President Barack Obama has complained about the loss of privacy that comes with being leader of the United States, regretting the loss of simple pleasures such as a long walk or a trip to the car wash or supermarket. "I just miss - I miss being unknown," he said. "I miss Saturday morning, rolling out of bed, not shaving, getting into my car with my girls, driving to the supermarket, squeezing the fruit, getting my car washed, taking walks. I can't take a walk." His dream, he said, was to "go through Central Park and watch folks passing by ... spend the day watching people - I miss that". Faced with criticism for playing more golf than most previous occupants of the White House, he explained that the sport was simply the best way of getting relaxed. " _ 's the only excuse I have to get outside for four hours," he toldHearstmagazines. Though he said he enjoyed his life in the White House, he felt disillusioned(,) with the some of the ways of Washington, which he has failed to change, such as the "kabuki dance " among political parties before serious policy discussions begin. His comments may be seen as excuse by critics who have accused him of appearing too detached , and being slow to engage in important issues such as Libya and the near shutdown of the US government last week. Since arriving at the White House in January 2009, Mr Obama has already racked up 60 rounds of golf in office, more than George W Bush did in his eight years. In terms of ability,Golf Digestmagazine has ranked Mr Obama eighth out of the 18 presidents who played the game since it became established in the early 20th century. What is the best title of the passage? A) Obama complains about lack of privacy as president B) Obama can't live a normal life C) Obama is often criticized D) Obama likes to play golf
A
Back in the fifteenth century, in a tiny village near Nuremberg, lived a family with eighteen children.In spite of the hopeless condition, two of the children, Albrecht Durer and Albert, had a dream.They both wanted to pursue their talent for art.After many long discussions, the two boys finally worked out an agreement.They would toss a coin.The loser would go down into the nearby mines and, with his earnings, support his brother who attended the academy.Then, when that brother who won the toss completed his studies, in four years, he would support the other brother at the academy. Tossing a coin, Albrecht Durer won and went off to Nuremberg.Albert went down into the dangerous mines and, for the next four years, supported his brother, _ work at the academy was almost an immediate sensation .By the time he graduated, he had earned considerable fees for his outstanding works. When the young artist returned to his village, the Durer family held a festive dinner to celebrate Albrecht's triumphant homecoming.Albrecht drank a toast to his beloved brother for the years of sacrifice that had enabled him to complete his dream."And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now it is your turn.Now you can go to Nuremberg to look for your dream, and I will take care of you." Tears streaming down his pale face, Albert sobbed, "No...no...It is too late for me.Look...look at what four years in the mines have done to my hands!The bones in every finger have been broken at least once, and lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast, much less draw delicate lines with a pen or a brush." To show thanks to Albert for all that he had sacrificed, Albrecht Durer painstakingly drew his brother's injured hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward.He called his powerful drawing simply "Hands", but the entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and renamed it "The Praying Hands".The next time you see a copy of... Why did the two brothers work out the agreement? A) They were so curious as to make a joke. B) Their family couldn't afford the academy. C) One of the brothers was supposed to go into mines. D) They wanted to support the other sisters and brothers.
B
Q: Often a nickname is a shortened form of a person's name, and it can also be a descriptive name for a place or a thing. Many American cities have nicknames. These can help build up an identity, spread pride among citizens and build their unity. Nicknames can also be funny. Los Angeles, California is the second largest city in population, after New York City. Los Angeles has several nicknames. One is simply the city's initials, L.A. It is also called the City of Angels because Los Angeles means "the angels" in Spanish. Los Angeles often has warm, sunny weather. So another nickname is City of Flowers and Sunshine. New York is called The Big Apple. So Los Angeles is sometimes called The Big Orange because of the fruit that grows in that city's warm climate. The American movie and television industries are based in Los Angeles. So it is not surprising that it is called The Entertainment Capital of the World. Many films are made in the area of Los Angeles called Hollywood. Millions of people visit the area. _ Many movie stars live in Los Angeles. The city is sometimes called Tinseltown. This nickname comes from the shiny, bright and often unreal nature of Hollywood and the movie industry. Another nickname for Los Angeles is La-La Land, using the first letters of Los and Angeles. This means a place that is fun and not serious, and maybe even out of touch with reality. A good place for watching unusual-looking people is Venice, an area on the west side of Los Angeles. A system of waterways designed after the Italian city of Venice has been built there. Many people love Los Angeles for its warm sunny weather, beautiful mountains and beaches, and movie stars. That includes Randy Newman, who sings about his hometown. On the whole, Los Angeles is growing attractive just for its rich nicknames. What's the number of the nicknames given to Los Angeles? A) 5 B) 4 C) 7 D) 6
A: C
(Question)
Geniuses amaze us,impress us and make us all a little jealous. How do they differ from the average person?Scientists are working hard to figure out that answer. Tune in to the National Geographic Channel to find out about the discoveries they're making in the series My Brilliant Brain. When Marc Yu was only two years old,he began to play the piano. After a year, he started learning pieces by Beethoven. Now he's a world-famous concert pianist at age eight. He learns newer and more difficult pieces with ease and can identify any note he hears. He seems to be specially designed for music. In Born Genius, National Geographic looks at the science behind child prodigies to explain why some children seem to be born without limits. _ His came only after he nearly died from bleeding in his brain. After recovering, McHugh's head was filled with new thoughts and picture. So, he began to express them in the form of poetry and art. Now, he's a seemingly unstoppable creative machine. Suffers of brain injury have shown that great mental ability can sometimes come from damage or disease. Accidental Genius explores this puzzling relationship. Can normal people be trained to be geniuses? Susan Polger has shown no sign of extraordinary intelligence. Yet, during her childhood, she studied thousands of chess patterns and learned to recognize them immediately. As a result, she was able to beat skilled adult players by age 10 and can now play up to five games at the same time without even seeing the boards. Make Me a Genius examines what is takes to turn an ordinary brain into that of a genius. If becoming a genius were easy, we'd all be done. Yet, there is much more to super intelligence than simply being born lucky. Learn more about amazing brains this month on National Geographic's My Brilliant Brain. The writer provides different examples to _ . A) show how people can be geniuses. B) show becoming a genius is easy. C) show geniuses are common. D) show people know how to explain geniuses.
(Answer)
A