Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
Big  Brothers  Big  Sisters  is  based  on  the  simplicity  and  power  of  friendship.  It  is  a  program  which  provides  friendship  and  fun  by  matching _ (ages  7-17)  with  a  volunteer  adult  who  can  be  both  a  role  model  and  a  supportive  friend.
Volunteer  tutors  come  from  all  walks  of  life--married,  single,  with  or  without  children.  Big  Brothers  and  Big  Sisters  are  not  replacement  parents  or  social  workers.  They  are  tutors:  someone  to  trust,  to  have  fun  with,  to  talk  and  go  to  when  needed.
A  Big  Sister  and  Little  Sister  will  generally  spend  between  one  and  four  hours  together  three  or  four  times  each  month  for  at  least  twelve  months.  They  enjoy  simple  activities  such  as  a  picnic  at  a  park,  cooking,  playing  sport  or  going  to  a  football  match.  These  activities  improve  the  friendship  and  help  the  young  person  develop  positive  self-respect,  confidence  and  life  direction.
Big  Brothers  Big  Sisters  organizations  exist  throughout  the  world.  It  is  the  largest  and  most  well-known  provider  of  tutor  services  internationally  and  has  been  operating  for  25  years.
Emily  and  Sarah  have  been  matched  since  March  2008.  Emily  is  a  10-year-old  girl  who  has  experienced  some  difficulties  being  accepted  by  her  schoolmates  at  school.  "I  was  pretty  sure  there  was  something  wrong  with  me."
Emily's  mum  came  across  Big  Brothers  Big  Sisters  and  thought  it  would  be  of  benefit  to  Emily  by  "providing  different  feedback   about  herself  other  than  just  relying  on  schoolmates  to  measure  her  self-worth.  "
Sarah  wanted  to  get  involved  in  a  volunteer  program.  "I  paid  close  attention  to  it  and  found  out  how  to  be  a  part  of  it.  I  thought  it  would  be  fun  for  me  to  get  involved  in  making  time  to  do  something  because  sometimes  it's  all  work  and  no  play.  "
Big  Brothers  Big  Sisters  has  been  of  great  benefit  and  enjoyment  to  both  Emily  and  Sarah.  They  love  and  look  forward  to  their  time  together  and  the  partnership  has  certainly  helped  Emily  be  more  comfortable  in  being  the  wonderful,  happy  and  unique  girl  she  is!

<question>:
According  to  Emily's  mother,  this  program  may  provide  Emily  with  _  .

<options>:
A a new way to assess herself
B advice from her teachers
C a new way to judge her schoolmates
D more comments from her schoolmates

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
Big  Brothers  Big  Sisters  is  based  on  the  simplicity  and  power  of  friendship.  It  is  a  program  which  provides  friendship  and  fun  by  matching _ (ages  7-17)  with  a  volunteer  adult  who  can  be  both  a  role  model  and  a  supportive  friend.
Volunteer  tutors  come  from  all  walks  of  life--married,  single,  with  or  without  children.  Big  Brothers  and  Big  Sisters  are  not  replacement  parents  or  social  workers.  They  are  tutors:  someone  to  trust,  to  have  fun  with,  to  talk  and  go  to  when  needed.
A  Big  Sister  and  Little  Sister  will  generally  spend  between  one  and  four  hours  together  three  or  four  times  each  month  for  at  least  twelve  months.  They  enjoy  simple  activities  such  as  a  picnic  at  a  park,  cooking,  playing  sport  or  going  to  a  football  match.  These  activities  improve  the  friendship  and  help  the  young  person  develop  positive  self-respect,  confidence  and  life  direction.
Big  Brothers  Big  Sisters  organizations  exist  throughout  the  world.  It  is  the  largest  and  most  well-known  provider  of  tutor  services  internationally  and  has  been  operating  for  25  years.
Emily  and  Sarah  have  been  matched  since  March  2008.  Emily  is  a  10-year-old  girl  who  has  experienced  some  difficulties  being  accepted  by  her  schoolmates  at  school.  "I  was  pretty  sure  there  was  something  wrong  with  me."
Emily's  mum  came  across  Big  Brothers  Big  Sisters  and  thought  it  would  be  of  benefit  to  Emily  by  "providing  different  feedback   about  herself  other  than  just  relying  on  schoolmates  to  measure  her  self-worth.  "
Sarah  wanted  to  get  involved  in  a  volunteer  program.  "I  paid  close  attention  to  it  and  found  out  how  to  be  a  part  of  it.  I  thought  it  would  be  fun  for  me  to  get  involved  in  making  time  to  do  something  because  sometimes  it's  all  work  and  no  play.  "
Big  Brothers  Big  Sisters  has  been  of  great  benefit  and  enjoyment  to  both  Emily  and  Sarah.  They  love  and  look  forward  to  their  time  together  and  the  partnership  has  certainly  helped  Emily  be  more  comfortable  in  being  the  wonderful,  happy  and  unique  girl  she  is!

<question>:
Why  did  Sarah  want  to  get  involved  in  the  program?

<options>:
A She used to be a volunteer.
B She felt a bit bored with her life.
C She needed a part-time job.
D She wanted to get a challenging job.

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
May 28 (Reuters Life!) - A Japanese university is giving away Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) trendy iPhone to students for free, but with a catch: the device will be used to check their attendance.
The project, which is being tested ahead of its formal launch in June, involves 550 first and second year students and some staff of a department at Aoyama Gakuin University, which is located just outside Tokyo in Sagamihara city.
The school's iPhones are meant to create a mobile information network between students and professors, but they are also a convenient way for the teachers to take attendance in class. As students enter the room, instead of writing their name on a sheet, they simply type in their ID number and a specific class number into an iPhone application. To prevent students from logging in from home or outside class, the application uses GPS location data and checks which router the students have logged in to.
"We don't want to use this to simply take attendance. Our hope is to use this to develop a classroom where students and teachers can discuss various topics," professor Yasuhiro Iijima told Reuters as he demonstrated the application.
University officials insist the project is not intended to infringe on students' privacy or track them down.
"With Japanese cellphones it's possible that the location data is automatically sent. However, with the iPhone, you must always confirm before the GPS data can be sent," Iijima said.
Many of the students testing the system said they were happy with it.
"Up until now, we've been using little slips of paper to take attendance. But with a cell phone, you don't have to spend time collecting all of those and so I think it's quite nice," 20-year-old student Yuki Maruya.
When the system goes fully online next month, the university also hopes to provide video podcasts of lectures to help students who missed classes, or just can't remember their lessons.

<question>:
The news report mainly tells us that   _

<options>:
A Iphone has got well developed in Japan
B Iphone is to take attendance at Japanese universities
C Iphone has been accepted by many students
D Iphone is free of charge at Japanese universities

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
May 28 (Reuters Life!) - A Japanese university is giving away Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) trendy iPhone to students for free, but with a catch: the device will be used to check their attendance.
The project, which is being tested ahead of its formal launch in June, involves 550 first and second year students and some staff of a department at Aoyama Gakuin University, which is located just outside Tokyo in Sagamihara city.
The school's iPhones are meant to create a mobile information network between students and professors, but they are also a convenient way for the teachers to take attendance in class. As students enter the room, instead of writing their name on a sheet, they simply type in their ID number and a specific class number into an iPhone application. To prevent students from logging in from home or outside class, the application uses GPS location data and checks which router the students have logged in to.
"We don't want to use this to simply take attendance. Our hope is to use this to develop a classroom where students and teachers can discuss various topics," professor Yasuhiro Iijima told Reuters as he demonstrated the application.
University officials insist the project is not intended to infringe on students' privacy or track them down.
"With Japanese cellphones it's possible that the location data is automatically sent. However, with the iPhone, you must always confirm before the GPS data can be sent," Iijima said.
Many of the students testing the system said they were happy with it.
"Up until now, we've been using little slips of paper to take attendance. But with a cell phone, you don't have to spend time collecting all of those and so I think it's quite nice," 20-year-old student Yuki Maruya.
When the system goes fully online next month, the university also hopes to provide video podcasts of lectures to help students who missed classes, or just can't remember their lessons.

