text
stringlengths 64
6.72k
| dataset
stringclasses 1
value |
|---|---|
Question: HE is one of the most charming young heroes since Harry Potter. Like Potter, he is chosen by fate to carry out a , but unlike the boy wizard, he doesn't get any chances to have fun or hang out with friends because he's a little too busy preparing to lead during an upcoming war to save the Earth. Meet Ender Wiggin, 15, the main character of the hit US sci-fi movie Ender's Game (<<>> ), which will come out on Jan 7 in China. The story opens in 2086, 50 years after an insect-like alien race, called the Formics, attacked the Earth and killed tens of millions of people before being driven back to their home planet. Since then, human beings have been in a state of fear, awaiting a second attack. Earth's military leaders seek young warriors to risk going into space for battle, and children are taught to compete for these positions. As the film explains, youths can make leaps of logic and intuition, devising effective attack strategies more quickly than adults. So here comes Ender, the savior of all mankind. Though Ender is a skinny kid, smaller than most, he is also smarter than average. He tends to analyze situations and easily find ways to achieve the most positive outcomes. This rare gift makes him stand out in the program and get promoted to the Battle School, where he is directed to plan and carry out a series of virtual attacks on the Formics. Can he use his military talents to wipe out Earth's enemies? Despite the obvious "be all you can be" subtext , the movie "explores complex issues, including the consequences of violence and maintaining humanity and morality during wartime with intelligence and insight," commented Yahoo. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film best presents the power of empathy , which is what makes Ender a good leader. "The reason Ender succeeds is because he understands what makes his opponents tick on the battlefield," explained the entertainment news site. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?
A. The movie intends to encourage people to try to be what they want to be and never give up.
B. Ender is able to defeat Earth's enemies because he possesses a super power that enables him to read his enemies' minds.
C. Ender's success proves that a good leader should have intelligence and insight and make full use of his or her teammates' talents.
D. The movie discusses a variety of issues such as the effects of violence and the importance of morality and humanity during wartime.
Answer: D
|
mmlu
|
Question: Dinner customs are different around the world. If you are a guest in Ghana( ), this information will help you a lot. In Ghana, dinner is usually from four in the afternoon to six in the evening. But there are no strict rules about time. Whenever a guest arrives, a family offers food. When you go to a home, the person who receives guests takes you to the living room first. At this time everyone welcomes you. Then you go to the dinning room. There you wash your hands in a bowl of water. All the food is on the table. In Ghana you usually eat with your fingers. You eat from the same dish as everyone else .But you eat from one side of the dish only. It is not polite to get food from the other side of the dish. After dinner, you wash your hands again in a bowl of water. Most meals in Ghana have a dish called fufu. People in Ghana make fufu from the powder of some plants. Sometimes they cut the fufu with a saw because it is very hard. You must chew fufu well, or you may get sick. You eat fufu with the fingers of your right hand only. People in Ghana usually eat _ .
A. from one side of a dish to the other
B. from the other side of the dish
C. with their fingers
D. with their spoons
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Joker found one of the biggest diamonds in the world in his own back yard. He sold the stone to a diamond dealer for over three hundred thousand dollars. In New York, the diamond was resold. This time for almost eight hundred thousand dollars. The true value of a diamond is never known until it has been cut. Once cut successfully, its value can increase a thousand times. It's easy to understand why the owner of the Joker diamond went to the best diamond cutter he knew, Kaplan. The cutter studied the diamond for twelve whole months. When he felt he was ready to start work, he discovered a flaw . He had to begin with his calculations all over again, or he might have made the stone useless. Six more months passed, and Kaplan finally said to the owner, "I m ready to start my work. There will be one excellent diamond that be comparable to any in the world, plus eleven small diamonds of first-class quality." Kaplan waited a few more days until be felt he was in the best physical and mental condition possible. He picked up his tools and held his breath as he made the first blow. The diamond split exactly as he promised. When the diamond was resold, _ .
A. the dealer lost a lot of money
B. Joker made some more money
C. the dealer got 800,000 dollars
D. Kaplan got 800,000 dollars
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Research says that husbands do not do their fair share of work around the house. A study from an American university says that men seldom do the same share of housework. Researchers interviewed 182 working couples who became first-time parents. Both husbands and wives worked almost the same number of hours in full-time jobs. However, men did five hours a week less housework than women after their baby was born. _ Becoming a parent added 21 hours a week to a mother's work. Most of this was looking after her baby. New fathers did not do more woke because they did not realize the mother was doing so much more. Another reason is that after a baby is born, fathers follow the "traditional" roles. That is, the mother looks after the baby and the father works outside. This happens even when the mother is working the same number of hours in her job. It is found that _ do less housework.
A. wives
B. husbands
C. parents
D. babies
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: No one not even its creators-thought that the world would care about the interwoven lives, loves and sufferings of a group of attractive and witty New Yorkers. But there's no doubt that Friends has become more than just a successful situation comedy--it has established itself as one of the last great television phenomena of the last century. Along the way, it has made its half-dozen lead actors famous. Looking back the strong friendship between the group of three men and three women who frequently gather at each other's apartments and at Greenwich Village's Central Perk coffee house, Friends was created by television producers, David Crane and Marta Kauffman. In 1993, the pair met producer Kevin S. Bright. Then the three became partners and got a deal to produce a new comedy for Warner Brothers. What they came up with was based on Crane and Kauffman's after-college years, when they hung out at the local coffee house and involved themselves in every aspect of each other's lives. It didn't take long for viewers to make friends with Friends. The sitcom quickly became a top ten hit. Critics loved it as well. Entertainment Weekly said the show operate like a Broadway show, with twisty plots and unique jokes. The television theme song has also been a success with the public. The song's success helped save the television theme song. An ABC executive was ready to order very short music intros on his network's shows, thinking that viewers would hit the remote control as soon as the opening started. But the success of the Friends theme song led the ABC executive to change his mind---remote controls or not, the TV theme song would stay. Years have gone by, but Friends remains and will remain an example of a modern day US sitcom that is both hugely entertaining television and nothing short o a genuine latter-day social phenomenon. Which of the following is TRUE about Friends?
A. It has a simple but entertaining plot.
B. It is about friendship between college students.
C. It was criticized by Entertainment Weekly.
D. It first came into being in the 1990.
Answer: D
|
mmlu
|
Question: What if you could fly like a bird just by thinking happy thoughts? Or you could disappear to a faraway land, never grow old and fight pirates every day? For Peter Pan and his friends, the Lost Boys, these dreams come true. More than 100 years after this playful boy was "born", Peter Pan and his friends are to continue their adventure in a sequel to J.M. Barrie's original novel. "Peter Pan in Scarlet" ,written by British author Geraldine McCaughrean, was published earlier this month. The sequel brings all the original characters back. Peter Pan's friends, the Lost Boys, are now grown up and live in the real world. What's more, at the end of the first book, Peter Pan thinks he has killed his enemy, Captain Hook. But ,new readers discover he is not so dead at all. For those who are unfamiliar with the original story, Peter Pan lives in faraway Neverland with a group of orphans. But they are eager for a real mother and Peter Pan flies to London with a fairy , Tinkerbell, to find one. They visit a young girl, Wendy, who loves to read stories, and bring her and her two brothers back to Neverland to live with them. In Neverland, children never have to grow up, and there are no parents to tell them what to do. Many teenagers dream of a world where they don't have to grow old and take responsibility. But, the author explains such a world is not the paradise when it first appears: adventures can be scary and often dangerous, and, though we all sometimes dream of running away, we all need someone to love and look after us too. Peter Pan in Scarlet is about _ .
A. how some children fought against the pirate-Captain Hook
B. the care-free life the children led in Neverland
C. how peter Pan looked for a real mother for the Lost Boys
D. how the Lost Boys return to Neverland for more adventures
Answer: D
|
mmlu
|
Question: What is an idiom? An idiom is a group of words which, when used together, has a different meaning from the one which the individual words have. For example, "---How do you know that Sid and Nancy have separated ?" "---I heard it on the grapevine ". Of course, the second speaker does not mean he heard the news about John by putting his ear to a grapevine! He is conveying the idea visually of information spreading around a widespread network, similar to a grapevine. We use idioms to express something that other words do not express as clearly or as cleverly. We often use an image or symbol to describe something as clearly as possible and thus make our point as effectively as possible. For example, "in a nutshell" suggests the idea of having all the information contained within very few words. Idioms tend to be informal and are best used in spoken rather than written English. One of the best ways to learn an idiom is by looking at the context in which it is used. This can be done by concentrating on the rest of the sentence and try to guess the meaning. Many idioms are not that difficult to understand when considered in their context. For example: We are going to have a surprise party for Tom tomorrow. It's a secret so please don't let the cat out of the bag. 'Let the cat out of the bag' is an idiom. Imagine you don't know what this idiom means; by looking at the words preceding, it should be easy to guess that the speaker does not want you to tell Tom about the surprise party. Therefore, 'let the cat out of the bag' must mean something like' reveal a secret' or 'tell a secret'. Which of the following sentences is NOT similar to "I heard it on the grapevine. " in figures of speech ?
A. The exam was a piece of cake.
B. You will be paid under the table.
C. You eat with that mouth?
D. It rained cats and dogs yesterday.
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Moving to a new neighborhood,town,state,or even country can be a pretty scary experience. All you know is that things will be different and chances are you won't know the kids at your new school. The experiences that go with moving make many kids feel nervous and worried. This is perfectly normal but don't let these emotions overrun your thoughts! You will soon get used to your surroundings and find new friends at your new school. Leaving old friends and familiar places behind can be difficult. However,as you begin the moving process,keep in mind that saying goodbye to your old house,school,and friends does not mean that you have to forget them or that your farewell is permanent!If you're moving to a new state or even a different country and won't see your friends for a long time,don't despair. Make sure to ask everyone for their address so you can write them letters. Also,thanks to the Internet,it is very easy to stay in touch through email or instant messaging technologies. With your parent's permission,you can even create a blog or web page to chronicle all of your new experiences. Include your thoughts,tales of your new adventures,even pictures of new friends,your new house,and new town. Your old friends will love seeing what you are busy with. Many schools have an orientation program where a student already established at the school shows a new student around for their first week. This can help you to find your way around the school and to make new friends faster. While moving is tough on kids of any age,high school counselor Karen Turner says moves can be particularly difficult for teens ."I think moving during adolescents is an extremely stressful experience,especially if you are into your junior high or senior year. Students tend to have established a very strong peer network during that period in their lives. Often this has more influence on them even than their families in some cases,and when they are torn from that there's often resentment ."However,Turner adds that while moving isn't easy,there are things that your parents and the school can do to help you deal with the change. According to the passage,Karen Turner may agree that _ .
A. many parents seem to care little about their children
B. teens can easily be attached to their friends
C. parents should communicate with the school teachers
D. teens tend to behave rudely in a new school
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: American football In almost every big university in the USA, football is a favourite sport. American football is not like soccer. Players sometimes kick the ball, but they also throw the ball and run with it. They try to take it to the other end of the field. They have four chances to move the ball ten yards. They can carry it or throw it If they move it to the end of the field, they win six points. This is called a touchdown. It is difficult to move the ball. Eleven men on the team try to stop the man with the ball. If the man does not move the ball ten yards, his team kicks the ball to the other team.Each university wants its team win. Thousands of people come to watch. They all yell (,)for their favourite team. Young men and women from the cheer Team dance and jump while they yell.Each team plays ten or eleven games each season. The season begins in September and ends in November. If a team is very good, it may play another game after the season ends. The best team plays again on January 1st,the first day of the New Year. Many people go to see these games and many others watch them on television. If the man does not move the ball ten yards, _ .
A. his team loses a point
B. the other team kicks the ball to the end of the field
C. his team kicks the ball to the other team.
D. his team wins six points
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Tess still stood hesitating like a swimmer about to make his dive, hardly knowing whether to return or move forward, when a figure came out from the dark door of the tent. It was a tall young man, smoking. He had an almost black face, though red and smooth. His moustache was black with curled points, though he could not be more than twenty three or--four. There was an unusual force in his face, and in his daring rolling eyes. "Well, my beauty, what can I do for you?" said he, coming forward. And seeing that she was quite at a loss, "Never mind me. I am Mr. d'Urberville. Have you come to see me or my mother?" This differed greatly from what Tess had expected. She had dreamed of an aged and dignified face. She tried to keep calm and answered-- "I came to see your mother, sir." "I am afraid you cannot see her--she is ill in bed," replied the representative of the house; for this was Mr. Alee, the only son of the noble family. "What is the business you wish to see her about?" "It isn't business--it is--I can hardly say what!" "Pleasure?" "Oh no. Why, sir, if I tell you, it will seem..." Tess's sense of a certain ridicule was now so strong that, despite her general discomfort at being here, her rosy lips curved towards a smile, much to the attraction of the young man. "It is so foolish", she stammered . "I fear I can't tell you!" "Never mind; I like foolish things. Try again, my dear," said he kindly. "Mother asked me to come," Tess continued; "and, indeed, I was in the mind to do so myself. But I did not think it would be like this. I came, sir, to tell you that we are of the same family as you." "Ho! Poor relations?" "Yes." "Stokes?" "No; d'Urbervilles." "Ay, ay; I mean d'Urbervilles." "Our names are worn away to Durbeyfield; but we have several proofs that we are d'Urbervilles. The local scholars hold the view that we are, and...and we have an old seal and a silver spoon marked with the same castle as yours. So mother said we ought to make ourselves known to you, as we've lost our horse by a bad accident; we can hardly make a living." "Very kind of your mother, I'm sure." Alec looked at Tess as he spoke, in a way that made her uneasy. "And so, my pretty girl, you've come on a friendly visit to us, as relations?" "I suppose I have," looking less confident and uncomfortable again. "Well--there's no harm in it. Where do you live? What are you?" ---Tess of the d'Urbervilles By Thomas Hardy How does Tess feel in the whole course of the meeting with Alec?
A. Excited and hopeful.
B. Nervous and uncomfortable.
C. Surprised but comfortable.
D. Pleased but embarrassed.
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: There are plenty of reasons that have put sea turtles in danger. Here are some. The sea turtles tend to live in water, but the females come over to lands for nesting. This is the time when they are in the most vulnerable position. Their nesting areas have been taken over by human settlements and recreation development. This has forced them to search for areas that are less suitable for nesting. The egg is the first step for a sea turtle to have a chance of life. And this first step of life has become vulnerable in many countries. The sea turtles have no way to protect their eggs. As a result, the poachers have an opportunity to steal their eggs. The sea turtles are caught in shrimping vessels that use nets. The nets can drown these poor creatures. They die, as the nets are not pulled out fast. Gill nets and drilling for oil also _ habitat destruction and injury to the animal. One female sea turtle can lay hundreds of eggs in one nesting season. These eggs are preyed on by crabs , foxes, birds, and humans, as they make their run towards the sea. By the time they reach the shallow water, half of them have been removed by their predators on land and some are eaten up by fish in water. Only a few lucky ones win the battle of survival and live past their 1st birthday! The sea turtles take more than a decade to reach maturity. Then they start breeding and adult turtles have to live for many years to maintain the balance of population. However, as mentioned above, the adults face a lot of hardships for surviving. Pollution, long lines of fishing fleets, high seas, and even tumors, etc., all cause death of these massive, beautiful species. When sea turtles are nesting, probably _ .
