*Question*
I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: Learning to play a musical instrument can change your brain, with a US review finding musical training can lead to improved speech and foreign language skills. Although it was suggested in the past that listening to Mozart's music or other classical music could make you smarter, there has been little evidence to show that music can boost brain power. But a data-driven review by Northwestern University has pulled reaserch together that links musical training to learning that spills over into skills including language, speech, memory, attention and even vocal emotion. Researcher Nina Kraus said the data strongly suggested that the nervous connections made during musical training also prepared the brain for other aspects of human communication. " The effect of musical training suggests that, like physical exercise and its effect on body fitness, music is a resource that tones the brain for _ fitness and thus requires society to re-examine the role of music in shaping individual development, " the researchers said in their study. Kraus said learning musical sounds could improve the brain's ability to adapt and change and also enable the nervous system to provide constructing patterns that are important to learning. The study, published in Nature Review Neuroscience , looked at the explosion of research in recent years focusing on the effect of musical training on the nervous system which could have impacts for education. The study found that playing an instrument prepares the brain to choose what is related in a complex process that may involve reading or remembering a score, timing issues and coordination with other musicians. Question: What is the text mainly about ? Options: A: The effect of physical exercise. B: The researcher named Kraus. C: The benefit of musical training. D: Musicians' improved skills.
**Answer**
C

*Question*
I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: In the mid-1950s, I was a somewhat bored early-adolescent male student who believed that _ . One day, this approach threw me into embarrassment In Mrs. Totten's eighth-grade math class at Central Avenue School in Anderson, Indiana, we were learning to add and subtract decimals . Our teacher typically assigned daily homework, which would be recited in class the following day. On most days, our grades were based on our oral answer to homework questions. Mrs. Totten usually walked up and down the rows of desks requesting answers from student after student in the order the questions had appeared on our homework sheets. She would start either at the front or the back of the classroom and work toward the other end. Since I was seated near the middle of about 35 students, it was easy to figure out which questions I might have to answer. This particular time, I had completed my usual two or three problems according to my calculations. What I failed to expect was that several students were absent, which threw off my estimate. As Mrs. Totten made her way from the beginning of the class,I desperately tried to determine which math problem I would get. I tried to work it out before she got to me, but I had brain freeze and couldn't function. When Mrs. Totten reached my desk,she asked what answer I'd got for problem No. 14. "I...I didn't get anything," I answered,and my face felt warm. "Correct," she said. It turned out that the correct answer was zero. What did I learn that day? First, always do all your homework. Second, in real life it isn't always what you say but how you say it that matters. Third,I would never make it as a mathematician. If I could choose one school day that taught me the most, it would be that one. Question: The author failed to get the questions he had expected because _ . Options: A: the class didn't begin as usual B: several students didn't come to school C: he didn't try hard to make his estimate D: Mrs. Totten didn't start from the back of the class
**Answer**
B

*Question*
I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: European Day of Languages falls on 26 September. BBC News Online reported the attitudes across several European Union countries to languages. Tamsin Smith, Rome, Italy Italians place very high importance on learning languages, particularly English. Twenty years ago it was quite difficult to find an English speaker here but today it is quite easy. The strong influence of American and English culture helps young people to learn the English language. They often become familiar with it through "Harry Potter" books or Disney movies. English schools, where Italian children are taught all their lessons in English, are also becoming popular among rich Italians. Lucien Libert, Paris, France Languages are very important in France. A good knowledge of the English language is necessary for many Frenchmen to get a good job and the more languages you can learn, the better. English is the first language you learn in school and you start very young. Most people have at least eight years of learning English at school. Learning German or Spanish comes next and Latin is also taught in most schools. While French people learn languages, there is also a movement to protect the French language. James Helm, Dublin, Ireland The English language predominates in Ireland, but the ancient Irish language is a lasting source of pride and interest, and it remains a living tongue that is used in several areas. School are required to teach ancient Irish, and most students learn it as part of the subjects. There is a continuing discussion about how to protect the language best. In recent years some primary schools have introduced foreign language classes for younger students, and the Irish government has tried to encourage schools to offer more languages such as French, Spanish, German and Italian. Question: Which of the following is the best title for the passage? Options: A: European Language Day. B: BBC News Online. C: Attitudes to Languages in Europe. D: Three Foreigners in Europe.
**Answer**
C

*Question*
I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: Eat less and exercise more--it has long been a magic word for reducing those extra weight. But now it seems that all the hard work may have been in vain. Scientists say there are ten other reasons why people just keep getting bigger. They say that sleeping habits, central heating, medicines and even some pollutants can play a role in weight gain. Traditionally, people have focused on diet and exercise to solve the problem. However the scientists from top US and Canadian universities say that other things must be considered. Lack of sleep could be partly the reason. In recent years, the average night's sleep has dropped from nine hours to just seven. Sleep shortage changes levels of the hormones that control food intake and body fat and increase hunger and appetite. If it is too hot or too cold, we burn calories to cool down or heat up. But if the temperature is just right, the calories may be turned into body fat instead. Those who take medicine to control their blood pressure can often put on weight. Similarly, studies have shown that going on the Pill can add to a woman's weight. Mother nature may also be the reason, with our body shape being partly inherited . The overweight are also more likely to settle with partners of a similar size. And their children are more likely to be obese . And the use of pollutants is on the rise, say the researchers. The man-made chemicals in pesticides and plastics can lead to weight gain. Your mother's age and your weight at birth are also important, with older woman more likely to have obese children and underweight babies having a bigger chance of being obese in later life. We also tend to put on weight as we get older. Finally, giving up smoking can also help pile on the pounds. The scientists from Yale, Cornell and Johns Hopkins said there was some evidence supporting poor diet and lack of exercise as the main causes of obesity. Question: Which is commonly thought to be effective in losing weight? Options: A: To have operation to cut extra fat. B: To take pills and avoid fatty food. C: To sleep less to burn more calories. D: To have less food and take more exercise.
**Answer**
D