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Question: A ten-year-old boy from Howell, Michigan America is being hailed (...) a hero due to his persistence that led to saving the life of an elderly neighbor. The chain of events unfolded late in the evening on Sunday, January 26th, 2014 when Danny Dipietro was being driven home from hockey practice by his dad. That's when the young boy noticed an open garage and a figure that he believed was a dog outside an apartment near his house. Given the extremely cold weather, the young boy got a feeling that something was not right. But instead of dismissing it like most kids at his age would have, he insisted that his mother, Dawn, go to examine what was going on. Dawn tried to convince Danny that no one would leave a dog out in such cold weather, but he refused to take no for an answer. Dawn finally gave in and decided to take a walk to the area with the family dog and see if there was any truth to Danny's premonition . Sure enough, as she got closer to the apartment she noticed a garage that was wide open and a bent figure, waving madly. Upon getting there, she realized that it was not a dog that the young boy had seen, but Kathleen St. Onge, one of her neighbors. The 80-year-old had slipped on some ice in her garage and had been lying there for two hours, unable to get up. Dawn rushed home to get her husband for help and called 911. The two then returned with some blankets to cover Ms. St. Onge, while they waited for the ambulance to arrive. Though still in hospital, the elderly woman is recovering well and grateful to Danny for his premonition. Why didn't Dawn want to have a look at first? A. Because it was too cold outside. B. Because she thought Danny lied. C. Because she didn't think people would leave a dog out on such a cold day. D. Because she was busy with her work. Answer: C	mmlu
Question: Since the beginning of the year, smog has covered parts of North China. In January, Beijing saw only five days without smog. The rising PM 2.5 readings terrified many people, and some health experts said that whenever the smog gets serious, hospitals receive more patients suffering acute respiratory and heart diseases. Later, news of polluted underground water in some provinces scared people who wondered whether the water they drink is safe. So the need to emphasize environmental protection while developing the economy is heard everywhere. Smog especially is a common concern. Like a popular online post said, air may be the only thing that is equal for everyone, despite your income or vocation. People with higher incomes are able to drink only bottled spring water and eat only organic food by paying higher prices, but they breathe the same air as everyone else. At a meeting on Monday, many Representatives have expressed their concerns about the air quality, too. One talked about his experience in Beijing. "After taking a taxi from the capital airport to my hotel, which took about an hour, I washed my nose and found the inside of my nose was black. We should ask ourselves this question: Why do we want to develop? It's for living a better life. Dirty air is definitely not a better life," he said. China needs to develop its economy and invest in high-tech. Every Chinese wants a strong country. But without blue sky, clean water and safe food, the achievements in the economy will become meaningless. Space technologies are not to be developed for building a base on Mars so that one day all human beings can migrate to the red planet because _ have destroyed Earth. What the public wants is a strong and beautiful China. Former president Hu Jintao spoke at the 18th Party Congress last November saying that great efforts must be made to promote ecological progress and build a beautiful China. The words have shown the central government's resolution to address the environment issue. The effect of smog doesn't include. A. the rising of PM 2.5 readings B. more people suffering diseases C. the increase of people's income D. patients increased in hospital Answer: C	mmlu
Question: This is news on the Hour. Ed Wilson is reporting. The President and First Lady will visit Africa on a goodwill tour in May. They plan to visit eight African countries. Reports from China say the Chinese want closer ties between China and the U.S. and Western Europe. A group of top China scientists starts its ten-nation tour next month. Here in Milmi, the mayor is still meeting with the leaders of the teachers' union to try to find a way to end the strike. City schools are still closed after two weeks. In news about health, scientists in California report findings of relationship between the drinking of coffee and the increase of heart disease among woman. According to the report in the American Medical Journal, the five-year study shows this: women who drink more than two cups of coffee a day have a greater chance of having heart disease than women who do not. In sports, the Chargers lost again last night. The BBS beat them one to nothing. The Wingers had better results. They beat the Rifles 7 to 3.It was their first win in their five matches. That the news of the Hour. And now back to more easy listening with Jan Singer. From the last news we do not know _ A. the results of the matches B. the number of the team which played last night C. how many wins the BBS has had altogether D. the Wingers had one win and four defeats Answer: C	mmlu
Question: In one study, college students who had important and reality-based conversations were more content than their peers who changed mere amusing remarks. But don't deny small talks just yet. Psychologists have long said that connecting with others is important to well-being, but just how much conversation we require is under investigation. In one study, researchers overheard undergraduates for four days, and then cataloged each overheard conversation as either "small talks" ("What do you have done? Popcorn? Yummy!") or "substantive" ("So did they get divorced soon after?"). They found that the second type correlated with happiness --the happiest students had roughly twice as many substantive talks as the unhappiest ones. Small talks, meanwhile, made up only 10 percent of their conversation, versus almost 30 percent of their conversation among the least content students. But don't deny small talks just yet. Scientists believe that small talks could promote bonding. Researchers found that a small talk maintains closeness with loved ones after studying ring-tailed lemurs' call-and-response conversations, similar to human small talks. Still, joking with strangers could brighten your morning. In a series of experiments, those bus-takers told to chat with others are reported a more pleasant journey than those told to "enjoy your solitude" or to do whatever they normally would. Small talks can also help us feel connected to our surroundings. People who smiled at, made eye contact with, and briefly spoke with their Starbucks baristas reported a greater sense of belonging than those who rushed through the transaction. Of course, some of us are better than others at turning small talks into something bigger. All the differences come to what researchers call "a curious mindset". So go ahead to talk and inquire. Small talks needn't be idle. And being curious about others' business isn't all bad. The text mainly tells us that _ . A. small talks are important in communication B. substantive talks make people happier than small talks C. small talks and substantive talks are equally important in life D. substantive talks are important in communication Answer: A	mmlu
Question: Since the nineteen nineties, education has been required for all South Africans from age seven to fifteen. Last December, the government announced that seventy percent of students passed their final examination to finish high school. In 2008 the passage rate was about sixty-three percent. There have been increases each year since then. Professor Shireen Motala at the University of Johannesburg says access to basic education is no longer the problem in South Africa. She says most children stay in school until they are about sixteen. The problem now, she says, is that large numbers of them leave without completing high school. Students take an examination known as the matric in grade twelve, their final or "matriculation" year. Professor Motala notes that less than half the children who started school in 2000 sat for the matric last year. He said, "Only around forty-five percent survived, which means that a large number of children are falling by the wayside. And the concern is that where do those learners actually go to." Educational researchers also point to another problem. They say South African schools do not produce enough students with the skills for higher education in math and science. One of those researchers is Graeme Bloch. He says many schools are not well-equipped. "Because of poverty and limited resources, many children do not see laboratories and ninety-two percent of the schools do not have libraries." Also, education specialists say in many cases, teachers and school principals do not have the skills or training to do their jobs. In other cases, they are simply not doing their duty to provide an education. Professor Motala says a number of teachers were poorly trained during the system of apartheid, or racial separation in South Africa. Apartheid ended in 1994. Secondly, she says, teachers have been confused by the many educational reform efforts in the last fifteen years. And, finally, she thinks language differences in the classroom have not gotten as much attention as they should. Subjects such as math and science are taught in English starting at about age ten. But South Africa has eleven official languages and many more unofficial ones. South Africa's minister of basic education promises a number of improvements. Angie Motshega says teacher development efforts will focus on subject and content knowledge, and making sure the correct teachers are in the correct jobs. Which of the following statements is WRONG? A. There is a high dropout rate of students under 16 in South Africa. B. More students with the skills for higher education in math and science are needed. C. Racial separation in South Africa once affected the training of many teachers. D. South Africa has eleven official languages and many more unofficial ones. Answer: A	mmlu
Question: It's great fun to explore new places--it feels like an adventure,even when you know you're not the first to have been there. But make sure not to get lost or waste time going round in circles. * Do the map reading if you're being driven somewhere. It'll be easier if you keep turning the map so it follows the direction you're traveling in. Keep looking ahead so that you can give the driver lots of warning before having to make a turn or you'll have to move to the back seat. * Get a group of friends together and go exploring. You'll need a good map, a compass , a raincoat, a cell phone to call for help in case you get lost, and a bit of spare cash for emergencies . Tell someone where you're going before you set out and let them know what time you expect to be back. The test is in not getting lost, not in seeing how fast you can go, so always stick together, waiting for slower friends to catch up. * See if your school or a club organizes orienteering activities, in which you need a map and a compass to find your way. This can be done as a sport, with teams trying to find the way from A to B (and B to C, etc.)in the fastest time, or simply as a spare-time activity. Either way, its not only good fun, but a great way to keep fit. Orienteering activities can _ . A. make people work fast B. help people organize other activities C. help people stay healthy D. make people get prepared for sports Answer: C	mmlu
Question: when a tadpole changes into a frog, the tadpole is like A. a maggot B. a lamb C. water D. a grape Answer: A	mmlu
Question: Once a boy often made trouble. His mother gave him many nails . She told him to hammer(,)one in the garden fence every time he lost his patience and fought with someone. The first day he hammered 27 nails. In the following weeks he learned how to control himself better and the number of nails hammered became smaller and smaller. He learned it was easier to control himself than to hammer nails. The day finally came when he didn't hammer any nails. He went to tell his mother about it. Then his mother told him to pull off a nail from the fence each time he didn't lose his patience. After some days he told his mother that all the nails had been pulled off, so she took him to the fence and said to him, "You've behaved well, but look at all the holes in the fence. The fence will never be again like it was before. When you fight with someone, you leave wounds in him like these. The trouble may be over, but the wounds will always be there." So, learn to control yourself before you hammer the nail in the fence. Try not to leave any holes in your past. The boy used to _ . A. be polite B. be impatient C. be careless D. be friendly to others Answer: B	mmlu
Question: Why are so many people afraid to fail? Quite simply because we forget that failure is part of the human life and that every person has the right to fail. Every person is able to fight failure and finally succeed. Most parents work hard at preventing failure or protecting their children from the knowledge that they have failed. One way is to lower standards . When a child finishes making a table, the mother describes it as "perfect" even though it doesn't stand still. Another way is to blame others. If John fails in science, his teacher is unfair or stupid. There's a problem with the two ways. It makes a child unprepared for life in the real world. Young children need to learn that no one can be best at everything, no one can win all the time, and that it's possible to enjoy a game even when you don't win. A child often feels terrible, of course, when he is not invited to a birthday party, or is not chosen into a football team. But parents should not say "It doesn't matter." quickly. The young should be allowed to experience failure and be helped to come out of it. Failure never gives people pleasure. It hurts both adults and children. But it can be really good to your life when you learn to use it. You must learn to ask "Why did I fail?" Don't blame anyone else. Ask yourself what you did wrong and how you can improve. If someone else can help, don't be shy about asking them. Success just repeats what has been done. It is not as good a teacher as failure. You can learn how to give a good party from an unsuccessful one. How do most parents prevent their children from failure? A. They give them some presents. B. They don't tell them that they have failed. C. They don't blame others. D. They help them to come out of failure. Answer: B	mmlu
Question: Researchers have announced the result of two studies on the health effects of the drug aspirin.One study shows aspirin can sharply reduce the chance that a healthy, older man will suffer from a heart attack. The study offered two new results from earlier findings, It said taking one aspirin pili every other day helped only healthy men over the age of fifty.It also said aspirin gave the greatest protection against heart attacks to men with low blood cholesterol levels. Earlier in the United States began a major aspirin study in the early 1980s.It included 22,000 healthy men doctors.Ail were between the ages of forty and eighty-four.More than 11,000 of the doctors took a harmless pill that contained no drug.The men did not know which kind of pill they were taking. The doctors who took aspirin suffered 44% fewer heart attacks than those taking the harmless pill.139 men who took aspirin suffered from heart attacks.Ten of them died.239 men who did not take aspirin suffered from heart attacks.Twenty-six of them died. The researchers said the doctors' study provides clear proof that taking aspirin can prevent a first heart attack in healthy, older men.They said, however, the result does not mean every man over the mage of fifty should take aspirin.They said aspirin couldn't help men who do not eat healthy foods, who smoke cigarettes and who are fat.The researchers said men who think they wou3d be helped by taking aspirin should talk with their doctors first. At last the researchers advised us to take aspirin _ . A. as we like B. with care C. every day D. if we are over fifty Answer: B	mmlu
Question: During the Victorian period, ordinary people started going on holidays to the seaside for the first time. When a woman entered a room, it was considered rude for a man to offer his seat to her because the cushion might still be warm. People thought that you could digest food better in the dark, so the dining room was often located in the basement. It was considered improper to look into someone's bedroom, so most bedrooms were on the second or third floor. People went to great lengths to hide their water closets from view. In some homes, they were behind a curtain or screen, in a separate part of the house or even outside. A lot of men used macassar oil to slick back their hair. In order to stop this grease from sticking to the furniture, pieces of material called antimacassars were placed over the backs of chairs. For a lady, to show her ankles was considered taboo . ks5u Many people kept a hedgehog in the basement so it could eat insects. When Queen Victoria came to the power in 1837, most people lived in villages and worked on the land. There was no electricity (gas lamps or candles were used for light) and most people walked or traveled by boat, train and horse. However, by the end of her reign in 1901, the majority of the population lived in towns and worked in offices, shops and factories, and there was piped water, gas and even electricity. Why were antimacassars placed over the backs of chairs? A. Because they would make the chairs look nice. B. Because they would make those seated on the chairs feel comfortable. C. Because they would prevent macassar oil leaving marks on the chairs. D. Because it was a local custom to do so. Answer: C	mmlu
Question: There was a rich merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best. He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He's very proud of her and always wanted to show her off to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men. He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. When the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times. Now, the merchant's 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her. One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone. How lonely I'll be!" Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!" replied the 4th wife and she turned away without another word. The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's heart. The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is so good over here! I'm going to remarry when you die!" The merchant's heart sank and turned cold. He then asked the 2nd wife, "I've always turned to you for help and you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated. Then a voice called out: "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much better care of you while I could have!" Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives. The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die. Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others. The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave. The 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure. Guess what? It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we go. Perhaps it's a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than to wait until we're on our deathbed to lament. Which wife did the merchant love most? A. The 1st wife. B. The 2nd wife. C. The 3rd wife. D. The 4th wife. Answer: D	mmlu
