input: OPTIONS:
- Because she thought her keeping silence was better for Lydia.
- Because she didn't know how to comfort Lydia.
- Because she was too tired to talk to Lydia.
- Because she couldn't cut in while Lydia was talking. Now, answer this question: Read the following article and answer the question. Article: After a very busy afternoon,as I walked into my house,I heard the phone ringing. It was my friend Lydia,upset over an argument with her husband. My usual approach is to offer advice,but this time,exhausted from chores,I simply sat down in a chair and listened to my friend's frustration and sadness. Without the disturbance of judgment or the desire to comfort her,I stayed totally quiet while she talked. Eventually Lydia's depression eased and we said our goodbyes. The next day she phoned to thank me. "I'm so grateful for the way you helped me through this,"she said. At first I was surprised. After all,I had done nothing except be there for her. But after I had my own venting experience with another friend later that evening,I realized that my focused silence had some value. In fact,most relationship experts agree that talk is cheap;it's listening that's rare and valuable It allows you not only to hear what the other person is saying,but also to have a clear understanding of her thoughts and feelings. And for the speaker,that level of understanding translates into concern and respect. Unfortunately,listening isn't as easy as it sounds. Thanks to schedules filled with family and work,multitasking has become a barrier to listening. My tiredness may have been the only thing stopping me from folding laundry or checking my email while Lydia talked that afternoon. Another barrier to listening is our listening system:Most of us take in only about half of what's being said during a conversation,according to the International Listening Association. Research shows that we speak at 125 to 150 words per minute,yet think at 500 words a minute. Therefore,because we think much more quickly than we speak,it is easy for us to lose our concentration when listening to speakers. While it can be hard to focus at times,it's a skill worth developing. With a little practice (employing some techniques),you can become a better listener. Question: Why didn't the author give any advice to Lydia that afternoon? Answer:
A:
output: Because she was too tired to talk to Lydia.

Read the following article and answer the question. Article: The legal age for drinking alcohol in the Unite States is twenty-one. Underage drinking is a crime but also a common part of college social life. This week in our Foreign Student Series, we look at alcohol rules at American colleges and universities. These rules differ from school to school, but many schools have been moving to strengthen their rules. The United States has more than 17,000,000 students in higher education. Each year, 1700 of them die from alcohol-related road crashes and other injuries. 600,000 more are injured while under the influence of alcohol. And almost 700,000 are attacked by another drunken. One behavior that college officials are trying to prevent is too much drink. Some researchers have found that students who think binge drinking is normal often think extremely how much other students really drink. A person can die of alcohol poisoning. At Oklahoma University, a nineteen-year-old student died from drinking heavily at a party in 2005. Now alcohol is banned from all sorority houses and university housing. Student organizations can serve alcohol at events but only on Friday and Saturday nights. Other new requirements include an alcohol education program that first-year students take online. The rules govern behavior on campus and off. With a first violation ,students pay seventy-five dollars and their parents are told. They must also take an alcohol education class. For a second "strike", they have to pay one hundred fifty dollars. A third strike means that they have to be suspended school for at least one semester. Since 2005,363 students have had a first strike. 30 have had a second strike-and only one hasn't allowed to go to school for one semester. The president at Oklahoma tells us the aim is not just to punish but to change the behavior and culture at the university. Question: Every year the number of the students who die or are injured because of alcohol in the USA adds up to about _ . Answer:

OPTIONS:
- 17,000,000
- 1,301,700
- 601,700
- 1300,000

Answer: 601,700

Read the following article and answer the question. Article: What Theresa Loe is doing proves that a large farm isn't _ for a modern grow-your-own lifestyle. On a mere 1/10 of an acre in Los Angeles, Loe and her family grow, can and preserve much of the food they consume. Loe is a master food preserver, gardener and canning expert. She also operates a website, where she shares her tips and recipes, with the goal of demonstrating that every has the ability to control what's on their plate. Loe initially went to school to become an engineer, but she quickly learned that her enthusiasm was mainly about growing and preparing her own food. "I got into cooking my own food and started growing my own herbs and foods for that fresh flavor,"she said. Engineer by day, Loe learned cooking at night school. She ultimately purchased a small piece of land with her husband and began growing their own foods. "I teach people how to live farm-fresh without a farm," Loe said. Through her website Loe emphasizes that "anybody can do this anywhere." Got an apartment with a balcony ? Plant some herbs. A window? Perfect spot for growing. Start with herbs, she recommends, because "they're very forgiving." Just a little of the herbs "can take your regular cooking to a whole new level," she added. "I think it's a great place to start." "Then? Try growing something from a seed, she said, like a tomato or some tea." Canning is a natural extension of the planting she does. With every planted food. Loe noted, there's a moment when it's bursting with its absolute peak flavor. "I try and keep it in a time capsule in a canning jar," Loe said. "Canning for me is about knowing what's in your food, knowing where it comes from." In addition to being more in touch with the food she's eating, another joy comes from passing this knowledge and this desire for good food to her children: "Influencing them and telling them your opinion on not only being careful what we eat but understanding _ ," she said, "that if we don't take care of the earth, no will." Question: What is the"the bigger picture" (Para. 6) that Loe wishes her children to understand? Answer:
OPTIONS:
- The knowledge about good food
- The way to live a grow-our-own life
- The joy of getting in touch with foods
- The responsibility to protect our earth

Answer:
The responsibility to protect our earth