Car sharing is another way to drive green that's gaining in popularity, especially in urban areas.People who may not drive every day but still want a car to run errands or drive on weekends benefit most from car sharing.Car sharing is usually run by a service like Zipcar, though there are non-profit and informal car sharing services.Members pay a monthly fee and have access to an entire fleet of cars when they need one.The cars are parked in fixed spots around the city, so members only need to make a reservation, and then go to the pickup spot. Car sharing has major environmental benefits because it reduces the number of cars on the road.Members don't drive just because they are in a car.They plan trips, and if they don't need a car, they don't use one.Still, a car is available to them if they need to make a big trip to the grocery store, pick someone up at the airport or if they want to go to the beach for the day.Members also benefit by having access to a car without any of the headaches of ownership.They usually don't have to pay for the gas, insurance or maintenance , and the monthly membership fee is less than a typical car payment.So if you really want to go green but aren't ready to totally give up a car yet, car sharing may be the way to go. If you still need to get around, but want to go even greener than sharing a car, share a bus! The author intends to tell us that car sharing _ . A) has become the most popular way to go to work B) has become the best way to cut living costs C) is becoming more and more popular in cities D) is becoming popular both in urban and rural areas
C
(Question)
When companies do business overseas, they come in contact with people from different cultures.These individuals often speak a different language and have their own particular custom and manners.These differences can create problems. For example, in France, business meetings begin promptly at the designated time and everyone is expected to be there.Foreign business people who are late are often left outside to cool their heels as a means of letting them know the importance of promptness.Unless one is aware of such expected behaviors, he may end up insulting the people with whom he hopes to establish trade relations. A second traditional problem is that of monetary conversions .For example, if a business deal is conducted with Russia, payment may be made in rubles.Of course, this currency is of little value to the American firm.It is, therefore, necessary to convert the foreign currency to American dollars.How much are these Russian rubles worth in terms of dollars? This conversion rate is determined by every market, where the currencies of countries are bought and sold.Thus there is an established rate.although it will often change from day to day.For example, the ruble may be worth 0.75 on Monday and 0.72 on Tuesday because of an announced wheat shortage in Russia.In addition, there is the dilemma associated with converting at 0.72.Some financial institutions may be unwilling to pay this price, feeling that the ruble will sink much lower over the next week.As a result, conversion may finally come at 0.69.These "losses" must be accepted by the company as one of the costs of doing business overseas. A third unique problem is trade barriers.For one reason or another, all countries impose trade barriers on certain goods crossing their borders.Some trade barriers are directly related to exports.For example, the United States permits strategic military material to be shipped abroad only after government permission has been obtained.Most trade barriers, however, are designed to restrict... The best title for the passage would be _ . A) How to Succeed in International Trade B) Monetary Conversion C) Trade Barriers D) Unique Problems in International Trade
(Answer)
D
Ques: Scientists have transformed men's minds into avirtual woman's body in an experiment that could throw light upon how humans distinguish themselves form others. In a study at Barcelona University, men wore a virtual reality headset that allowed them to see and hear the world as a female character. When they looked down, they could even see their new body and clothes. The "body-swapping" effect was so convincing that the men's sense of self was transferred into the virtual woman, causing them to react to events in the virtual world they wereimmersed . "This work opens up another avenue for virtual reality, which is not just to transform your sense of place, but also your sense of self," said Mel Slater, "If you can temporarily give people the illusion that their bodies are different, then the evidence suggests it also affects their behavior and the way they think. They can have new experiences: a person who is thin can know what it is like to be fat. A man can have an experience of what it's like to be a woman." During the experiment, a "female" approached and hit the face of the character another man was playing. "Their reaction was immediate," said Slate. "They would take in a quick breath and maybeflinch . The more people reported being in the girl's body, the stronger physical reaction they had." But in all cases, the feeling was temporary and lasted only as long as the study. The study shows that our minds have a very fluid picture of our bodies. The research is expected to shed light on the puzzle of how our brain tells the difference between a part of our own body and something else in the wider world. Thus the work might improve the conditions for those who have experienced strokes by placing them in a world that helps them to use their bodies to the full again. What is the author's intention of writing this passage? A) to introduce an interesting and advanced study B) to inform us of the latest development of virtual reality C) to illustrate the importance of virtual reality D) to build up our confidence to fight stroke
Ans:
A