Norah has a cottage on a cliff above a big bay. In winter it could be very nasty because of strong winds and sea _ In fact, when a gale was blowing, Norah and her husband got used to sleeping in a small room downstairs, because their bedroom upstairs, which faced the gales, had a very big window, and they were afraid that an extra violent gust might break it and blow pieces of broken glass over them. Also, the salt spray from the sea put an end to many of the colorful plants Norah planted in the garden. She tried putting up a fence to protect them, but the wind just hit it, went up over the top and then down the other side, so in the end she filled the garden with trees and bushes that liked salt. But most of the summer Norah enjoyed her cottage and garden very much. At weekends she could sit out-of-doors in the sun, looking at the beautiful view, with interesting ships and boats passing by, and she could very easily cycle down to the sea for a swim. Now, Norah and her husband had plenty of friends and relations. In the summer most of them used to come to enjoy the beautiful place, and in the end it really became quite annoying for Norah and her husband. When they were at home, they found friends and relations arriving, expecting to be given unlimited drinks and meals, and to sit in the sun for hours, talking as if Norah and her husband had nothing else to do but entertain and listen to them. This went on for several years. Norah did not wish to appear rude by refusing to let her friends and relations in, but on the other hand, she was getting tired every summer. Then one day Norah was complaining about this to her hairdresser while she was doing her hair. "You're disturbed by too many uninvited guests, are you?" said the hairdresser. "Why don't you try my way of escaping?" "What's that?" asked Norah. "Well," the hairdresser answered, "when the bell rings, I put on my coat and take my shopping bag. If it's someone I don't want to see, I say innocently, 'I'm sorry, but I've got to go out. But...'" What the hairdresser is likely to continue to say in the end is " _ " A) If I am tired, I say, 'Sorry, can you come next time?' B) If it's someone I like to see, I say, 'How lucky! I've just come in!' C) If it's someone I like to see, I say, 'How happy to see you! I was going shopping, but now I've changed my mind.' D) If it is fine that day, I say, 'I am tired, but I'll show you around the place, anyhow.'
B
When Peng Liyuan stepped off the plane in Moscow, the whole world wanted to know who dressed the elegant first lady. The reporter released the secret--Ma Ke. Peng Liyuan has been wearing Ma Ke's designs for more than a decade, a fact that was only highlighted recently when she was on her first state visit, accompanying her husband President Xi Jinping. The elegant and attractive Peng, formerly a popular singer, has been compared with the US' first lady Michelle Obama and France's Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, since stepping off the airplane in Moscow on March 22. Suddenly, everyone was curious to know more about the first lady's wardrobe. Even so, Ma prefers a low-key approach. _ she says of all the media attention. Ma's relationship with Peng began 10 years ago after a concert in Guangzhou when a reporter told Peng she knew the designer behind the label Exception de Mixmind. Peng asked for an introduction because she was a fan of Ma's designs and had been wearing them for years. The two naturally became friends. Ma says, "The painting reflects the painter, and clothes reflect both the designer and the wearer. Someone desires fame and wealth, or love and sympathy; what you have in your heart is reflected in the design. Those who don't share my philosophy won't buy my clothes. Peng is a caring person, devoted to charity and environmental protection, which is exactly what I'm doing now." However, regardless of the brand, Peng's support of Chinese labels has surprised millions of Chinese who favor foreign fashion brands. "Instead she presented a vision of Chinese fashion, desiring to bring Chinese designers to the world stage," says a western designer. The first lady's double-breasted coat and her black leather handbag aren't available at any of Exception's shops, though Exception's physical stores do have seen a rising number of visitors. What can be inferred from the passage? A) First ladies compete with each other whenever they are together. B) Peng's suits can be bought in Ma Ke's clothes stores. C) Ma Ke offered to design the first lady's clothes through her friends. D) Peng had liked Ma's designs long before she got to know her in the flesh.
D
It was not immediately clear how the military officials first spotted the activity at the site. However, the prefix = st1 /United StatesandSouth Koreagenerally share intelligence information obtained through satellite imagery. Meanwhile, more unidentified South Korean government sources said they are trying to confirm whether a new facility that has been built at the site could be part of preparations for a second nuclear test, the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported Saturday. Defense officials could not immediately be reached for comment. The news came a day after the South's Foreign Minister and incoming U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met with Chinese leaders to discuss sanctions against the North over its Oct. 9 underground nuclear test. Ban met with Chinese President Hu Jintao, State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on Friday. South Korea's Foreign Ministry said they would discuss sanctions, but details of their talks were not immediately released. Ban is visiting the five permanent U.N. Security Council members following his election as secretary-general this month. He pledged to make resolving the North Koreanuclear issue a key priority on his agenda as head of the international body. The United Stateshas been trying to muster greater support for a U.N. Security Council resolution that calls for sanctions in response to the North's nuclear test. Seoul and Beijinghave been reluctant to enforce sanctions over the Oct. 9 test for fear they might aggravate their unpredictable neighbor and destabilize the region. As the North's main aid providers and trade partners, ChinaandSouth Korea's participation are considered crucial for the success of the United Nations resolution, which bans the sale of major arms to the North and calls for inspection of cargo entering and leaving the country. The passage mainly about _ . A) China and South Korea's dispute overNorth Korea B) South Korea's disagreement with the USA C) Chinese leaders' meeting with Ban Ki-moon D) UN's possible sanction against North Koreabecause of its nuke test
D