*Question*
Looking for some inspiration or the "write" kind of ideas for your creative stories? To start with, some writers describe winter by using their five senses or their imagination. Others write on their favorite winter activity. Whatever you choose to write about, working on a winter story can always help to improve your writing skills. Now read the following story and see if it helps get rid of any icy writing block you' ve been struggling with. A Winter Adventure Beep, beep. Beep-beep: the alarm clock rang. Slowly, I got out of warm bed down onto the wooden floor which the winter had thrown its cold upon. The bitter cold temperature penetrated my socks and I hurried to put my feet in shoes. Looking out of the window, I watched the white snow, soft and thick, drop onto rooftops and trees. Half an hour later, finishing the last of my hot chocolate, I prepared to enter the _ that waited for me outside. I buttoned my jacket and fastened my boots. Hat on, I opened the door and was greeted by the winter coldness. In the depths of winter, the early morning did not have the rush of the rest of the year. Most of my neighbours were put off by the cold, and stayed in bed until the sun had climbed higher into the sky. Unseen by those who remained locked inside their homes, warm in their beds, I enjoyed being alone with the beauty of the wintertime. Those indoors were unable to appreciate the snow-scapes, ice crystals, frost and the crisp breeze. For them, the coming of winter meant just the arrival of the cold. Appreciation depends on contrasts. One cannot love the warmth of April if one has not known the freezing cold of winter. Later that year, the heat of the sun on my skin would be all the more wonderful for my memories of that cold morning and others like it. According to the story A Winter Adventure, most of the neighbours _ . A) didn't work in winter B) stayed up late in winter C) missed the beauty of winter D) enjoyed the seasons except winter
**Answer**
C

*Question*
We all love festivals. But since culture develops differently in many places, some festivals are, to us, very strange. Let's take a look at some unique festivals around the world. Cheese Rolling Festival (England) The festival started in the 15thcentury in May. When a round cheese is rolled, competitors run down the hill and try to catch it before it reaches the bottom. As the cheese can reach speeds of up to 112 km/h, it's rare that someone catches the cheese. First to the bottom wins the cheese. But running down a very steep hill behind a cheese can be dangerous. Eight people were injured in 1992. Roswell UFO festival (New Mexico, US) The Roswell UFO festival celebrates the anniversary of the "Roswell Incident", when a UFO was said to have crashed nearby. Every year in July, experts, authors, researches and lecturers come to discuss the incident. The celebration also includes an alien parade, an alien costume contest, and an alien hot air balloon ride. Hemingway Days (Florida, US) This festival has normal stuff (,) like short-story readings and exhibits about the author. But the highlight of the festival is definitely the Hemingway look alike contest. Imagine walking into a bar and being greeted by 20 middle-aged men who all look alike: stocky with thick white beards. The festival takes place in mid-July every year. Which of the following is right according to the passage? A) All the three festivals are celebrated in America. B) It's common that someone catches the cheese in Cheese Rolling Festival. C) It's said that a UFO once crashed in New Mexico, US. D) In Hemingway Days, you'll see 20 old or young Hemingways
**Answer**
C

*Question*
A scientist working at her lab bench and a six-old baby playing with his food might seem to have little in common.After all,the scientist is engaged in serious research to uncover the very nature of the physical world,and the baby is,well, just playing...right?Perhaps,but some developmental psychologists have argued that this"play"is more like a scientific investigation than one might think. Take a closer look at the baby playing at the table.Each time the bowl of rice is pushed over the table edge,it falls in the ground---and, in the process, it belongs out important evidence about how physical objects interact ; bowls of rice do not flood in mid-sit, but require support to remain stable. It is likely that babies are not born knowing the basic fact of the universe; nor are they ever clearly taught it. Instead, babies may form an understanding of object support through repeated experiments and then build on this knowledge to learn even more about how objects interact. Though their ranges and tools differ, the baby's investigation and the scientist's experiment appear to share the same aim(to learn about the natural world ), overall approach (gathering direct evidence from the world), and logic (are my observations what I expected?). Some psychologists suggest that young children learn about more than just the physical world in this way---that they investigate human psychology and the rules of language using similar means. For example, it may only be through repeated experiments, evidence gathering, and finally overturning a theory, that a baby will come to accept the idea that other people can have different views and desires from what he or she has, for example, unlike the child , Mommy actually doesn't like Dove chocolate. Viewing childhood development as a scientific investigation throws on how children learn ,but it also offers an inspiring look at science and scientists. Why do young children and scientists seem to be so much alike? Psychologists have suggested that science as an effort ---the desire... What is the author's tone when he discusses the connection between scientists' research and babies' play? A) Convincing. B) Confused. C) Confidence. D) Cautious.
**Answer**
D

*Question*
Recently, some concerns have been raised about the health of the world's banana plants. Many media reports have said that bananas may completely disappear in the coming ten years. Bananas are one of the world's most important food crops. They are also the fourth most valuable export. Bananas do not grow from seeds. Instead, they grow from existing plants. Bananas are threatened by disease because all the plants on a farm are copies of each other. They all share the same genetic weaknesses. For example, the Cavendish banana is most popular in American markets. It is an important export crop. However, some kinds of fungus organisms easily infect the Cavendish. Black Sigatoka disease affects the leaves of Cavendish banana plants. The disease is controlled on large farms by putting chemicals on the plant's leaves. Farmers put anti-fungal chemicals on their crops up to once a week. Another fungal disease is more serious. Panama disease attacks the roots of the banana plant. There is no chemical treatment for this disease. Infected plants must be destroyed. Panama disease has affected crops in Southeast Asia, Australia and South Africa. There is concern that it may spread to bananas grown in the Americas. This could threaten an important export product for Central and South America. The International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain, whose headquarter lies in France, supports research on bananas. The group says that more research must be done to develop improved kinds of bananas. The group says that fungal diseases mainly affect only one kind of banana. In fact, there are five-hundred different kinds of bananas. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says the Cavendish banana represents only ten percent of world production. The UN agency says farmers should grow different kinds of bananas. This protects against diseases that affect only one kind. Experts warn that disease may cause the Cavendish banana to disappear. This has already happened to one popular banana because of its... Bananas are threatened by diseases because _ . A) they have genetic weaknesses against disease. B) they are one of the most valuable exports. C) the only way to prevent it is to put chemicals on their leaves. D) they grow from the seed
**Answer**
A