I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: In the late 1970's,many people in North America turned their attention to environmental problems ,and new steel -- and -- glass skyscrapers were widely criticized. Some ecologists pointed out that a number of tall buildings in a city often overburden public transportation. Skyscrapers are also _ of electric power and water. In just one recent year, the addition of 17 million square feet of skyscraper office space in New York City itself has already raised the top daily demand for electricity by 120, 000 kw -- enough to supply the entire city of Albany in New York area for a single day. Glass--walled skyscrapers can also be especially wasteful. The heat loss ,or gain, through a wall of half inch plate glass is more than ten times that through a typical ordinary wall filled with bricks or board. In order to decrease the pressure on heating and air -- conditioning equipment, builders of skyscrapers have begun to use double--layered glass ,and reflective glasses coated with silver or gold mirror films that could reduce glare as well as heat gain. However, mirror -- walled skyscrapers may raise the temperature of the surrounding air and affect neighboring buildings as well. Skyscrapers put a severe pressure on a city's sanitation facilities, too. If fully occupied, the towers just within the central area of New York would alone produce 2. 25 million gallons of waste water each year^--as much as the city size of Stanford, Connecticut, which has a population of more than 109,000. Question: When the writer talks about skyscrapers ,his tone sounds _ Options: A: positive B: doubtful C: grateful D: negative
D

I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: I feel it enormous responsibility, as a mother of two little girls, to lead you down a path that is relatively healthy when it comes to beauty and self-image. In a lot of women's eyes I've probably already failed in that respect due to the amount of pink princess Barbie mess cluttering up Vera's room. But I will say something about Barbie: I played with that stuff for a solid decade when I was growing up and here I am now at a healthy weight with a healthy outlook on my body and image. I have a successful career. If Barbie was really so damaging to my femininity and self-image I highly doubt I could list all of the accomplishments. But I get it too. It's hard for women to maintain a healthy self-image. I have girlfriends around whom I have to brace myself to see, because just being around them makes me self-conscious. I look at old pictures of my mother and wonder why I've never been able to be as skinny as she was. And then I have friends who are thinner than their mothers ever were. We women go round and round in circles, holding hands and trying to be one another sometimes. Men like to think we dress and style ourselves for them, but why would we when they hardly notice? I've never tried so hard to look good when I know I'm about to meet up with a stylish girlfriend. It's she who will notice my slimmed-down waist or the thinnest, little bracelet on my arm. And I have no doubt that the two of you, Veronica and Juliette, will endlessly compare yourselves to each other. You will wonder why one of you got longer legs or shinier hair. The thing I'll tell you is this: not even the prettiest of us feel settled. The girl you think looks the most perfect in the world is probably the girl who wants to change herself more than anyone else. Don't take these on. You are not worthless. You are so full of love and light and you should let it shine through your every second. If someone pushes you down for standing tall then just push yourself back up and stand even taller. And know that the reason they push you down... Question: The author advises her daughters that _ . Options: A: they should be cautious not to be pushed down by others B: they should care much about their strong points instead of appearances C: they should try to grow taller than others D: they should care more about others' opinions
B

I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: In a certain store where they sell puddings, a number of these delicious things are laid out in a row during the Christmas season. Here you may select the one which is most to your taste, and you are even allowed to sample them before coming to a decision. I have often wondered whether some people, who had no intention of making a purchase, would take advantage of this privilege. One day I asked this question of the shop girl, and I learned it was indeed the case. "Now there's one old gentleman, for instance," she told me, "he comes here almost every week and samples each one of the puddings, though he never buys anything, and I suspect he never will. I remember him from last year and the year before that, too. Well, let him come if he wants it, and welcome to it. And what's more, I hope there are a lot more stores where he can go and get his share. He looks as if he needed it all right, and I suppose they can afford it." She was still speaking when an elderly gentleman limped up to the counter and began looking closely at the row of puddings with great interest. "Why, that's the very gentleman I've been telling you about," whispered the shop girl. "Just watch him now." And then turning to him: "Would you like to sample them, sir? Here's a spoon for you to use. "The elderly gentleman, who was poorly but neatly dressed, accepted the spoon and began eagerly to sample one after another of the puddings, only breaking off occasionally to wipe his red eyes with a large torn handkerchief. "This is quite good". "This is not bad either, but a little too heavy". All the time it was quite evident that he sincerely believed that he might eventually buy one of these puddings, and I am positive that he did not for a moment feel that he was in any way cheating the store. Poor old chap! Probably he had come down in the world and this sampling was all that was left him from the time when he could afford to come and select his favorite pudding. Amidst the crowd of happy, prosperous looking Christmas shoppers, the little black... Question: From the girl's words, we know that she _ Options: A: felt pity for the old man B: looked down upon the old man C: thought poorly of sampling pudding D: worked in the shop for a few months
A