The advantages of using flashcards to build up a vocabulary are well known. You can buy sets of cards, or make your own, and carry them with you wherever you go. There's no question this is useful and because you can use them in short bursts, it's not too much for you. It can be fun. I don't recommend drilling for hours at a time with flashcards. If you want to use flashcard software, things get even better. There are many packages out there for maintaining and drilling flashcards. I recommend VTrain though there are many others. One stands out, however: SuperMemo. Similar to Pimsleur, SuperMemo is engineered according to a carefully researched methodology in order to test you on a card the very minimum number of times you need to see it for it to stick. When you look at a card, you give some feedback to the software on whether you got it right and how easy you found it. It uses this information, and that of your previous attempts, to decide when you will be shown the card next. It's smart and it really works. If you're like me, the news is even better! I have a version of SuperMemo that runs on my PalmOS phone. Wherever I am, if I have my phone handy, I have thousands of flashcards with me too. Honestly, it would be worth purchasing a cheap Palm device only for this. You can pick one up for $20 or even less on eBay or elsewhere. Consider it, at least. Which of the following is true according to the passage? A) Using cards to study can be very tiring. B) Don't need to study with flashcards too long at a time. C) There is not enough flashcards software at present. D) Flashcard software can be carried wherever you go.
B
Career success could be predicted as early as kindergarten, according to a 20-year study recently published in the American Journal of Public Health. Researchers from Pennsylvania State University and Duke University tracked more than 700 children from across the US between kindergarten and age 25 and found a significant correlation between their social skills as kindergartners and their success as adults two decades later. In 1991, teachers assessed how the kindergartners interacted with each other socially using a range of criteria like whether they cooperate with their peers without prompting , if they're helpful to others, whether they're good at understanding feelings, and if they can solve problems on their own. Researchers then kept track of whether the students went on to graduate high school on time, get a college degree, and find and keep a full-time job by 25. They also monitored the participants' involvement with crime, drug abuse, public assistance, and mental health issues. The results showed that socially competent children were far more likely to earn a college degree and have a full-time job by 25 than those with limited social skills. Those with limited social skills also had a higher chance of getting arrested, binge drinking, and applying for public housing. "This study shows that helping children develop social and emotional skills is one of the most important things we can do to prepare them for a healthy future," said Kristin Schubert, program director at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which funded the research, in a release. "From an early age, these skills can determine whether a child goes to college or prison, and whether they end up employed or addicted." The good news, according to Damon Jones, lead author of the study, is that intervention at a young age can help improve social and emotional skills. "This research by itself doesn't prove that higher social competence can lead to better outcomes later on," he said. "But when combined with other research, it is clear that... The text makes very good sense to _ . A) teenagers B) educators C) doctors D) general readers
B
Q: Old tennis balls are being used in an unusual way to help us learn more about one of the rarest mammals in the country. Harvest mice are only about 2 inches ( 5 cm) long. This spring and summer, wildlife experts are encouraging people to report sightings of harvest mice so that records can be built up about numbers and locations. Meadows and grassland are animals' traditional homes but as farming methods change over time, the habitats are being lost and numbers are thought to be _ . Old tennis balls, complete with penny-sized holes, make a strong and popular choice of home for the mice and around 200 are available for surveyors to distribute and monitor, after being donated by a local tennis club. The project, supported by the Leicestershire County Council, is thought to be the biggest of its kind ever run in Leicestershire. County Council wildlife expert, Helen O'Brien; said, " Little is known about the creature's present situation locally so we need people to look in tall grass and fields and send in their information. The information will help us track numbers and tell us where we need to focus our attention to safeguard their future. " Anyone interested in getting involved , can pick up tips and learn more about harvest mice on a training day. This is taking place between 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm on Monday, 14th June at the County Council's Environmental Resource Centre in Birstall. People living in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland can get involved with the survey or book a place on the training day by calling Gareth Price at 0116-267-1950. According to the passage, old tennis balls are _ . A) seriously polluting harvest mice's homes B) being used to kill harmful animals in the fields C) being provided for harvest mice as homes D) being collected to raise money to save animals
A: C
*Question*
A recent study suggests that teens' relationship with parents, friends and teachers may have a lot to do with why they don't get a good night's sleep. David Maume, a sociologist and sleep researcher, analyzed federal health data, which interviewed 974 teenagers when they were 12, and then again at 15. He found that family dynamics have much to do with how well kids sleep. Teens, who had warm relations with their parents and felt like they could talk to them or their parents were supportive of them, tended to sleep better. However, families that were going through a divorce or a remarriage tended to affect teens' sleep. And problems at school also affected teens' sleep. Feeling safe at school and having good relations with teachers tended to promote better sleep. As did good relationships with friends. Kids who took part in sports or other positive social activities or shared similar academic goals with their friends were also more likely to get a good night's sleep. These add up to what makes lots of sense: a general feeling of well-being helps teens sleep. If we're happy and contented, we're much more likely to sleep better than if we're sad and anxious. Now, of course, teens can hardly resist being drawn to their computers and social networking. Maume also found that when parents were strict not only about bedtime, but also about limiting technology, kids slept better. It's a finding that seems obvious, but parents really do matter when it comes to health habits of their teenagers. Clearly, teenagers aren't getting 9 to 10 hours a night, which puts them at risk for all the consequences of lack of sleep, including poor academic performance, colds and stress. Parents are supposed to _ when their kids are growing up. A) continue their broken marriage B) allow children to decide when to sleep C) limit teens' using new technology D) force teens to have 10 hours' sleep daily
**Answer**
C