(Question)
Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: We've all heard the story of Three Little Pigs. The third pig foiled the hyperventilating wolf by building his house out of bricks, rather than with straw or sticks as his brothers had done. Less commonly known is that the pig later improved his home's safety profile by installing convex security mirrors at key points along the driveway. Well, why not? In the current issue of Animal Behaviour, researchers present evidence that domestic pigs can quickly learn how mirrors work and will use their understanding of reflected images to scope out their surroundings and find their food. The researchers cannot yet say whether the animals realize that the eyes in the mirror are their own, or whether pigs might rank with apes, dolphins and other species that have passed the famed "mirror self-recognition test" thought to be a marker of self-awareness and advanced intelligence. The finding is just one in a series of recent discoveries from the nascent study of pig cognition . Other researchers have found that pigs are brilliant at remembering where food stores are cached and how big each stash is to the rest. They've shown that Pig A can almost instantly learn to follow Pig B when the second pig shows signs of knowing where good food is stored, and that Pig B will try to deceive the pursuing pig and throw it off the trail so that Pig B can hog its food in peace. They've found that pigs are among the quickest of animals to learn a new routine, and pigs can do circus worth of tricks: jump hoops, bow and stand, spin and make word like sounds on command, roll out rugs, herd sheep, close and open cages, play videogames with joysticks, and more. For better or worse, pigs are also slow to forget. "They can learn something on the first try, but then it's difficult for them to unlearn it," said Suzanne Held of the University of Bristol. "They may get scared once and then have trouble getting over it." Question: Which of the following is the main idea of the passage? - The pig is cleverer than what we have expected. - The third pig is the cleverest in the story. - There are some different talents for the pig. - We should pay attention to the pig's behaviors.
(Answer)
The pig is cleverer than what we have expected.

(Question)
Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: I became a stand- up comic at 12:45 yesterday afternoon when I walked onto a comedy club stage and did a "bit". It was an audition in which people had exactly two minutes each to perform for a producer. I am not a comic, have never appeared onstage, am awkward before many people, and have no social skills. But I have written some funny things in the newspapers, and I figured that if you can write funny, you can be funny. That was my first mistake. Good stand - up comics improve their acts over months if not years, practicing before bathroom mirrors or their friends. I developed the key skill the morning I went on. I also brought a box of plastic beads , because I figured they could be useful. For the first few seconds, I was simply staring forward, mouth open, expressing the concept:"Uuungh". Finally I said, "This is my first performance as a stand - up comic. It's a kind of a special moment for me. I'd like to take this opportunity to say something to my mother, who was an inspiration to me throughout my life. My mother passed away a few years ago, but I feel she is still with me. All the time, wherever I go, I feel her presence. Day in and day out. So I would like to say this to her. LEAVE ME ALONE, MA!" Some people actually laughed. Then I said, "Anyway, this really is my first time onstage, and I'm pretty nervous because I'm not all that funny and I have a really bad stage presence. But I've been working on the problem. A long time ago a Greek guy named Demosthenes had the same problem I have, and he became a great speaker by sticking pebbles in his mouth, so I thought I would (and here I began putting the beads in my mouth) try that. See, the idea is that if you can talk through the pebbles ( now I was putting them in by the handful) you can learn to talk better and wfnm fmuff frmphm grphnm . . ." More laughter. I looked at my watch, said something that might have sounded like "My time is up," and left to somewhat spirited applause. What the audience did not know was that I was quietly choking... Question: What made some people laugh at first? - The author's words. - The author's life story. - The author's facial expression. - The author's body movements.
(Answer)
The author's words.

(Question)
Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: My friend Kathy and I were going to Colorado Springs for holiday. The only problem was, I didn't have any luggage to pack my belongings in. My friend Debbie offered to lend me a suitcase that belonged to her father, who had passed away long ago. "I don't know if you'll want to use it," she said so gently, "it's very old, worn out, and such an ugly yellow color1." I was so touched by her offer to lend something that belonged to her father, but I was also concerned about the possibility of it being damaged or lost. She insisted that I take it. So with the suitcase safely in hand, I boarded the train with Kathy. We spent two days and one night on the train, sleeping in our seats. As we slept, we were awakened at times, by the noises of the train pulling in and out of the stations. The next morning we eagerly awaited the announcement: Next stop, Colorado Springs. But suddenly, there came another announcement over the loud speaker. "During one of the overnight stops, many pieces of luggage were mistakenly removed from the train and left at the wrong location." Kathy and I just looked at each other, as I felt the disappointment swell. Could my worst fear be coming true, was Debbie's suitcase lost? Just then two train conductors passed our seats. One of them jokingly said to the other, "Did you ever see such an old, ugly, brighter yellow, piece of luggage in all of your life?" Before the other conductor could answer, I screamed, "YES, MY SUITCASE MADE IT!" The two conductors stopped in their tracks! and, very red in the face, couldn't seem to apologize enough for having insulted my suitcase. When I returned it, I couldn't wait to get the suitcase back into Debbie's safe hands. She asked, "Did everything go well on the trip?" Somehow, I just couldn't resist telling her what had happened. She laughed heartily. When I recall the golden suitcase, I'm reminded, that like the suitcase, we can see ourselves as too old, useless, worn out, and of little value. Or, we can take a closer look and realize that we are one of... Question: Which of the following is the best title for the passage? - The Golden Suitcase. - An Unforgettable Trip. - A Warm-hearted Friend. - Two Impolite Conductors.
(Answer)
The Golden Suitcase.