The most important use of drifting bottles is to find ocean currents. When the position and direction of currents are known, ships can use the forward movement of a current or stay away from currents that would carry them off their course. Benjamin Franklin was one of the first to use bottles in the study of currents. He wondered why British mall ships needed a week or two longer than U.S. ships needed in order to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Franklin thought the Gulf Stream might explain this difference. Franklin talked with captains of U.S. ships. He found that they knew each turn of the Gulf Stream. They used the current in every possible way. From his talks with the captains. Franklin made his first map of the Gulf Stream. Then he checked his map by using sealed bottles. The map that he finally made is still used, with only a few changes, today. What led Franklin to talk with U.S. captains? A) U.S. ships were longer than British ones. B) British ships could sail the Atlantic faster than U.S. ones. C) U.S captains knew more about maps. D) U.S. ships could sail the Atlantic faster than U.S. ones.
D
City traffic is a great problem. More cars are produced every year and the streets are getting more and more crowded. So during "rush hours", when people are going to or from their work, traffic is brought to a standstill. It has been suggested that commuters--the people who travel to work every day from outside the city--should share their cars and give each other lifts. So each car would carry four or five people instead of only one. It is an excellent idea., however, so far nobody has been able to think of a way to make people do so. To discourage motorists from leaving their cars in the streets all day, parking meters are used. When you park at a meter, you must put a coin in the slot . This pays for a certain amount of time. The meter records this and it shows when the time that you have paid for is finished. If the car is still there then, you have to pay a fine. Traffic wardens look after the meters. They walk around the streets and check that every meter shows that money has been paid for the car parked there. If a meter shows 'TIME EXPIRED', the motorist who has left his car there is fined. Of course, the traffic warden can not wait for the owner of the car to return. He carries many printed forms, and on one of these he writes down all the details, such as the number of the car, where it is parked, how much the driver must pay and where he must send the money. He leaves this form on the car, where the driver will be able to see it easily; he usually pushes it under one of the windscreen wipers so that it will not be blown away. And in case it rains before the motorist returns, the form is put in a little plastic envelope to protect it. When the driver comes back, he gets an unpleasant surprise, but it is his own fault for leaving his car too long at parking meter. The passage implies_. A) cars with more people are needed to solve traffic problems B) commuters should go to work by bike C) cars with fewer people are needed to solve traffic problems D) we should reduce car production
A
Q: Big Ben Big Ben is not the name of a man. It is the name of a huge clock in London. London is the capital of England. This clock has four faces. So,no matter where you stand,you can read the time on the face of Big Ben. Each face is the size of a double decker bus. The hands are about four meters long. It is about the size of two people standing on top of each other. If you go to London,you may want to visit the Houses of Parliament. There you will find Big Ben sits at the top of the clock tower in the Houses of Parliament. Maybe you will hear it as well as see it. The huge clock makes such a loud noise. "Ding dong,ding dong,"it goes every quarter of an hour. The clock was named after a big man. He was Sir Benjamin Hall. This man did much building work in London many years ago. The clock strikes every _ of an hour. A) ten minutes B) fifteen minutes C) thirty minutes D) forty-five minutes
A: B
(Question)
Young people are perhaps better-known for spending money than saving it. But some new banking websites are seeking to change that. These websites offer young people the information and tools they need to watch over their money. The websites also let the users share their financial experiences with other young people. Nineteen-year-old Alix Scott has been working at a store this summer. She is saving money to pay for college next year. "I have to save for all my college money because my parents can't afford to co-sign on loans. So, I have to rely on my own savings." But instead of putting her money in a local bank, Miss Scott began using SmartyPig, a web-based banking service. SmartPig was developed by Michael Ferrari with a friend in 2007. It is really all about helping people save for very specific goals, such as a wedding, a vocation or an IPhone. MICHAEL FERRARI said : "For example, you want to save five thousand dollars for a vacation in three years. SmartyPig will actually calculate how much money you need to save every month. You don't have to move from your existing bank, we'll actually go in and withdraw those funds on the day you specify every month and we'll put it into your SmartyPig account, where it'll earn interest, as well." SmartyPig also enables outsiders to add money to the accounts of its users. "Perhaps a holiday is coming up or your birthday is coming up, and rather than getting a gift, your friends, your family can actually contribute to any of your SmartyPig goals."Mr.Ferrari said. He believes that as technology continues to develop, more and more people will use the electronic banking sites. A growing number of young people have shown an interest in online banking sites like SmartyPig. They say they like the ease of operation and services the sites offer. These personal finance websites offer tools that help users follow their spending, set up a budget, and combine their investments. And they all involve social media, which interests young adults who are already at ease about sharing... Which of the following is TRUE of Alix Scott? A) She can't afford her college education. B) She has received a student loan C) She prefers online banking services to local banks. D) She has been working part-time at weekends
(Answer)
C