*Question*
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Scores on a national test released on November 1 show that students in the U.S.A. have improved in math over the last two years, but mostly stayed the same in reading. This year, 422,000 fourth graders and 343,000 eighth graders took the exams between January and March. Students were asked to read grade-appropriate materials and answer questions for the reading test. For the math test, students answered questions about geometry, algebra, number properties, measurement and other topics. The U.S Department of Education released the scores in a report called The Nation's Report Card (NAEP). This year, students earned the highest scores ever recorded on the math exam, which has been given since 1990.Fourth graders scored an average of 241.That is a one-point increase from 2009and a 28-point increase from 1990. Eighth graders made similar progress. Then average score this year was 284,up one point from 2009 and 21 points from 1990. In reading, fourth graders scored an average of 221 points, the same average score since 2007.That score is four points above those from 1992, when the first reading test was given. Eighth graders scored an average of 265 points, up one point from 2009 and five points from 1992. Education experts say reading is a harder subject to improve in the classroom than math. While math is largely learned in classrooms, reading results depend on how much kids read outside of school and how much they read in other subjects, such as history and science. On the NAEP, math scores were the highest among students who have limited use of calculators during math lessons, compared with students who have unlimited use or no use. Reading scores were the highest among students who said they read for fun on their own time almost every day. Question: In 1990, the fourth graders' average score on the math exam was about _ Options: A: 238 B: 240 C: 213 D: 220
**Answer**
C

*Question*
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: A new plan for getting children to and from school is being started by the education authorities in part of Eastern England. This could end the worries of many parents fearful for their children's safety on the roads. Until now the Country Council has only been prepared to provide bus services for children living more than three miles from their school, or sometimes less if special reasons existed. Now it has been decided that if a group of parents ask for help in organizing transport they will be prepared to go ahead, provided the arrangement will not lose money and that children taking part will be attending their nearest school. The new scheme is to be tried out this term for children living at Milton who attend Impington school. The children live just within the three-mile limit and the Council has said in the past it will not undertake to provide free transport to the school. But now they have agreed to organize a bus service from Milton to Impington and back, a plan which has the support of the school's headmaster. Between 50 and 60 parents have said they would like their children to take part. Final calculations have still to be carried out, but a council official has said the cost to parents should be less than PS6. 50 a term. They have been able to arrange the service at a low cost because there is already an agreement with the bus company for a bus to take children who live further away to Impington. The same bus would now just make an extra journey to pick up the Milton children. The official said they would get in touch with other groups of parents who in the past had asked if transport could be provided for their children, to see if they would like to take part in the new scheme. Question: The new bus service will run _ . Options: A: on morning journeys to school only B: in connection with an existing service C: only for children living more than three miles away D: only in wet weather
**Answer**
B

*Question*
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Sixty-five million years ago, an asteroid that crashed on Earth led to the disappearance of the largest animals that have ever walked our planet - the dinosaurs. At least, this is what some scientists believe. But that accident happened so long ago. People have come to believe that we are free of threats from asteroids and everything else from space. However, what happened on Feb 15 , 2013 was a reminder that we're just as _ as the dinosaurs once were. Two objects from space - a meteor and an asteroid called 2012 DA14 - visited Earth's atmosphere on the same day. The former fell in Russia, injuring 1,200 people, while the latter passed by Earth at a record-setting close distance. Scientists had been expecting the asteroid since last year, but the meteor was a surprise. NASA's telescope system only detects asteroids at least 50 meters in diameter , which is just about the size of 2012 DA14. But the meteor was much smaller, which made it harder to spot. But what if we do spot an asteroid that is headed right for Earth? There are several possible ways in which dangerous asteroids could be made to change its orbit. Which method is best depends on several factors and most importantly - how much time we have to stop it. If there is enough time before the hit, we can send off a heavy spacecraft to travel alongside the asteroid. The gravity from the spacecraft would gradually change the rock's orbit. Besides that, scientists could one day use sun-powered lasers to either make asteroids disappear or change their course. If there's not enough time, we'll have to go after the asteroid with a spacecraft and change its orbit with a crash. Finally, if things are truly desperate, there will be only one choice left - to use a nuclear bomb. That could turn the asteroid into a meteor shower, which would be even more dangerous. Question: Which of the following statements is TRUE about the meteor that fell to the Earth in Russia? Options: A: It passed by the Earth at a close distance. B: It was spotted by NASA's telescope system a year ago. C: It is about the same size as the asteroid that passed by the Earth. D: It fell to the Earth and caused great damage to the local community.
**Answer**
D