*Question*
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: The novelist, Harriet Beecher Stowe, born 200 years ago, was a poor housewife with six children, and she suffered from various illnesses. Driven by the hatred of slavery, she found time to write Uncle Tom's Cabin, which became the most influential novel in American history and caused great change, both at home and abroad. Today, however, the book has a different reputation, owing to the popular image of its character, Uncle Tom, whose name has become a saying for a cowardly black man who betrays his race. But this view is wrong: the original Uncle Tom was physically and morally strong, an inspiration for black people and other oppressed people worldwide. Indeed, that was why, in the mid-19th century, Southerners attacked Uncle Tom's Cabin as a dangerously destructive book, while Northern reformers--especially black people--often praised it. The book was influential overseas too. In Russia it inspired Vladimir Lenin, who recalled it as his favorite book in childhood. It was the first American novel to be translated and published in China, and it fueled anti-slavery movements in Cuba and Brazil. The book's progressive appeal was the character of Uncle Tom himself: a strong man who is notable because he does not betray his race; one reason he gives up escaping from his plantation is that he doesn't want to put his fellow slaves in danger. And he is finally killed because he refuses to tell his master where two runaway slaves are hiding. Unfortunately, these themes were lost in many of the stage versions of Uncle Tom's Cabin. The play, seen by more people than those who read the book, remained popular up to the 1950s and still appears occasionally. But in the play, Stowe's revolutionary themes were drowned. But it doesn't have to be that way; indeed; during the civil rights era it was those who most closely resembled Uncle Tom--Stowe's Uncle Tom, not the embarrassed one of popular myth--that proved most effective in promoting progress. Both Stowe and Uncle Tom deserve our reconsideration and our respect. Question: Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin because she _ . Options: A: wanted to earn money to support her family B: tried to set an example to her six children C: hated slavery from the bottom of her heart D: had similar life experiences to Uncle Tom
**Answer**
C

*Question*
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: In 2002, the Beijing Municipal government led the nation in issuing an order banning electric bicycles from January 1, 2006. Since then a number of local governments have followed this. In May, the Legislature of Zhuhai in South China's prefix = st1 /GuangdongProvincebecame the first law-making body in the country to pass a regulation to keep electric bicycles off the roads. They claim environmental disadvantage and concerns over public safety justify their ban. Local government officials and law makers have argued their leading concern is the threat of pollution from spent lead-acid batteries. The ly high speed of electric bicycles --- faster than most common bikes at about 20 kilometers per hour --- is just too dangerous in the eyes of some policy-makers. They also mention interference with automobiles, common bikes and passers-by that results in accidents or slowed traffic. But none of these arguments justify the ban. In the first place, it should be made clear that while operating, the battery driving an electric bike sends out almost no polluting gas. They are much cleaner than cars. If the batteries, which can be used for one or two years, are thrown away without proper treatment or recycling, environmental damage is highly likely. It is required that electric bike producers and store sellers sign recycling contracts to ensure consumers can sell used batteries back to producers. In practice, some small producers neglect their recycling responsibility, causing concern for environmental pollution. It is clear the authorities can solve the problem through strengthening management. Although it will require some extra efforts from the government, it does not go beyond government officials' call of duty. Regarding the speed, there are technical standards governing the production of electric bikes. According to the standards, the designed speed should be limited to a maximum of 20 kilometers per hour. This is slower than the top speed of some mountain bikes. To _ the consumer desire for... Question: Which of the following is not considered to be a disadvantage by those who want to ban electric bicycles? Options: A: The used batteries will pollute the environment. B: The dangerous speed. C: More accidents and slow traffic D: Some producers neglect their recycling responsibility
**Answer**
D

*Question*
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Do you know the Eiffel Tower when you see a picture of it? Of course you do! So do a lot of other people. In fact, I believe more people recognize the Eiffel Tower than any other famous structure in the whole world. That long, long capital A is easy to remember. The Eiffel Tower is the famous symbol of the city of Paris. It also stands for France just as the Statue of Liberty stands for the United States. The Eiffel Tower was not very well liked at first, even though the design had been chosen out of seven hundred designs. A contest had been held to find a design for a tower to be built in Paris by 1889.That year would be one hundred years after the war known as the French Revolution. The French Revolution marked the time when the French people broke away from the rule of kings. It was a very important thing to all Frenchmen, and they wanted a special tower to be built to mark the 100 years. When his design was chosen, Eiffel was fifty-four, rich, and well-known for his fine work. He had already designed dams, churches, railroad stations, bridges, harbors and, of course, the framework of the Statue of Liberty. But it was the Eiffel Tower that made him really famous. At first, the French hated the tower. When it was begun in 1887, people called it ugly and useless. They also said that it couldn't be built safely, and that it would fall down. As the tower gets close to her nineties, she is still in great shape. And the French people have changed their minds. Now they are very proud of their Eiffel Tower. They even think she is beautiful! Question: The Eiffel Tower is easy to remember because of its _ . Options: A: size B: color1 C: shape D: history
**Answer**
C

*Question*
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: The price of milk may be going up. There was not enough rain in some parts of the country last year and the bad weather may mean that a gallon of milk will cost 41 cents more after October 1st. California already has high milk prices and the California court does not want the price to go any higher. High milk prices will be very hard for some people. Families with many children will have to spend more money to buy milk. The poor and older people without much money will also be hurt by higher prices. The court said that more milk from other states should be sold in California as the price of milk from other states is not as high. Some states got enough rain so their costs did not go up. People will then be able to buy the cheaper milk, meaning that unless milk producers bring their milk prices down, their milk will not sell. The drought around the country has meant market forces are likely to push milk prices up by as much as 41-cent a gallon by October 1st. Experts said this decision by the Californian court could reduce the effect of the price rise here. The 41-cent increase would add to California's already high milk prices so California must allow more milk producers from outside the state to sell their products there. This would then lead to increased supplies , which would, as a result, stop milk prices from increasing. Question: What caused milk prices in California to increase? Options: A: Short supplies from other states. B: Being short of rain. C: The California court. D: Children's need for milk.
**Answer**
B