<question>:
The iphone being tested at Aoyama Gakuin University is mainly to   _

<options>:
A help students to study hard
B check students' attendance
C help learn the information network
D develop a special classroom

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
May 28 (Reuters Life!) - A Japanese university is giving away Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) trendy iPhone to students for free, but with a catch: the device will be used to check their attendance.
The project, which is being tested ahead of its formal launch in June, involves 550 first and second year students and some staff of a department at Aoyama Gakuin University, which is located just outside Tokyo in Sagamihara city.
The school's iPhones are meant to create a mobile information network between students and professors, but they are also a convenient way for the teachers to take attendance in class. As students enter the room, instead of writing their name on a sheet, they simply type in their ID number and a specific class number into an iPhone application. To prevent students from logging in from home or outside class, the application uses GPS location data and checks which router the students have logged in to.
"We don't want to use this to simply take attendance. Our hope is to use this to develop a classroom where students and teachers can discuss various topics," professor Yasuhiro Iijima told Reuters as he demonstrated the application.
University officials insist the project is not intended to infringe on students' privacy or track them down.
"With Japanese cellphones it's possible that the location data is automatically sent. However, with the iPhone, you must always confirm before the GPS data can be sent," Iijima said.
Many of the students testing the system said they were happy with it.
"Up until now, we've been using little slips of paper to take attendance. But with a cell phone, you don't have to spend time collecting all of those and so I think it's quite nice," 20-year-old student Yuki Maruya.
When the system goes fully online next month, the university also hopes to provide video podcasts of lectures to help students who missed classes, or just can't remember their lessons.

<question>:
Teachers at Aoyama Gakuin University can finish taking attendance by asking students to  _

<options>:
A write their names on the paper
B Type in their ID and class numbers into iphone
C log in from home or outside class ahead
D put in right GPS location data and their router

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
May 28 (Reuters Life!) - A Japanese university is giving away Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) trendy iPhone to students for free, but with a catch: the device will be used to check their attendance.
The project, which is being tested ahead of its formal launch in June, involves 550 first and second year students and some staff of a department at Aoyama Gakuin University, which is located just outside Tokyo in Sagamihara city.
The school's iPhones are meant to create a mobile information network between students and professors, but they are also a convenient way for the teachers to take attendance in class. As students enter the room, instead of writing their name on a sheet, they simply type in their ID number and a specific class number into an iPhone application. To prevent students from logging in from home or outside class, the application uses GPS location data and checks which router the students have logged in to.
"We don't want to use this to simply take attendance. Our hope is to use this to develop a classroom where students and teachers can discuss various topics," professor Yasuhiro Iijima told Reuters as he demonstrated the application.
University officials insist the project is not intended to infringe on students' privacy or track them down.
"With Japanese cellphones it's possible that the location data is automatically sent. However, with the iPhone, you must always confirm before the GPS data can be sent," Iijima said.
Many of the students testing the system said they were happy with it.
"Up until now, we've been using little slips of paper to take attendance. But with a cell phone, you don't have to spend time collecting all of those and so I think it's quite nice," 20-year-old student Yuki Maruya.
When the system goes fully online next month, the university also hopes to provide video podcasts of lectures to help students who missed classes, or just can't remember their lessons.

<question>:
what about the future of Apple Inc's iphone

<options>:
A It still has many disadvantages
B It goes against many students' interest
C It will receive some other uses.
D It will avoid students' being late for class

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
It is a reply to a letter written by Zhai Mingjun, a 16-year-old girl in the class. The two astronauts thank the student for her concerns and wish the class luck in their future studies.
    "I' m so happy that the two space men replied with a few encouraging words," said Zhai. Her letter was one of the 10 winning letters taken into space by Fei and Nie, who have succeeded in traveling space in the Sixth Shenzhou Spaceship. Zhai wrote the letter as if she were a younger sister of the astronauts. "As the single child in my family, I always hoped that I would have an elder brother that I could be proud of," Zhai said. "I thought that the astronauts would be lonely during such a long space trip. I hoped they would feel happy and warm when reading my letter." Many of Zhai' s classmates also wrote their words of encouragement and admiration to the astronauts. "The letter to the astronauts made us believe that we can also be part of the manned space programme," said Zhao Dongxu.
    All the students have high expectations for China' s future space programme. "I heard that Snoopy is the mascot   for US astronauts. I hope I can design a mascot for our heroes," said Liu Mengjie, 16. "A physics class taught by astronauts in outer space would be very interesting. I want to be the astronaut who teaches students about zero gravity with my head upside down in the spaceship," said Han Yinan.
Many students think that the manned space program is still far away from them. But they feel proud that ordinary students could participate in such a great scientific achievement and hope there  will be more possibilities to take part.

<question>:
The best title of this passage can be  _  .

<options>:
A The mascot
B A reply from space
C The manned space program
D The letter to the astronauts

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
It is a reply to a letter written by Zhai Mingjun, a 16-year-old girl in the class. The two astronauts thank the student for her concerns and wish the class luck in their future studies.
    "I' m so happy that the two space men replied with a few encouraging words," said Zhai. Her letter was one of the 10 winning letters taken into space by Fei and Nie, who have succeeded in traveling space in the Sixth Shenzhou Spaceship. Zhai wrote the letter as if she were a younger sister of the astronauts. "As the single child in my family, I always hoped that I would have an elder brother that I could be proud of," Zhai said. "I thought that the astronauts would be lonely during such a long space trip. I hoped they would feel happy and warm when reading my letter." Many of Zhai' s classmates also wrote their words of encouragement and admiration to the astronauts. "The letter to the astronauts made us believe that we can also be part of the manned space programme," said Zhao Dongxu.
    All the students have high expectations for China' s future space programme. "I heard that Snoopy is the mascot   for US astronauts. I hope I can design a mascot for our heroes," said Liu Mengjie, 16. "A physics class taught by astronauts in outer space would be very interesting. I want to be the astronaut who teaches students about zero gravity with my head upside down in the spaceship," said Han Yinan.
Many students think that the manned space program is still far away from them. But they feel proud that ordinary students could participate in such a great scientific achievement and hope there  will be more possibilities to take part.

<question>:
The passage is mainly about   _  ?

<options>:
A what the students think of the manned space program
B how two astronauts thank and encourage the students
C how the letter from space makes the students care more for astronautics
D how the students have expectations for China' s future space program

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
It is a reply to a letter written by Zhai Mingjun, a 16-year-old girl in the class. The two astronauts thank the student for her concerns and wish the class luck in their future studies.
    "I' m so happy that the two space men replied with a few encouraging words," said Zhai. Her letter was one of the 10 winning letters taken into space by Fei and Nie, who have succeeded in traveling space in the Sixth Shenzhou Spaceship. Zhai wrote the letter as if she were a younger sister of the astronauts. "As the single child in my family, I always hoped that I would have an elder brother that I could be proud of," Zhai said. "I thought that the astronauts would be lonely during such a long space trip. I hoped they would feel happy and warm when reading my letter." Many of Zhai' s classmates also wrote their words of encouragement and admiration to the astronauts. "The letter to the astronauts made us believe that we can also be part of the manned space programme," said Zhao Dongxu.
    All the students have high expectations for China' s future space programme. "I heard that Snoopy is the mascot   for US astronauts. I hope I can design a mascot for our heroes," said Liu Mengjie, 16. "A physics class taught by astronauts in outer space would be very interesting. I want to be the astronaut who teaches students about zero gravity with my head upside down in the spaceship," said Han Yinan.
Many students think that the manned space program is still far away from them. But they feel proud that ordinary students could participate in such a great scientific achievement and hope there  will be more possibilities to take part.

<question>:
What can you conclude from the passage?

<options>:
A All the students look forward to China' s later space program
B Astronauts feel lonely during such a long space trip
C There is no gravity in the spaceship
D A composition con test had been held before the spaceship was launched

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
It is a reply to a letter written by Zhai Mingjun, a 16-year-old girl in the class. The two astronauts thank the student for her concerns and wish the class luck in their future studies.
    "I' m so happy that the two space men replied with a few encouraging words," said Zhai. Her letter was one of the 10 winning letters taken into space by Fei and Nie, who have succeeded in traveling space in the Sixth Shenzhou Spaceship. Zhai wrote the letter as if she were a younger sister of the astronauts. "As the single child in my family, I always hoped that I would have an elder brother that I could be proud of," Zhai said. "I thought that the astronauts would be lonely during such a long space trip. I hoped they would feel happy and warm when reading my letter." Many of Zhai' s classmates also wrote their words of encouragement and admiration to the astronauts. "The letter to the astronauts made us believe that we can also be part of the manned space programme," said Zhao Dongxu.
    All the students have high expectations for China' s future space programme. "I heard that Snoopy is the mascot   for US astronauts. I hope I can design a mascot for our heroes," said Liu Mengjie, 16. "A physics class taught by astronauts in outer space would be very interesting. I want to be the astronaut who teaches students about zero gravity with my head upside down in the spaceship," said Han Yinan.
Many students think that the manned space program is still far away from them. But they feel proud that ordinary students could participate in such a great scientific achievement and hope there  will be more possibilities to take part.

<question>:
"Such a great scientific achievement" refers to  _  .