A. they are not afraid of humans
B. they usually hide behind big rocks
C. they don't have anything to protect them
D. they pay no attention to their surroundings
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Without reliable sources of food or water
A. creatures experience some suffering
B. animals must make their own
C. dogs will need to be fed
D. organisms need to be cared for
Answer: A
|
mmlu
|
Question: For as long as I can remember, I've always wanted a personal motto. I wanted a saying that I could really try to live my life by. I mean all the humorous book and storybook heroes always have a personal principle they follow. Good manners! Courage! Keenness! But a part of me could never get myself to create my own motto because I never knew where to start and I never thought I could give one. "With great power comes great responsibility." is a quote by the great writer and philosopher, Voltaire. More familiar, it makes an appearance in the modern day movie performance of the superhero Spider-Man. This saying provides a sense of responsibility for those with actually limitless power. "Be good to others and others will be good to you." is another well-known proverb that has roots in almost all of the major religions. Although it is less practiced today than it is lectured, it is a powerful and good motto to live by. Kindness, in this sense, is the final power in judging every action. My personal motto today has an idea - being efficient. Through my limited knowledge, I have come to find that this is simply the best way for me to give insight about who I am and what I believe in. Efficiency is a quality that everyone desires for, right? Who doesn't want to be able to not only work fast but to achieve great results? To some, it may appear to be a frightening journey. But to me, it means that I have a lifelong journey to improve the methods and ideas with which I come near my tasks. Regardless of what motto you want to live by, I believe that everyone should have one, or two or more. These are all symbols of a perfect story of us, in our own view. And it immediately provides insight to the type of person we were, we are and what we strive to be. We are never meant to be perfect, but it is important to try and live by a belief that will help us reach our potential. All you have to do is know what your excitement is and live by it. Why does the writer want a personal motto?
A. He can follow a belief to live his life.
B. He can behave like the heroes in storybooks.
C. He can have the courage to be enthusiastic.
D. He can know where to create his own motto.
Answer: A
|
mmlu
|
Question: Which part of a bicycle BEST moves in a circle?
A. Seat
B. Frame
C. Foot pedal
D. Kickstand
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: WASHINGTON--Tofu and Soyaburgers may be coming to American school lunch menus.What will the kids say? "Terrible," said Greg Dudzinski,17,of Ripon High School in Wisconsin,as he toured the US capital. "The regular hamburgers are bad enough,so soyaburgers would be a lot worse," offered Zach Richey,13,of Scottsboro Junior High in Alabama,another tourist. But the United States government--hoping to reduce the amount of fat that children are eating--has approved the use of soy as a meat substitute in meals for schools and day-care centers. Not all kids dislike the change Mariel Spano,17,of Sandy Creek High School in New York,also visiting the capital,said she likes soyaburgers:"There's less fat,and they're better for you.They taste the same,and they're just as good." The government tried to make soy a meat substitute nearly 20 years ago-but later dropped the idea.At the time,the plan was intended as a cost-cutting move .US Agriculture Department officials say their purpose now is only to make meals healthier. Schools are likely to increase the amount of soy that is mixed with hamburgers and other foods already on their menus,and they will also be looking to food companies to develop new soy products that children will like "I can't see putting tofu on a student's plate as being acceptable.I can see taking a product that's familiar to the students and adding a large amount of soy to it and having it be acceptable," said Jill Benza,director of food services for the Mesa,Arizona schools. We may learn from the text that_.
A. soyaburgers taste better than hamburgers
B. hamburgers are healthier than soyaburgers
C. soyaburgers cost less than hamburgers
D. hamburgers cost less than soyaburgers
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: I'm Tom. This is a pencil case. It's orange. It's my pencil case. What's in the pencil case? A ruler is in the pencil case. It is my ruler. The ruler is blue and red. That is a pencil. It is black and white. It is not my pencil. Look! That girl is Lucy. It is her pencil. That boy is Tim. I found his green pen in the pencil case. I call Tim at 7890003. It is his telephone number. _ has a pencil.
A. Tom
B. Lucy
C. Tim
D. Lily
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: Sheep always follow each other and never really think about where they are going. Perhaps fashion makes us into " _ ". Maybe we should find our own way and not follow the crowd. Everyone wants to wear top brand clothing. However, we should remember that clothes designers study what ordinary people wear on the street. Then they make clothes like ordinary people's for everyone. Therefore, fashion really starts with individual finding a new look. Then a company uses that look and then it becomes fashionable! That doesn't mean you will. That is to say, a model might look perfect in a shirt but that doesn't mean you will. The same goes for mobile phones. Young people are always asking me when to change my mobile phones. Mobile phone companies are always putting new functions on their phones but do we really need all these extra functions? I use my phone to call people and to send messages to my friends. I don't need a camera, Internet surfing or a calendar on my phone. Again, if you buy the latest phone, it will only be the latest phone for a month or so. Then something new will come out and you'll be unfashionable again. You can't keep up with fashion all the time, so you don't need to follow the fashion. If you have a model's clothes on, you _
A. are sure to be beautiful
B. will become a model
C. will be smarter
D. may not look perfect
Answer: D
|
mmlu
|
Question: Mr. Frank shot well and once he had come in fourth in a competition. Then he went to a big city on business. There he joined the local rifle club. The club had a very good team, which used to take part in a lot of important shooting competitions. One of these took place while Frank was with them. But one of the members of the club's team suddenly fell ill just before the match. The captain had heard of Mr. Frank. He therefore invited Mr. Frank to take the sick man's place. Mr. Frank felt greatly happy to be asked to shoot for such a good team, but he also felt very nervous, because he was afraid of making a fool of himself. In fact, he was so nervous that he could not keep his hands from trembling while he was shooting, with the result that he did very badly in the competition. When he took his score card to his captain, he said:" After seeing my score, I want to go outside and shoot myself. " The captain looked at the card for a few seconds and then said, "Well, you'd better take two bullets with you if you want to do that. " When Frank said, "After seeing my score, I want to go outside and shoot myself", he meant to say that _ .
A. he wants to practice shooting all by himself
B. he wanted to find out the reason for his failure
C. he was too shamed of himself to remain inside and face the captain and the other members
D. he wanted to kill himself with the rifle
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Once there was an 11-year-old boy who went fishing with his father in the middle of a New Hampshire lake. On the day before bass season opened, they were fishing early in the evening, catching other fish with worms. Then the boy tied on a small silver lure and put it into the lake. Suddenly he felt that something very big pulling on the lure. His father watched with admiration as the boy skillfully brought the fish beside the bank. Finally he lifted the tired fish from the water. It was the largest one he had ever seen, but it was a bass. The boy and his father looked at the big fish. The father lit a match and looked at his watch. It was 10 p.m.--two hours before the season opened. He looked at the fish, then at the boy. "You'll have to put it back, son," he said. "Dad!" cried the boy. "There will be other fish," said his father. "Not as big as this one," cried the boy. He looked around the lake. No other fishermen or boats were in sight in the moonlight. He looked again at his father. Even though no one had seen them, nor could anyone ever know what time he had caught the fish, the boy could tell from his father's voice that the decision couldn't be changed. He threw the huge bass into the black water. The big fish disappeared. The boy thought that he would never again see such a big fish. That was 34 years ago. Today the boy is a successful architect in New York City. He often takes his own son and daughters to fish at the same place. And he was right. He has never again caught such a large fish as the one he got that night long ago. But he does see that same fish ... again and again ... every time he has an ethical decision to make. For, as his father had taught him, ethics are simple matters of right and wrong. It is only the practice of ethics that is difficult. What happened when the big fish turned out to be a bass?
A. The boy and his father discussed what to do with the big fish.
B. The boy threw the bass back into the water willingly.
C. The father lit a match in order to check the time.
D. They worried other fishermen may discover what they had done.
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: The brain receives information from the outside world through the sensory system.This information is collected through the eyes,the nose,the ears,the mouth and the surface of the body.It is then kept in the memory.In fact,scientists do not completely understand how the memory works but they are not sure how much information that the human brain can store.Also, it appears that the information is never lost.Very old people often remember things that happened in their childhood which have not come to their minds for sixty to seventy years.If we have kept something in our memory, it is here.But can we get it out again and use it? That is the difficulty. Some of the information we receive only goes into the Short Term Memory.We only keep this information for a minute or two,then we lose it.This temporary memory is very important in our thinking and understanding.It is used,for example,when you try to remember a name that someone told you a moment ago or a telephone number that you are going to dial .School children in class often seem to use the Short Term Memory if they are not interested in the subject.When school teachers describe this,they say that things go"in one ear and out in the other".But if a child is interested,he puts the information in his Long Term Memory, and he never loses it.Long Term Memory depends heavily on our understanding of the meaning of the information we receive. Very old people can remember something happened _ .
A. recently
B. about seventy years ago
C. in their thirties
D. in their classroom
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: Which causes the GREATEST change in a grassy field over time?
A. The time of day
B. Amount of yearly rainfall
C. Number of birds nesting
D. Seasonal migration of animals
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: Hawaii is an important trading center and about six million tourists visit there every year. With all that traffic in and out, exotic species have plenty of opportunities to reach the islands. According to biologists, exotic species are the number one threat to the state' s economy, environment, and way of life. The question in Hawaii is, can the invaders be stopped? Quarantines are one way to do this. Quarantine is the process of isolating animals or products. In Hawaii, pet dogs and cats coming into the state remain in a special holding facility for four months to make sure they don' t have rabies( ) Many agricultural products are also quarantined to see if they are carrying insect pests or plant diseases. Inspection is a second way to stop biological invaders. At airports, borders, and shipping ports, inspectors examine passengers and their baggage to see if they are carrying exotic species. The inspectors also destroy fruits, vegetables, or other goods that might be carrying harmful pests or diseases. Specially trained dogs also smell goods in the ship for exotic species. What if an exotic species slips by inspectors? Then efforts are made to control the invader. In Hawaii,government agencies control invaders by setting livetraps around wildlife shelters and other places. At Haleakala National Park employees have built miles of fences to keep out exotic pigs and goats. For years these animals ate and walked over native rain forest plants, hut the fences have helped reverse( )this damage. Now native plants grow in places that were bare rock only a short time ago. In some cases biological control helps to solve the exotic species problems. It is the science of controlling one invader with another. In the early 1900s, several exotic predators were imported to Hawaii to eat a harmful exotic pest called the sugarcane leafhopper. The insect was destroying 70,000 tons of sugar a year ,but the predators brought it under control. The efforts of these scientists and other people are vitally important. In Hawaii alone,10,000 different species of native plants and animals still need to be protected. Many of these are found nowhere else on earth. By stopping the spread of the biological invaders, we not only protect ourselves, but we also protect the many other native species that make our planet such a special place to live. This passage is mainly about _ .
A. the methods for preventing exotic species
B. the effects of exotic invasion on Hawaii
C. the problems faced by the Hawaiian economy
D. the role of biologists in controlling native species
Answer: A
|
mmlu
|
Question: Mr. Black gave his wife money every Friday evening, but she always spent it before the next Wednesday. For the next three days she had none. Every Tuesday evening Mr. Black asked her, "But what did you spend all that money on?" and she always answered, "I don't know." One Friday Mr. Black brought home an exercise book and a pencil and gave them to his wife along with the money. "Now look!" he said to her. "When you get money from me, write it down on this page, and on the next page write down what happens to the money." When Mr. Black came home the next Tuesday, his wife came to him and showed him the book. "I have done what you told me," she said happily. On the first page she had written "Friday, 28th June. I got PS18 from John," and on the next page, "Tuesday, 2nd July. I have spent it all." By _ evening there was no more money left for Mrs. Black.
A. Tuesday
B. Wednesday
C. Thursday
D. Friday
Answer: A
|
mmlu
|
Question: Martha Graham, born in 1894, was one of the most famous dancers and creators of dance, whose influence on dance has been compared with the influence Picasso had on the modern visual arts, Stravinsky had on music, or Frank Lloyd Wright had on architecture. She created almost two hundred dance pieces. She is often called the Mother of Modern Dance. Earlier in her life, however, Martha did not know that she would become a dancer. At that time, the dancers were looked down on. So Martha's parents didn't approve of her desire to dance at the beginning. Until 1916, she began her studies at the newly created Denishawn School of Dancing and Related Arts, founded by Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn, where Graham worked very hard to improve her ability to dance because she was considered too old to begin dancing. In 1936, Graham made her defining work, "Chronicle^, which signaled the beginning of a new era in modern dance. The dance brought serious issues to the stage for the general public in a dramatic manner. Influenced by the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the Great Depression that followed, and the Spanish Civil War, it focused on depression and isolation, reflected in the dark nature of both the set and costumes. Graham continued to dance past the age of seventy. Once again, she was met with criticism from people who came to watch her shows. But she didn't give up. Her last completed ballet was 1990's Maple Leaf Rag. "A Dancer's World" is an introduction to Graham and her work. She tells about her dances and her dance group shows some of their methods. Martha Graham received many awards during her lifetime, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in nineteen seventy-six. She was the -first dancer to receive the country's highest civilian honor. She died in 1991 at the age of ninety-six. In 1998, Time magazine listed her as the "Dancer of the Century" and as one of the most important people of the twentieth century. Why didn't Martha's parents approve of her desire to dance at first?
A. She was too old to learn American dance.
B. American dance was seen as a lower art form.
C. There was no academic school to teach dancing.
D. Her family was too poor to afford her tuition.
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: In one way of thinking, failure is part of life. In another way, failure may be a way towards success. The "spider-story" is often told. Robert Bruce, leader of the Scots in the 13th century, was hiding in a cave from the English. He watched a spider making a web . The spider tried to reach across a rough place in the rock. He tried six times. On the seventh time he made it and went on to make his web. Bruce is said to have been encouraged by this and to have gone on to defeat the English. Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, made hundreds of models that failed before he found the right way to make one. Once he was asked why he kept on trying to make a new type of battery when he had failed so often, he replied, "Failure? I have no failure. Now I know 50,000 ways it won't work." So what? First, always think about your failure. What caused it? Were conditions right? Were you in top form yourself? What can you change so things will go right next time? Second, is the goal you're trying to reach the right one? Try to do some thinking about what your real goals may be. Think about this question, "If I do succeed in this, where will it get me?" This may help you prevent failure in things you shouldn't be doing anyway. The third thing to keep in mind about failure is that it's a part of life. Learn to "live with yourself" even though you may have failed. Even if we have failed we should _ .
