The Pew report,which was based on surveys carried out in Britain,France,Germany, Italy,Spain,Greece, Poland and the Czech Republic,said that the European Union was  "the new sick man of Europe".The percentage of Europeans with a good view of the EU has fallen from 60 percent last year to 45 percent now.
  The UK may be considered the most Eurosceptic country ,but its support for the Union has barely changed in the past 1 2 months,falling only two points to 43 percent.But,France's backing for the EU has fallen sharply,from 60 percent last year to 41 percent today.
    On the question of whether to remain in the EU, 46 percent of the British want to leave the Union and surprisingly,the same percentage want to stay.
    The Pew report's authors said,  "The long-term economic crisis has created bad forces that are pulling the European apart,making the French away from the Germans and the Germans away from everyone else.The effort over the past half century to create a more united Europe is now the main disaster of the euro crisis."
    The only European leader supported highly by their own voters was the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, with 74 percent voters.Prime Minister David Cameron was the next highest with a positive score of 37 percent among the British public,and he can take some comfort from the fact that 58 percent of the Poles and half of all French people think he is doing a good job.
     Besides the dark economic future and the growing question of the EU,there were more than 60 percent in favor of keeping it.

Question: Which of the following is TRUE of the recent Pew report?

Choices:
- The UK has the smallest number of people against the EU.
- There's a slight  change of the UK's supporting for the EU.
- More than half of the Germans raise questions about the EU.
- A large number of French people are in favor of the EU.

Question: As to whether to remain in the EU,  _   .

Choices:
- Britons are divided equally
- few Britons want to stay
- all Britons support to leave
- Britons don't care about it

Question: According to the passage,what's the relationship between France and Germany?

Choices:
- Friendly.
- Optimistic.
- Tense.
- Simple.

Question: Prime Minister David Cameron feels a little bit comfortable for   _   .

Choices:
- only a score of 37 percent of the Britons go against him
- many of the Polish and the French think highly of him
- more than 60 percent of the voters are in favor of keeping the EU
- Angela Merkel has 74 percent of the voters


Wood Buffalo National Park
Wood Buffalo National Park is Canada's largest national park and one of the largest in the world. Established in 1922 to protect the last remaining herds of bison in northern Canada, it now protects an outstanding example of Canada's Northern Boreal Plains. The park was designated a World Heritage Site in 1983.
Phone: (780) 697-3662
E-mail: wbnp.info@pc.gc.ca
Banff National Park of Canada
Banff's rich history dates back to 1885, when three railway workers stumbled upon hot mineral springs surfacing from deep within the mountains. This discovery led to the establishment of Banff National Park, and marked the beginning of Canada's national park system. Spanning 6,641 meadows and rivers, Banff National Park is one of the world's premier destination spots.
Phone: (403)762-1550
E-mail: banff.vrc@pc.gc.ca
St. Lawrence Islands National Park of Canada
Conceived in the 1870s, St. Lawrence Islands is one of Canada's oldest national parks. Located in the scenic 1,000 Islands tourist area, this tiny jewel has a rich and complex natural human history. Centuries ago, aboriginal peoples referred to it as the "Garden of the Great Spirit". Today, 24 scenic islands, along with a mainland area at Mallory town Landing, are included in the park.
Phone: (613) 923-5261
E-mail: ont. sli@pc.gc.ca
Grasslands National Park of Canada
It was here Sitting Bull took refuge after the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876. Grasslands National Park is the first national park of Canada to preserve a portion of the mixed prairie grasslands. This magical land of diversity, beauty and history is divided into two blocks. The East Block contains the Killdeer Badlands and the Wood Mountain Uplands, and the West Block preserves the Frenchman River Valley and the dissected plateaus, coulees and famous 70 Mile Butte.
Phone: (306) 298-2257
E-mail: grasslands. info@pc.gc.ca

Question: Why was Banff National Park built?

Choices:
- Because there were no national parks in Canada then.
- Because hot mineral springs were found in Banff.
- Because there were many valleys and mountains.
- Because there were lots of scenic islands.

Question: If you want to visit one of the oldest national parks in Canada, you can call   _  .

Choices:
- (780)697-3662
- (306) 298-2257
- (403)762-1550
- (613) 923-5261

Question: Which of the following is NOT true?

Choices:
- Wood Buffalo National Park is famous as one of the largest national parks in the world.
- Banff National Park established because of the discovery of hot mineral springs.
- St. Lawrence Islands' establishment marked the beginning of Canada's national park system.
- Grasslands National Park preserves a part of the mixed prairie grasslands.

Question: This passage is mainly taken from   _  .

Choices:
- a travel guidebook
- a student's textbook
- a latest newspaper
- an entertaining book


When Chinese student Du Juan brought her American boyfriend home two years ago to use the toilet, her Japanese roommate became so upset that she shouted in English: "I hate you."
Du, then 21 and an undergraduate at Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts, was shocked. So was her boyfriend.
"Later I realized that she didn't literally mean what she said and that she was not aware of the full meaning of the word 'hate' in English," said Du. "It was more a problem with translation," she added.
Cultural differences can cause confusion about what words or even actions mean, an issue that has come to the forefront recently following the arrest of a Chinese doctoral degree student in New Jersey.
Zhai Tiantian, who studied at the Stevens Institute of Technology, has been accused of trying to set fire to a campus building and of making threats to a professor who gave him a low mark. No physical _ took place but Zhai reportedly said something along the lines of "at worst, I will risk anything on the line." The professor called the campus police.
According to the indictment sheet , Zhai is facing the serious charge of making a terroristic threat.
For a few days, Chinese media mistranslated, or misunderstood, the charges and reported that Zhai was being charged with terrorism.
Some language experts have speculated  that the disagreement between Zhai and the professor can also be chalked up to cultural and linguistic differences. "What Chinese people regard as acceptable speech may be regarded by Americans as threats," said Luo Gang, the Chinese Consulate's Overseas Chinese Affairs consul. "This is an unfortunate incident. Even though Zhai intended no harm, he has done himself a great deal of harm."
Du, now 23, said she supports Zhai's actions in fighting to save his academic career, but added he needs to learn more about communication in a foreign language.
"Chinese students in a foreign country must prepare more in terms of languages and conversation skills to avoid misunderstandings," she said.

Question: By saying "It was more a problem with translation", what does Du Juan mean?

Choices:
- Translation was not the real problem, as Du Juan and her roommate can both speak English.
- Du Juan can not understand what her roommate meant at all.
- Her roommate didn't know what "hate" really meant in daily conservation.
- Her roommate spoke such poor English that she felt angry.

Question: Which of the following statements about Zhai Tiantian is true?

Choices:
- He set fire to a campus building.
- He argued with a professor because he received a low mark.
- He has received a doctor's degree at the Stevens Institute of Technology.
- He is facing a serious charge because he murdered the professor.

Question: What is the main idea of the passage?

Choices:
- Du Juan's unpleasant experience abroad.
- Confusion caused by translation.
- Conservational skills in a foreign country.
- Cultural differences between China and America.


It was almost six years ago that my family and I waited for her at the airport. Unsure  of what to expect and a little bitter about such an experience that my mother was forcing upon me, I had mixed feeling about the girl from Madrid. Today,after making many memories and discoveries, I couldn't be more thankful for what that experience taught me.
My family had the privilege to host Teresa for several summers. I became fond of her cheerful chatter, constant laughter ,and addiction to online shopping. She seldom took my unkind jokes seriously and always gave it right back to me, making our relationship closer. She could go on talking for hours about the beach outside her house, her family and  friends, and her life at her school.
While several aspects were very similar to my life here, I was always left with a certain level of mystery and excitement as I wondered how the picture in my head compared with reality.
Through hard work, she became fluent in English in almost no time. While this was a big success for her, it made me ashamed as I was not forced to develop the little Spanish that I was learning in class. This experience aroused my interest in traveling to Europe - especially Spain. While l know that not everyone has this same interest in other culture, I believe that it is important for us to be willing to learn about what makes certain customs and activities significant to them As Americans, we may be some of the most arrogant( ) people about other culture, which history has proven can have disastrous consequences. By at least making the effort to appreciate what is important to them, we show respect to the people who have such culture.
Through the unique experience that in a sense I was forced into, I learned far more about the Spanish culture than I could have in any classroom. I discovered new interests that I had never considered before, and I am excited for the opportunity to experience it first-hand this summer.

Question: The author expected to travel to Europe in order to  _   .

Choices:
- develop the little Spanish
- inform people there of American culture
- improve the skills to communicate with Teresa
- have a better understanding of European culture

Question: What is the best title for this passage?

Choices:
- Learning Foreign Languages
- Getting Better Culture
- Close Tie with Teresa
- Hosting Teresa


In my living room, there is a plaque   that advises me to "Bloom   where you are planted." It reminds me of Dorothy. I got to know Dorothy in the early 1980s, when I was teaching Early Childhood Development through a program with Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky. The job responsibilities requested occasional visits to the classroom of each teacher in the program. Dorothy stands out in my memory as one who "bloomed" in her remote area.
              Dorothy taught in a school In Harlan County, Kentucky, Appalachian Mountain area. To get to her school from the town of Harlan, I followed a road winding around the mountain. In the eight-mile journey, I crossed the same railroad track five times, giving the possibility of getting caught by the same train five times. Rather than feeling excited by this drive through the mountains, I found it depressing. The poverty level was shocking and the small shabby  houses gave me the greatest feeling of hopelessness.
              From the moment of my arrival at the little school, all gloom   disappeared. Upon arriving at Dorothy's classroom. I was greeted with smiling faces and treated like a queen. The children had been prepared to show me their latest projects. Dorothy told me with a big smile that they were serving poke greens salad and cornbread for "dinner" (lunch). In case you don't know, poke greens are a weed-type plant that grows wild, especially on poor ground.
              Dorothy never ran out of reports of exciting activities of her students. Her enthusiasm  never cooled down. When it came time to sit for the testing and interviewing required to receive her Child Development Associate Certification, Dorothy was ready. She came to the assessment and passed in all areas. Afterward, she invited me to the one-and-only steak house in the area to celebrate her victory, as if she had received her Ph. D. degree. After the meal, she placed a little box containing  an old pen in my hand. She said it was a family heirloom  , but to me it is a treasured symbol of appreciation and pride that cannot be matched with things.  (360 words)

Question: In the journey, the author was most disappointed at seeing   _  .

