The flag, the most common symbol of a nation in the modern world, is also one of the most ancient. With a clear symbolic meaning, the flag in the traditional form is still used today to mark buildings, ships and other vehicles related to a country. The national flag as we know it today is in no way a primitive artifact. It is, rather, the product of thousands of years' development. Historians believe that it had two major ancestors, of which the earlier served to show wind direction. Early human beings used very fragile houses and boats. Often strong winds would tear roofs from houses or cause high waves that endangered travelers. People's food supplies were similarly _ . Even after they had learned how to plant grains, they still needed help from nature to ensure good harvests. Therefore they feared and depended on the power of the wind, which could bring warmth from one direction and cold from another. Using a simple piece of cloth tied to the top of a post to tell the direction of the wind was more dependable than earlier methods, such as watching the rising of smoke from a fire. The connection of the flag with heavenly power was therefore reasonable. Early human societies began to fix long pieces of cloth to the tops of totems before carrying them into battle. They believed that the power of the wind would be added to the good wishes of the gods and ancestors represented by the totems themselves. These flags developed very slowly into modern flags. The first known flag of a nation or a ruler was unmarked. The king of China around 1000 B.C. was known to have a white flag carried ahead of him. This practice might have been learned from Egyptians even further in the past, but it was from China that it spread over trade routes through India, then across Arab lands, and finally to Europe, where it met up with the other ancestor of the national flag. The best title for the passage would be " _ ". A) Development of the National Flag B) Power of the National Flag C) Types of Flags D) Uses of Flags
A
Nobody is sure where and when the expression "apple-pie order" began. Some say that Scottish and English writers used the expression a long time ago. Others say it was first used in the northeastern American states known as New England. The housewives of New England cut their apples in even slices. Then they filled pie pans with them in an organized way, row upon row. As one writer said, the women of New England loved to have everything in its place. This perhaps explains why it generally is believed that the expression "apple-pie order" began in New England. Another old expression, "apple of discord", comes from ancient mythology ,however. The myth says that all the gods and goddesses were sitting around the table tocelebrate the marriage of Thetis and Peleus. One of the goddesses-Discord-was a troublemaker. She threw away a golden apple on the table to be given as a prize to the most beautiful goddess. At one time, the tomato was called a love apple. That was a mistake. This is how the mistake happened: In the sixteenth century, Spain brought the tomato from South America after Spanish explorers had landed there. Spain then sold the tomato to Morocco. Italian traders carried it on to Italy. The Italian name for the tomato was "pomo di Moro"-apple of the Moors. When French growers brought it in from Italy, they thought "di Moro" meant"d'amour"-the French word for love. And so "pomo di Moro" became the apple of love. People believe many things about the apple. One belief is that it has great power of keeping people healthy. A very common expression is "an apple a day keeps the doctor away. " Another belief is based on fact. The expression is "one rotten apple spoils the barrel. "When an apple begins to go bad, it ruins all the other apples around it in the container. The expression has come to mean that one bad person in a group can cause everyone to act bad. What's the meaning of "apple of discord"? A) Cause of disagreement. B) Everything in good order. C) Everything in agreement. D) Situation of danger.
A
Q: John sent his mother expensive presents on his mother's birthday every year. He liked to show her how rich he was. "I must find something wonderful for her, and it must be the only one in the whole world. Then my mother must be very happy." John thought. He advertised in the newspapers. "Wanted--the best present for the woman who has everything. " For many days his telephone did not stop ringing. People phoned him from all over the world. They wanted to sell him "the best present". But they did not have anything that was the only one in the whole world. Then less than a week before his mother's birthday, a man came to his office. He was carrying a cage, and in the cage there was a large bird. "This bird, "the man said, "can speak ten languages and sing any pop song. There is no other bird like it in the world. " "I will listen to it, "John said. "If what you said is true, I will buy the bird from you." The man spoke to the bird. "Talk to me in French, " he said. The bird spoke to him in French. "Tell me a joke in Japanese, " he said. The bird told him a joke in Japanese. "Sing a famous pop song, "he said. The bird sang a famous pop song. "I'll buy it, "John said. "How much do you want?" "One hundred thousand dollars, "the man said. This was a lot of money but John paid him. Then he sent the bird to his mother with a birthday card. The day after his mother's birthday he phoned her. "Well, mother, "he said, "Is the bird wonderful?" "Oh, it was delicious, dear, "she said. Why did John send her mother expensive presents for her birthday every year? A) Because he loved his mother very much. B) Because his mother needed these presents. C) Because he wanted to show he had a lot of money. D) Because he was the richest man in the world.
A: C
(Question)
In the frozen continent of Antarctica scientists fear an alien invasion -- not from outer space, but carried in people's pockets and bags. Seeds and plants accidentally brought to Antarctica by tourists and scientists may introduce alien plant species which could threaten the survival of native plants in the finely balanced ecosystem. "The people that were carrying the most had lots and lots of seeds. They really were real threats," said Dana Bergstrom, from the Australian Antarctic Division. "When we take things in through hitchhiking then we get species which are competitive. The plants and animals there are not necessarily competitive, so we'd start losing various precious biodiversity on the (Antarctic) continent", Bergstrom told Reuters. Amongst the alien species discovered were the Iceland Poppy, and Annual Winter Grass -- all from cold climates and capable of growing in Antarctica. The Antarctic Peninsula, where most tourists travel, is now considered a "hot spot" on the frozen continent and the warmer the climate, the easier for seeds to grow. "The peninsula is warming at some of the greatest rates on the planet," said Bergstrom. The study, the first continent-wide assessment of invasive species in Antarctica, surveyed about 1,000 passengers during 2007-2008, the first year of the International Polar Year, an international effort to research the polar areas. Bergstrom said the one alien seed that had gained a foothold is Annual Winter Grass. It is a strong weed in the sub-Antarctic and is on the Antarctic island of King George. It has also made its way to the tail part of the Antarctic continent. What is the purpose of writing the passage? A) To introduce the native environment of Antarctica. B) To warn people of the danger of alien plant seeds to Antarctica. C) To explain the relationship between plants and climate. D) To give visitors some tips on how to explore Antarctica.
(Answer)
B