A. learn to forget it
B. learn to remember it
C. learn to enjoy it
D. learn to accept it
Answer: D
|
mmlu
|
Question: The food in America is different from (......) that in China. The American people eat a lot of potatoes. They like to eat them every day. They often eat bread. They eat it with cheese, butter or jam . Cheese and butter are made from milk. The American people drink a lot of milk. They put it in the tea. They also drink coffee. And they like meat or fish with vegetables. After the meal, they have something sweet,it's dessert. After the meal, they like to have _ .
A. apples
B. dessert
C. pizza
D. oranges
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: Although Zhang Bichen, a 25-year-old songstress with a powerful yet delicate voice, took the crown of this year's The Voice of China, runner-up Parhat Halik, 32, seems to have impressed more of the audience with his husky , natural and, most of all, distinguished sound. Despite his unmistakable voice, Parhat Halik's music is also special. Generally, it's rock -- but influenced and mixed by different styles within the genre. Read on and find out where Halik's music gets its inspiration. Blues rock Representative artists: Guns N' Roses, The Rolling Stones, John Maye Blues rock combines improvisation with rock 'n' roll style. It began to develop in the mid-1960s in Britain and the US, when rock bands such as the Rolling Stones experimented with music from older African-American blues musicians. It borrows the idea of instrumental combo from blues but is played at a faster tempo and louder volume, distinguishing it from the blues. The sound is created with the electric guitar, piano, bass and drums. As the root for several contemporary rock styles, such as heavy metal and hard rock, blues rock had a rebirth in the early 2000s, with artists including John Mayer and The Black Keys. Folk rock Representative artists: Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, The Byrds As the name indicates, folk rock is a genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. Also developed in the mid-1960s, folk rock was pioneered by the US band The Byrds, who began playing traditional folk music and Bob Dylan-penned material with rock instruments, in a style heavily influenced by The Beatles and other British bands. The genre was most popular among teenagers and college students at the time, because it includes both rock 'n' roll's free spirit and the more serious, culturally authentic and socially aware sounds of folk music. Soft rock Representative artists: Bryan Adams, Eagles, Elton John, James Blunt Compared to hard rock's loud and aggressive nature, soft rock, or light rock, uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer and less threatening sound. Derived from folk rock, it uses acoustic instruments and puts more emphasis on melody and harmony. Although the genre gets quite a bad name among hardcore rock fans, who see it as "wimpy" , it doesn't mean soft rock is without merit . Soft rock songs often deal with themes like romantic relationships and everyday life in a thoughtful and complex way hard rock simply couldn't. We can learn from the passage that _ .
A. the Rolling Stones ignored African-American musicians' work
B. soft rock focus more on melody and culture awareness
C. blues rock gained a second birth in the 2000s
D. all the three rock styles developed in America
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Qi Haoran, a Junior One student, was quite busy over the past winter vacation - and not just with homework.Qi, together with 10 other classmates made a volunteer group to call on people to join the Clean Your Plate Campaign . The 11 students went to many restaurants and told people the importance of saving food. "Excuse me, do you know that 950 million people around the world still haven't got enough to eat? Could you please not waste food?" They would say this kind of thing hundreds of times every day. The Clean Your Plate Campaign began on the Internet in January.It _ people to reduce food waste. China in these years had serious problems with wasted food.CCTV reported in January that the food Chinese people waste every year is enough to feed 200 million people for a year. Chinese people are well known for being hospitable and generous.Many even feel that they lose face if their guests have eaten all their food. Luckily the campaign has got the support of many.In a restaurant in Xinjiang, the owner gives the guests who have eaten up all that they ordered a sticker.People can enjoy a free meal when they have 10 stickers.More than 750 restaurants in Beijing have begun to offer smaller dishes and encourage their guests to take leftovers home. To reduce food waste is a big task, and it needs time.It's important that everyone does their bit, just like Qi.Did you finish your meals today? What did the restaurant in Beijing do to support the campaign?
A. It encouraged customers to take leftovers home.
B. It gave stickers to the guests who ordered small dishes.
C. The owner would have dinner with those who had eaten up their food.
D. It offered a free meal to the guests who had finished all their food ten times.
Answer: A
|
mmlu
|
Question: Cocoa Beach /Jupiter Surf Camp -- Summer Summer Surf Camp is centrally located on the Best Western seashore in Cocoa Beach & Jupiter at Carlin Beach Park with accommodations at the Holiday Inn Express in Juno Beach. Summer Surf Camp Dates: * Surf Camp -- Session 1 May 27th--30th Family Surf Week (All Ages) * Surf Camp -- Session 2 June 2nd--6th Family Surf Week (All Ages) * Surf Camp -- Session 3 June9th--13th Teen Week (Ages 12--17) * Surf Camp -- Session 4 June16th--20th Family Surf Week (All Ages) * Surf Camp -- Session 5 June23rd--27th Adults Only (18 and over) * Surf Camp -- Session 6 June30th--July 3rd Family Surf Week (All Ages) * Surf Camp -- Session 7 July 7th--11th Family Surf Week (All Ages) * Surf Camp -- Session 8 July 14th--18th Women's Camp (18 and over) *Surf Camp -- Session 9 July 21st--25th Family Surf Week (All Ages) * Surf Camp -- Session 10 July 28th--August 1st Adults Only (18 and over) * A 20% discount will be applied to the 4-Day Surf Camp Weeks. * Parents are always welcome to sign up and join their children during the teen week surf camp sessions. Summer Camp Details: * Use coupon code: "CAMP5" at checkout to get the 5% discount * Daily Rate: $125.00 / person * Surf Camp Runs: 9:30 a.m. -- 2:30 p.m. *Please note: We don't supervise the campers after 2: 45 p.m. * Directions to Camp: click here What can we know from the form?
A. The campers are supervised all day.
B. A couple can sign up and join in the Camp by fax.
C. Parents can take part in Session 3 together with their children.
D. An adult can join in the Summer Surf Camp on any day in June.
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Have you ever heard the story of the four-minute miles? Many years ago, people believed that it was impossible for a human Being to run a mile in less than four minutes until Roger Banister proved it wrong in 1954. What happens if you put an animal in a pond? Any animal, big or small, will swim its way through. What happens when someone, who doesn't know how to swim, falls in deep waters? They drown. If an animal who has not learnt swimming could escape by swimming, why not you? Because you believe you will drown while the animal doesn't. Have you ever wondered why the letters are organized in a particular order on your keyboard? You might have thought it is to increase the typing speed. Most people never question it. But the fact is that this system was developed to reduce the typing speed at a time when typewriter parts would jam if the operator typed too fast. These three cases show the power of our beliefs. There is no other more powerful directing force in human behavior than belief. Your beliefs have the power to create and to destroy. A belief delivers command to your nervous system. I used a snake in my workshops for children to show them how unrealistic some of their beliefs are. Students of a school in India, said snakes are slippery and slimy and poisonous. After doing an exercise for changing beliefs, they handled my snake and found it to be dry and clean. They also remembered that only three types of poisonous snakes exist in India. Did this story end the way you thought? Review your beliefs now and find out which ones you need to change? The main idea of this passage should be that _ .
A. Beliefs are very powerful.
B. Beliefs make us seem stupid.
C. Changing your beliefs now is necessary.
D. People should always believe in themselves.
Answer: A
|
mmlu
|
Question: There are seven days in a week. They are Sunday, Monday, Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Most children go toschool from Monday to Friday. Most people don't work on Saturday orSunday and most shops are closed in England on Saturday and Sunday. But in China shops are open every day. Sunday is always a holiday.Some people go to church on that day. The time between Fridayevening and Monday morning is the weekend. It is time for rest. Wedon't work all the time. We have to rest from time to time. We rest overthe weekend. We have _ on the weekend.
A. to work
B. a good rest
C. lessons
D. time
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: "Everything happens for the best," my mother said whenever things weren't going my way. "Don't worry, one day your luck will change." Mother was right, as I discovered after I had finished my college education. I had decided to try for a job in radio. One day, I wanted to host a sports program. I went to Chicago and knocked on the door of every station. But I got turned down every time. In one station, a kind lady said my problem was that I hadn't got enough experience. " Get some work with a small station and work your way up," she said. I went back home. I couldn't get a job there, either. Then my dad told me a businessman had opened a store and needed someone to help him. But again, I didn't get the job. I felt really down. " Your luck will change," Mom said to me. Dad lent me the car to help me to look for my job. I tried another radio station in Iowa. But the owner, a nice man, told me he had already had someone. As I left his office, I asked, "How can someone be a sports announcer if he can't get a job in a radio station?" I was waiting for the lift when I heard the man call. " What did you mean? Do you know anything about football?" He put me in front of a microphone and asked me to try to imagine that I was giving my opinion on a football game, I succeeded. On my way home, Mom's words came back to me, "One day your luck will change, Son. And when it happens, it'll feel doubly good because of all the hard work you've had." At that moment I knew what just what she meant. What's the best title of this passage?
A. Mother's words
B. Everything Happens For The Best
C. No One Is Always Lucky
D. To Find A Job In Radio Is Difficult
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: In England recently three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop and waited. About five minutes later, the bus they wanted came along. They were just going to get on when suddenly there was a loud noise behind them. People rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way. Someone shouted at them. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreigners seem all at sea and looked embarrassed . No one had told them about the British custom of lining up for a bus that the first person who arrives at the bus stop is the first person to get on the bus . Learning the language of a country isn't enough. If you want to have a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your host country. You will probably be surprised just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, you might see a man shaking his head at another to show that he doesn't agree. But in many parts of India a shake of the head means agreement. Nodding your head when you are given a drink in Bulgaria will most probably leave you thirsty. In that country, you shake your head to mean 'yes'-- a nod means 'no'. At a meal in countries on the Arabic Peninsula, you will find that your glass is repeated refilled as soon as you drink up. If you think that you have had enough, you should take the cup or glasses in your hand and give it a little shake from side to side or place your hand over the top. In Europe it's quite usual to cross your legs when you are sitting talking to someone even at an important meeting. Doing this in Thailand, however, could bring about trouble. Also, you should try to avoid touching the head of an adult ----it's just not done in Thailand . Which statement is TRUE according to the passage?
A. If you want to have a pleasant journey in a foreign country, you only need to learn the language of the country.
B. In India it is considered polite to touch an adult's head.
C. To cross one's legs at an important meeting in Europe is a common habit.
D. In Bulgaria, if you don't want to drink, you should cover the cup with your hand.
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: One day, a middle school teacher comes into the classroom and says to his students: "Today I want you to write about yesterday's football match. I'm going to take your exercise books home with me. Now please begin. " The students all take out their pens and exercise books and begin to write. A boy called Tom thinks hard. At first he doesn't write down a word. But five minutes later, he finishes. He stands up and looks at the teacher. The teacher asks, "What is the matter, Tom?" "I have finished, "sir," says the boy. "Well, give me your book." The boy goes to the teacher and gives him the exercise book. The teacher opens it and reads: "Rain, no match. " Tom is _ to give the exercise book to the teacher..
A. the third
B. the last
C. the first
D. the second
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Now more and more people communicate by sending messages with mobile phones, sending e-mails or even chatting on line. How about our pen, pencil or paper? Which one do you think is easier and more convenient, handwriting or texting ? Today, texting is the most common way of communication, even among young students. People don't write letters anymore. They usually send e-mails to their friends. From texting to e-mails, it seems like keyboard are _ the good old pencil and paper. As a result, many students are poor in handwriting. Some even don't know how to write normal words we often use. In order to improve students handwriting skills, the British government recently decided to open handwriting lessons in middle schools. The British government hopes the students will be able to learn how to write business and personal letters properly at any length . The students will also be taught different kinds of writings. They will also learn to use correct spelling, punctuations and grammar. The handwriting lessons will begin in 2014. Why don't you practice handwriting and write letters to your family and friends to surprise them? Which is the most common way of communication among young students today?
A. Writing letters
B. Texting
C. Making telephone calls
D. Making appointments
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: Vanatsaya Viseskul, a sweet-voiced, round-faced 16-year-old Thai singer, whose name, at the moment, is inextricably linked with the late Teresa Teng, a singer from Taiwan whose love songs gained her wide fame across Asia, sat on a chair in a dressing room of a theater in Beijing. Viseskul was preparing for her performance at a gala by China Oriental Performing Arts Group, one of the country's most prestigious performing arts groups, which has official support. It was beyond doubt that she was expecting that her debut for this great group would be a success for her career. Titled Oriental Love, the gala, which was staged from Dec. 14 to 17 at Mei Lanfang Grand Theater, showcased music and dances from more than 10 countries. Viseskul, representing Thailand, performedTheMoonRepresentsMyHeart, one of Teng's most famous ballads, which is also one of the favorite songs of the young Thai singer. The romance conveyed by this famous song has been attracting millions of people who have ever heard it and it will by no means be forgotten by them. It is Viseskul's first public performance after participating in the popular reality TV show, the fourth season ofTheVoiceofChina, which was aired by Zhejiang Satellite TV from July to October. In this program Viseskul began to be known by the Chinese audience and they were amazed at the similarity of her appearance to that of Teng. During the show, sheperformed Teng's popular hits. Thanks to her voice, singing style as well as her image, which resembles the legendary Teng, Viseskul gained overnight fame, though she didn't win the competition at last. However, it seemed that her life did become different after the reality show. With nearly 100,000 followers on her Sina Weibo account, Viseskul was recognized by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Tourism Authority of Thailand for her contribution to promoting a positive image of Thailand in China at the competition. Viseskul talks slowly and softly in fluent Chinese. It's easy to forget that she is just 16 because of her smile and calmness on and off the stage. Born in a small village of Kamphaeng Phet, Viseskul was fond of singing from the time she was 3. At 7, she listened to Teng's songs for the first time after her parents traveled back from Hong Kong, bringing home the CDs of the singer. You can hardly imagine her enthusiasm about them when spotting and listening to them. "The moment I listened to her songs, I felt so familiar. Though I couldn't speak any Chinese, I learned the songs fast. Since then, I hoped to visit China and become a singer,"she says, adding that she likes Chinese songs, especially those from the 1970s and 1980s. Many of her friends and s showed great puzzlement and they just couldn't make out why she was so crazy about Chinese music. In 2014, Viseskul was admitted into the affiliated high school of the China Conservatory of Music. Now, she is studying at an international school in Beijing, focusing on learning Chinese. She also has other plans, such as furthering her studies in Japan or South Korea. However challenging it may be for her to become a superstar, she is determined to carry on regardless of any obstacles she may encounter in the future. When did Viseskul begin to show her interest in Chinese music?