<options>:
A China' s future space program
B The achievement that US astronauts achieved
C Fei and Nie succeeded in traveling space in the Sixth Shenzhou Spaceship.
D Fei and Nie made their head upside down in the spaceship

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
Most of us spend our lives seeking the natural world.We go fishing,sit in the garden,have a picnic,live in the suburbs or go to the seaside.The most popular leisure activity in Britain is going for a walk.When joggers jog,they don't run the streets.Every one of them tend to go to the park or the river.
But despite this,our children are growing up nature deprived .I spent my boyhood climbing trees.These days,children are robbed of these ancient freedoms,due to problems like crime,traffic,the loss of the open spaces and strange new ideas about what is best for children,that is to say,things that can be bought,rather than things that can be found.
The truth is to be found elsewhere.A study in the US: families had moved to better housing and the children were assessed for ADHD--attention deficit hyperactivity disorder .Those whose accommodation had more natural views showed an improvement of 19%; those who had the same improvement in material surroundings but no nice view improved just 4%.
ADHD is one of the great problems of modern childhood.One study after another indicates that contact with nature gives huge benefits to ADHD children.However,we spend money on drugs rather than on green places.
The life of old people is measurably better when they have access to nature.The increasing concern for the growing population of old people is in quality rather than quantity of years.And study after study finds that a garden is the single most important thing in finding that quality.Even problems with crime and aggressive behaviour are reduced when there is contact with the natural world.
We need the wild world.It is essential to our well-being,our health and our happiness.

<question>:
According to the author,people enjoy   _   to seek nature.

<options>:
A jogging on the street
B sitting in the garden
C shopping in the supermarket
D running in the gym

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
Most of us spend our lives seeking the natural world.We go fishing,sit in the garden,have a picnic,live in the suburbs or go to the seaside.The most popular leisure activity in Britain is going for a walk.When joggers jog,they don't run the streets.Every one of them tend to go to the park or the river.
But despite this,our children are growing up nature deprived .I spent my boyhood climbing trees.These days,children are robbed of these ancient freedoms,due to problems like crime,traffic,the loss of the open spaces and strange new ideas about what is best for children,that is to say,things that can be bought,rather than things that can be found.
The truth is to be found elsewhere.A study in the US: families had moved to better housing and the children were assessed for ADHD--attention deficit hyperactivity disorder .Those whose accommodation had more natural views showed an improvement of 19%; those who had the same improvement in material surroundings but no nice view improved just 4%.
ADHD is one of the great problems of modern childhood.One study after another indicates that contact with nature gives huge benefits to ADHD children.However,we spend money on drugs rather than on green places.
The life of old people is measurably better when they have access to nature.The increasing concern for the growing population of old people is in quality rather than quantity of years.And study after study finds that a garden is the single most important thing in finding that quality.Even problems with crime and aggressive behaviour are reduced when there is contact with the natural world.
We need the wild world.It is essential to our well-being,our health and our happiness.

<question>:
In what way do people benefit from their contact with nature?

<options>:
A Children with ADHD can be cured.
B A garden nearby improves the quality of old people's life.
C Problems with crime and violent behavior will easily be solved.
D Children's performance at school is greatly improved.

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
It's not easy to find a person with the qualities it takes to be a hero. I didn't really understand the meaning of the word "hero" until my third year in the college.
If you saw her, you wouldn't think she really looks the part, but she is stronger than Superman could ever be. Her name is Sandra Keierleber. I first met her at volleyball tryouts , but didn't notice anything special at first. As the week passed, however, she showed she had more heart than anyone. She stood out because she never gave up, no matter what.
Sandra isn't the tallest or the fastest --- in fact, this was her first time playing volleyball and it showed--- but that didn't stop her. She was always the first to arrive and the last to leave. By the end of tryouts she had found a place in everyone's heart. When the name list for new members was put up, we all waited nervously as she checked. When she stood at the door and smiled happily, all we could do was cheer.
After Sandra made the team, she worked even harder to improve her game. When she asked for help, we gladly taught her. She also became our fan, attending almost every school game and even joining us in the city games. We all like her, because she never thinks about doing things the easy way, or loses that smile. Because of her great efforts, she makes herself a true hero--- and my hero, too.

<question>:
What did the writer think of Sandra Keierleber at the beginning?

<options>:
A Common
B Honest
C Pretty.
D Strong

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
It's not easy to find a person with the qualities it takes to be a hero. I didn't really understand the meaning of the word "hero" until my third year in the college.
If you saw her, you wouldn't think she really looks the part, but she is stronger than Superman could ever be. Her name is Sandra Keierleber. I first met her at volleyball tryouts , but didn't notice anything special at first. As the week passed, however, she showed she had more heart than anyone. She stood out because she never gave up, no matter what.
Sandra isn't the tallest or the fastest --- in fact, this was her first time playing volleyball and it showed--- but that didn't stop her. She was always the first to arrive and the last to leave. By the end of tryouts she had found a place in everyone's heart. When the name list for new members was put up, we all waited nervously as she checked. When she stood at the door and smiled happily, all we could do was cheer.
After Sandra made the team, she worked even harder to improve her game. When she asked for help, we gladly taught her. She also became our fan, attending almost every school game and even joining us in the city games. We all like her, because she never thinks about doing things the easy way, or loses that smile. Because of her great efforts, she makes herself a true hero--- and my hero, too.

<question>:
Sandra began to play volleyball when   _  .

<options>:
A she was tall enough
B she was at college
C she became a hero
D she met the Superman

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
It's not easy to find a person with the qualities it takes to be a hero. I didn't really understand the meaning of the word "hero" until my third year in the college.
If you saw her, you wouldn't think she really looks the part, but she is stronger than Superman could ever be. Her name is Sandra Keierleber. I first met her at volleyball tryouts , but didn't notice anything special at first. As the week passed, however, she showed she had more heart than anyone. She stood out because she never gave up, no matter what.
Sandra isn't the tallest or the fastest --- in fact, this was her first time playing volleyball and it showed--- but that didn't stop her. She was always the first to arrive and the last to leave. By the end of tryouts she had found a place in everyone's heart. When the name list for new members was put up, we all waited nervously as she checked. When she stood at the door and smiled happily, all we could do was cheer.
After Sandra made the team, she worked even harder to improve her game. When she asked for help, we gladly taught her. She also became our fan, attending almost every school game and even joining us in the city games. We all like her, because she never thinks about doing things the easy way, or loses that smile. Because of her great efforts, she makes herself a true hero--- and my hero, too.

<question>:
Which of the following is true about Sandra?

<options>:
A She was born a volleyball player.
B She is popular with her teammates
C She does things in an easy way.
D She isn't the tallest but the fastest.

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
It's not easy to find a person with the qualities it takes to be a hero. I didn't really understand the meaning of the word "hero" until my third year in the college.
If you saw her, you wouldn't think she really looks the part, but she is stronger than Superman could ever be. Her name is Sandra Keierleber. I first met her at volleyball tryouts , but didn't notice anything special at first. As the week passed, however, she showed she had more heart than anyone. She stood out because she never gave up, no matter what.
Sandra isn't the tallest or the fastest --- in fact, this was her first time playing volleyball and it showed--- but that didn't stop her. She was always the first to arrive and the last to leave. By the end of tryouts she had found a place in everyone's heart. When the name list for new members was put up, we all waited nervously as she checked. When she stood at the door and smiled happily, all we could do was cheer.
After Sandra made the team, she worked even harder to improve her game. When she asked for help, we gladly taught her. She also became our fan, attending almost every school game and even joining us in the city games. We all like her, because she never thinks about doing things the easy way, or loses that smile. Because of her great efforts, she makes herself a true hero--- and my hero, too.

<question>:
Why does the writer think of Sandra Keierleber as a true hero?

<options>:
A She did very well at the tryouts.
B She asked for help from her teammates.
C She took part in the city matches.
D She worked hard and never gave up.

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
PEOPLE who have had a painful experience may wish they could wipe the memory from their minds. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University, US, say that this may someday be possible.
A drug remains far off, but researchers have laid a foundation with their discovery that proteins can be removed from the brain's fear center to cut memories forever.
Previous research had already shown that a special behavior therapy   could cut painful memories. But relapse   was possible because the memory hadn't necessarily disappeared.
By looking at that process, Richard Huganir and Roger Clem, two researchers from Johns Hopkins University, discovered a "window of vulnerability  " when proteins are created. The proteins help signals travel within the brain as painful memories are made. Because the proteins are unstable, they can be easily removed with drugs or behavior therapy to cut memories.
Researchers used mice to find the window, but think the process would be the same in humans. They used electric shocks to make the mice fear a certain sound. The sound triggered   the creation of the proteins, called calcium-permeable   AMPARS, which formed for a day or two in the fear centers of the mice's brains.
The researchers are working on ways to reopen the window by recalling   the painful memory and using drugs to remove the protein. They published their report online last month in Science Express.
Their research has drawn interest and concern from experts in mental healthcare.
Kate Farinholt, a mental health expert with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Maryland, US, said many people suffering from a painful event might benefit from erasing a memory. "Erasing a memory and then everything bad built on that is an amazing idea, and I can see all sorts of potential ," she said.
But there are a lot of unanswered questions, too.
"Completely deleting a memory is a little scary. How do you remove a memory without removing a part of someone's life," Farinholt said. "And is it best to do that, considering that people grow and learn from their experiences?"

