Q: Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: It is that time of the year when the warm, late Summer days meet the cold, early Autumn nights. The skies on days like these are bright and clear. The air is cool, fresh, and full of the smell of wild flowers. The leaves on the trees are dark green but with splashes of red appearing here and there. It is a really beautiful time of the year. Every where and in everything you can see change. Birds are starting to migrate. Children are getting ready for another school year. People are looking back on the fun days of Summer and forward to the busy days of Fall. It is days like these that remind me that while seasons, weather, and nature's colors may change it is all beautiful and it is all joyful. And I am changing too. My thick wavy hair is now pretty thin on top. Its dark brown color is now getting some gray sprinkled in it. The smile lines around my eyes and mouth are deeper now and stay with me even when I stop smiling. My glasses continue to get thicker with each new pair and the music I love is now referred to as "oldies". Still, I feel so happy and joyful in my life. I am grateful for my younger years because they taught me so much. What I have learned and experienced has gotten me to where I am today. I am grateful for my present because _ I feel happiness in every moment that God has given me, and I take great delight in all the changes life brings. Life is a never ending journey of change and growth. Life's changes never stop but neither does life's joy. Question: From the passage we can see the author's attitude to life is full of _ . - excitement - appreciation - compassion - complaint
A: appreciation

Q: Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: China is starting to blacklist poorly-behaved tourists as it seeks to rescue the image of its citizens as holidaymakers. According to a regulation by the China National Tourism Administration (NTA) that entered effect this week, tourists will be blacklisted for offences including acting antisocially on public transport, damaging private or public property, disrespecting local customs, damaging historical exhibits on purpose or engaging in gambling or pornographic activities. Records will be kept in a two-tired system: provincial-level tourism authorities are responsible for cases under their jurisdiction while the NTA will be in charge of a nationwide register. People will be.blacklisted for two years after they offend, according to the regulation. The NTA said tourism authorities will inform blacklisted tourists and "propose correction measures in order to _ the negative impact". It also said that tourism authorities reserve the right to report such violations to public security, customs and transport authorities as well as the central bank's individual credit department. The regulation comes amid (......) growing concern about the ill manners of Chinese tourists both at home and abroad. In 2013, a Chinese tourist wrote his name on a relief carving in Luxor, Egypt. In December, a Chinese passenger threw a cup of hot instant noodles at a flight attendant on an international flight. Chinese tourists have been fined or put into prison for carrying prohibited items or purchasing wild animal products. Question: According to the passage, the main purpose of the regulation is to _ . - punish the Chinese poorly-behaved tourists - suggest correct measures to the Chinese poorly-behaved tourists - showcase the authority of the China National Tourism Administration (NTA) - better the image of Chinese citizens as holidaymakers
A: better the image of Chinese citizens as holidaymakers

Q: Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Reading new peaks of popularity in North America is Iceberg Water which is harvested from icebergs off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. Arthur von Wiesenberger, who carries the title Water Master, is one of the few water critics in North America. As a boy, he spent time in the larger cities of Italy, France and Switzerland, Where bottled water is consumed daily. Even then, he kept a water journal, noting the brands he liked best. "My dog could tell the difference between bottled and tap water." He says. But is plain tap water all that bad? Not at all. In fact, New York's municipal water for more than a century was called the champagne of tap water and until recently considered among the best in the world in terms of both taste and purity. Similarly, a magazine in England found that tap water from the Thames River tasted better than several leading brands of bottled water that were 400 times more expensive. Nevertheless, soft-drink companies view bottled water as the next battle-ground for market share-this despite the fact that over 25 percent of bottled water comes from tap water: PepsiCo's Aquafina and Coca-Cola's Dasani are both purified tap water rather than spring water. As diners thirst for leading brands, bottlers and restaurateurs salivate over the profits. A restaurant's typical mark-up on wine is 100 to 150 percent, whereas on bottled water it's often 300 to 500 percent. But since water is much cheaper than wine, and many of the fancier brands aren't available in stores, most dines don't notice or care. As a result, some restaurants are turning up the pressure to sell bottled water. According to an article in The Street Journal, some of the more shameless tactics include placing attractive bottles on the table for a visual sell, listing brands on the menu without prices, and pouring bottled water without even asking the dinners if they want it. Regardless of how it's sold, the popularity of bottled water taps into our desire for better health, our wish to appear cultivated, and even a longing... Question: According to passage, why is bottled water so popular? - It is much cheaper than wine. - It is considered healthier. - It appeals to more cultivated people. - It is more widely promoted in the market.
A: It is considered healthier.

Q: Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: What is IRC? IRC is Internet Relay Chat. It is a group of networked server computers that let users connect and pass their messages among the networked servers in almost real time. In other words, it is a big chatting server, once you join a group, you are able to talk in an open forum type environment or just one on one. What IRC Networks are out there? There are about fifty really mainstream IRC networks (groups of servers) you can connect to. The most common ones found are typically, 'EF-Net', 'Under-Net', and 'DAL-Net'. What is a Channel? A channel is the name for the 'group' you are joining, or the 'forum' in which you want to talk. On IRC, channels are denoted as # Channel Name. For instance, say if you are interested in MP3 music, you may want to go to # MP3. How do I get on IRC? To get on IRC, you will need to get a client program. I personally suggest using 'mIRC', if you are in the windows environment. I have used the program for many years faithfully. It is a shareware program that doesn't disable after a given time period. What are the basic commands once I am on? Join # channel -- this will make you enter a channel. Part # channel -- this will make you exit a channel you are in. Nick new name -- this will change your current screen name. A note as a warning about IRC. IRC is a wonderful forum for idea exchange, and a fun place to chat and learn. However you must keep in mind that you don't know who is on the other end. That someone says they are 16 doesn't mean they aren't 45. Keep an eye on yourself and make sure not to give out any personal information on IRC before you know those on the other end of the line thoroughly. Attention! Safe IRCing everyone! Question: According to the passage, 'EF-Net', 'Under-Net', and 'DAL-Net' stand for _ . - chatting groups - group channels - computer massages - chatting networks
A: chatting networks