Plastic is everywhere because plastic is an extremely useful material. It is cheap, strong and lightweight. What's more, it can take on nearly any form or shape, from soft and stretchy to hard and glasslike. Plastic, however, is far from perfect. It may even be bad for us. Studies now suggest that poisonous chemicals can get out of some types of plastic, get into our bodies, and cause a variety of health problems, including cancer, birth defects and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder . Two types of chemicals in particular have raised special concern lately. They are called phthalates and Bisphenol-A , BPA for short. Not all plastic products contain them. But the ones that do are surrounded by controversy . That's because experts disagree on how dangerous these chemicals are. Plastic is a single word, but plastic isn't just one thing. What all plastics share in common are plasticizers -- special chemicals that allow the material to be changed into nearly any shape or texture. Plasticizers are added to plastic during the manufacturing process. Phthalates and BPA are two types of plasticizers that work in different ways. Phthalates add softness to things like shampoo bottles, raincoats and rubber. They are also used in perfumes and makeup. BPA, on the other hand, gives a hard, clear, almost glasslike feel to products such as infant bottles. BPA also appears in food and soda cans, DVDs and other unexpected places. How do these chemicals get into us? When plastic is heated in the microwave or dishwasher, chewed on or scratched, the chemicals can seep out of the plastic. Even though we can't see them, we eat them, drink them and breathe them in. Scientists and parents are especially worried about young children, who tend to chew on everything, including plastic. Dozens of countries, including the European Union, Japan, Canada and Mexico have already banned phthalates from products made for children younger than three. California and Washington have done the same. And a number of other states are... Which of the following products contains BPA? A) A soft plastic cup. B) A pencil eraser. C) A baby milk bottle. D) A new perfume.
C
(Question)
Bear Story Campers Gene and Marie Marsden took pride in being good citizens when in the wild.While driving miles to the Green River Lakes area,they instructed their children in the rules they'd learned in the bear safety handbook put out by the Bridger-Teton Forest Service.The number-one rule was"Don't feed the bears!"-whether intentionally or not.Warning the kids not to go anywhere near a bear,the Marsdens had no problem with the intentional part,but the unintentional part was not as easy to avoid as they thought. Mr.and Mrs.Marsden did their best to keep a tidy camp.While the handbook had said to hang all food at least ten feet off the ground,they did that and locked their food in their trailer at night.Afraid that the scent of the bait might attract a bear,they even locked up Marie's fishing pole.Being sure nothing was left out,they went to bed. Gene says he now regrets not having taken their dog Spike into the tent at night,but they liked having him on guard.On the night of the encounter ,Spike would not stop barking,and Marie knew he must be sounding the alarm on something more dangerous.When she unzipped the tent and shone her flashlight,she saw a young bear. They all piled into the car and drove quickly down the trail.They drove to a pay phone twenty miles away and called a Fish and Game Department ranger,who identified the bear by the white ruff the Marsdens had seen around his neck.The authorities informed the Marsdens that the bear was a young male that they'd been keeping an eye on. The next morning,the Marsdens heard helicopters circling over the mountain and wondered if it might have something to do with the bear.After spending the night in the public campground,they drove back to their site.Wandering the area in search of clues,Marie came to a stop below a tallest tree.She slapped her head and shouted,"Oh no!" "What is it?"Gene asked. Marie pointed at the ground where Spike's dog food bowl lay upside down. A week after their return home,the Marsdens read the headline in their local paper."Bear... The passage is written to show . A) taking pets for camping should be forbidden B) choosing right spots is important for camping C) people's improper behavior can cause great loss D) people had better keep away from dangerous animals
(Answer)
C
Ques: About l,500 years ago the Japanese imported many aspects of Chinese culture :the writing system, political institutions, and perhaps the most important, Buddhism. Buddhist priests were expected to eat only vegetables, and tofu, made from the soybean, was a very important food in their diet.When Buddhism was introduced from China, tofu was also brought to Japan. Tofu developed in different ways in China and Japan.While the Chinese often changed the taste of tofu by mixing it with strongly - flavored vegetables or meat, the Japanese preferred to eat it using only a simple sauce. Even now, traditional Japanese cooking preserves the original delicacy of tofu, though the way it is served may change from season to season. In summer, for example, it is simply served cold, while in winter it is often eaten as part of a hot dish. The soybean was introduced to the West in the 18th century, but little interest was taken in it. Only scientists recognized its high food value.During the Second World War, when meat was in short supply, the US government encouraged the American people to eat soybean products.However, they never became very popular and, after the war, interest in them dropped off as the supply of meat became plentiful again. In recent years, people in the West have become increasingly aware of the dangers of eating too much animal fat, and as a result, they have turned more and more to soybean products. This is mainly because the soybean provides almost the same food value as meat, and in addition it is a lot more healthful. Much of the margarine ,salad oil and cooking oil in daily use is now produced from soybean oil.Tofu, a representative soybean product and originally one of the main foods in the diet of Chinese priests, is considered to be one of the healthiest foods available to man. The Western people become interested in tofu and other soybean products because_. A) they have become tired of eating meat B) meat has become too expensive to buy C) these products are more readily available D) eating too much animal fat is considered unhealthy
Ans: D
As researchers learn more about how children's intelligence develops, they are increasingly surprised by the power of parents.The power of the school has been replaced by the home.To begin with, all the factors which are part of intelligence--the child's understanding of language,learning patterns, curiosity--are established well before the child enters school at the age of six.Study after study has shown that even after school begins, children's achievements have been far more influenced by parents than by teachers.This is particularly true about learning that is languagerelated.The school rather than the home is given credit for variations in achievement in subjects such as science. In view of their power, it's sad to see so many parents not making the most of their child's intelligence.Until recently parents had been warned by educators who asked them not to educate their children.Many teachers now realize that children cannot be educated only at school and parents are being asked to contribute both before and after the child enters school. Parents have been particularly afraid to teach reading at home.Of course,children shouldn't be pushed to read by their parents, but educators have discovered that reading is best taught individually--and the easiest place to do this is at home.Many fourand fiveyearolds who have been shown a few letters and taught their sounds will compose single words of their own with them even before they have been taught to read. Researchers conclude that _ . A) it is with the help of the teachers that children have an understanding of language B) curiosity is formed after the children enter school C) children's learning patterns are developed at the early age D) only the school can give children the opportunity to make achievements
A