Canada is the second largest country in the world after Russia. It stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the high Arctic to the northern border of the continental U.S.A. Although very much a "northern" country, the geography of Canada is very _ . As well as the popular image of Canada as a country of forests, there are also deserts and badlands , rain forests and long and wide beaches. Canada has huge inland lakes, evergreen forests, woodlands and meadows. Canada's coastlines are thousands of miles long, with long, wild rivers leading to the oceans. In contrast to the expanses of open country, Canada also has its share of urban areas. The majority of the population and heavy industry is in the two provinces of Quebec and Ontario, but large and modern cities are spread across the land from the Atlantic to the Pacific, all within a few hours drive, at most, from the border with the United States. Business is active throughout the country, The Prairie Provinces with their vast fields of grain help to feed the world. The fisheries on both the West and the East Coast are widespread. Oil and natural gas have recently been discovered off the East Coast. The Trans-Canada Highway links the country from coast to coast, there is an extensive network of railways, and a widespread network of airline routes serving both major and remote communities. The rural areas are less populated, with more and more people leaving for the larger towns and cities. The lands to the north are much less developed, but as some of these areas are used for their plenty of natural resources, populations are growing. What does the passage mainly tell us about? A) A general introduction of Canada. B) The size of Canada. C) The population of Canada. D) Some important cities in Canada.
A

Every people uses its own special word to show its ideas and feelings. Some of these expressions are commonly used for many years. Others are popular for just a short time. One such American expression is "Where's the beef?" It is used when something is not as good as it is said to be. In the early 1980s "Where's the beef?" was one of the most popular expressions in the United States. It seemed as if everyone using it at the time. Beef, of course, is the meat from a cow, and food is more popular in America than a hamburger made from beef. In the 1960s a businessman named Ray began building small restaurants that sold hamburgers at a low price. Ray called this "McDonald's". Ray became one of the richest businessmen at last in America. Other business people watched his success. Some of them opened their own hamburger restaurants. One company called "Wendy's" said its hamburgers were bigger than those sold by McDonald's or anyone else. The Wendy's Company began to use the expression "Where's the beef?" to make people know that Wendy's hamburgers were the biggest. The Wendy's television advertisement showed three old women eating hamburgers. The bread that covered the meat was very big, but inside there was only a bit of meat. One of the women said she would not eat a hamburger with such a little piece of beef. "Where's the beef?" she shouted in a funny way. The advertisement for Wendy's hamburger restaurants was a success. As we said, it seemed everyone began using the expression "Where's the beef?" _ started McDonald's restaurant. A) McDonald B) Ray C) Wendy D) Three old women
B

I was not quite seventeen when I decided to join the US Marine Corps.My mother tried her best to talk me out of my dream, and then finally signed the papers that would permit me to enter the service. One day, nearly two years after the Philippines became my home, I was summoned to the office of Lieutenant Colonel Boyd.He seemed to be a kind man, but I was pretty sure that he hadn't called me in to pass the time of day. Standing before his desk, I waited nervously as he read through some paperwork.Then he looked up."Why, Private, haven't you written to your mother for more than six months?" I felt weak in my knees.Has it been that long? I thought. "I didn't have anything to say, Sir." Lieutenant Colonel Boyd told me that my mother had contacted the American Red Cross, which in turn communicated with my commanding officer about my failure to write. Then he asked, "Do you see that desk, Private?" "Yes, Sir." "Open the top drawer and you'll find some paper and a pen.Sit down right this minute and find something to say to your mother." "Yes, Sir." When I finished a brief letter, I stood before him again. "Private, I'm ordering you to find something to say to your mother at least once a week.Do you understand?" I did. Some 35 years later, my aged mother's mental condition was deteriorating, and I was forced to place her in a convalescent home .As I went through her belongings, I began inspecting the contents of an old cedar chest.At the bottom, tied with a bright red ribbon, I found a bundle of letters. They were the letters I had been ordered to write from the Philippines.I sat on the floor of her apartment that afternoon reading each one, tears streaming down my cheeks.I now realized how deeply, as a young man, had upset her by my lack of consideration. The lesson I learned may have been too late to help my mother, but it's still done me good.These days I don't need a commanding officer standing over me to write to my loved ones on a regular basis. "...he hadn't called me in to pass the time of day." means that _ . A) he was too busy to have time to talk with me B) he must have something serious to talk with me C) he wanted to know how I passed the time of day D) he had called me to spend more time with my mother
B

Picture the scene: You come home after work feeling too exhausted to cook -only to find a delicious meal worthy of a Michelin-starred restaurant waiting for you. It sounds like a fantasy, but it could be about to come true thanks to a robot chef developed by British scientists. Those scientists have come up with a set of robotic arms so smart that _ are capable of cooking meals all by themselves. The device will be sold from as early as 2017 as part of a purpose-built high-tech kitchen. Scientists at Moley Robotics spent almost 18 years developing the hands. According to its creators, the arms can chop, stir, whisk and baste well enough to recreate almost anything you would care to eat, whether it is a simple home-cooked supper, or a complicated creation designed by a world-class chef. The hands move a little slowly, hovering strangely above the work surface whenever they are not busy, but they imitate human movements closely enough that they can do things such as wiping a spoon on the edge of a pan to prevent drips. Mr Oleynik, who is leading the project, said, "All the things which are possible with the hand are possible here. There is no limitation. A lot of people want to go to Michelin-starred restaurants, but they are quite expensive and may be quite far from the home. This is an opportunity for people to enjoy very good food, and for a reasonable price. " The only cuisine that is off the robot's menu at the moment is sushi, which requires extremely steady pressure and nimble fingers to make, but the team plan to conquer that as well by the time it goes on sale. What can we infer from the passage? A) Hands of a robot chef can perform exactly like a cook. B) Robot chefs are available at shopping malls. C) Michelin-starred restaurants are suitable for many people. D) It is uncertain when the robot can cook all kinds of food.
D