Choices:
- the long track
- the poor houses
- the same train
- the winding road

Question: Upon arriving at the classroom, the author was cheered up by   _  .

Choices:
- a warm welcome
- the sight of poke greens
- Dorothy's latest projects
- a big dinner made for her

Question: What does the author mainly intend to tell us?

Choices:
- Whatever you do, you must do it carefully.
- Whoever you are, you deserve equal treatment.
- However poor you are, you have the right to education,
-
Wherever you are, you can accomplish your
achievement.


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 the trouble he had getting the phone company to give him a high-speed Internet connection. It was pretty cool.
Rachel was there thanks to a new technology called Facemail. An ace man lets you send an e-mail that gets ready to the recipient by an attractive male or female from 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-for example, that you put in your text. Type in; -x, and Rachel blows a kiss.
Life Fx, the company that develops the Facemail, is sure there are broad business uses. The reason e-business 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 Michel Jordan greeted you by name, waited on 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 e-mail and add some angry emotions, you're got Psycho-mail .

Question: The pretty woman that appears on the writer's computer screen was_.

Choices:
- his brother's girl friend
- not a real person
- the picture of his pen friend
- a woman working on the Internet

Question: The main advantage of Facemail is that_.

Choices:
- you can see the person who sends you the email
- you can put your own emotions in the email
- e-mail can be read in a more lovely way
- you can hire a beautiful woman to read the email to you

Question: We can infer from the passage that Facemail_.

Choices:
- can destroy your e-mail if not properly used
- can be downloaded free of charge s
- will take the place of the e-mail system
- is likely to be used in other aspects of our daily life

Question: The writer mentioned Nike website and Micheal Jordan to show that_.

Choices:
- Facemail can make shopping on the Internet more interesting
- Nike company is increasing its sales through the fame of prefix = st1 /Jordan
- Michael Jordan will serve you himself on Nike website
- famous people like Micheal Jordan also like to use Facemail


We all use money every day. It is essential because we can pay money for whatever we want.Money is recognized as banknotes and coins.
However,many years ago people couldn' t go to the shop and buy what they wanted.They had to get what they wanted through the barter trade .It was really difficult,for the barter often depended on coincidence of wants.For example,the seller of grain has to find a buyer who wants to buy grain and who also could offer something the seller wants to buy.And one more example,if a wheat farmer needs what a fruit farmer produces,a direct exchange is impossible because seasonal fruit would spoil before the grain harvest.The solution is to trade fruit for wheat indirectly through a third intermediate commodity ,such as cattle,salt,shells,wine.However,commodity money had their disadvantages.For example,cattle,fur,precious stones couldn' t be cut into smaller pieces and it was inconvenient to keep and transport them.Thus coins were invented.
The earliest known coins in the western world came from Lydia in about 650 B.C.Greek cities,the Great Persian Empire and Roman Empire quickly adopted the new useful technique of metal currency.And by the end of the 6th century,coinages were common throughout the region.However,coins as well as commodity money had many disadvantages.For instance,coins quickly show wear  and they usually have small value,so it' s difficult to count large sums of coins.
At first,paper money was used in China in about 650 A.D.After then,it was used in Persia and Japan.In Europe,paper money was firstly produced in the Netherlands in the 16th century and in the USA in the 17th century.Paper money is worthless but symbolic.In other words,paper money is just a note.It has a purchasing power because the government announces it as money and citizens accept it universally.

Question: The writer explains the difficulty of barter trade by  _  .

Choices:
- telling stories
- using examples
- presenting a theory
- making a comparison

Question: What do we know about the early coins?

Choices:
- They usually had large value.
- They were first used in Greece.
- They still had many disadvantages.
- People didn' t like the metal currency.

Question: Paper money was used earlier in  _  .

Choices:
- Rome
- Greece
- the USA
- the Netherlands

Question: What is the passage mainly about?

Choices:
- Function of money.
- History of money.
- Invention of money.
- Types of money.


Studies show that you may be lied to every day anywhere from 10 to 200 times. We say, "Nice song." "Honey, you don't look fat in that, no." But another study showed that strangers lied three times within the first 10 minutes of meeting each other. We lie more to strangers than we lie to coworkers. Men lie eight times more about themselves than they do other people. Women lie more to protect other people. If you're married, you're going to lie to your wife/ husband in one out of every 10 communications. If you're unmarried, that number drops to three. But look, if at some point you got lied to, it's because you agreed to get lied to. Truth about lying: lying's a cooperative act. Not all lies are harmful. Sometimes we're willing to lie for the sake of social dignity  , maybe to keep a private secret.
Lying is complex. It's woven into the fabric of our daily and business lives. We're deeply disturbed by the truth. We explain it, sometimes for very good reasons, other times just because we don't understand the gaps between ideals and realities in our lives. We're against lying, but secretly we're for it in ways that our society has practiced for centuries and centuries. It's as old as breathing. It's part of our culture and history. Think the stories from Dante, Shakespeare, the Bible, News of the World.
Lying has great value to the evolution of human being. Researchers have long known that the more intelligent the species, the more likely it is to lie. We human like to become leaders. It starts really early. How early? Well, babies will pretend to cry, pause, wait to see who's coming and then go right back to crying. One-year-olds learn hiding truth. Two-year-olds bluff  . Five-year-olds lie outright and try to control via flattery  . Nine-year-olds, masters of covering up. By the time you enter college, you're going to lie to your mom in one out of every five interactions. By the time we enter this work world to be breadwinners, we've entered a world that is just full of fake digital friends, business media, identity thieves, world-class cheats, ----in short, a post-truth society.
What do you do? Well there are steps we can take to guide our way through the bushes. Trained lie spotters get to the truth 90% of the time. The rest of us, we're only 54% accurate. Why is it so easy to learn? There are clever liars and stupid liars. There're no real original liars. We all make the same mistakes. We all use the same techniques.

Question: From Para.1 we learn that lying is very   _  .

Choices:
- harmful
- easy
- interesting
- common

Question: According to the passage, a lie works when   _  .

Choices:
- the liar's words are sweet enough
- it is given to a complete stranger
- someone gives the liar cooperation
- we are willing to lie for the dignity

Question: Lying is complex because   _  .

Choices:
- it is practiced by clever ones
- people are for it as well as against it
- ancient stories are full of lies
- it is the whole part of great culture

Question: The examples of kids lying in the passage show   _  .

Choices:
- lying is a sign of intelligent development
- lying is good for children's growing up
- at what age children begin to tell lies
- 9-year-old children are masters of lying

Question: What will the writer most likely talk about if he continues the passage?

Choices:
- How to become clever liars.
- How to avoid stupid lies.
- How to get through the bushes.
- How to tell truth from lies.


Many people turn to doctors or self-help books, but they forget a great thing that could help them fight illness: their friends.
Researchers are only now starting to pay attention to the importance of friendship in health. A 10-year Australian study found that older people with a large circle of friends were 22 percent less likely to die during the study period than those with fewer friends. A large 2007 study showed an increase of nearly 60 percent in the danger for _ among people whose friends gained weight. And last year, Harvard researchers reported that strong social ties  could improve brain health as we age.
"In general, the role of friendship in our lives isn't well realized," said Rebecca, a professor at the University of North Carolina. "Friendship has a bigger effect on our psychological   health than family relationships."
While many friendship studies are about the close relationships of women, some research shows that it can do good to men too. In a six-year study of 736 middle-aged men, having friendships reduces the risk of heart attack. Only smoking was as important a danger factor   as having little social support.
The exact reason why friendship has such a big effect isn't clear. While friends can send a sick person to the hospital or pick up medicine, the advantages go well beyond physical help. Friendship clearly has a big psychological effect. "People with stronger friendships feel like there is someone they can turn to," said Karen, a doctor. "The message of these studies is that friends make your life better."

Question: The author mentioned smoking in the text to discuss  _  .

Choices:
- the cause of heart attack
- the danger of having no friends
- smoking is bad for men
- friends' influence on habits


If you like bicycling as much as you like playing ball and can't seem to decide between the two sports, you may want to consider cycle ball--a fun sport that adopts the key attributes from both activities and transforms it into a totally new game..
Also known as red ball, the game was invented in 1893 by German laborers who wished to play polo , but could not afford horses. While the sport has not _ in North America, it is very fashionable in Europe and even Japan.
Played in an indoor court, cycle ball is similar to soccer in many ways--the aim is to score as many goals as possible, and only the goalkeeper is allowed to touch the ball.
The one big difference? Use of legs is forbidden. Instead, players have to guide the ball across the court, using the front wheels of their bicycles or with their heads. In fact, if a player even touches the floor with his feet during the 14-minute game, it is considered a foul  and the opposing team gets a free kick.
While the game was initially  played with normal bikes, things are a little different now. The seats of these specialized bikes are positioned over the back tire and they sport a single fixed gear, making it easier for the rider to control the constant back and forth movement required for the game. The handlebars  also point straight up so that the competitors can sit upright while playing and they are about twice the weight of normal bikes, which helps with the stability.
While cycle ball may sound a little strange, it is a fast-paced sport that requires much training, skill, and, is also really fun to watch.

