Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: Scores on a national test released on November 1 show that students in the U.S.A. have improved in math over the last two years, but mostly stayed the same in reading. This year, 422,000 fourth graders and 343,000 eighth graders took the exams between January and March. Students were asked to read grade-appropriate materials and answer questions for the reading test. For the math test, students answered questions about geometry, algebra, number properties, measurement and other topics. The U.S Department of Education released the scores in a report called The Nation's Report Card (NAEP). This year, students earned the highest scores ever recorded on the math exam, which has been given since 1990.Fourth graders scored an average of 241.That is a one-point increase from 2009and a 28-point increase from 1990. Eighth graders made similar progress. Then average score this year was 284,up one point from 2009 and 21 points from 1990. In reading, fourth graders scored an average of 221 points, the same average score since 2007.That score is four points above those from 1992, when the first reading test was given. Eighth graders scored an average of 265 points, up one point from 2009 and five points from 1992. Education experts say reading is a harder subject to improve in the classroom than math. While math is largely learned in classrooms, reading results depend on how much kids read outside of school and how much they read in other subjects, such as history and science. On the NAEP, math scores were the highest among students who have limited use of calculators during math lessons, compared with students who have unlimited use or no use. Reading scores were the highest among students who said they read for fun on their own time almost every day. Question: What can we learn from the passage? Options: A: The first reading test was given in 1990. B: Eighth graders' average math score was 285 in 2009 C: Eighth graders got the same average as fourth graders in the reading this year D: Reading is hard to improve in the classroom because that requires students to read a lot outside of school.
A: D

Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: A normal conversation between strangers involves more than talk. It also involves the dynamics of space interaction. If one person gets too close, the other person will back up. If the first person invades the other's space again, the other person will back up again. The person who finds himself or herself backing up is trying to increase the distance of the comfort zone. The person closing in is trying to decrease that distance. Most likely neither person is fully aware of what is going on. In the 1960s, American anthropologist Edward T. Hall was a pioneer in the study of human behavioral use of space. His field of study became known as proxemics.Hall said that personal space for people in the United States can be defined as having four distinct zones: the intimate zone within 18 inches of your body, for whispering and embracing; the personal zone of 18 inches to four feet, for talking with close friends; the social zone of four to 10 feet, for conversing with acquaintances; and the public zone of 10 to 25 feet, for interacting with strangers or talking to a group. Historians say that our standards of personal space began with the Industrial Revolution in the 18thcentury. In cities such as London and New York, people of different social and economic classes were suddenly crammed together, so they unconsciously developed a commonly understood code of courtesy to restrict the space around them. People exhibit nonverbal messages of discomfort when their zones are violated. Invaded people might tap their toes, pull at their hair, become completely rigid, or even become angry. As hall noted in his landmark work, a comfortable conversation needs to include the parameters of human personal space. Question: If you and a close friend began talking when you were eight feet apart, you would probably soon _ . Options: A: move closer together B: move farther apart C: begin talking more softly D: ask another friend to join the conversation
A: A

Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: What do you use to get around town? A car? A bike? Your feet ? perhaps you should try a segway! The Segway is perfect for short journeys. It's an electric vehicle that consists of a platform between two wheels, with a pole that connects the platform to the handlebars. To ride it , you step up onto the platform, and control the Segway by moving your body. Lean forwards to go faster, and back-wards to slow down. On older models, direction was controlled by a twist grip on the left handlebar. This varies the speeds between the two motors, and a decrease in the speed of the left wheel would turn the Segway to the left . With newer models you simply lean to the left or right. Meanwhile, a gyroscope detects your movements and prevents the machine from falling over. The Segway has a maximum speed of 19 km per hour and a range of about 38 km. after that, you need to plug it and recharge the battery. Segways are used for a variety of purposes. People with mobility problems can now enjoy walks in the country with their friends and family. Some golfers see them as an alternative to the golf cart . And dog owners now have an easier way to take the dog to the park. A few police forces use Segways, too. They allow officers to move quickly while maintaining contact with the public. They're also becoming a common sight on airport . However, the most popular use is in tourism , particularly for city tours . Visit any major tourist city in summer, sit outside a cafe for a while and there's a good chance you'll see a group of tourists passing on Segways. Question: How far can you travel on a Segway at most? Options: A: Less than 19 km B: About 19 km C: About 38 km D: Over 45 km
A: C

Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: Please help! I live in Germany with my wife and three kids. My parents live in the UK. I want my kids to have as much contact with their grandparents as possible. The kids all use e-mail, Skype and SMS but my parents won't. I've bought them a laptop, paid for broadband, given them both mobile phones and a digital camera, but they won't use them. My parents say they hate computers and new technology. What can I do with these " _ "? Daniel, Buremburg, Germany Actually, the original technophobes were the Luddites, a group of cloth workers in 19thcentury Britain during the Industrial Revolution. The Luddite cloth workers, who traditionally made cloth by hand, were worried that machines were going to take away their jobs and way of life. These machines could make cloth much faster and cheaper than humans. In 1811 and 1812 the Luddites destroyed the machines that they hated so much, but the British government supported the factory owners. Many Luddites were arrested. Charlotte Bronte's novel Shirley will tell your parents all about it. Laura, Valencia, Spain Laura makes some interesting points, I think. Technophobes has been a common theme in science fiction. Frankenstein, one of the first science fiction, is a warning of what could happen if humans began to experiment with human life. Freda, Copenhagen, Denmark One thing you could try is to find hardware that is designed for older people to use. An example is the mobiles made by the US company, Jitterbug. Instead of icons and menus the Jitterbug phones ask users simple "yes/no" questions and have larger keypads. The company realized that there are potentially 100 million older users in the US alone. Graham, Patras, Greece Question: What can we infer from the passage? Options: A: Daniel would buy her parents a novel written by Shirley. B: Charlotte Bronte wrote about technophobes in her novel Shirley. C: Daniel would buy her parents cell phones with icons and menus. D: Daniel worried about her children using e-mails.
A: B