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Question: Maxwell had not held a steady job in almost two years. Today was a big day, because he was going to a job interview that he felt good about. The secretary he had talked to on the phone sounded friendly and encouraging. Maxwell was a typist. His fingers danced on the keyboard. However, his people skills were not nearly as good as his typing skills. Sometimes his mouth got in the way of his employment. At his last steady job, his boss had told him to start making coffee every morning. Maxwell laughed. "I'm not making coffee," he said. "It's not part of my job description." "Read the employee manual again," his boss said. "Your job description is anything I say it is." "That's a woman's job," said Maxwell. "Do it yourself." His boss was still yelling as Maxwell walked out of the building. He felt great about telling off the boss. A few days later, the reality of not having a job hit home. He had to pay the rent and utility bills, and he had to eat. What was he going to do? He thought about apologizing and asking for his job back. But how would that look? Then again, who cares how it looks when you're almost broke? After thinking about it for another week, he finally called his boss and apologized. His boss accepted his apology, but said that he had already hired a replacement. Maxwell contacted a temporary job agency, which provided him enough occasional work to pay his bills. But none of the companies that he was sent to were hiring. So Maxwell was excited about finally getting an interview for a steady job. Maxwell's drive to the interview was disappointing. The traffic was _ and the neighborhood looked rough. It took him 45 minutes to get there. The building was covered with graffiti. The interview started 30 minutes late. Not bothering to apologize, the manager lit a cigarette and took a sip from his coffee cup. He leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on his desk. He asked Maxwell a lot of questions. Maxwell thought that each question was stupider than the preceding question. The final question was, "Where would you like to be 10 years from now?" What does that have to do with typing? Maxwell wondered. Stupid questions from a rude man in a lousy neighborhood! Where would he like to be 10 years from now? "Anywhere but this dump!" Maxwell said angrily, as he stood up and walked out. Maxwell lost his last steady job because _ . A. he was not a qualified typist. B. he couldn't make coffee C. he was not skillful enough in communicating with people. D. he didn't apologize in time. Answer: C
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Question: Hong Kong Harbor Night Cruise Enjoy the delicious dinner on the ferry and watch the beautiful city lights Time : 6:30 p.m.- 9:30 p.m. Price : Adults : HK$ 180 Children under 12 : HK$ 100 Start / Finish : Kowloon Public Pier Tel : (852) 2853 3888 E - mail:enquiry@chinatravel1.co How long will the cruise take? A. one hour B. two hours C. three hours D. four hours Answer: C
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Question: Shakespeare once called the English countryside "the precious stone set in the silver sea"- and he is not the last to sing high praises of its beauty and historical charm . The countryside is particularly beautiful during the summer, especially in August and September. As one travels the countryside, you'll find more of its treasures: so many plants and animals, romantic castles , secret gardens, and villages so unchanged in the last decades that they seem to have been caught under a fairy' s spell. Must-sees include Derbyshire, called "the heart of England" and home to the National Park. The great peaks were the muse of the Bronte sisters (and if you love the book Jane Eyre, you can visit North Lees hall, where the real Eyre family once lived). History lovers will enjoy a visit to Lincoln city (its most famous son is Lord Alfred Tennyson). It is also known for its cathedral , the charming tea shops, a small castle. One would never guess its violent past--built by Romans, it was once a center for arrow making. Harry Potter fans shouldn't miss a visit to Alnwick, which is better recognized as the "Hogswarth" in the movies. Let's not leave out the Wessex region, where one can see one of England's greatest mysteries, Stone Henge. You can also go to the City of Bath, which has been famous for its medicines springs since the Roman times. Other popular tractions include Salisbury Cathedral, and landscaped gardens of Stourhead, and the cobbled streets of Shaftesbury. This is also home to Oxford, one of the world's most famous universities. Art lovers will also like a visit to East Anglia, whose landscapes inspired the painter Constable (he was born in Dedham village). This is also home of the University City of Cambridge, and the famous architectural attraction, King's College Chapel. Be sure to visit the aircraft museum of Duxford. What was Shakespeare's attitude towards the English countryside? A. Uninterested. B. Dissatisfied . C. Surprised. D. Admiring. Answer: D
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Question: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland By Lewis Carroll Walker (first published in 1865). Reading level: ages 6-15 In stock. Originally created by Lewis to amuse three young girls on a boat trip, it tells of a curious child named Alice who follows a white rabbit down a rabbit hole, only to find a door opening to a world of strange creatures. A Cheshire cat, a tea party, a Queen and a Duchess all add to the adventure. Animal Farm By George Orwell (first published in 1945) Reading level: ages 5-12 In stock. Old Major inspires the animals of the Manor Farm to live together with no human to control them. When he dies, three younger pigs--Snowball, Napoleon and Squealer manage to drive the farmer Mr Jones away from the farm, renaming it "Animal Farm". But soon Napoleon becomes the leader of the farm and the animals have even less freedom than before. Treasure Island By Robert Louis Stevenson (first published in 1883) Reading level: ages 8 and up In stock. Robert Louis Stevenson created a rich story of the adventures of Jim Hawkins and his search for the buried treasure of the pirate Captain in Flint. The story is told in the first person of Jim Hawkins and begins at his family's inn. The influence of Treasure Island on popular views of pirates is impressive, including treasure maps marked with an "X", the Black Spot, tropical islands and one-legged seamen carrying parrots on their shoulders Charlotte's Web By EB White (first published in 1952) Reading level: ages 7 and up In stock. Only 4 left in stock--order soon. Charlotte is a spider living in a barn where one day, a short pig called Wilbur comes to live. When she discovers that Wilbur will be killed, the spider manages to save him by writing special messages in her web. The pair become famous and is celebrated at the county fair , but sadly a spider's life is not a long one. This book explores some difficult issues in a magical story. The expression "In stock" in the text probably means " _ ". A. convenient B. famous C. available D. secure Answer: C
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Question: Laresce was born with a condition called hypermobility which meant her joints were"bend".The condition can use severe joint pain and lead to dislocations . But rather than feel sorry for herself, she used her misfortune to inspire her to become Britain's strongest schoolgirl. Just two years ago,the condition left Laresce in so much pain that she couldn't even take part in sports.But now she has six British and World Champion power lifting records.It's an incredible achievement. Laresce's trainer Tania George said her condition is the secret to her success."She has more flexibility in her back than most people,which gives her the technique of bending her back strongly and safely.Most power lifters would kill to try to bend their backs like Laresce.She has perfected the technique to lift incredibly heavy weights,"Tania said. "I used to suffer a lot of pain from my hypermobility.I remember coming home from school with pains in my knees,joints and hips.It would stop me doing normal things at schoo1.The pain would be so much that some nights I couldn't sleep at all and I just couldn't face going to school like that.And after each dislocation,I had to do six months of physiotherapy to recover,"said Laresce. However, since taking up the sport of power lifting 18 months ago she is now effectively cured."really enjoyed the feeling of power I got and the excitement of people encouraging me to do my very best,"she said. "I've made lots of friends a It's an incredible feeling when everyone's cheering me on.It's the support of other people that makes the difference to winning.Becoming a champion was a big surprise--I just started off for fun and wasn't expecting anything.So to win six titles over just a few months was amazing." Laresce had to do long-time physiotherapy to _ . A. reduce the pains in knees and joints B. recover from joint dislocations C. fall asleep easily during nights D. do normal things freely at school Answer: B
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Question: Hi, I'm Sandy. I come from America. I have long hair. I like listening to music and singing. I don't like sports. I often call my friends at the weekend. My name is Jack. My Chinese name is Chen Tao. My eyes are not very good, so I often wear a pair of glasses. I enjoy playing computer games and swimming. I like making friends and I have a Chinese friend. Hello, everyone. I'm Luo Wei. I'm from China. My hair is short. I love running and pets. And I have a lovely dog. My name is Daniel. I come from England. I'm good at Maths. I often help my classmates with their Maths. I'm not very tall. I like playing computer games on the Internet. Would you like to be my friend? Please write e-mails to me. You can _ Daniel to make friends with him. A. write letters to B. play computer games with C. chat on the phone with D. write e-mails to Answer: D
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Question: One day, little Mike's mother went to the river to do some washing.Before she left, she said to him: "Mike,while I am away, stay near the door and watch it all the time! "She said this because she was afraid of the thieves. Mike sat down beside the door.After an hour,one of his uncles came.He asked Mike, "Where is your mother? " "She has gone to the river to do some washing."Mike answered.""Well."said his uncle, "now it is a quarter to two.Three hours later we are going to visit your family.Go and tell her about it,for I'm too busy, I have to hurry..." After his uncle had gone away,Mike began to think , "Mother had asked me to watch the door all the time and my uncle told me to go and tell my mother. What shall I do?"he thought and thought. Finally he pulled down the door, put it on his back and went to the river with it. How many uncles did Mike have? _ . A. One. B. Two. C. Three. D. We don't know. Answer: D
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Question: Britain is facing a sharp rise in its rat population as growing numbers of people leave what they cannot finish of the fast food in the street, an environment group warned .Keep Britain Tidy said the rats were stopping their traditional hunts underground and were running across the streets, invited by burgers, pizzas and crisps left behind by man. "The rat population is on the rise and soon it'll be as common to see a rat on our street as it is to see a dog or a cat," said group Director, Sue Nelson. The practice of spreading fast food litter and scraps on the street rather than in the dustbin--with young men the worst group--was behind the rise. According to the National Rodent Survey in 2005, Britain's rat population has grown by nearly one quarter since 2000 and is now estimated at 60 million, two million more than the human population. On average a rat can give birth every 24-28 days and just a single pair of rats can produce a family of 2,000 a year. Around 200 people a year get Weil's Disease -an infection which can lead to liver or kidney failure and eventually death and which is carried in rats' waste. To attract people's attention to the problem, Keep Britain Tidy produced a cinema ad with a title "How close do you want them to get?" The ad gave a shocking image of a young woman sleeping in a bed of rats--reminding people of the terrible scene from James Herbert's classic horror tale The Rats, in which rats begin to hunt for humans. By writing the passage, the author tries to _ . A. close some of the burger and pizza restaurants B. draw the public attention to the problem of rats C. prevent the rats from growing up D. making an advertisement for the classic horror tale The Rats Answer: B
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Question: Just the mention of the TOEFL, GRE and GAMT exams brings a thought of long hours of dull paper work. But that idea is becoming increasingly out of date. As planned, computerized tests will begin next year which will bring a series of changes from test psychology to scoring techniques. From computer - equipped rooms, examinees will answer the questions on a computer. If they are sure about their choices, they can pass to the next question by pressing the entry "next". Then another question will be randomly selected from a vast test item bank and appear on the screen. After answering all the questions, examinees can choose the entry "quit" if they are not satisfied with their performance, or "score" if they want to see the result. Scores will be calculated immediately and appear on the screen. By that point, student's marks are official--there is no going back. Since they greatly shorten the painful waiting process-which used to be two or three months, computerized tests have won worldwide popularity. Besides, there will be no rushing to the registration offices( )for these exams. Computerized tests will be given every workday in an exam center with all three kinds of tests being held in the same room. All test takers need to do is to call the exam center and book their seats for a particular day. In addition it will become technically possible to apply new testing procedures. In the past,each examinee had the same set of test items despite differences in their ability. Under a computerized system, however, if the computer judges an answer is right, a question of a relatively difficult nature will follow. But if an examinee continues to give wrong answers and is judged as un-qualified by the computer system, he will be automatically _ the chance to go further in the test. Under a computerized system, all of the following would be possible except that _ . A. different exams can be taken in the same room B. one doesn't need to rush to the registration officer for taking an exam C. it will be much easier to pass an examination D. one can take an exam almost at any time of the year Answer: C
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Question: He almost didn't see the old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front her Mercedes and got out. Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe; he looked poor and hungry. He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. He said, "I am here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson." Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid. Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened, had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were many people who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way. He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, "And think of me." He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight. This story most probably took place _ . A. in a garage B. on a highway C. in a busy street D. near a gas station Answer: B
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Question: What kind of pets do people have in your country? Dogs? Cats? How about a duck, hippo or lion? Here are two cases of animal owners with unusual pets. Barrie Hayman has a pet duck called Star. Barrie adopted him after his brothers and sisters stayed away from him at birth. Barrie, a duck breeder, realized the little duck needed special attention. So he began taking Star with him everywhere he went. "I would put him in my pocket while I did my shopping," said Barrie. Now, at five months, Star is too big for Barrie's pocket, but the two are still _ . They watch sports, together and even share a drink together. Barrie said, "He is a fantastic duck. I've never known any like him." Star even has his own Facebook page, with more than 2,000 Face book friends. Then there is the case of Tonie and Shirley Joubert in South Africa. They live with their hippo, Jessica. Tonie saved Jessica from floodwaters when she was only a day old. Jessica lives outside their riverside house, but she knows how to open the kitchen door, and often goes there for a snack. Tonie recently said, "I don't know whether Jessica sees me as a hippo or whether she sees herself as a human." Shirley is more certain, "Jessica sees herself as our child and I see Jessica as my daughter. I can't imagine my life without Jessica." Jessica is free to leave, and often visits wild hippos that live nearby. But she always returns home at night. Jessica's website notes that she has three hippo boyfriends, but one in particular,Fred, is her favorite. They often go grazing together and Fred has recently moved onto the Joubert's house as well. We can learn from the passage that Jessica _ A. came to Joubert's home when she was 5 months old B. loves eating in the Joubert's kitchen C. doesn't see herself as a human being D. has more than three boyfriends Answer: B
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Question: Annelids do what to soil? A. loosen it B. tighten it C. condense it D. clump it Answer: A
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Question: Although American children still spend part of their days reading, they are spending less time doing it for pleasure than years ago, with large gaps in proficiency ,according to a recent report. "It raises an alarm," said Vicky Rideout, the lead author of the report. "We're witnessing a really large drop in reading among teenagers and the speed of that drop is getting faster and faster." The report found that the percentage of nine-year-old children reading for pleasure once or more per week had dropped from 81 percent in 1984 to 76 percent in 2013, based on government studies. About a third of 13-year-olds and almost half of 17-year-olds reported in one study that they read for pleasure less than twice a year. Of those who read or are read to, children often spend on average between 30 minutes and an hour daily with that activity, the report found. Older children and teenagers tend to read for pleasure for an equally long time each day. Rideout warned that there may be differences in how people come across texts and the included studies may not take into account stories read on line or on social media. The report also found that many young children are struggling with literacy . Only about one-third of fourth grade students are "proficient" in reading and another one-third scored below "basic" in reading skills. Despite the large percentage of children with below-basic reading skills, reading scores among young children have improved since the 1970s, according to one test that measures reading ability. The reading scores among 17-year-olds, however, reminded relatively unchanged since the 1790s. About 46 percent of white children are considered "proficient" in reading, compared with 18 percent of black children and 20 percent of Hispanic kids. Those gap remained relatively unchanged over the past 20 years, according to the report. "To go 20 years with no progress in that area is shameful", Rideout said. The report stresses some behaviors that have been tied to children being more frequent readers. Those behaviors include parents setting aside time to read with their children and parents reading themselves to model good behavior. To make children frequent readers, parents should _ . A. improve their reading skills. B. read as many books as possible. C. set a good example to their children. D. spend more time with their children. Answer: C
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Question: Imagine being the only person in the Forbidden City. You could stay there all day without swarms of people crowding around. You'd be able to look at the ancient treasures without worrying about other visitors pushing you for a better view. Well, in two years time you'll be able to have such an experience, just like the former emperors used to. The only difference is that your Forbidden City fun will be online. Thanks to new technology, a virtual tour of the Forbidden City will be available online by 2008. The project - jointly driven by the Palace Museum and computer company IBM - aims to help teenagers around the world become more interested in Chinese culture. The project will offer an interactive, three-dimensional view of the palace. The virtual tour will provide images from all over the 780,000-square-metre palace. "The Palace Museum is a big book; there are always places you haven't read about," said Hu Chui from the museum. There are many rooms closed for protection. But the virtual platform breaks the boundaries of time and space, meaning visitors can see whatever they want. "The interaction and games content in the virtual tour will attract more young people to understand and love our cultural heritage," added Hu. In the virtual tour, historical figures will actually talk to visitors and answer their questions. The stories behind the buildings and treasures will also be told. "The online environment, presented in both Chinese and English, enables visitors to experience the culture and stories of the museum," said James Yeh, an IBM official. What attracts teenagers most to the virtual tour is _ . A. the visible pictures in the place B. the interaction and game playing C. the online environment presented in English D. the platform without the boundaries of time and space Answer: B
