Ellen Parker was worried about her health. She could not walk very quickly and it was difficult for her to climb stairs . She was soon out of breath. "I think I had better go to the doctor, " she thought. She went to the doctor and told him her problem. "I'm not at all surprised, "he said. "It's obvious what your problem is." He examined her and then gave her some advice."If you don't do what I say, Mrs. Parker," he said. "You will have a heart attack . It could kill you." Ellen was very worried as she left the doctor's. She knew that she had to take his advice but that would not be easy and it would take time. The next day she went shopping. The first shop she went into was a butcher's shop . "I'd like ten pounds of steak , please," she said. "Certainly, madam," the butcher answered and went into the cold room and found a large piece of steak. He brought the huge piece of meat back into the shop and placed it on the scale . "That's just ten pounds," he said. "That's big enough," Mrs. Parker said. The butcher worked out the price. "At $ 4.99 a pound that will be $ 49.90, please. Would you like me to cut it into small pieces for you?" "Oh, I don't want to buy the meat," Mrs. Parker said. "If you don't want to buy it," the butcher said angrily, "Why did you ask me to get it for you?" "My doctor told me that I am overweight and have to lose ten pounds. I wanted to see what ten pounds of flesh looked liked." . Why did Ellen Parker visit the doctor? A) She had a heart attack. B) She had a problem with her health. C) She was unhappy about her weight. D) She could not sleep well.
B
Today I find myself in one of the safest cities in the world, Singapore. But the truth is, even here in Singapore, security cannot be taken for granted. It is a small nation that has no natural resources to speak of, even something as basic as water is constantly threatened to be cut off by Malaysia. Months after the September 11thattacks on US oil, a plot to bomb American soldiers near their military base in Singapore was uncovered by the local authorities. The United Nations has tried for more than half a century to architect peace for the world. But it has clearly failed. The grand horrors of the World Wars may have stopped but only in the forms they had existed before. When the enemy is unseen and there are no front lines, have we in fact created a more peaceful and secure place? Where have we gone wrong? Perhaps it is because the international body has never understood that peace was, is, and will never be something it can manage. Not recognizing this truth, the methods it provides are often short-lived and some even dangerous. Solutions for threatening situations tend to require the countries to carry out economic and political reforms so that they will become idealized democratic society like America or Britain. The UN fails to consider that hundreds of years of evolution gave rise to these strong democracies. So the result is further chaos and corruption, worse for all. Actually, an international organization or a government cannot possess peace to give away, but there are those who do possess it. Those who own peace are us, as individuals who cherish life, not our own but all others'. The act of achieving peace lies in us when we choose to respect social and cultural differences and appreciate that all our lives are fragile. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . A) political and economic reforms cause less terrible results B) democracy is a long process C) the horrors of World War don't exist. D) those who value their lives possess peace
B
Q: Dear Carol, I wear braces and I know I look just terrible in them. Is there anything I can do to improve my appearance until they come off? Connie N. Philadelphia, PA Dear Connie, Start by thinking about how good you are going to look when your braces come off. If you are negative about your appearance, people will pick that up right away about you. In the meantime there are several things that you can do to lift your spirits: Change your hairstyle. Be sure to get a good cut so that the shape of your hair will be flattering to your face and also good for your type of hair (fine, thick, straight, curly, etc.) Choose a hairstyle that draws attention away from your face. Hair pulled back into a pony-tail or into a ball on top or slightly off-center can be attractive and practical for this purpose. Keep skin clean. If you choose to wear makeup , it should look natural. Blusher and lip gloss in light tones of peach or pink are best. Be well-groomed . Neatness really _ . People see a total look about you before they ever become aware of your braces. And first impressions are lasting ones! Carol's idea about one's appearance is that _ . A) change your hairstyle and you will look beautiful B) keep your skin clean and you will look good C) neatness really counts D) if you yourself don't think you look smart, neither will people
A: D
Ice sculpting is a difficult process . First , ice must be carefully selected so that it is suitable for sculpting . Its ideal material is pure , clean water with high clarity . It should also have the minimum(=least) number of air bubbles. Perfectly clear ice blocks weighing 140 kg and measuring 100 cmx50 cmx25 cm are available from the Clinebell Company in Colorado . Much larger clear blocks are produced in Europe and Canada or harvested from a frozen river in Sweden . These large ice blocks are used for large ice sculpting events and for building ice hotels. Another difficulty in the process of ice sculpting is time control . The temperature of the environment affects how quickly the piece must be completed to avoid the effects of melting . If the sculpting does not take place in a cold environment , then the sculptor must work quickly to finish his piece . The tools used for sculpting also affect when the task can be finished . Some sculptures can be completed in as little as ten minutes if power tools are used . Ice sculptors also use sharp chisels that are specifically designed for cutting ice . The best ice chisels are made in Japan , a country that , along with China , has a long tradition of magnificent ice sculptures . Ice sculptures are used as decorations in some cuisines , especially in Asia . When holding a dinner party , some large restaurants or hotels will use an ice sculpture to decorate the table . For example , in a wedding banquet it is common to see a pair of ice-sculpted swans that represent the union of the new couple . Why is ice sculpting difficult according to the passage ? A) It is hard to control the size and shape of the ice . B) The right theme for ice sculpting is not easy to find . C) The proper tools are only available in some countries . D) It is not easy to find the right kind of ice and work environment .
D