Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Older people with hearing loss may suffer faster rates of mental decline. People who have hearing trouble suffered meaningful impairments in memory, attention and learning about three years earlier than people with normal hearing, a study published online January 21 in JAMA Internal Medicine reveals. The finding supports the idea that hearing loss can have serious consequences for the brain,says Patricia Tun of Brandeis University in Waltham,Mass., who studies aging. "I'm hoping it will be a real wake-up call in terms of realizing the importance of hearing. " Compared with other senses, hearing is often overlooked, Tun says. "We are made to interact with language and to listen to each other, and it can have damaging effects if we don't." Frank Lin of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and colleagues tested the hearing of 1,984 older adults. Most of the participants, who averaged 77 years old, showed some hearing loss -- 1,162 volunteers had trouble hearing noises of less than 25 decibels, comparable to a whisper or rustling leaves. The volunteers; deficits reflect the hearing loss in the general population: Over half of people older than 70 have trouble hearing. Over the next six years, these participants underwent mental evaluations that measured factors such as short-term memory, attention and the ability to quickly match numbers to symbols. Everybody got worse at the tasks as time wore on, but people with hearing loss had an especially sharp decline, the team found. On average, a substantial drop in performance would come about three years earlier to people with hearing loss. Lin cautions that the study has found an association between hearing loss and mental abilities; the researchers can't conclude that hearing loss directly causes the decline. Yet more and more studies are turning up ways that diminished hearing could damage the brain. A person who can't hear well might avoid social situations, and isolation is known to be bad for the brain. "You gradually become more socially withdrawn, " Lin says.... Question: Mass does the research to _ . Options: A: present the mental decline B: attach importance to hearing C: compare hearing with other senses D: exaggerate the damaging effects
B

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Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Most musicians agree that the best violins were first made in prefix = st1 /Italy. They were made inCremona,Italy, about 200 years ago. These violins sound better than any others. They even sound better than violins made today. Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments like the old Italian violins. But they aren't the same. Musicians still prefer the old ones. No one really knows why these old Italian violins are so special, but many people think they have an answer. Some people think it is the age of the violins. They say that today's violins will also sound wonderful someday. But there is a problem here. Not all old violins sound wonderful. Only those from Cremonaare special. So age cannot be the answer. There must be something different aboutCremonaor those Italian violin makers. Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood. The wood of the violin is very important. It must be from certain kinds of trees. It must not be too young or too old. Perhaps the violin makers of Cremons knew something special about wood for violins. But the kind of wood may not be so important. It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way. Wood for a violin must be cut very carefully. It has to be the right size and shape. The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin. Musicians sometimes think that this was the secret of the Italians. Maybe they understood more than we do about how to cut the wood. Size and shape may not be the answer either. Scientists measured these old violins very carefully. They can make new ones that are exactly the same size and shape. But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old one. Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish, which covers the wood of the violin and makes it look shiny. It also helps the sound of the instrument. No one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish. So no one can make the same varnish today. There may never be other violins like the violins of Cremona. Their secret may be lost forever.... Question: This passage is about _ . Options: A: making violins B: musical instruments C: scientific ideas D: the old Italian violins
(Answer)
D

Ques: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: The best way to cure sadness is not shopping, according to a recent study. The so-called shopping method has become common practice these days, but that can put your wallet under a lot of pressure. So if you are sad and feel like shopping, don't! According to the recent study, sadness leads to self-focus thinking. In other words, sad people are willing to spend more money on the same thing than calm people. "It is the result of sadness and self-focus, and it turns out that sadness leads to an increase in self-focus," said Cynthia Cruder. "What we think is that sad and self-focused people are feeling pretty bad about themselves, and one way to deal with this is buying material goods." In a perfect situation, when you know you are sad, you should avoid making decisions and spending money. Sounds simple? Sadly, it is not. Most people don't even know they're sad, the study shows, and they are not aware that their feelings influence their decisions. What to do? The study showed that those who watched a tragedy were more likely to spend three times more money for a simple bottle of water than those who watched a comedy. The solution: well, for starters, don't go shopping! If you can't help it, it is probably better to see a doctor. Question: What would be the best title for this passage? Options: A: The Loss of Money Caused by Sadness B: Shopping is Not the Best Way to Cure Sadness C: A Study About How to Stay in a Good Mood D: How to Make Decisions When You Are Sad
Ans: B

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Security guard, truck driver, salesperson--year after year, these jobs appear on lists of the unhappiest careers. Although many factors can make a job unhappy, unusual hours, low pay, nochance for advancement -- these three gigs stand out for another reason: a lack of small talk. Psychologists have long said that connecting with others is central to well-being, but just how much conversation we require is under investigation. In one study, researchers eavesdropped on undergraduates for four days, then cataloged each overheard conversation as either small talk (What do you have there? Popcorn?(Yummy!) or serious (So did they get divorced soon after?). They found that the second type related with happiness--the happiest students had roughly twice as many serious talks as the unhappiest ones. Small talk, meanwhile, made up only 10 percent of their conversation, versus almost 30 percent of conversation among the least content students. However, don't just consider chat worthless yet. Scientists believe that small talk could promote linking. Chatting with strangers could brighten your morning. In a series of experiments, psychologists gave Chicago travelers varying directions about whether to talk with fellow train passengers something they typically avoided. Those told to chat with others reported a more pleasant journey than those told to enjoy your being alone or to do whatever they normally would. None of the chatters reported being rejected. And the results held for introverts and extroverts alike which makes sense, since acting extroverted has a positive effect on introverts. Small talk can also help us feel connected to our surroundings. People who smiled at, made eye contact with, and briefly spoke with their Starbucks reported a greater sense of belonging than those who rushed through the business. Similarly, one not yet published paper found that when volunteers broke the silence of the Tate Modern to chat with gallery goers, the visitors felt happier and more connected to the exhibit than those who... Question: The author used the Tate Modern example to demonstrate that _ . Options: A: connecting with others is key to our happiness B: unserious conversation could promote bonding C: small talk can help us feel connected to our surroundings D: smiling can help people gain a great sense of belonging
C