Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: John sent his mother expensive presents on his mother's birthday every year. He liked to show her how rich he was. "I must find something wonderful for her, and it must be the only one in the whole world. Then my mother must be very happy." John thought. He advertised in the newspapers. "Wanted--the best present for the woman who has everything. " For many days his telephone did not stop ringing. People phoned him from all over the world. They wanted to sell him "the best present". But they did not have anything that was the only one in the whole world. Then less than a week before his mother's birthday, a man came to his office. He was carrying a cage, and in the cage there was a large bird. "This bird, "the man said, "can speak ten languages and sing any pop song. There is no other bird like it in the world. " "I will listen to it, "John said. "If what you said is true, I will buy the bird from you." The man spoke to the bird. "Talk to me in French, " he said. The bird spoke to him in French. "Tell me a joke in Japanese, " he said. The bird told him a joke in Japanese. "Sing a famous pop song, "he said. The bird sang a famous pop song. "I'll buy it, "John said. "How much do you want?" "One hundred thousand dollars, "the man said. This was a lot of money but John paid him. Then he sent the bird to his mother with a birthday card. The day after his mother's birthday he phoned her. "Well, mother, "he said, "Is the bird wonderful?" "Oh, it was delicious, dear, "she said. Question: Why did John pay the man a lot of money for the bird? - Because it was such a beautiful bird. - Because he wanted to help the poor man with the bird. - Because the bird could look after his mother. - Because he thought the bird could make his mother happy.
Because he thought the bird could make his mother happy.

Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Around the world coral reefs are facing threats brought by climate change and great changes in sea temperatures. While ocean warming has been the primary focus for scientists and ocean policy managers, cold events can also whiten corals. A new study by scientists compared damaged to corals exposed to heat as well as cold stress. The results show that cool temperatures can cause more damage in the short term, but heat is more destructive in the long run. Climate change is widely known to produce warming conditions in the oceans, but extreme cold-water events have become more frequent and serious as well. In 2010, for example, coral reefs around the world faced on of the coldest winters and one of the hottest summers on record. During a unique experiment, corals under cold temperatures suffered greater damage in just days compared with heat treated corals. Yet the researchers found that corals were eventually able to adjust to the cold conditions, make their health stable and continue to grow. However, over the long term corals subjected to heat suffered more greatly than those in cold, with evidence of severe whitening and growth stoppage, which leads to death. The coral's ability to adjust to cool temperatures surprised the researchers, who say the study's results show the complexities of monitoring coral health in response to different environmental factors . "Global warming is associated with increases but also decreases of temperatures," said Deheyn, one of the researchers. "Not much has been known about the comparative effects of temperature decrease on corals. These results are important because they show that corals react differently to temperature differences, which is important for future management of coral reefs in the field of climate change." Question: We can learn from the passage that _ . - scientists used to pay no attention to the effect of cold events on corals - 2010 witnessed one of the greatest temperature differences on record - corals prefer warmer conditions to cold temperatures in the long run - global warming has nothing to do with the decrease of temperature
2010 witnessed one of the greatest temperature differences on record

Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: After a while, Tommy's parents, who had recently separated, would arrive for a meeting on his failing schoolwork and bad behavior. Neither parent knew that I had called the other. Tommy, an only child, had always been a happy, cooperative and top student. How could I make his father and mother believe that his recent failing grades meant a broken-hearted child's reaction to his parents' separation and divorce ? Tommy's mother entered and took one of the chairs. Soon the father arrived. Good! At least they were enough to be here in time. They ignored each other. As I gave a detailed introduction of Tommy's behavior and schoolwork, I waited for the right words to bring these two together to help them see what they were doing to their son. But somehow the words wouldn't come. Perhaps if they saw one of his dirty, carelessly done papers? I found a sheet in the back of his desk. Writing covered both sides: not the exercises, but a single sentence scribbled over and over. Silently I gave it to Tommy's mother. She read it and then handed it to her husband. Then his face softened. At last he folded the paper carefully, placed it in his pocket, and reached for his wife's hand. She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled up at him. He helped with her coat and they left together. In his own way God had given me the words to reunite that family. He had guided me to the sheet of yellow copy paper covered with the pain outpouring of a small boy's troubled heart. The words are "Dear Mom... Dear Daddy... I love..." Question: Why did Tommy fail his recent grades? - Because he was greatly influenced by his parents. - Because he was punished by his teacher. - Because he wrote to his parents very often. - Because he did one of his dirty, careless papers.
Because he was greatly influenced by his parents.

Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: The Bedouin people think most highly of people who show loyalty. To them loyalty does not mean that one is devoted to a country, a place, or a leader. Loyalty means being faithful to one's family and tribe . The Bedouin people take pride in their ancestors . They do not admire a hero from an ordinary or poor family as much as one who comes from an honored family. They particularly respect those who have received a good name from their ancestors and then have passed it on to their children. A man's position among the black-tent people depends upon his ancestors, relatives, and fellow tribesmen. If they are honored, he is also honored. If they are disgraced, he too is disgraced. Therefore one carefully guards the honor of his family, his lineage ,and his tribe. A man can protect his family's honor by being brave and generous and by giving protection to those who ask for it. He also guards it by carefully watching the women of his family. A Bedouin woman cannot bring honor to her family, but she can bring disgrace. Even if a woman only looks as if she has done wrong, she may be killed. The honor of her family depends upon her virtue . Question: The Bedouin people respect those who _ . - leave their families to seek success on their own - value their families more than anything else - become heroes with an ordinary family background - are devoted to their country
value their families more than anything else