I was 230 pounds this spring and I decided to get down to a healthier 200.In a house full of food,including snacks bought for my 7yearold sons,I had a hard time cutting calories. Then I noticed my neighbors were having diet meals .I decided to do the same,knowing I would never be able to stick to a diet if I had to do the buying and cooking myself. I was looking for food that I could afford but I might take a diet more seriously if it hurt me in the wallet. After online searches,I decided to compare the offerings of four companies:Zone Manhattan,Chefs Diet,NuKitchen and eDiets. All four would send the meals to my door. Three send food daily,while eDiets sends a large package once a week. There were dozens of companies I could have chosen.Research suggests that the economic crisis has made diet programs less _ .Consumers prefer doityourself diets with foods bought from the supermarket. NuKitchen regards itself as the "personal chef".I ordered the fiveday plan ($230.53) and the taste was disappointing. I neither lost nor gained weight on the food. eDiets promises "healthy,delicious meals sent to your door".I ordered five breakfasts,five lunches and five dinners. My total cost was $119.70,or less than $25 a day. Overall,the food from eDiets was better than that from NuKitchen. Chefs Diet charged $380.99 for seven days,making it the most expensive of the four services.I never tasted anything terrible,but I never tasted anything that made me want to renew for a second week. Zone Manhattan charged $349.80,with tax,for a week's supply of food,or about $50 a day.I liked the food so much that I lost six pounds in the first four days on the diet. Which of the four companies' food cost the least daily? A) Zone Manhattan's. B) Chefs Diet's. C) NuKitchen's. D) eDiets'.
D
(Question)
Are you a bookworm? Is your head stuck in a book for long? If so,that's a good thing.There are many benefits to reading.Getting into a good novel improves our literacy .But who or what encourages us to pick up a book and start reading? Of course,when we are young,our parents and teachers inspire us by introducing us to characters that we love--or love to hate.And there are the authors--the people who invent and write about these characters.Good writing can really catch our imagination. One modern-day children's author is J.K.Rowling,who's known for her books about the wizard,Harry Potter.Last year she was named as a'literacy hero'for her part in improving people's love of reading.The UK's National Literacy Trust awarded her the title for"turning a generation of children into readers." The Trust also honoured schoolchildren,a librarian and teachers for their effort in trying to get people to read.The actor, Henry Winkler, who has dyslexia ,was also named for the books he has written about a boy with learning difficulties. Reading books is more than an enjoyable pastime;it can also help people in difficult circumstances.The author Pat Winslow worked as a writer in prisons and found reading and discussing stories helped prisoners reflect on their patterns of behaviour.She says"Very often we would have discussions about the moral compass of a character, what was the motivation of somebody, why did they behave that way?" Today I like to read factual books such as biographies,where you get an insight into the lives of important and well-known people.I also enjoy looking at travel books and learning about journeys and new destinations.It's a good substitute if you can't visit in person. But the main benefit of reading is the improvement it brings to our literacy.The more we do it,the better we get and who knows--one day you may become the next Tolstoy,Jackie Collins or even William Shakespeare. For what purpose does the author like to read factual books? A) Because they are more interesting. B) Because they supply inspirations for life. C) Because they help people save a lot of money. D) Because they completely take the place of personal travel.
(Answer)
B
Ques: In 1974, the price of petrol in Britain rose by 120 percent; cars became expensive to run and train and bus fares increased. People who hadn't used a bicycle since they were children decided that they would buy bicycles.They discovered that cycling could be enjoyable and cheap. Bicycle sales had been falling for many years but suddenly everything changed.In 1975, British people spent more than one million on bicycles. Bicycle traffic increased by 11 percent. Bicycle fans compare the cost of running a car with the cost of running a bicycle.They also say bicycle-riding is a good form of exercise.In towns bicycles can often be faster than cars or buses.The bicyclists can ride through traffic jams and at the end of his journey he doesn't have to look for a parking space.Cycling through the countryside is a real pleasure; the cyclist has time to see things that the motorist, driving at over 100 kilometers an hour, never sees. But in the cities, cycling can be dangerous.You need good concentration and strong nerves, especially when a truck or a bus is trying to pass you.Since cycling became popular again, there has been an increase in the number of accidents. Cyclists say the answer to the problem is to separate bicycles from other traffic.Stevenage, a new town near London, has a system of "bikeways", where only bicycles are allowed to travel.However, in most towns, cyclists say, the needs of the bicycle riders are overlooked.Cyclists have formed into "action groups" in many towns in Britain.They want to persuade local councils-who are in charge of the roads and traffic in their areas-to make sure there are safe facilities for cyclists.Or, they say, interest in cycling will die. The main reason for so many people's riding bikes in England is that _ . A) bike-riding does good to people B) a bike is easy to take care of C) a bike is much cheaper than a car D) there is no need of a parking place for a bike
Ans:
A