Question: Shake Shack is a new kind of restaurant becoming more popular in the U.S. The restaurants are not"fast food" . They are known as"fast casual" . Observers say Americans want more choices and fresh food when choosing where and what to eat. This trend is one reason why the fast food restaurant McDonald' s has struggled financially. In the last quarter of 2014, McDonald' s net income dropped by about $300 million. The January earnings report brought more bad news. Worldwide sales dropped for the eighth month in a row and even more than expected. While McDonald' s is struggling to get their customers back, Shake Shack, is doing well in making money. The New York-based burger chain had a very successful IPO, or initial public offering, of shares at the end of January. On its first day of trading, Shake Shack went from $21 a share to just under $46 a share. Being part of the "fast casual "trend has helped Shake Shack. Other fast casual restaurants in the U.S. include Chipotle and Panera. Bonnie Riggs, a restaurant expert with NPD has studied Americans' restaurant habits for almost 30 years. She says one reason why Americans like fast casual food is that it' s new. It' s creative, it' s something different and people like to try new things. Her study shows Americans made 61 billion visits to restaurants last year. Three out of four visits were to fast food restaurants, like McDonald' s. Fast casual is still a small percentage of restaurant visits, but it has developed fast. Just as Ms. Riggs says,"It' s growing _ because they meet consumers' needs. They know it' s being prepared while they wait, it' s fresh, quality food, good tasting food at what they say are reasonable and affordable prices." Many Americans still like their fast food. They just are not going as often. They are finding other ways to have a meal. We can learn from Bonnie Riggs that Americans _ . A) don' t like fast food any more B) care only about the quality C) like to try something new D) pay more restaurant visits to fast casual
Answer: C

Question: Our youngest child eagerly entered kindergarten, while our oldest child excitedly went to college--and I felt left behind. After being very happy as a stay-at-home mother of six children, I suddenly felt stuck on a dead-end road and lacked direction. An inner anxiety troubled me that life was passing by. The road, requiring expensive education, appeared too long and difficult. Thanks to supportive friends and family, I eventually discovered the road sign pointing to the ideal program at an excellent college, which offered a lot of student grants . Driving to my first class, I, aged 40, was eager and nervous. School required sacrifices : weekends for class, sleep for study, and life's luxuries for tuition fees. But the rewards greatly outweighed the cost. The narrow and rocky road developed perseverance and patience, while the smooth and open road built low confidence. Along the way, I met fellow travelers of all ages and interests: a 50-year-old woman who learned photography at the community college; a successful 62-year-old businessman who worked toward a nursing degree to serve in developing countries; an 80-year-old woman who enthusiastically started classes to learn how to surf the Internet, so she could keep up with the world. Twelve years after starting the journey as a non-traditional student, I graduated with a doctoral degree in literature. My children have been especially proud, calling me Dr. Mom. When you hear the small, still voice asking you to do something more or different, remember you can trust your heart. How did the author look at the sacrifices she had made? A) They were too much and made her suffer a lot. B) They were worthwhile though she lost something. C) They were easy to get when one had little knowledge. D) They were too much compared to her other classmates'.
Answer: B

Question: Death Valley National Park, California Situated in the southeast part of California, Death Valley covers an area of more than 3.3 million acres, even larger than the famous Yellowstone National Park. Death Valley is a land of extremes. It is one of the hottest places on the surface of the earth. The highest ground temperature ever recorded was 93.9degC on July 15,1972. It is the driest place in North America with an average rainfall of only 1.96 inches a year. Death Valley also boasts the lowest point in the western hemisphere. Death Valley got its name in 1849, when a group of emigrants were looking for a short cut to the gold fields of California. They were given the bad advice and went into the valley. Some of them were killed by the bad weather and harsh roads. When the rest finally walked out, they gave the area its name by saying to it "goodbye, Death Valley". As the name might suggest, there is very little apparent vegetation within Death Valley. First impression, however, can be deceiving . Death Valley includes more than 1,000 species of plants that have adapted to the harsh conditions. Death Valley is also a land of beauties. Sunrise and sunset are two of the most spectacular attractions. Depending on different angles, they show many of the area's different moods. For the best viewing, plan to be there approximately one hour before sunset or before sunrise. Death Valley National Park is open year round. In spite of the climate, hiking is one of the most popular activities in Death Valley. The surrounding mountains produce spectacular wildflower displays along with snow-covered peaks, breathtaking sand dunes , abandoned mines and industrial structures. Though Death Valley has horrible living conditions, the author thinks highly of_. A) the view of sunrise and sunset B) its special climate C) its wild life D) its snow-covered peaks
Answer:
A