In Europe, many people make friends across the borders between their countries through town twinning. Town or city twinning means two towns in different countries agree and decide to become "twins" with sister city relationship. Their citizens find pen friends in the twin town. They exchange newspapers and stamps. The school teachers discuss teaching methods with the teachers in the twin town. Officials visit the twin town for celebrations. Ordinary citizens travel to the twin town, too, but not very often if it is far away. Sometimes, schools even exchange their classes for two or three weeks! For example, German middle school students study for a while at the school in their twin town in Britain, staying with British families. A few months later, their British friends come to study in Germany. Some towns even arrange exchange visits for theatre groups, choirs and orchestras ( ). Others send lecturers to the twin town who tell the people there all about their own town , and show photos and slides. Town twining can help make friends and motivate people to learn from each other. It helps students to improve their language skills, and it contributes to strengthening peace and understanding between different nations. One of the advantages of town twinning is _ . A) to earn more money B) to set up schools C) to improve students language skills D) to develop industry and agriculture
C
Do you want to live a happier, less stressful life? Try laughing for no reason at all. That's how thousands of people start their day at Laughter Clubs around the world - and many doctors now think that having a good laugh might be one of the best ways to stay healthy. The first Laughter Club was started in Mumbai, India, in 1995 by Dr Madan Kataria. "Young children laugh about 300 times a day. Adults laugh between 7 and 15 times a day," says Dr Kataria. "Everyone's naturally good at laughing - it's the universal language. We want people to feel happy with their lives." There are now more than 500 Laughter Clubs in India and over 1,300 worldwide. Many doctors are also interested in the effects of laughter on our health. According to a 5 - year study in the body. Laughter improves our health against illness by about 40%. So, what happens at a Laughter Club? I went along to my nearest club in South London to find out. I was quite nervous at the beginning of the class, to be honest - I wasn't interested in laughing with a group of strangers, and I was worried about looking stupid. Our laughter teacher told us to clap our hands and say "ho ho ho, ha ha ha," while looking at each other. However, our bodies can't tell the difference between fake laughter and real laughter, so they still produce the same healthy effects. Surprisingly, it works! After ten minutes everybody in the room was laughing for real - and some people just couldn't stop! At the end of the class I was surprised by how relaxed and comfortable I felt. So if you're under stress, then start laughing. You might be very pleased with the results! Which of the following is true according to the passage? A) Fake laughter and real laughter are both good for health. B) 40% of the people in Laughter Clubs are good friends. C) Adults laugh more often than children in a day. D) Laughing is the best way to prevent illness.
A
Q: Below is adapted from an English dictionary. Use the dictionary to answer the following questions. figure / fig@ / noun, verb * noun 1. a number representing a particular amount, especially one given in official information: the trade / sales figures 2. a symbol rather than a word representing one of the numbers between 0 and 9: a six-figure salary 3. (informal) the area of mathematics that deals with adding, multiplying, etc. numbers 4. a person of the type mentioned: Gandhi was both a political and a religious figure in Indian history. 5. the shape of a person seen from a distance or not clearly 6. a person or an animal as shown in art or a story: a wall with five carved figures in it 7. the human shape, considered from the point of view of being attractively thin: doing exercise to improve one's figure 8. a pattern or series of movements performed on ice: figure-skating * be / become a figure of fun: be / become sb. that others laugh at * cut a...figure: sb with a particular appearance: He cut a striking figure in his dinner jacket. * put a figure on sth: to say the exact price or number of sth. * a fine figure of man / woman: a tall, strong-looking and well-shaped person * figure of speech: a word or phrase used in a different way from its usual meanings in order to create a particular mental image or effect * figurehead: someone who is the head or chief in name only (with no real power or authority) * verb 1. to think or decide that sth. will happen or is true: I figured that if I took the night train, I could be in Scotland by morning. 2. to be part of a process, situation, etc. especially an important part: My opinion of the matter didn't seem to figure at all. 3. to calculate an amount or the cost of sth: We figured that attendance at 150,000. * figure in: to include (in a sum): Have you figured in the cost of hotel? * figure on: to plan on; to expect sth. to happen: I haven't figured on his getting home so late. * figure out: to work out; understand by thinking: Have you figured out how much the... The phrase "watch my figure" in the sentence "Don't tempt me with chocolate; I am watching my figure." means " _ ". A) add the numbers B) have sports C) try not to get fat D) watch games
A: C
Horror seized the heart of the World War I soldier as he saw his life-long friend fall in the battle. Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier asked his commander if he might go out into the "No Man's Land" between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back. "You can go," said the commander, "but I don't think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your own life away." The commander's words didn't matter, and the soldier went anyway. To one's surprise, he managed to reach his friend, raised him onto his shoulder, and brought him back to their company's trench. As the two of them fell in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, and then looked kindly at his friend. "I told you it wouldn't be worth it," he said. "Your friend is dead, and your wound is deadly." "It was worth it, though, sir." the soldier said. "How do you mean 'worth it'?" responded the commander. "Your friend is dead!" "Yes sir." the soldier answered. "But it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive, and I had the satisfaction of hearing him say, 'Jim, I knew you'd come.'" Many a time in life, whether a thing is worth doing or not really depends on how you look at it. Take up all your courage and do something your heart tells you to do so that you may not regret not doing it later in life. The phrase "No Man's Land" most probably means " _ " in the passage. A) the area where there is no man B) a bare wasteland which can't be used C) an unoccupied area between opposing armies D) the area on the court between the base line and the service line
C