Dear Michelle, My mother is not a good example for me and my sister. She smokes, stays out late, and she curses. I love her but I am ashamed of her. I do not want to bring home my friends because she does not act like any of the other mothers. She says I am a loser because I sit at home and I study. I wish I could live in another family that is normal, but that will not be for another 5 years when I am 18 and legal. What am I supposed to do until then? Prisoner of a Crazy House Dear 7th Grade, I am glad that you love your mother because the rest of your feelings about her may change as you mature and get older. While it is true that your mother's smoking, partying and cursing bring you shame, the fact that you want to stay separate from her doing is notable and very smart. It shows that you are a winner, not a loser. I am guessing, therefore, that you do not bring shame to yourself, and that is a good thing. So, keep it that way and keep away from your mother's habits. In the meantime, get the best grades as possible and join clubs and after-school activities. Offer social service on weekends and visit with your friends at their homes. Unfortunately, you are not alone. Many teens live in homes with immature, misguided, selfish parents. Those kids often feel lonely and separate from the rest of their friends because of their parents' terrible deeds. Yet, despite this, some of these very teens grow up to be just fine. They develop good friendships with nice kids, do well in school, and often find a teacher of guidance advisor who makes all the difference! Do it, Miss Winning 13-year-old, and keep looking forward to your own fine future. Maybe by then your mother may even see the light and realize how surprising you really are. Best luck! Michelle Michelle advises the girl to _ . A) try talking to her mother B) get used to the habits of her mother C) stick to her attitude towards her mother D) improve her relationship with her mother
C
Commencement is a time for idealism. But economic reality is cruel everywhere; especially for new college graduates. They have been told repeatedly that a college degree is an open sesame to the global economy, But that's not necessarily so, according to new research by two economists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Frank Levy and Peter Temin. It is true that people with college degrees make more money than people without degrees. The gap has narrowed somewhat in recent years, which is disturbing. But the earning power of college graduates still far outpaces that of less-educated workers. The bad news, though, is that a college degree does not ensure a bigger share of the economic pie for many graduates. In recent decades Mr. Levy and Mr. Temin show, only. college-educated women have seen their income grow in line with economy wide gains in productivity . The earnings of male college graduates have failed to keep pace with productivity gains. Instead, a huge share of productivity growth, which expands the nation's total income, is going to Americans on the top of the income scale. In 2005, the latest year with available data, the top 1 percent of Americans--whose average annual income was $1.1 million-- took in 21.8 percent of the nation's income, their largest share since I929. Administration officials, and other politicians and economists, often, believe that income inequality, reflects an education gap. But Mr. Levy and Mr. Temin show that in the case of men, the average bachelor's degree is not enough to catch the rising tide of the global economy. They argue that the real reason that inequality is worsening is the lack of strong policies that broadly distribute economic gains. In the past, for example, a more progressive income tax and unions promote equality. Positive measures have also helped and probably accounts, in part, for the pay growth of college-educated women. But such measures have been eroding and new ones have not yet emerged, making the income gap even greater. Mr.... We can infer from-the passage that _ . A) female college graduates have higher income than male ones B) female college graduates have benefited from some governmental measures to ensure their income growth C) income tax can guarantee income equality D) new measures and policies have been taken to promote income equality
B
Q: Pat O'Burke was a poor Irishman with a large family, and one morning, waking up very early from cold and hunger, he decided to go shooting in a wood near his cottage. The wood belonged to Lord Northwood, a rich gentleman, Pat had no _ to go there, but in it there were swarms of rabbits and flocks of birds that were good to eat, and Pat determined to take the risk. Suddenly he saw the owner, with a group of friends, coming towards him in the wood. There was a look of anger on Lord Northwood's face as he caught sight of the gun in Pat's hands. Pat's heart sank with fear, but he saw there was no hope of escape, so he walked boldly up to the group and said to Lord Northwood, "Good morning, sir, and what has brought you out so early this morning?" Lord Northwood, rather surprised, said he and his friends were taking a little exercise to get an appetite for their breakfast. Then, looking at Pat with suspicion , he said, "but why are you out so early in the morning?" "Well, sir" said Pat, "I just came out to see if I could get a breakfast for my appetite." The whole crowed burst into laughter at Pat's ready wit(,), and with a smile Lord Northwood walked on, leaving Pat to try his luck with the rabbits. Why was Lord Northwood surprised? A) He had not expected such a bold question from Pat. B) He wondered why Pat didn't run away. C) Pat wasn't afraid of him. D) Pat had a gun in his hands.
A: A
(Question)
On April 20,2013, a big and powerful earthquake attacked Ya'an, Sichuan Province. A great many buildings and houses _ a lot of people were killed and even more people lost their homes in the earthquake . Death toll from the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Ya'an in southwestern China's Sichuan Province has risen to 188 (as of 18:00 pm, April 22, ), according to latest calculations by local Civil Affairs Bureau. At least 11,826 were reportedly injured in the quake while 25 are still missing, the bureau said. Experts are anticipating much less casualties in the quake than that from the 8.0 magnitude quake hit Wenchuan on May 12, 2008, also in Sichuan Province, which killed more than 80,000 and injured over 300,000. Energy released from Wenchuan earthquake would be 30 times of that from Ya'an quake, according to Zhang Xiaonan, an expert with China's Geophysical Union. Dai Junwu with Harbin-based seismological bureau expects the death toll at less than 1,000, and economic losses from the quake could reach up to 100 billion yuan. Police and expert teams have already rushed for rescue in the quick stricken areas, and the State Council has banned unauthorized rescue efforts and individual vehicles from going to the quake zone to avoid congestion . Rescue efforts were carried "timely and orderly", said Chinese Premier Li Keqiang who flew to the quicken-stricken area on Sunday, the second day of the quake. He was quoted as saying that "the current priority is to save lives". Which one is NOT true according to the passage? A) Wenchuan earthquake released 30 times energy of Ya'an earthquake. B) Premier Li Keqiang who flew to the quicken-stricken area on April,21,2013. C) Wenchuan earthquake killed around 80000 people. D) Zhang Xiaonan expected the economic losses from the quake could reach up to 100 billion yuan.
(Answer)
D