I have been using the Internet since I was five years old, when my dad first sat me down in front of a computer and connected me the World Wide Web. I've always felt like a master of the Internet world. AOL Instant Messaging, MSN, Gmail, Facebook, Myspace -- I've got it all under control. I thought there was nothing more to it besides checking my e-mail and wasting my time, until I was introduced to electronic commerce(e-commerce): business on the Internet. Some online businesses are run from one-room home offices. Others have hundreds of employees across the world. Have you ever heard of Amazon.com, Yahoo.com? My friends often said they got cheap textbooks off Amazon.com, or had a good deal on Steve Madden shoes that were on sale at SteveMaden.com. Unfortunately for me, I continued my "e-commerceless" Web-surfing, not knowing about all the deals I was missing out on. That is, of course, until my sister finally sold the idea to me. "Why are all these packages arriving in the mail for you, Katy?" I asked her one day. Strange envelopes had been put on our doorstep for weeks now, each one always addressed to my sister; and we all know little sisters should never be getting more mail than their elders! "Oh, it's the things I ordered online!" she answered. I watched speechlessly as she opened them. There was no way our parents were letting her spend that much money- online or off! "How much did all of this coat?" "Oh, only about $15 in all!" She said excitedly. "Everything on eBay is on sale! It's a way better than going to the mall." I felt as if there had been a store right in my backyard that I had never walked into! That week, I ordered a used Spanish textbook for my summer course online for 10 percent of the publishing price. A few days later, I bought an iPod protector and a book or two via the wonderful eBay.com. The writer didn't find out about e-commerce until _ A) he stopped web-surfing B) he visited a store in his backyard C) his sister explained the packages she got by mail D) his friends told him about the online deals they made
C
Finding time to read is an important part of developing reading and writing skills for all kids. And there are many easy and convenient ways to make reading a part of each day -- even when it's tough to find time to sit down with a book. Car trips, waits in checkout lines and the doctor's office are all opportunities for reading. Keep books or magazines in your car, or backpack to pull out whenever you're going to be in one place for a while. Even if you can't finish a book, read a few pages or discuss some of the pictures. Encourage kids to bring favorite books and magazines along wherever you go. While it's attractive to provide electronic games and readers, be sure to alternate electronic media with plenty of opportunities to read traditional print books. Reading opportunities are everywhere you go. While riding in the car, for example, encourage kids to spot words and letters (on billboards, store signs, etc.), turning it into a game ("Who'll be the first to find a letter B?"). Even daily tasks like cooking can provide reading moments. Kids can assist you as you cook by telling you how much flour to measure. Give your child a catalogue to read while you sort through the mail. Ask relatives to send your child letters, e-mail, or text messages, and read them together. Help your child create letters or messages to send back to the relatives. These types of activities help kids see the purpose of reading and of print. Even when you're trying to get things done, you can encourage reading. While cleaning, for instance, you might ask your child to read a favorite book to you while you work. Make sure kids get some time to spend quietly with books, even if it means cutting back on other activities, like watching TV or playing video games. Most important, be a reader yourself. Kids who see their parents reading are likely to imitate them and become readers, too! What may be the best title for the text? A) Reading approaches B) Finding reading moments C) Encouraging kids to read D) What reading means to kids
B
Q: Hundreds of people lined up at Grand Central Terminal yesterday, but they weren't there to catch a train. They came to New York City's famous railroad station to trade in old dollar bills for the new George Washington Presidential1 coin. The gold-colored coin is the first in a new series by the U.S. Mint that honors former U.S. Presidents. The Mint will issue four Presidential1 coins a year through 2016. Like the popular 50 State Quarters program, which issues coins in the order in which each state joined the Union, Presidential1 coins will come out in the order in which each President served. The George Washington coin is the first to be released. John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison coins will come out later this year. The Presidential 1 coins will be the same size and color as the Sacagawea Golden Dollar. However, there is an important difference. For the first time since the 1930s, there is an inscription on the edge of each coin. Each coin will show a different President on its face, or head side. It will also show the President's name, the order in which he served and his years in office. The other side of the coin will show the Statue of Liberty and the inscriptions "United States of America" and " 1". There will be one Presidential1 coin for each President, except Grover Cleveland. He will have two! Cleveland is the only U.S. President to have served two nonconsecutive terms. The last President scheduled to get a coin is Gerald Ford because a President must have been dead for two years before he can be on a coin. Why will Grover Cleveland have two coins? A) He served longer than any other President. B) He is the most famous President in the U.S. C) He is the only one who has served two terms. D) He served two terms but not continuously.
A: D
Q: It seems that great artists and scientists often suffer from mental problems. Both Einstein and Dickens had mental illness. Now scientists have started to look at whether mental illness and genius are linked . Dr. Adele Juda studied 5,000 creative people in Germany. She found there were more people with mental illness in this group than in the general population. Poets had the highest rate of mental illness, followed by musicians, with lower numbers for painters and architects. Other scientists did research which also showed a strong link between mental problems and creativity. But, it did nothing to explain it. Dr. Ruth Richards of Harvard University _ . Instead of studying creative people, she took a group of psychiatric patients and tested them for creativity. The patients got much higher scores than a normal group. Also, the patients' close relatives were much more creative than the patients and a normal group. This suggests that the key to the link between creativity and mental illness is in our genes . But this is a problem. According to Darwinism, harmful genes should be removed. Some scientists believe that evolution has created a balance, where the madness of a few people leads to the development of the whole human race. Geniuses may be mad, bad or just difficult to understand, but their discoveries have improved the world we live in. It seems that a little creative madness is good for us all. Which of the following statements is NOT true? A) Among the 5,000 creative people in Germany, more people suffer from mental diseases than the general population. B) There is a strong link between mental problems and creativity. C) Psychiatric patients make greater contributions than common people. D) The key to the link between creativity and mental illness is in our genes.
A: C