Question: What does the passage mainly talk about?

Choices:
- The origin and development of soccer
- The differences between cycle ball and soccer.
- The most popular sports game in the world.
- A new and fun sports game--cycle ball

Question: What can we know about cycle ball?

Choices:
- It is a fast-paced game played in an indoor court
- It was invented in 1893 by poor British people.
- It is another name of soccer played by many people.
- It is a strange game played with normal bikes.

Question: It can be known from the passage that   _  .

Choices:
- every player who is playing cycle ball is allowed to touch the ball.
- the aim of playing cycle ball is to score as many goals as possible.
- if a player touches the floor with his feet, the opposing team will win
- heads are not allowed to be used to guide the ball across the court.

Question: Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

Choices:
- Cycle ball is popular both in Japan and other Asian countries.
- The cycle ball game is popular all over the world.
- A cycle ball game takes 14 minutes.
- Cycle ball has to be played with heads, legs or the front wheels.


Have you heard of the scandal that happened in one of Great Britain's biggest supermarket chains called Tesco? The British love Tesco as it sells very cheap products and it can be found on almost every corner of a British city or town.
On January 15th 2013 food inspectors discovered 30 % horsemeat in a certain brand of frozen beefburgers that were mostly sold by Tesco in the UK and Ireland.
In times of social media like Facebook and Twitter the news has spread fast and customers have been very concerned about what the food they buy actually contains. Tesco said it had taken away the burgers from the shop shelves immediately, and apologized to their customers. They also promised that they would find out what exactly happened and that they would work harder than ever so this would never happen again. Customers are also able to return the beefburgers and get a refund, that is, their money back.
However, it will be hard for Tesco to get the people's trust back. Just imagine buying lovely beefburgers that you fry at home and suddenly you find out that you have actually eaten horsemeat! In this case not only horse lovers will be upset!
By the way, why are British people so shocked about eating horsemeat? In history, horses have played great roles as working animals and as an important means of transport. When Britons of today think of horses, they think of majestic animals or cute pets rather than meat.
But this is not the only reason for the protest: Customers also want to be sure that the products they buy contain what it says on the label. Hopefully, supermarkets can avoid mistakes like that in the future. Maybe there should be stricter regulations and more controls of our food? Otherwise we will soon find ourselves eating panda meat instead of pork and parrot instead of chicken. So the next time you are in a supermarket maybe check the ingredients of your food before you buy it or you could get a nasty surprise ...

Question: What is the scandal?

Choices:
- Tesco's products were much more expensive than they are supposed to be.
- Tesco didn't react immediately to a food quality issue.
- Tesco sold expired food.
- Horsemeat was found in burgers sold in Tesco.

Question: What didn't Tesco do in response to the scandal?

Choices:
- It withdrew the beefburgers.
- It made an apology to the public.
- It investigated and found out the cause and effect of the scandal.
- It returned money to customers who bought the beefburgers.

Question: Which statement isn't among the reasons why customers are furious?

Choices:
- People trusted Tesco so much that they never expected a scandal like this.
- Everyone can call himself or herself a horse lover in the UK.
- Sellers shouldn't cheat customers.
- The horse is humans' friend.


What is a lifestyle and how is that different from a life? A lifestyle is about brand names and buying identity or fame. Lifestyle gives a false sense of peace and acceptability that comes from others recognizing what you've bought into (as well as bought). If your car, clothes, and home are expensive, you're sophisticated  and stylish. If you have the right kind of job or go to the right social gatherings, then you receive the insincere approval of others. This means that your self-esteem  is always at the mercy of others, with no appreciation of you as an individual.
A life, on the other hand, is very different. A life is what you lead when you know what matters most to you. It is very simple and comes from being connected to what you know is important and being willing to put that first, no matter what others may think. When you create a life vs. a lifestyle, your self-esteem comes from what's inside you, not what others think about you.
Lifestyle is expensive financially and personally, because it costs a great deal to keep up appearances and do what you think is socially acceptable. A life is not expensive. Rather than using personal or financial resources, a life generates energy and staying power. It's about liberating yourself from the mindless consumption that society expects. It is about making the choices that are in line with your values, instead of using up your bank account or energy for no heart-driven reason.
How can you make the change? Understand the difference between a life and a lifestyle. Analyze your current lifestyle to see what is costing you in money, time, stress, and energy to maintain it. Let go and make room for what is really important to you, what supports you and brings you joy. Remember who you are from within, not what you own!

Question: Which of the following examples best explains "what is life about"?

Choices:
- We work long hours in a job that we do not enjoy.
- We focus on what we wear, or what kind of car we drive.
- We find out what our true beliefs and values are and choose to live by these.
- We think that how others see us is more important than what we think of ourselves.

Question: To make the change, we need to  _  .

Choices:
- be directed from within
- be directed from outside
- be driven by social values
- be driven by others' opinions

Question: What is the author's purpose of writing this passage?

Choices:
- To describe what life is.
- To introduce what lifestyle is.
- To promote life instead of lifestyle.
- To tell the differences between life and lifestyle.


Long after the 1998 World Cup was won, disappointed fans were still cursing the disputed refereeing decisions that denied victory to their team. A researcher was appointed to study the performance of some top referees.
The researcher organized an experimental tournament involving four youth teams. Each match lasted an hour, divided into three periods of 20 minutes during which different referees were in charge.
Observers noted down the referees' errors, of which there were 61 over the tournament. Converted to a standard match of 90 minutes, each referee made almost 23 mistakes, a remarkably high number.
The researcher then studied the videotapes to analyse the matches in detail. Surprisingly, he found that errors were more likely when the referees were close to the incident. When the officials got it right, they were, on average, 17 meters away from the action. The average distance in the case of errors was 12 meters. The research shows the optimum   distance is about 20 meters.
There also seemed to be an optimum speed. Correct decisions came when the referees were moving at a speed of about 2 meters per second. The average speed for errors was 4 meters per second.
If FIFA, football's international ruling body, wants to improve the standard of refereeing at the next World Cup, it should encourage referees to keep their eyes on the action from a distance, rather than rushing to keep up with the ball, the researcher argues.
He also says that FIFA's insistence that referees should retire at age 45 may be misguided. If keeping up with the action is not so important, their physical condition is less critical.

Question: The experiment conducted by the researcher was meant to   _  .

Choices:
- review the decisions of referees at the 1998 World Cup
- analyse the causes of errors made by football referees
- set a standard for football refereeing
- reexamine the rules for football refereeing

Question: The number of refereeing errors in the experimental matches was   _  .

Choices:
- slightly above average
- higher than in the 1998 World Cup
- quite unexpected
- as high as in a standard match

Question: The findings of the experiment show that   _  .

Choices:
- errors are more likely when a referee keeps close to the ball
- the farther the referee is from the incident, the fewer the errors
- the more slowly the referee runs, the more likely errors will occur
- errors are less likely when a referee stays in one spot

Question: The word "officials" (Para. 4) most probably refers to   _  .

Choices:
- the researchers involved in the experiment
- the inspectors of the football tournament
- the referees of the football tournament
- the observers at the site of the experiment

Question: What is one of the possible conclusions of the experiment?

Choices:
- The ideal retirement age for an experienced football referee is 45.
- Age should not be the chief consideration in choosing a football referee.
- A football referee should be as young and energetic as possible.
- An experienced football referee can do well even when in poor physical condition.


There are millions of used cell phones in the world today. Most of them just lay in our houses without any purpose. Every day dozens of new cell phone models appear. Today, you can find what was regarded as a fantasy yesterday in store and you will buy it tomorrow. But what to do with the old phones, which work well enough and not so old?
    Just get some money! Simply Sellular is buying almost all models of cell phones: LG, Motorola, Siemens, Samsung, Sanyo, Nokia and many other cell phones. Also they accept phones produced in every country, and in every condition. Simply Sellular can offer a good price for your old cell phone in cash. Their mission is giving you a simple way to get money for an old phone, as simple and profitable, as possible. Also they offer a trade-in scheme  to get another model instead of your phone, providing a good service after the sale.
    Also Simply Sellular works with the so-called 911 cell phone program. So you can donate  your cell phone to them to help some people who need it. They know what to do with your old phone ! You can be interested in their recycling programs, where every used cell phone could be easily recycled for a few times.Simply Sellular donates some phones, which are good for refurbish  , to people who need it, for example women or military personnel. If the refurbish is impossible they just recycle cell phones.
     Just think a minute: it's a good deal to get some money for your old cell phone, a good deal to help somebody with your phone and really important to recycle all techniques after use. Working with Simply Sellular you get every possibility  ly free. And they will pay you! That's a really good deal!

Question: When you want a new cell phone, you are advised to    _  .

Choices:
- keep the old one in house
- throw the old one into the dustbin to protect your health
- return the old one to the producer to get some money
- sell the old one to Simply Selluar on a reasonable price

Question: Selling a used cell phone to Simply Sellular, you will get   _  .

Choices:
- a good price for the phone in cash
- another new model without any pay
- a cost-free service provided by it
- a profitable plan after the sale

Question: The cell phone donated by you is probably   _  .

Choices:
- still in use by others
- refurbished and sold again
- collected and on show
- sent to a poorer country

Question: This passage is written mainly to   _  .

