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Question: With winter fast approaching, flu season is here. People can easily catch the flu bug and they try to fight it with western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine or some homemade secret recipes. Yet some of these strategies are ineffective or even harmful, the best way to counter the flu is to protect us from contracting it. So here are some good habits to protect people from contracting flu from the very beginning. *During the day, keep the bedroom window open to let fresh air in. *Wash your face with cold water in the morning and wash your feet with hot water in the evening. This practice can help boost blood circulation and improve the body's resistance. *Do some exercises in the morning. such as jogging or shadowboxing for 10 minutes. *Rinse your mouth with salt water or tea every morning and every evening. This can help kill flu bacteria, clear phlegm and keep the mouth fresh. *Wear more clothes when it's cold and take some off when it's warm *Get a bottle of vinegar or Chinese white wine at hand and smell it now and then. Their pungent smell can help people get refreshed and improve their body's resistance. * Drink two kinds of beverages before going to bed, which can help people stay away from the flu: soup made of radish and vinegar, and tea made of fresh ginger . *Close the doors and windows and put a pot of boiling vinegar in the room Vinegar steam is a good way to kill flu bacteria in the air. What would be the best title for this passage? Options: A. Eight habits to keep the flu away B. The cause of contracting the flu C. Winter and flu D. How to cure the flu Answer:

A

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Question: Early one morning the sub-inspector at a station at the other end of the town rang me. An elephant was damaging the town. Would I please come and do something about it? I did not know what I could do, but I got onto a horse and started out. I took my gun, maybe too small to kill an elephant, but I thought the noise might scare him. Various local people stopped me on the way and told me about the elephant's doings. It was not, of course, a wild elephant, but a tame one. It had been chained up but last night it had broken its chain and escaped. Its owner had set out to run after it, but had taken the wrong direction. He was now twelve hours' journey away, and in the morning the elephant had suddenly appeared in the town. It had already destroyed somebody's bamboo hut , killed a cow and turned over fruit!stalls. I came round the hut and saw a man's dead body sprawling in the mud. He was an Indian, and he could not have been dead many minutes. The people said that the elephant caught him with its trunk, put its foot on his back and grounded him into the earth. This was the rainy season and he was lying on his stomach in the soft mud, _ standing beside, looking innocent. As I lifted my gun, I hesitated a few seconds. Then I fired. That was a shot for him. You could see the pain of it knocking the last strength from his legs. But in falling he seemed for a moment to rise, his trunk reaching skyward like a tree. He trumpeted, for the first and only time. And then down he came, with a crash that shook the ground. The elephant made so much trouble because _ . Options: A. its owner treated him cruelly B. it got out of control C. it hated the village people D. it was a wild elephant Answer:

B

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Question: One day, a farmer was walking along a road with his son Thomas. The father said, "Look! There's a horseshoe, pick it up and put it in your bag." Thomas said, "It isn't worth the trouble." His father said nothing but he picked it up himself. When they got to a nearby town, they had a rest. There the farmer sold the horseshoe and with the few pennies he bought some cherries . The father and the son continued their way. The sun was well up in the sky, and there wasn't a house or even a tree where they could have a rest. Thomas felt too thirsty to walk on. At this time, his father dropped a cherry on the ground and Thomas picked it up quickly and ate it. After a while, his father dropped another cherry and once again, his son lost no time in picking it up and putting it in his mouth. And so they went on. The old farmer dropped the cherries and the son picked them up. When Thomas had eaten up all the cherries, his father said to him, "My dear son, if you had bent down early to pick up that horseshoe, it would not have been necessary for you to bend so many times for the cherries. Always remember the lesson that he who does not worry about the little things will find that he cannot do the great things." From the story, we can learn that _ . Options: A. cherries are so delicious that most of us like to eat them B. a horseshoe is so expensive that it can bring us a lot of money C. if we want to eat cherries, we must pick up a horseshoe D. if we don't worry about the little things we cannot do the great things Answer:

D

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Question: As digital technology increasingly controls the lives of young people, scientists have begun to wonder: Is the Internet good or bad for kids? "It's impossible to answer that question because the Internet is so many things," says psychologist Patricia Greenfield. "It's networked computer games and news about politics and instant messaging and e-mails to your grandmother. It can be both an educational resource and a hiding place for kidnappers." Adults have many reasons to worry about kids' Internet use. In chat rooms, for instance, it is easy to lie and kids can get trapped in dangerous situations. In searching for and visiting websites, kids can come across words and pictures that they may not be prepared for. To help prevent that situation, in 2000, the US Congress passed the Children's Internet Protection Act, which requires schools to block offensive and obscene websites. Researches have pointed out how confusing the Internet can be for children, even when they think they know how it works. To find out how much kids know about the technology, Zheng Yan, an educational professor in New York, interviews over 300 students in grades four to eight. Most of the youngest students think the Internet is simply an icon on the screen. It often isn't until 10 that kids realize that the Internet is a network of millions of computers. It takes another 2 or 3 years for them to understand that a stranger can see what they've posted. Understanding the technology helps kids understand how dangerous the web can be. It's not simply enough to block harmful websites or to limit the number of hours kids spend online. Learning about the Internet can also give young people the power to use it in beneficial ways. In the mind of very young children, the Internet is _ . Options: A. harmful B. simple C. a complicated network D. a news source Answer:

B

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Question: You may feel curious about students in other countries: Do they also have so much homework? What do they do in their free time? On April 8, a report came out on the lives of high school students in China, Japan, South Korea and the US. It surveyed around 6,200 students from the four countries last year. You will find the answers to many of your questions in this report. Who studies hardest? Chinese students spend the most time studying. Nearly half of Chinese students spend more than two hours on their homework every day. That's much more than students of the US (26.4%), Japan (8.2%) and South Korea (5.2%). Who sleeps most often in class? Japanese students fall asleep in class most often. About 45% of them said they sometimes _ in class. In South Korea, it's 32%; in the US, 21%; and 5% in China. South Korean students don't like taking notes. About 70% said they write down what the teacher says in class, much fewer than in Japan (93%), China (90%) and the US (89%). Who is the most distracted ? American students are the most active in class, but also the most distracted: 64.2% said they chat with friends in class; 46.9% said they eat snacks in class; and 38.9% said they send e-mails or read unrelated books in class. What do they do after school? In their free time, most Chinese students study or surf the Internet. Most American students hang out with their friends. Most Japanese students do physical exercises. Most Korean students watch TV. _ of the Chinese students spend more than two hours on their homework. Options: A. 26.4% B. 8.2 % C. 5.2% D. 48.6% Answer:

D

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Question: Earth is about 81 times more massive than the Moon. How will the mass and weight of a rocket on the Moon compare to its mass and weight on Earth? Options: A. The mass and weight will be less on the Moon. B. The mass and weight will be greater on the Moon. C. The mass will be the same, but its weight will be less on the Moon. D. The mass will be the same, but its weight will be greater on the Moon. Answer:

C

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Question: v Happiness Happiness tells the story of two people (acted by Lisa Turbot and Danny Roy) who work for different advertising companies. They talk on the phone all the time and don't like each other. But then they communicate by mail and fall in love. This movie will be very popular with teenagers and people who like romances. It also has beautiful music. v I Scream In the movie, Paul (acted by Colin Jacks) is a young man who joins a thriller club. Each of the members tries to frighten the others. Paul is told to stay in an old house for the night. Everyone who had tried to stay in the house before has died. This movie is very frightening but also quite silly. It doesn't make sense for Paul to stay in the house when things start to go wrong. Only for people who like thrillers. v Paul's Heros This is a very funny war movie set in World War Two. Six soldiers (including Sammy Turblow) have to get to Italy to take secret message to the American army there. During the movie, they dress up as women and fight with Italian workers. You can guess the ending, but it's great fun getting there. v _ This is a very good drama with Jake Ross, who plays a hard-working truck driver. His wife becomes ill and he has to find a doctor who can help her. In his travels he meets Dr. Lioyd (acted by Phil Driver) who has found the cure for the illness, but Jack Ross has only twelve hours to get the medicine back to his wife on the other side of America. This is an excellent movie, which is very exciting and well worth seeing again. Which of the following is the best title for the fourth movie? Options: A. Twelve Hours. B. A Truck Driver. C. Medicine. D. A Sick Wife. Answer:

A

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Question: Around every Lunar New Year holiday, China becomes a country on the move. The holiday crush this year is estimated to be even heavier than before. Government officials suggest that Chinese people will take to the air, roads and railways 3.62 billion times over a 40-day period around the nation's most important holiday this year as people push their way home for family gatherings or to satisfy their new-found passion for travel. Getting tickets to all those would-be travelers is a _ challenge that tries your patience annually. And the pressure for the railway system is always the greatest. Railways are the transport of choice for low-cost long-distance travel, and that's where the ticketing system regularly falls down. Much of the criticism has focused on the railway's online purchasing system, which has been unable to keep pace with the huge demand and also failed to stop scalpers from easily getting many of the hard-to-find tickets. Railway officials believed that online sales were the fairest way to get tickets for travelers, and told reporters that the public need to be patient. While by now the railway service is far from satisfying, efforts are being made to provide online identity checks that would reduce the ticket scalping problems, and the situation is expected to get better in a few years. Meanwhile, for those traveling by car, good news is that the country's extremely expensive highway tolls will be removed for the period of the official holiday. According to the text, getting tickets _ around the official holiday. Options: A. is convenient for travelers B. costs more money C. requires great patience D. is just a piece of cake Answer:

C

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Question: How good are U.S. drivers? The CBS TV "National Drivers Test" showed that many U.S. drivers have a lot to learn. Here's why: CBS picked 1,799 samples to take the test in TV studios in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles. More than two out of five of the drivers failed the test. And the average score was the lowest passing mark-51 points out of a possible 80. Chicago drivers did best with an average of 53 points. Los Angeles drivers came next with 52 points. New York and Philadephia drivers tied with 50 points-a failing score. Drivers with 50 points or less were rated "poorly informed" by the judges. Here are some of the test results: (1) Are men better informed drivers than women?-Yes. Men averaged 52 points. Women got average of 49. (2) Are older drivers better informed than younger drivers?-No. Drivers under 26 averaged 52 points. Drivers from 27 to 45 averaged 51. Driver over 45 failed with 48 points on average. (3) Does education make a difference?-Yes. College graduates averaged 52 points. High school graduates averaged 50. Those without high school diplomas got 48. And people who had taken driver education courses scored an average of 53 points-three more than those who hadn't. (4) Does driving experience make a difference?-Yes. Drivers with three or more years' experience averaged 51 points. Drivers with less experience averaged 49. Here are some surprising facts brought out by the test: (1)More than one out of three drivers did not know that a blinking red light means a full stop. (2)Three out of ten drivers did not know that an octagonal (eight-sided) sign means stop. (3)More than two of three drivers did not know what to do when being "tailgated"(,) The answer: slow down, drive to the right, and let the driver behind pass. The results of the test were turned over to the National Safety Council. They will help future safety planning. Which of the following statements is NOT true? Options: A. Men are better informed than women. B. Education makes no difference in the pass rate of the drivers. C. Chicago drivers are the best informed drivers in America. D. The test results will be used as a guide for future safety planning. Answer:

B

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Question: If the rose can be said to be a special flower, then the apple can be said to be a special fruit. It is very important in American culture. American stories speak of Johnny Appleseed, who went throughout America collecting apple seeds and planting apple trees. He had a great love for nature and went through fields and farms adding richness and beauty to the country. One of the first sayings taught to school children is, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." This short saying encourages children to eat fresh fruit to keep healthy. If someone always says good words to a person, people will call him an _ . This, however, is not a good name. If someone is very dear to us, we say that he or she is the "apple of our eye". Most people believe that the fruit which Eve gave to Adam was an apple, even though the Bible never says so. The apple, therefore, is a deep part of the language and stories of America. An apple is also delicious. Apples can be cooked in many ways, used as a dessert , and made into sweet juice. In many parts of the country during the harvest season, a popular activity is to go into an apple garden to pick apples. Washington, D. C. and New York are both famous for their apples. Finally, when it's time to take a vacation to American cities, one can always visit New York, which is "the biggest apple" of all the American cities. Which of the following is TRUE with apples? Options: A. Apples are medicine. B. Apples are the most important food. C. New York is famous for its big apples. D. The Bible says Adam was given an apple. Answer:

C

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Question: Psychological noise refers to forces within a communicator that interfere with the ability to express or understand a message exactly. For instance, an outdoor person might overstate the size and number of the fish he caught in order to convince himself and others of his talents. In the same way, a student might become so upset upon learning that she failed a test that she would be unable ( Perhaps " unwilling" is a better word) to understand clearly where she went wrong. Indeed, psychological noise is a very important communication problem. But the linear model, despite its advantages, suggests that communication flows in one direction, from sender to receiver. Although some types of messages ( printed and broadcast messages, for example) do flow in a one-way, linear manner, most types of communication, especially the interpersonal variety are two-way exchanges. To put it differently, the linear view ignores the fact that receivers react to massages by sending other messages of their own. Consider, for example, the meaning of a friend's yawn as you describe your romantic problems. Or imagine the hot face you may see as you tell one of your dirty jokes to a new friend. Nonverbal behaviors like these show that most face-to-face communication is a two-way affair. The discernible response of a receiver to sender's massage is called feedback. Not all feedback is nonverbal, of course. Sometimes it is oral, as when you ask an instructor questions about an upcoming test or volunteer your opinion of a friend's new haircut. In other cases it is written, as when you answer the questions on a midterm exam or respond to a letter from a faraway friend. The linear view holds that _ . Options: A. communication flows heavily in one way B. communication is a two-way exchanges C. a receiver reacts to the sender in their own way D. a person doesn't have to emphasize a receiver's response Answer:

A

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Question: Aged just 25,Gaga has become the icon . Born Stefani Germanotta , Gaga was a child who learnt to play the piano at the age of four .She wrote her first piano ballad at 13 and began performing at open nights a year later .But as a teenager she had a hard time at her strict Catholic school and admitted that she didn't like to obey. She sobbed during a recent HBO documentary: "I still sometimes feel like a loser kid in high school and I just have to pick myself up and tell myself that I'm a superstar every morning so that I can get through this day and be for my fans what they need for me to be. " But aged 17 Gaga managed to escape to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and by 19 she signed to Def Jam Recordings but quickly dropped after three months .The star went on to write songs for the likes of Britney Spears ,New Kids on the Block , Fergie ,and the Pussycat Dolls but it was Akon who gave her first big break after they worked in pairs as songwriters at Interscope. She released her first album The Fame in 2008 and the rest is pop history--first singleJust Dancetopped the charts and follow-up Poker Face landed her a Grammy award .In 2009,she released The Fame Monster.Gaga was the queen of the Brit Awards in 2010 where she won three prizes .At the MTV Video Music Awards later that year, Gaga won eight prizes in all . Gaga has been busy working on her second album, Born This Way, which is set to be released on May 23.She has already released four singles from the album -the title track,Judas,The Edge of Glory and Hair. Gaga said to herself "I'm a superstar" in order to _ . Options: A. become more famous B. gain confidence C. get more wealth D. obey school rules Answer:

B

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Question: You may feel interested in students in other countries. Do they have so much homework? What do they do in their free time? People did a survey in China, Japan, South Korea and the US last year. This is the result. Who studies the hardest? Chinese students spend the most time in studying. About half of Chinese students spend more than two hours on their homework every day. Who sleeps most often in class? Japanese students fall asleep in class more often. About 45% of them sometimes _ in class. It's 32% in South Korea, 21% in the US and 5% in China. Who is the most distracted ? American students are the most active in class, but also the most distracted. 64.2% of them chat with friends in class. 46.9% of them eat something in class, and 38.9 % of them send e-mails or read other books in class. What do they do after school? In their free time, most Chinese students study or surf the Internet. Most American students hang out with their friends. Most Japanese students do exercise. Most South Korean students watch TV. About _ of Chinese students spend more than 2 hours doing their homework every day. Options: A. 50% B. 45% C. 64.2% D. 38.9% Answer:

A

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Question: Many college-bound freshmen are worrying about more than just who their roommates will be this fall. They may also be nervous about the well-known fact that they are likely to gain weight this school year. Or will they? While many of us remember the extra weight that showed up right around the start of our college careers, we are not always clear on how much weight we realize gained or why. Many nutrition experts and psychologists think that it is the change in environment and the stress of a new beginning that cause the typical college freshmen to gain extra pounds. As students start a new stage of their lives, many eat to deal with the stress of change or loneliness. Often, college students are making meals or choosing foods independently for the first time in their lives. If they live in the college dormitory, they have a wide variety of foods to select from that may be higher in calories and fatter than the foods they consumed living at home. In addition, college social events usually center around food. I clearly remember sitting in my dorm cafeteria for two or three hours on a Saturday morning socializing with my new friends. Instead of eating only one meal, we would start with breakfast, eat throughout the duration of our socializing, and finish with lunch. Food also makes an appearance after late-night parties, as part of a school day, or simply to break the monotony( ). So will this year's typical freshmen really gain 15 pounds? According to a 2006 Tufts University study, students enrolling in college this fall will gain weight, but maybe not the assumed 15 pounds. Based on the students surveyed, the study found that men can expect to gain an average of 6 pounds and women an average of 4.5 pounds during the freshman year. Nutrition experts and psychologists think that _ . Options: A. students should get used to the stress of change through foods they had at home B. the new environment and the stress have something to do with the students' extra pounds C. students should know in what way they gain so much weight D. choosing foods independently can make people lose weight naturally Answer:

B

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Question: A recent study suggests that teens' relationship with parents, friends and teachers may have a lot to do with why they don't get a good night's sleep. David Maume, a sociologist and sleep researcher, analyzed federal health data, which interviewed 974 teenagers when they were 12, and then again at 15. He found that family dynamics have much to do with how well kids sleep. Teens, who had warm relations with their parents and felt like they could talk to them or their parents were supportive of them, tended to sleep better. However, families that were going through a divorce or a remarriage tended to affect teens' sleep. And problems at school also affected teens' sleep. Feeling safe at school and having good relations with teachers tended to promote better sleep. As did good relationships with friends. Kids who took part in sports or other positive social activities or shared similar academic goals with their friends were also more likely to get a good night's sleep. These add up to what makes lots of sense: a general feeling of well-being helps teens sleep. If we're happy and contented, we're much more likely to sleep better than if we're sad and anxious. Now, of course, teens can hardly resist being drawn to their computers and social networking. Maume also found that when parents were strict not only about bedtime, but also about limiting technology, kids slept better. It's a finding that seems obvious, but parents really do matter when it comes to health habits of their teenagers. Clearly, teenagers aren't getting 9 to 10 hours a night, which puts them at risk for all the consequences of lack of sleep, including poor academic performance, colds and stress. What is the passage mainly about? Options: A. Teens' sleep is linked to their relationship with people around them. B. Lack of adequate sleep puts teens at risk of many bad consequences. C. Modern technology has something to do with teens' sleep problems. D. It is necessary for teens to join in sports and positive social activities. Answer:

A

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Question: Once upon a time there was a boy monster named Jerry who lived in a train car at the railroad tracks. He had lived there all his life. Jerry's mother was named Marge, and she was 36. Marge raised Jerry at the railroad tracks because she wanted to keep him safe. She was afraid of the people who lived in the town nearby. The town was named Qarth, and 100 people lived there. Marge believed that the people of Qarth would attack them if they knew they were there. Qarth used to be filled with factories when Jerry was born. By the time Jerry was a teenager, most of the factories had gone away and most of the people worked on special new machines. They ate food from the fields outside of town. Their favorite food to eat was a special kind of corn. They didn't eat meat because nobody raised any farm animals. One day when he was 11, Jerry asked his mother who his father had been. His father's name was George, and he was 2 years older than Marge. Marge looked sad and told Jerry that George had left after he was born because the people in the town didn't like him. This made Jerry very sad. He went off to his corner of the car and didn't talk to Marge again until she went to bed. After she fell asleep he wanted to go out and look for his father. He packed some food and left. When Marge woke up she was upset, but she thought she knew where he had gone. What fear caused Marge to raise Jerry at the railroad tracks? Options: A. That the people of Qarth would attack them if they knew they were there. B. That there were no jobs in Qarth since the factories went away. C. That George couldn't find them if they moved. D. That there wouldn't be any corn to eat if they moved. Answer:

A

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Question: Ask runners why they run and you'll get a variety of answers; to stay healthy or to feel better. Some have an even bigger reasonto stay calm or out of prison. But Back on My Feet puts recovering addicts and the homeless on the road to a brighter future, starting with a simple step; attending group runs three tunes a week. At 5:30 a.m. on a hot July day, Back on My Feet's Team Brooklyn gathered in a parking lot. After a round of hugs and some warm-up, the group of eight volunteers and seven residents set out on a run to nearby Prospect Park. Some ran three miles, some longer, but the goal for all was to finish as a team "It's helping me put my life back together," said Jimmy, a 58-year-old cancer survivor who was homeless and a former alcohol addict. "It's healthy. It makes me feel good inside," adds Jimmy. Many are skeptical about the idea of homeless runners, according to Anne Mahlum, who founded Back on My Feet in 2007 after starting a running club for men at a shelter near her Philadelphia home. They did want to run, and in just six years, Mahlum's small running club has expanded to 10 cities around the country, and 388 active members. The only requirement for joining, besides wanting to, is insisting on at least 30 days."The first day we give them new shoes and Back on My Feet shirts," Mahlum says. "Then they run a mile the first day. And then gradually we'll encourage them to build goals. "After 30 days,residents gain access to services like financial aid,housing assistance and employment opportunities through Back on My Feet's partners. In its first year, the New York chapter has seen 41 members obtain employment, 34 gain housing and 50 work in job-training programs. That's not to say it's always easy. "I wanted to quit. But then I started to push myself,"said Adel, 39, who began running in March. "Now I would love to run a 10-mile run. Or maybe a marathon one day, who knows. I ran this far, so why not?" According to the author, Back on My Feet is . Options: A. in need of money B. well-known around the world C. meeting difficulty D. making progress Answer:

D

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Question: Japanese sailor Kenichi Horie has finished a 110-day solo voyage across the Pacific Ocean in a boat pushed by sea waves to win another world first. Weak waves and ocean water movements made his arrival late, which was going to be in late May. "When waves were weak, the boat slowed down. That's a problem that needs to be solved," the adventure told reporters from his boat in western Japan. His 9.5-meter-long boat can move like a dolphin's tail, and it rises or falls with the waves. Horie reached his destination in the channel between the main Japanese islands just before midnight after covering about 7,000 kilometers from Hawaii. Horie first made world record in 1962 when, at the age of 23, he became the first person to sail alone across the Pacific. He made the three-month voyage from his hometown in spite of breaking Japanese law, which did not allow his citizens to sail on their own out of the country, and without a passport or money. He was arrested upon arrival in San Francisco but the city mayor freed him, gave him a 30-day visa and made him an honorary citizen. News of his achievement made him a hero back home in Japan and his book of the voyage In the Pacific was made into a film. Since then, he has completed many sailing trips across the Pacific and around the world. After his latest adventure with an environmentally friendly theme, Horie planned to return to his hometown on Sunday. He said, "Throughout history, mankind has used wind for power, but no one has appeared to be serious about wave power." Horie told the reporter, "I think I'm a lucky boy as this wave power system has remained untouched in fact." The author wrote the article mainly to _ . Options: A. start an ocean crossing movement B. tell us a piece of interesting news C. make Horie known to the world D. encourage people to learn from Horie Answer:

B

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Question: The keys to reaching or staying at a healthy weight are regular exercise and good eating habits. Teens should get 60 minutes or more of physical activity a day. Note the word "activity". As long as you're getting your body moving, it doesn't have to mean doing difficult exercise or going to the sports hall every day. All that matters is that each week you get the right balance of activity, including aerobics , strength building, and flexibility exercise. Make exercise a habit by arranging some time every day. On days when you have soccer practice or an aerobics class, you may have no trouble exercising for an hour or more. But most of us are busy, and 60 minutes a day for exercise seems like a lot of time. The good news is that it's OK to divide it into shorter exercise breaks throughout the day. Just as you might have a healthy snack to stop yourself from getting hungry, exercise snacks can keep energy levels high. So get up 15 minutes early and do some stretching activity. Walk fast or run slowly for 15 minutes after lunch. Do the same thing after school -- or walk or bike home. Add to that taking the stairs, PE class, and walking between classes during the day, and you've probably reached your 60 minutes. Here are five simple ways to make an exercise lifestyle change: When exercising, the most important fact is _ . Options: A. the time spent on exercise B. the intensity of activity C. the difficulty of exercise D. the right balance of activity Answer:

D

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Question: A) LiYugang dresses like a woman and sings like a bird. He won the third prize in CCTV's Star Road in 2006. He sings folk songs. However, he seems to have the spirit of Mei Lanfang. In fact, the young man had learnt something from Mei Lanfang's students. People in China usually don't like cross-dressing . But people are really surprised at Li's beauty and _ when he sings and dances. B) Do you know who invented QQ? It was Ma Huateng. He was born in Guangdong in 1971. He chose computer science when he entered Shenzhen University in 1989. He worked as a computer programmer for a company in Shenzhen for five years after he graduated in 1993. Later he left the company and started his own company in 1998. C) Yue Fei was a famous hero of Southern Song Dynasty. He was born in a poor family in Henan Province. He was very brave and won many battles with his soldiers. But Qin Hui killed Yue Fei for Mo Xuyou. Later a temple about Yue Fei was built in memory of him at the foot of Qixia Ling by the West Lake, in Hangzhou. Which of the following is TRUE? Options: A. Li Yugang invented QQ. B. Ma Huateng used to work as a computer programmer for a company. C. Li Yugang won the first prize in CCTV's Star Road. D. Yue Fei seldom won battles with his soldiers. Answer:

D

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Question: Every morning Molly gave her father the lunch bag before he set off for work. One morning,besides his usual lunch bag.Molly handed him a second paper bag. "Why two bags?"her father asked. "The other is something else, "Molly answered. "What's in it?"asked her father. "Just some stuff.Take it with you."Molly replied. Not wanting to discuss the matter, put both bags into his briefcase, he kissed Molly and rushed off.At midday he opened Molly's bag and took out the contents:three small stones, a plastic dinosaur,a tiny seashell,a small doll,and 13 pennies...The busy lather smiled,finished eating, and swept the desk clean into the wastebasket.Molly's stuff included. That evening,Molly ran up behind him as he was reading a newspaper. "Where's my bag,Daddy?"asked Molly. "What bag?"her father responded. "The one I gave you this morning, "said Molly. "I left it at the office.Why?"said her father. "I forgot to put this note in it, "Molly said. "and besides,Daddy,the things in the sack are those I really like-I thought you might like to play with them.You didn't lose the bag,did you, Daddy?" "Oh,no, "he said,lying."I just forgot to bring it home.I'll bring it tomorrow." While Molly hugged her father' neck, unfolded the note that read, love you. s he "I Daddy. " Molly had given him her treasures--all that a 7-year-old girl held dear. Love in a paper bag,but he missed it--not only missed it,but had thrown it in the wastebasket. So back he went to the office.Just ahead of the night guard,he picked up the paper bag. He put the treasures inside and carried it home carefully.The bag didn't look SO good,but the stuff was all there and that was of great importance. After dinner,he asked Molly to tell him about the stuff in the sack. It took a long time to tell.Everything had a story or a memory. "Sometimes I think of all the great times in this sweet life, "he thought. We should all cherish the moment with the people we love.That's what really matters. It's so simple and so easily forgotten. Why did Molly give her father a second bag? Options: A. She didn't want to keep the things in one bag. B. She hoped those things would bring happiness to her father. C. She wanted to remind her father of the stories behind the things. D. She enjoyed playing with her father. Answer:

B

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Question: More than 10 years ago, it was difficult to buy a tasty pineapple . The fruits that made it to the UK were green on the outside and, more often than not, hard with an unpleasant taste within. Then in 1966, the Del Monte Gold pineapple produced in Hawaii first hit our shelves. The new type of pineapple looked more yellowy-gold than green. It was slightly softer on the outside and had a lot of juice inside. But the most important thing about this new type of pineapple was that it was twice as sweet as the hit-and-miss pineapples we had known. In no time, the Del Monte Gold took the market by storm, rapidly becoming the world's best-selling pineapple variety, and delivering natural levels of sweetness in the mouth, up until then only found in tinned pineapple. In nutrition it was all good news too. This nice tasting pineapple contained four times more vitamin C(C) than the old green variety. Nutritionists said that it was not only full of vitamins, but also good against some diseases. People were understandably eager to be able to buy this wonderful fruit. The new type of pineapple was selling fast, and the Del Monte Gold pineapple rapidly became a _ in the shopping basket of the healthy eater. Seeing the growing market for its winning pineapple, Del Monte tried to keep market to itself. But other fruit companies developed similar pineapples. Del Monte turned to law for help, but failed. Those companies argued successfully that Del Monte's attempts to keep the golden pineapple for itself were just a way to knock them out the market. Why was the new type of pineapple selling well? Options: A. It was rich in nutrition and tasted nice. B. It was less sweet and good for health. C. It was developed by Del Monte. D. It was used as medicine. Answer:

A

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Question: A small piece of fish each day may keep the heart doctor away. That's the finding of a study of Dutch men in which deaths from heart disease were more than 50 percent lower among those who consumed at least an ounce of salt water fish per day compared to those who never ate fish. The Dutch research is one of three human studies that give strong scientific support to the long held belief that eating fish can provide health benefits, particularly to the heart. Heart disease is the number-one killer in the United States, with more than 550,000deaths occurring from heart attacks each year. But previous research has shown that the level of heart disease is lower in cultures that consume more fish than Americans do. There are fewer heart disease deaths, for example, among the Eskimos of Greenland, who consume about 14 ounces of fish a day, and among the Japanese, whose daily fish consumption averages more than 3 ounces. For 20 years, the Dutch study followed 852 middle-aged men, 20 percent of whom ate no fish. At the start of the study, average fish consumption was about two-thirds of an ounce each day, with more men eating lean fish than fatty fish. During the next two decades, 78of the men died from heart disease , The fewest deaths were among the group who regularly ate fish, even at levels far lower than those of the Japanese of Eskimos, This _ was true regardless of other factors such as age, high blood pressure, or blood cholesterol levels. The passage is mainly about _ . Options: A. the changes in people's diet B. the daily fish consumption of people in different cultures. C. the high death rate of disease in some countries. D. the effect of fish eating on people's health Answer:

D

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Question: It often happens that a number of applicants with almost identical qualifications and experience all apply for the same position. In their educational background, special skills and work experience, there is little, if anything, to choose between half a dozen candidates . How then does the employer make a choice? Usually on the basis of an interview. There are many arguments about the interview as a selection procedure. The main argument against it is that it results in a wholly subjective decision. As often as not, employers do not choose the best candidate, but the one who makes a good first impression on them. Some employers, of course, reply to this argument by saying that they have become so experienced in interviewing staff that they are able to make a sound assessment of each candidate's likely performance. Those in favor of the interview insist that the well-structured procedure is valid in assessing a candidate's ability, an essential guarantee for the future job. They also argue that an employer is concerned not only with a candidate's ability, but with the suitability of his or her personality for the particular work situation. Many employers, for example, will overlook occasional inefficiencies from their secretary so long as she has a pleasant personality. Perhaps the real purpose of an interview is not to assess the assessable aspects of each candidate but to make a guess at the more intangible (, ) things, such as personality, character and social ability. Today, interview is still the key section of the entire selection procedure, though different employers have different standards for competence . Generally speaking, candidates who interview well tend to be confident, but never boastful ; direct and straight-forward in their questions andanswers; cheerful and friendly, but never over-familiar; and sincerely enthusiastic and optimistic. Candidates who interview badly tend to be at either end of the spectrum (, ) of human behavior. They are either very shy or over-confident. They show either a lack of enthusiasm or an excess of it. They either talk too little or never stop talking. They are either over-polite or rudely abrupt . What is the author's attitude towards the interview as a selection procedure? Options: A. Supportive B. Negative C. Objective D. Unconcerned Answer:

C

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Question: Show Biz Summer 2014 Location: Rosewood Center for Family arts Important Information: * Tuition paid on the first day of class. No tuition refunds . * DCT reserves the right to cancel any class; refunds made for cancelation . * Please accompany student to the first day of class. * Registration begins one-half hour before class time. How To Register: * Mail : fill out the form in this brochure. * Be sure to list the class and group that you want & the dates. Drama Days! --$ 175 Entering Grades : Group A : lst -- 2nd Group B : 3rd -- 5th . Time: June 2--June 6 * create the situations and scenes * SHOWTLME-invite family and friends to your Friday Showcase ! * Bring a sack lunch and drink each day! Laugh Out Loud --$ 175 Entering Grade : 5 th Time: June 23--June 27 * Tell a joke! Learn why old jokes can be the best! * Work with your class to put on a Comedy Show for family and friends! Acting --Just Acting--$225 Entering Grades : Group A: lst --2nd Group B: 3rd -- 4th Time: August 4 -- August 8 * Start with the characters: Who are you ? Be the Star of your Dreams. * Work with your class to create the plot. Summer Scenes --$ 225 Entering Grades: 5th -- 6th Time: August 11-- August 15 * Do you want to be an actor? * Improve your skills with instruction from professional actors & directors. If you want to attend Show Biz Summer 2014,you should be aware that_. Options: A. there'll be no refunds in any case B. tuition must be paid at least before June 2 C. registration begins half an hour after class time D. students had better be accompanied on the first day Answer:

D

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Question: .Chris is not a traditional explorer --he usually works in an office for a large organization. However, Chris' job can be just as exciting and dangerous as being an explorer. Chris works for MSF, an organization also known as Doctors Without Border . Since 1971, MFS has sent trained doctors all over the world to help people who have suffered from disasters, such as wars and illnesses. Chris is a doctor from France who has traveled to many places to organize programs that help people. At the moment, over 27,000 trained doctors have taken part in MSF projects. The organization received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999. All kinds of doctors can volunteer for MSF. They need to be ready to go almost anywhere in the world and, of course, they should face difficulties. Most of MSF's work is in Africa. When MSF chooses a doctor for a task, they have to go for at least six months. When doctors have completed a few tasks, they might be sent on an emergency task following a disaster, such as an earthquake. But why would doctors leave a comfortable life and a good pay to join MSF? According to Chris, the experience they have is a great help in their life. What's more, just like the explorers of the past, they need to keep an open mind and learn to get on well with the people they meet. One thing that they can say at the end of any task is that they have made a real difference to people's lives. As a volunteer doctor for MSF, he or she should _ . Options: A. have worked in Africa for six months B. have been sent on an emergency task C. be ready to work for a task for at least half a year D. have suffered from wars, illnesses or other disasters Answer:

C

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Question: In Los Angeles, drivers spend sixty-one hours every year stuck in traffic.These drivers know all too well how bad the traffic can be."There're too many cars, and you can't move around a lot." Professor Cyrus Shahabi also knows about traffic jams.He lives more than 65 kilometers from his office at the University of Southern California, in Los Angeles.He is always late even with the help of a navigation system. He decided to develop a program called ClearPath for that.He says his program uses historical data to predict traffic conditions even before the driver leaves the house. "What's unique is that we use a lot of data that's currently become available including traffic data, weather data, and we analyze that so that we can predict what's going to happen in front of you when you leave home." Professor Shahabi says his system does more than just respond to current traffic conditions.With ClearPath, he says, a driver can decide what time he wants to leave, and ClearPath will give the fastest route.It looks at the entire road network, including surface streets as well as highways, before the driver hits the road.Professor Shahabi hopes to have ClearPath available nationwide and overseas once they can collect traffic data from other cities. "I always thought thatLos Angeles had the worst traffic, but now I know that Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, Tokyo, believe it or not, Singapore, Hong Kong certainly are examples that can immediately use this." Professor Shahabi hopes to share this new technology with companies that already have navigation systems, such as Google and Apple. Drivers in Los Angeles were mentioned in order to _ . Options: A. show care for them B. introduce their life C. solve traffic problems D. raise the topic Answer:

D

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Question: Some time ago I discovered that one of my chairs had a broken leg. I didn't think there would be any difficulty in getting it mended, as there are a lot of antique shops near my home. So I left home one morning carrying the chair with me. I went into the first shop expecting a friendly reception. I was quite wrong. The man wouldn't even look at my chair. The second shop, though slightly more polite, was just the same, and the third and the fourth...So I decided that my approach must be wrong. I entered the fifth shop with a plan in my mind. I placed the chair on the floor and said to the shopkeeper, "Would you like to buy a chair?" He looked it over carefully and said, "Yes. How much do you want for it, sir?" "Twenty pounds,"I said, "OK,"he said. "I'll give you twenty pounds." "It's got a slightly broken leg,"I said. "Yes, I saw that, it's nothing." Everything was going according to plan and I was getting excited. "What will you do with it?" I asked. "Oh, it will be easy to sell once the repair is done." "I'11 buy it." I said. "What do you mean?" "You've just sold it to me." he said. "Yes, I know but I've changed my mind. I am sorry. I'll give you twenty-seven pounds for it.""You must be crazy. "he said. Then, suddenly the penny dropped. "I know what you want. You want me to repair your chair." "You're right."I said. "And what would you have done if I had walked in and said, 'Would you mend this chair for me?'" "I wouldn't have agreed to do it," he said. "We don't do repairs, not enough money in it and too much trouble. But I'll mend this for you, shall we say for a fiver?" He was a very nice man and was greatly amused by the whole thing. Which is the best title of the passage? Options: A. A chair with a broken leg B. It was hard to mend a chair C. My experience of mending a chair D. A kind shopkeeper Answer:

C

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Question: Miami Beach is a top destination for vacationers from around the world --not to mention a location for sea turtles laying eggs. For years, female sea turtles have returned to the beaches where they were born to build nests for their next generation. As Miami Beach continues to develop; wildlife officials and volunteers are making sure the beach remains a welcoming place for these endangered animals. The sea turtle patrol starts his day at sunrise. "The reason we need to get out at first light is to make sure we see the tracks before anybody else gets out here, Bill Ahern says, "Something that weighs 350 pounds is going to leave evidence." Bill Ahern directs the sea turtle program in Miami-Dade county. His team monitors and marks nests left by sea turtles who lay eggs in the sand and then return to the sea. The patrols also work with beach residents to keep track of new nests and possible threats to existing ones. Nearly 65,000 turtles nested on Florida's Atlantic coast last year. A tiny part comes to Miami Beach where they face many risks. Tough laws have been passed to punishpoachers . And bright lights from nearby buildings can confuse newly born turtles, attracting them onto roads instead of into the ocean. "I recall in the mid-1960s, me and my beach buddies(policemen) would pick up hatchlings from the road and put them back in the water," he recalls .To avoid that problem, city officials have imposed limits on coastal lighting. Although most sea turtles hatch on their own, coming out at night, some have a harder time. In the future, the Sea Turtles Program hopes to do away with the hatchery. Educating beach-goers is a step in that direction. Each week, people are invited to see a release of newly born turtles recovered from nests. The experience helps sunbathers understand the role of the beach in the turtle's life cycle. "Only a part of the newly hatched turtles will escape predators and man-made dangers in their first year." Their instincts are so sharp ," Ahern says, "I'll face a turtle to the west, and then watch him, he turns right around ,facing the ocean. " What do Ahern and his sea turtle patrol do in the early morning? Options: A. find tracks left by sea turtles B. pick up the trash on the beach C. collect eggs laid by sea turtles D. exercise to lose weight Answer:

A

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Question: Thousands of jobs come into our Job Centre every week, but they get snapped up quickly. So although we shall do all we can to help you, it's important for you to do all you can to help yourself. This passage tells you how. Registered for work Once you have registered for work we will match you will available vacancies. If you want to claim unemployment benefit , you also have to get registered at our Job Centre. But you actually apply for and claim it at the local Unemployment Office. Getting a job through self- service Jobs that come in are put on self- service show as soon as possible. Half the people who find jobs through our Job Centre find them through self- service. You can call in at any time to look at the jobs shown. Come to our Employment Advisers If you want more help or advice, don't forgot that's what we're here for. Our Employment Advisers can help you with things like: thinking about the different sorts of jobs you could do and which are best for you. jobs available locally or elsewhere. whether you are suitable for a TOPS training course. funds to help you look for, and move to, work in other parts. Even though you have a clear idea of the sort of job and pay you want, you may find that something different will suit you quite well. Keep this in mind when you are talking with Employment Advisers. If you don't find a job on your fast visit Go into self- service as often as you can to look at the jobs on show there. Good vacancies are coming in all the time just because you've been registered for work. Employment Advisers can_. Options: A. help you find out what kind of jobs suits you best B. help you register for work and use self- service C. help you claim as much unemployment benefit as possible D. help you find a job suitable for you on your first visit Answer:

A

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Question: Which is likely true? Options: A. two negatively charged iron ingots pull together B. two negatively charged lemons pull together C. two negatively charged rats pull together D. two negatively charged dogs pull together Answer:

A

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Question: A couple of years ago, those who forecast that oil price would reach $ 100 a barrel were seen as doomsters. However, now some are predicting $ 200 a barrel. Had economists been told that oil price would barely pause at $ 100 before reaching the recent peak of nearly $ 127, they would no doubt have forecast terrible economic consequences. But the global economy, though interrupted by the high price of energy, is still chugging along. Meanwhile, inflation has picked up, but the headlinerates of inflation in most developed countries are nowhere near the levels seen in the 1970s and 1980s. There are three explanations for the oil price's unclear impact. The first is that nowadays developed economies are more efficient in their use of energy, thanks partly to the increased importance of service industries and the diminished role of manufacturing . According to the Energy Information Administration, the energy intensity of America's GDP fell by 42% between 1980 and 2007. A second theory is that the oil-price rise has been steady, not sudden, giving the economy time to adjust. Giovanni Serio of Goldman Sachs points out that in 1973 there was a severe supply shock because of the oil embargo , when the world had to cope with 10%-15% less crude almost overnight. Not this time. The third explanation turns the argument on its head; rather than oil harming the global economy, it is global expansion that is driving up the price of oil. The most important factor is the shift in favor of the developing economies. America has responded to high price in familiar fashion: UBS forecasts that demand will drop by 1.1% this year and will be no higher in 2010 than it was in 2004. But the demand from China and other emerging markets is more than offsetting this shortfall. How many explanations for the oil price's impact are mentioned in the passage? Options: A. Two B. Three C. Four D. Five Answer:

B

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Question: In ancient Greece,there were four major athletic meetings and the Olympian meeting played the most important part in the lives of the people. As time passed,the Olympian meeting gradually lost its local character and became first a national event and then international. No one knows exactly how far back the Olympic Games go but some official records date from 776 BC. The Games took place every four years on the plain by Mount Olympus. Thousands of people came from all parts of the Greek world to watch the games. The winner of the foot race had the great honor of giving his name to the year of his history. After a long history of almost 1,200 years,the Games were stopped for religious reasons. It was then decided in 1896 to start the Olympic Games again. The meeting was held in Athens and 311 athletes from 13 countries took part in it but the idea of such an international meeting attracted the world's attention. After the 1908 London Olympics,many nations sent their best athletes. Although the Games have been time and again threatened by some unfavorable political events, the Games have taken place every four years. Nowadays, the Games are held in different countries in turn. As the biggest international gathering of any kind in the world,athletes from different countries play games together and this provides them with good chances to learn to live together. The friendly feelings in the Olympic Village make people think of the world as one big family. The Olympic Games will be hosted in Beijing in 2008. It is believed that the Games will be a wonder of the world. The first old Olympic Games took place _ . Options: A. a thousand years ago B. in the seventh century AD C. in modern times D. before 700 BC Answer:

D

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Question: Last night I drove a long way (about 500 km) to return home. It was late and I was driving fast because I wanted to get home as soon as possible. So several times when I was driving behind a slow-moving truck on a narrow road, I wanted to shout at the driver ahead. Then I came to a crossroad with a traffic light. As I drove near, it turned red. I stopped my car at once. I looked left,right and behind. I found no cars or persons -- I was alone on the road. The person who would come to the crossroad was at least a mile away in any direction. Certainly going through the light would cause no danger. I could pass the traffic light. But strangely enough, I just stopped there, waiting for several minutes until the light went green. I asked myself why I refused to run the light. Surely it was unnecessary for me to be afraid of danger or being fined , because there were no cars or police around at all. But I remained waiting until the light changed. When I finally got home, it was near midnight. My wife had fallen asleep. The question of why I stopped for that light came back to me again, because I stopped another two times for the red lights as "special" as the first one. I stopped, not because of the law, but because it was a good habit I had developed. In fact, we were used to doing something right just because we have made obeying the rules a good habit. We do it just because we should do it. I thought if another man met with the same thing, he would make the same choice. I believed so. And I could be trusted by others. I believed that everyone would and could control himself/herself well. It was amazing that we trusted each other to do the right things, wasn't it? Who made the author stopped at the crossroad? Options: A. A policeman. B. The author's wife. C. The author himself. D. Another driver. Answer:

C

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Question: the central object of our solar system is also Options: A. the smallest object in the solar system B. the coldest heavenly body C. the farthest star from us D. the closest star from us Answer:

D

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Question: Why is protein an important part of a healthy diet? Options: A. It is needed to change glucose to energy. B. It is needed to store nutrients. C. It is needed to repair tissue. D. It is needed to produce water. Answer:

C

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Question: There are three airports in New York. When you arrive at one of them, you can take a bus or taxi to any place in New York. Public transport . In New York there's a good bus and subway service. If you are planning to use the subway a lot, you should buy a subway ticket for ten journeys because it's cheaper. But you don't have to use public transport, because there are lots of places you can go to on foot, like The Empire State Building , 5thAvenue and Central Park. The New York taxis are a part of the city experience , so you should take at least one taxi during your visit! Hotels. There are lots of good hotels in New York. The best is _ on 5thAvenue but you don't have to pay a lot to stay in the city; there are lots of small hotels. Eating out. There are many kinds of food in New York and you shouldn't eat at McDonalds every day. There are good restaurants in Little Italy and Chinatown, for example. Shopping in New York is fun. There are big shops on 5thAvenue. They are open seven days a week. But be careful when you look at the prices; you have to pay a special 8% tax on everything you buy in New York. Places to see. Finally, there are a lot of places to see in New York -- Times Square, the Statue of Liberty. And you shouldn't go home without climbing the Statue of Liberty. The Plaza here is the name of _ . Options: A. a restaurant B. a hotel C. an airport D. a shop Answer:

B

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Question: "When your mother scolds you, you can look elsewhere and think about other things. Just ignore her words. But remember: such a tough attitude cannot be used often." These words are from a series of cartoons which outline skills for children to fight against their mothers. The images have created heated debate among Chinese netizens. Regarded as "a book for children aged 6 to 12 who are always scolded by their parents", the cartoons, drawn by two 10yearold Beijing girls, list over 20 skills which children can use to deal with their mothers' anger such as crying, pretending to be ashamed, fleeing into the toilet and pleasing her afterwards. Each skill is described with vivid pictures and humorous notes. The creativity of the young girls has amazed netizens, the Yangtse Evening Post reported on Thursday. According to one of the girls' mothers, her daughter once received a poor mark in an exam, and the mother blamed her and compared her performance with another classmate. The daughter's feelings led to her creating the cartoons. The girl's father, who first posted the pictures on his Sohu Microblog on Monday, said he hopes parents pay close attention to the pictures, allow children to feel free to develop their own characteristics and try not to criticize them so often. The father said the cartoons aren't finished yet; his daughter will continue with them when she has time. "The cartoons, although an individual case, reflect a modern phenomenon and some of the problems within Chinese family education," said Yu Qinfang, an expert on family education. According to a survey of 104 children and their parents, Yu discovered that as many as 51.9 percent of primary school students hate being urged to do things by their mothers. "Not giving children enough time and hurrying them to do things seems to be a very tiny detail within family life, but it is potentially a huge problem which can easily be ignored by parents. A mother's blame may lead to negative feelings within her child's heart," Yu said. "Parents should learn to blame less and be more patient." What do we know about the book? Options: A. It tells us how to control mothers' feelings. B. It includes a number of vivid pictures and humorous notes. C. It is intended for primary school teachers. D. It is finished by children aged 6 to 12. Answer:

B

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Question: Last year I ruined my summer vacation by bringing along a modern convenience that was too convenient for my own good: the iPad. Instead of looking at nature, I checked my e-mail. Instead of paddling a small boat, I followed my Twitter feed . Instead of reading great novels, I stuck to reading four newspapers each morning. I was behaving as if I were still in the office. My body was on vacation, but my head wasn't. So this year I made up my mind to try something different: withdrawal from the Internet. I knew it wouldn't be easy, since I'm bad at self-control. But I was determined. I started by giving the iPad to my wife. The cellphone signal at our house was worse than in the past, making my attempts at cheating an experience in frustration . I was trapped, forced to go through with my plan. Largely cut off from e-mail, Twitter and my favorite newspaper websites, I had few ways to connect to the world except for the radio--and how much radio can one listen to, really? I had to do what I had planned to do all along: read books. This experience has had a happy ending. With determination and the strong support of my wife, I won in my vacation straggle against the Internet, realizing finally that it was I, not the iPad, that was the problem. I knew I had won when we passed a Starbucks and my wife asked if I wanted to stop to use the Wi-Fi. "I don't need it," I said. However, as we return to post-vacation life, a harder test begins: Can I continue when I'm back at work? There are times when the need to know what's being said right now is great. I have no intention of giving up my convenience completely. But I hope to resist the temptation to check my e-mail every five minutes, which leads to checking my Twitter feed and a website ortwo. I think a vacation is supposed to help you reset your brain to become more productive. Here I hope this one worked. What did the author do to keep away from the Internet this year? Options: A. He handed his iPad to his wife. B. He cut off his cellphone signal. C. He refused to cheat in his house. D. He listened to the radio most of the time. Answer:

A

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Question: Ad.1 Special house in Glebe ($ 160 every month) Reply to: [email protected] Date available : December 9 Looking for a girl student roommate to share a well situated house in Glebe for not less than one month. 2 minutes from the bus stop in a quiet street, double living room etc. Give me a call if interested. The room is ready to be rented from now. Ad.2 Room with own bathroom ($330 every month) Reply to: [email protected] Date available: December 17 I've got a big flat in Sandas with own bathroom with two bedrooms and two bathrooms in a safe building with all equipment. I'm looking for a girl student who wants to stay for at least 6 months, easy-going, tidy. There will be only me, so 2 people in total. It's available from Dec. 17 for $330 every month, including bills. Ad.3 One bedroom suitable for one boy ($175 every month) Reply to: [email protected] Date available: December 16 We have a bedroom available with a big bed. The living room, kitchen and bathroom will be shared with our roommate, Al, who is a university student. We provide a computer, TV, DVD player, a parking space which are all included in the rent. The apartment is available December 16 at the earliest and for at least 2 months because we won't be back to the town Lading until next April. Ad.4 Room with own kitchen for a girl ($280 every month) Reply to: [email protected] Date available: December 18 I've got a flat in Patrio with a bedroom available. A kitchen is also available with all equipment. I'm looking for a girl student who wants to stay for at least 3 months. I also provide a PC and a parking place, but the parking place isn't included in the rent. If a student wants to rent a room with own bathroom, he would have to pay _ a month. Options: A. $280 B. $175 C. $330 D. $ 160 Answer:

C

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Question: I began to work as a salesgirl in a department store.I got there that morning and was introduced to all the salesmen and saleswomen.Throughout the day,one of the salesmen talked with me.I thought we might become friends.That evening after work we went out for dinner.We sat together and talked,but our numbers were never exchanged. Around 10 p.m., I began my 2hour drive back. For the first part of the drive, I was thinking to myself how stupid I had been for not giving him my number.Then all of a sudden,when I had gone around a corner, I was completely over in another lane.There was no time to even hit the brakes.I hit at once.The police came and cut the top of my car off to get me out.They sent me to the hospital quickly. My mother got there late that night,and saw me lying in the emergency room.The next morning,mom called the manager and told him what had happened and that I would be in the hospital for a long time.A few hours later,I received a phone call--it was the guy I hadn't given my number.Well,he came to visit me that night and the next night.We spent a lot of time together. It was months before I would be walking and driving again,but he'd sit by me.I don't think I could have pulled through it without him.Now I can walk freely,and just this week we are planning on getting married one year after the day we met.It's just amazing how a tragedy like a car accident could bring about such a wonderful relationship! The car accident happened because . Options: A. the girl drank a lot before driving B. it was so dark that the girl couldn't see very clearly C. another car appeared on the girl's lane suddenly D. the girl didn't drive with great care Answer:

D

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Question: Dancing the night away It is a measure of how little control I have over my own life that in middle March I am escorting a pretty young redhead to a debutante ball.(A formal presentation of young ladies when they reach the age of maturity. This was originally used in the past to introduce young ladies to society so that they could meet a possible marriage partner , so it was for the upper class, the nobility and titled families. At a debutante ball, the expensively-dressed girls stand in a line to be introduced individually. Their fathers then walk them, arm-in-arm around the dance floor, followed by a waltz.) "Daddy, you OK?" she asks. "Never better," I lie. "Good," she says, hugging my shoulder and giggling . Generally, deb balls belong to the upper class, and that is decidedly not us. The other day, I was trying to figure out which to buy -- a garage door opener, or a DVD player. Both were broken, yet we could afford to replace only one. That's how "upper class" we are. We're more like "fixer upper class." So it's a mystery how we ended up at this deb ball. Two mothers are checking for alcohol, making sure the debs aren't drinking. Anyway, they won't let the dads eat dinner till we "present" the girls, which means we have to escort our daughters around the dance floor one by one, as the mistress of ceremonies reads out the young lady's accomplishments. "Trish plans to attend Stanford in the fall, where she will study molecular engineering in hopes of one day developing a way to help predict earthquakes." On and on these introductions go. One girl hopes to grow food on Mars. After the introductions we finally get to the Big Waltz. For the last month, the dads and daughters have all been taking lessons for the Big Waltz, under the direction of the widow of Otto von Bismarck. Fortunately, she is a people person. "Forward, BACK!" she screamed, while teaching us to waltz. Her gentle directions have worked miracles. Suddenly, on this big night, we are a well-organized team of 27 father-daughter dance pairs. Honestly, waltzing is like math, in the sense that some people never get it. The success of this Big Waltz comes as a huge relief to the mothers, who have been planning this ceremony for six years and have been a little tense lately. In the end, everything turned out OK at the deb ball. The 27 dads developed into a fairly supportive fellowship. And the little red-haired girl? She hugged my shoulder and giggled happily, making it all -- the waltz lessons, the rental tuxedo , the 14 years of coaching softball -- worth every awful-wonderful moment. The writer feels all his efforts were worthwhile because his daughter _ . Options: A. really enjoyed the experience B. was introduced into the upper class C. showed her accomplishments at the ball D. had a chance to meet a good marriage partner Answer:

A

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Question: New rules and behavior standards for the middle school students came out. Middle schools are going to use a new way to decide who the top students are. The following are some of the new rules. You should not be allowed to dye your hair, smoke or drink. You should not copy others' work in an exam. Don't do it again if you did it! Good students love animals and care for other people. Being kind to animals is being kind to ourselves. Be friendly to the people around you. Try to think of others, not only yourself. Don't look down on new ideas. Everyone's ideas are important. You should welcome them, because new ideas make life better for everyone. Learn to protect yourselves. If you have to go home late, you should let your mother or your father know. Use the Internet carefully. The Internet can be very useful for our studies. But some things on the Internet aren't good for teenagers, so try to look at web pages that are good for you. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true? Options: A. It's not polite to dye hair for everyone B. Don't copy others' work in an exam C. Be kind to others and try to think of others D. Don't look down on new ideas Answer:

A

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Question: Spiders are not insects as many people believe. They belong to a class of animals called arachnids . Spiders have eight eyes, four pairs of legs, and can grow a new leg if they lose one. A spider's body is divided into two sections: the abdomen and the thorax .The legs, eyes, and mouthparts are in the thorax section. Most spiders have poison glands and sharp teeth. They use their sharp teeth to force poison into the insects they catch for food. This poison can make an insect lose the ability to move, and the helpless insect is then _ by the spider. Spiders usually have silk glands under their abdomen. They produce a liquid that is thicker than water from their glands. When the liquid comes into the air, it dries into silk. Many spiders use this silk to form webs to catch insects and to make cocoons that protect their eggs. This amazing silk is also used to create lines that spiders hang onto as they travel to new areas. Spiders live in almost everywhere on earth. The only places where there are no spiders are the coldest places, the highest mountains and the seas. According to the passage, which of the following is WRONG? Options: A. Spiders are not insects. B. All spiders have poison glands. C. Spiders make cocoons to keep their eggs safe. D. There are no spiders in the coldest places. Answer:

B

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Question: Mouth bacteria grow fast in airless conditions. Oxygen rich saliva keeps their numbers down. When we sleep, for example, the saliva stream slows, and sulfur producing bacteria gains the upper hand, producing classic "morning breath". Alcohol drinking, too much talking, breathing through the mouth during exercise, anything that dries the mouth produces bad breath. So can stress, though it's not understood why. Some people's breath turns sour every time they go on a job interview. Saliva flow gradually slows with age, which explains why the elderly have more bad breath trouble than younger people do. Babies, however, who make plenty of saliva and whose mouths contain ly few bacteria have characteristically sweet breath. For most of us, the simple, dry mouth variety of bad breath is easily cured. Eating or drinking starts saliva and sweeps away many of the bacteria. Breakfast often stops morning breath. Those with constant dry mouth find that it helps to keep gum, hard candy, or a bottle of water or juice around. Brushing the teeth wipes out dry mouth bad breath because it clears away many of the offending bacteria. Surprisingly, one thing that rarely works is mouthwash. The liquid can mask bad breath smell with its own smell, but the effect lasts no more than an hour. Some mouthwashes claim to kill the bacteria responsible for bad breath. The trouble is, they don't necessarily reach all offending germs. Most bacteria are well protected from mouthwash under thick layers of mucus . If the mouthwash contains alcohol--as most do--it can worsen the problem by drying out the mouth. According to the passage, alcohol has something to do with bad breath mainly because _ . Options: A. it keeps offending bacteria from reproducing B. its smell adds to bad breath C. it kills some helpful bacteria D. it affects the normal flow of saliva Answer:

D

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Question: Give people a chance before you judge them because you really never know what's going on beneath the surface. I am always reminded that judging a person by what others say or my first impression is usually wrong. It's so easy to make assumptions and expectations about someone, just to find out they were completely false. The shy girl turns out to be one of the funniest girls I've ever met; the mean girl is actually very sensitive and loving; the _ guy is unsure of himself, etc. I hope there is a world where we stop judging a person by what they wear, their hairstyle, their job, their car; we simply love and accept them for who they are. Someone may have untidy hair because they over slept, or their clothes don't match because their house burned down and lost everything. All I'm saying is, "can we focus more on what's going on inside a person rather than the outside?" There are so many people who seem like everything is just fine on the outside, but the inside is angry or hurting. They don't know how to just be themselves or they're afraid to because they may be seen as the "crazy" or "strange" persons. I truly believe everything begins with ourselves. Before we can really stop judging others by the outside, we must stop judging ourselves. We must know how to treat ourselves first. Let's stop getting in our own way and accept ourselves and others as we are. What's the best title of the passage? Options: A. Don't judge a book by its cover B. Judge a person by his outside. C. Learn to just be yourselves. D. Accept what you are. Answer:

A

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Question: The malls were filled with people seeking gifts for their loved ones. Some of the malls remained open around the clock, partly to satisfy our needs to buy gifts. Behind the materialistic aspect of shopping for gifts lies the idea of caring, being attentive to the desires of special people in our lives. However, to use a well-worn play on words: it is our presence, not our presents, that truly counts. Many of us, unfortunately, can be so inattentive, even in the presence of our loved ones, that we might as well not be there at all. Attention is one of the greatest gifts we can give each other. Companies around the globe spend billions every year on advertising to catch our attention for just a short moment at a time. Whole industries - media, entertainment, education - rely on the precious gift of our attention for their continued existence. A baby lacking attention for a long time is likely to he psychologically unhealthy. In earlier times, both diet and attention could be left unregulated without major cause for concern. There were natural checks and balances: limited availability of food meant few got fat, for example. Similarly, in bygone times we might have spent a few hours communicating with the village storyteller, today, watching an entire TV series, while speaking to nobody, is common. In traditional societies, with smaller population, everyone would get a fair deal of attention. On many issues we might go to see Grandma or Grandpa; now we have Google and Wikipedia. "She just wants attention." people tend to think little of those doing things simply for attention. But the truth is that human beings need attention, and giving attention to each other is, to a large extent, what human civilization is based upon. This perhaps explains the runaway success of social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. While we use such sites for "micro blogging", "idea voicing" and "status updates" - the reality is that we are often doing no more or less than fulfilling our basic human drive for attention exchange. I friend you, you friend me, I retweet you, you retweet me. The charming case with which we can now get and give attention is why many people appear overly attached to their smartphones. It is also a vicious circle. As ever more people are busy exchanging attention online, there is increasingly less attention to be paid in the real world, which forces more people to seek their attention exchange online, or else risk attention-starvation. The very nature of attention exchange is being rapidly transformed, and there is a danger that some of us will develop unhealthy practices. Just as eating red meat every day is a bad idea, so it is with too much attention exchange. The biological consequences of our technological advancement in food production are highly visible; heart disease, diabetes and obesity. The consequences of our transformed attention exchanges will be psychological and social, and so may take longer to identify, but they will be equally damaging. Face-to-face attention is becoming rarer, and therefore more valuable. In a sense it is priceless. And it is a gift that can be given all-year-round. People use social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook to _ . Options: A. obtain information B. give attention to others C. voice their opinions D. notice and get noticed Answer:

