Read the article and select the best answer. Article: When you are little, the whole world feels like a big playground. I was living in Conyers, Georgia the summer it all happened. I was a second grader, but my best friend Stephanie was only in the first grade. Both of our parents were at work and most of the time they let us go our own way. It was a hot afternoon and we decided to have an adventure in Stephanie's basement. As I opened the basement door, before us lay the biggest room, full of amazing things like guns, dolls, and old clothes. I ran downstairs, and spotted red steel can. It was paint. I looked beyond it and there lay even more paint in bright color1s like purple, orange, blue and green. "Stephanie, I just found us a project for the day. Get some paintbrushes. We are fixing to paint." She screamed with excitement as I told her of my secret plans and immediately we got to work. We gathered all the brushes we could find and moved all of our materials to my yard. There on the road in front of my house, we painted bit stripes of color1s across the pavement . Stripe by stripe, our color1s turned into a beautiful rainbow. It was fantastic! The sun was starting to sink. I saw a car in the distance and jumped up as I recognized the car. It was my mother. I couldn't wait to show her my masterpiece. The car pulled slowly into the driveway and from the look on my mother's face, I could tell that I was in deep trouble. My mother shut the car door and walked towards me. Her eyes glaring, she shouted, "What in the world were you thinking? I understood when you made castles out of leaves, and climbed the neighbors' trees, but this! Come inside right now!" I stood there glaring hack at her for a minute, angry because she had insulted my art. "Now go clean it up!" Mother and I began cleaning the road. Tears ran down my cheeks as I saw my beautiful rainbow turn into black cement. Though years have now passed, I still wonder where my rainbow has gone. I wonder if, maybe when I get older, I can find my rainbow and never have to brush it away. I guess we... Question: In his mother's eyes, the writer _ . Options: A: was a born artist B: worked very hard C: was a problem solver D: always caused trouble
D

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: The engineer Camillo Olivetti was 40 years old when he started the company in 1908. At his factory in Ivera, he designed and produced the first Italian typewriter. Today the company's head office is still in Ivrea, near Turin, but the company is much larger than it was in those days and there are offices all around the world. By 1930 there was a staff of 700 and the company turned out 13,000 machines a year. Some went to customers in Italy, but Olivetti exported more typewriters to other countries. Camilllo's son, Adriano, started working for the company in 1924 and later he became the boss. He introduecd a standard speed for the production line and he employed technology and design specialists. The company developed new and better typewriters and the calculators .In 1959 it produced the ELLA computer system. This was the first mainframe computer designed and traded in Italy. After Adriano died in 1960, the company had a period of financial problems. Other companies, especially the Janpanese, made faster progress in electronic technology than the Italian company. In 1978, Carlo de Benedetti became the new boss. Olivetti increased its marking and service networks and made agreements with other companies to design and produce more advanced office equipment. Soon it became one, of the world's leading companies in information technology and communications. There are now five independent companies in the Olivetti group --- one for personal computers,one for other office equipment, one for systerms and services, and two for telecommunications. Question: What was probably the direct result of Olivetti,s falling behind in electronic technology? Options: A: Adriano's death. B: A period of financial problem C: its faster progress D: Its agreements with other companies
B

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Stage fright or performance anxiety is the anxiety, or fear which may occur in an individual by the requirement to perform in front of an audience. It is most commonly seen in school situations, like stand-up projects and class speeches. It has numerous forms: heart beating fast, trembling hands and legs, sweaty hands, dry mouth etc. In fact, most of the fear occurs before you step on stage. Once you're up there, it usually goes away. Thus, it is a phenomenon that you must learn to control. Try to think of stage fright in a positive way. It heightens your energy, adds color to your cheeks. With these good side effects you will actually look healthier and more physically attractive. Many of the top performers in the world get stage fright so you are in good company. Stage fright may come and go or decrease, but it usually does not disappear permanently. You must concentrate on getting the feeling out and present what you have prepared calmly. Remember "Nobody" ever died from stage fright. But, according to surveys, many people would rather die than give a speech. If that applies to you, and you are an unlucky guy who is with stage fright the whole time, try out some of the strategies as follows to help get yourself under control. Realize that you may never overcome stage fright, but you can learn to control it, and use it to your advantage. Strategies are as follows when the program begins: 1) If legs are trembling, lean on table or shift legs or move. 2) Don't hold notes. The audience can see them shake. Use three-by-five cards instead. 3) Use eye contact. Look at the friendliest faces in the audience. Remember nervousness doesn't show one-tenth as much as it feels. Before each presentation, make a short list of the items you think will make you feel better. Don't be afraid to experiment with different combinations. You never know which ones will work best until you try. Use these steps to control stage fright so it doesn't control you. Once you are used to stage fright, you will find you on the road to a... Question: By thinking of stage fright in a positive way, one could _ . Options: A: learn to control stage fright B: get rid of stage fright C: calm down before stepping on stage D: become more physically attractive
A