Question: Kids may need to apologize if they do something they know was wrong-like telling a lie or breaking a rule on purpose. When they do something their parents tell them not to do, or they don't do something they are supposed to do, they apologize, too. Grown-ups can apologize,too,to other grown-ups or even to kids. After all,even grown-ups make mistakes sometimes. By apologizing when they're wrong,grown-ups can set a good example and show kids how to do the right thing and apologize when they need to. Saying I'm sorry when you need to is the right thing to do. It does a lot of good. But by itself, _ might not be enough to make everything all better again. Sometimes along with an apology,a person needs to fix the mistake or promise to do better. Sometimes doing a nice thing for the person after you apologize helps show that you really are sorry and want to be friendly again. Sometimes a heartfelt "I'm" sorry fixes everything right away. Other times,it might take a while for someone to feel friendly after you apologize. You might need to give the other person some time. Even after you say you're sorry,you might still feel bad about what you said or did-but you can feel good about apologizing and about making up your mind to do better. When someone apologizes to you,you might not feel like being friendly again right away. Once in a while,if a person doesn't change,you might not want to be friends anymore. You might feel glad that the other person apologized and admitted being wrong. But if someone keeps behaving in mean ways or does something that keeps hurting,you might not feel the same way anymore. Just because someone apologizes to you doesn't mean you have to be friendly again. That part is up to you. What would you like your friend to say to you if he/she hurts you? A. I am really wrong. B. Excuse me. C. I beg your pardon? D. What's wrong with you? Answer: A	mmlu
Question: Dan and his class were going to the ocean. Along with his class there were three adults going to make sure no one was left at the beach. Dan had three friends who were going too. His friends who were going were Tom, Steve and Jeff. Tom was the first one on the bus. Dan was the second one on the bus. Steve got on next and then Jeff got on last. If the sun was shining and there was not a storm, Dan was going to get to go on a boat to look for fish. If there was a storm then Dan would have to stay on the bus and he would not even get to walk on the beach or look for sea shells. Dan was happy to see that there was not a storm. Dan ran off the bus. He was so fast that he beat Tom getting off the bus. Jeff got off the bus before Dan, but Dan even beat Steve getting off the bus. Dan and his friends had a fun day on the boat looking for fish. Who got on the bus before Dan? A. Jeff B. Tom C. Steve D. Dan got on the bus first. Answer: B	mmlu
Question: One day,Jack's parents told him that his grandpa would retire after working for forty years.Jack said in surprise, "I'm only seven, so it means Grandpa has been... er ... A really long time!" His parents said, "Yes. That's why we are going to have a surprising party for him. " Jack loved his grandpa and wanted to do something special for him. He remembered the business card his grandpa had given him two years before. He knew that his grandpa would no longer have the position on that card, so he decided to build a new one for his grandpa. When the big day came, Jack was ready. But he didn't want to put his gift together with others'. He carried it around with him the whole evening. When all the other people left, he took his grandpa's hand and brought him over to a chair and gave him the gift. His grandpa smiled, "Well, it must be a beautiful gift. May I open it now?" "Sure!" Jack said excitedly. As Grandpa opened the gift, tears came into his eyes. Jack gave him the greatest gift he had ever got! They were business cards with new position: FULL-TIME GRANDPA! Jack said, "Now your full-time job is my grandpa!" Well, how much do I get paid?" his grandpa asked, smiling. "As many hugs as you want!" With these words, Jack gave Grandpa a hug. " Well, I guess that means I'm the richest man in the world! " said Grandpa. What did Jack decide to do for his grandpa? A. To build a new position for him. B. To draw a picture for him. C. To sing a song for him. D. To buy a gift for him. Answer: A	mmlu
Question: As De Witt Wallace lay in bed recovering from injuries that he unfortunately came by in World War I, he found there was a wealth of interesting information to read. Realizing few people would have the time to get through all this information, he knew exactly what to do. In 1920, this young American submitted a sample magazine containing shortened articles to publishers across America. However, all turned him down. Undeterred, De Witt and his new bride Lila Bell Acheson published the first issue of Reader's Digest in February 1922. Working from home, the Wallaces printed 5,000 copies, which were sold by mail to 1,500 people and priced at 25 cents. From these humble beginnings grew the world's most widely-read magazine. The magazine became popular and, by 1935, sales topped one million. In 1938, the first international edition was published in the United Kingdom. During World War II, editions were published for the first time in Latin America and Sweden. After the war Reader's Digest moved into Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, South Africa and Switzerland. In 1950, Reader's Digest published its shortened Books (now known as Select Editions in Australia). In 1959, music, the first non-print product line, was introduced. In 1962, Reader's Digest revolutionized direct mail by introducing easy-to-enter Sweepstakes and a year later the first Reader's Digest general book was published. In 1986, video was added to the Reader's Digest product line. In 1973, the Wallaces gave up active management of Reader's Digest. De Witt died in 1981, aged 91; Lila in 1984, aged 94. With no heirs to the Wallace empire to take control, Reader's Digest became a public company in the early 1990s and is now headed by a Chief Executive Office and Chairman of the Board. What is the purpose of De Witt Wallace creating the earliest magazine? A. To become wealthy. B. To offer people information. C. To heal the wounds from the war. D. To turn down uninteresting stories. Answer: B	mmlu
Question: My grandfather is a teacher. He is the head teacher of a school for boys between the ages of thirteen and eighteen. I know that he is a kind man, because he gives me presents , and let me sit on his knees , and tells me stories. But I believe the boys at his school are afraid of him. At school, when he walks into a room full of boys, they will be quiet at once . When he looks at a boy with a certain look in his eyes, that boy's face goes red, and looks down at his shoes. If a boy brings careless work, my grandfather will pick up the boy's book and throw it across the room, shouting , "Do it all again, and bring it back the first thing in the morning!" if the boy is late, or if he forgets to bring the work, he has to do it again, and again and yet again. When he looks at a boy in a certain way, that boy _ A. goes red in the face and could not return my grandfather's look. B. looks back at my grandfather's red face C. looks at his shoes to see if they are dirty. D. goes red in the face because his shoes are dirty. Answer: A	mmlu
Question: Miller is tried for armed robbery of the First Bank of City.The prosecution, in its case in chief, offers evidence that when Miller was arrested one day after the crime, he had a quantity of heroin and a hypodermic needle in his possession. This evidence should be A. admitted to prove Miller's motive to commit the crime. B. admitted to prove Miller's propensity to commit crimes. C. excluded, because its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. D. excluded, because such evidence may be offered only to rebut evidence of good character offered by a defendan Answer: C	mmlu
Question: Art lovers around the world have thought about this question for so many years: what is the secret behind the Mona Lisa's smile? However, they can ask Mona Lisa herself in the interactive exhibition in Beijing. This exhibition brings the 500-year-old painting to life. Now Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting can move her head and wave her hand in 3D, and even answer questions. She can answer the questions about her life, her age and so on. But when she talks she doesn't speak Italian but Chinese like: "Da jia hao, wo jiao Mengna Lisha. Hen gao xing jian dao ni men." The new, digital picture of Mona Lisa is the center piece of the World Classic Interactive Arts Exhibition in Beijing. You can also see other world-famous paintings such as Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper. Last Supper is another picture that they made alive with 3D. In this picture, Jesus can walk and talk with his believers . It took the organizer Wang Hui and over 400 digital artists in South Korea two years to make the picture, at a cost of around 50 million yuan. He says, "What's special about it is that it's the first time to use computer technology to make her speak and move." So what does the Mona Lisa say if you ask her why she is smiling? Which of the following is TRUE? A. Wang Hui and his team spent 2 years making the digital pictures. B. The digital paintings cost Wang Hui 50,000 yuan. C. Wang Hui made this painting with some Chinese artists. D. About 400 artists wanted to buy the digital paintings. Answer: A	mmlu
Question: What is a source of energy for animals? A. food charts B. fire C. grasshoppers D. gales Answer: C	mmlu
Question: Not being the greatest fan in the world of live performance, I took a deep breath before I en tered the building, the castle theatre, and prepared myself to be bored, expecting to find it more interesting to watch the audience than the show. Then I got the shock of my life. Wadaiko Inchiro are a group of ten young Japanese men and women using traditional drums with a history going back more than 1500 years. The drums were once used for festivals and religious ceremonies and also as a means of communication during wars. Today they give an ear-blasting performance which punches out rhythms with the power to wind you. They're a welcome relief from the Scottish pipers. Unlike other performances, the best seats are at the back of the house. Not only will your ears be protected from full blast, but you will get a fantastic view of the whole set. On stage are some of the biggest drums you will ever see and a cast wearing red, white and black headscarf. There had been almost no publicity for the show, but the house was full of people desperate, one could only assume, for something a bit different from the unrelenting performances appearing at this world-famous festival. The solid 60-minutes show starts as it means to go on. The drums rumble into fever-pitch action as the ten-strong company strike their sticks with startling control. Their rhythmic frenzy almost immediately drugs you into submission. Trapped inside the beating of the drums, you carried swiftly through warrior war cries to emotional rhapsodies . Not only is this display musically impressive, but the dance is strikingly beautiful. Moving between the enormity of the drums, the slight Japanese characters have complete synchronicity with the flying of their sticks, which they ceremonially cross and use to command. The biggest drum is played only by Inchiro, the leader of the group. When I ask why this is so, he refuses to admit that he is being precious about this monster of an instrument and says, "When someone else can play it as I do, I will happily move aside." Dressed all in red, he stands before it as thought he is worshipping at an altar; as he raises his sticks to the drum, he touches it sometimes tenderly and sometimes murderously. Inchiro and his drum produce a range of sounds from thunder to the trickle of rain. Inchiro feels that _ . A. no one else should ever play the biggest drum B. he must always make loud noises on his biggest drum C. he is now the only one who can play the biggest drum well enough D. it is very important for him to teach someone else to play the biggest drum Answer: C	mmlu
Question: A few common misconceptions. Beauty is only skin-deep. One' s physical assets and liabilities don' t count all that much in a managerial career. A woman should always try to look her best. Over the last 30 years, social scientists have conducted more than 1,000 studies of how we react to beautiful and not- so-beautiful people. The virtually unanimous conclusion: Looks do matter, more than most of us realize. The data suggest, for example, the physically attractive individuals are more likely to be treated well by their parents, sought out as friends, and pursued romantically. With the possible exception of women seeking managerial jobs they are also more likely to be hired, paid well, and promoted. Un-American, you say, unfair and extremely unbelievable? Once again, the scientists have caught us mouthing pieties while acting just the contrary. Their typical experiment works something like this. They give each member of a group--college students, perhaps, or teachers or corporate personnel managers a piece of paper relating an individual' s accomplishments. Attached to the paper is a photograph. While the papers all say exactly the same thing the pictures are different. Some show a strikingly attractive person, some an average-looking character, and some an unusually unattractive human being. Group members are asked to rate the individual on certain attributes, anything from personal warmth to the likelihood that he or she will be promoted. Almost invariably, the better looking the person in the picture, the higher the person is rated. In the phrase, borrowed from Sappho, that the social scientists use to sum up the common perception, what is beautiful is good. In business, however, good looks cut both ways for women, and deeper than for men. A Utah State University professor, who is an authority on the subject, explains: In terms of their careers, the impact of physical attractiveness on males is only modest. But its potential impact on females can be tremendous, making it easier, for example, for the more attractive to get jobs where they are in the public eye. on another note, though, there is enough literature now for us to conclude that attractive women who aspire to managerial positions do not get on as well as who may be less attractive. It can be inferred from the passage that in the business world _ . A. handsome men are not affected as much by their looks as attractive women are B. physically attractive women who are in the public eye usually do quite well C. physically attractive men and women who are in the public eye usually get along quite well D. good looks are important for women as they are for men Answer: A	mmlu
Question: Reader's Digest is a monthly magazine. Before the 1980s, it belonged to a privately held company, which was started in 1922 by Lila Bell Wallace and Dewitt Wallace. This magazine is small and easy to carry, just half the size of most American magazines, which caused a phrase in 2005, "America in your pocket." It is the best selling magazine in the USA. At present, its circulation in the USA has reached 10 million copies and the number of the readers there is 38 million. It also has 40 million overseas readers in more than another 70 countries. This magazines focus is not news but more of cultural views because the editors think people now can get timely news from somewhere else. They hope this magazine can give readers something that is about special personal experiences, something the readers can share with their families. In different countries, this magazine provides a window to the world for the local readers. Some parts of the magazine are about the local customs and interests of the local readers. The other parts give the local readers information from all over the world. This magazine's focus includes the following topics EXCEPT _ . A. something about the timely news B. some special personal experiences C. some information from all over the world D. the local customs and interests of the local readers Answer: A	mmlu
Question: "Basketball is not only for young people," my grandpa often says. Grandpa is a retired teacher. He likes basketball. He isn't tall or strong. And he can not run fast. But he is a member of a basketball team. "I play for 15 minutes in every game," says Grandpa. "I can score 10 points for my team." He is right. He is really good at basketball. I learn a lot from him. Grandpa plays basketball with his friends. They play for about an hour every time. Sometimes their team comes to our school. And they play with our school team. Then the young students and the old people can have fun together. "What is sport? Sport is a game to make people healthy and happy," Grandpa tells me. Young students and the old people sometimes play basketball _ . A. in ourschool B. in the park C. at home D. in the club Answer: A	mmlu
Question: Dear Kitty: News! We have a new flat! The rooms are small, but they are comfortable. There are more rooms here than in our old flat. This is good because now I have my own room. In the old flat, I share with my sister. My bedroom is my favourite room in our flat. I can be alone in it. I can read or draw. I can listen to my radio or play CDs. I can play games on my computer and send e-mails to my friends. My second favorite room is the kitchen. I love helping my mother cook our meals. She is a very good cook. She is teaching me how to make many different kinds of dishes. She lived in Morocco when she was a girl, and she can cook Moroccan food. It's very delicious. That's all for now. Write soon and tell me about your home. Please get on the Internet so that we can send e-mails to each other. All good wishes! Anna What does Anna do in the kitchen? A. She helps her mother cook their meals. B. She plays computer games. C. She teaches her mother how to cook. D. She reads about Moroccan food. Answer: A	mmlu
