*Question*
Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: During the past Spring Festival, many children may have received red packets from their families. But Xing Pu, a 40-year-old economist, is asking the government to give red packets to every Chinese citizen. Xing suggested the government give out 1,000 Yuan to each Chinese since the government income has increased rapidly in recent years. He said his suggestion would allow everyone to directly enjoy the fruits of the country's economic success, help the lower-income groups deal with rising prices and increase consumption around the country. Recent years have seen the government carry out a series of pro-poor and pro-rural policies, including increasing spending on public healthcare and calling off the agricultural tax. But the lower-income group still needs more help while being hit hard by an 11-year high in prices and recent snowstorms. Xing said while making the draft, he has borrowed many ideas from practices in countries like the United States and Singapore. Earlier this year, the governments of the two nations offered cash handouts to their citizens as the result of a surplus in government income. As for in China, "We can even encourage the rich to donate their 1,000 Yuan red packet to the poor," said Xing. Although Xing's suggestion has gained wide support among ordinary Chinese on the Internet, many other economists criticized it as unpractical. Even Xing himself admitted he made the suggestion without any careful calculation. But they agreed with Xing's point that the growing economic pie should be shared among the people. "To better use the increase of money, handing out money is not a solution that holds good for all time. It could be better to improve the public service or cut the price of energy use in daily life," said Qiao Xinsheng, an economic professor. Question: What has the government done to help the lower-income group? - Spending less on public health care. - Increasing the agricultural tax. - Handing out money to every Chinese. - Carrying out pro-poor policies.
**Answer**
Carrying out pro-poor policies.

*Question*
Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Left-Handers' Day International Left-Handers' Day is August the thirteenth. The International Left-Handers Day, Web site says the Left-Handers Club started the holiday in 1992. It wanted left-handers around the world to celebrate. And it wanted to bring attention to the everyday problems of people who use their left hands. One of these problems is difficulty using equipment and tools, like scissors. In general, most tools and equipment are made for people who are right-handed. The Left-Handers Club tries to educate designers and producers to consider the safety of left-handed people when producing their products. Another problem is that many people have considered it bad to be left-handed. Some teachers and parents have tried to force children who used their left hands to use their right ones instead. Scientists do not really know why some people are left-handed. They have believed the reason is genetic.They say the gene increases the chance of being left-handed. It appears to play an important part in deciding which part of the brain controls different activities. In right-handed people, the left side of the brain usually controls speech and language. The right side controls feelings. However, the opposite is often true in left-handed people. Scientists believe the gene is responsible for this. The gene showed a link with left-handedness in nine to twelve percent of the population. About ten percent of people around the world are left-handed. Question: International Left-handers' Day aims to bring attention to _ . - the right-handers - the everyday problems - the people who have some difficulty using equipment and tools - the everyday problems of people who use their left hands
**Answer**
the everyday problems of people who use their left hands

*Question*
Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Two young artists named Sue and Joanna shared a studio apartment in the Greenwich Village area of New York, trying to realize their dreams. In November pneumonia killed many people. Unluckily, Joanna fell ill, too. One morning, a doctor examined Joanna and then spoke with Sue in another room. "She has decided that she has no chance. All we can do is give her a strong will to live." Holding back her tears, Sue went to Joanna's room. Joanna lay with her face toward the window, eyes wide open. She was counting something backward. "Twelve," she said, and a little later "eleven" until "five," almost together. Sue looked out of the window. What was there to count? There was a wall covered with an old ivy vine growing half way up it. The cold breath of autumn has stricken the leaves from the vine until it was almost bare. "Five what, dear?" asked Sue. "Leaves. On the ivy vine. When the last one falls I must go, too." "Oh, Don't be silly." Said Sue, "You will get better." "There goes another one. I want to see the last one fall before it gets dark." "Try to sleep." said Sue. "I must call Mr. Behrman up to be my model for my drawing of an old miner. Don't try to move until I come back." Old Behrman was a poor painter who lived in the building. For years he had always been planning to paint a work of art, but had never yet begun it. He earned a little money by serving as a model to artists who could not pay for a professional model. Sue found Behrman in his room. In one area was a blank canvas that had been waiting twenty-five years for the first line of paint. Sue told him about Joanna and how she feared that her friend would float away like a leaf. "What!" Old Behrman was angered at such an idea. "How silly! Just take me to her room." Joanna was sleeping when they went in. A cold rain was falling, mixed with snow. The next morning, Sue awoke after an hour's sleep. She found Joanna staring at the covered window. "Pull up the shade; I want to see." Sue obeyed. "It's the last leaf," said Joanna. "It will fall... Question: Which words can best describe Old Behrman? - Cold and mean. - Poor but noble. - Talented and successful. - Devoted but selfish.
**Answer**
Poor but noble.