D

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Question: How does acid rain most likely affect forests? Options: A. Top soil loses all of its nutrients. B. Plants begin to grow deeper roots. C. Animals have more food sources. D. Trees become less healthy over time. Answer:

D

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Question: Keeping fish as pets is a popular hobby. Fish take up little room, are inexpensive to feed, and provide an interesting and color1ful display in any room. A tank, or an aquarium , must be chosen carefully. Many new aquarium owners buy too many fish for their tanks. Fish cannot be crowded. Two fish can live comfortably in each gallon of water, only ten fish can live in a five-gallon tank. Can you see why a goldfish would not live long in a tiny , round bowl? If too many fish are kept together, they will not have enough oxygen or room to swim about freely. They will have more diseases. Also, some kinds of fish cannot be kept together. They will fight and may even kill one another. As your interest in fish grows, the number of fish you have may grow, too. Then you may want to _ in another tank. If you start with a ten-gallon aquarium, what kind of fish would be best? The two major groups of tropical fish are those that lay eggs and those that give birth to live young. If you want to raise young fish, guppies would be the best choice because they can produce many babies in a short time. You can buy fish and aquariums in most pet stores. Ask the owner to help you choose the right fish. You can also find many books about tropical fish in the library. What can we know from the passage? Options: A. Very few people are interested in keeping fish. B. The size of your tank decides how many fish you can buy. C. Guppies are a kind of fish that are good at laying eggs. D. You can raise different kinds of fish together. Answer:

B

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Question: As we know, most of the material things in our daily life have to be bought with money. But money is not all powerful. Money can't buy many things such as time and true love. There are 24 hours in a day. Sometimes when we are very happy, we wish that the period of happiness would last longer. But no matter what we do, or how much money we are willing to pay, we cannot make a day last longer than 24 hours. On the other hand, when we are unhappy, money cannot make the unhappy time pass away more quickly. True love is another thing which money cannot buy. Suppose we have someone who really loves us very much. Once he dies, he can give us no more love. Can our money raise him from death and make him love us as before? Here we can see very clearly that money cannot buy us love. Money can buy us diamond things, beautiful clothes, but never time and love. So money, after all, is not all powerful. According to the passage, it is quite impossible for you to buy _ . Options: A. true friendship B. real diamond C. a large house D. an expensive car Answer:

A

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Question: Sleep deprivation is an important hidden factor in lowering the achievement of school pupils, according to researchers carrying out international education tests. It is a particular problem in richer countries with sleep experts linking it to the use of mobile phones and computers in bedroom late at night. Sleep deprivation is such a serious problem that lessons have to be dragged down to a lower level to suit sleep-deprived learners, the study found. The international comparison, carried out by Boston College, found the United States to have the highest number of sleep-deprived students, with 73% of 9- and 10-year-olds and 80% of 13- and 14-year-olds identified by their teachers as being negatively affected. In literacy tests there were 76% of 9- and 10-year-olds lacking sleep. This was much higher than the international average of 47% of primary pupils needing more sleep and 57% among the secondary age group. Other countries with the most sleep-deprived youngsters were New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Australia, England, Ireland and France. High-performing Finland is also among the most lacking in sleep. Countries with the best records for getting enough sleep include Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Japan and Malta. The analysis was part of the huge date-gathering process for global education rankings, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study(TIMSS)and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study(PIRLS) "I think we underestimate the impact of sleep. Our data show that across countries internationally, on average, children who have more sleep achieve higher in maths, science and reading. That is exactly what our data show," says Chad Minnich of the TIMSS and PIRLS International Study Center. "It's the same link for children who are lacking basic nutrition," says Mr Minnich, based at the Lynch School of Education, Boston College. "If you are unable to concentrate, to attend mentally, you are unable to achieve at your best level, because your mind and body are in need of something more basic. Sleep is a fundamental need for all children. If teachers report such large proportions of children suffering from lack of sleep, it's having a significant impact. But worse than that, teachers are having to adjust their instruction based on those children who are suffering from a lack of sleep. The children who are suffering from a lack of sleep are driving down instruction." That means that even the children who are getting enough sleep are still suffering from this sleep-related lowering. Why are children who get enough sleep also victims? Options: A. Because they are disturbed by sleep-deprived students B. Because teaching is driven down by sleep-deprived students C. Because they have to spend time helping sleep-deprived students D. Because the teachers waste time disciplining sleep-deprived students Answer:

B

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Question: QQ is one of the most popular chat tools among teenagers. We regard it as an important chat tool in our dailylife because it has some advantages. First, we can make lots of e-friends on QQ. It is easy to find the person who has the same interest as us, and we can talk with him or her happily. Second, we can also join a QQ group to find the information we need. For example, if we want to learn English well, we can choose a group with many English lovers in it. Third, we can also play games with our friends on QQ and always have fun. QQ brings us a lot of benefits , but it can also cause some problems. It's dangerous to tell strangers on QQ our real personal information like telephone number, address and ID number. If we spend too much time chatting online, it won't be good for our study and health. Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage Options: A. We can get lots of information on QQ. B. We can make friends on QQ C. We can get everything on QQ. D. We can play games with friends on QQ. Answer:

C

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Question: Further education is officially described as the"post-secondary stage of education, comprising all vocational and non-vocational provision made for young people who have left school, or for adults". Further education thus embraces the vast range of university, technical, commercial, and art education and the wide field of adult education. It is this sector of education, which is concerned with education beyond the normal school-leaving ages of 16 or 18, that has experienced the most astonishing growth in the number of students. In the 19th century the dominance of Oxford and Cambridge was challenged by the rise of the civic universities, such as London, Manchester, and Birmingham. Following the lead of the 18th century German universities and responding to a public demand for increased opportunity for higher education, Britain's new civic universities quickly acquired recognition--not only in technological fields but also in the fine and liberal arts. Many new post-school technical colleges were founded in the early 20th century. The Fisher Act of 1918 empowered the local authorities to levy a rate (tax) to finance such colleges. The universities, on the other hand, received funds from the central government through the University Grants Committee, established in 1911 and recognized in 1920, after World War I. A new type of technical college was established in the 1960s--the polytechnic, which provides mainly technological courses of university level as well as courses of a general kind in the arts and sciences. Polytechnics are chartered to award degrees validated by a Council for National Academic Awards. Thus, the third level in the United Kingdom is made up of colleges of further education, technical colleges, polytechnics, and universities. The colleges offer full-time and part-time courses beyond compulsory-school level. Polytechnics and universities are mainly responsible for degrees and research. The innovative Open University, with its flexible admission policy and study arrangements, opened in 1971. It uses various media to provide highly accessible and flexible higher education for working adults and other part-time students. It serves as an organizational model and provides course-materials for similar institutions in other countries. Changes in British education in the second half of the 20th century have, without changing the basic values in the system, extended education by population, level, and content. New areas for expansion include immigrant cultural groups and multicultural content, the accommodation of special needs, and the development of tools and content in the expanding fields of microelectronics. Further education is _ . Options: A. only for adult students B. part-time rather than full-time C. non-vocational rather than vocational D. created for both young people and adults Answer:

D

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Question: Christian Eijkman, a Dutch doctor, left the Netherlands for the island of Java. Many people on the island had a disease called beri-beri. He was going there to try and find a _ . At first, Eijkman thought some kind of germ caused beri-beri. He raised some chickens. He didn't eat them, but made experiments on them. The local people were quite surprised at that. One day he noticed that his chickens became sick when they were fed the food most Javanese ate -- refined white rice . When he fed them with unrefined rice, also known as brown rice, they recovered. Eijkman realized that he had made an important discovery -- that some things in food could prevent disease. These things were named vitamins . The Javanese were not getting enough vitamins because they had actually removed the part that contains vitamins. Later, other diseases were also found to be caused by the lack of vitamins in a person's food. Today many people know the importance of vitamins and they make sure they have enough vitamins from the food they eat. If they don't, they can also take vitamin pills. Why did Christian Eijkman raise some chickens? Options: A. To eat them. B. To give the Javanese a surprise. C. To carry out his experiments. D. To make money by selling them. Answer:

C

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Question: The Mississippi is the major river system in the United States. The Yangtze is China's longest river. Although a world apart, the two waterways share conservation concerns that provide a cultural bridge between students in the United States and China, as well as from around the world. The Mississippi flows almost 3,800 kilometers from a small lake in Minnesota, gathering the waters of 250 other rivers and streams before reaching the Gulf of Mexico. In mid-May, as spring flowers began to open, about 41 students from a dozen colleges, mostly in the Midwest, explored a section of the river in Wisconsin and Iowa, to learn about the environment, and each other. The students, from the U.S., China and around the world, came to join the River Spirit Exchange program. The cross-cultural educational experience - set up by the University of Wisconsin, Madison-based Environment and Public Health Network for Chinese Students - focuses on the Mississippi and China's longest river, the Yangtze. This three day get-together featured story-telling, hiking, camping and canoeing, all part of a larger lesson about conservation projects that can be used on both the Yangtze and Mississippi. While the students learned about the problems challenging the Mississippi and Yangtze, Jeb Barzen, a wildlife biologist, explained they should also learn about the importance of bridging each other's culture. The president of the Environment and Public Health Network for Chinese Students, Xiaojun Lu, said the Mississippi and Yangtze Rivers are uniting these students from opposite ends of the earth. Organizers say the success and spirit of this first gathering of students will lead to other trips, including one down the Yangtze. Where is the passage most probably taken from? Options: A. A personal diary B. A news report C. An official document D. An advertisement Answer:

B

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Question: Diary of a Do - It - Yourself Book This book based on Greg Hefley's own "diary" lets kids express themselves in an exciting way. In the book, kids will be asked: What was the best dream you have ever had? The worst thing you have ever eaten? The best secret you have ever heard? This Do - It - Yourself Book is unique and special because it has blank pages for readers to write their own stories and keep their own diaries. Author: Jeff Kinney List Price: $10.95 Price: $6.57 Buy it on Amazon.com. You save: $4.38(40%) Train to Somewhere Marianne, heading west with fourteen other children on a train, is sure her mother will show up at one of the stations along the way. Stop after stop goes by, and there is no sign of her mother in the crowds that come to look over the children. No one shows any interest in adopting shy Marianne, either. But that is all right. She has to be free for her mother to claim her. Then the train stopped at its final stop, a town called Somewhere... Author: Eve Bunting List Price: $6.95 Price: $6.95 Buy it on Amazon.com. You save: $0.00(0%) Chinese Children's Favorite Stories This volume of beloved Chinese stories contains a delightful selection from the rich store of Chinese legend. Discover many delightful animal characters as well as Chang'e and Guan Yin. Retold for an international audience, the stories with beautiful pictures will give children aged six to ten in other countries a chance to learn about both the tradition and culture of China. Author: Mingmei Yip List Price: $18.95 Price: $12.89 Buy it on Amazon.com. You save: $6.06(32%) The Way Science Works The perfect introduction to show how science explains the world around us! Eye-opening experiments and extraordinary photography bring science to life. Discover science in action from the principles that explain everyday facts to the theories behind the technology in today's fast-moving world. Full of facts about famous scientists, technology news and more. Author: Robin Kerrod List Price: $24.99 Price: $16.49 Buy it on Amazon.com. You save: $8.50(34%) Whose book would you like to read if you are interested in science and technology? Options: A. Jeff Kinney's. B. Eve Bunting's. C. Mingmei Yip's. D. Robin Kerrod's. Answer:

D

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Question: On behalf of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for conserving electricity during this period of continuous hot, dry weather in Texas. At ERCOT, we have been working around the clock to keep the electricity flowing, making sure you have the resources you need to stay productive and well this summer. While we are always charged with making sure you have adequate electricity, this summer has caused a particularly serious challenge to the electric grid . Because the heat has been sustained over the entire state with little or no rain or cloud cover, the strain on the electric grid has been greater than ever before. In Dallas and Austin, we are beating all-time records for triple-digit heat. We have hit three all-time demand peaks in the last two weeks alone, meaning we've used more electricity on three days this summer than on any other day in the history of ERCOT, which covers most of Texas. Additionally, Texas is experiencing economic and population growth while much of the rest of the country is not. All of these factors are contributing to very high energy usage this summer. As you probably read in your newspaper or saw on the news, ERCOT has issued appeals for conservation across the state this August. We have encouraged businesses and residential customers to help us save electricity between the critical hours of 3 and 7 p.m. For instance, turning off unnecessary lights, appliances and electronic equipment can help conditions significantly. Conservation efforts help us avoid statewide rotating outages and keep your lights on and air-conditioners running. Conservation not only keeps power and cool air flowing to every citizen, it ensures that uninterrupted power flows to critical care customers, who are easily harmed in the extreme heat. While ERCOT has not called for rotating outages this summer, it is important to remember that we only carry out these orderly, temporary outages to prevent a catastrophic collapse of the electric grid. As you may remember from the Northeast blackout a few years ago, once a grid failure occurs, it can take days to restore power to all consumers. Your conservation efforts help us prevent this from happening. While ERCOT always carries reserves, our power supply is not unlimited. With your help and conservation efforts, though, we can keep residents and businesses healthy and productive this summer. There have been no statewide rotating outages this summer because _ . Options: A. no electric equipment works in businesses at night B. consumers try to use as little electricity as possible at the peak time C. air-conditioners don't work in the evening D. residents turn off all the lights between 3 and 7 p.m. Answer:

B

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Question: Many people like traveling (going to other places). Modern traffic is fast, so going to different places becomes very easy. If you want to travel, you must be healthy. But do you know how to keep healthy when you are traveling? The following information is important for you. Before leaving: Wear comfortable shoes, a hat and sunglasses. Do some exercise for weeks or months before you leave. While traveling: Be sure not to eat dirty food or bad fruit. Drink clean or bottled water. Find time to take a good rest. _ before leaving. Options: A. Do some exercise B. Clean the shoes C. Have a rest D. Eat enough fruit Answer:

A

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Question: Seated in a convertible with the top down at 60 miles an hour,Mary looked at the flies that sat on top of Mark's hair.How could they stay there?She wondered. Mary had not seen Mark in years,until the other day when he came into the cafe where she worked.His appearance was different from when he was in high school.Now,he was a bit fat and thick glasses covered his eyes.However,that didn't change Mary's feelings for him at all.He had just bought a brand new red sports car and asked her if she would like to go for a ride and then have dinner with him.Her heart beat with excitement as he opened the door for her.She noticed something very strange as Mark got into the car started to drive away.On the hair was a group of flies just sitting there. Mary stared in amazement.It seemed the faster they drove,the more determined the flies were to stick to his hair. Mary remained silent.She leaned forward and turned the radio on,to try to divert her attention away from the flies,but she couldn't help thinking about them.She looked up at Mark,who was completely devoted to what was going on and continued to sing to the music while driving merrily along. Finally,Mark pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road beside a diner and looked in the mirror and said,"May,I would like to comb my hair before we get something to cat.Could you reach under the seat and give me my hair cream?" Mary reached under the seat and pulled cut a camping backpack,which contained a round jar and started to laugh wildly as she pointed to the label . "That's not hair cream on your hair,Mark!It says it's Fly Trap Glue !" What did Mary probably do? Options: A. A car saleswoman. B. A waitress. C. A cook. D. A driver. Answer:

B

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Question: Storms transport water in the form of rain. The energy that starts this process comes from the Options: A. Sun. B. oceans. C. Earth. D. clouds. Answer:

A

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Question: Do you want to have a lot of close friends? In order to make it happen, you must do a lot of things right. You will learn tips on how to build a solid friendship. You should be extra respectful when you are at others' homes. For example, you must not make unpleasant comments about them. Once when I was at the house of a friend as a high school senior, I told him he had feet that looked funny while he had his socks off in his bedroom. He rebutted ,"If you're going to make fun of my feet, you can leave.'' You must _ For example, if you say you will do something for or with your friend, you must follow up on it. You must respect people other than your friends.This includes respecting your friends' family members and being polite to others in general. It is helpful to be supportive. You should try to provide help when your friends need it. You should understand them. Even if you do not agree with some of the things they do, you should show an understanding of why they do them and offer advice while avoiding telling them they are at fault for their problems. You must be caring. You must put care into the things you do for them and show concern for their troubles. Having a good attitude is a must. You must avoid being combative as well as being sad or mad too often. Take these tips to build solid friendships! The purpose of the passage is to _ . Options: A. explain why people need close friends B. teach us how to build a solid friendship C. show us how important close friendship is D. let people know more about friendships Answer:

B

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Question: Winnie-the-Pooh By A. A. Milne Winnie-the-Pooh has been introduced and reintroduced to generation after generation as a model of a child's best friend. However, not everyone has found Pooh is lovely. This classic has been banned in a variety of countries at one point. So why would anyone ever want to keep children from the joy of Milne's classic? In the case of Russia, Winnie-the-Pooh was banned in 2009 because of alleged Nazi ties. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz By Frank Baum Originally published in the year 1900, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is one of the foundations of the fairytale genre. Who, then, would seek to ban a book that has become so important to the American experience? America is that who. The Detroit Library banned The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1957 for having no value for children. Charlotte's Web By E. B. White White's tale of the relationship between two unexpected creatures, a spider and a pig, has been drawing children in for over half a century. Published in 1952, this classic has been readily available on most library shelves for children to read. However, some people would like to make this book never see the light of day. In one extreme case, a school in England banned Charlotte's Web for fear that the pig Wilbur might be offensive to Muslim students. Fortunately, the Muslim Council of Britain saw the foolishness of this ban, so the book was quickly restored to its right place on the shelves. Where the Wild Things Are By Maurice Sendak Though its first copy was published fifty years ago, this book hasn't always been readily available in libraries and in stores. After its release, Where the Wild Things Are was banned in libraries all across the U.S. for its dark tone and unruly leading characters. Nowadays, you'll find far fewer libraries that still hold this ban. Wilbur is the character of the book _ . Options: A. Charlotte's Web. B. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. C. Winnie-the-Pooh. D. Where the Wild Things Are. Answer:

A

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Question: It's time for your family to relax and have fun! The following family adventures have links for you to get more information. Take the Rides of Your Life Visit Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, to seek thrills "Even though it's located off the beaten track, experts regularly praise Cedar Point as the best overall theme park of the country," says U.S. News & World Report. The park calls itself the roller coaster capital of the world, and with 16 to choose from, it's hard to argue. It's open daily from May 10 through Labor Day; weekends only from Labor Day through November 2. Tickets start at $ 48.99 per person if purchased online. http://www.cedarpoint.com. Wander Free on a Dude farm Dust off your cowboy boots and ready your cowboy hats for a visit to this Rocky Mountains paradise. Located in Augusta, Montana, "The farm has everything an aspiring cowboy or girl could long for," says Sunset magazine, including hiking trails, fishing trips, campfires with sing-alongs, and, of course, horseback rides. The large farm operates from June through September; kids-only and adults-only programs are available. Total cost starts at $ 1,360 per adult, $ 1,276 per teen, and $ 1,168 per child. http://www.Triplejranch.com. Dig for Dinosaurs Most kids (and adults) love dinosaurs, and to make their wildest dreams come true, head to Fruita, Colorado. The Museum of Western Colorado offers Dino Digs for children ages five and older. You can choose from one-, three-, and five-day expeditions. "Imagine how your child will feel when she helps unearth the fossilized bones of ancient species," says Outside magazine. It lasts from May to October. Digs start at $ 125 per person. http://www.museumofwesternco.com. Surf Sand Dunes Swap your snowboard for a sand-board, and head to Sand Master Park in Florence, Oregon. Real Simple recommends learning the basics at this private dune park, "which offers board rentals and lessons ---- often taught by world-champion sand boarders." Then you can hit the "slopes" to test your skills. From March to June, and September to November. Rentals for a sand-board start at $ 10 per day; lessons start at $ 45 an hour per person. http:/'www.sandmasterpark.com. If you have a 3-day holiday in April, which of the following may interest you most? Options: A. Take the Rides of Your Life B. Wander Free on a Dude farm C. Dig for Dinosaurs D. Surf Sand Dunes Answer:

D

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Question: Throughout the world, boys and girls prefer to play with different types of toys. Boys typically like to play with cars and trucks, while girls typically choose to play with dolls. Why is this? A traditional sociological explanation is that boys and girls are socialized and encouraged to play with different types of toys by their parents, peers, and the "society". Growing scientific evidence suggests, however, that boys' and girls' toy preferences may have a biological origin. In 2002, Gerianne M. Alexander of Texas A&M University and Melissa Hines of City University in London surprised the scientific world by showing that monkeys showed the same sex typical toy preferences as humans. In the study, Alexander and Hines gave two masculine toys (a ball and a police car), two feminine toys (a soft doll and a cooking pot), and two neutral toys (a picture book and a stuffed dog) to 44 male and 44 female monkeys. They then assessed the monkeys' preference for each toy by measuring how much time they spent with each. Their data showed that male monkeys showed significantly greater interest in the masculine toys, and the female monkeys showed significantly greater interest in the feminine toys. The two sexes did not differ in their preference for the neutral toys. If children' s toy preferences were largely formed by gender socialization, as traditional sociologists' claim, in which their parents give "gender appropriate" toys to boys and girls, how can these male and female monkeys have the same preferences as boys and girls?They were never socialized by humans, and they had never seen these toys before in their lives. According to the study, if given a stuffed dog, _ Options: A. only the male monkeys showed interest B. the female monkeys showed more interest C. the male and female monkeys showed the same interest D. neither the male nor the female monkeys showed any interest Answer:

C

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Question: How many times does an equinox occur in the first half of the year Options: A. three times B. once C. twice D. four times Answer:

B

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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. Which of the following would be the best title of the passage? Options: A. Attitude makes difference B. Well begun is half done. C. The early bird gets the worm. D. Easier said than done. Answer:

A

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Question: When I opened my e-mail the other day,a pretty woman named Rachel appeared on my computer screen.She greeted me by name and started talking with great enthusiasm.Every now and then she stopped to smile at me or blow a kiss.She was reading to me an e-mail from my brother,and a lot of it was about his getting the phone company to give him a highspeed Internet connection.It was pretty cool. Rachel was there thanks to a new technology called Facemail.Facemail lets you send an email that gets ready to the receiver by an attractive male or female form or by a clown .The software,which is free,can be downloaded at www.Facemail.com. Facemail faces are lifelike,and they simulate emotions based on emotions that you put in your text.For example,type in X,and Rachel will blow a kiss. LifeFX,the company that develops the Facemail,is sure there are broad business uses.The reason ebusiness is not popular,the company says,is that buying over the Internet lacks the human touch.But what if you went to the Nike website and Michael Jordan greeted you by name,waited for you and personally closed the sale?And it is talking with Whirlpool about using the technology in a computer screen on a fridge.Then if Mom can't be home when the kids get back from school,she can leave a note with voice and image telling them what there is to eat. Facemail could get hot fast.Personally,I'm a fan.But Facemail should be used with care.The clown looks lively and funny at first.But if you select the clown,put a few rude words in an email and add some angry emotions,you've got a Psychomail . What is the writer's attitude towards Facemail? Options: A. He thinks it needs further improvement. B. He thinks it cool and funny. C. He thinks it a danger to the Internet. D. He thinks people should be careful with Facemail. Answer:

B

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Question: An Apple employee is in trouble after the prototype of its top-secret iPhone5 was left in a bar. The as yet unreleased prototype was supposedly "misplaced" at Cava22 in San Francisco. Apple's security team was called in after reports that it had been sold over the internet for PS120. However, technology website Cnet.co.uk reports that the San Francisco Police Department said Apple had not reported the item as lost. Cava22 owner Jose Valle has said that neither the SFPD nor Apple have contacted him, although he does remember getting calls about a lost iPhone last month. It follows a very similar incident in April 2010 when a then-unreleased iPhone4 was left in a beer garden of a German bar in California by an Apple engineer. The lost iPhone4 was also sold over the internet to the technology blog, which paid PS3,000. The incident led to Apple strengthening its already stiff security, for it seems difficult to believe that a virtually identical incident would happen for the second time in two years. It is _ that the iPhone prototypes have been lost in the recent years. Options: A. the first time B. the second time C. the third time D. the fourth time Answer:

B

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Question: Isn't it amazing how one person, sharing one idea, at the right time and place can change the course of your life's history? This is certainly what happened in my life. When I was 14, I was hitchhiking from Houston, Texas, through El Paso on my way to California. I was following my dream, journeying with the sun. I was a high school dropout with learning disabilities and was set on surfing the biggest waves in the world, first in California and then in Hawaii, where I would later live. Upon reaching downtown El Paso, I met an old man, a bum , on the street corner. He saw me walking, stopped me and questioned me as I passed by. He asked me if I was running away from home, I suppose because I looked so young. I told him, "Not exactly, sir," since my father had given me a ride to the freeway in Houston and given me his blessings while saying, "It is important to follow your dream and what is in your heart. Son. " The bum then asked me if he could buy me a cup of coffee. I told him, "No, sir, but a soda would be great." We walked to a corner shop and sat down on a couple of swiveling stools while we enjoyed our drinks. After talking for a few minutes, the friendly bum told me to follow him. He told me that he had something grand to show me and share with me. We walked a couple of blocks until we came upon the downtown El Paso Public Library. We walked up its front steps and stopped at a small information stand. Here the bum spoke to a smiling old lady, and asked her if she would be kind enough to watch my things for a moment while he and I entered the library. I left my belongings with this grandmotherly figure and entered this wonderful hall of learning. The bum first led me to a table and asked me to sit down and wait for a moment while he looked for something special amongst the shelves. A few moments later, he returned with a couple of old books under his arms and set them on the table. He then sat down beside me and spoke. He started with a few statements that were very special and that changed my life. He said, "There are two things that I want to teach you, young man, and they are these: "Number one is to never judge a book by its cover, for a cover can fool you." He followed with, "I' ll bet you think I'm a bum, don't you, young man?" I said, "Well, uh, yes, I guess so, sir. " "Well, young man, I've got a little surprise for you. I am one of the wealthiest men in the world. I have probably everything any man could ever want. I originally come from the Northeast and have all the things that money can buy. But a year ago, my wife passed away, bless her soul, and since then I have been deeply thinking about life. I realized there were certain things I had not yet experienced in life, one of which was what it would be like to live like a bum on the streets. I made a promise to myself to do exactly that for one year. For the past year. I have been going from city to city doing just that. So, you see, don t ever judge a book by its cover, for a cover can fool you. "Number two is to learn how to read, my boy. For there is only one thing that people can't take away from you, and that is your wisdom." At that moment, he reached forward, grabbed my right hand in his and put them upon the books he'd pulled from the shelves. They were the writings of Plato and Aristotle--forever classics from ancient times. The bum then led me back past the smiling old woman near the entrance, down the steps and back on the streets near where we first met. His parting request was for me to never forget what he taught me. Which of the following is true? Options: A. The old man was poor. B. The old man had a qurrel with his wife. C. The old man had great wisdom. D. The old man didn't like reading books. Answer:

C

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Question: Last March, the H7N9 virus hit Shanghai, Anhui, Jiangsu, 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 is some advice 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 resist the virus. When did the H7N9 virus hit Shanghai? Options: A. In March, 2013. B. In May, 2013. C. In March, 2012. D. In April,2013 Answer:

A

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Question: These days many students like to make friends online. Most of them think it's interesting to know an unknown person through the Internet. So, many students like to use computers to talk with those friends. And they spend too much time on it. Some of them can not do well in their school work. Their parents often don't think the children are as good as before. So many teachers and parents are worried about their children. In fact, only very few of them can get real good friends in this way. Most of them were _ by those unseen friends. And some of the students did wrong things online. It's terrible for students to use too much time to make friends and talk online. So we should be careful of making friends online and should not spend too much time on it. We'd better pay more attention to study. We will be really happy when we do well in school and at home. Which of the following is right? Options: A. We should never make friends online. B. It's necessary for us to talk with our online friends every day. C. It's really happy that we students do well in school and at home. D. Making online friends is more important than study. Answer:

C

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Question: In the year 1986 there was a terrible explosion. The explosion was at a nuclear power plant in another country called Ukraine. The radiation caused a lot of damage. It polluted the soil and other things. People lived in the area when the explosion happened. Twenty years later those people are still suffering. Effects from the explosion will go on for a long time. Over two million people still live in the polluted areas. Only 56 people died from the explosion but many other problems have been caused because of it. Some types of cancer are more than 200 times above world average. Many children have cancer now and birth defects have doubled since the accident. Some people in the United States are worried about the children living there. One group has been trying to raise money. They are called the Chernobyl Children's Project. They want to bring children from the Ukraine to the U.S. each summer. A spokesperson for the group says that radiation is the highest in the summertime, so it is a good time to get the children out of the country. They want to help the children get away for a little while. The Project wants them to be safe from radiation. It costs $1,500 to bring each child to the United States for six weeks. The group raised enough money to bring 28 children to the United States. The children were able to do lots of fun things. They enjoyed clean air, healthy food, and plenty of outdoor fun. One little nine-year-old girl who got to come to the United States said that she likes America. A spokesperson for the Project said that the children that come to America during the summer miss less school when they return home. What's the aim of the Chernobyl Children's Project? Options: A. To make the children get away from explosion. B. To cure the cancer of many children. C. To bring the children to America. D. To make the children safe from radiation. Answer:

D

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Question: A boy woke up super excited for this special day. He could not contain his excitement knowing that the soccer final was today! He had been working all year long to get to this day. He quickly hopped off his bed and went to eat his breakfast. His mom had made pancakes, waffles, and eggs, but the boy felt like eating cereal. His mom had laid out his soccer clothes and after he was done with his breakfast, he couldn't wait to put them on. He quickly changed into the clothes, and ran to the car where his mom was waiting for him to get in. The ride seemed to take a long time as he was super excited to play. The team was there and they started a small practice before the big game! The game started and the boy was very nervous since the other team looked really good. His team was as good too and they were tied at the end! Everyone either got a trophy or a medal for playing in the game, and the boy got a trophy. It was one of the best times the boy had ever had. The day was starting to get dark and he could feel sprinkles on his hands. His parents asked the boy if he wanted to eat ice cream and pizza after the game. The boy said he was tired and went home with his parents and he could not stop talking about how super fun the game was. He talked and talked and talked and his parents were very proud of him. He talked so much that he fell asleep in the car! His dad carried him into the house and put him in his bed. The boy had such a great day that he dreamed of soccer all night long. The trophy he had been given would let him remember about the fun day he had. What did the boy eat for breakfast? Options: A. Waffles B. Eggs C. Pancakes D. Cereal Answer:

D

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Question: DOYLESTOWN STATION, Pa.(CBS)--Marie Buonanno has boxes of holiday lights to decorate her house.She already has one tree up in her living room and a nativity scene.But this holiday season, she would not dare decorate outside. " It is very disappointing that we can' t celebrate the Christmas holiday the way that we religiously choose to," says Buonanno. Her home only has a holiday wreath on the door, since the Doylestown Station Condominium Association told her the bylaws do not allow color1ed Christmas lights.Last year, she was fined $400, $ 10 for each day her lights were up.But she says _ . "One of my neighbors that I spoke to a few days ago, who decorates with multicolor1ed lights, says he never got a letter of warning or a fine." Only white, non-blinking lights are allowed outside.And you can only put up a single white, blue, or orange light in your windows.Neighbors collected 62 signatures to ask the Association board to allow color1ed Christmas lights.In response, the Association sent out a survey. Out of 38 total responses, 19 voted for white lights, 14 voted for color1ed non-blinking lights, and 5 voted for color1ed blinking.The board said the vote was 19-14 against color1ed lights, interpreting the 5 votes as a separate category. "As long as it" s tasteful," says neighbor Marc Udell, "let the community do what the community is going to do." No one answered the door at the Association president* s house.Some neighbors say they like the look of white lights. "Some color1ed lights are pretty and they have their place in neighborhoods, but you never really know how far people are going to go with them," says Jeff Edwards. It will be a holiday of white lights for Buonanno and her neighborhood.She says for now she will miss her color1ed lights and the holiday cheer they brought to her home. According to this passage, color1ed lights are not allowed to decorate the outside of houses because _ . Options: A. they are too pretty to be stolen B. they waste a lot of energy C. they can trick passers-by D. they can make neighbors blind Answer:

C

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Question: Which energy source is considered nonrenewable? Options: A. oil B. moving water C. sunlight D. biomass Answer:

A

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Question: If you are like me and you love drawing a lot, then I'm sure you'll love "Drawing With Mark". "Drawing With Mark" is a great show and Mark is really helpful. He gives kids some tips on how to draw and often teaches kids some history about the things they draw. Kids can also learn three or four fun facts about what they are drawing. "Happy Tails" is about cats and dogs. Mark shows how to draw them and talks about how to look after them, too. In "A Day With The Dinosaurs", Mark visits the Museum of Boston and speaks to an expert to learn how the dinosaurs lived, what they ate and how long they lived. In "Reach For The Stars", Mark is also at the Museum of Boston. He speaks to another expert about the stars. I learned how far we are from the stars. I thought that the stars were just about 100 miles from us, but they are millions of miles from us. That's really far! If you love drawing, you can watch this show. You can have fun with the tips Mark gives you. The tips will help you to become an artist. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? Options: A. Kids can't learn any history about the things they draw. B. Mark thought the stars were very far from us. C. The writer likes "Drawing With Mark" a lot. D. Mark can't draw any kinds of animals. Answer:

C

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Question: It's five minutes before the exam and you are in a state of panic. You just have to pass it, but how? You didn't even open the book the night before and you hear a voice in your head saying "Cheat, cheat ..." So what are you going to do, ignore it and fail or go for it? It's a tough decision many students must make. Most young people believe that cheating is wrong. However, they have cheated at least once in their high school years. So, why do they do it? Are they too lazy to study? Perhaps, it's not as simple as that. According to some experts, one main reason why students cheat is that they see their friends get away with it. It's an easy way out. They avoid embarrassment and their parents' anger for not doing well in an exam. Another reason is that students think it's OK to cheat if the subject isn't important for their future career. What's more, most students have to put up with the pressure of getting into university. They need to get good marks to carry on with their studies. This means that there will always be students who will do anything for a better mark. It has never been easier to cheat than it is today. With all the technology available, students needn't cheat by looking over their shoulders anymore. They use mobile phones to send answers to each other during a test. There is also the Internet. With hundreds of websites, students don't have to worry because they can find lots of material which they can copy and use in projects. There are even tips on the art of cheating in exams. Obviously, if you get caught cheating, you fail the exam or the subject. But it doesn't really matter whether you get caught or not. What's important is that it's wrong. You mustn't cheat because cheating is a lie. It deceives people into thinking you know more than you actually do. How can you be proud of something you have achieved through cheating? In the end, it's not about deceiving your teachers and your parents, but about fooling yourself that you can do something you really can't. The tough decision that many students have to make before an exam is _ . Options: A. whether to cheat or not B. what to do if they fail C. how to cheat D. how to keep calm Answer:

A

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Question: Do you know how to use a mobile phone without being rude to the people around you? Talking during a performance irritates people. If you are expecting an emergency call, sit near the exit doors and set your phone to vibrate . When your mobile phone vibrates, you can leave quietly and let the others enjoy the performance. Think twice before using mobile phones in elevators, museums, churches or other indoor public places--especially enclosed spaces. Would you want to listen to someone's conversation in these places? Worse yet, how would you feel if a mobile phone rang suddenly during a funeral! It happens more often than you think. Avoid these embarrassing situations by making sure your mobile phone is switched off. When eating at a restaurant with friends, don't place your mobile phone on the table. This conveys the message that your phone calls are more important than those around you. Mobile phones have sensitive microphones that allow you to speak at the volume you would on a regular phone. This enables you to speak quietly so that others won't hear the details of your conversations. If you are calling from a noisy area, use your hand to direct your voice into the microphone. Many people believe that they can't live without their mobile phone. Owning a mobile phone definitely makes life more convenient, but limit your conversations to urgent ones and save the personal calls until you are at home. When you are calling in a noisy area, you are advised to _ . Options: A. use a more sensitive microphone B. shout loudly into your microphone C. go away quietly to continue the phone call D. use your hand to help speak into the phone Answer:

D

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Question: Where might you find a live, breathing eagle? Options: A. the moon B. in a thimble C. the woods D. a programming language Answer:

C

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Question: "How should I give my children pocket money?" is one of the most common questions asked by parents. "Should kids receive pocket money when they get high marks at school, or lose pocket money if they don't help with the housework?" are also common questions. Giving pocket money is an excellent way to develop children's independence. Children should receive pocket money as their small share of the family wealth, and they should share in doing the housework as well. Here are some ideas to help you use pocket money to develop your children's independence. Give pocket money regularly. Like adults, children should have a payday every week or two. Link pocket money with ages and needs. Provide spending guidelines; don't be afraid to let them know what you expect them to buy, and what not to. A child in preschool and lower primary school is sure to spend money on candies and other such things. But older children can be expected to buy their own lunches or bus tickets. Teach kids to set their goals. Encouraging children to save money for big things like bikes can help them learn about planning ahead. When given wisely, pocket money is an excellent way to develop children's independence. But at some time, perhaps when a child turns fifteen, it needs to be reduced or eliminated in order to encourage the child to get a part-time job and begin to earn his own pocket money. When giving pocket money to children, parents should _ . Options: A. give them lots of money so that they can share the family wealth B. give it to them at regular times C. give every child the same amount D. let them spend it as they please Answer:

B

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Question: It's going to be a busy day at Betsy Ross house in Philadelphia on Thursday. She won't be there, since she died in 1836, but hundreds of tourists will be going through her house. You see, Thursday is Flag Day in the United States. The unofficial holiday commemorates the adoption of the stars-and-stripes design of the American flag by the Continental Congress 235 years ago, on June 14, 1777. According to lore, the Ross House is the birthplace of the nation's flag. That's open to debate, but it's a story that schoolbooks still tell. Betsy Ross was a _ , busy sewing cushions for chairs in Philadelphia, which was the focus place of the American revolution against British rule. The Declaration of Independence by the colonists was signed there, and so was the new nation's Constitution after independence was won. Widowed when her husband, a member of the local militia, was killed in a gunpowder explosion, Betsy Ross often mended the clothes of the rebels' leader and future U.S. president, George Washington. According to what some say in history and others a stretch of what really happened, Washington asked Ross to design and sew the new nation's flag. The story was promoted by Ross grandson, who wrote that Betsy Ross had "made with her hands the first flag." She became a role model for girls - a shining example of women's contributions to the nation's history. Most research indicates that Ross did sew the first flag. She's credited with substituting artful five-point white stars for six-pointed ones in the upper-left blue field. But many other accounts indicate George Washington brought the design to Ross and simply asked her to stitch it together. In a letter, Washington wrote: "We take the stars from Heaven, the red from our mother country, separating it by white stripes, thus showing that we have separated from her. And the white stripes shall go down to posterity as representing liberty." People would like to go to Ross's house in Philadelphia to _ . Options: A. ask Betsy Ross who created the first American flag B. meet her grandson who wrote a book about flags C. debate over who designed the first American flag D. remember her as the creator of the first American flag Answer:

D

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Question: Without this a sword would be made of wood Options: A. safety regulations B. ice C. ore D. cheap labor Answer:

C

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Question: What time of day can you think most quickly? Are you a morning person? Or does it take you a few hours to get your brain going? A lot of recent research suggests that we should pay attention to our body clock. It can tell us what time of day we can perform best at. Many people work best later in the morning. This is because the body's temperature takes time to rise through the day. Taking a warm shower when you wake up can help your body's temperature rise quickly. But everyone's body clock is different and some are special. Morning people will get up early and work better early in the day. Evening people will work later but work better towards the end of the day. Research shows that we're better at some activities at certain times of the day. Physical performance is at its best between 3 pm and 6 pm, so it's better to exercise later in the day. Between noon and 4 pm, people begin to pay less attention. This is because we think less quickly after a big meal. Research also shows we become sleepy around 2 pm. This is why people in Spain take a short sleep in early afternoon. Finally, it is best to eat when we're active. This allows our body to burn calories better and stops our blood sugar levels from getting too high. _ can tell us what time of day we can perform best at. Options: A. Morning people B. A warm shower C. Our body temperature. D. Our body clock Answer:

D

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Question: There is a famous saying in the West: Eat breakfast like a king. It means breakfast should be the most important meal of your day. Why? The answer is in the word breakfast itself. Breakfast means "breaking of the fast ". There are about twelve hours between dinner and breakfast, so it's important to eat breakfast to keep in good health. Also, the food for breakfast will give you what you need in the day. Eating a good breakfast is important, but not many people are changing their eating habits. In the USA, about 60% of people have their main meal in the evening. For most Japanese and Australians, the evening meal is the main meal of the day, too. In Mexico, the main meal for many families is usually at 2:00 pm. In Switzerland, the main meal is also in the middle of the day. Many nutritionist say people should eat small, low-fat meals five or six times a day. However, most people think that what you eat is more important than when you eat it. Eating healthy foods like vegetables, fish, and fresh fruit is a good way to enjoy a healthy life. People in _ have their main meal in the middle of the day. Options: A. Japan and Australia B. Japan and Mexico C. Mexico and Switzerland D. Australia and Switzerland Answer:

C

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Question: Do we really know what dinosaurs looked like? Of course we do. We see them everywhere, not only in museums, but also in movies, magazines, and even in the toys we get from McDonald's. Since the days of early cinema, dinosaurs have captured our imaginations. They are often shown as scaly beasts with sharp horns and crocodile-like bellies . But the big screen dinosaurs are "a leap from what we know", Mark Norell, who studies dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, told Discover magazine. The reality of drawing dinosaurs for movie studios, magazines, or museums is that the artist often only has half of a skeleton to work with. Many existing and newly-discovered dinosaurs do not have a complete skeleton, which makes it difficult to tell what they looked like. And even with a complete skeleton, there is a lot of room for interpretation. "Look at an elephant's trunk and ears," Jason Brougham, a dinosaur sculptor at the American Museum of Natural History, told Discover magazine. "It's impossible to guess those features by only looking at the skeleton." Researchers suggest that the dinosaurs of old could have had trunks like an elephant or even red necks like a turkey. They could have had colorful spots, stripes , and other interesting patterns on their bodies, just like snakes. Yet, with only a few fossilized bones to study, it is impossible to know for sure. Remember the cruel and quick-running velociraptors in the US film Jurassic Park? Now experts believe that they were much smaller than in the movies, about the size of a large chicken, the BBC has reported. Since the 1990s, some well-preserved dinosaur fossils have been found in China's Liaoning province. Thanks to that, we have known for a while that one group of dinosaurs was covered in feathers. And thanks to the recent discovery of a feathered plant-eating species in Russia, many scientists now believe more dinosaurs than we previously thought had feathers, much like a chicken. Also, in 2007, scientists confirmed that the closest living relative of T-Rex, the most feared and famous of all the dinosaurs, is a chicken. Now, who are you calling "chicken"? Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the article? Options: A. Dinosaurs used to have red necks and thick feathers. B. Most dinosaurs are much smaller than we previously thought. C. The chicken has been proven to be the closest living relative to the dinosaur. D. Fossils are still our main source of knowledge about dinosaurs. Answer:

D

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Question: Jane was an old woman. She was rich and lived in a big house. One morning, Jane opened the window and looked at her garden. The sun was shining brightly. "What a good day!" she said. Suddenly she saw a man eating grass in front of the garden of her house. She walked to the man and asked, "Why are you eating grass? Are you very hungry?" The man answered, "I have no money to buy any food. I haven't had meals for days. I'm dying of hunger." "Poor boy," said Jane, "come to the back door." Then she walked into the house again. "The rich lady will give me some food to eat. It's so kind of her." The man thought. But when he went into the house, Jane opened the back door and said to him, "The grass is taller behind the house." Where did Jane see the man eating? Options: A. In her house B. At the garden C. In front of her house D. Behind her house Answer:

C

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Question: Although hurricane season doesn't begin until June 1, a Pacific storm has already struck. El Salvador, which was ruined by a Caribbean storm in 1995, was hit by Hurricane Adrian on Friday. This is the first Pacific-born hurricane to ever reach land in this Central American country. Some 14,000 people left from the western coast of El Salvador. The storm weakened as it crossed land, heading east. Heavy rains created deadly flooding problems in the hurricane' s wake. Adrian is the first Pacific storm of the season. It reported maximum continuous winds of 75 miles per hour, the minimum strength of a hurricane. A Category 3 hurricane, Adrian also caused damage and flooding in Honduras. It is expected to break up before reaching the Caribbean Sea on the eastern coast of Central America. Hurricane season typically begins June 1 and lasts through November 30. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted seven to nine hurricanes for the 2005 season. "It is difficult to make any kind of an exact prediction of how many of these will strike land," NOAA administrator Conrad Lautenbacher said. He predicts two to three hurricanes will strike the U.S. this season. Last year, six of nine hurricanes reached Category 3 strength or higher. Four of those hit Florida within a six-week period. Altogether, Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne caused more than $40 billion in damage in the Sunshine State. This year' s forecast is based on ocean temperatures. Warmer temperatures produce more tropical storms, which can then turn into hurricanes. "The issue, really, this year is the unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic," said Frank Lepore of the National Hurricane Center. How many countries struck by the hurricane are mentioned in the text? Options: A. Six. B. Nine. C. Five. D. Three. Answer:

D

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Question: LOS ANGELES - Jesus Ibarra was puzzled by the elderly man. He was obviously much older than other students at prefix = st1 /CentralAultHigh School. And he was an Anglo on a campus where most students are Latins, Blacks, and Asian - Americans. "I asked myself what he was doing here," said Ibarra, 21, of Los Angeles. "I thought he was a visitor. The first time I talked to him, I asked a question in English, and he answered in Spanish. I thought he was white and Jewish. I never imagined that he would speak Spanish." Jacob Blitzstein surprised his fellow students all the time. He isn't some _ man, though he wears his neat gray beard and conservative (traditional) clothes. Blitzstein is warm and gregarious (enjoys being with others). He likes to hear a good joke and loves to tell a good story. He is determined, especially when it comes to realizing his dream. Recently, that dream came true. At a graduation ceremony attended by two of his children and three grandchildren, Blitzstein, 81, graduated from high school. After Principal Lanny Nelms handed him the diploma and announced his age, Blitzstein waved to the audience and cried. And why not? He's probably the oldest CentralHigh Schoolgraduate since the school opened in 1974. According to theLos Angelesdistrict spokesman, although no records of such things are kept, Blitzstein is the oldest graduate he's ever heard of. Earning his diploma took 10 years, during which the retired store owner suffered heart attack and ill health, and lost his wife and two brothers. He kept to his task for a reason. "School is the best medicine you can have," he said. "You have something on your mind - a goal." With his diploma in hand, Blitzstein states that _ . "You know something ? I'm going to college," He told a visitor recently. He has checked out West Los Angeles and Santa Monicacommunity colleges and hopes to move from there to a four-year school. "It's not a joke," he said. "If I live to the year 2008, maybe I'll be a doctor." What was Jacob Blitzstein's dream? Options: A. To be the oldest graduate. B. To graduate from high school. C. To surprise his fellow students. D. To invite his children to attend his ceremony. Answer:

B

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Question: In today's throwaway society,dealing with the city's growing mountain of waste is an increasing challenge for the city council . Recently,Edinburgh is faced with the problem of disposing of about 250,000 million tons of waste a year.Despite different ways to dispose of much of it in a green manner--largely through encouraging recycling--its aging facilities such as the Powderhall landfill do not have the ability to deal with it. The European Union (EU) has issued a new policy,regulating how such mountains of waste are to be disposed of.The five councils (Edinburgh,East Lothian,West Lothian,Midlothian and Borders) face fines around PS18 million a year from 2013 if they don't increase recycling levels and rely less on landfill.With this in mind,the councils got together with the idea of building a large incinerator plant to burn half of the waste produced in their districts.But this plan fell apart after the change of target levels by a new UK government waste policy which required that no more than 25% of the city's waste should be disposed of in this way by 2025. After the plan was abandoned,a private company which already transported millions of tons of the city's waste by train to a landfill site near Dunbar,offered an alternative solution when it suggested opening a huge waste site near Portobello. Since Powderhall is supposed to close in 2015,it seemed necessary for the members of the Edinburgh Council to accept the suggestion.But soon they turned it down--after 700 local objections reached them--because it would have meant hundreds of lorries a day making loud noise through heavily populated areas. That still leaves the council with a problem.By 2013,only 50% of 1995 levels of waste will be allowed to be sent to landfill.Even if recycling targets are met,there will still be a large amount of rubbish to be burnt up.Due to this,Edinburgh and Midlothian councils have now decided to work together to build an incinerator plant as time to find a solution is fast running out.(2011*,C) The main way of handling waste in a green manner in Edinburgh is _ . Options: A. recycling B. restoring C. burying D. burning Answer:

A

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Question: Basic Study Manual: $30 Future success depends on the ability to learn. Here are the answers to the questions most often asked by parents, teachers, business trainers and by students themselves. Read this book and learn: What the three barriers to study are and what to do about them. What to do if you get tired of a subject you are studying. Twenty-six simple drills to help you learn how to study easily, rapidly and with full understanding. Buy and read the Basic Study Manual and use it to dramatically improve your ability to study. Study Skills for Life: $20 L. Ron Hubbard's study technology for teenagers opens the door to their future success by giving them the ability to study and learn. Fully illustrated for easy understanding. Learning How to Learn: $40 The basics of effe www.ks5u.comctive study for 8 to 12-year-olds, fully illustrated. Children who read and apply the materials in this book regain their liking for study and their ability to apply this knowledge in life. Get this book for a child you want to see win at his studies! Buy it before May 1, 2005, and you'll just pay half less. How to Use a Dictionary Picture Book for Children: $40 In spite of billions of dollars spent on "educational research", children are not taught the most basic skills of learning, even the most basic of these: how to use a dictionary. Written for children from 8 to 12-year-olds, this fully illustrated book will teach your child: How to find words in a dictionary The different ways that words are used What the different marks and symbols that are used in a dictionary mean How to use a dictionary to correctly pronounce words It includes a section for parents and teachers showing you how to use this book with children. Buy this book and give it to your children to unlock their education. What's more, you'll just pay 50% for it before May 1, 2005. Some of the four books were illustrated in order to _ . Options: A. help readers understand them better B. persuade more readers to buy them C. reduce the cost of them D. make them suitable for different readers Answer:

A

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Question: Can we turn negative thoughts like "I never do anything right" into positive ones like "I can succeed"? Is there power in positive thinking? Researchers in Canada just published a study in the journal Psychological Science that says trying to get people to think more positively can actually have the opposite effect: it can simply emphasize how unhappy they are. The study's authors, Joanne Wood and John Lee of the University of Waterloo and Elaine Perunovic of the University of New Brunswick, begin by referring to older research showing that when people get feedback which they believe is overly positive, they actually feel worse, not better.If you tell your friend that he may be an Einstein, _ In one 1990s experiment, a team including psychologist Joel Cooper of Princeton asked participants to write passages opposing funding for the disabled.When they were later praised for their sympathy, they felt even worse about what they had written. In this experiment, Wood, Lee and Perunovic measured 68 students' self-esteem .The participants were then asked to write down their thoughts and feelings for four minutes.Every 15 seconds, one group of students heard a bell.When it rang, they were supposed to tell themselves, "I am lovable." Those with low self-esteem didn't feel better after the experiment.In fact, their moods turned significantly darker than those of members of the control group, who weren't urged to think positive thoughts. The paper provides support for newer forms of psychotherapy that urge people to accept their negative thoughts and feelings rather than fight them.In the fighting, we not only often fail but can make things worse.Meditation techniques, on the contrary, can teach people to put their shortcomings into a large, more realistic perspective .Call it the power of negative thinking. What do we learn from the experiment of Wood, Lee and Perunovic? Options: A. It is important for people to continually improve their self-esteem. B. Thinking positively can bring a positive change to one's mood. C. People with low self-esteem seldom write down their true feelings. D. Forcing a person to think positive thoughts may lower their self-esteem. Answer:

D

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Question: at the Oak Park Nature Center Kids! Are you tired of Mom or Dad dragging you to the same old petting zoos, where (if you're lucky) you might get to touch a little rabbit or goat? Mom or Dad! Are you tired of hearing your kids complain about how animals in the same old petting zoos are monotonous? Consider This: The fact is that most mammals are boringly warm, furry, and come in a limited range of dull color1s. Reptiles, on the other hand, are cold-blooded and covered with scale of attractive color1s, from bright green to bright red to dark purple-red. Some, like the chameleon, can even CHANGE color1s. Did you ever see a rabbit with scales and a purple tongue almost as long as its body? NO! In our zoos, you can see pet skink, snakes, bearded dragons, and other fascinating creatures! Learn what these reptiles eat and how they care for their babies, which ones live in the desert and which live in wetlands, which ones are meat-eaters and which are vegetarians, which ones are deadly poisonous and which are not. So Remember: If you're bored with furry animals like rabbits... Then the place for YOU is the Reptile Petting Zoo! Bring the WHOLE family -- Grandpa, Grandma, Cousin Irene, even baby Joe! There's something for EVERYONE! What you've read is most probably a(n) _ . Options: A. advertisement B. notice C. news report D. book review Answer:

A

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Question: A container with a printed scale on it's side is used to Options: A. measure weight B. hold flowers C. hear through doors D. measure volume Answer:

D

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Question: IQUIQUE, Chile (Reuters) -- Rescue workers at the San Jose gold and copper mine in northern Chile had reason to sing this week. A small hole drilled into the earth became a passage to freedom for 33 trapped miners, who spent 69 days underground. "Never have people been trapped for so long so deeply," says a doctor at NASA, the American space agency, which helped in the rescue. But the chief medical officer for the miners said most are in good enough health to leave the hospital within a day or so. The first three recovered and went home Thursday night. For much of the day the miners relaxed with Chilean President Sebastian Pinera. The 32 Chileans and 1 Bolivian still wore special sunglasses to protect their eyes. A partial mine collapse on 5th August trapped them more than half a kilometer underground. They had to stretch a two-day food supply. For two weeks no one knew if they were alive or dead. Later, they received supplies. The first miner rescued on Wednesday was Florencio Avalos. The second was Mario Sepulveda, who talked about how the experience tested his faith. The last miner up was Luis Urzua, who was the shift leader when his crew became trapped. Rescuers used a metal cage to pull the miners to safety in less than 24 hours -- faster than expected. The rescue capsule was a half-meter wide and known as the Phoenix, an imaginary bird from ancient stories. It bursts into flames but is continually reborn and rises from the ashes. Chile's Navy built the capsule with advice from mining experts and NASA engineers. It worked like an elevator, traveling up and down on a cable through a shaft drilled 622 meters into the rocks. Millions of people around the world watched the rescue. More than one thousand journalists traveled to the mine in the Atacama Desert to report on the rescue. They joined family members of the miners and rescue crews housed in an area of tents known as Camp Hope. What would be the best title for the passage? Options: A. Rescued miners speak out B. Miners' life deep underground C. A rebirth for 33 rescued miners in Chile D. Chilean president honors rescued miners Answer:

C

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Question: SYDNEY 2005-01-01 08:33--Mother of two, Jillian Searle, had to choose between her children when she made a life-or-death decision. Swept up by mountainous tsunami waves at a Thai resort ( ), she could not hold on to both her young sons and survive . Fighting to stay above the waters , she had to choose which one would have to take his chances in the swirling torrent . "I knew I had to let go of one of them and I just thought I'd better let go of the one that's the older," she told Sky News television in a report broadcast on Thursday. She said she was accompanied by the two boys, Lachie, 5, and two-year-old Blake, and their father, Brad, who had watched the drama helplessly from their first-floor hotel room, when the waves struck. "And I was screaming, trying to find _ , and we thought he was dead," she told reporters on arrival back in Australia. Lachie was found alive about 2 hours later clinging to a door and, looked uninjured as his mother spoke to reporters. British surfer Martin Markwell is also a lucky man. He had always dreamed of catching that perfect wave -but when it finally came along, it was a nightmare. He was on his surfboard when he was swept up by a tsunami wave. "It was really terrible because I was surfing, I was really surfing on a wave I wasn't supposed to be on," he said. "As an experienced surfer, when I saw the wave come I realized something was wrong, but I couldn't escape because my surfboard was tied to my ankle." His wife Vicki and son Jake looked on in horror from a hotel balcony as he crashed towards the shore. Luckily , he stayed on top of his board until he reached the hotel , jumped off and got to safety as the ocean rolled back to feed a much larger tsunami wave on its way . The family regrouped and ran to safety just minutes before a giant tsunami wave 10 meters high. When the waves struck, the father Brad _ . Options: A. reported the disaster to Sky News television B. was watching a drama play on TV in the hotel C. tried to find his son lost in the waters D. watched things going on , unable to do anything Answer:

D

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Question: How much rain has fallen on the earth in the past? Man has not always kept weather records. Because scientists need a way to learn about past rainfall, they study the tree rings. A tree's trunk keeps growing year by year. Under its bark , a tree adds a layer of new wood each year it lives. If you look at a tree stump, you can see the layers. They are called annual ring . On some trees, all of the rings are of the same width. But the ponderosa that grows in the American southwest have rings in different withes. The soil in he southwest is dry. The pines depend on rainfall for water. In a year of good rainfall, they form wide rings. In a dry year, they form narrow ones. Scientists do not have to cut down a pine to study its rings. With a special tool, they remove a narrow piece of wood from the trunk without harming the tree. Then they look at the width of each ring to see how much rain fell in the year it formed. Some pines are hundreds of years old and have hundreds of rings. These rings are from an annual record o0f past rainfall in the southwest. A tree grows a new layer of wood _ . Options: A. each week B. whenever it rains C. every year D. every season Answer:

C

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Question: Father's Day has a very short history. It was started because there was a Mother's Day. And just because some Americans thought that if we had a Mother's Day, we should also have a Father's Day. Father's Day has become important in North America. And shopkeepers found it was a good way to get people to buy presents for their fathers, presents from their shops. By the way, very few countries have a Father's Day, though some have Children's Day, or a special day for boys and another for girls. More and more countries are having Mother's Day, so maybe Father's Day will also become popular before too long. Now, what do people in North America do on Father's Day? The newspapers, radios, and TV tell children what they should do-buy a Father's Day present for your father. They even tell a wife to buy a Father's Day present-not for her father but for her husband, even if he is not yet a father. And they tell grandchildren to buy a Father's Day present for their grandfathers. The important thing to remember about Father's Day is that American children can show their love to their fathers in a more open way. In America, people have a Father's Day to _ . Options: A. go shopping with their fathers B. help their fathers do something C. show their love to their fathers D. get money from their fathers Answer:

C

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Question: It was a winter morning, just a couple of weeks before Christmas 2005. While most people were warming up their cars, Trevor, my husband, had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival, he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does. After putting in 10 hours of work, he returned to find his bike gone. The bike, a black Kona 18 speed, was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work, putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get groceries ,saving us from having to walk long distances from where we live. I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that, several people in our city offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike, then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before. People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it made our confidence in humanity stronger as a whole. And it has also influenced us to be more mindful of ways we can share with others. No matter how big or how small, an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can be continuing for ever. Why was the bike so important to the couple? Options: A. They used it for work and daily life. B. It was borrowed from their friend. C. It was a nice Kona18 speed. D. The man's job was bike racing. Answer:

A

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Question: Galileo Galilei made improvements to the telescope to make better observations of what? Options: A. plants B. people C. space games D. space rocks Answer:

D

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Question: Gina is an English girl. She has a brother. His name is Mike. They are good students. Their father and mother are English teachers, and they work very long hours every day. So the family usually go to the park on Saturday or Sunday. Today is Saturday. It's a nice day. They want to go there with their dog. They leave home at 8:30 a.m. and go to the park by car. They get there at 9:10 a.m. Gina and Mike start to play tennis. Their parents are under a tree. Their father reads a book and their mother listens to music. The dog plays on the grass. At 12:00 they have lunch in KFC in the park. In the afternoon they go boating. And they get home at 4:00 p.m. they are very tired, but very happy. What day is it tomorrow? Options: A. It's Saturday. B. It's Sunday. C. It's Monday. D. It's Friday. Answer:

B