Question: Starting next month, people in prefix = st1 /Washingtonwill be able to rent a bicycle day and night with a membership card. A new company called SmartBike will make 120 bicycles available at 10 spots in the city. "There's a lot of stress on our transit systems," said Jim Sebastian, who manages bicycle and pedestrian programs forWashington's Transportation Department. Offering another choice, Mr Sebastian said, "It will help us reduce traffic jam and pollution, as well as parking problems." In the deal, the company will have the advertising rights in the city's bus shelters and it has reached a similar deal with San Erancisco. Chicago andPortland,Ore., are also considering the program. For a $40 annual membership fee, SmartBike users can check out three-speed bicycles for three hours at a time. The program will not provide helmets but does encourage their use. Similar programs have proved successful in Europe. The Ve1ib program in Paris and Bicing in Barcelona, Spain, both started around a year ago and already offer thousands of bicycles. Mr Sebastian, who started trying to bring bike-sharing to Washington even before its success in Paris and Barcelona, said he believed that the program could grow within a year and hoped that it would eventually offer 1 000 bicycles. "But studies showed that many bikes would get stolen in a day, or within a few weeks," said Paul DeMaio, a Washington-area bike-sharing consultant. Improved technology allows programs to better protect bicycles. In Washington, SmartBike users who keep bicycles longer than the three-hour maximum will receive demerits and could eventually lose renting privileges. Bicycles gone for more than 48 hours will be considered lost, with the last user charged a $200 replacement fee. The low cost could be one of the program's major selling points. At GeorgeWashingtonUniversityin Foggy Bottom, one of the program's 10 locations, students were unsure how often they would use SmartBike, but said its price made it worth a try. What will attract the customers most in the program? A. Low price. B. Great convenience. C. New idea. D. High quality. Answer: A	mmlu
Question: Why are alternative fuels being used in some automobiles? A. Alternative fuels are at every gas station. B. Gasoline comes from a limited resource. C. Alternative fuels cause pollution. D. Gasoline engines are too expensive to make. Answer: B	mmlu
Question: DU Lala is the hottest career coach in the country. The fictional character in the acclaimed novel Du La La's Promotion shows others how to take the high road to success in a multinational company. But does her story describe a real or distorted picture of work life? The answer is as complicated as office life itself. Over one million copies of the book have been sold since its release in 2007. Go Lala Go!, a movie adaptation of the novel set to hit cinemas next weekend, has stirred up even more interest in the story. The film stars Xu Jinglei and Stanley Huang, but fans seem to be more excited about seeing the story unfold on the big screen. According to a recent sina.com survey, 45 percent of the 6,810 netizens polled said they have drawn career pointers from the novel. Other office novels, such as In and Out of the Loop, Win and Lose and Drowning and Floating, seem to have been received with similar interest. "These books show me the life of white collars, and they teach me career rules and jargon that are not offered in class," said Zhang Shanshan, a 22-year-old senior at Beijing Forestry University. Zhang says the competition, humor and office gossip in the book intrigued her. "I can't wait to embark on my own career," she said. The popularity of office novels does not surprise Chen Ning, a senior career consultant at Zhaopin.com. "Novels about office fights and struggles satisfy the psychological demands of an ordinary office worker," Chen said. "The leading characters face great pressure, fierce competition and an uncertain future. This is what really happens in many readers' daily life." Li Ke, the author of Du Lala's Promotion, has been stressing the significance of her fiction. "I want to provide real and useful common sense, knowledge and experience to office workers," Li told the Qianjiang Evening News last year. Recent graduates say they have found the basic work principles highlighted in the novel to be instructive. "If these books had been published five years earlier, I might have avoided some problems," said Xu Jun, an HR manager at Guangqi Honda Automobile Company. "They often discuss basic office principles, which are relevant for staff working under the middle management level. They also help readers to see the importance of basic problem solving and organizational skills." But some veteran employees warn that the novels are not always realistic. They say this is especially true of the characters. "The protagonists appear to be unbeatable," said Hou Zhendong, an HR manager at General Electric. "Du Lala's team leader quit in an irresponsible way; her boss is inept; and the staff around her is either stupid or overly-sophisticated. Du stands out in emergencies and makes all the right decisions. The truth is, real-life colleagues are not that polarized ," Hou said. "You seldom get to negotiate your salary with a big boss. And, most of the time, you make wrong decisions far more than you make correct ones." The career principles in the books are also of limited use. "Most of the stories happen in Fortune 500 companies with a long history. Their cultures are well-established, and their rules are scientific," Hou said. "But if you work for a small foreign company, or a local enterprise, some principles are useless." Liu Rui, a project manager at IBM, suggests fans of these books focus on the little bits of wisdom they provide. "The novels give rookies some inspiration," he said. "They emphasize the importance of observation, practice and self-examination. These tips are precious and universally true." Which of the following is the best title of the passage? A. The Life of White Collars B. The Hottest Career Coach C. How to Promote in Company D. Go Lala Go! -- Office Life Not All Fairytale Drama Answer: D	mmlu
Question: Early in the 16th century men were trying to reach Asia by traveling west from Europe. In order to find Asia they had to find a way past South America. The man who finally found the way from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific was Ferdinand Magellan. Magellan sailed from Seville in August, 1519 with five ships and about 280 men. Fourteen months later, after spending the cold winter on the coast of Patagonia, he discovered the channel which is now called Magellan Strait . In November, 1520, after many months of dangers from rocks and storms, the three remaining ships entered the ocean on the other side of South America. They then continued, hoping to reach Asia. But they did not see any land until they reached the islands off the coast of Asia. Before they arrived at these islands, later known as the Philippines, men were dying of starvation. While they were staying in the Philippines, Magellan was killed in a battle. The remaining officers then had to get back to Spain. They decided to sail round Africa. After many difficulties, one ship with eighteen men sailed into Seville three years after leaving. They were all that remained of Magellan's expedition. However, their achievement was great. They were the first men to sail round the world. The number of the ships lost on the whole expedition was _ . A. two B. three C. four D. five Answer: C	mmlu
Question: My mind went blank when I saw the gun pointing against the car window as we pulled out of the garage. This can't be happening to me. Then I felt the gun, cold, against my head, and I heard my friend Jeremy saying, "What do you want? Take my wallet," but at the time I thought of nothing. I remember being a little annoyed when the gunman pulled me from the car by the hair. I remember the walk to the house --- Jeremy, me, the two men with two guns. I remember the fear and anger in the gunmen's voices because Jeremy was being slow, and I remember wondering why he was being slow. I did not realize that Jeremy had thrown the keys into the bush. But I remember that sound of the gun hitting Jeremy's head and the feeling as the man who had hold of my hair released me. And I remember the split second when I realized he was looking at Jeremy, and I remember wondering how far I could run before he pulled the trigger. But I was already running, and upon reaching the car across the street, I didn't crouch behind it but screamed instead. I remember thinking there was something ridiculous and illogical about screaming "Help, help!" at eight o'clock on a Tuesday evening in December and changing my plea to the more specific "Help, let me in, please let me in!" But the houses were cold, closed, unfriendly, and I ran on until I heard Jeremy's screams behind me announcing that our attackers had fled. The neighbors who had not opened their doors to us came out with baseball bats and helped Jeremy find his glasses and keys. In a group they were very brave. We waited for the police to come until someone said to someone else that the noodles were getting cold, and I said politely, "Please go and eat. We're O.K." I was happy to see them go. They had been talking of stricter sentences for criminals, of bringing back the death penalty and how the President is going to clean up the country. I was thinking, they could be saying all of this over my dead body, and I still feel that stiffer sentences wouldn't change a thing. In a rush all the anger I should have felt for my attackers was directed against these contented people standing in front of their warm, comfortable homes talking about all the guns they were going to buy. What good would guns have been to Jeremy and me? People all over the neighborhood had called to report our screams, and the police turned out in force twenty minutes later. They were ill-tempered about what was, to them, much trouble about nothing. After all, Jeremy was hardly hurt, and we were hopeless when it came to describing the gunmen. "Typical," said one policeman when we couldn't even agree on how tall the men were. Both of us were able to describe the guns in horrifying detail, but the two policemen who stayed to make the report didn't think that would be much help. The policemen were matter-of-fact about the whole thing. The thin one said, "That was a stupid thing to do, throwing away the keys. When a man has a gun against your head you do what you're told." Jeremy looked properly embarrassed. Then the fat policeman came up and the thin one went to look around the outside of the house. "That was the best thing you could have done, throwing away the keys," he said. "If you had gone into the house with them..." His voice became weaker. "They would have hurt her" --- he twisted his head toward me - "and killed you both." Jeremy looked happier. "Look," said the fat policeman kindly, "there's no right or wrong in the situation. There's just luck." All that sleepless night I replayed the moment those black gloves came up to the car window. How long did the whole thing last? Three minutes, five, eight? No matter how many hours of my life I may spend reliving it, I know there is no way to prepare for the next time --- no intelligent response to a gun. The fat cop was right. There's only luck. The next time I might end up dead. And I'm sure there will be a next time. It can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone. Security is an illusion ; there is no safety in locks or in guns. Guns make some people feel safe and some people feel strong, but they're fooling themselves. What the author wants to tell us is that _ . A. neighbors are not helpful in moments of difficulty B. the police are not reliable when one is in trouble C. security is impossible as long as people can have guns D. preventing robbers entering your house is the best choice Answer: C	mmlu
Question: Different exercise types have different purposes and different benefits. One type of exercise may not accomplish all goals of being physically fit: a healthy heart, strong muscles and bones, and safety from injury. As a result, it is important to do enough types of exercise to have all the physical benefits. Here is a quick check sheet. Aerobic Exercise: To have a strong and healthy heart, you need to do aerobic exercise. This means that you need to exercise yourself enough so that your heart rate, while exercising, is 65 percent to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. If you don't get your heart rate up within this level--you just aren't working hard enough. Whatever you do, your heart rate needs to be 65 percent to 85 percent of your MHR for 20 to 30 minutes, at least 3 times a week. Typical types include: * Running * Walking (at least 4 to 4.5 mph) * Swimming * Bikingk3s5u * Elliptical Training * Yoga Strength Training: To keep your muscles and bones strong, you need to do strength training. This comes in a variety of forms. Whatever you do, however, you need to train your muscles enough so that they are really tired by the end of each _ . To see real benefits, make sure you are strength training 2 to 3 times a week for about 30 to 40 minutes. Typical types of strength training include: * Weight Training * Yoga * Resistance Training * Plyometrics Flexibility Training: To keep your body flexible, reducing risk of injuries and pain in your joints and muscles, you need to do flexibility training. You should always aim to stretch every muscle after any exercise routine. Typical types of flexibility training include: * Stretching * Yoga * Pilates So next time you think that yoga 5 times a week will be enough, think about what it is really doing. Is it getting your heart rate up? Are you making up your strength? Are you keeping your muscles flexible? After reading this passage, we know that _ . A. Yoga is really better for people than running B. The more exercise you do, the better C. Flexibility training helps you build up your muscles D. The three kinds of training have links with one another Answer: D	mmlu
Question: As the amount of food an animal eats increases what else will increase? A. heaviness B. drought C. starvation D. sunlight Answer: A	mmlu
Question: if a student asked a teacher about the size of a certain item, what could be an indicator? A. the volume of the item B. the color of the item C. the luster of the item D. the depth of the item Answer: A	mmlu
Question: On hearing the words "Just do it!",you will know there is a Nike product nearby.If it's "Always Coca-Cola", you can be sure someone wants to sell you a refreshing drink. _ The slogan helps people understand the brand better by telling them what it wants to sell to its customers.Good slogans 1eave a message inside people'sminds.It's almost certain that every brand has a popular slogan. Here are a few examples: "Just do it!"This slogan speaks out to teens.It tells them to do something,but only if they think it's worth it.And if so,why not do it wearing Nike? "Always Coca-Cola."Coke's slogans change every few years,but this one has enjoyed lasting popularity because it shows the brand's spirit.It seems to say "coke is the only drink there is;there are no other forms of drinks." "Share moments,share life."----This slogan from Kodak connects photos and beauty.It asks people to remember the happy moments in life by taking photos of them--using Kodak film of course! what would be the best title for the text? A. Just Do It! B. Slogan And Brand C. Famous slogans D. What Is A Good slogan? Answer: B	mmlu
Question: Valerie Jarrett, 58, is serving as a top adviser to President Obama and has been close to the first family since the early 1990s. Joe Heim fromWashingtonPosthad an interview with her. Joe Heim: What do you think of a reporter who interviews you for 25 minutes, then later finds out his recorder stopped working and asks you to do the interview again? Valerie Jarrett: _ . You could have just tried to pretend that it didn't happen. Joe Heim: You're considered the president's closest adviser. Have you ever given him bad advice since he became president? Valerie Jarrett: I'm sure that I have. I think one of the reasons why the president's management style is very effective is because all of his advisers feel very comfortable being open about their advice. Finally, there's only one decision-maker. And that's the president. Joe Heim: What misunderstandings are there of you? Valerie Jarrett: A little-known fact is that I started my life very shy and remained very shy well into adulthood. Painfully shy, I would call it. And I often share this, particularly with young people, because it's something I really had to work hard to overcome. And for all the shy people out there I say, you, too, can overcome it. But it took a lot of hard work on my part, and I discovered along the way that just because you're nervous and you have butterflies in your stomach doesn't mean that it has to show. My point in sharing it with you is that part of life is pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone . And if you're going to grow, you have to learn how to take on new challenges that you might not be good at. Joe Heim: Will you stay until the end of his term? Valerie Jarrett: I serve at the pleasure of the president. If he wants me to stay, I will. Why does Valerie Jarrett share her shyness? A. To show her hard way to success. B. To prove shy people can also be great. C. To show it is easy to overcome shyness. D. To ask people to face challenges bravely. Answer: D	mmlu
Question: This is a tale of two friends --- one is blind, the other has no arms. On their own, the two are "disabled". But together, they are a powerful team that has changed part of their village in North China's Hebei Province into a rich, green forest. Meet 53-year-old Jia Haixia and Jia Wenqi! Their story began in 2000, when Haixia, who was already blind in his right eye, lost his left one after an illness. Wenqi lost his arms in an accident when he was just three. Neither could find a job, so the two decided to team up. They rented some poor land and began to plant trees. In return, the local officials paid them a small fee. Haixia and Wenqi never imagined that they would end up creating an environmental paradise. Their forest now has over 10,000 trees, hundreds of birds and many other wild animals. In addition, it saves the village from river flooding during the rainy season. When the friends work together, they focus on their strengths not their disabilities. Their day begins at 7 a.m. when the sightless Haixia carries Wenqi across the river to get to their worksite. Since they cannot afford to buy young trees to plant, the two use branches from existing trees. Haixia climbs to the tree-top and with Wenqi's direction, selects the perfect branch. He then digs a hole and carefully plants it. Finally Wenqi waters the area. Though hard-working, the men don't make much money. But as Wenqi puts it, " _ ." Neither Haixia nor Wenqi cares about money. Together, they already have everything they need --- a perfect pair of eyes, two strong hands, and the best friendship in the world! Haixia and Wenqi's forest has helped the village by _ . A. stopping floods in the rainy season B. increasing the number of tourists C. making the villagers richer D. providing more farmland Answer: A	mmlu
Question: Welcome to the Amazing kids Website! Here you can read about clever children all over the world. Gina, who is thirteen years old, got first prize in the "Young Look of the Year" competition and is now writing her own recipe book for kids. "I want it to be fun to read and easy enough for children to use," she says. Gina learned by observing her father, who's also good at cooking, in the kitchen. She wants to encourage other children to cook because "everyone needs to eat, so it's a skill that will always be useful! Fourteen-year-old Bren used to love running until he had a serious car accident three years ago. He lost part of one leg and didn't even expect to walk again. Now he's an athlete who has recently completed a marathon. "After my accident I wanted to give up," he says. "But now I'm happy to be alive and able to continue running." Helga has always been good at science, but she thought it was too difficult to become an inventor. Then she heard about an accident that had happened when a car hit a train in her town. "That gave me an idea," says the clever sixteen-year-old girl. It took her over a year to invent a special machine that tells car drivers when a train is coming. One company is already interested in selling it, so it may be in the shops soon! Why is it surprising that Bren is an athlete? A. Because he can' t walk. B. Because he lost part of one leg. C. Because he gave up running. D. Because he used to love running. Answer: B	mmlu