A. When her parents brought back home some CDs.
B. When she first had the chance to listen to music.
C. When she became a member of a music group.
D. When people found she was much like Teng.
Answer: A
|
mmlu
|
Question: What are feelings for? Most nonscientists will find it a strange question. Feelings justify themselves. Emotions give meaning and depth to life. They exist without serving any other purposes. On the other hand, many evolutionary biologists acknowledge some emotions primarily for their survival function. For both animals and humans, fear motivates the avoidance of danger, love is necessary to care for the young, and anger prepares one to hold ground. But the fact that a behavior functions to serve survival need not mean that. Other scientists have regarded the same behavior as conditioning and learned responses. Certainly reflexes and fixed action patterns can occur without feeling or conscious thought. A baby seagull pecks at a red spot on the bill of its parent. The seagull parent feeds its baby when pecked on the bill and the baby gets fed. The interaction need have no emotional content. At the same time, there is no reason why such actions cannot have emotional content. In mammals that have given birth including humans, milk is often released automatically when a new baby cries. This is not under intended control but it is reflex. Yet this does not mean that feeding a new baby is exclusively reflex and expresses no feeling like love. Humans have feelings about their behavior even if it is conditioned or reflexive. Yet since reflexes exist and conditioned behavior is widespread, measurable, and observable, most scientists try to explain animal behavior by using only these concepts. It is simpler. Preferring to explain behavior in ways that fit science's methods most easily, scientists have refused to consider any causes for animal behavior other than reflexive and conditioned ones. Scientific orthodoxy holds that what cannot be readily measured or tested cannot exist, or is unworthy of serious attention. But emotional explanations for animal behavior need not be impossibly complex or unstable. They are just more difficult for the scientific method to check on in the usual ways, so cleverer and more skillful approaches are called for. Most branches of science are more willing to make successive evaluation of what may prove ultimately unknowable, rather than ignoring it altogether. What is the author's main purpose of writing this passage?
A. To illustrate that emotions are worth our attention.
B. To compare human emotions with animal emotions.
C. To discuss the importance and usefulness of emotions.
D. To explain what reflexive and conditioned behaviors are.
Answer: A
|
mmlu
|
Question: According to the National Retail Federation, we spend a record of $18.6 billion on Mother's Day gifts every year that works out to about $152 per mom. If you're looking to step up your gift-giving game, here are a few fun ideas. Of course, your mom will love you no matter what, but a nice gift wouldn't hurt! J. Crew's Poppy King Lipstick, $18.00 Bright color1s are the trend for summer. But if your mom isn't ready for a head-to-toe Technicolor1 look, she can still be on trend with J. Crew's Poppy King lipstick. Called as the "perfect shade" for all skin types, the bright coral is sure to bring a smile to her lips. Standard Phone Case, $ 30. 00 A color1ful case for mom's phone is in fashion and practical. Boutiqueme. net offers a variety of styles and color1s including several ones which can be "mom-o-grammed" with her initials . NOOK Simple Touch With GlowLight, $139.00 In recognition of all the bedtime stories she read to you, why not give mom the perfect e-reader for reading in bed? The NOOK Simple Touch With GlowLight is the first and only e-reader designed specifically for reading in bed. Then Again, by Diane Keaton, published by Random House, $ 26. 00 hardcover/$16. 00 paperback Then Again, a memoir from actress Diane Keaton, is her version of I Remember Mama. One reviewer says that it is a "far-reaching, heartbreaking, ly easily understandable book about mothers, daughters, childhood, aging, joyfulness, love, work.., and show business, too." Standard Phone Case can be bought _ .
A. in real shops
B. by telephone
C. on the Internet
D. in supermarkets
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: As a boy growing up in India, I had longed to travel abroad. I used to listen to the stories my father would tell me about his stay in Canada and tours to Europe in the 1970s, with great interest. My big moment finally came in the summer of 1998 when I was able to accompany my parents to Europe, where my father was to attend a meeting. We planned to travel to Belgium, Netherlands and West Germany. I have clear memories even today of going to Mumbai airport at night all excited about finally going abroad. I had heard several great things about Lufthansa till then but now I finally got to experience them first hand, during the flight to Frankfurt. We flew business class and even today I can remember the excellent service by the Lufthansa crew . The flight was really smooth and thoroughly enjoyable, even for someone like me, who is especially afraid of flying. After spending almost two weeks in Europe, we took the Lufthansa airport express from Dusseldorf to Frankfurt airport, for our return flight. What a journey that was! All along the Rhine , it was simply an unforgettable experience. I had a sombre feeling on the flight back to Mumbai as it marked the end of a wonderful vacation, but the Lufthansa crew members were able to change it into a most enjoyable experience yet again, with the quality of their service. Being the first airline to take me abroad, Lufthansa will always hold a special place in my heart. Even today,I continue to enjoy flights on Lufthansa and simply cannot dream of choosing any other airline. Flying, in general,for me,has always been a terrible and painful experience.Flying on Lufthansa,however, is something I always have and always will look forward to. ks5u Which of the following is true about the author's trip to Europe in 1998?
A. The author traveled with one of his parents.
B. Both their going and return were by air.
C. They traveled in spring that year.
D. They stayed in Europe for nearly two months.
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: Here's an amazing way to get a hard-boiled egg into a bottle, even though the mouth of the boiled is smaller than the egg! What's more, you don't even need to touch the egg to get it to go in! For this experiment you will need: *a hard-boiled egg *a glass bottle with a mouth just slightly smaller than the egg (a fruit-drink bottle works well) *a 8-cm by 8-cm(3-inch by 3-inch)piece of newspaper *a match Remove the shell from the egg. Set the egg on the mouth of the bottle to see that the egg does not fit through the mouth. Light the paper. Remove the egg from the mouth of the bottle and drop the burning paper into the bottle. Before the fire goes out, set the egg back onto the mouth of the bottle. Within a few seconds the egg will squeeze through the mouth and into the bottle. As it entered the bottle, the egg may have broken into pieces. This happens when the diameter of the egg is more than about 0.5 cm(about 3/16 inch) larger than the diameter of the bottle's opening. Why does the egg slide into the bottle, even though no one is pushing it? Because the pressure of the air is pushing it. Before the burning paper is put into the bottle, the pressure of the air inside is the same as outside. The burning paper, however, heats the air inside. This causes the air inside to expand. When the egg is placed on top of the bottle, it seals the bottle. When the fire goes out, the air inside cools. As it cools, the air contracts , and the pressure of the air inside becomes less than the pressure outside. Then, the higher outside pressure pushes the egg into the bottle! What don't you need in this experiment?
A. Eggs.
B. Water.
C. Bottles.
D. Paper.
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: I've been writing for most of my life. The book Writing Without Teachers introduced me to one distinction and one practice that has helped my writing processes tremendously. The distinction is between the creative mind and the critical mind. While you need to employ both to get to a finished result, they cannot work in parallel no matter how much we might like to think so. Trying to criticize writing on the fly is possibly the single greatest barrier to writing that most of us encounter. If you are listening to that 5th grade English teacher correct your grammar while you are trying to capture a fleeting thought, the thought will die. If you capture the fleeting thought and simply share it with the world in raw form, no one is likely to understand. You must learn to create first and then criticize if you want to make writing the tool for thinking that it is. The practice that can help you past your learned bad habits of trying to edit as you write is what Elbow calls "free writing." In free writing, the objective is to get words down on paper non-stop, usually for 15-20 minutes. No stopping, no going back, no criticizing. The goal is to get the words flowing. As the words begin to flow, the ideas will come from the shadows and let themselves be captured on your notepad or your screen. Now you have raw materials that you can begin to work with using the critical mind that you've persuaded to sit on the side and watch quietly. Most likely, you will believe that this will take more time than you actually have and you will end up staring blankly at the pages as the deadline draws near. Instead of staring at a blank start filling it with words no matter how bad. Halfway through your available time, stop and rework your raw writing into something closer to finished product. Move back and forth until you run out of time and the final result will most likely be far better than your current practices. What prevents people from writing on is _ .
A. putting their ideas in raw form
B. ignoring grammatical soundness
C. attempting to edit as they write
D. trying to capture fleeting thoughts
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Hi, everybody. Over the past couple months, most of the political headlines you've read have probably been about the government shutdown and the launch of the Affordable Care Act . And I know that many of you have rightly never been more frustrated with Washington. But if you look beyond those headlines, there are some good things happening in our economy. And that's been my top priority since the day I walked into the Oval Office. After decades in which the middle class was working harder and harder just to keep up, and a punishing recession that made it worse, we made the tough choices required not just to recover from crisis, but to rebuild on a new foundation for stronger, more durable economic growth. Five years later, we have fought our way back. Our businesses have created 7.8 million new jobs in the past 44 months. Another 200,000 Americans went back to work last month. The American auto industry has come back with more than 350,000 new jobs --- jobs putting out and selling the high-tech, fuel-efficient cars the world wants to buy. And they're leading the charge in a business that has added jobs for the first time since the 1990s --- a big reason why our businesses sell more goods and services "Made in America" than ever before. We decided to stop our addiction to foreign oil. And today, we produce more renewable energy than ever, more natural gas than anybody, and for the first time in nearly 20 years, America now produces more oil than we buy from other countries. We decided to fix a broken health care system. And even though the task has been rough, so far, about 500,000 Americans gain health coverage starting January 1st. And by the way, health care costs are growing at the slowest rate in 50 years. And one more thing: since I took office, we've cut our deficits by more than half. And that makes it easier to invest in the things that create jobs --- education, research, and so on. Imagine how much farther along we could be if both parties were working together. Think about what we could do if the few didn't hold the economy hostage every few months, or waste time on dozens of votes to _ the Affordable Care Act rather than try to help us fix it. In the weeks ahead, I'll keep talking about my plan to build a better bargain for the middle class. Good jobs. A good education. A chance to buy a home, save, and retire. And yes, the financial security of affordable health care. And I'll look for any willing partners who want to help. Because of your hard work and tough sacrifices over the past five years, we're pointed in the right direction. But we've got more work to do to keep moving that way. And as long as I'm President, I'll keep doing everything I can to create jobs, grow the economy, and make sure that everyone who works hard has a chance to get ahead. Thanks, and have a great weekend. Why does the president mention more goods and services "Made in America"?
A. To show that American goods and services are very popular.
B. To indicate that American people should be dependent on themselves.
C. To show that the employment rate has been increased.
D. To show that American auto industry enjoys high technology.
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Sports are all about change. A team gets better. A kid practices more and swims a personal best or learns a new move on the basketball court. In 2006, two things happened that got me thinking about change--in sports and in life. One of them is tennis champion Andre Agassi, who retired in 2006. Agassi was a terrific player who won 60 titles, including eight major championships . But his greatest accomplishment might have been how much he changed during his career. When he was young, Agassi was a show off who seemed to care only about himself. He didn't train very hard, but he won matches because of his tremendous talent. Eventually, though, injuries and his bad attitude caught up with him. He fell from No.1 in the world ranking to No.141. So Agassi changed. He trained harder and became a world-class player again. More importantly, he changed as a person. He was nicer to fans and opponents . He stopped thinking just about himself and started thinking about others. Through his Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation, he raised more than $60 million to help disadvantaged kids around his hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada. He even started a school, the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, for at-risk kids. At the start of a new year, lots of people promise themselves they will change. They might _ to get in good physical shape, do better in school or be nicer to others. Changes such as those can be difficult. But they do happen. Just remember Andre Agassi: It wasn't easy, but he changed, and changed for the better. What do you know about Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation?
A. It is intended to help at-risk kids.
B. It is a charity school set up by Agassi.
C. Some disadvantaged kids can get help from it.
D. Agassi runs it with his prize money.
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Tim and Li Fang are not going to have any classes next week. They're going to work on a farm. They are going to leave at about seven thirty on Monday morning. They are going to travel to the farm by bus. They are going to wear old clothes because they are going to grow rice. They are going to have fish for lunch. They are also going to have a swim at the farm. Tim and Li Fang are excited about going to the farm. Not only are they going to help around the farm, they are going to learn about farming. Li Fang is worried that Tim won't arrive on time to catch the bus because he is nearly always late. Li Fang often has to say to him, "Don't be late, Tim." How are they going to the farm?
A. By bike.
B. On foot.
C. By bus
D. By car.
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: China Youth says that more and more girl students have entered colleges to study in recent few years. As we know, once the number of boys was larger than that of girls, and the boys did much better than girls in our country for a long time. Now things have changed a lot. In recent years, the proportion of girl students is growing fast. In 1998, about 39.7% of college students were girls. In 2000, it was 41.07% and in 2001, the number was 42.14%. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, there is little difference between boys and girls in their intelligence . That's to say, girls are as clever as boys. And boys have more interests than girls, so they may not do well in their study. Secondly, girls are more careful and more sensible than boys. They work harder at school and they do better in all exams. Another reason is that with the development of society, people pay more and more attention to girls' education. The writer gave us _ reasons to explain the question.
A. two
B. three
C. four
D. five
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: Some people bring out the best in you in a way that you might never have fully realized on your own. My mom was one of those people. My father died when I was nine months old, making my mom a single mother at the age of eighteen. While I was growing up, we lived a very hard life. We had little money, but my mom gave me a lot of love. Each night, she sat me on her lap and spoke the words that would change my life, "Kemmons, you are certain to be a great man and you can do anything in life if you work hard enough to get it." At fourteen, I was hit by a car and the doctors said I would never walk again. Every day,my mother spoke to me in her gentle,loving voice, telling me that no matter what those doctors said, I would walk again if I want to badly enough. She drove that message so deep into my heart that I finally believed her.A year I returned to school--walking on my own ! When the Great Depression hit, my mom lost her job. Then I left school to support the both of us. At that moment, I was determined never to be poor again. Over the years, I experienced various levels of business success. But the real turning point occurred on a vacation I took with my wife and five kids in1951. I was dissatisfied with the second-class hotels available for families and was angry that they charged an extra $2 for each child. That was too expensive for the average American family. I told my wife that I was going to open a motel for families that would never charge extra for children. There were plenty of doubters at that time. Not surprisingly, Mom was one of my strongest supporters. She worked behind the desk and even designed the room style. As in any business,we experienced a lot of challenges. But with my mother's words deeply rooted in my soul, I never doubted we would succeed.Fifteen years later,we had the largest hotel system in the world--Holiday Inn. In 1979 my company had 1759 inns in more than fifty countries with an income of $1billion a year. You may not have started out life in the best situations. But if you can find a task in life worth working for and believe in yourself, nothing can stop you. According to the author, who played the most role in making him walk back to school again?
