Amos Dudley, a 24-year-old boy who studies digital design at New Jersey University of Technology, felt ashamed about his teeth. But being a student, Dudley didn't have the money to get braces . So, he decided to 3-D print his own and marked down the DIY project in a recent blog post. His braces totaled less than $60, and after wearing them for 16 weeks, his teeth are also getting straighter. Months ago, he mentioned on his blog that he avoided smiling for a while because he was unhappy with his teeth. However, clear braces can get pricey, costing up to $8,000. But after studying some images of these expensive clear braces, something comes up on him--they looked like that one which can come from a 3-D printer. So he decided to hit up his school's 3-D printing equipment and scanned and printed models of his teeth. He then made non-harmful plastic molds around them to make 12 sets of braces. Dudley, who does not recommend attempting any of this at home said that he didn't ask a dentist for his project. But the student did get information from journal articles and textbooks. And though this was a perfectly friendly choice to buy braces. He didn't accept the project just to save money--he was also up for the challenge. "When I realized that I could do something that was a little bit special, while proving my skills as a designer and a maker, and fixing something that was making me self-conscious for actually free, I felt it was more than worth the risk." he said. Dudley got the information on making a 3-D printed braces from _ . A) a professional magazine B) a recent blog post C) journal articles and textbooks D) a 3-D printer user
C
Reading is an important activity for many Americans. Today, thousands of men, women and children are members of groups to discuss the books they read. No one knows how many Americans belong to reading groups called book clubs. Yet publishers and bookshops report that more and more throughout the United States are joining the clubs. Most of the clubs work the same way. Members read the same book at the same time. Then they meet to talk about the book. Members may be friends or people who live near each other. Or, they may be people who work together. Book clubs may be for only women or only men. Or, they can be for husbands and wives together. Some are family groups where parents attend with their children. Children may belong to book clubs of their own. Some book clubs in the United States are for husbands and wives. One woman says this is a great idea for a book club. She says husbands and wives often talk to each other only about their children, work, or money problems. "Talking about books," she says, "opens a whole new level of communication." American children belong to book clubs, too. They may be as young as four years old or as old as eighteen. Some children's clubs get help from the Great Book Foundation . This educational organization provides lists of books to read. It also trains people to lead discussions about the books. Before joining the book club, husbands and wives often talk about _ . A) housework and work B) computer games C) books and writers D) children, money or work
D
Q: During my second year of nursing school, our teacher gave us a test. I was a hardworking student and I did well in all the subjects. I finished the questions successfully until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Of course this was a joke. I saw the cleaning woman every day. She is short and about 60 years old. She has dark hair. But how would I know her name? I had never talked with her before. In fact, I'd never even thought about talking to her. I stared at my paper and started to feel rather guilty. Finally, I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Before the class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our grades. "Absolutely," the teacher said. "In your life, you will meet many people. All are important. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is to smile and to say hello." I've never forgotten that lesson. Everyone deserves my attention and I should get to know all of the people who work and live around me. That was, perhaps, the most important lesson of my life. I also learned the cleaning woman's name was Dorothy. How was the writer at the nursing school? A) She didn't study hard. B) She was one of the top students. C) She loved telling jokes. D) She often asked questions in class.
A: B
Question: Linda was a sixteen-year-old girl in Canada. She was feeling bad for several days. Her mother took her to a hospital and the doctors found out that she had cancer . Linda's life changed. She began to go to the hospital often for treatment and she also became _ . The hospital and the doctors were good, but Linda did not have hope herself. Linda's mother called a flower shop close to the hospital. "I want some beautiful flowers for my daughter. She is a teen girl with cancer." She told the shop owner. Later, the flowers arrived. Then Linda saw something unusual. It was a card. It read: Linda, I own this flower shop. I had cancer when I was fifteen years old. I am 24 years old now. Good luck. My heart goes out to you. Yours, Alice Linda smiled. She finally felt some real hope. She found the will to live. Little things make a big difference. All of us can give little things like kindness, encouragement and hope to others. Why was Linda feeling bad for several days? A) Because she was seriously ill B) Because she had no friend. C) Because her life changed D) Because she had a cold
Answer: A
If you often feel tired and the doctor can't find anything wrong with you, you may be in a state of subhealth . Subhealth is a state between health and illness. Most of the subhealthy people are middle-aged ones who are usually stressed out because of work and family. And some of them are students who are having exams. If you are subhealthy, it is not difficult for you to become well soon. You should have good living habits. For example, you should get up early and go to bed early. And you should exercise regularly . Exercising can keep you healthy. As for meals, it is better to eat less salt and sugar. Vegetables, fruit and fish are important to your body. You should eat more of them. It is not good to eat too much at one meal, because it may cause unhealthy changes in the digestive tract . And at last, a balanced diet is very helpful in staying away from subhealth. According to the passage, who will probably be subhealthy? A) Teachers and students B) Parents and children C) Middle-aged people and students D) The young and the old
C