Late that afternoon I took the train back to Sydney . There I found another surprise waiting for me . My room at the hotel had been given to somebody else and they had no room for me. Harkin had known my travel plans and had planned everything . How could he have booked the room only for three days ? There was nothing to be done but to find another hotel. The waiters were happy to find me a new hotel , and when I said that I was happy to stay at the airport , thinking it might be cheaper than staying in the city , they suggested the Holiday Inn at the airport . There was one small matter : the room rate was $ 300 per night . The best hotel in Katoomba had wanted only $ 145 . I asked if there was anything cheaper they might suggest but they warned that most hotels would already be full by this time. The hotel was far from the train station , so I had to take a taxi , at $ 25 . On the way to the Holiday Inn , we passed a hotel just two blocks from the Holiday Inn that advertised a room rate of $ 104 . At the desk I asked if their room rate could go down a lot . " No , this is a 4-star hotel," the waiter told me . " In that case ," I replied , " I'll just walk the two blocks to the cheap hotel." But she warned me that they were probably full and that if I didn't take the room , it might not be available when I came back . Finally , I decided to take the room. The room itself was big , but the air conditioning couldn't keep up with the Australian heat . I couldn't sleep until about 1:00 am. What does the text mainly talk about ? A) A hotel hunting experience. B) An unforgettable day. C) A warm-hearted waiter. D) An introduction to hotels.
A
(Question)
If you do not use your arms or your legs for some time, they become weak. When you start using them again, they slowly become strong again. Everybody knows this. Yet there are many people who do not seem to know that one's memory works in the same way. When someone says that he has a good memory, he really means that he keeps his memory in practice by exercising it regularly. When someone else says that his memory is poor, he really means that he does not give it enough chance to become strong. If a friend complains that his arms are weak, we know that it is his own fault. But if he tells us that he has a poor memory, many of us think that his parents are to blame, or that he is just unlucky, and few of us realize that it is really his own fault. Not all of us can become very strong or very clever, but all of us can improve our memory by the same means -- practice. Have you ever noticed that people who cannot read or write usually have a better memory than those who can? Why is this? Of course, because people who can't read or write have to remember things: they cannot write them down in a little notebook. They have to remember dates, prices, names, songs and stories, so their memory is exercised all the time. So if you want a good memory, learn from those who cannot read or write: practise remembering. The passage mainly tells us _ . A) how to get our arms and legs stronger B) how to improve our memory C) how to read and write D) how to remember dates and prices
(Answer)
B
Ques: Last night's meteor shower left many people in the community dissatisfied and demanding answers. According to Gabe Rothschild, Emerald Valley's mayor, people gathered in the suburbs of the city, carrying heavy telescopes, expecting to watch the brightly burning meteors passing through the sky. What they found instead was a sky so brightened by the city's lights that it darkened the light of the meteors passing overhead. "My family was so frustrated," admitted town resident Duane Cosby, "We wanted to make this an unforgettable family outing, but it turned out to be a huge disappointment." Astronomers--scientists who study stars and planets--have been complaining about this problem for decades. They say that light pollution prevents them from seeing objects in the sky that they could see quite easily in the past. They call on people and the government to take measures to fight against it. There is yet a population besides professional and amateur star observers that suffers even more from light pollution. This population consists of birds, bats, frogs, snakes, etc. For example, outdoor lighting severely affects migrating birds. According to the International Dark-Sky Association, "100 million birds a year throughout North America die in crashes with lighted buildings and towers." Countless more animal casualties result from the use of artificial lighting. Clearly, people enjoy the benefits of lighting their evenings. But some scientists think it can be harmful for humans, too. They worry that exposure to light while sleeping can increase a person's chances of getting cancer. Emerald Valley is only one community that is becoming aware of the negative effects of light pollution. For years, Flagstaff, Arizona, has enforced lighting regulations in its city in order to assist astronomers at the Lowell Observatory. Similar efforts have been made worldwide, and a movement is underway to remind us to turn off lights when we are not using them, so that other creatures can share the night. It happened last night that _ . A) the city's lights affected the meteor watching B) the meteors flew past before being noticed C) the city light show attracted many people D) the meteor watching ended up a social outing
Ans: A
Social networking websites are causing alarming changes in the brains of young users, a famous scientist has warned.Sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Bebo are said to shorten attention spans , encourage instant satisfaction and make children more self-centered. Warnings from neuroscientist Susan Greenfield will disturb the millions whose social lives depend on surfing their favorite websites each day.But they will strike a chord with parents and teachers who complain that many teenagers lack the ability to communicate or concentrate away from their screens. More than 150 million use Facebook to keep in touch with friends, share photographs and videos and post regular updates of their movements and thoughts.A further six million have signed up to Twitter, the "micro-blogging" service that lets users exchange text messages about themselves.But while the sites are popular and extremely profitable, a growing number of psychologists and neuroscientists believe they may be doing more harm than good. Baroness Tarot, an Oxford University neuroscientist believes repeated exposure could rewire the brain.Computer games and fast-paced TV shows were also a factor, she said."My fear is that these technologies are weakening the brain to the state of small children who are attracted by buzzing noises and bright lights, who have a small attention span and live for the moment." "I often wonder whether real conversation in real time may eventually give way to these easier and faster screen dialogues, in much the same way as killing and butchering an animal to eat has been replaced by the convenience of packages on the supermarket shelf," she said. Psychologists have also argued that digital technology is changing the way we think.They point out that students no longer need to plan their term papers before starting to write--thanks to word processors they can edit as they go along. A study by the Broadcaster Audience Board found teenagers now spend seven and a half hours a day in front of a screen.Educational psychologist... According to the passage, social networking websites might _ . A) make young users more selfish B) lengthen young users' attention span C) encourage young users constant satisfaction D) help young users communicate better with their families
A