Choices:
- warn people of the risks of using cell phones
- introduce to us what to do with our old cell phones
- advise people not to change cell phones frequently
- encourage us to keep up with new technology


Being connected to the Internet has become a necessary part of modern life. Some people actually need it as they cannot do their jobs without it, and others simply feel they need it as they cannot imagine life without it.
To think that something that did not even exist 50 years ago has come to _ our lives like this in just about 15 years makes one wonder - just what will the future bring?
In 2004, a survey was conducted in the US asking a group of technology experts their opinions on the Internet in the next ten years. 57% of them agreed that virtual classes will be more widely adopted in schools, allowing students to learn with those at the same level and with interests in the same subjects. It's quite possible that, by the year 2030, every child in every school will do all their schoolwork on their own laptop with all their textbooks available on the Internet. No more heavy books to carry around and no more pens and paper!
At work, we already use email to deal with people both inside and outside our offices and video conferencing  is occurring more frequently. This means that meetings can be held between offices in different countries without the trouble caused by business travel. Business travel will not exist in the future, and so will offices as people all start to work from home.
It has also become a trend for people to use pocket computers such as Blackberries. With this helpful equipment, people can send and receive emails, surf the Web, and read multimedia files from absolutely anywhere even if we are on a beach holiday.
The Internet will have a revolutionary effect on entertainment in the future. Already we can buy and download music and movies from the Internet but it is still possible for us to buy a CD or go to the DVD stores to rent the latest movies. However, it's quite possible that in the future, CD shops and DVD rental stores will close and cinemas will no longer exist. Entertainment will become completely virtual although hopefully people will still want to get outside to play sports and entertain themselves in more healthy ways.
With the Internet we need only relax in the rocking chair. The Internet, however, has problems to be solved.

Question: The expression "play a crucial role in" can be understood as "  _  ".

Choices:
- change a dull role into
- play an interesting part in
- act a cruel character in
- have an important effect on

Question: What is probably the best title for the passage?

Choices:
- Virtual reality, our best friend!
- Goodbye, textbooks and offices!
- What will future life be like with the Internet?
- How can human beings deal with the Internet?


Among the many differences between Western and Chinese cultures, table manners are one of the most noticeable  differences. Westerners often make mistakes at the table in China or in a Chinese home. In order not to have an embarrassing  experience, here are some things to consider next time you are eating with some Chinese.
Step1:
Keep in mind that food is shared. It is one of the biggest differences between Chinese and Western eating habits. In China a few dishes are placed in the center of a table and shared by all. Also, you should offer thanks when a Chinese host takes food from one of the dishes on the table and places it on your plate. Refusing it would not be polite even if you are full.
Step2:
Respect the chopsticks. The chopsticks are the single most important tool at a Chinese table. Use the chopsticks to grab food and never skewer   it. Also make sure to place your chopsticks over your bowl or plate. Don't lay them on the table or even worse, stick them into the rice bowl.
Step3:
Use communal chopsticks. To take food from the center of the table you should use the communal chopsticks or spoons that are placed there for that purpose. If there are no communal tools, use the other ends of your chopsticks to take food, remembering not to use the other end to put food into your mouth.
Step4:
Respect the elders. Table manners in China place extra respect on elders. At the table, pass food to your elders before taking it for yourself. If someone makes a toast, make sure that when you clink glasses with someone older than you, the rim of your glass is lower than the rim of the elder person.

Question: How can you use your chopsticks according to the passage?

Choices:
- Use them to grab your own food.
- Put them on the table.
- Use them to skewer the food.
- Stick them into the rice bowl.

Question: According to the passage, the following are wrong EXCEPT that   _  .

Choices:
- you don't have to accept the food a Chinese host places on your plate
- a skewer is also a commonly used tool at a Chinese table
- one can offer his own chopsticks for communal use when there aren't any
- when clinking glasses, the rim of the younger person should be lower than that of the older person

Question: What is the purpose of writing the passage?

Choices:
- To let the world get a full understanding of China.
- To introduce table manners among different cultures.
- To introduce Chinese table manners to Westerners.
- To introduce how Chinese table manners came into being.


Homesick is a compound word made up of HOME and SICK.You know what each word means on its own, of course.But think about what the words mean when they are used together.Homesick means SICK FOR HOME.
Now think for a minute about SEASICK.If you change the word home in the definition to the word sea, would the definition fit SEASICK? Seasick means SICK BY THE MOVEMENT ON THE SEA. When you are homesick ,the only place you want to be is at home.When you are seasick, the last place you want to be is at seA.
Have you ever heard of a person being heartsick? Heartsick doesn't mean that something  is wrong with a person's heart.people are heartsick when they are hurt deep inside and when they feel as if their hearts are broken.
But, on the other hand, we have such compound words as handshake, handstand, and handbag.Perhaps you may write definitions for them.

Question: The word SEASICK means"  _  ".

Choices:
- to be eager to go to the sea
- what has nothing to do with the sea
- to be sick because of the sea
- that the sea is terrible

Question: When we say a person is heartsick, we mean that  _  .

Choices:
- his heart is sick
- his heart needs testing
- he's sorry at heart
- he's terribly disappointed and sad,

Question: "The last place you want to be" is  _  .

Choices:
- where you want to be most
- where you want to be least
- where you go the last
- the last place you go to

Question: The definitions of handshake, handstand and handbag are  _  .

Choices:
- easy to know
- difficult to know
- impossible to learn
- unnecessary to learn


Scholarship Application Tips in 2014 for college students
*Before you apply
1. Work hard to get good grades. Don't sweat about one bad grade, but always strive to do your best.
2. Get involved, and stay involved, in extracurricular activities. Sports, clubs, drama, bands and orchestras-these often count toward a student's overall scholarship application evaluation. The same goes for paid (or unpaid) work experience.
3. Begin your scholarship research early-by your sophomore or junior year of high school, if possible. Make special note of application deadlines, as they can vary from late summer to late spring.
4. Apply for as many scholarships as you are eligible for-several smaller scholarships can add up to a lot of money.
*During the application process
1. Read the supplementary materials that come with scholarship application forms to better understand the program's focus (community service, subject interest). Try to answer the questions with the focus area in mind.
2. Answer questions as they are asked. Don't go off the topic.
3. If there is a financial component to the application, make sure you get accurate and complete information from all appropriate sources to ensure your eligibility.
4. Take your time. Write down everything you can think of for each question, then set the application aside for a day so you can look everything over again before you send it off.
5. Don't wait until the last minute to complete your application, especially if you are applying online. Computer systems can get clogged with the large volume of applicants hoping to submit their qualifications during the last few days and hours before a deadline.
6. If a third party has to complete part of your application, such as providing a letter of recommendation, make sure you ask them early on and remind them as often as necessary to ensure they provide you with the necessary materials.
7. Last but not least, review your application with your parents to make sure you haven't left out any important details.
Good luck to the students applying for the 2014 scholarship programs!

Question: Before you apply for a scholarship, it's best to  _  .

Choices:
- pay more attention to grades than to extracurricular activities
- focus on only one scholarship application
- get as much work experience as possible
- begin your preparation as early as possible

Question: When answering questions on the application form, you should  _  .

Choices:
- focus on the subject you are interested in
- answer to the point
- list your advantages
- prove your abilities

Question: The author suggests that applicants should  _  .

Choices:
- submit the application in the few days
- double-check their application with their parents
- complete and submit the application in one day
- avoid submitting the application online


Individuality is the particular character, or aggregate (total) of qualities that distinguishes one person or thing from others. Many artists late in the last century were in search of a means to express their individuality. Modern dance was one of the ways some of these people sought to free their creative spirit. At the beginning there was no exacting technique, no foundation from which to build. In later years, trial, error and genius founded the techniques and the principles of the movement. Eventually, innovators   even drew from what they considered the dread ballet, but first they had to get rid of all that was academic so that the new could be discovered. The beginnings of modern dance were happening before Isadora Duncan, but she was the first person to bring the new dance to general audiences and see it accepted and acclaimed  .
Her search for a natural movement form sent her to nature. She believed movement should be as natural as the swaying of the trees and the rolling waves of the sea, and should be in harmony with the movements of the Earth. Her great contributions are in three areas.
First, she began the expansion of the kinds of movement that could be used in dance. Before Duncan danced, ballet was the only type of dance performed in concert. In the ballet the feet and legs were emphasized, with virtuosity   shown by complex, codified positions and movements. Duncan performed dance by using her body in the freest possible way. Her dance stemmed from her soul and spirit. She was one of the pioneers who broke tradition so others might be able to develop the art.
Her second contribution lies in dance costume. She rejected ballet shoes and stiff costumes. These were replaced with flowing Grecian   tunes, bare feet, and unbound hair. She believed in the natural body being allowed to move freely, and her dress displayed this ideal.
Her third contribution was in the use of music. In her performances she used the symphonies of great masters including Beethoven and Wagner, which was not the usual custom.
She was as exciting and eccentric   in her personal life as in her dance.

Question: According to the passage, what did nature represent to Isadora Duncan?

Choices:
- Something to conquer.
- A model for movement.
- A place to find peace.
- A symbol of disorder.

Question: Compared to those of the ballet, Isadora Duncan's costumes were less   _  .

Choices:
- costly
- colorful
- graceful
- restrictive

Question: Which of the following is not mentioned as an area of dance that Duncan worked to change?

Choices:
- The stage set.
- The music.
- Costumes.
- Movements.

Question: We can infer from the passage that the author   _  .

Choices:
- appreciates modern dance very much
- dislikes Isadora Duncan's dance
- thinks highly of individuality
- knows a lot about modern arts

Question: Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

Choices:
- Artists of the Last Century
- Evolution of Dance in the 20th Century
- Natural Movement in Dance
- A Pioneer in Modern Dance


If you are looking for the place that has everything, there is only one place to visit, and that's New York. It's a whole world in a city.
The World of Theater: All of New York is a stage. And it begins with Broadway. Where else can you find so many hit shows in one place? Only in New York!
The World of Music: Spend an evening with Beethoven at Lincoln Center. Swing to the great jazz of Greenwich Village. Or rock yourself silly at the hottest dance spots found anywhere.
The World of Art: From Rembrandt to Picasso. From Egyptian tombs to Indian teepees. Whatever kind of art you like, you will find it in New York.
The World of Fine Dining: Whether it's roast Beijing duck in Chinatown, lasagna in little Italy, or the finest French coq au vin found everywhere, there is world of great taste waiting for you in New York.
The World of Sights: What other city has a Statue   of Liberty? A Rockefeller Center? Or a Bronx Zoo? Where else can you take a horse-drawn carriage through Central Park ? Only in New York !