<question>:
What have researchers at Johns Hopkins University found recently?

<options>:
A A new drug to erase painful memories from human brains.
B A special behavior therapy to erase painful memories.
C Removing certain proteins from the brain can wipe painful memories.
D Erasing memory damages a patient's brain functions.

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
PEOPLE who have had a painful experience may wish they could wipe the memory from their minds. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University, US, say that this may someday be possible.
A drug remains far off, but researchers have laid a foundation with their discovery that proteins can be removed from the brain's fear center to cut memories forever.
Previous research had already shown that a special behavior therapy   could cut painful memories. But relapse   was possible because the memory hadn't necessarily disappeared.
By looking at that process, Richard Huganir and Roger Clem, two researchers from Johns Hopkins University, discovered a "window of vulnerability  " when proteins are created. The proteins help signals travel within the brain as painful memories are made. Because the proteins are unstable, they can be easily removed with drugs or behavior therapy to cut memories.
Researchers used mice to find the window, but think the process would be the same in humans. They used electric shocks to make the mice fear a certain sound. The sound triggered   the creation of the proteins, called calcium-permeable   AMPARS, which formed for a day or two in the fear centers of the mice's brains.
The researchers are working on ways to reopen the window by recalling   the painful memory and using drugs to remove the protein. They published their report online last month in Science Express.
Their research has drawn interest and concern from experts in mental healthcare.
Kate Farinholt, a mental health expert with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Maryland, US, said many people suffering from a painful event might benefit from erasing a memory. "Erasing a memory and then everything bad built on that is an amazing idea, and I can see all sorts of potential ," she said.
But there are a lot of unanswered questions, too.
"Completely deleting a memory is a little scary. How do you remove a memory without removing a part of someone's life," Farinholt said. "And is it best to do that, considering that people grow and learn from their experiences?"

<question>:
What is Kate Farinholt's opinion of the research?

<options>:
A People may lose the chance to learn from their bad experiences.
B The research will be a great breakthrough in treating painful memories.
C People could suffer long-term memory loss.
D People could forget happy memories as well.

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
Today, Mount Qomolangma's peak is not a lonely place any more. More than 3,500 people have successfully climbed the 8,844m mountain, and more than a tenth of that number reached the peak just over the past year. As more and more people try to test themselves against Qomolangma, many a time the mount can be very crowded. Climbers have complained about waiting for hours in the bottlenecks  on the way to the peak. If bad weather strikes, climbers can and do die.
But the dangerous crowds aren't the only problem on Qomolangma. All those climbers need to bring a lot of _ --much of them ends up being left on the mountain, sometimes even the peak itself. Mount Qomolangma is becoming the world's tallest rubbish dump. Here's mountaineer Mark Jenkins writing in National Geographic about the state of Qomolangma: "The two standard routes, the Northeast Ridge and the Southeast Ridge, are not only dangerously crowded but also badly polluted."
But the good news is that some mountaineers are taking it upon themselves to clean up Qomolangma. Mountaineer Paul Thelen and his friend Eberhard Schaaf are part of the annual Eco Everest Expedition, which has been cleaning up rubbish from base camps to the peak since 2008. So far they've collected over 13 tons of garbage.
Some of that rubbish is even being used for a higher purpose. As part of the Mount Everest 8844 Art Project, a group of 15 artists from Nepal collected 1.5 tons of garbage brought down the mountain by climbers. They've changed the cans and oxygen tanks--in one case, part of the remains of a helicopter--into 74 pieces of art that have already gone on exhibition in Nepal's capital. Part of the profit from sales will go to the Everest Peakeers Association, which has helped collect tons of rubbish off the mountain.

<question>:
What do we learn about the bottlenecks on the way to Mount Qomolangma's peak?

<options>:
A They are relatively safe.
B They are often crowded.
C They are very easy to pass.
D They are sites of base camps.

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
Today, Mount Qomolangma's peak is not a lonely place any more. More than 3,500 people have successfully climbed the 8,844m mountain, and more than a tenth of that number reached the peak just over the past year. As more and more people try to test themselves against Qomolangma, many a time the mount can be very crowded. Climbers have complained about waiting for hours in the bottlenecks  on the way to the peak. If bad weather strikes, climbers can and do die.
But the dangerous crowds aren't the only problem on Qomolangma. All those climbers need to bring a lot of _ --much of them ends up being left on the mountain, sometimes even the peak itself. Mount Qomolangma is becoming the world's tallest rubbish dump. Here's mountaineer Mark Jenkins writing in National Geographic about the state of Qomolangma: "The two standard routes, the Northeast Ridge and the Southeast Ridge, are not only dangerously crowded but also badly polluted."
But the good news is that some mountaineers are taking it upon themselves to clean up Qomolangma. Mountaineer Paul Thelen and his friend Eberhard Schaaf are part of the annual Eco Everest Expedition, which has been cleaning up rubbish from base camps to the peak since 2008. So far they've collected over 13 tons of garbage.
Some of that rubbish is even being used for a higher purpose. As part of the Mount Everest 8844 Art Project, a group of 15 artists from Nepal collected 1.5 tons of garbage brought down the mountain by climbers. They've changed the cans and oxygen tanks--in one case, part of the remains of a helicopter--into 74 pieces of art that have already gone on exhibition in Nepal's capital. Part of the profit from sales will go to the Everest Peakeers Association, which has helped collect tons of rubbish off the mountain.

<question>:
The group of 15 Nepali artists   _  .

<options>:
A created works of art using rubbish from Qomolangma
B were employed by the Everest Peakeers Association
C climbed Qomolangma and collected 1.5 tons of trash
D painted 74 beautiful pictures of Mount Qomolangma's peak

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
Today, Mount Qomolangma's peak is not a lonely place any more. More than 3,500 people have successfully climbed the 8,844m mountain, and more than a tenth of that number reached the peak just over the past year. As more and more people try to test themselves against Qomolangma, many a time the mount can be very crowded. Climbers have complained about waiting for hours in the bottlenecks  on the way to the peak. If bad weather strikes, climbers can and do die.
But the dangerous crowds aren't the only problem on Qomolangma. All those climbers need to bring a lot of _ --much of them ends up being left on the mountain, sometimes even the peak itself. Mount Qomolangma is becoming the world's tallest rubbish dump. Here's mountaineer Mark Jenkins writing in National Geographic about the state of Qomolangma: "The two standard routes, the Northeast Ridge and the Southeast Ridge, are not only dangerously crowded but also badly polluted."
But the good news is that some mountaineers are taking it upon themselves to clean up Qomolangma. Mountaineer Paul Thelen and his friend Eberhard Schaaf are part of the annual Eco Everest Expedition, which has been cleaning up rubbish from base camps to the peak since 2008. So far they've collected over 13 tons of garbage.
Some of that rubbish is even being used for a higher purpose. As part of the Mount Everest 8844 Art Project, a group of 15 artists from Nepal collected 1.5 tons of garbage brought down the mountain by climbers. They've changed the cans and oxygen tanks--in one case, part of the remains of a helicopter--into 74 pieces of art that have already gone on exhibition in Nepal's capital. Part of the profit from sales will go to the Everest Peakeers Association, which has helped collect tons of rubbish off the mountain.

<question>:
What can be the best title for the text?

<options>:
A Test Yourself Against Qomolangma
B Qomolangma has Become a Huge Mess
C Eco Everest Expedition Proves Successful
D How to Climb Qomolangma

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
Norway tops the list of countries that offers the best social policies for people over 60. Afghanistan is rated the worst. The rankings appear in the new Global Age Watch Index. Help Age International published the index of 96 countries that are home to 790-million people 60 and older. Chief Executive Officer Toby Porter said, "For too long, older people have been excluded  from international and national development planning. We have a world which is ageing fast. And what the index does is to compare and rank countries from best to worst countries in the world to grow old," he said. The Global Age Watch Index rates countries in four categories. "Health, income, what we call capability - ability to carry on contributing employment. And then the final one about enabling environment - what do older people think about the environment that they live in."
"The focus on the report this year is on pensions - on retirement income that older men and women can expect." The index reports only one in four older people over 65 in low and middle income countries have any kind of retirement saving. Norway gets the highest ranking in the index. Rounding out the top 10 are Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Iceland, the United States, Japan and New Zealand. Afghanistan is at the bottom of the list following many years of conflict. There are 10 African countries on the index - all near the bottom. South Africa ranks the highest among them at 80. However, Porter said South Africa is doing some positive things. "We've seen some very encouraging public statements from some senior politicians in South Africa that they recognize the contribution and the importance of supporting their older population. South Africa is one of the so-called BRICS nations - countries with strong emerging economies. Other members include Brazil, ranked 58 - Russia, ranked 65 - India, 69 and China, 48. Porter said, "A lot of the impetus  behind China introducing pension provision for all of her older citizens was to provide an motivation for them to start using their purchasing power earlier in their lives in spending money rather than saving it for a pension." Help Age International recommended African nations begin providing pensions when people turn 60. However, if countries are poor, they might not be able to institute a pension system to every eligible  person at once. Another factor is Africa's youth population, which is much greater than most parts of the world. Therefore, governments are already hard pressed to provide education and jobs.

