There is an old Chinese tale about a woman whose only son died. Sadly, she went to the holy man and asked, "What magical things do you have to bring my son back to life?" Instead of sending her away or reasoning with her, he said to her, "Fetch me a mustard seed from a home that has never known sadness. We will use it to drive the sadness out of your life." The woman happily went off at once in search of that magical mustard seed. She first came to a splendid house, knocked at the door and said, "I am looking for a home that has never known sadness. Is it such a place? It is very important to me." They told her "You've certainly come to the wrong place" and began to describe all the tragic things that had happened to them recently. The woman said to herself, "I have had misfortune of my own. Who is able to help these poor, unfortunate people?" She stayed to comfort them, and then went on in search of a home that had never known sadness. But wherever she went, she found one tale after another of sadness and misfortune. She became so involved in other people's sorrow that finally she forgot about her search for the magical mustard seed, never realizing that it had, in fact, driven the sadness out of her life. Which of the following does the story lead us to believe? A) Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. B) Time passed cannot be called back again. C) You can't feel happy unless compared with others. D) You can't expect to know the result until you have tried.
C
(Question)
The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., is one of the world's greatest art museums. Millions of people have entered its doors to see paintings by the world's fine artists. But if these priceless masterpieces are to be preserved, the Gallery must protect them carefully. The Gallery's 135-man guard force has successfully prevented them from being stolen, but protecting the paintings from nature is a greater problem. In past times, the owners of paintings did not protect them from damaging changes in humidity and temperature. As a result, the life of these paintings were shortened. In the National Gallery, however, humidity and temperature are carefully controlled. The building is air-conditioned in summer and heated in winter. The air-conditioning and heating system are so important to the life of the painting that the Gallery has two of each system. If one should fail, the extra one can take over. Light is another enemy of paintings. Ultraviolet rays in light cause paintings to fade . Long ago, paintings often hung in dark churches and palaces. A coat of varnish was a protection from the weak light. But when museums took over the care of many paintings, they were often hung in brighter light than before. Soon they were in danger of fading. The damaging effects of light were increased when the museums removed the varnish coating, yellowed with age. To protect its paintings, the National Gallery put a special kind of glass in its skylights. This glass allows visible lights to enter the building but it keeps out harmful ultraviolet rays. The Gallery has also developed new and better varnishes which help to keep paintings from fading. Thanks to these new _ , many of the world's greatest paintings are being well protected for future generations to enjoy. The text mainly tells us about _ . A) the guard force in the National Gallery B) protecting great paintings from nature C) priceless paintings of past times D) the air-conditioning and heating systems in the National Gallery
(Answer)
B
Ques: Change is one of the common facts of life. Most of us have seen a number of changes in our own lives from simple things like fashion trends and entertainment to big changes in technology. Language, too, has experienced change and continues to develop. The continuous change is what keeps languages alive. Slang is a way in which languages can transform and are renewed. Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in a language. Some consider slang to be witty and clever, adding spice to the informal written and spoken language. Walt Whitman described slang as "the start of imagination and humor, breathing into its nostrils the breath of life". However, others criticize its use, believing that it weakens the language. The spoken English language of today's younger generation is filled with slang words and expressions. These lively words and phrases are an example of how language plants its own seeds of change that develop within social circumstances. Sometimes slang is the use of a word that is already in the standard dictionary, for example, lift (to pick up or raise) is given a new meaning, such as "to steal"; or hunk (a large piece of something) has now become "a handsome man". Other times, slang is an invented word, such as chocoholic, which means "a person who loves chocolate". Other invented words are mula, which means "money" and airhead, which means "a person who is stupid". Now, you'll understand your friends if they say something like, "I was such an airhead to think that I could get away with lifting a whole box of chocolates from the store just because I was all out of mula." Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A) "Hunk" is an invented word. B) Slang cannot be found in the dictionary. C) An "airhead" refers to a person out of money. D) People hold different opinions towards slang.
Ans: D
Ques:A few common misconceptions. Beauty is only skin-deep. One' s physical assets and liabilities don' t count all that much in a managerial career. A woman should always try to look her best. Over the last 30 years, social scientists have conducted more than 1,000 studies of how we react to beautiful and not- so-beautiful people. The virtually unanimous conclusion: Looks do matter, more than most of us realize. The data suggest, for example, the physically attractive individuals are more likely to be treated well by their parents, sought out as friends, and pursued romantically. With the possible exception of women seeking managerial jobs they are also more likely to be hired, paid well, and promoted. Un-American, you say, unfair and extremely unbelievable? Once again, the scientists have caught us mouthing pieties while acting just the contrary. Their typical experiment works something like this. They give each member of a group--college students, perhaps, or teachers or corporate personnel managers a piece of paper relating an individual' s accomplishments. Attached to the paper is a photograph. While the papers all say exactly the same thing the pictures are different. Some show a strikingly attractive person, some an average-looking character, and some an unusually unattractive human being. Group members are asked to rate the individual on certain attributes, anything from personal warmth to the likelihood that he or she will be promoted. Almost invariably, the better looking the person in the picture, the higher the person is rated. In the phrase, borrowed from Sappho, that the social scientists use to sum up the common perception, what is beautiful is good. In business, however, good looks cut both ways for women, and deeper than for men. A Utah State University professor, who is an authority on the subject, explains: In terms of their careers, the impact of physical attractiveness on males is only modest. But its potential impact on females can be tremendous, making it easier, for example, for the more... It can be inferred from the passage that in the business world _ . A) handsome men are not affected as much by their looks as attractive women are B) physically attractive women who are in the public eye usually do quite well C) physically attractive men and women who are in the public eye usually get along quite well D) good looks are important for women as they are for men

Ans:
A