Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: In the most southern part of our planet, there's a place that's covered with snow and ice all year round. But it has the clearest and cleanest air. Amazingly, in this place, the sun sometimes hangs even in the midnight sky. This place is Antarctica : the coldest, windiest and harshest place on the Earth. As the world's least-known place, Antarctica is of great interest to scientists around the world. In 1983, China joined the Antarctic Treaty (<<>> ). The treaty made Antarctica a peaceful place for member countries to do scientific research. During 30 years, China has sent many scientists to Antarctica. They mostly look at the resources under the icy land and do research about climate change and marine biology. Antarctica is a place with fantastic views. However, life there is very hard. Food is one of the biggest problems. Frozen food which can be heated easily is people's daily food. Fresh vegetables are hard to grow in the cold weather. Therefore, scientists often eat dried or canned vegetables. Sleep is also troublesome. In Antarctica, summer lasts from November to March. During this period, Antarctica points to the sun and receives sunlight 24 hours a day. In order to get some sleep, scientists cover the windows with black plastic cloth to create "night". Working in Antarctica is dangerous, especially when meeting gale-force winds.Sometimes the wind is even stronger than a typhoon.It can easily blow people away.So there are ropes that connect buildings of some research stations.People can hold these ropes to keep their balance in forceful winds. What's more, communicating with others is difficult. Without cables and Internet in some research stations, two-way radios are the only tools to communicate. If people want to say hello to friends and relatives, they can use satellite phones. Although it is challenging to work in Antarctica, scientists' _ to learn about this mysterious land will never end. It is hopeful that one day they will step every corner of this icy land. Question: Scientists from China go to Antarctica to _ . Options: A: find out ways to control water pollution B: research climate change and marine biology C: grow plants and vegetables in special condition D: stop the hunters from killing the marine biology
A: B

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: His talent and charm have made him the No.1Chinese classical artist in the world. And he played in the grand Beijing Olympic opening ceremony in 2008, watched by a TV audience of 5 billion. Lang Lang, 26, is the first Chinese pianist to play with the world's top orchestras ,making his first appearance at the Carnegie Hall in New York at 18, while still a student. Lang's charm and fondness make him a natural fit to represent China's new international image. According to the British newspaper the Times, "The Lang Lang effect" drives 36 million Chinese children to learn the piano. Now in China, children are learning Chopin and Western orchestras are playing sold-out tours across Chinese cities. But can China ever introduce its own music to the West? Lang is trying. His cooperation with the London Symphony Orchestra this month includes a performance of Dragon Songs, an album of traditional Chinese classics. Behind the success , however, is a surprising story of a gifted child. Lang grew up with his father's own musical ambition and high expectations. It is not hard to imagine how boring it must be to practice the piano every day. Lang said that he once hated his hands and the piano. He got his right hand hurt six years ago and had to rest. "That was the best month," he says. Question: Lang Lang is trying his best to _ now. Options: A: introduce China's own music to the West B: play sold-out tours across Chinese cities C: encourage children to learn the piano D: prepare for a performance of Dragon songs
A: A

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: That was my grandmother's first Christmas without Grandfather. When my parents and I arrived at her little house ,we found she had waited up all night for us. Grandfather had always said that the Christmas tree was the most important decoration of all. So first we took out the beautiful tree that was stored in the closet . But the star was _ . It was my grandmother's favorite part of the tree. "Why? It must be somewhere in the closet," my grandmother said. As we opened up boxes one by one and found no star, my grandmother's eyes were full of tears. Grandfather had given it to her some fifty years ago, on their first Christmas together. But on her first Christmas without him, the star was gone. The next morning, my family sat down together to open the presents. "The last gift is to Grandmother from Grandfather," Father said, in a strange voice. "From whom?" There was surprise in my grandmother's voice. "I found this gift in Grandfather's closet when we got the tree down," Mother explained. My grandmother opened the box. There was a shinning golden star and a note in it: Don't be angry with me, dear. I broke your star while putting away the decorations, and I couldn't bear to tell you. I hope it brings you as much happiness as the first one. Merry Christmas! Love, Bryant ,A, B, C, D,. (10) Question: What would probably happen to the grandmother after she read the note? Options: A: She would ask her children to buy a new star. B: She would get angry with her husband. C: She would be greatly moved . D: She would throw away the new star.
A: C

Q: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Billy Dengler, a 14-year-old boy, is in the eighth grade. A month after he was born, Billy's mother, Terri, noticed that his eyes weren't quite as big as a normal baby's. She took Billy to the hospital, and the doctor said Billy would never be able to see. Although Billy can't see, he has never let that hold him back or make him different. Billy began teaching himself computer programming by using a screen reader when he was just seven years old. He is a certified Google developer now. Google even tried to offer him a job last year when he discovered a problem in one of its _ , but Billy wasn't old enough. Billy's dream school would be Stanford University or MIT, where he could get a very good education in computer science. After he leaves school, whether he will go to work at a company like Google or design a software company of his own is still to be decided. However, he says he will definitely do something great. "It's a sighted world," Billy said. "You can't let anything get in the way of your dreams, and if you do that, you can't move forward and make your dreams come true." Question: Billy's mother found there was something wrong with Billy's eyes when _ . Options: A: he was 14 years old B: he left school C: he was in the eighth grade D: he was a month old.
A: D