A. Doctors
B. Nurses
C. Friends
D. Mom
Answer: D
|
mmlu
|
Question: Read the following three passages.Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements.For each of them there are 4 choices marked A, B, C and D.Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage. The River Thames was once described as "biologically dead". A waterway polluted with so much industrial waste that no wildlife could survive in it. But today it has become a thriving natural habitat and a team of conservationists restoring the famous river have been offered a top environment award for their work. Ncarly 40 miles of the river have been improved in the last five years through almost 400 Environment Agency restoration projects. As a result, the river is now home to some 125 species of fish, while many others are returning. The river mouth supports shellfisheries and is a nursery ground for bass stocks, and the water quality of the Thames has improved. Alastair Driver, the Environment Agency's national conservation manager, said that in the last 150 years, the Thames had been polluted seriously and that it had taken thousands of people decades to restore it to its current condition. "Strict regulations for polluting industries and our work with farmers, businesses and water companies to reduce pollution and improve water quality have helped to make the Thames a living river once again." But he warned that the river's recovery was still " _ ", since it was under the pressure from a growing population and climate change. He said advanced projects and cooperation with various people and organizations aim at dealing with the problems the Thames faces and ensuring it still a famous river for many centuries to come. Actor, David Suchet, a skillful boater and chairman of the River Thames Alliance, said, "I am fortunate in my life to have traveled widely and enjoyed many other rivers worldwide. But the River Thames is priceless and it is one of the most glittering jewels in the crown of our English heritage." Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, said, "The Thames is one of our most precious resources, so I am excited to see that efforts to improve and preserve its good health are being praised on the world stage." The PS 220,000 prize, awarded at the International Rive Symposium in Australia, will go to the Thames Rivers Restoration Trust. Which one of the following statements is NOT true?
A. The River Thames h as become a nursery ground now.
B. The River Thames has been a well-known river in England.
C. Many agencies took part in the restoration projects on the River Thames.
D. The River Thames was once polluted by industrial waste.
Answer: A
|
mmlu
|
Question: There once lived in China a very foolish king and queen. One day the queen had a baby daughter. When they saw their baby, they both cried out, "My goodness! How small it is! It's hairless and toothless! It's a monster!" They sent for all the doctors in the country and ordered them to prepare some medicine for her. "When she drinks your medicine, she must grow to the right size and have hair and teeth," the king said, "If you don't do this, you'll have a beating." The doctors thought it impossible, but they dared not say anything against the king's order. Just then and old doctor stepped forward. "Oh, we shall certainly obey your order," he said, "but it takes time. We have to dig a mineral from the Kun Lun Mountains when the snow melts for the second time. The snow melts on those mountains only once in six years. So we need twelve years." At last the king agreed and the doctors took away the little princess. On her twelfth birthday, they brought her back to her parents with long black hair and beautiful teeth. The king and queen were very happy and gave the doctors expensive presents. _ the king wouldn't have given them expensive presents.
A. Had the doctors not brought back a beautiful girl
B. If the doctors hadn't found the minerals
C. Had the doctors not been able to prepare the magic medicine?
D. If the daughter were still a monster twelve years later
Answer: D
|
mmlu
|
Question: Some years ago, I went to Australia for a meeting with my friend, Chris. We decided to drive across country to Brisbane to visit another friend after the meeting ended. The first day we were excited and laughed at each other's jokes. By the third day of driving in the endless desert, we began to get bored. We had been quiet for a few hours when suddenly Chris saw some kangaroos. We were both excited and decided to get a closer look. Chris _ to catch up with the kangaroos. We got closer and closer, and Chris was doing 110 kilometers per hour. We were very close to the kangaroos--too close--when we heard a loud BANG! Chris stopped the car and we got out. Behind the car was a large kangaroo lying still on the ground. Chris went over to the kangaroo and put his baseball cap on its head. He took off his sunglasses and put them on the kangaroo and did the same with his jacket. Then he put his arm around the kangaroo and told me to take a photo of them together. I was still in shock, but I took out my camera. While I was taking the photo, I saw the kangaroo move. It suddenly woke up, looked at Chris, and jumped away into the distance before we could do anything. I started laughing but Chris looked very serious. He said his purse and passport were in the jacket. I started laughing even harder. I stopped laughing, however, when he said our car keys were also in the jacket. What can you most probably conclude from the last sentence of the passage?
A. The kangaroo drove their car away.
B. They had to walk in the endless desert.
C. Chris had another key to the car.
D. The writer should buy a new jacket for Chris.
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: Carnival does not take place only in Louisiana. There are many celebrations around the world. In Brazil, the celebration is supposed to go on from the Saturday before Mardi Gras to Mardi Gras Day, but in some Brazilian cities the celebration can last seven or eight days. Just like New Orleans, not many important things are decided in Brazil from New Year's Day to Mardi Gras Day because everyone is preparing for or celebrating carnival. Most Brazilian parades have a subject, which could be political and historical. The parades had to have a subject related to Brazil until 1996. Some cities in Brazil do not have a street carnival but they might have an indoor ball. Bolivia has carnival parades for children and then more parades for adults. The children dress up in costumes and march in the streets. The adults make traditional dance groups and dance in the streets. But the main part of Bolivia's carnival is getting wet. Almost everyone gets wet from water balloons and water buckets. In Oruru, Bolivia, their carnival is held in the last ten days of the carnival season. People there participate in crafts and dancing, but their main carnival event is a ceremonial parade that lasts for twenty hours and parades for four kilometers. Over 20,000 dancers are involved as well as 10,000 musicians. This parade attracts at least 400,000 people. The carnival in Venice, Italy is often regarded as the most carefully prepared carnival and lasts the ten days before Lent . Many events are held in the canals including shows, concerts, dances, and water processions . The official ending to the celebration is the ball held in St. Mark's Square. The most important feature of the celebration of carnival in Bolivia is that _ .
A. children wearing costumes march in the streets
B. adult dance groups dance in the streets
C. people participate in crafts and dancing
D. nearly all people are sprayed with water
Answer: D
|
mmlu
|
Question: When people talk of a virus these days, chances are that they are talking about computer virus that have the power wipe out all the valuable work people may have stored in their computers. Imagine, the virus has the power to make military systems, giant banks, airports, hospitals and traffic system come to stop! What does a computer virus do? It targets electronic objects that are programmed. The virus spreads through connections between these electronic objects. For virus spreading experts, e-mail is a favorite method of sending their destructive weapon. But scientists warn that this is not the worst that can happen. There is more. People are also connected through phones. The next virus may actually target mobile phones, especially those that are programmed to do many tasks apart from just communicating. It would then be easy for a virus to infect those programs and create major disorder. For example, these virus may have the power to record your phone conversations and make others hear them. They create problems with your electronic money accounts, or they could create a mountain of telephone bills for calls you never made. And that would be a disaster. A report on this was published in the New Scientist recently. One way out would be to have simpler phones with not so many different functions. This would mean there would mean there would be fewer programs for the virus to attack. But mobile phone producers are _ . People on longer want an electronic item to perform just one task. They want more and more functions added. That would mean more software programs to make the mobile phone perform all those functions. And that means the possibility of more viruses. Which of the following shows that your mobile phone is infected with a virus?
A. You can't hear the person who answers the phone clearly
B. You can't send e-mails with your mobile phone
C. your phone bill increases for unknown reasons
D. You can hear other people's phone conversations
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Today more and more people like to go shopping online . Wang Xing is one of them. Wang Xing is a writer in Beijing. She likes shopping online. She often shops on Taobao. Do you know Taobao? If you like shopping online, I am sure you know it. Taobao is China's biggest online shopping site . Taobao means "looking for treasure". People can find almost everything on Taobao, from clothes to books, from mobile phones to computers. Wang Xing says" My friends and I often go shopping online. First, because we don't like to go out very often. Second, because there are many goods on Taobao, and you can find everything you want to buy. Third, because the goods on Taobao are cheaper than those in the shopping malls." Taobao is _ .
A. a shopping mall
B. an online shopper
C. an online shopping site
D. a person
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Perhaps the most extraordinary building put up in the nineteenth century was the Crystal Palace which was built in Hyde Park for the Great Exhibition of 1851. The Crystal Palace was different from all the other buildings in the world, for it was made of iron and glass. It was one of the biggest buildings of all the time and a lot of people from many countries came to see it. Plenty of goods were sent to the exhibition from all parts of the world. There was also a great deal of machinery on show. Though in those days, traveling was not as easy as it is today, steamboats carried thousands of visitors across the Channel from Europe. On arriving in England, they were taken to the Crystal Palace by train. There were six million visitors in all, and the money from the exhibition was used to build museums and colleges. Later the Crystal Palace was moved to the South London. It remained one of the most famous buildings in the world until it was burnt down in 1936. The Crystal Palace was famous to all because _ .
A. it is the biggest building in the world
B. so many visitors had been there
C. it was made of iron and glass
D. it was burnt down at last
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: A good first impression is important. So, how do you, when you're meeting someone for the first time, make certain he or she doesn't get the wrong image of you? A study concluded that the first 30 seconds make or break the connection between two people when they meet for the first time. Another study conducted by UCLA found that "people evaluate one another by using the three V's: visual (appearance), vocal (voice) and verbal (what you say)." Before you head out on your next date to meet someone new, let's concentrate on these areas: *How others will see you. (Visual) Are you dressed well? Do you look like this date is important to you? Did you take some time with your appearance? Watch your manners: people don't like bad manners. *How others will hear you. (Vocal) Is your voice too soft? You might come across as insecure. If you speak softly, make an effort to speak clearly -- don't make your date have to work to hear you. *What others will hear you say. (Verbal) People have a natural desire to connect -- let them know you're interested in what they have to say by repeating it back to them. Don't say the same thing everyone else is saying. According to the text, when you want to make friends with someone, _ .
A. you should talk as much as possible
B. there is no need for you to treat it seriously
C. you should try to master the first few seconds
D. you should wear strange clothes to give him or her a deep impression
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: The westerners have more vacation days than us. Some people like to stay at home during their vacation. They work in the garden, visit their friends, read books or watch television. Many families take their lunch to a park or somewhere far from the city. They like to eat under some trees or near a nice lake. If they live near the sea, they often go to the seaside. There they can fish, swim or enjoy the sun. The westerners like travelling. They think travelling and outdoor activities are the parts of their lives. They work hard to save money, but their main purpose is to travel. Most western students often make use of their vacation to camp. There are thousands of camp interesting bases in western countries. They can swim, go fishing, attend lectures, and take part in many other recreational activities there. It can help them wrest from the secrets of nature, train their viability , and teach them how to be self-reliant . Some westerners like to _ at home during their vacation.
A. clean their rooms
B. cook their meals
C. work in the garden and watch TV
D. go fishing
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Two years after the First World War (1914-1918), a small group of soldiers left the army and returned to their hometown in France. Most of them lived well, but one of them was poor. His name was Clinton. Once a year they had supper in Barton's house. Barton was very rich. One evening Barton showed his friends a large gold coin at the supper table. The coin was passed around and praised by everyone. At the same time they were talking and talking. They soon forgot about the coin. After supper, Barton asked for his coin, but nobody could tell where it was. It was lost. One man said that everyone must be searched. One by one they turned their pockets inside out. Only Clinton refused, however."I didn't steal the coin, and I will not be searched," he said.After that, people turned their heads away from Clinton when they met him. He grew poorer. Soon his wife died. A few years later, Barton had his house repaired. The lost coin was found under the floor. Barton felt sorry and went to Clinton to apologize. "But," he asked, "you knew the coin was not in your pocket. Why did you refuse to be searched?" "Because I was a thief," Clinton answered. "My pockets were full of food at that time. I had taken some food from the table to carry to my hungry wife and children." Everyone was to be searched because _ .
A. they were thieves
B. the gold coin was lost
C. Clinton stole the gold coin
D. they stole the gold coin
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: The Saturday Evening Post 2015 Great American Fiction Contest is underway! In its nearly three centuries of existence, The Saturday Evening Post , a bimonthly magazine, has published short fiction by a who's who of American authors including F.Scott Fitzgerald, William Faulkner, Anne Tyler, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.Ray Bradbury, Louis L'Amour, Sinclair Lewis, Jack London, and Edgar Allan Poe. You have the opportunity to join our excellent line - up by entering The Saturday Evening Post's Third Annual Create American Fiction Contest. The winning story will be published in the Jan/Feb 2015 edition of The Saturday Evening Post, and the author will receive a $ 500 payment.Five runners - up will each receive a $ 100 cash payment and will also have their stories published online. Submission Guidelines * Stories must be between l,500 and 5,000 words in length. * All stories must be submitted by the author, and previously unpublished(not including personal websites and blogs). * No extreme profanity or graphic sex scenes. * All stories must be submitted online in Microsoft Word format with the author's name, address, telephone number, and email address on the first page. *Entries should be character or plot - driven pieces in any genre of fiction. *Think local.The Post has historically played a role in defining what it means to be an American.Your story should in some way touch upon the publication' s mission: Celebrating; America, past, present, and future. * There is a $ 10 entry fee, which helps cover a portion of the cost of operating the contest. * All entries must be received electronically by July l, 2014. Click here to view the winners of the 2014 Great American Fiction Contest Click here to view the winners of the 2013 Great American Fiction Contest What do we know about the 2015 contest?
A. It will last until the end of 2014.
B. It will only allows famous writers to take part.
C. The participants can enter the contest for free.
D. Only the winning stories will be published in the magazine.
Answer: D
|
mmlu
|
Question: People often say that money talks. They mean that a person with a lot of money can say how he or she wants things done. But it is not easy to earn enough money to gain this kind of power. Ask anyone in business. They will tell you that it is a jungle out there. The expression probably began because a jungle is filled with wild animals and unknown dangers that threaten people. People in business have to be careful if they are to survive the jungle out there. They must not be led into making bogus investments. Bogus means something that is not real. Nobody is sure how the word got started. But it began to appear in American newspapers in the 1800s. A newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts, said the word came from a criminal whose name was Borghese. Borghese wrote checks to people although he did not have enough money in the bank. After he wrote the checks, he would disappear. So, people who were paid with his checks received nothing. The newspaper said Americans shortened and changed the criminal's name Borghese to Bogus. People trying to earn money must be also aware of the risk of being ripped off. A writer for a magazine said he first saw the expression used in 1971. It was on a sign that a student carried during a protest demonstration at a university. The message on the sign was that the student felt cheated. To be successful, a person in business works hard and tries to get down to brass tacks. This expression means to get to the bottom or the most important part of something. For example, a salesman may talk about his product without saying the price. You get down to brass tacks when you say, "it sounds good, but how much does it cost?" Word expert Charles Funk thinks the expression comes from sailors on ships. They clean the bottom of a boat. When they have removed all the dirt, they are down to the copper pieces that hold the ship together. So, if we get down to brass tacks, we can prevent rip-offs and bogus ways of earning money in that jungle out there. And, some good luck will help, too. My uncle is in a jungle out there, which means _ .
