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When Carlos Westez died at the age of 76, a language died, too. Westez, more commonly known as Red Thunder Cloud, was the last speaker of the Native American language, Catawba.www.ks5u.com
Anyone who wants to hear various songs of the Catawba tribe can get in touch with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., where, back in the 1940s, Red Thunder Cloud recorded a series of songs for future generations. They are all that is left of the Catawba language. The language that people used to speak is gone forever.
We are all aware of the damage that modern industry can do to the world's ecology. However, few people are aware of the effect that widely spoken languages have on other languages and ways of life. English has spread all over the world. Chinese, Spanish, Russian, and Hindi have become powerful languages, as well. As these languages become more powerful, their use as tools of business and culture increases. When this happens, hundreds of languages that are spoken by only a few people die out.
Scholars believe there are about 6,000 languages around the world, but more than half of them could die out within the next 100 years. Araki is a native language of the island of Vanuatu, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is spoken by only a few older adults, so like Catawba, Araki will soon disappear. Many languages of Ethiopia will have the same fate because each one has only a few speakers. In the Americas,100 languages also are dying out.
Red Thunder Cloud was one of the first to recognize the threat of language death and to try to do something about it. He was not actually born into the Catawba tribe, and the language was not his mother tongue. However, he was a frequent visitor to the Catawba reservation in South Carolina, where he learned the language. The songs he sang for the Smithsonian Institution helped to make Native American music popular. Now he is gone, and the language is dead. | [{'question': 'Why did Westez record songs for the Smithsonian Institution?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ["To fight for Native Americans' rights.", 'To deal with the threat of language death.', 'To make Native American music popular.', 'To help young people learn Catawba songs.']}, {'question': 'Which of the following led to the disappearance of Catawba?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Widely spoken languages.', 'Ways of life.', 'Population control.', 'Modern industry.']}, {'question': 'What do we learn about Red Thunder Cloud?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['He passed away in the 1940s.', 'He was born into the Catawba tribe.', 'He learned Catawba from his mother.', 'He used to visit the Catawba reservation often.']}] |
One silly question I simply can't understand is "How do you feel?" Usually the question I asked of a man's action--a man on the go, walking along the street or busily working at his desk. So what do you expect him to say? He'll probably say, "Fine, I'm all right, " but you've put a bug in his ear--maybe now he's not sure. If you are a good friend, you may have seen something in his face, or his walk, that he overlooked that morning. It starts him worrying a little. First thing you know, he looks in a mirror to see if everything is all right, while you go merrily on your way asking someone else. "How do you feel?"
Every question has its time and place. It's perfectly acceptable, for example, to ask "How do you feel?" if you're visiting a close friend in hospital. But if the fellow is walking on both legs, hurrying take a train, or sitting at his desk working, it's no time to ask him that silly question.
When George Bernard Shaw, the famous writer of plays, was in his eighties, someone asked him, "How do you feel?" Shaw put him in his place. "When you reach my age, " he said, "either you feel all right or you're dead. " | [{'question': 'The question "How do you feel?" seems to be correct and suitable when asked of _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['a man working at his desk', 'a person having lost a close friend', 'a stranger who looks worried', 'a friend who is ill']}, {'question': 'The writer seems to feel that a busy man should _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['be praised for his efforts', 'never be asked any question', 'not be bothered', 'be discouraged from working so hard']}, {'question': "George Bernard's reply in the passages shows his _ .", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['cheerfulness', 'cleverness', 'kindness', 'politeness']}] |
A new report says the number of foreign students at colleges and universities in the United States increased by three percent last year. This has been the first obvious increase since 2001.
American schools last fall had 583,000 foreign students. The record is 586,000. That was set in 2002 after many years of gains. But after that the numbers fell. The terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001 led to more visa requirements. Now stronger efforts are being made to get more foreign students to study in the United States.
China remained in second place in front of South Korea but behind India, whichsent almost 84,000 students last fall. The number of Japanese fell sharply by nine percent, although it remained in fourth place.
There were three percent drops from Indonesia and Kenya, the only African country in the top twenty last year. But there were obvious increases from Saudi Arabia, Nepal and Vietnam. The number of Saudi students more than doubled, rising to nearly eight thousand.
For a sixth year, the University of Southern California in Los Angeles had the most foreign students. Columbia University in New York was second. Other schools in the top five were New York University, the University of Illinois and Purdue University.
Unlike American students in other countries, who often choose history and language study, the leading area of study in the USA was business and management. Second was engineering.
The new report also says more than 220,000 Americans studied in other countries. That was during the 2005-2006 school year. It was a record number, and an increase of eight and a half percent from the year before. But only five percent of them stayed for a full year. | [{'question': 'After 2002, the number of foreign students in the USA fell mainly because _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Americans were worried that foreign students might attack them', 'few American universities welcomed students from abroad', 'their own countries could offer them a better education', 'it was harder for foreign students to get permission to study in the USA']}, {'question': 'Which subject is the most attractive to foreign students in the USA?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Business and management.', 'History.', 'Engineering.', 'Language.']}, {'question': 'We can learn from the passage that _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Kenya is the only African country that has students in the USA', 'now foreign students are encouraged to study in the USA', 'the number of students studying in America always increases', 'the number of foreign students in the USA will keep increasing in the future']}, {'question': 'In which section of a newspaper could you most probably read this passage?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Culture.', 'Science.', 'Education.', 'Business.']}] |
Several years ago I worked in an office, which had a locust tree growing outside the window. It had grown into a tall tree and must have been there for a long time. The tree blocked the view and made the office seem dull, unfortunately this happened to be the room assigned to me and I was depressed by it for quite some time.
When the first spring came, everything was green except the locust tree. Secretly, I was very happy because I had thought it had died.
One morning when I opened the window for fresh air, I unexpectedly smelt a familiar sweet scent floating into my office but I couldn't name it. Suddenly, I realized it was the locust tree! The tree that I thought dead was blossoming in full glory.
From then on, I usually came to the office very early to see dew forming on the locust tree blossoms and every year was eager to see spring again.
During summer, the green leaves provided shade protecting me from the harsh sunlight, but allowing enough light in to make it pleasant. In autumn, the leaves turned into many different color1s. Its beauty touched my soul. Many times I thought to take photos but never did. Then I had to leave in a hurry. Later in life it became a great regret that I had not done so.
Actually, many times in our lives, we think we own something, therefore we don't cherish it. We don't feel regretful until we lose it one day! Moreover, sometimes, we have to accept the things we don't want and need to discover the hidden beauty to find unexpected joy! | [{'question': 'The author of the passage employed a writing way _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['of holding and releasing', 'that released first, then held', 'that held first, then released', 'that was not holding or releasing']}, {'question': 'At first the author felt depressed because of the following reasons except that _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['The tree blocked the view', 'the tree made the office seem dull', 'When the first spring came, everything was green except the locust tree', 'The office was assigned to him']}, {'question': 'What the author wanted to tell us is that _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['not being delighted for what you have got and not feeling pity on the lost', 'think twice before you leap', 'treat everything calmly', "cherish what you've owned"]}, {'question': 'The reason the author came to the office early is _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['to enjoy the dew', 'to finish her work early', 'to do some cleaning', 'to avoid the burning sun']}] |
Are you addicted to computer games? Do you stay up all night playing them? Do you feel happy after you play computer games?
There's no doubt that the excitement and appealing of games these days makes them hard to put down. We are attracted by the choice when it comes to gaming: You can role play--creating your own fantasy characters and stories, giving you a chance to step out of everyday life into an imaginary world. And there are shooting games where you can let out your anger and depression in violent situations where you kill people with guns. You can get excited from the games.
However, can these kinds of games really be fun and can being absorbed in virtual reality be good for us? Should we worry about their effects on our health? Popular games like Grand Theft Auto have been blamed for everything from falling results at school to causing acts of extreme violence. Internet safety adviser, Alan MacKenzie, thinks "any people understandably will just think that a game is just a game and not realizing the exact content that's in there". He gives an example of the violence, which he says is "wholly inappropriate for anybody, not to mention children."
Others will argue that gaming is a harmless form of entertainment. There is evidence that playing video games could actually be good for us. Some games like Game of Thrones and World of Warcraft are educational and using games certainly can help children learn good qualities. Studies have also shown that the skills used in playing games can cause growth in certain areas of the brain, the ability to think in 3D and even improve our eyesight.
Video game players are also no longer just simple creatures. For some, gaming is having a positive effect on their social lives with games like Halo and World of Warcraft often being played in groups. When your group works together to win the game, your sense of achievement is higher than when winning by yourself.
So every coin has two sides. It seems today, gaming isn't just for game fans and if used in a proper way, we can all take part. If video games have two sides, what side do you stand by? | [{'question': 'The writer used a lot of questions at the beginning to _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['show his worries about the effect on health', 'lead into the topic of the passage', 'ask the reader for their own opinions about games', 'doubt the advantage of playing computer games']}, {'question': 'According to the passage, which of the following shows the good influence on social lives?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Han Meimei passed the exam after playing the games.', 'Li Hua leant many English words from playing games.', 'Sunyan worked well with his teammates', 'Yang Li let out his anger and expressions.']}] |
Japan' s nuclear crisis is also causing concerns in China. Worried shoppers rushed to stores and supermarkets in the country for salt, with the belief that it might protect them from potential nuclear radiation spreading from Japan.
Many rushed to buy to store as much iodized salt as possible because of the rumor that iodized salt could help prevent radiation poisoning spreading from Japan' s Fukushima Daiichi power plant. Consumers also worried that the nuclear plumes might spread to China by air and sea, polluting food sources, including salt taken from the sea.
The wave of panic buying spread quickly across the country, driving up salt prices by five to ten fold in some cities.
Even regions rich in salt production, like Jiangxi Province,faced sudden shortages.
The government took measures to guarantee enough supply and to stabilize the market. It also dismissed the nuclear rumors, saying the nuclear fallout was unlikely to reach the country, and that salt did not help to prevent radiation poisoning.
Local authorities have stepped in to stabilize the market, too. As well, state-owned salt companies have been urged to increase their supply.
Facing expanding market demand, distribution centers have taken extra measures to ensure they are well-prepared.
Wang Yun, the General Manager of Beijing Salt Industry Corporation, said, "Our storage reserves can guarantee a two-month supply for the Beijing market." | [{'question': 'People made panic purchases of salt for the reasons EXCEPT _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['salt might protect them from potential nuclear radiation', 'nuclear radiation might pollute food sources', 'nuclear radiation might pollute salt taken from the sea', 'there would be a shortage of salt on the market']}, {'question': 'What measures did the government take for the panic buying?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Enough salt would be offered to each house.', 'It admitted that salt could stop nuclear radiation.', 'Authorities urged state-owned salt companies to increase the supply.', 'Those who spread the rumor were all arrested and punished.']}, {'question': 'What is the purpose of the writer to give the example of Beijing Salt Industry Corporation?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['To tell readers that there is a salt company in Beijing.', 'To make people b elieve that the supply of salt is enough.', 'To cal l on panic people to buy enough salt.', 'To prove what the government did was right.']}] |
The old lady was glad to be back at the block of flats where she lived. Her shopping had tired her and the basket had grown heavier with every step of the way home. In the lift her thoughts were on lunch and a good rest, but when she got out at her own floor, both were forgotten in her sudden discovery that her front door was open. She was thinking that she must tell her daily maid the next morning to lock the door, and then she remembered that she had gone shopping after the maid had left and she knew that she had turned both keys in their locks. She walked slowly into the hall and at once noticed that all the room doors were open, yet following her regular practice she had shut them before going out. Looking into the living room she saw a sight of confusion over by her writing desk. It was as clear as daylight then that burglars had forced into the house during her absence. Her first thought was to go round all the rooms looking for the thieves, but then she decided that at her age it might be more reasonable to have someone with her, so she went to fetch the doorman from his basement .By this time her legs were beginning to shake, so she sat down and accepted a cup of a very strong tea, while she telephoned to the police. Then her sense regained, she was ready to set off with the doorman's help to search for any thieves who might still be hiding in her flat. | [{'question': 'When she saw the front door was open, the old lady forgot about _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['her basket and desk', 'her keys and lunch', 'her lunch and rest', 'her maid and child']}, {'question': 'The old lady was surprised to find the front door open because _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['she had told the maid to shut it', 'she had shut the door herself', 'she saw the maid shut it', 'the maid was not usually careful']}, {'question': 'She realized burglars had been in the flat when _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['she found the front door open', 'she saw the living room was out of order', 'she found the burglars quarrelling among themselves', 'she saw a body by her desk']}, {'question': 'The first thing she wanted to do, after she was sure that the house was opened by someone, was _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['force the burglars out', 'look around the rooms for the thieves', 'go to the doorman for help', 'sit down for a cup of tea in order to calm down']}] |
If you are thinking of putting your child in a private high school instead of a public one, you should do some research. You will find that most private schools offer some advantages.
One of the most important details of a good high school is small class size. Many public schools might have 30 or even 35 students in each class. However, many private schools limit the size to about 15 to 20 kids per class. This is a good thing because it allows each teacher to offer every student more attention.
Another thing to mention is the interesting classes. For example, while the typical high school might only offer Spanish and French as foreign languages, private schools often have several other languages to choose from. This is especially important if your child is actually interested in studying a particular language that is not usually offered. Of course, many colleges also consider the various classes as a good thing, since they can teach students more different subjects than usual.
Some colleges actually work closely with schools to make sure students are prepared well to get an advanced education. This means that teachers are careful to teach skills that can be used in college. Also, college teachers may be on-hand to talk to students and give them advice. If you think your child could use some help of this kind, which would likely help prepare him or her for college, you should look into schools offering these things.
A simple visit to the website or campus of a local private high school could give you the answers you are looking for. If you think your child would benefit from and appreciate these advantages, you should start researching. You are sure to find at least _ that offers these benefits. | [{'question': 'By writing this text, the author is probably encouraging parents to _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ["pay attention to their children's study", 'appreciate the advantages of public schools', 'help their children choose right colleges', 'send their children to private high schools']}, {'question': 'According to the text, colleges might like to choose students who .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['live close to colleges', 'have interest in sports', 'have wide knowledge', 'come from public high schools']}] |
.
Passage 1
Every morning, when we wake up, we have 24 brand-new hours to live. What a
gift! We have the capacity to live in a way that these 24 hours will bring peace, joy, and happiness to ourselves and to others.
Peace is right here and now, in ourselves and in everything we do and see. The question is whether or not we are in touch with it. We don't have to travel far away to enjoy the blue sky. We don't have to leave our city or even our neighborhood to enjoy the eyes of a beautiful child. Even the air we breathe can be a source of joy.
We can smile, breathe, walk, and eat our meals in a way that allows us to be in touch with the abundance of happiness that is available. We are very good at preparing how to live, but not very good at living. We know how to sacrifice ten years for a diploma, and we are willing to work very hard to get
. But we have difficulty remembering that we are alive in the present moment, the only moment there is for us to be alive. Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with joy, peace, and serenity. We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment.
Passage 2
The
of both
is that we were but to open ourselves to the richness of the moment, to concentrate on
, we would be filled with bliss. I have lived in the present from time to time and can tell you that it is much overrated. Occasionally, as a holiday from stroking one's memories or brooding about future worries, I grant you, it can be a nice change of pace. But to "be here now," hour after hour, would never work. I don't even approve of stories written in the present tense. Ads for poets who never use a past participate, they deserve the eternity they are striving for.
Besides, the
has a way of intruding whether you like it or not. Why should I go out of my way to meet it? Let it splash on me from time to time, like a car going through a puddle, and I, on the sidewalk of my solitude , will salute it grimly like any other modern inconvenience.
If I attend a concert, obviously not to listen to the music but to find
in which to meditate on the past and future. I realize that there may be moments when the music invades my ears and I am forced to pay attention to it, note for note. I believe I take such intrusions gracefully. The present is not always
, so long as it doesn't stay too long and cut into my remembering or brooding time. | [{'question': 'The author of Passage 1 would most likely view the author of Passage 2 as _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['failing to respect the feelings of other people', 'squandering a precious opportunity on a daily basis', 'advocating an action without considering the consequences', 'attaching too much importance to the views of others']}, {'question': 'The author of Passage 1 would most likely respond to the "argument" (line 1 Passage 2) with _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['absolute neutrality', 'partial acceptance', 'complete agreement', 'surprised disbelief']}, {'question': 'In Passage 1 line 11, the list ("a job...house") presents things that most people _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['assume they will eventually obtain', 'eventually realize are overrated', 'are unwilling to make sacrifices for', 'see as worth much effort to acquire']}, {'question': 'In Passage 2 lines 8--10, the "present" is characterized as _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['an unavoidable imposition', 'an unsolvable puzzle', 'a dangerous threat', 'a burdensome obligation']}, {'question': 'Which of the following phrases from Passage 2would the author of Passage 1 most likely choose as a title for Passage 1?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['"the hedonist and the guru" (line 1)', '"a brief breathing space" (line 11)', '"the feast before us" (line 2)', '"an unwelcome guest" (line 14)']}] |
Vancouver. B.C.--For six months. Ted Schredd and Deanna Kopel cycled around North America to show others a way to help the environment. "Nobody wants to breathe dirty air--but for the air to change. People have to stop driving cars," says Ted, "If more people start riding bikes, the air will be cleaner."
Ted started his trip alone. He had $160 in his pocket and plans to cycle around North America. He left his hometown of Vancouver, and when he arrived in San Diego he got the chance to make some extra money for the rest of his 13, 000 km trip. A cyclist he met asked him to speak at an environment meeting in Texas. Within a few hours, Ted was on a plane to the meeting and a big surprise.
When he met Deanna at the meeting, they talked for six hours straight. It was love at first sight. The next day, he called her to ask if she wanted to finish the trip with him. She said yes, sold everything in her flat, gave her notice at work, and was on the road with Ted three weeks later.
Deanna found Ted's timetable difficult because he got up early in the morning. Deanna was a nurse and usually worked at night. "All of a sudden, I was up at six when I wanted to sleep until noon," said Deanna.
As the couple cycled to Florida and up to Montreal and then back to Vancouver, every day was an adventure. They got free meals in restaurants, and slept in people's yards. When they ran out of money, people gave them extra cash. Sometimes people gave away $50 or $100.
And like all good stories this one has a happy ending. On the way back to Vancouver, they stopped in Edmonton to visit Ted's relatives. During the visit, they got married. People tied ten cans and a "Just Married" sign to the back of their bikes.
They now want to write a book about their trip. "We want people to know that you can protect our earth and still have fun," Schredd said. | [{'question': 'What did Ted Schredd believe to be a way to protect the environment?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Driving less.', 'Breathing clean air.', 'Saving waste tin cans.', 'Staying healthy by cycling.']}, {'question': 'Why did Ted speak at an environmental meeting?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['He could get a big surprise.', 'He was in the city of the meeting.', 'He hoped to find someone to help him.', 'He wanted more people to know more about his opinion.']}, {'question': 'What difficulty did Deanna meet after starting the trip with Ted?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Getting free meals in restaurant.', "Sleeping in people's yards.", 'Getting up very early.', 'Missing her friends.']}, {'question': 'In what way does the story have a happy ending for Ted and Deanna?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['They got married during their trip.', 'They got together with their relatives.', 'They became very famous in America.', 'They wrote a book about their experience.']}] |
Is your family interested in buying a dog? A dog can be a pleasant companion to your family, but if you choose the wrong kind of dog , you will have a lot of troubles.
Families should sit down and discuss the possible problems before buying a dog. Even if the children in your family are the ones who want the dog, the parents are the ones who are really responsible for seeing that the animal is properly cared for. If you don't know much about dogs, it is a good idea to go to the library for books about different kinds of dogs, and books about how to train a young dog. In reading about the different breeds you should know that a dog described as very alert may be too active. When a book describes a dog as an excellent hunting dog, it probably means that the dog won't be happy living in a small house. Dog breeds vary in popularity as the years go by. One of the most popular dogs these days is the German shepherd. This is because it provides protection as well as companionship. The family should be warned that these dogs grow up to be very big, and may be too powerful for children to control. If space is limited, a toy dog may be a good choice. These dogs are very small and easy to train. They don't need to be walked daily, since they can exercise in the home. | [{'question': 'According to the passage, one can get information about different kinds of dogs _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['by going to the library', 'by asking someone who has enough experience about different kinds of dogs', 'by buying a dog and training it', 'by reading books about dogs']}, {'question': 'The German shepherd is a popular dog _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['because it is easy to train', 'because it is big and strong', 'because it is powerful and friendly', 'because it is alert and active']}, {'question': 'Which of the following statements is not true?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ["Don't buy a hunting dog if your house is not big enough.", 'A dog may not be so good as it is described in books.', 'The German shepherd never loses its popularity for it provides not only companionship but also protection.', 'You should have a discussion with your family before buying a dog in case it causes you a lot of troubles.']}, {'question': 'Which is the best topic of the passage?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['The care and proper selection of dogs for families.', 'Different breeds of dogs.', 'Responsibility for seeing that dogs are properly cared for.', 'Different kinds of books about dogs.']}] |
Many adults in the United States can remember crying the nursery rhyme in the street "Hot cross buns!" But only a few people realize this was an early form of advertising.
Written advertisements probably began with hieroglyphics more than three thousand years ago, but only a few people could read these symbols. So merchants made signs with pictures or hung their tools over their doors to identify their businesses.
In the time of the Roman Empire, wall paintings were a popular form of advertisement. An ad for a play, or some other performance was painted on part of a building or on a wall around a city. People often advertised a house for rent or a freshwater bath in this way, too.
Today, large wall signs are still used for outdoor advertising. But outdoor advertising is only a small fraction of the total advertising. About forty per -cent of all ads are printed in daily newspapers. Radio commercials also provide this kind of information. Some people think they are the best form of advertising because radio broadcasts reach almost everyone in a nation.
Advertisements in magazines and on television reach many people, too. However, usually only large companies can advertise on a national network, because TV commercials shown across the country can cost many thousands of dollars.
Then there are ads that are almost part of daily living. If you use public transportation, you will see large printed ads, called ear cards, on buses and taxis and in trains. Ads are painted on the trucks that deliver products people are buying or selling. | [{'question': 'Which is the passage mainly discussing?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Modern advertising', 'Significance of advertising', 'Development of advertising', 'Origin of advertising']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is the original form of advertising?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Signs with pictures', 'Wall signs', 'Street crying', 'Wall painting']}, {'question': 'Why did the merchants make signs with pictures or hang their tools over their doors ?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['To have their houses decorated.', 'To make their business known by public.', 'To enable people to learn how to read', 'To advertise their houses to rent']}, {'question': 'Radio commercials are the best form of advertising because _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['they can be heard everywhere in a country', 'they are cheap and fast', 'they are most recently developed', 'they can be understood by those who can neither read nor write']}] |
When on vacation,what do you look for in a hotel?Maybe you want a comfortable bed, or a suitable place.However,if you want something out of the ordinary and wish to go beyond the mundane, these spectacular hotels offer a stay you won't soon forget!
Hippo Point
For those who prefer an overnight stay with some four-footed or two-winged guests, Hippo offers unique rooms on the East African plains .The nine-story tower is treated as one of the top 10 resorts in the world.Guests enjoy incredible views of Olodian Bay.More than 520 species of birds gather around the lake,their calls sounding in the air.
Dog Bark Park Inn
At the Dog Bark Park Inn,sleeping in a doghouse is a good thing! Located near Cottonwood,Idaho,this bed and breakfast is inside the world's largest dog.
Guests relax on dog-themed decorative furnishings and enjoy a wonderful breakfast.
The Poseidon Undersea Resort
Located in a Fijian lagoon,the Poseidon Undersea Resort boasts the world's first seafloor suite 12 meters below the surface of the ocean.By day,people enjoy golf,tennis and water sports or learn to pilot a three-passenger Triton submarine to explore the new ocean depths.
The Magic Mountain Hotel
The Magic Mountain Hotel is shaped like a volcano.But instead of lava,a waterfall falls down its sides.Nine comfortable rooms,all with modern facilities,are each named for a local species of bird.Hotel guests can enjoy rafting,hiking and horseback riding,or they can relax in a hot trunk with hot water.
