Every year there are changes in climate in different parts of the world.Some of these changes are due to natural causes.However,some climate changes are caused by air pollution and these changes may increase. If the pollution affects the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere,the results are likely to be serious.There is only a small part of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.But it has an important function in keeping the balance between radiation from the sun entering the atmosphere and radiation leaving the Earth.Some of the radiation is absorbed by the Earth and some is radiated back into the atmosphere.The carbon dioxide in the atmosphere prevents some of the radiation from leaving the atmosphere.Thus the heat remains in the atmosphere and carbon dioxide helps to prevent the temperature of the Earth from falling. If the proportion of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is increased as a result of air pollution,the temperature of the atmosphere may rise.This might cause the ice in the North and South to melt.If this happened,the sea level could rise and parts of the Earth would be flooded.This is not quite likely but the possibility exists. There is also a fairly strong possibility that the dust level in the atmosphere will rise as a result of industrial pollution.This dust pollution will reflect sunlight back onto space.If this happens,less sunlight will reach the Earth and the temperature will fall. Another danger comes from the destruction of the Earth's vegetation such as the forest of Brazil,which is being cleared away for farmland and cities.Trees use carbon dioxide and their destruction may upset the balance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Which of the following is not the possible serious outcome if air pollution is related to climate changes? A) Parts of the Earth would be flooded one day. B) More sunlight would reach the Earth. C) The temperature of the Earth might rise. D) The Earth's vegetation might be destroyed.
B
Big Ben, one of London's best-known landmarks, which is famous for its accuracy and chimes ,stopped ticking for 90 minutes, an engineer said Saturday. Officials do not know why the 147-year-old clock on the banks of the River Thames stopped at 10:07 p.m. Friday. It continued keeping time, but stopped again at 10:20 p.m. and remained still for about 90 minutes before starting up again, a spokeswoman for the House of Commons said. A recent period of hot weather may have been to blame. Temperatures in London reached 90 Saturday, and forecasters called it England's hottest day in May in the past fifty three years, since 1953. Big Ben, which is operated by the Palace of Westminster, survived attack by German Luftwaffe bombers during World WarII,continued to mark the time within11/2 seconds of Greenwich Mean Time. However, the clock has experienced occasional problems. In 1962, snow caused the clock to ring in the New Year 10 minutes late. In 1976, the clock stopped when a piece of its machinery broke. Big Ben also stopped on April 30, 1997, and once more three weeks later. Big Ben is actually the clock's 13-ton bell, which was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the British commissioner of works at the time the clock was built. The official name for the Gothic tower holding Big Ben is St. Stephen's Tower. Standing 315 feet tall, it was completed in 1859 after an 1834 fire destroyed most of the Palace of Westminster. The probable reason for Big Ben stopping ticking for 90 minutes is _ . A) high temperature B) low temperature C) broken machine D) heavy snow
A
Q: To protect you and your fellow passengers, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA ) is required by law to inspect all checked baggage. As part of this process, some bags are opened and inspected. Your bag was among those selected for inspection. During the inspection, your bag and its contents may have been searched for items forbidden by law such as fireworks, fuels, gunpowder, etc. At the completion of the inspection, the contents were returned to your bag, which was resealed with a "special" lock. If the TSA screener was unable to open your bag for inspection because it was locked, the screener may have been forced to break the locks on your bag. TSA sincerely regrets having to do this, and has taken care to reseal your bag upon completion of inspection. However, TSA is not _ for damage to your locks resulting from this necessary security precaution. For packing tips and other suggestions that may assist you during your next trip, visit: We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. If you have questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact the Transportation Security Administration Consumer Response Center: Phone: toll-free at (866) 289-9673 Email: *Section 110(b)of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001, 49, U. S. C.SS44901(c)-(e) What is the meaning of "liable" as it is used in the text? A) responsible B) permitted by law C) suitable D) prepared
A: A
Question: Have you ever stayed up late? If so, you know that not getting enough sleep can leave you tired and grumpy . Not sleeping enough can also make it harder to think clearly the next day. Sleep experts have long known that getting a good night's sleep is important. It helps kids perform their best during the day. A recent study shows that sleep helps improve problem--- solving skills and creative thinking. For the study, two groups of volunteers answered a math problem. The group that slept for eight hours solved the problem correctly more often than the group that did not get enough sleep. While you sleep, your brain is busy doing its "homework". It sorts out information from your day. Getting enough sleep each night can _ your brainpower. That will help you do your best in school. Experts say that, in return, can lead to better grades. What is the best title for the passage? A) Too Much Sleep B) It's Homework Time C) Sleep to Succeed D) Math Problems
Answer: C
*Question*
Health experts have long known that vitamin D is important for healthy bones and teeth. It may also help to protect the body against diseases such as diabetes and cancer. And now, researchers say vitamin D might help fight brain diseases called dementia . Dementia is a brain disease that damages thinking and memory processes, which scientists call "cognitive abilities." Dementia is difficult to treat. Taking care of someone who has dementia is extremely _ . And the disease is very frightening to sufferers. Chris Roberts suffers from dementia. He says the worst part of living with this disease was getting lost while driving. "The worst thing that I found was getting lost in the car, not just forgetting where I was going-- I wouldn't know where I was." More than 47 million people around the world suffer from dementia. The World Health Organization reports that 60 percent of them live in low- and middle-income countries. We get vitamin D from some foods like nuts, lentils and fatty fish. We also get vitamin D from the sun. But that is not dependable. In some parts of the world, there is not enough sunlight to provide enough vitamin D. Also, sunblock prevents the vitamin from entering the body. To add to the problem, the skin's ability to process vitamin D weakens as a person ages. Researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey are exploring the relationship between vitamin D and dementia. The team recently measured vitamin D levels and cognitive ability in older people. Nutritional sciences professor Joshua Miller led the team. He said cognitive abilities differed among the study subjects. He said tests showed that about 60 percent of the group was low in vitamin D. Where can we most probably read the passage? A) In a travel brochure. B) In a literature magazine. C) In a science journal. D) In a commercial advertisement.
**Answer**
C