Question: From the text we know that "Rembrandt" is most likely to be the name of a famous  _  .

Choices:
- actor
- musician
- cook
- painter

Question: Which of the following can visitors do only in New York?

Choices:
- To see the Statue of Liberty.
- To taste the finest French coq au vin.
- To enjoy a Beethoven concert.
- To eat Roast Beijing Duck.

Question: This passage may be taken from  _  .

Choices:
- a handbook for English learners
- a guidebook for foreign travellers
- a pocketbook for businessmen
- a storybook for local readers


Even if  you are a good high-jumper, you can jump only about seven feet off the ground. You cannot jump any higher because the earth pulls you hard. The pull of the earth is called gravity.
   You can easily find out the pull of the earth. If you weigh yourself, you will know how much gravity is pulling you.
   Since there is gravity, water runs down hill. When you throw a ball into the air, it falls back down. Because of gravity, you do not fall off the earth as it whirls   around.
   Then, can we get away from the earth and go far out into space? Now you can do it, because spaceships have been invented. Then spaceship will go so fast that it can escape   the earth's gravity and carry you into space.

Question: In this passage, the word "gravity" means  _  .

Choices:
- the pull of everything.
- the force of attraction  among objects.
- the force which attracts objects towards the centre of the earth
- the force which attracts the earth towards the sun.

Question: When you slip  you always fall to the ground because  _

Choices:
- the earth always turns round.
- the earth has gravity
- the earth's gravity is greater than your weight.
- you are careless.

Question: Gravity is strong that  _

Choices:
- it can throw a ball into the air.
- it makes you jump only seven feet.
- it can let you fly away from the earth.
- it can keep everything on earth.

Question: Because of gravity,  _

Choices:
- water flows everything.
- we can go everywhere by ship.
- water always flows downwards.
- fish can live in water.

Question: We can get away from the earth by spaceship because  _

Choices:
- the spaceship goes very fast.
- the earth can't pull the spaceship.
- the spaceship has a strong force.
- the spaceship can jump higher than others.


Most people think about donating blood. However, very few actually do it. Even the most consistent ones donate an average of just three to four times during their lifetime. Now the officials in Sweden are trying to change the trend with the help of modern-day technology.
The encouragement to donate again begins shortly after the donor leaves the clinic when he/she receives a "thank you" text. Though that certainly helps them feel appreciated, what is even more pleasing is the text they receive each time their blood is used to help someone in need.
Karolina Wiberg, manager of the Stockholm blood service, believes this small gesture not only results in repeat donors, but helps bring in new ones. _ that was started in Stockholm has received such positive feedback that it is now being rolled out across the country.
However, Swedish officials are not stopping there. They are also encouraging local clinics to publish the exact levels of the different blood groups they have at any given time on their websites. This allows potential donors to realize that their blood can make a difference in saving someone's life.
While all these outreach( ) programs are great, busy citizens, even the ones with the best intentions have to be occasionally reminded. In order to jog their memories, officials ask people for authorization  to send them text, Facebook, and e-mail reminders. Though that may sound disturbing, the citizens do not seem to mind, given that the messages are light-hearted and fun -- things like "We won't give up until you bleed."
Though Sweden is currently the only country using modern technology to urge more donations, don't be surprised if more join in, especially if the Nordic country's blood banks start to overflow!

Question: Why is another text sent to blood donors after a "thank you" one?

Choices:
- To ask them for authorization.
- To inform them their blood is used.
- To remind them to donate blood immediately.
- To tell them the levels of blood groups.

Question: What do people think of blood donation reminders?

Choices:
- Disturbing.
- Memorable.
- Boring.
- Acceptable.


The South Pole is a particular place on the earth.When people stand at the top of it looking around,they will find all directions face to north.No matter how they make their first step in which direction,they will always walk towards the north.That's to say,only north and south exist there,neither east nor west exists.
At the top of the South Pole,any clock or watch keeps good time because all meridians  join there.All kinds of local time are completely suitable there.It is even difficult to distinguish  New Year's Eve from New Year's Day.
The explorers and scientists from different countries always fix the time according to their own.Therefore the time by their watches was different when the people with different nationality gathered there.
The Winter Solstice  is an important festival at the South Pole.It is always on June 21 or 22.This day is called Midwinter Festival,on which the daytime is the shortest in a year and the night the longest.All people at the South Pole extend greetings to each other and present gifts to each other.They usually give all kinds of celebrations.From that day on,the daytime will get longer day by day.

Question: At the top of the South Pole,your watch will   _  .

Choices:
- keep good time
- be five minutes fast
- stop
- be ten minutes slow

Question: The Winter Solstice is an important festival   _  .

Choices:
- in the world
- at the South Pole
- at the North Pole
- in China

Question: On the Winter Solstice,  _   is the shortest in a year.

Choices:
- the night
- the noon
- the morning
- the daytime


In the decade of the 1970s, the United Nations organized several important meetings on the human environment to study a very serious problem.We humans are destroying the world around us.We must learn to protect them, or life will be very bad for our children and grandchildren.
There are several major aspects to this problem.
Population
Most problems of the environment come from population growth.In 1700 there were 635 million people in the world; in 1900 there were 1.6 billion; in 1950, 2.5 billion; and in 1980, 4.4 billion.In the year 2010 there will be 7.3 billion.More people need more water, more food, more wood, and more petroleum.
Distribution
Scientists say there is enough water in the world for everyone, but some countries have a lot of water and some have only a little.Some areas get all rain during one season.The rest of the year is dry.
Petroleum
We are using up the world's petroleum.We use it in our cars and to heat our buildings in winter.Farmers use petrochemicals to make the soil rich.They use them to kill insects on those plants.These chemicals go into rivers and lakes and kill the fish there.Thousands of people also die from these chemicals every year.Chemicals also go into the air and pollute it.Winds carry this polluted air to other countries and other countries.
Poverty
Poor farmers use the same land over and over.The land needs a rest so it will be better next year.However, the farmer must have food every year.Poor people cut down trees for firewood.In some areas when the trees are gone, the land becomes desert.However, people need wood to cook their food now.Poor people cannot save the environment for the future.
We now have the information and the ability to solve these huge problems.However, this is not a problem for one country or one area of the world.It is a problem for all humans.The people and the nation of the world must work together to protect the world's resources.No one controls the future, but we all help make it.

Question: According to the passage, our world is being destroyed mainly because   _  .

Choices:
- pollution is getting worse and worse
- population are increasing greatly
- we humans are using up all of our natural resources
- distribution is not reasonable.

Question: Good distribution means   _  .

Choices:
- having things in the right place at the right time.
- cutting down forests and selling them to other countries.
- building water systems to carry water to farms.
- conserving our natural resources

Question: The best title of the passage should be   _

Choices:
- The World Being Destroyed
- A Serious Problem We Should Pay Attention to
- Aspects That Destroyed Our World
- Conserving the World's Natural Resources


Nathan's second-hand bike was good enough to get him anywhere he wanted to go. Of course, it couldn't match Tim's in a normal speed race, but all the fancy gears   in the world wouldn't get you up Black Mountain. It was so steep in places that you had to get off your bike and push.
On this particular afternoon, the odds were all on Nathan's side. First, he was stronger. Tim had always been thin, but recently he'd started to grow so fast that his arms and legs were like pieces of spaghetti. As well as being considerably fitter than his friend, Nathan knew the shortcuts up prefix = st1 /BlackMountain.
So when Nathan accepted the challenge, he was sure he'd win. He nearly always did, in competitions with Tim. That was what was strange. Tim was so competitive, and yet he wasn't any good at physical things.
By the time the two boys were three quarters of the way to the top, Nathan was clearly ahead. While the road zigzagged back and forth up the mountainside, in certain places, there were also vertical tracks, where water rushing down the slope in winter had bitten erosion courses into the soil. These had in turn been so overgrown by bushes and long grass in the spring that they looked like tunnels through the bush. The trick was to know where you could cut off a whole bend in the road by leaving the road and pushing your bike up one of these half-hidden pathways. If you chose the wrong one you'd struggle up for ten minutes and then suddenly reach a dead end. Then there was no choice but to go back.

Question: What did Tim challenge Nathan to do?

Choices:
- test who had the fastest bike
- decide who was the most competitive
- find the secret tracks on the mountain
- race to the top of BlackMountain

Question: It was sometimes quicker to use the tracks rather than the road because the   _  .

Choices:
- tracks were partly hidden.
- tracks were easier to ride bikes on.
- road had many bends in it.
- road was overgrown after the winter.

Question: Which of the following advantages did Nathan have over Tim?

Choices:
- Nathan had a better bike and knew the shortcuts up the mountain.
- Nathan was fitter and knew the quickest ways up the mountain.
- Nathan was stronger and more competitive than Tim.
- Nathan was stronger and had a better bike.

Question: The quotation " the odds were all on Nathan's side" means that   _  .