Question: This story takes place in a faraway land. One day, in this magical kingdom a happy little kitten, named Lucy, was walking down the road. As she turned the corner, she came upon a frog who had badly hurt his leg trying to jump over a puddle. The kitten looked down at the frog and asked him if he needed any help. The frog said, "Oh, yes. My name is Sammy. I'm late for a very important meeting with my father, Ralph. I was trying to jump over this puddle and caught my leg on that rock." The kitten bent down and helped the frog climb on to her back. She carried the frog all the way in to the city, to the place where he was to meet his father. When the kitten entered the great room with the frog on her back, all of the frogs that were inside looked on in fear. The frog quickly explained to them how kind and brave the young kitten had been in helping him make it to his meeting. As it turned out, the frog was actually a prince and today was the day that his father was to pass rule on to him. In reward for helping him, the new frog king made the kitten a princess, and they lived happily ever after as the best of friends. What was the name of the kitten? A. Ralph B. Sammy C. Lucy D. Patricia Answer: C	mmlu
Question: Do you always forget where you placed your keys or your purse? What was the name of the movie you saw last week? The major cause of your forgetfulness may be linked to what you store in your body, not in your short-term memory bank. Tests continue to show that people with enough Vitamin B-2 do well in memory exams. The "B" could stand for "brain", if you're one of many with limited instant recall. And the number one source of that vitamin is sunflower seeds. Even when you're sleeping or relaxing, your brain is still at work. Although it makes up just two percent of your total body weight, it uses up to 30 % of the calories you take in each day. For it to work properly, it must be fed. Even if you're not a breakfast eater, that meal is the best way to prepare your brain for the day. A quick and easy English _ with peanut and butter in it, a glass of milk, and an orange, might be what your brain may be asking you the first thing in the morning when you feel your head is in a fog. Having sunflower seeds and fruit between meals adds more muscle to that hungry, demanding organ. Vitamin B-1 also helps the memory, and that is found in eggs, meats and nuts. In Chinese culture, walnuts are known as the fruit for a long life because it is believed that they feed both the kidneys and the brain. And according to Chinese culture, if you keep those two important organs in good working order, you'll live longer. However forgetful you are, just keep in mind the letter "B", which will help you to "bear in mind almost everything" even on those days when life's challenges are sending you in a billion directions. What can you get from the passage? A. Keep in mind the letter "B" B. The younger, the better memory C. Learn about Chinese culture D. Try to get more rest Answer: A	mmlu
Question: I passed my driving test at the fourth attempt. You might think that means I'm not as safe as someone who passed on their first attempt. But would you feel safer with no driver at all? Maybe not, and that's why automotive firms have included driverassist functions in their driverless cars. This allows the human driver to take over if there is a problem. Google is one producer that has prototype driverless cars. These cars have been newly equipped with autosteering wheels and conventional controls to allow normal driving. But this is just a stage -- the vision is to have fully automated cars very soon. The director of Google's selfdrive project, Chris Urmson, hopes his 11yearold son will never have to take a driving test. To achieve that, the cars need to be on the roads in five years. He says driverless cars will greatly reduce accidents and traffic jams. According to Chris, about 1.2 million people are killed on the roads around the world each year. That number is equivalent to a jet falling out of the sky every day. He thinks gradual changes to existing car designs are not enough to deal with the problems. "If we are really going to make changes to our cities, get rid of parking lots, we need selfdrive cars," he says. Google's prototypes have covered over a million kilometers on the road. They have also had to deal with unexpected situations, such as a child driving a toy car in the road, and a woman in an electric wheelchair chasing a duck. In each case, the car reacted safely. Some are not convinced. Sven Beiker of Stanford University thinks driverless cars will still need human input in extreme circumstances. Chris Urmson mentioned his 11yearold son in order to show that _ . A. traditional cars are harmful for kids B. his son is not good at driving C. his son is a slow learner in driving D. driverless cars will come soon Answer: D	mmlu
Question: Electricity from a power plant lights up a light bulb in a house because A. a conductor is unnecessary B. there is only one conductor C. a conductor inside the house contacts a conductor outside the house D. the house is free of conductors Answer: C	mmlu
Question: About 97% of the world's water is salty and is found in our oceans and seas. But, as we can't drink seawater, how can it be important? Every part of our seas and oceans contains an amazing number of animals and fish that live at different ocean depths. Most of the different species of animals and fish depend on simple plants for their food. These simple plants called algae drift near the surface of the ocean and use sunlight to turn carbon dioxide and water into food and oxygen. In fact, algae produce over half of the oxygen people breathe. How important seawater is! Each plant or animal in our seas and oceans is an important link in a food chain. The algae are eaten in large amounts by microscopic animals, which are in turn consumed by larger animals. These food chains are delicately balanced. The bad news about the food chains in the oceans is that they are under threat because of man. People once thought that the oceans were so big that it didn't matter if we dumped rubbish into them or caught huge quantities of fish and whales for food. But we now know this is not true and fish stocks in the oceans have started to drop. Thankfully, the world is taking steps to protect the future of our oceans by introducing international agreements to protect marine habitats. Most countries have introduced fishing restrictions to protect fish stocks in the oceans and new techniques are being pioneered to cope with pollution. Finally, the importance of protecting oceans is being made known to more people. This is just the beginning of a long process to protect the oceans for our future. We depend on the oceans for fish which are an important part of the human diet. How important seawater is! Which of the following is NOT a way being used to protect oceans? A. The use of international agreements. B. Forbidding fishing to protect fish stocks. C. The use of new techniques. D. Raising people's awareness of the need to protect oceans. Answer: B	mmlu
Question: He must have been completely lost in something he was reading because I had to tap on the windshield to get his attention."Is your cab available ?"I asked when he finally looked up at me.He nodded,then said apologetically as I settled into the back seat,"I'm sorry,but I was reading a letter."He sounded as if he had a cold."I am not in a hurry,"I told him."Go ahead and finish your letter."He shook his head."I've read it several times already.I guess I almost know it by heart." "Letters from home always mean a lot" I said. "This isn't family," he replied."although it might just as well have been family.Old Ed was my oldest friend.In fact,we used to call each other 'Old Friend'--when we'd meet.I'm not much good at writing." "I don't think any of us keep up our correspondence too well,"I said."I know I don't,but I take it he's someone you've known quite a while?" "All my life.We were kids together, went to school together and all the way through high school.""There are not too many people who've had such a long friendship,"I said."Actually,"the driver went on,"I hadn't seen him more than once or twice year over the past 25 or 30 years because I moved away from the old neighborhood and you kind of lose touch even though you never forget." "You said 'was'.Does that mean---?" he nodded."A couple of weeks ago." "I'm sorry" He didn't say anything more,and we rode on in silence for a few minutes.But I realized that Old Ed was still on his mind when he spoke again,almost more to himself than to me." "I should have kept in touch with him." "Well,'' I agreed,"we should all keep in touch with old friends more than we do.But things come up and we just don't seem to find the time." When I got to my hotel room I didn't unpack right away.First I had to write a letter --and mail it. Why did the writer write a letter and mail it right away when he got to the hotel room? A. He has the habit of writing letters* B. He doesn't want to make the same mistake as the driver. C. His family asked him to do so. D. He misses his friends very much. Answer: B	mmlu
Question: The American newspaper has been around for about three hundred years. In 1721, the printer James Franklin, Benjamin's older brother, started the New England Courant,and that was what we might recognize today as a real newspaper. He filled his paper with stories of adventure, articles on art, on famous people, and on all sorts of political subjects. Three centuries after the appearance of Franklin'sCourant,few believe that newspapers in their present printed from will remain alive for long. Newspaper companies are losing advertisers ,readers, market value, and in some cases, their sense of purpose at a speed that would not have been imaginable just several years ago. The chief editor of theTimessaid recently, "At places where they gather, editors ask one another, 'How are you?', as if they have just come out of the hospital or a lost law case." An article about the newspaper appeared on the website of theGuandian, under the headline "NOT DEAD YET." Perhaps not, but the rise of the Internet, which has made the daily newspaper look slow and out of step with the world, has brought about a real sense of death. Some American newspapers have lost 42% of their market value in the past three years. The New York Times Company has seen its stock drop by 54% since the end of 2004, with much of the loss coming in the past year. A manager at Deutsche Bank suggested that stock-holders sell off their Times stock. The Washington Post Company has prevented the trouble only by changing part of its business to education; its testing and test-preparation service now brings in at least half the company's income. How does the author seem to feel about the future of newspapers? A. Satisfied. B. Hopeful. C. Worried. D. Surprised. Answer: C	mmlu
Question: J.K. Rowling had reused her magic and brought Dumbledore back to life. A spokesperson for the author confirmed Rowling had sent a letter and a package to a Texas teenager who optimistically found strength in the words of a Harry Potter film after witnessing the murder of her family. Fifteen-yiear-old Cassidy Stay lost both parent s and four _ to a gunman in Texas last month. Cassidy was shot in the head and survived the gunshot wound only because she played dead. Authorities had called her survival a miracle. Cassidy had seen the unimaginable tragedy, but was still thinking about happiness. At the memorial( ) for her family, Cassidy gave a speech in front of the media saying she believed her family was "in a much better place." Quoting the words of Dumbledore, the wise headmaster of Hogwarts, she said, "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." The same day Cassidy gave her speech, a Facebook page called "We want J.K. Rowling to meet Cassidy Stay" formed and quickly draw public attention. The creator of the page claimed to know a friend of Cassidy's who "confirmed that J.K. Rowling did write Cassidy a personal letter under the name of 'Dumbledor'. She also sent a wand, an acceptance letter to Hogwarts with a school supply list, along with the 3rdbook with Rowling's autograph." Where did Cassidy find strength after the tragedy? A. In a letter sent to her by J.K Rowling B. From her friends C. In the words of a Harry Potter film D. At the memorial for her family Answer: C	mmlu
Question: Rome had the Forum . London has Speaker's Corner. Now always-on-the-go New Yorkers have Liz and Bill. Liz and Bill, two college graduates in their early 20s, have spent a whole year trying to have thousands of people talk to them in subway stations and on busy street corners. And just talk. Using a 2-foot-tall sign that says, " Talk to Me," they attract conversationalists, who one evening included a mental patient, and men in business suits. They don't collect money. They don't push religion . So what's the point? " To see what happens," said Liz. " We simply enjoy life with open talk." Shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, they decided to walk from New York City to Washington, a 270-mile trip. They found they loved talking to people along the way and wanted to continue talking with strangers after their return. " It started as a crazy idea." Liz said. " We were so curious about all the strangers walking by with their life stories. People will talk to us about anything: their job, their clothes, their childhood experiences, anything." Denise wanted to talk about an exam she was about to take. She had stopped by for the second time in two days, to let the two listeners know how it went. Marcia had led her husband to a serious disease. "That was very heavy on my mind." Marcia said. " To be able to talk about it to total strangers was very good," she explained. To celebrate a year of talking, the two held a get-together in a city park for all the people they had met over the past year. A few hundred people appeared, as well as some television cameramen and reporters. They may plan more parties or try to attract more people to join their informal talks. Some publishers have expressed interest in a book, something the two say they'll consider before making a decision. How do they like the idea of writing a book? A. They have decided to wait a year or two. B. They will think about it carefully C. They agreed immediately D. They find it hard to do that. Answer: B	mmlu
Question: In England, afternoon tea is the most informal meal of a day. It is taken between four and five. If you are a friend of the family, you may come for tea at any time. Very often it is not taken at a table. The members of the family and visitors take the tea in the sitting room. Each person has a cup and saucer , a spoon and a small plate for bread and butter and cakes. By the way, do not help yourself to cakes first, bread and butter first, and then cake. Do remember: Though you can eat as much as you want, do not put more than one piece of bread or cake on your plate each time. A real English afternoon tea has_. A. tea only B. both tea and food C. tea, food and vegetables D. the same things as other meals Answer: B	mmlu
Question: Leaving your ice cream outside is never a good idea because it will absorb the solar energy from the sun which will do what to the temperature A. go up B. explode C. nothing D. decrease Answer: A	mmlu
Question: Books, which give instructions on how to do things, are very popular in the USA today. A lot of books like these begin with titles that start with the words "how to". Many "how to" books give advice on careers. They tell you how to choose a career and how to succeed in it. If you would like to become very rich, you can buy a book How to Make a Million. If you never make any money, you need a book called How to Live on Nothing. One of the most popular kinds of books is one that helps you with personal problems. If you are unhappy with your life, you can read How to love Every Minute of Your life. If you are tired of books on happiness, you may prefer a book called How to Make Yourself Sad.. Many of these books help people use their free time better. Some people want books which will give them useful information about sports, hobbies and travels. Other people use their free time to make repairs and improvements in their homes. They like books which give step-by-step instructions on how to repair things like electrical writing, or how to decorate a house or make it larger. Why have "how to" books become so popular ? Maybe because life has become so popular. Maybe because life has become so complex. Today people have far more free time to use , more choices to make, and more problems to solve. "How to" books help people deal with modern life. ,. If you never make enough to feed yourself at all, you can buy a book with the title _ . A. How to Live on Nothing B. How to Love Every Minute of Your Life C. How to Make Yourself Happy D. How to Make Yourself Sad Answer: A	mmlu
Question: In many ways, the earliest periods of photography are the most satisfying. Learning to use the controls is easy and comes quickly, and you can measure the results in terms of sharp and correctly developed pictures. Once you have mastered that, you can start on the second step of your photographic work. Using these basic skills in a wide variety of situations to give the pictures you want, noticing what you see through the viewfinder and turning that into the most effective picture becomes totally interesting. All good photographs have one thing in common; there is no doubt what the subject of the picture is meant to be. Every photographer must use those same standards to his or her work, not only to the finished results but to the subject before he or she takes it. Always work out quite clearly what the subject of the picture is to be and why you are taking the picture. For example,"I am going to take a picture of this street to show the different styles and ages of the buildings and that people have been living, working and shopping in them since time began."By doing this you have a better idea of what to include in the picture and what to leave out. How often have you been shown photographs taken by people away on a trip somewhere? The judgment is always similar, something about"the car park is out of the picture to the left", or"you can't quite see from this picture but if you go up the street". The photographs are usually collections of buildings, people, parked cars, possibly a distant look of an ancient church, and best of all, a figure which you are told is Aunt Henrietta, disappearing in the middle distance. When photographers show you their pictures, they have a clear idea of what they want to bring to your attention, but it often does not appear in the picture. If they had given just a little of their time to think about their future judgment before taking the picture, then the picture would relate its own story. Good pictures can show their subjects quickly and easily. Many photographers fail because _ . A. their pictures include the buildings and people B. the details are not clear in their pictures C. the subjects of their pictures are not obvious D. the explanation given for their pictures is mistaken Answer: C	mmlu
