Ques: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Violin prodigies , I learned, have come in distinct waves from distinct regions. Most of the great performers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries were born and brought up in Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked Isaac Stern, one of the world's greatest violinists the reason for this phenomenon. "It is very clear," he told me. "They were all Jews and Jews at the time were severely oppressed and ill-treated in that part of the world. They were not allowed into the professional fields, but they were allowed to achieve excellence on a concert stage." As a result, every Jewish parent's dream was to have a child in the music school because it was a passport to the West. Another element in the emergence of prodigies, I found, is a society that values excellence in a certain field to nurture talent. Nowadays, the most nurturing societies seem to be in the Far East. "In Japan, a most competitive society, with stronger discipline than ours," says Isaac Stern, children are ready to test their limits every day in many fields, including music. When Western music came to Japan after World War II, that music not only became part of their daily lives, but it became a discipline as well. The Koreans and Chinese as we know are just as highly motivated as the Japanese. That's a good thing, because even prodigies must work hard. Next to hard work, biological inheritance plays an important role in the making of a prodigy. J. S. Bach, for example, was the top of several generations of musicians, and four of his sons had significant careers in music. Question: Jewish parents in Eastern Europe longed for their children to attend music school because _ . Options: A: it would enable the family to get better treatment in their own country B: Jewish children are born with excellent musical talent C: they wanted their children to enter into the professional field D: it would allow them access to a better life in the West
Ans: D

Ques: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Chinese people are now living happier and longer than before. According to the latest study, the number of people over 60 years old is 130 million, making up 10 percent of the whole population, and increases at a rate of 3 percent per year. This marks that China has stepped into the aged society. It is the Chinese tradition to respect, love, support, and help old people, and the aging problem has received more and more attention from the society. China has built the system to protect and serve old people's legal rights and interests, gradually developed social insurance, public health services and social welfare projects for old people, and also applied the minimum living standard protection system for the aged who are unable to work and receive no supports. Now, China is bringing the aging problem into the work of sustainable development according to China's conditions, to build and develop a social security system for old people, set up a system combined with the state, collectives and families to solve the problem of "the elderly should be provided for". The life of China's old people is more color1ful along with the fast and sound economic development of the country. Old people in today's China who don't have to consider their food and clothing hope to live more color1fully. The happy psychology of the aged makes them _ knowledge. Strong and healthy old people can be seen everywhere of the country. They learn new knowledge, surf the Internet, practice handwriting and drawing, and take part in fashion shows, exercises and entertainments. Their active and sound living attitude encourages the youth around and they are in fact an important role in ensuring a stable and peaceful society. Question: What would be the best title for the passage? ks5u Options: A: How to respect old people B: Old people's life in China C: Old people's problem D: Old people's wishes
Ans: B

Ques: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Which are you more likely to have wath you at sny given mement--your cell phone or your wallet? Soon you may be able to throw your wallet away and pay for things with a quick wave of your smart phone over an electroue scannet. In January, Starbucks announced that customers could start using their phones to buy coffee in 6,800 of its states. This is the first pay-by-phone practice in the U.S., but we're likely to see more witeless payment alternatives as something called ucar field communcation(NFC)GETS IN TO America's consumet electanies. Last Deccmbet some new smart phanes which cantain an NFC chip were introduced to the public. Already in use in part of Asia and Europe, NFC allows shoppers to wave theie phones a few inchs above a payment terminal-a contact-free system build for speed and convenience. plan a few incees live a payment tetminal a one a few ptaht need to be worked out, like who will get to collect the profitable trunsacian fees. Although some credit card providers have been experimenting with wave and pay systems that use NFC enabled credit cards, cellphone service providers truay try to mused their way into the point of sale (POS)market. Three big cell phone service providers have formed a joinf tenture that will go into opention over the next 15 months. Its goal is"to lead the U.S. payments industry from cards to mobile phone." The other big NFC sue, apart from how paymeats will be processed, is security, For instance, what's to stop a thief from digitally pickpocketing you? "We're still not at the point where an attacker can just brush against yee in a crowd and steal all the money out of your phone,"says Jimmy Shah. A mobile security rescarcher, "Usera may also be able to set transaction timeits,requiring a password to be enteced for larger putchases. Bussiness? Keep in mund you lost your smart phone, it can be located on a located on a map and remotely disabled. Plus, your phone can be password protected, Your wallet isn't. Question: What is predicted to happen in the U.S.? Options: A: The expansion of cellphone companices. B: The boom of pay by phone business. C: The dissppearanceof credit cards. D: The increase of Starbucks sales.s
Ans: B

Ques: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: The first Beijing Fair of National Culture and Art kicked off August 3 and ran till August 12. The fair features more than 21 old Beijing business brands, more than 80 examples of intangible cultural heritage and 6 official Olympics merchandise. One of the highlights is a show featuring 15 lanterns. The fair aims at starting cultivating the cultural atmosphere for the Beijing Olympic Games, by highlighting the long history and culture of the city. The fair is divided into 12 districts and is open from 430--930 pm. There are both exhibitions and performances and interactive items tourists can enjoy. Sports competitions and craftmaking are available to teenagers, who can learn from old masters. Some of the most notable art elements include three luxury items worn by nobles in ancient China:a wooden craft called"pillow of Lu Ban", after a legendary civil engineer and carpenter who lived from 507--444 B.C., and whose designs are still used, and glass grapes. Some items are for sale and shoppers can hear about the history of the items from craftspeople. The lantern show includes 15 pieces installed along the park's main roads, providing both light and decor. There will be lantern shows accompanied by music and some lanterns feature designs including flowers, the moon and animal paintings. The fair also provides opportunities to teenagers to take part in interactive activities. For example, children can learn how to make dough figures from artist Wang Xingshan. They can also learn the art of papercutting, get some practice of braiding Chinese knots, and learn how to make sugar figures. Question: What's the aim of the fair? Options: A: To cultivate the cultural atmosphere. B: To support the Beijing Olympic Games. C: To highlight the long history and culture of Beijing. D: All of the above.
Ans:
D