All across California, honeybees are flying away from their hives and dying. Empty hives are causing a lot of worry about some important food crops. Bees give us a lot more than delicious honey. They are pollinators --they enable plants to produce the fruits and nuts we enjoy by carrying pollen from one plant or flower to the next. The wind pollinates oats, corn, and wheat, but many other plants (like apple and cherry trees and melon vines) depend on insects, bats, and birds. In the U.S., millions and millions of bees kept by human beekeepers fly around doing a lot of this important work for food crops. "Bees are worth protecting because their work adds so much to our diet," says Dr. Jeff Pettis of the Bee Research Laboratory. California's almond crop alone depends on about half the bees in the country. But now the almond crop and many others could be in trouble with so many bees dying. Researchers at government and university labs all over the country are trying to figure out why so many bees are dying. However, bees are hard to study. Most die away from the hive, so researchers don't have dead bodies to examine. And when researchers return to a hive after two weeks, about half the bees they studied on their first visit will be dead, replaced by new ones in the natural life cycle of bees. "It isn't like studying a large animal like a cow that doesn't move around much and is easy to find out in the cow field," says Pettis. Researchers have some ideas about what could be affecting bee health. They could be sick from poisons widely used to kill insects, or they might not be getting enough good food to stay strong. Also, tiny insects called mites feed on bees. "A virus or bacteria could also be doing the killing." explains Pettis. What can we learn from the article? A) A large number of bees have died in the hive. B) Without bees, some foods would disappear from our diet. C) Only researchers in California want to know what kills bees. D) Large animals are easier to study than tiny insects.
B
(Question)
Cherie Blair has attacked "yummy mummies" who focus on raising their children at the expense of their careers, suggesting their children lack a sense of independence. The wife of the then British Prime Minister also accused some young women of seeking to "marry a rich husband and retire" instead of working. Mrs Blair, a QC and mother of four, criticized women who "put all their effort into their children" instead of working. Mothers who go out to work are setting a better example for their children, she said. Some women regard motherhood as an acceptable alternative to a career. Instead, women should strive for both. "Every woman needs to be self-sufficient and in that way you really don't have a choice-for your own satisfaction; you hear these yummy mummies talk about being the best possible mother and they put all their effort into their children. I also want to be the best possible mother, but I know that my job as a mother includes bringing my children up so actually they can live without me." The term "yummy mummy" is generally used to refer to a woman whose husband's wealth allows her to devote herself full-time to her children and her appearance. In fact, despite Mrs Blair's worries about non-working mothers, official statistics show that the proportion of mothers who work has actually risen steadily in recent years. According to the Office for National Statistics, 66 percent of mothers are now in some form of paid work. In 1996, the figure was 61 percent. The number of working mothers is now around 5.3 million, up from 4.5 million in 1996. Speaking to Fortune magazine's Most Powerful Women event in Claridge's, Mrs Blair appeared to accuse some young women of lacking professional ambition, focusing on their prospective partner's career instead of their own. Mrs Blair said her view was informed by her own experience of her father abandoning her mother when she was a child. But she insisted that all women should make sure they can provide for themselves: "Even good men could have an accident or die and... Mrs Blair might support the women who _ . A) try to balance their work and their family life B) try to find rich husbands and make life easier C) sacrifice their own careers to look after their children D) devote most of their time to their careers
(Answer)
A
Ques: One day a teacher was giving her young students a lesson on how the government works . She was trying to explain the principle of income tax . "You see ," she began , speaking slowly and carefully , "each person who works must pay part of his or her salary to the government . If you make a high salary , your taxes are high . If you don't make much money , your taxes are low ." "Is that clear ?" she asked . "Does everyone understand the meaning of income tax ?" The students nodded. "Are there any questions ?" she asked . The students shook their heads . "Very good !" she said . "Now ,I would like you to take a piece of paper and write a short paragraph on the subject of income tax ." Little Joey was a slow learner . He had lots of problems with spelling and grammar , but this time he at least seemed to understand the task . He took his pen and after a few minutes , he handed the teacher the following composition : Once I had a dog . His name was Tax . I opened the door and in come Tax . The students were asked _ . A) to say something about income tax B) to answer some questions on income tax C) to write a composition on "income tax" D) to explain the principle of income tax
Ans: C
As you climb into the hill country, the roads get dustier and rougher, and fewer cars can be seen. Phonxay is one of the poorest districts of Laos, and many of its villages are only accessible by footpath. Our destination this hot morning is a concrete water tank that can be found just off the road. A UK organization helped to build it six years ago, and in the nearby village of Thapho, where clean drinking water is scarce, it has made a big difference. The tank feeds six taps which in turn give water to over 800 people---it has improved things for almost every family, from schoolchildren to grannies. But lately, we were told, the clean water supply has come under pressure from new arrivals, people who have come down from the hill areas, and there are concerns that there will not be enough clean water to go round. There are also serious worries about resources in Laos. The Chinese are building a 400km railway link, which could transform the landlocked country. About 150,000 Chinese workers will be involved. What will this do to local clean water supplies? How will the workers be fed? The vast majority of Laotians live on farms. But with foreign investors wanting to buy up land, local people will have to be moved to make room for them. Heavily dependent on both foreign aid and foreign investment, Laos still falls well behind its neighbours, although its economy has grown at about 6% a year in the last decade. Its biggest economic problem is the lack of locally trained skilled workforce. But there are reasons to be hopeful for the future. Laos is beautiful, and foreign tourism continues to grow: fortunately so far the fast-food chains and coffee bars common elsewhere are nowhere to be seen. Although all local media are government-run, the Internet is not controlled and the BBC and CNN are available to those with satellite dishes. The government has also achieved impressive results in rural development, with communities benefiting not just from cleaner water but the construction of new schools and regular visits... What is the best title for the passage? A) Laos: slow-developing nations B) Laos: small steps forward C) Laos: least-developed land D) Laos: landlocked country
B