should, among other things, train you to think for yourself. G. Examiners are only human: they get tired and hungry; they make mistakes.
A
(Question)
Extracts From Information Booklet For Car Ferry Passengers CAR DECKS Car drivers are advised to use the handbrake before leaving their cars, to lock all doors and to take with them all belongings that may be needed during the crossing. CURRENCY EXCHANGE We regret that there are no facilities aboard for the exchange of cheques of any kind but most European currencies together with Euro cards and various types of international credit cards are accepted for payment in restaurants, shops, cinemas, etc. and to carry out other transactions on board. PASSENGER FACILITIES ON BOARD The following are a small selection of those available. PROMENADE DECK : Here you can enjoy a pleasant stroll, go for a jog, or sit or lie back in the sunshine in adaptable reclining seats . We would however suggest passengers that decks may be slippery in wet or freezing weather. VIEWING BRIDGE: This is situated below the Captain's Bridge and offers a view over the bow of the ship. The viewing bridge is reached from the promenade deck via the foremost stairway. A LA CARTE RESTAURANT: This serves the same breakfast buffet as the main dining room. Scandinavian and international specialties are available at lunch and dinner times. No reservations required. DUTY-FREE SHOP: This is a supermarket offering Scandinavian and international goods, foodstuffs, spirits, tobacco goods, sweets etc. OPENING TIMES: The opening times of the various shops, restaurants and other facilities are shown on the relevant entrance doors as well as on the boards in the main halls on Decks 4. According to the information given, the promenade deck can be used for _ . A) exercise and relaxation B) enjoying the view over the sea C) taking exercise in all kinds of weather D) spending the night
(Answer)
A
Ques: Have you thanked your grandma today? You might want to consider it. A recent study found that kids live longer when a grandmother takes part in their daily lives. Most animals die soon after their childbearing years are over. Women, however, often live for many years after they stop having kids. To try to understand why, researchers from Finland looked at birth and death records of two communities from the 18th and 19th centuries, one in Finland and one in Canada. In these communities, 537 Finnish women and 3,290 Canadian women were grandmothers who had lived past the age of 50. For every decade they lived beyond 50, the researchers found that the women ended up with an average of two extra grandkids. It didn't matter what the differences in health or living conditions were between the two communities or from family to family. Grandchildren were also more likely to live into adulthood if their grandmothers were alive when they were born. If their grandmothers were younger than 60 at the time, that was even better. The study also found that women had children 2 to 3 years earlier if their own mothers were still alive at that time than those whose mothers had died. The researchers suggested that grandmothers have provided important assistance in raising their grandchildren for at least the past 200,000 years. As a result, they helped extend everyone's lifespan. So, don't take your grandma for granted! How many women in the survey in the two communities were grandmothers who had lived past the age of 50? A) 537. B) 3,290. C) 3,827. D) 2,753.
Ans: C
(Q).
Research shows that childhood friendships are important indicators of future success and social adjustment. Children's relationships with peers strongly influence their success in school, and children with fewer friends are more at risk of dropping out of school, becoming depressed and other problems. Making and Keeping Friends Is More than Child's Play When 6yearold Rachel returned to school on a recent Monday morning, her eyes immediately scanned the playground for her friend Abbie. "Though they were only separated by a weekend, the girls ran right into each other's arms and hugged," recalls Rachel's mother Kathryn Willis of Gilbert. "It was like a scene from a movie." Most parents instinctively know that having friends is good for their child. Experts agree that friendship is not simply child's play, but a powerful predictor of social adjustment throughout life. A Skill for Life "Childhood friendships serve as a very important training ground for adulthood," says Dr.Robbie AdlerTapia, psychologist with the Center for Children's Health & Life Development at the East Valley Family Resource Center. Researcher William Hartup states, "Peer relations contribute significantly to both social and cognitive development." Hartup concludes that the single best childhood predictor of adult social adaptation is not school grades or classroom behavior, but rather, how well a child gets along with other children. The work of Arizona State University professor of Developmental Psychology Gary Ladd proves that being able to make and keep friends is beneficial to kids while the lack of friends is _ . Good Friendships Don't Just Happen Experts agree that it is essential for children to establish highquality friendships. But, researchers warn, these friendships don't necessarily just happen. Often, a good friendship begins with involved parents. Psychologist Dr.Lynne Kenney Markan believes kids should be taught social skills in much the same way they are taught math and reading. Bad Company Many parents worry about the... We can learn from the passage that highquality friendship most probably results from _ . A) social skills and good study habits B) school grades and classroom behaviors C) academic success and social adaptation D) positive parental involvement and social skills
(A).
D
Five years ago, when I taught art at a school in Seattle, I used Tinkertoys as a test at the beginning of a term to find out something about my students. I put a small set of Tinkertoys in front of each student, and said:"Make something out of the Tinkertoys. You have 45 minutes today - and 45minutes each day for the rest of the week." A few students hesitated to start. They waited to see the rest of the class would do. Several others checked the instructions and made something according to one of the model plans provided. Another group built something out of their own imaginations. Once I had a boy who worked experimentally with Tinkertoys in his free time. His constructions filled a shelf in the art classroom and a good part of his bedroom at home. I was delighted at the presence of such a student. Here was an exceptionally creative mind at work. His presence meant that I had an unexpected teaching assistant in class whose creativity would infect other students. Encouraging this kind of thinking has a downside. I ran the risk of losing those students who had a different style of thinking. Without fail one would declare, "But I'm just not creative." "Do you dream at night when you're asleep?" "Oh, sure." "So tell me one of your most interesting dreams." The student would tell something wildly imaginative. Flying in the sky or in a time machine or growing three heads. "That's pretty creative. Who does that for you?" "Nobody. I do it." "Really-at night, when you're asleep?" "Sure." "Try doing it in the daytime, in class, okay?" Why did the teacher ask the students to talk about their dreams? A) To help them to see their creativity. B) To find out about their sleeping habits. C) To help them to improve their memory. D) To find out about their ways of thinking.
A