*Question*
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: You are walking along a lane and never know what you will find. It might be a shop selling oil paintings, or a place where you can buy Dutch cheese. One thing is for sure, you will end up by a canal. Welcome to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. The year 2013 will be a good time to explore Amsterdam as the city has a lot to celebrate: the famous canal ring will turn 400 years old. Amsterdam will also celebrate the 160th birthday of Dutch painter of the Van Gogh museum, home to the biggest collection of the artist's colorful works. The famous canal ring is a trademark of the city. With more than 100 kilometers of canals, it is no wonder that Amsterdam is called the 'Venice of the north'. But unlike the Italian town, where boats were originally used for transport, the canals in Amsterdam were mainly used for defense in the 17th century. Today ferries on canals offer a different way to explore the city. But to truly experience Amsterdam, you can't miss the city's historic museums and monuments, among which Van Gogh museum is the most famous one. It holds 200 paintings, 700 letters and 500 drawings by the artist. Another famous museum is Anne Frank's house. Anne Frank became famous around the world because of a diary she left explaining her and her family's experience as a Jewish girl during World War II, hiding out in a house hoping that she would not be captured by German Nazis. Amsterdam is small enough to walk or cycle almost anywhere, but it is rarely dull. Best of all it combines its glittering past with a rebellious edginess. Question: Which of the following is TRUE of the canals in Amsterdam? Options: A: They had to be rebuilt after years of use. B: They protected the city in ancient times. C: They were built to provide transport for the city. D: They are the main theme of Van Gogh's paintings.
**Answer**
B

*Question*
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: When Julio Diaz stepped off the subway after work one night, he was simply planning to go to his favorite local diner for a meal. But when a teenage boy approached him with a knife, Diaz knew the evening was about to take a more dramatic turn. The young man demanded Diaz's wallet, and Diaz passed it over without objection . But just as he turned to walk away, Diaz called, "Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something." The young man turned around, surprised. "If you're going to rob people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep warm." The teenager looked at Diaz in disbelief, and asked why he would do such a thing. Diaz replied, "If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, I guess you must really need the money."He said he was heading out for dinner, and that he would be happy to take someone with him. The young man decided to _ his offer. As they were sitting at the table, the manager, dishwashers and waiters all stopped over to say hello to Diaz, and the young man was amazed at his popularity. "Haven't you been taught that you should be nice to everybody?"Diaz asked him. "Yeah, but I didn't think people actually behaved that way," the teenager replied. Thanks to Diaz, he was beginning to see that kindness wasn't so strange, after all. When the bill came, Diaz told the teen that he'd have to get the check. After all, he still had Diaz's wallet. But the teenager put the wallet on the table without a moment's thought, and Diaz treated him to dinner. Diaz also gave the would-be robber a $20 bill -- in exchange for his knife. "I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right," Diaz said. Question: Diaz possibly felt _ during the whole night. Options: A: relaxed and happy B: worried and helpless C: angry and scared D: surprised and anxious
**Answer**
A

*Question*
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: "I left Tangier, my birthplace, the 13th of June 1325 with the intention of making the pilgrimage to Mecca... to leave all my friends both female and male, to abandon my home as birds abandon their nests." So begins an old manuscript in a library in Paris-the travel journal of Ibn Battuta. Almost two centuries before Columbus, Ibn Battuta set off for Mecca, returning home three decades later as one of history's great travelers. Driven by curiosity, he journeyed to remote comers of the Islamic world, traveling through 44 modern countries, three times as far as Marco Polo. Little celebrated in the West, his name is well known among Arabs. In his hometown of Tangier, a square, a hotel, a cafe, a ferry boat, and even a hamburger are named after him. Ibn Battuta stayed in Mecca as a student for several years, but the urge to travel soon took over. In one adventure, he traveled to India seeking profitable employment with the sultan of Delhi.On the way, he described his group being attacked in the open country by 80 men on foot, and two horsemen. "We fought... killing one of their horsemen and about twelve of the foot soldiers... I was hit by an arrow and my horse by another, but God in his grace preserved me... ". In Delhi, the sultan gave him the position of judge, based on his _ study at Mecca. But the sultan had an unpredictable character, and Ibn Battuta looked for an opportunity to leave. When the sultan offered to finance a trip to China, he agreed. IbnBattuta set off in three ships, but misfortune struck while he was still on the shore. A sudden storm grounded and broke up two ships, scattering treasure and drowning many people and horses. As he watched, the third ship with all his belongings and slaves (one carrying his child), was carried out to sea and never heard from again. After a lifetime of incredible adventures, Ibn Battuta was finally ordered by the sultan of Morocco to return home to share his wisdom with the world. Fortunately, he agreed and wrote a book that has been translated into numerous... Question: What brought Ibn Battuta finally back to his motherland? Options: A: His love for the country. B: His faith in God. C: His plan to write a book. D: His sultan's order.
**Answer**
D