It is often said that you cannot "teach an old dog new tricks", but three New Zealand dogs have decided to prove otherwise by learning a skill --- driving a car! What's even more impressive is that the three who have become skilled in just eight weeks are not special dogs that belong to some rich owners, but abandoned ones at New Zealand's SPCA. To get their training started, 10-month old Porter, 18-month-old Monty and one-year-old Ginny were selected from a pool of seven potential candidates and moved to Animal Q, a talent agency that teaches animals tricks for movies and television shows. The driving classes began with teaching the dogs some basic driving techniques like turning the steering wheels and applying the brakes. After that the dogs practiced everything they had learnt behind the wheels of a motorized car. Then finally, it was time for the big test--- driving a real car! Human cars are not really built for four-legged animals, so the car they drove was adjusted so that the dogs could sit comfortably and easily reach the steering wheel with their paws. Though they all seemed to do very well, the real test came on Monday night when Monty, the best driver of the three, showed his great driving skill on live television. Why would the SPCA go through so much trouble to highlight the skills of homeless dogs? The reason is to show that adopting a dog from a shelter does not mean owners are getting a pet that is worse than one purchased from a keeper. The CEO of the SPCA is hoping that this unusual event will be enough to convince the residents of New Zealand to consider them, when searching for a pet. We surely hope so, meanwhile we are almost certain that these three pioneers have at least landed their names in the Guinness World Records, creating a category that probably does not even exist today! The car the dogs drove was adjusted _ . A) because is was too big for the dogs to drive B) because it had no steering wheels and brakes C) to ensure the dogs could sit comfortably and drive easily D) to motorize the car and turn it to be a real one
C
(Question)
BEIJING (AP) -- Sandstorms whipping across China shrouded cities in an unhealthy cloud of sand Monday, with winds carrying the pollution outside the mainland as far as Hong Kong and Taiwan. It was the latest sign of the effects of desertification: Overgrazing, deforestation, urban sprawl and drought have expanded deserts in the country's north and west. The shifting sands have gradually moved onto populated areas and worsened sandstorms that strike cities, particularly in the spring. Winds blowing from the northwest have been sweeping sand across the country since Saturday, affecting Xinjiang in the far west all the way to Beijing in the country's east. The sand and dust were carried to parts of southern China and even to cities in Taiwan, 1600 miles (2600 kilometers) away from Inner Mongolia where much of the pollution originated. The sandstorm in Taiwan, an island 100 miles (160 kilometers) away from the mainland, forced people to cover their faces to avoid breathing in the grit that can cause chest discomfort and _ problems even in healthy people. Drivers complained their cars were covered in a layer of black soot in just 10 minutes. In Hong Kong, environmental protection officials said pollution levels were climbing as the sandstorm moved south. Twenty elderly people sought medical assistance for shortness of breath, Hong Kong's radio RTHK reported. The latest sandstorm was expected to hit South Korea on Tuesday, said Kim Seung-bum of the Korea Meteorological Administration. The sandstorm that raked across China over the weekend caused the worst "yellow dust" haze in South Korea since 2005, and authorities issued a rare nationwide dust advisory. Grit from Chinese sandstorms has been found to travel as far as the western United States. China's Central Meteorological Station urged people to close doors and windows, and cover their faces with masks or scarves when going outside. Sensitive electronic and mechanical equipment should be sealed off, the station said in a warning posted Monday on its Web... We can learn from the text that _ . A) the sandstorms were purposely made by China. B) the writer thinks that China government should be responsible for the pollution. C) the sandstorms badly affected the air in US. D) China's Central Meteorological Station will be closed.
(Answer)
B
Learning to speak English well may be the best thing you can do to improve your life. That's right. If you can communicate in English, you can: Contact people from all over the world. Talk about your ideas and opinions on Internet discussion groups. Send email to interesting people.Learn about their life and culture. Travel more easily. Communicate with people wherever you go--English is spoken in more than 100 countries (source). Ask directions, have a conversation, or...ask for help. Who knows, maybe English will save your life someday! Push your career forward. If you want a good job in business, technology, or science, get out of that armchair and start learning English now! (If you already have a good job, start learning before you lose it!) Knowing English will let you: Put "excellent knowledge of English" on your CV. Get your dream job, and earn more money. Gain technical knowledge. English is the language of technology, especially high technology like computer science, genetics, and medicine. If you're going to read about technology, you'll probably have to do it in English. Learn computer science. Read technical articles without difficulty. Or write your own articles! Be a worldclass businessman (or woman). It's simple. International business is done in English. And all business today is international. So if you want to play, you have to know English--to contact other business people, go to conferences, read international business newspapers and magazines, etc. Become a better scientist. Contact scientists from other countries, go to international conferences, visit academic centers abroad. Learn about new scientific discoveries by reading papers, books, and magazines. Use your computer more effectively. Most computer applications are in English, so you will understand them better--and become a better employee. If you don't learn English, you may lose _ . A) your good job B) your family C) your friends D) your game
A