Question: The Piano Lesson Jenny wasn't interested in playing the piano. She liked writing stories and acting them out with her friends. But Mrs. Windsor gave her piano lessons for free, so she felt she should have a try. Every Sunday she had her piano lessons in Mrs. Windsor's house. One Sunday morning, Jenny walked into Mrs. Windsor's music room and sat down on the piano bench as usual. "Hello," Jenny heard a voice behind her. She turned around and saw a young girl. "What's your name?" The girl asked. Before Jenny could answer, Mrs. Windsor walked in and said, "Jenny, this is my niece , Pasha. Pasha, this is Jenny. I need to go to hospital, so Pasha will give you your lesson today." Pasha sat beside Jenny on the piano bench and asked, "What piece do you like best?" "I don't know." Jenny said. "They're all the same to me." "You mean you don't have a favorite?" Pasha was surprised. "No, not really." Jenny said. Pasha opened Jenny's music book and asked Jenny to play. After about a page or two, Pasha gently put her hand on top of Jenny's. Jenny stopped. Then Pasha said, "Jenny, what are you hearing in the music?" Jenny looked at Pasha strangely. "I don't know." Jenny said. "Let me try and you listen," Pasha said. "All you have to do is learn to hear the stories in the music." "I've never thought of it that way." Jenny said. "Let's try together, shall we?" Pasha smiled. Together they played that afternoon and tried to find the story in the music. That day Jenny found playing the piano was not that difficult. Pasha told Jenny all she had to do is _ . A. listen to Mrs. Windsor carefully B. write her favourite piece of music C. play the piano gently and slowly D. learn to hear the stories in the music Answer: D	mmlu
Question: Winners Club You choose to be a winner! The Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers.It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction account where you receive a key-card so you can get to your money 24/7--that' s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! It' s a club with impressive features for teenagers: * No account keeping fees! You' re no millionaire so we don' t expect you to pay large fees. In fact, there are no account keeping or transaction fees! * Excellent interest rates! You want your money to grow. The Winners Club has a good rate of interest which gets even better if you make at least two deposits without taking them out in a month. * Convenient Teenagers are busy--we get that. You may never need to come to a bank at all. With the Winners Club you can choose to use handy tellers and to bank from home using the phone and the Internet...You can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account. This could be your pocket money or your pay from your part-time job! * Mega magazine included Along with your regular report, you will receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money. There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members. The Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers. And it is so easy to join. Simply fill in an application form. You will have to get permission from your parent or guardian(so we can organize that cool key-card)but it is easy. We can' t wait to hear from you. It' s the best way to choose to be a winner! If you want to be a member of the Club,you must _ . A. be an Internet user B. be permitted by your parent C. have a big sum of money D. be in your twenties Answer: B	mmlu
Question: The world is not only hungry but also thirsty for water. This may seem strange to you, since nearly 70% of the earth's surface is covered with water. But about 97% of that is sea water or salt water. Man can only drink and use the other 3% of fresh water from rivers, lakes, underground and so on. And we can not even use all of that because some of it has been made dirty. Earth Day is April 22. But on all other days, we must also remember how important water is. The water that we use is the most important natural resource on the earth. Today we face serious water problems. One of them is water pollution. All kinds of things from cars, factories, farms and homes make our rivers, lakes and oceans dirty. Polluted water is very bad for people to drink. And dirty water is bad for fish, too. How do cars and factories make our water dirty? First they pollute the air. Then when it rains, the rain water makes our drinking water dirty. Dirty rain, called acid rain is also bad for plants, animals and buildings. Scientists say that in 30 years, more than half of the people in the world won't have enough clean water. We have to learn how to stop wasting water. One of the first steps is to develop ways of reusing it. Today in most large cities, water is used only once and then sent out into a sewer system . From there it returns to the sea or goes underground. But even though every large city reused its water, we would still not have enough. So we should make use of sea water by removing the salt in it. If we can take these steps, fresh water won't be used up. From this passage, we know acid rain _ . A. is only bad for living things B. is not bad for buildings and factories C. can be produced in factories D. is bad for people, animals, plants and buildings Answer: D	mmlu
Question: Since 2008, hunters have illegally killed more than 3000 rhinos in South Africa. The International Union for Conservation of Nature warns that rhinos may die out by 2026. People who hunt and kill illegally are called poachers. The most effective way to watch for and prevent illegal hunting is from the air. However, piloted flights are too costly. Fortunately, some Spanish college students have invented a drone that can observe more places than a plane. Arnau Garcia is an aeronautical engineering student at the Polytechnic Institute of Catalonia, in Spain. He says observers from the air have trouble finding poachers when they hide under the trees. Mr. Garcia and other students have worked with the drone manufacturer HEMAV to help find the hidden poachers. They make it by using the thermal camera, which is especially sensitive to body heat. Even when the poachers keep still, it can also keep track of them. The drone can fly in the wind up to 55 kilometers per hour. It has an autopilot system, so it memorizes the flight path. The drone also has a microphone, a video camera and a GPS system. These permit it to report accurately where a picture is taken. After each flight, the drone can bring back detailed information about where rhinos are found, the conditions of water and plants in the area, and the positions of suspected poachers. Experts say the drone can fly as far as 70 kilometers from the base. It means that it could quickly observe large areas for poachers. However, the same search operation would take days for human observers. Thanks to the drone, many poachers have been caught and the number of rhinos is on the increase. In addition, HEMAV has received an increasing number of orders for the drone. Even South African national park officials attempt to fill the air with drones. What's the best title for the text? _ A. How to make the drone work well B. A new way to stop illegal hunting C. The living conditions of rhinos are worrying D. The drone helps save rhinos in South Africa Answer: D	mmlu
Question: Here are a lot of different cakes-fruit cakes,chocolate cakes,etc.Sometimes we buy them in a shop.Sometimes we make them ourselves. We like cakes.We like Christmas cakes a lot.My mother often makes cakes for us at Christmas.And I often help her to make them.To make a Christmas cake,we need these things: Half a kilo of flour ; 3 cups of milk; 4 eggs and some fruit,etc. Now we can make a cake with those things. When does the writer's mother make cakes for her? A. At Christmas. B. On the writer's birthday. C. On weekdays. D. On Sundays. Answer: A	mmlu
Question: Greg Heffely is 11 years old. He is a student. In his class, some students get to school on foot.. Some get to school by bus. He lives far from school. He always gets to school by car. He is clever and naughty He always has a lot of ideas .He likes writing diaries. In his diary, he often writes many interesting stories about his life. He also draws pictures in his diary. He has a lot of problems in school. And he makes a lot of trouble ,too. He runs away from a school basketball game. He often plays tricks on others. But he always makes a fool of himself. He is not good at making friends. But he wants to be the most popular in his school. He also has some problems at home. Sometimes he pulls the cat's tail and knock at others' door then run away. Greg is not a good model. We shouldn't do things like Greg. But US children like reading his diaries. Do you want to read about him ? Go and read the book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid(<<>> ). It is very popular in the US. Greg Heffley often writes _ in his diary. A. a lot of interesting things about his country. B. his favorite places C. lots of interesting stories about his life. D. his favorite project at school. Answer: C	mmlu
Question: A caring mother is the single most important factor in preventing teenagers from abusing drugs and alcohol,researchers said on Friday.An international study showed that teenagers living with both parents are less likely to suffer from alcohol and drug problems,and a strong is the most effective way to fight against them. "These findings suggest that living with both parents may prevent drug use."said Dr.McArdle,of Newcastle University in northern England, who led the study."They also suggest that attachment ,particularly to mothers,is a more effective factor and that this is truly across cultures and substances."The report, which is published in the journal Addiction, involved nearly 4,000 teenagers in England,Ireland,Italy,Germany and the Netherlands.They were questioned about their use of several kinds of drugs and alcohol.The teenagers also filled in questionnaires about their relationship with their parents and grandparents, how well they were supervised after school and whether they were allowed to meet friends at home. "Both the quality of family relationships and the structure of families have significant influences on youth drug use," McArdle said in a statement.But he added that a strong offered the greatest protection against developing drug habits.The rate of drug abuse among teenagers living with both parents and who had a good relationship with their mother was 16.6 percent.If either factor was missing, the drug abuse rate rose to 32 percent.More than 42 percent of teenagers living in one parent families who did not have a strong bond with their mother used drugs. Drug prevention campaigns in British schools and on television warn teenagers about the danger of drugs and alcohol but McArdle said no one is dealing with the problem of their parents' responsibility According to McArdle,which is most likely to have the drug abuse problem _ ? A. 16-year-old Tom from a happy big family B. 17-year-old Kate supervised by her single mother. C. 18-year-old Juliet living with her single father. D. 19-year-old Mark cared by his parents. Answer: C	mmlu
Question: For all dinner tables, a glass of milk seems to be a must. At least it was when I was growing up. It is widely believed that milk is a must in building strong bones and teeth. There's no doubt that dairy products, especially milk, are high in protein and calcium, and Vitamin D and Vitamin A are added to most milk products. While it's well known that our bones need calcium, some studies suggest that high calcium intake doesn't necessarily lower a person's risk for fractures . A Harvard study found that people who drank two or more glasses of milk had no greater protection from breaking a bone than those who drank a glass or less a week. There is no doubt that we need calcium. Some anti-dairy supporters claim dairy products can lead to heart disease. Much of this claim is based on high-fat dairy products, like cheese and cream, which may indeed lead to some health problems. Some studies have linked high milk intakes with a risk of prostate cancer; this seems also to be caused by high-fat dairy products, but not by dairy products in general. Although milk has always been regarded as the most important thing we need for our bones, one of the most important things in strengthening bones and reducing the risk of osteoporosis is weight-bearing exercise, such as jogging, walking, and weight lifting. Perhaps we should think of dairy products as less like a nutrient and more like a food. If you like it, eat it. If not, find something else to eat. Some claims may not be completely true. When I eat cream, I'm not thinking about calcium, protein, or any such thing. I'm thinking it is delicious. Based on the passage, we learn the writer may agree that _ . A. milk is the most important thing that we need for our bones B. children should not be permitted to eat cream C. milk should be considered more like a food than a nutrient D. children should drink milk whether they like it or not Answer: C	mmlu
Question: Good morning! I'm Mike Brown. I am an English boy. My telephone number is five-four-five-zero-six-seven-eight. This is my room . The quilt is blue. In the room, there are books , a computer and a pencil box . There is a(n)i _ n Mike's room. A. computer B. orange C. pencil D. Telephone Answer: A	mmlu
Question: Eleven-year-old Angela was stricken with a debilitating disease involving her nervous system.She was unable to walk and her movement was restricted in other ways as well.The doctors did not hold out much hope of her ever recovering from this illness.They predicted she'd spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair.They said that few,if any,were able to come back to normal after contracting this disease.The little girl was _ .There,lying in her hospital bed,she would vow to anyone who'd listen that she was definitely going to be walking again someday. She was transferred to a specialized hospital in the San Francisco Bay area.Whatever therapies could be applied to her case were used.The therapists were charmed by her undefeatable spirit.They taught her about imaging--about seeing herself walking.If it would do nothing else,it would at least give her hope and something positive to do in the long waking hours in her bed.Angela would work as hard as possible in physical therapy,in whirlpools and in exercise sessions.But she worked just as hard lying there faithfully doing her imaging;visualizing herself moving,moving,moving! One day,as she was staining with all her might to imagine her legs moving again,it seemed as though a miracle happened:The bed moved!It began to move around the room!She screamed out,"Look what I'm doing!Look!Look!I can do it!I moved,I moved!" Of course,at this very moment everyone else in the hospital was screaming,too,and running for cover.People were screaming,equipment was falling and glass was breaking.You see,it was the recent San Francisco earthquake.But don't tell that to Angela.She's convinced that she did it.And now only a few years later,she's back in school. _ Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text? A. The girl got over her disease just by imagining. B. It was because of her strong determination and constant efforts that she got walking again. C. The girl was on top of the world when she moved the bed in her room. D. Doctors believe imagining being healthy helps patients recover. Answer: B	mmlu
Question: The London Eye is a giant 135---meter tall Ferris wheel situated on the banks of the River Thames in the British capital. Since 20 January 2011, it has been officially known as the EDF Energy London Eye following a three---year deal with the company. It is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom, visited by over 3.5 million people every year. The London Eye is located at the western end of Jubilee Gardens, on the South Bank of the River Thames In the London Borough of Lambeth in England, between Westminster Bridge( which has longer history than the famous Severn Bridge to the west of London) and Hungerford Bridge. When erected in 1999, it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, until surpassed first by the 160 m Star of Nanchang in 2006, and the 165m Singapore Flyer in 2008. A breathtaking feat of design and engineering, passengers in the London Eye's capsules can see up to 40 kilometers in all directions. The London Eye is the vision of David Marks and Julia Barfield, a husband and wife architect team. The wheel design was used as a metaphor for the end of the 20thcentury, and time turning into the new millennium . Back in 2000, the London Eye was known as the Millennium wheel. In 2009, a 4D Film Experience was added as a free extra to enjoy before your ride on the Eye. Once you get high enough and start coming down the other side, you will see people reach for their cameras. Here's where the good stuff is right at your fingertips(or seems so). Parliament and Big Ben are beneath you, as are so many other historical things . If you are interested in other attractions in London, you can refer to the homepage. Which of the following statements is NOT correct ? A. It is so popular that every year, more than 3.5 million people visit the London Eye. B. London Eye is called the EDF Energy London Eye from 2011 because the company bought it. C. It is designed by David Marks and Julia Barfield, a husband and wife architect team. D. It is 135---meter tall and is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe. Answer: B	mmlu
Question: Do you know Pretty Little Liars ? It is one of the most popular American TV series right now. It is about the life of four girls after their best friend was killed. Lucy, one of the four girls, has more than a few secrets. Lucy knew from a very young age that she would be a star, and she loved singing most. At the age of eight, she started to take singing and acting lessons. She was born on June 14 ,1989 .She has dark brown hair and brome eyes. She is afraid of flying, snakes and spiders. It makes her happy to go shopping, dance and hang out with friends in her free time. Lucy joined a talent show for teenagers when she was 14 .She was among the top five. Quickly, Lucy began to act on different TV shows. All of these small roles led up to the biggest role for her in 2010 _ she got a lead part in Pretty Little Liars, She has won the Teen Choice Award for her role as Aria for three years, from 2010 to 2012 . So what's nest for Lucy ? She is recording an album because music is always her "first love" The story wants to tell us _ A. Lucy is pretty B. Lucy is pretty and talented as well C. Lucy loves singing most D. Lucy is a good actress Answer: B	mmlu