A. he will fight against wild animals
B. he is interested to go through a jungle
C. he will face many difficulties soon
D. he is a success in his own business
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: As the mobile phones so widely appear in our daily life, someone said it would be cool if you didn't have a mobile phone nowadays. It might be true to some extent, but as for an adult, a mobile means contact. It connects your work, relatives, friends, etc. It should do great deeds for us. Months ago, my uncle gave his dear son a phone, because my nephew's school is far from his home. He can only come back once a term, and the phones haven't been so expensive yet. However, someone has criticized the young people for playing on mobiles, but not using. They are fond of sending messages, taking pictures and so on. They buy expensive, high level and fashion types for showing. They play on the mobiles day in and day out ..... Holy cow! So, what happens to youngsters around you? Do they have a phone? What do they use it for? Do you think it's necessary for teenagers who are still in school to have a phone? POSTER 1: In my view, mobile phones are only a tool for communication purpose, just like any other tools which have the potential to be misused. In my opinion, I can see young people using it for security reason, emergency purpose, etc. If the parents can afford to pay big phone bills for their kids, well, that's their business, like the old saying goes, _ --- Mary Smith POSTER 2: From psychological point of view, teenagers are more likely to be relaxed or pleasure-oriented. They would like to make something different. Buying brands that are considered "COOL" is important to them. They want others to like and admire themselves, and sometimes, even exaggerate their own personality to show off. This can be seen as a kind of psychology during this certain range of age. --- Dick Gates Currently, people should tend to be more sociable, and age should not be seen as a barrier for teenagers to own their phones. They also need to set trends on the social circuit . But here parents should play an important role in controlling their children about how to use the phones more properly. We can learn from the first sentence of the passage that _ .
A. people admire those who don't have mobile phones
B. people don't like to have mobile phones nowadays
C. mobile phones are too popular among people now
D. mobile phones are not as useful as before
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Last month I had a health problem and had to see a doctor. After examining me, The doctor said to me, "The result isn't too bad ." But you must excise often and have healthy food every day. In fact, I'm a lazy person. I never get up early to exercise. And I often have junk food because I like it. In order to be healthy, I decided to change my lifestyle. Now I get up at 6:00 am every day. Then I go out to run for about an hour. I go to a gym on Wednesday and Saturday afternoon. And I hardly have junk food. I have healthy food, like milk and fish. I often eat vegetables and I have an apple every day. You know, " An apple a day keeps the doctor away " I also have about eight glasses of water. And I usually go to bed by ten. All these things make me healthy. What does "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" mean ?
A. The doctor goes away when he sees an apple.
B. The doctor runs away when you give him an apple.
C. If you eat an apple every day, you'll be healthy.
D. The doctor gives you an apple every day and then you don't need to see him.
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Running like the wind, roaring like thunder, tigers have long been feared and respected as a king of the animal world. But last week a report said that there are no more than 30 wild tigers left in south China. This was the conclusion of a team of scientists from China's State Forestry Administration and the World Nature Fund. The South China tiger, also known as the Chinese tiger, is native to southern China. In the 1950s, there were over 4,000 tigers found in mountain forests in the country. But due to the destruction of their natural habitat and uncontrolled hunting, it has been pushed on to the list of the world's top ten most endangered species. Sixty-six of the big cats can be found in the cages of a dozen zoos around China. But they are nothing like their wild cousins. They have lost their natural skills such as hunting and killing. If they were set free they could not look after themselves. "Breeding has damaged the quality of the species," said Pei Enle, deputy director of the Shanghai Zoo. To reintroduce the species into the wild, the country started a programme to send five to ten young tigers to South Africa. Four of them have already arrived. Progress has been made as two elder tigers have recovered some of their instincts and can hunt wild animals by themselves at the African base. "South Africans are very experienced in reintroducing big animals to the wild. The country has very good natural conditions for the tigers to learn in," said Lu Jun, office director of the National Wildlife Research and Development Centre. "We tried in Fujian Province, but it was not successful as there was not a complete eco-chain and there was a lack of space." The tigers should return to China in 2009 when the reservations in Fujian are ready. By saying " but they are nothing like their wild cousins", the writer means that _ .
A. they are no longer feared by other wild animals
B. they don't know how to hunt or kill
C. a complete change has resulted in the species because of breeding
D. to reintroduce them into the wild has become an urgent task
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: Which invention will best help people travel quickly to far away places?
A. car
B. boat
C. airplane
D. skateboard
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Look closely at ,your hands-are they clean? It doesn't matter how many times you was your hands. They're still crowded with microbes, which are also called "germs" or "bacteria". Microbes are everywhere. But don't worry-most microbes don't harm you. and many actually help you stay alive. Now, scientists say the microbes that live on our hands could be used in a surprising way: fighting crime. When police visit the scene of a crime, they often look for fingerprints to try to identifythe criminal. But according to a recent study, investigators could even use microbes to help break a criminal case. Every person has his or her own set of microbes that live on their hands, according to scientists at,the University of:Colorado. That means the mix of different kinds of microbes on everybody's hand is unique-much like one's fingerprint. The scientists wanted to know whether this microbe mix could be used as a new kind of fingerprint-especially in a crime scene where fingerprints might be hard to find. And policemen use forensics such as studying fingerprints to identify the criminal. "Microbe fingerprints are harder to hide," said Noah Fierer, one of the scientists. "You can't sterilize(......) a surface just by wiping it off. " His team compared the bacteria on the hands of 273 people with the bacteria found on each person's computer keyboard. For the study, the keyboards had been used only by the people who were being tested. The study showed that the mix of microbes from each per- son's hands matched the mix of microbes on that person's keyboard. The scientists were easily able to tell the 273 people apart-just by looking at their keyboards. But there are a lot more than 273 criminals. Other scientists wonder whetherthe microbe fingerprint can really be that useful. Fierer agrees that scientists have a lot more work to do before the microbe fingerprint will be a useful tool. What did Fierer's team find through the study?
A. They found the criminal among the 237 people.
B. They could tell who had used which computer.
C. Computer keyboards couldn't keep people's microbe fingerprints.
D. People's characters could be identified by the keyboards they used.
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: Jane Austen was born in the English countryside more than 200 years ago. She lived a simple life. She seldom travelled. She never married and she died from illness when she was only 41. However, people all over the world remember her. Why? It is because Jane Austen is the author of some of the best-loved novels in the English language. These novels include Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion. Jane completed her last novel Persuasion in 1816, but it was not published until after her death. Persuasion is partly based on Jane's naval brother. Anne, the daughter of Sir Walter Elliot, falls in love with Captain Wentworth, a person of a lower social position. But she breaks off the engagement when persuaded by her friend Lady Russell that such a match is unworthy. The breakup produces in Anne a deep and long-lasting regret. Eight years later, Wentworth returns from sea a rich and successful captain. He finds Anne's family on the edge of financial ruin. Anne and the captain rediscover their love and get married. Jane Austen once compared her writing to painting on a little bit of ivory , two inches square. Readers of Persuasion will see that neither her skill of delicate, ironic observations on social custom, love, and marriage nor her ability to apply a sharp focus to English manners and morals has abandoned her in her final finished work. Persuasion has produced three film adaptations: a 1995 version starring Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds, a 2007 TV miniseries with Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones, and a 1971 miniseries with Ann Firbank and Bryan Marshall. People who are interested in Jane Austen can still visit many of the places she visited and lived. These places include the village of Steventon, although her family house is now gone. Many of the places Jane visited in Bath are still there. You can visit Jane Austen's home in Chawton, where she did her best writing, and Winchester, where she died. Which of the following CANNOT describe Jane's writing style?
A. Her application of symbolism.
B. Her delicate observations.
C. Her focus on manners and morals.
D. Her use of irony.
Answer: A
|
mmlu
|
Question: You cannot say that it's entirely true that kids learn a second language easily, but it's still the best time to learn. Babies are basically equipped to hear and distinguish every possible language and dialect, but once they reach 6 months old, they begin to focus on the particular sounds that exist in the languages that they're exposed to. In this way, kids will naturally and automatically be bilingual if they hear multiple languages on a daily basis when they are still babies. One lady told me of her son who grew up in a very multi-cultural community working at a resort. He would naturally and easily switch from Dutch, to French, to Italian, German and English depending on who he was talking to. Of course that's an extreme case, but it's completely possible and easy. It's not true that they will get mixed up by learning multiple languages. They may mix them up purposely simply because certain words or expressions are easier, but they won't develop any permanent language disabilities. Quite the contrary, bilingual children have been shown to be as much as a year more advanced in learning ability development for 2 and 3 years olds. Some kids who simply aren't gifted at learning languages, just as some aren't gifted at sports or music, will find it difficult to continue schooling in a foreign language. In that case, it may be better not to continue with the foreign language school. Perhaps for Grade Two you could try a bilingual school. In any case, learning even a small amount of a foreign language, maintaining the ability to hear and pronounce it by listening to music and movies will keep a foundation for later learning. Knowing a second language can be a great benefit for gaining employment. The lady told us that her son _ .
A. was working in a multi-community
B. could speak five kinds of languages
C. was learning some different languages
D. could talk with many people at the same time
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: The dust bowl happened because of
A. two football teams
B. bowling pins
C. sweeping reform
D. unsustainable farming practice
Answer: D
|
mmlu
|
Question: Much meaning can be conveyed, clearly, with our eyes, so it is often said that eyes can speak. Do you have such kind of experience? In a bus you may look at a stranger, but not too long. And if he is sensing that he is being stared at, he may feel uncomfortable. The same is in daily life. If you are looked at for more than necessary, you will look at yourself up and down to see if there is anything wrong with you. If nothing goes wrong, you will feel angry toward other's stare at you that way. Eyes do speak, right? Looking too long at someone may seem to be rude and aggressive. But things are different when it comes to stare at the opposite sex. If a man glances at a woman for more than 10 seconds and refuses to avert his gaze, his intentions are obvious. That is, he wishes to attract her attention, to make her understand that he is admiring her. However, the normal eye contact for two people engaged in conversation is that the speaker will only look at the listener from time to time; in order to make sure that the listener does pay attention to hat the former is speaking, to tell him that he is attentive. If a speaker looks at you continuously when speaking, as if he tries to dominate you, you will feel disconcerted. A poor liar usually expose s himself by looking too long at the victim, since he believes the false ides that to look straight in the eye is a sign of honest communication. In fact, continuous eye contact is confined to lovers only, who will enjoy looking at each other tenderly for a long time, to show affection that words cannot express. Evidently, eye contact should be done according to the relationship between two people and specific situation. Where can we read this passage?
A. In a textbook. .
B. In a science journal.
C. In a magazine.
D. In a psychology report.
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: When he stopped his car at a traffic light in Basra, Bassam Rady noticed the motorbike with two riders on it passed by him slowly. Suddenly the bike turned round and Mr. Rady, feeling dangerous, tried to drive off. Before he could, a man on the back of the bike took out a gun from his jacket and fired. The bullet went through the windscreen and just missed him. As he sped away another shot was fired, but missed the car. Mr. Rady was an interpreter for British army in Iraq. As such, his life is in danger from the militia that once controlled the Iraqi city and is now returning. More than a year ago Iraqi soldiers, backed by US, brought peace and stability to Basra by driving militants over the Iranian border in an operation called Charge of the Knights. According to local estimates, however, about half have returned. Although they have not become as active as before, the militants are trying to shoot Iraqi citizens who worked with British. Most in danger are translators such as Mr. Rady. The 31-year-old father worked with soldiers on dangerous missions but was refused resettlement in Britain at the end of his employment. He worked with nine translators. Seven of them have been killed. "I'm like a cancer patient -- now that the militia is back, my family is just waiting for me to die," Mr. Rady said. "I see reports in the media that Basra is safe but it's not true. I know these militia people. I went to school with some of them. I didn't see them for a year but now they are around again. They have told me, 'Your day will come soon'." He takes security precautions and never follows a routine. This means that he cannot work because that would give the militants a better chance of success. Militiamen belonging to the alMahdi Army took control of Basra between 2004 and 2007 with other Shia fighters. They enforced strict Islamic rules at the same time as running criminal rackets. British army was unable or unwilling to fight back and eventually went back to their base at the airport. Mr. Bassam Rady was_.
A. a motorbike rider
B. a car driver
C. an Iraqi
D. a British soldier
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: About a year ago, I went to stay at a Detroit hotel. I didn't want to carry too much money with me, so I asked the desk clerk to put a one-hundred-dollar bill in the safe for me. The next morning, however, the clerk said he knew nothing about my money. I didn't have any proof that I had given the man the money. There was nothing I could do but go to the nearest lawyer. The lawyer advised me to return to the hotel with him and give another one-hundred-dollar bill to the clerk. This I did. An hour later, I went back to the desk alone and asked for my money. Since I had the lawyer as an eyewitness to the second one-hundred-dollar bill, the clerk could not say he knew nothing about it. Another hour later, I put the second part of the lawyer's plan into action. This time both the lawyer and I went to the hotel. I asked for the one-hundred-dollar bill once again, and when the clerk insisted he had already given it to me, I denied it. The lawyer said to him, "I saw this gentleman give you a hundred dollars. If you don't hand it over immediately, I'll be forced to call the police." The clerk realized he had been tricked, so he gave me back the first one-hundred-dollar bill. "I don't know how to thank you enough for getting my money back," I said to the lawyer. And what do you suppose he answered me? He said, "Oh, don't thank me. That will be a hundred dollars, please." It is clear that the hotel clerk was _ .
A. dishonest
B. ready to help
C. afraid of the lawyer
D. foolish
Answer: A
|
mmlu
|
Question: I wonder whether there is any girl or boy who does not like to see a rainbow in the sky. It is so beautiful. There is a story, saying that whenever you see a rainbow you should run at once to the place where it touches the ground, and there you would find a pot of gold. Of course it is not true. You could not find the pot of gold or its end. No matter how far you run, it always seems far away. A rainbow is not a thing which we can feel with our hands as we can feel a flower. It is only the effect of light shining on raindrops. The raindrops catch the sunlight and break it up into all the wonderful colours which we see. It is called a rainbow perhaps because it is made up of raindrops and looks like a bow . That is why we can never see a rainbow in a clear sky. We see a rainbow only when there is rain in the air and the sun is shining brightly through the clouds. Every rainbow has many colours in the same order. The first or the top colour is always red, and the next comes orange, then yellow, and last of all, blue. A rainbow is indeed one of the wonders of nature. The first colour of a rainbow is always _ .
A. yellow
B. red
C. green
D. blue
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: Sigmund Freud was a world-famous doctor of Vienna . He was also a man full of humour. Once, at his 70th birthday party, a friend asked Freud if he could put his work into several words."Well,"said Freud, "we take the sick out of their trouble and return them to the common suffering." As a devoted son, Freud often visited his old mother. His mother usually spent her summer in a small mountain town in Austria. The King Josef usually spent his summer there, too. One day in the summer, a band was playing a lively tune when Freud's mother was sitting at the window and watching the people singing and dancing on Main Street. The old woman had a poor memory. She heard the band playing, but forgot it was the King's birthday. Freud was visiting his mother on her 95th birthday. He told his mother, "Mama, the band is playing for your birthday."She believed him and had a wonderful day. One day Freud came to the small mountain town for _ .
A. his 70th birthday
B. the King Josef's birthday
C. his mother's birthday
D. for his holiday
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Science has told us too much about the moon that it is fairly easy to imagine what it would be like to get there. It is certainly not a friendly place. Since there is no air or water, there can be no life of any kind. There is not much variety of scenery either. For mile after mile there are only flat plains of dust with mountains around them. Above, the sun and stars shine in the black sky. If you step out of the mountain shadow, it means moving from the severe cold into intense heat. These extreme temperatures break rocks away from the surface of the mountains. The moon is also a very silent world, for sound waves can only travel through air. But beyond the broken horizon, you see a friendly sight. Our earth is shining more brightly than the stars. From this distance, it looks like an immense blue, green and brown ball. The moon is an unfriendly place because _ .