Choices:
- Tim would not try very hard in the race
- Tim had not yet grown as big as Nathan
- Nathan had a greater chance of winning the challenge
- Nathan had more friends who thought he would win


Most people who live in Seattle, Washington, love their city. There is a never-ending flow of fun things to do. But, people who live there do not always enjoy the day-after-day absence of sunshine during the winter months.
It is documented fact that sunshine (or lack of it) plays a major role in how each of us meets the day. It also affects how we perform at school or work. When people are derived of sunlight, they can develop seasonal affective disorder, which makes it difficult for them to feel happy or get things accomplished. No major city in the United States is more affected by the "sunshine factor" than Seattle.
To fight drizzle and fog during the winter months, Steve Murphy created a business that is very popular among the locals. The Indoor Sun Shoppe is more than a little ray of sunshine during the gray days of Seattle's winter. His shop offers a huge source of plants and artificial lighting for people who are trying to overcome seasonal affective disorder.
Located in Fremont, Washington, The Indoor Sun Shoppe has an amazing collection of exotic plants and "good bugs" in a humid and well-lit environment. At The Indoor Sun Shoppe, you can spend up to $400 for artificial lighting that will chase away the winter blues. It will also keep your plants healthy. You can buy a dawn simulator that will gradually fill your room with a warming wake-up glow. What better way to meet a Seattle morning when real sunshine is nothing more than a happy thought!
Murphy's in-home waterfalls are also popular with customers. But his plants and lights remain the "main course." On a cloudy winter day, The Indoor Sun Shoppe is a bright spot in Seattle!

Question: Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE according to the passage?

Choices:
- Seattle is located in the state of Washington.
- Citizens love Seattle for their colorful city lives.
- Sunshine in Seattle is rare during the winter months.
- People who live in Seattle are used to the sunshine absence.

Question: Which of the following best defines the term seasonal affective disorder in Para.2?

Choices:
- mild temperature and a general feeling of illness caused by gray winter
- exhaustion, depression and lack of energy caused by a lack of sunlight
- winter-related illness caused by the low temperature and little sunlight
- post-holiday depression that comes when relatives leave after Christmas

Question: The Indoor Sun Shoppe   _  .

Choices:
- attracts people from different parts of the whole country
- aims to create a humid and well-lit environment during winter months
- brings only a little ray of sunshine during the gray days of Seattle's winter
- offers variety of goods helping people overcome seasonal affective disorder

Question: Which of the following best explains the use of a dawn simulator?

Choices:
- An alarm clock stimulated by the light rays of early morning.
- A bringer of indoor artificial sunshine when there is none outside.
- An automatic waterfall system helping make indoor plants healthy.
- A better way to meet a Seattle morning with real warming sunshine.


To Whom It May Concern:
prefix = st1 /Chengdu #7 High School is proud to send an Odyssey of the MindTeam to World Competition this year. They competed inShanghaifor the National Competition and were selected to go to World. The World Competition will be held at the University of Maryland in theUnited Statesat the end of May.
Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving competition. Teams of up to seven students will solve a complex problem using innovative ideas and materials. They will be judged on originality in three separate categories.
Odyssey of the Mind competitions emphasize team work and creative "out of the box" solutions.  The strength of this program is that the solutions are the work of the students only - neither coaches nor parents are allowed input. During the competition the students must work together as a team and think spontaneously and creatively.
Chengdu #7 is a key High School in the fields of science and mathematics. This is the first time they have had an opportunity to attend the Odyssey of the MindWorld Competition. For the seven team members and three coaches (teachers) it will be the first time to visit theUnited States. It will cost each student approximately 20,000 RMB for the twelve-day trip. They have been working hard for this opportunity for a year.
Traditionally businesses have supported Odyssey of the Mindbecause it produces students who can work as a team and solve problems creatively. We are asking your company for a donation to help defer the expenses for these deserving students. Please make out checks toChengdu#7 and specify Odyssey of the Mind. Any amount you can contribute will be greatly appreciated and will help us to continue to prepare our students for tomorrow's world.
Sincerely yours,
Chengdu #7 High School
#1 Linyin St. Chengdu, 610041

Question: This passage is actually   _  .

Choices:
- an application
- a document
- a website
- a letter

Question: What's the purpose for the writer to write such a passage?

Choices:
- To introduce the Odyssey of the Mind team in ChengduNo 7 High School.
- To ask for possible donation support.
- To tell the readers something about Chengdu No 7 High School.
- To inform "To Whom It May Concern".

Question: Odyssey of the Mind competitions aim to   _  .

Choices:
- drive the students to work harder
- encourage students to find out solutions after class
- help the competitors to think "outside the box"
- help the competitors to go to a better university

Question: After reading this passage, a manager in a promising hi-tech company would  _  .

Choices:
- leave it alone
- think it funny
- perhaps start his own Odyssey of the Mindteam
- probably be likely to offer a bit of help


I must have been about fourteen then, and I put away the incident from my mind with
the easy carelessness of  youth. But the words, Carl Walter spoke that day, came back to me
years later, and ever since have been of great value to me.
Carl Walter was my piano teacher. During one of my lessons he asked how much practicing I
was doing. I said three or four hours a day.
"Do you practice
, an hour at a time?"
"I try to."
"Well, don't," he exclaimed. "When you grow up, time won't come in long stretches.    Practice in minutes, whenever you can find them five or ten before school, after lunch, between household tasks. Spread the practice through the day, and piano-playing will become a part of your life."
When I was teaching at Columbia, I wanted to write, but class periods, theme-reading, and committee meetings filled my days and evenings. For two years I got practically nothing down on paper, and my excuse was that I had no time. Then I remembered what Carl Walter had said. During the next week I conducted an experiment. Whenever I had five minutes unoccupied, I sat down and wrote a hundred words or so. To my astonishment, at the end of the week I had a rather large manuscript ready for revision, later on I wrote novels by the same piecemeal method. Though my teaching schedule had become heavier than ever, in every day there were idle moments which could be caught and put to use. I even took up piano--playing again, finding that the small intervals of the day provided sufficient time for both writing and piano practice.
There is an important trick in this time--using formula: you must get into your work quickly. If you have but five minutes for writing, you can't afford to waste four chewing your pencil. You must make your mental preparations beforehand, and concentrate on your task almost instantly when the time comes. Fortunately, rapid concentration is easier than most of us realize.
I admit I have never learnt how to let go easily at the end of the five or ten minutes. But life can be counted on to supply interruptions. Carl Walter has had a tremendous influence on my life. To him I owe the discovery that even very short periods of time add up to all useful hours I need, if I plunge in without delay.

Question: Which of the following statements is true?

Choices:
- The writer didn't completely take the teacher's words to heart at first.
- Carl Walter has had a great influence on the writer's life since he became a student.
- The writer owes great thanks to his teacher for teaching him to work in long stretches.
- Rapid concentration is actually more difficult than most people imagine.

Question: We can infer that the writer    _    .

Choices:
- has new books published each year however busy his teaching is
- is always tired of interruptions in life because his teaching schedule is always heavy
- has formed a bad habit of chewing a pencil while writing his novels
- can find sufficient time for mental preparations beforehand, so he's devoted to work instantly

Question: What is the best title of this passage?

Choices:
- Concentrate on Your Work
- A Little at a Time
- How I Became a Writer
- Good Advice


A new international study shows that six people die every minute from smoking. That is 3 million deaths around the world every year. If the present rate of smoking continues, the number of deaths each year from smoking could rise to 10 million by the year 2020.
The study describes smoking is the biggest cause of deadly diseases among grown-ups in industrial countries. So far most of the smoking deaths have happened to men, especially in developing countries.
A researcher at the World Health Organization says 70% of Chinese men smoke more than 15 cigarettes each day. In Latin America about 50% of the men are smokers. There also are a very large number of smokers in Russia and in Eastern Europe. And 25% of all smoking deaths worldwide are in those areas of the world. Scientists say smoking will kill 50% of the smokers.
Smoking is known to cause lung cancer. It also can lead to cancer of the mouth and other parts of bodies. Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to suffer from heart disease.
Experts say that people reduce their chance of dying from smoking if they stop smoking completely. They say smokers who give up smoking can improve their health.

Question: The main idea of this passage is that   _   .

Choices:
- smoking only does harm to grown-ups..
- smoking can kill smokers.
- smoking does harm to health
- men like smoking much more than women

Question: A new international study shows   _  .

Choices:
- three hundred and sixty smokers die from smoking every hour
- in 2020, 10 million smokers will die from smoking
- smoking will kill 50% of the men around the world
- because of the lack of money, men in developing countries smoke less than men in industrial countries

Question: If people don't stop smoking, they will   _  .

Choices:
- pollute the air
- be in poor health
- become stupid
- waste a lot of money

Question: According to the passage, if there are 100 Chinese men smokers in the room, as a result,the number of cigarettes they smoke is at least   _   each day.

Choices:
- about 1, 500
- 5, 000 or so
- under 750
- over 1, 050

Question: Which disease is not mentioned in the passage?

Choices:
- heart attack
- lung cancer
- cancer of the mouth
- bronchitis


If you're in charge of  a project, the key to success is getting everyone to want to help you. As a director, I point, I suggest, I gently push the actors in the direction  I want them to go.
In the 1986 movie Nothing in Common, Jackie Gleason's character, Max Basner, gets fired (or unemployed) from his job as a clothing salesman. The scene, shot   on a boat, shows Max's despair  about being out of work. I was looking for some gesture that would allow Max to show his feelings.
Jackie had far more experience  at everything than I did, and at first I was frightened (very much afraid). What could I possibly tell "The Great One" about acting? Out of fear I decided to direct by suggestion, and I sat down with Gleason to talk about the scene. "So Max is sad, right?" I said.
Gleason nodded.
"And he's probably still carrying his pens with his name on them --- the ones he used to hand out to his customers, right?"
Gleason nodded.
" So what would you want to do with the pens after you were fired?" He was silent for a moment. "Why don't I throw them overboard (or all over the boat)?" I stood up and turned toward the crew. " Hey, everybody, Jackie has a wonderful idea. Let's shoot it."
After filming the scene, Gleason called me over and said with a smile, "Garry, what kind of wonderful idea am I going to have tomorrow?"
You and your team can discover the answers to problems together. When there are no prizes or gold stars for who gets the solution (or the way to work out a problem) first, you'll all benefit (or get something of use or value) when everything turns out right.

