It's high time someone spoke up for today's college students. They're probably the most hardworking, ambitious people in America and their problems are not properly appreciated. People like the Secretary of Education simply don't know what they're talking about when they knock students. Nor do those who complain about falling academic standards. The vast majority of the nation's 12 million students are struggling to pay for their educations. They are part of the invisible workforce. Many hold down full-time jobs. They're frying hamburgers, photographing weddings, working in construction, and waiting on tables. The fact that they even show up for classes is a wonderful event. The financial situation of most students explains a lot about what is happening in schools. Why are the traditional courses so unpopular? Why are students flocking to accounting and computer science and any professional programs that seem to lead to careers? Answer: Today's working student has been forced into a kind of premature matter-of-fact way of viewing things. Romance is gone. The notion of transforming one's self through study alone has disappeared. Today's students seek freedom from manual labor, and the status conferred by a good job. There are other consequences. Today's students don't have much time or energy to be devoted, and carry out independent research or even do serious homework. That's the secret behind falling academic standards. Students have become consumers. They want grades and certifications. Their professors can't be expected to give a grade of failure to students who are clearly tired from the effort to pay their bills. There's a lot wrong with this situation. It's twisting the definition of education out of shape. Worse, it's creating a generation that is totally unpleasant. The brightest students turn out to be yuppies . The vast majority are, at least, good-natured semi-literates. The time has run out for philosophical debates about fixed courses of study. What this country needs is someone to stand up... Which of the following CANNOT be learned from the passage? A) Many students are often absent from classes. B) Traditional courses are not popular. C) Students commit crimes with computers. D) Students don't devote much time and energy to their homework.
C
London's Chinese community dates back to the 18th century, when a small number of Chinese sailors moved to the city to work in Limehouse, east London. As time went by, other Chinese people came to this area and Limehouse began to be known as "Chinatown". At the start of the 20th century, there were just 545 Chinese people in Britain. However, this situation changed greatly after the Second World War. At this time, many farmers in Hong Kong lost their jobs, and decided to move to London. In the 1950s, a small Chinese restaurant opened in central London. Many British people visited it and said that Chinese food was wonderful! Suddenly, Chinese restaurants started opening in every part of the city. Instead of too little work, the new Chinese immigrants now found that they had too much! Most of the new immigrants enjoyed their lives and the chances they were offered. Many asked their friends and relatives to join them from their hometowns, and a lot of families were reunited again at this time. As time went by, London's Chinese community became more and more successful. The sons and daughters of the first restaurant workers, encouraged by their parents, studied very hard at school and university. And most got highly-paid jobs. As a result, increasing numbers of Chinese families left Chinatown and moved to the more expensive places. Chinatown, however, is still as lively as ever, and a must-see for any visitor to London. The passage is mainly about _ . A) "Chinatown" in World War II B) the history of "Chinatown" in London C) the successful Chinese in London D) an old Chinese restaurant
B
Q: Air conditioning, watermelons, ice cream-we have all kinds of gadgets and food to get us through the summer. But what could be better during the hot months? The following are a few special and well-known water parks around the world. Take a good look, and know what the real water parks look like. Noah's Ark Location: Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, US Noah's Ark offers many water slides. The most notable ride is the Black Anaconda. At more than 400 meters in length, it is the US' most thrilling water coaster and sends riders spiraling down at speeds of up to 48 kilometers per hour. Plus, with 18 indoor water parks, Wisconsin Dells offers plenty of splashes for water lovers. Tropical Islands Resort Location: Brandenburg, Germany This resort offers the largest indoor water park in the world-at 65,961 square meters. And its indoor pool can hold 6,000 visitors at a time. As Europe's largest tropical holiday world, Tropical Islands is more than a water park. It's a fully functional resort, featuring a theme park, an artificial rainforest, a lagoon, a beach, steam baths, saunas and many shops and restaurants. There are also several water slides and other activities that people of all ages can enjoy. Las Cascada Water Park Location: Aguadilla, Puerto Rico Las Cascada is well known for its unbelievable beauty. It is surrounded by tropical mountain forests and situated close to the ocean. The water ride, E1 Rio Pasivo, carries riders through the whole water park. They can see the mountains and waterfalls around it. Chimelong Water Park Location: Guangzhou, China It is one of the largest water parks in Asia. With its advanced technology, it also has many new aquatic facilities in the industry. One of the park's rides offers a tube conveyor that transports riders up a 19-meter-tall tower. The park has implemented a special water treatment system that ensures safe PH levels and removes harmful germs. Where is the article most likely to have been taken from? A) A science magazine. B) A research paper. C) A travel magazine. D) An advertisement.
A: C
*Question*
An old man lived in a certain part of London, and he would wake up every morning and go to the subway. He would get the train right to Central London, and then sit at the street corner and beg. He would do this every single day of his life. He sat at the same street corner and begged for almost 20 years. His house was dirty, and the bad smell coming out of the house was horrible. The neighbors could not stand the smell any more, so they asked the police officers to clear the place. The officers knocked down the door and cleaned the house. There were small bags of money all over the house that he had collected over the years. The police counted the money, and they soon realized that the old man was a millionaire . They waited outside his house expecting to share the good news with him. When the old man arrived home that evening, one of the officers told him that there was no need for him to beg any more as he was a rich man now, a millionaire. But the old man said nothing at all; he went into his house and locked the door. The next morning he woke up as usual, went to the subway, got into the train and sat at the street corner and continued to beg. Clearly, this old man had no great plans, dreams or anything significant for his life. We learn nothing from this story other than staying focused on the things we enjoy doing. What makes us happy is what matters in the end, not what we acquire. What did the old man do after the police officer told him the news? A) He did what he usually did the next day. B) He stayed at home doing nothing. C) He locked the door and went to the subway at once. D) He sat in front of his house and continued to beg.
**Answer**
A