Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: A full stop is used at the end of an idea or thought, and is an important rule in proper grammar. But text messages are changing the rules, as a new study finds digital messages ending with one aren't sincere. The results suggest skipping punctuation altogether, as it indicates you are answering naturally and heartfelt. Binghamton University's Harpur College observed 126 students, who read a series of messages displayed as texts on a screen or handwritten notes on loose-leaf paper . In the 16 experimental exchanges, the sender's message contained a statement followed by an invitation phrased as a question such as, "Dave gave me his extra ticket. Wanna come?" The receiver then gave a one-word response like "Okay", "Sure", "Yeah" or "Yup". Half of the participants' responses were with a full stop and the other half did not use it. Based on the responses, text messages that ended with a full stop were rated less sincere than those that did not end with one. The students who read the notes on the paper reported that full stop or not, they felt the message was sincere. These results suggest that punctuation can misconstrue or influence the meaning of text messages. The study concludes, " _ " "Texting is lacking many of the social cues used in actual face-to-face conversations", said Celia Klin, associate professor of psychology at Binghamton University's Harpur College. "When speaking, people easily convey social and emotional information with eye gaze, facial expressions, tone of voice, pauses, and so on. People obviously can't use these mechanisms when they are texting. Thus, it makes sense that texters rely on what they have available to them -- emoticons, deliberate misspellings that mimic speech sounds and, according to our data, punctuation. " Recently, Klin's team conducted a follow-up study and found that text response with an exclamation mark is interpreted as more sincere. "That's not surprising, but it broadens our claim,"saidKlin. "Punctuation is used and understood by texters to convey emotions and... Question: Compared with face-to-face conversations, which of the following can text messages rely on to convey their meaning? Options: A: Eye contact B: Tone of voice C: Emoticons D: Gestures
A: C

Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: It was Christmas 1961. I was teaching in a small town in Ohio where my twenty seven third graders eagerly _ the great day of gift giving. Each day the children made some new wonder - strings of popcorn, hand-made decorations, and German bells made from wallpaper samples, which we hung from the ceiling. Through it all she stayed indifferent , watching from afar, seemingly miles away. I wondered what would happen to this quiet child, once so happy, now so suddenly unsociable. I hoped the festivities would light her up. But nothing did. The day of gift giving finally came. We oohed and aahed over our handwork as the presents were exchanged. Through it all, she sat quietly watching. I had made a special package for her, red and green with white lace. I wanted very much to see her smile. She opened it so slowly and carefully. I waited but she turned away. After school the children left in little groups, but she hesitated, watching them go out of the door. I sat down to catch my breath, hardly know what was happening when she came to me reaching out her hands, holding a small white box, unwrapped and slightly soiled, as though it had been held many times by unwashed, childish hands. "For me?" I asked with a weak smile. She said not a word, but nodded her head. I took the box and carefully opened it. There inside, lay a golden chain. In a flash I knew - she had made it for her mother, a mother she would never see again, a mother who would never hold her or brush her hair or share a funny story, a mother who would never again hear her childish joys or sorrows, a mother who had taken her own life just three weeks before. I held out the chain. She took it in both her hands, reached forward, and put it on at the back of my neck. She stepped back then as if to see that all was well. I looked down at the golden chain, then back at the giver, "Maria, it is so beautiful. She would have loved it." Neither of us could stop the tears. She threw herself into my arms and we were in tears together. _ Question: The BEST title for the passage is _ . Options: A: The kid's gift B: A quiet girl C: The greatest teacher D: The great day of gift giving
A: A

Q: I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: The Oil Lamp and the Lighthouse On an island off the coast of a rocky shore stood a great lighthouse. During the day, the white walls of the lighthouse shined under the sunlight, while at night it burned a light for those at sea. Many people visited the lighthouse, and when they did, they commented on its size and strength and admired the beauty that it added to the surroundings. Some told its keeper how its light had saved them during a storm. All loved the lighthouse except a little oil lamp that lived in the lighthouse. By day it hung forgotten at the bottom of the stairs. At dusk it helped the keeper of the lighthouse make his way from the bottom of the stairs to his bedroom. It seemed to the oil lamp that he is not important. To his way of thinking, his shortcomings were made clear by his nearness to one so much greater than he. Always, the oil lamp labored under this heaviness of heart. Then one day, after a brilliant afternoon when many visitors had come to play on the sandy beach, there was a knock at the door. It was a boy, searching for a friend who was lost. The sun had set and what had seemed such friendly shores hours before was now dark and cold. The keeper quickly took the youth inside and hugged him into a blanket. Then he reached to the hook between the door and the stairs and took down the little oil lamp. After carefully making sure that the tank was full of oil, the keeper lit the lamp and whispered, "Burn bright tonight, my dear friend. I cannot take the lighthouse with me. He serves his purpose here, but you were made for times like this. It is now that I need you most!" In that instant, all of the oil lamp's misgivings were replaced by joy---joy in knowing that here was something only he could do. All through the night, through bushes, the oil lamp burned brighter and more steadily than ever before. He had to; the keeper was depending on him. At last the lost boy was found and brought safely back to the lighthouse and his friend. Never again did the oil lamp doubt his place or... Question: What can we learn from the story? Options: A: Every coin has two sides. B: Each one has his strong points. C: A friend in need is a friend indeed. D: Where there is a will, there is a way.
A: B