TASK DEFINITION: In this task, you're given an article, a question which often contains a blank, four options (associated with "A", "B", "C", "D") and the answer to that question. Your task is to classify whether the given answer is correct or not by providing "Yes" or "No", based on the article.
PROBLEM: Article: As winter gives way to spring, students feel like taking outdoor activities. However, do remember that accidents can happen, such as the one that happened at Taihu Lake several weeks ago. Four students from Shanghai were killed and several were injured. There were several reasons for the accident, but if the students had worn life jackets, it would have made a big difference. Therefore, it is important to take steps to avoid accidents before going on trips whether on land or water. Here are some steps: Make sure you are physically fit for any activities. You need energy for hiking or boating after a long inactive winter. Research your route . Check the weather report so you can pack the correct things so that an unexpected downpour or high winds won't destroy your day. If you are visiting a different culture, learn some basic knowledge about what's accepted and what is not. Take plenty of water to prevent your body from losing too much water and be sure to wear the correct footwear to protect your feet. Don't go to faraway areas and never risk going into unknown waters. Going in a group is safer than going alone. If you have to travel by yourself, leave a note of your travel route, telephone number and how you are traveling. So if there's an emergency, people can get in touch with you.
Question: The accident at Taihu Lake is mentioned to _ .
Options: (A) warn students against traveling alone (B) introduce the topic of the passage (C) show the disadvantages of outdoor activities (D) remind students of the importance of life jackets
Asnwer: C

SOLUTION: No

PROBLEM: Article: Since the first Earth Day in 1970, Americans have gotten a lot "greener" toward the environment. "We didn't know at that time that there even was an environment, let alone that there was a problem with it," says Bruce Anderson, president of Earth Day USA. But what began as nothing important in public affairs has grown into a social movement. Business people, political leaders, university professors, and especially millions of grass-roots Americans are taking part in the movement. "The understanding has increased many, many times," says Gaylord Nelson, the former governor from Wisconsin, who thought up the first Earth Day. According to US government reports, emissions from cars and trucks have dropped from 10.3 million tons a year to 5.5 tons. The number of cities producing CO beyond the standard has been reduced from 40 to 9. Although serious problems still remain and need to be dealt with, the world is a safer and healthier place. A kind of "Green thinking " has become part of practices. Great improvement has been achieved. In 1988 there were only 600 recycling programs, today in 1995 there are about 6,600. Advanced lights, motors, and building designs have helped save a lot of energy and therefore prevented pollution. Twenty-five years ago, there were hardly any education programs for environment. Today, it's hard to find a public school, university, or law school that does not have such a kind of program. "Until we do that, nothing else will change!" says Bruce Anderson.
Question: According to Anderson, before 1970, Americans had little idea about _ .
Options: (A) the social movement (B) environmental problems (C) recycling techniques (D) the importance of Earth Day
Asnwer: B

SOLUTION: Yes

PROBLEM: Article: Across countryside, non-food crops are growing alongside wheat.Some are used in new alternatives to plastics and other materials, but others will simply be burned. Burning crops is becoming more popular because it is good for the planet.Doing so is also cheaper than burning fossil fuels.As more land is devoted to non-food crop production, the economics of crops for fuel are likely to become even more favorable. Humans have been burning such biomass--organic materials from plants or animals-- since they discovered fire.But that burning fossil fuels could have catastrophic consequences has brought biomass back into fashion. Even allowing for emissions of carbon dioxide from fuel used in planting, harvesting, processing and transporting biomass fuel, replacing fossil fuel with biomass can typically reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 90 percent. Power stations around the world are experimenting with forms of biomass to add to their coal or oil, with encouraging results.Indeed, power companies could profit by turning to biomass, especially when the subsidies many governments offer for using renewable energy are taken into account. Farmers can benefit from growing biomass.In Europe, the reduction of subsidies for certain crops is exposing farmers to market forces.Instead of being paid for whatever they produce, farmers must seek a clear demand for their product.Many believe that the demand for alternatives to fossil fuels could be just such a driver. But while biomass offers a variety of potential alternatives, the world's infrastructure has developed around burning fossil fuels to such a stage that switching to biomass involves a change in conception that many companies have not accepted. Also, there are problems with using biomass.Although most coal-fired power stations could take a small amount of their fuel from biomass without significant adjustment, few are built to run on biomass alone.Burning some forms of biomass also causes environmental problems.Oils and waste can be smelly, while wood produces smoke unless burned properly. The supply chains for fossil fuels are set up well, but those for biomass are just the beginning. Sources of supply for biomass rely on farm production and can therefore be less reliable. They are necessarily limited and it wouldn't make sense to turn a very large amount of valuable agricultural land away from food crops.But as the world adjusts to the need to control greenhouse gas emissions, these problems may receive more attention.
Question: What do we know about biomass?
Options: (A) It is a useful way of burning crops. (B) It is plant and animal matter used to provide power. (C) It is a new alternative to be used widely. (D) It is a popular approach to fighting against pollution.
Asnwer: B

SOLUTION:
Yes