Q: Some of the planet's most precious animals and plants are disappearing, according to the World Conservation Union (IUCN). The group, based in Switzerland, works with governments and experts to protect threatened species. On September 12, the IUCN released its Red List, a list of species at greatest risk of extinction. The list includes 41,415 animals and plants. The IUCN says that habitat destruction, hunting and other causes threaten one in four mammals, one in eight birds and one in three amphibians . Who is to blame? Scientists believe that 99 percent of threatened species are at risk because of human activity. "We are losing animals and plants at a high rate," says Julia Marton-LefEevre, director general of the IUCN. "We need to change our behavior." Warmer oceans and over-fishing are changing sea life. This year for the first time corals made their appearance on the list. The gharial, a crocodile living in India and Nepal, has lost almost 60 percent of its population in the last 10 years. It is a victim of habitat destruction. Still, the news is not all bad. Thanks to efforts made to protect it, the Mauritius echo parakeet, a bird once endangered, has seen an increase in its population. "This shows that protection methods can work," says Marton-LefEevre. "That's the message we want to send to young people." In China the new reserve itself is part of green efforts that have seen more than 2,400 nature reserves of various kinds being set up, covering more than 15 percent of the nation's land area, official figures showed. "The country's natural resources have benefited from conservation," said Lei Guangchun, director of the nature reserve department of Beijing Forestry University. "It is a big increase nowadays compared with other countries." Lei said. The total areas of China's natural reserves have covered 1.38 million km2, which accounts for 15.4% of China's area, higher than both the world average of 11% and the rate in most developed countries. Li Zhong, an official in charge of the nature reserves... Which of the sentence is NOT true? A) China has been paying great attention to protecting the natural resources. B) China has set up a lot of natural reserves. C) The natural reserves in China cover more than 15 percent of the nation's land area. D) The rate of China's natural reserves is lower than the average of the world.
A: D

Q: The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Copenhagen is offering a free meal to any guest who is able to produce electricity for the hotel on an exercise bike linked to a generator ,The idea is to get people fit and reduce their carbon footprint. Guests will have to produce at least 10 watt hours of electricity -- roughly 15 minutes of cycling for someone of average fitness. Guests staying at Plaza Hotel will be given meat tickets worth $36 once they have produced 10 watt hours of electricity. The bicycles will have smart phones attached to the handlebars measuring how much power is being generated for the hotel. The plan, a world-first, will start on 19 April and run for a year. Only guests staying at the hotel will be able to take part. Frederikke Toemmergaard, hotel spokeswoman, said, "Many of our visitors are business people who enjoy going to the gym. There might be people who will cycle just to get a free meal, but generally I don't think people will take advantage of our programme," Copenhagen has a long-standing cycling tradition and 36% of locals cycle to work each day, one of the highest percentages in the world, according to the website visitcopenhagen.dk. US environmental website treehugger.com recently voted Copenhagen the world's best city for cyclists. "Because Copenhagen is strongly connected with cycling, we felt the bicycle would work well as a symbol of the hotel's green profile ." If successful, the electric bicycle meal programme will be spread to all Crowne Plaza hotels in the UK, the hotel said in a statement. Who are most likely to enter for the programme? A) The poor local people. B) The environment activists. C) Health-conscious hotel guests. D) Visitors fond of Copenhagen food.
A: C

Q: Dear Cary, I'm writing because I've understood you've struggled with alcoholism .I've been fighting mine ever since I went through 9-11.After that, _ .I've taken some medicine and it has helped somewhat.I can manage about a month without drinking, but after that I end up having a crazy stage where nothing matters except drinking.After a week or so of heavy drinking,! start having nightmares of people jumping.After that, it's a week of not being able to get out of bed. I was supposed to travel to a conference but didn't make it because I got so drunk at the airport that I fell down on my face and spent the rest of the day in the emergency room.I have been hiding from my family since then.Fortunately they won't be expecting me to come back for a week or so.Otherwise, they would notice the bump on my forehead and two black eyes. I don't really know what I'm asking you.Cary, I need a way out that doesn't involve causing pain to my family.I'm taking medicine, but' I still have these attacks every few months.If there's alcohol in the house, I can't stay away from it.It seems that this will never end.I'm afraid of what will happen if something bad happens, like a family member dying, or getting fired again. Thanks for reading. Yours T We know from the passage that Cary _ . A) is probably a recovered alcoholic B) never suffered from alcoholism C) likes to talk about the details of his life D) is a doctor on treating alcoholism
A: A

Q: The British coloney of Bermude is a top summertime escape. Yet, even through October, Bermuda isn't ready to stop for the winter. During this month, world-class festivals on teh island keep things lively and the weather remains comfortable enough for Bermuda shorts and bathing suits. In October, Bermuda hosts two major festivals--the Bermuda Music Festival and the Bermuda Culinary Arts Festival. The 10thanniversary Bermuda Music Festival begins October 5 and features three days of performances at the Royal Naval Dockyard on Bermuda's West End. Featured main stage performers include Joss Stone, Pattie Labelle, and Al Green, and a second stage spotlights local Bermudian artists. General admission tickets start at $60 for on e day or $160 for a three-day pass. Starting October 21, the Culinary Arts Festival brings some of North America's top chefs to the island for four days of food and wine tastings, conferences and cooking competitions. Participating chefs include Todd English and Michael Lomonaco, among others. Three-day festival passes start at $649 per person, but you can also buy separate tickets for individual events. Even if you don't attend one of the festivals, there's still plenty to do. With mostly sunny days and temperatures averaging aroung 79 degrees, the weather is just right for participating in Bermuda's two favorite pastimes--golf and tennis. With fewer visitors on the island than during the summer, you may have an easier time getting the best times or a spot on the courts. It's also still warm enough to enjoy the island's pink sand beaches and go swimming, because the water keeps the summer's heat longer than the air. Of course, you can always shop in the city of Hamilton's upscale small goods arts and crafts shops. The best time to travel to Bermuda is _ A) spring B) Summer C) Autumn D) winter
A: C