It's easy to see how to help some people, but what about those whose needs are not so clear? This story may have happened not long ago--- but it was a lesson which has stayed with me and helped me ever since. It was Thanksgiving and I was volunteering with my parents at a shelter for the needy. We served hot food to whoever came in. Most of our dinners looked like they had been having hard times; their clothes were worn out and dirty. Then, a man came in, who looked anything but needy. He was well dressed. I wondered what he was doing there and my jaw dropped in amazement when he joined the line for food. The closer he came to my service station , the more I muttered . What was this man doing? Surely he wasn't going to take food which was meant for those who were really in need! Then my mother quietly took me to one side. She said, "You have thought that the needs of the people who come here must be purely physical, hunger, etc. And this gentleman doesn't seem to have any of those problems. But what if his needs are emotional ? What if he needs comfort, friends, or just to be among other human beings? Her words hit me like a ton of bricks! I felt like I should apologize to the man--- but I didn't. About a week later the shelter received a large donation from an source. I can't help but wonder if it came from that man. Now, whenever I meet someone I remember my mother's lesson and try to send kindness their way, no matter how they look. Needs aren't always seen. But kindness always makes a difference. How did the author feel as the well-dressed man joined the line for food? A) Surprised B) Excited C) Nervous D) Hopeless
A
A broad smile spreads across the faces of Martyn Sibley and Srin Madipalli when asked where they were when they decided to launch an online lifestyle magazine for disabled people."On the beach."they reply."We've both travelled a lot but we wanted a real adventure,"Sibley says of the California road trip during which Disability Horizons was conceived . Sibley,whose professional background is in marketing,has been writing his own blog since 2009"about what I got up to,everyday stuff about living with disability",he says.He describes how while"wandering on the beach together"Madipalli suggested branching out beyond a oneperson blog. Why did they want to create a"lifestyle"magazine for the disabled people?The pair,both in their 20s,say they wanted to produce something"positive and inspiring"that would tell about the lives of disabled people as they actually were.They were especially eager to produce something that showed young disabled people"what it was possible to do with their lives",says Sibley. In less than a year,Disability Horizons has had more than 50 regular contributors and attracted a reader base of more than 20,000 people,more than a third of whom are in the US. Sibley and Madipalli have a genetic disease that causes progressive muscle wasting and loss of movement.They are wheelchair users and have been good friends since growing up in London and Cambridge.Listening to them joke,it makes perfect sense that their shared optimistic outlook has spilled over into the magazine.The site covers topics ranging from books and travel to clubbing and photography."It's definitely a mix."Madipalli says. What has Sibley been writing about in his own blog? A) His love for travelling. B) His attitude toward life. C) His suffering from a disease. D) His everyday life with disability.
D
Q: A few degrees can make a big difference when it comes to food storage.Foods can go bad if they get too warm.But for many of the world's poor, finding a good way to keep food cool is difficult.Refrigerators are costly and they need electricity. Yet spoiled food not only creates health risks but also economic losses.Farmers lose money when they have to throw away products that they cannot sell quickly. But in nineteen ninety-five a teacher in northern Nigeria named Mohammed Bah Abba found a solution.He developed the "Pot-in-Pot Preservation/Cooling System." It uses two round containers made of clay.A smaller pot is placed inside a larger one.The space between the two pots is filled with wet sand.The inner pot can be filled with fruit, vegetables or drinks.A wet cloth covers the whole cooling system. Food stored in the smaller pot is kept from spoiling through a simple evaporation process.Water in the sand between the two pots evaporates through the surface of the larger pot, where drier outside air is moving.The evaporation process creates a drop in temperature of several degrees.This cools the inner pot and helps keep food safe from harmful bacteria.Some foods can be kept fresh this way for several weeks. People throughout Nigeria began using the invention.And it became popular with farmers in other African countries.Mohammed Bah Abba personally financed the first 5,000 pot-in-pot systems for his own community and five villages nearby. In 2000, the Rolex Watch Company of Switzerland honored him with the Rolex Award for Enterprise.This award recognizes people trying to develop projects aimed at improving human knowledge and well-being.A committee considers projects in science and medicine, technology, exploration and discovery, the environment and cultural history.Winners receive financial assistance to help develop and extend their projects.The award is given every two years.The most recent one was given last year. What could be the best title of the passage? A) A Cool Way to Keep Food from Spoiling B) A System to Cool and Dry the Air in a Place C) A Creative Person Who Invented the Cooling System D) A Reward of Improving Human Knowledge and Well-being
A: A
(Q).
Many drivers say the large digital billboards flashing ads every few seconds along Bay Area freeways are just too bright and too distracting. And they may be right. A Swedish study published in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention concludes that digital billboards hold the gazes of drivers longer than two seconds. Previous studies have shown that anything that takes a driver's eyes off the road for that length of time increases the risks of a crash. "This study proves what is common sense when it comes to digital billboards," says Mary Tracy, president of Scenic America, a national nonprofit group that seeks to limit billboards. "Bright, constantly changing signs on the sides of roads are meant to attract and keep the attention of drivers, and this study confirms that this is exactly what they do." The Federal Highway Administration allowed digital signs for the first time in 2007 after concluding they did not pose a significant danger. But a follow-up report is pending and could be released this year. California has no law banning the billboards, and is one of 39 states that allows them. "We would need to review more research, so it's too early to call for a ban," says Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association. "There is a role for digital messaging, such as conveying urgent information and other safety messages." There are more than 1,800 digital billboards nationwide, more than double the number five years ago. While no data indicate an increase in accidents due to the Bay Area signs, many drivers are opposed to them. "Monstrosities" is what Merlin Dorfman of San Jose calls them, while insurance agent David Whitlock says he has found them a major distraction. "They're much too bright at night," he says. "When the advertisement switches from a bright color to a darker one, your eyes cannot adjust fast enough, and you end up losing sight of the roadway." Officials with sign companies could not be reached for comment, but Bryan Parker, an executive vice president for... Which of the following is TRUE? A) The brightness of digital billboards is harmful to people's eyes. B) The Federal Highway Administration banned digital signs in 2013. C) There is evidence indicating an increase in accidents duo to digital billboards. D) Digital billboards are used to convey messages.
(A).
D