Recently, a study was carried out to determine who was the greatest American president.Sixty-five presidential historians took part in it, and they judged the past forty-two American leaders based on ten leadership qualities, including public persuasiveness , crisis leadership, management of the economy, moral leadership, and conduct of international relations.The historians also looked at administrative ability , relations with Congress, ability to set goals, and the pursuit of equal justice for all.Finally, the experts took into consideration the historical period in which the president lived. The historians chose Abraham Lincoln as American's greatest president.He had also been named best president in a similar study in 2000.Abraham Lincoln was the president who led the nation through the Civil War in the 1860s, and was able to unite it in the end.He also took the first steps to abolish slavery in America. Edna Medford, a professor of history at Howard University in Washington, D.C., was an adviser on this study and the earlier one.She says Abraham Lincoln is seen to represent the values the nation most honors, such as truthfulness, moderation, and respect for human rights. The historians put American's first president, George Washington, second on the list, while Franklin D.Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, and Harry Truman follow in that order.John F.Kennedy, the country's first Roman Catholic president, is sixth on the list.Like Lincoln, Kennedy was murdered while in office. Among recent presidents, Ronald Reagan was named the tenth best and Bill Clinton rated fifteenth, while the historians put former president George W.Bush at number thirty-six.His father, George H.W.Bush, did much better, being placed at number eighteen. The text is mainly about _ . A) the ten qualities a great president needs B) a study of American presidents C) the values the American nation honors most D) how Abraham Lincoln improved the country
B
I was at a dance club when I was nineteen. One day my new friend walked with me to my car. It was a very cold night. As we were walking to my car, a man walked up to us. Behind him was a woman pushing _ with a child inside who was about 2 years old. The child had only a jacket on and it wasn'tzipped . The man began to tell us he wanted to borrow some money for the night and that he had a job but no place to live and was waiting for his first paycheck. He confirmed he could get our mailing address and mail the money back to us. The guy I was with reached into his pocket to give this man a $20 bill. As the man was extending his hand out to take the money, I put my hand on my new friend's hand and said, "Can I talk to you for a minute?" I told him some people earned money by begging and that they always cheated those with soft hearts. And if they were truly worried about their child being out in the cold, they would have at least zipped his jacket. My friend looked at me with disapproval and said, "Michael, I know there are some people out there that take advantage of others. I also know some people out there that are one paycheck away from being homeless. If I gave $20 to 10 people and only one of them really needed it and used it for the right thing, it was worth it." I am now thirty-seven years old and have never forgotten what he said to me. I don't even remember his name now. But I do remember that this experience changed my perspective . We can infer the author could learn from the experience that _ . A) one should be very kind to everyone B) anybody has a time when he needs help C) one should do whatever is worthy actively D) one should keep away from those poor
C
Q: Nuclear-powered aircraft carriers are considered one of the most important marine weapons in the 20th century. So far, only two countries in the world--the prefix = st1 /USAandFrance--have ever produced them. But these frightful fighting machines are about to enter Asia. The US Navy said last month that one of its nine nuclear-powered aircraft carriers will be sent to Japanto replace the diesel-powered carrier Kitty Hawk in 2009 in an agreement on October 30th. The two countries also planned to level up their military cooperation and theUSAcalled forJapanto take a large role in alliance military moves. It will be the first time that a nuclear-powered carrier is based in Japan. Bombed byUSforces in World War II at Hiroshima and Nagasaki,Japanis the only world country to have been attacked by a nuclear weapon. Therefore, the citizens are highly sensitive to where nuclear-powered weapons are based. "A radiation leak at Yokosuka would kill 100,000 people as far away as Tokyo, and could cause billions of dollars in damage," said Masahiko Go to, leader of a protest group inYokosuka. His group has collected more than 300,000 signatures of people acrossJapanopposed to the nuclear carrier. The 44-year-old Kitty Hawk, the USnavy's oldest active ship, has been based in Yokosuda since 1998. The new carrier, yet to be _ , will travel faster, be capable of supporting longer operations and carry with it the Navy's most modern technology. Experts pointed that this change is not only to strengthen the US-Japan military alliance but also to keep the military power of ChinaandNorth Koreawithin limits. However, Japanese experts don't believe that the countries are threats to the region. "There is no need for Japanto have a nuclear carrier as defense," said Tetsuo Maeda, an international relations professor atTokyoInternationalUniversity. He said that the change of ship indicates an increased military capacity, in the region, much more than what is needed. With such a frightful weapon to enter its country, Japanese citizens A) are sensitive to where the carrier will be based B) are anxious about its potential danger C) are curious about the advanced technology D) are aware of its benefits to the country
A: A
(Question)
The world, in painter Chen Xiao's eyes, is as colorful and sweet as ice cream. At the opening of his latest exhibition, Colorful World in the Eyes of Sean Chen, at the National Museum of China recently, the artist told his story. Chen left China for Australia in 1986 to seek artistic freedom, and like many new immigrants then, he had little money in his pocket. To make ends meet, he drew portraits of people in the street. Every day, he saw people buy ice cream from a shop. Chen couldn't help wondering: "It must taste great, that's why so many people buy it." But he didn't buy one for himself because he had to save money to support his studies. After four months of painting there and watching people eat ice cream, Chen didn't resist the temptation --- he bought an ice cream. "The first bite took me to heaven," Chen recalls while laughing. "You know, as a poor young man in a new country, an ice cream was too expensive then." Since then, he kept the taste of the ice cream in his heart and included the happy feelings in his paintings, which turn out to be colorful and sweet. His current exhibition is part of his nationwide tour that began at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing in 2011. He plans to take his artworks to 24 cities around China by 2016. The exhibition at the National Art Museum of China will last until April 22. After the exhibition tour, he will sell his works through an auction , and all the money will be donated to protection of the environment in China. "The natural environment of New Zealand has inspired my artwork and brought me enjoyment. I hope people in my home country can enjoy the same beautiful environment as I do," says Chen, who has made New Zealand his home for the last 26 years. Which word can best describe Chen Xiao's paintings? A) Simple. B) Interesting. C) Lovely. D) Colorful.
(Answer)
D