Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Dr Wiseman started "the laugh lab" project in September 2001. It is the largest study of humour. Participants are invited to log on to the laugh lab website, give a few personal details, tell their favourite jokes and judge the jokes told by other people. The project will last for a year, and the organizers hope to finally discover the world's funniest joke. But there is also a serious purpose. The researches want to know what people from different nations and cultures find funny. And they want to find out the differences between the male and female sense of humour. The idea is that if we want to understand each other, we have to find out what makes us laugh. This is a subject that has long attracted psychologists and philosophers. Most of the time, people are not completely honest. We do things that society expects us to and say things that help us get what we want. But laughing cannot be controlled. When we laugh, we tell the truth about ourselves. By December 2001 over 10, 000 jokes had been submitted. This gave the scientists enough evidence to make early conclusions. It seems that men and women do have different senses of humour, for instance. "Our findings show the major differences in the ways in which males and females use humour, " said Dr. Wiseman. "Males use humour to appear superior to others, while women are more skilled in languages and prefer word play. " Researchers also found that there really is such a thing as a national sense of humour. The British enjoy what is usually called "toilet humour". But the French like their jokes short and sharp: "You're a high priced lawyer. Will you answer two questions for $500?" "Yes. What's the second question?" The Germans are famous for not having a sense of humour. But the survey found that German participants were more likely to find submitted jokes funny than any other nationality. Perhaps that proves the point. Is this joke funny? I don't know, but let's say yes, just to be safe. Dr Wiseman and his workmates also submitted jokes created by... Question: Scientist started " the laugh lab" project _ Options: A: to find the funniest joke in European countries B: to know what funny people are like from different nations and cultures C: to find out the differences between the male and female sense of humour D: to get more personal details about participants
C

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Read the article and select the best answer. Article: In every school there is a "top" crowd that sets the pace, while the others follow their lead. Let's say the top crowd decides that it is smart to wear bright red sweaters. Pretty soon everybody is wearing a bright red sweater. There is nothing wrong with that, except the fact that on some people bright red sweater is extremely unbecoming. The situation can even become dangerous, if the top crowd decides that it is smart to drink or to drive cars at seventy miles an hour. Then the people who follow the lead are endangering their lives. They are like the sheep being led to the butcher. Now, chances are that you have come across situations like these more than once in your life; chances are that one time or another you probably did something you knew to be wrong. You may have excused yourself by saying, "Gee, the crowd does it." Well, let the crowd do it, but don't do it yourself. Learn to say, "No." Develop your own standards and your own judgment. If you know the crowd is planning something you disagree to, have the courage to bow out mannerly. You'll have the satisfaction of standing on your own two feet. Question: According to the passage, people who follow the crowd _ . Options: A: sometimes do things against their better judgment B: make mistakes blindly C: are willing to put their lives in danger D: will in the end become pace-setters
(Answer)
A

Ques: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Famous centenarians still active in arts, science are in no mood to retire."Those who stand still, die," is one of Oliveira's favorite phrases.He knows from experience what it means, as the Portuguese film director has reached the age of 102 and is still active in his profession.Every year, Oliveira shoots a film and is currently working on his next project."You have to work, work, work in order to forget that death is not far away," he said.When asked about his age, Oliveira said with some humility: "It's down to mother nature.It gave to me what it took from others." Being both mentally and physically fit in old age is partly a matter of luck, but it also has something to do with character.Not every white-haired person is wise and social skills, openness and the ability to train the brain are essential for senior citizens. Along with the architect Oscar Niemeyer (103), Nobel laureate Montalcini (101) and director Kurt Maetzig (100), Oliveira is one of those people of whom it would be very wrong to think as members of a listless elderly generation. Another master in his profession is the architect Oscar Niemeyer.The 103-year-old Brazilian is best known for his futuristic-looking buildings in Brasilia, but he also speaks out on behalf of the poor."The role of the architect is to struggle for a better world where we can develop a form of architecture that serves everyone and not just a privileged few," said Niemeyer recently.He spends almost every day working in his office in Copacabana, and even when he falls ill he keeps working on ideas: After a gallbladder operation he composed a samba tune in the clinic. Another man who could sing a song about age is 107-year-old Heesters.The Dutch-born opera singer spent most of his life performing in Germany, where he still works.Recently Heesters said: "I want to be at least 108-years-old." He also plans to keep performing." _ " Heesters has not given up trying to add to his tally of awards and is looking for a "good stage role". Italian scientist Rita... Question: In the passage so many examples were given to show _ . Options: A: old age is a big problem if you want to succeed B: as a senior citizen, you have to be open-minded and optimistic C: old people should never think of themselves as old D: old age can not prevent a great person from achieving a lot
Ans: D

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Scientists and religious experts are debating the value of a small piece of papyrus that found its way to a researcher in the United States. The piece of paper raises an ages-old question about Jesus, whose life and teachings form the heart of Christianity. Could Jesus have been married? Harvard Divinity School Professor Karen King recently explained the Coptic wording on the papyrus. She says the words mean that Jesus called Mary Magdalene, an early Christian, "my wife." She says he did this while speaking to his disciples, or followers. "I don't think that this text is that significant. There are so many barriers for it to get over. You've got to show that it's reliable, and there are real questions about whether that text is reliable." Professor Bock expresses other concerns about the papyrus. For example, he says, there is not enough writing on it to establish the real meaning of the words. He says the word "wife" may not mean "wife" in the traditional way. And, he says the papyrus is just one text showing that Jesus might have been married. "And then you've got the fact that this is one text out of many, many, many texts that don't indicate that Jesus was married. And I think had Jesus been married, the early tradition about Jesus would have reflected that." Question: Professor Bock doesn't think that Jesus was married for the following reasons EXCEPT that _ . Options: A: the words on the papyrus are too few to be translated exactly. B: the number of texts which indicate that Jesus was married is much too small. C: Jesus' marriage has never been reflected in the early tradition. D: the word "wife" can't have the same meaning as it had in the long past.
D