Researchers from France and Italy discovered that Canadian parents are less strict with their children than mothers and fathers in France and Italy. "Our most important finding was the difference between Canadians and the others," said Professor Michel Claes,the lead author of the study."Canadians focus on independence and negotiation.On the other hand,Italians,for example,exercise more control.We found Canadians seem to focus on negotiation in case of a conflict." Claes said Canada,France and Italy were selected for the study because they share important cultural and social factors."We chose FrenchCanadians because they share the same language as France,and originally came from France and share certain values.Italy was included because it was considered to have similar,strong and important family values," he explained. The researchers examined the emotional ties between parents and their children by questioning 1,256 students aged 11 to 19 years old. Canadian students reported less control and more free actions,according to the study.Italian parents were stricter and French parents were somewhere in the middle. Claes explains that the differences lie in education in Canada,France and Italy. "North America has its own educational values,which promote individualization.Tolerance and comprehension are encouraged.Italy,on the other hand,promotes respect of authority,control,and the need for permission." he said. Children from all three countries described their mothers as warm and communicative.Italian and Canadian children had similar feelings about their fathers,and reported high levels of emotional ties.But French fathers were generally thought by their children to be more distant and cold. "We were surprised by this," Claes admitted."It seems as though the relationships between French mothers and their children were becoming closer over time,while fathers maintain a form of distance and coldness,which is more of a source of conflict in France than in the other countries." How did the researchers carry out the study ? A) By collecting answers of parents from Canada,France and Italy. B) By collecting answers of children from Canada,France and Italy. C) By questioning parents and their children from Italian Canadian families. D) By questioning children from FrenchCanadian families.
B
(Question)
Swearing can provide effective relief from pain - but not if you swear all the time, researchers have found. A study found releasing the strange expletive (=swearing) helped people cope with discomfort in the short-term but the frequency of swearing played an important role. Researchers at Keele University's School of Psychology employed 71 undergraduates who were asked to carry out a cold-water challenge while either repeating a swear word or a non-swear word. The students put their hand in room temperature water for three minutes to act as a control before diving it into cold 5degC water for as long as they could while repeating their word. The level of sensed pain together with a change in heart rate were compared while people swore or said their non-swear word. The group was also asked about how much they swore in daily life and this was analyzed together with their level of pain tolerance. Writing in the Journal of Pain, the authors concluded: "Swearing increased pain tolerance and heart rate compared with not swearing." "Moreover, the higher the daily swearing frequency, the less was the benefit for pain tolerance when swearing, compared with when not swearing." Dr Richard Stephens, a senior lecturer in psychology at Keele, said: "Swearing is a very emotive form of language and our findings suggest that using swear words moderation (, ) can be an effective and readily available short-term pain reliever." "However, if you're used to swearing all the time, our research suggests you won't get the same effect." What's the best title of this passage? A) More swearing, less Pain. B) Swearing: the best way to relieve pain. C) Let's swear together. D) Swearing can be good for you.
(Answer)
D
Ques: Cotton farmers in some Indian villages are flooding to buy Coca-Cola and Pepsi, believing that the sugar in the fizzy drinks kills pests . Farmers say scientists advised them to mix pesticides with a sugary syrup to control pests, and they found the mixture cheaper and more effective than pure chemicals---- although soft drink makers and scientists dismissed the claims. N. Hamunayya, who has become famous in his village in the southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh, said his crop survived an attack of pests which had resisted other solutions. "We found that all the colas had the same effect on pests. The pests became numb and fell to ground," he said.He said the drinks had all the elements they needed: they were cheaper, sticky, fizzy, and attracted ants, which swallowed the larvae( )of the pests. But Thirupathi Reddy, assistant director of the Regional Agri Research station, Guntur, says tests had denied such claims. " We conducted some field trials on cotton crop at our research station. There were no increases of productivity or deaths of pests," he says. Statements from Pepsi and Coca-Cola said there was " no scientific basis" for this practice. But their sellers are enjoying booming sales. Mantan Wali, who sells soft drinks in 17 villages in the region, said sales increased , thanks to the farmers. " For the 10 days between August and September I had booming business. Instead of just 30 cases ( each containing a dozen one-litre bottles) of cola I started selling almost 200 cases, " he said. " We expected the sales to fall suddenly after the argument over pesticide remains in the cola drinks. Now I have to keep extra stock for the cotton farmers, " he said. N. Hamunayya has become famous because _ . A) He is the first farmer to use cola to kill pests. B) He is strongly against the use of cola to kill pests. C) He successfully advised farmers to use cola to kill pests. D) He himself successfully used cola to kill pests and saved his crop.
Ans: D
Question: You are walking along a lane and never know what you will find. It might be a shop selling oil paintings, or a place where you can buy Dutch cheese. One thing is for sure, you will end up by a canal. Welcome to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. The year 2013 will be a good time to explore Amsterdam as the city has a lot to celebrate: the famous canal ring will turn 400 years old. Amsterdam will also celebrate the 160th birthday of Dutch painter of the Van Gogh museum, home to the biggest collection of the artist's colorful works. The famous canal ring is a trademark of the city. With more than 100 kilometers of canals, it is no wonder that Amsterdam is called the 'Venice of the north'. But unlike the Italian town, where boats were originally used for transport, the canals in Amsterdam were mainly used for defense in the 17th century. Today ferries on canals offer a different way to explore the city. But to truly experience Amsterdam, you can't miss the city's historic museums and monuments, among which Van Gogh museum is the most famous one. It holds 200 paintings, 700 letters and 500 drawings by the artist. Another famous museum is Anne Frank's house. Anne Frank became famous around the world because of a diary she left explaining her and her family's experience as a Jewish girl during World War II, hiding out in a house hoping that she would not be captured by German Nazis. Amsterdam is small enough to walk or cycle almost anywhere, but it is rarely dull. Best of all it combines its glittering past with a rebellious edginess. Which of the following is TRUE of the canals in Amsterdam? A) They had to be rebuilt after years of use. B) They protected the city in ancient times. C) They were built to provide transport for the city. D) They are the main theme of Van Gogh's paintings.
Answer:
B