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Question: Welcome to the British Museum, the grandest and the most spectacular in the human history.The admission is free and we open every day from 10:00 to 15:30.You can explore 10 departments including: The Department of Africa, Oceania and America. The collection of the Department of Africa, Oceania and America includes around 350,000 objects.The scope of the collection is contemporary and historical.It includes most of Africa, the Pacific and Australia, as well as America.All of the collections were got during the 19 th and 20 th centuries and dates from this time. The Department of Asia. The Department of Asia covers the material and visual cultures of Asia--a vast geographical area of Japan, Korea, China, central Asia, Afghanistan, south Asia and south -east Asia.The collection dates from about 4000 BC to present day.It represents the cultures and ways of life of local people and other minority groups. The Department of Greek and Roman Empires. The Department of Greek and Roman Empires features antiquities .It has one of the most comprehensive collections of antiquities from the Classical world, with over 100,000 objects.These mostly range in date from the beginning of the Greek Bronze Age (about 3200BC) to the time of the Roman emperor Constantine in the fourth century AD. What's the purpose of this passage? A. To introduce some places of interest in Britain. B. To show the glorious eastern cultures to western people. C. To give some advice to the visitors traveling in Britain. D. To guide tourists around the British Museum. Answer: D
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Question: Soon computers and other machines will be able to remember you by looking at your eyes! The program works because everyone's eyes are different. So in the future you won't have to remember a number when you want to use a machine or take money out of a bank. You'll just have to look at the machine and it will be able to tell who you are. The eye-recognition program is already being tested in shops and banks in the USA, Britain and France. Soon, this technology will change all other ways of finding out who people are. However, scientists are working on other systems. Machines will soon be able to know you from the shape of your face or hands or even your smell! We already have machines that can tell who you are from your voice or the mark made by your fingers. Eye-recognition is better than other kinds because your eyes don't change as you get older, or get dirty like hands or fingers. And even twins have different eyes, so the program can be up to 94% correct, depending on how good the technology is. Some programs may only be right 51% of the time. In Britain, it was found that 91% of people who had tried it said that they liked the idea of eye-recognition. In the future your computer will be looking at you in the eye. So smile! The eye-recognition program has already been tested in _ in a few countries. A. shops and banks B. libraries and schools. C. banks and schools D. hospitals and hotels Answer: A
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Question: A handsome middle-age man walked quietly into the cafe and sat down. Before he ordered, he couldn't help but noticed a group of younger men at the table next to him. It was obvious they were making fun of something about him and it isn't until he remembered he was wearing a small pink - on the lapel of his suit that he became aware of what joke was all about. The man pretend not to notice it, but the whisper and laughter began to get to him. He looked one of the rude young men straight into the eye, placed his hand beneath the ribbon and asked. "This?" With that the young men all began to laugh out loud. The man he spoke to said, "Hey, sorry, man, but we were just commenting on how pretty your little pink ribbon looks against your blue jacket!" The middle-aged man calmly invited the joker to come to his table, and politely seated him. As uncomfortable as he was, the young guy had to, not really sure why. In a soft voice, the middle-aged man said," I wear this ribbon to bring awareness about breast cancer. I wear it in my mother's honor." "Oh, sorry. She died of breast cancer?" "No, she didn't." "She's alive and well. But her breasts nourished me as a baby, and were a soft testing place for my head when I was scared or lonely as a little boy. I' m very grateful for my mother's breasts, and her health." "Umm." The young replied, "Yeah." "And I wear this ribbon to honor my life," the man continued. "And she's okay, too0?" the young guy asked. "Oh, yes. She's fine. Her breasts have been a great source of loving pleasure for both of us, and with them she nurtured and nourished our daughter 23 years ago. I'm grateful for my wife's breasts, and her health." "Uh, huh, and I guess you wear it to honor your daughter, also?" "No. it's too late to honor my daughter by wearing it now..." Shaken and ashamed, the young guy said, "Oh, I'm so sorry, mister." "So, in my daughter's memory, too, I proudly wear this little ribbon, which allows me the opportunity to enlighten others. And here..." with this he reached in his pocket and handed the young man a little pink ribbon. The young guy looked at it, slowly raised his head and asked, "...?" The young man joked about the middle-aged man's _ . A. looks B. ribbon C. attitude D. cloths Answer: B
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Question: Laptop computers are popular all over the world.People use them on trains and airplanes, in airports and hotels.These laptops connect people to their workplace.In the United States today, laptops also connect students to their classrooms. Westlake College in Virginia will start a laptop computer program that allows students to do schoolwork anywhere they want.Within five years, each of the 1500 students at the college will receive a laptop.The laptops are part of a $10 million computer program at Westlake, a 110-year-old college.The students with laptops will also have access to the Internet.In addition, they will be able to use e-mail to "speak" with their teachers, their classmates, and their families.However, the most important part of the laptop program is that students will be able to use computers without going to computer labs.They can work with it at home, in a fast-food restaurant or under the trees--anywhere at all! Because of the many changes in computer technology, laptop use in higher education, such as colleges and universities, is workable.As laptops become more powerful, they become more similar to desktop computers.In addition, the portable computers can connect students to not only the Internet, but also libraries and other resources.State higher-education officials are studying how laptops can help students.State officials are also testing laptop programs at other universities, too. At Westlake College, more than 60 percent of the staff use computers.The laptops will allow all teachers to use computers in their lessons.As one Westlake teacher said, " Here we are in the middle of Virginia and we're giving students a window on the world.They can see everything and do everything." Which of the following is true about Westlake College? A. All teachers use computers B. 1500 students have laptops. C. It is an old college in America. D. Students there can do everything. Answer: C
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Question: Compared to the other parts of the body, our ears don't ask for much. They don't need to be brushed once a day like your teeth. But they need some special care, especially if you like listening to music with earphones. Maybe your mum or dad has told you, "Turn that down before you go deaf!" Well, they are quite right. Loud noise might cause hearing loss for a short time or even forever. Think that earphones are a good way to escape from tour parents' eyes? Well. It may not be as good a way as you expect. American doctors have studied a group of 44,000 people who used earphones more than 15 hours per week. The doctors found that 37,000 of them were getting hearing problems. If you use earphones for too long a time, your ears might feel painful. You could also lose your hearing for the rest of your life. So don't wear your earphones too long. Use them less than one hour a day. Want sharp hearing? Don't forget to do the following: Try to stay away from places where there is too much noise, like a disco. If you have to go, wear earplugs. When swimming, remember to put earplugs into your ears to stop water from getting in. Never put anything sharp into your ears. If you think you have too much earwax, ask your mum or dad to help you clean it out. Keep these things in mind! Then you won't be saying "WHAT???" when you are older. WHAT??? in the last sentence is an expression showing that the speaker _ . A. has become impatient B. speaks in a loud voice C. is slow in understanding D. asks for a lot of repetition Answer: D
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Question: Jim wanted to go eat some pizza. He was a giant. He had eaten a hot dog and some carrots earlier that day, but it had been a long time. He was very hungry after a hard day of playing with his kitty. But Jim had a problem, he did know where he was. While playing with his kitten, he had left his yard and wandered into the deep woods that were near his house. It was getting dark outside, and Jim the giant was scared. He was also hungry. It had been a long time since Jim had eaten. Also, it was becoming cold, and Jim had left his jacket on the ground. There was some joy from the fact that he had his kitty. His name was Bob, and was riding around on his shoulder. Still, Jim needed to find his way out of the woods fast. It was at this time that Jim remembered that he had a flashlight in his pocket. With his flashlight, Jim could see the woods, and spot his house off in this distance. He ran home fast. Once he was home, Jim put down his kitty, and ordered a pizza. He was safe. He called his friends Steve and Adam to tell them about his big adventure, and sat down to play with his kitty Bob. What did Jim want to eat? A. Carrots B. Pizza C. Hot Dog D. Hamburger Answer: B
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Question: When you hear Westerners say " Drop in anytime" or "Come and see me soon" , you should realize that it doesn't mean you are welcome to come over to their house anytime. It's wise to telephone before visiting someone. Never accept an invitation unless you really plan to go. You may refuse by saying, "Thank you for inviting me, but I may not be able to come." If you are unable to come after accepting the invitation, be sure to tell those who invite you in advance that you will not be there. When you have accepted the invitation to a party or a dinner, it is polite to bring small gifts with you, such as bottles of drink, flowers and chocolate. Sometimes Westerners may take you out to dinner in a restaurant and it does not necessarily mean that he is going to pay the bill at the end of the meal. He might want you to " _ ", which means each person pays his own bill. If you have accepted the invitation to a party or a dinner, what kind of gifts will you bring? _ A. Money. B. Televisions C. Computers. D. Books Answer: D
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Question: Experience the Colorado River the Hualapai Way! River Runners offers the ONLY One Day Whitewater trip ANYWHERE at the GRAND CANYOU! Since1973,Hualapai River Runners has been conducting whitewater rafting journey to the Colorado River. Our experienced guides expertly sail along the river and share the history of the Canyon and the Hualapai people with you. Visitors experience the excitement of whitewater rapids and then stop to enjoy the impressive beauty of Travertine Falls and a tasty lunch.No charge for children 2 years and under. One-Day Trip Retail$249.00+$79.00(helicopter and round-trip ground transportation) Whitewater rafting tours begin in Peach Springs.Hualapai River Runners transports you to Diamond Creek, which is the starting point for the 37 mile rafting tour. Lunch is included and upon arrival at the rafting tour termination point ,fly out of the Grand Canyon by helicopter to Grand Canyon West. Two-Day Trip Retail$549.00+$79.00(helicopter and round-trip ground transportation) Two-day rafting trips with one night on the Colorado River. All supplies and meals are included. Two days in the Grand Canyon,on the Colorado River allows more time to explore one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Tours Include: *Round-trip transportation from Peach Springs to the starting point and from the termination point back to Peach Springs. *Snack, drinks and lunch(vegetarian meals available upon request) *Waterproof dry bags for storing your cameras, sunscreen, dry clothes, etc. *The helicopter part of transportation is weather permitting. If the helicopter transportation is cancelled because of bad weather, the raft will continue an additional two hours to South Cove and a maximum $20.00 per customer will be given back. Special Website booking rate 15% off rafting in April 2010. So book now! Call us Toll Free Today! Tel: 1-888-868-9378 Where do whitewater rafting tours start? A. Travertine Falls B. Peach Springs C. Diamond Creek D. Grand Canyon West Answer: B
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Question: It was an autumn morning shortly after my husband and I moved into our first house. Children were upstairs unpacking , and I was looking out of the window at my father moving around mysteriously on the front lawn. My parents lived nearby ,and Dad had visited us several times already. "What are you doing out there?" I called to him .He looked up, smiling. "I'm making you a surprise." Knowing my father, I thought it could be just about anything. A self-employed jobber, he was always building things out of odds and ends. When we were kids, he always created something surprising for us. Today, however, Dad would say no more, and caught ups in the busyness of our new life, I eventually forgot about his surprise. Until one gloomy day the following March when I glanced out of the window. Any yet... I saw a dot of blue across the yard. I headed outside for a closer look. They were crocuses , throughout the front lawn. Lavender, blue, yellow and my favorite pink ---- little faces moved up and down in the cold wind. Dad! I smiled, remembering the things he had secretly planted last autumn. He knew how the darkness and dullness of winter always got me down. What could have been more perfectly timely to my needs? My father's crocuses bloomed each spring for the next four or five seasons, bringing the same assurance every time they arrived: hard times was almost over. Hold on, keep going, light is coming soon. Then a spring came with only half the usual blooms. The next spring there were none. I missed the crocuses. I would ask Dad to come over and plant new bulbs. But I never did. He died suddenly one October day. My family was in deep sorrow, leaning on our faith. I missed him terribly. Four years passed, and on a dismal spring afternoon I was driving back when I found myself feeling depressed. "You've got the winter depression again and you get them every year." I told myself. It was Dad's birthday, and I found myself thinking about him. This was not unusual --- my family often talked about him, remembering how he lived his faith. Once I saw him give his coat to a homeless man. Suddenly I slowed as I turned into our driveway. I stopped and stared at the lawn. And there on the muddy grass and small gray piles of melting snow, bravely waving in the wind, was one pink crocus. How could a flower bloom from a bulb more than 18 years old, one that had not blossomed in over a decade? But there was the crocus. Tears filled my eyes as I realized its significance. Hold on, keep going, light is coming soon. The pink crocus bloomed for only a day. But it built my faith for a lifetime. Which of the following is NOT true, according to the passage? A. The writer's father planted the crocus to lift her low spirit. B. The crocuses bloomed each spring before the writer's father died. C. The writer often thought about her father since her father died. D. The writer's father died some years after he planted the crocus. Answer: B
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Question: Now, I'm studying in the US. I find there are some differences between schools in the US and in Vietnam. One big difference is the clothes students wear at school and how they look. In my country, all the students should wear uniforms when they go to school. Boys aren't allowed to have long hair. Girls aren't allowed to have long or colored nails . Another difference is about the rules for parents. In Vietnam, when we begin a new school year, our parents have to go to a meeting in our class. If they don't go to that meeting, their children won't have a grade or a report card from school. However, in the US, there aren't such strict rules above. In Vietnam, a class is only 45 minutes and we have only five classes each weekday. When the bell rings, the students just sit in their own classroom. They can't move to a different one, but students can in the US. In Vietnam, students can't go to work because they can't find a job if they're under18. But in the US, many students work after school. This helps them make money. More importantly, this helps them become more _ . They're able to do things by themselves in their own way, without asking other people for help. Which is not true about the Vietnamese students according to the passage? A. They have five classes a weekday. B. They can go to work under eighteen. C. They should wear uniforms at school. D. When the bell rings, they can't move to a different classroom. Answer: B
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Question: When you consider what subject to study in college, chances are that you and your parents will think about what you can make out of _ after graduation. You will likely ask the question: "Can I find a well-paid job or simply a job with a degree in this in the future?" This consideration also influences students when they come to choose between studying science or humanities at college. People generally believe that the humanities, which include literature , history, cultural studies and philosophy, do not prepare students for a specific vocation . Science subjects, however, are considered vocational courses that produce scientists, engineers and economists . "I've decided to take finance as my college major. My parents and I think this subject will help me get a good job or start a business," said Huachen Yueru, 17, a science student at Wuxi No. 1 High School. Even those who choose a liberal arts education often pick the humanities subject which they think will best help them later find a job. "I'm going to study Spanish in college, which I believe will open doors to a high-paying job for me," said Liu Chao, 18, a Senior 2 student at Dalian No 20 High School. He said few of his classmates show interest in subjects like philosophy and history, which are seen as "less promising" in job markets. The popularity of liberal arts subjects among college students has also been decreasing in the United States. American scholars and universities are concerned that in the ongoing economic crisis liberal arts subjects will be hit hardest. As money tightens , they worry that the humanities may become "a great luxury that many cannot afford", according to the New York Times. What can we infer from the passage ? A. Humanities are becoming less and less popular with the students. B. Studying science subjects is sure to find a well-paid job. C. The humanities in college should be cancelled. D. The writer thinks those who choose the liberal arts education will choose their favorite subjects. Answer: A
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Question: Teacher's Day around the world is not celebrated on the same day. In some countries, Teacher's Day is celebrated on working days. However, in other countries, it is celebrated on holidays. Here we are giving you a list of countries that celebrate Teacher's Day on holidays. China Teacher's Day was proposed at National Central University in 1931. It was adopted by the central government of Republic of China in 1932. In 1939, the day was set on August 27, Confucius's birthday. The government of the People's Republic of China called it off in 1951. It was reestablished in 1985, and the day was changed to September 10. Now more and more people are trying to celebrate Teacher's Day back to Confucius's birthday. India In India, Teacher's Day is celebrated on September 5, in honor of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the second President of India,because his birthday was September 5. Russia In Russia, Teacher's Day is on October 5. Before 1994, this day was set on the first Sunday of September. The USA In the United States, Teacher's Day is a holiday on the Tuesday of the first full week of May. Thailand January 16 was adopted as Teacher's Day in Thailand by a resolution of the government on November 21, 1956. The first Teacher's Day was celebrated in 1957. Iran In Iran, Teacher's Day is celebrated on May 2 every year. It is in honor of the famous Iranian professor Ayatollah Morteza Motahhari who died on May 2, 1980. Although different countries celebrate Teacher's Day on different days, the activities people take to celebrate it just stay the same. The best title for the passage is _ . A. Teacher's Day around the world B. The history of Teacher's Day C. Activities on Teacher's Day D. How to celebrate Teacher's Day Answer: A
