Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: When Charles Stratton was five, he stopped growing. His mother took him to see the famous showman, P.T.Barmum. Mr Barmum thought a small person would be the perfect addition to his show. He hired Charles' parents along with him, and they traveled the world together. He gave the two-foot-tall Charles a name, General Tom Thumb. He taught Tom how to sing, dance, act, and tell jokes. When he felt Tom was ready to perform on stage, he made up ads. To stir up great interest, he said that Tom was eleven years old and had come from England. During the show, Tom fought battles pretendedly with tall people. He also danced upon a wooden plate held by a person who was eight feet tall. Tom's act was very popular and brought in a lot of money. By the time Tom was an adult, he had grown very rich. He had become a billionaire at the age of twenty-five. Fortunately for Tom, Mr. Barmum added more little people to his show, and Tom became lucky in love as well. One of the little people was Lavinia Warren, a school teacher. Tom was able to win her love, and they married. The ceremony and reception were _ They were attended by many rich and famous people and by about two thousand guests. Crowds filled the streets ofprefix = st1 /New Yorkto have a look at their tiny wedding carriage. The couple even met with President Abraham Lincoln on their honeymoon just before going to live in Tom's house inConnecticut. Their wedding, which took place during the Civil War, provided a welcome escape from the sad problems of war. Not willing to let this bit of sunshine fade , communities throughout the country sponsored "Tom Thumb"weddings. In these weddings, small boys and girls, all dressed up, went through marriage ceremonies for fun. Question: "The talk of the town"means _ . Options: A: it was in the newspaper B: people spread mean rumors about it C: it was the most popular thing happening D: it was discussed in a city meeting
A: C

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: They sit by the door waiting for me. And while I may speak more about the narrowness of my very limited life than their real worth, just the fact that they're sitting there, waiting for me, makes me happy. I speak, of course, of my wonderful, brilliant, intelligently designed, calf-high rubber boots. They are a piece of industrial genius . They are real and vibrant , and make my life more worth living. My rubber boots are real and they do not fail me. I slip them on over my socks at a moment's notice. They go on easily. My feet feel joyful like the wagging tail of a dog waiting for its walk. My feet know they are safe. I step outside the house and nothing can stop me--the late season snowstorm, the pool of standing water at the bottom of my doorsteps that will never give off, the mud and dirt this season brings. My feet are warm and dry and happy. And so am I. My boots are modest. They make no promise they can't keep. I found them at one-third the price of the long boots I looked at longingly for years. Mine are American-made and inexpensive and unattractive and brown and solid. They are now three years old and still look new. I know I will have them forever. I will die with them on. They are homely and they are wonderful. My rubber boots make me braver and kinder and more generous. Yes, I will get the mail. Yes, I will get the newspaper. Yes, I will walk the dog. Yes to the garbage. Yes. Yes. Yes. I have rubber boots, good strong rubber boots--and I am not afraid. Question: We can infer from the passage that _ . Options: A: the writer has a small life circle B: it must be very cold in winter where the writer lives C: the writer enjoys the dog wagging its tail D: the boots are designed by an industrial talent
A: B

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: I was late on my first day of high school. My next class, Spanish, scared me. As the second bell rang in the hallway, I ran to the door of the classroom. At the door, a hand reached out and shook mine firmly. I looked up. A man smiled and introduced himself as Profe, which means teacher or professor in Spanish. Right away, his warm smile and welcoming words eased my fears. I enjoyed his classes a great deal because I learned more than just Spanish. I admit I only speak a little Spanish. But I try to live out the life lessons I learned from Profe every day. "Everyone is worth your time. " Profe stood outside his classroom door every day before and after class. During lunch, his room was always filled with students. He would stay after school to listen to and chat with students. He taught me that every person is special. "Don't fear the difficulties." One time, I ran into his class crying. My friends had _ me, and I wasn't even sure why they always left me alone. Profe told me, "Linda, life gives you ashes . But learning its lessons will turn those ashes to jewels. The hard stuff will help you become a better person." I learned to look at my troubles differently because I know I'll grow in difficult times. A year ago. I visited my old high school hoping to see Profe. But he had retired. My high school helped me contact him. Now we stay in touch through e-mail. The author William Arthur Ward wrote: "The ordinary teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher shows. The great teacher inspires. " Thank you, Profe, for inspiring me. Question: Which of the following is NOT true? Options: A: The writer could speak very good Spanish. B: Profe spent a lot of time with his students. C: The writer enjoyed Profe's classes very much. D: Profe and the writer stay in touch through e-mail now.
A: A

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: A new generation addiction is quickly spreading all over the world. Weboholism , a twentieth century disease, affects people from different ages. They surf the net, use e-mail and speak in chat rooms. They spend many hours on the computer, and it becomes a compulsive habit. They cannot stop, and it affects their lives. Ten years ago, no one thought that using computers could become compulsive behavior that could affect the social and physical life of computer users. This _ behavior has affected teenagers and college students. They are likely to log on computers and spend long hours at different websites. They become hooked on computers and gradually their social and school life is affected by this situation. They spend all free time surfing and don't concentrate on homework, so this addiction influences their grades and success at schools. Because they can find everything on the websites, they hang out there. Moreover, this addiction to websites influences their social life. They spend more time in front of computers than with their friends. The relation with their friends changes. The virtual life becomes more important than their real life. They have a new language that they speak in the chat rooms and it causes cultural changes in society. Because of the change in their behavior, they begin to isolate( themselves from the society and live with their virtual friends. They share their emotions and feelings with friends who they have never met in their life. Although they feel confident on the computer, they are not confident with real live friends they have known all their life. It is a problem for the future. This addictive behavior is beginning to affect the whole world. Question: Which of the following is NOT true of weboholism? Options: A: It contributes to the development of the web. B: The chat room language may change social culture. C: The problem will be getting more and more serious later. D: People addicted to the web often become inactive in real life.
A: A