You probably hear it all the time -- people telling you to "learn English". But does this mean children in English-speaking countries don't need to bother learning a new language? Not at all. In fact, an even larger number of young people will soon be taught foreign languages, thanks to the mental advantages of bilingualism. Psychologists once thought that growing up bilingual might lead to verbal delays-a late or absent development of talking. But US magazine Scientific American has revealed that this is not true, and reported that children who speak more than one language "show greater mental flexibility, a superior grasp of abstract concepts and a better working memory." As the New York Times put it, "being bilingual, it turns out, makes you smarter." In Europe, learning foreign languages is increasingly popular. A European report shows that from 2005-2010, the percentage of European students learning a foreign language rose from 67.5 percent to 79.2 percent. Most European kids start learning another language at age 6. In Belgium, it starts at 3. New reforms being introduced in the UK will mean all children could be taught a foreign language, such as Mandarin or Greek, from the age of 7. The most popular foreign language for European kids was English, followed by German and French. In comparison, Americans don't _ learning foreign languages. Compared to 50 percent of European adults who are bilingual, only 9 percent of adults in the US are fluent in more than one language, according to a 2011 report. American students are often not exposed to a second language until high school. However, recent statistics show demand is growing in the US for people to become more bilingual. According to a USA Today chart released in July, 21 percent of US children speak another language at home. A number of institutions in the country are also pushing foreign languages in schools. Three school districts in Delaware will launch Chinese and Spanish programs next year. More people are learning Chinese, French and Spanish. Which are the most popular foreign languages in the US? A) Mandarin and Greek. B) English, German and French. C) Chinese, French and Spanish. D) Chinese, German and Greek.
C
(Question)
In American crime movies, policemen search crime scenes for anything that might belong to a criminal-- bits of fingernail , blood or hair-- in order to find out who they are. What they hope to find is the key to their identity--their DNA. DNA is the chemical that contains a person's genetic makeup. Every person, except for identical twins, has unique DNA information. That is why we can use it to identify someone. There is no doubt that DNA evidence is becoming a very powerful tool for law enforcement officers. In the US, all 50 states and the federal government keep DNA databases of some criminals after they have been convicted . Whenever a crime happens, the police collect DNA from the crime scene and compare this with samples they already have in the criminal database. If they match any suspect in the database, then they've caught their criminal. Even if they don't, the DNA sample can still be used to determine the person's sex, height, hair and eye color1 and other characteristics. This helps police to create a physical profile of the criminal. Some people feel that the database should be made bigger to contain everyone's DNA and help to solve many more crimes. This would also avoid mistakes when someone is wrongly convicted of a crime. DNA doesn't make mistakes. However, other people are worried that it would violate their privacy. Someone's DNA can be used to gather information such as the person's family and ethnic background, whether he or she has a gene mutation or certain genetic diseases, and other personal issues. People are afraid that this information might be used inappropriately. They may fear that employers might read it and treat them differently. People may also be afraid that personal data might get into the hands of insurance firms or loan companies. For example, if they knew from your DNA that you had a genetic risk of a serious disease, they might be able to refuse you life insurance, a loan, or even a job. Clearly, the use of DNA evidence will continue to help the police solve... What is the great concern over the DNA database according to the article? A) Some people might make use of it to make money. B) It would threaten people's individual privacy and rights. C) The DNA stored in the database might be labeled wrongly. D) The DNA would have a gene mutation and become inaccurate.
(Answer)
B
Question: Once there was a man who lied to eat mangoes. One day he decided to get the sweetest mango from the very top of the tree. Mangoes which are exposed to the sun the most are the sweetest. So he climbed up to the top, where the branches were thin. He managed to pick up a few sweet reddish fruits, but, in an attempt to climb down, he slipped and started falling towards the ground. Fortunately, he caught the branch as he was falling and remained helplessly hanging on the tree. Then he started to call nearby villagers for help. They immediately came with a ladder and sticks, but could do little to help him. Then after some time one calm and thoughtful person arrived - a well-known sage who lived in a simple hut nearby. People were very curious to see what he would do, as he was famous in solving many people's problems in the area and sometimes very complicated ones. He was silent for a minute and then picked up a stone and threw it at the hanging man. Everybody was surprised. The hanging mango lover started to shout: What are you doing?! Are you crazy? Do you want me to break my neck?" The sage was silent. Then he took another stone and threw it at the man. The man was very angry: "If I could just come down, I would show you!" That's what everybody wanted - that he came down. But how? Now everybody was tense, as to what would happen next! Some wanted to chastise the sage, but they didn't. The sage picked another stone and threw it again at the man, even more forcefully. Now the man on the tree was enraged and developed a great determination to come down and take revenge. He then used all his skill and strength and somehow reached the branches which were safe to start going down. And he made it! Everybody was amazed. However, the rescued man found the sage gone. He stood there, realizing that the man really sed him because he induced him to try his best and save himself. "I should be thankful and not angry." What does the story imply? A) Anger saves one's life. B) Wisdom does count. C) Skill and strength count. D) Anger is the biggest enemy.
Answer:
B