(Q).
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: There was a 17% fall in the number of first year undergraduates at UK universities in the first year of higher tuition fees, official figures show. In 2012-13 UK universities were allowed to _ their yearly fees to PS9,000. England saw a 12% fall in new full-time undergraduate students overall. The government acknowledged the fall but stressed that demand for full time higher education has already "returned to record levels". A spokesperson for Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said the figures were influenced by a higher number of students taking up places the previous year, rather than having a gap year. "A reduction in entrants in 2012 was well documented and the numbers were affected by the significant number of students who opted not to defer their place from the year before," she said. 'Direct consequence' The decline had not continued into the current year, she added. "Application rates for some of the most disadvantaged young people have risen to an all time high in England and more students than ever before are being successful in securing a place at their first choice institution." The figures, collated by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa), are official confirmation of other indications that there was a fall in the number of people going to university last year. Previously released figures had shown declines in applications and offers of places, and the admissions body Ucas also reported a fall. Question: What is the attitude of the spokesperson for Department for Business, Innovation and Skills? Options: A: contradictory B: positive C: negative D: indifferent
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B

(Q).
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: He is not just a classical music superstar. He is a global superstar. Only 27 years old, the Chinese pianist Lang Lang has become an inspiration to tens of millions around the world. Among his dazzling long list of titles, Lang considered UNICEF goodwill ambassador the most special one. "Being a UNICEF goodwill ambassador is the best decision I have made and will definitely be the best experience in my life," Lang said in a recent interview with Xinhua at the UN headquarters in New York. "I love children very much, and playing piano for them is my favorite," Lang said, beaming with delight. Named this year by Time magazine as one of the 100 World's Most Influential People, the pianist said he hoped music could "bring children happiness and enlighten their life." Three months after his nomination , Lang went to Tanzania with the UNICEF team to visit children threatened by malaria and AIDS. Although the southeastern African country's underdevelopment and harsh living conditions surprised Lang who landed the continent for the first time, he was touched by local children's passion for music. "Most of the kids had never seen a piano before," Lang said. "When I played Chopin's nocturne or waltz to them, those who were too shy to talk to me suddenly became active and began to share with me about their dreams. How amazing it is!" "Music can bring hopes to the kids and open their mind," he said. Following his visit to Africa, Lang began to organize fundraising concerts for children. Now it has become his routine to do 15 to 20 fundraising concerts every year. Except for his efforts on fundraising, Lang also established his own international music foundation last year to assist young talents to play piano. So far Lang has chosen five children from the United States and Germany, providing them with scholarships and opportunities to perform at world-class music halls, he said. In December, he will start the selection in China where he would like to "focus more on physically challenged kids, like blind kids." Question: As a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, Lang Lang's work is mainly to _ . Options: A: help children who are in great need B: hold more concerts for children in the world C: assist young talents from different countries play piano D: create more beautiful music for the people of the world
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A

(Q).
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: How can you tell if someone's lying? The answer is, they're probably not. Traditional economics says that people are rational beings who will lie if it's to their advantage. A recent university study has shown that, actually, we're pretty honest --especially when we're at home. Researchers in Germany phoned people at home and asked them to toss a coin. There was a strong financial incentive to fake the result: if the coin landed tails-up, the participants would receive money or a gift ticket, while if the coin landed heads-up, they would get nothing. Because they were on the phone, they knew there was no risk of getting caught if they lied. And yet people told the truth.Over hundreds of tosses, a coin will land tails-up roughly 50% of the time. In this study 0ver half the people asked (55.6%) said that the coin landed heads-up, which meant they would receive nothing. Previous studies had found that people were more dishonest. In those laboratory studies, 75% of people reported a winning coin and claimed a reward. So the research team thinks it's being in our own homes which makes us play fair, although it's not yet clear why. In fact both types of study show people are surprisingly reliable. Even in the laboratory, 25% of people turned down a reward by telling the truth. The researchers say this is because honesty is highly valued in human society.We care about our reputation and our sense of ourselves as respectable people. So lying has a psychological cost and it seems this cost is more important than the financialbenefits of lying . Question: Which of the following is TRUE according to the research? Options: A: There was no risk of getting caught lying if people were on the phone. B: The participant would receive nothing if he said the coin landed tails-up. C: The studies could help to correct the mistakes of the participants D: people would play fair and behave acceptably if invited to the laboratory.
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A