A. there is no air, no water, no life, no scenery
B. the sun and stars shine in the sky
C. temperature breaks rock away
D. all of the above
Answer: D
|
mmlu
|
Question: Peter and I are good friends. Peter is an American boy. I am a Japanese girl. He is thirteen. I am twelve. We are in the same class,Class Two. Peter has a nice clock. He likes it very much. He puts it on his desk. Every morning it wakes him up . I have a new watch. It looks beautiful. I wear it every day. It tells me the time. Peter is _ .
A. an English boy
B. a Japanese girl
C. an American boy
D. an English girl
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: From early times, man has been interested in art. People have often worked together to collect and save the world's art treasures. Fine art treasures from many countries are kept in an art museum called the Louvre in Paris, France. The works of art have been collected by the people of France over many centuries. It is the biggest art museum in the world. The Louvre has not always been a museum. The first building was a fort. In 1190, it was the king's castle with high walls and a round tower, which had a river around it to keep out the enemies. Over the years, the number of buildings around the castle grew. By 1350, the castle no longer needed a fort. The Louvre became a palace home for French kings and queens. During times of peace, new treasures were brought in. During the days of war, many treasures were stolen, and the buildings were damaged. When Francis I became king of France in 1515, he brought in many artists from other countries. One of the artists was Lenardo da Vinci from Italy. Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" is the best known painting in the museum today. In 1793, the Louvre became a public museum. It is a place where art treasures are kept for everyone to enjoy. Every year millions of people from all over the world come to the Louvre to see the masterpieces. Most of works of art in the Louvre have been collected probably by _ .
A. the French people
B. Francis I
C. Leonardo da Vinci
D. people of the world
Answer: A
|
mmlu
|
Question: Exhausted,covered in mud and desperately hungry,a team of Swedish athletes sat down for a meal as they prepared to take on a dangerous 20-mile trek through the Ecuadorian rainforest. As they opened their canned meat,a tired Mikael Lindnord noticed a miserable stray dog staring at him out of the corner of his eye. Feeling sorry for him,he fed the dog a meatball and thought nothing of it,but as the team stood up to continue their race the animal started to follow them--and he didn't stop. As the group of four navigated the final two stages of the 430-mile Adventure Racing World Championship,the dog befriended them and was eventually given the name Arthur. Every tiring task the team face,Arthur would do the same.He swam alongside them while they kayaked down rivers,dragged himself up hills during hikes and pulled through knee--deep mud during treks. Even when the team tried to get rid of their new member out of concerns for his safety--he refused to leave.This meant when he was tired they stopped for a break and when he got stuck in the mud they pulled him out. After six days the team finished the race,and the dog had suffered.They therefore decided to take him to a vet while still in South America to have him checked out. During that time Lindord thought to himself that after their experience,they could not leave Arthur,so he decided to adopt him and take him back to Sweden.He applied to the Swedish Board of Agriculture and was made to wait to see if his application was successful.After a tense few days,the team arrived at the airport with Arthur and boarded the plane with him back home. Lindord said:"I came to Ecuador to win the World Championship.Instead,I got a new friend." Why did the team try to get rid of the dog during the race?
A. They were concerned about his safety.
B. They couldn't afford the race with him.
C. The dog was a burden to the team.
D. The dog couldn't follow the team successfully.
Answer: A
|
mmlu
|
Question: Dogs can also go to school to learn how to help people who cannot hear. If a person cannot hear, we say he or she is deaf. Dogs who help deaf people must learn many different sounds. Then they must be able to show the deaf person what is making the sound. When they hear a visitor at the door, dogs learn to walk to the deaf person and then walk to the door. And if a telephone rings, they walk to the deaf man or woman and then walk to the telephone. These dogs can also help deaf mothers. If a baby is crying in another room, dogs walk to the mother and then to the baby. These dogs wear a yellow coat to show that they are special dogs that are helping a deaf person. There have been many times when these dogs have saved a life. You may see in a newspaper that a dog heard a fire alarm and lay down near the deaf person's feet. That is the sign for danger. The person knows that something is wrong and can go away from the fire. Special dogs can also help people who are disabled in various ways. For example, dogs can pull off their gloves or socks! Think how difficult your life would be if you were blind, deaf or disabled! But if you had a special dog like this to help you, your life would be much easier. Dogs who help deaf people must learn _
A. different sounds
B. different languages
C. different colors
D. different faces
Answer: A
|
mmlu
|
Question: John is an American boy. His family is in China now. John likes chocolates very much. But his mother doesn't give him any. She thinks they are not good for him. But John has a very nice grandfather. The old man loves him very much, and sometimes he buys John some chocolates. Then his mother lets John eat them. She wants to make the old man happy. One Sunday evening John says in his room, "Please, God . Make them give me a big box of chocolates tomorrow. It's my eighth birthday. " His mother says,"God can't hear you, my boy. " "I know, but my grandfather is in the next room. He can hear. " John likes _ very much.
A. reading books
B. eating
C. chocolates
D. God
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Mike's father, Mr. Lee, is a farmer. He lives on the farm. He is happy to see his son move to a new flat in the city. One day, Mr. Lee comes to visit his son with a big orange pumpkin, about 10 kg. He grows it all by himself. "I'll let my son share it with his neighbours . Everyone likes pumpkin. Then Mike and his neighbours will become good friends," Mr. Lee thinks. At noon, Mr. Lee gets to the community centre . The building is so tall. There are twenty floors. Mike lives on the sixteenth floor. But he is not at home. Mr. Lee thinks, "I'll give the pumpkin to Mike's neighbours. They will be glad too see the gift." And he does it. But to his surprise, the neighbour on the left says coldly, "Thank you, but I don't like it at all."The woman on the right says nothing and closes the door quickly. The old man feels sad. At last, he goes to the market, sells it and goes back home. "Are they really neighbours? " he says to himself. He doesn't know why. What does Mr. Lee want Mike to do with the pumpkin?
A. He wants Mike to share it with his neighbours.
B. He wants Mike to make a pumpkin lantern.
C. He wants Mike to cook it and eat it by himself.
D. He wants Mike to sell it at the market.
Answer: A
|
mmlu
|
Question: The Water World Swimming Pool is open every day from eight o'clock in the morning until half past seven in the evening. It costs two dollars sixty to enter the pool. There is a special cheap price for students with a student card. The price is one dollar forty. But you must bring your student card with you. On Wednesday morning the pool is only open to mothers and babies. So mothers can enjoy themselves in the water with their babies. Please leave your older children at home on Wednesday morning. The new Water World Cafe will be open up on June 22nd. From the cafe you can watch the swimmers or enjoy a drink after you swim. Please call 2105369 for more information. We look forward to seeing you at the Water World Swimming Pool. A ten-year-old boy can't go to the Water World Swimming Pool _ .
A. on Saturday
B. on Sunday
C. on Wednesday afternoon
D. on Wednesday morning
Answer: D
|
mmlu
|
Question: As a boy, Mark Twain caused much trouble for his parents. He used to play practical jokes on all his friends and neighbors. The nature of his jokes often led to violence . He hated to go to school and he constantly ran away from home. He always went in the direction of the nearby Mississippi. He liked to sit on the bank of the river for hours at a time and just gaze at the mysterious island and the passing boats. He learned many things about the river during those days. He learned all about its history and unusual people. He later made them part of the history of America in the book Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain received his genius from his mother. Obviously he didn't get it from his father. He once stated that he had never seen a smile on his father's face. On the other hand, his mother had the ability to say humorous things. The same ability made Mark Twain an extremely humorous public speaker. Because of the nature of his jokes when he was a child, Mark Twain would _ .
A. ran away form school
B. cause his parents to quarrel with others
C. get into trouble with his friends and neighbors
D. like to sit on the bank of the Mississippi River
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: I wished I had known earlier the fact that I was a low achiever because there was a reason beyond my control. Then I needn't have worked so hard in my late twenties and early thirties. But I just didn't know that. I was writing and writing. I was working for no other reason than to hear people praise me. Most people who go through university read at least twice as fast as I do. I can never tell my left from my right. I avoid dialing a telephone if I can help it, because I sometimes have to try three times before getting the number right. I hear that recording "The number you have reached is not in service" more than any man on earth. Despite my weaknesses I view my dyslexia(difficulty in reading) as a gift, not a curse . Many dyslexics are good at right brain, namely abstract thought, and that is what my king of creative writing is. I'm starting with nothing and coming up with something that didn't exist before. That's my strong point. I owe my career to Ralph, Salisbury, my writing instructor at the University of Oregon, who looked past my misspellings and gave me encouragement and hope. I just carried on and never looked back. I'm also very "visual". This means nothing in school, but when I write books or scripts, I'm seeing everything in my imagination. I write quickly. I go like the wind and can get up to 15 pages a day. Writing is not the problem. I have no problem downloading; it is inputting where things get messed up. The real fear I have for dyslexics is not that they have to struggle with messy input, but that they will quit on themselves before they finish school. Parents have to create victories whenever they can, whether it is music, sports or the arts. You want your dyslexic child to be able to say, "Yeah, reading is hard. But I have these other things I can do." For dyslexics, the author thinks that _ .
A. they should work as hard as himself
B. they had better choose to drop out of school
C. they should be constantly encouraged
D. they should put their hearts into reading
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: There are three different kinds of friends in our life. I classify them according to how well I know them and how well they know me. The first type of friend is just an acquaintance . This means that you only know their names. You might not even remember what they look like if you go away for a short vacation. You don't miss them when they are elsewhere. It is also this type of friend who gives you the most amount of aggravation . Since most of the time you are placed in a position where you have to act friendly, you would not normally tell an acquaintance when he or she is doing something that makes you feel angry, such as tapping the fingers on a table or shouting loudly. I call them "pest friends".www.ks5u.com The second kind of friend is a "guest friend". They are just social partners. You meet them at a certain location and at the end of the meeting you go your separate way and they go theirs. You don't talk too often with this sort of friend, and you don't share each other's secrets. Lastly, we have "best friends". This sort of friend is there when you need them. They know you as a person and they are there through thick and thin. Best friends are the ones that you can lean and depend on no matter what happens. If you need a listening ear, they will be the one to lend support. Friends come in all different shapes and sizes. Every friend has an impact on our life. What is this passage mainly about?
A. What a true friend is like.
B. Three kinds of friends in our life.
C. The role that friends play in our life.
D. Why there are different kinds of friends.
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: One day I went to a store with a list. "Excuse me," I said. A lady with glasses looked up, saying, "I'm Miss Bee. Come closer and let me look at you. I want to be able to describe you to the police if something is missing from the store." "I'm only a little girl, not a thief !" I was surprised. "But I think you're potential ," she said. "I need these," I said, holding up my list. "So what? I am not a person who works for you. Go to get them." she said. The store was a puzzle to me. It took me two hours to find everything on the list. "That packet of beans is only 29 cents, but you asked me for 35 cents. " I corrected her. She didn't seem unhappy, just looked at me over her glasses. The following summer I visited Miss Bee some times a week. She always found ways to fool me. Or shortly after I remembered the places of something on the shelf, she arranged the shelves again and made me hunt for them again. By the end of the summer the shopping trip that had once taken me an hour was done in 15 minutes. One morning I was to get a packet of chocolate. "Miss Potential, what did you learn this summer?" she said. "That you're a meanie !" I answered angrily. But she laughed, "Well, I believe my job is to teach every child I meet life lessons to help them. When you get older, you'll be glad our paths crossed!" Glad I met Miss Bee? Ha! It was _ . Until one day my daughter said, " Could you finish my math problems for me?" "How will you ever learn to do it yourself if I do it for you?" I said. Suddenly, I was back at that store where I had learned the hard way to check my bill. Now I have known what Miss Bee did for me. She is my good teacher. The purpose of writing the text is to tell us _ .
A. the facts about a kind person-Miss Bee
B. how to teach your children life lessons
C. people should check everything carefully
D. the good teacher isn't only in the school
Answer: D
|
mmlu
|
Question: In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that our appetite and food intake are influenced by a large number of factors besides our biological need for energy, including our eating environment and our perception of the food in front of us. Studies have shown. for instance. that eating in front of the TV (or a similar distraction) can increase both hunger and the amount of food consumed. Even simple visual cues( ). like plate size and lighting, have been shown to affect portion size and consumption. A new study suggested that our shot-term memory also may play a role in appetite. Several hours after a meal, people's hunger levels were predicted not by how much they'd eaten but rather by how much food they'd seen in front of them --- in other words, how much they remembered eating. This difference suggests the memory of our previous meal may have a bigger influence on our appetite than the actual size of the meal. says Jeffrey M . Brunstrom , a professor of experimental psychology at the University of Bristol. "Hunger isn't. controlled solely by the physical characteristics of a recent meal. We have identified an independent role for memory for that meal." Brunstrom says. "This shows that the relationship between hunger and food intake is more complex than we thought." These findings echo earlier research that suggests our perception of food can sometimes trick our body's response to the food itself. In a 2011 study, for instance, people who drank the same 380-calorie milkshake on two separate occasions produced different levels of hunger-related hormones, depending on whether the shake's label said it contained 620 0r 140 calories. Moreover, the participants reported feeling more full when they thought they'd consumed a higher-calorie shake. What does this means for our eating habits? Although it hardly seems practical to trick ourselves in to eating less, the new findings do highlight the benefits of focusing on our food avoiding TV and multitasking while eating. The so-called mindful-eating strategies can fight distractions and help us control our appetite, Brunstrom says. What does Brunstrom suggest we should do to control our appetite?
A. Trick ourselves into eating less.
B. Choose food with fewer calories.
C. Concentrate on food while eating.
D. Pick dishes of the right size.
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: For the second time in three years, Norway's Robert Sorlie delivered a brave performance to win sled-dog racing's toughest contest--the Iditarod. The 47-year-old firefighter crossed the finish line in Nome, Alaska, at 8:39 a.m. local time Wednesday morning. "It feels good to be here," he declared, after passing the finish line. "I'm ready for breakfast." Frosty temperatures, rough land, and exhaustion couldn't break the musher , who completed the race in 9 days, 18 hours, 39 minutes, and 31 seconds. Runner-up Ed Iten finished 34 minutes later, and defending champ Mitch Seavey finished third. Sorlie took his first lead at the 365-mile mark, but fell into second place halfway through the race. With 500 miles to go, he regained the lead for good. Iditarod officials rewarded Sorlie with a generous prize of $72,066 and a new truck. But even more exciting for the winner was the historic nature of his ride. By winning this year's race, Sorlie joins a best group of mushers, becoming only the sixth person to win the Iditarod more than once. After winning several major long-distance races in Europe, Sorlie made his Iditarod first appearance in 2002, finishing in ninth place. A year later, he returned to take on the Alaskan wilderness once again, and won. Iditarod: A Quick History Since 1973, the world's top competitors have gathered in Alaska to undertake the Iditarod's 1,150-mile trail, which stretches from Anchorage to Nome. The race commemorates a group of courageous mushers and dogs. In 1925, they traveled across part of the Idit trail to deliver serum to save sick children in Nome. This win was very important for Sorlie because he could _ .
