Read the article and select the best answer. Article: A disastrous competition is going on in England, with billions of dollars and hundreds of lives in danger. OK, that's not true. But competitors from around the world gathered on Thursday to compete for the title of 2012's World's Biggest Liar. Each participant is given up to five minutes to make up the best lie in the competition, which was started in honor of 19th-century Bridge Inn owner Will Ritson, who was reportedly famous for his lies. Competitors gather at the Bridge Inn every year for the competition, a small pub in northwestern England. Anyone can take part in the competition. Well, almost anyway; the reporters note that lawyers and politicians are banned, who is said to enjoy "an unfair advantage" in the proceedings . A study published this past July in the journal Evolution & Human Behavior found that nearly all lies are detectable through visible facial muscle reactions in the person telling a lie. "Thus, while interpersonal deception often is highly successful, signs of hidden emotional states are communicated clearly to the informed observer," the study concluded. A churchman of Carlisle reportedly holds what may be the greatest lie of all time in the competition, simply stating, "I have never told a lie in my life." In 2003, Abrie Krueger of South Africa became the first non-Brit to win the competition. Ironically, Krueger was accused by some of cheating. In 2006, comedian Sue Perkins became the first female to win the competition, telling a tale about people riding camels to work as a result of climate change. Last year's winning entry came from Glen Boyland, who told a lie about competing in a snail-racing competition with Prince Charles. Question: The article begins with _ . Options: A: a piece of news B: a lie told by the writer C: the passage's topic sentence D: a case from the competition
B

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: I spend a lot of time backpacking and hiking the outdoors and there are two pieces of equipment that are with me on each trip: an Adventure Medical Kits Weekender and an Adventure Medical Kits Suture Syringe Kit. Both proved very helpful on my most recent adventures to the Wrangell in Alaska. On that day, we were "blessed" with rain, making our water crossing on the Dixie Pass very difficult. Our party of 12 had almost reached our destination when I slipped, severely gashing my knee open in the process. While I could not see the wound at first because of the rain pants I was wearing, I knew _ was severe. Blood was running freely and I made those standing nearby aware of the damage. They quickly came over to assist, pulled my pack off and removed the Weekender First Aid Kit and Suture Kit from it. Fortunately, one of my partners is a doctor called William, who has often performed this type of work in the operating room, not out in the wild. I seriously think he was more nervous about all this than me! I, of course, was more than happy that I did not have to stitch myself up. As a marine, I've had to do it before. Fortunately, the sky had cleared up about two hours before, so we had great sunlight to work with. The doctor worked quickly with the assistance of another fellow camper acting as a nurse and placed seven stitches into my knee once the wound had been cleaned up. Later that evening we used a syringe we set aside loaded with Iodine to clean the wound and then bandaged it again. The doctor was very impressed with the kits contents! I've already ordered another Suture Syringe Kit. I have to say the kits are worth their weight in gold! Thanks for the contents in the kits! Question: What is mainly discussed in the passage? Options: A: How first aid kits saved a backpacker in Alaska. B: How a doctor did the operation in the wild. C: How the author with 12 fellow campers hike the outdoors. D: How the author hurt himself.
A

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Science has a lot of uses. It can uncover laws of nature, cure diseases, make bombs, and help bridges to stand up. Indeed science is so good at what it does that there's always a temptation to drag it into problems where it may not be helpful. David Brooks, author of The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement, appears to be the latest in a long line of writers who have failed to go against the temptation. Brooks gained fame for several books. His latest book The Social Animal, however, is more ambitious and serious than his earlier books. It is an attempt to deal with a set of weighty topics. The book focuses on big questions: What has science uncovered about human nature? What are the sources of character? And why are some people happy and successful while others aren't? To answer these questions, Brooks studies a wide range of disciplines . Considering this, you might expect the book to be a simple description of facts. But Brooks has formed his book in an unusual, and perhaps unfortunate way. Instead of introducing scientific theories, he tells a story, within which he tries to make his points, perhaps in order to keep the reader's attention. So as Harold and Erica, the hero and heroine in his story, live through childhood, we hear about the science of child development and as they begin to date we hear about the theory of sexual attraction. Brooks carries this through to the death of one of his characters. On the whole, Brooks' story is acceptable if uninspired. As one would expect, his writing is mostly clear and, to be fair, some chapters stand out above the rest. I enjoyed, for instance, the chapter in which Harold discovers how to think on his own. While Harold and Erica are certainly not strong or memorable characters, the more serious problems with The Social Animal lie elsewhere. These problems partly involve Brooks' attempt to translate his tale into science. Question: What is the author's general attitude towards the book? Options: A: Contradictory. B: Supportive. C: Cautious. D: Critical.
D

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: The UK's "hidden" debt mountain stands at an estimated PS5bn, according to a new research today which reveals that as many as one in three consumers are keeping the full scale of their financial problems from their family.The research, for the Post Office, shows that while the average personal debt in the UK is PS9,731.51, people only admit to owing half this when talking to a partner or member of their family. The new report exposes the serious emotional and physical consequences of covering up that debt, ranging from problems at work, sleepless nights and anxiety, to alcohol abuse.A recent report from the Commons public accounts committee said that in the UK, one person in 10 is struggling to manage their debts, while the total of all personal debt is some PS1,500bn.It warned that a government strategy to help consumers struggling with record levels of debt was "seriously deficient" because of poor management and a lack of leadership.The research was commissioned by the Post Office and carried out online by One Poll, which surveyed 2,258 UK consumers. Doug Strachan, director of financial services at the Post Office, said, " The recession has put a massive strain on many families and people may be, for the first time, experiencing levels of debt that they cannot control.The most important thing to remember is that if you do need to borrow money, make sure you are responsible about it and set out a clear repayment plan.Managing the debt effectively can mean there is no need to experience the terrible emotional and physical symptoms hiding debt can result in." Donna Dawson, psychologist specializing in personality, behavior and relationships, said the knock-on effects were enormous, " hiding the extent of debt from a partner or family member may give us a false sense of control or independence, but the reality is that our mental and physical health suffers--and once uncovered, the health of our loved ones suffers as well. The irony is that the very things we are trying to protect--our trustworthiness and our... Question: According to the new research, we can learn that _ . Options: A: every family has serious financial problems B: the UK's debt to other countries amounts to PS5bn C: the UK's economy is in great trouble due to "hidden" debt D: people hide the debt from their partners or families to some extent
D