Sala Silvermine
The truly adventurous can spend the night in the world's deepest bedroom in the Sala Silvermine in Sweden.After a guided tour of the mine located 155 meters underground,you're left alone to enjoy the solitude with a basket of food.In the morning, the guide returns with a delicious breakfast to enjoy before you return to ground level. | [{'question': 'What does the phrase "go beyond the mundane" may mean?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Do something exciting', 'Go to a familiar place', 'Look for a comfortable', 'Travel in an ordinary way']}, {'question': 'According to the passage,Hippo Point is intended for _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['the sports fans', 'the beach goers', 'the bird lovers', 'the dog owners']}, {'question': 'If a person enjoys riding horses, he may choose _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Hippo Point', 'Dog Bark Inn', 'The Poseidon Undersea Resort', 'The Magic Mountain Hotel']}, {'question': 'If you go to Sala Silvermine, you will _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['return to the ground after sleeping there.', 'travel the deepest mine with a guide.', 'go 155 meters underground all by yourself.', 'experience the feeling of loneliness all day.']}] |
I arrived at the bus station much too early for the London bus, which was not to leave until five to twelve. I pushed through the crowds, looking for somewhere to sit down. Scores of people were standing about, or struggling along with their bags and the cases to find the right lines. There was a party of school girls. I could see teachers trying to keep them in order. But there was nowhere for me to sit.
I stepped into the station buffet. I looked up at the clock there. It was only twenty to twelve. I found a seat opposite a large mirror on the wall. Just then a friend of mine called Jim came in and sat with me. "What time is your bus?" asked Jim. "Oh, there's a plenty of time yet," I answered. "Oh, I'll get some drinks then," said Jim. We talked while drinking. Then I looked at the clock again. "Good heavens! It's going backward!" I cried. "A moment ago it was twenty to twelve and now it's half past eleven." "You are looking at the clock in the mirror," said Jim. I could kick myself for being so stupid. I had not realized that the marks for one and eleven on the face of the clock were the same. The next bus was not to leave for another hour. I have never liked mirror since then. | [{'question': 'The writer went to the station buffet because _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['he was thirsty', 'he saw the station buffet was not so crowded', "it was still early for his bus and he couldn't find a place to sit at the bus station", "he had changed his mind; he wouldn't go to London"]}, {'question': 'The writer sat _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['behind a mirror', 'facing a mirror', 'under a mirror', 'near a mirror']}, {'question': 'Jim came to the station buffet at about _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['twenty to twelve', 'twenty past twelve', 'half past one', 'twenty past eleven']}] |
When a child is told he is "uncool", it can be very painful. He may say he doesn't care, and even act in ways that are opposite of cool on purpose. But ultimately, these are simply ways to handle sadness by pretending it's not there.
Helping a child feel better in school had to be careful. If you say, "Why are you worried about what other children think about you? It doesn't matter!" Children know that it does matter. Instead, an active way may be best. You could say, "I'm going to do a couple of things for you to help you feel better in school."
If a boy is having trouble making friends, the teacher can help him. The teacher can arrange things so that he has chances to use his abilities to contribute to class projects. This is how the other children learn how to value his good qualities and to like him. A teacher can also raise a child's popularity in the group by showing that he values that child. It even helps to put him in a seat next to a very popular child, or let him be a partner with that child in activities, etc.
There are things that parents can do at home, too. Be friendly when your child brings others home to play. Encourage him to invite friends to meals and then serve the dishes they consider "super". When you plan trips, picnics, movies, and other shows, invite another child with whom your child wants to be friends.
What you can do is to give him a chance to join a group that may be shutting him out. Then, if he has good qualities, he can start to build real friendship of his own. | [{'question': 'A child who has been informed of being "uncool" may _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['care nothing about it', 'develop a sense of anger', 'do something uncool purposely', 'pretend to get hurt very much']}, {'question': 'A teacher can help an unpopular child by _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ["seeing the child as the teacher's favourite", 'asking the child to do something for partners', 'forcing other children to make friends with the child', 'offering the child chances to show his good qualities']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is TRUE?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ["Children don't care others' comments on them.", "It's only teacher's work to make children popular.", 'Parents should take their children out for picnic and shows more often.', "Inviting children's friends to family activities is good for them to make friends."]}, {'question': 'The passage mainly talks about _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['how to help an unpopular child', 'why some children are unpopular', 'who is responsible for unpopular children', 'how to find out good points of unpopular children']}] |
It was just three degrees above zero. "That's cold," thought Jane as she got ready to deliver her morning papers. Jane has 50 customers, and on cold mornings when she couldn't ride her bike, it took her more than an hour to make her rounds.
As she collected her papers and put them into a big canvas bag, Jane regretted that she hadn't finished her math homework the night before. There was still time. She'd hurry with the papers and finish the math before breakfast.
Less than an hour later, Jane was nearly finished. She had only five customers to go. She could then head for home to complete her math while her mom fixed breakfast. As she rounded the corner, she saw a car in the middle of the street. It was Mr. Zimmerman, the elderly man who walked with a walking stick. His car was out of gas.
"I'd like to help Mr. Zimmerman," thought Jane. "but if I do, I won't have time to do my homework." She hated to think what Mr. Roberts would say if she hadn't completed her papers.
"It's his own fault for running out of gas," Jane talked to herself, "the station is only a half mile down the street. Surely Mr. Zimmerman can walk that far, even on a cold morning like this... can't he?" As she walked down the street, Jane wondered what to do. | [{'question': 'Jane delivers her papers _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['before she goes to school', 'on cold mornings', "with the help of Mr. Zimmerman's car", 'on the way to school']}, {'question': 'Mr. Zimmerman was old and _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ["couldn't drive well", 'would have nobody to help him', 'was not rich enough to buy gas', 'was not able to walk a long way']}, {'question': 'We know from the reading that _', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ["Jane couldn't find any time to finish her homework", 'it took about an hour for Jane to send the papers', 'Jane would have her breakfast in the school', 'Jane likes to deliver papers on cold mornings']}, {'question': "The reading doesn't say but we can infer that _", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Jane bought the gas for Mr. Zimmerman', 'usually Jane delivers papers by bike', "Mr. Robert doesn't like Jane at school", 'Mr. Zimmerman had to leave the car for Jane']}, {'question': 'The best title for this reading should be _', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Fifth Customers', "There's no Easy Answer", 'No Time to Finish Homework', 'A Cold Morning for Jane']}] |
From the same place that brought you the Robot Suit HAL comes the "motorized knee".Designed by researchers at Japan's Tsukuba University, the device supports the flex( ) of the knee, which enables a runner to use 30% less muscle power compared to running unassisted.
Coming in a kit , the device consists of a small motor that helps flex the knee, a sensor that detects the knees' degree of flex, and a safety lever --all of which attach to the user's leg.The user is also forced to carry a backpack that holds a control unit and battery to power the motor.All up the device weighs around 5kg,which will probably lessen the performance benefits of wearing the device somewhat.In experiments runners wearing the device could jog at 7.5kmh, which is hardly anything special--but predictably they could do it for longer.
Curiously, the makers of the motorized knee say it isn't designed for the physically handicapped.Rather it is intended for people who want to run in a more efficient way.I can't help thinking this cuts down the potential market considerably.After all, most runners I know do it for the sake of their fitness.Wouldn't a device that is designed to do some of the work mean that someone would have to run for longer to receive the same fitness benefits?
Regardless, the research team expects to commercialize the kit within the next three years, by which time they also plan to have made the device significantly smaller and lighter. | [{'question': 'To make sure that the device runs smoothly, _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['the user should be equipped with other related units', 'the device should be improved through experiments', "the user shouldn't be physically handicapped", 'the device should be smaller and lighter']}, {'question': 'What is the special feature of the device according to the passage?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['It helps its user run faster.', 'It helps save physical strength.', 'It adds more fun to running.', 'It helps its user keep a good shape.']}, {'question': "In the author's opinion, the device _ .", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['should specially serve the disabled', "won't be popular with people at all", "does harm to its user's health", 'may not sell as well as expected']}, {'question': 'Which of the following aspects of the device is NOT mentioned in the passage?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Its advantages.', 'Its components.', 'Its weight.', 'Its price.']}, {'question': 'In which column of a newspaper would this passage be found?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Science.', 'Health.', 'Education.', 'Business.']}] |
The vast jungles of the Amazon rainforest are home to tribes mostly isolated from the outside world,whose way of life,largely unchanged for hundreds of years,is now increasingly threatened by modern civilization.
Now, scientists discover they can monitor these"uncontacted tribes"using satellites,which would allow inexpensive and safe tracking of these tribes in order to protect them from outside threats.
In order to help conserve these uncontacted Indians,researchers need accurate estimates of their populations.One way to collect this data involves flying over their villages,but such overflights are both expensive and could fill these native peoples with fear.Another strategy involves meeting individuals on the ground,but among other risks,scientists could accidentally spread disease to members of the tribes.
Instead,scientists investigated whether satellite imaging could monitor uncontacted tribes. The result was inspiring.They confirmed their locations and measured the sizes of their Village,houses and gardens."We can find isolated vinages with remote sensing and study them over time."Walker told Live Science."We can ask:Are they growing?Do they move?"
Surprisingly,based on the sizes of the houses and Villages,the scientists find the population densities of these isolated villages are about 10 times greater,on average,than other villages of native Brazilian peoples.This may be due to the fact that they have to live closer together because they are not as good at clearing the forest,since they lack modern devices like chainsaws and tractors,the researchers said.The tribes may also be afraid of spreading out due to fear of being attacked by outsiders,Walker said.
The researchers now plan to focus on 29 more isolated villages to"look at their ecology--that is.distance from rivers and roads--and use this to model where else we can find more isolated villages,"Walker said. | [{'question': 'What is the main idea of the text?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Amazon tribes are disappearing.', 'Scientists found isolated Amazon tribes.', 'Modern civilization is threatening Amazon tribes.', 'Isolated Amazon tribes are monitored with satellites.']}, {'question': "Scientists don't want to meet the Indians on the ground due to the fear that _", 'answer': 'C', 'options': ["they can't get accurate data", 'they will be attacked by the Indians', 'they could pass disease to the Indians', 'they will catch disease from the Indians']}, {'question': 'What do scientists find about the tribes?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['They live close together.', 'Their population is dropping.', 'Thev live in distributed areas.', 'Their population is increasing fast.']}] |
It was time for a school holiday and I was at home. My family's house was located in an area by the sea.
I just sat down in front of the television. Suddenly I heard a loud noise and then the first shock started to hit. My mom and I ran to the front door. We got out and we were standing in the street holding on to each other to stand up. The ground was covered with snow. I could remember watching black cracks in the earth snaking their way along the ground. A tree in our back yard was actually cut in half.
As suddenly as the earthquake started, it was over. Dead silence. Then a light snow began to fall. All the power was off--no radio, no TV and no communication with the outside world. We found out later that the ground area was lowered an average of 35 feet.
My dad succeeded in getting home from where he worked in the city centre. Later that evening we were told to leave the area because a terrible ocean wave was expected. We spent the night and the next day and night away from home at the shelter.
I often think about the courage my dad showed during that time. Before Dad retired, he was a senior manager of a famous local company. This company was damaged because of the quake. Dad stayed in the company to rebuild the business and rebuild our family home. | [{'question': 'In which season did the earthquake take place?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Spring.', 'Summer.', 'Autumn.', 'Winter.']}, {'question': "After the earthquake, the writer's father _ .", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['opened up his own company', 'lived with his family and did a better job', 'helped neighbors build their houses', 'became a famous person in their town']}, {'question': 'What would be the best title of the passage?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['My father', 'My mother and I', 'A quake in my town', 'Earthquake tips']}] |
With more and more wineries offering organic varieties to lower their eco-footprint , it's no surprise that they're looking at the environmental impacts of their packaging as well. The making of conventional glass bottles and the corks uses large quantities of natural resources and causes a lot of pollution.
Beyond manufacturing, the transport of wine in glass bottles across the country and around the world also has its environmental effect. Trucking all the heavy glass bottles causes a much larger carbon footprint than the transportation of much lighter boxed wine. Almost half the weight of an ordinary case of wine comes from the bottles; about 95 percent of the weight of a case of boxed wine is the wine itself.
"A standard wine bottle holds 750 milliliters of wine and causes about 5.2 pounds of carbon dioxide when it travels from a farm in California to a store in New York," reports Colman, a researcher. "A 3-liter box causes about half the carbon dioxide per 750 milliliters."
According to the Wine Group, the third largest wine company in the world and a big advocate for switching away from glass bottles, there are other advantages to boxed wine (which typically includes a plastic bag within a cardboard box). The vacuum packaging of boxed wine allows it to stay fresh for up to six weeks in the fridge once the seal is broken and the first glass has been poured.
Still, despite the benefits, boxed wine may still be a tough pill to swallow for many wine experts. "Even those traditionalists who are coming around to the idea that maybe screw caps are fine for some wines, would not like the idea of a cellar full of cardboard boxes," says wine writer Lee Asbell. "It is difficult to imagine how wine service at fine-dining establishments would handle such a change." For now, boxed wine is still the field of cheaper brands. But that could all change as more and more wine makers and drinkers take responsibility for saving the Earth. | [{'question': 'Compared with glass bottled wine, boxed wine _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['wastes more natural resources', 'is difficult to transport', 'causes less eco-footprint', 'takes up more space']}, {'question': 'What do we know about boxed wine from the passage?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Corks are still needed to close it', "It's not suitable for long-distance transport", 'It must be kept in the fridge during the transport', "The special packaging makes it stay fresh longer once it's opened"]}, {'question': 'The author writes this passage to _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['call on people to drink less wine', 'advise packaging wine with different materials', 'advocate using boxes to store wine k@s5u', 'introduce how to keep wine fresh after the bottle is opened']}] |
The Internet has become a part of our everyday life and there is nothing we can do without it.It is a means of communication as well as a good way of relieving and having fun.No matter in what place of the world,the Internet is the same for every one of us.
If we hope to improve our knowledge or look for a certain piece of information, the Internet is the perfect tool for our need.If we do not have the time to shop, ordering online is the solution to our problem.The Internet is very useful to most people.
There is no doubt that the Internet also has some bad points.I'm speaking about the harmful information,which may come up in the most unexpected paces.You can sometimes come across violence,presented to the public as a very normal way of expressing beliefs.An intelligent person will always be able to tell apart right and wrong, but what can we do to help the teenagers and children? This sort of information is a cause of many of the violent incidents in schools.
There are few organization that monitor the Internet and the information on it.They cannot possibly get rid of all the bad things on the Internet.
So should the Internet be censored for the protection of children? My belief is that parents are the ones who should be to blame for what their children ale doing on the Internet. | [{'question': 'The disadvantage of the Internet mentioned in the passage is that _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['people spend too much time on it.', 'people rely too much on it.', 'it can provide harmful information.', 'many people use it to do things that ale not legal']}, {'question': "In the writer's opinion, who should help children avoid the harmful information on the Internet?", 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Parents.', 'Teachers.', '1he pubic.', 'Some organization.']}, {'question': "What's the best tide for this passage?", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['How to help children make use of the Internet?', 'Why is the Internet so useful in our life?', 'Should people stop using the Internet?', 'Should the Internet be censored?']}] |
Five-year-old Jocelyn Rojas spent all day playing happily with her friends outside her grandmother's apartment building. Her mom, Jaimee, kept her eye on the little girl from a window. At about 4 p.m., Jocelyn walked around the corner of the building to get her bicycle. However, half an hour later, she disappeared. Jaimee called 911.
A short time later, police officers and firefighters crowded inthe area, blocking streets and searching the neighborhood. Officers handed out photos of the girl wearing thick-framed glasses.
Temar Boggs, 15, a school athlete in track, was with some friends moving a couch into the apartment of his elderly neighbor when one officer approached him and asked if he'd seen Jocelyn. Unfortunately, none of them had seen her. A little bit later, Temar and his friends went to check out the situation. By 6:30 p.m., Jocelyn had been missing for more than two hours, and the search team was worried that the sun would set before she was found.
Just at that moment, Temar felt an intense emotion that he was going to find her. He and his friend Chris Garcia, 13, rode alongside, simply keeping a sharp eye out as they circled around. Then Temar spotted a car circling around, as if the driver were unfamiliar with the neighborhood. Temar cycled close and made eye contact with the man behind the wheel, an older guy wearing a red-and-white striped shirt, and saw a tiny blond girl in the passenger seat. Temar instantly realized it must be the missing girl.
The boys cycled after the car, but the driver kept moving, winding his way through the neighborhood.
Finally, the driver had to park the car ahead of them and pushed open the passenger-side door. A girl slipped out of the car. It was Jocelyn. Temar got off his bike, and carried her to the police. The kidnapper sped away.
A police report later identified the man as a 63-ycar-old sex offender. He is still _ .
Neil Harkins, chief of the Manheim Police Department, says "The boys' heroics are 'something we don't normally hear about.' It is a very brave thing for young boys to do that." But when asked, Temar, now a tenth-grade student at Lucy Laney High School, says "I didn't do it for attention. I just wanted to help." | [{'question': 'Why did Jaimee call 911?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Because her mother was in need of help.', 'Because her house was on fire.', 'Because her daughter was missing.', 'Because she was trapped in the building.']}, {'question': 'What was Temar doing when the police were searching for Jocelyn?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['He and his friends were playing outside the building.', 'He was helping the police hand out the photos of the missing girl.', 'He and his friends were helping his neighbor moving a couch.', 'He and his friends were having a cycling race.']}, {'question': 'From what Neil Harkins says, we can know _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Temar and his friends did a heroic thing.', 'Temar is a boy with little courage.', 'The kidnapper was under control because of Temar and his friends.', "Temar didn't want to catch people's attention."]}] |
High Speed Book Scanner
Simply turning pages of a book quickly may not seem like the best way to scan it. A Japanese research group at Tokyo University has created new software that allows hundreds of pages to be scanned within minutes. Scanning text is normally a boring process with each page having to be inserted into a scanner, but the team led by Professor Masatoshi Ishikawa uses a high speed camera that takes 500 pictures a second to scan pages as they are turned by workers.
Normal scanners can only scan the information that is actually before them on the page. This high speed book scanner uses a camera that captures pages at 1000fps as they are turned. A system built in allows it to automatically correct any changes to the text due to the page bending as well as light differences due to shadows. "It takes a shot of the shape, then it calculates the shape and uses those calculations to film the scanning," Ishikawa said, explaining the system used to reconstruct the original page.
The current system is able to scan an average 250-page book in a little over 60 seconds using basic computer hardware. While it now requires extra time to process the scanned images , the researchers hope to eventually make the technology both faster and much smaller. "In the more distant future, once it becomes possible to put all of this processing on one chip and then put that in an iPad or iPod, one could scan just using that chip. At that point, it becomes possible to scan something quickly to save for later reading," Ishikawa said.
Being able to scan books with an iPhone may be further off, but Ishikawa says that a commercial version of the large-scale computer based scanning system could be available in two or three years. While the technology has the potential to take paper books into the digital age,
. | [{'question': 'According to the passage, the advantage of the new scanning software is that _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['there is no need to scan every page', 'it can work much more effectively', 'no manpower is needed in operating the scanner', 'it can make the scanning process more interesting']}, {'question': 'According to Ishikawa, the scanner works by _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['changing the shape of the images', 'reducing the size of the images', 'reconstructing the original page', 'scanning several pages at the same time']}, {'question': "What is Ishikawa's attitude towards the development of the scanning system?", 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Optimistic.', 'Uncertain.', 'Disapproving.', 'Cautious.']}] |
The United States government has decided that food from cloned cattle, pigs and goats is safe to eat. The Food and Drug Administration also says it found no risks in meat and milk from cloned animals.
The F.D.A. looked at studies for several years before it announced its decision in a final report this month. The United States Department of Agriculture supported the findings. But it says time is needed to clear the way for marketing meat and milk from clones.
The F.D.A. will not require any product to be registered as coming from clones. A producer would need to label a product "clone-free". The agency says that could be misunderstood because the food is not different from other food.
But activists argue that the F.D.A. based its decision on incomplete research into possible risks. The Center for Food Safety criticized the use of studies supplied by cloning companies. Animal rights activists point out that cloning attempts often fail. They say cloning is cruel and can lead to suffering.
Congress has been trying to get the F.D.A. to do more studies. But the agency noted that experts in New Zealand and the European Union had come to the same findings about the safety of food from clones. Japan, South Korea and Taiwan say they want to study it further before taking action.
Products from cloning may not be widely used for several years. Clones cost much , which is why they are not widely used for feeding. The Agriculture Department says few clones will ever become food. Their traditionally raised animals would enter the food supply instead. | [{'question': 'What is the best title for this passage?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Is Food from Cloned Animals Safe?', 'A New Clone Policy', 'A Big Danger --Cloned Food', 'Cloned Products --A Terrible Choice']}, {'question': 'All the following are sure of the safety of cloned products EXCEPT _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['New Zealand', 'Japan', 'the USA', 'the European Union']}, {'question': 'Why are products from cloning not widely used for feeding?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Because cloning attempts often fail.', 'Because they are not safe to eat.', 'Because cloning is cruel.', 'Because they are expensive.']}, {'question': 'Where can you probably see the passage?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['In a novel.', 'In a newspaper.', 'In a travel leaflet.', 'In a notice on the wall.']}] |
Monkeys are very similar to us in many ways. We enjoy watching them because they often act like us. In fact, scientists say monkeys and humans share a common ancestor.
Monkeys make us smile, too, because they are creatures full of playful tricks. This is why many monkey expressions are about tricky people or playful acts. One of these expressions is monkeyshines, meaning tricks or foolish acts. So, when a teacher says to a group of students: "Stop those monkeyshines right now!", you know that the kids are playing, instead of studying.
You might hear that same teacher warn a student not to monkey around with a valuable piece of equipment. You monkey around with something when you are touching or playing with something you should leave alone. Also, you can monkey around when you feel like doing something, but have no firm idea of what to do.
Monkey business usually means secret, maybe illegal, activities. A news report may say there is monkey business involved in building the new airport, with some officials getting secret payments from builders.
You may make a monkey out of someone when you make that person look foolish. Some people make a monkey out of themselves by acting foolish or silly.
If one monkey has fun, imagine how much fun a barrel of monkeys can have. If your friend says he had more fun than a barrel of monkeys at your party, you know that he had a really good time.
Monkey suits are common names for clothes or uniforms soldiers wear. In earlier years, performing monkeys' tight-fitting, color1ful jacket looked similar to a military uniform. So, people began to call a military uniform a monkey suit. | [{'question': 'Which of the following can best state the main idea of the passage?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Monkeys are connected with our life.', 'Due respect should be paid to monkeys.', 'Some English expressions about monkey.', 'Monkeys share a common ancestor with us.']}, {'question': 'How many expressions about monkey are introduced in the passage?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['5.', '6.', '7.', '8.']}, {'question': 'The expression "monkeyshine" has the closest meaning to _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['mischief', 'laziness', 'making noise', 'diligence']}, {'question': "If you drew a funny picture on your friend's face while he was sleeping, you were _ .", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['monkeying around', 'doing money business', 'enjoying a barrel of monkeys', 'making a monkey out of him']}] |
I am sure that everybody in his/her life has used computers. Nowadays you can feel their presence everywhere at home,at school,at work and they certainly make life easier.On the other hand,there are people who can't work with them.
Anyway,I believe their presence is a good thing. Life with them seems easier, less difficult and more comfortable You can use them to choose your meal,to withdraw your money, and also save your time,because these operations are all controlled by computers. Therefore you can hardly imagine the modern world without them;the whole planet seems to be one big computer society.
Nevertheless,problems can often appear in this area, too.To have a computer means you have to be quite well-off and have the necessary skills to use it.However,think about questions like "Are computers so available for everyone, or rich and poor people,for people from villages and people from cities. Aren't they too expensive?Is everyone able to learn how to use them and not everyone has the chance to access and work with them,how could everything in the future be dependent on them?"Therefore,I think our society will be split into two parts.One part will work with them and enjoy the benefits that computers can bring and the other part will be pushed out and will actually be far behind the other group.
