It takes courage to stand up at work.Now more and more people are standing up when they are working on something important.Standing up is in fashion.Medical researchers have found that people who stand at work tend to be much healthier than those who sit.But I wasn't just looking for better health -- standing would also improve how I work and relax my body. In recent years, many office supply companies have begun to sell adjustable desks.These so-called "sit / stand" models are equipped with an electric motor that lets them shift from chair height to person height at the push of a button.Unfortunately, sit / stand desks tend to be expensive, hard to find and not very easy to test in person. I discovered that when I worked standing up, my mind was clearer and new ideas kept coming to me.I suspect that this is because when you're standing, you feel a bit unchained from your desk.If I got stuck on a word or sentence as I wrote it, I found myself shaking my arms, bouncing on my feet or stepping away from the desk for a bit -- things I couldn't do in a chair.Often, standing up seemed to relax my mind enough for me to get over creative barriers. There's another thing about standing for a long time: I tend to get hungrier than I do when I sit on a chair.That feels like confirmation of the stand-up advocates' belief that you burn more calories when you stand than when you sit.For this reason alone, I' m hoping that one day mass-market furniture companies can make many low-priced versions of sit / stand desks.We could all work with a bit more standing up. It can be inferred from the text that _ . A) adjustable desks are mass-produced now B) adjustable desks are easy to operate C) cheaper adjustable desks will soon be available D) adjustable desks can be tried out easily
B
Dear Students, I am delighted to be your guest. I would like to tell you about myself. I have been a news reporter for the past fifteen years. I chose this job so I could travel the world, but the job has taught me many unforgettable lessons. The work is sometimes difficult. I have seen _ , wars, earthquakes, poverty and death. But I have also seen courage, hope and happiness. In India, I visited a city where there were many homeless children. Some were as young as four years old. They lived in the streets and survived by begging or stealing. But then a wonderful lady called Rosa opened a home for them. Within one year, she was looking after two hundred children. She clothed them, fed them, and taught them. She gave them hope. Another time, I was in Turkey after a terrible earthquake, in one place. I found an old lady whose house was in ruins, her son was missing and rescue workers said there was no chance that he was still alive. But the old lady did not give up hope. For four days, she moved heavy stones one at a time by herself. She did not stop until she found her son. He was alive. Here in China, I met a young boy with a serious condition. He had undergone twenty operations and spent nearly his whole life in hospital. I thought he would be sad, but when I met him, his smile was so warm and welcoming. In life, we need role models that we can admire and learn from. When my life is difficult, I try to remember the courage and goodness of these three people. For what does the speaker admire the Turkish woman and the Chinese boy? A) Their bravery. B) Their luck. C) Their age. D) Their strong mind.
D
Q: Google has kicked off Google Science Fair (GSF) _ , its annual online competition for bright, creative and ambitious teenagers who want to change the world with science. While the project is led by Google, it also has the backing of the Lego Group and world-famous publications National Geographic and Scientific American. The competition is open for students aged 13 to 18, who can sign-up now, form a team and begin working on a submission. The winner will be rewarded with a ten-day exploration to the Galapagos Islands aboard the National Geographic Endeavor, as well as a VIP tour of 'Spaceport America' in New Mexico. Google is also throwing in a $50,000 scholarship and $10,000 for the winner's school to purchase cutting-edge science lab equipment. Google suggests that each project should be "an in-depth investigation of a science question or engineering problem" but otherwise, it's up to students to pick and develop an idea that follows the competition rules. Completed projects need to be submitted by May 12, 2014 at 11:59 PDT. Google will announce the regional competitors in June, ahead of global finalists in August and the competition winners in September. Interested? Here are the _ . If you want to enter the competition as an individual , you should register first. Complete requested information about yourself and your project in the registration section before creating your project. You may edit this later. Click the box stating that you have read, accept, and agree to be bound by these Official Rules and Terms. Upon completion of registration you may begin working on your project. The project must follow the technical, creative, and legal entry requirements set out in these Official Rules and the Googlesciencefair.com Site. You will be required to complete all sections of the Project Site. You may begin working on your project after completing the registration process, however, you may not submit it for judging until you have requested and received parental consent . Once you have done this, your parent... The main purpose of the passage is to _ . A) offer tips on how to enter GSF B) provide information about GSF C) persuade teenagers to enter GSF D) show teenagers the importance of GSF
A: B
*Question*
BEIJING -- China's education authority will tighten the widely criticized policy of "extra credits" for the national college entrance examination to ensure a fairer chance for all exam-takers. Under the policy, high school students who win awards in national Olympic competitionscould get ''extra credits', up to 20 points for the national college entrance exam. Students with talentin sports and students who are from ethnic groups can also benefit from this policy. The extra creditshave increased these students' chances of being admitted by famous universities. Some parents werefound to have helped their children fabricate award experiences or falsify qualifications to getextra credits. "It has harmed education equality," the ministry said. Xiong Bingqi, vice-chief of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, said the policy isdesigned to help students who have special talents but may be weak in academic performance tohave a chance to receive higher education. It will still be needed but it is time to make the rulesfairer," he said. The ministry said it will reduce the range of competitions whose winners can get extra credits,and limit the winners, privileges. The new policy will apply to students who begin high school in 2011, it said. Chen Lei, a mother of a 10-year-old girl, said she welcomed the ministry's policy adjustmentas she does not want her daughter to become an Olympic competition _ . But not all the Chinese parents welcomed the new policy. "It is like a thunderbolt for me. My 13-year-old son has spent so much time studying Olympic math, and participated in so manytechnological competitions during vacations. It is useless now," said Dong Wen, a 43-year-oldmother. A student said, "Many students have changed the current study plan, and they can abandon thecompetition. I will be interested in learning the courses which can improve my abilities." Yuan Guiren, minister of education, told China Daily that the reform is an attempt to consider the overall quality of an applicant. "But the country will... Which person in the passage was strongly against the new policy? A) Xiong Bingqi B) Chen Lei C) Dong Wen D) Yuan Guiren
**Answer**
C