Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Spring peepers are found in wooded areas and grassy lowlands near pools in the central and eastern parts of Canada and the United States. These loud animals are rarely seen, but as temperatures begin to rise in March and April, the males certainly are heard. Their peep...peep... peep creates an other-worldly whistling sound that, to many, is the first sign of spring, compared with that of some birds. Spring peepers are brown in color1 with dark lines that form an X on their backs. They grow to about 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) in length, and have large special toes for climbing. These creatures are active at night, coming out to feed on ants, beetles, flies, and spiders. When the warmer weather arrives, male frogs attempt to attract a mate with a spring song. The frogs normally perform in singing. The one who starts each round usually has the deepest voice. The "vocal sacs" under their mouths allow the frogs to "sing". They fill their vocal sacs with air until they look like a balloon, and then they let out a "peep" as they release the air. They "peep" about once every second. These sounds can often be heard as far as a half-mile away After a female and male peeper mate, the female lays her eggs in water and spends the remainder of the year in the forest. During the winter, they sleep under logs or behind loose bark on trees. The music dies down during the cold months, but the sounds of peepers will soon be heard again, sounding the coming of spring. Question: The text is written mainly to _ . Options: A: tell people what spring peepers look like B: let people know more about spring peepers C: explain why spring peepers sing D: show environmental harmony in nature
A: B

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: If there's one thing I' ve learned from my years of being a kid, it' s that you have ZERO control over your own life. Ever since school ended, I haven' t had anything I' ve needed to do or anywhere I' ve needed to be. As long as the air-conditioning was working and the TV remote had batteries in it, I was ready for a relaxing summer holiday. But then, out of the blue, this happened - " Pack your bags. We' re going on a road trip ! " Mom said excitedly. This isn't the first time Mom has sprung a trip on us without any warming. Last year on the first day of summer, she said we were going .to visit Aunt Loretta at the nursing home. It wasn't exactly my idea of a fun way to kick off the summer. One time when we visited Aunt Loretta, her roommate grasped me and wouldn't let me go until someone gave her a chocolate cookie ! Mom kept talking about going to the nursing home for a whole day, which made me worry a lot. But at breakfast the next morning, she told us where we were really going - Disney World. I was very happy, because I was really worried about spending the whole week at the nursing home. So was Dad. But when my little brother, Danny, heard about the change he became very angry. Mom had talked up the Aunt Loretta trip so much that Danny was actually excited about going there. We ended up putting off our trip to Disney so we could visit Aunt Loretta. I tried to talk Mom into letting us do something normal, like going to a water park for the day, but she didn't want to hear it. She said that spending a lot of time together in the car would be a " bonding" experience for the whole family. Question: What did the author prefer to do during his summer holidays? Options: A: Visit Aunt Loretta. B: Travel with his family. C: Look after his little brother. D: Watch TV comfortably at home.
A: D

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Exercise is one of the few factors with a positive role in long-term control of body weight. Unfortunately, that message has not gotten through to the average American, who would rather try switching to "light" beer and low-calorie bread than increase physical efforts. The Centers for Disease Control, for example, found that fewer than one-fourth of overweight adults who were trying to lose weight said they were combining exercise with their diet. In rejecting exercise, some people may be discouraged too much by caloric-expenditure charts; for example, one would have to quickly walk hard three miles just to work off the 275 calories in one delicious Danish pastry . Even exercise professionals accept half a point here. "Exercise by itself is a very tough way to lose weight," says York Onnen, program director of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Still, exercise's supporting role in weight reduction is vital. A study at the Boston University Medical Center of overweight police officers and other public employees confirmed that those who dieted without exercise regained almost all their old weight, while those who worked exercise into their daily routine maintained their new weight. If you have been sedentary and decide to start walking one mile a day, the added exercise could burn an extra 100 calories daily. In a year's time, assuming no increase in food intake, you could lose ten pounds. By increasing the distance of your walks gradually and making other dietary adjustments, you may lose even more weight. Question: What is said about the average American in the passage? Options: A: They tend to hate "light" beer and low-calorie bread. B: They usually ignore the effect of exercise on losing weight. C: Most of them were combining exercise with their diet. D: They know the actors that play a positive role in keeping down body weight.
A: B

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: One spring, when I was 10, during one of my father's layoffs, I could tell my mother was dispiriteD.I decided to cheer her up by buying her a special Mother's Day gift. One day after school I rode my bike to the Agins, which, I learned years later, was known for its high-end fashions and style.I introduced myself to Sylvia Agins, telling her I was looking for a Mather's Day present. "Do you think she'd like a purse?" she askeD.I told her.I thought she might. She took out an Italian handbag made of leather. She asked me what I thought, and I told her that my mom would like it. "How much money do you have?" she asked. "Twelve bucks," I said. "You're in luck," she told me. "It's only $11. You have a dollar left over for the card." She gift-wrapped the purse and thanked me for my business, and I rode off home with the package under my arm. When my mother opened the gift the next Sunday morning, she asked in an accusing tone, "Where did you get this?" "I bought it at the Agins. It cost me $11." I said. My mother was shocked into silence. It wasn't until many years later, when I learned that the purse was worth several hundred dollars, that I appreciated just how wonderful Sylvia Agins had been to me. I always felt bad that I never had a chance to properly thank her. "You know, my son, what really amazes me to this day," my mother saiD."Letting you have the purse for just a few dollars was unbelievable enough. But the fact that she let you leave the store with a dollar for the card was a touch of kindness that I'll never forget. " Question: The author bought his mother a purse to _ . Options: A: surprise his mother B: make his mother happy C: show his ability of making money D: thank his mother for buying him a bike
A: B