Last Sunday, as soon as I walked into the house in the afternoon, my little brother placed a bunch of papers in my hands and asked me to fold them up so they could fit into an envelope as quickly as possible. He said it needed to get done quickly before it turned dark. After I read what was on the papers, I smiled. It was a lovely letter to all the residents in my neighborhood. My brother was asking everyone to let him know if anyone needed help. He left his contact information and said that anyone that needed help should get in touch with him and he would try to help. He also asked people to get in touch if they were able to help out. London received an unusual amount of snow last week, and the city was not prepared for it at all. So it was quite difficult to get anywhere. The major roads had been cleared, but the smaller roads and pavements hadn't, so they could be quite _ . There are a large number of old people in our little community. So my brother thought that the snow may have caused some difficulty for some of them, particularly because we live on a hill. A few elderly people got in touch with him asking for help for things they needed. One of them was especially grateful because his caregiver couldn't make it. To our surprise, he got more responses from people offering to help. Then he received help from people who wanted to help. Everyone was really touched and wrote to my brother wonderful emails. One of our neighbors wrote an email saying that although she wasn't able to help, she was "very proud of having a neighbor like him who puts other people's interests first." One of their neighbors sent an email to the author's brother to _ . A) show appreciation B) express love C) lend a hand D) ask for help
A
(Question)
For pet owners, the hundreds of pet food recalls taking place each year has raised a lot of alarm. "Most people are caring pet owners, and they want to do what helps protect their pet," explains Will Post, founder and CEO, Hound & Gatos Pet Foods Corporation. "Yet the problem is that most are not sure what that means and how to go about it. The more they learn about pet food, the better able they will be to make an informed decision that will keep their pet healthier and safer." Here are several tips that consumers may want to keep in mind when it comes to choosing a pet food that will help reduce the risks. Get to know the company. Most people may know a company name simply because they spend millions on advertising. But that doesn't mean they know much about the company or their morals. Research companies to find one that offers high standards, quality products, and great customer service. Ask questions. Don't be afraid to get in touch with a pet food company and ask them where something was made, where ingredients came from, or any other questions. They should have no problem answering questions about their products, or with being able to provide proof of their quality standards. Read reviews. Do some searches to read some reviews about various brands of pet food. Keep in mind that some reviews can be one-sided and even planted by the company itself, so look for fair third-party sources giving the review. Investigate ingredients. The source of ingredients is of major concern when it comes to reducing the risks of pet food recalls and keeping pets healthy. Read the labels and ask questions to determine where the ingredients are coming from. Understand pet foods. Cat and dog food should contain 100 percent protein, which will supply them with the nutrients their bodies require. The problem with many commercial pet foods is that it is full of numerous fillers, such as cheap fillers and grains. How many pieces of advice on choosing a pet food are given by the author? A) Three. B) Four. C) Five. D) Six.
(Answer)
C
Ques: Storms brought a tornado and 2-mch-thin hail ( ) to Wyoming on Thursday, a day after thunderstorms hit parts of Wyoming and Colorado with golf ball-sized hail and heavy rain.Three homes were heavily damaged by the tornado on Thursday, and 10 to 12 other buildings also had damage.One person was treated at a hospital for a cut on the head.Some power lines were also down to the ground.The tornado touched down briefly near Wheatland, north of Cheyenne, in a populated area, officials said. Hail, the size of golf balls, was reported in the Wheatland area, and 2-inch-thin hail was reported in Laramie.Forecasters said thunderstorms that can _ tornadoes could develop and flooding was possible.Citizens should be careful. A fire, which is believed to have been started by lightning on Sunday night, has burned about 3,500 acres about 20 miles northwest of Wheatland.About 120 firefighters, aided by helicopters and air tankers, were on the scene.The rain provided some help for firefighters who fully controlled a 227-acre wildfire in northern Colorado, but the weather in the beginning hurt efforts to control a 6,000-acre blaze in Wyoming's Medicine Bow National Forest.Storms passed close to the Wyoming fire but mostly brought winds that fanned the flames.Rain and hail fell later but didn't make a big difference, said fire spokeswoman Beth Hermanson. Kyle Fredin, working for the National Weather Service in Denver, said the beginning of June is the peak time for such severe weather in Colorado.Most of the state has been experiencing moderate-to-extreme drought conditions. The weather hurt efforts to control a 6,000-acre blaze because _ . A) storms didn't pass close to the Wyoming fire B) heavy winds stopped firefighters from working C) rain and hail stopped firefighters from working D) the flames became worse after the storms brought winds
Ans: D
Ques: American scientists are developing an "intelligent" mobile phone capable of blocking incoming calls depending on the owner's mood. Using "context aware" technology, the "Sensay" phone will monitor calls and send back polite messages saying the user may be contacted later. A research team at the Institute for Complex Engineering Systems at Carragie Mellon University in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, are developing body temperature and electrical skin monitors to help the device understand the emotional state of its user. If the phone senses that the user is busy -- for instance, involved in a conversation -- it might block an incoming call and turn it onto voicemail. The phone would send back a text message saying the user is unavailable, but advising that if the matter is urgent the caller can try again in three minutes. If a call from the same person came in again, the phone would put it through. The researchers are interested in four basic different states -- busy and not to be interrupted, physically active, idle, and "normal." Most people are said to change between these states, an average of 6 to 12 times a day. Professor Asim Smailagic, a leading member of the Carnegic Mellon team, told The Engineer magazine, "Today's computers are pretty dumb compared with the device. We got to work at the beginning of May and since then have been improving it. The next stage is to make it smarter, adding various intelligence systems so it can learn about the user. The phone also employs four primary sensors -- two microphones to pick up conversations and monitor local noise, a light detector and an accelerometer .The light sensor shows if the phone is being carried in a bag or pocket, while the accelerometer determines whether the user is walking, running or standing still. In the future, the sensor box, phone and personal organizer will be combined into one device." According to Professor Smailagic, the detector will show _ . A) where the mobile phone is B) where the mobile phone user is C) whether the mobile phone user is busy D) whether the mobile phone is within reach
Ans:
C