Most people think that the older you get, the harder it is to learn a new language. That is, they believe that children learn more easily and efficiently than adults. Thus, at some point in our lives, maybe around age 12 or 13, we lose the ability to learn languages well. Is this idea a fact or myth ? Is it true that children learn a foreign language more efficiently than adults? On the contrary, research studies suggest that the opposite may be true. One report, on 2,000 Danish children studying Swedish, concluded that the teenagers learned more, in less time, than the younger children. Another report, on Americans learning Russian, showed a direct improvement of ability over the age range tested; that is, the ability to learn increased as the age increased, from childhood to adulthood. There are several possible explanations for these findings. For one thing, adults know more about the world and therefore are able to understand meanings more easily than children. Moreover, adults can use logical thinking to help themselves see patterns in the language. Finally, adults have more self-discipline (self-control) than children. All in all, it seems that the common idea that children are better language learners than adults may not be a fact, but a myth. Which of the following possible explanations for older student's better achievement is not mentioned in the above passage? A) Adults know more about the world. B) Adults can use logical thinking C) Adults have more self-discipline. D) Adults can read better.
D
(Question)
There was once a blind man, who did a lot of traveling alone. He was making his first trip to Texas and happened to be seated next to a Texan on the flight. The Texan spent a lot of time telling him how everything was bigger and better in Texas. After the blind man reached his destination, a large resort hotel, he was very excited about being in Texas. The long trip had worn him out a little so he decided to stop at the bar for a small soda and a light snack before going up to his room to sleep. When the waitress set down his drink, it was in a huge cup. "Wow, I had heard everything in Texas is bigger," he told her. "That's right," she replied. The blind man ate his snack and finished his drink. After drinking such a large amount, it was natural that his next stop was to be the restroom. He asked the waitress for directions. She told him to turn left at the corner, and then take the second door on the right. He reached the first door and continued. A few steps later he stumbled slightly and missed the second door and ended up going through the third door instead. Not realizing he had entered the swimming area he walked forward and immediately fell into the swimming pool. Remembering that everything was bigger in Texas, he had his head above water and started shouting "Don't flush ! Don't flush!" Why was the blind man excited about being in Texas? A) It was the first time that he had travelled abroad. B) People from Texas were very friendly than he expected. C) He heard that everything was bigger and better in Texas. D) The service staff in the large resort hotel was very humorous.
(Answer)
C
Ques: (RAMALLAH, West Bank) -- Israel freed 26 Palestinian prisoners early Wednesday, the second of four groups to be released as part of an agreement that started the current Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, which had broken down since 2008. In all, 104 prisoners are to be released in four rounds over the coming months. In the West Bank and Gaza , the mood was overexcited as hundreds of Palestinians welcomed the prisoners back home, after many had spent more than 20 years behind bars. Crowds of people rushed toward the 5 prisoners released to Gaza, raising them on their shoulders, waving Palestinian flags and dancing to music. Relatives held signs that read "we will never forget our heroes." More than 2,000 people welcomed the 21 prisoners released to the West Bank, who were greeted at a ceremony by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah. Hazem Shubair, thrown into prison in 1994 for the death of an Israeli according to the Israeli Prison Service, was over delighted upon his return to Gaza. "I am speechless," he said. "Thanks to God. God is greater than the aggressors (meaning Israel)". Abbas said a final peace agreement with Israel was possible on the release of the prisoners. "There will be no final agreement without the release of all the prisoners," he told the violent crowd. Israel's Supreme Court earlier refused an appeal that intended to cancel the prisoner release. An organization of bereaved families behind the appeal has said it fears the prisoners, all in connection to the deaths of Israelis, will return to violence once freed. Why did Israel free 26 Palestinian prisoners early Wednesday? A) Because they would take part in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. B) Because that was part of an agreement between Israel and Palestinians. C) Because the current Israeli-Palestinian peace talks failed. D) Because the peace talks had broken down since 2008.
Ans: B
Question: As a senior, my future is always on my mind. To be exact, thoughts of the future have kept me up countless nights and made me worry enough to do poorly on more than one test. Because of this, words of wisdom are a source of comfort. Steve Jobs gave a speech to Stanford's graduating class in 2005 and his words resound repeatedly in my mind whenever I think about my future. It wasn't always like that, though. It started when I became a junior, when college came into view. It's the first big step to making your life your own. So when Jobs discussed his life as a student, some fears were eased. He, too, felt the need to attend college to make something of himself. He faced what many are extremely afraid of: uncertainty. His lack of understanding caused him to stop attending college and focus on what he felt was important. His story had a happy ending, of course, since he certainly turned out well. This doesn't mean that students shouldn't attend college, but rather that they shouldn't worry so much. You'll get where you need to go, even if your path is a bit more winding than you'd like. Jobs talked about the hardships in his work. His love of his work helped him carry on and he got where he was meant to be, which restates the point: don't panic. One particular part of his speech stayed with me. Steve Jobs quoted the saying "Stay hungry, stay foolish" and it has become my motto. Staying foolish is realizing that you are still a fool, no matter how much you've learned or experienced. There is always more to explore. Staying hungry is wanting to find those things about which you are still uneducated. Steve Jobs's level of success is attainable, and I aim to prove that. With the will power to go into the world living every day like it's my last and allowing the future to take care of itself, I will do great things. In the last moments of my life, I'll be proud of what I have done and hope to have all the wisdom a person could wish for. The passage is mainly about _ . A) the wisdom drawn from a speech B) the most impressive quote in life C) a memorable meeting with Jobs D) an experience of a speech
Answer:
A