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Question: Cameron thought of himself as merely organized. He certainly did not consider that he took great pains over anything, he did just enough to get it right. Exactly right, of course, for as he was fond of telling his staff, "if it's not exactly right, it's wrong". Occasionally a worker might be sad on hearing these words, because it meant another hour or so of going over the same bit of work, correcting the mistakes which Cameron had patiently pointed out. And doing the corrections exactly right of course. Strangely enough, his department had the reputation for performing the highest quality work in the company, and it was seen, and not only by those who worked in the department, as a sort of elite unit. Those programmes that had to work first time, straight out of the box, Cameron's men got those. "It's mission critical--give it to Cameron" was almost a catch-phrase with his team. It helped that Cameron was not merely particular about things. He wanted things done just so, not because of a personal taste, but because he had discovered through patient experimentation that this was the best way for it to be done. In Cameron's dictionary, "Take as long as you want" meant that you could work on your task not just in office hours, but that evening, and late into the early hours of the following morning if you so desired. But the project had to be in by its completion date, and yes, done exactly right. Or you did it again. But he would always be regarded, and not least by himself, as someone who had failed to meet requirements, one of those _ . You had to face it, if you were not working for Cameron, you were second best. So when word got out that Cameron had messed up, big time, the news was greeted with a mixture of sympathy, and entire relief that this perfection too was human. What can we learn about Cameron? A. He never got things wrong. B. He didn't allow for any mistake. C. He encouraged work to be done in office hours. D. He was often misunderstood. Answer: B
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Question: A creature that has developed to a certain age will be more likely to A. float B. sneeze C. fornicate D. sing Answer: C
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Question: Americans often plan social gatherings on short notice, so don't be surprised if you get invited to someone's home or to see a movie or baseball game without much warning. If the time is convenient for you, surely accept their invitation. But if you're busy, don't be afraid to _ the invitation, perhaps suggesting a time that would be better. Your host won't be shamed. Invitations are usually sent in person or over the telephone. The main exception is for some formal occasions, in which case a written invitation will be mailed. You would normally receive a written invitation to a wedding . For a casual dinner invitation, don't arrive more than 5 minutes early, because your host may still be preparing for your visit. Arriving more than 10 minutes late is considered rude if very few people were invited. If many people were invited, it's OK to arrive a little late, even as much as half an hour late. For example, it's OK to arrive late for a party, for a potluck dinner or for a social gathering inviting a large group of people. If you're invited for dinner, it's proper to bring the host a bottle of wine, a gift basket of fruit, a box of candy , or a bouquet of flowers. Don't bring roses, as men often give roses to women on a date . If you wish to thank the host for his or her hospitality , it's right to call or send a brief written thank-you note the next day. If an American only invites you to his home for an informal supper at 7:30p.m., you'd better get to his house at _ . A. 7:15p.m. B. 7:35p.m. C. 7:45p.m. D. 7:55p.m. Answer: B
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Question: To all of you at Chinese love links, I am 44 years old and never married. I have always wanted to find that perfect someone that I dream about. For about the last five years I have almost given up the hope of ever finding the one I truly wish to spend the rest of my life with. I have always tried to be a nice guy. I had found your website some four or five months before. I did not know what to expect. I don't know how to speak Chinese and never thought truly of how I was to an Asian woman. Well, I had a lot of replies from some very nice and pretty women. I had a hard time finding only a couple to write to. But one stood out from the rest. She was cute, nice and seemed to hold a lot of the same values as I do. In a short time I had decided to write only to her. We communicated via e - mails 2 - 3 times a day and phone calls once or twice a week. I went and met her and her family only a week ago. Her name is Ying and she lives in prefix = st1 /Nanning. I foundNanningto be one of the most beautiful cities I had ever been to. We had even decided to marry and to bring her to theUSAunder the fiancee visa. Not only did she meet everything I had ever hoped to find in someone else but turned out to be what every woman should be like, at least the ones I have met. We plan to marry as soon as she is here and start a family together as neither of us has children but we both want them. So to anyone out there reading this, I can only say this: You may not find what you are looking for if you're not honest with your partner and yourself. This site worked for me mostly because I was honest with something that I wanted in someone else. When I did find her, love can work even across the other side of the world, between language differences and cultural differences. I wish you all luck in finding your perfect match. I have finally found mine and wishto give all my thanks to those at Chinese love links to help make it happen. Sincerely yours, Arthur Ying stood out from the rest because A. she was a Chinese B. she had much in common with Arthur C. other women stopped writing to Arthur D. she was cute and nice and often phoned to Arthur Answer: B
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Question: The number of speakers of English in Shakespeare's time is estimated to have been about five million. Today it is estimated that some 260 million people speak it as a native language, mainly in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In addition to the standard varieties of English found in these areas, there are a great many regional and social varieties of the language as well as various levels of usage that are employed both in its spoken and written forms. In fact, it is impossible to estimate the number of people in the world who have acquired an adequate working knowledge of English in addition to their own languages. The purpose for English learning and the situations in which such learning takes place are so varied that it is difficult to explain and still more difficult to judge what forms an adequate working knowledge for each situation. The main reason for the widespread demand for English is its present-day importance as a world language. Besides serving the indefinite needs of its native speakers, English is a language in which some of important works in science, technology, and other fields are being produced, and not always by native speakers. It is widely used for such purposes as meteorological and airport communications, international conferences, and the spread of information over the radio and television networks of many nations. It is a language of wider communication for a number of developing countries, especially former British colonies. Many of these countries have multilingual populations and need a language for internal communication in such matters as government, commerce, industry, law and education as well as for international communication and for entrance to the scientific and technological developments in the West. What type of developing countries would be most likely to use English? A. Those geographically close to the United States. B. Those interested in the culture of the United States. C. Former colonies of Great Britain. D. Countries where international conferences are held. Answer: C
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Question: Almost every day we come across situations in which we have to make decisions one way or another. Choice, we are given to believe, is a right. But for a good many people in the world, in rich and poor countries, choice is a luxury, something wonderful but hard to get, not a right. And for those who think they are exercising their right to make choices, the whole system is merely an illusion, a false idea created by companies and advertisers hoping to sell their products. The endless choice gives birth to anxiety in people's life. Buying something as basic as a coffee pot is not exactly simple. Easy access to a wide range of everyday goods leads to a sense of powerlessness in many people, ending in the shopper giving up and walking away, or just buying an unsuitable item that is not really wanted. Recent studies in England have shown that many electrical goods bought in almost every family are not really needed. More difficult decision-making is then either avoided or trusted into the hands of the professionals, lifestyle instructors, or advisors. It is not just the availability of the goods that is the problem, but the speed with which new types of products come on the market. Advances in design and production help quicken the process. Products also need to have a short lifespan so that the public can be persuaded to replace them within a short time. The typical example is computers, which are almost out-of-date once they are bought. This indeed makes selection a problem. Gone are the days when one could just walk with ease into a shop and buy one thing: no choice, no anxiety. Why do more choices of goods give rise to anxiety? A. Professionals find it hard to decide on a suitable product. B. People are likely to find themselves overcome by business persuasion. C. Shoppers may find themselves lost in the broad range of items. D. Companies and advertisers are often misleading about the range of choice. Answer: C
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Question: The life-long benefits of teaching children good money habits make it well worth the effort. Children who are not taught these lessons pay the consequences for a life time. Some parents don't teach children about money because they think they shouldn't talk about money with children, don't have the time, or think they don't have enough money. Parents should take the time to teach children about money regardless of their income and should start when children are young. Most people have strong feelings and opinions about money, based on childhood experiences and the values and beliefs of their families. Most often, these experiences, values, and beliefs are different for each parent. It is important for the healthy development of children that parents talk about these feelings and opinions and establish a consistent approach to teaching children about money. Here are some guidelines parents can keep in mind as they begin the financial socialization of their children: Advise rather than order how the child's money should be used. Allow children to learn by mistakes and by successes. Be consistent while taking children's differences into account. Include all family members in money management discussions, decision making, and activities suitable for their age. Explan to children what they can and cannot do and the consequences of going above the limits. As children get older increasingly include them in discussions of limits and consequences. Expect all family members to perform unpaid, routine household work based on their abilities. Express your desire to have things you can't afford. Children need to know that parents say "no" to themselves, too. The writer believes that if children don't learn good money habits, they _ . A. won't be able to earn enough B. won't be involved in housework C. will have to work hard all their life. D. will suffer the bad results all their life Answer: D
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Question: Sam's granddad was going to take Sam and his two brothers, James and Evan on vacation. They could choose to go to the lake or the beach. If they chose the lake, they would get to go on their granddad's boat. If they chose the beach, there would be sand to dig in. All three boys began to clap and cheer for the beach! The boys left their house in their granddad's van to drive to the beach. They drove by their school on the way. The boys were glad to be out for the summer. On the road, the boys played a game. Whoever counted the most big trucks would be the winner. James counted one hundred and five trucks. This was more than Sam or Evan counted. Evan pointed out the window at a man dressed all in black riding a black motorcycle. The man had a long beard. When they got to the beach, their granddad told them to put on sunscreen so they would not get sun burned. The boys grabbed their pails and shovels and ran down on to the sand near the water. Their granddad brought a chair to sit on and a large umbrella to give him shade. He also brought some noodles for the boys to float on if they went into the water. Sam found a piece of wood washed up on the beach. He used it make a bridge over large hole that the boys had dug. What did Sam use to make a bridge? A. A piece of wood. B. Their granddad's chair. C. A noodle. D. A large umbrella. Answer: A
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Question: Can you remember any of the bad habits you used to have when you were very young? Perhaps, as a baby, you used to suck your thumb . Of course, you do not do that any more, but you can surely remember your mother's efforts to train you. The good habits you now have in such matters as personal cleanliness were part of this early training. We may not suck our thumbs any more, but as we get older we get other bad habits. We can't give them up easily, either.(Anyone who has tried to give up smoking knows this very well!) Each period brings its own problems. In babyhood, it's thumb-sucking; in childhood, it's nail-biting; in our teens, it's smoking; in middle-age, it's over-eating, and so on. And if anyone tells you that he has no bad habits, you can be sure that he must have the worst habit of all. At the end of the story the writer says "And if anyone tells you that he has no bad habits, you can be sure that he must have the worst habit of all". Here what do you suppose the worst habit is? A. Reading. B. Playing. C. Walking. D. Lying. Answer: D
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Question: The first crocodiles lived on the Earth about 240 million years ago. How much do you know about these dangerous animals? Here are some amazing facts about them. * The biggest crocodile is the saltwater crocodile. It can be as long as seven metres! * If you take a bright light at night over a river with crocodiles inside, you will see pairs of red spots . Those are the crocodiles' eyes. They can see well at night. * When you see a crocodile with its mouth open, don't be _ . That just tells you it's too hot. * On the beach, crocodiles get tired very quickly, but they can stay in the water for 2-3 hours. * Most crocodiles can live up to 70 years old! Which of the following is right? A. Crocodiles often open their mouths when it's hot. B. Crocodiles can stay on the beach for 2-3 hours. C. All the crocodiles can live up to 70 years old. D. The writer talks about four facts about crocodiles. Answer: A
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Question: Among the many things that Brisbane , Australia, does really well, the care for kids is the best one. Here is a list of places that will be suitable for your kids. Swimming pools Simple way for happiness: mix kids with water. Of course, this is a choice for the hot summer months. Parks Free outdoor fun: it's suitable for kids of all ages. It's a place for parents to let kids run wild. The Children's Art Centre The Children's Art Centre has been very popular. Kids' favorite here is some exhibitions specially designed for children. But we must pay some money. South Bank Parklands South Bank Parklands has everything you need to keep kids amused. Take them for a swim at the man-made beach. On weekends, go through the arts market or go to a cheap movie. South Bank Parklands often gives free performances too. Roma Street Parkland Close to bus transport, this parkland is easily accessible . It's ideal for kids of all ages. Younger kids can take a trip on the Jelly Bean Express, a 1.3 km trackless train ride around the parkland. Free entry and open every day. . What can we know about Roma Street Parkland? A. It opens only at weekends. B. Only younger kids can visit it. C. We need not buy tickets for a visit. D. Younger kids have to walk while visiting it. Answer: C
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Question: Dear Dr. Know I am unhappy these days. I am a student in Grade 3 of a middle school. I want to be a policewoman in the future . But my mother doesn't like the job. She always says it is too dangerous for a girl to work as a policewoman. She thinks girls should work in the office. She hopes that I can work as a doctor. But I really dislike being a doctor. It's terrible for me to work in the hospital. When I talk with her about it, she is often angry. She always thinks she is right. I don't know what to do. Can you help me? Nancy, Chongqing Which of the following is TRUE? A. Nancy's mother is right. B. Nancy needs Dr. Know's help. C. Nancy thinks it's terrible to be a policewoman. D. Nancy's mother likes to talk with Nancy about the job. Answer: B
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Question: Minh Pham was born in Vietnam. He left there when he was 21 years old. Minh has been in America for almost two years. There is still much he does not understand about America. Once, Minh was in a supermarket. He saw an old man and an old woman. They wanted a box of cereal .The box was on a high shelf. The man and the woman couldn't reach it. Minh saw a stepladder. He got on the ladder and got the box. He handed it to the elderly couple. They thanked him. "Where are your children?" asked Minh. "Why don't they help you buy food?" "Our children have their own lives," said the man and the woman. "We like to be independent." Minh doesn't think this is right. In his country, children help their parents. Minh gave the elderly couple his phone number. He told them to call him if they needed help. One night they asked Minh to dinner, but they never asked him for help. One day, Minh was walking with a Vietnamese friend. The two men were going to a movie. Minh wanted to go to a restaurant first. Minh took his friend's hand. He pulled him towards the restaurant. People on the street stared at Minh. In Vietnam, friends often hold hands. Minh found that the people in America are not used to men holding hands. Minh Pham is going through a process known as _ . Socialization is the process in which a person learns to live in a society. Everyone goes through this process. Minh went through it when he lived in Vietnam. But the Vietnamese way of life is rather different from the American way of life. When Minh came to America, he had to learn a new way of life. He had to learn how to live in a new society. Minh has learned a lot about American life in two years. He still has a lot to learn. The process of resocialization can take many years. The passage states that Minh didn't understand why the elderly man and woman were not _ . A. helped by their children B. shopping for their children C. holding hands D. using a stepladder Answer: A
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Question: The White family come to a new big city , but Mrs. White's son, Bob, is not happy. He doesn't have anyone to play with. "Don't worry!" says his mother. "You will soon make friends here." One morning, there is a knock at the door. Bob's mother, Mrs. White, opens it. There stands a woman with brown hair. It is Mrs. Miller. She comes to borrow two eggs. She wants to make cakes. Mrs. White gives her two. In the afternoon there is another knock at the door. Mrs. White opens it and she sees a boy standing there. "My name is Jack Miller," he says. "My mother gives you this cake and two eggs." "Well, thank you , Jack," says Mrs. White. "Come in and meet my son Bob." Look! Bob and Jack are having cake and milk. They are playing football. Now they are friends! Jack says, "I'm glad you live next door." Bob says, "I must thank your mother for coming to borrow eggs." Jack laughs and tells Bob, "My mother doesn't want the two eggs, but she wants to make friends with your mother. " Bob says, "That's a funny way to make friends. It's an easy way, too. It can work! In the afternoon _ have cake and milk together. A. Jack and Mrs. Miller B. Bob and his mother C. Mrs. White and Mrs. Miller D. Bob and Jack Answer: D
