Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: A Narrow Escape Shortly after the war, my brother and I were invited to spend a few days' holiday with an uncle who had just returned from abroad. He had rented a cottage in the country, although he hardly spent much time there. We understood the reason for this after our arrival: the cottage had no comfortable furniture in it. Many of the windows were broken and the roof leaked , making the whole house wet. On our first evening, we sat around the fire after supper listening to the stories our uncle told of his many adventures in distant countries. I was so tired after the long train journey that I would have preferred to go to bed; but I could not bear to miss any of my uncle's exciting stories, He was just in the middle of describing a rather terrifying experience he had once had when there was a loud crash from the bedroom above, the one where my brother and I were going to sleep. When we got to the top of the stairs and opened the bedroom door, a strange sight met our eyes. A large part of the ceiling had fallen right on to the pillow of my bed. Question: The uncle disliked the rented cottage for the reason that _ . Options: A: there were no beds in it B: the windows were broken and the roof leaked C: it was too old for him to live in D: it was very rainy in the area
A: B

Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: In Western countries people have been using the installment plan since the first half of the twentieth century. Today, a large number of families in Great Britain buy furniture, household goods and cars by installments .In the U.S., the figure is much higher than in Great Britain, and people there spend over 10 percent of their income on the installment plan. The price of an article bought on installments is always higher than the price that would be paid by cash. There is a charge for interest. The buyers pays one quarter or one third of the price as a down payment when the goods are delivered to him. He then makes regular payments, weekly or monthly, until the full price is paid up. The legal ownership of the goods remains with the seller until the final payment has been made. Installment buying has advantages and disadvantages. It can help couples with small incomes to furnish their homes and start housekeeping, It increases the demand for goods, and in this way helps business and employment. There is ,however, the danger that when business is bad, installment buying may end suddenly, making business much worse. This may result in a great increase in unemployment. If the people on the installment plan lose their jobs, they will probably not be able to make their payments. If great numbers of people are not able to pay their installment debts there is a possibility that businessmen cannot collect their debts and will therefore lose money. If businessmen lose money or fail to make a satisfactory profit, it becomes more likely to have a depression. This is why, in some countries, the government controls the installment plan by fixing the amount of the down payment to discourage people from buying more than they can pay for on the installment plan. Question: The advantages of installment buying might include all the followings EXCEPT that _ . Options: A: purchasing power is strengthened B: Employment might be increased C: People develop a good habit of saving money D: Young couples are able to furnish their homes
A: C

Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: A simple piece of clothesline hangs between some environmentally friendly Americans and their neighbors. On one side stand those who see clothes dryers as a waste of energy and a major polluter of the environment.As a result, they are turning to clotheslines as part of the "what-I-can-do environmentalism." On the other side are people who are against drying clothes outside, arguing that clotheslines are unpleasant to look at.They have persuaded Homeowners Associations (HOAs) access the U.S.to ban outdoor clotheslines, because clothesline drying also tends to lower home value in the neighborhood. This has led to a Right-to-Dry Movement that is calling for laws to be passed to protect people's right to use clotheslines.So far, only three states have laws to protect clothesline.Right-to-Dry supporters argue that there should be more. Matt Reck, 37, is the kind of eco-conscious person who feeds his trees with bathwater and reuses water drops from his air conditioners to water plants.His family also uses a clothesline.But on July 9, 2007, the HOA in Wake Forest, North Carolina, told him that a dissatisfied neighbor had telephoned them about his clothesline.The Recks paid no attention to the warning and still dried their clothes on a line in the yard."Many people say they are environmentally friendly but they don't take matters into their own hands," says Reck.The local HOA has decided not to take any action, unless more neighbors come to them. North Carolina lawmakers are saying that banning clotheslines is not the right thing to do.But HOAs and housing businesses believe that clothesline drying reminds people of poor neighborhoods.They worry that if buyers think their future neighbors can't even afford dryers, housing prices will fall. Environmentalists say such worries are not necessary, and in view of global warming, that idea needs to change.As they say, "The clothesline is beautiful.Hanging clothes outside should be encouraged.We all have to do at least something to slow down the process of global warming." Question: What is mainly discussed in the text? Options: A: Clothesline drying: a way to save energy and money. B: Clothesline drying: a lost art rediscovered. C: Opposite opinions on clothesline drying. D: Different varieties of clotheslines.
A: C

Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: James knew the decision was not going to be an easy one to make as he sat on the hill near the small town that he lived in. There was no one he could turn to for advice. His only sister lived away and he hardly ever saw her and when his sister came over, they always ended up in an argument. It had been a hot day and James's clothes seemed to stick to his body. He had felt terrible for weeks and he was just tired of feeling sick. He had started vomiting after he would eat anything and he knew that something would have to be done. After going to the doctor, he was told to come back in a few days. The next three days had gone by slowly and it was time for his visit to the doctor. He had been shown into the doctor's office and James knew it was bad news. The end result was he had stomach cancer. James sat on the hill looking down at the town and wonder what he would do. Taking out his phone, he dialed his sister's number and told her the bad news. She started to cry and said, "If anything happens to you, I will be alone in this world." Marie, his sister said, "You are moving up here and you will live with me until you get back on your feet, so go home, pack up and I will be there to get you in two days." He smiled and said, " _ sounds wonderful, but I still haven't decided if I am going to have the surgery or not?" Hearing this, she softly whispered, "Of course you are having the surgery. I will pick you up in two days. I love you." James knew the final word was still up to him and he would think about it because this was a decision that wouldn't come easy to him. Question: From the very beginning, we know that James _ . Options: A: used to sit on the hill when in trouble B: lived alone and seldom met others C: didn't get along well with Marie D: never made a decision by himself
A: C