Half a century after the March of Dimes (a US charity organization that collects money for children) put the 20th century's most feared childhood disease on the road to eradication , Bill Gates declared polio his important job and challenged world leaders to finish the job. India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan now have active transmission of the disease. Gates says the biggest problem with the success of the Global Polio Eradication program in those countries and elsewhere is lack of money. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation plans to increase its $200 million annual contribution by $102 million this year, Gates says. Gates recently met privately with Pakistan's President in Washington, D.C., to try to persuade him to provide full support for Pakistan's eradication plan. Children in the USA also are at risk, experts say. Parents who don't vaccinate their children because they are fearful of vaccine side-effects create a large number of children who are likely to be harmed by the virus. "If you increase the number of unvaccinated children, you increase the chance that this virus will find new subjects," says David Oshinsky, Pulitzer Prized-winning author of Polio: An American Story. "We've got to get this vaccine into the mouths of children," says Bruce Aylward, head of the World Health Organization's eradication program. In 1988, when the World Health Organization launched the Global Polio Eradication program, the disease killed 350,000 children a year worldwide. By last year, the total dropped to fewer than 1,500 worldwide, Aylward says. If Gates provides the final push for polio eradication, he may be remembered as much for helping prevent polio as for founding Microsoft, Oshinsky says. "As long as there's polio anywhere, people everywhere are at risk," Aylawrd says. " According to Oshinsky, _ . A) Gates should devote more time to Microsoft B) polio eradication is a very important cause C) vaccine side-effects should not be ignored D) polio has been brought under control
B
(Question)
I met him first in 1936. I rushed into his ugly little shop to have the heels of my shoes repaired. I waited when he did it. He greeted me with a cheerful smile. "You're new in this neighborbood, aren't you?" I said I was. I had moved into a house at the end of the street only a week before. "This is a fine neighborhood," he said. "You'll be happy here." He looked at the leather covering the heel sadly. It was worn through because I had failed to have the repair done a month before. I grew impatient, for I was rushing to meet a friend. "Please hurry," I begged. He looked at me over his spectacles. "Now, lady, we won't be long. I want to do a good job. You see, I have a tradition to live up to." A tradition? In this ugly little shop that was no different from so many other shoe repair shops on the side streets of New York? He must have felt my surprise, for he smiled as he went on. "Yes, lady, I _ a tradition. My father and my grandfather were shoemakers in Italy, and they were the best. My father always told me, 'Son, do the best job on every shoe that comes into the shop, and be proud of your fine work. Do that always, and you'll have both happiness and money enough to live on.'" As he handed me the finished shoes, he said: "These will last a long time. I've used good leather." I left in a hurry. But I had a warm and grateful feeling. On my way home I passed the little shop again. There he was, still working. He saw me, and to my surprise he waved and smiled. This was the beginning of our friendship. It was a friendship that came to mean more and more to me as time passed. Every day I passed his shop, we waved to each other in friendly greeting. At first I went in only when I had repair work to be done. Then I found myself going in every few days just to talk with him. He was the happiest man I've ever known. Often, as he stood in his shopwindow, working at a pair of shoes, he sang in a high, clear Italian voice. The Italians in our neighborhood called him la luce alla finestra--"the light in the... What's the best title of this passage? A) A Proud Shoemaker B) A Prideful Tradition C) The Light in the Window D) Treasure Your Shoes
(Answer)
C
Two European Summer Must 'Seas' When you think of summer,the beach,clear water, sunny skies, and relaxing days are a few things that come to mind, and two of the best places to experience these summer feels are two gorgeous European bodies of water: the Mediterranean Sea and the Adriatic Sea! These two incredible Seas hold some of my favorite travel memories and I would revisit each one in a heart beat! The Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea can be accessed from various European countries as well as a few North African countries. And while many think of visiting Ibiza, Malta, or the Greek islands to experience the Mediterranean, my Mediterranean beach days came while visiting the seaside city of Marseille in the South of France! Marseille was a lovely city with easy access to the Sea, also with pretty sandy beaches. The gorgeous crystal clear blue water made it unlike any beach day in America! Not only were the beaches amazing, but the city of Marseille was adorable and filled with numerous cute shops and seaside restaurants. And the Mediterranean-style food was delicious! The Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea is equally as stunning and surely worth a visit! The Croatian coast has numerous beach clubs, some private and some public, that tourists are able to visit and you can experience the beauty of the Adriatic Sea there! Zrce Novalja, a Croatian seaside town I visited, was impressively featured by the rather rocky beach in place of sand. The rocks were small and smooth, making swimming in the sea and wading in the water just as easy as sandy beaches! Plus the locals in Croatia are also extremely friendly, making the experience even more memorable. What makes Zrce Novalja so special? A) Its beach clubs. B) Its beautiful sea. C) Its rocky beach. D) Its friendly locals.
C