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Question: My son and I were trying to sell the house we had repaired, but in the barn there were bats and they would not leave. The barn was their home. They told us so in their own way they hung for the season. "Don't worry about it, Dad." Patrick said. "They keep down the mosquitoes ." Unfortunately they also kept the buyers away. When we had asked a person to sell the house for us he had refused to show it because of the bats. "Bats are popular," Patrick comforted me. "They are ecological." "Isn't there a machine you can buy that produces high-frequency sounds to keep bats away?" " I don't know," said Patrick. "But I like bats, and whoever buys this house will probably like them too.' "Probably?" I hated that word. "How many bats are there, anyway?" "I counted about 90 last night," said Patrick. "They were dropping out from under the edge of the roof." "You mean there are more------outside?" "They're everywhere, Dad. But look at it this way. When the cold weather comes, they'll be off to Mexico. Maybe in the spring we can keep them out. Don't worry about it," he said for the the hundredth time. "It's not a problem." The bat expert I called was even more active than Patrick. "I think you've got a large number there," he said in wonder. "I've been trying to attract bats to our house for 25 years. A single bat ears up his weight in mosquitoes and black flies three times every night. You've a very lucky man." I offered to share my luck with him. He could take them away. "Bats have a remarkable homing instinct ," he said. "They'd fly straight back even if I transported them 100 miles. Once they have settled, you can't stop them from coming back." I was silent. Finally we managed to rent the house to a young family, who were also interested in buying it. "What about the bats?" I said to Patrick. "Oh, they love the bats," he said. "No mosquitoes. No black flies. It's one of the things that attracted them." "Do you think they will really buy the house?" "Probably? Well, if they do, I suppose I'll have to admit that I was wrong." "You mean you're going to eat your words?" "Yes. I am." What was the problem the author had with his house? A. Bats were living in the barn and wouldn't go away. B. The author and his son couldn't sleep well because of the bats C. The author and his son might be able to stay for the season. D. The house was still badly in need of repair. Answer: A
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Question: This term we have a new teacher of English. His name is Mr Peterson. He comes from Australia, but now he lives in a tall building in Wuxi. He is not very tall and he is thin. He has a round face and small blue eyes. He wears glasses and they make him look smart.He has dark brown hair. Mr Peterson works very hard. In class, he has many good ideas to make the class Very interesting. We all 1ike his class. After class, he always _ us to speak more English. Sometimes, he plays games with us. He is very strong and he can play basketball and football very well. He is good at sports. Sometimes, he plays table tennis with us, but he doesn't play it very well. Mr Peterson loves living in China very much. He likes lots of things in China. He really loves eating Chinese food. He loves traveling in China, too. He is going to visit Xi'an next month. Which of the following is not true ? A. Mr Peterson is a very good English teacher. B. Mr Peterson likes playing computer games. C. Mr Peterson is a very good football player. D. Mr Peterson enjoys his life in China. Answer: B
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Question: When we worry about who might be spying on our private lives, we usually think about the Federal agents. But the private sector outdoes the government every time. It's Linda Tripp, not the FBI, who is facing charges under Maryland's laws against secret telephone taping. It's our banks, not the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), that pass our private financial data to telemarketing firms. Consumer activists are pressing Congress for better privacy laws without much result so far. The legislators lean toward letting business people track our financial habits virtually at will. As an example of what's going on, consider U.S. Bancorp, which was recently sued for deceptive practices by the state of Minnesota. According to the lawsuit, the bank supplied a telemarketer called Member Works with sensitive customer data such as names, phone numbers, bank-account and credit-card numbers, social security numbers, account balances and credit limits. With these customer lists in hand, Member Works started dialing for dollars-selling dental plans, videogames, computer software and other products and services. Customers who accepted a "free trial offer" had 30 days to cancel. If the deadline passed, they were charged automatically through their bank or credit-card accounts. U.S. Bancorp collected a share of the revenues. Customers were doubly deceived, the lawsuit claims. They didn't know that the bank was giving account numbers to Member Works. And if customers asked, they were led to think the answer was no. The state sued Member Works separately for deceptive selling. The company denies that it did anything wrong. For its part, U.S. Bancorp settled without admitting any mistakes. But it agreed to stop exposing its customers to nonfinancial products sold by outside firms. A few top banks decided to do the same. Many other banks will still do business with Member Works and similar firms. And banks will still be mining data from your account in order to sell you financial products, including things of little value, such as credit insurance and credit-card protection plans. You have almost no protection from businesses that use your personal accounts for profit. For example, no federal law shields "transaction and experience" information-mainly the details of your bank and credit-card accounts. Social Security numbers are for sale by private firms. They've generally agreed not to sell to the public. But to businesses, the numbers are an open book. Self-regulation doesn't work. A firm might publish a privacy-protection policy, but who enforces it? Take U.S. Bancorp again. Customers were told, in writing, that "all personal information you supply to us will be considered confidential." Then it sold your data to Member Works. The bank even claims that it doesn't "sell" your data at all. It merely "shares" it and reaps a profit. Now you know. Contrary to popular belief, the author finds that spying on people's privacy _ . A. is practiced exclusively by the FBI B. is more common in business circles C. has been intensified with the help of the IRS D. is mainly carried out by means of secret taping Answer: B
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Question: Last year, Jin Yucheng'sFanHuawas taken to Salon du livre, France's largest book fair, along with other contemporary Chinese literary works such as Bi Feiyu'sSubeiYouth"DonQuixote". The two books attracted the attention of Editions Philippe Picquier, a French publisher that specializes in translating books from China, Japan, South Korea, India, Vietnam and other countries in Asia. This publisher reportedly purchased the copyright ofSubeiYouth"DonQuixote", a non-fiction work about the writer's childhood in East China's Jiangsu province, for 130,000 euros ($143,000). Editions Philippe Picquier was also interested inFanHua, but didn't follow up owing to translation issues. The book is Jin's debut novel, which is set in Shanghai and tells stories of two decades: the 1960s and the 1990s. There are no major plots, but excerpts from the lives of its different characters, threaded by dialogues. There are detailed depictions of streets, entertainment activities and relationships in the representative times in Shanghai, covering the"Cultural Revolution"(1966-1976) and the"Reform&Opening Up"phases. As Hong Kong-based film director Karwai Wong put it, the novel is full of a"rich and strong"flavor of local people's lives. In May 2011, when Jin, then an editor at a literary magazine in Shanghai, started to post interesting stories he heard about Shanghai on the local website longdang.org, little did he realize that it would become more than just fun. His stories soon attracted more readers whose comments urged him to post more. In five months, Jin, then 59, wrote more than 330,000 characters online. The novel was first titledShanghaiAbaoafter its major character Abao. The following year, Jin started serializing his novel inHarvest, one of China's leading literary magazines. Finally, Jin's efforts resulted in a book in 2013, and with it came lots of awards, including the 9th prestigious Mao Dun Literature Prize. Some critics compare it with fellow Shanghai-based author Eileen Chang's novels andDreamoftheRedChamber, calling Jin's book one of the best novels based on Shanghai. Wong also announced that he would adapt Jin's book for cinema by 2020. By August, before the Mao Dun Literature Prize winners were announced,FanHuahad sold nearly 300,000 copies. Key features of the novel include the use of the local Shanghai dialect for the narrative and focus on the characters' external responses to events rather than their psychological profiles. The copyright manager forFanHuaat Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing House says,"According to my knowledge, Editions Philippe Picquier gave up because the translation work is expensive and they worry that the sales in the French market may not be able to cover the cost."For instance,ChanghenGe(TheSongofEverlastingRegret) by Wang Anyi was also introduced by Editions Philippe Picquier to French readers. The translation work took one and a half years, and the publisher spent three years completing the French edition ofit."But we have soldFanHua'scopyright of the traditional Chinese edition to Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau. Also Humanist Publishing House from South Korea has purchased the copyright for the Korean edition. Cultural difference is another barrier apart from language. In Asia, we have more in common when it comes to culture." How did Jin feel about his success in the local website longdang.org? A. Surprised. B. Reasonable. C. Temporary. D. Challenging. Answer: A
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Question: Girls should take part in competitive sport to build confidence, the leader of a group of girls' schools will argue this week. Helen Fraser, director of the Girls Day School Trust (GDST), will tell the group that sport can help girls cope with failure. "All girls and not just the sporty ones should take physical exercise", Ms Fraser will say. Research that girls are far less active than boys is worrying, she argues. Ms Fraser will tell the group that she backs "sport for all". "That's why I love it when our schools have A, B ,C and D teams and beyond", she will say. The GDST draws on research from the Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation which suggests only a quarter of girls in England meet basic levels ( )of activity each week. One in five girls do no activity at all, twice the proportion of boys, the research suggests. Ms Fraser says other research suggests that more than 80% of women business leaders played sports while growing up. She uses the examples of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, once a skater and tennis player, while the head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, was in the French national swimming team. Ms Fraser says Olympic medallists like Jessica Ennis, Katherine Grainger and Nicola Adams are excellent role models for young women but says women's sport needs more money and more news reports.. Valerie Dunsford, head of Sheffield High School, part of GDST, said it was important to offer a large number of sports to attract different types of girls. "Not everyone wants to be out playing the hockey ", said Ms Dunsford. Ms Fraser mentions those famous women to show _ . A. hard work will pay off B. it's not easy to be great C. sport can help girls to succeed D. it's necessary to balance work and sport Answer: C
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Question: "One of my actors is sick! He has just one line and you're the only one who fits his clothes!" One afternoon, the school drama director suddenly shouted to me. She seemed so nervous and worried that I felt sorry for her and said, "Ok". "You will be fine. It's easy!" She said. But it wasn't easy at all. On the stage, four other actors and actresses spoke their lines, and I opened my mouth. Nothing came out. I couldn't even breathe. I just wanted to leave. The next thing I knew, I was running off the stage. As I was running off the stage, I accidentally knocked over a glass of grape juice that was on a table. The purple juice hit the girl next to me --- Andrea, the leading actress of the drama. She gave me a nasty look. I thought she was going to kill me! But then, Andrea quickly said, "Darling, you're so silly! Let's toast to my darling's silliness! Cheers!" She grabbed another glass of grape juice and drank it. The other actor quickly followed Andrea's lead and saved the scene. The audience thought my mistake was part of the play! I apologized to everyone after the play. To my surprise, they were not angry with me. They told me, "It's all a part of being on stage." I could be wrong, but I think I liked being on stage. I think I will try again. From the passage, we know that Andrea was a _ leading actress. A. silly B. pretty C. quick-minded D. warm-hearted Answer: C
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Question: Dear Malia and Sasha, I know that you've both had a lot of fun these last two years on the campaign trail , going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn't have let you have. But I also know that it hasn't always been easy for you and Mom, and that though you both are excited about that new puppy , it doesn't make up for all the time we've been apart. I know how much I've missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey. When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me--about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with all your smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn't seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn't be so important unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end, girls, that's why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation. I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential --schools that challenge them, inspire them, and teach them a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college--even if their parents aren't rich. And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and retire with dignity . I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you'll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and gender that keep us from seeing the best in each other. (An extract from Obama letter to his daughters) How can a student get highly developed at school in the opinion of Obama? A. He or she does as many exercises as possible all day long. B. He or she works twice harder and always wonder if he or she gets challenged. C. The more he or she get challenged and encouraged, the better he or she gets developed. D. The greater the sense of wonder is, the worse he or she gets developed. Answer: C
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Question: Are you single or married? Are you a cat or a dog owner? Do you exercise, or are you a "couch potato" (a person who sits on the sofa all day watching TV, eating and basically doing nothing)? These questions and many others are about your lifestyle. People in the United States feel that they can choose their lifestyles and even shape their own identities. The great variety of lifestyles leads to constant national discussion of choices that people make. This freedom of choice is fun and exciting, but it also creates stress and uncertainty. In newspapers, lifestyle issues are discussed in the features or style section. In The Chicago Tribune this section is called "Tempo". People turn to this section for lively discussion on lifestyle choices they face with regard to their personal identities, their families, and their social lives. Many American people believe that they can make their lives happy and satisfying despite their problems. If they lack confidence or tend to feel anxious, shy, angry, or depressed, they believe that they can change themselves. Self-help books, magazines, and feature articles are filled with advice from experts about steps to take to become a happier or more satisfied person and to improve one's self-respect. Part of this research for self-improvement is a belief that even one's own appearance can be controlled. This is why there are so many articles in the newspaper about looking young, wearing the latest fashions, and becoming physically fit. Lifestyle choices also involve moral and social issues. How should children be raised? How should people behave on a date? How should elderly people be treated? How can people stay happily married? All these kinds of issues are constantly discussed and are constantly changing. Not only are experts such as psychologists consulted, but stars from the political and entertainment worlds are held up as lifestyle leaders as well. In the newspaper, feature articles called profiles discuss in detail the personal lives or public work of movie stars, authors, artists, and exceptional individuals who are not stars. The lifestyle choices these people make contribute to the public discussion of all the issues that people think about. A well-known advertising slogan is "Just do it." In the culture of the United States, people believe that they can take action and become the kind of people they want to be and live the way they want to live. According to the author, Americans are pretty sure that they can _ . A. control their own appearance B. solve all the problems in their life C. live a happy life in spite of their problems D. improve their life by following the elders' advice Answer: C
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Question: The candidate who is longing for election to the highest office in the United States must be native-born American citizen who is at least 35 years old and who has lived in the United States for at least 14 years. The election course is complicated, and the road to the Oval Office is long. Potential candidates must present papers stating their intention to seek their party's recommendation; delegates then choose from among those running some months later at the national conferences. Before that, however, each state holds a primary election that determines how the state's voters want the party's delegates to vote. Methods of choosing the delegates vary from state to state. At the conferences, there are speeches and often heated discussions. It may take several rounds of voting before delegates can agree on a candidate. On the final day of the meeting, the presidential candidate announces his or her choice for vice president. Election Day, by law, is the Tuesday that follows the first Monday in November. On this day, registered voters may cast their votes for president, vice president, and candidates for other federal state, and local offices. The popular vote, however, does not determine who will be president. The president is chosen by a vote of the Electoral College, a group of 538 citizens from the 50 states and the District of Columbia who are chosen to cast votes for the president and vice president. The rules for choosing electors, as with the delegates, vary. Each state also decides whether its electoral votes must reflect the popular vote. The number of electors in each state is determined by the number of representatives and senators that a state sends to Congress and, therefore, may change every 10 years, depending on the results of the United States census . The winner must get at least 270 of the electoral votes when the Electoral College meets in December of the election year. The election results are not official, however, until the following January, when Congress meets in a joint conference to count the electoral votes. At the end of the road to the Oval Office is the swearing-in ceremony, at which the new or reelected president takes the oath of office on January 20. Which of the following is not a requirement for candidates for the presidency of the USA? A. Minimum age of thirty-five years old. B. Native of the United States of America. C. Bottom residency of fourteen years in the State D. Previous experience in an elective office. Answer: D
