Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: The behaviour of a building's users may be at least as important as its design when it comes to energy use, according to new research from the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC). The UK promises to reduce its carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050, part of which will be achieved by all new homes being zero-carbon by 2016. But this report shows that sustainable building design on its own -- though extremely important- is not enough to achieve such reductions: the behaviour of the people using the building has to change too. The study suggests that the ways that people use and live in their homes have been largely ignored by existing efforts to improve energy efficiency , _ instead focus on architectural and technological developments. 'Technology is going to assist but it is not going to do everything,'explains Katy Janda, a UKERC senior researcher,'consumption patterns of building users can defeat the most careful design. 'In other words,old habits die hard, even in the best-designed eco-home. Another part of the problem is information. Households and bill-payers don't have the knowledge they need to change their energy-use habits. Without specific information,it's hard to estimate the costs and benefits of making different choices. Feedback facilities, like smart meters and energy monitors,could help bridge this information gap by helping people see how changing their behaviour directly affects their energy use; some studies have shown that households can achieve up to 15 percent energy savings using smart meters. Social science research has added a further dimension ,suggesting that individuals'behaviour in the home can be personal and cannot be predicted whether people throw open their windows rather than turn down the thermostat , for example. Janda argues that education is the key. She calls for a focused programme to teach people about buildings and their own behaviour in them. Question: As to energy use, the new research from UKERC stresses the importance of _ . Options: A: zero-carbon homes B: the behaviour of building users C: sustainable building design D: the reduction of carbon emissions
A: B

Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: The Wall Street Journal Asia Edition(prefix = st1 /U. S.), the Globe and Mail(Canada), the Guardian(U. K. ),among other foreign news agencies,have recently published articles on China's earthquake relief. They have all praised the earthquake relief efforts made by the Chinese government. The Wall Street Journal Asia Edition published an article on May 21 saying that on the eighth day of the most serious natural disaster to hit China in decades, rescuing survivors from the ruins had been quickly replaced by the _ challenge of helping them. The article said that people overseas have been deeply impressed by earthquake relief efforts by the Chinese government. The Associated French Press(AFP) reported on May 21 that Chinahas become more open during the campaign. Aircraft loaded with relief supplies from Ukraine,Russia,the United States, Singapore and other countries have arrived in disaster areas in southwestern China. The Associated Press(AP) published an article on May 21 reporting that Chinais making great efforts to deal with an extremely difficult task caused by the earthquake how to provide temporary shelter far so many people. The article said that many tents have been built;and food and medical care are provided to the people whose lives have been completely disturbed by the earthquake. The Global and Mail of Canada published an article on May 20 that said the rapid earthquake relief work in Sichuan demonstrates China's powerful economic strength. An article carried in the British Guardian said that one week after the Sichuan earthquake,China began a three-day national mourning period at 14:28 on may 19, and all Chinese people stood in silence for three minutes in memory of the victims. The ongoing search and rescue action is encouraged by one miraculous survivor after another: Chinese officials said that,so far, no epidemic had occurred after the earthquake. Question: According to the passage,the most pressing task in the earthquake-hit i areas is--. Options: A: rescuing survivors from the ruins B: providing temporary shelter and food for the victims C: burying dead bodies as quickly as possible D: clearing away the ruins to build new houses
A: B

Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: When I was watching a sports event yesterday, I met with an amazing sight. It was not a gold medal, or a world record broken, but a show of pure courage and determination. The event was swimming. I watched a man dive off the blocks and knew right away that something was wrong. I'm not an expert swimmer, but I can tell a good dive from a poor one, and this was not exactly medal quality. When he resurfaced, it was evident that the man was not out for gold -- his arms were waving in an attempt at freestyle. I heard the crowd begin to laugh at this poor man who was clearly having a hard time. Finally he made his turn to start back. It was pitiful. He made a few desperate strokes and you could tell he was worn out. But in those few awkward strokes, the crowd changed. No longer were they laughing, but beginning to cheer. Some even began to stand and yell things like, "Come on, you can do it!" He did. The crowd went wild. Just a short year ago, he had never even swum, let alone race. His country had been invited to take part in the event. Even though he recorded the slowest time, this man gave more heart than any of the other competitors--a man that gave his all, knowing that he had no chance but to compete because of the spirit of the games. Question: The author's attitude towards the swimmer is that of _ . Options: A: tolerance B: disappointment C: carelessness D: admiration
A: D

Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: A clique(,) is a group of friends who hang out together and act in similar ways. Cliques are common feature of the teen years. Members of a clique usually have certain things in common. For example, they might all be good students. Membership in a clique is limited. Not everyone who wants to belong can join. Cliques can have a positive or negative influence. Because most teens have a strong need to belong, they want to feel that they fit into a group. Cliques can help them meet this need. Sometimes teens feel unsure of themselves, and they use a clique to gain approval of what they wear or how they act. Cliques can become harmful, however, if they pressure members to behave the same way as the group that may damage their health. Cliques may discourage members from making their own decisions, giving their own opinions, or having other friends who aren't accepted by the clique. Cliques may even pressure members to act in ways that go against their own values and beliefs, such as lying to parents or teachers. Cliques can also hurt people outside the group. For example, members might make fun of a teen who isn't in the clique. If you find yourself under this type of pressure from a clique, here are some actions you can take to improve your situation. * Suggest other activities. Offer ideas that don't involve hurting others or putting anyone at risk. * Find new friends. If staying in the clique is becoming a negative experience, you will be better off with new friends. Question: Why can cliques be harmful? Options: A: Because kids in there don't have independent thinking. B: Because kids in there are not allowed to have their own opinions. C: Because kids in there sometimes are pressured. D: Because kids in there are forced to lie to their parents.
A: C