One form of social prejudice against older people is the belief that they cannot understand or use modern technology. Activities like playing computer games, going on the Net and downloading MP3s are only for the youngsters. Isn't it unfair that older people enjoying a computer game should be frowned upon by their children and grandchildren? Nowadays older people have more control over their lives and they play a full part in society. Moreover, better health care has left more people in their sixties and seventies feeling fit and active after retirement. Mental activity, as well as physical exercise, can contribute to better health. Playing computer games is a very effective way of exercising the brain. When personal computers were first introduced, most older people didn't believe they would ever familiarize themselves with it. Now computers have been around for a few generations and retired people have gradually become more relaxed about using them for fun. Gamers over 65 prefer playing puzzle games and card games. Kate Stevens, aged 72, says: "I find it very relaxing. It's not very demanding, but you still need to concentrate." Another development that has favored "grey games" is a change in the type of videogames available on the market. There's a greater variety of games to choose from, including more intellectual and complex strategy and simulation games. Internet Chess and Train Simulator are among the most popular of these. Train Simulator is based on real-world rail activities. Players can choose from a variety of challenges, such as keeping to a strict-timetable and using helper engines during a winter storm. Some people argue that "grey gamers" simply don't have the skills required for computer games, and that teenagers are better. _ . Most computer games require the kind of analytical thinking that improves with practice, which means that the "grey gamers" may well be far better than gamers half a century younger than them. In games where speed is the main consideration, older people would be... What was older people's attitude towards personal computers at first? A) Doubtful. B) Concerned. C) Enthusiastic. D) Supportive.
A
Scientists have discovered thirteen kinds of vitamins. They say vitamins help to carry out chemical changes within cells. If we do not get enough of the vitamins we need in our food, we are at risk of developing a number of diseases. Which foods should be eaten to keep us healthy? Let us look at some important vitamins. Vitamin A helps prevent skin and other tissues from becoming dry. People who do not get enough vitamin A cannot see well in darkness. Vitamin A is found in fish liver oil and the yellow part of eggs. Vitamin B-1 is also called thiamine. Thiamine changes starchy foods into energy. Thiamine is found not just in whole grains like brown rice, but also in beans and peas, nuts, and meat and fish. Vitamin B-12 is needed so folic acid can do its work. Together, they help produce red blood cells. Folic acid has been shown to prevent physical problems in babies when taken by their mothers during pregnancy. Vitamin B-12 is found naturally in foods like eggs, meat, fish and milk products. Vitamin B-12 is found in green leafy vegetables and other foods, like legumes and citrus fruits . Vitamin C is needed for strong bones and teeth. The body stores little vitamin C. So we must get it every day in foods such as citrus fruits, tomatoes and uncooked cabbage. Vitamin D prevents the children's bone disease rickets . Ultraviolet light from the sun changes a substance in the skin into vitamin D. Fish liver oil also contains vitamin D. Vitamin K is needed for healthy blood. It thickens the blood around a cut to stop bleeding. It can also be found in pork products, liver and in vegetables like cabbage, kale and spinach . Vitamins are important to our health. A lack of required vitamins can lead to health problems. What is the main idea of the passage? A) There are thirteen kinds of vitamins in total. B) One can not live without enough vitamins. C) Vitamins can carry out chemical changes within cells. D) Enough vitamins are vital to keep healthy.
D
Q: She handed me a five dollar bill through the car window, then turned and walked away. I don't know her name, nor where she was going ,but I know I will never forget that stranger who generously saved me from a lot of frustration and prevented me from walking a mile or more to my destination. That day My husband, Leo, and I were already a half hour late for an important conference . We had taken the wrong fork in the expressway, and found ourselves stuck in traffic that was blocked for four miles due to a serious accident. When we finally were able to exit, we tried to find parking lots near the hosting hotel. But they were all full. Not expecting this, neither of us had brought change; all we had was a twenty dollar bill. When we did find some space in a lot two blocks away from the conference, we were unable to pay the automatic box for parking. So we needed five dollars. We asked several people approaching the pay box if they could change a twenty. "No", "No", "No" were their answers. So, _ , we walked back to our car, got inside, and started to back out. We were going to look for other parking spot on the street that would surely have taken us a longer distance away. Just then, one tapped on the window on the passenger side. It was a short, medium-built woman, who was all bundled up in jacket and scarf, wearing jeans and boots. Surprised, I was reluctant, at first, to roll the window down. What could she possibly want? I lowered the window just enough to hear what the woman had to say. Through the window, she shoved a five dollar bill. "I don't have change," she said, "but here is an extra five dollar bill. Use it to pay for your parking spot." I was floored! Was this woman, whom I'd never seen before, actually giving me this much money? Yes, that was exactly what she was doing! She wouldn't take the check I offered her for the cash. She just walked away. The author writes the text to _ . A) warn readers of the difficulty with parking B) express her gratitude to the stranger C) talk about her bad experience D) call on readers to lend a helping hand if possible
A: B
There are many traditions around the holidays. "Holiday traditions" are things that people do every year during a holiday such as Christmas or Thanksgiving. At Christmas, for example, many people put up a Christmas tree or Christmas lights. These are Christmas traditions that have been going on for many years. But there is a "new" Christmas tradition that has become very popular: _ , a TV channel that shows nothing but a large log fire, blazing in a fireplace. People put it on their TV and it makes them feel like they are watching and listening to a crackling fire. It makes them feel calm and comfortable. The origin dates back to 1986 in Canada. At that time, not very many people knew about it or watched the channel. Today, more than three million people watch the firelog channel during the winter holiday season. That year, the firelog channel was created to give the workers in the company that is now called Shaw Cable, a break at Christmas. By running the firelog during the holidays, everyone could go home for a few days and enjoy a bit of time off. At that time, it was only broadcast to people in Edmonton but today it reaches people across Canada and beyond. This year, the Shaw firelog was updated. It is pretty high tech. Although it's still really just a fire log that has been filmed, it has its own Twitter account (@ShawFireLog), its own Facebook page and it even has a computer App so you can see the burning log on a smartphone or a tablet. The Shaw firelog will burn until Jan. 5 on Shaw Cable, channel 222. For what purpose was the TV firelog created? A) To attract more people to watch their programs. B) To make people feel calm and comfortable by watching a crackling fire. C) To give the people working at the company a few days off at Christmas. D) To create more new traditions for people to celebrate Christmas.
C