Read the article and select the best answer. Article: After years of hearing drivers complain about scratches on their cars, Japan's Nissan Motor Company has officially announced the next big thing--a paint that not only resists scratches and scrapes, but actually repairs itself within a few days. The new material, developed by Nippon Paint Company, contains an elastic rubbery-like resin that is able to heal minor marks caused by car wash equipment, parking lot encounters, road debris or even on-purpose destruction. The automaker admits its results vary depending on the temperature and the depth of the damage, but adds "this is the only paint like it in the world, and tests prove it works." Minor scratches, the most common type, are said to slowly fade over about a week. And once they're gone, there is no trace that they were ever there. The special paint is said to last for at least three years after it is first applied, but there is no word yet on whether more can be added after that period. Nissan claims car washes are the worst offenders for this type of damage, accounting for at least 80 percent of all incidents. But the complete auto-healing won't come without scratching your wallet. The vehicle maker notes the special paint adds about $ 100 US to the price of a car. It plans to use its new chemical mixture only on its _ in Japan for now, as it looks for a more widespread presentation. And while plans to offer the feature overseas haven't been made yet, if it's a hit there, you can be almost sure market forces will drive it to these shores as well. Question: What can be inferred from the article? Options: A: The paint was developed by Nissan Motor Company. B: The paint might work better in summer than in winter. C: The mark on the car could disappear as soon as the paint is applied. D: The paint is very popular in Japan.
B

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: "We're leaving you a great gift,"Papa once told us, " _ !"We thought this was another one of Papa's jokes.But Papa and Mama knew the true value of that gift.We children didn't -until much later.What great gift did our parents leave us? They left us the oil lamp On winter nights,I felt my way through the dark kitchen to get a drink of water for Papa.I was so afraid of the darkness that I never took the time to light the oil lamp or even to drink before I filled his glass.I always sipped from the glass on my way back to him, "Don't drink it all before you get here Miss,"Papa would call. They left us the milking Today I buy milk in bottles,pure and cold.But as a girl I had to milk the cows each day.Then after the milking I had to wash the milk pails and pans.I couldn't use soap,because the water had to be fed to the pigs.The same was true of the dishwater.Soap in the water would have made the pigs sick.But even without soap,the dishes must shine,Mama said.So we had to make them shine! Now we have the blessed telephone and the automobile.There's no barn to clean out,no hitching of horses.There is the warming magic of the furnace .There are the electric lights,with no oil lamp to clean.There are the vegetables that come in neat clear bags.If I want an apple pie,I don't have to climb a tree first. And there is always water!It comes from shiny taps. Now I know what Papa meant when he said, "We're leaving you a great gift.It's a great gift--the gift of going without.It makes you rich for all the days of your life!" Question: The reason why she washed pans and dishes without soap is that _ . Options: A: Mama wanted the dishes to shine B: the pigs were to drink the water C: soap was too expensive at that time D: soap was of no use
B

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: There are many kinds of sales. For example, a "back-to-school sale" is held near the beginning of the school year. Parents like the lower prices of the clothes and school supplies for their children. A "midnight madness" event starts very late at night. An "early bird special" sale starts very early in the morning. This kind of sale is popular the day after Thanksgiving in November. A favorite sale among many people is the "buy one, get one free" sale. You buy one thing and get a second one without cost. When people see the word "free" in an advertisement they know they are getting a good deal. As a matter of fact, it is not the case. Another kind of sale is a "going out of business" sale. This is when a storeowner tries to sell all the goods in the store before closing the business permanently . Let us say the store sells floor coverings. The owner lowers the prices and puts up a sign that says: "Going out of business sale. All items MUST be sold by tomorrow." People who buy the floor coverings think they are getting a special deal because everything must be sold in a short period of time. Then, days later they see the store did not close permanently. And they see the same sign that claims the store is going out of business. Some business owners really do not end the business. They just want to earn more money. People also hold their own sales. They hold garage sales and yard sales outside their home. They sell things they no longer want. Groups such as religious centers or schools hold bake sales. They sell cakes, cookies and other baked goods to raise money. In America, you can always find a good sale, no matter the day or time of year. There is the Independence Day sale, Veteran's Day sale, clearance sale, sidewalk sale, red tag sale, white sale, blue light special, liquidation sale, half-off sale, warehouse sale, tent sale ... Question: What's the purpose of some owners who do "going out of business" sale repeatedly? Options: A: They want to close the business permanently. B: They want to give special offers to customers. C: They want to sell all their goods in a short period of time. D: They want to cheat the customers into buying their goods.
A: D

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: The 115m Christmas Bird Count is officially underway. The count is an annual investigation of local and migratory birds and it's organized by the National Audubon Society. From December 14 to January 5, volunteers will gather in more than 2,000 locations in North, Central and South America to count the birds in their area. Each count takes place in a circle about 24 kilometers wide. The volunteers follow specific routes within the circle and record the number of individual birds and the different species they see there in a single day. The results are sent to the National Audubon Society and later published on Audubon's Christmas Bird Count website. The data collected during the bird count is a key source Of information for ornithologists, scientists who study birds. This information is used to develop conservation programs to protect bird habitats and the environment /n general. Data from the bird count was also used to determine that three species-the Western screech owl, the rusty blackbird and the Newfoundland red crossbill - should be added to Canada's list of species at risk. The annual bird count was created to protest another Christmas tradition at the very beginning .in the United States in the 19th century, people would often hold "side hunts" on Christmas Day. Teams of hunters would compete to see who could kill the most birds or other animals that day. In December 1900, Frank Chapman, an American ornithologist, suggested that instead of hunting birds, people should count them. Twenty-seven people in 25 locations joined in the first Christmas bird count Last year, more than 70,000 volunteers took part. This year, counts are scheduled to take place in 17 countries, ranging from the Arctic to the Antarctic, with most located in Canada and the United States .instead of taking place only on Christmas day, counts are now held on different days for different areas. Question: How long will the 115th Christmas Bird Count last? Options: A: About 3 weeks. B: A single day. C: About a month. D: About 2 weeks.
A: A