All day long he flew, and at night-time he arrived at the city. "Where shall I put up?" he said; "I hope the town has made preparations." Then he saw the statue on the tall column. "I will put up there," he cried; "it is a fine position, with plenty of fresh air." So he flew down and settled just between the feet of the Happy Prince. "I have a golden bedroom," he said softly to himself as he looked round, and he prepared to go to sleep; but just as he was putting his head under his wing a large drop of water fell on him. "What a curious thing!" he cried; "there is not a single cloud in the sky, the stars are quite clear and bright, and yet it is raining. The climate in the north of Europe is really dreadful." Then another drop fell. "What is the use of a statue if it cannot keep the rain off?" he said; "I must look for a good chimney-pot," and he determined to fly away. But before he had opened his wings, a third drop fell, and he looked up, and saw--Ah! What did he see? The eyes of the Happy Prince were filled with tears, and tears were running down his golden cheeks. His face was so beautiful in the moonlight that the little Swallow was filled with pity. "Who are you?" he said. "I am the Happy Prince." "Why are you weeping then?" asked the Swallow, "you have quite wetted me." "When I was alive and had a human heart," answered the statue, "I did not know what tears were, for I lived in theprefix = st1 /PalaceofSans-Souci, where sorrow is not allowed to enter. In the daytime I played with my companions in the garden, and in the evening I led the dance in the Great Hall. Round the garden ran a very high wall, but I never cared to ask what lay beyond it, everything about me was so beautiful. People called me the Happy Prince, and happy indeed I was, if pleasure be happiness. So I lived, and so I died. And now that I am dead they have set me up here so high that I can see all the ugliness and all the misery of my city, and though my heart is made of lead yet I cannot... The swallow wanted to put up when he arrived at the city because _ . A) he saw the statue of the Happy Prince. B) he flew into a lovely golden bedroom. C) he had a whole-day flight and wanted to sleep. D) it was night and a rain was likely to come soon.
C
(Question)
Seventeenth-century houses in colonial North American were simple structures that were primarily functional, carrying over traditional designs that went back to the Middle Ages. During the first half of the eighteen century, however, houses began to show a new elegance. As wealth increased, more and more colonist built fine houses. Since architecture was not yet a specialized profession in the colonies, the design of buildings was left either to amateur designers or to carpenters who were engaged in translating architectural handbooks imported from England. Inventories of libraries shows an astonishing number of these handbooks for builders, and the houses built during the eighteenth century show their influence. Nevertheless, most household architecture of the first-quarters of the eighteenth century displays a wide _ of taste and freedom of application of the rules laid down in these books. Increasing wealth and growing sophistication throughout the colonies resulted in houses of improved design, whether the material was wood, stone, or brick. New England still favored wood, though brick houses became common in Boston and other towns, where the danger of fire gave an impetus to the use of more durable material. A few houses in New England were built of stone, but only in Pennsylvania and areas nearby was stone widely used in buildings. An increased use of brick in houses and outbuildings is noticeable in Virginia and Maryland, but wood remained the most popular material even in houses built by wealthy landowners. In the Carolinas, even in closely packed Charleston, wooden houses were much common than brick houses. Eighteenth-century houses showed great interior improvements over the former ones. Windows were made larger and shutters removed. Large, clear panes replaced the small leaded glass of the seventeenth century. Doorways were larger and more decorative. Fireplaces became decorative features of rooms. Walls were made of plaster or wood. White paint began to take the... What's the passage mainly about? A) The improved design of eighteenth-century colonial houses. B) A comparison of eighteenth-century houses and modern houses. C) The decorations used in eighteenth-century houses. D) The role of carpenters in building eighteenth-century houses.
(Answer)
A
You may have heard the popular saying, "there are always more fish in the sea". But as many new studies show, fish populations are changing, and not necessarily for the better. Consider the case of big, predatory fish. These giants, like sharks and cod , eat other smaller fish. Big fish are an important part of the marine ecosystem because they keep down the numbers of smaller fish. Without fish that eat other fish, populations of smaller swimmers would increase, eating more plants, and leaving less vegetation for other creatures, including future fish. As fierce as predators can be, they're no match for fishing technology. Many people love to catch predatory fish like sharks, cod and tuna, and new studies suggest that over-fishing is threatening these creatures near the top of the marine food chain. In one study, Villy Christensen and his colleagues looked at 200 past studies of marine life to learn how fish populations have changed over time. Christensen reported that between 1910 and 1970, the numbers of big predators decreased slowly, and that in 1970 their populations really started to drop. Around that time, fishing ships began using new tools that led to more fish being caught. The numbers have been falling quickly ever since. Reg Watson looked at the problem from the perspective of the fishermen. In the middle of the 20thcentury, Watson reported, fishing boats didn't go far from home, and most fish were caught near the shore. That was no longer true by the 1980s. By then, fishing had moved farther from shore, into the open oceans, and was helped by the development of new technologies. But since the 1990s, something has changed. Despite new technologies and more efforts, fishing operations have not continued to develop. Scientists study historical data to understand the present, and this research is needed to forecast the future of fish and fishing. And the forecast doesn't look good: large predator fish are becoming harder to find, and soon may disappear. Why did the number of big predators begin to fall quickly in 1970? A) Fishing ships began using new tools with which they could catch more fish. B) There were fewer smaller fish than before. C) There were more people catching big predators. D) Their environment was being polluted by fishing ships.
A