Ques: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Many people will remember the flight of the space shuttle Challenger , in June, 1993.The achievement of Sally Ride, America's first woman astronaut to fly into space, made this flight especially memorable.Students from two high schools in Camden, New Jersey, however, are likely to remember Norma rather than Sally whenever they think about the flight. Norma didn't travel alone.She brought about 100 companions along with her.Norma was an ant, a queen ant who, with her subjects, made up the first ant colony to travel into space.The ants were part of a science experiment designed by the students to test the effects of weightlessness on insects. The equipment designed by the students for their colony functioned perfectly throughout the long space trip.The young scientists and their teachers were very sad to find that their insect astronauts had all died at some point before the container was returned to the school and opened.The problem did not occur in space, but on the ground after Challenger had landed.The container remained in the desert for nearly a week before the ant colony was removed.The hot, dry desert air dried out the colony's container and the ants died from lack of moisture . The project was termed a success because it did provide useful information.Students will continue their efforts to find out exactly what went wrong.They will try to prevent the same difficulties from recurring on future missions .They don't want to be discouraged either by the death of the ants or by the $10,000 shuttle fare they will have to pay to send the next colony of ants into space. Question: The story is mainly about_. Options: A: Sally Ride's first ride B: space equipment for insects C: a space experiment with ants D: going to school in New Jersey
Ans: C

Ques: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: For the second time in three years, Norway's Robert Sorlie delivered a brave performance to win sled-dog racing's toughest contest--the Iditarod. The 47-year-old firefighter crossed the finish line in Nome, Alaska, at 8:39 a.m. local time Wednesday morning. "It feels good to be here," he declared, after passing the finish line. "I'm ready for breakfast." Frosty temperatures, rough land, and exhaustion couldn't break the musher , who completed the race in 9 days, 18 hours, 39 minutes, and 31 seconds. Runner-up Ed Iten finished 34 minutes later, and defending champ Mitch Seavey finished third. Sorlie took his first lead at the 365-mile mark, but fell into second place halfway through the race. With 500 miles to go, he regained the lead for good. Iditarod officials rewarded Sorlie with a generous prize of $72,066 and a new truck. But even more exciting for the winner was the historic nature of his ride. By winning this year's race, Sorlie joins a best group of mushers, becoming only the sixth person to win the Iditarod more than once. After winning several major long-distance races in Europe, Sorlie made his Iditarod first appearance in 2002, finishing in ninth place. A year later, he returned to take on the Alaskan wilderness once again, and won. Iditarod: A Quick History Since 1973, the world's top competitors have gathered in Alaska to undertake the Iditarod's 1,150-mile trail, which stretches from Anchorage to Nome. The race commemorates a group of courageous mushers and dogs. In 1925, they traveled across part of the Idit trail to deliver serum to save sick children in Nome. Question: How long has the Iditarod been held? Options: A: Only 3 years. B: Over 100 years. C: About 80 years. D: Over 20 years.
Ans: D

Ques: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: I have happy memories of trips to Europe, but my trip to Romania was unique. When I was there as recalled, it was like being in a "James Bond" movie. My husband was born there, but his family sent him to study in Italy. Before he left, his mother told him, "As long as I write in pencil, don't come back. When I write to you in pen, it's safe to return." But she never wrote in pen. My husband lived a poor life in Italy. He applied to go to America, but there was a limit in number and he was rejected. He was accepted by Canada, though, and from Calgary he jumped onto a train to San Francisco. There he stayed --illegally. He became a US citizen when we got married. By then he was a charming European with a Romanian accent and the manners of a prince. With seven years' experience in America, a US passport, and two children later, he felt it was safe to visit Romania. He hadn't seen his mother, two sisters, and two brothers since he was sixteen. We flew to Munich, Germany; picked up the German-made car we had purchased in the States; and drove to Romania via Austria and Hungary. When we reached Bucharest, the capital city of Romania, his family was waiting outside his sister's house to greet us. After a long time of hugging, kissing, and crying, his family also hugged me, the American wife with two young children. They had great interest in me. Few Americans visited Romania at that time, and most Romanians had little chance to travel. I had brought an English-Romanian dictionary with me and managed to communicate, using only nouns, with no verbs. My Romanian improved, and the family's stock of English words increased, but mostly I spoke in broken, New York-accented Romanian. The sisters loved their gifts of skirts and purses, the brothers loved the radios, and the children loved the candy. We made side trips to the Black Sea and enjoyed sightseeing in beautiful mountains. Dining at outdoor cafes to the music of violins was fantastic with fancy flavor, but nothing was as special as family dinners. Romania didn't... Question: The writer's husband became an American citizen through _ . Options: A: experiences B: application C: illegal stay D: marriage
Ans: D

Ques: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Traditional businessmen feel worried that growing ecommerce will reduce their share of the market. According to a survey, 90% of some people's purchases are made on the computer. As they find that by being able to go online and choose the things that they need to choose, and have them delivered right to their doorsteps, they could no longer be bothered with driving, the crowds, the noise of that, and they usually get a better selection. Cornell University Marketing Professor, MeLaughlin says traditional stores can keep their customers by offering goods like clothing, which customers may want to see and try on before purchasing, as well as items that are difficult to ship. He says some traditional stores are also pleasing customers with services that set up or repair computers and electronics. Traditional stores also offer a social experience that some shoppers enjoy. There is still a lot of emotion in the buying decision that takes place. Oftentimes, you need that last sense of "this is exactly what I want" before you part with money. And you can't always get that online. It's a rather cold process. As more and more people have Internet access and smart phones, online commerce is likely to continue its growth here in the United States and in other countries. Question: Traditional businessmen feel upset because _ . Options: A: consumers can get a better selection by shopping online B: growing online sales will cut their share of the market C: people like to have their goods delivered to their house D: more and more people purchase things on the computer
Ans:
B