Another question that bothers me is,on the one hand,computers are important and good things in our life,but they aren't everything.They are good as a help at school,quite often as entertainment,especially for young people,as an necessary tool to help in research etc,but I think we shouldn't be so dependent on them,because computers are only machines and machines can't feel anything be human and sympathetic,and every action performed by computer can be interfered with another person,which could cause these machines to crash or work badly.
In conclusion,I would like to say I am not against computers.I use computers,too,but people should be wary all the time. | [{'question': "The writer's main purpose in writing the passage is _", 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['to encourage us to use computers in our society', 'to advise us to say no to computers from now on', 'to remind us to care about the problems that computers bring.', 'to inform us that the computer has become a necessary part of our life']}] |
Hair has always been an important sign of beauty, especially true for women.Next to the face, hair is one of the main qualities people look for when they consider a woman's beauty.Whether long or short, curly or straight, hair often gets a lot of attention.
Each hair grows independently of other hairs.Not all hairs experience the same period of growth at the same time.During the period of active growth, which is called Anagen, hair grows at a rate of about or one centimeter a month.About eighty five percent of hair follicles are going through this process at any given time.This period can last from two to six years.
The Catagen period of hair growth comes next.It is then that hair growth begins to slow down.This period usually lasts two or three weeks.Finally, hair growth comes to a complete stop and the hairs begin to fall out.This period is known as Telogen.Once the Telogen period has ended, the hair growth process begins again.
So what happens when a person has trouble growing hair or suffers from hair loss? Your genes control how fast or how long your hair will grow.Some people have a longer than usual anagen growth period.These people may be able to grow more hair than the average person.
However, others struggle to grow shoulder length hair.These people have a shorter than normal anagen period.
Your health can also affect hair growth.Poor nutrition can cause some hair follicles to stop growing or cause the hairs that grow to become weak or thin.Problems with hair growth can result from thyroid (^?K JSO problems or other conditions.Health experts say people who experience a sudden increase in hair loss should seek medical advice. | [{'question': 'How many periods of hair growth are discussed in the passage?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Two.', 'Three.', 'Four.', 'Five.']}, {'question': 'The Catagen period is a period that _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['the hairs start to fall out', 'the hairs grow at a fast rate', 'hair growth stops completely', 'hair growth begins to slow down']}, {'question': 'What can be learned from the passage?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Hair grows no more after the Telogen period.', 'One with shoulder length hair must grow more hair.', 'Hair growth has much to do with nutrition and health.', 'Only a few hair follicles go through the Anagen period.']}, {'question': 'What is suggested by health experts when one suffers from a sudden increase in hair loss?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Changing his genes.', 'Going to see a doctor.', 'Cutting all his hair off.', 'Eating more vegetables.']}] |
The percentage of districts that require elementary schools to teach physical education increased, to 93% last year from 83% in 2000.
But just 4% of elementary schools, 8% of middle schools and 2% of high schools provided physical education each school day, as is recommended by the disease control agency. One-fifth of schools did not require physical education at all.
In 2004, Congress passed a law requiring each school district to develop a "wellness policy" to promote the students' health by setting goals for nutrition education and physical activity. Those policies are just now taking effect, and some school administrators predict that the next survey will show more marked improvements. Some schools have set out to place health education on the same requirement with academics. In Los Angeles County, Sepulveda Middle School has banned soft drinks and eliminated unhealthy snacks from the school store. Salad, fruit and yogurt are always available in the cafeteria, said Patricia J. Pelletier, the principal.
Nearly an hour of physical education is required daily, the school offers after-hours training in distance running, and it has started a class on healthy cooking for parents.
"If kids are healthy and have healthy lifestyles, they're going to be better students," Ms Pelletier said. "They're going to be in school, and they're going to be connected with the teachers in a better way."
The survey found that nearly two-thirds of schools prohibited tobacco use at all places, including at off-campus functions, up from 46% in 2000. Another finding was that the proportion of states that require middle schools to teach human sexuality grew, to 59% from 46%.
The report found a variety of indications of healthier cooking in school cafeterias. 55% reported that they had removed the skin from poultry before cooking, up from 40%, and 46% now use low-fat cheeses, up from 31%. But 12% of elementary schools, 19% of middle schools and 24% of high schools offer students brand-name fast food from businesses like Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. | [{'question': 'What is the best title for this passage?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ["How to change children's eating habits", "Improve students' physical health by developing their nutrition education", 'Only a little percentage of students are taught physical education', 'Healthy habits should be taught in schools']}, {'question': 'To improve the health of the students, the school should have _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['daily exercise for more than an hour', 'daily exercise and proper eating habits', 'good healthy eating', 'much exercise']}, {'question': 'What excited us most in the survey is that _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['most schools forbade tobacco use everywhere', "most schools have realized the importance of students' living surroundings", 'more schools have set aside daily physical exercise routine', 'wellness policy has taken effect']}] |
When George was thirty-five, he bought a small plane and learned to fly it. He soon became very good and made his plane do all kinds of tricks .
George had a friend, whose name was Mark. One day George offered to take Mark up in his plane.
Mark thought, " I've traveled in a big plane several times, but I've never been in a small one, so I'll go. "
They went up, and George flew around for half an hour and did all kinds of tricks in the air.
When they came down again, Mark was glad to be back safely, and he said to his friend in a
shaking voice, "Well , George, thank you very much for those two trips in your plane."
George was very surprised and said, " Two trips? "
" Yes, my first and my last. " answered Mark. | [{'question': 'Which of the following statements is false?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['George learned to fly a plane very quickly .', 'It took George a short time to learn to fly a plane.', 'George had some difficulty learning to fly a plane.', "Mark decided to fly in George's small plane."]}, {'question': 'When George did some tricks with his small plane, Mark was _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['unhappy', 'excited', 'frightened', 'surprised']}, {'question': "Mark went up in George's plane _ .", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['twice', 'only once', 'several times', 'once or twice']}] |
A newspaper reporter's job can be very interesting.He meets all types of people and lives quite a busy life.He is _ for news all the time,then after several years he may get a desk job,and life becomes a bit more settled.Let's look at his work a little more closely.In a day he may have to interview the prime minister of a foreign country, and the next day he may be writing about a football match.Sometimes he may be so busy that he hardly has any time to sleep.And at other times he may go on for days looking out for news materials yet return empty--handed.
In the beginning,a reporter has to cover a very wide field.After the early years he becomes more specialized in his work.For example,he may finaliy be asked to write only on court cases or politics or sports.Some reporters may become so specialized that they are asked only to write on a special thing:horse racing,for example.In most newspaper houses there is at least one special racing correspondent.Some newspapers have book reviews. Their job is delightful.They read the latest book and then write reviews on the ones they like.Then there are those who write on fdms,so they get to see them even before they are shown in the cinema.How lucky, you would say!
A reporter's job can also be very dangerous.If there is a flood or a riot they may get hurt or even be killed.Three years ago there was a reporter whose camera was destroyed by a group of men,because they were angry with him for taking their picture.Dangerous or not,one thing is certain,and that is,their job is never dull! | [{'question': 'Reporters who write on films are said to be lucky because they _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['can write anything they like', 'can see more film stars', 'can pay less than other people', 'can see the fdms before most people see them in the cinema']}, {'question': "Why did the men break the reporter's camera?", 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['The reporter took their picture.', 'They did not like him at all.', 'They were afraid of his camera.', 'The camera was in the way.']}, {'question': "According to the passage,a reporter's work becomes dangerous when _ .", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['he is seeing a horror film', 'thereis afloodora riot', 'there is a football match', 'there is an interview with the prime minister']}, {'question': "What's the passage mainly about?", 'answer': 'A', 'options': ["An introduction to a newspaper reporter's job.", 'An interesting life of a newspaper reporter.', 'Something written by a newspaper reporter.', 'How to become a good newspaper reporter.']}] |
Expressions about water are almost as common as water itself.
The expressionto be in hot water is a very old expression. Hot water was used five hundred years ago to mean being in trouble. One story says it got that meaning from the custom of throwing extremely hot water down on enemies attacking a castle.
That no longer happens. But we still get in hot water. When we are in hot water, we are in trouble. It can be any kind of trouble--serious or not so serious. A person who breaks a law can be in hot water with the police. A young boy can be in hot water with his mother, if he walks in the house with dirty shoes.
Beingin deep wateris almost the same as being in hot water. When you are in deep water, you are in a difficult position.
To keep your head above wateris a colorful expression that means staying out of debt. A company seeks to keep its head above water during economic hard times. A man who loses his job tries to keep his head above water until he finds a new job.
Water over the dam is another expression about a past event. It is something that is finished. It cannot be changed. The expression comes from the idea that water that has flowed over a dam cannot be brought back again.
Another common expression to hold water, is about the strength or weakness of an idea or opinion that you may be arguing about. It probably comes from a way of testing the condition of a container.; If it can hold water, it is strong and has no holes in it. If your argument can hold water, it is strong and does not have any holes.
Throwing cold water also is an expression that deals with ideas or suggestions. It means to not like an idea. For example, you want to buy a new car because the old one has some problems. But your wife throws cold water on the idea, because she says a new car costs too much. | [{'question': 'If Robert says he is in deep water, we may guess _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['he is swimming under the water', 'he is tired of changing shoes', 'he nearly breaks a law', 'he faces a difficult choice']}, {'question': 'What can you say to your friend Jane, who is troubled by a mistake she has made?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Keep your head above water.', 'Throw cold water.', 'It is water over the dam.', 'It can hold water.']}, {'question': "If your argument doesn't hold water, then it is _ .", 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['weak', 'convincing', 'logical', 'disappointing']}, {'question': 'The passage explains the origins of the following expressions EXCEPT _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['to be in hot water', 'to keep your head above water', 'water over the dam', 'to hold water']}] |
Believe it or not, there're always some people who like staying up too late. However, sleeping early can bring us many benefits.
1. Healthy heart. Staying up late in the night is a way to hurt your body with high blood pressure and cholesterol . These are the risks associated with the heart.
2. Reduce stress. A peaceful sleep in the night relieves physical and mental stress. It relaxes the body and mind. With insufficient sleep you're risking your health with heart attacks and other diseases.
3. Improve memory. Sleeping early lets your mind arrange the thoughts well. Waking up early with a fresh mind will regain all of it.
4. Protect you from diseases. By sleeping late in the night you're only stressing yourself, which will increase the blood pressure and cholesterol levels. So sleep early and let your body keep the pressure levels constant.
5. _ . Breakfast is very important to start the day. Most of the time as we wake up late we miss it.
6. Positive performance. Sleeping continuously for at least 7 hours in the night is necessary. Inadequate sleep will limit your ability to think creatively, handle stress and concentrate.
7. Help metabolism . Our body needs to send away all the unwanted waste. Sleeping through the day till noon will disorganise the exile . We need to eat and sleep on time to keep energy.
8. Reduce the risk of cancer. Sleep in the dark. Light in the night reduces the melatonin level which's supposed to cause sleep and prevent the risk of cancer.
9. Increase energy. Sleeping early will let you complete your 7 hours of sleep and make you fresh the next morning. It gives you the energy to perform better.
10. Keep weight. When you sleep too late your organism is disturbed. Sleeping for less than 7 hours a day is an invitation to being overweight. | [{'question': 'What kind of sleep can relieve the physical and mental stress?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['A peaceful sleep.', 'An insufficient sleep.', 'A continuous sleep.', 'An inadequate sleep.']}, {'question': 'How many hours should a man sleep at least according to the text?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['9 hours.', '8 hours.', '7 hours.', '6 hours.']}, {'question': 'What will happen if you sleep less than seven hours?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Losing weight.', 'Becoming sleepless.', 'Becoming active', 'Becoming fat.']}] |
Ann was on her first package trip in Rosas, Spain.
At the hotel, she checked in, and then went to her room to change before dinner. She was just ready to go downstairs when she found that her Spanish money wasn't in her handbag. She carefully looked in all her luggage, but she couldn't find it. All she had was a small purse with ten English pound notes in it!
Ann found a place to change her English money. She had very few pesetas , and she would be here for two weeks. On her way back to the hotel, Ann bought some cheese, some bread and some oranges. When she got back, she told the manager that her doctor had told her not to eat Spanish food; she'd just have breakfast each day. That was all right, as she knew the price of hotels included breakfast.
For the rest of her holiday, Ann swam in the hotel swimming pool, or lay on the beach and got a sunbath. When the other tourists went to interesting places, she always said she wasn't well. In fact, her holiday wasn't bad, except that she was always hungry. After all, a piece of fruit for lunch, and bread and cheese for supper isn't very much.
Late in the afternoon of their last day, a girl, Jane, asked her why she never ate with them in the hotel restaurant. Ann told her about her money problems. Jane looked at her for a minute, and then said, "But didn't you know? The price of this holiday includes everything!" | [{'question': '"A package trip" probably means _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['a free trip', 'a pleasant trip', 'a trip that includes the cost of all the tickets and services', 'a long journey']}, {'question': "Ann didn't eat dinners in the restaurant of the hotel because _ .", 'answer': 'C', 'options': ["she wasn't well", 'her doctor told her not to eat them', "she was afraid that she couldn't pay for them with her little money", "she wasn't hungry"]}, {'question': 'Why did Ann buy some cheese, some bread and some oranges?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Because they were good for her health.', "Because she is afraid that she couldn't eat enough in the hotel restaurant.", 'Because she liked them more than dinners in the hotel restaurant.', 'Because she planned to eat them instead of lunch and supper.']}] |
A newspaper reporter's job can be very interesting. He meets all types of people and lives quite a busy life. He is _ for news all the time, then after several years he may get a desk job, and life becomes a bit more settled. Let's look at his work a little more closely. In a day he may have to interview the prime minister of a foreign country, and the next day he may be writing about a football match. Sometimes he may be so busy that he has hardly any time to sleep. And at other times he may go on for days looking out for news materials yet return empty-handed.
In the beginning, a reporter has to cover a very wide field. After the early years he becomes more specialized in his work. For example, he may finally be asked to write only on court cases or politics or sports. Some reporters may become so specialized that they are asked only to write on a special thing: horse racing, for example. In most newspaper houses there is at least one special racing correspondent. Some newspapers have book reviews. Their job is delightful. They read the latest book and then write reviews on the ones they like. Then there are those who write on films, so they get to see them even before they are shown in the cinema. How lucky, you would say!
A reporter's job can also be very dangerous. A number of them have died rushing from one assignment to another, and if there is a flood or a riot they may get hurt or even be killed. Three years ago there was a reporter whose camera was smashed by a group of men, because they were angry with him for taking their picture. Dangerous or not, one thing is certain, and that is, their job is never dull! | [{'question': 'Reporters who write on films are said to be lucky because they _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['can see more film stars', 'can see the films before most people see them in the cinema', 'can pay less than other people', 'can write anything they like']}, {'question': "A reporter's work becomes dangerous when _ .", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['there is an interview with the prime minister', 'there is a football match', 'he is seeing a horror film', 'there is a flood or a riot']}, {'question': 'From the passage we can infer that, to be a good reporter, he must be all of the following except _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['brave', 'quick in mind', 'strong', 'well-informed']}] |
The landmark success of herbal expert Tu Youyou, the first Chinese woman national to win a Nobel prize in science, hasaroused an extreme sense of national pride and hopes on the future of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Tu, born in 1930, shared the 2015 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine with Irish-born William Campbell and Japan's Satoshi Omura for her discoveries concerning a therapy against malaria.
She discovered Artemisinin , a drug that has significantly reduced thedeath rates for patients suffering from malaria . "Artemisinin is a gift for the world people from the traditional Chinese medicine. It is of great importance for curing malaria and other infectious diseases and for protecting the health of the world people," Tu said in Beijing. "The discovery of Artemisinin is a successful example of collective research on traditional Chinese medicine. The prize winning is an honor for China's science cause and traditional Chinese medicine in their course of reaching out to the world."
"Tu's winning the prize indicates China's prosperity and progress in scientific and technological field, marks a great contribution of traditional Chinese medicine to the cause of human health, and show cases China's growing strengths and rising international standing," Premier Li Keqiang said in a congratulatory letter Monday evening.
In 2011, Tu became the first scientist on the mainland to win America's respected Lasker Award for her discovery of a new method to malaria treatment,which are given annually to people who have made major advances in the understanding, treatment, cure and prevention of human diseases since 1945. Graduating from the Beijing Medical College in 1955, she is chief researcher and professor at the Beijing-based China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences.
On China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo, the news has been sent by at least tens of thousands of users and received many "thumb-ups." Netizen "Xiaoxie" wrote, " Now I feel truly proud of being a medical student." | [{'question': 'We can learn from the text that Artemisinin has a good effect on _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['reducing the death rates of cancer patients.', 'curing patients suffering from malaria.', 'declining the infection rates of diseases.', 'preventing people from being infected with malaria.']}, {'question': 'How old wasTu You you when she receivedLasker Award? _', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['85', '81', '45', '25']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is Not True? _', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ["Tu's winning the prize hasaroused a strong feeling of nation pride in China.", 'Premier Li Keqiang praised medical researchers for their work and achievements.', "The congratulatory letter shows that both China's strengths and international standing have reached the highest rank around the world.", 'The Lasker Award is awarded to people for their excellent contributions to medical science every year.']}, {'question': 'What type of writing is this text? _', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['An advertisement', 'An announcement', 'A speech', 'A report']}] |
Although the weathermen's forecasts for a month ahead are only little better than guesswork, they are now making long-term forecasts into the next century with growing confidence. For the main trend (, ) in the world's climate in the coming years will, scientists say, be a predictable result of man's activities.
At the start of the industrial revolution nearly two centuries ago, man set off a big experiment in planetary engineering. Unaware of what he was doing, he spared no thought for the consequences .Today the possible outcome is alarmingly clear, but the experiment is unstoppable. Within the lifetimes of many of us, the Earth may become warmer than it has been for a thousand years. By the middle of this century it may be warmer than it has been since before the last Ice Age.
A warmer climate may seem welcome, but _ could bring many dangers, damages to crops in the world's main food-producing areas, famine , economic instability , civil unrest and even war.
In the much longer term, melting of the great ice-caps of Greenland and Antarctica could raise sea-levels throughout the world. The average sea-level has already risen a foot since the turn of the last century, and if the ice-caps disappear completely, it would rise by nearly 200 feet. Complete melting might take many centuries, but even a small increase in sea-level would threaten low-lying parts of the world such as the Netherlands. | [{'question': 'Long-term weather forecasts beyond the year 2050 may seem strange because _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['none of us will be alive then', "weathermen cannot even forecast next month's weather correctly", 'weathermen can forecast much better than they used to', 'no one can stop engineering experiments']}, {'question': 'Weathermen believe that our future climate will be the direct result of _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['big scientific experiments', 'clever long-term forecasts', 'the industrial revolution', 'planets changing course']}, {'question': 'Scientists are fairly sure that, by the year 2050, _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['the sea-level will have risen obviously', 'there will have been a third World War', 'most countries will have been flooded', 'the polar ice-caps will have melt completely']}] |
Dubai, the Gulf desert city state, which is well-known for its huge projects before it was hit by the global financial crisis , on Saturday announced a new development to open the world's biggest mall and a park larger than London's Hyde Park.
The ruler of the Gulf desert city state, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, announced the plan for a "new city within Dubai", according to an official statement, naming it after himself.
No cost was stated for "Mohammed bin Rashid City," to be carried out by his private companies, which developed many of Dubai's well-known projects, including Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower.
The "Mall of the World" will attract 80 million visitors a year to become the "largest in the world," said the statement, while its park will be "30 percent bigger than Hyde Park of London."
The mall will be connected to a family entertainment center to be developed in cooperation with Universal Studios International that will be the largest in the area, aiming to attract six million visitors a year.
Dubai already has countless malls and hotels, including the Dubai Mall, the world's largest shopping and entertainment destination, with 62 million visitors this year. "The malls and hotels available at present in Dubai need to be enlarged in line with the future ambitions for the city," Sheikh Mohammed said in the statement.
Dubai's tourism is growing by 13 percent a year, according to the statement, with hotel occupancy hitting 82 percent in 2011 while hotel profits grew 22 percent last year, more than$4.4 billion.
The city state rocked global financial markets in autumn 2009 over its debt crisis, but its economy has returned to growth. | [{'question': 'The "new city within Dubai" will _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['attract 62 million visitors a year', "become the world's tallest tower", 'be named after the ruler of the state', "be the world's largest family entertainment center"]}, {'question': 'Which would be the best title of the news?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Tourism and Hotel Profits Growing in Dubai', 'Biggest Mall to be Developed In Dubai', 'Global Financial Crisis Hit Dubai', 'Plan to Rebuild Dubai Announced']}] |
The worst days of any summer are the rainy ones. We spend all year looking forward to nice weather and long, hot days. In winter, with its cloudy days and bitter cold, we dream of those days at the beach, lying on the sand and enjoying the bright and burning sun. And then, summer comes, and it rains.
As a child, I would wake up to rainy summer days and come close to crying. It wasn't fair. We suffered through months of school and experienced bad weather for those short ten weeks of freedom.
On those rainy summer days, I had nothing fun to do and could only sit inside, staring out at the rain like a bird in a cage. I was an only child, so there was no one else to play with. My father worked from home, so I was not truly alone, but he could not actively play with me since he was at work. It was those days that I would watch whatever was on television or read any books that I could find lying around. I'd pray each night that the rain would not be there the next day.
As an adult, though, my opinion of summer rain has changed. When you have to work every day, summer is not as exciting. Everything seems uninteresting. Such a mindset makes you cheer for anything new or different. I spend the winter dreaming of summer and the summer dreaming of winter. When summer comes, I hate how hot it is. And then I look forward to the rain, because the rain brings with it a cold front, which makes me comfortable. Rainy days are still the worst days of the summer, but summer rain today means positively beautiful -- and quite cooler -- weather tomorrow. | [{'question': 'When the author was a child, he _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['liked staying indoors', 'hated rainy days', 'dreamed on summer days', 'preferred cooler weather']}, {'question': 'We can learn from the passage that the author _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['could enjoy the brilliant sun in winter', 'preferred reading to playing outside', 'had no brothers or sisters', 'was often left alone at home']}, {'question': 'As an adult, the author views summer rain differently because _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['rain makes the weather cooler', 'his summer holiday is very short', "he knows it won't last long", 'he can better deal with his spare time']}] |
In America, drivers' education is part of the regular high school curriculum . Every student in his or her second year of high school is required to take a class in driver's education. However, unlike other courses, it is not given during the regular school year. Instead it is a summer course.
The course is divided up into two parts: class time for learning laws and regulations, and driving time to practice driving. Class time is not unlike any other class. The students study the basic traffic laws from a text to pass the written driving test that is given to anyone who wants to get a driver's license.
Driving time is a chance for the students to get behind the wheel and practice starting steering, backing up, parking, switching lanes, turning corners, and all the other maneuvers required to drive a car. Each student is required to drive a total of six hours. The students are divided up into groups of four. The students and the instructor go out driving for two hour blocks of time. Thus, each student gets half an hour driving time per outing. The instructor and "driver" sit in the front seats and the other three students sit in the back.
After the student has passed the driver's education course and reached the appropriate age to drive (this age differs in every state but in most cases the person must be 16 years old),they can go to a designated state office to take their driver's test, which is made up of an eye examination, a written test, and a road test. The person must pass all three tests in order to be given a driver's license. If the person did well in his or her driver's education class, he or she will pass the test
and get a driver's license. | [{'question': 'We can infer that the students are required to _ in their whole driving practice.', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['spend at least six hours driving', 'get half an hour driving', 'drive for two hour blocks of time', 'go out driving for twelve times']}, {'question': "Which of the following is Not True for the students wanting to get their driver's license?", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['They must have their eyes examined.', 'They must be 16 years of age.', "They should go to have their driver's test.", "They ought to do well in their driver's course."]}, {'question': 'In the last sentence, "with flying colors" means _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['happily', 'quickly', 'colorfully', 'successfully']}] |
The management and staff are happy to welcome you and will do all they can to make your stay an enjoyable one.
We hope you will find the following suggestions and information of use to you.
MEAL TIMES
Our overnight charge includes a continental-type breakfast.
Breakfast: 7:30-9:30 a. m. Lunch: 12:00-2:00 p. m.