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Question: Here's one number to keep in mind during your next cell phone conversation: 50. A new experiment shows that spending 50 minutes with an active phone pressed up to the ear increases activity in the brain. This brain activity probably doesn't make you smarter. When cell phones are on, they emit energy in the form of radiation that could be harmful, especially after years of cell phone usage. Scientists don't know yet whether cell phones are bad for the brain. Studies like this one are attempting to find it out. The 47 participants in the experiment may have looked a little strange. Each one had two Samsung cell phones attached to his or her head -- one on each ear. The phone on the left ear was off. The phone on the right ear played a message for 50 minutes, but the participants couldn't hear it because the sound was off. With this set-up, the scientists could be sure they were studying brain activity from the phone itself, and not brain activity due to listening and talking during a conversation. After 50 minutes with two phones strapped to their heads, the participants were given PET scans. The PET scan showed that the left side (the side with the phone turned off) of each participant's brain hadn't changed during the experiment. The right side of the brain, however, had used more glucose, which is a type of sugar that provides fuel to brain cells. These right-side brain cells were using almost as much glucose as the brain uses when a person is talking. This suggests that the brain cells there were active -- even without the person hearing anything. That activity, the scientists say, was probably caused by radiation from the phone. Henry Lai, who works at the University of Washington in Seattle, is uncomfortable with the data related to cell phones. Holding a cell phone to your ear during a conversation is "not really safe," Lai told Science News. Lai is a bioengineer at the University of Washington in Seattle. He wrote an article about the new study for a journal, but he did not work on the study. Bioengineers bring together ideas from engineering and biology. For those who don't want to wait to find out for sure whether cell phones are bad for the brain, there are ways to talk more safely. You can have short and sweet conversations, use a speakerphone or keep the phone away from your head. Why weren't the participants allowed to have a conversation on the phone during the experiment? A. Because that would be too noisy and bad for the experiment. B. Because they really looked strange and no one wanted to talk to others. C. Because they were given PET scans and they lost the ability to talk. D. Because the scientists want to be sure of the accuracy of the experiment. Answer: D
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Question: What if you arrived home to find a delicious hot meal waiting for you, prepared by your own kitchen robot? It might sound like science fiction, but professors at the University of Tokyo have taken the first steps toward making that a reality. The team recently introduced a human-shaped kitchen robot that can pour tea and other drinks into cups and serve them to guests. When teatime is over, the robot can also wash the dishes and put them away. In California, another interesting kitchen robot has been developed, called Readybot. It can pick up objects and either store them in cabinets or put them in the trash. It also carries a separate floor-cleaning robot that can operate by itself. Unlike the Japanese robot, Readybot just looks more like a large box with arms and wheels. Readybot was created by engineers and designers who established a club called the Readybot Challenge. They believe that in the future millions of robots will be needed in homes to perform ordinary household tasks. Readybot is just the first step in their plan to create a robot that can do jobs not only in kitchens but in other rooms of homes and in offices as well. Clearly there are technological difficulties to solve before robots can cook a complete dinner, and there are also many safety concerns . Not everyone (especially parents) would be comfortable with the idea of robots in their house, _ hot pans and sharp knives. The European Commission recently funded a project to study these concerns. According to lead researcher Professor Chris Melhuish, "Enabling robots to work safely with humans is a key need for the future development of robotics." Readybot can now be used to _ . A. drive you around B. clean your kitchen C. prepare food for you D. work for office workers Answer: B
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Question: Forgiving someone who has hurt you or let you down is never an easy thing. Several new studies, however, say that it could have a lot of health benefits. When you think of forgiveness, you probably don't think of it as being a health or medical problem. Studies from Stanford University, on the other hand, show that something like anger can change your well-being. When cartoon book characters like the incredible Hulk get angry, they change colours and often gain special power. In the real world, anger is less obvious and may be more dangerous. That's why Professor Fred Luskin, founder of the Stanford Forgiveness Project and author of Forgive for Good, says holding on to anger and hatred can harm your physical and mental health. Two new studies seem to show the same idea. The studies find that people who are able to forgive feel less stress, less back pain, and less depression . They also have fewer headaches, lower blood pressure, and fewer problems on sleeping. So it doesn't matter if your anger is caused by the traffic or other things. Learning to let it go is important. Techniques such as deep breath or thought can help. Or just ask yourself if it's worth hurting yourself by staying angry with someone else. Forgiveness does not mean that you simply accept what happened and say it's OK. Instead, it's a way of making peace with yourself about what happened in the past. The author of the passage tries to make his viewpoint clear _ . A. by raising his own examples. B. based on his own experience. C. by mentioning some studies. D. by mentioning some typical patients. Answer: C
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Question: We tried so hard to make things better for our kids but we made them worse. For my naughty boys, I'd know better. I'd really like for them to know about hand-me-down clothes and home-made ice cream and leftover meatloaf. I really would. My cherished boys, I hope you learn humility by surviving failure and that you learn to be honest even when no one is looking. I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in. I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother. And it is all right to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you'll let him. And when you want to see a Disney movie and your kid brother wants to tag along, I hope you take him. I hope you have to walk uphill with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely. I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books, and when you learn to use computers, you also learn how to add and subtract in your head. May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on the stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole . I hope you get sick when someone blows smoke in your face. I don't care if you try beer once, but I hope you won't like it. I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your grandpa or go fishing with your uncle. I hope your father punishes you when you throw a baseball through a neighbor's window, and that your mother hugs you and kisses you when you give her a plaster of pared mold of your hand. These things I wish for you--tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. Why does the author write the letter? A. To show the boys it's not easy growing up. B. To teach the boys dos and don'ts on the way growing up. C. To help the boys to avoid making mistakes on the way growing up. D. To encourage the boys to fully experience life on the way growing up. Answer: D
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Question: Brazil is a federation that consists of twenty-six states and one federal district. The biggest majority of Brazil's population belongs to the Christian religion and almost all of them are Catholics. This is something Brazil inherited being Portugal's colony . Historically, the country was a colony claimed by people from Portugal and this made Portuguese the official language. The Portuguese reached Brazil in 1500 and until that moment it was inhabited by semi-nomadic people. The Portuguese changed Brazil into a country of slaves until 1800, when Maria I of Portugal came to live in Brazil. The Queen did not stay long in Brazil, but during the 20 years of royal presence a lot of changes occurred: commercial ports to United Kingdom were opened; Brazil stopped being isolated from other countries. So at the moment of getting the independence on the 7th of September, 1822, Brazil already had the potential to develop. The Brazilian Empire, Pedro I, abolished slavery in 1888 in the face of Princess Isabel. A lot of European people started coming to Brazil and the industry of the country started working. In the 19th and the 20th century as it has been said above foreign people immigrated to Brazil and basically 5 million European and Japanese people became the residents of Brazil. The beginning of the 20th century was especially marked by the immigration of a lot of Asian people: Japanese, Korean and Chinese immigrants. As a matter of fact Japanese people do not immigrate a lot, and the fact that the Brazilian-Japanese people are the largest Japanese minority in the world does astonish greatly. The majority of the cultural inherits of Brazil are actually Portuguese, due to the fact that Brazil was Portugal's colony for a very long time. The southern states mainly consist of European population and the north and the northeast consist of a mixed population including Africans, Amerindians and Europeans. Most of this population is Roman Catholic. No other country in the world has the same amount of Catholics. The modern tendency of Brazil is the growing number of people calling themselves Protestants. Around 7.4% of the population don't believe any god. Some Brazilians, especially in the northern states are mixed Africans who prefer following the traditional African religions. Only 1.8% of the population chose Buddhism, Islam or Judaism. Though Brazil always tried to maintain democracy, it was failed several times by the dictatorship of Getulo Vargas. This fact could not affect the political situation in the country. Which of the following statements is NOT true? A. Brazil was isolated from other countries when Maria I stayed there. B. The industry of the country started working in 1888. C. Brazil has the largest population of Catholics in the world. D. Some people in Brazil don't believe any god. Answer: A
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Question: A "blogger" is a person who writes on an Internet computer Web site called a "blog ".The word "blog" is a short way of saying Web log, or personal Web site. Anyone can start a blog, and they can write about anything they like. There are millions of blogs on the Internet today. They provide news, information,advertisements, advice and ideas for many people who read them. They contain links to other Web sites. And they provide a place for people to write about their ideas and react to the ideas of others. A research company called Perscus has studied more than 300 Web logs. It says that blogs are most popular with teenage girls. They use them to let their friends know what is happening in their lives. The study also says that more than 100,000 bloggers stopped taking part in the activity after a year. However, some people develop serious blogs to present political and other ideas. For example, the Republican and Democratic parties in the southern state of Kentucky recently started their own blogs. And American companies are beginning to use blogs to advertise their products. At the same time, some long-standing blogs have ended. Last week, blogging leader Dave Winer closed his free blog service "weblogs. com". He says the site became too costly to continue. He started the blog four years ago. And thousands of people had written on it. They are now upset because they did not know that the site was closing. One blog that is still going strong is called Rebecca's Pocket. Rebecca Blood created the Web-site in 1999. She wrote about the history of blogs on the site. That article led to a book called "The Weblog Handbook". It has been translated into four languages so far. Ms. Blood says Rebecea's Pocket gets about 30,000 visitors a month. She writes about anything and everything -- politics, culture and movies. She recently provided medical advice. And she wrote about how to prevent people from stealing money from on -line bank accounts. The reason why Rebecca's Pocket is still going strong is that _ . A. it was created by a woman B. it is about the history of blogs C. it provides useful information and advice D. it has editions in at least four different languages Answer: C
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Question: If you don't often wash your hands, you can touch lots of viruses from many places and make yourself ill. You may have a cold when you touch your eyes, nose or mouth. One of the most common ways people have colds is by touching their noses or their eyes when there are cold viruses on their hands. If you don't often wash your hands, especially when you're sick, you may make other people ill. So you should follow the advice and wash your hands: * After using the bathroom. * After touching your nose or coughing. * Before eating, serving or preparing food. * After touching pets or other animals. * After visiting the sick people. * When your hands are dirty. There's a right way to wash your hands. Follow these advice and you can keep your hands clean. * Use warm water (not cold or hot). * Wash for 15 seconds . * Wash well under warm running water. If you don't often clean your hands, you may _ easily. A. have a stomachache B. have a cold C. have a toothache D. have a backache Answer: B
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Question: A fit and healthy teenage rugby player died 12 hours after taking treatment for acne ,an officer,Mary Hassel,said today. She said Shaun Jones,14,died "as a result of complications of medical treatment". Shaun,who was described by his mother as "vain" about his appearance,saw Dr Jones,his family doctor,about spors on his back and shoulders after learning his friends had been given medication to deal with similar problems. The boy,who had previously used Clearasil to treat the spots,was diagnosed with mild acne and given a prescription. But when he went to his local chemist's with his mother,he was told the drug was not available. They said they had contacted Dr Jones(in fact they didn't),and Shaun could be given different pills which were the same as the drug originally prescribed. Mrs. Jones noriced there was no safety instructions included in the box,but thought nothing of it at the time. Shaun took the drug just before going to bed at 10:30 pm. Little more than an hourlater, he complained of shortness of breath and tighmess in his chest. Mrs. . Jones initially contacted an out--of--hours GP service but was told no doctor was available. When Shaun's condition became worse,he was rushed to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital by ambulance in the early hours of the next morning. Despite treatment there,and at the University Hospital of Wales,Cardiff,where he was transferred,Shaun died at 10:40 am the following day. Doctors at the hospital believe an unusual reaction to the acne drug could have caused his death. Hassel said she would write a report to the Lord Chancellor's office imdedining the impor-tailce that "doctors prescribe drugs and doctors make adjustments and patients receive drugs with the correct information attached". It call be inferred from the passage that Mary Hassel _ . A. would report the event to the Lord Chancellor's office B. could help mole people become more careful about drugs C. would tell people the importance of correct prescription D. could help more patients attach correct information to drugs Answer: B
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Question: Mrs. Brown had a small garden behind her house and in the spring she planted some vegetables in it. She looked after them very carefully, and when the summer came, they looked very nice. One evening Mrs. Brown looked at her vegetables and said, "Tomorrow I am going to pick them and we can eat them." But early the next morning, her son ran into the kitchen and shouted, "Mother, mother! Come quickly! Our neighbor's ducks are in the garden and they are eating our vegetables!" Mrs. Brown ran out, but it was too late. All the vegetables are finished! Mrs. Brown cried, and her neighbor was very sorry, but that was the end of the vegetables. Then a few days before Christmas, the neighbor brought Mrs. Brown a beautiful fat duck. And on it was a piece of paper with the words, "ENJOY YOUR VEGETABLES!" Mrs. Brown had a _ behind her house. A. shed B. small garden C. an apple orchard D. small house Answer: B
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Question: Micro blogs like Weibo are nothing new for the young Chinese. A newspaper in Chengdu did a survey last month. It found that 90 percent of junior high school students use micro blogs. They give students an outlet for emotion. "I use micro blogs to record my life. I let everyone 'see' my feelings and complaints ," said Liu Fangyue, 14, from Xiamen No. 1 Middle School. They have fun with classmates even after school. "I would send a message to praise someone who came first in the exam," said Liu. Teachers also join in the fun. "When I sit down to talk to my students, they may not tell me their real thoughts," said Lu Dongping at Nanning No. 2 Middle School. "But on micro blogs, they are more relaxed. They even make fun of me." You would be wrong if you think micro blogs are all about fun. Zhong Yun from Xiamen Haicang Experimental School sees it as a tool to learn English. The 13-year-old girl follows foreign stars such as Avril Lavigne and Justin Bieber. "In order to understand their English posts, I have to check the dictionary and learn many new words," said Zhong. "Micro blogs widen students' perspectives , but there are rules to follow," said Shi Zhongying, a professor from Beijing Normal University. He shares some of them with micro bloggers. "Manage your time, and don't let micro-blogging affect your studies and health," said Shi. "Don't give out your name, family address or phone number on micro blogs. You should also respect truth and other people's privacy ." Shi Zhongying didn't suggest _ . A. sharing your feelings B. telling the truth C. spending most of your time on study D. giving out others' privacy Answer: D
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Question: A man fell out of his plane and fell back into it again. Two people rowed a small boat from New York to England in 56 days. One person was so big that he wouldn't fit in any hospital room. Would you believe these stories? Well, they may sound strange, but they did happen. James Cornell has more strange but true stories like these in a book called Very Strange People. Here is part of the contents of Very Strange People. The contents lists the names of the chapters or parts of the book. It also tells on what page each chapter begins. Chapter Page One A Dog's Life ..........................................3 Two A Lucky Pilot ................... ..............14 Three High Wire Act .................... .............33 Four Fat Men ............................................... 41 Five Over the Falls .........................................43 Six A House without an end ................... .............53 Seven Row, Row, Row Your Boat ................. ..............60 Eight The Tower Builder ....................... ..............85 In Chapter 4, Robert could not enter any hospital room because of _ . A. his illness B. his height C. his friend D. his size Answer: D
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Question: V. Stiviano says Donald Sterling's racist comments on an audio recording leaked to the public were not the first by the Los Angeles Clippers owner in conversations with her. "There's been a number of occasions where Mr. Sterling and I had conversations just like this one. This was one of very many," Stiviano told Barbara Walters on ABC's "20/20" in an interview that aired Friday night. "Part of what the world heard was only 15 minutes. There's a number of other hours that the world doesn't know." Sterling, who has been banned for life by the NBA for the remarks, also spoke for the first time since the scandal. "I wish I had just paid her off," Sterling told DuJour.com, referring to Stiviano. According to the person who conducted the interview, Sterling "expressed remorse." Sterling told Stiviano in the recording that she should not post online photos of herself with black people, including basketball great Magic Johnson, or bring black people to Clippers' games. The recording, which an attorney for Stiviano said was leaked by a third party, led to public outcry across the country and the NBA. Some sponsors dropped the Clippers and others re-evaluated their relationship with the NBA. On Tuesday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver banned Sterling for life, fined him $2.5 million, and urged league owners to force him to sell the team. A three-quarters vote by the NBA owners is required to force him to sell. Though Stiviano told Walters that Sterling should " ly" apologize, she said she still loves him like a father figure and does not believe he is a racist. "I think Mr. Sterling is from a different generation than I am," she said. "I think he was brought up to believe these things . . . segregation, whites and blacks. But through his actions he's shown that he's not a racist. He's shown to be a very generous and kind man." Stiviano said that since the ban, Sterling has felt confused, alone, and not supported by those around him. "I think he's highly more traumatized and hurt by the things that he said himself," she said. "I think he can't even believe or understand sometimes the thing he says, and I think he's hurt by it. He's hurting right now." A real-estate mogul, Sterling has been accused of racial missteps before. The billionaire had paid a $2.76 million settlement to resolve a federal lawsuit accusing him of systematically excluding blacks and Hispanics from his rental properties. He also won a wrongful termination lawsuit by general manager Elgin Baylor, who accused him of various slurs and slights. Which of the sections does this article probably appear in a newspaper? A. Sports Section. B. Business Sections. C. Lifestyle Section. D. Science Section. Answer: A