Question: The author tells us that to succeed in a project you are in charge of, you should   _  .

Choices:
- make everyone work for you
- get everyone willing to help you
- let people know you have the final say
- keep sending out orders to them

Question: It can be inferred   that   _  .

Choices:
- Jackie Gleason is the director of the film Nothing in common
- Jackie Gleason is very angry when he is fired from his job
- Max, a character in a film, is in very low spirits  when he loses his job
- Jackie Gleason is the writer of the film Nothing in common

Question: Why did Gleason call the director over and smile at him? That's because Gleason   _  .

Choices:
- thought his wonderful idea was accepted by the latter
- succeeded in hitting upon (or think of) a wonderful idea
- was confident (certain) about his work the next day
- appreciated  the latter's way of directing films

Question: The most suitable (or proper) title for the passage is   _  .

Choices:
- Directing a Film
- The Key to Success
- A Wonderful Experience
- Working with Film Stars


There's a widespread perception  in the United States that a university degree is the key to success. But a growing number of educators now say there are other possibilities, especially for students who might not succeed at university level.
This is not a traditional classroom. At the apprentice program run by the Plumbers and Steamfitters Union in the state of Maryland, Travis Strawderman and other students make money while they learn. "I \t's completely changed my life around," he said. "I've been able to pay off all my debts. I can say I'm actually responsible enough to have my own family."
Strawderman's five-year program teaches him technical skills free of charge. He says he considered university, but it didn't interest him. Economics Professor Robert Lerman says Strawderman is not alone. "A lot of people are bored in high school," Lerman stated. "They leave high school because they are bored. They want to do something besides sitting in a classroom." Lerman says the education system in the United States in too focused on pushing students to attend university. "What we're doing now is we're doing now is we're saying unless you learn in this way you don't really have the chance for a rewarding career," he said.
But Chad Aldeman, an analyst, says studies show the longer students saty in school the better chance they have at having a high paying and stable career. "If you only are a high school graduate your wages are going to drop over your lifetime-as opposed to a college degree," he said. "The college degree is really and insurance policey against unemployment and against low wages."

Question: Where does Travis Strawderman learn?

Choices:
- In a university.
- In a traditional classroom
- At an apprentice program.
- In a high school

Question: What can we infer from the passage?

Choices:
- Robert and Chad have different opinions.
- Professor Lerman teaches Travis technical skills.
- Travis will have a high paying and stable career.
- Travis liked high school and studied well

Question: Which might be the best title for the passage?

Choices:
- New education programmes
- A University degree, key to success or not
- Problems in high school
- An insurance policy against low wages


If you're one of the 13 million Americans still struggling to find a job, or wanting to change jobs, a lot of your applications are probably being swallowed up by the "the black hole." That's when you send in a job application and never receive any follow-up from the company.In fact, only 25 out of 100 applications ever get looked at by companies.
Now, a remarkable new service is helping job seekers instantly track almost every application they submit so they actually know what's going on.It's called Start Wire. corn and it lets job seekers track their applications and find out whether or not their applications have been reviewed, dismissed, or are still being considered.
How does it work? When you fill out a job application via a company website, you'll typically get an auto confirmation email from the company, thanking you for applying.And then, the waiting begins.
Start Wire has linked to more than 5 , 600 employers across the country and receives online updates on job applications for every one of their members.By allowing you to connect your job hunt to your Facebook and Linkedin accounts, it can notify you if you have any connections with the company that you apply for .
And, Start Wire is free to use! Because Start Wire is a completely ad-supported site, they don't need to charge job seekers to use it.
Most importantly, Start Wire keeps your information private.Your job search activity will never show up on a social network or search engine.Start Wire has become invaluable to over 55, 000 job seekers in a highly competitive job market.
If you're tired of your job search resulting in dead-end responses, take advantage of this free service and give yourself a huge advantage in the job marketplace.
Click here to put your information on an official list and reach an arrangement with Start Wire to use a free service it provides, and improve your chances of finding a good job quickly.

Question: You can probably read the passage from   _

Choices:
- a newspaper
- a website
- a poster
- a magazine

Question: If your job applications are being swallowed up, it means that   _  .

Choices:
- your personal information has been stolen
- your job applications are under consideration
- you can not receive any reply from the company
- you have to pay money to get your applications back

Question: If you want to use Start Wire first you should   _

Choices:
- make a call to the website
- get access to some employers
- register an account without payment
- email the company you will apply to

Question: The passage is mainly intended to  _

Choices:
- prove the advantages of Start Wire
- attract more people to use Start Wire
- teach people how to access Start Wire
- provide key facts about unemployment


Going on a road trip? The St. Louis Arch, Statue of Liberty, and Golden Gate Bridge are common great tourist sites. If you prefer offbeat places, check out the following roadside attractions.
World's Largest Ball of Paint
Alexandria, Ind.
In 1977, Michael Carmichael set out to create the biggest ball of paint anywhere. Starting with a baseball as centre, he painted layer by layer of paint day after day, year after year. The ball weighs more than 1,300 pounds, with more than 20,000 coats of paint, which is recognized by Guinness World Record. Visitors can paint the wall themselves and become part of the history.
The Museum of Dirt
Boston, Mass.
The museum is the idea of Glenn Johnson. Labeled   glass bottles contain such treasures as dirt from the Great Wall of China, as well as sand from a desert in Saudi Arabia and Omaha Beach in France. Best of all, the cost of seeing this museum is dirt cheap: It's free.
Mount Horeb Mustard Museum
Mount Horeb, Wis.
It's heaven for hotdog lovers! This museum says it has to have the world's largest collection for prepared mustard . Its more than 4,100 bottles of spices  come from 60 nations, including Turkey and China. Visitors learn the history of mustard, from how it's made to how it's advertised and sold. The museum's creator, Barry Levenson, loves mustard so much that he even puts it on ice-cream!
Paper House
Rockport, Mass.
Swedish immigrant  Ellis Stenman was much ahead of his time in 1922, when he started to build a two-room house almost entirely out of newspaper. At the time, people didn't give much---if any---thought to recycling paper. In fact, "recycling" wasn't even a word yet. The house is framed with wood, but the walls are made of 210 layers of newspaper. In all, he used about 100,000 newspapers.

Question: If you want to add your own labour to what you visit, you may choose  _  .

Choices:
- World's Largest Ball of Paint
- The Museum of Dirt
- Mount Horeb Mustard Museum
- Paper House

Question: What can be inferred from the text?

Choices:
- Michael must have the largest ball in the world.
- Glenn must have paid a visit to China.
- Ellis could be seen as a pioneer in his time.
- Barry loves ice-cream especially.

Question: From the text, we can learn that   _  .

Choices:
- Michael will never stop painting the large ball.
- people need to pay for visiting the Museum of Dirt.
- Paper House was completely made of paper
- Barry founded the Mustard Museum..


Do you want to write your password down so that no one can see it, or do you want to send someone a secret message? Knowing how to make an invisible ink message will have you feeling like a secret agent in no time. These are instructions for making invisible ink using baking soda.
Difficulty: Easy
Time required: A few minutes
What you need:
Baking soda, Paper, Water, Light bulb, Paintbrush, Measuring cup, Purple grape juice
Here's how:
There are at least two methods of using baking soda as invisible ink. Mix equal amounts of water and baking soda.
Use a paintbrush to write a message onto white paper, using the baking soda solution   as "ink".
Allow the ink to dry.
One way to read the message is to hold the paper up to a heat source, such as a light bulb. The baking soda will cause the writing in the paper to turn brown.
The second way to read the message is to paint over the paper with purple grape juice. The message will appear in a different color1.
Tips:
If you are using the heating method, avoid burning the paper.
Baking soda and grape juice react in an acid-base   reaction, producing a color1 change in the paper.
Grape juice concentrate   results in a more visible color1 change than regular grape juice.

Question: is not needed for making invisible ink.

Choices:
- Baking soda
- Paper
- Water
- Ink

Question: What's the function of the paintbrush?

Choices:
- To draw a picture.
- To allow the "ink" to appear.
- To write a message onto the white paper.
- To help the "ink" dry.

Question: How can you read the message in invisible ink easily?

Choices:
- read it in the daytime
- read it near a heater
- Put it in hot water
- put it in a fridge

Question: Why will the message appear in a different color1 in the second way to read the massage?

Choices:
- Because there is enough grape juice.
- Because baking soda reacts with grape juice.
- Because of the use of water.
- Because of the special paper.

Question: From the process, we can know that making invisible ink is_.

Choices:
- very hard
- not difficult
- a little difficult
- not easy


It is true that the first Olympic Games of the modern times in 1896 were not open to women.Baron Pierre de Coubertin,who gave new life to the Games,was very much a man of his time.He didn't like women showing up for the Games.But since this time,things have changed.History shows that the number of women participating in the Olympic Games has been increasing over the years,since their first participation in the 1900 Olympic Games and especially in the last 30 years.This development is of social,political and cultural significance .
The progress is the result of the cooperation of the entire Olympic Movement and of proper measures that the International Olympic Committee(IOC),International Sports Federations(IFs),and National Olympic Committees(NOCs)have taken.Especially in the last 20 years,the IOC has enlarged the women's programme at the Olympic Games,in cooperation with IFs and the Organising Committees for the Olympic Games(OCOGs).This development was further strengthened by the IOC's decision that all sports must have women's events.The IOC also started to work on increasing the number of women at leadership level in sport in 1981.Former President Juan Antonio Samaranch,who wanted to have women as IOC members made a great contribution .
Many sports volunteers have worked to increase the number of women joining in the Olympic Games.This progress has been made also thanks to the strong determination of women from different countries of the world who have worked to make sure women are fully represented in all sports.

