Question:
Read the text and answer the questions.
Music can be a great power to change people's lives. Regina del Carmen Sanchez, 14, always believes this. The girl from Kansas City, US, leads a hard life. She lives in a small house with her mom and grandparents. Her mom gets a very low pay. But it doesn't stop Sanchez's love of music. She wrote her first song Keep Your Head Up when she was 12. It described the bad situation at her home, but it also sent the message of hope: "My house is old and poor, but it beats being homeless... Love yourself and never give up. You'll see a better life if you keep your head up..." It took Sanchez several months to finish the song. Sometimes during a break in class, when lyrics came into her head, "I would have to write them down right then," she told the local newspaper The Kansas City Star. Jeremy Lillig was a spokesman for Bright Futures, a charity fund. When he saw the video of the song, he was _ He shared it through social media . The fund has provided money for poor students in Kansas City. Now Sanchez often plays the song in public. "I want to help people understand what is happening in the world in an easy way," she said.
1. Who is this article about?
2. Who is she?
3. How old is she?
4. What is unique about her?
5. What was it about?
6. What is her situation at home?
7. Are they poor?
8. How long did it take her to write?
9. Where did she write it?
10. What was the positive message?
11. Did she make a video?
12. Has the song influenced anyone?
13. Who?
14. Who is he?
15. What did he do?
16. What did that accomplish?
17. Does she ever perform in public?
18. What message is she hoping to get across?
19. Is there a theme to the article?
20. What is the message?

Numbered answers:
1. Regina del Carmen Sanchez
2. girl from Kansas City, US
3. 14
4. She wrote her first song Keep Your Head Up when she was 12
5. the bad situation at her home, but it also sent the message of hope
6. She lives in a small house with her mom and grandparents
7. Yes
8. several months
9. Sometimes during a break in class
10. Love yourself and never give up. You'll see a better life if you keep your head up
11. Yes
12. Yes
13. Jeremy Lillig
14. a spokesman for Bright Futures, a charity fund
15. He shared it through social media
16. The fund has provided money for poor students in Kansas City.
17. Yes.
18. help people understand what is happening in the world in an easy way,"
19. Yes
20. Music can be a great power to change people's lives.

Question:
Read the text and answer the questions.
Children can spend hours a day looking at computer screens and other digital devices . Some eye doctors say this leads to an increase in "computer vision syndrome ." Nathan Bonilla-Warford is an optometrist in Tampa, Florida. He has seen an increase in problems in children. "A lot more children come into the office either because their parents have noticed that they have headaches or red or watery eyes or discomfort, or because their nearsightedness appears to be increasing and they're worried," he says. Dr. Bonilla-Warford says part of the problem is that children may be more likely to pay no attention to early warning signs than adults. "Even if their eyes start to feel uncomfortable or they start to get a headache, they're less likely to tell their parents, because they don't want to have the game or the computer or whatever taken away," he explains. He says another part of the problem is that people blink less often when they use digital devices. He says, "A person who uses an electronic device blinks about one third as much as we normally do in everyday life. And so that can result in the front part of the eye drying and not staying protected like normal." Eye doctors offer suggestions like following which is known as the 20/20/20 rule. That means every twenty minutes look away twenty feet or more for at least twenty seconds from whatever device you're using. Other suggestions include putting more distance between you and the device and using good lighting. Of course, another way is to spend less time looking at screens. Many experts say children should spend no more than two hours a day using digital devices--with no screen time for children under two. But not all eye doctors have noticed an increase in problems in children. Dr. David Hunter, from Children's Hospital Boston, has not seen an increase in his practice. "While it is possible to develop _ looking at screens for a long period of time, there's certainly no proof that it actually causes any damage to the eyes." he says.
1. What do kids spend hours a day looking at?
2. Where is the doctor located?
3. Does he see more computer related eye problems?
4. Who's worried?
5. Why won't they tell their parents?

Numbered answers:
1. at computer screens and other digital devices
2. in Tampa, Florida
3. have headaches or red or wateryiscomfort, or because their nearsightedness appears to be increasing and they're worried,
4. children
5. because they don't want to have the game or the computer or whatever taken away,

Question:
Read the text and answer the questions.
Local businessmen are increasingly facing competition from online retailers. Larry Pollock, owner of Camera Co/Op on South Congress, said he has been dealing with this kind of problem for years, even before the Internet. The struggle began with mail-order catalogues , which are similar to online retailers in that they have few employees to pay, no sales tax fees and no business venue to lease and manage.

"Their overhead is lower, but they don't offer a service like we do," Pollock said.

Pollock, however, said providing a valuable service to customers does not always guarantee continued sales.

"We spend 30 minutes to an hour with somebody and they go home and buy it on line," he said.

According to the state comptroller's office, online shopping is developing at a more rapid rate than traditional businesses.

In spite of how fair or unfair online shopping may be to the local businessmen, consumers will continue to turn to the Internet for its variety and accessibility, said Mitch Wilson, an online shopper. "You have a larger selection and it's easier to compare prices."

Wilson said he built his personal computer and paid a third of the price by shopping on line.

"Before the Internet, I would have had to go and buy an assembled computer from somebody like Dell," he said. "Before I started shopping on line I could never find all the pieces I wanted. No single store had everything needed, so shopping on line saved me from having to buy from Dell."

Janny Brazeal, a psychology freshman, said online shopping is too impersonal.

"'d rather see it in person, touch it, know that I'm getting it," she said.

Brazeal also said she would not give out her credit card number or other personal information on line no matter how safe the site claims it is.
1. What is a valuable service?
2. What is the issue?
3. When did it begin?
4. Is is happening quickly?
5. What is a safety issue?
6. What is easier about online?
7. Overhead higher or lower?
8. What is a reason online is cheaper?
9. why?
10. who does it affect most?
Numbered answers:
1. brick and mortar stores
2. competition from online retailers
3. with mail-order catalogues
4. yes
5. online security
6. variety and accessibility
7. lower
8. overhead is lower
9. few employees to pay, no sales tax fees and no business venue to lease and manage
10. local businessmen