Afternoon tea: 4:00-5:30 p. m. Dinner: 7:00-9:15 p. m.
Meals can be served in rooms at a small extra charge. We regret that owing to staff arrangements, meals cannot be served outside these times. In exceptional circumstances please consult one of our receptionists in advance.
Light refreshments, including tea, coffee, biscuits and sandwiches, can be served in rooms between 10:00 a. m. and 11:00 p. m. except during the meal times listed above. Cold drinks are available in the room refrigerator.
ROOM CLEANING
Please hang the appropriate sign on your door handle if you do not wish to be disturbed. It will be easier for the maids if you can leave the room temporarily at any time between 9:30 a. m. and 4:00 p. m.
VALUABLES
We are not responsible for the loss of money, jewellery, or other valuables unless they are kept in the safe and signed for by the manager.
DEPARTURES
Please inform receptionists of your intended leaving before 9:30 a. m. of the day concerned and leave the room by noon to allow for its preparation for incoming guests. If circumstances require, luggage can be left temporarily in the charge of the Hall Porter.
A SPECIAL REQUEST
We would respectfully suggest that in consideration of the comfort of other guests, the volume of radios and televisions should be turned down after 11:00 p. m. | [{'question': 'Meals can be served _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['outside the room at 3:00 p. m.', 'in the dining-room at 6:00 p. m.', 'in the dining-room from 7:30 a. m. to 9:15 p. m.', 'in rooms at 9:00 p. m.']}, {'question': 'If you do not wish to be disturbed, you should _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['close the door all the time', 'turn off all the light', 'hang a sign on the door handle', 'inform receptionist not to telephone you']}, {'question': 'If you intend to leave the room tomorrow, you may leave at any of the following hours except _', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['3:00 p. m.', '12:00 a. m.', '10:00 a. m.', '11:00 a. m.']}, {'question': 'Where is this notice most likely to be found?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['At restaurants.', 'In shops.', 'In hotels.', 'In the newspapers.']}] |
Bruce Jun Fan Lee was born in the hour of the Dragon, between 6 and 8 a.m., in the "Year of the Dragon" on November 27, 1940 at the Jackson Street Hospital in San Francisco's Chinatown. Today, a plaque in the hospital's entry remembers the place of his birth. Bruce's birth, in the hour and the year of Dragon, is a powerful symbol in Chinese astrology . It would be a strong indication of the powerful life that was to be lived by Bruce Lee and the explosive influence his life would have on countless others.
At the age of three months, Lee Hoi Chuen, his wife Grace and baby Bruce returned to Hong Kong where Bruce would be raised until the age of 18. Probably because of the long ocean voyage and the change in climates, Bruce was not a strong child in his very early years, a condition that would change when he took up the study of kung fu at the age of 13.
At the age of 13, Bruce was introduced to Master Yip Man, a teacher of the Wing Chun style of kung fu. For five years Bruce studied diligently and became very proficient. Regarding Yip Man as a master teacher and wise man, Bruce respected him greatly and frequently visited with him in later years. When he first took up kung fu, he used his new skills to fight his "enemies", but it did not take long for Bruce to learn that the real value of martial arts training is that the skills of physical combat build up confidence to the point that one does not feel the constant need to defend one's honor through fighting.
In high school, Bruce, now no longer a weak child, was beginning to improve his body through hard training. One of his accomplishments was winning an interschool Boxing Championship against an English student. Given the graceful movements, which would later be spectacularly displayed in his films, it is no surprise that Bruce was also an excellent dancer, and in 1958 he won the Hong Kong Cha Cha Championship.
At the age of 18, Bruce was looking for new prospect in his life, as were his parents who were discouraged that Bruce had not made much progress academically. His family decided that it was time for him to return to the land of his birth and find his future there. In April of 1959, with $100 in his pocket, Bruce boarded a steamship and began his voyage to San Francisco. | [{'question': 'The plaque at the entrance of the Jackson Street Hospital is considered as _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ["an obvious sign of Bruce's powerful life", "a strong influence of Bruce's life on others", "a reminder of Bruce Lee's birthplace", 'a powerful symbol in Chinese astrology']}, {'question': "Bruce didn't have a strong body until _ .", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['he practiced boxing in high school', 'he took up kung fu with Master Yip Man', 'he won a dancing championship', 'he returned to the land of his birth']}, {'question': 'Learning kung fu diligently from Master Yip Man, Bruce soon realized that _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ["one can't master kung fu skills without much practice", 'only through physical combat can one defend his honor', 'one can never defeat himself unless trained by a master', "excellent kung fu skills can strengthen one's confidence considerably"]}, {'question': 'It can be inferred from the passage that _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ["Bruce didn't have outstanding academic achievements in school", 'Master Yip Man offered to teach Bruce Chinese kung fu for free', "Bruce's parents sent him back to San Francisco for better education", 'Bruce made a big fortune by participating in boxing competitions']}] |
When my son was just learning to talk, I carried him around the house in my arms and pointed out things to him. "Look, David, a clock. "He'd smile and point as I did and say "clock". David was quick at connecting the shape of things to their words.
When my son was about four years old, I walked with him to the backyard. I knew that there was an ant colony under one of the slate stones in the walkway near the shed, so I said to David, "Come on. I want to show you something. "
As I showed David the ants that were crawling around the slate stone, he crouched down on his legs and looked with great intensity at the ants.
For days after that, David wanted to look under every rock in the garden, and we often found worms, ants and so on. I recognized that David loved to look at things closely and observe how things moved, and so I continued to point things out to him as he grew older: planes, cars, shells etc. . David was a keen observer, and I just gave him the suggestions as to where to look.
Today David is a medical doctor at Columbia University Center. I did not know that David would someday be a doctor, someone who has to pay close attention to what he sees, and yet I felt compelled when he was a boy to encourage his enthusiasm for observation.
That is what teachers and parents do: encourage a child's enthusiasm for a particular interest: music, swimming, art, reading. And we provide tools for the children. If a child likes to draw, give him brushes, pens, and paper. If a girl likes to tap on the table top, give her a drum. If a child wants to sing, give him a microphone and a Frank Sinatra recording. | [{'question': 'The author wrote the passage to .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['recall the happy times he spent with his son', 'tell us that children are full of curiosity', 'tell us how to let children love nature', "advise us to develop children's interest or talent"]}, {'question': 'The author showed David the ants to .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['prevent him from becoming bored', 'develop his enthusiasm for observation', 'teach him some new words', 'arouse his interest in creatures']}, {'question': "Which of the following can best describe the author's viewpoint?", 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Make children have their own hobbies.', 'Teach children to be independent as soon as possible.', "Satisfy children's interest by possible means.", "Hobbies can determine one's future."]}] |
Many kids don't drink enough water daily, according to a new study. The study's lead author, Erica Kenney, at first planned to look into the amount of sugary drinks kids were drinking in schools. However, during her research she found that many kids were simply not drinking enough water.
Kenney and her team examined data from a group of 4,000 children, aged 6 to19, between the years of 2009 and 2012. The data was taken from the National Health and Nutrition Survey,a study on the health of children in the United States conducted each year by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention..
While looking through the survey results, she noticed that more than half of the kids who took part in the study were dehydrated . Of' that group, boys were 76% more likely than girls not to have enough water in their system. Nearly one quarter of the kids in the survey reported drinking no plain water at all.
"These findings highlight a possible health issue that wasn't given a lot of attention in the past," Kenney said in a statement. "Even though for most of these kids this is not an immediate and great health threat, this is an issue that could really be reducing quality of life and well-being for many children and youth."
The United States-National Agriculture Library says average kids need between 10 to 14 cups of water every day. This water can come from a mix of drinks and foods that contain high amounts of water, such as celery, melons or tomatoes. It is also recommended that fluids come from water instead of sugary drinks that are high in calories and can lead to weight problems. | [{'question': "What was Erica Kenney's purpose in doing the study?", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['To study if kids drink enough water daily :', 'To prove that sugary drinks are harmful to kids', 'To show what kind of sugary drinks kids love.', 'To find out how many sugary drinks kids drink at school.']}, {'question': "According to the findings of Erica Kenney's study, we know that _ .", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['school kids cannot find drinkable water easily', 'boys are more likely to get dehydrated than girls', 'sugary drinks are very popular with school kids', 'most kids know the importance of drinking plain water .']}, {'question': 'The text mainly tells us that many kids _', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ["don ' t like drinking water", 'prefer sugary drinks to water', 'are at risk of health problems', "don ' t drink enough water daily"]}] |
Skin - diving is a new sport today. This sport takes you into a wonderful new world. It is like a visit to the moon. When you are under water, it is easy for you to climb big rocks because you are no longer heavy .Here, under water, everything is blue and green. During the day, there is plenty of light. When fish swim nearby, you can catch them with your hands.When you have tanks of air on your back, you can stay in deep water for a long time. But you must be careful when you dive in deep water.
To catch fish is one of the most interesting parts of this sport. Besides, there are more uses for skin - diving. You can clean ships without taking them out of water. You can get many things from the deep sea.
Now you see that skin -diving is both useful and interesting. | [{'question': 'Skin- diving is a new sport. It can take you to _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['the moon', 'a new world of land', 'the mountains', 'deep water']}, {'question': 'In deep water _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['there is plenty of light', 'there is no light at all', 'you can find a lot of blue fish', 'everything looks blue and green']}, {'question': 'You can climb big rocks under water easily because _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['you are very heavy', 'you are as heavy as on the land', 'you are not as heavy as on the land', 'you have no weight at all']}, {'question': 'With tanks of air on your back, you can _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['catch fish very easily', 'stay under water for a long time', 'climb big rocks', 'have more fun']}] |
On the site of the 9/11 tragedy, Irish university professor Elizabeth Stinger Keefe found an image of hope-- a wedding photo of a happy couple and their friends lay among the rubble of the Twin Towers. As a gesture of goodwill, she decided to try and reunite the picture with either its owner or a .
Every year, on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks, she would make an attempt, posting the picture on social media and asking others to share it. Finally, after a remarkable 13 years, her work paid off. Thanks to the power of social media, her appeal was more widely shared than ever before.
A man named Fred Mahe called Ms Keefe after the image went viral -- to tell her that he was in fact in the picture and that all six people photographed were alive and well. He said that the image belonged to him and had been lost in the rubble after 9/11.The photo was originally taken at a friend's wedding in Colorado, earlier in 2001. Mahe said, "The picture was at my desk in the world Trade Center, Tower Two, on the 77th floor. I never thought it could have been kept safe by Keefe for the last 13 years."
Mahe said that he was in touch with Keefe over the phone and described the conversation as "dedication and persistence" to continue to seek the owner of the photo. "She kept my photo safe for 13 years in her favorite Ernest Hemingway book, A Moveable Feast." Mahe said he wasn't yet at work as the attacks began on 9/11, and, "thankfully never got a chance to go up to my office."
And Mahe's wife has even invited Keefe to Thanksgiving dinner. Now the pair have reconnected with a piece of their past as Keefe has finally returned the picture to its rightful owner and has made a new friend in the process. | [{'question': 'Why did Keefe want to keep the picture she found?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ["Because it was her friend's picture.", 'Because she wanted to find its owner.', 'Because she herself was in the picture.', 'Because it brought back good memories.']}, {'question': "Mahe's experience with 9/11 can be described as _ .", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['inspiring', 'dangerous', 'mysterious', 'fortunate']}] |
Many parents watch the news or other shows as children play nearby. But new research shows that even when the television is just background noise,it may be
to a child's normal development.
It's estimated that 75 percent of very young children in the United States live in homes where the television is on most of the time,even though the kids often aren't watching it. The University of Massachusetts researchers recently studied how TV background noise might affect young children. The study looked at 50 1,2and 3yearolds. Each child came to a lab with a parent and was allowed to play for an hour with various toys. For half the time,a television was on in the room,showing the adult game show as well as advertisements. During the other half hour,the TV was turned off.
As expected,the children paid little attention to the adult television show,glancing at it for less than a few seconds at a time,and less than once a minute. Even so,the distraction of the background noise had a significant effect on how children at every age played. When the television was on,the children played with each toy for far shorter periods of time,and focused attention during play was also shorter compared to how they played when the TV was off.
Researchers said that even though the children aren't interested in the show,background TV affects their ability to do various types of play. The finding is important because many wellmeaning parents who wouldn't let their young children watch television may not realize that even adult programs that don't interest children still can have an effect.
"Background TV is potentially a chronic environmental risk factor affecting most American children," said the lead author of the study. "Parents should limit their young children's exposure ." | [{'question': 'We know from the passage that _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['background TV noise has little effect on adults', 'most young children in America live in homes exposed to TV noise', 'the effect of background TV noise on children is immediate', "most parents in America wouldn't let their children watch TV"]}, {'question': 'In the study,the children _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['were all 3yearolds', 'were asked to watch adult TV shows', 'played for an hour while the TV was on', 'played with more than one toy']}, {'question': 'What does the study show?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Children pay much attention to adult TV shows.', 'Children should be allowed to watch TV for kids only.', "The background TV noise affects children's ability to focus.", 'The more toys a child has,the shorter time he plays with each one.']}] |
With thousands of waterfalls across the world, it is difficult to choose the best but the following list contains some of the world's most amazing and beautiful ones!
Iguazu Falls-The Iguazu Falls is located on the border of Brazil and Argentina and it is well-known for its scenic beauty. Though it is just about 89 meters high, it ranks as the fourth best waterfall in the world because of its beauty. The U-shaped cliff in the waterfall which is known as the Devil's throat is the most striking feature of the waterfall.
Angel Falls-The Angel Falls, named after its discoverer James Crawford Angel, is the world's highest waterfalls, falling from a height of 979 meters. It is located in the Bolivar state in Venezuela. A unique feature of the falls is that most of the water falling down gets blown away by the winds as mist . The fallen water flows away as the Churun River.
Tugela Falls-This is the world's second highest waterfalls and it falls from a height of 947 meters. It is located in the Natal Province in South Africa. The source of the Falls, the Tugela River, is a finally pure river and is considered safe for drinking. The specialty of this waterfalls is the presence of a series of five spectacular waterfalls.
Niagara Falls-The Niagara Falls is one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world with about six million cubic meters of water flowing per minute. It is present in the Canada-America border and consists of a set of waterfalls named the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and the Horseshoe Falls. It is well-known for its beauty and attracts a large number of tourists around the world.
Rhine Falls-The Rhine Falls is the largest waterfalls in Europe. It is located in Switzerland near the German border. It is one of the oldest waterfalls which are believed to have formed about seventeen thousand years ago. | [{'question': 'From the text we know that the highest waterfalls in the world is _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Iguazu Falls', 'Angel Falls', 'Niagara Falls', 'Rhine Falls']}, {'question': 'The similarity between the Tugela Falls and the Niagara Falls is that _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['they both lie in South America', 'their height is nearly the same', 'they have the same source', 'they both consist of several waterfalls']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is TRUE about the Rhine Falls?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['It belongs to both Switzerland and German.', 'It is the most beautiful waterfalls in the world.', 'It possibly has a history of about 17,000 years.', 'It falls off from the highest place in the world.']}, {'question': "What's the author's purpose of writing the text?", 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['To introduce some world famous waterfalls.', 'To advise readers to pay a visit to these famous waterfalls.', 'To explain how waterfalls came into being.', 'To tell readers where these famous waterfalls are located.']}] |
The Haitian tsunami gave scientists a chance to find out how well vital and potentially life-saving warning systems were working.
Noaa's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory has developed a warning system that picks up signals of tsunamis directly from the sea-floor.
It is called Dart-the Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis. If seismometers detect an earthquake, the Dart buoys will determine what is happening to sea levels, and whether a big wave might be on the way. This information is then sent via satellite to a central location which can organize an alarm. Within 50 minutes of the Haiti earthquake, this system was able to issue an alarm to other countries in the Caribbean to say that a small tsunami had been caused to start, and that was unlikely to affect them.
Dr Bernard said, "The first 30 minutes following the earthquake, we have to rely on education." The critical aspects of this are: do you feel the earthquake; do you see the ocean draw down; and do you hear that loud roar? If so, you should run for higher ground.
"But after the first few minutes, it's crucial that we have the technology--the measurements to avoid unnecessary evacuation and tell people when it is safe to return." Right now, there are 50 of these Dart buoys all over the globe--four of which are in the Caribbean.
Dr Bernard says that, with 75 to 100 buoys worldwide, this system could provide global tsunami warnings within one hour.
"That's for everywhere we know that tsunamis have happened. If we wanted to go to half an hour detection, we could probably double or multiply by four times that number," he said.
"In some countries, including Haiti, there may not be enough resources to support a specific tsunami warning centre for something that happens so infrequently."
He said that this system was relatively inexpensive to fix and operate.
"To get it down to an hour for everywhere affected would cost $50m initial investment and then 10% of that to maintain it," he said.
"That's not a terribly expensive system considering the potential savings of lives." | [{'question': 'In which section would you probably read the passage in a newspaper?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Education and Society', 'Culture and Leisure', 'Science and Technology', 'Health and Medicine']}, {'question': 'How many buoys would at least be needed for global tsunami warnings within half an hour?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['150', '100', '75', '50']}, {'question': 'Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['The system can warn people of the coming of tsunami directly after the earthquake.', "We can't escape the danger of tsunami within 30 minutes following the earthquake.", 'Each country can easily afford a tsunami warning centre though it seldom happens.', "It's worthwhile to spend money on the warning system for possible savings of lives."]}, {'question': 'Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Tsunami Assessment', 'Earthquake detecting', 'Disaster Warning System', 'Life Saving System']}] |
Borrowing to start a business is not easy. Getting a bank loan, particularly for a new small business, is _
Banks favor established-business people with a solid credit rating and a large bank account. They should also have experience in the business they propose to enter, and offer well-prepared business plans that show the ability to repay the loans. If you are not such a person, then you need to double your preparations to convince the banker to lend you that much needed start-up capital . If your business is new and small, bankers will need to know as much as possible about you and your business.
However, many small business owners often make the mistake of not being well prepared when going to the bank to apply for the loan. Surprisingly, many loan applicants don't even have the slightest idea how or when they intend to repay the money they request. Often they don't even know how much money they need. When asked how much money they want to borrow, many people give these two common responses: "How much money can I get?" and "As much as possible." Is it any wonder that lenders say no?
So the most important thing is do your homework before you ask for a loan. | [{'question': 'Banks prefer to give a loan to those who _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['are in need of start-up capital', 'have the ability to pay it back', 'own an old and large business', "haven't borrowed money before"]}, {'question': 'Some small businesses fail to get a bank loan because _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['the form they fill in is incomplete', 'their products are not technically advanced', 'the amount of money they want to borrow is too big', 'they have no clear idea of how much they need to borrow']}, {'question': 'The writer advises that before applying for a bank loan, the applicant should _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['thoroughly prepare', 'do some market research', 'learn a lot about the bank', 'know the upper limit of the loans']}] |
*1. Malan Flower: China Children's Art Theatre stages a fairy tale musical "Malan Flower" this weekend.
Beautiful Malan flowers were blossoming everywhere on Malan Mountain, and hard-working girl Xiao Lan was married to the god of flowers, Ma Lang. They lived a happy life in harmony with Grandpa Tree. and all the lovely little animals. However, greedy Old Cat made use of the jealousy of elder sister Da Lan to kill Xiao Lan, in an attempt to keep the magic Malan flower under her possession.
This fairy tale entertained three generations of Chinese youth.
Time: 7: 30 p. m., until August 21
Place: The Great Theatre of the Cultural Palace of the Nationalities, west of Xidan Area
Tel: 6602-2530
*2. Joyful jugglers: The China Acrobatic Troupe is staging a nightly variety show at the Tiandi Theatre, where the seemingly impossible becomes a reality, where performers spin plates and juggle umbrellas.
Contortionists show incredible feats of flexibility and acrobats leap through the air. Integrating juggling, unicycling, balancing and jumping through hoops with the finest ancient Chinese dancing, the performance will amuse you.
Time: 7: 15 p. m., daily
Place: 10 Dongzhimen Nandajie, Chaoyang District
Tel: 6502-3984
*3. Tour of love: Taiwan singer David Tao (Tao Zhe), who is on a global tour, will arrive in Beijing next month.
Tao Zhe was born into a musical family. His father is an expert in Western pop music while his mother is from a family famous for playing Peking Opera. This probably explains why Too approaches pop music from a unique angle , which separates him from the average pop singer.
With the song "Forever Love You" as the theme of the concert, Tao will share his love and ideas for life and music with his fans.
Time: 7: 30 p. m. , September 10
Place: Capital Gymnasium, Baishiqiao Lu
Tel: 6835-4055
*4. Army artist: An exhibition featuring artist Li Shaozhou's personal and meticulous style of painting will be held at the National Art Museum of China.
Born in Henan Province, Li showed strong interests in art during his childhood, and was a specialized artist in the army.
The exhibition will present 65 paintings of modern figures, birds and flowers that he has made over the past decade, during which he has formed his own style by absorbing other painting techniques.
Time: 9 a. m. ~ 5 p. m., August 23 ~ 29
Place: 1 Wusi Dajie
Tel: 8403-3500 | [{'question': 'Which advertisement will Michael be most interested in if he likes fairy tales?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Malan Flower.', 'Joyful jugglers.', 'Tour of love.', 'Army artist.']}, {'question': 'What phone number should you dial for further information if you are a pop song fan?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['6602-2530.', '6502-3984.', '6835-4055.', '8403-3500.']}, {'question': 'On which page do the above passages most probably appear in the newspaper?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Opinions.', 'Business.', 'Sports.', 'Listings.']}] |
Many people earn their living with their hands. Ed earns his living with his feet! And a very good living it is, too.
Ed's story began in a very small town in Brazil. His father and mother were very poor. Seven people lived in their tiny house. Ed's father often played football. Little Ed wanted to play football too. So his father made a soft ball for him to kick. It was a sock filled with soft materials. The little boy kicked it every day.
At last Ed learned to kick a real football. By the time he was 11, he played football very well.
One day Ed was playing with some men. A man passing by saw how fast the boy ran. He stopped to watch. How well Ed kicked the ball!
After the game, the man called Ed to him. "My name is Mr. Dee," he said. "I used to play football for a living. Will you let me teach you what I know?"
"Oh, yes!" Ed answered.
In the next four years, Mr. Dee trained Ed to be a fine player. The boy worked hard. At last Mr. Dee talked to Ed's father. "This boy is ready to play with the big teams," he said. "Let me take him to a city that has a good team."
Mr. Dee took Ed to Santos, Brazil. There, the boy joined the Santos Football Club.
In his first big game, Ed helped his team win by seven points. He made four of the seven points!
Many people thought he was the best football player in the world. He was "The King of Football" | [{'question': "What is said about Ed's family when he was a little child?", 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['There were seven people in his family.', 'His father made soft balls for a living.', 'His parents liked playing football.', 'His parents bought him a football.']}, {'question': 'When he first saw Ed playing football, Mr. Dee was attracted by _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['his young age', 'his running speed', 'his love for football', 'his playing with men']}, {'question': 'What can we know about Mr. Dee from the text?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['He joined the Santos Football Club.', 'He and Ed used to live in the same town.', 'He had been the best football player in Brazil.', 'He happened to find a very good football player.']}] |
The International Space Station,one of the most ambitious space projects ever and a key launching board for exploration of the solar system,turns l0 years old Thursday.
On Nov.20,1998,the first part of the space station was launched by the Russians from Kazakhstan.NASA followed up two weeks later with Piece No 2 carried up by a space shuttle.
The space station has grown into a giant outpost 355 km up,home to three people at any given time--soon to be six.
Thanks to the newly arrived shuttle Endeavour,the space station now has five sleep stations,two baths,two kitchens and two mini--gyms.Ahogether,there are nine rooms,three of which are full scale labs.
The United States has financed the main part of the project,estimated to cost some 100 billion dollars.Fifteen other countries have also contributed,including Russia,Japan,Canada,Brazil anti eleven nations belonging to the European Space Agency.
Fhe space station has traveled 2.1 billion km,orbited Earth more than 57,300 times,hosted 167 people from 15 countries,and served up more than l 9,000 meals
"The ISS is the largest ever expenment in international technological cooperation," said John Logsdon. a historian at the National Air and Space Museum in US.
