Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: I hated writing thank-you notes as a child, but I had no choice: My mother was adamant about honoring other people's kindness and generosity. But now after a childhood spent crafting those notes, the music of gratitude flows naturally from me. I hire Brant to build an arbor around my front door. I drew it exactly as I wanted, and he realized my vision perfectly. Surprised at how the arbor's beauty uplifted me every time I stepped into my house, I called Brant a few weeks after the arbor went up. He answered the phone defensively. "What can I do for you?" he asked, his voice cold and distant. "You can say, 'You're welcome,' " I responded. "I don't understand," Brant shot back. "I am calling to say 'Thank you.' '' Silence. "What do you mean?" he asked. "I love my arbor, and I wanted you to know how much I appreciate your work." More silence. "I've been doing this work for 20 years, and no one has ever called to thank me for it," said Brant. "People only call me when they have problems." He was doubtful. I also had a similar experience with L.J. He answered my questions, didn't push, and gave me space to think and decide. I wrote to let him know that he completely exceeded my expectations of what a beat-them-down car sales experience would be like, and that I was happy with my car choice. L.J. called me a few days later. He said that this was the first thank-you note in the history of the dealership. Are we really living in an age when feedback only closes with complaint? It seems to me that when we focus on problems, we only have dissatisfaction and complaint. But when we focus on celebrating goodness, we are likely to turn it into something positive. Question: By telling his own experiences, the author tries to show _ . Options: A: how to express thanks to others B: how to deal with interpersonal relationships C: the kindness of people who serve him D: the importance of expressing thanks
A: D

Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: The saying that children don't like reading any more has been proved untrue. A new study finds that 75 percent of kids between five and 17 say that although they love technology, they still want to read books. The Kids & Family Reading Report also says that 62 percent of kids prefer reading printed books rather than those on a computer.At the same time, those who search an author's website or use the Internet to find books by a particular author, are more likely to read books for fun every day. The study also once again proves that the time kids spend reading books for fun decreases after the age of eight and continues to drop through the teen years.The report is a follow-up to a 2006 study.But this time the focus is on the role of technology and when kids' interest in reading starts to drop. "Despite the fact that after the age of eight more children go online daily than read for fun daily, high frequency Internet users are more likely to read books for fun every day," says Heather Carter, a writer of the report. One in four kids between five and 17 say they read books for fun every day and more than half of kids say they read books for fun at least two to three times a week.One of the key reasons kids say they don't read more often is that they have trouble finding books they like - a requirement that parents underestimate . The study also finds that parents have a strong influence on kids' reading, but only about half of all parents begin reading to their kids before their first birthday.The percent of children who are read to every day drops from 38 percent among five-to eight-year-olds to 23 percent among nine-to 11-year-olds - exactly the same time that kids' daily reading for fun starts to drop. "Parents' engagement in their child's reading from birth all the way through the teen years can have a great influence on how often their children read and how much they enjoy reading," adds Carter. Question: What can we learn from the text? Options: A: Children don't like reading any more after the age of 8. B: Most children like reading as well as going online. C: All kids like reading e - books instead of printed ones. D: Most children like going online instead of reading.
A: B

Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: Dr. Glenn Tisman, a cancer specialist, knew his young neighbor, Ray Bateman, had an unusual mind. But he had no idea at the time that 12 - year - old Ray had the ability to become his partner in cancer research. Ray's parents remembered that at age four, Ray surprised them by fixing a broken vacuum cleaner . When he was ten, he speedily constructed the family color television from a kit. Later, he succeeded in assembling a complex stereo system after two experts had failed to do the job. When Ray was ten, he convinced his parents to buy him a computer. In a short time, Ray was able to do amazing things with the computer. Ray shared his enthusiasm for computers with Dr. Tisman, who used a computer for his research. The two discussed computers and medicine frequently. Amazingly, Ray understood the biology and chemistry related to Dr. Tisman's medical research without any previous instruction. Ray then worked with Dr. Tisman after school. He helped conduct research with the equipment and kept it in working order. The purpose of the research was to test the effectiveness of mixing an old cancer drug with certain vitamins. Ray analyzed patient test results by computer, while Dr. Tisman handled all patient contact. Together, they came up with solid research that helped advance cancer treatment. In 1988, 14 - year - old Ray went with Dr. Tisman to a meeting of the American Federation for Clinical Research(AFCR), where Ray presented their initial research findings. Using terminology beyond the grasp of most kids his age, Ray told the scientists how the new drug mixture caused fewer and milder side effects for cancer patients. A year later, Ray returned to the meeting to update the findings of his and Dr. Tisman's research. By then, he had become well - known for his devotion to finding cures for sick patients. Stories about him appeared in hundred of newspapers around the world. He appeared on television newscasts and talk shows. Ray continued to spend most free hours working with Dr. Tisman. The two began studying... Question: Dr. Tisman's research is aimed at _ . Options: A: providing different cancer treatments B: proving the effects of vitamins on babies C: finding the side effects of a cancer drug D: testing the effectiveness of a new drug mixture
A: D