For most of history scientists and mankind in general considered plants to be passive organisms just with no reason or means of communicating with one another. But new research has revealed that many plants actually 'chat' quite a bit over their own networks, which may also indicate that your auntisn't quite as crazy as you thought. You know, the one that talks to her petunias and expects an answer. In fact, many plants form internal communication networks and are able to exchange information efficiently. These connections enable the plants to share information via internal channels in a manner very similar to computer networks. So what kind of things do plants tell each other? Researcher Josef Stuefer found that one purpose for plants having their own "chat systems" is to warn each other. He and his colleagues were the first to prove that clover plants do indeed warn each other via these network links if enemies are nearby. For example, if one of the plants is attacked by caterpillars , it will warn the other members of the network via an internal signal. After receiving a warning, the other plants will strengthen their protective chemical and mechanical resistance so that they are less attractive to advancing caterpillars. This early warning system allows the plants to stay one step ahead of their enemies. Experimental research has revealed that this communication significantly limits the damage to the plants. It is also known that plants have "family values", with new research revealing they have the ability to recognize close s in order to help each other survive. Research found plants from the same species of beach-dwelling wildflowers, for example, grew aggressively alongside unrelated neighbors but were less competitive when they shared soil with their siblings. Some researchers think that plants must communicate through their roots, identifying themselves using tiny chemical signatures specific to each plant's family. The research shows that our current concept of plants is... Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A) Many plants are connected by internal channels. B) Different plants form a communication network. C) Plants tend to look for information they need. D) All plants share information with each other.
A
(Question)
The fourth-graders at Chicago's McCormick Primary School are unaware of the difficulty in learning Chinese. For most, who speak Spanish at home, it's becoming their third language. They've been learning and using Chinese words since kindergarten, and it's now second nature to give a hearty "ni hao" when strangers enter the classroom. The classroom scene at McCormick is unusual, but it may soon be a common fixture in American schools, where Chinese is rapidly becoming the hot new language. Government officials have long wanted more focus on security--useful languages like Chinese, and pressure from them--as well as from business leaders, politicians, and parents--has driven a quick growth in the number of programs. Chicago itself is home to the largest effort to include Chinese in US public schools. The program here has grown to include 3,000 students in 20 schools, with more schools on a waiting list. Programs have also spread to places like Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, and North Carolina. It's true that the number of students learning Chinese is tiny compared with how many study Spanish or French. _ see knowledge of the Chinese language and culture as a help in a global economy where China is growing in importance. "This is an interesting way to begin to engage with the world's next superpower," says Michael Levine, director of education at the Asia Society, which has started five new public high schools that offer Chinese. "Globalization has already changed the arrangements in terms of how children today are going to need to think about their careers... The question is, when not whether, the schools are going to adjust." In Chicago, the trend extends beyond schools with high numbers of Asian students. "The fact that my students are 98% low income and 99% Latino and they are succeeding in _ , tells me everyone should have a try at learning languages," says Virginia Rivera, principal at McCormick. "We want to give our young people opportunities to advance... and Chinese is a great opportunity to... Which of the following is mainly about in this passage? A) The Chinese learning in Chicago. B) The ways to learn Chinese. C) McCormick Primary School. D) Globalization and Chinese learning.
(Answer)
A
NEW YORK (AP) -- The investigation into the disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz has gone through decades and countries, from basements to rooftops and seemingly everywhere in between. No one has ever been charged criminally -- and the little boy with sandy brown hair and a toothy grin was declared dead in 2001. This week, the six-year-old boy who went missing from the Soho area of New York City in 1979 is back in the news. Police and the FBI are investigating a possible lead into the 33-year-old case of Etan Patz, the first missing child to appear on the side of a milk box. The child disappeared on the way to school on the morning of May 25, 1979. It was the first time he was allowed to walk the two blocks to the bus stop alone. A tip seemed to have led officials to the basement of a building on the corner of Prince and Wooster streets, about a block and a half from where Etan had lived with his family. The name Etan Patz has become a hot topic on Twitter as people _ . Shirley Brady noted: "As mom to a 6 years old in Soho, it's still held out by locals as cautionary tale ." Another wrote, "Boy who disappeared on his way to school in 1979 has been REOPENED! Crazy." One wondered, "Why is FBI and NYPD searching for a kid that disappeared in 1979?" Good question. This is a case that Stuart Gra Bois, as an assistant U.S. lawyer under Rudolph Giuliani, followed for years. It became the most famous missing-person case in New York City, turned a nationwide spotlight on missing children, and created headlines around the globe. No one was ever stated guilty of the crime. The case led to the creation of National Missing Children's Day, marked on May 25, the day the blond-haired, blue-eyed child went missing. The case has even pointed to a suspect, charged with child molester Julio Antonio Ramos, who is currently in prison. Patz's babysitter had been dating the man, and Ramos did know the kid, but has denied taking him away. New evidence in the case suggests another suspect who lived in the apartment at the time: a... Which of the following statements is true in the text? A) The National Missing Children's Day was created on May 25, 1979. B) The search for human remains will be carried out at 127 B Prince Street. C) The NYPD didn't follow the lead of Julio Antonio for he had been dating Patz' babysitter. D) Othniel Miller, a local handyman assisted Etan and gave him $1 before the disappearance.
B