"1 think it's a necessary stepping stone to long--term human activities in new Areas of operations,"Logsdon said.The station is"off the planet and it's the first Step outward--not all end in itself,but a step along the way." | [{'question': 'Piece No 2 of the ISS was put into orbit oil _', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Nov.6,1998', 'Nov.24,1998', 'Dec.8,1998', 'Dec.9,1998']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is true about Endeav our according to the passage?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Endeavour is a newly built shuttle', 'Endeavour is part of the space station', "Endeavour didn't get close to the space station", 'Endeavour carried a lot of equipment for the apace station']}] |
Mark Twain left school when he was twelve. He had little school education. In spite of this, he became the most famous writer of his time. He made millions of dollars by writing. His real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens, but he is better known to all over the world as Mark Twain, his penname.
Mark Twain was born in 1835 and he was not a healthy baby. In fact, he was not expected to live through the first winter. But with his mother's care, he managed to survive. As a boy, he caused much trouble for his parents. He used to play jokes on all his friends and neighbors. He didn't like to go to school, and he often ran away from home. He always went in the direction of the nearby Mississippi. He was nearly drowned nine times.
After his father's death, Mark Twain began to work for a printer, who only provided him with food and clothing. Then, he worked as a printer, a river-boat pilot and later joined the army. But shortly after that he became a miner. During this period, he started to write short stories. Afterwards, he became a full-time writer.
In 1870, Mark Twain got married. In the years that followed he wrote many books including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer in 1876, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 1884, which made him famous, and brought him great fortune.
Unfortunately, Mark Twain got into debts in bad investments and he had to write large numbers of stories to pay these debts. In 1904, his wife died, and then three of his children passed away.
At the age of 70, his hair was completely white. He bought many white suits and neckties. He wore nothing but white from head to foot until his death on April 21, 1910. | [{'question': "In Mark Twain's childhood, _ .", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['he learned a lot at school', 'his mother often worried about his safety', 'he often went swimming with other boys', 'he often played games with other boys']}, {'question': 'In order to make a living, Mark Twain _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['did many kinds of work', 'first worked as a printer', 'wrote stories in the beginning', 'joined the army after he worked in a mine']}, {'question': 'In the later years of his life, Mark Twain _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['wrote many stories and earned a lot of money', 'must have been very sad because he lost his family', 'continued writing until his death', 'lent too much money to others']}] |
Summer school is something a kid will never forget.For some, it's a way to advance past their classmates.For most, summer school is' a requirement in order to graduate with their classmates I can remember being forced into taking a summer school course.It was not the school that forced me into this awkward situation it was my mother.
I was a 16-year-old kid in a new school; My school did not offer summer courses so I had to take my course at an alternative school in the city.It was an experience I will never forget.I was not concerned with making friends.I was there to get credit for a course that I should have received credit for the previous semester.It was.my doing that landed me in the situation and it was important that I understood this.
The fees were lowest but the experience was amazing.I enjoyed I didn't miss the day. The course was from Monday to Friday for an entire month.I passed the course with an A.I was thrown into an awkward situation and actually enjoyed it.My friends didn't even know I took the course.Most of them were still sleeping by the time my course ended each day.
Awkward situations are so important for personal growth.This situation made me feel more independent.I made friends.I finally understood what sacrifice and hard work were all about.While attending college, I remembered how much I enjoyed summer school and I chose to take summer school in my first three years of college.Some kids get pushed too much but some don't get pushed enough.I was never pushed enough.
Enable your children to struggle for success.If your child needs summer school you explain to them why it's important.Some parents are surprised by the situation and may want to be more involved in their children's education.Follow through and follow up. | [{'question': 'Most students go to the summer school in order to _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['find good jobs graduation', 'become top students in their class', 'have a chance to make more friends', 'graduate successfully on time']}, {'question': 'What made the author go to summer school for the first time?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['What he had done.', "His mother's wish.", 'His own requirement.', 'Study competition.']}, {'question': 'Which of the following was NOT the benefit got by the author through attending summer school?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['It helped him get rid of bad habits.', 'It helped him make new friends.', 'It helped him understand what sacrifice and hard work were.', 'It increased his independence.']}, {'question': 'What does the author think of summer school?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['He thinks it is awkward.', 'He thinks it is significant.', "He doesn't think it is suitable.", 'He thinks nothing of it.']}] |
The modern Olympic Games, founded in 1896, began as contests between individuals, rather than among nations, with the hope of promoting world peace through sportsmanship. In the beginning, the games were open only to amateurs. An amateur is a person whose involvement in an activity---from sports to science or the arts---is purely for pleasure. Amateurs, whatever their contributions to a field, expect to receive no form of compensation ; professionals, in contrast, perform their work in order to earn a living.
From the perspective of many athletes, however, the Olympic playing field has been far from level. Restricting the Olympics to amateurs has precluded the participation of many who could not afford to be unpaid. Countries have always desired to send their best athletes, not their wealthiest ones, to the Olympic Games.
A slender and imprecise line separates what we call "financial support" from "earning money." Do athletes "earn money" if they are reimbursed for travel expenses? What if they are paid for time lost at work or if they accept free clothing from a manufacturer or if they teach sports for a living? The runner Eric Liddell was the son of poor missionaries; in 1924 the British Olympic Committee financed his trip to the Olympics, where he won a gold and a bronze medal. College scholarships and support from the United States Olympic Committee made it possible for American track stars Jesse Owens and Wilma Rudolph and speed skater Dan Jansen to train and compete. When the Soviet Union and its allies joined the games in 1952, the definition of amateur became still muddier. Their athletes did not have to balance jobs and training because as citizens in communist regimes, their government financial support was not considered payment for jobs.
In 1971 the International Olympic Committee(IOC) removed the word amateur from the rules, making it easier for athletes to find the support necessary to train and compete. In 1986 the IOC allowed professional athletes into the games.
There are those who regret the disappearance of amateurism from the Olympic Games. For them the games lost something special when they became just another way for athletes to earn money. Others say that the designation of amateurism was always questionable; they argue that all competitors receive so much financial support as to make them paid professionals. Most agree, however, that the debate over what constitutes an "amateur" will continue for a long time. | [{'question': 'One might infer that _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['developing Olympic-level skills in athletes is costly', 'professional athletes are mostly interested in financial rewards', 'amateurs does not expect to earn money at the sport that is played', 'amateurs have a better attitude than professionals do']}, {'question': 'The statement "the Olympic playing field has been far from level" means that _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['the ground the athletes played on was in bad condition', 'the poorer players were given some advantages', 'the rules did not work the same way for everyone', 'amateurs were inferior to the professionals in many ways']}, {'question': 'The financial support given to athletes by the Soviet government can best be compared to _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['a gift received on a special occasion, such as a birthday', 'money received from a winning lottery ticket', 'an allowance paid to a child', 'money from charity organization']}, {'question': 'One can conclude that the Olympic Organizing Committee _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['has held firm to its original vision of the Olympic games', 'has struggled with the definition of amateur over the years', 'regards itself as an organization for professional athletes only', 'did nothing but stop allowing communists to participate']}] |
The owner of an Alabama Chinese restaurant named "Good Friend" shot at a customer who complained about a fly in her eggroll Thursday night. The bullet narrowly missed 20-year-old Birmingham resident Jatari Walker who told the Daily News she is scarred by the entire experience.
"I can't sleep," she said Saturday afternoon. "And since it happened I've had no appetite."
Walker ordered a combination platter and eggroll from the Good Friend Chinese and Seafood Restaurant on Dennison Ave. Thursday evening. After paying her $7 bill she went back to her car and discovered a fly inside. "I thought I need to take this back," she said.
The customer went back and asked for a repayment and said the owner Chun HinChing, 52, was unhappy with her because she announced her discovery in front of other customers. After an argument he repaid the money and Walker -- who is now a former frequent customer of the business -- turned and walked to the exit.
That's when Ching drew a handgun and fired a single shot over her head.
"He just shot the gun at me and I ran," she said, adding she could feel the bullet whiz past her head.
Birmingham Police Department spokesman Lt. Sean Edwards told the News the owner was charged with attempted murder and was transported to Jefferson County Jail on $100,000 bail .
Police believe Ching intended to hit Walker with the bullet and missed, Edwards said. The bullet hit the top of the door frame of the take-out business.
Ching did not tell police why he fired at Walker, Edwards said.
Edwards said he did not recall any previous problems at the business. He said Ching did not say why he had a weapon but added it was not uncommon for stores in that neighborhood.
"No one was injured from the gunshot", Edwards said.
Calls placed to the restaurant Saturday afternoon were not answered. | [{'question': 'What happened on Thursday night in Good Friend Chinese and Seafood Restaurant?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['A fire broke out but luckily no one was injured.', 'The restaurant owner refused to repay the money.', 'The egg rolls caused sickness among some customers.', 'A young woman narrowly escaped being killed by a bullet.']}, {'question': 'Why did Walker go back to the restaurant after buying the food?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Because she left her car key in the restaurant.', 'Because she discovered a fly in the egg roll.', 'Because she forgot to take the combination platter.', 'Because she found the owner charged her too much.']}, {'question': 'The restaurant owner fired on Walker when _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['she was about to leave', 'she was arguing with him', 'she asked for a repayment', 'she announced her discovery']}, {'question': 'We can learn from the passage that _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['this is the first time for Walker to buy food from Good Friend Restaurant', 'the owner was unhappy with the complaint and refused to repay the money', 'it is common for a restaurant owner in that neighborhood to have a weapon', 'if someone had been hit, Ching would have been charged with attempted murder']}] |
Linda and Lucy were best friends. They graduated from high school and went to the same college for further studies.
After some days Linda found that her friend was behaving strangely. She would remain quiet, sleep too much and turn wild, very often. At first, Linda thought it was just because of the problems she had met in her studies. However, Lucy became even stranger over time. Finally, Linda couldn't take it any longer and asked Lucy about her strange behavior. Lucy broke into tears and said that she was going around with a boy, who was taking drugs and forcing her to take them, too.
Linda was shocked by her story. She then advised her friend to leave the boy. She reminded Lucy of her dreams of becoming a successful doctor and encouraged her to set an example for others. She also reminded her of how her parents would feel if they found out what their daughter was up to. Through her efforts, Lucy was finally able to leave the boy and drugs. During this time, her friend always stood by her.
Finally, the two friends graduated and their friendship grew stronger. They both became successful doctors, but never let each other down by getting into bad habits. They lived happily as close friends.
From the story we can know that true friends are those who encourage you to become the best you can ever be. They believe in you and will never leave you. | [{'question': "The following are Lucy's strange behaviors EXCEPT _ .", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['turning wild', 'being quiet', 'sleeping too much', 'being friendly']}, {'question': 'What problem did Lucy meet?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['She lost her best friend', 'She was ill at that time', 'She dated a troublesome boy', 'She fell behind others in study']}, {'question': 'What course did Linda and Lucy mainly study in college?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Medicine', 'Science', 'Law', 'Art']}, {'question': 'The writer tries to tell us _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['how we can give up drugs', 'how we can overcome difficulty', 'how we should help others', 'what a true friend is']}] |
Recently a committee of the National Academy of Sciences inprefix = st1 /Washingtonreleased a report .It confirmed that world temperatures increased about six-tenths of a degree Celsius in the last one hundred years. The report also confirmed evidence that the level of carbon dioxide in increasing.
The best information about climate in the past comes from tests of ice many kilometers deep in Antarctica and Greenland .These tests show that levels of carbon dioxide today are the highest ever measured .These findings have led scientists to believe that carbon dioxide is a major cause of climate warming.
Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere when fuel is burned. Oil ,coal and wood are all fuels that release the gas .When biological waste breaks down ,it also releases carbon dioxide.
However ,plants use carbon dioxide in the process called photosynthesis. This process provides food for almost all life on Earth. Some groups that support burning oil and coal want to increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere . They oppose international efforts to control carbon dioxide.
Some scientists believe that forests and trees are able to capture large amounts of carbon dioxide from the air. Some groups even suggest that an increase in carbon dioxide could cause plants to grow faster.
A recent study inNorth Carolinafound that more carbon dioxide in the air could cause trees to grow faster .But the researchers found the effect appears to last for only three years. Another study showed that much of the carbon dioxide that is taken in by trees in released within three years. The study noted that leaves released carbon dioxide when they fall from trees and break down in the soil. Plants also naturally release carbon dioxide through the process of respiration. | [{'question': 'Which one is NOT mentioned in this passage that can be the source of carbon dioxide?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Oil', 'Trees', 'Wood', 'Soil']}, {'question': 'The committee report of National Academy of sciences in Washingtonreveals that_.', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['ice from Antarctica and Greenland is appropriate to show the change', 'carbon dioxide is released mainly from the fuel', 'level of carbon dioxide increases with global temperatures', 'carbon dioxide is helpful for tree growth']}, {'question': 'According to this passage ,those people disagree with the control of carbon dioxide because .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['they think that carbon is beneficial for plant growth', 'they want to use more fuels that can send out carbon dioxide', 'they think it will destroy the natural balance of gases in the world', 'they think carbon dioxide is not the main reason for global warming']}, {'question': 'Those studies carried out in North Carolinasuggest that_.', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ["more carbon dioxide is beneficial for trees' growth for many decades", "trees' function for absorbing carbon dioxide is limited", 'carbon dioxide is the main cause for global warming', 'leaves falling from trees can send out more oxygen']}] |
American schoolchildren often wear uniforms if they attend religious or other private schools. Most public schools do not require uniforms. But over the last ten years or so, more of them have moved in that direction, including high schools. Students may have to wear a specially purchased uniform. Or they may just have to dress alike~for example, white shirts and dark color1ed pants or skirts.
Even schools that do not require uniforms generally have a dress code or other rules about what they consider acceptable. Policies commonly ban clothing that shows offensive images or words, or simply too much skin. Items like hats may be not permitted because ,for example, different color1s may be connected with violent gangs.
Some parents like the idea of uniforms. They say it means they do not have to spend as much on clothing for their kids. Others, though, argue that uniforms represent an unnecessary cost There are also debates about whether uniforms or other dress policies break civil rights.
Students and parents have taken legal action against school dress requirements. Just last week, a judge blocked a middle school in Napa, California, from enforcing a dress code unless families have a way out of it The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California brought the case for the families of several students who werfe punished Most attention centered on a girl who wore socks with the Tigger character from Winnie the PooK
The school said its clothing policy, including no pictures of any kind, was needed to control a growing problem with gangs. The families argued that the policy went against free speech rights as guaranteed by the United States and California constitutions. The United States Supreme Court says student expression is protected as long as it does not harm the work and discipline of a school. | [{'question': 'Some parents are against uniforms because they think _', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['the government goes against the civil laws', 'they probably waste an extra amount of money', 'the dress code often appears impolite to others', 'the uniforms cost much less than they really do']}] |
Trans-Bridge Tours is looking forward to providing you with another year of exciting One-Day travel destinations in 2016.
Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
August 15 (Sat)
$78 Adult; $66 Child (4-12); $ 75 Senior (62+)
No visit to the New York City area is complete without a trip to the world's most famous landmarks--- the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
Price includes transportation to Liberty State Park and timed ferry tickets.
9/11 Museum& Memorial
September 29 (Tue)
$ 87 Adult; $ 78 Youth (7-17); Senior $80(65+)
The Museum displays artifacts associated with the events of 9/11, while presenting stories of loss and recovery. The Memorial between the twin reflecting pools, is a tribute of remembrance and honor to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks.
The New York Botanical Garden
October 14 (Wed)
$126 Adult
This National Historic Landmark offers visitors 250 acres of the most unique land form of any botanical garden in the world, with huge rock outcroppings, beautiful flower collections, a river, cascading waterfalls, and 40 acres of old-growth forest dating from pre-Revolutionary times plus a world-class Conservatory.
Hagley Museum & Winterthur
November 21(Sat)
$113 Adult
Located on 235 acres along the banks of the Brandywine, Hagley is the site of the gunpowder works founded by E.I. du Pont in 1802. Winterthur was the former home of Henry Francis du Pont, a famous antiques collector and gardener.
Includes: Brandywine tour at Hagley; Lunch at Hagley Museum; Guided tour at Winterthur Garden | [{'question': 'Which of the following charges an adult the lowest fee?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island', '9/11 Museum & Memorial', 'The New York Botanical Garden', 'Hagley Museum & Winterthur']}, {'question': 'Which day will a geological researcher prefer?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['August 15.', 'September 29.', 'October 14.', 'November 21.']}, {'question': 'Which was set up in memory of the victims of the terrorist attacks?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['The Statue of Liberty.', 'The 9/11 Memorial.', 'Hagley Museum.', 'Winterthur Garden.']}] |
Medicine comes in lots of different packages. Painkillers in a tablet can make your headache go away. Antibiotic cream from a tube can prevent your cuts from becoming infected. But can medicine come packaged in chicken eggs?
A team of scientists from Scotland say "yes". They've engineered special chickens that lay eggs with disease-treating drugs inside.
These eggs come from chickens that have been engineered to produce certain drugs inside their egg whites.
These drugs are made of molecules called proteins . Animals make thousands of proteins -- they're the main element in skin, hair, milk and meat. Since animals can make proteins easily, they're good candidates for making protein drugs.
Researchers have already made cows, sheep and goats produce protein drugs in their milk. But chickens are cheaper to take care of, need less room, and grow faster than these other animals. Those qualities could make chickens a better choice to become living drug factories, says Simon Lillico of the Roslin Institute near Edinburgh, Scotland.
Lillico and a team of researchers changed chickens' DNA -- the code that tells cells how to make proteins -- so that the birds' cells made two protein drugs. One drug can treat skin cancer, and the other treats a nerve disease called multiple sclerosis .
The scientists changed the chickens' DNA so that the birds made these drugs only in their egg whites. This protects the chickens' bodies from the drugs' possible harmful effects and makes it easy for scientists to collect the drugs. | [{'question': 'If you cut your finger, you may use _ to cure it.', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['painkillers in a tablet', 'antibiotic cream from a tube', 'chicken eggs', 'protein drugs']}, {'question': 'Which of the following statements is NOT true?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Scientists from Scotland have succeeded in packing medicine into chicken eggs.', 'The drugs are made of molecules called proteins.', 'Scientists chose chickens for their experiments because chicken eggs taste delicious.', 'The animals are good candidates for making protein drugs.']}, {'question': 'The drugs in special chicken eggs can _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['treat lung cancer', 'help reduce headache', "change people's DNA", 'treat multiple sclerosis']}, {'question': 'We can infer from the passage that _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['eating eggs is the best choice for the patients now', "scientists changed the chicken's DNA and put all the drugs in chicken eggs", 'we may eat special eggs as drugs when we are sick in the future', "the drugs produce harmful effects on the chicken's bodies"]}, {'question': 'The best title for the passage is _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Chicken Eggs to Replace Medicine', 'Chicken Eggs as Drug', 'Chicken Eggs and Medicine', 'Chicken Eggs and Animal Milk']}] |
'Well,' began Enfield, 'I was coming home about three o'clock on a black winter morning, when suddenly I saw two people. The first was a short man who was walking along the street, and the second was a little girl who was running as fast as she could. Well, the two bumped into each other and the child fell down. Then a terrible thing happened. The man calmly walked all over the child's body with his heavy boots, and left her screaming on the ground. It was an inhuman thing to do. I ran after the man, caught him and fetched him back. There was already a small crowd around the screaming child. The man was perfectly cool, but he gave me a very evil look, which made me feel sick in my stomach. The child's family then arrived, and also a doctor. The child had been sent to fetch the doctor for a sick neighbor, and was on her way home again.
'"The child is more frightened than hurt," said the doctor -- and that, you would think, was the end of the story. But, you see, I had taken a violent dislike to the short man. So had the child's family -- that was only natural. But the doctor, who seemed a quiet, kind man, was also looking at our prisoner with murder in his eyes.
'The doctor and I understood each other perfectly. Together we shouted at the man, and told him we would tell this story all over London so that his name would be hated.
'He looked back at us with a proud, black look. "Name your price," he said.
'We made him agree to a hundred pounds for the child's family. With another black look, the man led us to that door over there. He took out a key and let himself into the building. _ he came out and handed us ten pounds in gold and a cheque for ninety pounds from Coutts's Bank. The name on the cheque was a well-known one.
'"See here," said the doctor doubtfully, "it isn't usual for a man to walk into an empty house at four in the morning and come out with another man's cheque for nearly a hundred pounds."
'"Don't worry," said the man with an ugly look, "I'll stay with you until the banks open, and change the cheque myself."
'So we all went off, the doctor and the prisoner and myself, and spent the rest of the night at my house. In the morning we went together to the bank. Sure enough, the cheque was good, and the money was passed to the child's family.' | [{'question': 'Which of the following is true according to the passage above?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['The little girl was frightened as well as seriously hurt.', 'The doctor did not trust the short man and disliked him.', "The short man willingly paid the little girl's family a hundred pounds.", 'The doctor was present at the spot to see what was wrong with the little girl.']}, {'question': 'Which of the following makes Enfield, the narrator of the story, puzzled most?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ["The doctor's attitude towards the short man.", 'The validity of the cheque accepted by the bank.', 'The name on the cheque the short man produced.', "The short man's attitude towards what he had done."]}, {'question': 'The cheque was written by _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Mr. Utterson, an upright lawyer', 'Mr. Jekyll, a well-known doctor', "Doctor Lanyon, Mr. Jekyll's friend", 'Mr. Hyde, the short man mentioned in the passage above']}] |
The picture-like island is rich in scenic beauty. Barbados sightseeing is a photographer's dream that comes true with numbers of natural wonders, breathtaking scenic views, attractive gardens and miles of white, sandy beaches. There's so many things to see and to do, as you check out some of the places of interest on the island.
Historical Appeal Experience
Full of historical appeal you'll love the impressive collection of beautiful great houses, landmarks, old churches, and traditional ancient houses some of which may date back to the 16th century. Historic Bridgetown, over 375 years old, capital of Barbados, is located with its color1ful fishing boats and splendid yachts ( ) . Check out the Barbados National and see some of the island's most beautiful homes.
Nature Charm Enjoyment
Nature lovers will find the Botanical Garden, as well as the wonderful landscapes of the tropical plants and flowers, a welcome addition to their trip. Nature paths, rocky caves and local wildlife will make these tours relaxing.
A guided island tour is of excellent value for money as well as informative changes from scenic, fun-filled, historic tours to exciting safari tours. If seeing the island from a different point is what you want to do, then try one of our sea tours, air tours or underwater tours to enjoy what sea plants and animals it can offer.
Rental Drive Adventure
If you rent a car, here are a few things to remember. The roads, thin and rocky, are sometimes leading nowhere and often unmarked. You might think of some possible dangers. But don't get upset if you get lost-everybody does, even locals, Bajans ! If you make a wrong turn, consider it is a part of the adventure of touring Barbados. You might want to pick up any of the several visitors' guides which include maps.
For more detailed information, please contact us by either of the following:
Tel: (246) 427-1952 0r 436-7189
Fax: (246) 436-2234 | [{'question': 'Which of the followings is the sightseeing of Historic Bridgetown?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Traditional houses and rocky caves.', 'Beautiful houses and nature paths.', 'Old churches and splendid yachts.', 'Landmarks and tropical plants.']}, {'question': 'According to the passage Botanical Garden _', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['can make tours dangerous with rocky caves', 'is full of tropical plants and landmarks', 'will cost travelers lots of money', 'may attract lovers of nature']}, {'question': 'If travelers prefer something risky in Barbados, they may _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['have a guided island tour', 'see the Botanical Garden', 'go to Historic Bridgetown', 'try a rental drive adventure']}, {'question': 'What should be the best title for the passage?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['A Car Adventure of Touring Barbados with Fun', 'An Island of Historical Appeal as One Expects', 'Barbados-A Wonderful Place for Sightseeing', 'Return to Nature, Know More of the Bajans']}] |
Christmas Day, the birthday of Jesus Christ, is the most important festival in prefix = st1 /Britainand some other countries. On Christmas Eve, people usually tell their children to put their stockings at the end of their beds before they go to sleep. Children believe Santa Claus, with the other name of Father Christmas, will come during the night and fill their stockings with Christmas presents.
Actually , Father Christmas is children's father. He dresses up in a red coat and waits until children fall asleep. Then he goes into children's bedrooms, and puts small presents in their stockings. When children are no longer young, they know who Father Christmas really is.
Not only children but also their parents enjoy Christmas stockings. They also have stockings. Early on the morning of Christmas Day, children wake their parents up and say"Merry Christmas". Then they help their parents open their stockings. Everybody likes presents. But it is better to give than to receive. | [{'question': 'Christmas Day is _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['the birthday of Jesus Christ', 'the only day for giving presents', 'the only day for receiving presents', 'the day for playing games']}, {'question': 'What do all the British children do on Christmas Eve in the story?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['They talk all the night.', 'They sing and dance.', 'They put their stockings at the end of their beds.', "They won't sleep until Father Christmas comes."]}, {'question': '"Santa Claus"is another way of saying _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Christmas Day', 'Christmas presents', 'Christmas Eve', 'Father Christmas']}, {'question': 'From the story we know that on Christmas Day children feel very happy because they can receive _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['red clothes', 'stockings', 'presents', 'food']}] |
Homemade Ice Cream in a Bag
Difficulty: Very Easy
Average User Rating:(4.3/5)
Milk can become homemade ice cream in five minutes by using a bag! This homemade, creamy treat is a summertime delight for your kids and you alike.
What you'll need:
1 tablespoon of sugar; 1/2 cup of milk; 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla ; 6 tablespoons of rock salt; 1 small-sized plastic food storage bag; 1 gallon-sized plastic food storage bag; ice cubes.
How to make it:
l Fill the large bag half full of ice, and add the rock salt. Seal the bag.
l Put milk, vanilla, and sugar into the small bag, and seal it.
l Place the small bag inside the large one, and seal it again carefully.
l Shake until the mixture turns into ice cream, which takes about five minutes.
l Wipe the top of the small bag, and then open it carefully. Enjoy!
Tips:
1/2 cup of milk will make about one spoon of ice cream, so double the recipe if you want more. But don't increase the amount more than _ --a large amount might be too big for kids to pick up because the ice itself is heavy.
Here is another version of the homemade ice cream recipe from another parent!
These are the homemade ice cream ingredients:
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla butter and nuts; 1 tablespoon of sugar; 1/2 cup of milk.
These are the other supplies:
Plastic sandwich bag; 12 salt pellets; 1 dish of ice; large plastic bag.
Put the ice cream ingredients in the small bag, and then put the bag, salt and ice in the big bag. Hold the bag shut and move it around on the floor for about 5 minutes.
When I made ice cream at home last time, although the salt pellets didn't really dissolve that well, I still got ice cream. It was not smooth ice cream, probably because of the low-fat milk. It was incredible that it could be ready in 5 minutes (not counting preparing the ingredients)
Next, I changed the recipe, using a tablespoon of cocoa, a tablespoon of sugar, and a cup of milk. It was a bit too chocolaty, but good! | [{'question': 'Which of the following things is NOT included in both recipes?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Sugar', 'Ice', 'Plastic bag', 'Nuts']}, {'question': 'Which of the following statements about the second parent is TRUE?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ["He/ She doesn't agree with the first parent.", "He/ She doesn't think five minutes is enough", "He/ She doesn't like cocoa better than nuts.", "He/ She doesn't think the chocolaty tastes bad."]}] |
Picking up objects plays an important role in people's life. El-E is a robot that is designed to get everyday objects for people with disabilities.
About 1.5 meters tall, with a single robotic arm that can pick up objects at different heights, El-E is equipped to discover what its owner wants and then go and fetch it. The user can point a location to the robot using a "point-and-click" way of interaction, which provides a direct way to tell the robot which object to handle or where to go. The robot can adapt the position of its arm in order to grasp the object.
After successful early trials, some scientists expanded El-E's functions and tried to combine voice commands with the laser in order to do more complicated tasks, like opening doors. The robot recognizes words such as "pull" or "push" and performs the action on an object illuminated by the laser. In order to add more functions, project director Prof. Charlie and his colleagues are focusing on programming El-E to locate and fetch common household items such as a hairbrush, a bottle of pills or a cell phone.
The robot is also designed to learn from its mistakes. "If it fails to fetch an object, it will recognize it and try again," Charlie said. Formal studies have shown El-E to be a good worker. In 127 out of 134 trials, the robot successfully picked up the requested object. | [{'question': 'What is the purpose of the text?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['To describe different types of El-E.', 'To predict the development of El-E.', 'To introduce the functions of El-E.', 'To stress the importance of El-E.']}, {'question': 'How do Charlie and his colleagues develop El-E?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['By having it communicate with more people.', 'By making it able to fetch more items.', 'By letting it pick up objects more accurately.', 'By getting it changeable at different occasions.']}, {'question': 'From the text, we can learn that _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['robots are getting more and more popular', 'robots are quicker than human beings', 'more and more people begin to develop robots for the disabled', 'correcting mistakes can help the robot work more successfully']}] |
Davey wanted to play baseball. But fifty years ago, in his small town, he couldn't find enough players for two full teams or an empty lot big enough for a field. And when he played ball in his back yard, he just broke windows and got into trouble. So Davey began playing with a plastic golf ball and a broom handle for a bat.
When his dad, David Mullaney, a former semi-pro baseball pitcher , realized his son was hurting his arm trying to throw curves with the little plastic ball, he decided to find a better solution. Mullaney got a bunch of hollow plastic _ from a local factory, sat down at his kitchen table and began cutting different size holes in the balls with a razor knife. He thought maybe the holes would alter the ball's flight and help his son throw curves and sliders without hurting his arm.
All the balls failed--except the one with the eight oblong holes cut into one of the hemispheres. This ball curved naturally and sharply without a violent snap of the wrist. In fact, Davey was now striking out so many batters; he called his new ball a "wiffle ball". A year later, Mullaney borrowed $20,000 from family and friends and started producing Wiffle Balls in his little suburban town of Shelton, Connecticut.
"I didn't want investors." He said, "I wanted to control my own company." This was the beginning of one of the hottest fads of the fifties and a perennial best seller well known all around the world. Since then millions of boys and girls have enjoyed countless hours of safe, wholesome fun playing with a Wiffle ball and bat. Esquire Magazine has even called the Wiffle Ball "a national treasure". By producing a high quality product at an affordable price, three generations of Mullany's have enjoyed the satisfaction and benefits of running a successful and profitable family business.
Over the years, they've had plenty of offers to buy them out, but they're still working out of a small factory in Shelton, making a new Wiffle Ball every couple of seconds. Creativity and persistence are two of the important sources for wealth. If he gave up his attempts at trying new things, Mullany would not have invented the wiffle ball, nor would he have made such a big fortune. | [{'question': 'From the passage we can know that _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Mullaney made the invention of Wiffle ball with the help of his son', "fifty years ago people didn't like playing baseball very much", "Mullaney's attempts to help Davey better enjoy ball-playing led to the invention of Wiffle ball", "playing balls would hurt one's arm before the Wiffle ball's appearance"]}, {'question': 'All the following are true EXCEPT _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Davey was a good ballplayer after the Wiffle ball came into existence', 'David Mullaney wanted to run the family business on his own', "Mullaney's family made a big fortune through the production of Wiffle balls", "Mullaney's business was nearly bought out but they worked hard to keep it"]}, {'question': "The two important factors for Mullaney's successful family business are _ .", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['time and fortune', 'persistence and creativity', 'quality and fame', 'cooperation and efforts']}, {'question': 'The passage mainly tells us something about _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Davey, a famous baseball player', "a popular ball game in the 1950's", 'the birth of Wiffle ball', 'the success of a family business']}] |
The dirt road made our car jump as we traveled to the Millennium Village in Sauri, Kenya. We passed the market where women sat on the dusty ground selling bananas. Little kids were wrapped in cloth on their mothers' backs, or running around in bare feet and torn clothing. When we reached the village, we walked to the Bar Sauri Primary School to meet the people. Welcoming music and singing had almost everyone dancing. We joined the dancing and clapped along to the joyful, lively music. The year was 2004, the first time I had ever been to Sauri.
The Millennium Village project was created to help reach the Millennium Development Goals, which were set by the United Nations in 2000. The plan is to get people out of poverty, assure them of access to health care and help them stabilize the economy and quality of life in their communities. The goals are supposed to be met by 2015; some other targets are set for 2025. But our first sight of Sauri showed us there was plenty of work to do.
On that day in 2004, we followed the village leaders into Yala Sub-District Hospital. It wasn't in good shape. The rooms were packed with patients who probably wouldn't receive treatment, either because the hospital did not have it or the patients could not afford it. There was no running water or electricity in the hospital. It is hard for me to see people sick with preventable diseases who are near death when they shouldn't have to be. I just get scared and sad.
Malaria is one disease, common in Africa, which is preventable and treatable. Mosquitoes carry malaria, and infect people by biting them. Kids can die from it easily, and adults get very sick. Mosquitoes that carry malaria come at night. A mosquito net, treated with chemicals that last for five years, keeps malarial mosquitoes away from sleeping people. Each net costs $5. There are some cheap medicines to get rid of malaria too. The solutions are simple, yet 20,000 kids die from the disease each day. So sad, and so illogical. Mosquito nets could save millions of lives.
We walked over to see the farmers. Their crops started to die because they could not afford the necessary fertilizer and irrigation. Time and again, a family will plant seeds only to have an outcome of poor crops because of lack of fertilizer and water. Each year, the farmers worry: Will they harvest enough food to feed the whole family? Will their kids go hungry and become sick?
Many kids in Sauri didn't attend school because their parents couldn't afford school fees. Some kids are needed to help with housework, such as fetching water and wood. In 2004, the schools had _ supplies like books paper and pencils, but the students wanted to learn. They all worked hard with the few supplies they had. It was hard for them to concentrate, though, as there's no midday meal.
Great changes have taken place in these years. Today, Yala Sub-District Hospital has medicine, free of charge. Water is connected to the hospital, which also has a generator for electricity. There are no school fees, and the school now serves midday meals for the students. The attendance rate is way up. All this is encouraging supporters of the Millennium Villages project.
There are many solutions to the problems that keep people poor. What it will really take is for the world to work together to change poor areas forever. When my kids are my age, I want this kind of poverty to be a thing of history. It will not be an easy task. But Sauri's progress shows us all that winning the fight against poverty is achievable in our lifetime. | [{'question': 'Because there was no midday meal in school, _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['kids lacked energy to study attentively', 'many kids dropped out of school', 'kids made more efforts to study hard', 'many kids had to go back home for lunch']}, {'question': 'This story is mainly about _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['the education in an African village', 'the schools and hospitals in an African village', 'the poverty and the progress of an African village', "the author's car journey to an African village"]}] |
While many other teen stars built up their celebrity status by working hard on popular TV shows, Justin shot straight to the top by using social media.
A few years ago, Justin uploaded videos of himself on YouTube, showing _ of his favorite songs at home. He just saw it as a bit of fun for friends and family, but when music manager Scooter Braun saw one of the videos, he flew to Justin's hometown of Ontario, Canada to sign him up. Justin was just 13.
Shortly after, Justin was flown to the US. He eventually started working with R&B superstar Usher. Justin's first album My world was released in 2009. But all the time, Justin continued to build his fan base on his YouTube account, where some of his original home videos can still be found, and where he continues to post music. "I wasn't sending mixtapes or anything like that to record labels," he told us when we met him on his promotional tour for his latest film Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. "I was just doing regular stuff at home and I just posted videos online without purpose. I would never be here if it wasn't for the Internet and YouTube."
But it isn't just YouTube that helps Justin's popularity. He also updates his Twitter account (@Justin-Bieber) regularly and has about 8.8 million followers. In fact, he's so popular that Justin was responsible for 3% of the site's activity at one time and so popular that entire racks of servers on Twitter were devoted to him.
In light of his story, many young, aspiring artists are now taking advantage of Twitter and YouTube. Both these sites can help artists build fan bases in the hope that they'll become the next big thing. Justin added, "I think my story brings hope to people and I think that's very important. The only thing holding you back is yourself. Never say never." | [{'question': 'What is the best title for the passage?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['A famous young man', 'YouTube---A popular website', "Justin's way to success", 'Social media is the most important']}, {'question': 'Which one is right according to the passage?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Justin posted videos online in order to succeed.', 'Justin becomes a celebrity partly owing to social media.', 'Justin has the same way to succeed as others.', 'Justin has built many websites.']}] |
A Day of Design
Sunday, June 27,2010
9 a. m. ~ 4 p. m.
Thomas College Student Center
Join us for a free day of fun! A Day of Design will encourage those interested in flowers and design to get in touch with their creative side and get some tips from the experts - Jeff and Scott. Pleas see the schedule below for details about this wonderful opportunity!
9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Registration for the day runs from 9 a.m. in the Student Center. Later guests will take a tour of the Thomas College campus before the day's events.
10:30 a. m. ~ 12:00 p. m.
Jeff and Scott will design more than a dozen arrangements in a variety of sizes and colors and auction will be held and guests will have the opportunity to bid on the flower arrangements.
12:00 p. m. ~ 1:00 p. m.
A delightful boxed lunch will be served. During the lunch hour, Jeff and Scott will create a
for the holiday table and give tips for creating a beautiful centerpiece using things found in the home.
3:00 p. m. ~ 4:00 p. m.
A fitting way to end the day - guests are invited to enjoy a wine and cheese party. Jeff and Scott will be available to answer questions or just talk about flowers!
There is no charge for this event.
REGISTER NOW!
Space is limited to 45 guests. | [{'question': 'What are guests supposed to do from 9:00 a. m. to 10:30 a. m.?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['To design flower arrangements.', 'To enjoy a wine and cheese party.', 'To learn how to create a centerpiece.', 'To take a tour of the Thomas College campus.']}, {'question': 'When will an auction be held?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['9:00 a.m. ~ 10:30 a.m.', '10:30 a.m. ~ 12:00 p.m.', '1:00 p.m. ~ 3:00 p. m.', '3:00 p. m. ~ 4:00 p. m.']}, {'question': 'We can learn from the passage that A Day of Design _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['lasts for eight hours', 'is free of charge', 'is held annually in July', 'is aimed at fashion designers']}] |
Thanksgiving Day was near. The first grade teacher gave her class a fun task----to draw a picture of something for which they were thankful.
Most of the class would celebrate the holiday with turkey and other traditional goodies of season. These, the teacher thought, would be the subjects of her students' art. And they were. But Douglas made a different kind of picture. He drew a hand. Nothing else. Just an empty hand. Douglas was a different kind of boy. Most of the time, as other children played together, Douglas was likely to stand close by her side. Everyone could guess the pain he felt from his eyes.
His picture interested other students. Whose hands could it be? One child guessed it was the hand of a farmer, because farmers raise turkeys. Another suggested a police officer, because the police protect and care for people. Still others guessed it was the hand of God, for Gold feeds us.
The teacher stopped at Douglas desk, bent down, and asked him whose hand it was. The little boy looked away and said, " It's yours, teacher."
She recalled the times she had taken his hand and walked with him here and there. How often had she said, "Take my hand, Douglas, we' ll go outside." or, " Let me show you how to hold your pencil." Douglas was thankful for his teacher's hand. It means much to Douglas. He might not always say thanks, but he'll remember the hand that reaches out. She wiped her tears away and went on with her work. | [{'question': 'What did most students think of when given the task?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Hand', 'Turkey', 'God', 'Farmer']}, {'question': 'Douglas drew an empty hand in order to _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['show thanks to his teacher', 'ask for a turkey', "attract other students' attention", 'make the teacher cry']}, {'question': 'How did the teacher feel when Douglas told her the answer?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Sad', 'Happy', 'Moved', 'Interested.']}] |
Why texting harms your IQ
The regular use of text messages and e-mails can lower the IQ more than twice as much as smoking marijuana . That is the statement of researchers who have found that tapping away on a mobile phone or computer keypad or checking for electronic messages temporarily knocks up to 10 points off the user's IQ. This rate of decline in intelligence compares unfavorably with the four-point drop in IQ associated with smoking marijuana, according to British researchers, who have described the phenomenon of improved stupidity as "infomania". The research conducted by Hewlett Packard, the technology company, has concluded that it is mainly a problem for adult workers, especially men.
It is concluded that too much use of modern technology can damage a person's mind. It can cause a constant distraction of "always on" technology when employees should be concentrating on what they are paid to do. Infomania means that they lose concentration as their minds remain fixed in an almost permanent state of readiness to react to technology instead of focusing on the task in hand. The report also added that, in a long term, the brain will be considerably shaped by what we do to it and by the experience of daily life. At a microcellular level, the complex networks of nerve cells that make up parts of the brain actually change in response to certain experiences.
Too much use of modern technology can be damaging not only to a person's mind, but to their social relationship. 1100 adults were interviewed during the research. More than 62 per cent of them admitted that they were addicted to checking their e-mails and text messages so often that they _ work-related ones even when at home or on holiday. Half said that they always responded immediately to an email and will even interrupt a meeting to do so. It is concluded that infomania is increasing stress and anxiety and affecting one's characteristics. Nine out of ten thought that colleagues who answered e-mails or messages during a face-to-face meeting were extremely rude.
The effects on IQ were studied by Dr Glenn Wilson, a psychologist at University of London. "This is a very real and widespread phenomenon," he said. "We have found that infomania will damage a worker's performance by reducing their mental sharpness and changing their social life. Companies should encourage a more balanced and appropriate way of working." | [{'question': 'We can learn from the passage that "infomania" _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ["has a positive influence on one's IQ", 'results in the change of part of the brain', 'lies in the problem of lack of concentration', 'is caused by too much use of modern technology']}, {'question': 'The research mentioned in the passage is most probably about _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['the important function of advanced technology', "the damage to one's brain done by unhealthy habits", 'the relevance between IQ and use of modern technology', 'the relationship between intelligence and working effectiveness']}] |
A new international study shows that some people's biological clock plays a powerful role for their life expectancy, regardless of lifestyle choices.
Published in the latest issue ofAgingon Wednesday, the study has found the most definitive evidence to explain why some people keep healthy lifestyle but die younger than others.
Geneticist Steve Horvath from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), led a team of 65 scientists around the world to record age-related changes to human DNA, analyse blood samples collected from 13, 000 people and estimate their lifespan.
A higher biological age, regardless of actual age, consistently predicts an earlier death, the study says.
"You get people who are vegan, sleep 10 hours a day, have a low-stress job, and still end up dying young," Horvath said in a statement. "We have shown some people have a faster innate aging rate."
The findings discovered that 5 percent of the population ages at a faster biological rate, which translated to a roughly 50 percent higher than average risk of death at any age.
"The great hope is that we find anti-aging interventions that would slow your innate aging rate," Horvath said, adding that "this is an important milestone to realizing this dream." | [{'question': 'Some people keep healthy lifestyle but die younger than others because _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['their biological clock is not powerful enough', 'the most definitive evidence has been found', 'they have a higher actual age than others', 'they ages at a relatively faster biological rate']}, {'question': 'How was the study conducted?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['By collecting and analyzing data.', 'By interviewing lots of people.', 'By researching previous studies.', 'By studying different lifestyles.']}, {'question': 'According to the study, it can be inferred that _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['people who keep healthy lifestyle tend to live longer', "people's lifespan can be predicted by their age", '5 percent of people are believed to have a faster innate aging rate', 'anti-aging interventions have proved to slow the innate aging rate']}, {'question': 'Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['We all should keep healthy lifestyle', 'Geneticist finds anti-aging interventions', 'Biological clock predicts life expectancy', 'Horvath builds an important milestone']}] |
Once upon a time two brothers who lived on neighbouring farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious one in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed .
Then the long cooperoration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox. "I'm looking for a few days' work" he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with. Could I help you?"
"Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor, in fact, it's my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll go him one better. I want you to build me a fence -- an 8-foot fence -- so I won't need to see his place or his face any more. Cool him down , anyhow."
The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. I'll be able to do a job that pleases you."
The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing, and hammering.
About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped.
There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge -- a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work -- and his younger brother, was coming across, his hand spread out ..
"You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done."
The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other's hand. They turned to see the carpenter lift his toolbox on his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother.
"I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but, I have many more bridges to build." | [{'question': 'What was the life for the two brothers before the conflict ?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['They live a poor , miserable life .', 'They were friendly neighbours ,helping each other .', 'They never speak to each other .', 'They live together as one family.']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage ?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['The younger brother used his bulldozer to dig a creek .', 'After the conflict John was angry with his younger brother.', 'At first the carpenter planned to build an 8-foot fence as John asked him to.', 'The two brothers made peace at last .']}, {'question': 'The best title for this passage is _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['A Fine Piece of Work', 'A Clever Carpenter', 'A Conflict between Two Brothers', 'Two Brothers']}] |
Supermarket Morrisons today announced to launch an online shopping operation within two years in a move to catch up with its web-savvy rivals. The UK's fourth biggest supermarket said Morrisons.com would offer grocery and non-food products but would take time to build from zero.
As part of its online development, Morrisons - the only one of the "Big Four" grocers to have a significant internet business - revealed it had invested PS32 million in a 10% stake of a New York-based online grocer. The announcement came as Morrisons posted a 13% increase in underlying pre-tax profits of PS869 million in the year to January 30.
Morrisons is implementing a growth strategy which is focused on expanding its e-commerce business and moving into the convenience store market. It has earmarked PS3 billion in investment over the next three years. The supermarket floated the idea of launching its own website last year and today is the first firm commitment to realising that goal.
Last month, the company took its first major step to launching an online operation with the acquisition of internet retailer Kiddicare for PS70 million. The company said this move, along with the 10% "strategic" stake in American online grocer FreshDirect announced today, would help it launch its own website in the future. FreshDirect was launched in 2002 and serves 600,000 customers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The deal will see Morrisons chief executive Dalton Philips join the company's board.
Morrisons also revealed it would open three convenience stores, around 3,000 sq ft in size, in July under the name M Local. The shops will be located in Morrisons' heartland in the north of England, in neighbourhoods around the M62 motorway. The company said the convenience business was the second-fastest growing part of the market. Rival models include Tesco Metro and Sainsburys Local. | [{'question': 'FreshDirect severs 600,000 customers in _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Connecticut', 'New Jersey', 'New York', 'certain states']}, {'question': 'Which would help Morrisons launch its own wesbsite in the future?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Taking measures to beat its rivals as quickly as it could', 'Offering enough grocery and non-food products from zero', 'Building more convenience stores and market in the United States', 'Launching an online operation with the acquisition of interest retailer']}, {'question': 'Which of the following would be the best title of the passage?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Morrisons Has Many Business Rvials', 'Morrisons Will Launch an Online Operation', 'Morrisons Switches to Run Online Shopping', 'Morrisons Wants to Establish Branches']}] |
Drownings, bicycle injuries, falls, and pedestrian accidents are the most common causes of childhood injury or death. Here's what you need to know to avoid tragedy:
* Drowning: Each year, thousands of children die from drowning, with two-thirds of accidents occurring in the summer. To protect kids, parents should install multiple layers of protective devices, with each layer offering another opportunity to avoid a tragedy. Fences, door alarms, pool covers are all somewhat effective individually, but their effectiveness is increased dramatically when used in combination with one another.
