The largest earthquake ( magnitude 9.5) of the 20th century happened on May 22, 1960 off the coast of South Central Chile. It generated one of the most destructive Pacific-wide tsunamis . Near the generating area, both the earthquake and the tsunami were very much destructive, particularly in the coastal area from Concepcion to the south end of Isla Chiloe. The largest tsunami damage occurred at Isla Chiloe---the coastal area closest to the epicenter . Huge tsunami waves measuring as high as 25 meters arrived within 10 to 15 minutes after the earthquake, killing at least two hundred people, sinking all the boats, and flooding half a kilometer inland. There was large damage and loss of life at Concepcion, Chile's top industrial city. Near the city of Valdivia, the earthquake and following aftershocks generated landslides which killed 18 people. At the port city of Valparaiso, a city of 200,000, many buildings collapsed. A total of 130,000 houses were destroyed --- one in every three in the earthquake zone and nearly 2,000,000 people were left homeless. Total damage losses, including to agriculture and to industry, were estimated to be over a half billion dollars . The total number of death related with both the tsunami and the earthquake was never found accurately for the region. Estimates of deaths reached between 490 to 5,7002 with no distinction as to how many deaths were caused by the earthquake and how many were caused by the tsunami. However, it is believed that most of the deaths in Chile were caused by the tsunami. What is the total number of deaths in the earthquake? A) 2,000,000 B) between 490 to 57,002 C) 200,000 D) it was hard to know.
D
(Question)
Dear Customers, I love slipping into a comfortable chair for a long read--as I relax into the chair, I also relax into the author's words, stories and ideas. The physical book is so elegant that it disappears into the background, and what remains is the author's world. Today, we at Amazon are excited to announce Mindle, a wireless, portable reading device with instant access to more than 90,000 books, magazines and newspapers. We've been working on Mindle for more than three years. Our top design objective was for Mindle to disappear in your hands--to get out of the way--so you can enjoy your reading. We also wanted to go beyond the physical book. Mindle is wireless, so whether you're lying in bed or riding a train, you can think of a book, and have it in less than 60 seconds. No computer is needed--you do your reading directly from the device. We chose the same wireless technology used in advanced mobile phones. But unlike mobile phones, there are no monthly wireless bills, no service or data plans, and no yearly contracts. There is no software to install (,). We want you to get lost in your reading and not in the technology. Mindle uses a new kind of display called electronic paper. Sharp and natural with no strong light, reading on Mindle is nothing like reading from a computer screen. Mindle weighs only 10.3 ounces--less than paperback--but can carry two hundred books. Enjoy learning about Mindle and many thanks! Jeff Bezos Founder & CEO With the device, the reader is able to _ . A) enjoy reading when driving a car B) improve reading skills C) gain access to free software D) get rid of heavy books made of paper
(Answer)
D
Ques: She belongs to no one but the whole world that can understand her language. Her music is appreciated across the globe but it is Singapore, China, Thailand and Britain that have helped to shape her talent. Violinist, Vanessa-Mae, best known for her pioneering mix of pop and classical music, has just completed her Asian tour. She has a magic power that has attracted an audience from around the world but the violin genius has always drawn fans by blazing a new trail. "I don't like playing it safe, I like jumping into new styles," she said. She started her Asian performance tour in China's Hong Kong on September 19 and visited the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumper. The tour, aiming to promote her new album, "The Best of Vanessa-Mae", ends in Thailand's capital Bangkok on September 30. The graceful and beautiful musician has attracted lots of fans in the places she has visited. She said although she enjoys trying out different forms of performance, including fashion shows and singing, she feels more comfortable with her violin. She has promised her fans she will never abandon the classical music that was the foundation of her training. Vanessa-Mae, now 23, first picked up the violin at five. After six months of intensive training in Beijing, he turned professional at 10. it was her fusion of classical and rock in her 1995 album "The Violin Player", that shot the then 17-year-old to international recognition. The record sold 3 million copies worldwide. She has a Chinese-Singaporean mother and a Thai father. She was born in Singapore and grew up in Britain. Vanessa-Mae has released seven albums and plans two more in the near future--first a classical album,, then a pop recording. She has said she wants to perform for the next 10 years, but after that she may settle down with her boyfriend, a 33-year-old wine-dealer from France, and concentrate on writing music. What can we know about Vanessa-Mae from the passage? A) Her music is a mix of pop and classical music. B) She has released nine albums. C) Her music is a fusion of Chinese and Western music. D) Being born in Singapore and growing up in Britain have resulted in popularity of her music.
Ans: A
Ques: The British aren't having as many children as they used to. One reason is that people are having children much older than before, meaning they have fewer years in which they can have them. After years at university, they need a few years of work experience before they can get the job they want. They might then get married, but it's incredibly expensive to buy a house in the UK. The above explains why young British people now don't move out of their parents' home until they are around 30 years old on average. It is not until they are 30 that they can afford their own home. Increasingly, it is not until that age that they can afford to get married and start a new life in a new home. It's only after this age that many young people start thinking about having a child. So a British person manages to get a job, get a home and get married. Why isn't he or she then having at least two children on average? The main reason is that it is quite expensive to bring up a child in the UK. Why is it expensive? Well, these days, both parents need to work just to pay for their home and living expenses. Because both parents are at work, that means they then need to pay someone to look after their child during the day. Paying for this childcare is nearly always expensive. The recent financial crisis is making things even harder for families, since unemployment is rising and even fewer people can afford to have children. With so much pressure on families, is it any surprise that the divorce rate is so high? So what is Britain doing to try and save the British family? The government is trying to make it cheaper to have children. For example, there have been increases in money families can claim from the state each month. Also, there are increasing government _ for nursery schools, so that parents do not need to pay so much for child care. The government is also trying to reduce the number of hours British parents have to work to earn enough money to pay their bills. If parents didn't have to work so many hours, they'd have more... The British are now having fewer children than before for all the following reasons EXCEPT that _ . A) they have fewer years to have children B) they live much shorter lives than before C) it is more expensive to bring up a child D) people are losing their jobs because of the recent financial crisis
Ans:
B