Question: Good morning, everyone! Welcome to our school. Now you are students of a middle school. All the things here are new. The life here is a little different. I think you must know what you can do and what you can't do. It can help you study well and live happily. Here are some rules of our school. You have to come to school from Monday to Friday. You will learn some important subjects, such as Chinese, math, English and science. Classes begin at 8:00. You have four classes in the morning. You have lunch in the school dining hall. You can't eat in the classroom. Classes are over at 3:30 in the afternoon and then you can join your favorite clubs to have fun. You can't play balls or run in the classroom and hallways. You mustn't _ these rules. I really hope you will have a happy life here. Thank you. Who is the speaker? A. A reporter. B. A doctor. C. A teacher. D. A bank clerk Answer: C	mmlu
Question: SAN FRANCISCO--A phone app in San Francisco gives information about open parking spots. City officials in San Francisco introduced the app to try to reduce traffic jams in the city, but some say it raises safety concerns. In this city, drivers searching for parking spots lead to 30 percent of all downtown jams, city officials think. Now San Francisco has found a solution--a phone app for spot-seekers that displays information about areas with available spaces. The system, introduced last month, relies on wireless sensors fixed in streets and city garages that can tell within seconds if a spot has opened up. Monique Soltani, a TV reporter, said she and her sister spent 25 minutes on Friday trying to park. "We were praying to the parking god that we'd find a spot," she said. "If we had the app, we would not have to pray to the parking god." But the system could come with serious consequences. Some people say that drivers searching for parking could end up focusing on their phones, not the road. "It could be really distracting ," said Daniel Simons, a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois. City officials acknowledge the potential problem. They are urging drivers to pull over before they use the city's iPhone app, or to do so before they leave home. Nathaniel Ford, executive director of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, said safety could actually improve if drivers quickly found a spot instead of circling and getting frustrated. San Francisco has put sensors into 7,000 parking spots and 12,250 spots in city garages. If spaces in an area open up, the sensors communicate wirelessly with computers that in turn make the information available to app users within a minute, said Mr. Ford, of the transportation agency. On the app, a map shows which blocks have lots of places (blue) and which are full (red). More than 12,000 people have downloaded San Francisco's app, which is available now only for the iPhone but which city officials say they hope to bring to all similar devices. When it is started up, the city's parking app warns drivers not to use the system while in motion. But safety advocates said that might not be sufficient. After all, they say, texting while driving is illegal in California and in many states, but a number of surveys, including one by the Pew Research Center, show that many Americans do it anyway. Elizabeth Stampe, executive director of Walk San Francisco, a pedestrian advocacy group, said she hoped the new parking app would lead to fewer accidents. "It's an innovative idea," she said. "The safe way for people to use the device is for them to pull over, which they know they should do. The question is whether they will." But Ms. Soltani, the TV reporter, said using the app would probably join the group of activities already performed by drivers. "We're already looking at Google Maps and Facebook on the phone while we drive," she said. "Aren't we always looking at something on our phone, or changing the radio, or drinking coffee? You're always slightly distracted when you're driving." According to the text, San Francisco city officials _ . A. don't consider the app distracting B. advise drivers to park cars slowly C. are aware of the app's disadvantages D. believe more parking spots are needed Answer: C	mmlu
Question: The floating arrow on a compass always points away from the A. east B. south C. west D. north Answer: B	mmlu
Question: Erica is a nine-year-old girl. Today is a beautiful day for Erica. Her uncle will come from Australia today. Her uncle is twenty- seven. He lives there for three years. He will bring a big surprise for Erica. The school is over. And Erica puts her books in the bag and goes out of the classroom. She is running home and thinking about her uncle. She wants to know the surprise. "Is it a surfboard? That is fun! I can learn how to surf!" "Are they Australian nuts ? Oh, I can eat nuts all day!" "Or maybe he brings a kangaroo( )? That is not good. I don't have a place in my room for a kangaroo... " Erica gets home at four o'clock. Her parents are there, and her uncle is there! She is very happy to see him. "Uncle, uncle," she calls, "What surprise do you have for me from Australia?" "Well," her uncle smiles and answers, "I have for you an Australian uncle. " How old will Erica be next year? A. Three years old. B. Nine years old. C. Ten years old. D. Four years old Answer: C	mmlu
Question: You've just come home, after living abroad away, has this country changed for the better-or for a few years.Since you've been for the worse? If you've just arrived back inthe UK after a fortnights holiday, small changes have probably surprised you-anything from a Iocal grcengrocer suddenly being replaced by a mobile-phone shop to someone in your street moving house. So how have things changed to people coming back to Britain after seven, ten or even 15 year:' living abroad ? What changes in society can they see that the rest of us have hardly noticed ----or now take for granted ? To find out, we asked some people who recently returned. Dcbi: When we IcCheltenham, my home town, was a town of white ,middle-class families-all very conservative .The town is now home to many eastern Europeans and lots of Australians, who come here mainly to work in hotel and tourism.There are even severai snops only for foreigners. Having been an inunigrant myself, I admire people who go overseas to find a job.Maybe if I lived in an inner city where unemployment was high, I'd think differently, but I believe foreign settlers have improved this country because they're more open-minded and often work harder than the natives. Christine: As we flew home over Britain, both of us remarked how green everything looked.But the differences between the place we'd left behind and the one we returned to were brought sharply into focus as soon as we landed. To see policemen with guns in the airport for the first time was frightening-in Cyprus, they're very relaxed-and I got pulled over by customs officers just for taking a woolen sweater with some metal-made buttons out of my case in the arrivals hall.Everyone seemed to be on guard.Even the airport car-hire firm wanted a credit card rather than cash because they said their vehicles had been used by bank robbers. But anyway, this is still a green, beautiful country.I just wish more people would appreciate w,that they've got. When arriving at the airport in Britain, Christine was shocked by _ A. the laced policemen B. The messy arrivals hall C. the tight security D. the bank robbers Answer: C	mmlu
Question: CALCUTTA, India Mar 24, 2006 (AP) -- One of the world's oldest creatures, a giant tortoise believed to have been about 250 years old, has died in the Calcutta zoo where it spent more than half its long life. Addwaita, which means "the one and only" in the local Bengali language, was one of four Aldabra tortoises brought to India by British sailors in the 18th century. Zoo officials say he was a gift for Lord Robert Clive of the East India Company, who was instrumental in establishing British colonial rule in India, before he returned to England in 1767. Long after the other three tortoises died, Addwaita continued to thrive , living in Clive's garden before being moved to the zoo in 1875. "According to records in the zoo, the age of the giant tortoise, Addwaita, who died on Wednesday, would be about 250 years," said zoo director Subir Chowdhury. That would have made him much older than the world's oldest documented living animal: Harriet, a 176-year-old Galapagos tortoise who lives at the Australia Zoo north of Brisbane, according to the zoo's Web site. She was taken from the island of Isla Santa Cruz by Charles Darwin in the 19th century. Aldabra tortoises come from the Aldabra atoll in the Seychelle islands in the Indian Ocean, and often live to more than 100 years of age. Males can weigh up to 550 pounds. Addwaita, the zoo's biggest attraction, had been unwell for the last few days, said local Forest Minister Jogesh Burman. "We were keeping a watch on him. When the zoo keepers went to his enclosure on Wednesday they found him dead," Burman said. What would be the best title for the passage? A. An Old Aldabra Tortoise Died in India B. A Remarkable Life: Tortoise Dies at 250 C. A Special Kind of Tortoise -- Addwaita D. The Oldest Animal Aldabra Tortoise Died Answer: B	mmlu
Question: Pulling heavy suitcases all day in the summer is hard work, especially when you're a thin 14-year-old.That was me in 1940-the youngest and smallest baggage boy at New York City's Pennsyl-vania Railway Station. After just a few days on the job, I began noticing that the other fellows were overcharging passengers. I'd like to join them, thinking, "Everyone else is doing it." When I got home that night, I told my dad what I wanted to do." You give an honest day's work," he said, looking at me straight in the eye." They're paying you. If they want to do that, you let them do that." I followed my dad's advice for the rest of that summer and have lived by his words ever since. Of all the jobs I've had, it was my experience at Pennsylvania Railway Station that has stuck with me. Now I teach my players to have respect for other people and their possessions. Being a member of a team is a totally shared experience. If one person steals, it destroys trust and hurts everyone. I can put up with many things, but not with people who steal. If one of my players were caught stealing, he'd be gone. Whether you're on a sports team, in an office or a member of a family, if you can't trust one another, there's going to be trouble. What does the father's advice imply? A. It is wrong to give more pay to the passengers. B. Don't believe them if they are paying you more. C. Don't follow others to overcharge the passengers. D. It is difficult to work hard and live as an honest boy. Answer: A	mmlu
Question: When Nancy Lublin received $5,000 from her grandfather, she never once considered taking a vacation or paying off student loans .Instead, the 24-year-old New York University law student began thinking about helping low-income women get better jobs. "If a woman goes for a job interview poorly dressed, she won't get the job, "Lublin says."But without a job, she can't afford suitable clothes." So, with the money Lublin founded "Dress for Success' and began collecting women's clothes which were still in good condition but which their owners no longer needed." So many women have clothes lying around that they will never wear again," one of Lublin's assistants says, "Nancy's idea is so simple and yet so important to women." Many women come to Lublin's office before going to a job interview. Here, they receive a suit, shoes and any other things they need, Since it was set up, more than 1,000 women have turned to "Dress for Success" for help. Many of them have won job. Some have round jobs after being out of work for many years. Jenny, a 32-year-old woman who was recently hired as a law-firm office manager says, "I made a good impression because of 'Dress for Success'." What can we learn from the text? A. Nancy's grandfather lent her the money to set up the office. B. Nancy's office gathers used clothes from women C. Low-income women can get jobs at "Dress for Success" D. Nancy set up "Dress for Success" to make money Answer: B	mmlu
Question: One way to see how a plant stem works could be A. eating the plant entirely B. putting the stems in food colouring C. throwing the plants away D. pulling out the petals Answer: B	mmlu
Question: Hello, I'm Tommy Smith. This is my room. Look! My schoolbag is on the desk. My Chinese book is on the bed. My baseball is under the sofa. And my CDs are in the bookcase. My name is Sally Hand. I'm a schoolgirl. English is my favorite subject. I like it because it's interesting. Anna is our English teacher. We all like her very much. I'm a schoolboy. I'm Dave Clark. I like basketball. My friends and I play basketball after school. It's relaxing. Hi, my name is Bill Hall. Where is my jacket? Please call me if you find it. My phone number is 5283595. Thanks. Who does Dave play basketball with after school? A. His parents B. His brothers C. His classmates D. His friends Answer: D	mmlu
Question: Hello, I'm Kate. I like different kinds of food. I like hamburgers, salad and orange juice. For breakfast, I often have some milk and hamburgers. I don't like dessert . My favorite football star, Tony Brown, eats lots of healthy food. He likes eggs and vegetables for breakfast. For lunch, he eats hamburgers, tomatoes, chicken, oranges and apple juice. For dinner, he likes meat and French fries. He doesn't have dessert. "I like football better than dessert." he says. Tony Brown likes _ for dinner. A. meat and French fries B. milk and hamburgers C. lots of healthy food D. oranges and apple juice Answer: A	mmlu
Question: The class in America is almost the same as that in China. But something is different. In America, if the teacher asks you a question but you don't understand, you should put up your hand and ask the teacher to repeat it. If you don't know the answer, it is all right to tell the teacher you don't know. Then he or she knows what you need to learn. You mustn't be _ on a test day. If you're badly ill, call and let the teacher know you will not be there for the test. If your teacher allows make-up tests , you should take the test in one or two days after you go back to school. Be on time! It is impolite to be late. If you come late, be sure to do it quietly. Take your books out of your bag after you go into the classroom. Then go to your seat and sit down quietly. In the US, you needn't knock at the door before you come into the classroom. If you have to leave during the class, do it quietly, too. There is no need to ask the teacher's agreement. In the USA, if you're late for class, you _ . A. must knock at the door B. must go into the classroom quietly C. should wait for the next class outside D. should take your books out of your bag. Answer: B	mmlu
Question: Daniel Anderson, a famous psychologist, believes it's important to distinguish television's influences on children from those of the family. We tend to blame TV, he says, for problems it doesn't really cause, overlooking our own roles in shaping children's minds. One traditional belief about television is that it reduces a child's ability to think and to understand the world. While watching TV, children do not merely absorb words and images . Instead, they learn both explicit and hidden meanings from what they see. Actually, children learn early the psychology of characters in TV shows. Furthermore, as many teachers agree, children understand far more when parents watch TV with them, explaining new words and ideas. Yet, most parents use an educational program as a chance to park their kids in front of the set and do something in another room. Another argument against television is that it replaces reading as a form of entertainment. But according to Anderson, the amount of time spent watching television is not related to reading ability. TV doesn't take the place of reading for most children; it takes the place of similar sorts of recreation, such as listening to the radio and playing sports. Things like parents' educational background have a stronger influence on a child's reading. "A child's reading ability is best predicted by how much a parent reads." Anderson says. Traditional wisdom also has it that heavy television-watching lowers IQ scores and affects school performance. But here, too, Anderson notes that no studies have proved it. In fact, research suggests that it's the other way around. "If you're smart young, you'll watch less TV when you're older," Anderson says. Yet, people of lower IQ tend to be lifelong television viewers. For years researchers have attempted to show that television is dangerous to children. However, by showing that television promotes none of the dangerous effects as conventionally believed, Anderson suggests that television cannot be condemned without considering other influences. An educational program is best watched by a child _ . A. on his own B. with other kids C. with his parents D. with his teachers Answer: C	mmlu
Question: Biomass energy , often forgotten as promising alternative to oil, received its day in the sun with the gathering of the Bio-Energy World Congress and Exposition in Atlanta, Georgia, late in April, 2007. Nearly 1700 scientists, businessmen and policy-makers, one-quarter from the foreign nations, gathered for a week to discuss various means of squeezing usable energy out of trees, crops, sea plants and urban waste. Biomass energy in the prefix = st1 /United Statescontributes 2.5 percent of the total supply, but this amount can be doubled by 2017 and then doubled again by the year 2027. Eight percent of Sweden's energy supply, for example, is presently coming from wood and pulp remaining. Swedenintends to raise this percentage by more intensive harvesting of waste food lying around in forests, and through the planting of so-called energy forests of fast-growing trees such as willow. Brazilis frequently pointed to as a nation with a major successful investment in energy coming from grains: it presently runs 330,000 automobiles on a water and alcohol mixture, replacing 10 percent of its previous oil supply. Brazilian representatives at the conference said they wish to double this in five years, with a final goal of total replacement. Most of the cars are built at the factory to use the mixture, while older models are changed through low-cost government programs. Which of the following is NOT regarded as biomass energy? A. Willow and sea plants. B. Wood and grains. C. Water and alcohol mixture. D. Crops and oil mixture. Answer: D	mmlu
