Question: *Question*
How many hours does it take to be fluent in English? There are plenty of people in the UK for whom even basic English is a problem. According to the survey, 726,000 people in England and Wales said they could not speak English well, and another 138,000 said they did not speak it at all. Ling, 40,who arrived five years ago from China, found it difficult to learn English. " When I came here l was pregnant and so I was at home for the next three years. It took me longer to learn as l was very busy with the children." Eventually she was able to begin taking classes and now speaks good conversational English. But even with classes, it can be a long process to pick up the language. Age is the most important factor in language acquisition, says Mila Vulchanova, professor of linguistics at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. "There is a sensitive period in language learning, which is biologically determined, with an onset at birth and a decline around puberty. So the younger the immigrant, the better. Since this decline is only gradual, teenagers are at an advantage over adults." he says. There are a number of systems for grading English. The government expects immigrants to reach "ESOL Entry 3" or "B1 level" in Scotland, before they can be granted citizenship. It's equivalent  to being able to hold a confident conversation and-it might take 360 hours of study to achieve. George Osborne said in June following the spending review that welfare claimants who don't speak English will have their benefits cut if they fail to attend language courses. Huan Japes, deputy chief executive of English UK, a trade body for language colleges, says a rule of thumb is 360 hours-120 hours for each of three stages-to get to the standard the government expects benefit claimants to reach. But many of the people who attend courses are visiting students rather than people settling in the UK. Immigrants tend to have very varied levels of education. " Using 120 hours( for each stage of English fluency) is a rather traditional... The author develops the passage mainly by  _  . A) using survey data B) using experts' views C) giving examples of English learners D) listing the facts of English learning
**Answer**
B

*Question*
At present we will explain a very old saying that has had a great effect on rock-and-roll music. That saying is "A rolling stone gathers no moss ".It has several meanings. One meaning is that a person who never settles down in one place will not be successful. Another is that someone who is always moving, with no roots in one place, avoids responsibilities. This proverb was said to be first used in the 1500s. But in the 1960s, the expression "rolling stone" became famous in the world of rock-and-roll music. It became the name of a song, a rock group and a magazine. Experts say it all started with a song by the American singer and guitarist Muddy Waters. He was one of the country's top blues musicians until his death in 1983. His music influenced singers like Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan. In 1950, Muddy Waters recorded a song called "Rolling Stone". A British rock group is said to have taken its name from Muddy Waters' song. The Rolling Stones performed for the first time in 1962.The group's members called themselves "the world's greatest rock-and-roll band". In 1965, Bob Dylan released  his song "Like a Rolling Stone".It is one of his best known and most influential works. It is an angry song about a woman who was once rich and successful. But now she is on her own, "with no direction home, like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone". In 1967, a young man named Jann Wenner started a magazine and he named it "Rolling Stone". The magazine reported on rock music and the popular culture that the music created. By 1971, "Rolling Stone" had become the leading rock music and counterculture publication. It is still popular today. Which person can be described as a rolling stone according to the proverb? A) A person who has a successful career. B) A person who always changes his jobs. C) A person who is out of work. D) A person who has no family.
**Answer**
B

*Question*
Big Ben   Big Ben is not the name of a man. It is the name of a huge clock in London. London is the capital of England. This clock has four faces. So,no matter where you stand,you can read the time on the face of Big Ben. Each face is the size of a double decker bus. The hands are about four meters long. It is about the size of two people standing on top of each other. If you go to London,you may want to visit the Houses of Parliament. There you will find Big Ben sits at the top of the clock tower in the Houses of Parliament. Maybe you will hear it as well as see it. The huge clock makes such a loud noise. "Ding dong,ding dong,"it goes every quarter of an hour.   The clock was named after a big man. He was Sir Benjamin Hall. This man did much building work in London many years ago. Big Ben is   _  . A) a double decker bus B) a huge clock C) the name of Ben D) a building
**Answer**
B

*Question*
In October 2013, Davion Only made an appeal on the Internet. He had learned that his biological mothr had died not long before. "My name is Davion and I've been in foster care   since I was born," he said, "but I'm not giving up hope. " The heartbreaking appeal spread quickly, and Only's foster agency received calls from more than 10,000 people. Only ended up travelling to Ohio to live with a family. But after Only got into a physical fight with one of his elder would-be brothers, the family changed their minds. Back in Florida, Only passed through four different temporary homes over the following year, until he called Connie Going, his adoption case worker, to make a special request. Only had known Going for nearly ten years, and had asked every year if she would adopt him, but she always hesitated. "I always believed there was a better family than us out there," Going said in an interview. But last July, when Only called and asked again if she might adopt him, Going said something felt different. "When he asked me, my heart felt this ache and I just knew he was my son," she said. So Going, 52, invited Only to start spending time with the rest of her family-her two daughters, Sydney, 21, and Carly 17, and a son Taylor, 14, who she also adopted out of foster care.  Eventually, after seeing how well the arrangement was working, Going, who had rented a bigger home, started adopting Only. Only moved in with her family last December.He officially joined Going's family on April 22, 2015 when the adoption papers went through. "Today, I feel blessed and honored to have been chosen to be the parent of all my children," Going said. Davion Only didn't live with the family in Ohio because A) he hated living with them B) they finally refused to accept him C) he has received another invitation D) he often fought with his would-be brothers
**Answer**

Answer: B