Many drivers say the large digital billboards flashing ads every few seconds along Bay Area freeways are just too bright and too distracting. And they may be right. A Swedish study published in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention concludes that digital billboards hold the gazes of drivers longer than two seconds. Previous studies have shown that anything that takes a driver's eyes off the road for that length of time increases the risks of a crash. "This study proves what is common sense when it comes to digital billboards," says Mary Tracy, president of Scenic America, a national nonprofit group that seeks to limit billboards. "Bright, constantly changing signs on the sides of roads are meant to attract and keep the attention of drivers, and this study confirms that this is exactly what they do." The Federal Highway Administration allowed digital signs for the first time in 2007 after concluding they did not pose a significant danger. But a follow-up report is pending and could be released this year. California has no law banning the billboards, and is one of 39 states that allows them. "We would need to review more research, so it's too early to call for a ban," says Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association. "There is a role for digital messaging, such as conveying urgent information and other safety messages." There are more than 1,800 digital billboards nationwide, more than double the number five years ago. While no data indicate an increase in accidents due to the Bay Area signs, many drivers are opposed to them. "Monstrosities" is what Merlin Dorfman of San Jose calls them, while insurance agent David Whitlock says he has found them a major distraction. "They're much too bright at night," he says. "When the advertisement switches from a bright color to a darker one, your eyes cannot adjust fast enough, and you end up losing sight of the roadway." Officials with sign companies could not be reached for comment, but Bryan Parker, an executive vice president for... Which of the following is TRUE? A) The brightness of digital billboards is harmful to people's eyes. B) The Federal Highway Administration banned digital signs in 2013. C) There is evidence indicating an increase in accidents duo to digital billboards. D) Digital billboards are used to convey messages.
D
(Question)
Here's the travel plan for some museums on our "Museums of the World" tour. The Museum of Bad Art (Boston, USA) shows what it describes as "art too bad to be ignored". The museum hopes to bring the worst of art to the widest possible audience and has even published a book of its most "important" works. As part of the visit, we'll be shown some truly awful portraits, landscapes and sculptures. The Washington Banana Museum (Auburn, Washington, USA) contains 4,000 objects related to the history of what the museum describes as "the world's most perfect fruit". We'll be given a guided tour around the museum, during which we'll learn all sorts of interesting things, such as the fact that bananas were introduced to the USA in 1878 in the same exhibition as Alexander Graham Bell's telephone, and that the banana is now the US' number-one selling fruit. The Hair Museum (Avanos, Turkey) is located in a cave in Cappadocia, in Central Anatolia. It contains 160,000 samples of people's hair. You'll be offered a chance to add your own hair to the collection. Later in the year, the museum curator selects 10 donors to attend a pottery workshop. If you're one of them, you'll be invited to stay in his guest house. The museum du Slip (Brussels, Belgium) is devoted to underwear. The idea behind the museum is that everyone is equal in their underwear. You'll be fascinated to know that it has collected samples from all sorts of people, including artists, politicians and pop stars. The Museum de Carrosses Funebres (Barcelona, Spain) is a museum of funeral hearses . It takes a look at how local people have been transported to their funerals since the 19th century. During the tour, we'll be provided with a fascinating insight into how the people of Barcelona viewed death. Among the 1,000 or so exhibits, pride of place goes to a "flap-coffin", which is a reusable coffin from the 18th century. Which of the following words can best describe the museums? A) Well-known B) Traditional C) Ancient D) Unusual
(Answer)
D
Ques: Normally and naturally, a daughter is more attached to her mother in comparison to her father or other siblings . The attachment is also due to the fact that the daughter finds it easier to believe in the mother on personal and biological matters at different stages while growing up. The bonding between mother and daughter will increase with their being together and going out on excursions. An excursion is a journey to some far-off place undertaken by people. It is not necessary that such a trip be taken on a lavish scale involving lots of money. It can be as short as an overnight trip to some place to improve bonding. To surprise her daughter with an unexpected excursion, mother can plan a trip to some local spa without the knowledge of her daughter. She can be ready with baggage packed and wait for the moment the daughter comes back from school. Once in the hotel they can enjoy the night together getting refreshing treatments like massage or mud packs. After relaxing spa they can laze in bed, enjoying favourite food or drink and if possible enjoying nature through the window. After a long period of relaxation, going out for a walk together will improve bonding. Going out overnight to enjoy walk at the beach, and relaxing at intervals without the interference of any other person can be a great idea of bonding. Being of the same sex, and often having the same set of likes and dislikes, they can spend time on makeup or applying nail polish. The daughter should never forget to thank the mother for the wonderful time they spent together, and the mother should never hesitate to say a few words of praise to the daughter. Going out for shopping together is a good bonding idea too. It is not essential that lots of money should be spent on shopping. The mother can take the daughter to some shops where she can buy her uniform or some other things. They can jointly enjoy window shopping, expressing love and gratitude for the other. According to the passage, an excursion . A) costs a large amount of money B) is only suitable for a long journey C) can be a short overnight trip D) is not necessary to be arranged in advance
Ans: C
Ques: Express delivery: How you can buy your groceries from a virtual supermarket Aug, 1st, 2011 Daily Mail A "virtual supermarket" consisting of posters of goods put on platform walls is set to be introduced at London Underground stations. Passengers "shop" by scanning QR--Quick Response--codes of the items they want to buy using their smart phones. These goods are later delivered to their home address. Supermarket giant Tesco successfully trialed the hi-tech store in a South Korean underground station and there are now plans to bring the concept to Britain. NYPD to Scan Facebook, Twitter for Trouble Aug, 11th, 2011 Forbes The New York Police Department announced it will form a new unit to search social media as part of its law enforcement efforts, responding to the criminals' growing use of these sites to plan and celebrate illegal activities. The NYPD unit created particularly to _ social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and BlackBerry messenger for information on planned crimes and their criminals. Space Junk reaching "tipping point", report warns Sep 3rd, 2011 Toronto Sun The amount of debris orbiting the Earth has reached "a tipping point" for crashes, which would produce more debris that may be dangerous to astronauts and satellites, according to a US study. According to the US Space Surveillance Network, the number of orbital debris jumped from 9,949 in December 2006 to 16,094 in July 2011. we can learn from the news that_. A) people with mobile phones can shop at London Underground stations B) Facebook, Twitter, and BlackBerry messenger are not popular in the US C) the amount of space junk has more than doubled in the past few years D) more and more criminals are using social media sites for crimes
Ans:
D