What makes a house a home? Not size, of course. I've been in some of the grandest houses in prefix = st1 /America, and it's clear no one lives there. Earlier this year, I had dinner in a mud hut inEthiopia, where we sat on chairs next to the hostess' bed -- a home that had more warmth than any house I've been in since. Now John Edwards is exploring what makes a house a home in his just-released Home: The Blueprints of Our Lives. There Edwards writes, "This isn't a book about houses; it's a book about homes. About the values they rest on, the dreams they are filled with, and the people they have shaped," Edwards writes. "The houses and circumstances are different, but much of what you find inside will be familiar." Whether you're sitting in an airport flight now, waiting to fly to your childhood home for Thanksgiving, or in your own home waiting for the s to arrive, you know what he's talking about. We've lived in our townhouse for 21 years. It's home now. The loose windows that shake in the wind. The fireplace so shallow it holds only one log. The kitchen window that offers a view of the world passing by. It's where friends sit on the kitchen counter drinking wine while dinner is being fixed. I lived there for only 18, but it will always be my true home. Even the lamp in the west living room window, which I could see far down the road when driving home late at night, still shines. While all this talk about childhood memories can be warm and comforting, home is whom you're with, not where you are. As Edwards writes, "Home is family. Home is safety. Home is faith." Happy homecoming. It can be inferred according to the text that _ . A) the author's family were very rich B) every happy home is the same C) the author has been living an unhappy life D) the author and Edwards hold similar ideas
D
(Question)
Last December, I performed 30 shows in 11 days. I knew it would be a tiring tour before I set off, but I just wanted to be there to support our men and women. From the minute I walked onstage the afternoon I arrived at the army, the soldiers were cheering, singing along at the top of their voices. I had done hundreds of concerts, but it was my first time to perform for _ . Looking at the smiling faces of these soldiers --- some of them only teenagers --- I felt great joy moving through me. They were the loveliest fans I had ever met. Then, from out of nowhere, words came into my head. "I want to play you something new ... a song just came in my head minutes ago. It's calledHere with Me," I told them. Cheers rang out. As I sang, I could see the tears in some of soldiers' eyes. I finished to thunderous applause. At theautograph part afterward, one of the soldiers took out a picture of a high school student. "This is my girl. You know, I miss her so much," he said. "That new song you sang ... it meant so much to me. Those were the words I've always wanted to tell her. I realized that the song wasn't about me and that it was, in fact, a gift for these men and women. I played it in every concert after that, always with the same unbelievable reaction. On the long plane ride home I kept thinking about the soldiers I'd met. They risked their lives every day to defend our country, yet they were grateful for a simple concert. I decided to record the new song to thank our men and women inuniform . From the text, we can infer that the author _ . A) served in the army before B) received many gifts during shows C) was impressed by the soldiers D) always cared for the soldiers
(Answer)
C
Ques: Green living has become more important than ever and as time goes by, it will only become a more important issue. While it used to be a matter of making an extra effort to save energy and reduce waste in our homes, this has extended to the professional side of things since. Public buildings, such as schools, hospitals and offices, are under an increasing amount of pressure to make the change and go green, even if it's just a step-by-step process that takes a few years to implement completely. There are plenty of reasons for offices to go green and these reasons go beyond the concept that it should be done just for the sake of the environment. While the environment is incredibly important and vital to our survival and quality of life, sustainable office design can also have positive impacts upon employees and people using the building. For example, a report carried out last September revealed that the way an office is designed can significantly impact on the health of the staff there. It was also found to have an effect on productivity and could be a contributory factor to the amount of sick leave and staff turnaround within the business. It's fascinating to think that people can be so sensitive to their environments but it also makes a lot of sense. Even the choice of colour in your office can negatively or positively affect the people working there. Based on this study, it is clear that companies should be making more efforts to improve on the office design while making sure the environment is sustainable and green. There are various little changes that can be made to lead to something bigger, from making sure the lights are turned off at night to recycling the paper your company gets through on a weekly basis. Once these changes are in place, you can start looking at the bigger picture and begin implementing changes to design and construction, like having wood fibre insulation fitted. Along with other sustainable features, insulation can be beneficial in various ways. Not only will an insulated office... The author mentioned the report carried out last year for the purpose of . A) showing us how to design an office B) telling us the side effects of green living C) improving the productivity of office workers D) proving the benefits of green office design
Ans: D
Ques: Eating different colored foods can keep you healthy, as well as change your mood and behavior. Here is a list of colors, which can change your life. Blue/Purple Blue is considered to be peaceful and calming and it has the same effect on our health. The blue / purple color in food is due primarily to their anthocyanins which are antioxidants that are particularly heart healthy and may help support healthy blood pressure. Out of all the blue and purple foods available, blueberries are considered to have the highest antioxidant level. An analysis of the latest data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study found that people who eat purple and blue fruits and vegetables are at a reduced risk for high blood pressure and are less likely to be overweight. A food and health expert says that blue and purple color foods can prevent blood mass formation, and they also lower the risk of cancer. Foods that contain blue and purple colors are: reddish eggplant (especially the skin), blueberries, blackberries, purple grapes, etc. Green We all know that we should eat green as green symbolizes nature. The green foods are rich in isothiocyanates, which help resist cancer. Dr. Ashok Agarwal, a food and nutrition specialist, explains, "They are excellent sources of folic acid, vitamin K, as well as carotene . Diets high in those above are associated with lowered blood pressure." Foods that contain the green color are: broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, etc. Red Lycopene in reddish fruits and vegetables is a powerful antioxidant that has been associated with a reduced risk of some cancers, and also provides protection against heart attacks. Dr. Smiths says, "Cooked tomato sauces are associated with greater health benefits as compared with the uncooked version as the heating process allows lycopene to be more easily absorbed by the body. Obtaining the most benefit from food depends on proper selection, storage and cooking of the produce." Foods that contain red color are: Tomatoes and tomato products, watermelon,... All the colors mentioned in the passage have the function of _ . A) lowering blood pressure B) improving eyesight C) preventing cancer D) reducing the risk of heart disease
Ans:
C