Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Can people change their skin color1 without suffering like pop king Michael Jackson? Perhaps yes. Scientists have found the gene that determines skin color1. The gene comes in two versions, one of which is found in 99 percent of Europeans. The other is found in 93 to 100 percent of Africans, researchers at Pennsylvania State University report in the latest issue of science. Scientists have changed the color1 of a dark-striped zebrafish to uniform gold by inserting a version of the pigment gene into a young fish. As with humans, zebrafish skin color1 is determined by pigment cells, which contain melanin . The number, size and darkness of melanin per pigment cell determine skin color1. It appears that, like the golden zebrafish, light-skinned Europeans also have a mutation in the gene for melanin production. This results in less pigmented skin. However, Keith Cheng, leader of the research team, points out that the mutation is different in human and zebrafish genes. Humans acquired dark skin in Africa about 1.5 million years ago to protect bodies from ultra-violet rays of the sun , which can cause skin cancer. But when modern humans leave Africa to live in northern latitudes, they need more sunlight on their skin to produce vitamin D. So the related gene changes, according to Cheng. "Asians have the same version of the gene as Africans, so they probably acquired their light skin through the action of some other gene that affects skin color1," said Cheng. The new discovery could lead to medical treatments for skin cancer. It also could lead to research into ways to change skin color1 without damaging it like chemical treatment did on Michael Jackson. ks5u Question: The reason why Europeans are light-skinned is probably that _ Options: A: they are born light-skinned people B: light-skinned Europeans have mutation in the gene for melanin production C: they have fewer activities outside D: they pay much attention to protecting their skin
B

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Sitting is art that isn't getting passed along. People these days feel as though they have to be doing something. If they are not working, they are jogging, or playing tennis or golf, or taking courses to improve their minds or bodies -or they are parked in front of the TV. Sitting in front of the TV isn't sitting - it's watching. People used to sit a lot. You would walk down the street or drive down the road, and there they would be, out on the doorsteps, sitting. You could go down to the store and sit on the bench out front in the summer or around the fire in the winter. There were sitting benches out in the town square. At the garage, there were straight-backed chairs. There among the oilcans and tries and spare parts, you could kick back and sit. Houses used to have sitting rooms, where the grown ups would go after Sunday dinner. Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Aunt Ruby would sit and digest the fried chicken and talk about Aunt Ethel's illness, and how well the minister did today. Outside, the children would play, and the afternoon would pass by in a comfortable haze . That sort of thing looks like doing nothing. A recharging battery doesn't look as if it's doing anything either. Sitting restores your soul if you want to enjoy a truly full life, don't just do something -sit there. Question: The sitting room mentioned in the text used to be a place for _ . Options: A: eating food . B: watching TV . C: gathering together. D: playing with children.
C

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: One is never too old to learn. Life learning (sometimes called un-schooling or self-directed learning) is one of those concepts that are almost easier to explain by saying what it isn't than what it is. And that's probably because our own schooled backgrounds have convinced us that learning happens only in a fine building on certain days, between certain hours, and managed by a specially trained professional. Within that schooling framestudy, no matter how hard teachers try and no matter how good their textbooks, many bright students get bored, many slower students struggle and give up or lose their self-respect, and most of them reach the end of the process unprepared to enter into society. They have memorized a certain body of knowledge long enough to rush back the information on tests, but they haven't really learnt much, at least of the official curriculum. Life learners, on the other hand, know that learning is not difficult, that people learn things quite easily if they're not compelled and forced, if they see a need to learn something, and if they are trusted and respected enough to learn it on their own timetable, at their own speed, in their own way--no matter what age and no matter whether we're at school or at home. Life learning is independent of time, location or the presence of teacher. It does not require mom or dad to teach, or kids to work in workbooks at the table from 9 to noon. Life learning is learner-driven. It involves living and learning--in and from the real world. It is about exploring, questioning, experimenting, making messes, taking risks without fear of making mistakes, being laughed at and trying again. Furthermore, life learning is about trusting kids to learn what they need to know and about helping them to learn and grow in their own ways. It is about providing positive experiences that enable children to understand the world and their culture and to interact with it. Question: It is implied in the text that it is hard to _ . Options: A: tell the nature of life learning B: carry life learning through C: learn without going to school D: find a specially trained teacher
A: A

(Q).
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Over 500 dogs being delivered to a butcher house were saved by a Chinese animal protection organization. The incident then resulted in a debate among Chinese netizens about the necessity of pouring so much money and efforts into saving dogs. On Friday, a truck loaded with over 500 dogs was stopped by volunteers from animal protection organization on Beijing section of Jingha expressway. Beijing Times reported these dogs were being delivered to slaughter houses in the city of Changchun, northeast one in Jilin Province and would be eventually served on dinner tables. After negotiations with the truck driver and a philanthropic founda tion, Shangshan Foundation purchased these dogs with much money. Dogs were then delivered to the headquarter of China Small Animal Protection Association (CSAPA) , being taken care of and waiting for adoption. After the dog saving mission was reported, Chinese net users debate over whether saving dogs worth so much efforts and money while there are still many poor and needy people in China lacking assistance. Some net users argue the dog saving mission is placing too much attention to animals while lots of needy people are still left unattended. A microblogger "Xiaowulaitajie" said on China's twitter-like website, weibo. com, "Dogs are saved, adopted and they attracted media attention. We'd better spend such money and take such efforts in helping the needy people. " Another microblogger, Liluping, said "We poured such huge sum of money into saving dogs. I would rather the money be spent on disaster relief. " Some applaud volunteers' actions and show eagerness of offering their helping hands to those saved dogs. Still many disapprove those "saving dogs" critics. They argue that such act nevertheless _ social progress. A microblogger named "broken bridge" said, saving dogs does not go against taking care of people. Such enthusiasm in public affairs will help raise social awareness in helping the needy. I think people and animals are created equal. Attention should be paid to... Question: Whose opinion is closest to the writer's? Options: A: Some net users'. B: Liluping's. C: Broken bridge 's. D: Xiaowulaitajie's.
(A).
C