Article: Today, one can trace Venice's rich past from its buildings. Most cities can claim at least a handful of outstanding churches, palaces or houses of historical interest, but in Venice very nearly everything is remarkable, from the magnificent Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square ) and the palaces that line the Grand Canal to the centuries-old homes of simple fishermen. It would be easy to say that the city itself is an enormous museum if it were not for the fact it is so obviously alive. At first sight, Venice looks unbelievably permanent, an apparently complete Renaissance city so untouched by time that there seems no reason why it should not go on forever. Now the city is slowly sinking, as the clay on which it is built loses its elasticity and the massive wooden piles rot away. Flooding, such a rare occurrence a hundred years ago now happens several times each winter. The damage caused by the flooding is immense, and the fabric of the ancient buildings is now being further damaged by pollution from the mainland town as well as by the wash produced by the constantly increasing number of motor boats that speed up and down the canals. A further threat to Venice comes from the Venetians themselves, some of whom are not particularly interested in preserving the city as one of the wonders of the world and would prefer to see it modernized. "What better place is there for the meeting of dear friends? See how it glows with the advancing summer; how the sky and the sea and the rosy air and the marble of the palaces all glimmer and melt together." Thus wrote the famous author Henry James, of Venice, which provided the setting for his story "The Aspern Papers", in the nineteenth century. The Splendor of Venice has captured the imagination of artists for centuries --- and not just of the great painters and novelists. How tragic now that she is faced with the double threat of man and nature. Venice indeed will be lucky to survive. Question: Venice proudly boasts _ . Yes or no, is the answer "its marvelous ancient buildings"?
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Article: Hidden in our subconsciousness is a perfect mental picture. We see ourselves on a long trip that goes across the continent. We are traveling by train. Out the windows, we think in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle feeding on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, or row upon row of corn and wheat, of flat lands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hills, of city skylines and village halls. But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour, we will pull into the station. Bands will be playing and flags waving. Once we get there, so many wonderful dreams will come true and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles , condemning the minutes for loitering --waiting, waiting, waiting for the station. "When we reach the station, that will be it!" we cry. "When I'm 38." "When I buy a new 450SL Mercdes Benz!" "When I put the last kid through college." "When I have paid off the loan!" "When I get a promotion." "When I reach the age of retirement, I shall live happily ever after! " Sooner or later, we must realize there is no station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us. "Relish(appreciate) the moment" is a good motto, actually it isn't the burdens of today that drive man mad. It is the regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today. So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. Then the station will come soon enough. Question: Why does the author describe the mental picture? Yes or no, is the answer "To compare it to our life's journey."?
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Ques: Article: People's Daily Online: On the night of February 5, 2009, CCTV - 1 broadcasted the "Moving China in 2008" award ceremony. The ceremonybroke its tradition, presenting the special award this year to the whole Chinese people. In the award presentation speech, the committee noted that, "In 2008,prefix = st1 /Chinawent through many sad and happy moments. In resisting the snowstorm, earthquake relief, the Olympic Games and the space walk by one of the Shenzhou VII taikonauts, Chinese people displayed courage and wisdom, demonstrating to the world their amazing national strength." Compared with the ceremony before, the biggest change in the award presentation was that this year's award presentation ceremony was divided into four parts, according to the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. The awards were presented to the ten winners according to the time order. Question: The year of 2008 was not a _ year for Chinese people. Yes or no, is the answer "peaceful"?
Ans: No

Article: Maybe you are an average student. You probably think you will never be a top student. However, anyone can become better if he or she does his or her best. Here are some tips to help you. Plan your time carefully. You should plan your time for things such as eating, sleeping and dressing. Then make a good, regular time for studying. But don't forget to set enough time for entertainment. Keep your _ quiet and clean. The study should have a desk, a chair and some study materials, but no games, no radio and no television! When you sit down to study, you can put your heart into it. Make good use of your time. Listen to everything that the teacher says. Listening carefully in class means less work later. Taking notes will help you remember what the teacher says. After you get home from school, go over your notes. Review the important points. If you know what your teacher is going to discuss next day, read the material. It will help you study better. Develop a good attitude to tests. The purpose of a test is to show what you have learned about a subject. It helps you know what you are not good at. The world will still go on even if you fail in a test, so don't be too worried. Question: Which is a good place for studying? Yes or no, is the answer "A quiet place with a chair, a desk and some study materials."?
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