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Question: He found the boy's father in the hall waiting worriedly. On seeing him, the father cried out, "Why did you take all this time to come? Don't you know that my son is in danger? Don't you have any sense of duty?" The doctor smiled and said, "I am sorry. I wasn't in the hospital and I came as fast as I could after receiving the call and now, I wish you'd calm down so that I can do my work." "Calm down?! What if your son was in this room right now? Would you calm down? If your own son dies while waiting for a doctor, then what will you do?" said the father angrily.The doctor smiled again and replied, "We will do our best and you should also pray for your son's healthy life." The surgery took some hours after which the doctor went out happy, "Thank goodness!Your son is saved!" And without waiting for the father's reply he carried on his way running by saying, "If you have any questions, ask the nurse." "Couldn't he wait some minutes so that I can ask about my son's state?" shouted the father when seeing the nurse minutes after the doctor left. The nurse answered, tears coming down her face. "His son died yesterday in a road accident. He was at the burial when we called him for your son's surgery. And now that he saved your son's life, he left running to finish his son's burial." ,. What did the doctor do after he received the call for the surgery? A. He asked another doctor to do his duty. B. He went to the hospital as soon as possible. C. He discussed the boy's state with the father. D. He waited until his son's burial was finished. Answer: B
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Question: Hello! My name's Mary Brown. I'm a girl. I like red. I have a red schoolbag. What's this? It's my red pencil box. Is that my ruler? Yes, it is. It is a red ruler. What's that? It is a watch. Is it my watch? No, it isn't. It's Bob's watch. It's blue. The girl's favorite color is _ . A. red B. blue C. brown D. yellow Answer: A
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Question: Sleep deprivation is an important hidden factor in lowering the achievement of school pupils, according to researchers carrying out international education tests. It is a particular problem in richer countries with sleep experts linking it to the use of mobile phones and computers in bedroom late at night. Sleep deprivation is such a serious problem that lessons have to be dragged down to a lower level to suit sleep-deprived learners, the study found. The international comparison, carried out by Boston College, found the United States to have the highest number of sleep-deprived students, with 73% of 9- and 10-year-olds and 80% of 13- and 14-year-olds identified by their teachers as being negatively affected. In literacy tests there were 76% of 9- and 10-year-olds lacking sleep. This was much higher than the international average of 47% of primary pupils needing more sleep and 57% among the secondary age group. Other countries with the most sleep-deprived youngsters were New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Australia, England, Ireland and France. High-performing Finland is also among the most lacking in sleep. Countries with the best records for getting enough sleep include Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Japan and Malta. The analysis was part of the huge date-gathering process for global education rankings, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study(TIMSS)and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study(PIRLS) "I think we underestimate the impact of sleep. Our data show that across countries internationally, on average, children who have more sleep achieve higher in maths, science and reading. That is exactly what our data show," says Chad Minnich of the TIMSS and PIRLS International Study Center. "It's the same link for children who are lacking basic nutrition," says Mr Minnich, based at the Lynch School of Education, Boston College. "If you are unable to concentrate, to attend mentally, you are unable to achieve at your best level, because your mind and body are in need of something more basic. Sleep is a fundamental need for all children. If teachers report such large proportions of children suffering from lack of sleep, it's having a significant impact. But worse than that, teachers are having to adjust their instruction based on those children who are suffering from a lack of sleep. The children who are suffering from a lack of sleep are driving down instruction." That means that even the children who are getting enough sleep are still suffering from this sleep-related lowering. What did the researchers of Boston College try to find? A. Why children don't get enough sleep B. How many hours children sleep every night C. The relationship between sleep and test results D. The relationship between sleep and health Answer: C
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Question: When visiting New York City with your kids,there are many things to do with kids that will entertain their spirits and feed their minds. The Whispering Gallery Make your way to the Whispering Gallery. The Whispering Room's architecture allows for a phenomenon that usually makes people laugh. Once inside the gallery,place one person facing the corner at one end of the room and then place another person facing the corner at the opposite end. Ask one of the participants to whisper a phrase or a quick sentence or two and the person on the opposite end will be able to hear every word that was said. E. 42nd St. 2127715322 grandcentralterminal. com The American Museum of Natural History The American Museum of Natural History was founded in 1869. In addition to its impressive exhibits,permanent attractions bring the cool factor home to kids. They can enter the Fossil Halls and see the impressive dinosaur skeletons .And the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life educates kids about the fragility of the Ocean Central Park West at 79th St. 2127695606 amnh. org the Scholastic Store Most parents want their children to read,and moreover,to enjoy reading. Scholastic helps to make that wish a reality by publishing interesting,well-written stories that are popular with children. With such classics as"Clifford the Big Red Dog","The Magic School Bus,"and"Harry Potter,"the Scholastic Store will delight your children. 557 Broadway 2123436100 scholastic. com Ellen's Stardust Diner The restaurant is a place where each person in your family can find something to eat. Arugula salads,grilled cheese,burgers and meatloaf are all on this varied menu. A hall of beauty queens,a drive-in theatre and wait staff that sing to you can add to this unique dining experience. 1650 Broadway,corner of 51st St. 2129565151 ellensstardustdiner. com It can be learned from the passage that _ . A. sound travels well in the Whispering Gallery B. people can enjoy music in the Scholastic Store C. Ellen's Stardust Diner mainly provides western food D. the American Museum of Natural History has a history of 200 years Answer: A
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Question: Not all think laughter is the best medicine, but it seems to help.So scientists carried on a new study of diabetes patients who were given a good dose of humor for a year to prove it. Researchers divide 20 high-risk diabetic patients into two groups.Both groups were given standard diabetes medicine.Group L viewed 30 minutes of humor of their choice, while Group C, the control group, did not.This went on for a year of treatments. By two months into the study, the patients in the laughter group had lower level of the hormones epinephrine , considered to cause stress, which is known to be deadly.After the 12 months, _ rises 26 percent in Group L but only 3 percent in Group C.In another measure, C-reactive proteins, a maker of heart disease, drop 66 percent in the laughter group but only 26 percent in the control group. "The best doctors believe that there is a physical good brought about by the positive emotion, happy laughter," said study leader Lee Berk of Loma Linda University.And other research has found that humor makes us more hopeful.Still, more study is needed, Berk said.The research by Berk found that humor can bring about similar changes in body chemistry, which was proved in the new study.The research result will be presented this month at the meeting in the US.Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine shows that laughter causes the inner lining of blood vessels to expand, increasing blood flow in a way thought to be healthy. "Lifestyle choices have an important effect on health and these are choices which we and patients should pay attention to, rather than prevention and treatment," Berk said in a statement this week. According to Berk, we should _ . A. choose lifestyles carefully B. change our lifestyles C. prevent our lifestyles in advance D. pay less attention to the positive emotion Answer: A
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Question: Like all big cities, Paris has a traffic problem: lots of cars, lots of traffic jams and lots of pollution from exhaust fumes . So the city began a scheme to improve the situation. Under the Velib scheme('Velib' comes from velo liberte, or 'bicycle freedom') , people can take a bicycle, use it for as long as they want, and then leave it at the same or another bicycle station. The first half-hour on the bike is free, but if you don't return it after 30 minutes, you have to pay. But it's only [?]1 a day or [?]29 a year! The bicycles are heavy (25 kg), and they are all grey and have baskets. There are about 20,000 of them in the city, and around 1,450 bicycle stations. So there are a lot more Velib stations than the 298 subway stations! Paris is not the first city to have a scheme like this. But not everybody thinks it's a great idea. One Parisian said, "These bicycles are only for short journeys. If people want to travel across the city, they won't use a bicycle -- they'll still use their cars." A city spokesman said, "The bicycle scheme won't solve all our traffic problems, of course. But it might help reduce air pollution. Traffic, together with factory fumes, is a big problem. There aren't any simple answers to traffic problems and pollution in cities. But unless we do something now, there will be more traffic jams and temperatures will continue to rise, so the problems in our environment will get worse. The bikes might help people to lead a healthier life, too." If you use a Velib for 1 hour, you should pay _ . A. [?]1 B. [?]30 C. [?]29 D. no money Answer: A
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Question: In the sunny night, look up at the clear night sky. You can probably see thousands of stars. The biggest thing you'll see, of course, is the moon. For thousands of years, people have wondered about this big thing in the sky. Earth's moon is a satellite. A satellite is a body that orbits a planet. All moons are satellites, and many planets have them. Some have many moons. Earth, of course, only has one. It's a special moon, though. It's the fifth largest moon in the solar system! In fact, the moon is much smaller than the sun. But it's much closer to Earth, so it looks as big as the sun. The moon is so close that you can see its dark and light spots without a telescope. Men flew and landed on the moon's surface many times by spacecrafts in the 1960s and 1970s. Neil Armstrong was the first human to step on the moon. He walked on the moon on July 20th, 1969. The flights to the moon have helped us learn much about it. Astronauts even brought rocks home with them! There's still a lot to learn about the moon. Now people still can't live on the moon because it does not have oxygen or water like the Earth. But I'm sure that humans can live there one day in the future. ,. Why does the moon look as big as the sun? A. Because it's much closer to the Earth. B. Because it comes out at night. C. Because it is the fifth largest moon in the solar system. D. Because people can't see it without a telescope. Answer: A
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Question: Body language is the quiet, secret and most powerful language of all! It is said that our body movements communicate about 50 percent of what we really mean while words only express 7 percent. So, while your mouth is closed, your body is just saying. Arms. How you hold your arms shows how open and receptive you are to people you meet. If you keep your arms to the sides of your body or behind your back, this suggests you are not afraid of taking on whatever comes your way. Outgoing people generally use their arms with big movements, while quieter people keep them close to their bodies. If someone upsets you, just cross your arms to show you're unhappy. Head. When you want to appear confident, keep your head level. If you are a monitor in class, you can also take on this position when you want your words to be taken seriously. However, to be friendly in listening or speaking, you must move your head a little. Legs. Your legs tend to move around a lot more than normal when you are nervous or telling lies. If you are at interviews, try to keep them still. Posture .A good posture makes you feel better about yourself. If you are feeling down>> you normally don't sit straight, with your shoulders inwards. This makes breathing more difficult, which can make you feel nervous or uncomfortable. Mouth. When you are thinking, you often purse your lips. You might also use this position to hold back an angry comment you don't wish to show. However, it will probably still be noticed, and people will know you're not pleased Face. When you lie, you might put on a false face. But that expression would crack briefly, allowing displays of true emotions such as happiness, sadness, disgust and fear to come through. If you want to appear confident, you should_. A. move your arms a lot B. cross your arms C. move your head a little D. keep your head level Answer: D
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Question: A clinic in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, works to support the health of people and forests. Kinari Webb is an American doctor who helped start the non-profit group that operates the clinic. The group is known as ASRI. Dr. Webb says most communities value the local forests, but illegal logging was often their only way to earn money to pay for health care. "Villagers know that if they protect the forest, that's good for their long-term well-being. But if they have no money to see a doctor, they have to do illegal logging," said Dr. Webb. The clinic is in Sukadana, a village outside Gunung Palung National Park. Each month someone from ASRI visits the surrounding villages to see if they are actively logging or burning land within the park. Communities that do not take part in illegal logging pay about 40 percent less for health care than those that do. Also, the clinic uses a barter system. Patients can pay with things like handmade baskets, labor exchanges, young trees or fruit they grow. Patients learn about environmental conservation as they wait to register at the clinic. Many of the 70 staff members also help communities learn about organic farming and other ways to earn money. In May, ASRI started a program to identify forest "guardians". These guardians work with the community to try to prevent illegal logging. One of the guardians says he entered the program because ASRI helped his son recover from tuberculosis . The clinic is small, but very busy. However, people did not trust the clinic at first. They wanted to go to the only hospital in the area. Yet its resources are limited and villagers often have to travel more than two hours to get there. Now, people happily share stories about the clinic. Amelia's mother is one of them. She started going there when her daughter was eight months old. She says the treatment is good. Dr. Webb smiled when she heard that. Dr. Webb said: "Health care is an incredible key. And everyone everywhere around knows that we really care and that we are helping save their lives." Kinari Webb set up the clinic for the following purposes EXCEPT _ . A. treating the local patients B. protecting the forests C. teaching people about organic farming D. forcing the only hospital out of the area Answer: D
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Question: When I walked into the house after school, the first thing I noticed was a box with items I recognized from my dad's office. "What are you doing home already?" I asked casually. "Andrew, I was laid off today," he answered, quietly. I was sure he was joking. "No, you weren't. Why are you really home?" Then I noticed his seriousness and realized he was telling the truth. My father has always been a hard worker and prided himself on his career. Providing for our family has been his joy, and I guess I had taken his work for granted. My father's unemployment created many changes in our lives. For starters, he was home all the time, which meant my bed had to be made, my room cleaned up, and my homework done right after school. I would come home every day to find him at the computer searching for jobs. I began to notice how down he seemed, and how losing his job had affected his self-esteem, though he tried to be optimistic. For the first time, I saw my dad as vulnerable. He asked my brother and me to spend less. I gave up my allowance, which even though it wasn't much, felt like the right thing to do. I also found a part-time job. After several difficult months of searching, my dad decided to go in a totally different direction. He explained that he never wanted to be laid off again, so he was going to start his own business. Day by day, I watched him build it, and I admired how much time and energy he expended. One evening I asked if he needed help. "Only if it doesn't interfere with school," he said. k*s5*u I showed up at his office the next afternoon, and most afternoons after that for two months. I always knew he was a hard worker, but watching him in action really impacted me. Although this was one of the worst experiences for our family, it taught me a lot about dealing with adversity. Now I know that through creative problem-solving, I can always find Plan B, ask for help, and take risks. What I have learned from my dad's understanding of business and his work ethic are two of the most important lessons I will ever learn, and will be my foundations for success. The author's attitude toward his father's former job was _ . A. unconcerned B. sympathetic C. doubtful D. tolerant Answer: A
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Question: Kindergartens( ) may teach you very important things you need to know.Dancy, a 5-year-old boy, saved his father's life with the skills he learned. The boy's father became seriously ill on the way home from a father-son shopping.He couldn't speak and could hardly move, but he tried hard to stop the car safely.At that point, Dancy used his father's phone to call his mother for help.The 5-year-old boy tried his best to give her useful information and he was able to tell where they were.Just as he had learned in the kindergarten, Dancy read the letters he saw on a nearby store sign: "F,U,R,N,I,T,U,R,E." But that wasn't enough for his mother to find them.Then he added that they were near a bridge.Finally, his mother understood he was talking about a store called Furniture 22 on New Jersey's Route22.The mother called 911 and the father was saved in time. "He just thought his dad needed help," Dancy's mother told the reporter.She also pointed out that her husband was a hero, too." It is surprising for him to get off the highway ( ) and get himself and his child to safety even when he was so sick," she said. Shine, head of the kindergarten, felt proud of his pupil." Dancy's spelling skills helped him _ the moment," he said."And that's the real value of education." Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. Dancy drove his father home B. The reporter was really a hero. C. Shine sent Dancy's father to hospital D. Dancy saved his father with his spelling skills. Answer: D
