*Question*
The people of ancient Egypt began their new year in summer. That is when the Nile River flooded its banks, bringing water and fertility to the land. Today, most people celebrate New Year's Day on January 1. People celebrate the New Year's holiday in many different ways. The ancient Babylonians celebrated by forcing their king to give up his crown ( )and royal clothing. They made him get down on his knees and _ all the mistakes he had made during the past year. Making New Year's resolutions is a common American tradition. Today, popular resolutions might include the promise to lose weight, stop smoking, or be more productive at work. People offer New Year's resolutions of their own. For example, one person decided to get a cat. Another promised to stop telling stories about other people. Other people use New Year's resolutions to make major changes in their lives. One such resolution might be to "stop and smell the flowers." This means to take time to enjoy simple pleasures. Another resolution might be "don't sweat the small stuff." This means not to worry or get angry about unimportant problems. Another resolution might be to forget about bad things that happened in the past. Which of the following is not related... to the new year of ancient Egyptians? A) The Nile River. B) Summer. C) The king. D) Water and fertility.
**Answer**
C

*Question*
Do you want to know about my staying in America? It was really an eye-opening experience. In China, I had English classes five times a week. However, I didn't know how different textbook English was from daily English until I went to Hotchkiss School, Connecticut. When I first studied English, I was told to say "I'm fine" when people say "How are you?" But in America, I found that people said "I'm good" or "I'm tired." One day, someone greeted me with "What's up?" It made me _ . I thought for a moment and then smiled because I didn't know what to say. To my surprise, American girls spend a lot of time in the burning sun. However, in China, girls try every possible way to get their skin whiter. I'm also surprised by how hard-working American students are. In China, schoolwork is almost everything, so we study hard. But in America, a good student gets good grades, does a lot for the public and plays sports or music. A good American student spends his or her time _ . A) only in doing homework B) only on sports C) only on music D) on study, sports, music and public work
**Answer**
D

*Question*
We have heard about people who have special memories. Recently there has been a report about a woman from Australia who can remember almost every detail of all the events in her daily life. Rebecca Sharrock, 25, is one of just 80 people worldwide who have been identified as having Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory ( HSAM,). It means she can remember every small event-which most people would forget with in (......) days-as if it had happened just minutes ago. "I remember my mum putting me in the driver's seat of a car and taking a picture of me when I was 12 days old," she said. "That's my earliest memory. I remember every day since then. I can't tell all the dates exactly because I was too young to understand calendars, but I remember what I did that every day, what the weather was like and so on." Rebecca can also re-experience taste. If she's eating something that she doesn't like, she thinks about Black Forest cake, her favorite food, and the memory will be so strong that she can nearly "taste" it. However, sometimes her memories prove to be painful. Because they're not just events that she remembers. "When I relive memories, the feelings return, too," Rebecca said. "For example, I remember falling over when I was three at my grandparents' house and hurting my left knee. Talking about it now, I feel painful in my left knee. " "At night, I have to sleep with the radio/recorder and a soft light on, she added. "1f it's too dark or quiet, my mind would be filled with all these memories and I can't sleep. " What happened to Rebecca on the day when she was 3 years old? A) She was identified as having HSAM. B) Her mother put her in a car and took a picture of her. C) She started to understand calendars. D) She hurt her left knee at her grandparents'.
**Answer**
D

*Question*
Are you afraid of tests? What will you do to prepare for a test? The following suggestions will be helpful. Pay attention to what your teacher gives about a coming test. Write down exactly what you will be tested on. Knowing what the test will cover is half done. Make a review list that includes important points from class and reading material. Then your studying notes will be in one place. What's more, rewriting the material will help you to remember it. Don't cram !Test preparation begins the first day of class, so keep on doing your reading and homework. Then you just need to review for the test--not learn all the materials. If you wait until the night before to try to learn everything, you will only put more stress on yourself. Get a good night's sleep before the test, but if you can't, don't be awake the whole night. Research shows that getting at least four hours of sleep produces the better test results. Eat a healthy breakfast to keep your mind sharp . Avoid sugar, as it will weaken your ability to concentrate . The suggestions are given to the students who are _ . A) in fear of the test B) good at learning C) in need of sleep D) poor at reading
**Answer**
A