Gordon Brown was born in Scotland in 1951.His childhood was a brilliant success because of his intellectual strength.He was accepted into middle school at 10.At 16 he became the youngest student at Edinburgh University. "At that time, he was a lucky boy, good at almost everything," said his old friend Murray Elder.However, setbacks fell on the brilliant boy.After a rugby injury, he became blind in his left eye.Before long, similar symptoms developed in his right eye."I lay in the hospital bed in total darkness, uncertain about my future," said Brown. Looking back into the past, Brown didn't complain about his bad luck.He even said: "One door closes; you can't play rugby any more, so you focus on other things." Brown was interested in student politics in university, which helped a lot in his political career later in life. In 1997, Brown was made Chancellor of the Exchequer .He has succeeded in giving the country a high rate of employment and the longest period of economic growth in its history. Compared with his successful career, Brown's family life is full of downs.He lost his first daughter ten days after her birth.His one-year-old youngest son has a deadly disease."These accidents make me appreciate my life more," he said. When Gordon Brown looked back on the past, he _ . A) still had hope for the future B) wished that he had not played rugby C) believed that his door was closed D) felt very sad about his misfortune
A
(Question)
If doctors want to test you for something, they'll usually take a blood or urine sample . But wouldn't it be much more convenient if they just asked you to breathe through a special instrument? In fact, your breath can say a lot about you. In traditional Chinese medicine, doctors draw a conclusion about the health state of a patient based on the smell of his or her breath; trained dogs and rats can identify the smells of the breaths of people suffering from certain cancers; traffic police also monitor drivers' alcohol consumption by testing their breaths. Just like blood and urine, your breath contains lots of " metabolites " --- the waste chemicals that the body produces, which vary from person to person. They are like personal health fingerprints, which is why scientists sometimes call them " breath prints", according to Science Daily. Compared to blood or urine testing, breath testing takes only seconds instead of hours, and it requires neither a needle nor a container to hold the body fluids . This means the test can be taken frequently to better detect early signs of diseases and monitor the progress of a medical treatment. On the other hand, as an identifier, you might think that breaths are not as reliable as fingerprints since they might change based on what you eat. However, researchers in Zurich, Switzerland mapped 11 healthy volunteers' chemical patterns by having them breathe through a special instrument, and they found that each pattern was unique and the patterns didn't change much throughout the day, reported BBC. "Our goal is to develop breath analysis to the point where it becomes competitive with the established analysis of blood and urine," said Malcolm Kohler, professor at the University Hospital Zurich. What can we infer from the text? A) Breath testing is reliable and may have a bright future. B) Blood or urine testing will be less used in medical treatment. C) Doctors have found the best way to detect early signs of diseases. D) Traditional Chinese medicine is becoming more and more popular.
(Answer)
A
Ques: Three quarters of Britain's parents are too busy to read bedtime stories to their children,according to a study. The study was carried out by CITV to start their new children's show Bookaboo,which is designed to encourage anyone to pick up a book and read with their children at any time of the day. Worryingly,the study showed that only three percent of fathers now find the time to read to the kids compared to 89 percent of mothers. Lucy Goodman,creator of Bookaboo,said,"It's important for young boys to be able to share a book with dads,granddads or male carers and it can be fun and rewarding,too." Of the dads who said they didn't read to their kids, 87 percent blamed work while more than a third said they were too tired. While 89 percent of mums said they did read to their children,more than half of them said cleaning distracted them and 49 percent were distracted by other household things. Researchers also found parents are now relying heavily on other people to lend a hand with reading to their children with grandparents doing the most,followed by sisters and brothers,aunts and uncles. While 95 percent of parents read to their children at some point,only five percent read to their children during the day. More than one in ten said they read every couple of weeks or less,and five percent could not remember the last time they shared a book. The study found parents also seem content with allowing their children to immerse themselves in TV programs or playing computer games rather than reading. Exgoalkeeper David Seaman,who is a dad of two,has been a guest in Bookaboo. He says,"I think it's important that fathers do read to their children because it's a special time. Sometimes my two children will come to listen to the same book--it's a magical moment and I advise fathers just to try it." According to the study,fathers don't read to their kids mainly because _ . A) they are too busy with work B) they don't think it necessary to do so C) they are distracted by household things D) they like to play computer games in their free time
Ans: A
When you are far away from home for the first time and have a lot to adjust to,you can't do it alone. However independent you are,it is good to have a roommate during your first year. Living with someone helps ease your loneliness. Sure it may seem appealing to be able to play your music and turn up your TV as loud as you want, but coming home to an empty room every day can be depressing. If you have a bad day, you may want to talk to someone. Friends are great sources of venting , but friends can't always be there. Even worse, they may be selfcentered and show no interest in your problem. It's not that roommates aren't like this, but even just small talk can help you feel better. Having a roommate teaches you how to get along with people and settle conflict. You two should set up rules immediately and discuss what to do when there is conflict. If you two don't like each other,you still study,relax,and sleep in the same room. You must find a way to get along. Finally,having a roommate exposes you to different ways of living. Your roommate may come from a different city,and have different living habits. He or she also has different interests and personalities. You don't have to end up liking the same things your roommate does,but try to learn something different. You will be surrounded by many different people in college and have the chance to try things you never have before. Why not start learning from your roommate? Having a roommate gives you the skills and personal background you will need to utilize when you are out on your own. Make the most of living with a stranger and besides,there will be plenty of opportunities for you to have your own room later in your college years. The purpose of the passage is to _ . A) tell the importance of friends B) compare friends with roommates C) encourage students to find a roommate D) state the different ways of living
C