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Read the article and select the best answer. Article: You may have never heard of Lanthanum, Cerium or Neodymium, but these elements and others known as "rare earth" play a major role in modern technology. They can actually be found in many places on the earth, but not in quantities that can be mined. Only a few countries -- China, America, India, Australia, Brazil and Malaysia have any that can be mined enough to be traded. Even though some of these elements such as Cerium are as abundant as Copper, they are not found in concentrated amounts on the earth's surface. They are often mixed together with other metals, which makes extraction of these elements an expensive and an environmentally messy process. It was due to this reason that the term "rare earth" was invented. Rare earth metals are used widely in our life. Rechargeable car batteries, computers, iPhones, DVD players, computer monitors, televisions, lighting, lasers, glass polishing, and superconductors all use quantities of rare earth metals. Also, with the advancement in "green" technology like solar panels, these shiny materials are becoming more important than ever. An average electric car uses 10 pounds of Lanthanum for its rechargeable battery! America has large deposits of rare earths and has one of the first mines. It was opened in Southern California in 1940. The element "Europium" was the first metal to be separated in quantity for use in color televisions. However, in the 1980's and 1990's, as China started producing these elements in Inner Mongolia, the mines in America and elsewhere could not keep pace. The mine in Mountain Pass, California also failed environmental regulations and shut down in 2002. Now, recognizing the importance of having more than one supplier of this important resource, other rare earth owning countries like India and Australia are either dusting off their rare earth mines or speeding up their production. It is believed that the debate over rare earths will become louder in the coming months and years. Question: What can we learn about rare earths? Options: A: They are actually as abundant as Copper. B: They can be mined easily as other metals. C: They can only be found in a few countries. D: They are not really as rare as they are named.
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D

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Read the article and select the best answer. Article: What do the common cold, the flu, and AIDS have in common? They are all diseases caused by viruses, tiny microorganisms that can pass from person to person. It is no wonder that when most people think about viruses, finding ways to _ them is what is on people's minds. Not everyone runs from the tiny disease carriers, though. In Cambridge, Massachusetts, scientists have discovered that some viruses can be helpful in an unusual way. They are putting viruses to work, teaching them of the world's smallest rechargeable batteries. Viruses and batteries may seem like an unusual pair, but they are not so strange for engineer Angela Belcher, who first came up with idea. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, she and her team bring together different areas of science in new ways. In the case of the virus-built batteries, the scientists combine what they know about biology, technology and production techniques. Belcher's team includes Paula Hammond, who helps put together the tiny batteries, and Yet-Ming Chiang, an expert on how to store energy in the form of a battery. Many batteries are already pretty small. However, every year, new electronic devices like personal music players or cellphones get smaller than the year before. As these devices become smaller, ordinary batteries won't be small enough to fit inside. The ideal battery will store a lot more energy in a smaller package than ordinary batteries. Right now, Belcher's model battery, a metallic disk completely built by viruses, looks like a regular watch battery. But inside, its parts are very small--- so tiny that you can only see them with a powerful microscope. How small are these battery parts? To get some idea of the size, pluck one hair from your head. Place your hair on a piece of white paper and try to see how wide your hair is--- pretty thin, right? Although the width of each person's hair is a bit different, you could probably fit about 10 of these virus--- built battery parts, side by side, across one hair. These... Question: What is the passage mainly about? Options: A: Diseases caused by viruses. B: An engineer called Angela Belcher. C: Batteries built by viruses. D: Rechargeable batteries.
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C

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Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Visitor's Guide KL HOP-ON HOP-OFF gives you an easy city tour that has 22 stops, which cover more than 40 attractions. All buses are equipped with 9 different languages to choose from and a friendly customer service officer will help you on the bus. KL HOP-ON HOP-OFF City Tour offers you a convenient way to discover Kuala Lumpur where tourists can either stay on the bus for the full tour circuit , or get on or get off at any of the attractions. 2. The interval between buses is around 20 to 30 minutes. 3. We operate 365 days per year including school holidays and public holidays. 4. Tickets can be bought from the bus itself, authorized agents, authorized hotels and KL Hop-On Hop-Off counters. 5. Our counters are located at Jalan Bukit Bintang (main counter at stop number 6), Malaysian Tourism Centre at Jalan Ampang, at KL Sentral (arrival hall) and at Central Market. 6. We have 24-hour and 48-hour tickets to choose from. 7. Children below 5 years old do not have to pay any fees. 8. A child below the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. 9. The Do's & Don'ts: * No littering on the bus * No food and drink allowed inside the bus * Visitors are not allowed to exchange tickets * Visitors are welcome to take pictures * Please use electronic devices with care * No smoking allowed 10. Advice: * Please avoid changing from one bus to another on during peak hours usually from 4 PM to 6 PM. During that time you could take a rest and walk around the attractions. * The weather is unpredictable in Kuala Lumpur. Delays may occur because of bad weather. * Please buy _ only from authorized agents. Ticket Ticket Type: STANDARD ADULT TICKET Price: RM45.00 Validity: 24 Hours Price: RM79.00 Validity: 48 Hours Ticket Type: CHILD, STUDENT & DISABLE TICKET Price: RM24.00 Validity: 24 Hours Price: RM43.00 Validity: 48 Hours For 5 to 12 years old Question: The text is mainly aimed at _ . Options: A: students B: tourists C: local people D: foreign families
(Answer)
B