Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Different countries and cultures celebrate New Year in different ways. Many countries still follow the lunar calendar, meaning that their new year often starts in late January or in February. New Year celebrations for some countries (like China, Vietnam and Korea) last not one day, but up to two weeks! In the U.S., many people attend New Year parties. They drink champagne, dance, and cheer at the stroke of midnight. Fireworks, which in olden times scared away evil spirits, are very popular throughout the U. S. . U.S. residents often make one or more New Year's _ such as promising to quit smoking, lose weight, stop drinking. Most of these resolutions last little longer than a month. In the southern U.S. , many people eat black-eyed peas for good luck in the new year. In Mexico and Venezuela, many people wear red or yellow underwear for good luck. In Brazil, residents wear red white clothes for good luck, and in China, they wear red clothes and give children red envelops with money in them. In Iran, people wear brand new clothes on the first day of the new year. In Scotland, homeowners open the front door at midnight to let in the new year, and open the back door to let out the old year. In Switzerland, people kiss each other three times at midnight. In Spain, people eat 12 grapes-----one per chime----as the clock chimes midnight. In Japan, they ring a bell 108 times to get rid of the108 bad desires that people have. In Korea, they ring a bell 33 times in honor of 33 ancient soldiers. Question: The best title for the passage would be " _ ". - Different customs around the world - New activities in America and Europe - New Year celebrations around the world - Different countries have different customs
New Year celebrations around the world
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Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Does money buy happiness? Not! Ah, but would a little more money make us a little happier? Many of us smirk(,) and nod. There is, we believe, some connection between financial fitness and emotional fulfillment. Three in four American college students--nearly double the 1970 proportion-- now consider it "very important" or "essential" that they become "very well off financially". Money matters. But a surprising fact of life is that in countries where nearly everyone can afford life's necessities, increasing wealth matters surprisingly little. The connection between income and happiness is "surprisingly weak," observed University of Michigan researcher Ronald Inglehart in one 16-nation study of 170,000 people. Once comfortable, more money provides diminishing returns . The second piece of pie, or the second $100,000, never tastes as good as the first. Even lottery winners and the Forbes' 100 wealthiest Americans surveyed by University of Illinois psychologist Ed Diener have expressed only slightly greater happiness than the average American. Making it big brings temporary joy. But in the long run wealth is like health: its complete absence can create suffering, but having it doesn't guarantee happiness. Happiness seems less a matter of getting what we want than of wanting what we have. Has our happiness, however, floated upward with the rising economic tide? Are we happier today than in 1940s, when two out of five homes lacked a shower or tub? Actually, we are not. Since 1957, the number of Americans who say they are "very happy" has declined from 35 to 32 percent. Meanwhile, the divorce rate has doubled, the teen suicide rate has increased nearly three times, the violent crime rate has gone up nearly four times, and depression has mushroomed. Economic growth has provided no boost to human morale. When it comes to psychological well being, it is not the economy. I call this soaring wealth and shrinking spirit "the American paradox." More than ever, we have big houses and broken homes, high incomes and low... Question: "The second $100,000 never tastes as good as the first" because _ . - it is not so fresh as the first $100,000 - it is not so important as the first $100,000 - profit brought by it is less than that from the first $100,000 - happiness brought by it is less than that from the first $100,000
happiness brought by it is less than that from the first $100,000
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Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: A long time ago, there was a seed and because he was only a seed, nobody noticed him.Thus, feeling inferior , the seed gave no importance to his existence . Then one day, a wind picked him up and threw him on an open field under the sun.Later, he was given rain. Years later he saw a traveler sitting by his side."Thank God for this.I really need some rest," he heard the traveler say. "What are you talking about?" the seed quickly asked.He thought the man was making fun of him.No one ever spoke to him like that. "Who just spoke?" the shocked man asked. "It is me.A seed." '"A seed?" The man looked at the big tree."Are you joking? You are not a seed.You are a big tree!" "Really?" "Yes! Why else do you think people come here?" "What do they come here for?" "To feel your shade ! Don't tell me you didn't know you had grown over time." A moment passed before the traveler's words brought him pride. The seed thought and smiled for the first time in his life.The years of torture by the sun and the rain finally helped him grow up. "Oh! That means I'm not a little seed anymore! I was actually born to make people feel comfortable.Wow! That's great!" Question: Where does the passage most probably come from? - A history book. - A science book. - A storybook. - A novel.
A storybook.
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Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: From the first use of the rocket to carry satellites into space to the setting up of space stations,human beings have been putting great effort into space research. And so far,we have achieved many successes. But there are still numerous tasks in front of us and we should not cease trying to progress. The international space station is an important step we should take in space exploration. It is not only helpful but also essential. It provides a proper space environment for many experiments that we have wanted to do for a long time. It is also a base for the observations of the earth and the universe. It could also be an important base for later travel to the moon and Mars. In a word,if we want to explore space more,the first thing we should do is to set up a space station. As the space station costs a lot of money,it is hard for one country alone to establish one. The USA seems to be the only country that has the ability to build a space station alone,and it has tried to do so,but not very successful. So it _ many other countries to work on it together. Though it is still extremely expensive,it is much cheaper than doing it alone. It is really a job that needs everyone's effort and will benefit everyone. But even so, the funds needed are still a big problem. As for the USA,it seems that it has too many things to spend its money on. Although it is the richest country in the world,it has much debt every year. It has to make arrangements about its finance,and try to find a balance in all these issues. Question: Which of the following is NOT a reason for countries' cooperation in building the international space station? - That it requires a lot of money. - That it needs everyone's effort. - That it will benefit every participating country. - That it is too far away from the earth.
That it is too far away from the earth.
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