Question: In rainy London, always carry your "brolly" BIG Ben, the Queen, a plate of ham and eggs-no, no, no. If you're looking for a symbol of Britain, only one thing passes the test-the umbrella. Now, I know what you're thinking--we have rain in China and we have umbrellas too. Certainly, I will never forget the way it rained when I lived in Beijing:the sweets became instant rivers and the sky flashed with lightning for hours on end. People dove for cover under bin bags, the shops were emptied of their plastic ponchos within seconds,and I found myself soaked from head to foot, my poorly-chosen skirt and T-shirt now totally see-through. This would never have happened in Britain. For one thing, during my year in Beijing, it only really rained at about 10 times. But although we never get a Beijing-style washout in London, the drizzle that does fall is all but constant. Even when the sky is perfectly blue, you can be sure it's going to cloud over and start drizzling again within the hour. And when it does, there is chaos. Trains stop, drains block, and buses break down as if this was the first time the local authorities had seen this wet stuff coming out of the clouds. So--as with so many things in the UK-it's up to ordinary people to sort themselves out. No self-respecting Briton will ever leave home without his "brolly" ---as the umbrella is affectionately known. A brolly has hundreds of uses, even on rare rain-free days. A real gentleman of London will use his umbrella as a walking stick. A traditional game of cricket can be played using an umbrella as a hat. Nor do you ever have to be afraid of robbers-your umbrella doubles as a defensive weapon. There is no brolly more British than my own. But it's not from London or Manchester or any where in the UK. It was a gift from my Chinese teacher--in Beijing. How fitting that my No. l symbol of Brutishness-like almost everything in Britain-was made in China. The author mentioned her rainy weather experience in Beijing to show that _ A. many foreigners have embarrassing moments living in Beijing B. British people are more used to rainy weather than Chinese people C. the rain in Beijing is usually much heavier than the rain in London D. both Beijing and Londoners have unpleasant experience with sudden rain Answer: B	mmlu
Question: organic life requires certain things to grow such as A. nutritional values B. zinc C. acid D. darkness Answer: A	mmlu
Question: A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. "Your son is here,"she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened. Heavily drugged with sleep because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out with his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's weak ones, expressing a message of love and encouragement. The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward , holding the old man's hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest a while. He refused. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only holding tightly to his son all through the night. Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited. Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her."Who was that man?"he asked. The nurse was surprised. "He was your father,"she answered. "No, he wasn't,"the Marine replied. "I never saw him before in my life.""Then why didn't you say something when I took you to him?"asked the nurse. "I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn't here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed."he answered. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? A. The Marine didn't know the old man at all. B. The nurse was careless and made a mistake. C. The Marine happened to be the old man's son's friend. D. The old man passed away peacefully and contentedly. Answer: C	mmlu
Question: I needed to get some money so, after Christmas, I took a job in the clothes department at Graham's for the first fortnight of the January sale.I can't say that I enjoyed it, but it was an experience I'll never forget. I could never understand why there were so many things in the sales, where did they all come from? Now I know the secret! Firstly, there is the special winter stock and the stock that people buy all the year round; some of these things are slightly reduced.Secondly, there are the summer clothes they couldn't sell last year; these are heavily reduced to clear them.Thirdly, there are cheap clothes bought in specially for the sales; these are put out at high prices ten days before the sale begins and then are reduced by 60% in the sale.Clever! Lastly, they buy in "seconds"(clothes not in perfect condition) for the sale and they are sold very cheaply. When I arrived half an hour before opening on the first day of the sale, there was already a queue around three sides of the building.This made me very nervous. When the big moment arrived to open the doors, the security guards looking less confident than usual, came up to them, keys in hand.The moment they had unlocked the doors, they hid behind the doors for protection as the noisy crowd charged in.I couldn't believe my eyes; this wasn't shopping, it was a battlefield! One poor lady couldn't keep her feet and was knocked over by people pushing from behind. Clothes were flying in all directions as people searched for the sizes, colours and styles they wanted.Quarrels broke out.Mothers were using their small children to crawl through people's legs and get hold of things they couldn't get near themselves. Within minutes I had half a dozen people pushing clothes under my nose; each wanting to be the first served.Where had the famous English queue gone? The whole day continued like that, but I kept my temper81 was taking money hand over fist and began to realize why twice a year, Graham's were happy to turn their expensive store into a battlefield like this. In the sale fever; people were spending money like water without thinking whether they needed what they were buying.As long as it was a bargain it was OK.You won't believe this.But as soon as I got home I crashed out for four hours.Then I had dinner and went back to bed, fearing the sound of the alarm which would tell me to get ready for the second day of the sale. What would be the best title for the passage? A. The Best Bargain. B. Hunting for a Job. C. Sale Fever. D. A Pleasant Fortnight. Answer: C	mmlu
Question: You put a great deal of effort into reaching the college of your choice. It's time to get started. But what's next? Beginning college can be an exciting but awkward time. Follow these tips to adjust to your new life rapidly and make the most of your college experience. * To save time and money, use the college's bus system. Taking the bus to school is quick, easy and free in most college towns. You won't have to locate or afford a place to park either. It's also a good way to be environmentally aware. * Save pennies on books by waiting until class starts. You might not even need all of the recommended books. New textbooks cost an arm and a leg. Try buying used textbooks -- it's a surefire way to save money and serves the purpose as well. * Do never look at college life as an endless series of parties and social activities. But there is a whole lot more to college if you're serious about graduating. Having a good college experience is all about balancing work and fun. * Be aware that your living environment can largely affect your academic success. If the dorm doesn't suit you, consider living at home with your family or renting your own apartment. The best location for your studies isn't always your dorm. Find a quiet area, like the library, to do your work. Alternatively, buy some headphones that block out noise. * Be mindful of your diet. Make healthy food choices and watch what you eat. Avoid foods that are processed or high in sugar. The "freshman 15" is real. Many college students gain at least 15 pounds during their freshmen year. * While electives can be helpful when figuring out your major, you shouldn't entirely rely on them. Clubs and other organizations exist around. Get involved. Make sure, though, that you still have time to study. _ can hurt your grades. The "freshman 15" tells the fact that some freshmen _ . A. attend limited activities on campus B. have little regular physical exercise C. focus less on their academic work D. take relaxed attitudes to their diets Answer: D	mmlu
Question: One of India's top engineering schools has restricted Internet access in its boarding houses, saying addiction to surfing, gaming and blogging was affecting students' performance, making them lonely and even suicidal. Authorities at the best Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Mumbai said students had stopped socializing and many were late for morning classes or slept through them. "Now, a student doesn't even know who lives two doors away from him because he is so busy on the Internet," said Prakash Gopalan, dean of student affairs. "The old dormitory culture of companionship and socializing among students is gone. This is not healthy in our opinion." IIT-Mumbai, with about 5,000 students, is one of seven IITs across India which are considered to be among the finest engineering schools in the world. They are also a talent pool for global technology giants. But their hard courses, tough competition and lonely campus lifestyle have taken an effect on students. Depressive and dysfunctional lifestyles are known to be common among IIT students, and at least nine have committed suicide in the past five years. Students have unlimited free Internet access in their boarding houses to help them in their studies, but many also use it to surf, chat, download movies and music, blog and for gaming. Starting Monday, Internet access will be banned between 11 p.m. and 12.30 p.m. at IIT-Mumbai's 13 boarding buildings to encourage students to sleep early and to try and force them out of their "shells", Gopalan said. But the move has not gone down well with students who say they hate their lives being regulated. "Now they will say we need to listen to a lullaby to go to sleep," said Rajiv, an electronics student. What measure has been taken in IIT- Mumbai? A. Students have unlimited free Internet access in their dormitories. B. Students are forbidden to surf the Internet. C. Internet access is unavailable in deep night. D. Students must go to bed before 11 p.m. Answer: C	mmlu
Question: At dawn on Friday, May 19, 1780, farmers in New England stopped to wonder at the pink color of the sun. By noon the sky had darkened to midnight blackness, causing Americans, still in the painful struggle of a prolonged war of independence, to light candles and tremble at thoughts of the Last Judgment. As the birds quieted and no storm accompanied the darkness, men and women crowded into churches, where one minister commented that "The people were very attentive." John Greenleaf Whittier later wrote that "Men prayed, and women wept; all ears grew sharp . . ." A recent study of researchers, led by Richard Guyette from the University of Missouri's Tree Ring Laboratory, has shown that vast forest fires in the Algonquin Highlands of southern Ontario and elsewhere in Canada brought this event upon New England. The scientists have discovered "fire scars" on the rings for that year, left when the heat of a wildfire has killed a part of a tree's cambium . Evidence collected also points to a drought that year. An easterly wind and low barometric pressure helped force smoke into the upper atmosphere. "The record fits pretty close," says Guyette. "We had the right fuel, the drought. The conditions were all there." Lacking the ability to communicate quickly over long distances, Americans in 1780 remained in the dark about the event, which had disappeared by the next day. Over the next several months, the papers carried heated debates about what brought the darkness. Some were the voices of angry prediction, such as one Massachusetts farmer who wrote, "Oh! Backsliding New-England, attend now to the things which belong to your peace before they are forever hid from your eyes." Others gave different answers. One stated that a "flaming star" had passed between the earth and the sun. Ash, argued another commentator. The debate, carried on throughout New England, where there were no scientific journals or academies yet, reflected an unfolding culture of scientific enquiry already sweeping the Western world, a revolution nearly as influential as the war for independence from the English. New Englanders would not soon forget that dark day; it lived on in folklore, poems, and sermons for generations. New Englanderscrowded into churches because they were frightened by _ . A. the pink color of the sun B. the darkened sky at daytime C. the Last Judgment on Friday D. the American War of Independence Answer: B	mmlu
Question: A recent trend in Californian restaurants shows new eating habits among those people out to have an interesting dining experience. Appetizers seem to be the name of the games as diners turn away from the more traditional three-course meal in favor of smaller snacks served in various types of restaurants, bars and cafes. In this way, in the course of an evening out, you might go to a restaurant for a tasty dish to eat at one end of town, to a bar with some live music at the other end, then for a coffee, and finally back to the restaurant for a further appetizer. Reasons for this trend are the fact that so many different types of restaurants have been set up recently, each with their own particular type of food and special atmosphere, together with the increased specialty in the type of snacks being offered. Gone are the cheese sticks of the old days, when appetizers were not really taken seriously. Some favorite snacks of the moment are slices of hot pizza, creamy fish-based dishes and crispy cakes and so on. Prices for appetizers are not equal to a full meal; however, their new popularity has meant that they are by no means as cheap as they used to be. Certainly, for that special occasion, a meal in a nice restaurant, complete with the piano performance, is hard to beat. However, if we see this trend for "butterfly eating"---moving around several different places in one evening continues, then all the traditional style restaurants may well have to provide their own appetizer bars as well! All the places that serve appetizers _ . A. have much the same menu B. have their own particular characteristics C. have a bar with live music D. are located at the end of the town Answer: B	mmlu
Question: On the first day of the New Year 2013, I made up my mind to go to Thailand to teach English as a volunteer. Fresh out of college with the world at my fingertips, all I cared about was travelling and seeing the world. Little did I know how awesome my life would be in the coming months! My journey began with the attendance of TESOL certification course in my home state of Florida last February. After 3 weekends of study and another 40 hours' post-study online, I received my TESOL certificate. I was put in touch with Philip, who is Program Director of the Teach in Thailand. In close consultation with Philip, I chose my employment school and after many months of excitement, I finally boarded my plane to Thailand in early April, and set off on an adventure! After a few weeks of single travel, I met up with Philip and the other new teachers in my program in Bangkok. It was great to meet other people who were on the same journey as me, see some cool sights and hang out in Thailand's cities! Directly after that, I attended the week-long seminar , which is included in the Teach in Thailand Program. At the end of the seminar, I was transported to my employment school---Anuban Buriram Primary School. I truly love my job--- I teach Grades 5 and 6 and I have the cleverest and most motivated kids in the world. It's a truly fantastic thing that you can see the difference you make in someone else's life, right in front of you! The city Buriram is small, surrounded with green rice fields. People here are more friendly than anyone I've ever met--I've never been anywhere where a smile is so easily received, where everyone you pass is so eager to say "Hello" and "Good morning". I've been taken out to countless dinners, and been lent a guitar, a digital camera, and even a motorbike, and I am constantly given little Thai treats and the most delicious fresh fruits many times a week. I only hope to pay it forward in the future. What did the author do immediately after arriving in Thailand? A. He travelled around Thailand by himself. B. He had a close discussion with Philip. C. He attended a seminar in Bangkok. D. He had meeting with other volunteers. Answer: A	mmlu
Question: I grew up in a house where the TV was seldom turned on and with one wall in my bedroom entirely lined with bookshelves, most of my childhood was spent on books I could get hold of. In fact, I grew up thinking of reading as natural as breathing and books unbelievably powerful in shaping perspectives by creating worlds we could step into, take part in and live in. With this unshakable belief, I, at fourteen, decided to become a writer. Here too, reading became useful. Every writer starts off knowing that he has something to say, but being unable to find the right ways to say it. He has to find his own _ by reading widely and discovering which parts of the writers he agrees or disagrees with, or agrees with so strongly that it reshapes his own world. He cannot write without loving to read, because only through reading other people's writing can one discover what works, what doesn't and, in the end, together with lots of practice, what voice he has. Now I am in college, and have come to realize how important it is to read fiction. As a law student, my reading is in fact limited to subject matter -- the volume of what I have to read for classes every week means there is little time to read anything else. Such reading made it all the clearer to me that I live in a very small part in this great place called life. Reading fiction reminds me that there is life beyond my own. It allows me to travel across the high seas and along the Silk Road, all from the comfort of my own armchair, to experience, though secondhand, exciting experiences that I wouldn't necessarily be able to have in my lifetime. What can be inferred about the author as a child? A. He never watched TV. B. He read what he had to. C. He found reading unbelievable. D. He considered reading part of his life. Answer: D	mmlu
Question: There was a heavy snow last night. Maria stayed at home. Her cousin Cara came to visit her. She came back from Beijing. She told Maria something about her vacation. "It was pretty good. "She said. Cara visited the Palace Museum and the Great Wall. She took a lot of photos. It was lunch time. Maria's parents were not at home. They decided to cook by themselves. Maria cooked noodles with some tomatoes and peppers . After Cara ate up the noodles, she said slowly, "I think it is delicious!" But Maria thought the food was too awful. She said," Cara, thank you, but I put too many peppers!" _ cooked noodles. A. Maria B. Maria's parents C. Cara D. Mary Answer: A	mmlu
Question: The bed should be reserved as a place for sleep, but people tend to read an iPad a lot in bed before they go to sleep. Charles Czeisler, a professor at Harvard Medical School, and his colleagues got a small group of people for an experiment. For five days in a row, the people read either a paper book or an iPad for four hours before sleep. Their sleep patterns were monitored all night. Before and after each trial period, the people took hourly blood tests to paint a day-long picture of just how much melatonin was in their blood at any given time. When subjects read on the iPad as compared to the paper books, they reported feeling less sleepy at night and less active the following morning. People also took longer to fall asleep on the iPad nights, and the blood tests showed that their melatonin secretion was delayed by an hour and a half. The researchers conclude in today's journal article that given the rise of e-readers and the increasingly widespread use of e-things among children and adolescents, more research into the long-term consequences of these devices on health and safety is urgently needed. Czeisler and colleagues go on, in the research paper, to note:"Reading an iPad in bed may increase cancer risk." However, software has been developed that can reduce some of the blue light from the screens of phones and computers according to time of day, and there are also glasses that are made to filter short wavelengths. While they seem like a logical solution for the nighttime tech users, it needs more research. Which of the following can be the best title for the text? A. No e-reading in bed before sleep B. New software for night e-readers C. Wrong behaviors before bedtime D. No games on iPad in bed Answer: A	mmlu
