Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: The addictive pull of Internet shopping is dragging thousands of victims into a rise of debt, including thousands of women who have run up huge credit card bills they cannot repay. The appeal of 24-hour access and the explosion in goods and services on offer has seen a 10 percent increase in credit card debts in the UK this year. Much of it has accounted for online spending. The latest report on Internet usage shows the number of adults logging on at home has risen from 10 million in October last year to 15.5m this month. The report by Continental Research, which has monitored Internet access in the UK for the past six years, found that while online shopping used to be experimental it is now becoming habitual, especially for women. Colin Shaddick, who heads the company, said, "Women are logging on in record numbers ---online shopping has certainly played a big role in this." The study found that average annual spending online is PS700 a year for each Internet shopper. The draw of the Internet is especially strong for collectors. Business lecturer Stephen Hall, who has been buying and selling books since he was a child, now has a collection worth PS40,000. He is passionate about the opportunities offered by shopping online. "You can find a book in minutes that you could spend months hunting down at auctions or second-hand bookshops," he said. "It can easily become addictive, and all the collectors I know use the Internet. I suspect you do waste money because you are less likely to send back a book to Little Rock, Arkansas, than take it back to the high-street shop." Like Stephen Hall, most of us can shop online sensibly---but for some it provides an easy, anonymous and accessible way to feed their habit. It also provides secrecy---a central part of any addiction. Dr Samantha Haslett, a psychologist and expert in addiction at the Promos counseling centre, said, "It's compulsive in the same way as alcohol and gambling, and addicts find themselves completely unable to stop themselves, despite debt mounting... Question: Which of the following do you think the author would most probably agree with? Options: A: Shopping online has advanced the consumers' debt increase in a way. B: many items are piled up in the room corner because they are out of date. C: shopping addiction is harder to be removed than alcohol and gambling. D: paying by credit can account for the phenomenon of online shopping.
A: A

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: London Summer School in Classics Dates The London Summer School in Classics 2008 will be held at King's College London. It will run from 8th July until 17th July. Applications close on 2nd June, 2008. For an application form, please download either the 2-page PDF or the word format document from the foot of the page. If you have any problems downloading the application form or any questions, please contact: London Summer School in Classics, King's College London. Tel: 020 7848 2299 Fax: 020 7848 2545 Organization The school is organized by the colleges of the University of London. The summer school offers eight days of intensive teaching in Greek and Latin. There are four language classes each day as well as lectures and a debate, between 10:30 am and 4:30 pm. The course is not residential , and there is no teaching during the weekend of 12th to 13th July. The fee is PS85.00. Travel grants are available as a contribution to your travel costs, but may not cover all your expenses. The travel grants are arranged during the summer school. Teaching is generally in groups of 12-15 people and it, as far as possible, comprises of students of roughly the same level of experience. The style of teaching is friendly, but demanding: a lot of work is expected from students during the school, but they usually find the whole experience both stimulating and valuable. Some classes concentrate chiefly on reading, while others offer a mixture of grammar and translation practice. Our tutors include some of the most experienced and talented teachers of Classics in the London area and beyond. The Summer School in Classics caters for a wide range of interests and for both school & university students as well as those who wish to learn Greek or Latin, or to revive their knowledge of the languages. Our principal concern is to provide a thorough program of language learning in a lively university environment. Question: What is the London Summer School in Classics most concerned about? Options: A: Providing a stimulating experience for students. B: Promoting students to develop a wide range of interests. C: Teaching students languages in a lively environment. D: Improving students' level of debating in the argument.
A: C

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: It is not clear who first fried potatoes in hot oil. However, it is widely agreed that French fries were prepared as early as the 1700s in Europe. Most people believe that it was the Belgians , instead of the French, who invented "French"fries. They think that French fries got this name from the cooking word "to french" --- to cut green beans into long thin strips . When Thomas Jefferson traveled to France, he enjoyed the deep-fried potatoes very much and brought them home with him. Ever since he served French fries to his guests at a Whitehouse dinner in 1802, the dish has become very popular in America. In the summer of 1853, an American Indian called George Crum worked as a cook at Moon Lake Lodge, a hotel in Saratoga Springs, New York. He was good at making French fries. One evening, a dinner guest found Crum's French fries too thick and sent them back to the kitchen. Crum then cut and fried some thinner French fries, but _ . This time, the cook got angry. So he decided to play a trick on the guest. He finally made fries that were too thin to eat with a fork. To his surprise, the guest loved the browned, paper-thin chips. The browned chips, then called Saratoga Chips, became one of the most popular dishes of the hotel. Soon they were being sold, first in local restaurants, then throughout New England. Question: Which of the following would be the best title for the text? Options: A: America's Favorite Food B: Who Invented Saratoga Chips? C: George Crum --- a Clever Cook D: The History of French Fries
A: D

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: How to Beat On-line Credit-card Thieves The Internet has led to a huge increase in credit-card fraud. Your card information could even be for sale in an illegal web site. Web sites offering cheap services should be regarded with care. On-line shoppers who enter their credit-card information may never receive the goods they thought they bought. The thieves then go shopping with your card number--- or sell the information over internet. Computers hackers have broken down security systems raising questions about the safety of cardholder information. Several months ago, 25,000 customers of CD Universe, and on-line music retailer , were not lucky. Their name, addresses and credit-card numbers were posted on a web site after the retailer refused to pay US $157,828 to get back the information. Credit-card firms are now fighting against on-line fraud. Master-card is working on plans for Web-only credit card, with a lower credit limit. The card could be used only for shopping on-line. However, there are a few simple steps you can take to keep from being cheated. Ask about your credit-firm's on-line rules. Under British law, cardholders are responsible for the first US $78 of any fraudulent spending. And shop only at secure sites: Send your credit-card information only if the web site offers advanced secure system. If the security is in place, a letter will appear in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. The web site address may also start the extra "s" stands for secure. If you still have any doubt, give your credit-card information over the telephone. Keep your password safe: Most on-line sites require a user name and password before placing an order. Treat your password with care. Question: Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? Options: A: Computer hackers sold the retailer's information to a web site to get money. B: A reliable website offers you an advanced secure system. C: You can depend on the password to protect your information. D: The on-line credit-card thieves stole your credit-card and paid with it.
A: B