Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Elderly people are growing healthier, happier and more independent, say American scientists. The results of a 14-year study to be announced later this month reveal that the diseases associated with old age are affecting fewer and fewer people and when they do suffer a stroke , it is much later in their life. In the last 14 years, the National Long-term Care Survey has gathered data on the health and lifestyles of more than 20,000 men and women over 65. Researchers, now analyzing the results of data gathered in 1994, say arthritis, high blood pressure and circulation problems -- the major medical complaints in this age group -- are troubling a smaller proportion every year. And the data confirms that the rate at which these diseases are declining continues to increase. Other diseases of old age -- dementia, strokes, arteriosclerosis and emphysema -- are also troubling fewer and fewer people. "It really raises the question of what should be considered normal ageing," says Kenneth Manton, a demographer from Duke University in North Carolina. He says the problems doctors accepted as normal in a 65-year-old in 1982 are often not appearing until people are 70 or 75. Clearly, certain diseases are beating a retreat in the face of medical advances. But there may be other contributing factors. Improvements in childhood nutrition in the first quarter of the twentieth century, for example, gave today's elderly people a better start in life than their former generations. On the downside, an increase in some cancers and bronchitis may reflect changing smoking habits and poorer air quality, say the researchers. "These may be subtle influences," says Manton, "but our subjects have been exposed to worse and worse pollution for over 60 years. It's not surprising we see some effect." One interesting correlation Manton uncovered is that better-educated people are likely to live longer. For example, 65-year-old women with fewer than eight years of schooling are expected, on average, to live to 82. Those who continued their... Question: What is the main topic of this passage? Options: A: The common health problems of elderly people in the US. B: A healthier, happier and more independent ageing population in the US. C: The influence of medical advances on elderly people's health in the US. D: The relationship between good education and the length of time one lives.
B

(Question)
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Peter Jackson, currently one of the world's most well-known directors and the unofficial face of the entire nation of New Zealand, was born on October 31, 1961 in Pukerua Bay, New Zealand. He liked to take photographs, so a family friend bought the young Jackson a super 8mm camera. He has been a filmmaker even since. At age nine he even attempted to remake his favorite film, King Kong, using his own stop-motion effect. Unlike many of the filmmakers working today, Jackson never went to film school. Instead he created his own short films with the help of family and friends. He was turned down for a job at the National Film Unit, New Zealand's government agency that produces tourist films about the country. With that avenue closed, Jackson began working other jobs to support himself, while shooting shorts on the weekend. One of these weekend films, expanded from its original ten minutes length into a feature film. The project took four years to complete (1983-1987)and was called Bad Taste. After the success of Bad Taste, Jackson became recognized as a director and the door to fame and fortune was opened. He gave up his job at a local photographer's shop and became a well-known director of horror-movies. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is obviously a huge landmark in Jackson's career, not only did the films become some of the most commercially successful of all time, _ His digital effects company, WETA Digital, became one of, if not the most respected effects company in the world; similarly, Jackson has also expressed an interest in returning to his roots and directing some lower-budget splatter films again. Question: Jackson became recognized as a director in _ . Options: A: 1961 B: 1970 C: 1987 D: 1969
(Answer)
C

Ques: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: America is growing older. Fifty - eight years ago, only 4 out of every 100 people in the United States were 65 or older. To day, 10 out of every 100 Americans are over 65. The aging of the population will affect American society in many ways--education, medicine, and business. Quietly, the graying of America has made us a very different society-- _ in which people have a quite different idea of what kind of behavior is suitable at various , ages. A person s age no longer tells you anything about his/her social position, marriage or health. There's no longer a particular year in which one goes to school or goes to work or gets married or starts a family. The social clock that kept us on time and told us when to go to school, get a job, or stop working isn't as strong as it used to be. It doesn't surprise us to hear of a 29 - year - old university president or a 35 - year -old grandmother, or a 70 year - old man who has become a father for the first time. Public ideas are changing. Many people say, "I am much younger than my mother-- or my father-- was at my age. "No one says"Act your age" any more. We've stopped looking with surprise at older people who act in youthful ways. Question: It can be learnt from the text that the aging of the population in America _ . Options: A: has made people feel younger B: has changed people's social position C: has changed people's understanding of age D: has slowed down the country's social development
Ans: C

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: April sales figures show a disappointing month for Wal-Mart. The world's largest retailer reported a big drop in sales last month--its worst decline in nearly 30 years. As VOA's Mil Arcega reports, Wal-Mart is not alone. A three and a half percent drop in sales does not seem like much. But for a company that sells more than $300 billion worth of goods every year, analysts say it is significant. Alan Murray, the managing editor of the Wall Street Journal, says the drop represents Wal-Mart's biggest decline since 1979. "There are a number of things going on. Part of it is early Easter, so some of those sales got moved into March. Part of it is bad weather." But it may also signal a trend. Across the board, retailers from Target to JC Penny and the Gap, reported weaker sales in April. Analysts say the decline suggests high gasoline prices and the slowing prefix = st1 /U.S.housing market are finally catching up with consumers.Murraysays there may be other factors at play. "Wal-Mart is not doing what it used to do very well. It made an attempt last year to sell clothes to high scale retailers. That didn't work. It had to back off. It's remodeling its stores. That's not working very well," says Murray. To bring customers back, some say Wal-Mart needs to go back to its marketing basics. Retail analyst Dana Telsey says that means low priced goods in a friendly retail environment. "I think Wal-Mart is working to enhance its image. It could always be better. Going back to its roots is a way, that hopefully, customers will become familiar with it again." Wal-Mart is one of the biggest economic indicators in the retail industry. As the world's largest profit making enterprise, Wal-Mart's yearly revenues represents about 2.5 percent of total economic activity in the U.S. Question: According to the passage, what was the popular image of Wal - Mart? Options: A: It sold clothes to high scale retailers. B: It often sold discounted goods. C: It was one of the biggest retailer industries. D: It sold low priced goods in a friendly atmosphere.
D