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Read the article and select the best answer. Article: It may not be news to parents of teenage girls, but researchers have confirmed that no one can stop their 16-year-old daughter from deciding how the family spends its money. The willpower and determination of teenage girls in how a family's money is spent on everything from food and meals to mobile phones, and, of course, clothes. Teenage boys did not show up at all in the analysis, which was designed to find out the influence of young people on household spending. The findings on the spending power of teenage girls were calculated from Office for National Statistics records of family spending during the 1980s and 1990s. Researchers examined how much money went on services and leisure goods in different kinds of homes. They checked spending on food, restaurant meals, alcohol, tobacco, services, heating, transport, clothes and sports in 2,745 British families. They found that teenage girls in the UK typically played an active role in family decisions about the allocation of household resources. But older children-- those over the age of 21 who are still living with their parents--appear to have no say in household decisions. They also tried to calculate to what extent the bargaining power of a teenager affected family budgets. "Every parent knows that children, even at a very early age, have their own preferences with regard to consumption, researchers said. "But children are only interested in a limited range of goods--mainly sweets and toys--and parents are able to use punishment to reduce their children's bargaining power or remove it." When they become teenagers, however, girls are much more independent and they are capable of earning their own money, which improves their bargaining power in family decisions. The researchers could not explain why girls have more influence over spending while the evidence for boys is much less conclusive. However, this study could be of great significance to market research and how marketers target children. Question: It appears that household decisions are NOT affected by _ . Options: A: girls living with parents B: girls over 21 C: girls over 12 D: girls living alone
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B

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Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Like people, plants experience stress. And also, like people, the response to that stress can determine success. Bad environmental conditions, such as drought, flood, heat and other stresses, affect yields more than crop pests and diseases. We are trying to find a way to equip plants with the ability to tolerate environmental stress and maintain high yields, said Stephen Howell, a professor of genetics and cell biology. Plant cells produce proteins and ship them to different parts of the cell. Under normal conditions, these proteins are folded into their normal, healthy structures as they are produced. When a plant is under stress, its cells produce poorly folded or unfolded proteins. Then a built-in system senses this and "sets off an alarm in the cell," said Howell. In response to the alarm, another protein (IRE1) starts working and creates a different process which activates the stress response genes whose products bring about defensive measures that help the plant survive. "As it turns out, responses that are activated under stress conditions actually inhibit the growth of plants," said Howell. "This allows them to preserve their energy to survive the stress conditions." For plants in the wild, this response is a help for survival, he said. In production of agriculture crops, however, this response reduces yields. "You don't want crop plants to stop growing," Howell said. "You want them to continue to grow and produce even though they are under stress." With the new understanding of this stress response, the next step may be to silence the alarm system, said Howell. "What may be important is to disable some of these stress responses. That may make the plant more productive under stress conditions." Question: According to the text, an alarm in the plant cells is caused by _ . Options: A: the folded proteins B: the changed proteins C: the defensive measures D: the stress response genes
(Answer)
B

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Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Phaethon stood impatiently at the heavy golden doors. He ordered the guards, Month and Year, to let him approach his father's throne. As the doors opened slowly, the sun's rays almost blinded him. Phaethon protected his eyes and felt his way toward Apollo's throne. "Come here, my son. Follow my voice," Apollo's voice echoed. "What is so urgent that you have my guards hurrying to do your bidding?" "Father, I have a problem. All of my friends have been teasing me. They don't believe that you're my father or that you make the sun rise and set," complained Phaethon. Apollo replied, "Oh? That problem again? Well, just to prove it to your friends once and for all, I will satisfy any wish you desire." "Really? Then I have only one wish," answered Phaethon. "I'd like to drive your chariot and make the sun rise tomorrow morning!" Apollo was horrified. "No, not that! No one but me can drive the chariot. The horses are too powerful!" "You said I could have anything," murmured Phaethon. Bound by his promise, Apollo had to agree. His heart was sick with worry as he ordered Dawn to prepare the horses, Hour and Day, to the Golden Chariot. Phaethon could hardly wait to jump in the driver's seat and take the reins . He hoped all his friends were watching the sky and waiting for him through the stars. "Wait, my son! There are things you need to know!" cried Apollo. "Oh, Father! You worry too much. I've often seen you drive. I know what to do," Phaethon answered. Apollo hurried to give directions. "You have never driven my chariot before. You must make the horses stay on the path. If you are too low, you will _ the earth and large land on it could be thrown into a world of fire." "I know, Father. Now watch me take off!" shouted Phaethon. Dawn stepped back and released the horses go. The horses were filled with excitement. The sky begged for Dawn's light, so she ran toward the horizon to make the darkness fade. As Phaethon was about to get on, Apollo... Question: It can be concluded that this passage is mainly about the conflict between _ . Options: A: Goodness and Evil B: Man and Nature C: Strength and Weakness D: Wisdom and Inexperience
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D