Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: A sun-starved Norwegian town has finally seen the light--by installing giant mirrors on the surrounding mountains to reflect rays onto its market square. The small town of Rjukan sits deep in the narrow Vestfjord Valley,in the Telemark region south-west of Oslo. The towering peaks that surround it rise to almost 2,000 meters above sea level and block out the sunlight for half the year, meaning Rjukan residents live in a permanent shadow from September to March. But all that changed this week, with the official launch of a project first proposed a century ago. Three high-tech mirrors,with a combined reflective surface of 50 square meters, have been put into operation on a ridge on Gaustatoppen mountain,brightening up the previously gloomy town center by _ it with up to 600 square meters of sunlight. Twenty-first century technology has made the $850, 000 project possible, with heliostats--computer-powered mirrors--shifting every 10 seconds to track the movements of the sun during the day. But the idea to lighten up the dark town actually dates back 100 years. Rjukan was originally founded as a company town for Norsk Hydro, which set up a fertilizer plant here to make use of the hydro power from the nearby 104 meter Rjukanfossen waterfall. The story goes that the aluminum and renewable energy company's founder,Sam Eyde,wanted a way to brighten up the existence of his shadowed 1aborers--and also to make them work more effectively during the winter. The local newspaper published a suggestion by local bookkeeper Oskar Kittelsen to use a mirror to reflect sunlight onto the town,and Eyde picked up on the idea. Technological limitations of the day meant the plan never came to fruition,however, and instead northern Europe's first cable car was built in 1928 to give Rjukan residents sunlight exposure at the top of the mountain. Question: Norsk Hydro set up Rjukan because _ . Options: A: there were quantities of cheaper labors B: there existed large amounts of hydro power C: it was very convenient to use water D: there was rich aluminum and water resources
A: B

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: After battling hard times and danger for over nine months, British teenager Mike Perham made history last month as the youngest person to sail solo around the world. The 17-year-old made the record after he cleared the Panama Canal and then sailed through the Caribbean and got home across the Atlantic. Mike is only three months younger than Zac Sunderland, the 17-year-old American boy who had taken the crown as the youngest solo around-the-world sailor in July. The two youngsters met in Cape Town in South Africa as they crossed the globe in different directions. Mike insisted they were not rivals . "No. It's two teenagers going out there, living their dream and having the adventure of a lifetime," he said. Mike may be young, but he is no stranger to sailing adventures. He picked up the hobby at the age of 6 when his father took him out in a small boat on a local lake. Father and son sailed separate boats across the Atlantic when Mike was 14, making him the youngest person to cross that ocean solo. That record gave him the taste for this even greater challenge. On the recent journey, the scariest moment for Mike came when his sailboat was hit by storms in the southern Indian Ocean. "We were picked up by what felt like a 60-foot wave and threw down on our side at 90 degrees," he said. "It felt like I was going right over. Stuff was flying around and I just thought 'Oh no'." At other times, he had to dive into the Pacific and fix problems. He tied himself to the boat, jumped into the water and went to work with a knife in 30-second dives underneath the boat to cut a rope away. Mike said he felt proud that he made his dream come true. "You've got to have confidence in yourself that you will make it," he said. Question: Which of the following statements is NOT true? Options: A: Mike Perham crossed the Panama Canal. B: Mike and Zac took the crown as the youngest solo around-the-world sailor at the same age. C: The two youngsters crossed the globe in different directions. D: Mike was never frightened during the sailing.
A: D

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Well, it's time for Words and Their Stories. We present more expressions about food from Elenir Scardueli, a listener in Brazil. My mother believes you are what you eat. Then she'd always give us nutritious food. She likes serving us meat and potatoes, which can also mean the most important part of something. Here's another expression about meat: one man's meat is another man's poison--one might like something very much while another person might hate it. My father's a good and honest person. People say he's the salt of the earth. He'd never pour salt on a wound, or make someone feel worse about something. However, sometimes he tells us a story that seems bigger than life. So we have to take it with a grain of salt. My husband makes enough money to support our family. So we say he brings home the bacon. He can cut the mustard, or do what is expected of him at work. Besides, he stands almost two meters tall, so it's easy to find my husband in a crowd. He is a tall drink of water. I take the train to work. It is not a pleasant ride because the train is so crowded that we are packed like sardines. When we fail to see problems at work, my boss tells us to wake up and smell the coffee. We need to pay more attention and fix the problem. I once made a big mistake at the office and felt foolish. I had egg on my face. Over the weekend, my friend invited me to watch a football game on television. But I do not like football. It is not my cup of tea. We hope this has given you food for thought and stay with us next time. Thank you. Question: The passage is mainly about _ . Options: A: some idioms about food B: words created by mum C: words and their stories D: phrases in the kitchen
A: A