Suppose you become a leader in an organization. It's very likely that you'll want to have volunteers to help with the organization's activities. To do so, it should help to understand why people undertake volunteer work and what keeps their interest in the work. Let's begin with the question of why people volunteer. Researchers have identified several factors that motivate people to get involved. For example, people volunteer to express personal values related to unselfishness, to expand their range of experiences, and to strengthen social relationships. If volunteer positions do not meet these needs, people may not wish to participate. To select volunteers, you may need to understand the motivations of the people you wish to attract. People also volunteer because they are required to do so. To increase levels of community service, some schools have launched compulsory volunteer programs. Unfortunately, these programs can shift people's wish of participation from an internal factor (e.g., "I volunteer because it's important to me") to an external factor (e.g., "I volunteer because I'm required to do so"). When that happens, people become less likely to volunteer in the future. People must be sensitive to this possibility when they make volunteer activities a must. Once people begin to volunteer, what leads them to remain in their positions over time? To answer this question, researchers have conducted follow-up studies in which they track volunteers over time. For instance, one study followed 238 volunteers in Florida over a year. One of the most important factors that influenced their satisfaction as volunteers was the amount of suffering they experienced in their volunteer positions. Although this result may not surprise you, it leads to important practical advice. The researchers note that attention should be given to "training methods that would prepare volunteers for troublesome situations or provide them with strategies for coping with the problem they do experience". Another study of 302 volunteers at... What can we learn from the Florida study? A) Follow-up studies should last for one year. B) Volunteers should get mentally prepared. C) Strategy training is a must in research. D) Volunteers are provided with concrete advice.
B
(Question)
Albert Einstein died long ago. However, a group of researchers have created a robot which looks like the great scientist. The robotic Einstein is very special because the researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have taught their realistic robot to smile, frown and make other complex facial expressions. Scientists believe that babies learn to control their bodies through movements, including learning to speak. "We use the same idea to work out the problem of how a robot could learn to make realistic facial expressions," said Javier Movellan, director of UCSD's machine Feeling Lab. ks5u The San Diego researchers directed the Einstein robot's head to turn in all directions. The robot could see its expressions in a mirror and then use the software to provide data for machine-learning to match facial expressions to the movements of its small motors. Once the robot learned the relationship between facial expressions and the muscle movements, it learned to make facial expressions. Its head has about 30 facial feelings, and each is moved by a tiny motor connected to ht e skin by s sting. Although we've never met Albert Einstein, we have a feeling that the new robot isn't exactly a fair representation of now of the best minds of the 20th century. The figure does not have the grace of the great man, but it can recognize human expressions and react to them in the right way. In fact, if you smile at it, it will smile right back to you. "As far as we know, no other research group has used a robot to make realistic facial expressions," said computer scientist Tingfan Wu, a computer science PhD student who worked on a more exact facial expression robot. According to Tingfan Wu, _ A) other groups will create better robots soon. B) this kind of robot will soon be improved. C) it will cost a lot of money to improve the robot D) this robot can make more facial expressions than humans .
(Answer)
B
Ques: China may be the world's largest market for e-bikes, but Europe is fast catching up. The EU's official statistics agency says the figure reached the one million e-bike mark two years ago, and sales have sharply increased since then. When working errands around Berlin, Lutz, who usually works with horses, uses the company's new e-bike that charges easily and has a range of 140 kilometers. "We found there was no parking spot problem or other worries. And on top of all this, we don't pollute the environment. Petrol is also saved," said Lutz Baddack, owner of Reitsport Baddack. Unlike many other parts of the world, the EU does not require registration for e-bikes. Nearly half a million are expected to be sold in Germany this year, in all shapes and sizes. It's not just bike fans buying them. People who usually drive cars also use them occasionally," said Stefan Gelbhaar. Dealers say the elderly are also big customers. Sales of ordinary bicycles fell in Germany last year, but sales of e-bikes rose by eight percent. Sales figures are expected to keep rising. "In five years we will have the market share of 20 percent, maybe more," said Marcus Kendler, owner of E-Motion. In the hillier parts, that figure has already been beyond it. The sales of e-bikes in Germany have been much larger than those in any other country in Europe. But other countries are fast catching up. In Europe, with the various brands at the market and falling prices, e-bikes are here to stay and not just a repeated trend. From the passage we know that e-bikes are preferred by those _ . A) who work with horses B) who usually drive cars C) who are out on business D) who live in the hillier parts
Ans: D
Christmas in the United States is traditionally a time of gift-giving and family gatherings.But small towns across the country have their own traditions. Middleburg,a small town in the state of Virginia,is known for its horses.For more than 50 years,Middleburg has organized a yearly Christmas parade .Men and women ride horses through the woods and fields.They follow hunting dogs as they search for a wild fox.But first,these hunters ride in the yearly parade,wearing their bright red hunting clothes and hats. John Hale,a citizen of Middleburg says many city people visit his town."We have a lot of people from an urban area that come to visit,but it incorporates a lot of the o1d traditions." The nighttime hay ride is one such tradition.Small groups gather under the moonlight on an open wagon filled with hay.The passengers sing as farm horses pull the wagon slowly across the fields. There are some newer traditions,too.Trey Matheu works at the nearby Salamander Resort.He says a visit to Middleburg is a chance to slow down for a day.He says Middleburg can be a calming,peaceful place without tension. "Middleburg is an opportunity to take a step back,to take a deep breath,and understand that even though life is moving on at a very fast pace,there's really an opportunity where you're allowed to step off for a little bit." Parade organizers say more than 13,000 people attend even in below-freezing weather. But if you ask,you will hear many different reasons why people come to watch the parade: "I come here because I'm from a small town. I like how everybody comes together.""I live right down that street;right there.And that's my dog." Middleburg looks its best at Christmastime.That may be why so many people return each year. What do we know about the small town Middleburg? A) It makes a large profit from tourism. B) It attracts many people each year. C) It is a good place for family gatherings. D) It doesn't respect Christmas traditions.
B