<question>:
What is the focus on the report of this year?

<options>:
A Pension
B Capability
C Employment
D Health

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
Norway tops the list of countries that offers the best social policies for people over 60. Afghanistan is rated the worst. The rankings appear in the new Global Age Watch Index. Help Age International published the index of 96 countries that are home to 790-million people 60 and older. Chief Executive Officer Toby Porter said, "For too long, older people have been excluded  from international and national development planning. We have a world which is ageing fast. And what the index does is to compare and rank countries from best to worst countries in the world to grow old," he said. The Global Age Watch Index rates countries in four categories. "Health, income, what we call capability - ability to carry on contributing employment. And then the final one about enabling environment - what do older people think about the environment that they live in."
"The focus on the report this year is on pensions - on retirement income that older men and women can expect." The index reports only one in four older people over 65 in low and middle income countries have any kind of retirement saving. Norway gets the highest ranking in the index. Rounding out the top 10 are Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Iceland, the United States, Japan and New Zealand. Afghanistan is at the bottom of the list following many years of conflict. There are 10 African countries on the index - all near the bottom. South Africa ranks the highest among them at 80. However, Porter said South Africa is doing some positive things. "We've seen some very encouraging public statements from some senior politicians in South Africa that they recognize the contribution and the importance of supporting their older population. South Africa is one of the so-called BRICS nations - countries with strong emerging economies. Other members include Brazil, ranked 58 - Russia, ranked 65 - India, 69 and China, 48. Porter said, "A lot of the impetus  behind China introducing pension provision for all of her older citizens was to provide an motivation for them to start using their purchasing power earlier in their lives in spending money rather than saving it for a pension." Help Age International recommended African nations begin providing pensions when people turn 60. However, if countries are poor, they might not be able to institute a pension system to every eligible  person at once. Another factor is Africa's youth population, which is much greater than most parts of the world. Therefore, governments are already hard pressed to provide education and jobs.

<question>:
The so-called BRICS nations do not include  _  .

<options>:
A Russia
B China
C South Africa
D New Zealand

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
Norway tops the list of countries that offers the best social policies for people over 60. Afghanistan is rated the worst. The rankings appear in the new Global Age Watch Index. Help Age International published the index of 96 countries that are home to 790-million people 60 and older. Chief Executive Officer Toby Porter said, "For too long, older people have been excluded  from international and national development planning. We have a world which is ageing fast. And what the index does is to compare and rank countries from best to worst countries in the world to grow old," he said. The Global Age Watch Index rates countries in four categories. "Health, income, what we call capability - ability to carry on contributing employment. And then the final one about enabling environment - what do older people think about the environment that they live in."
"The focus on the report this year is on pensions - on retirement income that older men and women can expect." The index reports only one in four older people over 65 in low and middle income countries have any kind of retirement saving. Norway gets the highest ranking in the index. Rounding out the top 10 are Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Iceland, the United States, Japan and New Zealand. Afghanistan is at the bottom of the list following many years of conflict. There are 10 African countries on the index - all near the bottom. South Africa ranks the highest among them at 80. However, Porter said South Africa is doing some positive things. "We've seen some very encouraging public statements from some senior politicians in South Africa that they recognize the contribution and the importance of supporting their older population. South Africa is one of the so-called BRICS nations - countries with strong emerging economies. Other members include Brazil, ranked 58 - Russia, ranked 65 - India, 69 and China, 48. Porter said, "A lot of the impetus  behind China introducing pension provision for all of her older citizens was to provide an motivation for them to start using their purchasing power earlier in their lives in spending money rather than saving it for a pension." Help Age International recommended African nations begin providing pensions when people turn 60. However, if countries are poor, they might not be able to institute a pension system to every eligible  person at once. Another factor is Africa's youth population, which is much greater than most parts of the world. Therefore, governments are already hard pressed to provide education and jobs.

<question>:
According to Toby Porter, he does not agree that  _  .

<options>:
A older people have not been included in the developing plan for a long time
B it makes little sense to rank countries from best to worst in the world to grow old
C more attention should be paid to older people in a world that is ageing fast
D South Africa is doing lots of positive things to improve the older people's conditions

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
Norway tops the list of countries that offers the best social policies for people over 60. Afghanistan is rated the worst. The rankings appear in the new Global Age Watch Index. Help Age International published the index of 96 countries that are home to 790-million people 60 and older. Chief Executive Officer Toby Porter said, "For too long, older people have been excluded  from international and national development planning. We have a world which is ageing fast. And what the index does is to compare and rank countries from best to worst countries in the world to grow old," he said. The Global Age Watch Index rates countries in four categories. "Health, income, what we call capability - ability to carry on contributing employment. And then the final one about enabling environment - what do older people think about the environment that they live in."
"The focus on the report this year is on pensions - on retirement income that older men and women can expect." The index reports only one in four older people over 65 in low and middle income countries have any kind of retirement saving. Norway gets the highest ranking in the index. Rounding out the top 10 are Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Iceland, the United States, Japan and New Zealand. Afghanistan is at the bottom of the list following many years of conflict. There are 10 African countries on the index - all near the bottom. South Africa ranks the highest among them at 80. However, Porter said South Africa is doing some positive things. "We've seen some very encouraging public statements from some senior politicians in South Africa that they recognize the contribution and the importance of supporting their older population. South Africa is one of the so-called BRICS nations - countries with strong emerging economies. Other members include Brazil, ranked 58 - Russia, ranked 65 - India, 69 and China, 48. Porter said, "A lot of the impetus  behind China introducing pension provision for all of her older citizens was to provide an motivation for them to start using their purchasing power earlier in their lives in spending money rather than saving it for a pension." Help Age International recommended African nations begin providing pensions when people turn 60. However, if countries are poor, they might not be able to institute a pension system to every eligible  person at once. Another factor is Africa's youth population, which is much greater than most parts of the world. Therefore, governments are already hard pressed to provide education and jobs.

<question>:
The purpose of The Global Age Watch Index is to  _  .

<options>:
A warn governments of the severe environmental problems in their countries
B tell the difference between developing countries and developed countries[]
C get governments and people to care more about older people in the world
D urge governments to take measures to stop political and military conflicts

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
After 10 seasons wearing the No.8 on his back, Kobe Bryant will become No.24 next season. The reason for the surprising decision by the Los Angeles Lakers super guard last week has become a hot topic for debate.
Bryant wore No.24 when he was in early high school, but he changed to No.33 in his senior year. He switched to No.8 when he was selected by the Lakers in 1996, and has been not changed since.
Bryant has refused to explain the decision until the end of the play-offs. So guessing Bryant's motive has become a popular game among NBA fans and newspaper columnists.
There are all kinds of speculations . Many say that Bryant wants to leave the past behind and have a fresh start. He has often been criticized for playing to benefit himself and not the team as a whole. Others say that he may be trying to compare himself to Michael Jordan. prefix = st1 /Jordanwas famous for his No. 23 jersey . Some, such as NBC Sport columnist Michael Ventre, argue that it is "all about money". Bryant will make more money by selling new jerseyto his fans.
Some speculations are more about fun. For example, there is an opinion that Kobeis actually just a diehard fan of the popular TV drama "24".
All this talk has turned the number change into a major issue. It seems that there is a lot of fuss over something that should be pretty simple.
Jersey numbers have their own special significance in American sports, especially basketball. Players choose their number when they join a team and they usually stick with that number for the rest of their career. When a great player retires, his team will honor him by retiring his number.

<question>:
Bryant plays for   _  .

<options>:
A The Los Angels Lakers
B TheHoustonrockets
C The ChicagoBulls
D TheMiamiHeats

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
After 10 seasons wearing the No.8 on his back, Kobe Bryant will become No.24 next season. The reason for the surprising decision by the Los Angeles Lakers super guard last week has become a hot topic for debate.
Bryant wore No.24 when he was in early high school, but he changed to No.33 in his senior year. He switched to No.8 when he was selected by the Lakers in 1996, and has been not changed since.
Bryant has refused to explain the decision until the end of the play-offs. So guessing Bryant's motive has become a popular game among NBA fans and newspaper columnists.
There are all kinds of speculations . Many say that Bryant wants to leave the past behind and have a fresh start. He has often been criticized for playing to benefit himself and not the team as a whole. Others say that he may be trying to compare himself to Michael Jordan. prefix = st1 /Jordanwas famous for his No. 23 jersey . Some, such as NBC Sport columnist Michael Ventre, argue that it is "all about money". Bryant will make more money by selling new jerseyto his fans.
Some speculations are more about fun. For example, there is an opinion that Kobeis actually just a diehard fan of the popular TV drama "24".
All this talk has turned the number change into a major issue. It seems that there is a lot of fuss over something that should be pretty simple.
Jersey numbers have their own special significance in American sports, especially basketball. Players choose their number when they join a team and they usually stick with that number for the rest of their career. When a great player retires, his team will honor him by retiring his number.

