Besides entertainment and beautiful lanterns, another important part of the Lantern Festival, or Yuanxiao Festival is eating small dumpling balls made of glutinous rice flour. We call these balls Yuanxiao or Tangyuan. Obviously, they get the name from the festival itself. It is said that the custom of eating Yuanxiao originated during the Eastern Jin Dynasty in the fourth century, then became popular during the Tang and Song periods. The fillings inside the dumplings or Yuansiao are either sweet or salty. Sweet fillings are made of sugar, Walnuts, sesame , osmanthus flowers , rose petals, sweetened tangerine peel, bean paste, or jujube paste . A single ingredient or any combination can be used as the filling . The salty variety is filled with minced meat , vegetables or a mixture. The way to make Yuanxiao also varies between northern and southern China. The usual method followed in southern provinces is to shape the dough of rice flour into balls, make a hole, insert the filling, then close the hole and smooth out the dumpling by rolling it between your hands. In North China, sweet or nutmeat stuffing is the usual ingredient. The fillings are pressed into hardened cores, dipped lightly in water and rolled in a flat basket containing dry glutinous rice flour. A layer of the flour sticks to the filling, which is then again dipped in water and rolled a second time in the rice flour. And so it goes, like rolling a snowball, until the dumpling is the desired size. The custom of eating Yuanxiao dumplings remains. This tradition encourages both old and new stores to promote their Yuanxiao products. They all try their best to improve the taste and quality of the dumplings to attract more customers. Why do we eat Yuanxiao today? A) Because it's a tradition. B) Because it's a tasty food. C) Because we love our country. D) Because this food can make money.
A
(Question)
A farm planted levels or floors is called a vertical farm. A skyscraper type building can house a vertical farm. Since the garden is built upwards,rather than outwards,it requires much less space than a conventional farm. The world is quickly running out of room for conventional farming. Vertical farms could be a key to this situation. An 18story vertical farm could feed as many as 50,000 people,all in an area which is the size of the average city block. Vertical farms in the city could cut down on transportation costs as well. Think about the amount of fuel it takes to transport food from farmland to city. The resources saved would be surprising. Besides saving travel time,food would be delivered in fresher condition and with less damage. There is a growing concern about the use of pesticides in agriculture today. But the vertical farm would be a greenhouse type environment, avoiding the need for a large number of pesticides. Vertical farms can be built in a contained space,therefore they are an excellent solution for living well in an environment far different from our own. Hydroponics could be a big part of vertical gardening. This would reduce the amount of soil needed to grow food. Of course,not all food does well with this type of planting,but there are many crops that actually seem to do better. In some climates,a lack of sunlight creates a short growing season. The solar power option may not work as well here. The addition of grow lights would make it possible to grow crops in vertical gardens in these areas .In other words,we could grow crops in areas where we never could before. Vertical farms may just be a concept for now,but they are a concept that will solve many of our problems in the future. What would be the best title for the passage? A) Vertical farms for our future B) Ways to deal with future problems C) Vertical farms and green skyscrapers D) Making Full Use of Our Limited Land
(Answer)
A
Ques: Liverpool, my hometown, is a unique city. It is so unique that in 2004 it became a World Heritage Site. I recently returned to my home city and my first stop was at a museum on the River Mersey. Blanketed in mist , Victorian architecture rose from the banks of the river, responded to the sounds of sea-birds, and appeared unbelievably charming. When I headed toward the centre, I found myself surrounded by buildings that mirror the best palaces of Europe. It is not hard to imagine why, on first seeing the city, most visitors would be overpowered by the beauty of the noble buildings, which are solid signs of Liverpool's history. As if to stress its cultural role, Liverpool has more museums and galleries than most cities in Britain. At Walker Art Gallery, I was told that it has the best collections of Victorian paintings in the world, and is the home of modern art in the north of England. However, culture is more than galleries. Liverpool offers many music events. As Britain's No.1 music city, it has the biggest city music festival in Europe, and its musicians are famous all over the world. Liverpool is also well-known for its football and other sports events. Every year, the Mersey River Festival attracts thousands of visitors, making the city a place of wonder. As you would expect from such a city, there are restaurants serving food from around the world. When my trip was about to complete, I chose to rest my legs in Liverpool's famous Philharmonic pub . It is a monument to perfection, and a heritage attraction itself. Being a World Heritage Site, my home city is certainly a place of "outstanding universal value". It is a treasure house with plenty of secrets for the world to explore. Visitors who see the city for the first time would be deeply impressed by _ A) its charming banks B) its famous museums C) its wonderful palaces D) its attractive buildings
Ans: D
Ques:Parents whose children show a special interest in a particular sport feel very difficult to make a decision about their children's careers. Should they allow their children to train to become top sports men or women? For many children it means starting school work very young, and going out with friends and other interests have to _ . It's very difficult to explain to a young child why he or she has to train five hours a day, even at the weekend, when most of his or her friends are playing. Another problem is of course money. In many countries money for training is available from government for the very best young sports men and women. If this help can not be given, it means that it is the parents who have to find the time and the money to support their child's development---and sports clothes, transport to competitions, special equipment, etc. can all be very expensive. Many parents are worried that it is dangerous to start serious training in a sport at an early age. Some doctors agree that young muscles may be damaged by training before they are properly developed. Professional trainers, however, believe that it is only by training young that you can reach the top as a successful sports person. It is clear that very few people do reach the top, and both parents and children should be prepared for failure even after many years of training. This article is most probably taken from _ . A) a letter B) an advertisement C) a personal diary D) a newspaper article

Ans:
D