Question: If your life is just too busy for the added stress of planning a birthday party, consider having someone else do all the work. There are several great places in Amarillo that would be happy to host the party for you. Here are a few party places for children's birthday parties in Amarillo, Texas. Jump'n Jive Jump' n Jive birthday parties are a hit in Amarillo. It is basically a giant indoor playground full of inflatable jumpers and slides. The kids will enjoy pretending to be popcorn, and you'll enjoy not having to plan the activities. It's great exercise and parents may content for wearing out their kids for a good short sleep. They can supply the cake, ice cream, tableware, pizza, good bags and much more. They are located at 7302 W. 34th Street and you can reach them at (806) 367-8954. Brush With Art If you've ever found your child color1ing on the wall (or even if you haven't) Brush With Art is a fantastic birthday party place. It is a paint-you-own pottery studio where the guests and your birthday star will enjoy painting items such as a plate, a cup and other items. Brush With Art is located at 1948 Civic Circle in Wolflin Square. You can reach them at (806) 355-7911. The Amarillo Zoo Want to celebrate the birthday with monkeys, lions and pot-bellied pigs? The Amarillo Zoo is a great place for a birthday party. The kids will enjoy seeing and talking about the animals. It will definitely provide a memorable experience. It even includes a private encounter with an animal such as a snake or a rabbit. For more details on birthday parties at the Amarillo zoo, call at least 3 weeks in advance at (806)381-7911. Don Harrington Discovery Center Want an entertaining birthday party with an educational twist? The Don Harrington Discovery Center is a fantastic place to go. Kids will enjoy interacting with fun exhibits such as a bubble area where you can make giant bubbles. Their birthday parties include the use of a private party room for two hours. It also includes a hands-on activity with a staff person. It definitely makes for a unique, but exciting birthday party. To learn more about their party packages, give them a call at (806)355-9547. The museum's address is 1200 Streit Drive in Amarillo. To hold a birthday party for your kid at the Amarillo Zoo, you should _ . A. teach your child something about painting B. make a call ahead of time C. prepare enough food for your child D. rent a private party room Answer: B	mmlu
Question: A full moon is visible A. bimonthly B. biweekly C. every two months D. every four weeks Answer: D	mmlu
Question: All living things on the earth need other living things to live.Nothing lives alone.Most animals must live in a group,and even a plant grows close together with others of the same kind.Sometimes one living thing kills another,or one eats and the other is eaten.One kind of life eats another kind of life in order to live,and together they form a food chain .All food chains begin with the sun,and all food chain become broken up if one of them disappears. All life needs sunlight to live on.But only plants can use sunlight directly.Plants are"factories".They make food from sunlight,water and things in the soil and air. Plants feed all other living things.Animals can only use the sun's energy after it has been changed into food by plants.Some animals feed directly on plants,and others eat smaller animals.Meat-eating animals are only eating plants indirectly. What about human beings?We are members of any food chain.We eat rice,vegetables,fruits and so on.We also eat meat.But men often break up the food chain.They kill wild animals.They also make rivers,lakes and seas dirty.When these rivers,lakes and seas are polluted,the fish in them cannot be eaten.If men eat the fish,they will get strange diseases. Each form of life is linked to all others.Breaking the links puts all life in danger. The writer is trying to tell us not to _ . A. kill animals B. break the links of life C. worry about food chains D. eat fish from polluted water Answer: B	mmlu
Question: Time Zones Strange things happen to time when you travel. Because the earth is divided into twenty-four zones one hour apart .You can have days with more or fewer than twenty-four hours, and weeks more or fewer than seven days. If you make a five-day trip across the Atlantic Ocean ,your ship enters a different time zone every day. As you enter each zone, the time changes one hour. Travelling west ,you set your clock back; traveling east , you set it ahead. Each day of your trip has either twenty-five or twenty-three hours. If you travel by ship across the Pacific , you cross the international date line. By agreement, this is the point where a new day begins, when you cross the line, you change your calendar one full time day, backward or forward. Travelling east, today becomes yesterday; traveling west, it is tomorrow. Strange things happen to time when you travel because _ . A. no day really has 24 hours B. the earth is divided into time zones C. time zones are not all the same size D. no one knows where time zones are Answer: B	mmlu
Question: Apple Inc co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs, counted among the greatest American CEOs of his generation, died on Wednesday at the age of 56, after a years-long and highly public battle with cancer. Mourners gathered outside his house in Palo Alto, California, and Apple stores around the world. Steve Jobs made technology fun. As tech leaders, they're really happy if they have one hit in their life. Steve Jobs has the Apple II, the Mac, the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad and Pixar. Steve Jobs was a college dropout. He was adopted by a machinist and his wife, an accountant. They supported his early interest in electronics. He and his friend Steve Wozniak started Apple Computer--now just called Apple--in 1976. They stayed at the company until 1985. That year, Steve Wozniak returned to college and Steve Jobs left in a dispute with the chief executive. Mr. Jobs then formed his own company, called NeXT Computer. He rejoined Apple in 1997 after it bought NeXT, He helped remake Apple from a business that was in bad shape then to one of the most valuable companies in the world today. However, Steve Jobs stepped down as Apple's chief executive in August, 2011 because of his health. He died a day after the company released a new iPhone version that met with limited excitement. Steve left behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple. President Obama said in a statement: by building one of the planet's most successful companies from his garage, Steve Jobs showed the spirit of American ingenuity . By making computers personal and putting the Internet in our pockets, he made the information revolution not only accessible but intuitive and fun. The fact that he was able to redesign American commerce top to bottom and across is really astonishing. He probably will be considered an industrial giant on the scale of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, so one of the greatest of all time. Steve Jobs not only revolutionized technology, he also revolutionized American business. Steve Jobs was remembered as a " great visionary and leader" and a marketing genius. This passage is mainly about _ . A. a brief introduction of Steve Jobs B. the inventions of Steve Jobs C. the childhood of Steve Jobs D. the death of Steve Jobs Answer: A	mmlu
Question: How can we reduce the risk? There are four general approaches to dealing with volcanic dangers. We can try to keep the danger from occurring-often an impossible task. We can try to change its path or reduce its impact on existing development. We can take steps to protect future development. We can also do our best to have disaster response plans in place before they are needed. Removing the Threat Clearly, there is no way to stop an eruption. We can, however, attempt to reduce the eruption's effects by strengthening structures, for example, building protective works such as walls to make lava flow away from developed areas. Such efforts can be and have been successful, but are of limited use in a large-scale eruption. Planning for the Future Protecting future development from volcanic dangers is a simple task. Before building houses, we should judge the risk. If the risk seems too great, a safer location should be found. This type of planning is very effective, but all too often, people are drawn to the lush ,rolling land of a quiet volcano. Disaster Preparedness When a volcano comes to life, a few weeks may not be enough time to avoid a tragedy. Planning is the key to saving lives. Well before the warning signs occur, people must be educated about volcanic dangers. Escape plans must be in place. Communication between scientists, officials, the media, and the general public should be practiced. Emergency measures must be thought out and agreed upon. If you doubt the importance of these efforts, take another look at past volcanic tragedies, such as the eruption of Nevado del Ruiz. Communication failures left the town of Armero unprepared for escape. When a deadly mudflow came down the slope , 21,000 people--90 percent of the town's people--died. The passage is mainly about _ . A. why volcanoes can erupt suddenly B. who can predict the eruption of volcanoes C. where the volcanoes are most active D. how we can reduce the risk of volcanoes Answer: D	mmlu
Question: Should we be afraid of sharks ? Maybe not. New research into the reasons for shark attacks suggests that sharks don't like the way humans taste! In fact, most people who are attacked by the shark are still alive after receiving only one bite . Why is this? There are many opinions to explain why sharks sometimes attack people. One opinion is that sharks are just curious . We know that sharks are the strongest animals in their environment, so they are not afraid of anything. Naturally, that means they are curious when they meet something unusual. Because they don't have hands or feet., the only way they can find out an object is to bite it! It is thought that sharks sometimes bite humans for this reason, and then swim away. Scientists also say that sharks would not waste energy trying to eat a human, as we have a lot of bones . It is hard for a shark to eat us because sharks don't have hands, and they can't pull the meat off our bones. Maybe that's why they only bite us once. Unluckily, one bite from a large shark is serious enough to hurt people greatly! Another opinion is that sharks attack humans by mistake. Some sharks may sometimes mistake humans for a seal. An example of this is when a shark attacks a surfer. A surfer lying on a surfboard looks like a seal when seen from below. Sharks like seals because they have thick fat. Whatever the reason for shark attacks on humans, sharks should be afraid of us. Sadly, we kill almost 40 million of them each year. What happens to people attacked by sharks? A. Most of them because blind. B. Most of them because of deaf. C. Most of them died. D. Most of them are still alive. Answer: D	mmlu
Question: In 1961 Obama was born in Hawaii, US. His father was an African and his mother was a white American. He grew up in Indonesia and Hawaii. When Obama was 10 years old, he was one of the only three black students at his school in Hawaii. He felt very different from most other students. White girls wanted to touch his hair. A white boy even asked him what his father was. "I lied to them that my father was a Kenyan prince. But I kept asking myself who I am," said Obama. However, 37 years later, the boy made history. Obama became the first black president in US history. Obama's unusual background made him wonder who he was. He once turned to alcohol to help forget this question. With the help of his friends, Obama finally turned his life around at college. His hard work made him a star at Harvard. Later, he became the third black senator in US history. "Obama's success has made Martin Luther King's dream come true. That is: A man should not be judged by the colour of his skin, but by the content of his character," wrote ABC news. From the passage we can learn that _ . A. Obama's father is a Kenyan prince. B. Obama was a star in Harvard because he drank a lot C. We should judge a person by what he did when he was young D. Obama's success owes to his hard work Answer: D	mmlu
Question: Left-Handers' Day International Left-Handers' Day is August the thirteenth. The International Left-Handers Day, Web site says the Left-Handers Club started the holiday in 1992. It wanted left-handers around the world to celebrate. And it wanted to bring attention to the everyday problems of people who use their left hands. One of these problems is difficulty using equipment and tools, like scissors. In general, most tools and equipment are made for people who are right-handed. The Left-Handers Club tries to educate designers and producers to consider the safety of left-handed people when producing their products. Another problem is that many people have considered it bad to be left-handed. Some teachers and parents have tried to force children who used their left hands to use their right ones instead. Scientists do not really know why some people are left-handed. They have believed the reason is genetic.They say the gene increases the chance of being left-handed. It appears to play an important part in deciding which part of the brain controls different activities. In right-handed people, the left side of the brain usually controls speech and language. The right side controls feelings. However, the opposite is often true in left-handed people. Scientists believe the gene is responsible for this. The gene showed a link with left-handedness in nine to twelve percent of the population. About ten percent of people around the world are left-handed. International Left-handers' Day aims to bring attention to _ . A. the right-handers B. the everyday problems C. the people who have some difficulty using equipment and tools D. the everyday problems of people who use their left hands Answer: D	mmlu
Question: One day, Mary asked her mother, "Mum, what do people mean by saying they have a skeleton in the closet ?" Her mother paused thoughtfully and said, "Well, it's something that you would rather not have anyone else know about. For example, if in the past, someone in Dad's family had been arrested for stealing a horse, it would be a skeleton in his family's closet. He really wouldn't want any neighbor to know about it." "Why pick my family?" Mary's father said with anger. "Your family history isn't so good, you know. Wasn't your great-great-grandfather a prisoner who was transported to Australia for his crimes?" "Yes, but people these days say that you are not a real Australian unless your ancestors arrived as prisoners." "Gosh, sorry I asked. I think I understand now." Mary cut in before things grew worse. After dinner, the house was quiet. Mary's parents were quite angry with each other. Her mother was ironing clothes and every now and then she glared at her husband, who hid behind his newspaper pretending to read. When she finished, she gathered the freshly pressed clothes in her arms and walked to Mary's closet. Just as she opened the door and reached in to hang a skirt, a bony arm stuck out from the dark depths and a bundle of white bones fell to the floor. Mary's mother sank into a faint , waking only when Mary put a cold, wet cloth on her forehead. She looked up to see the worried faces of her husband and daughter. "What happened? Where am I?" she asked. "You just destroyed the school's skeleton, Mum," explained Mary. "I brought it home to help me with my health project. I meant to tell you, but it seemed that as soon as I mentioned skeletons and closets, it caused a problem between you and Dad." Mary looked in amazement as her parents began to laugh madly. "They're crazy," she thought. Ks5u Why did Mary bring a skeleton home? A. She was curious about it. B. She planned to keep it for fun. C. She needed it for her school task. D. She intended to scare her parents. Answer: C	mmlu
Question: Now more than 40 million foreigners around the world are learning Chinese,according to a report. The relationship between the United States and China is becoming more and more important in the world. This has really influenced the growth of Chinese language learning in U.S. I am Chris from the United States. I am one of the many people who are learning Chinese. I am studying at a Confucius Institute in New York. There are 10 students in our class. Some are over thirty years old. Some are middle school students. Our teacher comes from Beijing. He is fun and often tells us interesting things in China. I think Chinese is difficult to learn. The biggest challenge for American learners is the writing. Chinese is completely different from any other language in the world. It will take me a lot of time to learn enough Chinese characters . But 1 think there are many benefits of spending time in learning Chinese. One important benefit is that it makes me see things from a different point of view, because Chinese is such a different language from English. I think for American students the most important benefit is that learning a challenging language can open up their eyes. From the passage we know that _ . A. Chris is an American B. Chris is thirty years old C. Chris has been to China D. Chris is in China now Answer: A	mmlu
Question: People's Daily Online 07:57, March 13, 2014 According to "China's Economic Life Survey 2013-2014", reported by CCTV (China Central Television) on March 4, 20 cities in China has been chosen as the happiest cities in the country. The China's Economic Life Survey, sponsored by CCTV, the National Bureau of Statistics, China Post Group Corporation and National School of Development at Peking University, is China's largest national media and public survey. More than 100,000 families across 300 counties and 104 cities took part in this nationwide questionnaire . The survey focused on the income, expenditure, social security, and life quality. Here are the top 20 happiest cities in China. Haikou, Hainan Province, Changsha, Hunan Province ,Taiyuan, Shanxi Province ,Nanjing, Jiangsu Province ,Tianjin, Hefei, Anhui Province, Chongqing ,Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, Xining, Qinghai Province, Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region,Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province,Yongzhou, Hunan Province, Yichun, Heilongjiang Province ,Huangshan, Anhui Province ,Huzhou, Zhejiang Province,Chuzhou, Anhui Province,Mianyang, Sichuan Province ,Shangrao, Jiangxi Province,Bozhou, Anhui Province. Maybe the passage is from a/an _ . A. ad B. newspaper C. textbook D. story Answer: B	mmlu

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