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Question: Making friends might seem to come easy for some persons, but it's maybe very hard for most persons. No matter how many friends you might already have, it is always a good idea to make new friends. Being shy keeps a lot of people from making friends. Also, making friends might need a person to step outside of their comfortable places, which are hard for a lot of people, whether they are shy or not. However, overcoming the shyness to step out of your box is an important step in making friends. There are lots of ways to meet new friends. First of all, remember that a good friendship is based on interests, so if you are ready to make friends, start to join clubs or go places where you have interest. For instance, if you like to play sports, join a sports team or after school sports club. If you have interests in music or writing, join clubs or organizations that you are interested in. When you see someone in a place like that, and you think that they look nice, it is always a good idea to go up to them and introduce yourself and ask interesting questions so that you can start a conversation. Don't put too much pressure on yourself, and remember that friendships don't always happen quickly. Some friendships happen right away, and you'll be able to tell if someone will be a great friend right after you meet them. Some friendships take a long time to develop. Anyway, the friends that you meet are going to be worth it. If a friendship develops quickly, it doesn't mean that it is extra valuable, and if a friendship takes a long time to develop, it doesn't mean that it isn't worth it because it's too hard. Making friends might be a bit difficult for you, and the friends you will make may not look anything like you. However, even though it might be scary to start conversations, you are worth doing it. All friendships start with a single hello. From the passage, it's _ to make friends for most people. A. easy B. convenient C. impossible D. difficult Answer: D
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Question: When it's 10:15 in New York, it's 9:15 in Salt Lake City, and 7:15 in San Francisco - isn't it? This consistent and orderly time system, based on a grid of time zones, seems so natural that people rarely give it a moment's thought. So you may find it surprising to learn that prior to the late 1800s each community established its own time - by looking at the sun. When the sun shone directly overhead in Washington, D.C., for example, it was 12:00 noon there; up the road in Philadelphia, however, it was 12:07, and in Boston it was 12:24. To measure time with accuracy, it is necessary to move the clock about one minute for every twelve miles of distance; so according to "sun time" your pocket watch would be slightly incorrect if you ventured only a few miles down the road. It was not until the advent of widespread railroad travel that a need arose for regularized time. At one point over 300 local times were honored within the country, making it literally impossible for trains to arrive consistently on time everywhere. As a result, in 1883 the continental, United States was divided into four time longitude. The standardization resulting from this system proved so helpful that in 1884 the International Meridian Conference applied the same procedure to establish time zones around the world. Thus, if it is 11:07 p.m. in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, a little simple research will quickly determine that in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, it is 9:07 A.M. - and not 9:15. The cause of the regularized time is_. A. International Meridian Conference B. the sun time C. the widespread railroad travel D. the continental US Answer: C
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Question: Most people think that the capital of the movie world is Hollywood, in the United States. However, the real movie capital is Mumbai, in India. Mumbai used to be known as Bombay, and so the film industry there is called "Bollywood". Each year, Bollywood makes twice as many movies as Hollywood. The movies from Bollywood are very different from Hollywood movies. For one thing, Bollywood movies are longer than most Hollywood movies. Most Bollywood movies are more than three hours long, and contain singing, dancing, adventure, mystery and romance. Because Bollywood films has so many different characters, this style of film is called a "masala" film. Masala is an Indian word for a mixture of spices . Another big difference is the way the movies are made. It takes longer to make a movie in Hollywood than in Bollywood. In fact, filming may begin on a Bollywood movie before the script is finished. The director and writers can make up the story while the filming is being made. Sometimes they even write the script by hand instead of typing it. Bollywood actors are so popular that some of them may even work on several movies at the same time. They may even make several different films on the same day using the same costumes and scenery. Since most Bollywood movies follow the same kind of story, shooting scenes for several films at the same time is not a big problem for actors or directors. This also helps to keep the cost of Bollywood movies lower than the cost of Hollywood movies. Which of the following statements would the writer probably agree with? A. Hollywood movies are too violent. B. It takes a lot of masala to make a movie. C. Most Bollywood movie are very similar. D. Only Indian people can understand Bollywood movies. Answer: C
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Question: Camp memories last forever! We make sure they are unforgettable! Shadow Ridge Summer Camps offer so many exciting things for campers to do. Unlike other camp programs that include horses as a small part of their program, at Shadow Ridge horses are the program! We are 100% horse from stable management, nature walks, and track rides to bedroom furnishings. Horses help us achieve many of our aims. Girls can learn to develop responsibility, self-confidence and personal connections in their lives while having fun. Using horses as a wonderful tool for education, our camps offer an interesting place for growth and learning. Imagine each girl having her own horse to spend time with and a best friend to love and take care of. Each camper is responsible for a horse for a week. Our riding program provides a lot of riding and lesson time. Campers will learn how to take care of the horse and the track , as well as how to ride. Days are filled with horse-related activities to strengthen the connection between each girl and horse, as the girls learn to work safely around the horses. At Shadow Ridge we try to create a loving, caring family atmosphere for our campers. We have "The Bunkhouse" (4 girls), "the Wrangle Roost" (4 girls), and "The Hideout" (2 girls) in our comfortable 177-year-old farm house. All meals are home cooked, offering delicious and healthy food for the hungry rider. Our excellent activities create personalized memories of your child's vacation. Each child will receive a camp T-shirt and a photo album (usually 300 - 500 pictures) of their stay at camp. Our camps are offered during June, July and August 2007, for small groups of girls aged 13 -16 years, not only from Canada but also other parts of the world. We will send you full program description at your request. What do we know about the camp programs at Shadow Ridge? A. Campers are required to wear camp T - shirts. B. Horses play a central role in the activities. C. Campers learn to cook food for themselves. D. Horses lessons are offered all the year round. Answer: B
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Question: George liked flying a plane. Once he bought a small plane and learned how to fly it. He soon became so good that he could make his plane do all kinds of tricks . George had a friend. His name was Peter. One day George said to his friend, " Peter, would you like to have a trip in my plane?" Peter thought, " I've traveled in a big plane several times, but I've never been in a small one, so I'll go." They went up, and George flew around for half an hour and did all kinds of tricks.Peter said in a shaken voice , " Well, George, thank you very much for these two trips in your plane." George was very surprised and asked, " Two trips? " "Yes, my first and my last." Answered Peter. Peter _ his friend's plane. A. had to fly in B. was asked to have a trip in C. was asked to fly D. asked George to fly Answer: B
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Question: I found out one time that doing a favor for someone could get you into a lot of trouble. I was in the eighth grade at the time, and we were having a final test. During the test, the girl sitting next to me whispered something, but I didn't understand. So I leaned over her way and found out that she was trying to ask me if I had an extra pen. She showed me that hers was out of ink and would not write. I happened to have an extra one, so I took it out of my pocket and put it on her desk. Later, after the test papers had been turned in, the teacher asked me to stay in the room when all the other students were dismissed . As soon as we were alone she began to talk to me about what it meant to grow up; she talked about how important it was to stand on your own two feet and be responsible for your own acts. For a long time, she talked about honesty and emphasized the fact that when people do something dishonest, they are really cheating themselves. She made me promise that I would think seriously about all the things she had said, and then she told me I could leave. I walked out of the room wondering why she had chosen to talk to me about all those things. Later on, I found out that she thought I had cheated on the test. When she saw me lean over to talk to the girl next to me, it looked as if I was copying answers from the girl's test paper. I tried to explain about the pen, but all she could say was it seemed very very strange to her that I hadn't talked of anything about the pen the day she talked to me right after the test. Even if I tried to explain that I was just doing the girl a favor by letting her use my pen, I am sure she continued to believe that I had cheated on the test. The girl wanted to borrow a pen, because _ . A. she had not brought a pen with her B. she had lost her own on her way to school C. there was something wrong with her own D. her own had been taken away by someone Answer: C
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Question: What can be found on the lunar surface and has been there for thousands or millions of years? A. mountains B. cheese C. the lunar rover D. large lakes Answer: A
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Question: The area south of the Thames at Greenwich has a long history. Throughout time different buildings have been constructed on the same site. The Palace of Placentia, an English Royal Palace built in 1447, no longer exists apart from a few remains under the present buildings. The grand buildings on the South Bank of the Thames at Greenwich were designed by Sir Christopher Wren, most famous for St. Paul's Cathedral. The buildings were finally completed in 1745, although some parts started to be used as early as 1705. They're now part of a university -- having served as a naval hospital and a naval college and the setting for several cinemas. But the buildings stand on a site which has a much longer history, of which now only a part remains that is below the ground. For nearly two hundred years, from around 1450 to 1650, Greenwich was one of the main royal palaces of England. Some of the most famous English rulers, such as Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, not only lived there, but also were born there. Henry VIII put an armory there, and there were also gardens, a great fountain and a mass of buildings. The Palace was also in a strategic location, because at the time either side of Greenwich on the Thames were important Royal Dockyards . Eventually, though, the Palace fell into disrepair. In 1664, the King at the time, Charles II, decided to replace it with completely new buildings in a modern style. Only a cellar from the former Royal Palace now remains, under one of the new buildings. Its red brick, typical of the 16th century, contrasts sharply with the white stone above it. Would you like to join us to have a good view of Greenwich? Where can we most probably read this passage? A. In a science report. B. In a personal diary. C. In a geography textbook. D. In a travel magazine. Answer: D
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Question: Rico is a dog who lives in Germany . His owners trained him from a young age to find his toys. When they say the name of a certain toy, Rico can find it. In fact, he seems to know the names of 200 toys! Some researchers in Germany wanted to test Rico. They put his toys in a room and then told him to go in the room and find a certain toy. Since nobody was in the room with Rico, he had no help from anyone finding the right toy. The researchers did this test forty times. Rico found the right toy thirty-seven times! Then the researchers tried something else. They put seven of Rico's toys in the room together with one new toy that Rico had never seen before. Then they told Rico to go into the room and get the new toy. This new toy had a name Rico had never heard before. Rico found the right toy seven out of ten times! Researchers cannot really say that Rico knows words or language. However, these tests seem to show that Rico can think about what he hears and think about what he knows. In fact, Rico seems to think and remember things as well as a three-year-old child. From these tests, animal researchers know one thing for sure. Rico has given them a lot to think about. The best title for the passage is _ . A. German dogs are the smartest B. An unusual dog C. How dogs use language D. The best toys for Rico Answer: B
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Question: It's still the holiday season and students in the UK are enjoying their winter break . Tiffany in Guangdong asks us about how British students spend their winter break. For some, it's a time to study because they have exams next term. Some might have to study. They have to read some books. They use the winter break to catch up with their reading. But some students can Let their hair down and celebrate Christmas and New Year with a few drinks. This holiday is also an important time to chat with the family and maybe get some sleep too. Some lucky students are going away on holiday but it won't be long. Which of the following is true? A. The winter break in the UK is not long. B. The winter break in the UK is a time for sleep. C. Students work hard in the winter break. D. Students are preparing for the coming exam. Answer: A
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Question: The western alphabet, which is used in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Australia and New Zealand as well as in other countries, originated in the Middle East. The people who gave the world this alphabet were the Phoneacians, a people who established colonies all over the Mediterranean, including Carthage in Africa and Gades in Spain. In their alphabet, the letters were represented by little pictures which represented sounds. The Phoneacian A was aelph, which means "bull", and it was made from a little picture of a bull's head. The letter B wasbethwhich meant "house", and showed the round-roofed buildings which you can still see today in Syria. The Phoneacians had contact with another nation of sailors, the Greeks, with whom they fought and traded. The Greeks also started to use the Phoneacian alphabet. They changed the names, so aelphandbethbecamealphaandbeta. The shapes of the letters are the same, but they have been turned sideways. If you know any Greek, you can try turning the letters around again, and see how they look. You will see that the curve on the right of the Greek A becomes the horns of a little bull. Of course, the first two letters of the alphabet give it its name. Over the years there have been changes. Latin developed an alphabet with some different letters to the Greeks, and other letters have been added since. But really westerners are using the same system of writing which has served them so well for thousands of years. Where did the western alphabet originally come from? A. Carthage. B. Gades . C. The Mediterranean. D. The Middle East. Answer: D
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Question: Information is received into our brain by attention, and its quality determines how well _ will be processed, saved and used afterwards. All information we receive is chosen by our attention. Factors affecting our attention are personal interest, experience, ability, feelings, knowledge, environment, timing, and so on. The same information may attract different forms and levels of attention from different people. Some people can get and save the information easily; some may have great difficulty; while others may just turn a blind eye to it. To the same information, one may even pay different levels of attention at different times. But if the facts work together, the quality of attention may be better. Therefore, it is not surprising to see that somebody with average intelligence can have excellent performances in some fields. The good news is that a person's attention can be shaped, trained and made stronger by effective exercise. With this in mind, we should keep improving the quality of our attention. Which is not the factor that affects our attention according to the passage? A. Interest and experience. B. Experience and knowledge. C. Ability and feelings. D. Food and drinks. Answer: D
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Question: In the face of rising gas costs, many consumers are beginning to consider the choice of a hybrid vehicle--one which operates on both gas and electricity. All of the models of hybrid car will save money, but are they really effective when all of the costs of maintenance and other considerations are included in? First of all, consider the cost of buying a hybrid vehicle. Depending on the model, hybrid vehicles can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 more than the traditional models. However, some say that as the hybrid cars become increasingly more available as a reflection of demand, the prices can be expected to drop, making them more cost effective when it comes to the initial investment. Also important to keep in mind is the fact that the hybrid cars have a much more specialized system than the standard vehicle, and will therefore require more specialized workers to repair them when they break down. It seems as though, at least for the time being, the purchase of a hybrid vehicle for the average consumer may not be the best choice when it comes to saving money. It is important to keep several things in mind, however, when considering purchasing a hybrid model. Many consumers are choosing to purchase these cars because they represent a significant development in terms of environmental concerns over standard models. They also mean that as a whole, Western nations will become less dependent on oil as the only means of power. Finally, it is necessary to remember that the hybrid car is a very new technology. Developed only within the last few years, the technology is still in the starting stage, where costs will continue to be high. As time passes, the development of the hybrid technology will begin to push prices down to the point where hybrids are more competitive with the traditionally fueled models of the past. We can infer from the passage that _ in the future. A. the traditional cars will gradually disappear B. the hybrid vehicles will gradually disappear C. the cost of hybrid cars will be more reasonable D. the hybrid technology will bring oil prices down Answer: C
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Question: Good morning, everyone! I'm Miss Li. I am an English teacher. There are 24 boys and 22 girls in my class. This is Betty. She's an American girl. She likes football. This is Tony. He is an English boy. He likes basketball. His favourite day is Saturday and yellow is his favourite colour. He likes spring because it's warm. This is Li Daming. He's Chinese and he likes table tennis. White is his favourite colour. He likes flowers and flying kites in spring, so spring is his favourite season. _ likes football. A. Betty B. Tony C. Li Daming D. Miss Li Answer: A
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Question: We all need to exercise.Doctors say it is good for us.It makes our heart and body strong.It also gives you more energy .And you will feel better about yourself.It's good to exercise twice a week.Twenty minutes each time is enough. There are many ways to exercise.You can walk,run,play sports or swim.Many people go to special places to exercise.They are called "fitness centers ".These places have a lot of equipments .People can do different sports there.Some people buy equipments for their homes.But it is very expensive. Exercising can be fun.Friends can exercise together at a fitness center,or they can play sports together.How do you exercise? How often do you exercise? At fitness centers, _ . A. you can buy expensive equipments B. people can do many kinds of exercise C. it is very expensive D. exercising is not popular Answer: B
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Question: In some countries, the most common unlucky number is thirteen. People don't like to live in a house that is number 13. People don't like to have parties with thirteen people. People don't like to do important things on the thirteenth of the month. Also, when you add the Japanese unlucky numbers together---nine and four ---they make thirteen. There aren't many business meetings on the thirteenth of the month especially when the thirteenth is on a Friday. Friday is always unlucky. Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden on a Friday. Jesus Christ died on a Friday. There were thirteen people at his last supper. In Europe, they kill criminals on Fridays. For some people, unlucky numbers do the opposite things. My elder brother was born on the thirteenth. He passed his exams on the thirteenth. He married on the thirteenth. He became a pilot on the thirteenth. It was always a lucky number for him. ,. Generally speaking, how many days are there in a year on which people don't want to hold business meetings? A. 9 B. 12 C. 13 D. 24 Answer: B