<question>:
Bryant wore No. 8   _  .

<options>:
A for two years and a half
B for ten years
C since he entered high school
D since he left high school

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
After 10 seasons wearing the No.8 on his back, Kobe Bryant will become No.24 next season. The reason for the surprising decision by the Los Angeles Lakers super guard last week has become a hot topic for debate.
Bryant wore No.24 when he was in early high school, but he changed to No.33 in his senior year. He switched to No.8 when he was selected by the Lakers in 1996, and has been not changed since.
Bryant has refused to explain the decision until the end of the play-offs. So guessing Bryant's motive has become a popular game among NBA fans and newspaper columnists.
There are all kinds of speculations . Many say that Bryant wants to leave the past behind and have a fresh start. He has often been criticized for playing to benefit himself and not the team as a whole. Others say that he may be trying to compare himself to Michael Jordan. prefix = st1 /Jordanwas famous for his No. 23 jersey . Some, such as NBC Sport columnist Michael Ventre, argue that it is "all about money". Bryant will make more money by selling new jerseyto his fans.
Some speculations are more about fun. For example, there is an opinion that Kobeis actually just a diehard fan of the popular TV drama "24".
All this talk has turned the number change into a major issue. It seems that there is a lot of fuss over something that should be pretty simple.
Jersey numbers have their own special significance in American sports, especially basketball. Players choose their number when they join a team and they usually stick with that number for the rest of their career. When a great player retires, his team will honor him by retiring his number.

<question>:
Which of the following is NOT a speculation about Bryant's motive to change his number?

<options>:
A He wants to leave his past behind and have a fresh start.
B He wants to compare himself to Jordan.
C He wants to earn more money.
D He wants to show that he is man of great importance.

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
With a good shopping position and the right amount of money , any educated person ought to be able to make a living out of a bookshop . It is not a difficult trade to learn and the large chain-stores can never force the small bookseller out of existence as they have done to the corner shop . But the hours of work are very long-I was only doing a part-time job , but my boss put in a seventy-hour week ,besides regular journeys out of shopping hours to buy books .
              The real reason why I should not like to be back in the book trade for life , however , is that while I was in it, I lost my love of books . A bookseller cannot always tell the truth about his books , and that gives him a dislike for them . There was a time when I really did love books--loved the sight and smell and feel of them--if they were fifty or more years old , that is . Nothing pleased me quite so much as to buy a bargain lot of them on sale for several pounds . There is a peculiar flavour about the unexpected books you pick up in that kind of collection: little-known eighteenth-century poets , or out-of-date geography books . For occasional reading--in your bath , for example , or late at night when you are too tired to go to bed--there is nothing as good as a very old picture story-book .
              But as soon as I went to work in the bookshop, I stopped buying books . Seen in a mass, five or ten thousand at a time , books were dull and even a little tiresome . Nowadays I do buy one occasionally , but only if it is a book that I want to read and can't borrow , and I never buy rubbish .

<question>:
According to the passage ,_is one of the necessary conditions to run a bookshop .

<options>:
A an educated shop-owner
B a good position at a street corner
C a regular journey out of the shop
D the force of large chain-stores

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
With a good shopping position and the right amount of money , any educated person ought to be able to make a living out of a bookshop . It is not a difficult trade to learn and the large chain-stores can never force the small bookseller out of existence as they have done to the corner shop . But the hours of work are very long-I was only doing a part-time job , but my boss put in a seventy-hour week ,besides regular journeys out of shopping hours to buy books .
              The real reason why I should not like to be back in the book trade for life , however , is that while I was in it, I lost my love of books . A bookseller cannot always tell the truth about his books , and that gives him a dislike for them . There was a time when I really did love books--loved the sight and smell and feel of them--if they were fifty or more years old , that is . Nothing pleased me quite so much as to buy a bargain lot of them on sale for several pounds . There is a peculiar flavour about the unexpected books you pick up in that kind of collection: little-known eighteenth-century poets , or out-of-date geography books . For occasional reading--in your bath , for example , or late at night when you are too tired to go to bed--there is nothing as good as a very old picture story-book .
              But as soon as I went to work in the bookshop, I stopped buying books . Seen in a mass, five or ten thousand at a time , books were dull and even a little tiresome . Nowadays I do buy one occasionally , but only if it is a book that I want to read and can't borrow , and I never buy rubbish .

<question>:
The author should not like to be back as a bookseller for life because_.

<options>:
A he hated his job of selling books
B selling books was only a part-time job
C the books in the shop gave him a dislike
D he was unable to be honest about the books he sold

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
With a good shopping position and the right amount of money , any educated person ought to be able to make a living out of a bookshop . It is not a difficult trade to learn and the large chain-stores can never force the small bookseller out of existence as they have done to the corner shop . But the hours of work are very long-I was only doing a part-time job , but my boss put in a seventy-hour week ,besides regular journeys out of shopping hours to buy books .
              The real reason why I should not like to be back in the book trade for life , however , is that while I was in it, I lost my love of books . A bookseller cannot always tell the truth about his books , and that gives him a dislike for them . There was a time when I really did love books--loved the sight and smell and feel of them--if they were fifty or more years old , that is . Nothing pleased me quite so much as to buy a bargain lot of them on sale for several pounds . There is a peculiar flavour about the unexpected books you pick up in that kind of collection: little-known eighteenth-century poets , or out-of-date geography books . For occasional reading--in your bath , for example , or late at night when you are too tired to go to bed--there is nothing as good as a very old picture story-book .
              But as soon as I went to work in the bookshop, I stopped buying books . Seen in a mass, five or ten thousand at a time , books were dull and even a little tiresome . Nowadays I do buy one occasionally , but only if it is a book that I want to read and can't borrow , and I never buy rubbish .

<question>:
The books preferred by the author should be those_.

<options>:
A stories making readers sleepless
B valuable ones bought on sale
C peculiar ones with great expectation
D geography ones from the eighteenth century

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
With a good shopping position and the right amount of money , any educated person ought to be able to make a living out of a bookshop . It is not a difficult trade to learn and the large chain-stores can never force the small bookseller out of existence as they have done to the corner shop . But the hours of work are very long-I was only doing a part-time job , but my boss put in a seventy-hour week ,besides regular journeys out of shopping hours to buy books .
              The real reason why I should not like to be back in the book trade for life , however , is that while I was in it, I lost my love of books . A bookseller cannot always tell the truth about his books , and that gives him a dislike for them . There was a time when I really did love books--loved the sight and smell and feel of them--if they were fifty or more years old , that is . Nothing pleased me quite so much as to buy a bargain lot of them on sale for several pounds . There is a peculiar flavour about the unexpected books you pick up in that kind of collection: little-known eighteenth-century poets , or out-of-date geography books . For occasional reading--in your bath , for example , or late at night when you are too tired to go to bed--there is nothing as good as a very old picture story-book .
              But as soon as I went to work in the bookshop, I stopped buying books . Seen in a mass, five or ten thousand at a time , books were dull and even a little tiresome . Nowadays I do buy one occasionally , but only if it is a book that I want to read and can't borrow , and I never buy rubbish .

<question>:
The author will only buy new books_.

<options>:
A if he feels dull and tired
B after he gives up his job as a bookseller
C which are interesting but hard to borrow
D when he throws away old ones

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
For a long time now, I've been fascinated by common phrases and their origins- and just why we say what we say. I decided to consult the experts, sort through all the research and compile   the answers. Here are a few of the standouts.
Q: Why do we"tie the knot  "when we get married?
A: Knots have been a common metaphor   in marriage ceremonies all over the world and through time. The expression means"to unite in manage".  In the Hindu marriage ceremony, the groom ties a ribbon around the bride's neck. In ancient Rome, the bride wore a belt that was tied in a knot. The groom would then unfasten it on their first night together as husband and wife.
Q: Why do we say"Many happy returns"?
A: The phrase is short for"Many happy returns of the day", which is to say,"May this day return many times"or"May you have many more birthdays. "
Q: How about"It's not over till the fat lady sings"? Where does that come from?
A: This expression is usually phrased as"The opera isn't over till the fat lady sings. "It got its start as a popular saying when it was used by a sportswriter Dan Cook in 1976 to indicate that a sporting contest wouldn't end until time was called.
Q: What's the story of"under the weather,"especially when the weather's just fine?
A: There's probably a nautical   explanation. In days gone by, when people felt seasick, they were told to go below-decks and find a spot in the middle of the ship where the motion would be less noticeable. In that way, they literally took themselves"under the weather."

