Sarah came running in saying, "Look what l found. " Over the top of the paper I was reading I saw a long object that made me jump. It was a piece of snakeskin that had been shed by one of our garden snakes. 'Isn't it beautiful?" said my wide-eyed 7~year-old daughter. I stared at the organic wrapper and thought to myself that it really was not that beautiful, but I did not want to disappoint Sarah. Everything children see for the first time is elementary to their sense of beauty and creativity. They see only merit and excellence in the world. "Why does it do this?" Sarah asked. I like to teach my children that there is something else going on besides what they see in front of them. "Snakes shed their skin because they need to renew themselves," I explained. "Why do they need to renew themselves?" Sarah asked. "We often need to shed our skins, those coatings that we cover ourselves with," I said to my now absorbed daughter. "We outgrow some things and find other stuff unnecessary. This snake no longer needs this skin. It is probably too old, and the snake probably doesn't think it looks as smart in the skin as it once did. Like buying a new suit. " Of course, I'm sure this explanation won't suit naturalists. But Sarah got the point. As we talked, I knew that she began to understand that renewal is part of progress; that we need to take a good look at ourselves, and rooms and schoolwork and creativity, and she began to see what we need to keep and what need to cast off. I was careful to point out that this is a natural process, not one to be forced. "Snakes don't peel off their skin when they feel like it," I explained. "lt happens as part of their growth. " "I see, Dad. " said Sarah. She then jumped off my lap, grabbed the snakeskin, and ran off. I hoped she would remember this. Often, in order to find our real selves underneath the layers of community and culture we are cloaked in year after year, we need to start examining these layers. We need to gently peel some away, as we recognize them to be... How did Sarah feel about the author's explanation? A) Confused. B) Boreci C) Satisfied. D) Excited.
C

Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions usually cause the largest, most disastrous debris ( ) flows. A great many victims of the earthquake that struck Wenchuan of Sichuan province last May were killed not by the quake itself but by the sudden large amounts of debris that followed. Most debris flows occur where the soil is composed mainly of sand or colluviums ( ) . Loose soils made up of bits of sand or colluviums fall apart easily and are main material for fast -moving debris flows. Scientists have conducted endless experiments to find out how debris flows work. They have learned that the amount and the timing of water entering the soil are crucial ( ). Typically, that means debris flows often occur when a long rainy period of many weeks is followed by an intense, brief heavy rain. . More often than not, however, debris flows are started by water, in the form of rain, snow, or river flow. In 1998, heavy rains from Hurricane Mitch unleashed about one million tons of mudslides, burying thousands of people, in Central America. Water flows through the soil until it hits a hard layer of bedrock or clay. There the water builds up, filling the tiny spaces between the soil and rock. That buildup reduces the natural friction ( ) that keeps the rock and soil debris lying on the slope. If conditions are approaching dangerous levels, the slope will then fall down. Despite what scientist know about the fact, debris flows are still impossible to predict at present because there are many other uncertains affect the stability of each slope. However, one thing is known: On hillsides where one debris flow has occurred, another will eventually follow. The next debris flow could take days, weeks, or years to happen. Debris flows usually take place _ . A) during earthquakes and volcanic eruptions B) after a heavy rain or an intense snowstorm C) when there is a right amount of water entering the soil D) when a long rainy period is followed by a heavy rain
D

"Colour" and "color","favourite" and "favorite"... Have you ever wondered why Americans spell those words without a "u"? Is it because they are lazy? Of course not. In fact,the difference in spelling was created by Noah Webster (1758-1843). He is a teacher who reformed English to make American identity stronger. Linguists celebrated his 250th birthday on October 16. After the Revolutionary War (1775~ 1783),Webster believed that Americans should have their own dictionary,rather than rely on British versions . He dropped the British "u" in some words. And he changed "centre" into "center" for children to learn English by spelling words more like they sounded. Webster wasn't shy about expressing his opinions. In defining preposterous (unreasonable),he wrote: "A republican government in the hands of females is preposterous." Webster spent 28 years on the project before completing the 70,000-word dictionary in 1828 with his American-style spellings. He also added local words. His dictionary was widely used in schools. Linguists believed it helped a new nation achieve unity and cultural independence at a time when most were focused on political freedom. "He was the shaper of our language and the shaper of American identity,"said Joshua Kendall,who is working on a biography about Webster. "He at last bonded us through our language." Which of the following word can best describe Noah Webster's work? A) Interesting. B) Meaningful. C) Unfinished. D) Boring.
B