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Question: You may not realize it, but you are doing much more than just studying when you are at school. School is also the place where you learn to get on well with people. But this is not always easy. What can you do if you just don't like one of your classmates? If you discover that you have problems getting on with your classmates or friends, the most important thing to learn is tolerance. Tolerance is the ability to realize and respect the differences in others. We can not change the way that other people do, so it is important to learn to live happily with them. Tolerance will make everyone get on better with each other. Getting to know someone may help you understand why they do things differently. Something different does not exactly mean that it is bad. Tolerance teaches us to keep a _ and open mind. You need to remember an old saying, "Treat others how you want to be treated". If you tolerate something, it does not mean that you have to like it. No one is asking you to change who you are or what you believe in. Tolerance just means that you should respect the differences in others and not try to make them change. It is important to practice tolerance, because it will make everyone's life easier. Learn to accept people for their different abilities and interests. The world is very different, and practicing tolerance in your own school and city can help make a difference. This passage is trying to tell us _ . A. what's important for a student B. what students should do at school C. how to treat people different from us D. how to get others to do things in the right way Answer: C
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Question: Kids love playing sports. But boys and girls like different sports. For boys, football ,baseball and basketball are their favorites. They think football and basketball are very exciting and interesting, so boys often play football or basketball after school. Peter says, "Football is very interesting. The football players are often handsome." But girls have different opinions. They think tennis and ping-pong are more interesting. Lily says, "I like tennis, because many tennis players are beautiful girls. They have good figures. I hope to have a good figure, too." Do girls agree with boys about sports? A. Yes, they do. B. No, they don`t. C. We don`t know. D. Peter agrees with Lily Answer: B
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Question: Living in the desert is really hard! With less than 10 inches of rainfall a year, deserts are dry all year round. Lots of heat from the sun and a shortage of water are just a few of the challenges facing desert animals. Deserts are homes to many animals and plants. Few large animals have got used to life in the desert because their size makes it difficult to find shelter from the heat and they can't store water. In order to survive, desert animals have developed a number of ways to live in their special habitat. The most common way is staying under plants or rocks or digging underground in the heat of the day. And many desert animals stay in shelter during the day and hunt at night when it is cool. Some animals get the water they need from the insects, plants and seeds they eat, and do not need to drink. They do not have sweat glands and pass only small amount of waste water. Some animals develop their own ways of surviving in deserts. The Thorny Devil is a kind of lizard that lives in Australian desert areas. It has a body that channels raindrops directly into its mouth when it rains. Water-holding frogs spend most of the year underground in Australian desert areas, and develop a sort of cocoon that enables them to store water to keep them going through the dry times. When it rains, they come out to lay their eggs in ponds. The eggs hatch within days and develop quickly, before the water dries out. According to the text, the most widely used way for animals to survive in deserts is to _ . A. stay in cool places in the day. B. eat as much as they can in the day C. hunt at night when it is cool D. reduce as many activities as possible Answer: A
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Question: The day was dark and stormy; puddles could be seen all over the ground, making the yard look like a tiny pond. Conner frowned as he let the curtain drop back down. There was no way that mommy was going to let him go out and play today. She would say that it was too muddy and he would get wet. Conner thought to himself, "But what if I don't ask her?" Smiling, Conner pushed open the sliding door to the back yard. Slipping on his rain boots, he rushed outside and began to run and jump from puddle to puddle, sending large showers of water up around him with every jump. After he had jumped in all of the puddles he looked back towards the house to find mommy standing in the doorway watching him with a smile on her face. She giggled as she too pulled on her rain boots and joined him in jumping from puddle to puddle. What is the little boys name A. outside B. Conner C. mommy D. Rain Answer: B
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Question: There's no better place to be than beside the seaside in the summer. And even in Britainyou can still find beaches away from the crowds with golden sand. COMPTON BAY, ISLE OF WIGHT This wide sandy beach is on the south west coast, between Freshwater and Brook and is part of the TennysonHeritageCoast. There are striking views of the white cliffs further along the coast. A coastal path passes behind the beach, and you can enjoy scenic cliff top walks in either direction. Accommodation: Sandpipers Hotel (01983 758150, www.sandpipersh.tel.com) with doubles fromPS10pp. KINGSGATE BAY,KENT Around the beach round a bend in the coastal road from Ramsgate is white cliffs with KingsgateCastledominating the whole landscape. It is fairly isolated, with few facilities, but is perfect for summer bathing or for bracing winter walks. Accommodation: Fayreness Hotel (0188 86866, www.fayreness.com) with doubles with breakfast fromPS69. 15pp. RINGSTEAD BAY, DORSET A picturesque 210ft crescent of pebbles with clean water that's a perfect escape from some of the busier beaches around Weymouth. You reach it by passing through the village of Upton,then along a narrow country road. Next to the car park is a well stocked shop. The cliffs behind RingsteadBayare an excellent place for fossil hunting. Accommodation: Glenburn Hotel (01305 832318, www.glenburnhotell.com) with doubles fromPS7 9 including breakfast. BRANSCOMBE.DEVON Lying on the EastDevonHeritageCoast, Branscombe has good facilities with toilets and a car park close to the beach, as well as a small picnic area. A well stocked shop sells the most attractive dairy ice cream. Next to the shop is the Sea Shanty restaurant--open every day until 5 p.m. during the summer. Accommodation: The Mason's Arms, Branscombe Village (01297 680300, www.masonsarms.co.uk) with doubles fromPS6 5 pp with breakfast. Which beach is the most wonderful place for summer bathing? _ A. COMPTONBAY. B. BRANSCOMBE. C. KINGSGATEBAY. D. RINGSTEADBAY. Answer: C
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Question: While other countries debate whether to fix wind turbines offshore or in distant areas, Denmark is building them right in its capital. Three windmills were recently introduced in a Copenhagen neighbourhood, and the city plans to add another 97. "We've made a very ambitious commitment to make Copenhagen CO2-neutral by 2025," Frank Jensen, the mayor, says. "But going green isn't only a good thing. It's a must." The city's carbon-neutral plan, passed two years ago, will make Copenhagen the world's first zero-carbon capital. With wind power making up 33% of Denmark's energy supply, the country already features plenty of wind turbines. Indeed, among the first sights greeting airborne visitors during the landing at Copenhagen's Kastrup airport is a chain of sea-based wind towers. By 2020, the windswept country plans to get 50% of its energy from wind power. Now turbines are moving into the city and these ones will cost less than half the price of those sea-based. Having the energy production closer makes it cheaper, and land-based turbines are the cheapest possible source of energy available today. Fixing them also makes the locals more aware of their energy consumption. Though considerably less attractive than it was in ancient times, the windmill is enjoying popularity in the 21st century. "Windmills are a symbol of the new and clean Copenhagen," says resident Susanne Sayers. Meanwhile, fellow Copenhagen citizen Maria Andersen worries about the noise, explaining that she wouldn't want a wind turbine in her neighbourhood. While Copenhagen citizens approve of the windmills, they're less willing to live close to one. The answer, the city has decided, is to sell turbine shares. Each share represents 1,000 kW hours/year, with the profit tax-free. With a typical Copenhagen household consuming 3,500 kW hours/year, a family buying four shares effectively owns its own renewable energy supply. To date, 500 residents have bought 2,500 shares. Involving the local population was a smart move. "There are a lot of things you can do close to people if it's not too big and if there's a model where locals feel involved and get to share in the profit. Knowing that you, or your neighbours, own a technology creates a very different atmosphere than if a multinational owned it," says Vad Mathiesen. Going green? Yes. Accepted by the population? Yes. Going with centuries-old city architecture? Hardly. Certainly, the three turbines don't exactly _ the 18th-century city centre, as they are in a neighbourhood 3 km away. According to the mayor's office, none of the remaining 97 turbines will rise in architecturally sensitive areas. But Sascha Haselmayer, CEO of city creation group Citymart, warns, "With Denmark being a world-leading producer of windmills, there is a risk that the answer to every energy question is windmills." "We've destroyed mountains and lakes in order to support our lifestyle," notes Irena Bauman, an architect and professor at Sheffield University. "Wind turbines are a sign that we're learning to live with nature. I hope we'll have them all over the world," she says. "They may be unpleasant to some, but better-looking ones will come. It's just that we don't have time to wait for them!" How has the city of Copenhagen persuaded its people to accept the windmills around their homes? A. By promising them that all their income is free of tax. B. By designing less noisy windmills to ease their worries. C. By convincing them that land-based turbines are much cheaper. D. By offering them the chance to get the profit the windmills bring. Answer: D
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Question: "Last week," Dr. P said "I was invited to a doctors' meeting at the R. Hospital. In one of the rooms a patient, an old man, got up from his bed and moved slowly towards me. I could see that he hadn't long to live, but he came up to me and placed his right foot close to mine on the floor." "Frank!" I cried with surprise. He couldn't answer as I knew, but he tried to smile, all the time keeping his foot close to mine. My thoughts raced back more than thirty years--to the dark days of 1941, when I was a student in London. The scene was an air-raid shelter , in which I and about a hundred other people slept every night. Among them were Mrs. West and her son Frank, who lived nearby. Sharing wartime problems, we got to know each other very well. Frank interested me because he was not normal . He had never been normal, ever since he was born. His mother told me he was 37 then, but he had less of a mind than a baby has. Mrs. West, then about 75, was a strong, able woman, as she had to be of course, because Frank depended on her completely. He needed all the attention of a baby. One night a policeman came into our shelter and told Mrs. West that her house had been all destroyed. That wasn't quite true, because the West went on living there for quite some time. But they certainly lost nearly everything they owned. When that kind of thing happened, the rest of us helped the unlucky ones. So before we separated that morning, I stood beside Frank and measured my right foot against his. They were about the same size. That night, then, I took a spare pair of shoes to the shelter for Frank. As soon as he saw me, he came running--and placed his right foot against mine. After that, he always greeted me in the same way. Why did Dr P say that Mrs West had to be a strong, able woman? A. She was over 75. B. She needed all the attention of a baby. C. She had to give care and thought to her son as to a baby. D. She lost nearly everything in the war. Answer: C
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Question: Box jellyfish are the most poisonous marine animals known to man. They measure 3 meters long and weigh up to 2 kilograms. They are pale blue and transparent in color, and get their name from the cube--like shape of their body, Box jellyfish have 6 eyes on all 4 sides of their body, although it is uncertain how they process what they see as they do not have a central nervous system. They also have up to 15 tentacles growing from each corner of their body that have about 5,000 stinging cells each. Box jellyfish can be found primarily in the coastal waters off Northern Australia as well as throughout the Indo--Pacific. They prefer to live at river mouths. They do not have any organs to breathe, and will sleep on the ocean floor from 3 pm to dawn. Unlike other jellyfish that merely move along with the current, box jellyfish have developed a way to travel wherever they want to go. _ will shoot themselves in a jet-like fashion, reaching speeds of up to 7.4 kilometers per hour. The diet of box jellyfish consists of thing like fish, small animals, and even other jellyfish. They use their venom, a chemical which causes heart, skin, and breath failure, to kill their prey . Since box jellyfish have eyes, some scientists believe that they actively hunt their prey while others insist that they are just passive opportunists that will wait and catch anything that wanders into their tentacles. Box jellyfish are responsible for more human deaths in Australia than snakes, sharks, and salt-water crocodiles combined. It is best to avoid them as most stings will result in death. Hopefully, humans and box jellyfish can find a way to live with one another while keeping conflicts to a bare minimum. After all, such a unique species of jellyfish deserves to live and grow just as humans do. The text is mainly about _ . A. a kind of sea animal B. some poisonous animals C. scientists' research into box jellyfish D. the relationship between humans and jellyfish Answer: A
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Question: Even if you have been very careful, it is possible that your kids can develop some bad TV habits. It is not too late if the bad habits have already occurred. 56 .Follow the steps below to start breaking your kids'bad habits. Limit the time of watching TV. Limit the TV to at most two hours a day for kids over two years old and no TV at all for kids under the age of two. This does not mean that you have to allow the two hours each day. 57 Make it clear that you are firm about not allowing them to watch the program. A. less TV is better. B. Make the TV hard to use. C. Be a good example to your kids. D. Take the TV out of their room or put it away in storage. E. Explain to them why you feel the show is not good for them. F. This is the best way to make sure that they are watching the right programs. G. You just need to be ready to take control of the situation and break those bad habits. Answer: C
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Question: Of the thousands of different kinds of animals that exist in the world man has learned to make friends with an enormous number. Some are pets, and offer him companionship; some give protection, and some do hard work which man cannot do for himself. Dogs, which serve man in all three capacities, are found in various species in all countries of the world. The Husky can live in the cold polar regions, and the Saluki is at home in the hottest parts of Central Africa. The inhabitants of certain countries are dependent for their very lives on the camel. In the West Indies the little donkey, strong and sure-footed, carrying heavy loads even in mountainous places, is a familiar sight. Trained and tamed for many generations, domestic animals are not accustomed to roaming in search of food and shelter. They look to their masters to provide for their needs, and as long as these are supplied, they are content to do what their masters require. All domestic animals need proper food. It must be suitable for them, sufficient in quantity, fresh and clean. Some people feed a pet dog or cat on odds and ends of table scraps , and then wonder why the animal seems tired and dull. The quantity of food depends on the size of the animal and the amount of exercise it takes. Overfeeding is as bad as underfeeding. Containers for food and water must be washed regularly if the animal is to maintain good health. Even well cared for animals may sometimes fall ill. If this happens, the wise master seeks the best advice he can get. All sorts of medicines and treatments are available for sick animals, and in some countries organizations exist to provide them free or at a cheap price. Useful, friendly, hardworking animals deserve to have some time, money and attention spent on their health. Which of the following would be the best title for this passage? A. Domesticated Animals--Man's Best Friends. B. Proper Diet--the Road to Health. C. The Advantages of Raising Domestic Animals. D. Some Tips on Pet-keeping. Answer: A
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Question: Many students attend Miami University for its zoology program, hoping to become a doctor someday, but Joseph Frame has come for a different reason -- to become a vet. "Ever since I was a little boy, I've been interested in animals," Frame said, "but when I grow up, I realized that I didn't want to just take care of dogs and cats. I wanted to work with animals you wouldn't find in your house." Before coming to Miami, Frame worked with his vet Dr. Reid. He learned about the details of being a vet from him. Working with small animals, Frame observed many procedures there. Frame also worked with another vet at Oxford University during his first year at Miami, which involved a leadership position. "I'm in charge of a high school kid," Fram said, "He sometimes needs to be motivated. I like his support system." To realize his goal, Frame began working at the Wilds in Cumberland, Ohio after he met Reid. The Wilds is a non-profit conservation center and is the home for rare and endangered animals. The Wilds combines the concepts of conservation science and education programs to mainly children. After his first year at Miami, Frame began to educate children about the animals. "I think teaching children is an enjoyable experience, especially when they're really interested in animals," Frame said. Frame also explained if a vet school didn't work out, he would be interested in working in animal education. "I would at least have a Zoology degree," Frame said, "The wilds is connected to many zoos all over the country, so I'm sure I can find a job in education." For now, Frame plans to continue working at the wilds this coming summer with a new job at hand, which involves teaching the public about the endangered animals they are protecting and doing shows with owls. While Frame is still an undergraduate student at Miami, he continues his passion for animals. Becoming an exotic vet may be a few years down the road, but Frame continues to work had for this dream, hoping it will become a great reality. What can be the best title for this text? A. A Young Man Becomes Successful in Miami B. An Ambitious Undergraduate Seeks a Big Dream C. A College Student Who loves Animals D. A college student Finds an Opportunity in a zoology Program Answer: B
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Question: Santa Claus makes sure that every year at Christmas time that his reindeer are ready to deliver gifts to girls and boys all over the world. Without the reindeer, how would Santa fly from home to home? The most important thing that Santa has to do for the reindeer is to make sure they have their coffee on Christmas Eve. Without the coffee, they won't stay awake for very long. Sleeping reindeer are not very helpful. Santa also gives the reindeer candy to keep up their energy. In the North Pole, the main candy is candy canes in red and white. Reindeer love the candy canes that are different colors best and Santa says that helps them fly faster. Next, Santa has to make sure that the reindeer have a good meal before they go. Santa wants to make sure he doesn't have to share the cookies kids leave for him. The last thing Santa has to do is make sure the reindeer know where they are going. Santa has only been lost one time on Christmas Eve and he does not want that to happen again. What kind of candy canes do the reindeer like best? A. White. B. White and green. C. Red D. Different colors. Answer: D
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