A. get the generous prize of $72,066 and a new truck
B. get a chance to race in Europe
C. join a best group of mushers
D. save sick children in Nome
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: During the day we work and play, and at night we sleep. Our bodies rest while we are sleeping. In the morning we are ready to work and play again. When we are asleep, our bodies grow most. When children feel tired and angry, they usually need more sleep. We can get our lessons better, and we feel better, too, when we have enough sleep. Boys and girls, eight or nine years old, need ten hours of sleep every night. Our bodies need plenty of air when we sleep. If we do not get enough fresh air we wake up feeling tired. While in bed we must not cover our heads. If we do, our lungs will not get enough fresh air. If we open our windows at night we can have plenty of fresh air. Cool air is better than warm air. Boys and girls must get plenty of sleep if they want to grow and be strong. The writer is trying to tell boys and girls _ .
A. to get their lessons better
B. not to cover their heads
C. how to go to bed
D. to get enough sleep
Answer: D
|
mmlu
|
Question: The New Folk Sound Of Terry Collier attracted little interest when first released , and by the time it was championed on a music chart, Callier had long abandoned music for a career in computer programming.As a result, he returned to music to make many recordings with some leading young artists in Britain, making it the most successful period of his life. Terry Callier was born into a poor family on May 24, 1945 and grew up in Chicago.He learned to practice the piano and began singing in groups in his teens.He released his first single, Look At Me Now in 1962.When offered a tour, he seemed to be a shining star soon.But then his mother stepped in, insisting that, at 17 , his place was not on the road but at home studying. While attending college, he began performing in folk clubs and coffee houses.It was also when he started his songwriting.Callier continued to record and give live concerts through the 1970s touring with some famous popular singers.His combination of fierce guitar, wise lyrics and sweet voices created a distinctive style known as jazz-folk.However, he had more success as a songwriter than as a singer when he sang his hit song The Love We Had Stays on My Mind in 1971. In 1983 he abandoned music completely to attend his 12-year-old daughter after splitting up with his wife.He got a steady job at the University of Chicago and did not touch a guitar for years.Many years later, some DJs discovered his old recordings and began to play his songs in clubs.Though Callier was unwilling to get involved in music again, Callier was eventually persuaded to come back, which brought him more applauses than he had ever experienced. Terry Callier leave his career in music in 1983 because he _ .
A. was offered a better job in Chicago college
B. had to accept his wife's advice
C. he wanted to take care of his daughter
D. lost interest in sing and writing songs
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Name: Poodle Missing since: June 3, 2015 Produce: Young(2 years old), curly hair, shy Last seen: Wuyi Square Please contact :Sarah 839-6722 or sarahcs@hotmail.com Please do not run after the dog. It may run in fear. Lost and found items will be displayed in the school hall. On Friday, June 15, 2015 During lunch 12:30-1:30 Parents: If you know that your child has lost something , please remind him or her. You are also welcome to have a look. From the chart above, we know that _ .
A. Poodle was lost two years ago
B. we can call Sarah or email her if we find Poodle
C. If you find the poodle, run after it.
D. parents are not allowed to look at the display on June 15,2015
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: Vivi Mac, an amazing artist from France, can use nearly any kind of food to create detailed celebrity portraits .Although she has yet to _ her short-lived work of arts in a proper art gallery, Vivi Mac has already made a name for herself online. We've seen some amazing food artists in the past, but none are quite like this one .Karen Eland is a master coffee painter, Elisabetta Rogai uses wine as her medium ,Kelly McCollam uses food colouring to recreat classic paintings, but the self-taught Vivi Mac can take anything from chewing gum to milk and turn it into a fantastic portrait When working with liquids, Mac uses a simple plastic straw and her hands to guide the unusual .mediums around a plastic plate which acts as a painting. Just how she manages to capture the finest facial features is still a mistery to me, and I've seen videos of her doing it many times, Vivi Mac has never attended art school. She only used online resources like blogs and facebook to learn the basics of drawing and painting. She started out working with pens and paper, but soon realized drawing wasn't just creative enough for her. She got into speed painting and body painting, posting videos of her works on You Tube, but it wasn't until she began experimenting with different kinds of foods that her art got serious coverage. Photos and videos of her eatable celebrity portraits, like Bruce Lee in milk Ice Cube in crushed ice or Amy Winehouse in wine, became popular on the French inter-webs and changed Vivi Mac into an online celebrity. What is the difference between Vivi Mac and other food artists?
A. She Uses wine as her medium.
B. She is famous for her food website.
C. She turns any kind of food into a portrait
D. She uses spices to recreate classic paintings.
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Hi, friends. I'm Chen Zhaoli. My English name is Sandy. I'm 13 years old. Now I'm at Blackwood Middle School in England. My English teacher is Mandy. She is not English. She is from Canada. In my class, my good friend is Connie Green. Do you want to know her? Connie is 11 years old. Her father's name is Bill. And her mother's name is Lisa. Her parents are teachers at school. She has a brother and a sister. They are Josh and Molie. _ is Chen Zhaoli's English teacher.
A. Bill
B. Mandy
C. Lisa
D. Sandy
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: As we know, most of the material things in our daily life have to be bought with money. But money is not all powerful. Money can't buy many things such as time and true love. There are 24 hours in a day. Sometimes when we are very happy, we wish that the period of happiness would last longer. But no matter what we do, or how much money we are willing to pay, we cannot make a day last longer than 24 hours. On the other hand, when we are unhappy, money cannot make the unhappy time pass away more quickly. True love is another thing which money cannot buy. Suppose we have someone who really loves us very much. Once he dies, he can give us no more love. Can our money raise him from death and make him love us as before? Here we can see very clearly that money cannot buy us love. Money can buy us diamond things, beautiful clothes, but never time and love. So money, after all, is not all powerful. From the passage we can see that in our life, besides something material, we need something _ .
A. spiritual
B. beautiful
C. lovely
D. useful
Answer: A
|
mmlu
|
Question: Many people may think that animals in the zoo are happy, free and lucky, but most of them are sad. Do you know why? Animals like tigers, lions, and bears usually live in forests or mountains. They run, jump, play with their children and catch small animals for food. But now they have to stay in cages ,small rooms in the zoo. They don't have to find food by themselves because the zoo keepers feed them. They do nothing but eat, walk and sleep every day. Their life in the zoo is quite different from that in the forest because they are not free. Maybe they miss their mothers and their friends, in fact, they feel lonely. Most of the animals in the zoo feel _ according to the passage.
A. happy
B. free
C. lucky
D. sad
Answer: D
|
mmlu
|
Question: Which of these can only be found in a plant cell?
A. a nucleus
B. a vacuole
C. a chloroplast
D. a mitochondrion
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Earthquakes strike suddenly at any time of the day or night, but there's no way to tell them. If an earthquake happens, it may cause many deaths and injuries and great damage. Decide how and where your family will get together if separated. Choose an out-of-state friend or that the family members can call after the quake to report where they are and how they are. Know the safe place in each room: under the strong tables, desks, or against inside walls. Keep enough food, water and other things, including a flashlight, a radio, medicines and clothing. During the earthquake, you should keep a clear head and never be too nervous to know what to do. Protect your head and neck with your arms. If possible, take a book, a pillow or any other things to protect yourself from falling glass and ruins. If you are indoors, you must immediately lie under any strong furniture. If outdoors, move to an open area away from trees, buildings, walls and power poles. If you are in a narrow valley, move to the centre of it and look out for falling stones. If you are in a car, move to the side of the road and stop the car. Do not stop near buildings, power lines or under bridges. Stay in your car until the shaking stops. Do not move a badly injured person unless he is in great danger after the earthquake. Do not use the telephone immediately unless there is a serious injury or fire. Turn on your radio for instructions and news report. Be prepared for aftershocks. If you want to leave your home, post a message inside your home telling family members where you can be found. The writer wants to tell us _ .
A. why an earthquake is very dangerous.
B. when earthquake usually happen.
C. what to do during and after an earthquake.
D. where to stay during an earthquake.
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Pullen used aluminum brackets in her business. On the telephone listed as hers in the telephone book, Pullen received a call in which the caller said, "This is John Denison of Denison Hardware Company. We have a special on aluminum brackets this week at 30 percent off." Pullen ordered brackets from the caller. When the brackets were never delivered, Pullen sued Denison for breach of contract. At trial, Denison, who denies having made the telephone call, objects to Pullen's testimony concerning it. When asked, Pullen testifies that, aside from the telephone call, she had never heard Denison speak until she met him in the judge's chambers before the trial and that, in her opinion, the voice on the telephone was Denison's. The strongest argument for admission of Pullen's testimony concerning the telephone call is that
A. the call related to business reasonably transacted over the telephone.
B. the call was received at a number assigned to Pullen by the telephone company.
C. after hearing Denison speak in chambers, Pullen recognized Denison's voice as that of the person on the telephone.
D. self-identification is sufficient authentication of a telephone call
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: "Take your time," Mr. Ballou encouraged."Read, borrow, and keep.Find something you like.What do you read?" "Pick for me, then." I said. He looked up and down at me as though measuring me for a suit.After a moment, he nodded, and handed me a dark red book, fairly thick. "The Last of the Just," I read."By Andre Schwarz-Bart.What's it about?" "You tell me," he said."Next week." I started after supper, sitting outdoors on an uncomfortable kitchen chair Within a few pages, the yard, the summer, disappeared.Translated from French, the language was beautiful, simple, impossible to resist.When the evening light finally failed I moved inside, read all through the night. To this day, thirty years later, I clearly remember the experience.It was my first meeting with world literature, and I was amazed by the strong power a novel contain.I lacked the vocabulary, however, to translate my feelings into words, so the next week, when Mr. Ballou asked,"Well?"I only replied, "It was good." "Keep it, then,"he said."Shall I suggest another?" I nodded, and was presented with Margaret Mead's Coming of Age in Samoa. To make the story short, Mr. Ballou never paid me a cent for helping cut his grass that year or the next, but for fifteen years I taught anthroplogy at Dartmouth College.That summer when I started to read became a turning point in my life which change the course of all that followed. The purpose of the writer is to _ .
A. inform us of the importance of reading
B. share with us his experience of reading
C. persuade more people to read in summer
D. express his sincere thanks to Mr. Ballou
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: Which of these things is absolutely required in order to notice a bat flying towards you?
A. a hand and an arm
B. eyes and reflected sunlight
C. dogs and scared cats
D. a nose and eyebrows
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: A few months ago, millions of people in London heard alarms all over the town. The Emergency Services, the Fire Departments, the Police, hospitals, and ambulances stood by, ready to go into action. In railway underground stations, people read notices and maps that told them where to go and what to do in the emergency. This was Exercise Flood Call, to prepare people for a flood emergency. London wasn't flooded. In 1928, people living in Westminster, the heart of London, drowned in floods. And in 1953, one hundred people, living on the eastern edge of the London suburbs were killed, again, in the floods. At last, Greater London Council took actions to prevent this disaster from happening again. Though a flood wall was built in the 1960s, Londoners still must be prepared for the possible disaster. If it happens, 50 underground stations will be under water. Electricity, gas and phone services will be out of action. Roads will be drowned. It will be impossible to cross any of the bridges between north and south London. Imagine: London will look like the famous Italian city, Venice. But this Exercise Flood Call didn't cause panic among Londoners. Most people knew it was just a warning. One lady said, "It's a flood warning, isn't it. ? The water doesn't look high to me." What topic is treated in this passage?
A. Possible Damages Caused by Floods
B. Emergency Exercise in London
C. Flood Emergency in London
D. London Floods in History
Answer: B
|
mmlu
|
Question: Coca-Cola is probably the most famous brand in the world, and in some areasyou can even access it easier than clean drinkable water. Although the company is trying to present itself as a health-conscious company, you can't really say that drinking cola is healthy for you. Still, we all drink cola, some more and some less, and we tell ourselves that it's all okay as long as we don't overdo it. However, Coca-Cola has other functions besides drinking. Cola removes the tarnish from old pennies. Got some old rusty pennies? Not to worry! Put them inside a glass of cola and let them rest for a while. When you get them out, you'll have shiny pennies that will look as if they were coined a couple of days ago. If you couldn't clean those pennies with industrial acids, just buy a can of cola and let it do its magic! You can remove gum from your hair with cola. If you've got gum stuck in your hair and don't know a better way to get it out, don't worry, you won't have to cut it. Just pour some cola into a bowl and dip the part of your hair with gum on it inside. Leave it for a couple of minutes and then simply wipe off the gum. You can make an exploding fountain. You probably know about this one. You can make an exploding fountain by putting a mint inside a two-liter bottle. Then move away from the bottle and get ready for a Coca-Cola explosion. This is a fun thing to do, but it is also a warning -- don't eat a mint and drink cola at the same time, because a similar thing could happen to your stomach. What's the main idea of the text?
A. The major ingredients of Coca-Cola.
B. Why Coca-Cola is popular among the young.
C. Some of the strangest uses of Coca-Cola.
D. Why we can't drink Coca-Cola too often.
Answer: C
|
mmlu
|
Question: Do you know a child who has used first aid to save a life or help an injured person? St. John Ambulance is seeking young people who have acted quickly, calmly and effectively at a real emergency for its annual Young First Aider of the Year awards. The awards are open to all those under 18, and the closing date for nomination is April 30, 2016. The winners will be invited to attend a special ceremony in June, 2016. "St. John Ambulance believes it is essential for young people to learn first aid so that they can help anyone who is injured," said Sandra Stocker, director of St. John Ambulance Awards Committee. "The Young First Aider of the Year is a wonderful way to celebrate their bravery and quick-thinking." Nomination for the Young First Aider of the Year is now open. Please complete and return the nomination forms as soon as possible and certainly no later than April 30, 2016. The committee will decide which of the nominees will receive the Young First Aider of the Year awards by considering the actions of the nominees along with their ages and other factors. You should send any evidence you have with the nomination form, showing the nominees' actions. Examples of evidence could include: * Newspaper clippings of the incident. * Police incident record numbers. Once a nomination form is received, the nominee or nominator may be approached for further details of the incident. For further information please get in touch with Sandra Stocker by email or on 020-73244082 or 020-73244083. Find out who our winners will be for 2016. If you suggest someone for the awards, you should _ .
A. provide some evidence of the incident
B. make a speech introducing yourself
C. attend the awards ceremony on time
D. have a good knowledge about first aid
Answer: A
|
mmlu
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.