<question>:
The phrase"It's not over till the fat lady sings"was first used in   _  .

<options>:
A sport
B opera
C movie
D music

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
For a long time now, I've been fascinated by common phrases and their origins- and just why we say what we say. I decided to consult the experts, sort through all the research and compile   the answers. Here are a few of the standouts.
Q: Why do we"tie the knot  "when we get married?
A: Knots have been a common metaphor   in marriage ceremonies all over the world and through time. The expression means"to unite in manage".  In the Hindu marriage ceremony, the groom ties a ribbon around the bride's neck. In ancient Rome, the bride wore a belt that was tied in a knot. The groom would then unfasten it on their first night together as husband and wife.
Q: Why do we say"Many happy returns"?
A: The phrase is short for"Many happy returns of the day", which is to say,"May this day return many times"or"May you have many more birthdays. "
Q: How about"It's not over till the fat lady sings"? Where does that come from?
A: This expression is usually phrased as"The opera isn't over till the fat lady sings. "It got its start as a popular saying when it was used by a sportswriter Dan Cook in 1976 to indicate that a sporting contest wouldn't end until time was called.
Q: What's the story of"under the weather,"especially when the weather's just fine?
A: There's probably a nautical   explanation. In days gone by, when people felt seasick, they were told to go below-decks and find a spot in the middle of the ship where the motion would be less noticeable. In that way, they literally took themselves"under the weather."

<question>:
According to the passage, which of the following phrases is related to the sea?

<options>:
A Tie the knot.
B Many happy returns.
C It's not over till the fat lady sings.
D Under the weather.

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
For a long time now, I've been fascinated by common phrases and their origins- and just why we say what we say. I decided to consult the experts, sort through all the research and compile   the answers. Here are a few of the standouts.
Q: Why do we"tie the knot  "when we get married?
A: Knots have been a common metaphor   in marriage ceremonies all over the world and through time. The expression means"to unite in manage".  In the Hindu marriage ceremony, the groom ties a ribbon around the bride's neck. In ancient Rome, the bride wore a belt that was tied in a knot. The groom would then unfasten it on their first night together as husband and wife.
Q: Why do we say"Many happy returns"?
A: The phrase is short for"Many happy returns of the day", which is to say,"May this day return many times"or"May you have many more birthdays. "
Q: How about"It's not over till the fat lady sings"? Where does that come from?
A: This expression is usually phrased as"The opera isn't over till the fat lady sings. "It got its start as a popular saying when it was used by a sportswriter Dan Cook in 1976 to indicate that a sporting contest wouldn't end until time was called.
Q: What's the story of"under the weather,"especially when the weather's just fine?
A: There's probably a nautical   explanation. In days gone by, when people felt seasick, they were told to go below-decks and find a spot in the middle of the ship where the motion would be less noticeable. In that way, they literally took themselves"under the weather."

<question>:
What can we learn from the passage?

<options>:
A "Tie the knot"has different meanings in different cultures.
B "Many happy returns"is often used when people celebrate birthdays.
C "It's not over till the fat lady sings"got its start in 1976.
D "Under the weather"means the weather is bad.

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
For a long time now, I've been fascinated by common phrases and their origins- and just why we say what we say. I decided to consult the experts, sort through all the research and compile   the answers. Here are a few of the standouts.
Q: Why do we"tie the knot  "when we get married?
A: Knots have been a common metaphor   in marriage ceremonies all over the world and through time. The expression means"to unite in manage".  In the Hindu marriage ceremony, the groom ties a ribbon around the bride's neck. In ancient Rome, the bride wore a belt that was tied in a knot. The groom would then unfasten it on their first night together as husband and wife.
Q: Why do we say"Many happy returns"?
A: The phrase is short for"Many happy returns of the day", which is to say,"May this day return many times"or"May you have many more birthdays. "
Q: How about"It's not over till the fat lady sings"? Where does that come from?
A: This expression is usually phrased as"The opera isn't over till the fat lady sings. "It got its start as a popular saying when it was used by a sportswriter Dan Cook in 1976 to indicate that a sporting contest wouldn't end until time was called.
Q: What's the story of"under the weather,"especially when the weather's just fine?
A: There's probably a nautical   explanation. In days gone by, when people felt seasick, they were told to go below-decks and find a spot in the middle of the ship where the motion would be less noticeable. In that way, they literally took themselves"under the weather."

<question>:
The purpose of the passage is to  _  .

<options>:
A tell us some funny stories
B tell us the origins of some phrases
C tell us some interesting experiences
D tell us the history of the English language

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
We human beings haven't been good friends to animals. For thousands of years, we have been polluting the environment, making it hard for animals to live on the planet. We have been killing animals for their fur, feathers or meat, or simply because they are dangerous. As a result, many kinds of animals have disappeared forever. Hundreds more are on the endangered list today.
Should we care about animals? Of course we should. If animals of a certain kind all disappear, they will never come back again. Animals are more than just resources of things we need. Every kind of animal has its place in the balance of nature. Destroying any kind of animal can lead to many problems. For example, when farmers killed large numbers of hawks, the corn and grain that the farmers stored were destroyed by rats and mice. Why?  Because hawks eat rats and mice. With less and less hawks to keep down their numbers, rats and mice multiplied quickly. And if people kill too many birds, more and more insects will eat the crops.
Luckily, we've realized that we shouldn't kill animals any more. And people are working hard to save those animals that would disappear soon. The government also passed laws to protect the endangered animals. In fact, quite a few countries have passed such laws. These laws forbid the killing of any kind of animal on the endangered list. We should try our best to protect and save the endangered animals.

<question>:
The text calls on us to  _  .

<options>:
A keep animals at home
B protect the environment
C protect the endangered animals
D know more about the balance of nature.

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
We human beings haven't been good friends to animals. For thousands of years, we have been polluting the environment, making it hard for animals to live on the planet. We have been killing animals for their fur, feathers or meat, or simply because they are dangerous. As a result, many kinds of animals have disappeared forever. Hundreds more are on the endangered list today.
Should we care about animals? Of course we should. If animals of a certain kind all disappear, they will never come back again. Animals are more than just resources of things we need. Every kind of animal has its place in the balance of nature. Destroying any kind of animal can lead to many problems. For example, when farmers killed large numbers of hawks, the corn and grain that the farmers stored were destroyed by rats and mice. Why?  Because hawks eat rats and mice. With less and less hawks to keep down their numbers, rats and mice multiplied quickly. And if people kill too many birds, more and more insects will eat the crops.
Luckily, we've realized that we shouldn't kill animals any more. And people are working hard to save those animals that would disappear soon. The government also passed laws to protect the endangered animals. In fact, quite a few countries have passed such laws. These laws forbid the killing of any kind of animal on the endangered list. We should try our best to protect and save the endangered animals.

<question>:
Why do people kill animals?

<options>:
A Animals cause many serious problems.
B They kill animals for something they need.
C Animals destroy their natural resources.
D They kill animals to protect the environment

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
We human beings haven't been good friends to animals. For thousands of years, we have been polluting the environment, making it hard for animals to live on the planet. We have been killing animals for their fur, feathers or meat, or simply because they are dangerous. As a result, many kinds of animals have disappeared forever. Hundreds more are on the endangered list today.
Should we care about animals? Of course we should. If animals of a certain kind all disappear, they will never come back again. Animals are more than just resources of things we need. Every kind of animal has its place in the balance of nature. Destroying any kind of animal can lead to many problems. For example, when farmers killed large numbers of hawks, the corn and grain that the farmers stored were destroyed by rats and mice. Why?  Because hawks eat rats and mice. With less and less hawks to keep down their numbers, rats and mice multiplied quickly. And if people kill too many birds, more and more insects will eat the crops.
Luckily, we've realized that we shouldn't kill animals any more. And people are working hard to save those animals that would disappear soon. The government also passed laws to protect the endangered animals. In fact, quite a few countries have passed such laws. These laws forbid the killing of any kind of animal on the endangered list. We should try our best to protect and save the endangered animals.

<question>:
The example that farmers killed hawks shows that  _  .

<options>:
A there were too many rats and mice
B hawks are the most important in the nature
C animals are good food resources
D every kind of animal is important in nature

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
Every year in the first week of English class, some students inform me that writing is too hard. They never write, unless homework requires it. They find the writing process painful and difficult.
How awful it is to be able to speak in a language but not to write in it, especially with its rich vocabulary. Being able to speak but not write is like living in _ and never leaving one small room. When I meet students who think they can't write, I know, as a teacher my duty is to show them the rest of the rooms. My task is to build fluency and accuracy while providing the opportunity in any writing activity to enhance the moral and emotional development of my students.
One great way to do this is by having students write in a journal in class every day.
Writing ability is like strength training. Writing needs to be done just like exercise; just as muscles grow stronger with exercise, writing skills improve quickly with writing practice daily. I often see a rise in student confidence and performance after only a few weeks of journal writing.
Expressing oneself in writing is one of the most important skills I teach to strengthen the whole students. When my students practice journal writing, they are practicing for their future academic, political, and emotional lives. They build skills so that some say they might write a great novel, a piece of sorely needed legislation , or the perfect love letter. That they write in their journals every day puts them a step closer to fluency, eloquence and command of the language.