Question: It is implied in the passage that    .

Choices:
- women first performed in the Olympic Games about fifty years ago
- it was IFs that decided to enlarge the women's programme at the Olympic Games
- Juan Antonio Samaranch didn't agree that women should be IOC members
- women themselves worked very hard so that they could join in the Olympic Games


"Mommy, I'm a funny bird," Jack, my almost-4-year-old tells me. He moves his little fingers like wings.
"You are?" I say. I'm sitting across from him while he eats breakfast at our table. I smile; he says the greatest things. A week ago, however, when he had chocolate on his face and I licked   my finger to wipe it off, he said, "Don't put your dirty water on me."
A week ago, I wouldn't have been sitting here with him during breakfast. I wouldn't have been up, emptying the dishwasher, cleaning the kitchen, or answering emails. We always had dinner together at the table, but other meals got much less attention. I work from home, and my husband owns an advertising agency and often travels. We were so busy that we had to do the chores during breakfast or lunch.
Why was I not sitting down with my son? It could take Jack an hour to eat a meal, during which I could feel the tug   of unanswered emails, a deadline, and the unswept floor each minute.
Then we went to visit friends for a weekend. They have two kids. They are busy, professional, and good parents. And at every meal -- not just dinner -- we all sat down at the table and ate. When we got home, my husband said, "Maybe we should be doing that."
I took this as criticism. My husband works a lot, so mealtimes are mostly under my charge. The "we" he was talking about was me.
Then, I remembered myself that I'm a big girl, and took his comment the way it was meant. We both want what's best for Jack. Yes, I thought. I'm home. I have to eat, too. My husband is Jack's favorite, which delights and moves me, but I am Jack's constant. Constants are there. Constants sit down.
So I've been sitting. And, surprise, I haven't missed a deadline. The house has been clean. And Jack seems to like having me there. Two days ago, over lunch, he smiled and stared at me.
"What?" I asked, amused.
"Mommy, I love you so much and I can't stop loving you."
I could have missed that.
God, I could have missed _ .

Question: Before visiting the friends, Jack   _  .

Choices:
- didn't like chocolate
- couldn't eat by himself
- was sometimes rude to his mom
- preferred his mother to his father

Question: After visiting the friends, the author   _  .

Choices:
- was determined to learn to cook
- asked her husband to have every meal with her
- decided to have dinner together with her family
- was advised by her husband to learn from the friends


When Charles Strattion was five, he stopped growing. His mother took him to see the famous showman, P. T. Barnum, and thought a small person would be the perfect addition to his show. He hired Charles' parents along with him, and they traveled around the world together.
He gave the two-foot-tall Charles a new name, general Tom Thumb. He taught Tom how to sing, dance, act, and tell jokes. When he felt Tom was ready to perform on stage, he made up ads. To stir up great interest, he said that Tom was eleven years old and had come from England.
Tom's act was very popular and brought in a lot of money. By the time Tom was an adult, he had grown very rich. He had become a billionaire at the age of twenty-five.
Fortunately for Tom, Mr. Barnum added more little people to his show, and Tom became lucky in love as well. One of the little people was Lavinia Warren, a school teacher. Tom was able to win her love, and they married.
The ceremony and reception were _ They were attended by many rich and famous people and by about two thousand guests. Crowds filled the street of New York to have a look at their tiny wedding carriage. The couple even met with President Abraham Lincoln on their honeymoon, just before going to live in Tom's house in Connecticut.
Their wedding, which took place during the Civil War, provided a welcome escape from the sad problems of war. Not willing to let this bit of sunshine fade, communities throughout the country held Tom Thumb's weddings. In these weddings, small boys and girls, all dressed up, went through marriage ceremony for fun.

Question: "the talk of the town" means  _  .

Choices:
- they were in the newspaper
- people spread many rumors about them
- they were the most popular things happening
- they were discussed in a city meeting

Question: What does the author think about Tom Thumb's wedding?

Choices:
- People gave it too much of their attention.
- It helped people cheer up in a dark time
- It was funny and ridiculous
- Tom and Lavinia were stupid.

Question: Which of the following is the best description of the fact that Tom was smart?

Choices:
- He became a billionaire at twenty-five
- He learned how to sing, dance, and act at a very young age.
- He met with President Lincoln during his honeymoon
- He married a school teacher.

Question: It was very funny when Tom danced on a wooden plate held by a person who was eight feet tall because  _  .

Choices:
- the wooden plate would make it sound as of Tom were tap dancing
- it made Tom feel taller
- the eight-foot-tall man was the only tall person Tom trusted
- the difference between them would make Tom look even smaller


Under new rules posted by the Civil Aviation   administration of China on Friday, pilots will have to pass a "level four" test of Mandarin Chinese, China's official language. Those who speak with an accent that "often impedes" comprehension will not pass. These rules take effect in January 2016.
China's 56 ethnic groups speak more than 80 languages and dialects. Even native Mandarin speakers can have trouble communicating with each other depending on the strength of their accents, which can be mutually unintelligible  .
One flight trainer illustrated the scope for linguistic confusion, especially when common English aviation terms are used. Asked if there is a problem on board, a Chinese pilot might answer in the negative with the words mei you, or "there isn't. But someone speaking with a heavy Sichuan accent would pronounce mei you as "May day" - unconsciously parroting the universally recognized distress call  .
Like their international counterparts  , Chinese aviators have developed codes to avoid confusion resulting from homonyms   or near-homonyms. They use the terms yao for one and guai for seven, which are otherwise pronounced yi and qi respectively and easily confused.
The new rule could affect all pilots, who must renew their license every six years, and adds to a growing list of burdens for the profession.

Question: Which of the following is true according to the passage?

Choices:
- Sichuan dialect has the contrary meaning to Mandarin.
- Native Mandarin speakers can understand each other well.
- It isn't necessary for a pilot to pass the test before January 2016.
- "May day" is a distress call in our everyday life.

Question: What is the best title for the passage?

Choices:
- Chinese Pilots Told to Get Rid of Regional Accents.
- Chinese Pilots.
- Rich Chinese Languages.
- Hard to Be a Chinese Pilot.


Travel can be a lifesaver. But in today's economy   with airlines adding new fees almost daily and ticket prices sharply on the rise, many have written off travel as too expensive. However, with a few saving tricks and a little research, there are still lots of great deals to be had on airline tickets and more.
Early Bird Gets the Deal.
Travel experts say that there are certain times of day when more deals are available. Airfares can change three times a day as airlines adjust their prices to fill up flights. Early morning is when the fares tend to be lowest.www.zxxk.com
What Wouldn't a Business Traveler do?
Flying when business travelers don't can save you big money. Most business travelers fly on Mondays and Fridays, so Tuesday and Wednesday are the best days. Airlines will usually lower their prices on these days to aggressively try and fill empty seats.
 _
 _
Fly to popular places at unpopular times. The slowest time of the year for travel is in the Fall between Labor Day and Thanksgiving. Again, to try and fill more empty seats, the airlines will lower prices and offer better deals to get people to fly during this time of the year.
Package Deals
Many times the best deals on airfare can be found as part of a package rate. Most travel sites have package rates available. Often, the entire package (hotel, airfare, rental car) is cheaper than just the plane ticket on another site. Even if you don't need the rental car, with the money you've saved on the flight, you can afford to take a taxi. These deals are especially good on last minute bookings.
With a little inside knowledge and some good timing, you can get yourself a steal on a ticket to the vacation you thought was out of reach.

Question: Which would be the best title for the text?

Choices:
- Tips on Vocation Travelling
- Advice for Business Travelers
- The Effect of Economy on Airlines
- Tricks of Finding the Cheapest Flights

Question: Many people have to cancel their travel plan because they   _  .

Choices:
- have no saving tricks
- consider economic reasons
- seldom do research
- can't have great deals

Question: Which of the following can be filled in the blank in the text?

Choices:
- Fly to popular places.
- Don't Miss the Holydays.
- Better Avoid the Crowds.
- Lose No Chance for Travelling.


HOGN KONG--Nine out of 10 Singapore citizens returned dropped wallets with money in them,but in Hone Kong only three out of l0 wallets were returned in an honesty test carried out in Asian cities by Readers Digest .
    Larger cities did worse while in general people in smaller places returned secretly planted wallets,results from the experiment showed.
    Readers Digest secretly scattered 140 wallets all over Asia,each with a name,address and phone number,family pictures,notes and money in it.
    The magazine workers then watched to see what happened.South Koreans in Seoul returned six out of the ten dropped wallets,while those in Inchon returned eight.
    50 percent of Be dropped wallets were returned in Bombay,Bangkok,Taipei and Kajang in Malaysia,with most people saying they would not keep what was not right fully theirs.
    Honesty had little relation to wealth  or status ,as several well-dressed people in a number of cities were observed to walk away without doing anything to get in touch with the rightful owners.
    About 57 percent of the wallets were returned,compared with 58 percent in Europe in a similar experiment and 67 percent in the United States.

Question: The newspaper report is mainly about  _  .

Choices:
- how the honesty test was carried out
- where the honesty test was carried out
- the results of the honesty test in Asia
- the results of the honesty tests in the world

Question: It call be learned from the newspaper that Bombay is a city in  _  .

Choices:
- Europe
- Asia
- the United States
- prefix = st1 /Malaysia

Question: How many of the dropped wallets in Asian cities were returned?

Choices:
- About 60.
- About 80.
- 56.
- 42.

Question: Which people as a group did best in the honesty tests?

Choices:
- People in Hong Kong.
- People in the United States.
- People in Inchon.
- People in Singapore.