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Question: The process by which water vapor in the atmosphere cools and becomes a liquid is called Options: A. evaporation. B. perspiration. C. condensation. D. transportation. Answer:

C

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Question: Damini Bansal (14 years old) Freedom is something different in everybody's way of thinking--a student would probably like to raise a revolt against all the obnoxious rules of his or her school and as a grown up one might want to have less responsibilities . Freedom according to me is the power in me to make some of my life's decisions on my own. And this Independence Day will be a lot more different than our first one in 1947 when people actually came to know what it was like to be free, for them it was the dawn of a new day, it was a day when they could do what they felt was right. We have come far from all of this. We now no longer see the Independence Day as a day of very great importance for the students of my class (and most of the children of my age), and the most important value is that it is a holiday. Arihant Jain (12 years old) We can do anything we want like not going to school. Everything should be free. We should not pay money to buy anything. Can go anywhere I want...to the playground when exams are on. Chatting on phone as long as I want. To eat dinner outside everyday. In school being able to play sports and not study. Flying Kites. Damini Bansal and his classmates treat Independence Day as . Options: A. a normal holiday B. a day that they can enjoy freedom C. a dawn of a new day D. a day of great importance for them Answer:

B

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Question: "Who needs a shopping mall if you have Taobao?" says Wang Lin, 28, a writer in Beijing. Taobao, China's largest online shopping site, becomes an important part of Wang Lin's life. She spends lots of money on Taobao. Most online shoppers like Wang are students or young workers, More women shop on line than men. Clothing and home-use products are the most popular on line. It was reported that more than 250 billion yuan was spent on online shopping last year, 80% through Taobao. Taobao means"Looking for treasure" in Chinese .People can find almost everything they need on Taobao, from clothes to books, from candies to DVD players. You may question the _ of online shopping. Wang Lin says ,"It's very safe and conveniet . If you don't like the products from the sellers, the seller can't get the money. You can also get your money back if you want to return the products. Taobao is _ . Options: A. a shopping mall B. an online shopper C. a clothes store D. an online shopping site Answer:

D

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Question: Agitator, a baseball fan, has a fierce temper and an extremely loud voice. Attending a baseball game in which a number of calls went against the home team, Agitator repeatedly stood up, brandished his fist, and angrily shouted, "Kill the umpires." The fourth time he engaged in this conduct, many other spectators followed Agitator in rising from their seats, brandishing fists, and shouting, "Kill the umpires." The home team lost the game. Although no violence ensued, spectators crowded menacingly around the umpires after the game. As a result, the umpires were able to leave the field and stadium only with the help of a massive police escort. For his conduct, Agitator was charged with inciting to riot and was convicted in a jury trial in state court. He appealed. The state supreme court reversed his conviction. In its opinion, the court discussed in detail decisions of the United States Supreme Court dealing with the First Amendment free speech clause as incorporated into the Fourteenth Amendment. At the end of that discussion, however, the court stated that it "need not resolve how, on the basis of these cases," the United States Supreme Court would decide Agitator's case. "Instead," the court stated, "this court has always given the free-speech guarantee of the state's constitution the broadest possible interpretation. As a result, we hold that in this case, where no riot or other violence actually occurred, the state constitution does not permit this conviction for incitement to riot to stand." The United States Supreme Court grants a writ of certiorari to review this decision of the state supreme court. In this case, the United States Supreme Court should Options: A. affirm the state supreme court's decision, because Agitator's ballpark shout is commonplace hyperbole that cannot, consistently with the First and Fourteenth Amendments, be punished. B. remand the case to the state supreme court with directions that it resolve the First and Fourteenth Amendment freespeech issue that it discussed in such detail. C. dismiss the writ as improvidently granted, because the state supreme court's decision rests on an independent and adequate state law ground. D. reverse the decision of the state supreme court, because incitement to violent action is not speech protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments. Answer:

C

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Question: A car engine is a source of heat and therefore needs Options: A. radiator fluid B. water added C. wiper fluid D. gasoline Answer:

A

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Question: A 12-year old boy who donated bone marrow to his dying sister and has raised more thanPS10,000 for charity has been named the UK's Family Hero of the Year. Adam Kerr, 12, from Armagh, Northern Ireland, also helps his mother care for his younger brother Brian, 9, who suffers from the genetic disease Fanconi's anaemia . But it is not the first hardship that has affected young Adam. When he was just six, he donated his own bone marrow to his younger sister Helen who suffered from a rare blood disorder. Sadly she developed complications and died a few months after the operation in 2005. Adam found it very difficult to be happy after Helen's death. So he decided to start raising money in memory of Helen to help local poor children and families with bereavement . Overall he has raised PS10,000 and he has no intentions of giving up. He organised a Fun Day to provide the money for a brother and sister from Northern Ireland to visit their sick brother having a bone marrow transplant in a London hospital. He received his award and a cheque forPS2,000 at an "Oscar's style" ceremony in London. Ms Phillips said: "Adam is an incredible young man. In his relatively short life he has faced real sadness and bad luck and yet he works tirelessly to make life better for others." The Awards were sponsored by the charity 4Children and Take a Break Magazine. Anne Longfield OBE, Chief Executive of 4Children said:"It's an honour to recognise Adam's devotion and self-sacrifice, and his bravery shows there is always reason for hope and optimism. There is so much unrecognized goodwill out there of people who do so much for others, and the inspiring winners of the Family Heroes Awards remind us how important it is for us all to do our best to make a difference in the lives of others." What's the best title for the passage? Options: A. How to help others in trouble B. A little boy makes a big difference to others C. How to be a winner of the Family Heroes Awards D. An independent young man Answer:

B

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Question: Dear Karen, As you probably know, it's my sister Suzie's 16th birthday in a week. We're planning a surprise party for her. Julie's going to pick her up from school as usual on Friday but she's not taking her home. She's bringing her to the Palace Hotel, the big modern one near the station. We're having a meal there and we've also hired the ballroom for a party in the evening. I hope you can come! All her friends from school are coming and quite a few of the people from our village, too. Of course, Mum and Dad are coming up from England and I've managed to persuade our other sister, Marie, to come over from Australia. She's bringing her kids with her, too. After the party we're going to have another one on Saturday! Well, not really a party. We're inviting the family and close friends (that includes you) for a meal at the house. If the weather is nice, we'd like to have a barbecue in the garden. Julie's going to make a special cake for Suzie. Anyway, we hope to make it a really special weekend for Suzie. On Sunday we're all going for a walk in the country. You know how she loves walking and we're all going to need a bit of exercise after all that lovely food. We're hoping to go up to the lake. Marie said she wanted her kids to feed the ducks just like Suzie and she did when they were very young. I'm sure Suzie will love that too. It would be great if you could come over for the weekend. We would all love to see you. Let me know as soon as you can. Best, David _ won't come for the meal at the house on Saturday because David doesn't invite them /her. Options: A. Karen B. People from their village C. Suzie's Mum and Dad D. Marie and her kids Answer:

B

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Question: A famous teacher was speaking to the students at our school.He began his lesson by holding up a Y=100 bill.Then he said to the three hundred students,"Who would like this Y=100 bill?"The students began to put up their hands at once. Then he said,"I am going to give this Y=100 to one of you,but first,let me do this."He then made the bill into a ball.Then he said,"Who wants it now?"The hands went back into the air. "Well,"he said,"what if I do this?"and he dropped it on the floor and stepped on it.He picked up the dirty,crumpled bill and said,"Who still wants it?"Hands went back into the air. "My friends,"he said,"you have learned a valuable lesson today.No matter what I did to the money,you still wanted it because it did not go down in value .It was still worth Y=100!" Many times in our lives,we are dropped,crumpled,and stepped on by the chances we take and the things that happen to us.We feel as if we are worth nothing.But remember,no matter what has happened to you,you will never lose your value:you are always valuable to those people who love you.Your value doesn't come from what you do or whom you know,but who you are. You are special and valuable.Don't ever forget it! Why did the famous teacher use a Y=100 bill at his lesson? Options: A. Because he wanted to make the bill into a ball. B. Because he used to drop a bill on the floor and stepped on it. C. Because he was going to give the bill to one of his students. D. Because he wanted to make the students know what value was. Answer:

D

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Question: _ In order to reduce air pollution and oilshortages, automobile manufacturers have announced their plans to develop hybrid vehicles for the Chinese market. Toyota's hybrid car Prius will be ready to drive in China this week. Let's have a look at the new car. Any vehicle is a hybrid when it combines two or more sources of power. Hybrid cars run off a rechargeable battery and gasoline. Hybrid cars have special engines, which are smaller than traditional gasoline engines. They run at 99 percent of their power when the car is cruising . A specially designed battery motor provides extra power for running up hills or when extra acceleration is needed. Step into a Prius, and turn on the engine. The first thing you notice is how much quieter it is than a traditional car. At this point, the car's gasoline engine is dormant . The electric motor will provide power until the car reaches about 24 km/h. If you stay at a low speed, you are effectively driving an electric car, with no gasoline being used, and no waste gas gives off. The onboard computer makes the decision about when to use a gas engine, when to go electric, and when to use a combination of the two. If you go over 24 km/h, when you step on the gas pedal , you are actually telling the computer how fast you want to go. The electronic motor recharges automatically using a set of batteries. When driving at high speed, the gasoline engine not only powers the car, but also charges the batteries. Any time you use the brake, the electric motor in the wheels will work like a generator and produce electricity to recharge the batteries. As a consequence, the car's batteries will last for around 200,000 miles. The author writes this passage mainly to _ . Options: A. teach people how to drive a hybrid car B. introduce a new kind of "green" car C. show how to save their gasoline when driving a car D. announce plans to develop hybrid vehicles for China Answer:

B

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Question: Goats are amazing animals. They can survive just about anywhere. Altogether there are nine species of goats in the world. Goats have more uses than you could ever imagine. Goat's meat can be eaten and goat's milk is becoming popular as a healthy choice to drink milk. Goat's milk is easier to take in than cow's milk and it is called universal milk as it can be used to bottle-feed most animals. In nutrition, it is also good. Goat's skins are still used today to make gloves and other items of clothing. The initial reasons for domesticating goats were to get goat's hair, meat and milk. Goat's skins were used up until the Middle Ages for making bottles to hold water and wine for people who were traveling or camping. Just like sheep, goats are considered to be the first domesticated animal. The domestication process began over 10,000 years ago in a North Iranian town. A lot of people keep goats as pets nowadays. Goats are easily trained and you can teach them to pull carts and walk on ropes. Goats are also known for escaping their pens . If you have unsecured fencing, your goats will be interested in it and test it out and soon you will know where the openings are. Goats are also widely known for their ability to climb trees, although the tree generally has to be at a slight angle . If goats are raised correctly and trained from an early age, they never develop any bad habits. Goats will attack each other. However, if they're corrected from an early age they never attack humans or other animals. If you want to keep a goat as a pet, it is important _ . Options: A. to get along well with it B. to find a professional trainer C. to develop its ability D. to train it when young Answer:

D

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Question: We all know that Taiwan is considered as Treasure Island 0f China. The scenery there is very beautiful. Recently we have been connected closely each other. Several months ago, a group of 19 Taiwanese children flew to Chengdu in order to begin a tour to study pandas. The middle school children were from Chiayi Country in southwest Taiwan and were chosen because of their excellent performance at school. During the visit, the children saw pandas up close. They were excited to see so many pandas at the same time. The children also traveled to the Mount E'mei scenic area and met local schoolchildren. At last, they said, "The pandas are very cute, and they are all happy." They also said the children in Chengdu are very friendly to them, and they all like there. They hope to visit Sichuan again. The children had a good chance to visit Chengdu because _ . Options: A. they were interested in it B. they did well at school C. they were performing different roles D. they were not from the same country Answer:

B

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Question: Bob walked out the door with a huge grin on his face. It was his first day of middle school. His mom, who is a nurse at the high school, waved at him as he entered the bus. The bus driver said "good to see you Bob". Bob said "you too Mr. Smith". Bob was so excited to see his friends that he could barely breathe. As he walked down the school bus, Bob's friends Jill, Jim, Jeff and Chris all waved to him. Instead of sitting next to his best friend Chris, Bob turned left and sat next to Jill. Jeff and Jim started laughing at him and teased "Bob and Jill sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G". Bob's face turned red from embarrassment. Chris felt bad for Bob and reached into his pockets to help his friend. When he reached in, he felt a pencil, a rock and a folded up piece of paper. Chris's eyes twinkled. He had a plan. Without Jim and Jeff seeing, Chris quickly made a paper airplane with the piece of paper he found in his pocket. He threw the paper airplane at Jim. The plane hit Jim in the face. Both Jim and Jeff stopped laughing. Bob looked over to Chris and smiled. Where does Bob's mom work? Options: A. the school bus B. on an airplane C. The high school D. the middle school Answer:

C

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Question: People use money to buy food, furniture, books, bicycles and hundreds of other things they need or want. Most of the money today is made of metal or paper. But people used to use all kinds of things as money. One of the first kinds of money was shells. Shells were not the only things used as money. In China, cloth and knives were used. In the Philippine Islands, rice was used as money for a long time. Elephant tusks, monkey tails, and salt were used as money in parts of Africa. Some animals were used as money too. The first metal coins were made in China. They were round and had a square hole in the center. People _ them together and carried them from place to place. The first coins in England were made of tin . Sweden and Russia used copper to make their money. Later countries began to make coins of gold and silver. Later the Chinese thought of a way to improve money. They began to use paper money. Money has had an interesting history from the days of shell money until today. The best topic of the article is"_." Options: A. How Many Kinds of Money Are There in the World B. The History of Money C. Money in Different Countries D. The Use of Money Answer:

B

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Question: The oil resources which are left will not last very long. This means that all vehicles such as cars, trains, buses, planes and ships that need oil to work will not be able to run. So it will be necessary to develop a new system of transport which uses a fuel more than oil. Electric vehicles are one possibility. In Britain, most families have at least one car and this car is used every day. It could be that only one person in the family drives the car to work or for shopping. The number of cars on the road which are almost empty perhaps helps to explain why the oil is used up so quickly. The family car is a very useful form of transport but it is also a great waste of energy, especially if it is compared with buses or trains. Much petrol is used by a car which is traveling at 120 kilometers an hour. Clearly, it would be better if there were fewer cars on the road and more speed limits so that the oil which is left will last as long as possible. About 25% of Britain's total consumption of energy is _ --it is used only in the home. Just over 20% is used for transport. Most of the energy is used in industry. It is difficult to suggest any possible energy conservation in industry because many of the suggestions would mean that some people would lose their jobs. It is important that industry produces the same amount of products using the same amount of workers. Obviously, conservation is not going to be the answer to the energy crisis . The most it can do is to give more time for a better solution to be found. The more time which is available for new sources of energy to be developed, the better it is because there is still a lot of work to be done in order to find suitable, safe methods of producing energy. Which of the following is true? Options: A. Compared with buses and trains, the family car is useful and can save energy. B. A car driving at the speed of 80 kilometers per hour uses half as much petrol as a car traveling at 160 kilometers per hour. C. It is possible for people to develop vehicles. D. Limitation of the number of cars on the road and their speed will help the oil last longer. Answer:

D

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Question: One of the United States' social problems is the breakdown of the two-parent family. Today, millions of American children grow up without fathers. Too often, these children lack the love and help they badly need and which they would ordinarily receive from not one but two parents. In the old days, American parents placed the needs of their children above their own. At present, however, nearly one half of all new marriages end in divorce, with often troubling results for their children. Worse, every year, thousands of teenage, unmarried Americans become mothers outside marriage, with generally terrible results for the mothers and children alike and for American society more generally. However, Chinese continue to value whole marriages. This is not to say that Chinese marriages are all perfect. They certainly are not, judging from increasing rates of divorce and extramarital affairs-but the willingness of Chinese to set aside their own needs and stay together for the sake of the children is admirable and worthy of study. Families, in whatever form they may take, are important to Americans. If one was to ask a group of Americans what is the dearest to them, the majority would say"family".And yet, so many Americans spend much more time at work, that is, beyond the formal forty-hour work week-than they do with their own families. Obviously, the USA is one of the most powerful in the world, owing in large measure to"workaholism" . It seems to me that Chinese generally find a better balance between work and family needs than many Americans do. I don't see the number of workaholics in China that I do in the United States(or American organizations in China).Instead, average Chinese usually head home right after work(in the office or field),have meals together, and spend time with their family members. What's more, Chinese try to make more time for grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins than many Americans; in many cases, multigenerational families live together. Of course, like many facts of Chinese society, this is all changing; increasing numbers of"New Chinese"are working longer hours and spending less time with their families than ever before. Still, while Americans do value their loved ones, I think we have something to learn from the Chinese about finding the proper balance between work and family. What does the author think according to the passage? Options: A. Children living in one-parent families badly need their parents' love and help B. Children with one-parent need their parents' money badly. C. Chinese value whole marriage more than before. D. Work is the dearest to most Chinese. Answer:

A

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Question: For 40 years, people in London have been happy to see parakeets in their parks. The shocking green body and long tail have brought a bright color to the parks, which have attracted a lot of people. However, the parakeets are no longer welcome. They will push out local birds from trees to build their own nests, and will also take most of the food in the parks, such as seeds, fruit and nuts. Sometimes by accident, plants and animals are carried to new places. They are transported by trains, ships or even planes. Often, animals like fishes get transported in the water containers of ships. When these ships reach new places and pump out the water from their tanks, these animals will start a new life in a new place. Sometimes people take plants and animals from one part of the world to the other to solve a problem. But it will create a bigger problem. Years ago, the farmers of northern Australia brought the toads from South America to their farms. They thought they would kill the beetles that harm the sugarcane crops. But the toad has done much more. It is now killing Australia's native animals, such as snakes, water birds and so on. What can we learn about the toads? Options: A. They didn't kill the beetles at all. B. They were brought to Australia by accident. C. They have ruined the sugarcane crops. D. They have created a larger problem in Australia. Answer:

D

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Question: There is an English saying that goes,"he who laughs last,laughs the hardest."High School Musical star Zac Efron is laughing a lot these days. As a young boy,Efron was _ in school because he was always the smallest in his class and teased because he had a big space between his teeth. In sixth grade,Efron's basketball team made it to the league championships. In double overtime ,with three seconds left,he rebounded the ball and passed it--to the wrong team! They scored and his team lost the game. But history, as they say, is a thing of the past. Now at 21,Efron is one of People magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People,appears on the cover of Entertainment Weekly,Hollywood's most influential magazine,and is traveling the world promoting the third High School Musical film. Director Adam Shankman described Efron as "arguably the biggest teen star in America right now."Simply geogle"Zac Efron"and you get more than 14 million responses. Yes,it seems Efron has a lot to smile about these days. Efron was born and raised in California. He took school seriously. According to Efron, "he would go mad if he got a B and not an A in school, and that he was a class clown."It was his father who encouraged him to act. He took part in school performances and with a local theater group. He also took singing lessons. He graduated high school in 2006 and was accepted at the University of Southern California to study film. But he postponed it-why study movies when you can star in them. Now he has signed on to star in the romantic comedy Seventeen Again and to play in the remake of the hugely popular movie,Footloose.Efron is also earning more than $3 million for his role in High School Musical 3.Not bad for a 21-year-old. But Efron still remembers those bullies . "You always have to remember that bullies want to bring you down because you have something that they admire,"Efron said."Also,when you get made fun of, when people point out your weaknesses, it's an opportunity for you to rise above". Efron has risen all the way to the top of the movie business.And he can now laugh all the way to the bank. The English saying is used at the beginning to show Efron _ . Options: A. .has achieved worldwide fame B. still has a long way to go C. has a not so smooth past D. is optimistic all the way Answer:

C

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Question: Birthdays often involve surprises. But this year's surprise on the birthday of the great British playwright William Shakespeare is surely one of the most dramatic. On April 22, one day before his 441st birthday anniversary, experts discovered that one of the most recognizable portraits of William Shakespeare is a fake. This means that we no longer have a good idea of what Shakespeare looked like. "It's very possible that many pictures of Shakespeare might be unreliable because many of them are copies of this one," said an expert from Britain's National Portrait Gallery. The discovery comes after four months of testing using X-rays, ultraviolet light, microphotography and paint samples. The experts from the gallery say the image --commonly known as the "Flower portrait"-- was actually painted in the 1800s, about two centuries after Shakespeare's death. The art experts who work at the gallery say they also used modern chemistry technology to check the paint on the picture. These checks found traces of paint dating from about 1814. Shakespeare died in 1616, and the date that appears on the portrait is 1609. "We now think the portrait dates back to around 1818 to 1840. This was when there was a renewed interest in Shakespeare's plays," Tarnya Cooper, the gallery's curator , told the Associated President. The fake picture has often been used as a cover for collections of his plays. It is called the Flower portrait because one of its owners, Desmond Flower, gave it to the Royal Shakespeare Company. "There have always been questions about the painting," said David Howells, curator for the Royal Shakespeare Company. "Now we know the truth, we can put the image in its proper place in the history of Shakespearean portraiture." Two other images of Shakespeare, are also being studied as part of the investigation and the results will come out later this month. _ The best title for this passage is _ . Options: A. Birthdays often involve surprises B. The surprise on the 441st birthday of Shakespeare C. One portrait of Shakespeare is a fake D. How can we know Shakespeare's appearance? Answer:

B

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Question: The man behind the Apple empire died at 56 last year. He was one of the people who made Silicon Valley the capital of technological invention. Author and business consultant Jim Collins once called Jobs the "Beethoven of business". When asked what Steve Jobs will be best remembered for, many of us would name a particular product:the iPod, the iPhone or the iPad, for example. But in the eyes of Eric Jackson, a reporter with Forbes magazine, Jobs brought the world much more than these popular devices . Here are some of the lessons he taught us: 1. The most lasting inventions mix art and science. Jobs pointed out that the team members working with Apple were trained in anthropology , art, history, and poetry. He believed this was important in making Apple's products stand out. 2. Never fear failure. Jobs was fired by the successor he himself chose. It was one of the most public embarrassments of the last 30 years in business. However, Jobs didn't hide away or try to get a new job. He _ and got back to work. 3. You can't look forward to connecting the dots--you can only look backward. This means that, however much we try to plan things ahead of time, life is always full of unexpected things. What seems like bitter pain and defeat could turn out to sow the seeds of unimaginable success in years to come. You can't connect the dots looking forward. But you have to trust that all the dots will be connected in the future. 4. Listen to that voice in tile back of your head that tells you if you're on the right track or not. Most of us simply decide that we're going to work in finance or become a doctor because it's what our parents tell us to do. Whatever your voice is telling you, it is smart to listen to it--like Jobs did. Just as Caroline and Amy from his empire put it, "Steve was one of the most inspiring yet toughest boss ever--but who else could have built Apple? What Steve left is sure to inspire generations of creative thinkers to think differently. His influence will be felt throughout the world." What's the writer's main purpose of writing the passage? Options: A. To introduce readers the life story of Steve Jobs. B. To tell readers Steve Jobs is the "Beethoven of business". C. To encourage readers to learn from Steve Jobs' life experience. D. To persuade readers that they shouldn't always follow what parents tell them to do. Answer:

C

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Question: When did you last see a polar bear? On a trip to a zoo, perhaps? If you had attended a winter activity in New York a few years ago, you would have seen a whole polar bear club. These "Polar Bears" are people who meet frequently in winter to swim in freezing cold water. That day, air temperature was 3degC, and the water temperature was a bit higher. The members of the Polar Bear Club at Coney Island , New York are usually about the age of 60. Members must satisfy two requirements. First, they must get along well with everyone else in the group, this is very important because there are so many different kinds of people in the club. Polar Bears must also agree to swim outdoors at least twice a month from November through February. Doctors do not agree about the medical effects of cold-water swimming. Some are worried about the dangers of a condition in which the body's temperature drops so low that finally the heart stops. Other doctors, however, point out that there is more danger of a heart attack during summer swimming because the difference between the air temperature and water temperature is much greater in summer than in winter. The Polar Bears themselves are satisfied with the benefits(or advantages) of cold-water swimming. They say that their favorite form of exercise is very good for the circulatory system because it forces the blood to move fast to keep the body warm. Cold-water swimmers usually turn bright red after a few minutes in the water. A person who turns blue probably has a very poor circulatory system and should not try cold-water swimming. The main benefits(or advantages) of cold-water swimming are probably mental . The Polar Bears love to swim year-round; they find it fun and relaxing. As one 70-year-old woman says,"When I go into the water, I pour my troubles into the ocean and let them float away ." The members of the Polar Bear Club must meet the following requirements except that _ . Options: A. they must reach the age of 60 B. they should be easy to make friends with C. they must swim outdoors at least 8 times in the four cold months D. they must agree to swim outdoors from November through February Answer:

A

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Question: Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of visiting with Deputy Superintendent Pedro Martinez, Principal Neddy Alvarez and her staff at Western High School, located in the Clark County School District, in Las Vegas. The school undertook a comprehensive effort to completely transform the culture of the school and added a motivated group of talented teachers. Western altered the school day to add opportunities for students to get additional credits toward graduation and created smaller learning groups. As part of these comprehensive changes, the school's leadership also focused on four main reforms to transform their school. First, improvements started with the change in the relationship between the school and students to create a caring atmosphere at the school. Using the "Capturing Kids' Hearts" strategies, school leadership and teachers began building a trusting environment and students and families described seeing changes aimed at improving student outcomes and ensuring the success of every student. The school day was altered to add more options for students to obtain additional credits toward graduation. Students and teachers were grouped into "houses," so that smaller groups of teachers and counselors could create one-on-one relationships with students. Teachers and counselors said that the altered school day provides time to address student's individual concerns and develop individualized learning plans to put every student on a path to graduation. The school also made changes to encourage parents to support school and encourage real dialogues between parents and the teachers and leaders at Western. Funded in part through the United Way, the school created a family engagement center to get parents more involved in their children's education, particularly parents of English language learners. Parents like Ally Gaona and Martha Mendez told me that they had a voice and the tools to engage in their children's learning and that they recognize that the main responsibility for their children's learning must rest with the parents. Parents were passionate about these positive changes and said that these changes signaled to the entire the community that the school was serious about family engagement. How many main reforms are mentioned in the passage? Options: A. Two B. Three C. Four D. Five Answer:

A

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Question: Perfect Disaster All around us buildings shook. We decided to leave the town. We stopped once we had left the buildings behind us. The carts were moving in opposite directions, though the ground was perfectly flat, and they wouldn't stay in place even with their wheels blocked by stones. In addition, it seemed as though the sea was being sucked backwards, as if it were being pushed back by the shaking of the land. Certainly the shoreline moved outwards, and many sea animals were left on dry sand. Behind us were frightening dark clouds that opened up to show fire--like lightning, but bigger. Not long after that the clouds reached down to the ground and covered the sea. Now came the dust, though still thin. I looked back. A dense cloud appeared behind us, following us like a flood pouring across the land. Then a darkness came that was not like a moonless or cloudy night, but more like being in a closed and unlighted room. You could hear women and children crying, men shouting. Some were calling for parents, others for children; they could only recognize them by their voices. Darkness and ashes came again, a great weight of them. We stood up and shook the ash off again and again; otherwise we would have been covered with it and crushed by the weight. At last the cloud became thinner and thinner until it was no more than smoke or fog. Soon there was real daylight. The sight that met our still terrified eyes was a changed world, buried in ash like snow. --from Pliny's letter to a friend Pliny left the town after _ . Options: A. the eruption B. the sky became dark C. the buildings began shaking D. the sea went back Answer:

C

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Question: For Americans, a mosquito bite is an itchy bother. But for many in Africa, a tiny bite can be deadly. One million people die each year of malaria, a disease spread by infected mosquitoes. Most of these people live in Africa, and are under age 5. Malaria can be prevented and treated. However, many African nations don't have the funds to fight it. Nothing but Nets (NBN) hopes to change that. The United Nations Foundation created the campaign in 2006. The aim is to prevent malaria by covering sleeping areas with nets. Hanging bed nets treated with insecticide is the simplest way to stop mosquitoes from biting at night. The chemicals last four to five years. For $10, anyone can send a net to Africa and help save a life. So far, NBN has raised $19 million and delivered 700,000 nets to seven countries. Families are taught how to use the nets. Kids also get vaccines and vitamins. "Women line up for miles to get the medicine for their kids," says NBN director Elizabeth McKee Gore. "They understand the importance." So do kids in this country. "They get so excited thinking of ways to raise money," says NBN spokesperson and basketball star Ruth Riley. NBN's biggest fund-raiser is Katherine Commale, 7. She's been spreading the information about bed nets for the past two years. To show how they work, she and her brother made a video. "We teach that bed nets can save lives," she said. Katherine has raised $42,000 for NBN. "She just wants those who need a net to have one," says her mom, Lynda. "It's pretty simple to her." To find out how you can help, visit nothingbutnets.net. What do we know about Katherine from the passage? Options: A. She set up the website nothingbutnets.net. B. She is the youngest money-raiser for NBN. C. She raised money by making and selling videos. D. She started working for NBN at the age of 5. Answer:

D

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Question: Report Card Name: James Stuart Time: January 24th, 2012 Subjects Grades Comments English B+: Your reading and writing are good. But you have a strong accent , so you are not good at speaking. And you do not put much effort into this subject. If you work hard, you can get a better grade in this subject. Physics A+:You are good at this subject. You are hard-working. I am glad that you do best in this subject Math C:You like this subject. But you are not good at this subject because you are a little bit lazy. It is disappointing. You can do better if you try your best. Music B:It is a happy thing to hear you play the piano. You are crazy about the music. Although you like this subject best, your accent has a bad influence on your singing. James's favorite subject is _ . Options: A. English B. physics C. math D. music Answer:

D

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Question: John is 14 years old. He is a student of Grade Eight. He was a very active and happy boy two years ago. But everything changed after he started to play computer games. He never plays basketball or football with his friends any more. And when he sits in the classroom, he can't listen to the teachers. He sleeps in class. And he spends less and less time in studying. So he gets bad marks in tests. But he is very different after school is over. He stays in the net bar until it is closed. Ah, he loses himself in computer games. His parents can do nothing to stop him. Every morning in the school, when we see that he is so tired after a night's "busy working", we really feel sad. He is too tired! Which of the following is TRUE? Options: A. John wasn't a good student two years ago. B. John often sleeps in class at school. C. John's parents don't love him. D. John is busy working every day. Answer:

B

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Question: Putting in water fountains at schools, and teaching children about the health benefits of water, could reduce their risk of getting extra pounds, reports a new study that is published in the latest issue of the journal Pediatrics. The findings are based on a survey in 32 elementary schools of two German cities, Dortmund and Essen. The researchers, led by Rebecca Muckelbauer, a nutritionist at the Research Institute of Child Nutrition Dortmund, weighed about 3,000 children, and asked them about their beverage consumption . At the beginning of the school year, the experts had water fountains added to 17 of the schools. The scientists also worked with teachers to carry out educational programs that promote the benefits of drinking water. In contrast to schools in the United States, there are very few schools in Germany that have water fountains. At the beginning of the study, there were no big differences in the number of overweight children in the different groups. But by the end of the school year, children in the schools with water fountains were 31 per cent less likely to gain extra pounds, compared to kids who went to other schools, where water drinking was not encouraged. Children in the schools with fountains increased their water consumption from about 3 up to 4 glasses a day, while those in the other schools continued to drink an average of 3 glasses. Over the research, the number of overweight kids upped from 384 to 385 out of 1,641 at the schools with water fountains. In comparison, the number of overweight kids at the other schools increased from 339 to 364 out of 1,309, Dr. Muckelbauer said. The experts cannot make any final conclusions and explain why the students who were encouraged to drink water were less likely to gain extra weight. Dr. Muckelbauer noted that according to a few other studies, drinking of water increases the rate at which calories are burned, while some other research suggested that water may temporarily decrease appetite . What do we know about the survey from the passage? Options: A. The teachers were also encouraged to drink water. B. The students surveyed were all overweight. C. It surveyed children in the countryside. D. It lasted for a whole school year. Answer:

D

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Question: If an object is attracted to a magnet, the object is most likely made of Options: A. wood B. plastic C. cardboard D. metal Answer:

D

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Question: One day ,a woman got on a bus with a child in her arms. The woman sat down next to _ The old woman took a look at the child and said in a low voice to her husband," Look at the child. He's so ugly ." The woman heard what the old woman said and began to cry. She cried and cried and no one could stop her. When the bus came to a stop, a young man got on the bus with some bananas and sat at the back of the bus. He saw the woman crying, so he went over and said to her," Oh, come, please don't cry any more. You look very ugly when you are crying." The woman didn't stop crying. Instead, she cried even harder. The young man didn't know what he could do. Suddenly he noticed the bananas in his hand and had a good idea. So he said again to the woman, "Well, if you stop crying, I will give your monkey some bananas to eat." The woman began to cry on the bus because _ . Options: A. she felt very sad B. she took the wrong bus C. she didn't get off at the right stop D. she lost her purse Answer:

A

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Question: As most university students are packing their bags,boarding trains or flying home for the Spring Festival,some will stay behind to spend the holiday on campus. Zhou Yunyun,22,a senior finance major at Jilin University,has decided that instead of traveling to Hainan province,he will kill the time by playing computer games with his online friends. "I'm used to chatting and playing with them every day.It's just fun to make friends this way,"he said."When I returned home in past years,my relatives always asked me a lot of questions about my plans after graduation.They had high expectations of me,which made me feel stressed," said Zhou. The campus,usually lively,will probably turn into a death town,with most restaurants,shops and student centers closed during the break.But there are also a few advantages,according to Jia Debao,2 1,a junior majoring in administration at China Agricultural University."I might feel a bit lonely,but at least I can stay away from my parents' complaining and enjoy the peaceful and quiet stay," he said."More importantly,I can enjoy the high speed of the Internet,I can always find empty seats in classrooms,and I don't have to wait to use the bathroorm" But education experts recommend students who stay on campus to come up with more interactive plans.That's because communication on the Internet can't replace real life interpersonal relationships. Society has promoted a kind of" _ " or close-in culture among some young people, according to Shi Tongyu, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. He warned that this kind of lifestyle can damage students' mental and physical development. "When you constantly stare at a computer screen and type on your keyboard,you gradually lose the ability to socialize and survive normally,"said Shi."A human's most important task is to survive,which cannot be completed by staying at home all the time. Instead,it must be achieved through real life experience and communication." Spending the Spring Festival on campus for Jia Debao means _ . Options: A. he will miss his parents a little bit B. there will be more seats in classrooms C. he will have a quiet and peaceful break D. the speed of the Internet will get faster Answer:

C

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Question: Are you looking for something fun? Would you like to help other people in your free time? Then join us and be a volunteer . We have volunteer jobs for people of all ages. Anyone, between the age of 12 and 80, can become a volunteer. You can help people in many ways. Nursing homes need volunteers to take care of old people. Hospitals need volunteers to look after children while their parents see a doctor. Animal lovers can help take care of those dogs and cats without homes. There is something that out volunteers want to tell you. "As a volunteer, I don't want to get anything. Seeing the children's happy faces, I am happy, too." said Carlos, an old woman of 62. " I often played computer games in my free time before. Now I help middle-aged people learn how to use computers." said another volunteer at the age of 18. If everyone gives a hand, we'll have a better world to live in. Interested? Call us on 1-800-555-5756 or visit our website: www.active.com. This passage is _ . Options: A. a story B. a play C. an ad D. a joke Answer:

C

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Question: Sam:What's this?It's an American eraser .It's made{}in our hometown{}But it isn't mine .Hi! Jim, is this your eraser? Jim:No it isn't.. Maybe {}it's Ann's. Sam: Excuse me ,Ann. Ann;Yes? Sam: Is this your eraser? Ann: No, it isn't .I think it's Lucy's. Lucy, is this your eraser ? Lucy: Oh,yes. Thank you very much . Sam; That's all right. Jim: Look,! What are those? Lucy: I think they are oranges. Ann; No, they aren't . I think they are apples----yellow apples. Jim; Are they in a box ? Lucy: No, they are in a basket {} Sam: Whose are they? Lucy:Sorry ,we really don't know. Sam is a/an _ boy. Options: A. America B. China C. UK D. Japan Answer:

A

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Question: My daughter recently asked me what a Travel Agency does. There is one located on our street and it has just been completely rebuilt. I told her that they helped people book their trips and vacations. "Why haven't we ever been in there?" she wanted to know. "Because we do everything ourselves online these days" I explained. "But why do it yourself if other people want to do it for you?" she wondered out loud. The answer is that the travel agency makes a little bit of money on each ticket you book through them. If you book your ticket yourself, online, you save that money. Saving money sounds great except that when you think about it you typically spend three evenings comparing prices to end up saving $30 on a $300 trip. All those $30 discounts add up of course so I guess we should be happy with that. Still, how bad is it really to pay someone $30 and trust them to buy you something decent? Wouldn't you say your free evenings are worth more than $10 a piece? Consider books for a moment. Buying your book at Amazon saves you maybe 30% to 40% on each book. Add to that the convenience of shopping from home and getting the package delivered to your home address. So far so good. Unfortunately that does mean you spend way too much time browsing Amazon. com while you could do something fun instead. Like maybe reading an actual book? Then the package arrives and you aren't home and end up having to pick it up at the local post- office. All in all I wonder how much time I end up investing in the whole process. Time sounds free, but to most of us, it is more valuable than money. The Internet Economy promised to get rid of the middle-men and we loved it. Somehow, I'm starting to get the feeling that we ourselves ended up doing the work of that middle-men we were so eager to get rid of. In any project you can always pick two of these: fast, cheap or good. We seem to have focused a lot on 'cheap' and 'good' but the extra time we need to invest to keep it 'fast' comes out of our own pockets. You can always make more money but you can never make more time. What's the best title for the passage? Options: A. The convenience of the Internet Economy. B. How to save money in the Internet Economy. C. The hidden cost of the Internet Economy. D. How to save time in the Internet Economy. Answer:

C

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Question: The English language is different from any other language. Yet English words do not stay the same. The language is always changing. We need new words for new inventions and new ideas. Different words come into use, or older words are used in a new way. English can change by borrowing words from other languages. Tomato was borrowed from Mexico and pajamas from Indian. The word coffee came from Turkey, and tea came from China. Now new space and science words are being borrowed from other countries, too. New words are also made by adding two words together. Strawberry, popcorn, and grandfather are words made up of two parts. Sometimes new words are shorter forms of older words. The word photo was made from photograph by cutting off the end of the longer word. Plane was made by cutting off the front part of airplane. Smog was made by using only the first two and last two letters from the words smoke and fog. The names of people and products can become new words. Our sandwich was named after a man named Sandwich. Scotch Tape, Band-aid and Jello were names made up by the companies that first made the products. ,. The passage makes you think that _ . Options: A. all the words are borrowed from other languages B. language do not stay the same all the time C. the English words has more words than other languages D. all the older English words are used in a new way Answer:

B

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Question: In 2006, young businessman Blake Mycoskie went to Argentina on vacation. He went back to America with a business plan that would help thousands of children. While on vacation, Mycoskie saw children who couldn't afford even one pair of shoes. Their feet suffered cuts, and he wanted to help. He noticed the shoes that Argentinean farmers wore. Inspired by those simple shoes with rope bottoms, he had an idea. Mycoskie wanted to give these children the shoes they needed. He gave his new plan a name --- TOMS. For every pair of shoes he sold, he would give a new pair to a needy child. One for one. It was a slap in the face to traditional business practices. How could he make a profit by giving so much away? However, he started selling shoes out of his apartment. When he had sold 10,000 pairs of shoes, he returned to Argentina with 10,000 pairs to give away. Although often taken for granted, shoes play an important role. Children without shoes easily injure their feet. They can catch a disease through soil that could make them sick or slow down their growth. Some children can't attend school without shoes because they are part of the uniform. TOMS, together with other charity organizations, continues to find communities that will get benefit. Since that first "shoe drop" in Argentina, TOMS has contributed new shoes to communities in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. Mycoskie's special principle is all about giving. This has attracted a lot of media attention, saving money on marketing. When people hear about TOMS' purpose, they buy the shoes and then share the story with a slogan of "shoes for a better tomorrow". What are the reactions of other businessmen to TOMS? Options: A. They envied Mycoskie for being able to sell so many shoes. B. They wondered how Mycoskie could manage it. C. They asked Mycoskie to stop doing this immediately. D. They felt sorry for Mycoskie's having to give away so much. Answer:

B

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Question: Successful people in international business understand the cultures of other countries and learn to change their practices in different cultures. They understand the importance of avoiding business decisions based on misconceptions--mistaken ideas. One cause of misconceptions is ethnocentrism, the belief that one's own culture's way of doing things is better than the way of other cultures. It's ethnocentrism that leads to failure in international business. To avoid ethnocentrism, it's necessary to study the different elements of culture: language, values and attitudes, and customs and manners. Language A. knowledge of the local language can help international business people in four ways. First, people can communicate directly. Second, people are usually more open in their communication with someone who speaks their language. Third, an understanding of the language allows people to infer meanings that are not said directly. Finally, knowing the language helps people to understand the culture better. Values are people's basic beliefs about the difference between right and wrong, good and bad . An attitude is a way of thinking or acting. Values and attitudes influence international business. For example, many people in the United States believe that chocolate from Switzerland is better than chocolate from other countries, and they buy a lot of it. Customs and manners Customs are common social practices. Manners are ways of acting that the society believes are polite. For example, in the United States, it is the custom to have salad before the main course at dinner, not after. It's not acceptable to talk with food in mouth at table. Failure to understand the customs and manners of other countries will bring difficulty selling their products. Orange juice as a breakfast drink of an American company in France doesn't sell well because the French don't usually drink juice with breakfast. The act of many people buying chocolate of Switzerland shows the role of _ . Options: A. attitudes B. values C. manners D. customs Answer:

A

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Question: If you choose only to complain and escape from a misfortune, it will always follow you wherever you go.But if you decide to be strong, the hardship will turn out to be a fortune on which new hopes will arise. In an accident, a boy lost.both his arms and his father-who was the main source of support for the family.Since then, he has had to depend on the arms of his younger brother.For the sake of taking care of him, his younger brother became his shadow, never leaving him alone for years.Except for writing with his toes, he was completely unable to do anything in his life. As the two brothers grew up together, they had their share of problems and they would often quarrel.Then one day, his younger brother wanted to leave, living his own life, as many normal people do.So he was heart-broken and didn't know what to do. A similar misfortune befell a girl, too.One night her mother, who suffered from chronic mental illness, disappeared.Her father went out to look for her mother, leaving her alone at home.She tried to prepare meals for her parents, only to overturn the kerosene light on the stove, resulting in afire which took her hands away. Though her elder sister who was studying in another city, showed her willingness to take care of her, she was determined to be completely independent.At school, she always studied hard.Most of all she learned to be self-reliant. One day, the boy and the girl were both invited to appear on a television interview program.The boy told the TV host about his uncertain future at being left on his own, whereas the girl was full of enthusiasm for her life.They both were asked to write something on a piece of paper with their toes.The boy wrote: My younger brother's arms are my arms; while the girl wrote: Broken wings, flying heart. After the accident, the boy _ . Options: A. decided to live with his brother B. learnt to do things with his toes C. made a living all by himself D. depended wholly on his brother Answer:

D

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Question: Daniel Defoe (about 1660~1731) was an important novelist in the English literature . When he was young, he served as a soldier and had been to Spain, Italy, France and Germany. At the same time, he went in for politics. He cared much about the development of capitalism . He had written a lot of articles against it and he was put into prison twice for that. It was not until he was nearly sixty that he began to write the famous novel Robinson Crusoe, which was published in May, 1709. It spread so rapidly that the story was known to _ very soon. Robinson Crusoe can be divided into three parts. The first part is about Crusoe's three voyages, the second part about his hunting, hiding in caves farming and his hard struggles against nature on a small island, the third part about the things which happened after his return from the island. The second part is the body of the novel, in which Robinson's characters are clearly shown. Defoe wrote his novel in a simple style and his language is easy to understand. His novel-writing set a milestone of the modern English novel. In his later part of life, he was in poor health and lived very poorly. He died on April 24th, 1731. Robinson Crusoe can be divided into _ parts and the first is about _ . Options: A. two; his lonely life B. three; his characters C. three; his journeys by sea D. four; his fame Answer:

C

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Question: This March, the H7N9 virus hit Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang and so on. It seemed that most people who were infected with H7N9 had the common flu, Some people suffered from a fever or a cough.. Don't be afraid ----- it's not easy to be infected with the virus. Here are some suggestions to help you protect yourself when it comes. Wash your hands. You need to wash your hands with soap and hot water before you eat, after you use the toilet, and after you touch animals, because your hands may carry viruses. Cover your nose and mouth.. When someone sneezes or coughs, flu viruses can travel as far as one meter through the air, so you'd better stand a proper distance while talking to someone who has a cold. And always cover your mouth and nose with a piece of paper when you sneeze or cough, and then clean your hands. Wear a mask. Some doctors say that masks can stop the flu as much as 80%, but if you don't wash your hands often, it's no use wearing a mask. And it's necessary to wear the mask in the groups of people. Do sports often. Exercises will help make your body strong enough to the virus. How many ways to stop the virus are mentioned in the passage? Options: A. Three B. Four C. Five D. six. Answer:

B

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Question: Wherever she goes, Molly leaves her mark. Without saying a word, she speaks to people with her kind eyes. Even when she walks away, she leaves an impression.Molly's mark is a smile, stamped into the ground by the horseshoe at the bottom of her false leg. A few years ago, Molly was badly attacked by a dog.The dog bit all four of Molly's legs and left large cuts in her face. Molly's owner, Kate Harris, took her to an animal hospital.Doctors there were able to save Molly's life, but soon one of her legs became very infected . At first, doctors thought Molly would have to be put to sleep.But Molly changed their minds. This pony, doctors noticed, shifted her weight, and rested her good leg from time to time. Doctors knew that Molly had amazing intelligence, and that she wanted to live. Several doctors operated on Molly, and removed her infected leg. A false leg was made for her. The leg was a hollow cast with a pole at the bottom for balance. Doctors gave Molly a special horseshoe at the bottom of the leg. This horseshoe she had had a stamp of a smile face in it! After the operation, Molly walked around on all four legs, as if nothing had ever happened to her! Now, with every step she takes, she stamps a smile in the dirt.But she leaves her m ark in other ways, too. Kaye Harris took Molly to the false leg center. There were children there who, like Molly, had artificial arms or legs. They were amazed to see a pony with a false leg. Molly made them smile and gave them hope. Soon, Molly began to visit schools, nursing homes, army bases and hospitals. A book was even written about Molly! Which of the following is true according to the text? Options: A. Molly can speak to people in kind words. B. Kay Harris took Molly to a children's hospital after the attack. C. In the beginning, doctors had planned to end Molly's life. D. Molly sometimes leaves smiling marks on people's faces. Answer:

C

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Question: Make the most of college Dear Daughter, As we drove off from Columbia, I wanted to write a letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind. First, I want to tell you how proud we are. Getting into Columbia is a real testament of what a great well-rounded student you are. You should be as proud of yourself as we are. Your college years will be the most important of your life. It is in college that you will discover what learning is about. This will be the period where you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired, after which you must become self-learner. So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn isn't critical for your life, the learning skills you acquire will be something you will cherish forever. Follow your passion in college. Take courses you think you will enjoy. Don't be trapped by what others think or say, but make up your own mind. Most importantly, make friends and be happy. College friends are often the best in life. Pick a few friends and become really close to them - pick the ones who are genuine to you. Don't worry about their hobbies, grades, looks or even personalities. Start planning early - what would you like to do? Where would you like to live? What would you like to learn? I think your plan to study fashion is good, and you should decide where you want to be, and get onto the right courses. Whether it is summer-planning, or coursework planning, or picking a major, or managing your time, you should take control of your life. I will always be there for you, but the time has come for you to be in the driver's seat - this is your life, and you need to be in control. Being in control feels great. Try it, and you'll love it! College is the four years where you have: l The greatest amount of free time l the first chance to be independent l the most flexibility to change l the lowest risk for making mistakes So please treasure your college years - make the best of your free time, become an independent thinker in control of your destiny, be to experiment, learn and grow through your successes and challenges. May your years at Columbia be the happiest of your life, and may you blossom into just what you dream to be. Love, Dad (&Mom) What does the author advise his daughter to do in college? _ Options: A. Plan everything. B. Party with friends in her free time. C. Ignore what others think or say. D. Treasure and make the best of her college years. Answer:

D

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Question: I climbed the ladder, heard my dive announced, and began the moves that would push me into the air. Pushing off the diving board with my legs, I lifted my arms and shoulders back, and knew immediately I would be close to the board and might hit my hands. I tried to correct myself as I turned, spreading my hands wide apart. Then I heard a strange sound and my body lost control. Moments later I realized I had hit my head on the board. At the beginning, I felt embarrassed. I wanted to hide, to get out of the pool without anyone seeing me. Next I felt intense fear. Had I cut my head? Was I bleeding? Was there blood in the pool? Swimming to the side, I noticed many shocked faces. People were worried about my head; I was worried about something far more threatening. An official examined my head. In a hurry, I pushed him away, and everyone else who approached me. "Don't touch me!" I felt like screaming. "Get away from me!" These were the trials for the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea. Until this dive, I had been ahead. But now, something else was more significant than winning. I might have endangered other divers' lives if I had spilled blood in the pool. For what I knew--- that few others knew - was that I was HIV-positive. According to my mother, my natural parents were Samoan and only teenagers when I was born, so they gave me up for adoption. When I was only eighteen months old, I started gym classes. At ten, I explored doing gym exercises off the diving board at the pool. Because of my dark skin, kids at school called me names. My diving made me feel good about myself when my peers made me feel stupid. At sixteen, I knew I had a shot at the 1976 Olympics. Everyone was alarmed when I hit my head on the board in Seoul. Regardless, I made it to the finals. During my last dive in the finals, I enjoyed for the last time the quietness underwater and then swam to the side of the pool. The crowd cheered, and I knew I'd won --- two gold medals. AIDS forced me to stop diving; I had to give up diving professionally after the Olympics. Immediately before he hit his head on the board, the writer _ . Options: A. climbed the ladder B. started the moves that would push him into the air C. knew he was too close to the board D. corrected his actions when he turned Answer:

D

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Question: Worrying about how you'll perform on a math test may actually contribute to a lower test score, US researchers said on Saturday. Math anxiety--feelings of dread and fear and avoiding math--can weaken the brain's limited amount of working capacity, a resource needed to calculate difficult math problems, said Mark Ashcrafi, a psychologist at the University of Nevada Las Vegas who studies the problem. "It turns out that math anxiety occupies a person's working memory," said Ashcraft, who spoke at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in San Francisco. Ashcraft said while easy math tasks such as addition require only a small part of a person's working memory, harder calculations require much more. Worrying about math takes up a large part of a person's working memory stores as well, _ disaster for the anxious student who is taking a high-stakes test . Stress about how one does on tests like college entrance exams can make even good math students choke. "All of a sudden they start looking for the short cuts," said University of Chicago researcher Sian Beilock. Although test preparation classes can help students get over this anxiety, they are limited to students whose families can afford them. Finally, she said, "It may not be wise to rely completely on scores to predict who will succeed." While the causes of math anxiety are unknown, Ashcraft said, "People who manage to get over math anxiety have completely normal math ability." Sian Beilock points out that stress _ . Options: A. can't be avoided before college entrance exams B. contributes to scores in college entrance exams C. has no effects on good math students D. has side effects on students in college entrance exams Answer:

D

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Question: Someday a stranger will read your email without your permission or scan the website you have visited. Or perhaps someone will casually glance through your credit card purchases or cell bills to find out your shopping preferences or calling habits. In fact, it is likely that some of these things have already happened to you. Who would watch you without permission? It might be a girlfriend, a marketing company, a boss or a criminal. Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you never intended to be seen----- _ stcentury is the equal of being caught naked. Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy and that it is important to reveal yourself to friends, families and lovers at appropriate time and places. But now few boundaries remain. The information you leave everywhere makes it easy for strangers to reconstruct who you are, where you are and what you like. Believe it or not, we live in a world where you simply can't keep a secret. The key question is: does that matter? When you ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned about losing it. But people say one thing and do another. Only a tiny part of Americans change any behaviors in an effort to preserve their privacy. Few people turn down a discount at tollbooths to avoid using the EZ-Pass system that can track automobile movements. And few refuse to offer personal information like Social Security numbers to get supermarket loyalty cards. But privacy does matter--at least sometimes. It is like health: when you have it, you don't notice it. Only when it is gone do you wish you had done more to protect it. Which of the statements will the psychologists probably agree with? Options: A. Friends should open their hearts to each other. B. Friends should always be faithful to each other. C. There should be a distance even between friends. D. The closer they are, the deeper their friendship is. Answer:

C

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Question: If you want to find out a piece of information about anything , the best place to search for it is Wikepedia. This online encyclopedia is written by thousands of people around the world. Anyone can add or change the information if he or she finds it not correct or not well written. In this way, people who know a lot about a certain subject can write about it even if they are not university professors. What is more, Wikepedia includes articles written in about 235 languages. This fact makes it one of the few websites on the Internet that are truly international. It was started in 2001 by Larry Sanger and Jimmy Wales, as a free online English-language encyclopedia project. By April 2008, over 10 million articles had been put on Wikipedia. A quarter of the articles are in English. Wikipedia is also a place where people can find the latest news. However, Wikipedia has its own problems. There have been many complaints that some of the information on Wikipedia is not accurate and some important subjects are not included. This has led to arguments between the writers of articles. The people running Wikipedia say that the accuracy of the information is improving and that it is one of the top 20 visited websites on the Internet. So, if you are looking for some information, why not try Wikipedia? Wikipedia is _ . Options: A. a computer game B. a name of a magazine C. a free university D. an online encyclopedia Answer:

D

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Question: A New Zealand volcano _ for more than a century has erupted,sending up ash clouds,disturbing flights and closing roads. Mount Tongariro, one of three volcanoes in the centre of the North Island, became active just before midnight local time, with reports of loud explosions,pouting rocks and steam. The 1, 978m peak is in a national park popular with hikers. No damages have been reported after the eruption. Witnesses described a dramatic scene as the volcano erupted. "I saw this beautiful. big cloud and I thought: 'Gee that looks like a volcanic plume'. Just as I thought that there was a great big orange flash," truck driver Bryn Rodda told New Zealand National Radio. "It was quite impressive." Mount Tongariro last erupted 115 years ago. And scientists said they did not yet know if this eruption was a single event. Experts said they were caught by surprise--they had recorded some activity like an earthquake in recent weeks but were not expecting an eruption. "This might just be a quiet period and we should expect it to start again at any time. So we are watching things Very closely," volcanologist Michael Rosenberg told TVNZ. Eruption activity has currently reduced, New Zealand media said.Meteorologists said the ash was blowing east towards the Pacific Ocean. A number of inland flights from the North Island to the South Island had been affected by the volcanic activity, Air New Zealand said. Police said highways that had been closed because visibility was affected after the eruption are now open. Some residents in the nearby areas had temporarily left their homes. Officials have not ordered an evacuation , but advised those affected by the ash cloud to stay indoors and close their doors and windows. What do the experts expect might happen next? Options: A. Another eruption. B. An earthquake. C. Diseases caused by the ashes. D. An overall evacuation. Answer:

A

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Question: Ted and Susan are good friends. Last Saturday, Ted asked Susan to go with him to watch a movie or take a walk down by the lake. Susan really wanted to go, but she was really busy all Saturday. First, her mom asked her to help clean the house in the morning, and then she had to go to the dentist's at 12:30. Two hours after that, she met Julia to help her with her science. Then she had to go to soccer practice with her brother at 4:30, and her mom asked her to cook dinner for the family at 5:30. Then, she had to do her history homework. Ted knew that Susan was going to have a full day. So he asked her to watch a video at home. Susan thought that was great, but something was wrong with their video player. So they had to just play a game. What did Susan have to do on Saturday morning? Options: A. Watch a movie. B. Clean the house. C. Go to the dentist's. D. Take a walk. Answer:

B

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Question: Some people have to use public transport, some dislike it and still some love it. If everyone has a car and drives anywhere they want to go, there will be serious traffic problems on the road. Luckily, trains are a good form of public transport. British people use trains a lot. This is especially so for people who are travelling from London to Paris. Every day about 20 trains leave London. They travel at a very high speed and people feel glad that the trains take only 2 hours and 30 minutes to reach Paris. It's much faster to travel by train than by bus or by car. This is because people have to drive cars or buses very carefully and lowly for many reasons, such as speed limits and traffic jams. However, when you are travelling by train, the speed is almost the same and there is no traffic jam for a train. Besides, Londoners think taking a train is one of the safest ways of travelling on the ground. Trains take quite a number of quality tests while they are made. More importantly, they have to take many safety checks before they are used on the rail track. What's more, trains in Britain are comfortable and provide fine services for their users. When you are on a London train, you will find that the train has comfortable tables and seats where people can sit. They also provide food services and power plugs for personal computers or mobile phone. The main idea of the passage is that _ . Options: A. British people enjoy public transport B. it's fast to travel from London to Paris C. trains in Britain provide fine services for their users D. trains are a good form of public transport for Londoners Answer:

D

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Question: The food we eat seems to have profound effects on our health. Although science has made big steps in making food more fit to eat, it has, at the same time, made many foods unfit to eat. Some research has shown that 80 percent of all human illness are connected with diet and 40 percent of cancer is connected with the diet. Therefore, that food is connected with illness is not a new discovery. In 1940's scientists realized that nitrates , which are often used to keep color1 of meat, and other additives caused cancer. However these additives remain in our food and it becomes more difficult to know which additives are helpful or harmful. Farmers sometimes give drugs to animals not because the animals are ill but because they want to sell the animals at higher prices. For example, farmers try hard to make animals grow big so that they can sell the big animals for more money. Although the Food and Drug Administration has tried again and again to control farmers to do so, farmers go on doing this. Which of the following statements is NOT true? Options: A. Drugs are always given to animals for medical reasons. B. Some additives in our food are added not only to the food but also to the animal. C. Scientists knew that some additives are harmful to people over seventy years ago. D. Food may cause 40 percent of cancer in the world. Answer:

A

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Question: A Koala Isn't a Bear Koalas remind people of teddy bears.They have thick fur and large ears.Their broad, flat nose makes them look cute, similar to teddy bears.In fact koalas aren't cute.They have sharp teeth and very sharp claws! Koalas are marsupials.This means the mother carries her baby in a pocket while it develops, similar to a kangaroo.The baby koala lives in its mother's pocket for the first six months of its life. The name "koala" comes from a native Australian word that means "no drink". The koalas get almost all their water from the eucalyptus leaves they eat.That's where they get their food too.Koalas eat only eucalyptus leaves, and only the leaves of certain eucalyptus trees.The eucalyptus trees are where the koalas live.It's also where they sleep.Koalas sleep about nineteen hours a day! Why do they sleep so much? Some people think it's because they're lazy.But koalas aren't lazy.They sleep so much because there isn't much nutrition in eucalyptus leaves.Koalas store hardly any fat, so they must save their energy.One way to do this is to move slowly and sleep a lot. After a day of sleeping they like to move around and eat just after sunset.They live alone most of the time.Koalas are very protective of their trees.If a koala sees another koala eating in its favorite tree, it might tell the other koala to leave by "barking" at it.Koalas do "talk" to each other.Besides barks, the males make a deep grunting sound.The mothers and babies talk in soft clicking sounds.If they get scared they may scream like a baby. According to the article, how are koalas and kangaroos alike? Options: A. They both have thick fur. B. They both have sharp teeth. C. They both eat eucalyptus leaves. D. They both carry their young in a pocket. Answer:

D

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Question: Look, this is a photo of Mr. White's family. The man in the photo is Mr. White, the father. The woman is the mother. They have two daughters. The girl behind Mr. White is Mary. She's 14. The girl behind Mrs. White is Jane. She is 11. Mary and Jane are in the same school, but not the same grade. Mary is in Grade2. Jane is in Grade 1. They are good students. Mr. and Mrs. White have _ . Options: A. one son and one daughter B. two sons C. two daughters D. one son Answer:

C

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Question: Kenya is the first country to protect elephants by text messages. Mobile phone SIM cards are inserted in the collars of elephants. The cards will send a text message when the elephants wander too close to farms, allowing wildlife protectors to drive them off rather than shoot them. Hungry elephants cause big problems for farmers and villagers in some parts of Kenya when they are searching for food. Two years ago the Kenyan wildlife service had to unwillingly shoot five elephants who continued to destroy crops. In order to prevent such bad activities, the Elephants charity put a mobile phone SIM card on a huge bull elephant called Kimani. The conservationists then set up a virtual fence. Each time Kimani came near the fence, a text message was sent to farmers. So far he's been stopped from going into the danger area fifteen times. The project seems to be working successfully as Kimani hasn't come near a farm for four months. A similar system has now been put into operation in another part of the country. One of the biggest benefits of the project is that elephants seem to learn from one another, which can help a whole group change their habits. The elephants can also be tracked using Google Earth software. This is also helping the protectors know where to use their resources to protect the animals well. Elephants often cause problems in Kenya, because _ . Options: A. they are attacked B. they are angry C. they are sad D. they are hungry Answer:

D

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Question: In the UK. Saturday evenings have always been a popular time for families to watch television together. One of the most popular programme _ is the talent show, partly because people of all ages are interested in it. Early shows, like Opportunity Knocks (1965-1978), required people to vote for their favorite acts and performers, although in those days voting was done by postcard instead of by telephone, text, or over the Internet. Today, the success of television talent shows has reached a new level. Here are Ihe UK's top three TV talent shows: The X Factor In this wonderful singing competition, performers have to face a celebrity judge panel before the public vote. Many excellent singers became popular because of it. The show is now made all over the world, from China to Colombia. Strictly Come Dancing--The programme is so fantastic that it attracts many celebrities. They team up with professional dancers and come to the dance floor to win the title of Strictly Come Dancing Champion. Britain's Got Talent -- In this modern-day version of Opportunity Knocks, the public can go and choose from many kinds of acts, from dancing dogs to ice skating. The prize is to perform for the Queen in the Royal Variety of Performance. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? Options: A. The winners of Britain's Got Talent can perform for the Queen. B. If you want your dog to have a performance, you can go to Britain's Got Talent with it. C. Opportunity Knocks is still on television now. D. People of all ages enjoy TV talent shows in UK. Answer:

C

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Question: It happened to me recently that I was telling someone how much I had enjoyed reading Barack Obama'sDreamsfromMyFatherand how it had changed my views of the current US president.The person I was talking to agreed with me that it was,in his words,"a wonderfully written book". However,he then _ to talk about Mr Obama in a way that suggested he had no idea of his background at all.I sensed that I was talking to a book liar. And it seems that he is not the only one.Clearly two thirds of people have lied about reading a book which they haven't.In the World Book Day survey,DreamsfromMyFatheris at number 9.The survey lists top ten books,and various authors,which people have lied about reading.As I'm not one to lie too often,I'll admit here and now that I haven't read the entire ten books.But I am pleased to say that I have read the book at number one,GeorgeOrwell's1984.I think it's absolutely outstanding. Asked why they lied,the most common reason was to impress someone they were speaking to.This could be difficult if the conversation became more indepth! The World Book Day survey also has some other interesting information in it.It shows that many people lie about having read classical works by Jane Austen,the Bronte sisters,Charles Dickens and so on.But when asked which authors they actually enjoy,they named J.K.Rowling,Jilly Cooper,and Stephen King (ah,the big sellers,in other words).Fortyone percent of people asked admitted they turned to the back of the book to read the end before finishing the story. So which books have you lied about reading--if any--and which is your favourite? What does the World Book Day survey show? Options: A. Nearly half of the people surveyed didn't read through a whole classical book. B. People don't like DreamsfromMyFatherandGeorgeOrwell's1984. C. Few people lie about having read classical works by Jane Austen. D. People usually enjoy reading books by Charles Dickens. Answer:

A

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Question: Dear Joan, How are you? I'm in Beijing now. I study at Yu Lin High School. I like Beijing very much, and I have two good friends here. They are Tom and Wei Hua. Tom is from Canada and Wei Hua is from China. We are in the same class. They often help me with my Chinese. I can speak a little Chinese now. The teachers are kind to me. I like Chinese food here, like Guangdong food, Sichuan food, and Hu'nan food. They are nice. Some times we go out to eat. Jiaozi is my favorite food. I often have jiaozi for lunch and have noodles for supper. I have milk and bread for breakfast. What about you? Yours, Lily What does Lily have for supper? Options: A. Bread. B. Jiaozi. C. Milk. D. Noodles. Answer:

D

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Question: In the forest, one type of tree produces special seeds. These seeds start to grow only after going through a fire. In the fire, the adult trees are destroyed. Which resources, needed for growth, are now available to the newly growing seeds? Options: A. sunlight and wind B. sunlight and space C. soil and pollen producers D. pollen producers and space Answer:

B

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Question: The producer of a new Indonesian movie about President Obama's childhood years in Jakarta is hoping that interested Americans will flock to see the film, Little Obama, in theatres across the country. Little Obama is the creation of Damien Dematra, an Indonesian writer and artist who has worked on the project since November when he was struck with the idea of writing about the time a young Obama lived in Jakarta with his mother and stepfather in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The film is based on a novel published in March Obama Anak Menteng, and focuses on the president's childhood friendships in Indonesia. The novel and the film are fictionalized(-) accounts of the president's time in Jakarta and are based on interviews with people who are childhood friends and neighbours of Mr. Obama. Many Indonesians share a deep pride about a man who spent part of his shaping years in the country and went on to become U.S. president. The film star is a 14-year-old Hasan Faruq Ali, an American who has lived in Indonesia with his family for about 10 years. Like the president, he is the son of a white mother and a black father. Since filming began, he has been under the shine of media attention. "My whole life changed overnight," he says. The film, which was made on a budget of $1 million, won't get its first public screening until Wednesday, but ads for the movie on YouTube have got a few thousand hits. It isn't clear whether Little Obamawill get a U.S. release , but the film's producer says he is in talks with a U.S. distributor . What is the film Damien Dematra produced mainly about? Options: A. The friendship between America and Indonesia. B. The political views of Obama from his childhood. C. The determination and hard work of young Obama. D. Mr. Obama's friends when he was young in Indonesia. Answer:

D

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Question: Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands, which consist of(...)Diaoyu Dao, Huangwei Yu, Chiwei Yu, Nanxiao Dao, Beixiao Dao, Nan Yu, Bei Yu, Fei Yu and other islands, are in the northeast of China's Taiwan Island, in the waters between 123deg20'-124deg40'E and 25deg40'-26deg00'N . They belong to the Taiwan Island. The total area of these islands is about 5.69 square kilometers. Diaoyu Dao, in the western tip of the area, covers an area of about 3.91 square kilometers and is the largest island in the area. The highest part on the island stands 362 meters above the sea level. Huangwei Yu, which is about 27 kilometers to the northeast of Diaoyu Dao, is the second largest island in the area, with a total area of about 0.91 square kilometers and a highest height of 117 meters. Chiwei Yu, about 110 kilometers to the northeast of Diaoyu Dao, is the easternmost island in the area. It covers an area of about 0.065 square kilometers and stands 75 meters above the sea level. Ancient ancestors in China first discovered and named Diaoyu Dao through their fishing activities on the sea. In China's historical books, Diaoyu Dao is also called Diaoyu Yu or Diaoyu Tai. The earliest historical record of the names of Diaoyu Dao, Chiwei Yu and other places can be found in the book Voyage with a Tail Wind published in 1403. It shows that China had already discovered and named Diaoyu Dao by the 14th and 15th centuries. These historical reports clearly show that Diaoyu Dao and Chiwei Yu belong to China. The sea waters around Diaoyu Dao is traditionally Chinese fishing ground. Chinese fishermen have been involved in fishing activities in these waters for generations . Where is Diaoyu Dao? Options: A. In the northeast of China. B. 25deg40'-26deg00'E. C. In the northwest of Taiwan Island. D. 123deg20'-124deg40'E . Answer:

D

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Question: The Great Gatsby was not well received when it was published in 1926. F. Scott Fitzgerald appeared to destroy the American Dream, where in anyone, with enough hard work, could get rich and have whatever they wanted from life. He exposed the truth about such myths in this classic book. Basically, the plot could be described as follows: Poor boy goes East in search of wealth, bored and dissatisfied with inactive Mid West country life. He meets the super-rich there, attends parties and makes friends with one man in particular, a lonely millionaire of uncertain origins, Jay Gatsby. He becomes involved with these rich but immoral people, the worst of whom are his own cousin Daisy Buchanan, and her husband Tom. He observes, with dawning recognition, the corruption in their lives, how lacking in human values or ethical beliefs they seem to be. He watches tragedy unfold, brought about by the handlings of the wealthy, and visited on the poorer characters. He remains the only friend of Gatsby, arranging his funeral and mourning his death, and possibly the death of his own American Dream. He wakes up to the reality of what is important in life, and decides to choose what is of value to him. He returns to his origins, having recognized the worth of his up-bringing and the moral values it instilled. He sees that money is not everything. But let us look at this in a little more depth, because the novel is much more complicated than those simple outlines above suggest. The young man, Nick Caraway, aged 29, lived in a cottage on Long Island. He was an apprentice Wall Street trader, and in 1920s, when the novel is set, this job represented a way to get rich, the core value of the American Dream. Gatsby was a millionaire, who chased a dream too, one of rekindling love with Daisy, Nick's cousin, a bored, rich, totally unfeeling and spoilt woman. Her rich husband, Tom Buchanan, a businessman, was also less than moral, flattering his mistress, Myrtle Wilson, the wife of a garage owner. It was George Wilson's love for Myrtle that brought about the tragedy contained in the Gatsby plot. Gatsby wanted to recapture his dream of love. So he began an affair with Daisy; she was flattered and bored. This action helped to erode Nick's illusions, and show what wealth can do to people. Gatsby suffered from the realization that Daisy was not the wonderful person he dreamed of, but a shallow and materialistic person. Eventually, Tom Buchanan suspected what was happening between Gatsby and Daisy, and confronted Gatsby. It was soon after this that Daisy ran Myrtle Wilson down, while driving Gatsby's yellow automobile. The tragedy was begun, when Tom Buchanan put the idea into head of George Wilson, that Gatsby had killed Myrtle. In fact, Daisy was secure in the belief that superior status and wealth made her immune, and also, her character was such that she cared little for another human being. Tom Buchanan was the catalyst that sent the emotionally disturbed George to shoot Gatsby for killing Myrtle, then committing suicide. Two dreams turned to dust:George's of love and the chance to pursue the dream of capitalist endeavor and success, Gatsby's of recapturing romantic love and the more innocent past, when, in his mind, Daisy was golden and true. The complete destruction was symbolically expressed when none of Gatsby's rich "friends" were touched by his death. It was left to Nick, a relative stranger, to make the funeral arrangements. This highlighted the total shallowness of that wealthy, corrupt society, and showed what a worthless person Daisy herself was. At the end, Nick returned to the beliefs of his Mid Western upbringing. After one last meeting with Tom Buchanan, one last look at Gatsby's mansion, having buried his friend, he left for home. As Gatsby lost his dream and his life, Fitzgerald drew a portrait of the death of the American Dream. According to the author, thatThe Great Gatsbywas not being popular in 1926 was probably because it _ . Options: A. informed readers of American value B. destroyed American dream of that time C. described the life of American upper class D. had complicated relationships of the roles Answer:

B

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Question: Drug Use Report A new study examines drug use by young people in t he United States. The study found that cigarette smoking among American teenagers dropped during t he past years. The drop continues a general decrease in teenager smoking rates that started in 1996. American health officials praised the decrease as good news in the nation's battle against smoking. They note that smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease. Smoking rates among American teenagers increased in the first half of the 1990's. However, teenage smoking rates have been decreasing in recent years. The University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research supervised the latest study. The Department of Health and Human Services reported the findings. The study involved more than forty-four-thousand students in more than four-hundred schools across the United States. They were asked about past and daily use of tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs. The youngest students questioned were thirteen years old. The study also involved fifteen-year-old students and seventeen-year-olds. The most notable change in the study was a continuation of the decrease in cigarette use among thirteen and fifteen-year-olds. For example, about twelve percent of thirteen-year-old students questioned reported smoking at least one cigarette during the past month. Six years ago, the rate was twenty-one percent. Among fifteen-year-olds, the rate dropped from thirty percent in 1996 to twenty-one percent last year. Tommy Thompson is the secretary of Health and Human Services. He praised the findings. He said more teenagers are making correct choices that will help them avoid health problems caused by tobacco. The study found that use of alcoholic drinks and illegal drugs among American teenagers remained the same or dropped during the past year. However, the use of one illegal drug known as Ecstasy continued to increase. Yet the rate of increase was not as great as in recent years. American health officials said they will continue to give teenagers scientific information about the serious health risks of Ecstasy and other illegal drugs. The goal is to further reduce the use of these drugs. The purpose of the passage is to _ . Options: A. help the teenagers to keep off the drugs B. explain the relationship between smoking and diseases C. report that smoking rate among American teenagers dropped D. suggest that measures be taken to stop teenagers from smoking Answer:

C

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Question: People used to say, "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." and "Behind every successful man there is a woman." Both these sayings mean the same thing. Men rule the world, but their mothers and wives rule them. Most American women wish to make their husbands and sons successful, but some of them want more for themselves. They want good jobs. When they work they want to be better paid. They want to be as successful as men. The American women's liberation movement was started by women who didn't want to stand behind successful men. They wanted to stand beside men, with the same chance for success. They refused to work side by side with men who do the same work for a higher pay. A liberated woman must be proud of being a woman and have confidence in herself. If somebody says to her, "You have come a long way, baby." she will smile and answer, "Not nearly as far as I'm going to go, baby!" This movement is quite new, and many American women don't agree yet. But it has already made some important changes in women's lives--- in men's lives, too. The American women's liberation movement _ . Options: A. has still a long way to go B. is a failure C. was started by many successful women D. is a new thing not accepted by the writer Answer:

A

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Question: Emily and Alex were happy when their family moved to a house with a very big garden. They could climb up trees, grow flowers and even play badminton. They liked to watch the birds flying among the trees in the garden. They even started to put food out to attract more birds. Everything was fine for a few days until one afternoon there was a strange bumping noise on a window. Emily went outside and found a small bird dead on the grass. Its neck seemed to be broken. "It must have flown into the window," Alex said when his sister Emily called him to have a look. "Ah, yes, look here. You can see the mark where it hit the window. There are a couple of tiny feathers stuck on the window." "Poor thing!" Emily said. During the next month, five more birds died in the same way. "Why would they fly to the windows?" they wondered. Finally they found out the truth. When the birds were flying, they couldn't see into the rooms. All they saw was the reflection of the garden. They thought that they were flying into trees because they saw trees reflected by the window. "Something has to be done to save the birds." the parents decided. At first, he family tried keeping curtains across the windows, but this made the room dark. Then they bought some strong black paper and cut out the shape of a _ . They made six hawks - one for each window. They stuck the hawks to the windows. They looked pretty and did not keep out much light. When the birds saw the hawks, they would fly away. After that, there were no more dead birds. The family were much happier. They put food out to attract birds because they _ . Options: A. had a special garden for birds B. wanted to see more birds flying in the garden C. had too much bird food to feed the birds D. wanted to catch some birds in the garden Answer:

B

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Question: Matt's hobby was collecting stamps. He had stamps from many countries, like America, Egypt and China. On his birthday, can you guess what people gave him? That's right----stamps. Matt's favorite stamps came from France. He had almost every stamp from 1954 to 2003 except one. That was a 1974 special edition . It was very hard to find. He looked for it everywhere. He asked his friends and relatives to help him. But nobody could find the stamp. It made Matt very sad. "Don't worry," his father said to him. "You'll find it one day." "I hope so," Matt said. "Be patient ,"his father said. "Don't give up." Besides collecting stamps, Matt liked writing. He had a pen friend in France. They wrote to each other every month. Matt's pen friend, Philip, gave him a big, green stamp. It looked old. When Matt received the letter, he was very surprised. On the envelope, he looked closely at the stamp. It was the 1974 special edition stamp. Matt was so happy! He told his sister, his mother and his father. "You see," his father said, "You did find your stamp. So, you see, it's good to have two things in life." "What are they?" Matt asked. "Friends and patience ." he answered. _ sent Matt the letter with the special edition stamp on it. Options: A. Philip B. Philip's mother C. Matt's father D. Philip's friend Answer:

A

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Question: My name is Jack. I come from the United States. Now I'm in China with my grandparents. There is a big zoo in our neighborhood. I like to spend time there on weekends. On weekends, I often go to the zoo with my friends. We like different kinds of animals. I like elephants a lot because they are very smart. They can remember very well. Elephants can also draw very well. And elephants can do a lot of things for people. Lucy likes koalas. She thinks they are cute and interesting. Kate likes giraffes. She thinks they are smart and friendly. Bob likes lions. He thinks lions are exciting but scary. We often spend all the day in the zoo and watch the animals. We sometimes take photos of them. They're our good friends. Why does Kate like giraffes? Options: A. Because they are smart and remember well. B. Because they can draw very well. C. Because they are smart and friendly. D. Because they are exciting. Answer:

C

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Question: Traditional fairytales are being abandoned by parents because they are too horrible for their young children, a study found. Research revealed one in five parents dislike old classics such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and Rapunzel and are in favor of more modern books. One third of parents said their children have been left in tears after hearing the horrible details of Little Red Riding Hood. And nearly half of mothers and fathers refuse to read Rumplestiltskin to their kids as the themes of the story are about kidnapping and crimes. Similarly, Goldilocks and the Three Bears was also a tale likely to be left on the book shelf as parents felt it forgives stealing. The survey of 2,000 adults was conducted to mark the launch of the hit US drama GRIMM, which starts tonight at 9pm on Watch, and sees six episodes based on traditional fairytales. The survey found a quarter of parents questioned wouldn't consider reading a fairytale to their child until they had reached the age of five, as they prompt too many awkward questions from their children. Steve Hornsey, General Manager of Watch, said: "Bedtime stories are supposed to calm down children and send them off to sleep soundly. But as we see in GRIMM, fairytales can be dark and dramatic tales so it's understandable that parents worry about reading them to young children." "As adults we can see the innocence in fairytales, but a five-year-old child with an over active imagination could take things too seriously. Despite the dark nature of classic fairytales, as we see in GRIMM, good will triumph over evil and there is always a moral to the story." The study also found two thirds of mums and dads try to avoid stories which might give their children nightmares. However, half of parents said traditional tales are more likely to have a strong moral message than a lot of modern kids' books, such as The Gruffalo, The Hungary Caterpillar and the Mr. Men books. What's the author's attitude towards traditional fairytales? Options: A. Optimistic B. Not mentioned C. Casual D. Disapproving Answer:

B

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Question: Mirth Pham was born in Vietnam. He left his native country when he was 21 years old. Minh has been in America for almost two years. There is still much he does not understand about America. Once Minh was in a supermarket. He saw an old man and an old woman. They wanted a box of cereal .The box was on a high shelf. The man and the woman couldn't reach it. Minh saw a ladder. He got on the ladder and got the box. He handed it to the elderly couple. They thanked him. "Where are your children?" asked Minh. "Why don' t they help you buy food?" "Our children have their own lives," said the man and the woman. "We like to be independent." Mirth doesn't think this is right. In his country, .children help their parents. Minh gave the elderly couple his phone number. He told them to call him if they needed help. One night they asked Mirth to dinner, but they never asked him for help. One day, Minh was walking with a Vietnamese friend. The two were going to a movie. Minh wanted to go to a restaurant first. Minh took his friend's hand. He pulled him toward the restaurant. People on the street stared at Minh. In Vietnam, friends often hold hands. Minh found out that people in America are not used to holding hands. Minh Pham is going through a process known as re-socialization. Socialization is the process in which a person learns to live in a society. Everyone goes through this process. Minh went through it when he lived in Vietnam. But the Vietnamese way of life is much different from the American way of life. When Mirth came to America, he had to learn a new way of life. He had to learn how to live in a new society. Minh has learned a lot about American life in two years. He still has a lot to learn. The process of re-socialization can take many years. Socialization is the process in which one _ . Options: A. learns to live in a society B. travels from one country to another C. learns to act independently D. learns how to live happily Answer:

A

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Question: I told my friend Graham that I often cycle the two miles from my house to the town centre but unfortunately there is a big hill on the route. He replied, "You mean fortunately." He explained that I should be glad of the extra exercise that the hill provided. My attitude to the hill has now changed. I used to grumble as I approached it but now I tell myself the following. This hill will exercise my heart and lungs. It will help me to lose weight and get fit. It will mean that I live longer. This hill is my friend. Finally as I wend my way up the incline I console myself with the thought of all those silly people who pay money to go to a gym and sit on stationery exercise bicycles when I can get the same value for free. I have a smug smile of satisfaction as I reach the top of the hill. Problems are there to be faced and overcome. Helen Keller was the first deaf and blind person to gain a University degree. Her activism and writing proved inspirational. She wrote, "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved." One of the main determinants of success in life is our attitude towards _ . From time to time we all face hardships, problems, accidents, afflictions and difficulties. Some are of our making but many confront us through no fault of our own. Whilst we cannot choose the adversity we can choose our attitude towards it. The biographies of great people are littered with examples of how they took these kinds of steps to overcome the difficulties they faced. The common thread is that they did not become defeatist or depressed. They chose their attitude. They chose to be positive. They took on the challenge. They won. From Helen Keller's example we can infer that _ . Options: A. Great people are born to be great and successful B. Life is hard and difficult so we have to give up C. We cannot achieve anything with an easy life D. Practice makes people successful and powerful Answer:

C

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Question: Jack is a twenty-year-old young man. Two years ago, when he finished middle school, he found work in a shop. Usually he works until ten o'clock in the evening. He is very tired when he gets home. After a quick supper he goes to bed and soon falls asleep. His grandma who lives downstairs is satisfied with him. One day, on his way home, he met Mary. They were both happy. He asked the girl to his house, she agreed happily. He bought some fruit and drinks for her. And they talked about their school, teachers, classmates and their future . They talked for a long time. "Have a look at your watch, please," said the girl. "What time is it now?" "Sorry, something is wrong with my watch," said Jack. "Where's yours?" "I left it at home." Jack thought for a moment and found a way. He began to stamp his foot on the floor, "Bang! Bang! Bang!" The sound woke his grandma up. The old woman shouted downstairs, "It's twelve o'clock in the night, Jack. Why are you still jumping upstairs?" ,. Jack stamped his foot on the floor in order _ . Options: A. to wake his grandma up B. to make his grandma angry C. that his grandma was going to tell him the time D. that his grandma was going to buy him a watch Answer:

C

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Question: Nowadays many people have to work very hard in order to live a better life. And the hard they work, the less they pay attention to their health. But it's very important for us to keep healthy in our everyday life. Here are some ways for you to follow. First, you should have a healthy diet. It's necessary to eat enough fish and vegetables, as they contain many kinds of vitamin you need every day. Do not eat too much fat, such as butter or anything too fatty. Too many sweets can do harm to your teeth, so you'd better not eat too many sweets or chocolates and keep off coffee. Second, good habits can help you keep fit. Doing regular exercise is certainly a good way to ensure that your body is healthy. After a day's work, an eight-hour sleep is needed. And avoid working or studying too hard. Eating too many _ can do harm to your teeth. Options: A. fish B. vegetables C. sweets D. carrots Answer:

C

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Question: Would you like to visit Britain one day?--Our country would like to welcome you! Overseas travel can be expensive. But there are ways of visiting Britain cheaply. We hope that we can give you some good ideas. When to come? If you can avoid the busy months --July and August ,your visit may be cheaper. There will be smaller numbers of visitors. British weather is pleasant from April to the end of September. Of course, you can visit it in winter, but it is often dark by 4pm.Many places, such as large houses and castles ,are closed early in winter. However, if you are interested in museums, art galleries or theatres, winter may be a good time to visit. Be prepared. If you are a student, it's a good idea to apply for an International Student Identity Card .With this card, you can save a lot of money. You can get the card from your local student travel office, and you can also call (44)-08708-413224 to get it. To get the card, you need to show that you are a student, get a passport photo, and pay a little money. Which is the most popular time for visitors to Britain? Options: A. July and August B. The winter season C. From April to September D. The vacation season. Answer:

A

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Question: "Food in France is still primarily about pleasure,"says Mark Singer, technical director of cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris."Cooking and eating are both pastimes and pleasure."The French might start their day with bread, butter, jam, and perhaps something hot to drink -- it's a time of the day when the whole family can be united. Singer, born in Philadelphia, has lived in France for more than 40 years. "Although things have changed greatly in the past 20 years when it comes to food in the country,"he says,"and what was a big affair with eating has been slowly softened up, there are still events in the year, like birthdays and New Year's Eve and Christmas Eve that are still really anchored in traditional food and cooking. But it's not every day." Some people think French food life may be a performance, adds Jennifer Berg, director of graduate food studies at New York University."They want to believe that France is this nation where people are spending five hours a day going to 12 different markets to get their food. The reality is most croissants are factory-made, and most people are buying convenience food, except for the very small group of people in high society. But part of our identity relies on believing that myth." In Italy, as in France, takeout is still ly rare."Eating fast is not at all part of our culture,"says Marco Bolasco, editorial director of Slow Food and an Italian food expert. Our meals are relaxed, even during a lunch break. Food in Italy is love, and nutrition, and pleasure, he says. An Italian child's first experience with food is not small round cakes or rice or eggs, but probably ice cream, notes Bolasco. Status and wealth play less of a role in food. What's the main idea of the passage? Options: A. Food as identity. B. Food as pleasure. C. Food as survival. D. Food as status. Answer:

D

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Question: Doctors say anger can be an very harmful emotion unless you learn how to deal with it. They warn that angry feelings can lead to heart disease, stomach problems, headaches, emotional problems and possibly cancer. Anger is a normal emotion that we all feel from time to time. Some people express anger openly in a calm reasonable way. Others burst with anger, losing control of themselves. But other people repress their anger. They cannot or will not express it. For years many doctors thought that repressing anger was more dangerous to a person's health than expressing it. They said that when a person is angry, the brain gives off the same hormones that are produced during tense situations. They speed the heart rate, raise blood pressure, or sugar into the blood and narrow the blood vessels to the interstices . In general, the person feels excited and ready to act. Doctors said that repressing these feelings only makes the feelings continue. And this can lead to many medical problems. Doctors thought a person could prevent these problems by letting the anger out by expressing it freely. But recently some doctors held a different view. They said that people who express anger repeatedly and violently did become, in fact, more and not less angry. They said this,too,can cause medical problems. Some doctors say that both repressing and expressing anger can be dangerous. They believe that those who express anger violently may be more likely to develop heart disease, and they believe that those who keep their anger inside may face a greater danger of high blood pressure. Doctors say the solution is learning how to deal with anger. They say the first step is to admit that you are angry and to recognize the real cause of the anger, and then decide if the cause is serious. If it is, they say: "Do not express your anger while angry. Wait until your anger has cooled down and you are able to express yourself calmly and reasonably. " When you get angry,which of the following should you do for the good of health? Options: A. Repressing the anger. B. Expressing the anger. C. Learning how to make a deal. D. Treating the anger properly. Answer:

B

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Question: Green is an important color in nature. It is the color of grass and the leaves on trees. It is also the color of most growing plants. Sometimes, the word "green" means young, fresh and growing. For example, a greenhorn is someone who has no experience. In the 15th century, a greenhorn was a young cow or an ox whose horns had not yet developed. A century later, a greenhorn was a soldier who had no experience in war. By the 18th century, a greenhorn had the meaning it has today--a person who is new in a job. Someone who is good at growing plants is said to have a green thumb . The expression comes from the early 20th century. A person with a green thumb can make plants grow quickly and well. Green is also the color used to describe the powerful feeling , jealousy . The green-eyed monster is not a dangerous animal from outer space. It is an expression used about 400 years ago by the British writer William Shakespeare in his play "Othello". It describes the unpleasant feeling when someone has something he wants. For example, a young man may suffer from the green-eyed monster if you get a pay rise and he does not. In most places in the world, a green light means to move ahead. In everyday speech, a green light means agree to continue with a project. A person with a green thumb is a person _ . Options: A. who is good at growing plants B. whose thumbs are of green color C. whose garden is greener than others' D. who is younger than his neighbors Answer:

A

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Question: How can you help to ensure that you will stay free from becoming ill after eating meat? Options: A. cover it with ketchup B. eat it when it's raw C. take the meat from a dead raccoon in the road D. cook it very thoroughly Answer:

D

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Question: Which of the following is true? Options: A. gut flora can make you more healthy B. bacteria is always bad C. bacteria in your brain helps digest food D. gut bacteria always makes you sick Answer:

A

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Question: Harriet Tubman was an AfricanAmerican woman who fought against slavery. She was born in 1820. She helped many people escape from slavery through the Underground Railroad. It was an organized effort to help slaves from the southern states to areas that banned slavery. Slaves could be sold freely. Families were often separated. Harriet married a free black man named John Tubman in 1844, yet she remained a slave. In 1849, the farmer who owned her died. Then she ran to the home of a white woman who had offered to help her. This woman told her how to reach another home where she could hide. Harriet Tubman went from place to place in this way. This was how the Underground Railroad operated. Finally,she went into the northern state of Pennsylvania. During the next ten years,she led an expanded Underground Railroad,and helped 300 slaves escape. Harriet Tubman found another way to fight against slavery during the Civil War. She went into the southern states to spy for the North. After the Civil War,Harriet Tubman settled in New York State. She gave speeches to raise money for better education for black Americans, worked for women's rights and sought help for older adults who had been slaves. Harriet Tubman died in 1913.By that time, she had been recognized as an American heroine . What does the passage mainly tell us? Options: A. The Underground Railroad. B. The history of American slavery. C. Harriet's hard life and bravery. D. Harriet's fight against slavery. Answer:

D

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Question: In America, just as in Europe, men usually open doors for women, and women always walk ahead of men into a room or a restaurant, unless the men have to be ahead of the ladies to choose the table, to open the door of a car or do some other things like the above. On the street, men almost always walk or cross the street on the closer side of the ladies to the traffic. But if a man walks with two ladies, he should walk between them. Then if the host or hostess or both of them come in a car to get their guest for dinner, the guest should sit at the front seat and leave the back seat though there is no people sitting on it. ,. If Mrs. Green wants you to her house in a car, you should _ . Options: A. sit beside a guest B. sit at the front seat C. sit at the back seat D. drive the car Answer:

B

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Question: William Henry Bragg was born at Westward,Cumberland,on July 2,1862.He was educated at Market Harboroagh Grammar School and afterwards at King William's College,Isle of Man.Elected as a minor scholar of Trinity College,Cambridge,in 1881,he studied mathematics under the wellknown teacher,Dr E.J.Routh.He studied physics in the Cavendish Laboratory during a part of 1885,and at the end of that year he was elected to the Professorship of Mathematics and Physics in the University of Adelaide,South Australia. His research interests dealt with a great many fields and he was skilled at picking up a subject,almost casually,making an important contribution,and then dropping it again.However,the work of Bragg and his son Lawrence in 1913~1914 founded a new branch of science of the greatest importance and significance,the analysis of the crystal structure by means of Xrays.It is true that the use of Xrays as an instrument for the systematic revelation of the way in which crystals are built was entirely due to the Braggs.This was recognized by the award of the Nobel Prize jointly to father and son in 1915. He was an honorary Doctor of some sixteen universities,and a member of the leading foreign societies.Many other medals and awards were bestowed upon him among which may be mentioned the Rumford Medal in 1916 and the Copley Medal (its premier award) in 1930. He was the author of many books,including Studies in Radioactivity,XRays and Crystal Structure,The World of Sound,Concerning the Nature of Things,Old Trades and New Knowledge,An Introduction to Crystal Analysis,and The Universe of Light.His favorite hobby was golf.After a life of astonishing productiveness,Sir William Bragg died on March 10,1942. Which of the following is the best title for this passage? Options: A. William Henry Bragg's Productive Life B. William Henry Bragg:A Famous Author C. Bragg and His Son--Two Great Scientists D. Xrays and the Crystal Structure Answer:

A

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Question: Who do you think breaks the law in our society? If you believe that only tough guys commit crimes, you may have to think again. Unlike in the movies, we can't divide the world into bad guys and model citizens. _ In the same way that diseases range from the common cold to fatal forms of cancer, crimes vary in degree. For example, smoking in an elevator will inconvenience people, but much less than threatening them with a gun. In addition to breaking the law themselves, people tolerate various levels of crime. Why can we tolerate some crimes? It may be that, by seeing others do something, we accept it more easily. For instance, most people will find it easier to speed on a highway when everybody else is driving over the speed limit. When people celebrate a sports championship, if they see someone breaking store windows, they might start breaking windows themselves or even steal from the store. So the people around us influence how much law-breaking we can tolerate. We must also wonder whether seeing violence on television or reading about it in the newspapers every day makes us tolerate crime more than we should. We become used to seeing blood on the news on television, or in full color in newspapers and magazines. Because we see thousands of dead people on TV, maybe we just try to ignore the situation behind the violence. If so many citizens tolerate violence and crime, or even commit crimes themselves, it may simply be because of the human mind. Our minds may not care about specific laws. Instead, our minds may have a system of values that usually prevents us from hurting other people to improve our own lives. Yet, when it comes to respecting the rights of a mass of anonymous individuals, we might not be so responsible. While most people would not steal a wallet containing $50, they may not mind cheating on taxes, because cheating on taxes does not hurt any one person. It hurts society, but "society" remains an abstract idea that is not as real as a neighbor or a friend's friend. When we realize that so many people have misunderstandings of law-breaking, it is not surprising that so many people tolerate crimes, or even break laws, including me. But how could we improve the level of honesty in our society? Would strict laws help make our society better? Probably not. Honesty will have to come from social pressure: in the family, at school, on the job, each and every one of us can encourage honesty by showing which behavior is unacceptable. And teaching respect should become everyone's responsibility. What is the author's purpose in writing this passage? Options: A. To discuss whether laws are strict enough. B. To remind people to behave with honesty. C. To show people the importance of education. D. To explain why many people have criminal records. Answer:

B

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Question: Some recent surveys show that the health conditions of many white collar employees and office workers are rather dangerous. Death cases among white collar employees and office workers are increasing year by year and these cases are generally believed to have been caused by overwork and spending little time taking rest or doing exercise. If their offices are within the distance of half an hour's walk, some office workers now choose to go to work on foot. Ms. Deng, who works in a foreign enterprise in Beijing, has been walking to her office for more than six months now. " I usually have a tight work schedule and can't find time to do exercise. So I choose to walk to work. " As she said, if the office is not far from home, most women would like to go to work on foot. Walking is good for their health and can help them to keep good figures as well. Apart from walking to office,one can also find time to do exercise when one is at work. The simplest way is to desert the lift. Mr. Wei, who works in the Passenger Service Department at Shenzhen Airlines, is one of such men who frequently climb stairs. " I only use the lift whenever I'm with my colleagues or my boss. Otherwise, I would climb stairs instead of taking the lift. " In addition, some office workers try to find time to go to a gym at the end of a day. Ms. Sang works in a law firm in Shenzhen. She goes to the gym several times a week when she has the time. " I go to the gym every weekend. During the weekdays,I will also go there whenever I have the time. " Ms. Sang and her husband both have a gym membership card for a whole year. The cards cost them 3000 yuan. However, they think it's worth it. If a white collar employee lives one kilometer away from her office , she had better _ to keep healthy. Options: A. walk to her office B. run and then take the stairs to her office C. take a taxi to her office D. ride a bike Answer:

A

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Question: 3D cinema has been around since the early 20th century, but Hollywood brought the technology back in 2007. Many thought it was just a trick to make more money. But then came Avatar, the first must-see movie in 3D. But since Avatar, 3D cinema has struggled. In 2010, several 3D movies bombed at the box office. And by late 2010, Some people said the technology was dead. Of course, this isn't the first time Hollywood has struggled with new technology. In the late 1920s, sound was added to movies, but it took audiences a long time to get used to the new technology. And in the end, sound and color1 became the standard. James Cameron, director of Avatar, thinks we're going through the same process with 3D. Some say cinemas are charging too much for 3D movies. In the US, seeing a 3D movie can cost up to $7.5 more than seeing it in 2D. Also, a recent study at California State University found audiences don't actually enjoy movies in 3D any more than in 2D. Walter Murch, a famous movie editor, wrote in 2011 that human beings have no ability to process 3D images. Watching a 3D movie confuses our brain and this is why some people get headaches. But James Cameron disagrees. In fact, he recently predicted that in five years all movies will be in 3D. And there are signs that 3D is fighting back. More 3D movies were put on the market in 2012 than ever before. The Lion King 3D recently made over US $150 million at the box office, and Cameron's Titanic 3D made even more. Who knows what the future holds for 3D? Steven Spielberg recently said, "I'm hoping 3D gets to a point where people don't notice it, because then it is just another tool and helps tell a story." In Walter Murch's opinion, 3D movies _ . Options: A. bring moviemakers great profits B. are more expensive than 2D movies C. will not be noticed in the future D. are unsuitable for people to watch Answer:

D

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Question: Peter is a sixth-grader at Woodland Primary School. He is only 12 years old but has been smoking for three years. John, 15, is a Junior 2 student at Woodland Secondary School. He began smoking four years ago. "Smoking is part of my life," John said. Peter and John are not those boys' real names. But their problem, smoking, is a very real problem. In many countries, smoking is becoming a bigger problem for young people. Most smokers start in their teens or earlier. A study of 8,000 London students shows that smoking is a problem for many British kids. More than 21% of middle school students and 6% of primary school pupils said they smoked. "If young people start smoking early, it will be very hard for them to give up later on," said a professor. Every year, about four million people die because of smoking. And if people keep smoking that number will go up to about ten million a year by 2030 the World Health Organization (WTO) says. So we have to learn and tell others about dangers of smoking. ,. The study in the passage shows that _ Options: A. smoking is a serious problem among British students B. there more and more smokers in England C. some student smokers are having fun smoking D. most of smokers are young students Answer:

A

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Question: Today I was at the mall waiting for friends, when a lady wearing a knit hat and a sweater came up to me and, shivering, said, "I'm homeless. Would you mind buying me some food?" In that split second, everything I'd learned since kindergarten flashed through my mind. Don't talk to strangers ... Be a good citizen ... People will take advantage of you ... Treat others as you wish to be treated ... The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return ... I guess love won the debate. "Sure," I said. "What would you like?" She thought and then said, "I'd like to get Chinese food." We headed upstairs. On the way she told me about when she was a teenager. She remembers taking pictures for the yearbook with her best friend. She was in the band and played basketball. She got good grades and was a good student. She ordered soup, an egg roll, white rice, and pepper chicken. I would normally think that was a lot, but she had probably barely eaten in the last few days. I got my usual - lo mein and General Tso's chicken. As we ate, we got to know each other. She asked if I played any instruments. I replied that I played the violin, cello, and guitar. She told me she played the flute, piano, guitar, and violin. In the middle of our meal, I realized something. And she thought of it at exactly the same time. "So, what's your name?" she asked. "I'm Claire," I said, startled at our exact same thought. "What's yours?" "Joyce," she said with a smile. We continued talking, and she asked my favorite subjects in school and if I wanted to go to college. "Hopefully," I replied. "I'm interested in nursing." "I went to college for nursing," she said. I was taken aback. How could we have so much in common? Was she pretending so I'd feel sympathy for her? But her eyes were genuine as she said this. Meanwhile I was eating my lo mein, picking around the cabbage and the other vegetables. Joyce said, "If you don't like it you can take it back." I told her that I liked it, but was not fond of the vegetables. She broke into a big grin. "You don't like vegetables, huh? Neither did I. But now I do." I immediately felt guilty. How could I be picking at my food across from someone who barely gets to eat at all? I tried my best to finish, but she seemed to sense my guilt and said, "You don't have to eat it if you don't want it." How could she know what I was feeling? I told her the dish was my favorite, but I just eat slowly. She replied, "I used to like lo mein, but pepper chicken was my dad's favorite, so I get that now." Noticing that she used the word "was," I assumed her dad had passed away. I found it sweet that she gave up her favorite in order to honor her dad. She asked why I was at the mall. "I'm waiting for friends. We're going to see 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,'" I replied, stumbling over the words a bit. "'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,'" she echoed in awe. "What's that about?" I realized that she didn't see commercials for movies. I explained the basic plot and she chuckled. "A man who is born 80 years old and ages backwards! That sounds interesting." She got up to get a to-go box. "Would you like one?" she asked, but I refused. I realized that this food would probably last her for a few days, and I was glad she had ordered a lot. "Would you like these?" I asked, gesturing at the food I had left untouched. "Oh, no, thank you," she said. "This is enough." I got up to throw my tray away, feeling guilty about wasting so much. "I need to meet my friends now," I explained. "It was so nice to meet you, Joyce." "You too, Claire," she replied with a smile. "Thank you." I headed to the theater, and she went back downstairs. It sounds like a perfect coincidence, but I can't help but think that some force compelled us to meet. I kept puzzling, Why is Joyce homeless? It seems so unfair. She shouldn't need people to buy her dinner. She was a nurse. She got good grades. She took pictures for her yearbook. She was the person I hope to be in the future. What went wrong? How could such a good life be rewarded with horrible luck? I feel lucky to have run into Joyce. She changed my outlook. She is still a wonderful person, despite what the world has done to her. I wish her the best, and can only hope that the force that brought us together will help her find what she deserves in life. Which detail doesn't show the coincidence in the story? Options: A. They both took interest in nursing. B. They were about to ask names of each other at the same time. C. When Claire headed to the theater, Joyce went back downstairs. D. They were both musical lovers. Answer:

C

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Question: When talking about colds, maybe some people say it is very common. During the cold winter days, many people will complain the cold winter makes them catch a cold, and what they feel upset are not only the headache, cough but also the runny nose. It is so embarrassing when they forget to take a handkerchief or tissue along with them. Want to stay away from colds? Put on a happy face. Compared to unhappy people, those who are cheerful and relaxed are less likely to suffer from colds, according to a new study. It's possible that being happy helps the body fight illnesses, say the researchers from New York University. "It seems that positive feelings may reduce the danger of illness," said the study's chief researcher Sheldon Cohen. In an earlier study, Cohen found that people who were cheerful and lively caught coughs and colds less often. People _ were also less likely to tell their doctors that they felt ill. In this study, Cohen has interviewed 193 adults every day for two weeks. During the interviews, the people told researchers that they were given colds by doctors and had to stay alone in a room for six days. The results showed that everyone in the study was equally likely to get ill. But for people who said they felt happy during the research period, their illness are less serious and lasted for a shorter time. Cohen believes that when people experience positive feelings, their body may produce a chemical that helps fight illness and disease. So if you are worried about your health, look on the brighter side more often. This passage is a/an _ . Options: A. advertisement B. story C. newspaper report D. scientist's diary Answer:

C

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Question: Communications technologies are far from equal when it comes to conveying the truth.The first study to compare honesty across a range of communication media has found that people are twice as likely to tell lies in phone conversations as they are in emails.The fact that emails are automatically recorded--and can come back to puzzle you---appears to be the key to the finding. Jeff Hancock of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, asked 30 students to keep a communications diary for a week.In it they noted the number of conversations or email exchanges they had lasting more than 10 minutes, and confessed to how many lies they told.Hancock then worked out the number of lies per conversation for each medium.He found that lies made up 14 per cent of emails, 21 percent of instant messages, 27 per cent of face-to-face interactions and an astonishing 37 percent of phone calls. His results to be presented at the conference on human-computer interaction in Vienna, Austria, in April, have surprised psychologists.Some expected emailers to be the biggest liars, reasoning that because deception makes people uncomfortable, the indirect contact of emailing would make it easier to lie.Others expected people to lie more in face-to-face exchanges because we are most practiced at that form of communication. But Hancock says it is also crucial whether a conversation is being recorded and could be reread, and whether it occurs in real time.People appear to be afraid to lie when they know the communication could later be used to hold them to account, he says.This is why fewer lies appear in email than on the phone. People are also more likely to lie in real time---in an instant message or phone call, say---than if they have time to think of a response, says Hancock.He found many lies are spontaneous responses to an unexpected demand, such as: "Do you like my dress?" Hancock hopes his research will help companies work out the best ways for their employees to communicate.For instance, the phone might be the best medium for sales where employees are encouraged to stretch the truth.But, given his result, work assessment where honesty is a priority, might be best done using email. Hancock's study focuses on _ . Options: A. the consequences of lying in various communications media B. the success of communications technologies in conveying ideas C. people are less likely to lie in instant messages D. people's honesty levels across a range of communications media Answer:

D

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Question: Grandma was always forgetting things." What's wrong with her?" Anna asked. "We think she's getting old, and she may be ill. We may have to send her to a nursing home so that she can be taken good care of. But we can go to see her and bring her presents, like strawberry ice cream." Mother said. One day, they went to see Grandma at the nursing home. Anna hugged Grandma. "Look," she said, "we've brought you strawberry ice cream!" Grandma didn't say anything. She just took it and began eating. "Do you know who I am?" Anna asked. "You're the girl who brings me ice cream." Grandma said. "Yes, but I'm Anna, your granddaughter. Don't you remember me?" she asked, throwing her arms around the old lady. Grandma smiled, "Remember? Sure. You're the girl who brings me ice cream." Suddenly Anna realized that Grandma would never remember her. "Oh, how I love you, Grandma!" she said. Just then she saw a tear roll down Grandma's cheeks . "Love," she said, "I remember love. n "You see, dear, that's what she wants--love!" Mother said. It's more important to remember love than someone's name. What did Grandma remember? Options: A. Date. B. Money. C. Love. D. Past Answer:

C

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Question: Look at the light and beautiful snowflakes falling. Ever wanted to hold them in your hands? They are always lost when they meet your hands. Well, this isn't just a problem for you. It was a problem for Wilson Bentley, too. In the 1870s, Wilson Bentley was just a teenager. His family lived in a small town in northeast America. Winters there were long and hard. Bentley's mother was once a school teacher. She taught him at home. Bentley didn't go to school until he was 14. He was a quiet boy, and loved reading his mother's books. But he was interested in his mother's microscope . When the other boys were playing with balls, little Bentley was studying things like drops of water, flowers and snowflakes. Bentley loved watching snowflakes. For the next two years, young Bentley spent many winter days in a cold room watching these _ under his microscope. The boy thought they were beautiful enough for him to start to draw pictures of them. But there were so many snowflakes that he couldn't draw them all. How could he keep their beauty all the time? Bentley thought of buying a camera. The boy and his mother asked his father to buy one. But, his father didn't agree. He thought the whole thing was a bad idea. He thought the only thing a farmer should do was farming. But finally Bentley did get a camera. For more than a year he tried to take pictures of snowflakes. On January 15, 1885, during a snowstorm, Bentley took the first ever photo of an ice crystal with his camera. "It was the greatest moment of my life," Bentley said later. For 13 years, Bentley worked quietly and took thousands of photos of ice crystals. Later he became famous as "Snowflake" Bentley. The best title for this passage is _ . Options: A. Snowflake Photos B. Snowflake Boy C. Long and Hard Winters D. Teenage Photographer Answer:

B

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Question: Working on a team is a good thing. But it can bring you some troubles. If people on your team are not good at communicating, you may often feel terrible. To create a successful team, good communication is the most necessary part for both team members and the leader. The following are some helpful suggestions. Don't criticize other people. When someone on your team does something wrong, don't criticize him. You can help him to find out reasons and then help him to solve the problem. Criticizing your team members too often may make them keep away from you. As a result, you may feel lonely. Think about other people's ideas carefully. When someone tells you about his ideas, you should think about them carefully, no matter how silly they may seem. This shows you are interested in his ideas and makes him feel good. Listen to other people actively. When someone is speaking to you, you need to listen to him actively. If you're unclear about something, you should ask him about it. By doing this you can clear up any confusion before moving on. Share your ideas with other people. When you have a new idea, talk about it with your team members. This helps to improve the idea. Besides this, it also helps to improve your relationships between you and your team members. If you criticize your team members too often, they will _ . Options: A. feel lonely B. keep away from you C. be afraid of you D. correct their mistakes Answer:

B

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Question: The time may soon come when we say goodbye to most of the world's languages. Today humans express themselves in over 6,000 different languages. But that is quickly changing. Many scientists say that over half of these languages will disappear within the next 50 years. After 100 years, the languages used in the world will not be more than 20. Why? It is because people from different cultures live and work together much more often than before. This brings changes. The languages of the world's main culture are replacing the languages of the smaller cultures. Most international trade takes place in world languages such as English. People respect their own cultures and traditions, but when it comes to getting a job, knowing a world language is often necessary. It may mean the difference between success and failure. Technology works on the change of languages in an even more amazing way. Modern media such as radio and television give young people in developing countries much knowledge about the world. But this knowledge doesn't come in words from the mouths of their parents or the elders in their neighborhood. It usually comes in the language of a different culture. People in different cultures think it good for them to share a popular language. They can quickly share ideas and work together. Knowing the same language means easier communication and is a basis for trust. Is the death of a small local language such a terrible thing? The answer is maybe. Many cultures may have words for many useful things we know nothing about. If their languages die, their valuable wisdom may be lost forever. The future of the world's language depends on our actions now. Will we protect endangered languages or allow them to quietly disappear? Time will have the last word. By saying "Time will have the last word.", the writer means " _ ". Options: A. let us wait and see B. we have time to do something C. it is too late to do anything D. it is only a problem of time Answer:

A

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Question: In April 2014,the world's oldest known message in a bottle was discovered floating in the Baltic Sea. It had spent 101 years lost in the ocean!The message was finally sent to the author's granddaughter. A German fisherman named Konrad Fischer found the brown bottle near Kiel,Germany. He said he nearly threw the bottle back into the water after pulling it out of a fishing net. Then he noticed something inside. The bottle in good condition contained a Danish postcard with two German stamps,dated May 17,1913. Although dampness had made most of the writing illegible ,the readable part of the message asked whoever found it to return it to an address in Berlin. It even contained two stamps to pay for postage. From the address,researchers found that the postcard was written by a man named Richard Platz,who was 20 years old when he wrote the message. While he was hiking on the Baltic coast with a nature appreciation group,he threw the bottle into the sea. Then the researchers began a search for any living relatives of his. Sure enough,they were able to find his 62-year-old granddaughter,Angela Erdmann,who still lives in Berlin. "It was almost unbelievable,"Erdmann said upon being presented with her grandfather's bottle and message."That was a pretty moving moment. Tears rolled down my face." Erdmann never knew her grandfather,who died in 1946,but says that the discovery of the bottle has made her want to learn more about him. The bottle remained on display at the International Maritime Museum in Hamburg until May 1.After that,the researchers examined the postcard and tried to figure out the meaning of the rest of the message. Previously,the oldest message found in a bottle spent nearly 98 years at sea and was discovered in April 2012,according to Guinness World Records. When Konrad Fischer picked up the bottle from the sea, _ . Options: A. he thought it would bring him good luck B. he noticed the postcard inside immediately C. he decided to uncover the secret of the bottle D. he wanted to throw it back into the sea at first Answer:

D

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Question: Two identical plants are planted 3 meters apart. One plant is flowering, but the other is not. A student concludes that the plants are receiving an unequal supply of water. Another possible explanation the other plant is not flowering is that the plants are Options: A. too close to one another. B. receiving different amounts of sunlight. C. in soil with high humus content. D. receiving different amounts of carbon dioxide. Answer:

B

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Question: Plants need green leaves to make food. A plant needs sunlight and carbon dioxide from the air for making food and it also needs water and salts from the soil to make food too. There are certain cells in the leaves which change carbon dioxide and water into sugar. To do this the cells needs energy, which they get from the sunlight. Green leaves make food for the whole plant. A red leaf can make food too because under the red color1ing of the leaf there are food----making cells. There are no leaves which are completely yellow, for they can't make food. The plant makes sugar for its food. In sunlight green leaves make a lot of sugar. The veins can't carry all this sugar away, so the leaves change the sugar into starch , which is kept and so stored in the leaves. At night, the starch changes back to sugar. It is then carried away from the leaves. Some of the sugar is used as food by the plant while the rest is stored as starch. In some plants, food is stored in the roots, in others it is stored in the stem and in leaves, fruits and seeds. To make food, plants need a lot except _ . Options: A. the air B. the soil C. the green leaves D. dead leaves Answer:

D

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Question: Not long ago, many people believed that babies only wanted food and to be kept warm and dry. Some people thought babies were not able to learn things until they were five or six months old. Yet doctors in the United States say babies begin learning on their first day of life. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development is a federal government agency. Its goal is to determine which experiences can influence healthy development in people. Researchers at the institute note that babies are strongly influenced by their environment. They say a baby will smile if her mother does something the baby likes. A baby learns to get the best care possible by smiling to please her mother or other caregiver. This is how babies learn to connect and communicate with other people. The researchers say this ability to learn exists in a baby even before birth. They say newborn babies can recognize and understand sounds they heard while they were still developing inside their mothers. Another study has suggested that low birth weight babies with no evidence of disability may be more likely than other children to have physical and mental problems. American researchers studied almost five hundred boys and girls. They were born in, or admitted to, one of three hospitals in New Jersey between 1984 and 1987. At birth, each child weighed fewer than two thousand grams. The boys and girls had an average age of sixteen at the time of the study. They were asked to complete intelligence and motor skill tests in their homes. Their test results were compared with those of other children their age. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development tries to find out _ . Options: A. what affects people's healthy development B. what influences babies' learning ability C. how to cure some children's health problems D. how to develop children's learning ability Answer:

A

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Question: In the U.S.,the public has tended to believe that all motorcycles are ridden by wild,irresponsible lawless young men. There are several things about motorcycling that the average citizen dislikes.A cyclist's appearance has something to do with this dislike.Motorcyclists frequency look dirty;in fact,they are dirty.0n the road there is little to protect them from mud,crushed insects and bird droppings.For practical reasons they are often dressed in old clothing which looks much less respectable than the clothing of people who ride in cars.For the same reason motorcyclists usually wear dark color1s.Perhaps this helps to explain why they are sometimes suspected of having evil natures. In old plays of long ago,evil characters usually wore black. In cowboy movies the"bad guys"usually wear black hats while the"good guys"wear lighter color1s.Something else about their appearance makes an unfavorable impression. In their practical,protective clothing they look very much like the men on military motorcycles in the movies of World War II--cruel enemies who roared into peaceful villages filling people's hearts with fear. Probably the machine itself also produces anger and fear. Motorcycles are noisy,though some big trucks are even noisier.But trucks are big and carry heavy loads;they are accepted(if not really welcomed)because they perform a needed service,making America move.Motorcycles,on the other hand,make all unpleasant noise just to give their riders pleasure.That is what is commonly thought.In the woods motorcycles,frighten animals.Roaring along quiet streets, they wake sleeping families and make babies cry. Of course the danger of motorcycling,also helps account for many people's low opinion of the sport.Its defenders, however,claim that careful cyclists are in less danger than commonly behaved. A cyclist must drive as if everybody around him wanted to kill him.He must pay careful attention to his driving.From that point of view,a man on a motorcycle is safer than,a man in a car. From the passage we know that good characters of old American movies _ . Options: A. usually wore lighter color1s B. had no difference from evil characters C. looked gracious D. often rode horses Answer:

A

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Question: It's summer movie time again. Check out our list of four films. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Release Date: November 4 Story: It's the summer before Harry Potter's third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A dangerous murderer, Sirius Black, has escaped from the Wizards' Prison. And he was ordered to kill Harry Potter. Around the World in 80 Days Release Date: November 16 Story: This version of the classic novel set in 1872 focuses on Passepartout ( Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan), a Chinese thief who seeks refuge with a strange London adventurer, Phileas Fogg. Passepartout uses his martial art skills to defend Fogg from danger as he travels around the world in 80 days. Spider-Man 2 Release Date: November 30 Story: Peter Parker is still coming to accept his dual identity as the crime superhero Spider-Man. He wants to reveal his secret identity to Mary Jane, meanwhile, his Aunt May is in trouble. This is Dr Otto Octavius who has appeared to bring her a lot of troubles. King Arthur Release Date: November 7 Story: King Arthur is presented as a clever ruler who manages to unite all the knights in Britain. Under the guidance of Merlin and the beautiful, brave Guinevere, Arthur will struggle to realize his dreams. In Spider-Man 2, Aunt May's trouble is caused by _ . Options: A. Spider-Man B. Peter Parker C. Mary Jane D. Dr Otto Octavius Answer:

D

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Question: People believe that climbing can do good to health. Where can you learn the skill of climbing then? If you think that you have to go to the mountains to learn how to climb,you're wrong. Many Americans are learning to climb in city gyms . Here,people are learning on special climbing walls. The climbing wall goes straight up and has small holding places for hands and feet. How do people climb the wall? To climb,you need special shoes and a harness around your chest to hold you. There are ropes tied to your harness. The ropes hold you in place so that you don't fall. A beginner's wall is usually about 15 feet high,and you climb straight up. There are small pieces of metal that stick out for you to stand on and hold on to. Sometimes it's easy to see the new piece of metal. Sometimes, it's not. The most difficult part is to control your fear. It's normal for humans to be afraid of falling, so it's difficult not to feel fear. But when you move away from the wall,the harness and the ropes hold you,and you begin to feel safe. You move slowly until you reach the top. Climbing attracts people because it's good exercise for almost everyone. You use your whole body,especially your arms and legs. This sport gives your body a complete _ . When you climb,both your mind and your body can become stronger. Why does the author write this passage? Options: A. To tell people where to find gyms. B. To prove the basic need for climbing. C. To encourage people to climb mountains. D. To introduce the sport of wall climbing. Answer:

D

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Question: Liverpool Discover the best music, sport, culture ... in the UK Liverpool MUSIC The Beatles Story The world-famous 1960s music group came from Liverpool. Find out about The Beatles at the Beatles Story. Open every day except Dec. 25th and 26th. Adult:PS15.95 Child:PS7.00 Child under five: Free Liverpool SPORT Liverpool FC This city loves football. Visit Anfield football stadium, home of Liverpool FC, Liverpool's favorite football club, and take a tour. Closed on weekends. Adult:PS15.00 Child:PS9.00 Child under five: Free Liverpool MUSEUM The Museum of Liverpool Learn all about the history and culture of Liverpool. Open daily 10:00 a.m. -- 5:00 p.m. Free! Liverpool SHOPPING Liverpool ONE Find the best shopping in the center of Liverpool at Liverpool ONE, a big shopping center. Opened in 2008. More than 160 shops, restaurants and cinemas. , What can we learn about Anfield football stadium? Options: A. It costs PS9.00 for an adult to take a tour in the stadium. B. It is home of Liverpool FC, Liverpool's favorite football club. C. The stadium is open every day. D. It opened in 2008. Answer:

B

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Question: Their reunion was unlike any other. Graduating from the Macon, Georgia, class of 1959 gathered together in 2009, even though many of them never had an opportunity to meet during their high school days. Schools in the 1950's, like most other public locations, were segregated in Georgia. Kids were forced to attend different schools depending on the color1 of their skin, and those with white skin were further separated by gender. Fifty years later these people who were not allowed to associate with each other were finally able to connect. It all began with the personal journey of a man named Tom Johnson. He grew up in Macon and enjoyed a very successful career which included serving as the publisher of the Los Angeles Times and president of CNN. Tom's life changed drastically over the years, but he still felt the desire to reconnect with his roots. In 2005 Johnson returned to Macon with his son, Wyatt. As the pair drove around town, the father recounted high school stories to his son. He talked about how students attended one of three schools: BallardHudson, Lanier or Miller. Wyatt looked over at his father and said:"Dad think about how many friends you missed getting to know." Johnson thought about the people he never got the chance to meet. He decided to do something about it. The first step was to find people who graduated from all three schools. Johnson wrote to each person and proposed they all get together for a luncheon. He explained that even though they were kept apart during their youth, they didn't have to be separated any more. His classmates received the message with open hearts. A reunion date was set for October. More than 200 former Macon students traveled hundreds of miles to reunite with people who went to high school with them. It was an unprecedented event, former students coming together to make up for the time they had lost during the days of segregation. When the classmates received the message from Tom, they _ . Options: A. were all eager for the reunion B. were doubtful about his real purpose C. refused to listen to him D. all began to miss him Answer:

A

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Question: Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disability. People with autism have trouble communicating and with social skills. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the person also might repeat some behaviors and not want change in their daily activities. Some people with the condition need a lot of help. Others need less. CDC officials say autism affects one in every 68 children in the United States. More boys than girls are believed to have the condition. But the number of cases appears to be growing. It is unclear whether the growing number shows a real increase or comes from more knowledge about this disorder. Symptoms of autism Common signs of autism include trouble making eye contact and a delay in learning how to speak. Some people with severe autism never learn how to talk. Many people with autism also have difficulty understanding facial expressions and the feelings of others. They also have trouble making friends of the same age. Doctors have learned how to recognize autism, but much is still unknown about its causes. Researchers at Harvard University have come closer to finding answers. They found that women exposed to the highest levels of fine particulate air pollution late in their pregnancies are two times more likely to give birth to a child with autism. The findings appeared in Environmental Health Perspectives -- a publication of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The study found that the women who were around high levels of fine particulate matter air pollution were at highest risk of having an autistic child. The increased risk of these women was two times that of women who lived in areas with low levels of fine particulate pollution. The researchers found that the timing of exposure to pollution was important. They found no increased risk of autism in children whose mothers were around high levels of pollution before becoming pregnant. And the study found air pollution does not seem to increase the risk of children developing autism after they are born. What can pregnant women do? Mr. Weisskopf says pregnant women should avoid air pollution as much as possible. But he warns that other things may increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder. "You can avoid being in extremely polluted cities during pregnancy if possible. You can also choose to go running in a park rather than next to a street. But that said, I think also it's very important to recognize that autism spectrum disorders is a very multi-factorial disorder. And there are lots of reasons why risk could be increased." Autism is believed to result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. For now, Marc Weisskopf says researchers are trying to identify the exact substances in air pollution that increase the risk of autism. What can pregnant women do _ ? Options: A. they should go running in a street B. they should stop smoking C. they should be in extremely polluted cities during pregnancy D. they should avoid air pollution as much as possible Answer:

D

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Question: Apparently everyone knows that global warming only makes climate more extreme. A hot, dry summer has caused another flood of such claims. And one of the players that benefit the most from this story is the media: the idea of "extreme" climate simply makes for more exciting news. Consider Paul Krugman writing breathlessly in The New York Times about the "rising incidence of extreme events." He claims that global warming caused the current drought in America's Midwest, and that supposedly record-high corn prices could cause a global food crisis . But the United Nations's latest assessment tells us precisely the opposite--there has an overall slight tendency toward less dryness in North America. Moreover, there is no way that Krugman could have identified this drought as being caused by global warming without a time machine since climate models estimate that such detection will be possible by 2048, at the earliest. And, fortunately, this year's drought appears unlikely to cause a food crisis, as global rice and wheat supplies are plentiful. Moreover, Krugman overlooks inflation :Prices have increased six-fold since 1969.So, the inflation-adjusted price of corn was higher throughout most of the 1970s. Finally, Krugman forgets that concerns about global warming are the main reason that corn prices have skyrocketed since 2005.Nowadays 40 percent of corn grown in the United States is used to produce ethanol ,which raises the price of corn -at the expense of many of the world's poorest people. Bill Mickbben similarly worries in The Guardian About the Midwest drought and corn prices.He confidently tells us that fierce wildfires from New Mexico and Colorado to Siberia are "exactly" what the early stages of global warming look like. In fact, the latest study on global wildfire suggests that fire incidence has declined over the past 70 years and is now close to its preindustrial level. When well--meaning campaigners want us to pay attention to global warming, they often end up making overstatements. And exaggerated claims merely fuel public distrust and unconcern. That is unfortunate, because global warming is a real problem, and we do need to address it. What is the chief reason for the rise in corn prices according to the author? Options: A. Inflation rates have been skyrocketing since the 1970s. B. A considerable part of corn is used to produce green fuel. C. Climate change has caused corn supply to drop markedly. D. Demand for food has been rising in the developing countries. Answer:

B

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Question: Most people have some common sense. When we see something suspicious on TV, in the newspaper, or on the Internet, we roll our eyes and wonder how anyone could believe something so stupid. Nevertheless, there are stories that even educated people still believe. These tales may or may not be true, but they leave us wondering whether they are real or not. On National Geographic Channel, these stories are dissected in full detail in the series Is It Real. Thousands of years ago, aliens landed on the Earth. They tampered with the evolution of humans and the results of this can be seen practically everywhere. Sound ridiculous? Not to some people. Believe it or not, there are those who believe that alien astronauts had a hand in making the human race what it is today. Travel back in time with Ancient Astronauts and visit our "alien ancestors". In the autumn of 1888, Jack the Ripper roamed the streets of London's East End. After his reign of terror was over, five women had been killed. To this day, the mystery of who killed these ladies remains unsolved. No one knows for sure, but the truth may be revealed on Jack the Ripper. Vampires . Just the thought of these fictional beasts is enough to make your blood run cold. While we may think that they only come to life in books and movies, vampires are actually based on real people. Historians, folklorists, scientists and doctors all work together to investigate the plausibility of vampires. Take a bite into this juicy mystery on Vampires. No other channel can offer this type of programming other than National Geographic Channel. In this unique series, they've stripped away 12 myths that have stood the test of time to expose the truth and find out the answer to the question--Is it real? Who was Jack the Ripper? Options: A. An infamous actor in London's East End theater district. B. The name of a traveler to London's East End. C. The name given to an unknown murderer. D. The serial killer of hundreds of women in the 1800s. Answer:

C