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Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: LONDON(Reuters)--Quiet please--Britain's Queen Elizabeth is preparing to have her swans counted. Buckingham Palace has announced that the annual Swan Upping, a tradition dating back to the 12th century which involves a counting of the swan population on the River Thames, will be conducted by the Queen's official Swan Marker from July 20 to July 24. "With the assistance of the Queen's Swan Warden, Professor Christopher Perrins of the University of Oxford, the swans and young cygnets are also assessed for any signs of injury or disease," Buckingham Palace said in announcing the count. The process involves the Swan Marker, David Barber, rowing up the Thames for five days with the Swan Warden in traditional wooden boats while wearing special scarlet uniforms and counting, weighing and measuring swans and cygnets. It may seem strange, but it is very important to the Queen. According to custom, Britain's queen or king owns all unmarked, mute swans in open water, but the Queen now exercises the right only on areas of the Thames and its nearby _ In medieval times, the Swan Marker would not only travel up the river counting the swans, but would catch as many as possible as they were sought after for banquets and feasts. This year, the Swan Marker and the Swan Warden are particularly keen to discover how much damage is being caused to swans and cygnets by attacks from dogs and from abandoned fishing tackle . It is also an important year because Queen Elizabeth has decided to join her team of Swan Uppers for part of the census. She will follow them up the river and visit a local school project on the whole subject of swans, cygnets and the Thames. "Education and conservation are essential to the role of Swan Upping and the involvement of school children is always a rewarding experience," Buckingham Palace said. Question: We can infer from the passage that the process of counting the swans _ . - remains almost unchanged in the past years - involves a lot of royal members - sometimes lasts longer than before - is always guarded by special soldiers
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remains almost unchanged in the past years

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Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Discover the beautiful, silent, white world or Antarctica on the holidays of a life-time.Head South to Buenos Aires and then transfer to the world's most southern city, Ushuaia.From there, it's about 1,000 kilometers on a special icebreaker ship to the freezing temperature of Antarctica. Getting off the ship and taking your first step onto the ice, you will imagine what it is like to be an explorer.Meet penguins sitting on their eggs, or see an Antarctic seal that lives all the year round on the ice.But do not get closer than five meters to any animal, in case you frighten it or make it angry. The friendly crew of the ship will look after you as you explore the ice continent. We promise you fantastic meals and a comfortable bed -- you sleep in a four-person cabin -- as well as many special treats.If you don't think it is cold enough, try the ''polar plunge" -- jump into a special hole dug in the ice and dip your head under the water.You can then jump into a hot bath and if you succeed we will give you a certificate. After you wake up for the first time in the Antarctica you will understand why everybody who goes there falls in love with the place.The scenery is different every day because the sea ice is always moving. Our ships travel to Antarctica from November to March -- phone today and book your dream holiday! Question: The author writes this text mainly to _ . - describe what Antarctica is like - tell about the scenery in Antarctica - call for people to discover Antarctica - attract more tourists to Antarctica
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attract more tourists to Antarctica

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Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Different people use different languages. We Chinese speak Chinese, and, most of us are learning a foreign language. But there is another kind of language we need to know --- the language of the body. All over the world, people "talk with their hand, with their heads and with their eyes." When Japanese people meet, they bow. When Indians meet, they put their hands together. What do American and British do? Americans are more imformal than the British. They like to be friendly. They use first names, they ask questions and they talk easily about themselves. When they sit down, they like to relax in their chairs and make themselves comfortable. British people are more reserved . They take more time to make friends. They like to know you before they ask your name. When British or American people meet someone for the first time, they shake hands. They do not usually shake hands with people they know well. Women sometimes kiss their women friends, and men kiss women friends (on one cheek only). When a man meets a man, he just smiles, and says, "Hello." Men do not kiss each other, or hold hands. Even fathers and sons do not often kiss each other. Question: In the passsage, the writer thinks that body language is _ . - uselss - difficult - quite easy - important
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important