<question>:
What is the purpose of the passage?

<options>:
A To encourage students to keep a journal every day.
B To analyze students' problems in learning languages.
C To stress the importance of writing in language learning.
D To introduce an effective way of improving students' writing.

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
Every year in the first week of English class, some students inform me that writing is too hard. They never write, unless homework requires it. They find the writing process painful and difficult.
How awful it is to be able to speak in a language but not to write in it, especially with its rich vocabulary. Being able to speak but not write is like living in _ and never leaving one small room. When I meet students who think they can't write, I know, as a teacher my duty is to show them the rest of the rooms. My task is to build fluency and accuracy while providing the opportunity in any writing activity to enhance the moral and emotional development of my students.
One great way to do this is by having students write in a journal in class every day.
Writing ability is like strength training. Writing needs to be done just like exercise; just as muscles grow stronger with exercise, writing skills improve quickly with writing practice daily. I often see a rise in student confidence and performance after only a few weeks of journal writing.
Expressing oneself in writing is one of the most important skills I teach to strengthen the whole students. When my students practice journal writing, they are practicing for their future academic, political, and emotional lives. They build skills so that some say they might write a great novel, a piece of sorely needed legislation , or the perfect love letter. That they write in their journals every day puts them a step closer to fluency, eloquence and command of the language.

<question>:
In the author's view, what can students benefit from the journal writing?

<options>:
A It is beneficial to students' future career.
B It can make students more emotional.
C It is helpful to students' homework.
D It can enlarge students' vocabulary.

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
My mother used to ask me what the most important part of the body is. Through the years Iwould take a guess at what I thought was the correct answer. When I was younger, I thought sound was very important to us as humans, so I said: "My ears, Mommy." She said: "No. Many people are deaf. But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon."Several years passed before she asked me again. Since making my first attempt, I had contemplated the correct answer. So this time I told her: "Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes." She looked at me and told me: "You are learning fast, but the answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind."
Mother asked me a couple more times and always her answer was "No. But you are getting smarter every year, my child."Then last year, my grandpa died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. My momlooked at me when it was our turn to say our final goodbye to grandpa. She asked me: "Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?"
I was  shocked  when  she  asked  me  this  now. She  told  me:  "This  question is very important,especially at this moment. How you answer it can truly shows whether you have
learned about life. For every body part you gave me in the past, I have told you were wrong
and I have given you an example why. But today is the day you need to learn this important
lesson."
I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said: "My dear, the most important body part is your
shoulder.""Is it because it holds up my head?" I asked."No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or a loved one when they cry," she replied:"Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on somet ime in life, my dear. I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will always have a shoulder to cry on when you need it."

<question>:
The mother ask the question again after the grandfather died because   _  .

<options>:
A the answer was a way of honoring the grandfather.
B at that moment, other body parts were less important.
C the answer needed to be given to all members of the family.
D at that moment the answer seemed especially true.

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
My mother used to ask me what the most important part of the body is. Through the years Iwould take a guess at what I thought was the correct answer. When I was younger, I thought sound was very important to us as humans, so I said: "My ears, Mommy." She said: "No. Many people are deaf. But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon."Several years passed before she asked me again. Since making my first attempt, I had contemplated the correct answer. So this time I told her: "Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes." She looked at me and told me: "You are learning fast, but the answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind."
Mother asked me a couple more times and always her answer was "No. But you are getting smarter every year, my child."Then last year, my grandpa died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. My momlooked at me when it was our turn to say our final goodbye to grandpa. She asked me: "Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?"
I was  shocked  when  she  asked  me  this  now. She  told  me:  "This  question is very important,especially at this moment. How you answer it can truly shows whether you have
learned about life. For every body part you gave me in the past, I have told you were wrong
and I have given you an example why. But today is the day you need to learn this important
lesson."
I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said: "My dear, the most important body part is your
shoulder.""Is it because it holds up my head?" I asked."No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or a loved one when they cry," she replied:"Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on somet ime in life, my dear. I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will always have a shoulder to cry on when you need it."

<question>:
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the article?

<options>:
A The author was becoming smarter by answering the question.
B The mother wanted the author to be both loving and loved.
C The mother was trying to train the author to think on his or her own.
D The author didn't think the mother's answer was correct.

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
My mother used to ask me what the most important part of the body is. Through the years Iwould take a guess at what I thought was the correct answer. When I was younger, I thought sound was very important to us as humans, so I said: "My ears, Mommy." She said: "No. Many people are deaf. But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon."Several years passed before she asked me again. Since making my first attempt, I had contemplated the correct answer. So this time I told her: "Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes." She looked at me and told me: "You are learning fast, but the answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind."
Mother asked me a couple more times and always her answer was "No. But you are getting smarter every year, my child."Then last year, my grandpa died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. My momlooked at me when it was our turn to say our final goodbye to grandpa. She asked me: "Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?"
I was  shocked  when  she  asked  me  this  now. She  told  me:  "This  question is very important,especially at this moment. How you answer it can truly shows whether you have
learned about life. For every body part you gave me in the past, I have told you were wrong
and I have given you an example why. But today is the day you need to learn this important
lesson."
I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said: "My dear, the most important body part is your
shoulder.""Is it because it holds up my head?" I asked."No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or a loved one when they cry," she replied:"Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on somet ime in life, my dear. I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will always have a shoulder to cry on when you need it."

<question>:
The best title for this article might be   _  .

<options>:
A The Most Import ant Body Part
B The Importance of family
C The Importance of the Shoulder
D A Life-long Question

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
The United Nations says forty million people or so around the world went hungry in 2008, mainly because of higher food prices. Early estimates  from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) show that 963 million people did not get enough to eat.
World food prices have dropped since early 2008. Prices of major crops have decreased by more than half from their height earlier last year. But they remain high compared to earlier years.
But FAO official Hafez Ghanem says lower prices have failed to end the food crisis   in many poor countries. "For millions in developing countries," he says, "getting enough food every day to live an active and healthy life is a distant dream."
The FAO says food shortage is a threat to people's health. Today, two-thirds of the world's _ people live in just a few countries. These are India, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Ethiopia and so on.
A report on food insecurity warns that the current economic crisis could send even more people into hunger and poverty.
In sub-Saharan Africa, the percentage of the people who continually go hungry fell from 34% in 1997 to 30% in 2008. But the FAO says Ghana is the only country that has reached two sets of hunger reduction targets. These were set by the 1996 World Food Summit and the Millennium Development Goals. The main reason is the growth in agricultural production in Ghana.
The FAO says some countries in Southeast Asia like Thailand and Vietnam have made progress in hunger reduction goals. But South Asia and Central Asia haven't, and North Korea is still in hot water.

<question>:
What FAO official Hafez Ghanem says implies   _

<options>:
A it's easy but takes long to provide people with enough food
B enough food can make people more active and healthier
C there is difficulty solving the food shortage in a short time
D people in developing countries will never get enough food

<answer>:


Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
The United Nations says forty million people or so around the world went hungry in 2008, mainly because of higher food prices. Early estimates  from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) show that 963 million people did not get enough to eat.
World food prices have dropped since early 2008. Prices of major crops have decreased by more than half from their height earlier last year. But they remain high compared to earlier years.
But FAO official Hafez Ghanem says lower prices have failed to end the food crisis   in many poor countries. "For millions in developing countries," he says, "getting enough food every day to live an active and healthy life is a distant dream."
The FAO says food shortage is a threat to people's health. Today, two-thirds of the world's _ people live in just a few countries. These are India, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Ethiopia and so on.
A report on food insecurity warns that the current economic crisis could send even more people into hunger and poverty.
In sub-Saharan Africa, the percentage of the people who continually go hungry fell from 34% in 1997 to 30% in 2008. But the FAO says Ghana is the only country that has reached two sets of hunger reduction targets. These were set by the 1996 World Food Summit and the Millennium Development Goals. The main reason is the growth in agricultural production in Ghana.
The FAO says some countries in Southeast Asia like Thailand and Vietnam have made progress in hunger reduction goals. But South Asia and Central Asia haven't, and North Korea is still in hot water.

<question>:
Ghana has reached the targets of hunger reduction mainly because of   _  .

<options>:
A the still high food prices
B the donation of developed countries
C the two targets of hunger reduction
D the growth in agricultural production

<answer>: