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Last week I talked with some of my students about what they wanted to do after they graduated, and what kind of job prospects they thought they had. Given that I teach students who are training to be doctors, I was surprised do find that most thought that they would not be able to get the jobs they wanted without "outside help". "What kind of help is that?" I asked, expecting them to tell me that they would need a or family friend to help them out. "Surgery ," one replied. I was pretty alarmed by that response. It seems that the graduates of today are increasingly willing to go under the knife to get ahead of others when it comes to getting a job . One girl told me that she was considering surgery to increase her height. "They break your legs, put in special extending screws, and slowly expand the gap between the two ends of the bone as it re-grows, you can get at least 5 cm taller!" At that point, I was shocked. I am short, I can't deny that, but I don't think I would put myself through months of agony just to be a few centimetres taller. I don't even bother to wear shoes with thick soles, as I'm not trying to hide the fact that I am just not tall! It seems to me that there is a trend towards wanting "perfection" , and that is an ideal that just does not exist in reality. No one is born perfect, yet magazines, TV shows and movies present images of thin, tall, beautiful people as being the norm. Advertisements for slimming aids, beauty treatments and cosmetic surgery clinics fill the pages of newspapers, further creating an idea that "perfection" is a requirement, and that it must be purchased, no matter what the cost. In my opinion, skills, rather than appearance, should determine how successful a person is in his/her chosen career. 4

['QSN We can know from the passage that the author works as a_. ANS teacher', 'QSN Many graduates today turn to cosmetic surgery to_. ANS get an advantage over others in job-hunting', 'QSN According to the passage, the author believes that_. ANS media are to blame for misleading young people in their seeking for surgery', "QSN Which' s the best title for the passage?. ANS Young Graduates Look to Surgery for Better Jobs"]

YUZHOU, HENAN -An accident in a central China coal mine killed 21 miners Saturday and left another 16 trapped underground , the government said. The death rose to 26 Sunday morning as rescuers were battling to reach the 11 miners who were still trapped underground, rescue headquarters said. Rescuers were battling to reach the 11 miners still trapped underground, but chances for them to survive were very slim, said Du Bo, deputy chief of the rescue headquarters. "Based upon past experience, the remaining 11 miners could be buried in coal dust, so the survival chances are frail," Du said. More than 2,500 tons of coal dust smothered the pit after the gas leak , which hampered the rescue, said Du. The gas outburst happened at 6:03 a.m. Saturday when 276 miners were working underground in the mine in Yuzhou City. A total of 239 workers escaped but 21 were found dead and 16 trapped. An initial investigation showed that 173,500 cubic meters of gas leaked out in the accident. Liu Wenbin, a deputy chief engineer of the company that owns the mine, was in the pit when the accident happened. He organized the escape. "At around 6 a.m., I felt there was something wrong with the airflow in the shaft, and one of the team captains told me he also felt it and had already reported the problem," said Liu The mine is owned by Pingyu Coal & Electric Co. Ltd., a company jointly established by four investors, including Zhong Ping Energy Chemical Group and China Power Investment Corp. 3

['QSN What could be the best title for this passage? ANS A Coal Mine Accident in Central China', 'QSN From this passage we know that _ . ANS Until the next morning another 5 miners were found dead in this accident', 'QSN According to the writer, which of the following is not true? ANS Before the accident happened there was no sign of something wrong']

Understanding the process of making career choices and managing your career is a basic life skill that everyone should understand. Your career decisions have such a profound effect on all aspects of your life. It's important to have the knowledge and resources needed to make smart, informed decisions. Whether you are looking for a new job, aiming to take the next step at your current job or planning your retirement options, you are making career decisions. Using good resources and the guidance of a career counselor can help you to make those decisions well. Many people mistakenly believe that choosing a career is a one-time event that happens some time in early adulthood. However, career management is actually a life-long process, and we continue to make consequential career choices over the years. When people want to take action in their career, career management and job search are about so much more than writing a good resume. If you learn about and act on the following areas of career management, you'll be rewarded throughout your career. Your interests, abilities, values, personal needs and realities should all be taken into account in any career decision making process. You spend countless hours at work, and it impacts your life in so many ways; it makes sense that you should be fully informed before making such profound decisions. Do you know how many different career choices are available to you? Both The Dictionary of Occupational Titles (American) and The National Occupational Classification (Canadian) list well over 20,000 different job titles. So unless you've actively explored a variety of career options, there's a very good chance that there are great possibilities available to you, and you don't even realize they exist. Match your understanding of yourself with your understanding of possible career options. Once you have developed a good understanding of yourself, you will be able to combine that self-knowledge with your career and labor market research to determine potential careers that are a great fit for you. When you've made a well informed decision, then you're ready to make it happen. Making use of good career guidance and resources will help you to acquire the education, skills, and experience needed to get the job and learn and implement effective job search strategies. Time spent understanding your needs, researching your career options and developing outstanding job search skills, guided by great career resources, is a powerful investment in your future. 4

["QSN What's the main idea of the passage? ANS All the people should have a good knowledge of how to make career choices and manage their career.", 'QSN How many tips does the author give on career management? ANS 4.', "QSN It can be inferred that _ . ANS career decision is misunderstood by many people because they don't take it as a life-long process", 'QSN Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE according to the passage? ANS You are to make significant decisions without good resources and the guidance of a career adviser.']

Astronauts on shorter shuttle missions often work very long days. Tasks are scheduled so tightly that break times are often used to finish the day's work. This type of schedule is far too demanding for long missions on the International Space Station(ISS). ISS crewmembers usually live in space for at least a quarter of a year. They work five days on and two days off to _ the normal way they do things on Earth as much as possible. Weekends give the crew valuable time to rest and do a few hours of housework. They can communicate with family and friends by email , internet phone and through private video conferences. While astronauts cannot go to a baseball game or a movie in orbit, there are many familiar activities that they can still enjoy . Before a mission, the family and friends of each ISS crewmember put together a collection of family photos, messages, videos and reading material for the astronauts to look at when they will be floating 370 kilometers above the Earth. During their mission, the crew also receives care packages with CDs, books, magazines, photos and letters . And as from early 2010, the internet became available on the ISS , giving astronauts the chance to do some "web surfing "in their personal time. Besides relaxing with these more common entertainments, astronauts can simply enjoy the experience of living in space. Many astronauts say that one of the most relaxing things to do in space is to look out the window and stare at the universe and the Earth's vast land mass and oceans. 2

['QSN Which of the following best describes the families of the astronauts on the ISS ? ANS They are caring and thoughtful.', 'QSN The passage mainly discusses how astronauts _ . ANS spend their free time in space']

Dogs have long been used to find explosives and drugs.Now,a new study shows that man's best friend can also help to find lung and breast cancer,researchers report in integrative Cancer Therapies.The findings show that trained ordinary household dogs can detect early--stage lung and breast cancers by smelling the breath samples of patients. Researchers have found that cancer cells send out molecules different from those of healthy ones,and that might be sensed by smell by the highly sensitive dog's nose. For the study,five dogs were trained by a professional instructor to respond differently to breath samples of healthy and cancer patients."The dogs learned to sit or lie down in front of cancer patient samples and to ignore control samples through the method of food reward," McCulloch explained. After a period of training,researchers tested the animals'ability to distinguish cancer patients from controls.The animals were given breath samples from 55 patients with lung cancer,3 1 with breast cancer and 83 healthy controls who were not included in the original training period. McCulloch's group found that the dogs were able to correctly distinguish the breath samples of cancer patients from those of the control subjects in about 90 percent of the cases.The dogs were also able to detecting early-stage lung and breast cancers. "These results show that there is hope for early detection,"McCulloch said.The re-searches are planning to conduct further studies on the breath composition of cancer patients to possibly design an electronic device that can do the dogs'job."A dog's nose is so powerful it can detect odors 10 000 to 100 000 times better than a human nose can.I hope people will be interested in doing this research,"McCulloch added,"It shows that there is definitely something out there." 3

['QSN McCulloch and his group used_in their research. ANS 5 dogs and 169 people', 'QSN We can infer from the passage that_. ANS the final goal of the researchers is to design an electronic dog to detect cancer', 'QSN Which of the following would be the best title? ANS Dogs Smell Signs of Cancer']

Friends and Buddies This program is planned for teenagers who have special needs with the goal of meeting within a community with other peers . The purpose of the program is that it will lead to a better understanding of friendships. Gym, Swim, Surprise Guest, and Pizza are included. Ages 12-18, numbers of members are limited. Contact: Gloria Bass. This program is held 2 Fridays per month. Fees: $65/$85 Club Saturday Swim This program is available to anyone aged 5-14 who is challenged by mental, physical, or emotional trouble. The program will be held each Saturday afternoon, 12:00-12:30 pm or 12:30-1:00 pm. Fees: $136/$260 Sibshops (Ages 10-13) Sibshops is a program for siblings of children with challenges. It includes group activities and talk treatment ways with the focus on improving sibling relationships and whole family happiness. Location: Hope Church, Wilton CT. Wednesday: 4:00-5:00 pm. Fees: $50/$65 Banana Splits Banana Splits is an educational support group for children in family trouble. Children aged 9-13 will have the opportunity to meet other children whose parents have separated or divorced, learn to recognize feelings, think of healthy coping skills and have a place to share their struggles through verbal , physical, and artistic experiences. Location: Hope Church, Wilton CT. Tuesday:4:30-5:30 pm. Fees: $50/$65 4

['QSN If you have free time only on Saturday, you can go to _ . ANS Club Saturday Swim', 'QSN Activities on how to lead to a better understanding of friendships are held _ . ANS 2 Fridays per month', 'QSN If you go to Sibshops (Ages 10-13) , you can _ . ANS improve sibling relationships', 'QSN Which of the following is TRUE according to the four passages? ANS They are all intended for children.']

Every time I lost a tooth I would put it under my pillow at night. The next morning I would wake up to find two coins replacing my tooth. Then I'd wonder about the tooth fairy all day. "Mom, where do you think the tooth fairy lives? What does she do with the teeth she collects?" My mom said she didn't know. She only knew that the tooth fairy took the tooth away while we were sleeping and left us some money under our pillow. But I wanted to find out. So I think it was a good thing that I would lose another tooth. The plan was to stay up all night and ask the tooth fairy when she showed up. That night I lay quietly in my bed, growing sleepy as the night went on. Moments later, I felt that someone was close to me. Through my half-opened eyes, I didn't see any feet, but I knew it was the tooth fairy. I watched her run around and fly right out of my room. She was wearing a shiny green dress. After she left, I immediately felt under my pillow. There were two coins. I had never even felt my pillow move. I wondered if she used magic. As I got older, I learned from my teachers that the tooth fairy didn't exist. It was just a mythical figure of early childhood. I kind of thought it was, but how could I see the tooth fairy fly that night? Then one night my mom came into my room to check on me. The moonlight was bright that night and it shone through my window right on her shiny green nightdress. Right then I knew deep down that my mom was the tooth fairy. 3

['QSN As a young girl, the author _ . ANS was interested in the tooth fairy', 'QSN The author thought it was a good thing for her to lose another tooth because _ . ANS she believed the tooth fairy would come again', 'QSN When the author felt someone was close to her, she _ . ANS was only half awake']

One day an old woman was traveling alone in the mountains. Suddenly she saw something shining in the stream. When she came close, she found it was a precious stone. She put the stone into her bag and went on with her trip. The next day the old woman met a young man, who was also a traveler in the mountains. The young man looked very hungry, so the old woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked carefully, "The stone is beautiful. Would you like to give it to me?" "Sure. Why not?" the woman said, and handed the stone to him. The young man left happily with the stone. He knew it was worth enough to give him _ for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the woman. "I've been thinking," he said. "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back and hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within your bag." The woman opened her bag. It was almost empty. She looked at the young man and smiled, "I have nothing special in my bag, but I do have something precious -- the joy of giving!" The young man felt ashamed and left silently. 3

["QSN How did the young man find the precious stone? ANS He saw it in the woman's bag.", 'QSN The man returned the stone to the woman because _ . ANS he wanted to get something even more precious', 'QSN Which of the following would be the best title of the passage? ANS The joy of giving']

The $11 billion self-help industry is built on the idea that you should turn negative thoughts like "I never do anything right" into positive ones like "I can succeed." But was positive thinking advocate Norman Vincent Peale right? Is there power in positive thinking? Researchers in Canada just published a study in the journal Psychological Science that says trying to get people to think more positively can actually have the opposite effect: it can simply highlight how unhappy they are. The study's authors, Joanne Wood and John Lee of the University of Waterloo and Elaine Perunovic of the University of New Brunswick, begin by citing older research showing that when people get feedback which they believe is overly positive, they actually feel worse, not better. If you tell your friend who is slow to learn that he has the potential of an Einstein, _ . In one 1990s experiment, a team including psychologist Joel Cooper of Princeton asked participants to write essays opposing funding for the disabled. When the essayists were later praised for their sympathy, they felt even worse about what they had written. In this experiment, Wood, Lee and Perunovic measured 68 students' self-esteem. The participants were then asked to write down their thoughts and feelings for four minutes. Every 15 seconds, one group of students heard a bell. When it rang, they were supposed to tell themselves, "I am lovable." Those with low self-esteem didn't feel better after the forced self-affirmation . In fact, their moods turned significantly darker than those of members of the control group, who weren't urged to think positive thoughts. The paper provides support for newer forms of psychotherapy that urge people to accept their negative thoughts and feelings rather than fight them. In the fighting, we not only often fail but can make things worse. Meditation techniques, in contrast, can teach people to put their shortcomings into a larger, more realistic viewpoint. Call it the power of negative thinking. 1

['QSN According to the study of the Canadian researchers, _ . ANS encouraging positive thinking may actually discourage people']

She was 6 years old when I first met her on the beach near where I live. She insisted on talking to me. "I'm building," she said. "I see that. What is it?" I asked, not caring. "Oh, I don't know, I just like the feel of sand." That sounds good, I thought, and slipped off my shoes. A sandpiper glided by. "My mom says sandpipers come to bring us joy." "Good-bye joy," I muttered to myself, "Hello pain," and turned to walk on. I was depressed; my life seemed completely out of balance. "What's your name?" She wouldn't give up. "Robert," I answered. "Mine's Wendy... I'm 6. Why are you so quiet?" I turned to her and shouted: "Because my mother died!" "Oh," she said quietly, "then this is a bad day." "Yes," I said, "and yesterday and the day before and - oh, go away!" "Did it hurt?" she asked. "Did what hurt?" I was annoyed with her, with myself. "When she died?" "Of course it hurt!" I replied angrily, misunderstanding. A month after that, when I next went to the beach, she wasn't there. Feeling guilty, ashamed, I went up to the cottage and knocked at the door. A young woman answered. "Hello," I said. "I'm Robert Peterson. I missed your little girl today and wondered where she was." "Wendy died last week, Mr. Peterson. She had leukemia . Maybe she didn't tell you." I had to catch my breath, saying nothing. "She seemed so much better here and had a lot of what she called happy days. But the last few weeks, she declined rapidly... "She left something for you... if only I could find it," she said. "Could you wait a moment while I look?" It was a drawing in bright color1s- a yellow beach, a blue sea, and a brown bird. Underneath was carefully printed: A SANDPIPER TO BRING YOU JOY. I took Wendy's mother in my arms. "I'm so sorry," I muttered over and over, and we wept together. But then we looked at the picture of the sandpiper and slowly both of us began to smile, remembering the lesson that Wendy had left us. Even when life seems sad, joy can be found in the smallest of things. We should take time to seek out these little joys in life and live for the love that we have for each other. 3

['QSN When he talked to Wendy, the author failed to understand that _ . ANS Wendy knew she was going to die', "QSN The author felt guilty when he saw Wendy was not on the beach, because he didn't _ . ANS treat the girl nicely a month ago", 'QSN What did the man learn from the little girl? ANS A person should enjoy each living day.']

An allowance is an important tool for teaching kids how to budget, save and make their own decisions. Children remember and learn from mistakes when their own dollars are lost or spent foolishly. How large an allowance is appropriate? Experts say there is not right amount. Actual amounts differ from region to region, and from family to family. To set an appropriate allowance for your child, work up a weekly budget. Allow for entertainment expenditures such as movies and snacks. Next, include everyday expenses such as lunch money, bus fare, school supplies. "If you make the child responsible for these ' ills'," says Josephine Swanson, a consumer specialist, " he or she will learn to budget for necessary expenditures." Finally, add some extra money to make saving possible. If you can, keep your child's allowance in line with that of his friends. A child whose purchasing power falls away below his peers' can feel left out. It can be tough, but avoid excusing your children when they make a mistake with their allowance. When Brooke Stephens was ten and growing up in Jacksonville, her mother gave her $5 a week, $1.75 of which was for bus fare and lunch." If you lose your money," Brooke's mother told her, "you walk home." One week the girl spent all her allowance in a candy store, then she called home for a ride. " Mom made me walk home," recalls Stephens, now a financial planner in Brooklyn. " At first I was angry. But I finally realized that she was trying to teach me an important lesson. " Experts advise that an allowance should not be tied directly to a child's daily chores. Kids should help around the house not because they get paid for it but because they share responsibilities as members of a family. You might, however, pay a child for doing extra jobs at home, which can develop his or her initiative. 3

['QSN Which of the following is the possible title of the passage? ANS How to teach a child about money.', 'QSN It can be inferred from the passage that if a child is given an allowance, he or she may _ . ANS feel responsible and careful about money', 'QSN The author implies in the passage that _ . ANS paying children for their housework is no good']

Shyness is the cause of much unhappiness for a great many people. Shy people are anxious and self-conscious; that is, they are over concerned with their own appearance and actions. Worrisome thoughts are constantly occurring in their minds: what kind of impression am I making? Do they like me? Do I sound stupid? Am I wearing unattractive clothes? It is obvious that such uncomfortable feelings must affect people unfavorably. Adperson's self concept is reflected in the way he or she behaves and the way a person behaves affects other people's reactions. In general, the way people think about themselves has a deep effect on all areas of their lives. Shy people ,have low self-esteem , are likely to be passive and easily influenced by others. They need reassurance(,) that they are doing "the right thing". Shy people are very sensitive to criticism. It makes them feel inferior .They also find it difficult to be pleased by praises because they believe they are unworthy of praise . A shy person may respond to a praise with a statement like this one:" You're just saying that to make me feel good .I know it's not true." It is clear that, while self-awareness is a healthy quality, overdoing it is harmful. Can shyness be completely got rid of ,or at least reduced? Fortunately, people can overcome shyness with determination. It is important for people to accept their weaknesses as well as their strengths, for example, not fair for them to label themselves inferior because they have to be realistic. Living on the impossible leads to absence of inferiority. Each one of us has his or her own characteristics. We are interested in our own personal ways. The better we understand ourselves. the easier it becomes to live up to our chances for a rich and fulfilling life. 3

['QSN According to the wirter, self-awareness is _ . ANS a good characteristic', "QSN What is the shy people's reaction to praise? ANS They feel it is not true", 'QSN We can learn from the passage that shyness can _ . ANS block our chances for a successful life']

A new Canada Prize for the Arts and Creativity could be in place by 2010, with large cash prizes for emerging artists in dance, music, theatre and visual arts. The prize is the idea of Tony Gagliano and David Pecaut, founders of the Luminato festival,who were able to convince the federal government to back it. The federal budget has allocated $25 million to support the awards open to emerging artists. The aim is to create a prize that has the prestige of a Nobel Prize. "When you think about the major prizes of the world ---- the Nobel Prize in Sweden,the Kyoto prizes in Japan or the Booker Prize in the U.K . --- they bring great honor and opportunity to the countries that award them," Pecaut said."The idea here is that every year,the Canada prizes will be awarded to the very best promising emerging artists around the world in those four fields. " A jury of international experts would judge the 12 finalists,who would come to Canada and perform or show their work in public to win the Canada prizes.The performances would be televised, allowing Canadians across the country to see it. The federal government liked the idea of such an international prize that would advance Canada's brand,draw tourists and arts professionals from around the world.For the Canadian arts community, one of the greatest challenges is connecting to that international arts world to come up with co-productions and foreign investment and touring chances. A group is working toward establishing the prize by 2010,with potential for semi-final rounds to take place about the same time as the Vancouver Olympic Games."Thirty or forty years from now,the future outstanding dancers and performers will look back and say, 'I broke out on the world scene in Toronto -- that's where I was discovered.' " 4

["QSN Why did David Pecaut have the idea of founding a new Ganada Prize? ANS To advance Canada's honor and opportunities.", 'QSN The new Canada Prize will _ . ANS be divided into four detailed parts', 'QSN Those participating in the final round of the new Canada Prize _ . ANS will have their performances broadcast on the TV', 'QSN Which of the following would be the best title for the text? ANS A Canada Prize for Arts']

Looking good, feeling good Born to a model mom and a suit maker dad, fashion was actually in my blood. I always had a strong desire to dress in a certain way and to stand out from the crowd. I made my own toys when I was a young child and sewed my first skirt at just 10 years old. A friend's mother took one look at my skirt and told me that I should be a patternmaker. In high school I started making my own clothes, mostly changing other things because I never liked anything how it was when I bought it. During the last two years of school, I worked part-time for a small business that made hand-painted silk clothing and bags. The owner became the teacher who got me into design in the first place. Another useful bit of work experience then came when I worked at a showroom during fashion week and found it very exciting. From there I worked at a top clothing store while I got my business started. For my business I started out with the idea that everything I did would be hand-made and one-of-a-kind, specially made for one individual who hopefully had the same tastes as me. Every morning I jumped out of bed, went to my studio and worked on my projects. This just showed how enthusiastic I felt about my work. And at night I even dreamed of new designs! Fashion design is _ art. What I mean is that it's something close to you and something you can touch and feel, and actually interact with. My advice to any young person who wants to be a fashion designer is to get the basic skills early on, such as sewing and pattern-making. Even if you end up specializing, it's really important to understand all aspects of design in order to make high-quality clothes. Also, if you dream of having your own clothing line, the best thing to do is start wearing your clothes. You have to try and do this because that's the way you're going to develop something that's all yours and unlike anyone else's. I passionately believe that the right clothing can make people feel better and give them more confidence. 3

['QSN When the author was in high school, she _ . ANS began to make clothes on her own', 'QSN What advice does the author give to those who want to be fashion designers? ANS Deciding what is unique about their clothes.', 'QSN According to the author, well-designed clothes _ . ANS help people feel sure of themselves']

Microsoft just finished a three-month experiment operating an underwater data center.A server rack with the power of about 300PCs was placed into a water-tight steel container and lowered into the ocean off the coast of central California. The unusual experiment was launched because current data centers are unpleasantly inefficient.They're built where energy and land are cheap (not close to where people actually live).And they waste so much energy cooling their massive computers.The ocean can solve those problems.The cold ocean floor sufficiently cools the computing components inside the pod.And since most people live near the ocean,placing data centers under water could potentially increase the speed at which customers could access the information stored in Microsoft's cloud. The experiment was so successful that Microsoft operated the underwater data center for 75days longer than it had planned to.The next step is to get a larger pod,with about four times the computing power,under the ocean for testing.Unlike the first experiment,the next pod will also be equipped with turbines,which will transform the ocean's currents into electricity.It's not clear when,if ever,underwater data centers will become a possible product."Our first experiment was like dipping our pinkie toe in the water,and now we're going for the big toe,"said Lee,corporate vice president of Microsoft Research. Microsoft is still analyzing the environmental impacts of the study.Data centers are both hot and loud,which could have damaging effects on ocean life.Microsoft found that the noise its underwater data center produced was drowned out by nearby shrimp and crabs.The data centers are also built from recyclable materials,and Microsoft believes that the total carbon footprint of underwater data centers will be"dramatically lower"than current land-based centers. Given the growth in the cloud,industry analysts believe that most of the world's data centers have yet to be built.But building a data center takes at least two years-an eternity in the fast-developing tech industry.As a result,Microsoft builds its data centers with the future in mind,installing far more computing power and space than it currently needs. Lee believes that going under water can shift the building of data centers from construction projects to manufacturing jobs."What if we could mass-produce these pods on an assembly line?"he thought."We could deliver a data center,from conception to operation,in 90days.That's dramatically different than what's happening today." 2

['QSN What is the advantage of an underwater data center? ANS It can make information easily accessible to people.', 'QSN We can infer that the underwater data centers . ANS are more environmentally friendly']

There was a king who gave his daughter a beautiful diamond necklace. The necklace was stolen and his people in the kingdom searched everywhere but could not find it. So the king asked to search for it and put a reward for$50,000 for anyone who found it. One day, a clerk was walking home along a river when he saw something shinning in the river and when he looked, he saw the diamond necklace. He decided to try and catch it to get the $50,000 reward. He put his hand in the river and tried to catch the necklace, but somehow missed it and didn't catch it. He took his hand out and looked again and the necklace was still there. He tried again. But strangely, he still missed the necklace! He came out and started walking away, feeling sad. Just then, an old man walking by saw him, and asked him what was the matter. The clerk didn't want to share the secret with him, thinking he might take the necklace for himself, so he refused to tell him anything. The old man could see this man was troubled. He again asked the clerk to tell him the problem and promised that he would not tell anyone about it. The clerk told him about the necklace and how he tried and tried to catch it, but kept failing. The old man then told him that perhaps he should try looking upward, toward the branches of the tree, instead of in the river. The clerk looked up and true enough, the necklace was hanging on the branch of a tree. He had been trying to take a reflection of the real necklace all this time. 4

['QSN The clerk tried to get the diamond necklace to _ . ANS get the big reward.', 'QSN Before the old man asked the clerk what was the matter, the clerk _ . ANS was not feeling good', 'QSN Where did the clerk find the necklace at last? ANS On the tree', 'QSN What might be the best title for the passage? ANS Changing the way of thinking']

The man who admitted to killing an Italian woman inside her East Harlem apartment said he was possessed by an "evil spell ," police said Thursday. Bakary Camara, 41, who once dated the murdered woman, penned his admission of guilt in a three-page letter folded in his pocket as he tried to kill himself after policemen burst into his home. Kelly, a policeman, said "He says that there was an evil spell that was cast on him." Camara, who was in stable condition at St. Barnabas Hospital, was later charged with the murder of Rita Morelli. The 36-year-old woman was getting a degree at Borough of Manhattan Community College as she waited tables at Caffe Buon Gusto on the upper East Side, police said. Camara called 911 from a payphone after killing the lively Morelli on Nov. 23. Her body was later found in her E. 120th St. home. She was hanged and had knife wounds to her throat and chest. Policemen began dialing numbers from Morelli's cell phone and when Camara picked up, a detective recognized his voice as the man who called in the report of a dead body, police said. When officers went to Camara's home, he locked himself inside, forcing policemen to burst down the front door to catch him. "He is standing there with a knife pointed at his chest," Kelly, a policeman, said. "He makes threatening statements as to the fact that he killed the woman. He then stabs himself in the chest." Camara, who told police he served six years in prison for robbery back in his native country, was still waiting to be charged with murder Thursday. Morelli left her hometown of Spoltore, Italy, five years ago to fully experience the arts and music culture of the big city, her family said. 5

["QSN The reason why Camara killed the woman was _ . ANS the passage didn't tell us clearly", 'QSN Which of the following is true according to the passage? ANS Camara was once in prison for six years.', 'QSN From the passage we know _ . ANS Camara and Morelli knew each other', 'QSN What can we know about Morelli from the passage? ANS She had stayed in the city for 5 years.', 'QSN What did Camara do after killing the woman? ANS He called to report a dead body.']

Many scientists today are convinced that life exists elsewhere in the universe---life probably much like that on our own planet. They reason in the following way. As far as astronomers can determine, the entire universe is built of the same matter. They have no reason to doubt that matter obeys the same laws in every part of the universe. Therefore, it is reasonable to guess that other stars, with their own planets, were born in the same way as our own solar system. What we know of life on earth suggests that life will arise wherever the proper conditions exist. Life requires the right amount and kind of atmosphere. This eliminates all those planets in the universe that are not about the same size and weight as the earth. A smaller planet would lose its atmosphere; a larger one would hold too much of it. Life also requires a steady supply of heat and light. This eliminates double stars, or stars that flare up suddenly. Only single stars that are steady sources of heat and light like our sun would qualify. Finally, life could evolve only if the planet is just the right distance from its sun. With a weaker sun than our own, the planet would have to be closer to it. With a stronger sun, it would have to be farther away. If we suppose that every star in the universe has a family of planets, then how many planets might support life? First, eliminate those stars that are not like our sun. Next eliminate most of their planets; they are either too far from or too close to their suns. Then eliminate all those planets which are not the same size and weight as the earth. Finally, remember that the proper conditions do not necessarily mean that life actually does exist on a planet. It may not have begun yet, or it may have already died out. This process of elimination seems to leave very few planets on which earthlike life might be found. However, even if life could exist on only one planet in a million, there are so many billions of planets that this would still leave a vast number on which life could exist. 4

['QSN The existence of life depends on all of the following factors EXCEPT _ . ANS our own solar system', 'QSN Which of the following statements is INCORRECT? ANS Double stars can provide steady light and heat.', 'QSN What kind of planet might NOT support life? ANS Most of the planets of the stars.', 'QSN At the end of the passage the author suggests that _ . ANS life could exist on a great number of planets.']

I'm sure many of you have seen Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Multiplicity, or many of the other movies that describe cloning. Most of what you see in these movies is false. What you don't know is that cloning could be dangerous, to the clone and to our society as a whole. I think human cloning is wrong mainly for four reasons. What about identity? Humans are promised the right to their own personalities. What would happen if we ignore those rights by giving them someone else's genetic identity? True, Cloning may prevent people from possessing their identities. Also, these is a large power struggle here. Cloning means a degree of power and controls over another person's physical identity and that ignores their rights and their only personalities. The person doing the cloning would have more power than any parent would have. Cloning would also deal with killing embryos . You might not have known, but Dolly, the sheep that was cloned in 1996, was one of over 200 sheep embryos and hers was the only embryo that survived. The rest died or were thrown away. Imagine if the failure rate was that high when we started to clone humans. cloning means running the risk of wasting too much effort Cloning someone, at this present time, would be extremely dangerous to the birth mother and the clone. In studies done on cows, 4 out of 12 birth mothers died. There is a very high failure rate, which is shown in the cloning of Dolly. Even if you had a few good embryos, failures have been noticeable in animal tests. So, should we work ahead in the world of cloning? I say no. the risks are greater than the benefits. It's dangerous to the clone and to the birth mother. We would be killing human lives in the process. It would also be a violation of the clone's right to its own genetic identity and personality. 4

['QSN The author thinks human cloning is wrong mainly for _ reasons. ANS 4', "QSN According to the article, what is the author's opinion about identity? ANS Cloning may prevent people from possessing their identities.", 'QSN According to Paragraph 4 ,which is right ? _ . ANS cloning means running the risk of wasting too much effort', 'QSN What is the best title of the passage? ANS Human Cloning Is Wrong']

As a teenager, Simon Weston wasn't particularly good at his studies, but he was a good football player. He could also be naughty sometimes so his mother decided Simon should join the army when he was sixteen to teach him some discipline . She was right; Simon really enjoyed army life and became a well-respected member. However, Simon's life was changed forever in 1982. Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, which belong to Britain, and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher declared war . Simon was on board a ship taking troops to the Falklands when it was attacked and set on fire. In an act of great heroism, Simon tried to save one of his friends from being burnt alive. Sadly, he failed and was seriously burnt himself. At the age of 21, Simon's life seemed over. Simon had 70 operations to rebuild his face and body. He was so badly burnt that his mother walked past him in the hospital without recognizing her son. Simon struggled to call out, "Mum, it's me, Simon." Hearing his voice, his mother broke down in tears. Many thought Simon would die, but to everyone's astonishment, he survived. Although he experienced terrible pain, Simon never gave up hope. After months of treatment, Simon slowly started to recover and, although he would be terribly scarred for the rest of his life, he was able to leave hospital. This was when _ . The physical pain slowly disappeared; however, the emotional pain became worse. Simon started to gout but was wounded by the stares of people who looked at him like he was some kind of freak . He felt like saying, "I wasn't born like this you know. I was injured defending my country." It took great courage for Simon to continue to go out. Eventually, Simon became involved in charity work and met his wife Lucy with whom he has three children. Life has never been the same for Simon but his Bravery is an example to us all. 3

["QSN Simon's mother wanted him to join the army because _ . ANS she felt it would change his behavior.", 'QSN What can we infer from the text about Simon? ANS he became an excellent professional soldier.', 'QSN Which of the following can best describe Simon? ANS Brave and generous']

Our surroundings are being polluted faster than nature and man's present efforts cannot prevent it. Time is bringing us more people, and more people will bring us more industry, more cars, larger cities, and the growing use of man-made materials. What can explain and solve this problem? The fact is that pollution is caused by man--by his desire for a modern way of life. We make "increasing industrialization" our chief aim. So we are often ready to offer everything: clean air, pure water, good food, our health and the future of our children. There is a constant flow of people from the countryside into the cities, eager for the benefits of our modern society. But as our technological achievements have grown in the last twenty years, pollution has become a serious problem. Isn't it time we stopped to ask ourselves where we are going--and why? It makes one think of the story about the airline pilot who told his passengers over the loudspeaker, "I've some good news and some bad news. The good news is that we're making rapid progress at 530 miles per hour. The bad news is that we're lost and don't know where we're going." The sad fact is that this becomes a true story when spoken of our modern society. 4

['QSN Man cannot prevent the world from being polluted mainly because _ . ANS we have more and more industry', 'QSN According to the passage, what does man value most? ANS Industry.', 'QSN The story about the airline pilot tells us that _ . ANS the writer is worried about the future of our society', 'QSN People crowd into the cities because _ . ANS they are anxious to enjoy the achievements of our society']

Humans are naturally drawn to other life forms and the worlds outside of our own. We take delight in the existence of creatures and even whole societies beyond our everyday lives. This sense of wonder is universal. Look at the efforts that scientists have made to find out whether life of some kind exists on Mars, and the popularity of fantasy literature or movies like The Lord of the Rings. This sense of wonder draws us to each other, to the world around us, and to the world of make-believe, but have we gone so far in creating worlds of fantasy that we are missing the pleasure of other worlds that already exist all around us? Human beings, as biologists have suggested, possess an inborn desire to connect with and understand other life forms. However, people, especially in big cities, often lead rather isolated lives. In a study of British schoolchildren, it was found that children by age eight were much more familiar with characters from television shows and video games than common wildlife. Without modem technology, a small pond could be an amazing world filled with strange and beautiful plants, insects, birds, and animals. When we lack meaningful interaction with the world around us, and sometimes even with our families and friends, we seek to understand and communicate with things that exist only in our imaginations or on a computer screen. The world of make-believe is not necessarily bad, but when the world of fantasy becomes the only outlet for our sense of wonder, then we are really missing something. We are missing a connection with the living world. Other wonderful worlds exist all around us. But even more interesting is that if we look closely enough,we can see that these worlds, in a broad sense ,are really part of our own. 2

['QSN The popularity of The Lord of the Rings proves _ . ANS the general existence of the sense of curiosity', 'QSN What is the main purpose of the passage? ANS To warn us not to get lost in the fantasy world.']

Chocolate is good for your heart, skin and brain. Usually, people think that chocolate is bad for their health. They describe chocolate as "something to die for" or say "death by chocolate". Now they should bite their tongues! Evidence is showing that some kinds of chocolate are actually good for you in the following ways: A happier heart Scientists at Harvard University recently examined 136 studies on cocoa-- the main ingredient in chocolate-- and found that it does seem to strengthen the heart. Studies have shown heart benefits from increased blood flow. These benefits are the result of cocoa's chemicals, which seem to prevent both cell damage and inflammation . Better blood pressure If yours is high, chocolate may help. Jeffrey Blumberg from Tufts University recently found that people with high blood pressure who ate 3.5ounces of dark chocolate per day for two weeks saw their blood pressure drop quickly. Muscle magic Chocolate milk may help you recover after a hard workout . _ Better for your skin German researchers gave 24 women a half-cup of special cocoa every day. After three months, the women's skin was moister and smoother. The research shows that chocolate helps protect and increase blood flow to the skin, improving its appearance. Brain gains. It sounds almost too good to be true, but research suggests that chocolate may improve your memory, attention span, reaction time, and problem-solving skills by increasing blood flow to the brain. 1

["QSN What's the best title for this passage? ANS Chocolate, a Healthy Food"]

As a child, visiting the zoo was more a punishment than a treat. I didn't find the chimps' tea parties funny, nor the bird shows entertaining. Feeding time for seals was less painful, but their performances still seemed like they belonged more in a circus. And I hated circuses, especially the animal acts -- men teasing lions, girls balancing on elephants and monkeys playing football. I knew that every trick a circus animal did was unnatural, achieved through strict training and quite possibly cruelty. Happily, during my lifetime public attitudes and the law have changed. Circuses using wild animals are now almost extinct, and zoos have definitely evolved. When my children were young, I occasionally took them to our local zoo. The elephants were in tiny cages and the gorillas looked bored as they sat peeling bananas and staring at teasing visitors. Each cage had a sign which listed the animal's name and where it came from. But, back then, there was little information included about the environmental challenges they faced. As a result, environmentalists and animal lovers often oppose zoos. "Animals belong in the wild," is a common -- and understandable -- complaint. But what do the animals themselves prefer? Generally speaking, zoo animals have a longer life. But -- you may protest -- they are not free. What? Free to be hunted and killed, free to die of hunger or thirst? Maybe sitting in a cage eating bananas isn't so bad. Not that such conditions are acceptable in modern zoos, due to the work of BIAZA, the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums. These days every zoo requires BIAZA's approval to operate, and the association sets the standards, observes conditions in zoos and develops animal-research programmes, both in the UK and abroad. BIAZA also organises the animal exchanges between zoos all over the world. Consequently, today, most zoo animals are born and raised in zoos, live in large, comfortable enclosures and are cared for by well-trained, knowledgeable and caring zoo employees. Of course it's no substitute for living in the wild but unfortunately this isn't always possible. Meanwhile, why not visit your local zoo and decide for yourself? 3

['QSN The passage is mainly about _ . ANS how zoos have improved', 'QSN Which of the following roles are performed by BIAZA? ANS Checking zoo conditions and arranging animal exchanges.', 'QSN Which of the following statements about zoos would the writer agree with? ANS Zoos now provide caring living conditions for animals.']

In many countries, heart disease kills a lot of women and even more men. There are four major causes of this disease and these are smoking, poor or bad diet, a family history of heart disease and stressful work. Among these main wrong-doers, the most common cause is stress. What is stress and how do you feel when you are under stress? Imagine you live alone - you are lying in bed at night and, suddenly, you hear someone in the kitchen. Immediately your heart begins to beat very fast and you feel that you can hardly breathe. What you are feeling is not stress, but fear. However, your body changes in the same way when you feel stress. That means that if you feel anxious and worried during an important examination, your heart may beat very fast and you may feel breathless too. You are experiencing stress. Another common situation in which a person is likely to feel stress is to have to do something, for example, performing a boring duty, every day. Let us look at the case of Annie who was a nurse. She felt a lot of stress in her work and began to have very bad headaches at the end of the day. Each morning she woke up more tired than she was when she went to sleep. She did not want to go out in the evening with her friends and she felt unhappy all the time. Finally, she sat down and thought about her life. She saw a lot of illness and death in her work but that was not the reason why she was under stress. The real reason was that she felt unable to make a positive decision in her job - she had to do what the doctors and sisters told her. So, Annie went back to college for further study. When she graduated, she found a job where she was part of a team as before, but where she had responsibility in making decisions. Her working hours were longer and her work more difficult than when she was a nurse but she enjoyed it. She felt she was in control of her life and her work. For Annie, stress in her old job had made her change her life and end a difficult situation. Stress in her new job became a good thing because it helped her achieve satisfaction in her life and in her work. 4

['QSN Feeling _ is one form of stress. ANS anxious', 'QSN According to the passage, _ die of heart disease. ANS more men than women', 'QSN When Annie was a nurse, she felt no real _ in her work or in her life. ANS responsibility', "QSN What is one major difference between Annie's new job and her old one? ANS It involves decision-making."]

Tennis lessons This event takes place every Wednesday from May 9 to July 17. These lessons are open to all from complete beginners to seasoned pros . Playing tennis is a great way of getting fit. Contact The Bridge to find the time for your age group. Cost:[?]4.8 adults, [?]3.30 under 16 per class Contact: Laura Reynolds Tel: 020 8778 7158 Street dance classes This event takes place every Wednesday from February 27 to December 25. The classes are set up for 3 to 6-year-olds. They provide an environment where each child can become confident in his or her efforts and successes. Our school believes "If You Aim High,You Will Succeed". Cost: PS4 per student Contact: Hayley Rea Email: [email protected] Children's workshops in clay This event takes place every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from April 15 to July I. The workshops are suitable for children aged five years and above . The children will be shown different methods of making many things in clay. Cost: PS75 for 10 lessons Contact: Shirley Stewart Email: shirli [email protected] Caterpillar music This event takes place every Tuesday and Friday from. October 18 to December 31. The classes are set up for 0 to 4-year-olds. We use puppets , actions, songs, instruments and games to entertain and introduce a love of music to your little one. The classes last 40 minutes and each week we have a different theme. Cost: PS6 per class Contact: Angela Capriati Tel: 020 8698 8439 3

['QSN If a couple and their 10-year-old boy want to take 5 tennis classes, they should pay_. ANS PS64.5', 'QSN If you are interested in making things with hands, you may contact_. ANS Shirley Stewart', 'QSN What can we learn about Caterpillar music? ANS The theme of the class changes every week.']

February 4, 2012 saw the take-off of a new rising NBA star-Jeremy Lin. Among professional basketball players, Jeremy Lin's background is not typical. He graduated from Harvard University, which sends few players to the NBA, and he is the only Chinese-American NBA player. But when you watch him on the court, there is no doubt that he belongs there. He moves with speed and grace that demonstrate years of faithful practice, which is fueled by a love for basketball. Lin's enjoyment of basketball actually began in Taiwan. When Lin's father moved to U.S., his interest in the sport only grew and he passed on this love of basketball to his son, introducing him to the game at the age of five. The young Lin spent much of his youth playing basketball for fun. In high school, Lin dreamed of playing in the NBA. When he applied for college, he was not offered a single sports scholarship. However, after his admission to Harvard, he was offered a place on its college basketball team. During Lin's time at Harvard, his basketball career began to speed up. He scored 1,482 points, making him one of the highest scorers in Ivy League history. When he graduated, no professional teams offered Lin a contract, but he was invited to play in the NBA Summer League. He played well and ended up eagerly signing a contract with the Golden State Warriors. At first,playing in professional games filled Lin with excitement. He treasured opportunities to meet players he had been watching on TV for years. But slowly, the excitement _ and was replaced by anxiety. In a few very difficult months, he was cut by two teams before the New York Knicks picked him up. But he had the courage and determination to stick to his dream, so he put himself into hard training to get ready for his opportunity to come. Then his moment arrived on February 4, 2012,on which his excellent performance made him famous overnight. After that, he led the Knicks to their fifth straight victory. The Associated Press called Lin "the most surprising story in the NBA". Knicks fans developed the nickname for him "Linsanity" . Time magazine released its 2012 list of the 100 "Most Influential People in the World", Jeremy Lin included. No doubt, Lin fever is continuing to spread if you haven't already caught "Linsanity", get ready. 1

["QSN Which of the following elements is of little help in Lin's success? ANS his graduation from Harvard University"]

Just as the stock market rises and falls in response to what people are willing to put their money behind, we have inside ourselves an inner economy that rises and falls in response to our beliefs about what is possible. Sometimes the degree to which we are willing to challenge our belief systems determines the success of our inner economy. For example, imagine that your family of origin had a belief that musical talent was not something they possessed. As a member of that group, you would likely inherit that same belief about yourself. As a result, even if you had a great desire to create music, you might be hesitant to really get behind yourself, fearing that your investment would not pay off. Even if you had the courage to follow your passion, your inner belief that you are not inherently talented would probably be a major drawback to investing your energy in your dream. On the other hand, if you found a way to release that negative belief, a great flood of energy would pour forth, greatly increasing the likelihood of your success. How much energy we are willing to invest in the various ideas, dreams, and visions we carry within is like the money people are, or are not, willing to invest in the various products available for trade on the stock market. And in both cases, belief plays a key role in determining how willing we are to get behind something. One way to open up the possibility for greater success in our inner economies is to understand that belief is not the reliable guide we sometimes think. There are other more reliable things of success that we can put our faith in, such as passion, feeling, and sense. Some of the most successful investors in the stock market are the ones that go against the grain (to be something that one does not like doing), trusting their sense over the common opinion held by common people about what will work. In the same way, we can learn to trust our heart's desires and our sense to guide us, questioning any beliefs that stand in the way of our ability to fully invest in ourselves. As we take out energy from limiting ideas about what is possible, we free up the resources that have the power to make our inner economy prosper. 3

['QSN According to the passage, if a family of origin has passion for literature, the members of the family will probably_. ANS enter the field of literature', 'QSN We can put our faith in the following things of success except_. ANS stock market', 'QSN The purpose of the author is_. ANS to give us some useful suggestions']

Going Zero Waste means more than just managing the rubbish we create.It means reducing it too.While it might seem like a difficult thing to do, it's well worth it.And what better time to start than Christmas? We need to copy the way Nature wastes nothing.Many things are created by human society that we know will soon become useless and be thrown out.How many plastic bottles or even PCs end up in the rubbish bin? Instead,we should design products that can be more easily repaired,reused and recycled. Kamikatsu, a Japanese village,has already gone Zero Waste.The 2,000 villagers compost their leftovers,and recycle everything else.There are 34 different boxes at the re-cycling centre! Residents grumble about the inconvenience,but they also see the benefits. People who live Zero Waste lives are careful about what they do.They never take more than they need.Reusing plastic bags at supermarkets is a great way to reduce waste.And those who plan before they shop avoid having to throw food out later.Also,it's best not to go food shopping when you're hungry:You'll be sure to buy too much! Let's think about how to enjoy a Zero Waste Christmas.By sending recyclable cards,we can help our friends and family reduce waste.And what better way to enjoy the spirit of Christmas than with a real tree that can be replanted in the spring? Going Zero Waste requires us to think more about what happens before and after we act.It takes ambition,and it's not always easy.But just think how good it would be,both for ourselves and for the environment, if we never had to waste anything. 4

['QSN When is this passage probably written? ANS Before a Christmas.', 'QSN What should we do to reduce waste according to the passage? ANS To copy the way Nature wastes nothing.', 'QSN If we want to live Zero Waste lives we should do the following except _ . ANS not making a plan before we shop', "QSN What's the main purpose of this passage? ANS To call on people to attend Zero Waste."]

It's 10:30 pm, and 11-year-old Brandon Blanco is sound asleep at home. Suddenly, a loud noise wakes him up. Naturally, Brandon reaches for his cell phone. The message becomes clear: "R U awake?" Brandon' s use of technology doesn' t stop there. He also has a computer, a TV and three video-game consoles ( ) in his room. With so many choices, it' s no surprise that when he isn' t at school, he spends nearly every waking minute using one or more of these devices Brandon is hardly alone. According to a recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, kids aged 8 to18 are spending more time than ever before using electronic devices. How much time? More than seven and a half hours a day on average, the study found. The jump is the result of a huge explosion in mobile devices, says Victoria Rideout, the lead author of the study. Today, nearly seven out of ten kids have cell phones. Just five years ago, it was four out of ten. Often, kids multitask, or use more than one device at a time. " If you've got a chance to do something on your computer and take a phone call and have the TV on in the background, why not?" media expert Cheryl Olson says. Most experts agree technology has much to offer kids. But some worry the kids could be missing out on other activities like playing outside or hanging out with friends. " It' s a matter of balance," says Olson." You've got to work on it. " Multitasking while doing homework is another concern. Some kids listen to music, watch TV or use the phone while doing their homework. "It' s important to make sure that you can stop and concentrate on one thing deeply, " says Rideout. With new and exciting devices hitting stores every year, keeping technology use in check is more important than ever. " Kids should try," adds Rideout. " But parents might have to step in sometimes. " 4

['QSN Why do children spend more time in using electronic devices? ANS Because more electronic devices are available to them.', "QSN It is known from the passage that _ . ANS Cheryl Olson is not surprised about kids' increasing use of mobile devices", 'QSN Which of the following is an example of multitasking according to the passage? ANS Watching TV while using the computer.', 'QSN According to the passage, Victoria Rideout would probably agree that _ . ANS kids should do homework in a place without disturbance']

American researchers say drinking tea may help strengthen the body's defense system against infection. Doctors at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, did the study. The team studied a chemical found in black, green, oolong and pekoe tea. This chemical is an amino acid called L-theanine. The scientists say it may increase the strength of gamma delta T cells. That's the letter T, not the drink. Gamma delta T cells are part of the body's defense. First, the researchers mixed some of these cells with antigens found in the amino acid . Antigens help the body react to infection. Then the scientists added some bacteria. Within twenty-four hours, the cells produced a lot of interferon, a substance that fights infection. Cells not mixed with the antigens did not produce interferon. In the second part of the study, eleven people drank five to six cups of black tea every day. Ten other people drank the same amount of instant coffee. That is dried coffee mixed with hot water. Two weeks later, and again two weeks after that, the researchers tested the blood of all twenty-one people. They also looked at what happened when they added bacteria to the blood cells. They found that the tea drinkers produced five times more interferon after they started drinking tea. The coffee drinkers did not produce interferon. Doctor Jack Bukowski led the study. He says the antigens added to the gamma delta T cells were responsible for the increased reaction to the bacteria. He says that the study also showed that the cells were able to remember the bacteria and fight them again the next time. Earlier research already has found that tea can help prevent heart disease and cancer. Doctor Bukowski says the new study must be repeated by more people. "If the findings prove to be true," he says, "then tea drinking might also help protect against bacterial infections." He says the amino acid L-theanine could be removed from the tea and used as a drug to strengthen the body's defenses. 4

['QSN We may know from the text that _ can be found in different kinds of tea. ANS L-theanine', "QSN Tea may help strengthen the body's defense system because it helps _ . ANS the body to produce more interferon", 'QSN According to Dr Bukowski, _ . ANS further study is needed to prove the findings true', 'QSN What would be the best title for this text? ANS Tea May Help Fight Infection']

A subject which seems to have been insufficiently studied by doctors and psychologists is the influence of geography and climate on the psychological and physical health of mankind. There seems no doubt that the general character of the landscape, the relative length of day and night, and the climate must all play a big part in determining what kind of people we are. It is true that a few studies have been made. Where all the inhabitants of a particular area enjoy exceptionally good or bad health, scientists have identified contributory factors such as the presence or absence of substances like iodine, fluoride, calcium, or iron in the water supply, or perhaps types of land that provide breeding places for pests like mosquitoes or rats. Moreover, we can all generalize about types of people we have met. Those living in countries with long dark winters are apt to be less talkative and less vivacious than inhabitants of countries where the climate is more equable. And where the olive and the orange grow, there the inhabitants are cheerful, talkative, and spontaneous. But these commonplace generalizations are inadequate: the influence of climate and geography should be studied in depth. Do all mountain dwellers live to a ripe old age? Does the drinking of wine, rather than beer, result in a sunny and open temperament? Is the strength and height of one of the Kenyan tribes due to their habitual drinking of the blood of cows? We are not yet sure of the answers to such questions, but let us hope that something of benefit to mankind may eventually result from such studies. 4

['QSN _ might serve as a suitable title for this selection. ANS The Influence of Geographical Environment on Man', 'QSN Using context clues we may infer that " iodine, fluoride and calcium" are _ . ANS substances which act positively or negatively on man\'s health', 'QSN According to the author, research into the influence of geography and climate should _ . ANS go much deeper', 'QSN The author hopes that studies on the influence of geographical environment will enable us to _ ANS gain an insight into its influence on mankind']

"Children who eat less salt and drink fewer sugar-sweetened soft drinks may significantly lower their risks of obesity," researchers recently reported in the journal Hypertension. "Sugar-sweetened soft drinks are a significant source of calorie intake in children," said Feng J. He, a researcher at St George's University of London, England. "It has been shown that sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption is related to obesity in young people." They wanted to know whether there is a link between salt intake and sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption. Dr He and colleagues analyzed data from a 1997 national survey of more than 2,000 people between 4 and 18 in Britain. "We found that children eating a lower-salt diet drank less fluid," said He. "From our research, we estimated that 1 gram of salt cut from their daily diet would reduce fluid intake by 100 grams per day." The researchers also found that children eating a lower-salt diet drank fewer sugar-sweetened soft drinks. From their research, they predicted that reducing salt intake by 1 gram each day would reduce sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption by 27 grams per day, after. "If children aged 4 to 18 cut their salt intake by half, there would be a decrease of about two sugar-sweetened soft drinks per week per child, so each child would decrease calorie intake by almost 250 kilocalories per week," Dr He said. In previous studies, researchers found that a low-salt diet lowers blood pressure in children, and prevents the development of high blood pressure later in life. "Both high blood pressure and obesity increase the risk of having strokes and heart attacks," Dr He said. Dr He recommends that parents check labels and choose low-salt food products. "Small reductions in the salt content of 10 to 20 percent cannot be detected by the human salt taste receptors and do not cause any technological or safety problems," Dr He said. 4

['QSN According to the passage, obesity is directly linked to _ . ANS sugar-sweetened soft drinks', 'QSN Compared with previous studies, the recent one found that _ . ANS a lower-salt diet may mean less sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption', 'QSN Which of the following statements would Dr He agree to? ANS A low-salt diet may prevent both high blood pressure and obesity.', 'QSN After reading the passage, who should take effective action? ANS Parents.']

Like every language, American English is full of special expressions, phrases that come from the day-to-day life of the people and develop in their own way. Our expression today is "to face the music". When someone says, "Well, I guess I'll have to face the music," it does not mean he's planning to go to the concert. It is something far less pleasant, like being called in by your boss to explain why you did this and did that, and why you didn't do this or that. Awful music indeed, but it has to be faced. At sometime or another, every one of us has to face the music, especially as children. We can all remember father's angry voice, "I want to talk to you." and only because we did not obey him. What an unpleasant business it was! The phrase "to face the music" is familiar to every American, young and old. It is at least 100 years old. And where did this expression come from? The first explanation comes from the American novelist, James Fenimore Looper. He said, in 1851, that the expression was first used by actors while waiting to go on the stage. When they got their cue to go on, they often said, "Well, it's time to face the music." And that was exactly what they did--facing the orchestra which was just below them. And an actor might be frightened or nervous as he moved on to the stage in front of an audience that might be friendly or perhaps _ , especially if he forgot his lines. But he had to go out. If he did not, there would be no play. So the expression "to face the music" came to mean "having to go through something, no matter how unpleasant the experience might be, because you knew you had no choice." Other explanations about the expression go back to the army. When the men faced an inspection by their leader, the soldiers would be worried about how well they looked. Was their equipment clean, shiny enough to pass the inspection? Still the men had to go out and face the music of the band as well as the inspection. What else could they do? Another army explanation is more closely linked to the idea of facing the results and accepting the responsibility for something that should not have been done. For example, when a man is forced out of the army because he did something terrible, he is dishonored. The band does not play. Only the drums tap a sad, slow beat. The soldier is forced to leave, facing such music as it is and facing the back of his horse. 2

['QSN How many ways does the phrase "to face the music" comes from? ANS 3.', 'QSN What\'s the meaning of "to face the music"? ANS To face something far less pleasant.']

Two of the hardest things to accomplish in this world are to acquire wealth by honest effort and, having gained it, to learn how to use it properly. Recently 1 walked into the locker room of a rather well-known golf club after finishing a round.It was in the late afternoon and most of the members had left for their homes. But a half-dozen or so men past middle age were still seated at tables talking aimlessly and drinking more than was good for them. These same men can be found there day after day.and,strangely enough,each one of these men had been a man of affairs and wealth,successful in business and respected in the community.If material prosperity were the chief necessity for happiness, then each one should have been happy. Yet,it seemed to me,something very important was missing,else there would not have been the constant effort to escape the realities of life through scotch and soda. They knew, each one of them,that their productivity had ceased .When a fruit tree ceases to bear its fruit,it is dying.And it is even so with man. What 1s the answer to a long and happy existence in this world of ours? I think I found it long ago in a passage from the book of Genesis which caught my eye while I was looking through my Bible. The words were few,but they became memorably impressed on my mind:"In the sweat of the face shall you eat the bread." To me,that has been a challenge from my earliest recollections (memories).In fact,the battle of life,of existence,is a challenge to everyone.The immortal words of St.Paul,too,have been and always will be a great inspiration to me.At the end of the road 1 want to be able to feel that I have fought a good fight,I have finished the course,I have kept the faith. 3

['QSN We learn from the passage that the author _ . ANS held.a positive attitude towards an active life', 'QSN What is implied in the passage by the writer? ANS If you cease to struggle,you cease to live.', 'QSN The passage above is most probably taken from _ . ANS an autobiography']

Trip 1 Black Bear Count There have been fires in this area in the last few years and the Office of the National Park is not sure how many black bears are still living. Some bears have been seen since the fires, and the Office has asked for young people to help count them. The entire trip will last three hours. Bookings necessary. Cost: Free When: May 8 Trip 2 Garland Valley Bring your drink and lunch for this walk in a beautiful area of the Blue Mountains. Garland Valley is close to the town of Garland but is part of the National Park. Many wild animals live in this area, including many rare birds. This is a great walk for bird-lovers. The trip lasts four hours. Bookings necessary. Cost: $ 15 When: May 8, May 15 Trip 3 Flashlight Adventure Put on your warm clothes, bring a flashlight and a pair of glasses, and come for a night walk along the Dungog Valley. A guide will lead the tour. Many of the animals you will see on this trip can only be seen at night. The guide will tell you about the lives of the animals you see. Numbers are strictly limited on night trips, so be sure to book early. This walk lasts two and a half hours. Cost: $ 12 When: May 8, May 15, May 22 Equipment to be needed: *Please bring enough water and food for all walks. *Wear good walking shoes--no high heels. *Wear a hat for day walks. *Dress warmly for night walks. *Children must be with an adult. *Make sure your flashlight works well and bring extra batteries for night walks. *Follow all instructions from guides during the walks. The mountains are a dangerous place. Bookings: *Bookings for the above trips can be done by telephone (893 - 4847) or on the Internet at (www. bluemountaintour, com) 3

['QSN Where are these trips? ANS In a park in the mountains.', 'QSN Which of the following is NOT necessary for the three trips? ANS A sleeping bag.', 'QSN What is the best title for the passage? ANS Discovery Trips in the Blue Mountains']

Ternang, Mon, more than 10, 000 people were made homeless in Ternang after six days of continuous heavy rain. The wooden bridge across the river has been swept away, . The town is cut by flood waters. At the fifth mile Jalan Tengku, the water is not two metres deep. It is closed to all traffic. Motorists going south are advised to use Jalan Hisamuddin. Flooding first appeared at mid - afternoon yesterday along the river banks. People moving to higher ground were just in time to escape from the flood. Most of the people had to leave their possessions behind. Helped by the army, police, Red Cross Society, the whole town was moved out of danger. They are new houses near the town ofprefix = st1 /Tulang. "Everything possible is being done to help the unfortunate people, " a government official said, " In fact, money, food and clothing have begun to come in from organizations and people. " According to the latest reports it is still raining heavily at Ternang. The whole town is expected to be totally covered. So far nobody has been reported dead. 4

['QSN Motorists to the south were advised to _ . ANS travel by Jalan Hisamuddin', 'QSN The flood victims first escaped to _ . ANS higher ground', 'QSN The people are staying _ . ANS in Tulang', 'QSN The flood is expected to _ . ANS get worse']

You've probably heard of Marco Polo, but how much do you actually know about him and his incredible journey? Marco was the original travel writer, whose trade contacts with Asia changed Europe, opening it up to new ideas and cultures. Marco Polo was born in the Venetian Republic around 1254.At the time, Venice was one of the most powerful trading cities in the world, and was ruled as an independent city state.Marco's mother died when he was young, so he was brought up by his aunt and uncle.When Marco was born, his brother (Maffeo) and father (Niccolo), who were successful merchants, were away on a trading voyage.They didn't get back until Marco was about 15. In 1271, Niccolo and Maffeo set off again for Asia, this time taking Marco with them.On a previous journey they'd met Kublai Khan (the Yuan Dynasty), and they were keen to establish trade links between Kublai's empire and Venice.The Polos sailed across the Mediterranean to Acre (now in northern Israel).Then, they traveled by camel to the port of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.Their plan was to sail to China but they couldn't find any good boats.So, they continued the journey overland, finally meeting Kublai Khan at his summer palace in Xanadu, about 275 kms north of modern Beijing.Marco was now probably 21 years ol The journey had taken over three years. The Polos had learnt a great deal about the world during their travels and so Kublai employed Marco as a government official.This gave Marco the opportunity to travel around much of Kublai's empire in China.In fact, Kublai found the Polos so useful that he was unwilling to let them return home.However, in 1292, the Polos eventually left, sailing from China and ending up in Hormuz again.The journey was extremely dangerous: of the 600 travelers who set off, only 18 arrived in Hormuz, including all three of the Polo family. The Polos finally returned to Venice in 1295, twenty-four years after setting off.They had traveled 24,000 kms.By this time Venice was at war with Genoa, its trade rival.Unfortunately for Marco, he was captured by the Genoese and imprisione However, he used his time as a prisoner to write a book about his family's travels: II Milione (known as The Travels of Marco Polo in English).It was the first book to tell Europeans about China and the East.No original copy survives, but there are several versions of it.Marco's writings influenced many other travelers, most notably Christopher Columbus, who carried a copy of II Milione with him on his voyage in search of Asia. After his release from prison in 1299, Marco rejoined his father and uncle in Venice.The family were now even wealthier than before thanks to the many treasures they'd brought back from the East.Marco financed many more trading journeys but never left the city again.He died in 1324 and was buried in the church of San Lorenzo in Venice. 2

['QSN Which of the following is true according to the passage? ANS Marco spent about six years on the way to China and back to Venice.', 'QSN The passage is most probably taken from _ . ANS a history book']

Finding time to read is an important part of developing reading and writing skills for all kids. And there are many easy and convenient ways to make reading a part of each day -- even when it's tough to find time to sit down with a book. Car trips, waits in checkout lines and the doctor's office are all opportunities for reading. Keep books or magazines in your car, or backpack to pull out whenever you're going to be in one place for a while. Even if you can't finish a book, read a few pages or discuss some of the pictures. Encourage kids to bring favorite books and magazines along wherever you go. While it's attractive to provide electronic games and readers, be sure to alternate electronic media with plenty of opportunities to read traditional print books. Reading opportunities are everywhere you go. While riding in the car, for example, encourage kids to spot words and letters (on billboards, store signs, etc.), turning it into a game ("Who'll be the first to find a letter B?"). Even daily tasks like cooking can provide reading moments. Kids can assist you as you cook by telling you how much flour to measure. Give your child a catalogue to read while you sort through the mail. Ask relatives to send your child letters, e-mail, or text messages, and read them together. Help your child create letters or messages to send back to the relatives. These types of activities help kids see the purpose of reading and of print. Even when you're trying to get things done, you can encourage reading. While cleaning, for instance, you might ask your child to read a favorite book to you while you work. Make sure kids get some time to spend quietly with books, even if it means cutting back on other activities, like watching TV or playing video games. Most important, be a reader yourself. Kids who see their parents reading are likely to imitate them and become readers, too! 2

['QSN How does the author advise kids to keep in touch with relatives? ANS Make written communication.', 'QSN What may be the best title for the text? ANS Finding reading moments']

After giving a talk at a high school, I was asked to pay a visit to a special student. An illness had kept the boy home, but he had expressed an interest in meeting me. I was told it would mean a great deal to him, so I agreed. During the nine-mile drive to his home, I found out something about Matthew. He had muscular dystrophy . When he was born, the doctor told his parents that he would not live to five, and then they were told he would not make it to ten. Now he was thirteen. He wanted to meet me because I was a gold-medal power lifter, and I knew about overcoming obstacles and going for my dreams. I spent over an hour talking to Matthew. Never once did he complain or ask, "Why me?" He spoke about winning and succeeding and going for his dreams. Obviously, he knew what he was talking about. He didn't mention that his classmates had made fun of him because he was different. He just talked about his hopes for the future, and how one day he wanted to lift weights with me. When we had finished talking, I went to my briefcase and pulled out the first gold medal I had won and put it around his neck. I told him he was more of a winner and knew more about success and overcoming obstacles than I ever would. He looked at it for a moment, then took it off and handed it back to me. He said, "You are a champion. You earned that medal. Someday when I get to the Olympics and win my own medal, I will show it to you." Last summer I received a letter from Matthew's parents telling me that Matthew had passed away. They wanted me to have a letter he had written to me a few days before: 4

["QSN The boy looked forward to meeting the author because _ . ANS he was one of the author's fans", 'QSN From the passage we learn that _ . ANS Matthew was an optimistic and determined boy', "QSN Matthew didn't accept the author's medal because _ . ANS he would not be pitied by others", 'QSN What would be the best title for this passage? ANS A real champion.']

Naps--short sleeps during the day--may improve memory, experts said recently. New research conducted by brain researcher Avi Karni of the University of Haifa in Israel explores the possibility that naps help lock in sometimes long-term memories. "We still don't know exactly how memory system works during sleep, but the results of this research suggest it is possible to speed up memory consolidation ," Karni said. Long-term memory refers to memories that stay with us for years, such as "what" memories -- a car accident that happened yesterday-- or "how to" memories, such as one's learned ability to play the pianos. Karni, also one of the authors of the study published in a recent issue of the journal Nature Neuroscience, instructed participants to learn a difficult set of finger games, then divided the study _ into two groups: one that napped for an hour, and one that didn't. The people who took an afternoon snooze showed obvious improvement in their performance by that evening. "After a night's sleep the two groups were at the same level, but the group that slept in the afternoon improved much faster than the group that stayed awake," Karni said. And the study also showed just how much faster a 90-minute nap could help lock in long-term memories. "Daytime sleep can shorten the time 'how to' memory weakens and forgetting starts,"Karni said, "Instead of 6 to 8 hours, the brain consolidated the memory during the 90-minute nap." 2

["QSN We can learn from the article that _ . ANS Karni's findings are based on comparisons between two groups of participants", 'QSN The text is most probably taken from _ . ANS a science site']

Teachers say the digital age has had a good influence - and a not-so-good influence - on this generation of American teenagers.More than 2,000 teachers took an online survey.Three-quarters of the teachers said the Internet and digital search tools have had a "mostly positive" effect on their students' research habits and skills.But 64 percent said the technologies "do more to distract( - - - ---) students than to help them academically." And 87 percent agreed that these technologies are creating an "easily distracted generation with short attention spans." The Pew Internet Project did the survey with the National Writing Project.Judy Buchanan is the vice director of the National Writing Project and a co-author of the report.Ms.Buchanan says digital research tools are helping students learn more and faster."Teachers really favor these tools because they are ways to make some of the learning exciting and engaging.Young people favor these tools.The goal is to really help them become creators of meaningful content, and not just sort of consumers." But one problem the survey found is that many students lack digital literacy.They trust too muck of the information they find on the Internet.Judy says these students haven't developed the skills to determine the quality of online information."It's something that really has to be taught and paid attention to.Because in a world in which things happen quickly, you do need to step back, reflect and analyze the information you have." Another problem is blamed on something that might not seem like a problem at all: being able to quickly find information online.Teachers say the result is a reduction in the desire and ability of their students to work hard to find answers.They say students are overly dependent on search engines and do not make enough use of printed books or research libraries. Many teachers are also concerned that the Internet makes it easy for students to copy work done by others instead of using their own abilities. 2

['QSN The text mainly tells us _ . ANS digital tools bring about benefits and problems', "QSN Some students don't tend to work hard because ANS they can get answers on the Internet quickly"]

Fifty people died, over 11,000 were injured, and 100,000 houses were heavily damaged or destroyed in an earthquake that struck North China's Hebei Province. The quake, measuring 6. 2 on the Richter scale (6 .2) , hit the area 220km northwest of Beijing at 11: 50 a. m. on January 10, 1998. Scientists made a report of the recent quake. They said that the area of northwestern Beijing, the joint of Shanxi and Hebei Provinces and the Inner Mongolia were most easily attacked by earthquakes measuring 6 to a bit over 7 on the Richter scale. However, scientists did not see the recent earthquake earlier. Clouds covered a large area in the northern part of North China before the earthquake and experts say that this prevented satellites from correctly watching the temperature at the correct altitude . Experts say that in the last ten years, about 305 earthquakes have taken place in China with 9 measuring over 7 on the Richter scale, 60 measuring over 6, and 236 measuring over 5. Tens of thousands of people died or were injured. Loss valued over 10 billion yuan. 4

['QSN When the earthquake attacked the area, most people there were unlikely to _ . ANS sleep in bed', 'QSN The report shows that about nine earthquakes in the past ten years are measured over _ on the Richter scale. ANS 7', 'QSN It can be inferred from the report that the damage caused by the earthquakes could be much less heavy if _ . ANS the people had been warned earlier', 'QSN Which of the following can be reasonable except _ . ANS Nothing can be done on earthquakes']

In the kitchen of my mother's houses there has always been a wooden stand with a small notepad and a hole for a pencil. I'm looking for paper on which to note down the name of a book I am recommending to my mother. Over forty years since my earliest memories of the kitchen pad and pencil, five houses later, the current paper and pencil look the same as they always did. Surely it can't be the same pencil? The pad is more modern, but the wooden stand is definitely the original one. "I'm just amazed you still have the same stand for holding the pad and pencil after all these years." I say to her, walking back into the living-room with a sheet of paper and the pencil. "You still use a pencil. Can't you afford a pen?" My mother replies a little sharply. "It works perfectly well. I've always kept the stand in the kitchen. I never knew when I might want to note down an idea, and I was always in the kitchen in those days." Immediately I can picture her, hair wild, blue housecoat covered in flour, a wooden spoon in one hand, the pencil in the other, her mouth moving silently. My mother smiles and says, "One day I was cooking and watching baby Pauline, and I had a brilliant thought, but the stand was empty. One of the children must have taken the paper. So I just picked up the breadboard and wrote it all down on the back. It turned out to be a real breakthrough for solving the mathematical problem I was working on." This story--which happened before I was born--reminds me how extraordinary my mother was, and is, as a gifted mathematician. I feel embarrassed that I complain about not having enough child-free time to work. Later, when my mother is in the bathroom, I go into her kitchen and turn over the breadboards. Sure enough, on the back of the smallest one, are some penciled marks I recognize as mathematics. Those symbols have travelled unaffected through fifty years, rooted in the soil of a cheap wooden breadboard, invisible exhibits at every meal. 4

["QSN Why has the author's mother always kept the notepad and pencil in the kitchen? ANS To write down a flash of inspiration.", "QSN What is the author's original opinion about the wooden stand? ANS It needs to be replaced by a better one.", 'QSN The author feels embarrassed for _ . ANS not making good use of time as her mother did', "QSN In the author's mind, her mother is _ . ANS keen on her research"]

Alexander the Great was a mighty king and conqueror . He was one of the greatest military geniuses the world has ever known. He was born in Pella, Macedonia. Alexander grew to be a handsome, brilliant man. Aristotle, the famous philosopher , came from Greece to teach him---geography, politics, literature, medicine and science. Alexander's father, King Philip II of Macedon, taught him to plan and win battles. The young prince became King when he was 20. He then began the series of marches that continued until he ruled almost all of the then-known world. On his great war horse, Bucephalus, he first took over Greece. He went on to conquer southeastern Europe, Asia Minor, Egypt and India. On his way he crushed the Persian Empire, and was made King of Egypt and Asia. He and his troops traveled over 11,000 miles(17,700 km). He spread Greek customs and ideas wherever he went. In India his men refused to go further. They were tired and frightened, and wanted to go home. Worn out, Alexander agreed to turn back. He died of fever in Babylon, at the early age of 33. 3

['QSN Alexander and his troops traveled and fought probably _ then. ANS on their horses', 'QSN Which of the following statements is TRUE? ANS Alexander was very ready to listen to anybody including his officers and soldiers.', "QSN What's the best title of this passage? ANS Alexander the Great"]

We've all seen them: perfectly toned famous people on late-night television telling us that we too can develop rock-hard abdominal muscles . It's easy! Just pay $149.99 for the Torso Track or $149.75 for the Ad-Doer and watch those unwanted inches leave your waist. Americans spend tens of millions of dollars on various products to firm up their fat around the waist. And did they work? Not necessarily. Independent studies have concluded that most of these products -- no matter who approved them or how expensive they are -- shape your midsection no better than old-fashioned stomach crunches . Some can even cause injury -- like the $518.99 Body Shaper-Q8SP, which left electrical burns on some researchers at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. Others, like the popular Ab-Doer, typically burn less energy than a gentle walk, according to a study to be published in September by the American Council on Exercise. The fact is that many Americans don't have the biological makeup to develop an obvious abdominal muscles. They are either unable to get the necessary muscle mass or they can't lose enough fat to make a difference. Even if the underlying muscles are well developed, all it takes to hide it is one-sixteenth of an inch of fat. That's enough to exclude most healthy women as well as plenty of guys who do crunches every day. So what works best? In its new study, the exercise experts researched on the results of the popular Ab-Doer. A lengthy TV advertisement promises that just 10 minutes a day performing such movements as "Body Boogies" and "Good Mornings" will "help form those muscles the fun and easy way without diets." Steven Loy, professor at California State University, Northridge, tested the promise by measuring the electrical activity produced by the abdominal muscles during three Ab-Doer movements. He and his colleagues then compared the results with those produced during traditional exercises. They determined that the muscles were no more active, and in some cases less so, when exercisers were using the Ab-Doer. Taking a broader approach, researchers at San Diego State University compared 13 abdominal exercises for their ability to develop the central abdominal muscles. They concluded, in a report published in May, that the most effective exercises kept turning the body and worked the muscles the entire time. Among the winners: the bicycle movements -- so called because it looks as if you are riding a bike while lying flat on the floor -- and exercises performed on the "Captain's Chair", a product typically found in gyms that helps hold the body in the air while you raise your legs up toward your chest. Researchers suggested that a varied routine of the different exercises could deliver the best results. 4

["QSN Which of the following is the most effective in building abdominal muscles? ANS Captain's Chair.", "QSN According to the author, it's difficult for many Americans to get visible firm abdominal muscles mainly because _ . ANS how big their muscles will be is determined by birth", 'QSN The author convinces the readers by _ . ANS presenting findings of researches', "QSN What's the main purpose of this passage? ANS To promote proven exercise techniques and to advise against false advertisements."]

The Maldives faces the threat of extinction from rising sea levels, but the government said on Thursday it was looking to the future with plans to build homes and a golf course that float. An increase in sea levels of just 18 to 59 centimeters would make the Maldives -- a nation of tiny coral islands in the Indian Ocean -- virtually uninhabitable by 2100, the UN's climate change panel has warned. President Mohamed Nasheed has vowed a fight for survival, and last month he signed a deal with a Dutch company to study proposals for a floating structure that could support a convention centre, homes and an 18-hole golf course. "It is still early stages and we are awaiting a report on the possibility," a government official said. The company, Dutch Docklands, is currently building floating developments in the Netherlands and Dubai. There was no immediate comment from the firm but its website said it undertook projects that make "land from water by providing large-scale floating constructions to create similar conditions as on land". The Maldives began work on an artificial island known as the Hulhumale near the crowded capital island of Male in 1997 and more than 30,000 people have been settled there to ease _ . The city, which has a population of 100,000, is already protected from rising sea levels by a 30-million-dollar sea wall, and the government is considering increasingly imaginative ways to combat climate change. Nasheed, who staged the world's first underwater cabinet meeting in October to highlight his people's dilemma , has even spoken of buying land elsewhere in the world to enable Maldivians to relocate if their homes are flooded. He has also pledged the Hulhumale to turn his nation into a model for the rest of the world by becoming "carbon neutral" by 2020. His plan involves ending fossil fuel use and powering all vehicles and buildings from "green" sources. 3

["QSN What's the main idea of the passage? ANS The Maldives is considering ways to fight against the global warming.", 'QSN Which statement is true about the Hulhumale? ANS The Hulhumale is an artificial island to be built near the capital.', "QSN Which of the following is NOT Nasheed's idea? _ ANS To build more artificial islands for people to settle there."]

Prolonging human life has increased the size of the human population. Many people alive today would have died of childhood diseases if they had been born 100 years ago. Because more people live longer, there are more people around at any given time. In fact, it is a decrease in death rates, not an increase in birthrates, that has led to the population explosion. Prolonging human life has also increased the dependency load. In all societies, people who are disabled or too young or too old to work are dependent on the rest of society to provide for them. In hunting and gathering cultures, old people who could not keep up might be left behind to die. In times of , infants might be allowed to die because they could not survive if their parents starved, where as if the parents survived they could have another child. In most contemporary societies, people feel a moral to keep people alive whether they can work or not. We have a great many people today who live past the age at which they want to work or are able to work; we also have rules which require people to retire at a certain age. Unless these people were able to save money for their retirement, somebody else must support them. In the United States many retired people live on social security checks which are so little that they must live in near poverty. Older people have more illnesses than young or middle-aged people; unless they have wealth or private or government insurance, they must often "go on welfare" if they have a serious illness. When older people become or too weak and ill to care for themselves, they create grave problems for their families. In the past and in some traditional cultures, they would be cared for at home until they died. Today, with most members of a household working or in school, there is often no one at home who can care for a sick or weak person. To meet , a great many nursing homes and hospitals have been built. These are often profit making organizations, although some are sponsored by religious and other nonprofit groups. While a few of these institutions are good, most of them are simply " grounds" for the dying in which "care" is given by poorly paid, overworked, and under skilled . 3

['QSN The author believes that the increased size of the human population results from _ . ANS a decrease in death rates', 'QSN It can be inferred from the passage that in hunting and gathering cultures _ . ANS the survival of infants was less important than that of their parents in times of starvation', 'QSN According to the passage, which of the following statements about the old people in the United States is true? ANS Many of them live on social security money which is hardly enough.']

When Regina Mary' parents refused to let her get a horse ,the smart 15-year-olddidn't sit in her room and complain. Instead she turned to a cow called Luna to make her riding dreams come true. Hours of training ,and tons of treats later, the results are impressive: not only do the two regularly go on long rides through the southern German countryside, they can even do some difficult jumps successfully. Regina joked while sitting on her brown-and-white companion: "It's unbelievable really , She thinks she's a horse." The pairs unlikely friendship started about two years ago, shortly after Luna was born on the Mayer's farm. They started off with walks in the woods. Then Mayer slowly got her cow more adapted to human contact and riding equipment. About six months later, it was time to see how Luna would respond to a rider on her back in a competition for horses. Mayer sat in the saddle ,and all went as planned. "She was really well behaved and walked normally, but after a couple of meters, she wanted to get me off her back! You could see that she got a bit _ " said Mayer. Luna and Mayer are now soul mates, spending most afternoons together once the teen--who dreams of becoming a nurse one day--come home from school. 2

["QSN Regina's plan is to be _ in the future. ANS a nurse", 'QSN The passage mainly talks about _ . ANS a German girl training a cow successfully']

Teary Joe was a boy with a special ability: he could make himself cry in less than a second. If he disliked something, or things became difficult, Teary Joe would not hesitate to put on a pitiful face and set great big tears running down his cheeks. In this way he managed to get practically everything he wanted, because no one could resist the pity inspired by his tearful little face. But one day, Teary Joe met Pipo. Pipo was asking people in the street for some change, in return for him helping them in any way he could. Pipo was very poor; he had no home and no family, so he made a living however he could. Even so, Pipo always had the biggest smiles on his face. Joe took to Pipo, so he decided to help him out in making some money. He went over next to Pipo, took off his hat, put it face-up on the ground, and started crying with the most pitiful of expressions. Ina few minutes, Joe's hat was full of coins and sweets, but when Joe offered all this to Pipo, Pipo declined. "I prefer deserving what I receive," answered Pipo with his usual smile, "It's much more fun making an effort to get things. Maybe I haven't gotten everything I've wanted, but I've done a load of interesting things." Teary Joe didn't answer; he just walked sadly away. Joe had got everything he wanted, but he'd done practically nothing of interest the whole day. That evening, having returned home, Joe requested a delicious cake for his supper. When his mother said no, Joe tried to cry but, remembering Pipo and how joyful he was, he tried to get the cake in some other way. Joe spent the whole evening helping his mother to water the plants and organize the library books. In the end there was no cake. But that wasn't so bad, because Joe discovered it had been much more fun doing all those things that evening rather than just sitting crying to get a piece of cake that, in the end, wouldn't have been worth it. 4

["QSN According to the passage, Teary Joe _ . ANS relied on others' sympathy before", 'QSN Teary Joe sadly walked away because he _ . ANS got everything he wanted without delight', "QSN Joe's attitude towards Pipo's getting things by making efforts was _ . ANS agreeable", 'QSN What can be inferred about Teary Joe? ANS He was greatly influenced by Pipo.']

Taylor Swift has been named Billboard's Woman of the Year 2014, making her the first artist to receive the award twice. The award goes to the female artist who "has shaped and inspired the music industry with her success, leadership and innovation" over the last year. Previous winners include Pink, Beyonce and Katy Perry. Swift will receive the prize at the Billboard Women in Music award ceremony on 12 December in New York. "As one of the most influential artists of her generation, Taylor Swift has seen incredible success on the Billboard charts," said Janice Min, co-president and chief creative officer of Guggenheim Media's Entertainment Group, which includes Billboard. "Over the course of her career, she's charted 60 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 - the most of any female artist since her debut in 2006. We are tremendously excited to be honouring her as the 2014 Billboard Woman of the Year for the second time." Taylor Swift is a seven-time Grammy winner and the best-selling digital music artist of all time. Earlier this week it was announced she would be performing on The X Factor results show this weekend. On Thursday she appeared in the performed in the Radio 1 Live Lounge, where she sang her current hit Shake It Off and covered Vance Joy's Riptide. Swift has just featured on the cover of British Vogue and explained what it was like to do high profile interviews. "I don't really have anything to hide at this point," she told Fearne Cotton. "It's sort of understood that anything I do is going to be discussed and dissected and debated and I'm used to that dynamic now." She added: "I'm very proud of the way my life is. I'm 24, I'm single, feeling very independent. A lot of fun things have happened in my life." 2

['QSN The Award Ceremony will be held on _ . ANS on 12 December in New York', 'QSN According to Janice Min, _ . ANS Taylor Swift is worthwhile to be given the award a second time']

We all know what a brain is. A doctor will tell you that the brain is the organ of the body in the head. It controls our body's functions, movements, emotions and thoughts. But a brain can mean so much more. A brain can also simply be a smart person, If a person is called brainy, she is smart and intelligent. If a family has many children but one of them is super smart, you could say, "She's the brains in the family. " And if you are the brains behind something you are responsible for developing or organizing something. For example, Bill Gates is the brains behind Microsoft. Brain trust is a group of experts who give advice. Word experts say the phrase"brain trust" became popular when Franklin D. Roosevelt first ran for president in 1932, Several professors gave him advice on social and political issues facing the U. S.These professors were called his "brain trust. " These ways we use the word "brain" all make sense. But other ways we use the word are not so easy to understand. For example, to understand the next brain expression, you first need to know the word"drain." As a verb to drain means to remove something by letting it flow away. So a brain drain may sound like a disease where the brain flows out the ears. But, brain drain is when a country's most educated people leave their countries to live in another. The brains are,sort of,draining out of the country. However,if people are responsible for a great idea,you could say they brainstormed it. Here,brainstorm is not an act of weather. It is a process of thinking creatively about a complex topic. For example, business leaders may use brainstorming to create new products, and government leaders may brainstorm to solve problems. If people are brainwashed, it does not mean their brains are nice and clean. To brainwash means to make someone accept new beliefs by using repeated pressure in a forceful or tricky way. Keep in mind that brainwash is never used in a positive way. 3

["QSN According to the text, if you're the CEO of Bai Du you can be called _ . ANS the brains behind Bai Du", 'QSN Why did Roosevelt successfully win the election? ANS Because he got his brain trust.', 'QSN Which of the following expression is always used in a negative way? ANS Brainwash']

Summer Holiday Fun 2010 ! The summer holidays are upon us again. Here is our guide to summer holiday fun in Peterborough! Peterborough Museum The Age of the Dinosaurs is the museum's main attraction this summer. Get up close to prehistoric creatures via some great hands-on exhibits! Watch out for monsters lurking around every ember! The museum is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday to Saturday, and from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Sundays in August. Call 01733-864663 for details. Saxon Youth Club School holiday fun: young people aged 13-19 will be able to produce their own music, compete in sports activities,or try their hand at cooking at Saxon Youth Club,Saxon Community Centre, Norman Road, Peterborough every Monday and Wednesday from 3:00 pm. PLUS an aeroball tournament will take place on Thursday, 12th August between 3:30 pm and 6:30 pm. Call 01353-720274 for details. Houghton Mill Through the Looking Class----a new production of the family favorite on Monday, 30thAugust. Bring rugs or chairs to sit on and a picnic if you wish to eat during the play.Gates open 5:30 pm,performance 6:30 pm--8:30 pm.Tea room will be open until end of the interval. Adult PS10. ChildPS7. Family PS20. Booking advisable on 0845-4505157. Farmland Museum and Denny Abbey Farmland Games: from Wellie Wanging to Pretend Ploughing matches, come and join the Farmland Team. Collect your sporting stickers and create a color1ful rosette that is fit for a winner! No need to book, just turn up between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Thursday, 19th August. Suitable for children aged four and above, each child should be accompanied by an adult and all activities are included in the normal admission price. Tickets Cost:PS7 per child. For further information, call 01223-810080. 3

['QSN If you are interested in cooking, you can go to _ . ANS Saxon Youth Club', 'QSN You want to watch the new play with your parents, so it will cost you _ . ANS PS20', "QSN Which of the following activities needs parents' company? ANS Playing farmland games."]

BEIJING -- After a night of wining and dining with 50 of China's richest people, Warren Buffet and Bill Gates told the journalists on Thursday that the biggest difference between eating with Chinese tycoons and Western ones was the food. "I was amazed last night, really, at how similar the questions and discussions and all that were to those in the dinners we had in the U.S.," said Mr. Buffett. Mr. Buffett and Mr. Gates, two of the best known Westerners here, announced in September, 2010 that they planned to invite 50 wealthy Chinese tycoons to dinner in Beijing to encourage philanthropy among China's new rich. On Thursday, the two men pronounced the dinner a great success, saying that two-thirds of those invited had shown up, and that more than half of them had offered their own ideas on how Chinese philanthropy should work. The guest list wasn't made public, but the Chinese news media reported that it included Jet Li, the movie star; Niu Gensheng, the founder of a Chinese dairy business; and Pan Shiyi and Zhang Xin, who control the SOHO China real estate empire. As with four earlier dinners held in the United States, Mr. Buffett and Mr. Gates said, no one at the Beijing event was asked to donate money or to promise to engage in charity. "Bill and I won't be calling anybody. What happens in China will depend on what the Chinese people feel about a project of this sort," said Mr. Buffett. China is widely reported to be second only to the United States in the number of dollar billionaires. Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffett said the nation was unique because its wealthy class had arisen almost wholly in the past 30 years, so the philanthropic practices established among European and American dynasties are new here, and open to change. The two said the dinner wasn't a long planned matter, but _ of a trip that Mr. Buffett had already scheduled to Guangdong and Hunan Provinces, where BYD Company, a maker of clean-energy automobiles, has factories. Mr. Buffett's company, Berkshire Hathaway, holds a 10% stake in the company. But Mr. Gates suggested that their philanthropic trip wasn't yet over. "We may do an event in India," he said. 2

['QSN What is the text mainly about? ANS A charity dinner held in Beijing by Mr. Buffett and Mr. Gates.', 'QSN We can learn from the text that _ . ANS China has the largest number of dollar billionaires in Asia']

Drama and the performing arts are excellent methods of building confidence in children and adults alike. Learning through drama allows children to explore their creativity and have fun while leaving their shyness and worries behind. Drama also works by supporting the growth of imagination and other skills. Entertainmet has become rather passive with cinema, television, and computer games becoming more popular. These screen-based methods have had a negative effect on communication. However, drama puts the " _ " back into entertainment. Children have the opportunity to connect with others in a more meaningful way as drama encourages speech development and awareness of body language, and allows the child to become more socially aware. Play and drama are closely linked. When children play a game, they are pretending and using their imagination and so are moving away from reality to create their own story. Drama is a vehicle through which children can express themselves more freely through mime , gesture, movement, and speech to make education fun. Children gain confidence by understanding that there is no final answer in drama and that their opinion and contribution are valued. Children are able to give a personal response to many issues and situations such as poverty, bullying , global warming and recycling. The issues that drama can deal with are endless. Drama and education have a strong link as drama can encourage children to take an active interest in other subjects such as geography, history, and English and so have a more rounded education. As a drama teacher, I have witnessed children at their first class holding onto their parent's arm-unwilling to let go. Then to see the same child later running ino my class with smile is an excellent sight. Drama installs confidence in children by allowing them to improvise and experiment. Everyone is given the opportunity to shine within drama. 1

['QSN Performing drama is likely to help children _ . ANS become more confident in themselves']

"English may be the global language of business but it is not enough by itself for companies to gain a lasting presence in many markets," the European Commission says in a study published last month. The study collected by the British National Centre for Languages for the EU leader, says over 10 per cent of 2,000 small and medium-sized firms in 29 European countries sampled in the study have lost export contract because of lack of language skills. The study says French is used to trade with partners in Africa, Spanish in Latin America, and Russian in Eastern Europe. "The picture is far more complex than the much-quoted view that English is the world language," the study says. Multilingual Commissioner Leonard Orban admitted that English plays an important role worldwide, but he wants to improve more linguistic variety within the EU. The EU's linguistic headaches have exploded with the group's expansion. Languages have become a sensitive topic in Brussels where English is increasingly eclipsing French as the main working language of the organization. Translation of EU papers into EU's 23 official languages costs 1 billion euros (US $1.31 billion) a year. "We want to be open not only to official languages of the Union, but also to others like regional languages, languages of minorities, immigrants' languages and third countries' languages," Orband said. Many EU students have improved their language skills during non-formal learning activities. Young people from more than 20 different nationalities travel across Europe to participate together in many cultural programmes, language courses, thematic workshops and other activities that are organized in about 100 cities. 4

['QSN When did the European Commission say that English is not enough by itself for trade? ANS Last month.', 'QSN Which language is NOT mentioned in the passage? ANS Japanese.', 'QSN What about English in Brussels? ANS English is increasingly eclipsing French.', 'QSN What is the best title for the passage? ANS Do Study Many Languages besides English']

Australia's worst pests are the rabbits, introduced by a settler who released 24 into the wild for sport hunting. In less than 100 years, the rabbits grow into the millions of ones, leaving large areas of land looking like the surface of the moon due to thousands of rabbit caves. The spread of the rabbits in Australia was the fastest of all animals in the world. The spread of the rabbits' disease in 1950 cut the number, but it was not until 1997 when the spread of another disease targeted the pests that the number was finally brought under control. Farm losses due to rabbits today still remain a surprising total A $200 million (US$112 million) a year. The European red foxes, also released for sport hunting, are growing and eating sheep flocks, costing farmers A$40 million (US $22.4 million) a year. The State of Victoria offers a A$10 (US$5.6) prize for each fox tail and has gathered 25,000 in a few months. Foxes are one of the biggest threats to wildlife in Australia. Foxes kill thousands of lambs , birds and native wildlife. Australia lost its long battle against wild pests. 3

['QSN Which of the following is Not mentioned? ANS A great many rabbits eat too much trees.', 'QSN What reduced the number of the rabbits? ANS Disease', 'QSN Australia once fought against _ . ANS rabbits and red foxes']

One of our biggest fears nowadays is that our kids might some day get lost in a "sea of technology"rather than experiencing the natural world.Fear-producing TV and computer games are leading to a serious disconnect between kids and the great outdoors,which will change the wild places of the world,its creatures and human health for the worse,unless adults get working on child's play. Each of us has a place in nature we go sometimes,even if it was torn down.We cannot be the last generation to have that place.At this rate,kids who miss the sense of wonder outdoors will not grow up to be protectors of natural landscapes."If the decline in parks use continues across North America,who will defend parks against encroachment ?"asks Richard Louv,author ofLast Child in the Woods. Without having a nature experience,kids can turn out just fine,but they are missing out a huge enrichment of their lives.That applies to everything from their physical health and mental health,to stress levels,creativity and cognitive skills.Experts predict modern kids will have poorer health than their parents--and they say a lack of outside play is surely part of it:research suggests that kids do better academically in schools with a nature component and that play in nature fosters leadership by the smartest,not by the toughest.Even a tiny outdoor experience can create wonder in a child.The three-year-old turning over his first rock realizes he is not alone in the world.A clump of trees on the roadside can be the whole universe in his eyes.We really need to value that more. Kids are not to blame.They are over-protected and frightened.It is dangerous out there from time to time,but repetitive stress from computers is replacing breaking an arm as a childhood rite of passage. Everyone from developers,to schools and outdoors' citizens,should help regain for our kids some of the freedom and joy of exploring,taking friendship in fields and woods that cement love,respect and need for the landscape.As parents,we should devote some of our energies to taking our kids into nature.This could yet be our greatest cause. 3

['QSN According to the passage,children without experiencing nature will _ . ANS be less healthy both physically and mentally', "QSN According to the author,children's breaking an arm is _ . ANS the natural experience in their growing up", "QSN In writing this passage,the author mainly intends to _ . ANS show his concern about children's lack of experience in nature"]

The Sahara Festival is a celebration of the very recent past. The three-day event is not fixed to the same dates each year, but generally takes place in November or December. It is well attended by tourists, but even better attended by locals. During the opening ceremonies , after the official greetings from the government leaders, people who attend the festival begin to march smartly before the viewing stands, and white camels transport their riders across the sands. Horsemen from different nations display their beautiful clothes and their fine horsemanship. One following another, groups of musicians and dancers from all over the Sahara take their turn to show off their wonderful traditional culture. Groups of men in blue and yellow play horns and beat drums as they dance in different designs. On their knees in the sand, a group of women in long dark dresses dance with their hair, their long, dark, shiny hair is thrown back and forth in the wind to the rhythm of their dance. The local and visiting Italian dogs are anxious to run after hares. The crowd is on its feet for the camel races. Camels and riders run far into the distance, and then return to the Finish Line in front of the cheering people. Towards the evening, there comes the grand finale of the opening day, an extremely exciting horserace. All the riders run very fast on horseback. Some riders hang off the side of their saddles. Some even ride upside down -- their legs and feet straight up in the air -- all at full speed. Others rush down the course together, men arm in arm, on different horses. On and on they went. So fast and so wonderful! 3

['QSN The Sahara Festival is a festival which _ . ANS is attended mainly by the people in the Sahara.', 'QSN Before the races begin, _ take part in the activities during the opening ceremonies. ANS musicians, officials, camels and horses', 'QSN This passage mainly tells readers _ ANS what happens on the opening day of the Sahara Festival']

"Whatever",totally tops most annoying word in the poll .So, you know, it is what it is, but Americans are totally annoyed by the use of "whatever,,in conversations. The popular term of indifference was found most annoying in conversations by 47 percent of the Americans surveyed in a Marist College poll on Wednesday. "Whatever" easily beat out "you know," which especially annoyed a quarter of interviewers. The other annoying expressions were "anyway"(at 7 percent), "it is what it is',(11percent) and "at the end of the day"(2 percent). "Whatever" is an expression with staying power. It left everyone a deep impression in the song by Nirvana ("oh well, whatever, never mind")in 1991 and was popularized by the Valley Girls in the film "Clueless",later that decade. It is still commonly used, often by younger people. It can be a common argument-ender or a signal of indifference. And it can really be annoying. The poll found '"whatever" to be consistently disliked by Americans regardless of their race, sex, age, income or where they live. "It doesn't surprise me because 'whatever,is in a special class, probably,,,said Michael Adams, author of "Slang ~The People's Poetry" and an associate professor of English at Indiana University. "It's a word that and it depends on how a speaker uses it can suggest being not worthy of attention or respect.',Adams, who didn't take part in the poll and is not annoyed by "whatever," points out that its use is not always negative. "It can also be used in place of other neutral phrases that have fallen out of favor, like 'six of one, half dozen of the other,." he said. However, he also noted that the negative meaning of the word might explain why "whatever,was judged more annoying than the ever-popular "you know". 4

["QSN Which tops second among the annoying expression according to the passage?' ANS You know.", 'QSN What can we know about the word "whatever"? ANS Almost half of the Americans surveyed disliked it.', 'QSN In Adams\' opinion, the reason why "whatever",was judged more annoying may be that . _ ANS it carries certain negative meaning sometimes', 'QSN Which of the following statements is true? ANS Adams is not only a writer but also a professor.']

What is the E-mail The e-mail, which is also called email, stands for "electronic mail". You can send messages in only a few seconds by e-mail. On the Internet there are many powerful computers called "servers" to help people send and receive emails. The sending and receiving servers are just like post offices. If you want to use the email service, you have to open at least an email account called a "mailbox", just like we set up a mailbox in a post office. Some mailboxes are provided free of charge by ISPs, which you can get when you open an Internet account. Most widely used mailboxes are provided free by the ISPs, and anyone can apply for one even if he has no ISP account. How to apply for a free mailbox? First you have to connect to the Internet and go to the homepage of the ISP providing free mailboxes. Then you'll find an icon showing "apply for a free mailbox", click the icon, an agreement about the rules for using the free mailbox will appear. If you want to go on, click the icon "I agree". Then you have to fill in a form about your basic personal information, and the name and pin of the mailbox. The pin is the key to the mailbox. After finishing these, you'll get a mailbox like this: your name @ mail server, for example: jack@ 163. com. The mailbox is separated into two parts by a separator "@", which is read as "at". The former part is the name of the mailbox. The latter is the domain name of the mail server. All mails to you will be received by the server and put into your mailbox. You can read this mail on any computer in the world as long as you have the name and pin of the mailbox. 3

['QSN If you want to send or receive an email, you should first _ . ANS apply for a mailbox', 'QSN Here is an email address [email protected]. What is the name of the mailbox? ANS ecpjyb', 'QSN The writer mainly wants to tell us how to _ in this passage. ANS set up a free email-box']

Your schooldays should be some of the best and happiest days of your life. How can you gain the most from them, and ensure you do not waste this wonderful opportunity to learn? Be positive about school. Don't say things are difficult or boring. Be interested in school-life and your school subjects. Join lots of activities. Be quick to put your hand up. Go round the school with a big smile. Expect to work. School is not a holiday camp. If you are not working, you are not learning, and you are wasting your time at school. Teachers cannot make everything enjoyable. Keep fit. If you do not eat a good breakfast, you will be thinking about food in class. If you go to bed late and do not have enough sleep, you will be sleepy in class. Play some sports to keep your body strong. Do today's work today. Do not say you will do things tomorrow. If you get behind the class, it is very difficult to get back in front. You cannot finish a race if you rest all the time. Don't be too disappointed if things sometimes go badly. Everyone fails some tests, loses some matches and has bad days. Friends are not always perfect, and they sometimes say and do unpleasant things. Don't let small problems seem very big and important. Talk about problems. Sometimes they are only the result of misunderstanding. Don't be too embarrasssed to ask for help. You are young. No one thinks you can do everything. Plan your time. Don't waste life lying in bed on Saturday morning. Go and play a sport, learn the piano, work on a project, read a book, practise English, or help someone with problems. There are always a lot of things to do. Set targets. If your last grade was a D, work for a C. try to make progress bit by bit. Think of small targets: "I will speak in class four times this week", "I will finish my project on Wednesday" or "I will get two more marks this week". Follow our advice, and have a happy school-life! 3

['QSN If Johnny wants to read comic books, not textbooks, he needs to read _ . ANS Expect to work.', "QSN According to the passage, which of the following statements is Not true? ANS You won't make good progress unless you set big targets", 'QSN Why do you think the writer thinks it is good to put up your hand in class? ANS Because it means that you will enjoy school and learn more.']

Sometimes the real world can be a confusing place. It is not always fair or kind. And in the real world there are not always happy endings. That is why, every once in a while, we like to escape into the world of fantasy -- a place where things always go our way and there is always a happy ending. We want to believe in fantastic creatures in imaginary lands. We want to believe in magic powers, good friends, and the power of good to overcome evil. We all fantasize about being able to fly and lift buildings off the ground. And how good a magic sword would feel in our hand as we go off to kill a dragon or win the hand of a beautiful princess. The amazing adventures of Superman, Peter Pan, and Harry Potter have charmed many people, children and adults alike. The main reason is that these stories offer us chances to get away from this real, frustrating world and allow us to find some magical solutions to our problems. For example, Superman always arrives in the nick of time to prevent a disaster from happening. Peter Pan can fly at will to tease the bad guy Captain Hook, and Harry Potter has his magic power to take revenge on his uncle, aunt and cousin, who always ill-treat him. 3

['QSN People enter the world of fantasy for the following reasons EXCEPT that _ . ANS the world of fantasy frightens us', "QSN Superman, Peter Pan, and Harry Potter have charmed many people, because _ . ANS they possess powers that ordinary people don't have", 'QSN This article about fantasy literature is intended to _ . ANS explain why people like to read it']

For many workers trying to lose weight, the weekend is a chance to do some exercise and eat something healthier than a supermarket sandwich at their desk. But some slimmers take a slightly different approach -- consuming more than half their weekly calorie intake from Friday night to Sunday. Away from the daily routine at work that helps them keep control of what they eat, they are snacking and drinking their way to a shocking 10,000 calories, a survey has found. Almost three-quarters of people trying to lose weight admit to over-eating at the weekend. A meal with friends or family, complete with alcohol, as well as a late-night snack before bed, can lead to adults consuming up to 3,500 calories in one day, a survey found. Men typically need 2,500 calories a day and women 2,000 calories. Consuming this amount would see men and women get through half their weekly calorie intake over the course of a 'bad' weekend. Women were found to eat less on a Sunday because of guilt over their consumption over the previous two days. Men had fewer doubts about a third day of excess. The biggest weekend diet danger comes from snacking between meals, the survey found. Some say they will often spend Saturday night in front of the TV with their families -- combining watching their favorite shows with crisps and biscuits. And seven in ten people admitted to having fattening takeaways at weekends, with pizza the most popular. Alcohol is another big factor in weekend bingeing.Around 70 percent still like to have a roast on a Sunday or a big meal with family or friends and a third of those will have second helpings. A spokesman from Forza Supplements, the diet company that conducted the survey, said, "We all have bad weekends where we have a lot of fun, but dieting goes out of the window." The 5:2 diet is becoming increasingly popular -- where we limit our calories for five days and allow ourselves a few treats on the other two days. "For many people, the two days off are Saturday and Sunday but they go way too far" 3

['QSN Which kind of weekend diet does the greatest harm? ANS Snacking between the meals.', 'QSN According to the passage, those who try to lose weight _ . ANS get their efforts to lose weight ruined by over-eating on weekends', 'QSN What is the main idea of the text? ANS Weekends are vital for diets.']

Scientists have been puzzled by the phenomenon that migrating birds fly not just in groups all the time, but in "V" formations and they have tried to figure out what benefit birds get from this particular formation. Now, a research group from University of London may have found the answer -- migrating birds fly in a "V" to save energy, according to a study published in the journal Nature. When a bird flaps its wings, it stirs the air around it and causes it to move indifferent directions. Scientist found in the study that the air creates an upward-moving wave at the tips of the wings, which means that if a bird flies around the wingtips of another bird, it can get a boost from the rising air and therefore use less energy to stay in the air. Apart form the "free ride" strategy, scientists were also surprised to observe that migrating birds timed their wing beats and adjusted their positions in a very precise way to maximize the lifting effect while avoiding areas where the air move downward. "They're able to sense what's going on from the bird in front, where this 'good air' is coming from and now how to position themselves perfectly in it," lead researcher Steven Portugal told BBC. In fact, the "V" formation has long thought to help birds fly more efficiently . A previous study showed that birds' heart rates went down when they were flying together in a "V" formation. Jet fighters were also found to be able reduce their energy use by up to 18% by staying near the wingtips of other jet fighters. Both of these findings led scientists to suspect that the "V" formation had an efficiency purpose, but until now they still lack proof. "For scientists, the new study provides an insight into an interesting natural phenomenon. But it could mean even more for aircraft companies -- helping them understand how they can _ that with their plane formations to save fuel, said Portugal." 3

['QSN What is the author\'s purpose in writing this article? ANS To report new findings about migrating birds\' "V" formations.', 'QSN According to the recent study, when birds migrate _ . ANS they form the shape of a "V" to make best use of the lifting effect', 'QSN What is the significance of the new study according to this article? ANS It might inspire aircraft companies to think of ways to improve efficiency.']

Be sure to book a table if the restaurant you choose is an expensive or a popular one. You will feel embarrassed to show up without booking and having to wait for a table, leaving very bad impression on your friend, especially your girl friend. Also, be sure to check to see if you need to be properly dressed and tell your friend ahead of time what to wear. When your food arrives, proper dining manners make you eat at a right pace so that you have time to talk. A good measure of how fast you should eat is to count 10 seconds between each mouthful and it's bad manners if you eat too fast and then spend the rest of the time watching your friend eat. Don't make noise when having soup and chewing, or chew with your mouth open. Your napkin should be placed on your lap at all times. Don't put it in any other place. If you have to get up, place it neatly on your seat. When eating, put your fork straight in your mouth. Don't place your fork in the side of your mouth as it increases the chances of dropping your food, which could be very embarrassing. If you get food stuck in your mouth, don't pick it out with your fingers or fork at the table. Excuse yourself and go to the restroom and get it out with a toothpick. When dining, keep your eyes on your friend at all times and try to smile between mouthfuls. Sometimes, you should make an effort to show some interest and ask questions like, "How do you like the beef?" If she needs, you are the one who is supposed to flag down the waiter by a gentle wave of the hand until someone notices you. 4

['QSN If you want to eat in a popular restaurant, the author of the passage suggests that _ . ANS you book a table beforehand and check to be properly dressed', 'QSN Good eating manners do NOT include _ . ANS making sounds to show how much you enjoy food', 'QSN We can infer from the passage that _ . ANS the writer of the passage favors those dining manners', 'QSN The passage is mainly about _ . ANS dining manners']

One of the most difficult questions to answer is how much a job is worth. We naturally expect that a doctor's salary will be higher than a bus conductor's wages. But the question becomes much more difficult to answer when we compare a miner with an engineer, or an unskilled man working on an oil-rig with a teacher in a secondary school. What the doctor, the engineer and the teacher have in common is that they have devoted several years to studying in order to obtain the necessary qualifications for their professions. We feel instinctively that these skills and these years should be rewarded. At the same time we recognize that the work of the miner and the oil-rig laborer is both hard and dangerous, and that they must be highly paid for the risks they take. Another aspect we must take into consideration is how socially useful a man's work is. Most people would agree that looking after the sick or teaching children is more important than, say, selling second-hand cars. Yet it is almost certain that the used-car salesman earns more than the nurse and the schoolteacher. Indeed, this whole question of just rewards can be turned on its head. You can argue that a man who does a job which brings him personal satisfaction is already receiving part of his reward in the form of a so-called "psychic wage", and that it is the man with the boring, repetitive job who needs more money to make up for the soul-destroying repetitiveness of his work. It is significant that the jobs like nursing and teaching continue to be poorly paid, while others, such as those in the world of sport or entertainment, carry financial rewards out of all proportion to their social worth. Although the amount of money that people earn is largely determined by market forces, this should not prevent us from seeking some way to decide what is the right pay for the job. A starting point would be to try to decide the ratio which ought to exist between the highest and the lowest paid. The picture is made more complicated by two factors: firstly by the welfare benefits which every citizen receives, and secondly by the taxation system which is often used as an instrument of social justice by taxing high incomes at a very high rate indeed. Most countries now regard a ratio of 7:1 as socially acceptable. If it is less, the highly-qualified people carrying heavy responsibilities will become disappointed, and might even end up by leaving for another country. If it is more, the difference between rich and poor will be so great that it will lead to social unrest. 2

['QSN Why do people naturally expect that doctors should be well-paid? ANS They have studied for years to get qualified.', 'QSN Which of the following statements would the author agree? ANS People should find a proper ratio between high and low pay.']

It has been said that Lincoln was always ready to join in a laugh at himself. There is one particular story that he always told with great delight. In his early days as a lawyer, Lincoln went from town to town to hear and judge legal cases. During one of these trips, he was sitting in a train when a strange man came up to him. The stranger looked at the tall clumsy lawyer and said that he had something he believed belonging to Lincoln. Lincoln was a bit puzzled. He had never seen the man before. He didn't see how a total stranger could have something of his. Lincoln asked how this could be. The stranger pulled out a penknife and began to explain. Many years before, he had been given the pocketknife. He had been told to keep it until he was able to find a man uglier than himself. Lincoln's eyes always _ when he reached this part of the story. The story always brought smiles to the faces of those who heard it. The tale itself was funny. But even more delightful was the fact that a man as great as Lincoln could still laugh at himself. 4

["QSN This passage is about _ ANS Lincoln's favorite story", 'QSN From the story we can infer that the stranger in the train _ ANS was not handsome', 'QSN Lincoln was given the pocketknife for _ ANS his appearance', 'QSN Which of the following statements is right? ANS Lincoln, even though great, was not proud.']

There once was a little boy who wanted to meet the king. He set off, walking towards the king's castle. After many years of walking, the king's castle came into his view. However, as the boy drew closer to the outside of the castle, the guards noticed him. "Get out of here!" ordered the guards. Well, _ . He turned...and ran. All he wanted to do was to tell the king wonderful things, and see all the beautiful things in the king's house. But he couldn't even get near the castle! The boy finally stopped running, sat down and cried. A young man happened to be coming down the path at the very moment. He saw the little boy and stopped. "What's wrong, young man?" he asked. "Sir, I walked and walked just to see the king. But these guards made me scared. I wanted to tell the king how lovely everything is and just tell the king that I just wanted to see him.!" The man looked at the little boy thoughtfully. "Look, why don't you try again. I'll come with you this time." The little boy got up and took the man's hand. The king's guards spotted them. "Look, mister, we don't have to do this...I don't want you to get hurt. We can just turn around now." The man held the little boy's hand and went on. The boy really thought the man might be crazy until he looked back up at the guards. They were all smiling now. The little boy was amazed. "Who are you?" asked the little boy in astonishment. "Why, I'm the king's son. You can enter the castle and be with the king." Said the man. The little boy broke into a huge smile. 2

['QSN Why did the boy want to see the king? ANS To share wonderful things with the king.', 'QSN According to the passage, the man is _ . ANS kind']

Fear is an emotion like others such as happiness, anger, hurt, sadness. We need emotions to process information we receive and decide how to respond. Being afraid of fast cars, for example, is something that might protect us from harm. Being afraid of the consequence of a choice may prevent us getting into trouble. Fears in young children commonly center on certain animals like snakes or big dogs. Fears are caused often because of experiences or ideas expressed by others, and at times, the media. Many normal fears during the early years, like men with beards, or large dogs, disappear with age. Those relating to personal failure and ridicule remain through adulthood and may need special help to overcome. Children's fears are often _ , but that doesn't mean they should be ignored. They need to be recognized and accepted as real for that child. Only when we help children understand their fears can they grow normally in their ability to deal with them. Research shows that as a child grows up, the center of his fears changes a lot. Things like divorce, a teacher who "shouted at me", people with guns, bullies, big boys, or "making fun of me" top the list of childhood fears. We can not always prevent these experiences from happening, but it's essential that children be allowed to freely express their emotions without judgment. Sympathy and a caring listener will help ease the pain of these fears. Read books and stories to your child about children who have experienced similar fears. This helps children talk about their fears and find ways to cope. With all emotions, fears become less of a problem for children as they gain self-confidence and they find that fear is normal and can be dealt with. 3

["QSN In dealing with children's fears, the final goal of the parents is to _ . ANS develop children's ability to treat their fear on their own", 'QSN From the passage we can learn that _ . ANS some childhood fears may have a lasting influence', "QSN What's the best title for this passage? ANS Children's Fears"]

While sweet treats can be hard to resist, the World Health Organization(WHO) has set new guidelines for people around the world. The guidelines, released on Wednesday, advise that both adults and children cut back on their sugar intake to stay healthy. In a statement, Francesco Branca, director of the WHO's nutrition department, said there is evidence that reducing daily sugar intake reduces the risk of being overweight and tooth decay . The guidelines do not apply to the sugars in fresh fruit and vegetables or those that are naturally present in milk. According to the WHO, there is no reported evidence of negative effects of consuming those sugars. Instead, the new guidelines focus on "added" or "free" sugars. These include sugars that are added to processed foods and drinks such as candy and soft drinks. Added sugars are sometimes described as " hidden" sugars because they exist in foods we might not think of as sweets, such as honey and ketchup . Health experts advise that consumers look at ingredients on food packages to help make better-informed decisions. The WHO recommends that people in the United States, Europe and other Western societies should cut their average sugar intake by about two-thirds, or down to just 10% of their overall calories. For developing countries, where dental care is less advanced, the WHO recommends that sugar intake be reduced to 5%. Scientist Kieran Clarke, of the University of Oxford, notes that for those people who can't shake their love for sweets, getting more exercise is a good solution. "If you get enough exercise, you can eat almost anything," she said "But it's very hard to avoid large amounts of sugar unless all you're eating is fruit and vegetables." 3

['QSN What can we learn from the guidelines released by the World Health Organization? ANS People should cut down on sugar intake for the sake of their health.', 'QSN To what level should people in developing countries cut down their sugar intake, according to the WHO? ANS 5%.', 'QSN We can learn from the text that _ . ANS the less exercise you do, the fewer sweet things you should eat']

Jimmy is an automotive mechanic, but he lost his job a few months ago. He has a good heart, but always feared applying for a new job. One day, he gathered up all his strength and decided to attend a job interview. His appointment was at 10 am and it was already 8:30. While waiting for a bus to the office where he was supposed to be interviewed, he saw an elderly man wildly kicking the tyre of his car. Obviously there was something wrong with the car. Jimmy immediately went up to lend him a hand. When Jimmy finished working on the car, the old man asked him how much he should pay for the service. Jimmy said there was no need to pay him; he just helped someone in need, and he had to rush for an interview. Then the old man said, "Well, I could take you to the office for your interview. It's the least I could do. Please, I insist." Jimmy agreed. Upon arrival, Jimmy found a long line of applicants waiting to be interviewed. Jimmy still had some grease on him after the car repair, but he did not have much time to wash it off or have a change of shirt. One by one, the applicants left the interviewer's office with disappointed look on their faces. Finally his name was called. The interviewer was sitting on a large chair facing the office window. Rocking the chair back and forth, he asked, "Do you really need to be interviewed?" Jimmy's heart sank. "With the way I look now, how could I possibly pass this interview?" he thought to himself. Then the interviewer turned the chair and to Jimmy's surprise, it was the old man he helped earlier in the morning. It turned out he was the General Manager of the company. "Sorry I had to keep you waiting, but I was pretty sure I made the right decision to have you as part of our workforce before you even stepped into the office. I just know you'd be a trustworthy worker. Congratulations!" Jimmy sat down and they shared a cup of well-deserved coffee as he landed himself a new job. 5

['QSN Why did Jimmy apply for a new job? ANS He was out of work', "QSN What did Jimmy see on the way to the interview? ANS an old man's car broke down", 'QSN Why did the old man offer Jimmy a ride? ANS He was thankful to Jimmy', "QSN How did Jimmy feel on hearing the interviewer's question? ANS There was no hope for him to get the job", "QSN What can we learn from Jimmy's experience? ANS Good is rewarded with good."]

When Gretchen Baxter gets home from work as a New York City book editor, she checks her Blackberry at the door. "I think we are attached to these devices in a way that is not always positive," says Baxter, who'd rather focus at home on her husband and 12-year-old daughter. "It's there and it beckons . That's human nature (but)...we kind of get crazy sometimes and we don't know where it should stop." Americans are connected at unprecedented levels--93% now use cell phones or wireless devices; one third of those are "smart phones" that allow users to browse the web and check e-mails, among other things. The benefits are obvious: checking messages on the road, staying in touch with friends and family, efficiently using time once spent waiting around. The _ : often, we're effectively disconnecting from those in the same room. That's why, despite all the technology that makes communicating easier than ever, 2010 was the year we stopped talking to one another. From texting at dinner to posting on Facebook from work or checking e-mails while on a date, the connectivity revolution is creating a lot of divided attention, not to mention social anxiety. Many analysts say it's time to step back and reassess . "What we're going to see in the future is new opportunities for people to be plugged in and connected like never before," says Scott Campbell. "It can be a good thing, but I also see new ways the traditional social construction is getting somewhat torn apart." Our days are filled with beeps and pings--many of which pull us away from tasks at hand or face-to-face conversations. We may feel that the distractions are too much, but we can't seem to stop posting, texting or surfing. "We're going through a period of adjustment and rebalancing, " says Sherry Turkle and she wants to remind people that technology can be turned off. "Our human purposes are to really have connections with people," she says. "We have to reclaim it. It's not going to take place by itself." 1

['QSN Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? ANS Mobile devices create a lot of divided attention and social anxiety.']

No one really knows how the ancient Egyptians build the pyramids. But Maureen Clemmons has a theory . She thinks the Egyptians may have used kites. "If you look at ht top center of every monument , you see wings," Clemons said. "I think the Egyptians have been trying to tell us in pictures for 3,000 years that this is how they built the pyramids." She thinks that earliest Egyptian workers might make use of kites to lift the stones with the help of the desert wind. She got a team of aeronautic engineers to help her test the theory. Yesterday, in the Mojave Desert, they put their theory to the test using a nylon kite, three pulleys and an obelisk that weighs nearly four tons. The wind speed had to be just right. And amazingly, it worked. "There's ly no evidence for kites in ancient Egypt," said Professor Carol Redmount of the University of California. "There's no evidence of pulleys as we know them today." Redmount says the historical evidence points to the "Charlton Heston method," which basically relies on the theory of the muscle of slaves pushing and pulling huge stone blocks to create the pyramids. But the kite-lifting group will have none that. "All I can remember from history is that Egyptians drank beer for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and as someone who has done field research on drinking beer, I know after I've had two beers and it's really hot. I'm not pushing or pulling anything," Clemmons said. "So, I figured I'd try to think another way." 4

['QSN How did Clemmons prove that her idea was reasonable? ANS She had an experiment done to lift a large stone by using pulleys and a kite.', 'QSN What made Clemmons think of her kite-lifting idea? ANS The wings on the monuments.', "QSN Why did Clemmons NOT agree with the theory of the muscle of slaves pushing and pulling stones to create the pyramids? ANS Because of the Egyptians' habit of drinking beer at three meals and the beer effect on people.", 'QSN What is the best title for the passage? ANS Kites and Pyramids']

He has lived through various dangers but time may be running out for the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat. On September 11, Israel announced its decision to remove him, following several Palestinian suicide bomb attacks on Israel. "He should be punished for the killings," an Israeli official said, "He has done nothing to stop the terrorist groups." But the decision has angered many other countries. China said that Arafat is the true leader, elected by the Palestinian people, and removing him would harm the peace in the Middle East. Other governments share this idea. Arafat himself said: "They can kill me, but never get me out of my country." He has spent most of his life in danger as the most important aim of Israel. But, just like a cat with nine lives, Arafat escaped every time. For years he has made a practice of sleeping in a different bed each night, thinking a moving person is harder to hit. In 1985, Israel sent fighter planes to kill Arafat. The wild bombing destroyed his office in Tunis but Arafat himself was unhurt. In 1992, the aircraft in which he was flying over North Africa broke in two during a crash landing. The pilot was killed but he managed to remain alive. What is so unbelievable is that he always remains calm in great danger. Israeli tanks and planes attacked his office building in Ram Allah in December 2001. When they saw the attackers coming, Arafat's bodyguards _ his orders to stay still and carried him to safety underground. Seconds later, several bombs were dropped nearby. Though safe, his bodyguards were so frightened that they were wet in sweat. But, Arafat, with Israeli tanks only 200 meters away, showed no fear at all. He stayed in the damaged office, talking by phone with foreign leaders in hope of preventing further attacks from Israel. All these experiences have made him a beloved leader to his people and an enemy to some others. But has he used up the last of his nine lives? Only time will tell. 3

['QSN According to the passage, which statement is true? ANS Being Palestinian leader, Arafat would rather die in his own country than be driven away from his people.', 'QSN What did the author mean by saying "just like a cat has nine lives" when he talked about Arafat? ANS Arafat can stay alive after accidents or disasters as if he has nine lives.', "QSN What's the writer's attitude towards Arafat's future, judging from the last sentence of the passage? ANS Doubtful."]

The Red Sea is parting again, but this time no one can help. Satellite pictures show that the Arabian plate and the African plate are moving away from each other, stretching the Earth's crust and widening the southern end of the Red Sea. Last September, series of earthquakes started splitting the planet's surface in Ethiopia. Over a period of three weeks, the sides on the rift separated by 26 feet. "We think that the crust is melted slowly at depths greater than 10 kilometers, where it is hotter, forming molten rock," said Tim J Wright. "This molten rock rises through the crust because it is less dense than the surrounding rock." The molten rock collects at depths of 3 to 5 kilometers. Wright explained, "Slowly, the pressure has been building up until last September when it finally cracked, breaking the crust." The entry of molten rock into the gap between continents, rather than the cracking of the crust, is responsible for separation of continent drifts. For the past 30 million years Africa and Arabia have been going through the continental rifting process, the same one that made the Red Sea part again. "The ground is continually moving---much more rapidly now than before," Wright said. "On average, the two sides move apart at about 2 centimeters per year." This latest split, added to the long-term rifting process could eventually create a huge new sea. Although such processes could take millions of years to occur, this event has given scientists an opportunity to examine the break in real time. 2

['QSN According to the passage, what caused Arabia separate from Africa? ANS Molten rock flowing into the continental gap.', 'QSN The passage is mainly about _ . ANS the cause why the Red Sea is parting again']

In 1918, after four years of war which had left millions of people dead, the people alive began to look for a better and happier world. The cinema supplied an answer. For little money, people could forget their unhappy lives and dream of better ones. In the years between 1918 and 1939, going to the cinema became the most popular family free-time activity. Hollywood in America, made more films than any other film center in the world. The warm climate and long hours of sunlight meant that film-making was easy and quite cheap. This was also a rich part of America and there were many businessmen who wanted to make money from the film industry. At first short cowboy films were popular because they added excitement and adventure to people's lives. Later comedy films were made so that people could laugh and forget their troubles. Charlie Chaplin was probably the most liked of all comedy actors. 4

["QSN Cinema became the most popular in people's free time because _ . ANS both A and C", 'QSN Which, according to the writer, is true? ANS No other film center made more films than Hollywood did.', 'QSN Hollywood became a film center because _ . ANS film-making there was cheap and easy', 'QSN A "comedy" is something that is _ . ANS funny']

Henry had been a journalist for many years. He had worked on many international newspapers and magazines and traveled all over the world. Henry had _ wars and natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes and erupting volcanos . He had reported on serious accidents such as major fires and airline crashes. He had seen every kind of terrible crime and strange event there was. He had met and written about some of the most unusual people in the world. In fact, there wasn't much that Henry had not seen or done. Now he was retired from journalism. He owned a very expensive restaurant and spent his days talking to his wealthy and important customers. He liked to say that nothing surprised him. One day he was sitting at the bar in his restaurant when a big gorilla walked in and asked for a table. Henry showed no surprise. He took the gorilla to a table and handed him a menu. He treated him politely and pretended there was nothing at all strange about having a gorilla in his restaurant. The gorilla looked through the menu and ordered a salad. Henry served the gorilla his salad personally, knowing that his waiters and waitresses would be too frightened. At last the gorilla finished his salad and asked for the bill. Henry wrote out the bill and handed it to the big animal. The gorilla studied it, shook his head sadly, then gave Henry fifty dollars. "Thank you", Henry said, and then to make conversation he added, "We don't get many gorillas in this restaurant." "At fifty dollars for a salad," the gorilla said, "I'm not surprised." 4

['QSN According to the story, Henry had _ . ANS had the most exciting experiences', 'QSN One day when a gorilla came into the restaurant, Henry was _ . ANS not disturbed by the gorilla', 'QSN From the sentence "Henry served the gorilla his salad personally, knowing that his waiters and waitresses would be too frightened" you learn that: _ . ANS Henry didn\'t normally serve customers', 'QSN The gorilla was _ . ANS surprised by the prices']

At the end of eight grade, our class went to Washington, D.C. For a group of 14-year-olds, this was a big deal! The first day was so tiring; we could hardly remember where we were and what we were seeing. The next morning, we were off to seemonuments ,starting with Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson. We walked along the paths through trees. Then the Wall came into view--the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. As I moved slowly closer to the Wall, I heard abagpipe in the distance, which seemed to show respect to the lives lost in the jungles of Vietnam . We continued walking and felt surprised at the number of names carved in the black stone. I was determined to find a soldier with my last name, but my hunt was stopped when a man caught my eyes. He waskneeling at the Wall, a single rose at his feet. His head was bowed and he was rubbing his fingers over one name. I thought how sad he was, and then moved on . After a few minutes I found one with my last name, but my eyes returned to the kneeling man. He was still rubbing his fingers over the same name. He never knew I was watching him, lost in deep sorrow. It was time for me to leave the kneeling man and the Wall. On the way home, I couldn't help thinking of the kneeling man and his sad face. I wasn't sure of the effects of war before, but at that moment I realized how much that man suffered from losing his loved one. Maybe he was the only one of so many families who experienced the same . I never knew the full effects of war until I saw that man. I only know about war from history classes. The kneeling man taught me more about war and the effects it has on people than any history book . 3

['QSN Which of the following makes the author feel the suffering that war brings to human beings? ANS The kneeling man.', 'QSN The man continued to rub his fingers over the name probably because _ . ANS he missed the loved one who died in a war', 'QSN What did the author learn from the trip? ANS What bad effects war had on many families.']

The air hostess was in a small kitchen at the back of the plane, preparing the plates for lunch, when a little old lady came and spoke to her, "Could you please tell me," she asked, "where is the ladies' lavatory in the plane?" "Yes, madam," said the air hostess and smiled. "It is right at the other end of the plane---at the front." The little lady went too far. She walked all the way to the front of the plane, opened the door in front of her, and saw the captain of the plane and the other officers. They were all busy with their work and did not see her. She went out again, shut the door and returned to the air hostess. "Oh, didn't you find it, madam?" the girl asked her. "Yes, I did," said the little lady. "But there are four men in the ladies' lavatory watching television." 3

['QSN The story happened _ . ANS in the morning', 'QSN What were the four men doing when the little old lady opened the door? ANS They were busy working in the control room.', "QSN Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? ANS The old lady didn't find the ladies' lavatory."]

Teddy Bears have been a very popular children's toy for many years. Most adults can remember their first stuffed bear, and over the decades these toys have become nearly a symbol of their childhood. However, children are not the only ones with whom these toys have become popular, as many adults make it a habit to collect these toys as well. The Teddy Bear first became popular during the early 20th century and was associated with then President Theodore Roosevelt. The story can date back to a hunting trip that President Roosevelt had taken where he was invited to be the one to shoot a black bear that had been tied to a tree. Being a crazy outdoors lover and hunter, Roosevelt refused to kill the animal because he believed that shooting the helpless bear was unsportsmanlike and wrong. This story quickly spread through newspapers across the country, and in the end inspired the introduction of a stuffed toy called "Teddy's bear". These toys became popular soon after first introduced, and within ten years, they were being produced by dozens of companies around the world. Within a generation, these stuffed bears were "the" toy to have, and have always been within children's toy boxes ever since. They are most often mass-produced in factories in order to keep up with the high demand. However, there are still companies that take great pride in their handmade designs; and while handmade teddy bears are often preferred, they are also generally more expensive than their mass-produced ones. Today, these bears and other similar toys generate well over a billion dollars a year in profits for the companies that make them. Walk through just about any toy store in America and you will find dozens of different teddy bears lining the shelves. 3

['QSN According to the passage, we can know President Roosevelt _ . ANS was fair and respectable', 'QSN Compared with mass-produced teddy bears, the handmade ones _ . ANS are more expensive', 'QSN What is the passage mainly about? ANS A popular toy -- Teddy Bear.']

Nowroz: Iranian New Year or Nowroz is celebrated on the first day of spring sometime in March. People sing, dance and parade as in a carnival through the streets with drums and trumpets to spread the news of the coming new year. Rosh Hashanah: The Jewish New Year is called "Rosh Hashanah", and is celebrated in the month of September. It is a holy time when people think of the things they have done wrong in the past, and promise to do better in the future. Special prayers are held, and an instrument called a Shofar is played. Children are given new clothes, and New Year loaves are baked and fruits are served to remind people of harvest time. Shogatsu: In Japan, the New Year (Shogatsu) celebrations are from January 1 to January 3 and most Japanese don't work during these days. In Japan, the New Year is a fresh start. This means that in December all duties should be completed. Parties are held to forget the worries and troubles of the old year. Homes and cars are decorated. On New Year's Eve, most people spend their time with their families. Bahai New Year: The Bahai people have their own calendar consisting of nineteen months of nineteen days plus a couple of extra days between the eighteenth and nineteenth months. They have, however, adopted the Iranian custom of beginning the New Year in the spring equinox . The New Year celebrations are held on the evening of March 20th. 2

['QSN During the Jewish New Year, _ . ANS children often wear new clothes', 'QSN Which of the following festivals are celebrated in the same month? ANS Nowroz and the Bahai New Year.']

Kids Fishing Photo Contest It certainly isn't hard to " picture it", that is - smiles, laughs, looks of anticipation and excitement. So, join in the fun, catch the excitement of your child on film while fishing and enter his or her picture in the yearly Kids Fishing Photo Contest! The contest is sponsored by Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) in celebration of National Fishing Week! The winning pictures are those that best catch the theme "kids enjoying fishing". Children in the first through third place photographs of each category will receive different fishing-related prizes. Winning pictures will also be posted on the VDGIF website and may be used in all kinds of VDGIF publications. There is no need to be a professional photographer. Any photo will do. Contest Rules *Children in the photographs must fall into one of the following age groups when the picture is taken: 1--4, 6--10. *Photos must not be more than 1 year old. *Photos must be taken in Virginia. *Children in a boat must be wearing a life jacket. *Only one photo submission per child. *Submit the photo on photograph quality paper, no CD's accepted. *Photos must not be bigger than "4x6" size. *Please stick a piece of paper to the back of the photo including: name, age, address, phone number and location where the photograph was taken. *A Photo Contest Release Form (PDF) must be submitted along with the photograph. *Photos must be postmarked on or before April 19, 2013. *Judging will take place in May and winners will be posted on the VDGIF website. *Prizes will be sent directly to the winning children. *This contest isn't open to immediate family of VDGIF employees and sponsors. Immediate family members refer to children, siblings or others living in the same household with a VDGIF or sponsor employee. To Enter: Send your photo, with the child's name, age, phone number and address, along with the Photo Contest Release Form (PDF), to: Kids Fishing Photo Contest Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries P.O. Box 11104 Richmond, VA 23230-1104 2

['QSN The advertisement is intended for _ . ANS people whose children like fishing', 'QSN The purpose of the contest is to _ . ANS celebrate a national fishing-related activity']

Every autumn, as families across the United States get ready to send their kids to college, the economics of higher education receive renewed attention. College is expensive and becoming more so in the U. S. The situation raises two questions: Why does it cost so much, and how can students and their families afford it? Several studies published in the past few weeks reflect on these questions. The findings provide comfort to poor families. First, it appears that only the minority actually pay the "high price". A study by the US Education Department's National Center for Education Statistics found that 55 percent of college students last year received some forms of help--scholarships, loans or jobs. Other factors are also at work. The government has increased the size of its grants to lower-income students. Grants, unlike loans, don't have to he repaid and are awarded only to college students who have not earned a bachelor's or professional degree. At the same time, most colleges are spending more on undergraduate education than they are collecting in tuition fees. A study, which is part of the Williams College Project on the Economics of Higher Education, reaches the conclusion that on average colleges "subsidize " their students. The results of these studies, however, leave unanswered the questions of whether educational costs are higher than they need to be. Some experts argue that much of the college cost results from educational competition for fame, students and facilities. This puts upward pressure on tuition, hut many colleges feel that good fame will enable them to attract students even if they charge them more. Therefore, until something important changes in the marketplace, costs seem likely to continue rising. And American families will continue to beat down the doors of the high price "college in the end. 3

["QSN In the writer's opinion, for students from lower-income families, the best way is _ . ANS to ask for grants", 'QSN It can be inferred that in America _ . ANS famous colleges charge their students more money', 'QSN The writer of this passage seems to hold the opinion that _ . ANS college fees rise too fast for poor families.']

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the guestroom. Instead the angels were given some space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied,"Things aren't always what they seem." The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer. After sharing a little food they had, the farmer and his wife let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning, the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their only income, lay dead in the field. The younger angel was very angry and asked the older angel, "How could this happen?" "Why didn't you watch out for the cow? The first family had everything, yet you watched over his house," she accused . "The second family had little but was willing to share everything, you didn't help." "Things aren't always what they seem," the angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so greedy and unwilling to share his good fortune, I asked God if I could seal the wall so he wouldn't find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmer's bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I asked God if the angel could take the cow instead. So things aren't always what they seem." 3

["QSN Why did the older angel repair the hole for the rich family? ANS Because she didn't like the greedy owner.", 'QSN The younger angel was very angry because _ . ANS the older angel treated the two families unfairly', "QSN Why did the older angel let the farmer's cow die? ANS Because she wanted to save the farmer's wife."]

Doris Lessing was born in 1919 in Persia, moving as a child with her family to southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, where she stayed in school only to the age of 14. A year after moving to London, she published her first novel in 1950.The Grass is Singingexamines unbridgeable racial conflict in colonial Africa through the eyes of a white farmer's wife and her black servant. Her literary breakthrough came in 1962 with publication ofThe Golden Notebook, seen by many, though not necessarily Lessing, as a pioneering work of modern feminism . A separated study of the mind of the main character, Amma Wulf, the novel explores her thoughts about Africa, politics and relationships with men and sex. Lessing's themes changed to psychology in her works from the 1960s, and by the 1970s the was extremely interested in the Islamic mystic tradition of Sufism . Her turn toward science fiction with theCanopusseries in the early 1980s was not warmly received by traditionalist critics, but she has continued to win new readers and numerous literary awards, including the David Cohen British Literary Prize and the Companion of Honour from the Royal Society of Literature, both in 2001. Following the announcement, the Horace Engdahl told VOA why he was personally so pleased with Lessing's selection. "She is one of the truly great writers-of novels, short stories, fiction and non-fiction," Engdahl said. "She is one of the few writers who have had the courage to uphold the principle of equality between the male and female experience, and she has given the impulse to numbers of other women writers. And she is really the mother of a school that is one of the most important in our contemporary literature." At 87, Doris Lessing is the oldest Nobel Literature winner sine the first prizes were awarded in 1901. 3

['QSN What would be the best title for this passage? ANS Doris Lessing wins the Nobel Prize for Literature', 'QSN It can be inferred from the passage that _ . ANS life in Africa in her early age lays a solid foundation for her writing', 'QSN According to the Horace Engdahl, Lessing wins Nobel Prize mainly because _ . ANS she makes great contributions to equal rights for women']

Different exercise types have different purposes and different benefits. One type of exercise may not accomplish all goals of being physically fit: a healthy heart, strong muscles and bones, and safety from injury. As a result, it is important to do enough types of exercise to have all the physical benefits. Here is a quick check sheet. Aerobic Exercise: To have a strong and healthy heart, you need to do aerobic exercise. This means that you need to exercise yourself enough so that your heart rate, while exercising, is 65 percent to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. If you don't get your heart rate up within this level--you just aren't working hard enough. Whatever you do, your heart rate needs to be 65 percent to 85 percent of your MHR for 20 to 30 minutes, at least 3 times a week. Typical types include: * Running * Walking (at least 4 to 4.5 mph) * Swimming * Bikingk3s5u * Elliptical Training * Yoga Strength Training: To keep your muscles and bones strong, you need to do strength training. This comes in a variety of forms. Whatever you do, however, you need to train your muscles enough so that they are really tired by the end of each _ . To see real benefits, make sure you are strength training 2 to 3 times a week for about 30 to 40 minutes. Typical types of strength training include: * Weight Training * Yoga * Resistance Training * Plyometrics Flexibility Training: To keep your body flexible, reducing risk of injuries and pain in your joints and muscles, you need to do flexibility training. You should always aim to stretch every muscle after any exercise routine. Typical types of flexibility training include: * Stretching * Yoga * Pilates So next time you think that yoga 5 times a week will be enough, think about what it is really doing. Is it getting your heart rate up? Are you making up your strength? Are you keeping your muscles flexible? 2

['QSN If your purpose is to _ , you can choose swimming as your exercise form. ANS build a strong and healthy heart', 'QSN After reading this passage, we know that _ . ANS The three kinds of training have links with one another']

"Beating is a sign of affection, cursing is a sign of love." Many may not expect to hear the words of the old Chinese saying in these modern Times-- with parents wealthier and better educated than they have ever been--but experts say they still ring true. Today,it seems,Chinese parents are more likely to send their children to precollege military academies in the United States in the hope that some tough love will pave the way to success. "Good education doesn't mean letting your children enjoy privileges, especially our boys." said Song Wenming,an entrepreneur in Jinhua,East China's Zhejiang province. "They should be raised in tough conditions to know what to fight for in the future." In August,Song sent his 17yearold son to Valley Forge Military Academy (VFMA) in Pennsylvania. _ . Statistics show that an increasing number of Chinese students have been registering with such academies. A few years ago, there were no Chinese students at Valley Forge. Today,there are 28."All of the Chinese students at Valley Forge came from wealthy families;some of them were spoiled." said Jennifer Myers, director of marketing and communications at the school. Song's only son, Song Siyu, had a rocky start during his first six weeks at the school. The teenager said he went to the school voluntarily but did not expect it to be as difficult. Now, three months later, he has perfected the art of taking a bath in 35 seconds, finishing a meal without looking at his food, and making his bed with precision. He can even take criticism,no matter how unreasonable. "The training is hard but I know it is good for selfdevelopment of individuals." said SongSiyu. "The endless training and scolding are just ways to build up our character;they are not personal." But his enthusiasm is not universal. Ten of the 13 Chinese students who joined the academy this year have transferred to other schools. But for those who stick to it, there is a reward for all the hard work. 1

['QSN How many Chinese students are there at Valley Forge before this year? ANS 25.']

Some 30,000 years ago, artists who lived in caves in Europe painted pictures of the animals around them: panthers, hyenas, rhinos, cave lions, mammoths and other creatures which have been extinct for a long time. The paintings were highly realistic. Some even showed movement. The artwork, more than a thousand drawings, is considered the oldest group of human cave drawings which have ever been discovered. They were preserved because the cave was sealed---closed off--for more or less 23,000 years. Fast forward to December 18, 1994, a group of French cave scientists were exploring caves in southern France. Jean Marie Chauvet, who led the group then, describes the process of discovering the cave paintings. "At that time I was in the front, Eliette just walked behind me, Christian behind. Eliette said she saw two marks with red ochre and she said, 'They came here.' And at this very moment everything began. The drawings and everything linked to the parietal art . That is where it is tarted." Cave art expert Jean Clotttes reviewed the paintings. "I was amazed at the number of paintings there were and paintings of their quality and particularly in front of the panel of the horses." Scientific analysis confirmed the prehistoric date of the artwork. Studies showed the drawings were created tens of thousands of years ago, before human history was written. The United Nations' cultural agency UNESCO lists the cave as a World Heritage Site. They say that the drawings form a remarkable expression of early human artistic creation of grand excellence and variety. The Chauvet Cave has been named after the explorer who first entered it. However, its environment and drawings are too fragile to be visited by human beings. So the cave is closed, and only people there for scientific purposes can go inside and see the artwork. However, French authorities asked experts to create an exact copy of the cave, called Pont d'Arc Cavern. The copy, which we also called replica, cost more than 59 million dollars to build. It opened at the end of April in France. Pascal Terrasse is the president of the cavern. He says everyone will be able to experience the thrill of looking at drawings made by the first humans in Europe. He says the place is magic because it is done so well. Authorities say they think as many as 400,000 people will be allowed to visit Pont d'Arc Cavern every year. 2

['QSN Which of the follow statements is TRUE about the Chauvet Cave? ANS The environment and artwork there are very easy to damage.', "QSN The purpose of creating Pndt d'Arc Cavern is to _ . ANS offer visitors chances to view the wonderful artwork"]

About 21,000 young people in 17 American states do not attend classes in school buildings. Instead, they receive their elementary and high school education by working at home on computers.The Center for Education Reform says the United States has 67 public "cyberschools."and that is about twice as many as two years ago. The money for students to attend a cyberschool comes from the governments of the states where they live. Some educators say cyberschools receive money that should support traditional public schools. They also say it is difficult to know if students are learning well. Other educators praise this new form of education for letting students work at their own speed. These people say cyberschools help students who were unhappy or unsuccessful in traditional schools. They say learning at home by computer ends long bus rides for children who live far from school. Whatever the judgement of cyberschools,they are getting more and more popular. For example, a new cyberschool called Commonwealth Connections Academy will take in students this fall. It will serve children in the state of Pennsylvania from ages five through thirteen. Children get free equipment for their online education. This includes a computer,a printer,books and technical services. Parents and students talk with teachers by telephone or by sending emails through their computers when necessary. Students at cyberschools usually do not know one another. But 56 such students who finished studies at Western Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School recently met for the first time. They were guests of honor at their graduation. 4

['QSN What do we know from the text about students of a cyberschool? ANS They study at home rather than in classrooms.', "QSN What is a problem with cyberschools? ANS It is hard to know students' progress in learning.", 'QSN Cyberschools are getting popular became ANS their students can work at their own speed', 'QSN We can infer that the author of the text is . ANS unprejudiced in his description of cyberschools']

The worst earthquake in 40 years shook South Asia on Sunday, starting with horrible waves that swept entire villages into the sea. At least 20,000 people in six countries were killed in the disaster, and millions were left homeless. The quake shook deep beneath the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It was felt more than 3000 miles away in East Africa, where heavy tides kept fishermen at home and resorts closed. It was as if the sea had struck the land. Residents of Sri Lanka, a small island country off the coast of India, ran to the hills to find safety from the tsunami. Many took their radios, televisions, and other valuables with them. The disaster hit Sri Lanka hardest. Of its 20million people, 1 million lost their homes, and 10000 died. "The water simply raised itself up and huge waves came ashore," wrote eye-witness Peter Thomas from India. "It was moving very fast. The force broke the glass walls of a restaurant on the beach here and damaged hundreds of boats." In some places, the _ struck with no warning. "The weather was fine with no clouds," wrote an eye-witness in Indonesia. "Suddenly the seawater just hit the city. In some parts the water was up to chest level." A massive effort to help the affected countries is already underway. Leaders from around the world have promised to help, and teams of aid workers and doctors are rushing to the sea. "The United States stands ready to offer all the help to those nations most affected." Said White House spokesman Trent Duffy. Organizations from the Red Cross to the International Monetary Fund have started fund-raising drives to make up the costs of rebuilding. 3

['QSN Which of the following is NOT true when this disaster happened? ANS A sudden storm started with thunder and lightning.', "QSN What's the best title of the passage? ANS Terrible Quake Hits South Asia", 'QSN Where would you probably see this passage? ANS In a newspaper.']