* Falls: Falls from heights kill 140 children under the age of 15 each year in the United States, and seriously injure three million more, making falls the leading cause of non-deadly injury for this age group. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), falls are especially a problem for children living in multi-story housing during the summer months, when windows are open and children are more likely to be playing on fire escapes, roofs and balconies. To keep kids safe, AAP recommends window guards be installed on second story and higher windows. When choosing guards, install those that are operable in the event of emergencies like a house fire. Using childproof gates can prevent falls down stairways. Nevertheless, no gate can replace parental supervision
* Bikes: Bike accidents kill over 1,500 children aged 14 and under each year. Of these deaths, more than half occurred during the summer. According to the AAP, head injuries from cycling are the most common cause of disability. A recent study in Seattle, Washington showed that helmets reduced the risk of head injury by 85 percent and brain injury by 88 percent. When purchasing a bike helmet, parents are urged to make sure it meets the bicycle helmet safety standards of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
* Pedestrian: Over 6,000 kids aged 14 and under die every year as a result of an unintentional pedestrian-related injury. As a general rule, kids under 10 should not be crossing the street alone. Young children lack the ability to judge the speed and the distance of oncoming traffic. Parents need be models and teach proper pedestrian behavior. Cross at the corner and when you do cross, continue to look both ways because there are likely to be more cars turning into your path or people speeding. Obey all the traffic signals. | [{'question': 'What is the point of the article?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['To introduce factors that cause risks for children.', 'To give tips on what to do to prevent accidents about children.', 'To explain why summer is a risky time for kids.', 'To describe what to do to prevent accidents at home.']}, {'question': 'To protect kids against falls, families living in multi-story housing should _ according to the AAP.', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['install window guards on second story and higher windows', 'never leave windows open when children are left alone at home', 'tell kids not to play on balconies, roofs and fire escapes', 'teach kids to use childproof gates in the event of emergencies']}, {'question': 'When riding a bicycle, you should _ according to the AAP.', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['avoid riding at night', 'not take anyone in the back seat', 'wear a proper helmet', 'not ride on the streets under the age of 14']}, {'question': 'What can be concluded from the article?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Bicycles cause the most non-delay injuries for children in the US each year', 'Pedestrian accidents happen much more frequently than drownings in the US each year', 'A combination of fences, door alarms and pool covers can greatly reduce the risks of drowning.', 'Children should never be allowed to cross the street on their own.']}, {'question': 'The passage is most probably taken from the column of _ in a newspaper.', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['social science', 'technology', 'entertainment', 'public safety']}] |
Experts say that students usually need eight to ten hours' sleep at night, but most Chinese students do not get enough sleep. Some Chinese parents are usually glad to see their children study late. They will think their children work very hard. But not all parents are happy about this. Once a mother told us that every morning her 10-year-old boy put up one finger with his eyes still closed, begging for one more minute to sleep. Like thousands of students "early birds" in China, he has to get up before six every morning.
A report shows that without a good night's sleep, students seem to be weaker than they should be. Many students have fallen asleep during class at one time or another. Too much homework is not the only reason why students stay up late. Some watch TV or play the computer games late into the night.
Experts have said that students should develop good study habits. So some clever students never study late, they are able to work well in class. | [{'question': 'Experts have told us students should _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['get enough sleep', 'not get enough sleep', 'study late', 'sleep less']}, {'question': 'Many students have fallen asleep in class because _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['they have too much homework to do at night', 'they watch TV late', 'they play the computer games late into the night', 'all of the above']}, {'question': 'According to the experts, students should _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['develop good study habits', 'work hard', 'go to school before six', 'come home late']}] |
France is one of the largest countries in Europe. It is bordered by six countries -- Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany to the north-east, Switzerland and Italy across the Alps to the south-east and Spain across the Pyrenees to the south-west. The UK is across the English Channel. France has several large international airports, two of which are in the capital, Paris. Visitors from the UK also can take the Channel Tunnel rail link down to France. In France, the highway network and French rail service are known to be extremely efficient with the high-speed, and they become the envy of other nations.
France is the world's most popular tourist destination . The country has an extremely beautiful scene and an equally comfortable climate to match. This makes it suitable for a huge range of exciting sporting and other outdoor activities. For example, France has a huge range of golf courses. However, France also centers on a large scale for those who prefer a _ life. Numerous museums and art galleries in France bring you much peacefulness while they make you learn about the country's rich cultural, educational and political heritage.
The French people -- and particularly the older generations -- tend to be extremely polite and formal, a national character that is often dismissed(......) as arrogance by other nations. The French are also famous for taking great pride in their personal appearance and in particular, their clothes.
The French love their food. Meals are long whenever possible. Sociable family meals usually cost several hours in the middle of the day. French meals usually have three or four courses including cheese before the dessert and are accompanied by wine and freshly baked breads. However, French food varies greatly from area to area. | [{'question': 'What do people in other countries think of Frenchmen according to the passage?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Rich.', 'Proud.', 'Polite.', 'Rude.']}] |
After months of fear, hate and prosecution , the music and consumer-electronics industry decided to try to make beautiful music together. Last week the Secure Digital Music Initiative, a combination of 100 music, electronics and high-tech companies announced that it agreed on a music format known as MP3 which caused disagreement. Nowadays, more and more young people are fond of music that is played on their portable MP3 players. So this announcement attracted a lot of attention in both the producer and consumer sides.
MP3 allows the digital music in CDs to be made smaller to a tenth its size and still sounds great. MP3 songs are small enough to be traded online; they are made by the millions to the _ of record companies, which fear that everything ever released on disc will end up online for free. Traditional records and their sale may be greatly damaged by this new format of music, and for the music's sake, it is better conveyed in this new medium.
That's why the recording industry appealed to the court against little Diamond Multimedia when it started selling a portable MP3 player two years ago. Not only did Diamond win in court, but it also sold 100,000 Rios along the way. With half a dozen other companies racing to produce their own versions of the Rio for Christmas, what could the music industry do? They have no choice in their future, their success just depends on how they can deal with the new trend and cooperate with the electronics companies.
It couldn't ignore MP3, which has become the format of choice among new bands trying to advertise their pre-released songs. So the industry agreed on it on one condition: within 18 months, when a standard is adopted that allows piracy-protected music (free from being illegally copied) to be sold online, the electronics companies agree to make their players in line with it. This clears the way for the new magic MP3 players, which is both convenient and capable of carrying on much more music than traditional walkmans. What's next? Digitally pirated movies. Get ready,prefix = st1 /Hollywood. | [{'question': 'The most appropriate title for the passage may be_.', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['"MP3 Clears Its Way"', '"Music And Electronics"', '"Piracy Along The Way"', '"Movie Is The Next"']}, {'question': 'According to the passage, what is NOT an advantage of the MP3 format?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['The size of music can be shortened to one tenth of its original size.', 'The fans can enjoy the music before the formal release of the music.', 'The new musicians can enter the industry more easily.', 'The struggle against piracy will be proved difficult.']}] |
Just getting accepted to an American college or university does not guarantee that you will get a visa. And getting a visa just lets you arrive in the United States. It does not guarantee that an immigration officer will permit you to enter the country.
If you are requesting a visa for the first time, you will probably have to go to an American embassy or consulate . You will need to bring a government form sent to you by your American school that shows you have been accepted.
You will also need banking and tax records that show you have enough money to pay for your education. And be prepared to provide evidence that you will return to your home country after your studies end.
All of this is important in satisfying the requirements to get a visa. A consular official will also take your picture and your fingerprints.
Foreign students must contact their local embassy or consulate to request an interview and to get other information. This includes directions about how and where to pay the visa application charge. The cost is two hundred dollars.
You should apply for the visa as soon as you have been accepted to a school in the United States. The government needs time to perform a background investigation.
You cannot receive a visa more than one hundred twenty days before the start of your program. And if you are coming as a student for the first time, you cannot enter the country more than thirty days before classes begin.
Once you come to the United States, you can stay for the length of your period of study. Your school is required to provide the Department of Homeland Security with reports on your status as a student. | [{'question': 'When should you apply for a visa?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['The moment you have been accepted to a school in the US.', 'One hundred twenty days before you go to the US.', 'Thirty days before classes begin.', 'After the immigration officer permit you to enter the US.']}, {'question': 'How much will you be charged for the visa application?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Free of charge.', 'Two hundred dollars.', 'One hundred twenty dollars.', 'Thirty dollars.']}] |
To me, the ocean is our greatest wilderness. I love swimming in it , surfing its waves, watching it from shore and thinking about all the life living unseen under the surface.
When I take my little kids to check out tide pools, we're overjoyed when we find a sea star or some shellfish. Lately, though, I've noticed a change in my favorite pools: there are more sea grasses and fewer animals with shells.
I can't help feeling these small changes _ something more troubling about our oceans. It matches what scientists are telling us: our oceans are being troubled by carbon dioxide that threatens corals, colorful fish, salmon, sea otters, even whales. Our oceans are facing a major change.
Every hour, a million tons of carbon dioxide from cars, factories and power plants rain down on the world's oceans. Carbon pollution brings about a chemical reaction that turns sea water more acidic and takes away things important for sea animals .
Some of us are already feeling the effects of this growing crisis . Shellfish farmers in the Pacific Northwest have reported a decrease in natural and farmed oysters . Just this week, a new studyproved the link between the huge reduction in the numbers of oysters and ocean acidification. As polar waters become more acidic, Alaskan fishermen are troubled by the future of smaller fish.
Without action, ocean acidification will have a disastrous influence on the food chain, affecting not only sea life but the people who depend on it for food and their living. Already, our oceans have become 30 percent more acidic since preindustrial times, and it gets worse every day. We can stop this frightening dream, but only if we act now.
That's why the Center for Biological Diversity has started a petition requesting President Obama and the Environmental Protection Agency to develop a plan to deal with ocean acidification. Decisive action can save sea life as we know it.
Now it isn't too late to save our oceans and sea life. With immediate action to reduce carbon dioxide release we can start taking important steps today to deal with this disastrous situation. Join me in our petition calling for a national plan to save our oceans. | [{'question': "The author's recent visits to the tide pool brought her _ .", 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['happiness', 'anger', 'concern', 'comfort']}, {'question': 'What the author worries about most is _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['the harm of sea grasses', 'carbon pollution in the sea', 'that the petition may be turned down', 'how fishermen can make a living in the future']}, {'question': 'What is the main purpose of the text ?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['To inform.', 'To educate.', 'To persuade .', 'To instruct.']}] |
From Nigerian science fiction to a time-travelling serial killer, Brittle Paper selects the best works of fiction from the continent to inspire our inner desire to travel.
My Life in the Bush of Ghosts - Amos Tutuola
Who wouldn't want to get enveloped in a fog of magical delight?
The novel describes the adventures of a little boy lost in a forest. His search for the way back home seem to take him deeper and deeper into secret colonies of creatures living in reality.
Nigerians in Space - Deji Olukotun
Wale is a Nigerian lunar geologist. He is under the spell of a life-long dream to traveling out to the moon when the mysterious Mr Bello offers him the chance to man a Nigerian space-exploration mission. But like most dreams, what starts out as the magical fulfillment of desire quickly slips into the kingdom of nightmare . In novels like this, travelling through space easily becomes a journey into the self.
Our Sister Killjoy - Ama Ata Aidoo
Ama Ata Aidoo's novel is a tourist adventure set in Germany and London. It charts the journey of Sissie, a bright and self-assured African student who wins a European travel scholarship. Like any good explorer, she is very aware of her surroundings - an awareness that she conveys in a mixture of poetic and prose expressions.
The Moor's Account - Laila Lalami
In the 16th century, a group of five ships set sail from Spain for the New World. Estabanico, a survivor of the expedition, is our latest guide through the unknown lands and peoples. He lives to tell the story of their following travels heading out to Florida and how their dream of becoming wealthy conquerors becomes a journey in search of self-discovery and redemption . | [{'question': 'The passage is to attract readers to _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Read more books', 'Write different novels', 'Explore the nature', 'Travel around the world']}, {'question': 'Which of the following authors writes a story about traveling by sea?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Laila Lalami', 'Amos Tutuola', 'Deji Olukotun', 'Ama Ata Aidoo']}, {'question': 'We can infer from the novels that _', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Amos Tutuola tells a story of ghosts', 'Sissie wins a world travel scholarship', 'Deji Olukotum made his dream of traveling to the moon come true.', "The Moor's Account indeed talks about a journey of heart"]}] |
There is an English saying that goes, "he who laughs last, laughs the hardest." High School Musical star and teen heartthrob Zac Efron is laughing a lot these days.
As a young boy, Efron was picked on in school because he was always the smallest in his class and teased because he had a big space between his teeth. In the sixth grade, Efron's basketball team made it to the league championships. In double overtime , with three seconds left, he rebounded the ball and passed it to the wrong team! They scored and his team lost the game.
But history, as they say, is a thing of the past. Now at 21, Efron is one of People magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People, graces the cover of Entertainment Weekly, Hollywood's most influential magazine, and is traveling the world promoting the third High School Musical film. Director Adam Shankman described Efron as "arguably the biggest teen star in America right now." Simply google "Zac Efron" and you get more than 14 million responses. Yes, it seems Efron has a lot to smile about these days.
Efron was born and raised in California. He took school seriously. According to Efron, "he would flip out if he got a B and not an A in school, and that he was a class clown." It was his father who encouraged him to act. He took part in school performances and with a local theater group. He also took singing lessons. He graduated from high school in 2006 and was admitted to the University of Southern California to study film. But he deferred --why study movies when you can star in them.
Now he has signed on to star in the romantic comedy Seventeen Again and to play in the remake of the hugely popular movie, Footloose. Efron is also earning more than $3 million for his role in High School Musical 3. Not bad for a 21-year-old. But Efron still remembers those bullies.
"You always have to remember that bullies want to bring you down because you have something that they admire," Efron said. "Also, when you get made fun of, when people point out your weaknesses, it's an opportunity for you to rise above."
Efron has risen all the way to the top of the movie business. And he can now laugh all the way to the bank. | [{'question': 'Which of the following might be the best title to the passage?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ["Don't give up", 'He who laughs last laughs the hardest', "Zac Efron's life story", "Zac Effort's success in musical film"]}, {'question': 'What did Zac Efron do when he was laughed at?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ["He couldn't accept the fact in the beginning, so he escaped.", 'He was so angry that he shouted at the person who teased him.', 'He cried and told the whole matter to his father to get comfort.', 'He cheered himself up and used it as motivation to move on.']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is True according to the passage?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Zac Efron was laughed at because he was the most foolish guy in the class', 'Zac Efron is promoting his fourth High School Musical film in the world.', 'He once helped the other team win a match when he was playing basketball.', 'In his growing process to be a famous actor, his mother played a key part.']}] |
People appear to be born to calculate. The numerical skills of children develop so early that it is easy to imagine an internal clock of mathematical maturity guiding their growth. Not long after learning to walk and talk, they can set the table with impressive accuracy--one plate, one knife, one spoon, one fork for each of the five chairs. Soon they are capable of noting that they have placed five knives, spoons and forks on the table, and a bit later, that this amounts to fifteen pieces of silverware. Having thus mastered addition, some people expect that if a child were on a desert island at birth and brought back seven years later, he or she could enter a second-grade mathematics class without any serious problems of intellectual adjustment.
Of course, the truth is not so simple. This century, the work of psychologists has cast light on the unnoticeable forms of daily learning on which intellectual progress depends. Children were observed as they slowly grasped--or, as the case might be, came across--concepts that adults take for granted, as they refused, for instance, to admit that quantity is unchanged as water pours from a short thick glass into a tall thin one. Psychologists have since proved that young children, asked to count the pencils in a pile, readily report the number of blue or red pencils, but must be persuaded into finding the total. Such studies have suggested that the most basic parts of mathematics are mastered gradually, and with effort. They have also suggested that the very concept of abstract numbers--the idea of a oneness, a twoness, a threeness that applies to any class of object and is a prerequisite for doing anything more mathematically demanding than setting a table--is itself far from natural born. | [{'question': 'What does the passage mainly discuss?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['The development of mathematical ability in children.', 'Tendency in teaching children mathematics.', 'The use of calculating in child psychology.', 'The basic concepts of mathematics that children must learn.']}, {'question': 'From the passage we can know that children _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['have an internal clock of mathematical maturity guiding their growth.', 'begin to master simple counting soon after they learn to walk and talk.', 'are born with numerical skills.', 'can not understand abstract numbers.']}, {'question': 'In this passage the author\'s attitude towards "children numerical skills" is _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['critical', 'approving', 'questioning', 'objective']}, {'question': 'Which of the following statements would the author most likely be against?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Children learn mathematics naturally and easily.', 'Children learn to add before they learn to subtract.', 'Most people follow the same pattern of mathematical development.', 'Mathematical development is unnoticeable and gradual.']}] |
The students in America usually begin high school at the age of 13 or 14. Some leave at the age of 16. But most finish the 4-year high school study. They do not get their first full-time work or begin college studies until they are 17 or 18 years old.
The high school day is about 7 hours long. Part of the day is made into classes of about 50 minutes long. The students have lunch in the middle of the day. American students study English, history, math, science, art and languages. Some also learn job skills. They can learn how to use a computer or how to mend a car. Other students may learn by working in an office, a hospital or other places one day a week.
Jean Wilton Anderson is 16 years old. She lives with her parents and two younger brothers in Bethesda, Maryland, near Washington D.C. Jean studies at Walt Whitman High School. There are about 1,500 students at the school. Most of them will go up to colleges.
Jean wakes up early every morning. She begins school at about 7:30. This is her third year of high school. Every day she takes classes to learn English, world history, physics and trigonometry . She also has a class about different religions .And she plays the violin in music class. School ends at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Yet, Jean stays 2 or more hours longer every day for sports. Jean arrives home at about 5 o'clock in the afternoon. She eats dinner. Then she starts her homework. Students in America have their way of talking. They use the word "like" all the time. Jean and her girlfriends wear blue jeans and shirts or sweaters every day. The boys at her school also wear blue jeans. But they like to wear blue jeans that are several sizes too large for them.
Like students of her age in most parts of the country, Jean begins to drive a car. She does not have her car. She must use the family's car. Most of the students in high school have their own cars. Many of them drive their cars to school every day. | [{'question': 'Which of the following is not true to the high school?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['The school day usually lasts for 7 hours.', 'The students only have 6 subjects to learn.', 'Each class will last for 50 minutes.', 'The students can learn some skills out of the school.']}, {'question': 'Jean Wilton Anderson _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['has a four-people family', 'lives in the city of Washington', 'has studied in the high school for 3 years', 'drives her own car at the age of 16']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is not true?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Students in high schools use the word "like" very often', 'The boy students wear blue jeans as the girls.', 'Many high school students go to school in their own cars.', 'Boy students wear jeans of larger size because they grow fast']}] |
According to a famous optical expert, Alexander, who recently visited Shanghai, the developed countries in Europe and America have made rules that children must wear resinous glasses instead of the traditional glasses made of glass. This is because the glass glasses are more likely to do harm to children's eyesight.
Alexander pointed out: wearing the right glasses as soon as possible is still the best way to cure and put right children's eyesight problems.
In America and Japan the resinous glasses have taken up 80 percent of the glasses market. And some European countries and America have made it a law that children, teenagers and drivers must wear resinous glasses. Now, about 10 million children in China have different eyesight problems and they need timely treatment.
But still, too many parents are buying the traditional glass glasses for their children. This is mainly because many parents know little or nothing about the good points of the resinous glasses. Besides, the price for the new glasses is a little higher than the traditional ones. | [{'question': 'This news article mainly wants to tell us _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Alexander visited China and introduced a new type of glasses', 'we should wear resinous glasses instead of glass glasses', 'resinous glasses are popular in Europe and America', 'glasses can be made of other materials instead of glass']}, {'question': 'According to Alexander, the "timely treatment" to eyesight problems is _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['to stop wearing glass glasses any more', 'to buy a pair of glasses and wear them right away', 'to wear suitable resinous glasses at the right time', 'to buy glasses made in Europe, Japan or America if possible']}, {'question': 'It can be inferred from this news text that _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['resinous glasses are not on sale in China yet', 'resinous glasses are not acceptable in China', 'glass glasses have disappeared on western market because there is a law against them', 'glass glasses are the first choice in China not only because of their price']}] |
I have a painfully vivid memory of my first homecoming from college, in December 1983. After three whole months away, I was back home with my brand new opinions, attitudes and tastes. How could they watch such terrible television programs? I, the English Literature major with Shakespeare and Milton and James Joyce, could hardly bear to sleep under the roof of a house whose few bookshelves held thrillers and bound editions of the Reader's Digest. I'm sure my family was glad to see the back of me when, at the end of the holiday, I packed up my books and headed back up to university in the north of England.
But the next year must have been even more painful to my parents: I didn't show up at all. Now, I don't think there's anything wrong with young people spending a little time away from their families and with their friends. It's part of growing up, something you need to do if you are to become properly independent. However, if you're not going to be home for the festival, you should at least have the decency to telephone and say you're not coming.
In English we have an expression, "wet behind the ears." A person who is wet behind the ears is so immature, that they don't know how to dry the back of their head after a bath. Just before the following year's holiday I fell ill, quite seriously so. I'm sure my own behavior contributed to my getting sick: staying out too late, not eating properly--perhaps you know someone like the person I was then. I lay in bed with a fever, feeling very sorry for myself.
I'm sure you can guess who came to my rescue. My long-suffering parents got in their car and sped up the motorway to rescue their son from the consequences of his own irresponsibility.
I hope I'm a better son now; if not, it's getting a little late in the day if I want to change. I've worked in China for nearly 10 years and so I don't get to see them as often as I like, but my parents are online all the time so we talk many times each week. And this Spring Festival I will be flying back to England for a visit.
I'm really looking forward to it. | [{'question': 'If you are a person who is wet behind the ears, you are _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['old and experienced', 'young and inexperienced', 'young and experienced', 'mature and experienced']}, {'question': 'What would be the best title for the text?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Pleasant memories about Christmas', 'Horrible things happened in the past', 'Interesting memories about Christmas', 'Share with you some of my Ghosts of Christmas Past']}] |
It was 1961 and I was in the fifth grade. My marks in school were miserable and, the thing was, I didn't know enough to really care. My older bother and I lived with Mom in an ugly multi-family house in Detroit. We watched TV every night. The background noise of our lives was gunfire and horses' hoofs from "Wagon Train" or "Cheyenne", and laughter from"I Love Lucy", or"Mister Ed".After supper, we'd lie on Mom's bed and stare for hours at the TV screen.
But one day Mom changed our world forever. She turned off the TV. Our mother had only been able to get through third grade. But, she was much brighter and smarter than we boys know at the time. She had noticed something in the suburban houses where she cleaned books. So she came home one day, switched off the TV, sat us down and explained that her sons were going to make something of themselves. "You boys are going to read two books every week," she said. "And you're going to write a report on what you read."
We moaned(,) and complained about how unfair it was. Besides, we didn't have any books in the house other than Mom's Bible. But she explained that we would go where the books were: "I'll drive you to the library."
So pretty soon there were these two peevish boys sitting in her white 1959 Oldsmobile on their way to Detroit Public Library. I wandered reluctantly among the children's books. I loved animals, so when I saw some books that seemed to be about animals, I started leafing through them.
The first book I read clear through wasChip the Dam Builder. It was about beavers . For the first time in my life I was lost in another world. No television program had ever taken me so far away from my surroundings as did this virtue visit to a cold stream in a forest and these animals building a home.
It didn't dawn on me at the time, but the experience was quite different from watching TV. There were images forming in my mind instead of before my eyes. And I could return to them again and again with the flip of a page.
Soon I began to look forward to visiting this quiet sanctuary form my other world. I moved from animals to plants, and then to rocks. Between the covers of all those books were whole worlds, and I was free to go anywhere in them. Along the way a funny thing happened: I started to know things. Teachers started to notice it too. I got to the point where I couldn't wait to get home to my books.
Now my older brother is an engineer and I am chief of pediatric neurosurgery at John Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore. Sometimes I still can't believe my life's journey, from a failing and indifferent student in a Detroit public school to this position, which takes me all over the world to teach and perform critical surgery.
But I know when the journey began the day Mom switched off the TV set and put us in her Oldsmobile for that drive to the library. | [{'question': 'We can learn from the beginning of the passage that _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['the author and his brother had done well in school', 'the author had been very concerned about his school work', 'the author had spent much time watching TV after school', 'the author had realized how important schooling was']}, {'question': "Which of the following is not true about the author's family?", 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['He came from a middle-class family.', 'He came from a single-parent family.', 'His mother worked as a cleaner.', 'His mother had received little education.']}, {'question': 'How did the two boys feel about going to the library at first?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['They were afraid', 'They were reluctant.', 'They were impatient.', 'They were eager to go.']}, {'question': 'The author began to love books for the following reasons EXCEPT that _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['he began to see something in his mind', 'he could visualize what he read in his mind', 'he could go back to read the books again', 'he realized that books offered him new experience']}] |
Where can you find a nice place to relax on holiday for both you and your children? Well, I suggest you try the beautiful and green Isle of Wight (IOW). The Isle of Wight is one of the main tourist attractions. Here is some information on a few of the attractions on the IOW.
