*Question*
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: The standard Outward Bound course lasts for three or four weeks. During that time the students live in the wilderness and go through many physical activities of ever increasing difficulty. The first few days are given to physical conditioning and to the teaching of basic skills such as first aid, map and compass reading, rope climbing, and other similar activities. During the second part of the course students learn how to climb rocks and cliffs, how to use canoes and rafts in swift water, and in some schools how to sail, ski, climb mountains, and make long-distance hikes. The first two parts of the course are done in groups. Members work together and help each other to overcome the increasing number of challenges. In the third part of the course, students are sent out alone for three days to survive in the wilderness with only a few necessities. Who are the students of Outward Bound? They are both young people and adults, men and women. The minimum age is 16.5 years. There is no maximum age. About one-third of the 6,000 persons completing the course each year are women. Businessmen, housewives, university students, professors, doctors, and lawyers are among those taking part in the course. In recent years special courses for the busy business managers have gained in popularity. These courses last from five to ten days rather than the usual three to four weeks of the normal course. Not all students complete the Outward Bound course. In some cases the individual cannot meet the physical challenges. In its own words Outward Bound literature says: "Make no mistake, Outward Bound is not for everybody. The courses aren't easy and are not meant to be." Most students who finish the course share a common experience. They are surprised at themselves that they finish the course and they feel great pride in doing the impossible! The Outward Bound experience makes them feel that they are better than they know! Question: Where are Outward Bound courses given? Options: A: In the classroom. B: On the playground. C: In the wilderness. D: In canoes and rafts.
**Answer**
C

*Question*
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Learning English is one of the few things I have been doing consistently over the past 16 years.Like most Chinese students, I started learning English because it was a compulsory course in my middle school.More importantly, English was a central subject for the college entrance exam. At that time, studying English was not a pleasant experience for me.There was no fun in the process of learning.The focus of our English education was getting a good mark in exams.And nobody told me that the real meaning of studying mother language was communication. When I became a university student, I spent nearly half of my time on English.In fact , more than 90 percent of the job offer ads in Shanghai list " proficiency as a main requirement. How did I improve my English? People told me that TOEFL was very helpful and useful.As a result, I took a TOEFL training course and studied like mad.After six months' preparation, I took part in the exam and got a high score.Later on, I had a chance to further my study in Britain.I soon discovered that all of my past English learning had been futile .When I first went shopping in a local supermarket, I really could not understand what the cashier was saying at all. It was then that I realized I had totally missed the point.Instead of just passing exams, the main function of learning English or any other language is communication.What is more, language does not exist independent of culture.Hence, mechanical memorization helps very little in communication.That's why I was still unable to freely express myself after learning English for many years.By no means am I talented in any foreign language.I am still learning English.Why? First and foremost, my job requires me to use English everyday.Secondly, English helps me to have access to more information.Thirdly, as a bookworm, English gives me a chance to dive into the huge pool of inspiring English books.Last but not least, it is such a great experience to write in another language.Indeed, English has become part of my life. Question: According to the text, how is "my" English? Options: A: I am good at English. B: I can speak English like natives. C: I can master it but I can't use it correctly. D: I continued to study English at university.
**Answer**
C

*Question*
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Whether you're having problems with your homework or you're preparing for your term paper, these student-focused websites can help you with anything you need. The key to getting the most out of these online resources is to know how they can best be used to your advantage. Facebook Although Facebook can be one of your biggest time-wasters and distractions when you are supposed to be getting work done, it can also be one of your most valuable resources. Most of your classmates will probably have a Facebook account, so anyone you need to connect with about a class you missed or about a problem is usually just a few clicks away. SparkNotes With a free library of history timeline, philosophy study guides and library summaries, and essays, SparkNotes has covered just about any reading-related jam you find yourself in, just run a search for the book, play, or short summary of the material you are supposed to read. Amazon.com Do you finish every term with many expensive textbooks you will never open again? Instead of letting the money spent go to waste, get back some of your cash by selling your books on Amazon. Wikipedia While Wikipedia isn't aimed specifically at students, it is difficult to think of another website that does more to reduce the pain of paper writing and researching. Wikipcdia gives you a quick way to find sources and get the details of almost any topic you need to research-----all without walking to the library. Question: The passage was mainly written to _ . Options: A: explain some websites for parents B: compare some educational websites C: introduce different parts of a website D: offer some websites that may help students
**Answer**
D

*Question*
Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Sandra Cisneros was born in Chicago in 1954 to a Mexican American family. As the only girl in a family of seven children, she often felt like she had "seven fathers," because her six brothers, as well as her father, tried to control her. Feeling shy and unimportant, she retreated into books. Despite her love of reading, she did not do well in elementary school because she was too shy to participate. In high school, with the encouragement of one particular teacher, Cisneros improved her grades and worked for the school literary magazine. Her father encouraged her to go to college because he thought it would be a good way for her to find a husband. Cisneros did attend college, but instead of searching for a husband, she found a teacher who helped her join the famous graduate writing program at the University of Iowa. At the university's Writers' Workshop, however, she felt lonely----a Mexican American from a poor neighborhood among students from wealthy families. The feeling of being so different helped Cisneros find her "Creative voice." "It was not until this moment when I considered myself truly different that my writing acquired a voice. I knew I was a Mexican woman, but I didn't think it had anything to do with why I felt so much imbalance in my life, but it had everything to do with it! That's when I decided I would write about something my classmates couldn't write about." Cisneros published her first work,The House on Mango Street, when she was twenty-nine. The book tells about a young Mexican American girl growing up in a Spanish-speaking area in Chicago, much like the neighborhoods in which Cisneros lived as a child. The book won an award in 1985 and has been used in classes from high school through graduate school level. Since then, Cisneros has published several books of poetry, a children's book, and a short-story collection. Question: The graduate program gave Cisneros a chance to _ . Options: A: develop her writing style B: run away from her family C: make a lot of friends D: work for a school magazine
**Answer**
A