Read the article and select the best answer. Article: We all know that eating junk food can make us fat. However, a new study suggests that it can do more than that - it can also make us lazy, reported CBS News. In the study, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, US divided 32 female rats into two groups. The first group was fed a diet of healthy food such as corn and fish, while the second was given a diet of highly processed food rich in sugar, namely "junk food". Within three months, the rats in the second group were already much fatter than those on the healthy diet. And when researchers trained the rats to do simple tasks, they found even more differences between the two groups rather than weight. During the task - pushing a lever to receive a reward of sugar water - the rats on the junk food diet were found to be less willing to move, and they took longer breaks between each push than the lean rats did. "It is as if the rat is thinking 'This is too much work'," Aaron Blaisdell, leader of the study, told the Los Angeles Times. But what about the possibility that the fat rats were less passionate about getting sugar water because they were already eating lots of sugar in their daily diet? That's why researchers repeated the tests by rewarding fat rats with plain water when they were extremely thirsty. However, the results came out just the same. According to researchers, these differences suggest that junk food changed the chemistry in the rats' brains. The experiment didn't end _ . After six months, the rats' diets were switched, and the overweight rats were given a healthy diet for nine days. However, this change didn't help reduce their weight or improve their ability to perform tasks, which means the effects of their junk food diet persisted . "There's no quick fix," said Blaisdell. For a long time, we've believed that people become fat because they are lazy. But this study has proven the opposite to be true as well, which indicates that laziness and obesity are a "vicious cycle ". So, if you constantly feel tired, lacking any... Question: The researchers rewarded thirsty rats with plain water in the lever test to _ . Options: A: help them control their weight B: test whether fat rats lost interest in the test because they had taken enough sugar C: change the diet habits of fat rats D: find out the influence of sugar on rats' brains
B

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: In most countries in the world, governments require children to attend schools in which trained teachers are responsible for educating the children using an approved curriculum. However, a sharply increasing number of parents believe that it is much better for their children to be educated at home by the people who know them and their needs best. Today, it is estimated that about one million home schooled children in the United States and tens of thousands of other learners around the world are learning outside of school. Now that home schooling is growing worldwide, the real-world experiences of learners show that schools are not always necessary for learning. Therefore, an increasing number of parents are deciding that home schooling is the best option for their children. They are unhappy with the quality or depth of education offered in the schools, or have other reasons why they feel that conventional schools (some people would rather call "normal schools" or "traditional schools") are not suitable for their children. One reason is social factors. Parents worry that their children will suffer from bullying or will be forced into bad behavior by peer pressure. They believe that the good behavior they have taught the child will be lost in school. Another reason is concern over the quality of schooling available. Schools frequently have large classes and they are often under-funded and stuffed with teachers without sufficient knowledge of their subjects. In the third place, other parents may disagree with the aims of the school curriculum, preferring for academic, social or cultural reasons to keep their children separate. However, there are many arguments in favor of sending children to conventional schools. The first is that the children will be exposed to other children. And they will interact with each other and develop social skills. A second point is that the children will learn to function outside the family. They will not be dependent on their parents for their educational, emotional and social... Question: It seems that more and more people come to realize that _ . Options: A: teachers should know their students' needs better. B: children should be educated at school. C: children should learn by themselves. D: children should be educated at home.
D

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Phil White has just returned from an 18,000-mile, around-the-world bicycle trip.White had two reasons for making this _ journey.First of all, he wanted to use the trip to raise money for charity, which he did.He raised PS70,000 for the British charity, Oxfam.White's second reason for making the trip was to break the world record and become the fastest person to cycle around the world.He is still waiting to find out if he has broken the record or not. White set off from Trafalgar Square, in London, on 19th June 2004 and was back 299 days later.He spent more than l,300 hours in the saddle and destroyed four sets of tyres and three bike chains.He had the adventure of his life crossing Europe, the Middle East, India, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Americas.Amazingly, he did all of this with absolutely no support team.No jeep carrying food, water and medicine.No doctor.Nothing! Just a bike and a very, very long road. The journey was lonely and desperate at times.He also had to fight his way across deserts, through jungles and over mountains.He cycled through heavy rains and temperatures of up to 45 degrees, all to help people in need.There were other dangers along the road.In Iran, he was chased by armed robbers and was lucky to escape with his life and the little money he had.The worst thing that happened to him was having to cycle into a headwind on a road that crosses the south of Australia.For l,000 kilometres he battled against the wind that was constantly pushing him.This part of the trip was slow, hard work and depressing, but he made it in the end.Now Mr.White is back and intends to write a book about his adventures. Question: When Phil White returned from his trip, he _ . Options: A: broke the world record B: collected money for Oxfam C: destroyed several bikes D: travelled about l,300 hours
B

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: A new Barbie doll was presented at a toy fair in Germany.It has been modelled after the German Chief Minister Angela Merkel as part of 50th birthday celebrations for the popular toy.It wears a hairstyle and a dark coat like Merkel wears. Lim Ding Wen, a nine-year-old pupil in Singapore, wrote some programs for Apple's popular iPhone.His painting program named "Doodle Kids" has been downloaded over 40,000 times in two weeks. Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama answered questions from some pupils in Washington.During his surprise visit, Obama told the children, "We are just tired of being in the White House" On February 5, China declared a top level emergency in the drought-hit provinces.The drought, which has rarely been seen in prefix = st1 /China's history, has left many people without proper drinking water and is affecting large amounts of crops. Big flames burned entire towns in southeastern Australia and some locals in their cars, making it the country's deadliest fire disaster.Officials believed arson, which means criminal act of setting fire to possessions in order to cause destruction, may be behind some of the fires. At the beginning of February, snow storms paralyzed(...) parts of London, costing businesses millions of pounds.The snow storms are the worst Britainhas seen in 18 years. Question: We can infer from the passage that _ . Options: A: Lim Ding Wen is a talent in designing softwares B: drought is a natural disaster that is rare in China C: US President paid an official visit to Washington D: there have been no snow storms in Britainin the last 18 years
A