*Question*
As the population grows and temperatures rise, it will become more difficult to grow enough food for everyone. So, scientists are exploring the planet for plants that do not need as much water as today's crops. The Mojave Desert in the US state of California is home to some of these plants. Scientist Heather Rose Kates of the University of Florida is in that desert. She is searching along roads for a plant called coyote melon which is a kind of squash .Coyote melon may not taste good, but it can be grown in places that have little rainfall. The desert where it grows gets just 15 to 20 centimeters of rain per year, or less. Other kinds of squash need at least two and a half centimeters per week to grow. Scientists are considering combining wild coyote melon with regular squash to see if they can make a tasty vegetable that doesn't need as much water to grow. That could be useful on a planet growing warmer and more crowded every day. Andy Jarvis works at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture. He says farmers will need to produce 50 to 70 percent more food by 2050 to feed the world. So, he says, researchers are studying the wild versions of farm-grown crops. But he says there is a problem. He says many wild versions of farmed plants are disappearing. He says they are threatened and scientists have not collected their seeds for future use. Scientist Kates is part of an international effort to gather these plants and save their seeds while it is still possible. Workers are collecting wild potatoes in Argentina and wild peppers in Para-guav. The plants and seeds will be sent for storage to the Global Seed Vault in Norwav and at Kew gardens in Britain. Ms Kates spends most of her time in a laboratory. She says gathering plants has helped her understand more about them. Scientists want to combine wild coyote melon with regular squash in order to _ . A) feed the people all around the world B) keep the earth from becoming warmer C) create a new fruit instead D) produce a delicious vegetable with less water to grow
**Answer**
D

*Question*
I could fill a book with embarrassing situations I've been in over the years. These moments used to haunt me and my face would turn as red as a big tomato. It wasn't until I was in my late teens, working at a hotel that things changed for me. I took a year off in between high school and university, because like many people my age I had ly no idea what I wanted to do, and I didn't want to waste $ 5,000 on a university tuition . I tried to keep silent at my new job, avoiding the other employees. All of them didn't care about me except for one girl. She kept at me, telling me stories of her weekend and how she loved snowboarding, something I was interested in as well. She was the type of warm personality where people were immediately drawn to her, and soon enough I found myself looking forward to our coffee breaks and snowboarding after work. The more I hung out with her, the more I realized that this girl, who seemed to have it all together, was in fact just like me, except for one major difference. She laughed at herself. One night after work we were snowboarding and she fell down carelessly resulting in a mouth full of snow. Instead of getting embarrassed she jumped right up laughing loudly at how ridiculous she must have looked. As time went on, her warm personality began to wear off on me and soon enough I had a mini-breakthrough. I'm not saying that I no longer find myself in embarrassing situations; I've just learned how to handle them differently. Just a few months ago I walked out of a bathroom unaware of the fact that my skirt was tucked in my underwear. But instead of rushing back to the bathroom I calmly pulled it out and continued on my way shaking my head and smiling. Why did the author work at a hotel before going to university? A) She wanted to make enough money for her higher education. B) She wanted to change her personality before going to university. C) She wanted to get some work experience. D) She wanted to find a clear aim for her higher education.
**Answer**
D

*Question*
This July, Wang Chen, a student from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, won the International University WEICHI Tournament 2013 in Shanghai, which saw competitors from 54 universities around the world, including Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Compared with the busy sports ground, it seems a bit dull, but Wang and his peers enjoy an intense brain workout . Wang is an amateur seventh-degree master player -- the highest degree amateur players can attain. "I had hoped to win first place, but when it came true, I couldn't believe it," says Wang. Wang began studying weichi when he was 7 years old. "I was a quiet boy and my parents thought weichi would help develop my logical thinking ability," he says. He began to attend the Chinese Rank Promotion from the age of 10. "I failed for nine years, and them I gave up. I entered university and became an amateur player," says Wang. What this hobby brings Wang is not only a sense of achievement, but also independence. He has won 10 national and international championships, which have brought the young student a handsome sum of money. When he won the national amateur competition in 2011, he received 100,000 yuan in prize money. With awards from contests, Wang covers his expenses and tuition fees all by himself. Wang is busier than most of his peers. A look at his calendar shows that he will attend competitions in Guizhou and Taiwan at the end of August, after attending an international competition only this July. But Wang admits he has little in common with his classmates. "I feel a bit lonely sometimes," he says. On campus Wang spends more time on exploring his skills. Wang now regards playing weichi as a hobby. He is the captain of the weichi team on campus, which has five members. He organizes them to research the latest formations once a week. Wang says his next project is to promote weichi among his peers on campus. "Many young people in China don't understand this kind of sports and I want to promote it," says Wang. What can we learn from this passage? A) Family plays an important role in shaping world-rank players. B) As long as you have the same loneliness as Wang Chen, you are sure to succeed. C) Wang Chen doesn't get on well with his classmates. D) Perseverance helps to make a top player.
**Answer**
D