Dinosaur Isle
It is located in Sandown, a seaside town on the southeast coast. It's a large, lovely museum, both fun and educational. Here you can see a large fossil collection of all kinds of dinosaurs, as well as a gift shop. You can walk into the past and then the future, learning about the history and the development of the civilization of dinosaurs that lived 120 million years ago.
Robin Hill Country Park
The park is in the beautiful countryside, and is suitable for children's parties and games. It has five new gardens, and offers great opportunities to see and take pictures of the rare red squirrels.
The West of the Wight
Here we have the Marine Aquarium, the Archaeology Exhibition and the Model Railway. They offer another opportunity to combine fun with learning. This is a great place to see ancient boats crossing the narrow strait between the island and the mainland.
The Wight Bus Museum
This museum is run completely by unpaid volunteers. It has a bus collection stored in what was once a warehouse . Most of the buses in the museum date back to around the 1910's.
With all of these choices, what are you waiting for? IOW Tourism welcomes you! | [{'question': 'Where can you learn something as well as have a good time?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Dinosaur Isle and Robin Hill Country Park.', 'Dinosaur Isle and the West of the Wight.', 'The Wight Bus Museum and Robin Hill Country Park.', 'The Wight Bus Museum and the West of the Wight.']}, {'question': 'It can be learned from the passage that _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['those running the Wight Bus Museum work for free', 'on Dinosaur Isle we can learn about all kinds of animals', 'there are five new gardens on Dinosaur Isle', 'the Wight Bus Museum can be visited free of charge']}, {'question': 'The purpose of this passage is to _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['show the development of tourism on the IOW', 'tell readers what is worth visiting', 'attract readers to come to the IOW', 'advise readers how to relax on holidays']}, {'question': 'You can read this article in a _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['travel magazine', 'science journal', 'book review', 'film advertisement']}] |
From their beginnings New England towns had a special democratic system of government. At a stated time all the citizens would assemble at a town meeting, where they would discuss local problems and express opinions freely. They also elected the town's officials at these gatherings and made decisions about the taxes they would pay and about other community matters. These meetings were usually held at the town hall, which was located in the central square.
In the eighteenth-century town meetings, only men who owned property and who were church members actually voted, although everyone present was allowed to express their opinions. Later, all citizens were allowed to vote. Thus the town meeting became truly democratic. Town meetings are still common in New England communities.
In recent years the town meeting idea has been widely imitated. There are open sessions of this kind on radio and television. Occasionally a meeting of this type is called by a government agency in order to give an opportunity for free and open discussion on current problems and policies. | [{'question': 'At a town meeting, people do the following things EXCEPT _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['express their opinions about the government', 'elect officials of the towns', 'make a decision about whom they should marry', 'discuss some community matters']}, {'question': 'In the 18th century, who had the right to vote?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['All the citizens.', 'All the men except those who were church members.', 'The rich.', 'The rich men and the church members.']}, {'question': 'Why has the town meeting been widely imitated?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Because many people are interested in it.', 'Because it is very democratic.', 'Because many people enjoy themselves at town meetings.', 'Because sometimes government agencies call them.']}, {'question': 'According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Citizens can elect the officials in the town meeting.', 'In recent years, town meetings are often called by a government agency.', 'People can say what they want to say at the town meeting.', 'Nowadays this kind of meeting is also held on radio and television.']}, {'question': 'This passage mainly talks about _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['the New England town meeting', 'modern town meetings', 'a democratic meeting', 'New England towns']}] |
Recreational tree climbing is taking root in the ecotourism industry, and it's sending guys like Tim Kovar to far off reaches of the globe. Kovar, a tree-climbing instructor, recently returned to the U.S. from Brazil, where he spent time developing a tree-climbing operation thanks to the "slow travel" movement.
Slow travel, is like the slow food movement, the practice of giving fast food in favor of homegrown cooking--the kind that takes hours to prepare and enjoy. Likewise, slow travel urges visitors to experience a place's natural surroundings and learn about the ecology in a way not afforded by extreme games.
"Tree climbing is a slow activity," says Kovar. "It's not something you do quickly and then you're on to the next thing or event." There is no such thing as a quick climb, especially for beginners. This wasn't a race against the clock or the fellow climbers. In fact, tree climbing is unlikely to ever become a feature of the extreme games. Many climbers refuse competition. There has already been so much competition in the world.
"When you stand below the tree, it can be amazing," Rusel DeMaria says, looking affectionately up at Michael's Triumph, a 150-foot-tall tree. But reaching the treetop, he adds, is an entirely different feeling. Likewise, his wife, Viola Brumbaugh, kneels on the ground and asks Michael's Triumph for permission to climb. "It goes a lot smoother that way, "She says.
And climbing has been included into many educational programs. New Tribe offers guided climbs through its school, Tree Climbing Northwest, where "we teach enough tree biology and forest ecology to raise awareness in our students," says New Tribe present Sophis Sparks. "We know that the tree climbing experience deepens personal appreciation for trees. After climbing, people value trees more and are motivated to support preservation. This is not just to preserve their playground."
Perhaps that is why he struggles with the term "recreational tree climbing," saying, "I prefer to call it inspirational tree climbing." | [{'question': 'What do slow travel and the slow food movement have in common?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['They take people a long time.', 'They are related to the eco-tourism industry.', 'They advocate protecting nature.', 'They cost people little money']}, {'question': 'What do we know about tree climbing from the passage?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['People compete to see who can climb to the top first.', 'It favors the experience of enjoying nature.', 'It is a kind of extreme sport and needs a lot of effort.', 'People view it as a challenge to climb the tallest tree in a forest.']}, {'question': 'Brumbaugh kneels on the ground before climbing trees to _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['beg for the safety of climbing', 'Expect to climb faster than her husband', 'Show respect for the tree', 'ask for permission of her husband']}, {'question': 'Sophia Sparks prefers the term "inspirational tree climbing" because it _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['provide people with more chances to play outside', 'bring a lot of pleasure to life', 'Deepens personal love between each other', 'Makes people realize they should protect trees']}, {'question': "What's the best title for the passage?", 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Tree-climbing travelling', 'Slow travel movements', 'Dangers of climbing', 'Respect for nature']}] |
Guide dogs are going to be available for the children who are unable to see normally in the UK for the first time, as the age limit is to be removed. The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association is to begin training dogs to help blind people under the age of 16.
The association says too many youngsters with impaired eyesight are lacking in independence. They have only a limited social life because of their disability. Giving some of them guide dogs at a younger age is intended to help them to widen their range of activities and to improve their sense of self-confidence and independence. Guide dogs for these teenagers will begin to be provided from next year. There has been an experimental project to test the use of guide dogs with younger people.
Charlotte, aged 14, was among the youngest guide dog owners. She had been gradually losing her eyesight since the age of eight, and lost her eyesight completely this year. She has been assisted by a two-year-old guide dog. Charlotte used to have a long stick to help her move around, but having a guide dog allows her much more freedom and makes her feel safer.
However, the association says there is a worryingly _ supply of services for the young blind people across the UK, and it calls for national standards to be introduced. As with adult blind people, only a small number of them are likely to be considered suitable for a guide dog. Most will continue to rely on extra help and training from education and social services. | [{'question': 'We can learn from the text that owning guide dogs _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['may meet with difficulties sometimes', "is beneficial to blind children's development", 'became possible in the UK recently', 'is quite universal in the UK']}, {'question': "According to the text, Charlotte's example proves that _ .", 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['it is necessary to carry out the experimental project', 'guide dogs can get along well with disabled people', "the association's opinion is not quite right", 'youngsters need companions and friends']}, {'question': 'What is the main idea of the text?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ["Blind people need guide dogs' assistance in their daily life.", 'Age limit for the blind to have guide dogs is to be removed.', 'More guide dogs will be trained in the UK.', 'The project of using guide dogs is to begin.']}] |
Law School Essays that Made a Difference
Price: US $ 13.95
Paperback 256 pages
The Princeton Review
ISBN: 0375763457
Face it, and a lot of students have great LSAT scores. The best way for you to stand out in a crowd of applicants to top law schools is to write an exceptional(,) personal statement. This book puts you in the admissions office's seat. It gives you the intimate detailstest scores, GPAs (grade point average), demographic information, and personal statementsof 34 law school hopefuls, then shows you why they got into the colleges they applied to, and why some didn't. It's invaluable information that will help students evaluate their own chances of admission to the most selective law schools in the United States.
Business School Essays that Made a Difference
Price: US $ 13.95
Paperback 304 pages
The Princeton Review
ISBN: 0375763511
What makes business school applications so brutal ? For most applicants, it's the number, length, and complexity of the essays they have to write when applying for a course. Most top schools require multiple essays and this book is your best bet for succeeding with them. It contains: 1. Forty-four real-life essays critiqued by admissions officers from schools like Tuck, Chicago, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 2. Eight case studies of business school applicants saying what worked for them and what did not. 3. Translations of essay questions telling you what they are really asking.
College Essays that Made a Difference
Price: US $ 13.95
Paperback 384 pages
The Princeton Review
ISBN: 0375763449
This book helps students get into the college they want by showing them what essays helped actual students achieve their dreams. The book tells you what colleges want to see using interviews with actual admissions officers. The book has sections on the basics of essay writing--grammar and punctuation (> as well as the sections looking at what topics you should write about and how you should communicate your personality in your work. It finishes by looking at the work of a great many successful applicants to America's top colleges, and some unsuccessful students to tell you what to avoid. | [{'question': 'With the three books, the Princeton Review aims at _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['offering students guides in making a difference in their jobs after university graduation', 'offering guides on the writing of application essays for American universities', 'showing students how to pass LSA T in the US', 'showing college graduates what helped actual students achieve their dreams']}, {'question': 'LSAT is most probably _ .', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['an admission test given by a law school', 'a test for admitted law students', 'information on business and college', 'information on GPA']}, {'question': "What's the purpose of writing the three texts?", 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['To sell the books.', 'To make the books easier to read.', 'To show the importance of the schools.', 'To introduce new authors']}] |
Some diaries from Jackie Chan's blog
January 4, 2009
Lately I've been busy in Beijing having meetings to discuss my new movie. I also attended John Wu's ceremony of his new movie,Red Cliff,which took two years to complete. I'm good friends with the director John Wu and the main actor Tony Leung.
January 5, 2009
Today I went to record a television program for Beijing TV calledVolunteers Across China. This TV program is a large-scale reality show that is based on the idea that "good people reap good rewards" and it hopes to encourage people to be more aware and help the "good people" who are in difficult situations.
January 6, 2009
I'm very pleased to _ that my Jackie Chan automobile website is set up and officially operating! I hope that through this automotive website, I can get in touch with more people who want to buy cars.
January 7, 2009
Today, I went to record a song calledZhongguo Nian. This song was written by Chang Shilei. I sing this song together with Tan Jing. Chang Shilei is a naturally talented musician. He also has an interesting habit. His piano is placed next to his bed. When he wakes up, he plays the piano until he's tired, and then he lies down on his bed to sleep.
January 9, 2009
Today I met with the producer and director ofLongwei Xiaozi ,and I also brought along my friend's daughter for a screen test. Although my friend's daughter grew up in China, her English is very good and it just happened by chance that this movie needs a young actress for a part, so I took her along to audition . | [{'question': 'What might be the best title for this passage?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['My new movie.', 'My busy life.', 'My good friend.', 'My favorite song.']}, {'question': 'The TV programVolunteers Across Chinatries to', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['find some rich people who are able to help the poor.', 'encourage people to look after the young.', 'ask people to help "good people" who are in trouble.', 'make China more and more famous all over the word.']}, {'question': 'With whom does the author sing the songZhongguo Nian ?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['John Wu.', 'Tony Leung.', 'Chang Shilei.', 'Tan Jing.']}, {'question': 'What can we infer from the text?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['It took the author two years to finish the movie \nRed Cliff.', 'People who are in trouble can ask Beijing TV for help.', 'Chang Shilei is a famous actor who is good at playing the piano.', 'Longwei Xiaozi needs a young actress for a part who can speak English well.']}] |
Engineers should embrace the arts, Sir John O'Reilly, a fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, argued in a lecture.
About 59% of engineering companies in the IET's 2014 survey feared skill shortages could threaten business.
"There is nothing as creative as engineering," Sir John told the reporter. He says science, technology, engineering and mathematics - often known as "Stem" subjects, are vital for a modern knowledge economy. But there is a massive shortfall in the number of recruits - with a recent study by the Royal Academy of Engineering saying the UK needs to increase by as much as 50% the number of Stem graduates it produces.
Delivering this year's Mountbatten Lecture at the Royal Institution, Sir John argued that engineers should recognise the role of the arts in their work - among other benefits; this could attract more people into the profession. The lecture, Full Steam Ahead for Growth, advocated a wider adoption -- Steam, or science, technology, engineering, arts and maths. Engineers should embrace the arts as being key to creativity and an important component of innovation , crucial to creating new products and boosting future competitiveness, he argued. "Engineering and technology is an increasingly diverse and creative field," said Sir John.
Some university engineering departments already cooperated with art schools to develop understanding, he told the reporter. In particular he mentioned Cranfield University's Centre for Creative Competitive Design and Imperial College's work with the Royal College of Art. The two sets of people could work well together and more emphasis on the creative side of engineering could improve the success of products, he said.
"Aesthetics is part of it," he told the reporter, adding that Apple's iPod was not the first digital media player, nor the only one that worked - but it came to dominate the market "because it was nice to have".
Sir John said he was not suggesting universities started requiring A-level art from engineering applicants - the key subjects for admission would continue to be maths and the sciences. But an emphasis on creative skills would help "broaden the pool and attract more people in". | [{'question': 'According to a recent study by the Royal Academy _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['skill shortages could threaten business', 'engineering graduates are not as creative as expected', 'there are not enough arts graduates produced in the UK.', 'the UK needs more graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics']}, {'question': 'According to the lecture Full Steam Ahead for Growth, _ .', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['engineers should cooperate with arts majors', 'Accepting the arts could attract more people into engineering', 'engineers should realize arts play the most important part in their work', 'engineering and technology is as diverse and creative as before']}, {'question': "By giving the example of Apple's iPod, Sir John intends to _ .", 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['stress the importance of arts', 'stress the importance of marketing', 'stress the importance of communication', 'stress the importance of science and technology']}, {'question': 'Which of the following is true according to the passage?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['More university students should study arts instead of engineering.', 'Engineering and technology is increasingly different and unrelated fields.', "The IET's skills survey raised concerns about the number of recruits to engineering.", 'Students from some university engineering departments have already transferred to art schools']}, {'question': 'What is the passage mainly about?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Lack of creativity makes it difficult for the engineering major to find a satisfactory job.', 'The key subjects for engineering majors remain to be maths and the sciences rather than arts.', 'University engineering departments should cooperate with art schools to improve the success of products.', 'Engineering needs to emphasize its creative side to encourage more young people to choose it as a career.']}] |
For years, I thought that my mother would become a Centenarian , but after 98 years and eight months, she recently died of old age. As it was with my father, her funeral took place in the most peaceful setting of the countryside of rural Washington County. Even after my father died, we continued to think of our parents as one. They were a team in the traditional sense. Church and family were their life- lines. They worked hard, never complaining. They expected to earn their daily bread by the sweat of their brow.
Once during a conversation with Tom Brokaw, who wrote the best- selling hook The Greatest Generation, I told him, "You left out my parents." They didn't go off to war, but they belonged to the Greatest Generation. They, too, were part of the foundation that made America truly great. They kept the home fires burning.
Our mother gloried in being a housewife and mother. Having been a teacher in her early adult years, when education was more important than anything else, she gave up her job to raise a family .She was an excellent cook, but she had to cook on a wood stove. There was no refrigerator, nothing electric. But nobody was ever better at making do. In addition to all the household chores and responsibilities, she went to the fields every day to help produce a crop to pay the rent and to provide for the family. She and my dad worked hard to save every penny possible.
They saved ever7 penny to buy a farm late in life. They also saved enough money to live out their respective live with home care without taking up residency in a nursing home. They were fiercely independent. If you had suggested they accept a government transfer payment, they would have spit in your eye. | [{'question': 'Which of the following is the best title for the passage?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Mother played a great pan in the family.', 'Mother died at the age of 98 years old.', 'Mother was buried by the side of father.', 'Mother survived father by many years.']}, {'question': 'What do we know about Tom Brokaw?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ["He is one of the author's parents' friends.", "He likes talking with the author's parents.", 'He takes up a position as a writer.', 'He is good at managing a home.']}, {'question': 'How does the author find his parents?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Brave and hardworking.', 'Modest and warmhearted.', 'Economical and independent.', 'Respective and satisfied.']}] |
Unemployment in Europe has recently hit record highs. Although Denmark has been protected from economic problems thanks to its low public debt, qualified professionals are still finding it tough to get a job. Danish marketing firm Reputation Copenhagen has come up with a way of helping academics get noticed -- putting them on display in storefront windows.
Many highly-trained professionals, ranging from former CEOs to lawyers and tax experts, are currently finding it increasingly difficult to find proper employment on the Danish job market. Some of them have been trying for years, leaving their resumes with dozens of companies, without ever hearing back from them, and are now at a point where they are willing to try anything, even putting themselves in display windows like goods, hoping to get noticed.
Alexander Peitersen, managing director of Reputation Copenhagen, came up with the idea of using his company's office as a storefront for the campaign , as there are many businesses nearby that might be interested in the talents on display. So he set up a small desk, put up the "an available academic is sitting here" sign and asked the unemployed to just sit in the windows like goods. It seems like a pretty desperate measure, but at least it works. According to the agency's website, three of the jobseekers in their window display got a job in a day or two.
Peitersen says he came up with the idea after realizing human resource managers get hundreds of job applications every day, which look more or less the same, and that creative thinking is required in order to increase the chances of finding employment. Apart from companies interested in qualified job-seekers, the campaign has also attracted the attention of both local and international media. | [{'question': 'Which of the following words can be used to describe Peitersen?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Independent.', 'Creative.', 'Sensitive.', 'Cautious.']}, {'question': 'Some job-seekers are willing to put themselves in the windows to display in that _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['they think it is fashionable', 'their parents ask them to', "it's increasingly difficult to get hired", "they find it's interesting"]}, {'question': 'It can be Inferred that _ .', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['no companies show interest in the qualified job-seekers in the windows', "both local and international media don't agree with the campaign", 'human resource managers have to reply to hundreds of applicants', 'to some degree the window displays help people find jobs']}, {'question': 'What is the text mainly about?', 'answer': 'A', 'options': ['Job-seekers are displayed in the windows hoping to get hired.', 'The rate of unemployment in Europe has recently become hitter.', 'It is hard for qualified professionals to get a job.', 'Denmark has avoided economic problems due to its low public debt.']}] |
Where and how you eat are just as important as what you eat. Take this test to find your eating style to make sure you're getting the nutrition you need.
Which statements sound like you?
Group 1:
# I like to make my plate look pretty before I dig in for the first bite.
# I often help my parents make recipes.
# I could win the first prize in the "World's Slowest Eater" contest.
Group 2:
# The crumbs in the sofa are mine -- I eat while watching TV.
# I can finish a whole box of snacks quickly while I'm doing something else.
# Sometimes I'm surprised to find my plate empty. Where did all the food go?
Group 3:
# Sometimes I eat my dinner standing up.
# I spend more time in the drive-through than at the dinner table.
# Breakfast? Who has time for breakfast?
If you answered mostly Group 1: You enjoy everything about food, from cooking it to enjoying it at the table. Eating slowly is a good thing -- it gives your brain time to know when you are full.
If you answered mostly Group 2: You can do lots of things at once. But if you eat while you're distracted , you won't really enjoy your food and might eat more than you need. Instead of snacking while you watch TV or do homework, look for other things to do with your hands.
If you answered mostly Group 3: You're really busy. Try to make time for at least one sit-down meal a day. When you're on the go, don't eat salty, high-fat foods just because they're convenient. Pack healthy snacks in small bags that you can eat on your way out the door. | [{'question': 'The passage is mainly about _ .', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['how to keep healthy', 'whether you eat a balanced diet', 'what your eating style is', 'how to form a good eating habit']}, {'question': 'Which of the following matches Group 1?', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['I like washing plates.', 'I love buying cookers.', 'I enjoy doing cooking by myself.', 'I do everything slowly and carefully.']}, {'question': 'If Tom answered mostly Group 2, which advice will you give him?', 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['Place healthy snacks at hand while doing homework.', 'Hold a ball in his hand while watching TV.', 'Eat high-fat foods slowly and carefully.', 'Help his parents make recipes now and then.']}] |
One of the most famous basketball-players in the New Castle's history was paralyzed in a wheelchair one day...and was walking the next. Citizens of New Castle simply refer to it as "The Miracle".
Joel Haler woke up in his dorm room at Hope College last October totally paralyzed from the waist down. Four hospitals later, the only way he could walk was through Robotic Walking Treatment.
"This past Tuesday, I was doing the Robotic walk and lasted ten minutes," Joel said. After that, he gave up. Joel wanted to accept the inevitable and cancelled his next Robotic Walking Treatment appointment.
Then, the night before his cancelled appointment, he woke up to a terrible pain. An hour and a half later, the serious pain left him with an unusual feeling in his legs.
"As it continued to move up my legs, it became more and more painful and it took an hour and a half to reach my hips ," Joel recalled.
"I stood up and walked into my parents' room. 'Mom and dad, look!'," he said proudly.
"He said something and I was like, 'Joel! Joel! You're walking! You're walking!' We jumped out of bed, cried and hugged," Joel's mom Karen remembered.
"I burst into tears. It's hard seeing your son not be able to walk, but he was standing there, walking," Joel's father Eric said, tearfully.
It was Thursday, January 23, when he could finally walk. That date made perfect sense to Joel. He had dreamt of a calendar that only said "J 23". He didn't know what to make of it until "a little boy at church, four years old, came up to me and said, 'you will walk on a Thursday'," Joel recalled.
So the 20-year-old college student, who could only walk with the aid of robot on Tuesday, was walking on his own. | [{'question': 'According to the passage, "The Miracle" is that_.', 'answer': 'C', 'options': ['Joel Haler became the most famous basketball player', 'Robotic Walking Treatment could cure paralysis', "Joel Haler could walk again after three months' paralysis", 'a paralyzed boy could play basketball well']}, {'question': "Which part of Joel Haler's body didn't work?", 'answer': 'B', 'options': ['His whole body.', 'His legs and feet.', 'His arms and hands.', 'His arms and legs']}, {'question': "Before Joel Haler's walking again, his attitude to the illness was_.", 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['positive', 'indifferent', 'optimistic', 'hopeless']}] |
Catherine and I were on our way to our nephew's birthday party one rainy Saturday morning, driving along what some people call moose alley. It was early, there were few other cars on the road and we were looking forward to a good day with the family. Suddenly, a moose rushed across our path. Fortunately, a quick swerve to the other lane prevented a full impact, with only a small collision on the right side of our car ripping off the mirror and knocking the moose to the pavement.
By the time I stopped and looked back in my rear view mirror, the moose was getting up. It ran into the bush. Shaken but unharmed, we both looked at each other shocked by what had happened. We knew that moose accidents had claimed many lives throughout the years, and that we had been very fortunate to escape with no personal injury or worse. After a quick check of our vehicle, we drove off.
Even though the moose accident lasted just a few seconds, we still remember it to this day. Why?
We had often talked about the frailty of life, the here today and gone tomorrow potential we all face, but it had never felt so real. And it wasn't that we hadn't had friends, relatives and colleagues die before, it was that this experience was much more personal. In a matter of seconds, lives can easily change.
The effect of that one near miss with death has been positive, and made us appreciate life. Each one of us has only a limited time on this Earth; no one can predict when your time will end. We should give thanks for each day, to see the sun rise again, and to know that you can accomplish and assist others to appreciate their life if they are caught in the "poor-me" syndrome . | [{'question': 'What did the accident teach the author?', 'answer': 'D', 'options': ['Being open to unexpected turns in life is important.', 'Life is long if you know how to use it.', 'Life is measured by thoughts and actions, not by time.', 'Life is unpredictable, so we should treasure every moment.']}] |