Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: Close relationships, thought to help communication by giving speakers a common context, are actually more likely to make _ when strangers are involved, a new study suggests. Because close colleagues and friends already share so much common knowledge that they often use short, ambiguous messages which can lead to misunderstandings. "People are so used to talking with those with whom they already share a great deal of information that, when they have something really new to share, they often present it in a way that they assume the person already knows it." says study-team member Boaz Keysar. Keysar and his graduate student, Shall Wu, trained 40 pairs of undergraduate students to memorize made-up names and descriptions of strange shapes. In each pair, the "director" had to communicate the identity of one of the 24 shapes. The partner had to use the information to choose the correct shape from a set of three images on a computer monitor. Half of the partners studied only the first six shapes, while the others learned the first 18 shapes. The directors, who had memorized all the shapes, were aware of their partners' knowledge levels of the shapes. In the pairs with the most shared knowledge, the directors were more likely to rattle off shape names, compared with pairs with little knowledge overlap , in which the directors were more likely to describe the actual shapes. Not surprisingly, participants with more shared knowledge were twice as likely to ask for clarification as those with less overlap. Language itself can be confusing. "The reason all this is happening at all is that language in general is ambiguous," said Keysar. He recalls an ambiguous billboard near a stadium holding a Rolling Stones concert that night. The billboard read, "Avoid LSD tonight." (:LSD"") Hmmm? "It was about Lake Shore Drive, and I'm sure the writer of the sign didn't realize he was being ambiguous," Keysar said. "Even though miscommunication can lead to missed meetings or deadlines, people are often unaware when their language is... Question: It can be inferred from the example of the billboard that _ . Options: A: most people know what LSD usually refers to B: local people would not misunderstand the meaning of LSD C: the writer of the sign means to play jokes on those attending the concert D: people sometimes ignore the limitation of shared knowledge
A: D

Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: It seemed like there were quarrels every evening.My children were always fighting over something.They never agreed on who had last washed the dishes,or who had last picked the,TV program.I was tired of constantly being a judge. One day,I thought over what my life was like before marriage.I recalled my high school days when the terms"Odd "day/and"Even"day meant something.My class schedule changed by turns between "O" days and"E"days.On O days I might attend Physics and Maths. And on E days I'd go to another elective class,such as First aid or Art. So I explained our new system to the children."Jolee,you were born first,"I said. "Is one an odd number or all even one?" "It's odd,Mom." "And A1,you arrived second.Is two odd or even?" "It's even,Mom." "Ok,so Jolee,from now on,every odd day is automatically your own special day.That means you get to pick what to watch,or which board game to play.Al,the same applies to you on even days." He thought about it a minute,then said,"But there are more odd days than even ones in some months.Jolee will get'her day'two times in a row when a month ends in 31,and the next one begins with a one." "True," I said,"but that also means she'11 be taking the smelly,disgusting rubbish out,washing the dishes,and doing other less-enjoyable things two more days in a row,and you won't.It's part of life's give-and-take." For the first few days after that,whenever one kid shouted,"Mom!"I'd just call out,"Whose day is it?"That settled it.Soon.the quarrelling ended. Ah,the complete joy of peace and quiet ! Question: Which of the following statements is true according to the text? Options: A: Al is cleverer than her sister Jolee. B: Jolee likes doing housework better. C: Neither of the children likes the new system. D: Both children have their privileges in turn.
A: D

Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: When was the last time your family sat down together to have a dinner? The speed at which we live today no longer allows for slow eating habits. Most people work long hours. There is lots of fast food and eating out is now on the increase. Often, food is eaten in front of the television in silence, or a child eats alone in front of the computer. When I was a child, every evening around the same time, one of the children would be asked to set the table, and then we'd go and wash our hands: before the meal. This was the time of day when we would talk about our day at school. But now things have changed a lot. A family environment plays an important role for children in learning to communicate with others and understanding table manners, such as waiting for others to finish before leaving the table and not speaking with a mouth full of food. Parents' likes and dislikes of a certain food will also influence a child's own likes and dislikes. Studies have shown that children who often eat with their families have better results at school than children who eat with their families less than twice a week. Regular meal times give children the chance to discuss their problems with family members. They can also learn to respect others around the table. Talking to your children over dinner is the best way of having their-trust. Children learn good eating habits from their parents at a very young age. Family meals are important. Prepare them for your children. Question: Some families eat less together because _ . Options: A: most children live in a school B: people are busy with their work C: table manners change a lot D: food in the restaurant is better
A: B